The Effect of Adding CeO2 Nanoparticles to Cu-Ni-Al Alloy for High Temperatures Applications.

This work presents the effect of CeO2 nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) on Cu-50Ni-5Al alloys on morphological, microstructural, degradation, and electrochemical behavior at high temperatures. The samples obtained by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering were exposed to a molten eutectic mixture of Li2CO3-K2CO3 for 504 h. The degradation of the materials was analyzed using gravimetry measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Different characterization techniques, such as X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, were used to investigate the phase composition, parameter lattice, and microstructure of Cu-Ni-Al alloys reinforced with CeO2-NPs. The hardness of the composite was also examined using the Vickers hardness test. Gravimetry measurements revealed that the sample with 1 wt.% CeO2-NPs presented the best response to degradation with a less drastic mass variation. Impedance analysis also revealed that by adding 1 wt.% CeO2-NPs, the impedance modulus increased, which is related to a lower porosity of the oxide film or a thicker oxide layer. The microhardness also significantly increased, incorporating 1 wt.% CeO2-NPs, which reduced with higher CeO2-NPs content, which is possibly associated with a more uniform distribution using 1 wt.% CeO2-NPs in the Cu-Ni-Al matrix that avoided the aggregation phenomenon.

Effect of Atmospheric Corrosion on the Mechanical Properties of SAE 1020 Structural Steel.

Resistance to atmospheric corrosion in different environments located in Chile and the corrosion's effect on the mechanical properties of SAE 1020 steel were studied. Atmospheric corrosivity categories at each station under study were determined. These categories were C2, for Laja; C3 and C4, for the Arica and Antarctic stations, respectively; and the most aggressive, C5 and higher at Quintero. These specific environments significantly influenced the mechanical responses of steel exposed for 36 months. Rupture elongation, the modulus of toughness, ultimate tensile strength, and hardness of the material all decreased as a function of environmental atmospheric aggressiveness. Lowered ductility is the result of the increased corrosion rate due to the high deposition of chlorides. This is due to the morphology of material degradation, which consequently occurs as pores, microstrains, and other defects that promote early rupture of the steel.