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To study the effects of Fe content and cold drawing strain on the microstructure and properties, Cu-Fe alloys were prepared via powder metallurgy and hot extrusion. Scanning electron microscopy was applied to observe the Fe phase, and the ultimate tensile strength was investigated using a universal material testing machine. Alloying with an Fe content below 10 wt.% formed a spherically dispersed Fe phase via the conventional nucleation and growth mechanism, whereas a higher Fe content formed a water-droplet-like Fe phase via the spinodal decomposition mechanism in the as-extruded Cu-Fe alloy. Further cold drawing induced the fiber structure of the Fe phase (fiber strengthening), which could not be destroyed by subsequent annealing. As the Fe content increased, the strength increased but the electrical conductivity decreased; as the cold drawing strain increased, both the strength and the electrical conductivity roughly increased, but the elongation roughly decreased. After thermal–mechanical processing, the electrical conductivity and strength of the Cu-40Fe alloy could reach 51% IACS and 1.14 GPa, respectively. This study can provide insight into the design of high-performance Cu-Fe alloys by tailoring the size and morphology of the Fe phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of materials for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) has been rapidly increasing in daily practice. However, one of the main issues regarding modern CAD/CAM materials is their aging in the oral environment, which may lead to significant changes in their overall properties. The aim of this study was to compare the flexural strength, water sorption, cross-link density (softening ratio%), surface roughness, and SEM analysis of three modern CAD/CAM "multicolor" composites. Grandio (Grandio disc multicolor—VOCO GmbH, Cuxhaven, Germany), Shofu (Shofu Block HC—Shofu Inc., Kyoto, Japan), and Vita (Vita Enamic multiColor—Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany) were tested in this study. They were prepared in stick-shaped specimens and submitted to different tests after several aging protocols, such as thermocycling and mechanical cycle loading challenge. Further disc-shaped specimens were also created and tested for water sorption, cross-link density, surface roughness, and SEM ultramorphology, before and after storage in an ethanol-based solution. For flexural strength and ultimate tensile strength, Grandio showed the greatest values both at baseline and after aging (p < 0.05). Grandio and Vita Enamic presented the highest modulus of elasticity and the lowest water sorption (p < 0.05). A significant reduction (p < 0.05) in microhardness after ethanol storage (softening ratio%) was observed especially in Shofu. Grandio had the lowest roughness parameters compared to the other tested CAD/CAM materials, while ethanol storage significantly increased the Ra and RSm values in Shofu (p < 0.05). Despite the comparable modulus of elasticity of Vita and Grandio, this latter showed greater flexural strength and ultimate tensile strength both at baseline and after aging. Hence, Grandio and Vita Enamic may be employed for the anterior teeth and for those restorations requiring load-bearing capacity. Conversely, aging seems to affect several properties of Shofu, so its use for permanent restorations should be well-pondered based on the clinical situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post weld heat treatment, or PWHT, is often used to improve the mechanical properties of materials that have been welded. Several publications have investigated the effects of the PWHT process using experimental designs. However, the modeling and optimization using the integration of machine learning (ML) and metaheuristics have yet to be reported, which are fundamental steps toward intelligent manufacturing applications. This research proposes a novel approach using ML techniques and metaheuristics to optimize PWHT process parameters. The goal is to determine the optimal PWHT parameters for both single and multiple objective perspectives. In this research, support vector regression (SVR), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), decision tree (DT), and random forest (RF) were ML techniques employed to obtain a relationship model between PWHT parameters and mechanical properties: ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation percentage (EL). The results show that the SVR demonstrated superior performance among ML techniques for both UTS and EL models. Then, SVR is used with metaheuristics such as differential evolution (DE), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and genetic algorithms (GA). SVR-PSO shows the fastest convergence among other combinations. The final solutions of single-objective and Pareto solutions were also suggested in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a solid-state bonding technique. There are many direct and indirect factors affecting the mechanical and microstructural properties of the FSW joints. Tool offset, tilt angle, and plunge depth are determinative tool positioning in the FSW process. Investigating the effect of these factors simultaneously with other parameters such as process speeds (rotational speed and translational speed) and tool geometry leads to a poor understanding of the impact of these factors on the FSW process. Because the three mentioned parameters have the same origin, they should be studied separately from other process parameters. This paper investigates the effects of tilt angle, plunge depth, and tool offset on Ultimate Tensile Stress (UTS) of joints between AA6061-T6 and AA7075-T6. To design the experiments, optimization, and statistical analysis, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has been used. Experimental tests were carried out to find the maximum achievable UTS of the joint. The optimum values were determined based on the optimization procedure as 0.7 mm of tool offset, 2.7 degrees of tilt angle, and 0.1 mm of plunge depth. These values resulted in a UTS of 281 MPa. Compared to the UTS of base metals, the joint efficiency of the optimized welded sample was nearly 90 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the dimensional changes and ultimate tensile strength in three polyamide materials for denture bases fabrication through injection molding, subjected to artificial aging and different storage conditions. A total of 333 test specimens fabricated from Biosens (BS; Perflex, Netanya, Israel), Bre.flex 2nd edition (BF; Bredent, Senden, Germany) and ThermoSens (TS; Vertex Dental B.V., Soesterberg, The Netherlands)—n = 111 per material—were equally divided into three groups (n = 37) based on different treatments and storage conditions. Test samples allocated to the "Control group" were not artificially aged and stored in water for 24 h. Both "Treatment 1 group" and "Treatment 2 group" were subjected to thermocycling, the former dehydrated and the latter stored in water between cycle-sets. Linear changes and ultimate tensile strength were measured and analyzed for storage condition and material influence on the outcome variables. A Welch ANOVA test with Games–Howell post-hoc analysis was used to compare the influence of treatments across different materials. Significant differences were found for all three included materials with p values ranging from <0.05 to <0.001 for linear dimensional changes. The magnitude of alterations varied and was large for BS (Perflex, Israel) (ω2 = 0.62) and BF (Bredent, Germany) (ω2 = 0.47) and small but significant for TS (Vertex Dental B.V., The Netherlands) (ω2 = 0.05). However, results seem to fall into clinically acceptable range. Significant differences were also observed for the ultimate tensile strength test with the same range of p-values. All three materials showed different initial ultimate tensile strengths and varying reaction to artificial aging and storage with the lowest alterations observed for BF (Bredent, Germany) (ω2 = 0.05). Within the limitation of this study, it can be concluded that all three materials show different dimensional and mechanical properties when subjected to artificial aging and different storage. Although linear dimensions show significant changes, they seem to be clinically irrelevant, whereas the change in ultimate tensile strength after only 6-month equivalent clinical use was substantial for BS (Perflex, Israel) and TS (Vertex Dental B.V., The Netherlands). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work mainly focuses on increasing the mechanical strength and improving the corrosion resistance of an aluminum alloy hybrid matrix. The composites are prepared by the stir casting procedure. For this work, aluminum alloy 8079 is considered as a base material and titanium nitride and zirconium dioxide are utilized as reinforcement particles. Mechanical tests, such as the ultimate tensile strength, wear, salt spray corrosion test and microhardness test, are conducted effectively in the fabricated AA8079/TiN + ZrO2 composites. L9 OA statistical analysis is executed to optimize the process parameters of the mechanical and corrosion tests. ANOVA analysis defines the contribution and influence of each parameter. In the tensile and wear test, parameters are chosen as % of reinforcement (3%, 6% and 9%), stirring speed (500, 550 and 600 rpm) and stirring time (20, 25 and 30 min). Similarly, in the salt spray test and microhardness test, the selected parameters are: percentage of reinforcement (3%, 6% and 9%), pH value (3, 6 and 9), and hang time (24, 48 and 72 h). The percentage of reinforcement highly influenced the wear and microhardness test, while the stirring time parameter extremely influenced the ultimate tensile strength. From the corrosion test, the hang time influences the corrosion rate. The SEM analysis highly reveals the bonding of each reinforcement particle to the base material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of molybdenum additions on the phases, microstructures, and mechanical properties of pre-alloyed Ti6Al4V was studied through the spark plasma sintering technique. Ti6Al4V-xMo (where x = 0, 2, 4, 6 wt.% of Mo) alloys were developed, and the sintered compacts were characterized in terms of their phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties. The results show that the equiaxed primary alpha and Widmänstatten (alpha + beta) microstructure in pre-alloyed Ti6Al4V is transformed into a duplex and globular model with the increasing content of Mo from 0 to 6%. The changing pattern of the microstructure of the sample strongly influences the properties of the material. The solid solution hardening element such as Mo enhances mechanical properties such as yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, ductility, and hardness compared with the pre-alloyed Ti6Al4V alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex, dynamic, and hydrated microstructures of human dentin serve as the major determinant for the restorative performance of biomaterials. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties of human dentin under different hydration conditions. The occlusal dentin of five third molars was exposed and cut into 1 mm2 dentin slabs. The slabs were then polished and further cut into 1 mm2 dentin beams and stored in distilled water. Two beams/tooth were used for testing their hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) at 5 min (baseline), 1 h, and 24 h after dehydration (23 °C and 30% RH), and also for measuring weight at following dehydration times: 0 min, 5 min, 1 h, and 24 h. Five additional molars were employed to prepare 0.4 mm2 dentin beams (3/tooth) for determining ultimate tensile strength (UTS) at 5 min (baseline), 1 h, and 24 h post-dehydration. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Dehydration time significantly affected H, E, weight-loss, and UTS of dentin (p < 0.05). H and E values showed a strongly positive and significant correlation (r > 0.5, p < 0.05). Dehydration can substantially modify the mechanical properties of dentin, leading to misinterpretation of restorative outcomes in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the most popular additive manufacturing (AM) techniques used to fabricate polymeric structures. However, these polymeric structures suffer from an inherent deficiency of weak inter-laminar tensile strength. Because of this weak inter-laminar strength, these parts fail prematurely and exhibit only a fraction of the mechanical properties of those fabricated using conventional means. In this paper, we study the effect of thermal annealing in the presence of an initially applied static uniaxial load on the ultimate tensile strength of parts fabricated using FFF. Tensile specimens or dogbones were fabricated from an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament with a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 105 °C; these specimens were then isothermally annealed, post manufacture, in a fixture across a given range of temperatures and static loads. Tensile testing was then performed on these specimens to gauge the effect of the thermal annealing and static loading on inter-laminar tensile strength by measuring the ultimate tensile strength of the specimens. A design of experiments (DOE) approach was followed to calculate the main and interaction effects of the two factors (temperature and static loading) on the ultimate tensile strength, and an analysis of variance was conducted. Cross-sectional images of the specimens were studied to observe the changes in the mesostructure of the specimens that led to the increase in inter-laminar strength of the parts. The results show that temperature plays a dominant role in increasing the ultimate tensile strength and an 89% increase in the average ultimate tensile strength was seen corresponding to an annealing temperature of 160 °C. A change in the mesostructure of the parts is seen, which is characterized by an increase in bond length and void coalescence. These results can be helpful in studying the structural strength of 3D printed parts, and thus could eventually guide the fabrication of components with strength comparable to those of conventional manufacturing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to determine the influence of selected parameters of Direct Metal Laser Sintering and various heat treatment temperatures on the mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V samples oriented vertically (V, ZX) and horizontally (H, XZ). The performed micro-CT scans of as-build samples revealed that the change in laser energy density significantly influences the change in porosity of the material, which the parameters (130–210 W; 300–1300 mm/s), from 9.31% (130 W, 1300 mm/s) to 0.16% (190 W, 500 mm/s) are given. The mechanical properties, ultimate tensile strength (UTS, Rm) and yield strength (YS, Re) of the DMLS as-build samples, were higher than the ASTM F 1472 standard suggestion (UTS = 1100.13 ± 126.17 MPa, YS = 1065.46 ± 127.91 MPa), and simultaneously, the elongation at break was lower than required for biomedical implants (A = 4.23 ± 1.24%). The low ductility and high UTS were caused by a specific microstructure made of α' martensite and columnar prior β grains. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that heat treatment at 850 °C for 2 h caused the change of the microstructure intothe α + β combination, affecting the change of strength parameters—a reduction of UTS and YS with the simultaneous increase in elongation (A). Thus, properties similar to those indicated by the standard were obtained (UTS = 908.63 ± 119.49 MPa, YS = 795.9 ± 159.32 MPa, A = 8.72 ± 2.51%), while the porosity remained almost unchanged. Moreover, the heat treatment at 850 °C resulted in the disappearance of anisotropic material properties caused by the layered structure (UTSZX = 908.36 ± 122.79 MPa, UTSXZ = 908.97 ± 118.198 MPa, YSZX = 807.83 ± 124.05 MPa, YSXZ = 810.56 ± 124.05 MPa, AZX = 8.75 ± 2.65%, and AXZ = 8.68 ± 2.41%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The load–deflection curve acquired from the Small Punch Test (SPT) is used to obtain the mechanical properties of materials using different correlation methods. The scattering level of these regressions tends to be high when a wide set of materials is analyzed. In this study, a correlation method based on a specific slope of the SPT curve was proposed to reduce scattering. Assuming the Ramberg–Osgood hardening law, the dependence of the SPT curve slope on the yield strength and the hardening coefficient is demonstrated by numerical simulations (FEM). Considering that the ultimate tensile strength could be obtained from the hardening coefficient, a response surface of the ultimate tensile strength with the yield strength and SPT curve slope, along with its equation, is presented for steel alloys. A summary of steel mechanical properties, based on the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) and limited to yield strengths lower than 1300 MPa, is shown to select a set of experimental tests (tensile tests and SPTs) for which the range is completely covered. This experimental analysis validates the previous FEM analyses and the validity of the proposed correlation method, which shows more accurate correlations compared to the current methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turning of light alloys as aluminum-based UNS A92024-T3 is broadly implemented in the manufacture of critical aircraft parts, so ensuring a good functional performance of these pieces is essential. Moreover, operational conditions of these pieces include saline environments where corrosion processes are present. In this paper, a methodology for the evaluation of the functional performance in turned pieces is proposed. Specimens affected and not affected by corrosion are compared. In addition, performance in service through tensile stress tests of these parts is considered. The results show that turning improves the functional performance of UNS A92024-T3 alloy and that corrosion can enhance the mechanical properties of this alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]