The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an independent organization devoted to the development of standards.

American Society for Testing and Materials

Nanocomposites, a high performance material exhibit unusual property combinations and unique design possibilities. With an estimated annual growth rate of about 25% and fastest demand to be in engineering plastics and elastomers, their potential is so striking that they are useful in several areas ranging from packaging to biomedical applications. In this unified overview the three types of matrix nanocomposites are presented underlining the need for these materials, their processing methods and some recent results on structure, properties and potential applications, perspectives including need for such materials in future space mission and other interesting applications together with market and safety aspects. Possible uses of natural materials such as clay based minerals, chrysotile and lignocellulosic fibers are highlighted. Being environmentally friendly, applications of nanocomposites offer new technology and business opportunities for several sectors of the aerospace, automotive, electronics and biotechnology industries.

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Nanocomposites: synthesis, structure, properties and new application opportunities

Liquid phase sintering (LPS) is a process for forming high performance, multiple-phase components from powders. It involves sintering under conditions where solid grains coexist with a wetting liquid. Many variants of LPS are applied to a wide range of engineering materials. Example applications for this technology are found in automobile engine connecting rods and high-speed metal cutting inserts. Scientific advances in understanding LPS began in the 1950s. The resulting quantitative process models are now embedded in computer simulations to enable predictions of the sintered component dimensions, microstructure, and properties. However, there are remaining areas in need of research attention. This LPS review, based on over 2,500 publications, outlines what happens when mixed powders are heated to the LPS temperature, with a focus on the densification and microstructure evolution events.

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Review: liquid phase sintering

I .. Rates of ionic mass transfer at nickel electrodes rotating about their axes In the center of stationary electrodes were studied using the ferri-ferrocyanide oouple In alkaline solutions. A general mass transfer correlation was found to apply equally well to the dissolution rates of rotating solids and to the rates of ionlo mass transfer at rotating electrodes. This correlation takes into account the physioal properties of the system as well as geometric and hydro dynamic factors. The correlation enables the prediction of limiting currents and concentration polarisation at rotating electrodes under a wide range of conditions. The nature of the polarisation involved in the reduotion of Fe(CNfe~» and the oxidation of Fe(CN#* was also Investigated. The polarisation was found to depend strongly on the presence of "electrode poisons." With freshly prepared solutions, under exclusion of light and with eathodlcally treated nickel electrodes relatively small ehesdcal polarisations were determined. For rotational speeds not exceeding Reynolds number 11,000, the chemical polarisation was found to be negligicle in comparison with the concentration polarisation* Under such conditions the ferro-ferrioyanide oouple can be conveniently used to obtain mass transfer rates for various hydrodynamic conditions, or, conversely, to verify the validity of mass transfer equations by a comparison of experimental .and calculated values of limiting currents and concentration polarisation. The rotating electrode model was found to be most suitable for studying the nature of eleotrolytio polarisation phenomena on aocount of the uniformity of the current distribution as well as of the hydrodynamio diffusion laver at the electrode surfsee.

Mass transfer in electrode processes. 3. ionic mass transfer and concentration polarization at rotating electrodes

At present aluminium matrix composites are widely used in engineering applications. Aluminium matrix composites are providing such superior properties which cannot be achieved by any existing monolithic material. Properties of aluminium matrix composite are highly influenced by nature of reinforcement which can be either in continuous or discontinuous fibre form. It also depends on the selection of processing techniques for the fabrication of aluminium matrix composites which depends on many factors including type of matrix and reinforcement, the degree of microstructural integrity desired and their structural, mechanical, electrochemical and thermal properties. Present paper reports an overview on synthesis routes, mechanical behavior and applications of aluminium matrix composites. Special focus is given to primary processing techniques for manufacturing of aluminium matrix composites. In the end, commercialization challenges, industrial aspects and future research directions are also briefed.

Antonio Contreras

Papers

Mg/TiC composites manufactured by pressureless melt infiltration

Interfacial phenomena in wettability of TiC by Al–Mg alloys

Mechanical and environmental effects on stress corrosion cracking of low carbon pipeline steel in a soil solution

Synthesis and characterization of Mg-AZ91/AlN composites

Electrochemical behavior and microstructural characterization of 1026 Ni–B coated steel