The effect of copper, phosphorus, and chromium present in a semikilled reinforcing bar steel produced by in-line quenching [thermomechanical treatment (TMT)] process on the tensile properties, microstructure, and corrosion resistance of steel in simulated chloride environment has been investigated. The results have been compared with that of a semikilled C-Mn reinforcing bar steel without these alloying elements produced by the same process route. Though the amount of phosphorus (0.11 wt.%) was higher than that specified by ASTM A 706 standard, the Cu-P-Cr steel exhibited a composite microstructure, and good balance of yield stress, tensile stress, elongation, and ultimate tensile to yield stress ratio. Two conventional test methods, namely, the salt fog, and potentiodynamic polarization tests, were used for the corrosion test. The rust formed on Cu-P-Cr steel was adherent, and was of multiple colors, while the corrosion products formed on the C-Mn steel were weakly adherent and relatively darker blue. Also, the free corrosion potential of the Cu-P-Cr steel was nobler, and the corrosion current was markedly lower than that of a C-Mn rebar. The Cu-P-Cr steel did not develop any pits/deep grooves on its surface even after the prolonged exposure to salt fog. The improved corrosion resistance of the Cu-P-Cr steel has been attributed to the presence of copper, phosphorus, and small amount of chromium in the dense, adherent rust layer on the surface of reinforcing steel bar. A schematic mechanism of charge transfer has been proposed to explain the improved corrosion resistance of the Cu-P-Cr alloyed TMT rebar.
The b-phase of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is well known for its piezoelectric properties. PVDF films have been developed using solvent cast method. The films thus produced are in a-phase. The a-phase is transformed to piezoelectric b-phase when the film is hotstretched with various different stretching factors at various different temperatures. The films are then characterized in terms of their mechanical properties and surface morphological changes during the transformation from a-to b-phases by using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimeter, Raman spectra, Infrared spectra, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The films showed increased crystallinity with stretching at temperature up to 808C. The optimum conditions to achieve b-phase have been discussed in detail. The fabricated PVDF sensors have been tested for free vibration and impact on plate structure, and its response is compared with conventional piezoelectric wafer type sensor. The resonant and antiresonant peaks in the frequency response of PVDF sensor match well with that of lead zirconate titanate wafer sensors. Effective piezoelectric properties and the variations in the frequency response spectra due to free vibration and impact loading conditions are reported. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 53:707-715, 2013. ª 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
The rusts on the gauge face and non-gauge face of two rail steels (traditional C-Mn and novel CuMo rail steel) were characterised after two years of service to corelate with an apparent visual observation of a lower corrosion rate in the case of the Cu-Mo rails. Rust samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Mö ssbauer spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction patterns showed diffuse peaks indicating poorly crystallised rust phases, while the phases identified by the other techniques were c-FeOOH (lepidocrocite), a-FeOOH (goethite), Fe 32x O 4 (magnetite), d-FeOOH and a-Fe 2 O 3 (haematite). The enhanced corrosion of the gauge face compared to non-gauge face for both rails and that of C-Mn rails compared to Cu-Mo rails was related to the higher amount of c-FeOOH and lower amount of Fe 32x O 4 .
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