• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.647-651
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• 2006

A new class of compounds in the form of skutterudite structure, Fe doped $CoSb_3$ with a nominal composition of $Fe_xCo_{4-x}Sb_{12}$ ($0{\leq}x{\leq}2.5$), were synthesized by mechanical alloying of elemental powders followed by vacuum hot pressing. Nanostructured, single-phase skutterudites were successfully produced by vacuum hot pressing using as-milled powders without subsequent heat-treatments for the compositions of $x{\leq}1.5$. However, second phase was found to form in case of $x{\geq}2$, suggesting the solubility limit of Fe with Co in this system. Thermoelectric properties including thermal conductivity from 300 to 600 K were measured and discussed. Lattice thermal conductivity was greatly reduced by introducing a dopant up to x=1.5 as well as by increasing phonon scattering in nanostructured skutterudite, leading to enhancement in the thermoelectric figure of merit. The maximum figure of merit was found to be 0.32 at 600 K in the composition of $Fe_xCo_{4-x}Sb_{12}$.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.344-350
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• 2022

Extruded Mg-Bi binary alloys are known to have an undesirable bimodal grain structure containing a large amount of coarse unrecrystallized grains. Accordingly, to improve the microstructural homogeneity of extruded Mg-Bi alloys, it is necessary to promote the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior during hot extrusion. An effective way to promote DRX is an increase in nucleation sites for DRX through a pre-deformation process before extrusion, such as cold pre-forging and hot pre-compression. However, the application of these pre-deformation processes increases the cost of final extruded Mg products because of an increase in energy consumption and decrease in productivity. Therefore, a low-cost new continuous process with high productivity is required to improve the microstructural homogeneity and mechanical properties of extruded Mg alloys without a drastic increase in the entire process cost. This study proposes a new extrusion method using an extrusion billet with a truncated cone shape (i.e., tapered billet) instead of a conventional extrusion billet with a cylindrical shape. When the hot extrusion of a Mg-5Bi alloy is conducted using the tapered billet, the DRX behavior during extrusion is considerably promoted. The DRX fraction and average grain size of the extruded alloy significantly increase and decrease from 65% to 91% and from 225 ㎛ to 49 ㎛, respectively. Consequently, the extruded Mg-5Bi alloy fabricated using the tapered billet has a finer homogeneous grain structure and higher tensile elongation than the extruded counterpart fabricated using the cylindrical billet.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.549-558
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• 2018

The overall efficiency depend on the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis. Therefore, it is necessary to research to reduce the oxygen evolution overpotential of electrodes. In this study, Ni-Zn-Fe electrodes were prepared by electroplating and the surface area was increased by Zn leaching process. Electroplating variables were studied to optimize the plating parameters(electroplating current density, pH value of electroplating solution, Ni/Fe content ratio). Ni-Zn-Fe electrode, which is electroplated in a modified Watts bath, showed 0.294 V of overpotential at $0.1A/cm^2$. That result is better than that of Ni and Ni-Zn plated electrodes. As the electroplating current density of the Ni-Zn-Fe electrode increased, the particle size tended to increase and the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction decreased. As reducing pH of electroplating solution from 4 to 2, Fe content in electrode and activity of oxygen evolution reaction decreased.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.338-344
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• 2008

The crystallization kinetics of the $Cu_{43}Zr_{43}Al_7Be_7$ bulk metallic glass were studied by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) in the continuous heating and isothermal annealing modes. Only one major peak could be detected on the DSC traces of $Cu_{43}Zr_{43}Al_7Be_7$ bulk amorphous alloy, and the activation energy for crystallization corresponding to the peak determined by the Kissinger method was resulted of 239 kJ/mol. The isothermal kinetic, analyzed by the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation yielded values for the Avrami exponents in the range 1.69 to 2.37, which implied a crystallization governed by a three-dimensioned growth. Primary phases were essentially the cubic structure CuZr together with the $Cu_{10}Zr_7$ phase. At higher temperature, the CuZr disappeared while the $Cu_{10}Zr_7$ became predominant. After long term annealing at 731 K, the phases were $Cu_{10}Zr_7$, $Cu_2ZrAl$ and $Al_3Zr_5$.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 2010

A fundamental study of the distillation behavior of ferromanganese alloy melts was carried out at 1773 K and 0.1333 kPa (=1 Torr). During the distillation of ferromanganese alloy melts under reduced pressure, manganese vaporizes preferentially to phosphorus and other solute elements. High purity manganese metal with a very low content of solute elements can be obtained by distillation of ferromanganese alloy melts. The evaporation of manganese is suppressed as the carbon content of ferromanganese alloy melt increases due to the decrease of activity and vapor pressure of the manganese. When the carbon content of ferromanganese alloy melt is high, melt droplets are ejected from the bath, especially in the early stages of the distillation, and the solute elements in the splashed droplets contaminate the condensed material. The ejection of melt droplets is presumed to be caused by the increase of melting temperature and viscosity of the surface layer of melt due to the enrichment of solute elements such as carbon and iron.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.156-161
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• 2021

Cr-Si based alloys are not only excellent in corrosion resistance at high temperatures, but also have good wear resistance due to the formation of Cr3Si phase, therefore they are promising as metallic coating materials. Aluminum is often added to Cr-Si alloys to improve the oxidation resistance through which stable alumina surface film is formed. On the other hand, due to the addition of aluminum, various Al-containing phases may be formed and may negatively affect the heat resistance of the Cr-Si-Al alloys, so detailed investigation is required. In this study, two Cr-Si-Al alloys (high-Si & high-Al) were prepared in the form of cast ingots through a vacuum arc melting process and the microstructural changes after high temperature heating process were investigated. In the case of the cast high-Si alloy, a considerable amount of Cr3Si phase was formed, and its hardness was significantly higher than that of the cast high-Al alloy. Also, Al-rich phases (with the high Al/Cr ratio) were not found much compared to the high-Al alloy. Meanwhile, it was observed that the amount of the Al-rich phases reduced by the annealing heat treatment for both alloys. In the case of the high temperature heating at 1,400 ℃, no significant microstructural change was observed in the high Si alloy, but a little more coarse and segregated AlCr phases were found in the high Al alloy compared to the cast state.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.382-389
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• 2022

A typical trade-off relationship exists between strength and elongation in face-centered cubic metals. Studies have recently been conducted to enhance strength without ductility reduction through surface-treatment-based ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM), which creates a gradient microstructure in which grains become smaller from the inside to the surface. The transformation-induced plasticity effect in Fe-Mn alloys results in excellent strength and ductility due to their high work-hardening rate. This rate is achieved through strain-induced martensitic transformation when an alloy is plastically deformed. In this study, Fe-6%Mn powders with different sizes were prepared by high-energy ball milling and sintered through spark plasma sintering to produce Fe-6%Mn samples. A gradient microstructure was obtained by stacking the different-sized powders to achieve similar effects as those derived from UNSM. A compressive test was performed to investigate the mechanical properties, including the yielding behavior. The deformed microstructure was observed through electron backscatter diffraction to determine the effects of gradient plastic deformation.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.178-184
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• 2024

In this study, we investigated the effects of extrusion ratio and extrusion temperature on the microstructure and tensile properties of extruded Mg-6Al-0.3Mn-0.3Ca-0.2Y (SEN6) alloy. As the extrusion ratio and temperature increase, dynamic recrystallization during extrusion is promoted, leading to the formation of a fully recrystallized microstructure with increased grain size. Additionally, the increases in extrusion ratio and temperature lead to texture strengthening, exhibiting a higher maximum texture intensity. The extruded materials contain three types of secondary phases, i.e., Al₈Mn₄Y, Al₂Y, and Al₂Ca, with irregular or polygonal shapes. The quantity, size, distribution, and area fraction of the second-phase particles are nearly identical between the two materials. Despite its larger grain size, the tensile yield strength of the material extruded at 450 ℃ and an extrusion ratio of 25 (450-25) is higher than that of the material extruded at 325 ℃ and an extrusion ratio of 10 (325-10), which is mainly attributed to the stronger texture hardening effect of the former. The ultimate tensile strength is similar in the two materials, owing to the higher work hardening rate in the 325-10 extrudate. Despite differences in grain size and recrystallization fraction, numerous twins are formed throughout the specimen during tensile deformation in both materials; consequently, the two materials exhibit nearly the same tensile elongation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.116-133
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• 1996

The biocompatibility of the titanium has been estabilished through various experimental studies such as cell culture toxicity test, pyrogen test, mutagen test and others. In order to confirm biocompatibility after fabrication of titanium and to clarify the difference between the bone reaction after insertion of the lathed titanium rods and the bone reaction after insertion of the finished and polished rods, both rods were implanted into the proximal femur of a rabbit. Histologic reactions in the bone were observed according to the ASTM standards at the intervals of 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 26 weeks after implantation. The result were as follows : In 6 weeks after implantation of lathed titanium rods, inflammatory reactions, such as minimal degree infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes were observed in all cases. This was thought to he caused by surgical trauma. However, inflammatory cell infiltration was not seen after implantation of polished and finished rods in all cases. The cellular infiltration and the histologic reaction of the hone after implantation of lathed group were significantly more pronounced than those after implantation of the finished group. In 12 weeks after implantation of lathed rods, two of four cases revealed a minimal degree of cellular infiltration. No inflammatory cell infiltration was demonstrated after implantation of the finished group. The cellular infiltration and histologic reaction seemed to be more pronounced in the lathed group, but they were not significant statistically. At 26 weeks after implantation of the lathed and finished group, there was no cellular infiltration in both groups. New bone formation was observed up 26 weeks, and no difference between lathed titanium rods and finished titanium rods were apparent. Mild bone necrosis was observed in 1 case out of 11 cases in which lathed titanium rods were implanted. Bone necrosis was not observed in the finished titanium rod group. Fibrosis was observed in both groups, but differences were not significant between the experimental groups. In the lathed titanium rods group and the shorter interval group, inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly higher. Finished titanium rods and longer interval groups had markedly decreased tendences in histologic reaction ratings. As a conclusion, although certificated titanium might be safe to use, difference of biocompatibility were observed depending on the method of surface finish. By identifying biocompatibility as a long-term standardized animal study, we can develop progressed internal fixation device that is safe for human beings.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2016

When copper alloy is used in etching process for the production of lead frame, the high concentration of heavy metals, such as iron, nickel and zinc may be included in the etching waste. Those etching waste is classified as a specified one. Therefore a customized design was designed for the purification process of the lead frame etching waste liquid containing high concentrations of heavy metals for the production of an electroplating copper(II) oxide. Since the lead frame etching waste solution contains highly concentrated heavy metal species, an ion exchange method is difficult to remove all heavy metals. In this study, a copper(I) chloride was manufactured by using water solubility difference related to the reduction-oxidation method followed by the reunion of copper(II) chloride using sodium sulfate as an oxidant. The hydrazine was chosen as a reducing agent. The optimum added amount was 1.4 mol per 1.0 mol of copper. In the case of removal of heavy metals by using the combination of reduction-oxidation and ion exchange resin methods, 4.3 ppm of $Fe^{3+}$, 2.4 ppm of $Ni^{2+}$ and 0.78 ppm of $Zn^{2+}$ can be reused as raw materials for electroplating copper(II) oxide when repeated three times.