Showing papers on "Ultimate tensile strength published in 2004"

Ultrahigh strength and high electrical conductivity in copper

Abstract: Methods used to strengthen metals generally also cause a pronounced decrease in electrical conductivity, so that a tradeoff must be made between conductivity and mechanical strength. We synthesized pure copper samples with a high density of nanoscale growth twins. They showed a tensile strength about 10 times higher than that of conventional coarse-grained copper, while retaining an electrical conductivity comparable to that of pure copper. The ultrahigh strength originates from the effective blockage of dislocation motion by numerous coherent twin boundaries that possess an extremely low electrical resistivity, which is not the case for other types of grain boundaries.

Mechanical properties of nanostructure of biological materials

Abstract: Natural biological materials such as bone, teeth and nacre are nanocomposites of protein and mineral with superior strength. It is quite a marvel that nature produces hard and tough materials out of protein as soft as human skin and mineral as brittle as classroom chalk. What are the secrets of nature? Can we learn from this to produce bio-inspired materials in the laboratory? These questions have motivated us to investigate the mechanics of protein–mineral nanocomposite structure. Large aspect ratios and a staggered alignment of mineral platelets are found to be the key factors contributing to the large stiffness of biomaterials. A tension–shear chain (TSC) model of biological nanostructure reveals that the strength of biomaterials hinges upon optimizing the tensile strength of the mineral crystals. As the size of the mineral crystals is reduced to nanoscale, they become insensitive to flaws with strength approaching the theoretical strength of atomic bonds. The optimized tensile strength of mineral crystals thus allows a large amount of fracture energy to be dissipated in protein via shear deformation and consequently enhances the fracture toughness of biocomposites. We derive viscoelastic properties of the protein–mineral nanostructure and show that the toughness of biocomposite can be further enhanced by the viscoelastic properties of protein.

The mechanical efficiency of natural materials

Abstract: The materials of nature, for example cellulose, lignin, keratin, chitin, collagen and hydroxyapatite, and the structures made from them, for example bamboo, wood, antler and bone, have a remarkable range of mechanical properties. These can be compared by presenting them as material property charts, well known for the materials of engineering. Material indices (significant combinations of properties) can be plotted on to the charts, identifying materials with extreme values of an index, suggesting that they have evolved to carry particular modes of loading, or to sustain large tensile or flexural deformations, without failure. This paper describes a major revision and update of a set of property charts for natural material published some 8 years ago by Ashby et al. with examples of their use to study mechanical efficiency in nature.

All-Cellulose Composite

Abstract: An all-cellulose composite, in which both the fibers and the matrix are cellulose, was prepared by distinguishing the solubility of the matrix cellulose into the solvent from that of the fibers through pretreatment. The structure, mechanical, and thermal properties of this composite were investigated using an X-ray diffraction, a scanning electron microscope, a tensile test, and dynamic viscoelastic and thermomechanical analyses. The tensile strength of uniaxially reinforced all-cellulose composite was 480 MPa at 25 °C, and the dynamic storage modulus was as high as 20 GPa at 300 °C. These were comparable or even higher than those of conventional glass-fiber-reinforced composites. In addition, a linear thermal expansion coefficient was about 10-7 K-1. This all-cellulose composite shows substantial advantages, that is, it is composed of sustainable resources, there is less interface between the fiber and the matrix, it possesses excellent mechanical and thermal performance during use, and it is biodegradab...

High Performance Nanotube‐Reinforced Plastics: Understanding the Mechanism of Strength Increase

Abstract: Polymer–multiwalled carbon nanotube composite films were fabricated using two types of polymer matrices, namely poly(vinyl alcohol), (PVA) and chlorinated polypropylene. In the first case, the PVA was observed to form a crystalline coating around the nanotubes, maximising interfacial stress transfer. In the second case the interface was engineered by covalently attaching chlorinated polypropylene chains to the nanotubes, again resulting in large stress transfer. Increases in Young's modulus, tensile strength, and toughness of × 3.7, × 4.3, and × 1.7, respectively were observed for the PVA-based materials at less than 1 wt.-% nanotubes. Similarily for the polypropylene-based composites, increases in Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness of × 3.1, × 3.9, and × 4.4, respectively, were observed at equivalent nanotube loading levels. In addition, a model to describe composite strength was derived. This model shows that the tensile strength increases in proportion to the thickness of the interface region. This suggests that composite strength can be optimized by maximising the thickness of the crystalline coating or the thickness of the interfacial volume partially occupied by functional groups.

Development of bamboo-based polymer composites and their mechanical properties

Abstract: This paper presents the development of composites for ecological purposes (Eco-composites) using bamboo fibers and their basic mechanical properties. The steam explosion technique was applied to extract bamboo fibers from raw bamboo trees. The experimental results showed that the bamboo fibers (bundles) had a sufficient specific strength, which is equivalent to that of conventional glass fibers. The tensile strength and modulus of PP based composites using steam-exploded fibers increased about 15 and 30%, respectively, due to well impregnation and the reduction of the number of voids, compared to the composite using fibers that are mechanically extracted. The steam explosion technique is an effective method to extract bamboo fibers for reinforcing thermoplastics.

Development of High Strength Hot-rolled Sheet Steel Consisting of Ferrite and Nanometer-sized Carbides

Abstract: A ferritic steel precipitation-strengthened by manometer-sized carbides was developed to obtain a high strength hot-rolled sheet steel having tensile strength of 780 MPa grade with excellent stretch flange formability. Manganese in a content of 1.5% and molybdenum in a content of 0.2 % were added to 0.04 % carbon Ti-bearing steel in order to lower austenite-ferrite transformation temperature for fine carbides and to retard generating of pearlite and large cementites, respectively. Tensile strength of hot-rolled sheet steel increased with titanium content and it was achieved to 800 MPa in a 0.09 % Ti steel. Microstructure of the 0.09 %Ti steel was ferrite without pearlite and large cementites. Fine carbides of 3 nm in diameter were observed in rows in the ferrite matrix of the 0.09 % Ti steel with transmission electron microscope. The characteristic arrangement of the nanometer-sized carbides indicates that the carbides were formed at austenite-ferrite interfaces during transformation. By energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, the carbides were found to contain molybdenum in the same atomic concentration as titanium. Crystal structure of the nanometer-sized carbides was determined to be NaCI-type by X-ray diffractometry. The calculated amount of precipitation-strengthening by the carbides was approximately 300 MPa. This is two or three times higher than that of conventional Ti-bearing high strength hot-rolled sheet steels. Based on the results obtained in the laboratory investigation, mill trial was carried out. The developed hot-rolled high strength sheet steel exhibited excellent stretch flange formability.

Mechanical properties of continuous natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites

Abstract: The mechanical behaviour high density polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with continuous henequen fibres (Agave fourcroydes) was studied. Fibre-matrix adhesion was promoted by fibre surface modifications using an alkaline treatment and a matrix preimpregnation together with a silane coupling agent. The use of the silane coupling agent to promote a chemical interaction, improved the degree of fibre-matrix adhesion. However, it was found that the resulting strength and stiffness of the composite depended on the amount of silane deposited on the fibre. A maximum value for the tensile strength was obtained for a certain silane concentration but when using higher concentrations, the tensile strength did not increase. Using the silane concentration that resulted in higher tensile strength values, the flexural and shear properties were also studied. The elastic modulus of the composite did not improve with the fibre surface modification. The elastic modulus, in the longitudinal fibre direction obtained from the tensile and flexural measurements was compared with values calculated using the rule of mixtures. It was observed that the increase in stiffness from the use of henequen fibres was approximately 80% of the calculated values. The increase in the mechanical properties ranged between 3 and 43%, for the longitudinal tensile and flexural properties, whereas in the transverse direction to the fibre, the increase was greater than 50% with respect to the properties of the composite made with untreated fibre composite. In the case of the shear strength, the increase was of the order of 50%. From the failure surfaces it was observed that with increasing fibre-matrix interaction the failure mode changed from interfacial failure to matrix failure.

Mechanical anisotropy of extruded Mg-6% Al-1% Zn alloy

Abstract: Deformation anisotropy of extruded Mg–6% Al–1% Zn alloy has been investigated on specimens with different tilt angles relative to the extrusion direction. Calculations of the orientation factors for basal slip and of the strains caused by {1 0 1 2} twinning were done for a slightly idealised texture. This quantification of the two dominating deformation modes was used to explain the marked mechanical anisotropy of the extruded magnesium alloy. Basal slip as well as {1 0 1 2} twinning is inhibited in extrusion direction under tensile loads, which results in high yield strength. Any other testing direction and/or compressive loads are capable of activating slip and/or twinning and yield stress is significantly lower under such conditions. The lattice reorientation of 86.3° caused by twinning has a large influence on the deformation behaviour of a pre-deformed specimen, since the twinned areas are capable of untwinning during reloading in the opposite direction.

Atomistic simulation of the structure and elastic properties of gold nanowires

Abstract: We performed atomistic simulations to study the effect of free surfaces on the structure and elastic properties of gold nanowires aligned in the 〈1 0 0〉 and 〈1 1 1〉 crystallographic directions. Computationally, we formed a nanowire by assembling gold atoms into a long wire with free sides by putting them in their bulk fcc lattice positions. We then performed a static relaxation on the assemblage. The tensile surface stresses on the sides of the wire cause the wire to contract along the length with respect to the original fcc lattice, and we characterize this deformation in terms of an equilibrium strain versus the cross-sectional area. While the surface stress causes wires of both orientations and all sizes to increasingly contract with decreasing cross-sectional area, when the cross-sectional area of a 〈1 0 0〉 nanowire is less than 1.83 nm ×1.83 nm , the wire undergoes a phase transformation from fcc to bct, and the equilibrium strain increases by an order of magnitude. We then applied a uniform uniaxial strain incrementally to 1.2% to the relaxed nanowires in a molecular statics framework. From the simulation results we computed the effective axial Young's modulus and Poisson's ratios of the nanowire as a function of cross-sectional area. We used two approaches to compute the effective elastic moduli, one based on a definition in terms of the strain derivative of the total energy and another in terms of the virial stress often used in atomistic simulations. Both give quantitatively similar results, showing an increase in Young's modulus with a decrease of cross-sectional area in the nanowires that do not undergo a phase transformation. Those that undergo a phase transformation experience an increase of about a factor of three of Young's modulus. The Poisson's ratio of the 〈1 0 0〉 wires that do not undergo a phase transformation show little change with the cross-sectional area. Those wires that undergo a phase transformation experience an increase of about 10% in Poisson's ratio. The 〈1 1 1〉 wires show, with a decrease of cross-sectional area, an increase in one of Poisson's ratios and small change in the other.

Performance of compacted cement-stabilised soil

Abstract: Earth construction is widespread in desert and rural areas because of its abundance and cheap labour and could be an alternative construction material for low cost housing in Algeria. However, earth construction suffers from shrinkage cracking, low strength and lack of durability. This paper reports on the Algerian experience on earth construction in housing and gives an extended review of an experimental study to investigate a stabilised soil by either mechanical means such as compaction and vibration and/or chemical stabilisation by cement. Soil used was characterised by its grading curve and chemical composition. Compaction was either applied statically or dynamically by a drop weight method. A mixture of sand and cement was also tried. The effect of each method of stabilisation on shrinkage, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and water resistance are briefly reported. The experimental results showed that the best method of stabilisation of the soil investigated, which gives a good compressive strength and a better durability at a reasonable cost, could be a combination of a mechanical compaction and chemical stabilisation by cement or sand and cement up to a certain level.

Strain hardening and large tensile elongation in ultrahigh-strength nano-twinned copper

Abstract: A high density of growth twins in pure Cu imparts high yield strength while preserving the capacity for efficient dislocation storage, leading to high strain hardening rates at high flow stresses, especially at 77 K. Uniform tensile deformation is stabilized to large plastic strains, resulting in an ultrahigh tensile strength of similar to1 GPa together with an elongation to failure of similar to30%. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.