title: Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium based nanocomposites strengthened with alumina and silicon carbide

authors: Gazawi, Amro Abdul-Karim

abstract: Al-Al₂O₃ and Al-4wt%Cu-SiC metal matrix nanocomposites were studied because these materials have a potential for offering good ductility, high strength, and high electrical and/or thermal conductivity, which make them ideal for engineering applications such as aerospace and automobile components. In order to achieve these goals the reinforcement phase needs to be in a particulate form, and the size of the particles needs to be small.
Samples of aluminium based nanocomposites were produced with different volume fractions, ranging from 2.5-10 vol.% of alumina (Al₂O₃) and silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. High energy mechanical milling (HEMM) with various milling times ranging from 6-12 hours was used to produce these samples. Optical microscopy, XRD, SEM, TEM and microindentation were used to characterize the milled powder and bulk samples. Bulk solid Al-(2.5-10) vol. % Al₂O₃ and Al-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10) vol. %SiC nanocomposites samples were produced using different powder consolidation techniques such as powder compact forging and powder compact extrusion.
The microstructure of the composite powder/balls/granules produced was studied in details to understand the morphology, macrostructure and microstructural evolution during the HEMM and with changing volume percent of the reinforcements in the matrix. The nano SiC and Al₂O₃ were imbedded into the aluminium matrix due to the high forces and strains affecting particle surfaces during milling and the very small size of the reinforcement relative to the size of the Al particles. The average microhardness was increased with increasing volume fraction of reinforcement within the matrix. HEMM was used to fabricate Ultra-Fine Grained (UFG) and nanostructured Al- (2.5-10) vol. %Al₂O₃ composites with a dispersion of nano alumina within the matrix and Al-4wt%Cu- (2.5-10) vol%SiC with two different sizes of SiC in the micro and nano ranges.
A UFG structure in the Al and Al-(2.5-10)vol.% Al₂O₃ nanocomposites can be synthesized by a combination of high energy mechanical milling and severe plastic deformation used to consolidate the powder compacts into nearly fully dense forged discs and extruded bars. No significant microscopic yielding was found in the Al-2.5 and 10 vol. %Al₂O₃ composites produced by powder compact forging. However, Al-5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of 8%, and the best fracture strength of 343 MPa. No significant microscopic yielding was noticed for the Al- 10 vol. %Al₂O₃ composite produced by powder compact extrusion. Al-2.5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of ~1% with the highest tensile strength of 364 MPa while Al-5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of 8% with a yield strength of 318 MPa.
The average microhardness of the extruded bars for Al-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10)vol.% SiC increased from 104 HV to 205 HV with increasing the volume fraction of SiC nanoparticles from 2.5 to 10%. The ultimate tensile strength increased from 168 MPa to 400 MPa with increasing volume fraction of SiC nanoparticles from 2.5 to 5% while the ductility dropped from 6.8% to 1.2 %. The fracture strength of the Al-4wt%Cu-micro-SiC was increased from 225 MPa for Al-4wt%Cu-2.5vol. %SiC to 412 MPa for Al-4wt%Cu-10vol. % SiC. The Al-4wt%Cu-2.5vol. %SiC forged disc did not show any macroscopic plastic yielding, while the Al-4wt%Cu-(7.5 and 10)vol. %SiC forged disk showed macroscopic plastic yielding with a small plastic strain to fracture (~1%).

text: Microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium based nanocomposites strengthened with alumina and silicon carbide Al-Al₂O₃ and Al-4wt%Cu-SiC metal matrix nanocomposites were studied because these materials have a potential for offering good ductility, high strength, and high electrical and/or thermal conductivity, which make them ideal for engineering applications such as aerospace and automobile components. In order to achieve these goals the reinforcement phase needs to be in a particulate form, and the size of the particles needs to be small.
Samples of aluminium based nanocomposites were produced with different volume fractions, ranging from 2.5-10 vol.% of alumina (Al₂O₃) and silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. High energy mechanical milling (HEMM) with various milling times ranging from 6-12 hours was used to produce these samples. Optical microscopy, XRD, SEM, TEM and microindentation were used to characterize the milled powder and bulk samples. Bulk solid Al-(2.5-10) vol. % Al₂O₃ and Al-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10) vol. %SiC nanocomposites samples were produced using different powder consolidation techniques such as powder compact forging and powder compact extrusion.
The microstructure of the composite powder/balls/granules produced was studied in details to understand the morphology, macrostructure and microstructural evolution during the HEMM and with changing volume percent of the reinforcements in the matrix. The nano SiC and Al₂O₃ were imbedded into the aluminium matrix due to the high forces and strains affecting particle surfaces during milling and the very small size of the reinforcement relative to the size of the Al particles. The average microhardness was increased with increasing volume fraction of reinforcement within the matrix. HEMM was used to fabricate Ultra-Fine Grained (UFG) and nanostructured Al- (2.5-10) vol. %Al₂O₃ composites with a dispersion of nano alumina within the matrix and Al-4wt%Cu- (2.5-10) vol%SiC with two different sizes of SiC in the micro and nano ranges.
A UFG structure in the Al and Al-(2.5-10)vol.% Al₂O₃ nanocomposites can be synthesized by a combination of high energy mechanical milling and severe plastic deformation used to consolidate the powder compacts into nearly fully dense forged discs and extruded bars. No significant microscopic yielding was found in the Al-2.5 and 10 vol. %Al₂O₃ composites produced by powder compact forging. However, Al-5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of 8%, and the best fracture strength of 343 MPa. No significant microscopic yielding was noticed for the Al- 10 vol. %Al₂O₃ composite produced by powder compact extrusion. Al-2.5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of ~1% with the highest tensile strength of 364 MPa while Al-5vol. % Al₂O₃ showed plastic yielding of 8% with a yield strength of 318 MPa.
The average microhardness of the extruded bars for Al-4wt%Cu-(2.5-10)vol.% SiC increased from 104 HV to 205 HV with increasing the volume fraction of SiC nanoparticles from 2.5 to 10%. The ultimate tensile strength increased from 168 MPa to 400 MPa with increasing volume fraction of SiC nanoparticles from 2.5 to 5% while the ductility dropped from 6.8% to 1.2 %. The fracture strength of the Al-4wt%Cu-micro-SiC was increased from 225 MPa for Al-4wt%Cu-2.5vol. %SiC to 412 MPa for Al-4wt%Cu-10vol. % SiC. The Al-4wt%Cu-2.5vol. %SiC forged disc did not show any macroscopic plastic yielding, while the Al-4wt%Cu-(7.5 and 10)vol. %SiC forged disk showed macroscopic plastic yielding with a small plastic strain to fracture (~1%).

year: 2014

title: Ten-year panel data confirm generation gap but climate beliefs increase at similar rates across ages.

authors: Milfont, Taciano L.

abstract: Accumulating evidence indicates that climate change awareness and concern has increased globally, but commentators suggest a climate change generation gap whereby younger people care more about climate change than older people. Here we use a decade of panel data from 56,513 New Zealanders to test whether belief that "Climate change is real" and "Climate change is caused by humans" increased over the 2009-2018 period; and whether changes are uniform across 12 five-year birth cohorts spanning those born from 1936 to 1995. Results confirm a generation gap in mean (intercept) climate change beliefs but not in over-time increase (slope). The generation gap occurs because older cohorts started from a lower initial belief level (circa 2009), but all age cohorts increased their belief level at a similar rate over the last decade; and these results were not qualified by respondents' gender. The findings offer hope for collective action that bridges efforts across generations.

text: Ten-year panel data confirm generation gap but climate beliefs increase at similar rates across ages. Accumulating evidence indicates that climate change awareness and concern has increased globally, but commentators suggest a climate change generation gap whereby younger people care more about climate change than older people. Here we use a decade of panel data from 56,513 New Zealanders to test whether belief that "Climate change is real" and "Climate change is caused by humans" increased over the 2009-2018 period; and whether changes are uniform across 12 five-year birth cohorts spanning those born from 1936 to 1995. Results confirm a generation gap in mean (intercept) climate change beliefs but not in over-time increase (slope). The generation gap occurs because older cohorts started from a lower initial belief level (circa 2009), but all age cohorts increased their belief level at a similar rate over the last decade; and these results were not qualified by respondents' gender. The findings offer hope for collective action that bridges efforts across generations.

year: 2021

title: Culture – the foundation of Maori Governance

authors: Toki, Valmaine

abstract: The structure of a governance system specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants dictating the mutually agreed rules and procedures for making decisions on business affairs. For Maori, an indigenous people, the unique and pivotal factor that provides the point of difference, for governance, is the importance of their culture. Notwithstanding this point of difference, there exists a paucity of governance structures that adequately cater and provide for culture.

text: Culture – the foundation of Maori Governance The structure of a governance system specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants dictating the mutually agreed rules and procedures for making decisions on business affairs. For Maori, an indigenous people, the unique and pivotal factor that provides the point of difference, for governance, is the importance of their culture. Notwithstanding this point of difference, there exists a paucity of governance structures that adequately cater and provide for culture.

year: 2013