NiTi alloys are successfully used in engineering and medical applications because of their properties, such as shape memory effect, superelasticity or mechanical strength. A composite with Mg matrix, due to its vibration damping properties, can be characterized by low weight and good vibration damping properties. In this study, a combination of two techniques was used for successful fabrication of Mg composite reinforced by NiTi alloy preform. The porous preforms synthesized by Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) from elemental powders were subsequently infiltrated with Mg by squeeze casting. The effects were examined with scanning electron microscope with EDS detector, X-ray diffraction and microindentation. The inspection has shown well-connected matrix and reinforcement; no reaction at the interface and open porosities fully infiltrated by liquid Mg. Moreover, analysis of samples’ fracture has exhibited that crack propagates inside the Mg matrix and there is no detachment of reinforcement.
Development of open cellular metal foam technology based on investment casting applying the polyurethane pattern is discussed.
Technological process comprises preparing of the ceramic mold applying PUR foam as the pattern, firing of the mold, pouring of the
liquid Zn-Al alloy into the mold and washing out of the ceramic material from cellular casting. Critical parameters such as the temperature
of mold and poured metal, design of gating system affected by metalostatic pressure allowed to produce castings with cellular structure
characterized by the open porosity.
Metal cellular foams with the open porosity embedded in phase change material (PCM) enhance heat transfer and reduce time operations
in energy storage systems. Charging and discharging were performed at the laboratory accumulator by heating and cooling with flowing
water characterized by the temperatures of 97-100oC. Temperature measurements were collected from 7 different thermocouples located
in the accumulator. In relation to the tests with pure paraffin, embedding of the metal Zn-Al cellular foam in paraffin significantly
decreases temperature gradients and melting time of paraffin applied as PCM characterized by the low thermal conductivity. Similarly,
reduction of discharging time by this method improves the efficiency of thermal energy storage system applied in solar power plants or for
the systems of energy efficient buildings.
Investment casting combined with the additive manufacturing technology enables production of the thin-walled elements, that are geometrically complex, precise and can be easy commercialized. This paper presents design of aluminium alloy honeycombs, which are characterized with light structure, internal parallel oriented channels and suitable stiffness. Based on 3D printed pattern the mould was prepared from standard ceramic material subjected subsequently to appropriate heat treatment. Into created mould cavity with intricate and susceptible structure molten AC 44200 aluminium alloy was poured under low pressure. Properly designed gating system and selected process parameters enabled to limit the shrinkage voids, porosities and misruns. Compression examination performed in two directions showed different mechanisms of cell deformation. Characteristic plateau region of stress-strain curves allowed to determine absorbed energy per unit volume, which was 485 or 402 J/mm3 depending on load direction. Elaborated technology will be applied for the production of honeycomb based elements designated for energy absorption capability.
Two methods were evaluated in terms of manufacturing of MAX phase preforms characterized with open porosity: microwave-assisted self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The main purpose of fabrication of such open-porous preforms is that they can be successfully applied as a reinforcement in metal matrix composite (MMC) materials. In order to simulate the most similar conditions to microwave-assisted SHS, the sintering time of SPS was significantly reduced and the pressure was maintained at a minimum value. The chosen approach allows these two methods to be compared in terms of structure homogeneity, complete reactive charge conversion and energy effectivity. Study was performed in Ti-Al-C system, in which the samples were compacted from elemental powders of Ti, Al, C in molar ratio of 2:1:1. Manufactured materials after syntheses were subjected to SEM, XRD and STEM analyses in order to investigate their microstructures and chemical compositions. As was concluded, only microwave-assisted SHS synthesis allows the creation of MAX phases in the studied system. SPS technique led only to the formation of intermetallic secondary phases. The fabrication of MAX phases’ foams by microwave-assisted SHS presents some interesting advantages compared to conventional manufacturing methods. This work presents the characterization of foams obtained by microwave-assisted SHS comparing the results with materials produced by SPS. The analysis of SPS products for different sintering temperatures provided the better insight into the synthesis of MAX phases, supporting the established mechanism. Dissimilarities in the heating mechanisms that lead to the differing synthesis products were also discussed.
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