Ceramics and metals are the two vastly explored classes of materials whose individual characteristics and targeted applications differ significantly. Continuous thrust for space exploration and energy generation demands materials with a wide range of properties. To tackle this demand, ceramic-metal combined structures that club heat, wear, and corrosion resistance of ceramics to the high toughness, good strength, and better machinability of metals are desirable. While various processing routes to combine ceramics and metals have been developed through the years, solutions to address problems associated with the interface, thermal property mismatch, and poor adhesion need to be explored. In this context, Functional Graded Materials (FGMs) have attracted particular attention by virtue of their ability to avoid sharp interfaces and local stress concentrations. Out of all, Additive Manufacturing (AM) routes, particularly the Directed Energy Deposition (DED) technique, is emerging as a productive technique capable of fabricating a wide range of metal-ceramic graded structures. This paper specifically discusses metal-ceramic FGMs ́ capability as a potential high-temperature material with customized multifunctional material properties. It further outlines the primary concerns with the realization of metal-ceramic graded structures and major techniques developed to mitigate problems encountered in processing them. Specific emphasis is laid on the powder-based Laser DED (L-DED) technique of FGM fabrication owing to its control over complex geometries and microstructural engineering.

Development of efficient photoanodes for water splitting under solar light is desirable to surmount the possible fuel crisis in future. Ferrite systems, with their excellent visible light absorption capability, stability, non-toxicity, cost-effectiveness and abundance, are being preferred to titanates, niobates and sulfides. The present work briefly reviews the modified form of ferrites. Additionally, ZnFe2O4 an n-type semiconductor with the low band gap (~1.9eV) has been considered as special case of visible light PEC application. The work further emphasizes on the utilization of solution processed techniques to develop the ferrite photoanodes. The tuning of photoanode properties by virtue of electrode fabrication parameters say deposition parameters viz., precursor concentration, pH, stoichiometry has been reviewed and discussed. © (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

It is well known that fatigue strength of welded joints does not depend on steel strength. Better fatigue strength of welded joints, e.g. longer life time of fatigue loaded weld structures, can be achieved with a smooth transition between the weld and the base material to minimize stress concentration. It has also been recognized that residual stresses play a critical role in the fatigue behaviour of welds. In the last decade an extensive research has been performed in order to increase the fatigue strength of high strength steel weldments. The martensite and bainite transformation start temperatures of weld metals have been shown to have a large effect on fatigue life time of high strength steel welds. This is of particular importance if the full potential of high strength steels is to be used in fatigue loaded constructions. A detailed investigation of the effect of phase transformation temperature on residual stress distribution in the vicinity high strength steel welds and its effect on fatigue life time has been performed. The transformation temperature of the weld metal was varied by changing the chemical composition of the filler material. Residual stress distributions have been measured by neutron as well as by X-ray diffraction and fatigue tests have been performed on the fillet welds. A strong effect of weld metal phase transformation temperature on residual stress level was observed. Fatigue strength increased approximately three times when an optimised low transformation temperature filler material was used in comparison to the application of conventional filler material

Residual stress distributions in fillet welds in 8 mm 900 MPa steel have been mapped perpendicular and parallel to the weld line and also through the thickness in the vicinity of weld toe position. Measurements were carried out on four welds when two of them were performed with conventional and two with the so called LTT (low transformation temperature) filler materials. Both neutron and X-ray diffractions were used for determination of the residual stress distribution. Fatigue properties have also been evaluated for all test welds. Neutron diffraction measurements showed that the stress profiles perpendicular to the weld toe qualitatively did not depend on filler material type although the absolute stress levels differed. Trends were similar for positions 2, 4 and 6 millimetres below the surface for all three stress components; σx (direction perpendicular to the weld), σy (parallel to the weld) and σz (through the thickness). X-ray diffraction showed difference in residual stress level at the weld toe. Lower residual stress levels have been identified for LTT filler material when compared to the conventional consumable compositions. The effect of residual stress is discussed in relation to fatigue properties of all four welds. Remarkable higher fatigue strength has been measured for welds prepared by the LTT filler materials. © (2014) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

PVD hard coatings, notably transition metal nitrides and carbides, are being increasingly used by industry for improving the life and machining speeds of cutting and forming tools. There has been an increasing trend towards use of complex coatings, based on ternary and even more complex multi-component systems, as well as in novel configurations such as multilayers, superlattices, nanolayers and graded coatings, to achieve superior properties in the tool as well as the finished product. The service properties of the coatings are known to be influenced by their microstructure, phase assembly and composition, apart from the orientation and stress states which can be suitably tailored for diverse applications. In the present study, a ternary coating based on Titanium Aluminum Nitride was deposited on high speed steel substrates by cathodic arc evaporation under varied bias voltage conditions. Asdeposited coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Residual Stress Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EBSD and FIB. Mechanical and tribological characteristics of the coatings were evaluated by nanoindentation and nanoscratch testing, respectively. The variations in coating hardness and adhesion with the bias voltage were studied. The changes in coating microstructure as a consequence of variation in bias voltage were also examined. Results from the above investigations are presented to illustrate how a combination of electron microscopy with nanoindentation. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.

Machining technology has undergone an extensive evolution throughout the last decades in its capability to machine hard-to-cut material. This paper will discuss about the next generation insert with cooling feature coupled with forced coolant in machining Inconel 718. The geometry of the insert was changed in a way which has enlarged the surface area approximately 12% compared to regular insert named as nusselt insert. The idea applied in “nusselt insert” was the relation of increase in surface area to heat dissipation. Forced coolant application has become a way to improve existing metal cutting concepts and improve their current material removal rates without any need for a reengineered machining process. Experiments conducted on the inserts is that the first experiment of its kind in machining technology together with forced coolant and tested in four different inserts. The primary focus of the work was the investigation of the relation between the heat dissipation with an increase in surface area/mass ratio in the cutting interface based on its influence on tool wear. The experimental results showed the nusselt insert have better ability for heat dissipation which has led to significant reduce in tool wear and successfully facing Inconel 718 at vc 105 m/min, f 0.3 mm/rev and ap 1 mm where the regular insert had a catastrophic failure at vc 90 m/min, f 0.1 mm/rev and ap 1 mm. Nusselt insert has shown to increase MRR significantly compared to regular insert.

Chromium carbide based metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings are ideally suited for high temperature erosive-corrosive applications. Laser cladding of such MMCs, with Inconel as the ductile matrix instead of the usual NiCr alloy, has been attempted in the present study. The relative hardness of the laser clad layers was observed to drop with increase in laser power. The reduction in hardness was attributed to retention of lower amounts of chromium carbides in the clad layer at higher laser powers. Use of chemically assisted scans with electron diffraction allowed extraction of effective micro-textural information on the coatings. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.