Kewei Gao

Microstructure and mechanical properties of chromium oxide coatings

Chromium oxide coatings were deposited on low-carbon steel by radiofrequency reactive magnetron sputtering at different oxygen flux values. X-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the microstructure of chromium oxide coatings. Varying oxygen flux changed the coating microstructure; as with increasing oxygen flux the chromium oxide coating undergoes amorphous-to-crystalline transformation. The coating developed strong (300) texture at higher oxygen flux. Hardness, elastic modulus, wear resistance, and adhesion were investigated by nanoindentation and pin-on-disk tests. With changes in the coating microstructure as a function of increased oxygen flux, hardness, elastic modulus, and wear resistance were improved, but its adhesion was weakened.

In-Situ Transmission Electron Microscopic Observation of Corrosion-Enhanced Dislocation Emission and Crack Initiation of Stress Corrosion

Abstract A constant deflection device designed for use within a transmission electron microscope (TEM) was used to study the change in dislocation configuration ahead of a crack tip during stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of brass in water, Ti-24% Al-11% Nb alloy in methanol (CH3OH), and the initiation of SCC. In-situ tensile tests in the TEM also were carried out to assess deformation without the influence of environment. Results showed that corrosion during SCC enhanced dislocation emission, multiplication, and motion as well as produced a dislocation-free zone (DFZ). Nanocracks of SCC initiated in the DFZ or from the crack tip when the corrosion-enhanced dislocation emission and motion reached a certain condition. The action of the corrosion process prompted nanocrack propagation into a cleavage or intergranular microcrack rather than blunting into a void as seen during experiments in the TEM.

Stress Corrosion Cracking Caused by Passive Film-Induced Tensile Stress

Abstract α-Ti foil with a protective layer formed on one side was deflected as a result of corrosion in a methanol (CH3OH) solution containing 0.6 mol/L potassium chloride (KCl) because of tensile ...

Strength Effect in Stress Corrosion Cracking of High-Strength Steel in Aqueous Solution

Abstract The threshold stress intensity (KISCC) of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) for 40CrMo steel in 3.5% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution decreased exponentially with the increase in the yield strength, σys (i.e., KISCC = 1.38 × 106exp[−8.26 × 10−3σys]). The threshold stress intensity of hydrogen-induced cracking (KIH) during dynamical charging for 40CrMo steel decreased linearly with the logarithm of the concentration of diffusible hydrogen, C0 (i.e., KIH = 31.3 − 9.1 lnC0). This equation was also applicable to SCC of the high-strength steel in aqueous solution. The critical hydrogen enrichment concentration (Cth) necessary for SCC of high-strength steel in water, decreased exponentially with the increase in the σys. Based on the result, the relationship between KISCC and σys could be deduced as KISCC = ak1exp(−k2σys), where a=3RTπρ/2(1+v)VH, and k1 and k2 depended upon the compositions and microstructure of the steel as well as the test conditions.

Cd-doping a facile approach for better thermoelectric transport properties of BiCuSeO oxyselenides

BiCuSeO-based thermoelectric materials have spurred tremendous interest among the thermoelectric community due to their ultra-low thermal conductivity and relatively large Seebeck coefficient (S). In this work, we have reported the effect of Cd-doping at the Bi site, instead of the previously studied Cu site, on the thermoelectric performance of BiCuSeO by modifying the insulating layer. While maintaining good phase purity, Cd was successfully doped at the Bi site as confirmed by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The Cd-doping substantially improves the electrical conductivity by a factor of 20 through bond anharmonicity at room temperature while increasing the Cd concentration over 5%. Further, the incorporation of the lighter atom at the Bi site creates phonon scattering centers and results in weak bonding between the layers, resulting in a remarkable perturbation of the local geometric and electronic structure. BiCuSeO with 5% Cd-doping maintains a large S and a high electrical conductivity up to 923 K and exhibits the highest power factor values (600 μW m−1 K−2 at 323 K and 447 μW m−1 K−2 at 923 K) and the largest ZT (0.98 at 923 K). Cd-doping at the Bi site in p-type thermoelectric BiCuSeO was shown to be a very good technique for improving the thermoelectric performance and could be extended to other thermoelectric materials to enhance the efficiency of thermoelectric devices for energy-harvesting.

Interface and Strain Energy Revolution Texture Map To Predict Structure and Optical Properties of Sputtered PbSe Thin Films

The preferred growth orientation of the sputtered lead selenide (PbSe) thin films on Si(100) substrates was thermodynamically simulated and calculated on the basis of the density functional theory. The results showed that the total free energy variation during the grain growth is dominated by the interface and strain energy minimization under certain conditions, indicating that the preferred growth orientation and related optical properties of the PbSe thin films can be effectively modified by these two energy variations. Thermodynamically, the PbSe[200] and PbSe[220] preferred orientations are obtained when the interface and strain energy minimization dominate the total free energy variation, respectively. A texture map related to the interface and strain energy revolution was obtained, which can be used to predict the structure and optical properties of the sputtered PbSe thin films, and its applicability was confirmed by the real X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy experimental results of four midfrequency sputtered PbSe thin films with designed thickness and microstrain deposited on Si(100) substrates.

Atomistic simulation of microcrack healing in aluminium

A molecular dynamics method is used to simulate microcrack healing during heating or under compressive stress. A centre microcrack in Al crystal could be sealed by a critical compressive stress or by heating over a critical temperature. During microcrack healing, dislocation generation and motion occurred. When there were pre-existing dislocations around the microcrack, the critical temperature necessary for microcrack healing would decrease from 850 to 650 K. The critical temperature necessary for microcrack healing depended upon the orientation of the crack plane. For example, the critical temperature of the crack along the (111) plane was the lowest.

Initiation of Fissure from Hydrogen Blister in Rail Steel

Blistering and microcracking (or fissuring) in a precharged specimen of rail steel were examined using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In-situ initiation of the blister and microcrack was observed through repeatedly charging a TEM sample. The result indicated that the blister formed first during charging, and then the microcrack initiated at the wall of the blister because of a synergistic effect between hydrogen enrichment and increasing hydrogen pressure.

Pronounced effect of ZnTe nanoinclusions on thermoelectric properties of Cu 2−x Se chalcogenides

Metal chalcogenides especially Cu2−xSe has gained much attention in thermoelectric community due to its complex crystal structure and superionic behavior. Here, we report a facile method to improve the thermoelectric efficiency by introducing ZnTe nanoinclusions into the matrix of Cu2−xSe. As a result, a substantial improvement of 32% in electrical conductivity of Cu2−xSe-ZnTe composite is observed. The increase in electrical conductivity is at the expense of Seebeck coefficient, which slightly decreases the power factor of the composite samples than that of pure Cu2−xSe. Furthermore, the introduction of secondary phase facilitates in declining the total thermal conductivity of Cu2−xSe-ZnTe composite up to 34% by suppressing the lattice thermal contributions. Thus, the moderate power factor and lower thermal conductivity values result in an improved figure of merit (zT) value of ∼0.40 in mid-range temperature (750 K) for Cu2−xSe-ZnTe composite with 10 wt.% of ZnTe, which is about 40% higher than that of its pure counterpart. Hence, it is believed that the incorporation of ZnTe nanoinclusions in the matrix of Cu2−xSe may be an important route to improve the thermoelectric properties of Cu2−xSe based compounds.摘要由于具有复杂的晶体结构和超离子导体行为, 金属硫属化合物特别是Cu2−xSe在热电领域得到了广泛的关注. 本文报道了一种简单易行的提高热电效率的方法:在基体材料Cu2−xSe中添加纳米ZnTe插层, 用来提高Cu2−xSe材料的热电性能. 实验结果表明, Cu2−xSe-ZnTe复合材料的电导率提高了32%, 电导率的增加牺牲了塞贝克系数, 导致复合材料的功率因子稍微低于纯Cu2−xSe基体材料; 第二相的引入抑制了晶格热扩散, 使得Cu2−xSe-ZnTe复合材料的热导率降低了34%. 由此可知, 适中的功率因子和较低的热导率致使含有10 wt.%ZnTe的Cu2−xSe-ZnTe复合材料在中温条件(750 K)下的zT值提高至0.40, 相比于纯Cu2−xSe基体材料该数值提高了40%. 因此, 向Cu2−xSe材料中添加纳米ZnTe插层, 是提高Cu2−xSe基材料热电性能的一个有效途径.

Crevice corrosion of copper for radioactive waste packaging material in simulated groundwater

The investigation described here was conducted to clarify the corrosion behaviour of high level radioactive waste containers made of copper. The influences of oxygen, chloride ion and sulphate ion on copper crevice corrosion were studied in solutions simulating groundwater characteristic of northwest China. The results showed that oxygen, chloride ion and sulphate ion promote crevice corrosion. Chloride ion was found to play a significant role in the crevice corrosion mechanism in copper, but sulphate ion had no effect on the mechanism.