Abstract:In this study, copolymers based on 1,3-bis(carbazol-9-yl)benzene (BCz) and three 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene derivatives (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT), 3,4-(2,2-dimethylpropylenedioxy) thiophene (ProDOT-Me 2 ), and 3,4-ethylenedithiathiophene (EDTT)) were electrochemically synthesized and their electrochemical and electrochromic properties were characterized. The anodic copolymer P(BCz-co-ProDOT) with BCz/ProDOT-Me 2 = 1/1 feed molar ratio showed high optical contrast (∆T%) and coloring efficiency (η), measured as 52.5% and 153.5 cm 2 ·C −1 at 748 nm, respectively. Electrochromic devices (ECDs) based on P(BCz-co-EDOT), P(BCz-co-ProDOT), and P(BCz-co-EDTT) as anodic polymer layers, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PEDOT-PSS) as cathodic polymer layer were fabricated. P(BCz-co-ProDOT)/triple-layer PEDOT-PSS ECD showed three different colors (light yellow, yellowish-blue, and dark blue) at different applied potentials. In addition, the highest optical contrast (∆T%) of P(BCz-co-ProDOT)/triple-layer PEDOT-PSS ECD was found to be 41% at 642 nm and the coloration efficiency was calculated to be 416.5 cm 2 ·C −1 at 642 nm. All ECDs showed satisfactory optical memories and electrochemical cyclic stability.
The quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process of advanced high strength steels results in a significant enhancement in their strength and ductility. The development of controlled rolling and cooling technology provides an efficient tool for microstructural design in steels. This approach allows to control phase transformations in order to generate the desired microstructure in steel and, thus, to achieve the required properties. To refine grain structure in a Fe-Si-Mn-Nb steel and to generate the microstructure consisting of martensitic matrix with embedded retained austenite grains, hot rolling and pressing combined with ultrafast cooling and Q&P process is employed. The slender martensite in hot rolled Q&P steel improves the strength of test steel and the flake retained austenite improves the plasticity and work hardening ability through the Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) effect.
In the present study, grain refinement of Fe–Si–Mn–Nb–B steel was achieved by high reduction hot rolling. Through the following ultra-fast cooling (UFC) and relaxation process, martensite-ferrite complexes with soft phase embedded in the hard phase were prepared. Extremely tiny ferrite grains significantly increased the toughness of the test steel, a large number of big-angle grain boundaries existing in fine martensite lath bundles effectively improved the strength and the strain hardening ability of the investigated material. The test steel with a relaxation time of 6 s shows the best comprehensive performance with a tensile strength of 1473 MPa, an elongation of 15.0%, a low yield ratio of 0.72 and a product of strength and elongation (PSE) of 22.10 GPa%.
High boron steel is prone to brittle failure due to the boride distributed in it with net-like or fishbone morphology, which limit its applications. The Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P) heat treatment is a promising process to produce martensitic steel with excellent mechanical properties, especially high toughness by increasing the volume fraction of retained austensite (RA) in the martensitic matrix. In this work, the Q&P heat treatment is used to improve the inherent defect of insufficient toughness of high boron steel, and the effect mechanism of this process on microstructure transformation and the change of mechanical properties of the steel has also been investigated. The high boron steel as-casted is composed of martensite, retained austensite (RA) and eutectic borides. A proper quenching and partitioning heat treatment leads to a significant change of the microstructure and mechanical properties of the steel. The net-like and fishbone-like boride is partially broken and spheroidized. The volume fraction of RA increases from 10% in the as-cast condition to 19%, and its morphology also changes from blocky to film-like. Although the macro-hardness has slightly reduced, the toughness is significantly increased up to 7.5 J·cm−2, and the wear resistance is also improved.
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