Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering

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The surface condition and microstructure of near stoichiometric (Fe823Ndll.8B5.9) Nd-Fe-B alloy ribbons and the effect of melt spinning parameters were investigated using optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM, TEM). The formation of gas pockets on the roll surface of the ribbons during melt spinning can prevent heat transform and result in local coarse grains. The local thickness would also be less in these places and thus perforates preferentially during ion beam milling. Therefore different areas of the sample should be carefully observed in the TEM. Reducing inert gas pressure in the chamber will eliminate the gas pockets. As a general trend, decrease in the ribbon thickness and mean Nd2 Fe14B grain size were observed on increasing the roll speed. By careful adjustment of the melt spinning parameters, the nanostructure will develop. An orientation relationship was found between Nd2 Fe14B and α-Fe precipitates for coarse grain samples melt spun at low roll speed. Dark field image of such grain also shows that some of these α-Fe precipitates have the same orientation. X-ray diffraction evident the development of texture by decreasing the roll speed.

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Functionally graded aluminium/zirconia metal matrix composite was fabricated using stir casting technique followed by horizontal centrifugal casting process and a hollow cylindrical functionally graded composite (150 x 150 x 16 mm) was obtained with centrifuging speed of 1200 rpm. The microstructural evaluation and hardness test was carried out on the outer and inner surface of the functionally graded composite at a distance of 1 and 13 mm from the outer periphery. In Response Surface Methodology, Central Composite Design was applied for designing the experiments and sliding wear test was conducted as per the design using a pin-on-disc tribometer for varying ranges of load, velocity and sliding distance. The model was constructed and its adequacy was checked with confirmation experiments and Analysis of Variance. The microstructural examination and hardness test revealed that the outer surface of FGM had higher hardness due to the presence of  particle rich region and the inner surface had lesser hardness since it was a particle depleted region. The wear results showed that wear rate increased upon increase of load and decreased with increase in both velocity and sliding distance. Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis was done on the worn specimens to observe the wear mechanism. It was noted that wear transitioned from mild to severe on increase of load and the outer surface of FGM was found to have greater wear resistance at all conditions.

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Hybrid composite finds wide application in various fields. In this present study, the hybrid composites are developed using stir casting technique as per Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array. Hybrid composites were fabricated using Aluminium Al6082 as the base material and reinforced with the combinations of reinforcements Al2SiO5 and B4C at three levels (4%, 8% and 12%).The developed composites were analyzed for micro structural  investigations and mechanical tests were done as per ASTM standards. The micro structural analysis was done using optical Microscope and Scanning electron microscope while composition studies were done using X-ray diffraction and EDAX. Mechanical test like tensile, impact and flexural were conducted and their damage assessment was done using Scanning electron microscope. The fatigue characteristics like high cycle fatigue and fatigue crack propagation was studied both experimentally and numerically. The experimental data and numerical modeling analysis data obtained for the hybrid composite system, agree with each other.