Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “GRINDING”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

A New Method for Polishing Laminated Dissimilar Metals

Here, this paper presents a novel method for preparing metallographic samples of laminated dissimilar metals, specifically a layered structure of zirconium (Zr), vanadium (V), and tungsten (W), which pose a challenge due to their differing crystal structures and hardness levels. The work was motivated by the need to develop a cladding for tungsten targets in spallation neutron sources, where a zirconium face is applied over an interlayer of either vanadium or titanium to prevent the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds such as ZrW 2 . Traditional polishing techniques prove inadequate because each constituent metal requires a different polishing approach based on its unique material properties. The methodology outlined includes a sequential process involving conductive epoxy mounting, successive grinding and polishing with specific abrasives, and a final chemical-mechanical polish using a colloidal silica-based solution. Optical microscopy confirmed that this multi-step process successfully produced scratch-free surfaces and minimized surface relief across the different metal interfaces. Although developed for refractory metals, this approach shows promise for other layered structures comprised of transition metals, offering a meticulous yet effective technique for high-quality metallographic sample preparation.

Newberry, Daniel [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (O↗
DOE OSTI2017

Managing variability in algal biomass production through drying and stabilization of feedstock blends

The uncertainty and variability of algal biomass production presents several challenges to the algal biofuel industry including equipment scaling and the ability to provide a consistent feedstock stream for conversion. Blended feedstocks containing both algal and terrestrial biomass may provide a cost-effective method to manage variability of algal biomass production. The hypothesis is that mixing of algae with terrestrial biomass has the potential to create blends with rheologic (flowability) properties similar to terrestrial feedstock and that blends with the consistency of terrestrial biomass can be dried using established low-cost drying systems. To test this hypothesis and its technical feasibility, prototype bench scale simulated drum dyers were designed and tested with blends of algae and ground pine. Scenedesmus dimorphus biomass was used as the algal feedstock, while 2 mm grind pine was used as the terrestrial feedstock. Pine was selected as the representative terrestrial feedstock to leverage independent HTL research using pine feedstock. In these studies, blends up to 60% algae produced drying curves similar to those of pine alone, and reached dryness (2% moisture) much more rapidly than algae alone. Thermogravimetric analyses performed on these feedstocks provided drying curves consistent with the simulated drum dryers. In addition, observable rheologic properties at the time of blending served as an indicator of drying performance, as those blends with texture similar to pine also dried similar to the pine control. Logistics analyses performed to determine cost and availability of feedstock materials for blending at production scale further indicate the potential of this approach. Lastly, our results indicate that blending of algae with terrestrial biomass enables the use of low cost dryers and has the potential to improve overall algal biofuel economics by capturing the value of excess biomass produced during periods of high productivity and by decoupling of algal production farms and conversion facilities.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Preparation of amyloid-like fibrils containing magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: Effect of protein aggregation on proton relaxivity

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Preparation of amyloid materials labeled with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Characterization of amyloid materials by electron tomography. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Influence of protein aggregation on the magnetic nanoparticle properties. -- Abstract: A method to prepare amyloid-like fibrils functionalized with magnetic nanoparticles has been developed. The amyloid-like fibrils are prepared in a two step procedure, where insulin and magnetic nanoparticles are mixed simply by grinding in the solid state, resulting in a water soluble hybrid material. When the hybrid material is heated in aqueous acid, the insulin/nanoparticle hybrid material self assembles to form amyloid-like fibrils incorporating the magnetic nanoparticles. This results in magnetically labeled amyloid-like fibrils which has been characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and electron tomography. The influence of the aggregation process on proton relaxivity is investigated. The prepared materials have potential uses in a range of bio-imaging applications.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Predicting the evolution of biomass bulk density through feedstock preprocessing: Discrete element modeling, regression analysis, and pilot-scale validation

Bulk density is an important material property of biomass feedstocks, influencing handling, storage, transport costs, and conversion efficiency. In this study, predictive regression models for loose and tapped bulk densities of Alamo and Cave-in-Rock switchgrass are developed using a comprehensive dataset generated via calibrated bonded-sphere discrete element method (DEM) simulations. Here, a key contribution of this study is the use of a DEM-based approach, which correlates density with moisture content and particle size distribution parameters and enables analysis across a continuous particle size range, overcoming limitations of purely experimental data. For comparison, regression models are also developed using only experimental data from pilot-scale runs at the Biomass Feedstock National User Facility at Idaho National Laboratory. Validation against pilot-scale data showed reasonable prediction accuracy for both model types, particularly for smaller particle sizes (post-secondary grinding). While the experimental model showed slightly better performance matching the validation data in some cases, the DEM-based model benefits from a much larger dataset, reduced predictor multicollinearity, and continuous parameter coverage, highlighting the utility of validated simulation models for developing robust predictive tools for biomass preprocessing applications.

09 - BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Chemically and mechanically recyclable polyester-based multilayer plastics

Approximately 100 million tons of multilayered plastics (MLPs) are produced each year worldwide but are not recycled due to their complex structure. Here, this work aims to design polyester-based multilayer plastics (80–100 % polyester) that provide barrier performance comparable to typical 9–12-layer commercial MLPs, while also enabling both chemical recycling (back to parent monomer) and mechanical recycling (grind-and-melt reprocessing). Such dual recyclability is not achievable with non-polyester multilayers, such as all-polyolefin systems. Furthermore, we emphasize how the multilayer architecture was tailored to balance barrier properties, mechanical integrity, and end-of-life recyclability for both flexible and rigid packaging applications. Two main categories of polyester-based MLPs are reported; in the first type, poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)-70 % polyglycolic acid (PGA) is used as middle barrier layer, while in second type, middle barrier layer is Ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH) copolymers. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was used as a structural layer, while either PBAT or poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was used to enable thermal sealing and serve as the product contact layer. These MLPs are recycled by both chemical and mechanical recycling processes. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) shows that MLPs incorporating EVOH as barrier layer have similar or lower selling costs (0.32 $\$$/m 2 ) than commercial MLPs. Life cycle assessment (LCA) indicates EVOH-based MLPs have a lower carbon footprint and lower energy consumption relative to commercial MLP benchmarks. This work offers simplified MLPs that are easy to manufacture and ready to recycle, which will significantly reduce environmental impact of MLP packaging while also providing a cost-effective and practical solution for industry.

Barrier properties↗
DOE OSTI2014

The existence of amorphous phase in Portland cements: Physical factors affecting Rietveld quantitative phase analysis

Rietveld quantitative phase analysis has become a widespread tool for the characterization of Portland cement, both for research and production control purposes. One of the major remaining points of debate is whether Portland cements contain amorphous content or not. This paper presents detailed analyses of the amorphous phase contents in a set of commercial Portland cements, clinker, synthetic alite and limestone by Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction measurements using both external and internal standard methods. A systematic study showed that the sample preparation and comminution procedure is closely linked to the calculated amorphous contents. Particle size reduction by wet-grinding lowered the calculated amorphous contents to insignificant quantities for all materials studied. No amorphous content was identified in the final analysis of the Portland cements under investigation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Study on the hydration and microstructure of Portland cement containing diethanol-isopropanolamine

Diethanol-isopropanolamine (DEIPA) is a tertiary alkanolamine used in the formulation of cement grinding-aid additives and concrete early-strength agents. In this research, isothermal calorimetry was used to study the hydration kinetics of Portland cement with DEIPA. A combination of X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)–thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the phase development in the process of hydration. Mercury intrusion porosimetry was used to study the pore size distribution and porosity. The results indicate that DEIPA promotes the formation of ettringite (AFt) and enhances the second hydration rate of the aluminate and ferrite phases, the transformation of AFt into monosulfoaluminate (AFm) and the formation of microcrystalline portlandite (CH) at early stages. At later stages, DEIPA accelerates the hydration of alite and reduces the pore size and porosity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Edge dislocations in dicalcium silicates: Experimental observations and atomistic analysis

Understanding defects and influence of dislocations on dicalcium silicates (Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) is a challenge in cement science. We report a high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image of edge dislocations in Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, followed by developing a deep atomic understanding of the edge dislocation-mediated properties of five Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} polymorphs. By decoding the interplay between core dislocation energies, core structures, and nucleation rate of reactivity, we find that γ-C2S and α-C2S polymorphs are the most favorable polymorphs for dislocations in Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, mainly due to their large pore channels which take away majority of the distortions imposed by edge dislocations. Furthermore, in the context of edge dislocation, while α-C2S represents the most active polymorph for reactivity and crystal growth, β-C2S represents the most brittle polymorph suitable for grinding. This work is the first report on the atomistic-scale analysis of edge dislocation-mediated properties of Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and may open up new opportunities for tuning fracture and reactivity processes of Ca{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and other cement components.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Prevalence of elevated blood lead levels among pregnant women and sources of lead exposure in rural Bangladesh: A case control study

Highlights: • Prenatal blood lead levels and lead sources are assessed in rural Bangladesh. • Elevated blood lead levels are found among pregnant women. • Multiple possible sources of lead are identified; all related to food. • Future lead prevention studies should investigate food storage and production. Prenatal and early childhood lead exposures impair cognitive development. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) among pregnant women in rural Bangladesh and to identify sources of lead exposure. We analyzed the BLLs of 430 pregnant women randomly selected from rural communities in central Bangladesh. Fifty-seven cases were selected with the highest BLLs, ≥ 7 μg/dL, and 59 controls were selected with the lowest BLLs, < 2 μg/dL. An exposure questionnaire was administered and soil, rice, turmeric, water, traditional medicine, agrochemical, and can samples were analyzed for lead contamination. Of all 430 women, 132 (31%) had BLLs > 5 μg/dL. Most women with elevated BLLs were spatially clustered. Cases were 2.6 times more likely than controls to consume food from a can (95% CI 1.0–6.3, p = 0.04); 3.6 times more likely to use Basudin, a specific brand of pesticide (95% CI 1.6–7.9, p = 0.002); 3.6 times more likely to use Rifit, a specific brand of herbicide (95% CI 1.7–7.9, p = 0.001); 2.9 times more likely to report using any herbicides (95% CI 1.2–7.3, p = 0.02); and 3.3 times more likely to grind rice (95% CI 1.3–8.4, p = 0.01). Five out of 28 food storage cans were lead-soldered. However, there was minimal physical evidence of lead contamination from 382 agrochemical samples and 129 ground and unground rice samples. Among 17 turmeric samples, one contained excessive lead (265 μg/g) and chromium (49 μg/g). Overall, we found evidence of elevated BLLs and multiple possible sources of lead exposure in rural Bangladesh. Further research should explicate and develop interventions to interrupt these pathways.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Application of sequential extraction and hydrothermal treatment for characterization and enrichment of rare earth elements from coal fly ash

Rare earth elements (REE) play a critical role in the global economy. The concern about the REE supply challenge has stimulated global interest in recovering REE from alternative non-conventional REE sources such as coal fly ash. In this paper, sequential extraction, physical separations and hydrothermal alkaline treatment were explored for characterization and enrichment of REE from coal fly ash. Seven-step sequential extraction of coal fly ash has demonstrated that 86.1% of total REE were associated with the glassy phase of the fly ash, with the remaining REE mainly distributed in the organic and sulfides phase (8.3%), the exchangeable phase (3.7%), and the carbonates phase (1.5%). A process combining physical separations, namely, particle size separation and magnetic separation, and hydrothermal alkaline treatment was proposed for enrichment of REE from coal fly ash. The optimal hydrothermal alkaline treatment condition was determined. It was demonstrated that NaOH concentration, solid-to-liquid ratio, temperature, and reaction duration had significant influence on ash dissolution in NaOH solution. Grinding could also enhance ash dissolution during subsequent hydrothermal alkaline treatment. Furthermore REE were enriched from coal fly ash from 325 mg/kg to 877 mg/kg via the proposed process under optimal hydrothermal alkaline treatment conditions.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2016

Impact disruption of gravity-dominated bodies: New simulation data and scaling

We present results from a suite of 169 hydrocode simulations of collisions between planetary bodies with radii from 100 to 1000 km. The simulation data are used to derive a simple scaling law for the threshold for catastrophic disruption, defined as a collision that leads to half the total colliding mass escaping the system post impact. For a target radius 100 ≤ R T ≤ 1000km and a mass M T and a projectile radius r p ≤ R T and mass mp we find that a head-on impact with velocity magnitude v is catastrophic if the kinetic energy of the system in the center of mass frame, K=0.5 M T m p v 2 /(M T +m p ) exceeds a threshold value K* that is a few times U= (3/5) GM$2\atop{T}$/RT+ (3/5) Gm$2\atop{p}$/r p + GM T m p /(R T +r p ), the gravitational binding energy of the system at the moment of impact; G is the gravitational constant. In all head-on collision runs we find K* = (5.5 ± 2.9) U. Oblique impacts are catastrophic when the fraction of kinetic energy contained in the volume of the projectile intersecting the target during impact exceeds ~2 K* for 30° impacts and ~3.5 K* for 45° impacts. We compare predictions made with this scaling to those made with existing scaling laws in the literature extrapolated from numerical studies on smaller targets. We find significant divergence between predictions where in general our results suggest a lower threshold for disruption except for highly oblique impacts with rp << RT. Lastly, this has implications for the efficiency of collisional grinding in the asteroid belt (Morbidelli et al., [2009] Icarus, 204, 558–573), Kuiper belt (Greenstreet et al., [2015] Icarus, 258, 267–288), and early Solar System accretion (Chambers [2013], Icarus, 224, 43–56).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Recycling Glass Fiber Thermoplastic Composites from Wind Turbine Blades

We report that thermoplastic resin systems have long been discussed for use in large-scale composite parts but have yet to be exploited by the energy industry. The use of these resins versus their thermosetting counterparts can potentially introduce cost savings due to non-heated tooling, shorter manufacturing cycle times, and recovery of raw materials from the retired part. Because composite parts have high embedded energy, recovery of their constituent materials can provide substantial economic benefit. This study determines the feasibility of recycling composite wind turbine blade components that are fabricated with glass fiber reinforced Elium (R) thermoplastic resin. Several experiments are conducted to tabulate important material properties that are relevant to recycling, including thermal degradation, grinding, and dissolution of the polymer matrix to recover the constituent materials. Dissolution, which is a process unique to thermoplastic matrices, allows recovery of both the polymer matrix and full-length glass fibers, which maintain their stiffness (190 N/(mm g)) and strength (160 N/g) through the recovery process. Injection molded regrind material is stiffer (12 GPa compared to 10 GPa) and stronger (150 MPa compared to 84 MPa) than virgin material that had shorter fibers. An economic analysis of the technical data shows that recycling thermoplastic-glass fiber composites via dissolution into their constituent parts is commercially feasible under certain conditions. This analysis concludes that 50% of the glass fiber must be recovered and resold for a price of $0.28/kg. Furthermore, 90% of the resin must be recovered and resold at a price of $2.50/kg.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Manufacturing Process Design of a Micro-Scale Liquid-Liquid Extractor and Multi-phase Separator

Advances in process innovation within the chemical process industry are impeded by the cost of producing new innovative components. In this paper, various manufacturing process routes were evaluated for scaling up a micro-scale liquid-liquid extractor and multi-phase separator capable of separating immiscible phases that are used for the extraction of a chemical product into a lower boiling point solvent to make downstream distillation easier. A manufacturing process design methodology was used to evaluate both photochemical machining and binder jetting as a means for producing the micropost arrays within the separator. Cost curves show that for a 0.3 mm deep micropost array, photochemical machining was found to be much cheaper than binder jetting. However, because binder jetting processes enable microposts with over 13 times higher depth-to-width aspect ratios, binder jetting was found to decrease the overall costs of the extractor/separator by more than half for a 500 barrel per day plant, with breakeven as low as 15 barrels per day. These economics were confirmed by building extractor/separator plates and characterizing them dimensionally and functionally. The binder jet plates were found to perform better than photochemical plates leading to the complete separation of the organic phase from water. The utilization of slower sintering cycles combined with surface grinding provided acceptable dimensional tolerances for the binder jet plates. Using pressurized air during depowdering improved the economics for the binder jetting process.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Machine-to-machine variability of roughness and corrosion in additively manufactured 316L stainless steel

Numerous studies on the corrosion response of metal AM have been conducted. Nonetheless, the specimens being tested are commonly ground or polished to remove the outer as-built surface. If metal AM is truly going to be employed as a transformative technology that can produce complex shapes that do not require traditional machining, then the material needs to be evaluated in the as-built state. The reality is that AM alloys have shown significant inconsistencies regarding as-built surface texture, topology, and residual stress. One metric that has shown significant unpredictability in the literature is the susceptibility to localized corrosion of typically passive alloys, such as stainless steel (SS). There are a large number of studies that have attempted to understand the corrosion response of metal AM materials, but these studies are typically performed on materials that have been printed on a single machine and often mechanically polished to a smooth finish. This study compares the corrosion response of as-built AM, laser-beam powder bed fusion (LB-PBF), 316L SS parts that have been fabricated on five different machines. The majority of this work focused on understanding the susceptibility to localized corrosion of AM metals with respect to machine-dependent variables, namely surface roughness, and build angle. Surface roughness data was collected using scanning white light triangulation, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and coherence scanning interferometry. The results show that there is significant variability (p two-tail < 0.05) in the susceptibility to local corrosion initiation of LB-PBF 316L SS samples built on different machines. Surface oxides were probed with electron dispersive spectroscopy and revealed that variations in local corrosion susceptibility likely arise from differences in the stability of the passive film caused by chemical segregation, unique microstructure, and tortuous roughness features at the as-built surfaces. The variability of roughness and corrosion properties from test samples printed on different machines was corroborated by property measurements performed at five different testing sites, proving reproducibility of the data. Most importantly, this study shows that if the as-built surface layer is removed through grinding or electropolishing the machine-to-machine variation observed in the corrosion susceptibility is reduced.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Anomalous effects of Sc substitution and processing on magnetism and structure of (Gd 1-x Sc x ) 5 Ge 4

The kinetic arrest observed in the parent Gd 5 Ge 4 gradually vanishes when a small fraction (x = 0.025, 0.05 and 0.10) of Gd is replaced by Sc in (Gd 1-x Sc x ) 5 Ge 4 , and the magnetic ground state changes from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM). A first order phase transition coupled with the FM-AFM transition occurs at T C = 41 K for x = 0.05 and at T C = 53 K for x = 0.10 during heating in applied magnetic field of 1 kOe, and the thermal hysteresis is near 10 K. The first-order magnetic transition is coupled with the structural Sm 5 Ge 4 -type to Gd 5 Si 4 -type transformation. The magnetization measured as a function of applied magnetic field shows sharp metamagnetic-like behavior. At the same time, the AFM to paramagnetic transition in (Gd 1 x Sc x ) 5 Ge 4 with x = 0.10, is uncharacteristically broad indicating development of strong short-range AFM correlations above the Néel temperature. Comparison of the magnetization data of bulk, powdered, and metal-varnish composite samples of (Gd 0.95 Sc 0.05 ) 5 Ge 4 shows that mechanical grinding and fabrication of a composite have little effect on the temperature of the first-order transformation, but short-range ordering and AFM/FM ratio below T C are surprisingly strongly affected.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

A novel in-situ, lift-out, three-point bend technique to quantify the mechanical properties of an ex-service neutron irradiated inconel X-750 component

A first of its kind small scale mechanical testing technique involving micro-three-point bending was invented, developed, and implemented on reactor irradiated, active Inconel X-750 components removed from service after approximately 53 and 67 dpa. These tests were performed at ambient room temperature in-situ using a scanning electron microscope in order to obtain live recordings of sample deformation and loading curves. Sample and testing apparatus preparation required novel lift-out and fabrication processes. Materials from two irradiation temperature regimes, low temperature (120-280 °C) and high temperature (300 ± 15 °C) were examined. Manufacturing and finishing (grinding) of this component create differences between its edge and center, so micro-specimens from both areas were extracted in order to study these differences. According to three-point beam bending theory, a 0.2% offset yield stress parameter is introduced and calculated for all specimens. Differences in mechanical properties due to irradiation temperature and dose effects were observed. Material irradiated at the higher temperature exhibited yield strength increases of ~540 MPa after 53 dpa and ~1000 MPa after 67 dpa. There was little difference (≤310 MPa) in yield strength between materials irradiated at the lower temperature at 53 dpa and 67 dpa compared with non-irradiated material. Differences in yield strengths between the edge and center of the component are retained after irradiation. The difference in yield strengths for the edge and center regions was ~740 MPa for non-irradiated material. After irradiation to a dose of 67 dpa these differences were ~570 MPa for the lower irradiation temperature and ~710 MPa for higher irradiation temperature. There were no indications of grain boundary failures via cracking except for material irradiated to 67 dpa at low temperature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Eco-friendly and effective strategy to synthesize ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructures and its excellent photocatalytic property under visible light

Highlights: • ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O photocatalysts with heterostructures were synthesized via a facile mechanochemical method. • The synthetic process does not involve any organic solvents and the reaction matrix can be recycled easily. • The synthetic method is gram-scale, and we can easily and routinely scale up this process to produce grams of the heterostructure nanomaterials. • The as-prepared samples without post-calcination show a high degree of crystallinity. - Abstract: ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O photocatalysts with heterostructure were synthesized by a green and effective mechanochemical method. The preparation process was taken in solid state at room temperature with a short grinding time. The as-made products showed a high degree of crystallinity without post-calcination treatment. Such synthetic method does not involve any organic solvents and the reaction matrix can be recycled. The as-prepared ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O samples show excellent photocatalytic activity and photostability for degradation of different organic dyes under visible light. The content of Ag{sub 2}O plays an important role in the photocatalytic activity, which can be tuned by the precursor AgNO{sub 3}. The photodegradation rate constant (k) of the optimal ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O sample under visible light is nearly 0.1004 min{sup −1} for methylene blue (MB), 0.063 min{sup −1} for rhodamine B (RHB) and 0.07 min{sup −1} for methyl orange (MO), which are much better than the pure ZnO (0.0075 min{sup −1}). The enhancement of the visible light photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the heterojunction interfaces induced by the match of crystal lattice and energy band between the Ag{sub 2}O and ZnO. The Ag{sub 2}O generates the excited-state electrons under visible light irradiation. The excited electrons on Ag{sub 2}O could directly transfer to the conduction band (CB) of ZnO, making ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O present remarkable visible light photocatalytic activity.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

A microstructural analysis of aluminum buildup during thermomechanical processing

Highlights: • Microstructure of roll coating developed on a ground steel work roll was examined. • Roll coating was formed during the 20 pass hot rolling schedule of an Al-Mg alloy. • The roll coating had a complex layered nanocrystalline and amorphous structure. • The roll coating layers were composed of metallic Al, porous MgO and C. • Work roll debris, Fe and Cr, were observed embedded within the roll coating. - Abstract: The microstructure and composition of a roll coating built-up on an AISI M2 steel work roll during a 20 pass hot rolling schedule using a laboratory rolling tribo-simulator with a roll-on-block configuration was examined. The AISI M2 steel work roll was characterized by grinding grooves and possessed a surface roughness (R{sub a}) of 0.17 μm. The roll coating developed under these lubricated conditions was discontinuous, patchy and streaked out in the rolling direction. The microstructure and chemical composition of the material transfer that made up the roll coating was analysed and revealed to possess a complex composite microstructure consisting of nanocrystalline aluminum, nanocrystalline/amorphous MgO and amorphous carbon layers. The nanocrystalline MgO layers were porous structures lying between the solid metallic aluminum layers. Debris particles from the wear of the work roll were detected embedded within the carbon layer and at the base of the roll coating. The microstructure of the roll coating appear to be determined by the deformation conditions experienced during the rolling process, while its composition is dependent on the composition of the rolled alloy, the work roll and the lubrication conditions employed.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗