Since the 1990s, the second generation of Zirconium alloys containing main alloy compositions of Nb, Sn and Fe have been used as a replacement of Zircaloy-4 (Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr), a first-generation Zirconium alloy, to meet severe and rigorous reactor operating conditions characterized by high-burn-up, high-power and high-pH operations. In this study, the mechanical properties and creep behaviors of Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr and Zr-Nb-Sn-Fe alloys were investigated in a temperature range of 450~500˚C and in a stress range of 80~150 MPa. The mechanical testing results indicate that the yield and tensile strengths of the Zr-Nb-Sn-Fe alloy are slightly higher compared to those of Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr. This can be explained by the second phase strengthening of the β-Nb precipitates. The creep test results indicate that the stress exponent for the steady-state creep rate decreases with the increase in the applied stress. However, the stress exponent of the Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr alloy is lower than that of the Zr-Nb-Sn-Fe alloy in a relatively high stress range, whereas the creep activation energy of the former is slightly higher than that of the latter. This can be explained by the dynamic deformation aging effect caused by the interaction of dislocations with Sn substitutional atoms. A higher Sn content leads to a lower stress exponent value and higher creep activation energy.

The adsorption and reduction of Cr (VI) to Cr (III) by surface modified activated carbon (AC) in an aqueous solution was studied. The effects of surface modifications on the properties of the carbons were investigated by the analysis of specific surface area, carbon surface pH, acid/base surface values and functional groups. In order to understand the Cr(VI) adsorption and reduction ratio from Cr(VI) to Cr(III), the Cr adsorption capacity of AC was also measured and discussed by using inductively coupled plasma and UV spectrophotometer. The modifications bring about substantial variation in the chemical properties whereas the physical properties such as specific surface area, pore volume and pore size distribution nearly were not changed. Total Cr adsorption efficiency of as-received activated carbon (R-AC) and nitric acid treated activated carbon (N1-AC and N2-AC) were recorded on 98.2, 99.7 and 100%. Cr(III) reduction efficiency of R-AC increased largely from 0.4% to 28.3% compared to N1-AC and N2-AC.

에너지원으로서 수소를 생산하기 위하여 하니컴 구조를 갖는 모노리스에 10 wt% Ni/CeO2-ZrO2 촉매를 담지한 후 메탄의 수증기 개질 실험을 수행하였다. 다른 CeO2/ZrO2 몰비를 갖는 촉매들 중에서, Ni/CeO2-ZrO2(CeO2/ZrO2=4/1)촉매가 700-800℃에서 높은 메탄의 전환율을 보여 주었다. 10wt% Ni/CeO2-ZrO2 촉매가 담지된 금속 모노리스 촉매체는 높은 열전도도와 비표면적들로 인하여 좋은 촉매 특성을 보여줌을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 금속모노리스 촉매체는 반응물에서 과다의 수증기에 의한 수소 수율에서 크게 영향을 받지 않음을 알 수 있었다. GHSV=30,000h-1, 반응물 비(H2O/CH4=3.0) 반응온도 800℃에서 금속모노리스 촉매체는 98%이상의 메탄의 전환율을 보여주었다. 생성물 가스에서 CO2/CO의 비는 수증기/메탄의 반응물비가 증가할수록 수성가스화 반응에 의하여 증가됨을 알 수 있었다.

To meet the demands for use in extremely abrasive and corrosive environments, a new material was developed. The VeKo25Cr distinguishes itself through specifically selected amounts of carbon and carbide forming elements such as Cr, Mo, V, W and Nb. The alloy is based on a Fe matrix. The strength after heat treatment and the wear and corrosion properties are compared to those of other materials. VeKo25Cr can be combined with easy-to-process materials such that the difficult handling is minimized to those places on the piece most subjected to operational wear.

The microstructures of Ni-containing P/M steels produced by admixed powders or diffusion alloyed powders are usually heterogeneous. To improve the microstructure homogeneity, the effects of Mo and Cr additions in the prealloyed powder form were examined. The results showed that the microstructural homogeneity was improved and superior mechanical properties were achieved with increases in the alloy content, particularly for the Cr. Such a beneficial effect was attained due to the reduction of the repelling effect between Ni and C, as was demonstrated through thermodynamic analysis using the Thermo-Calc software.

Cr2AlC was synthesized by a reactive hot pressing of CrCx (x=0.5) and Al powder mixture used as starting materials at the temperature range of 1200 oC~1400 oC under 25 MPa in Ar atmosphere. Fully dense Cr2AlC with high purity was synthesized by hot pressing CrCx and Al powder mixture at the temperature as low as 1200 oC. The average grain size of synthesized bulk Cr2AlC was varied in the range of 10-100 ㎛ depending on hot pressing temperatures. The maximum flexural strength of synthesized bulk Cr2AlC exceeded 600 MPa.

A CCT diagram for Cr-Mo prealloyed sintered steels suitable for sinter hardening was established by combining dilatometry data, microstructural studies and microhardness measurements of the material. CCT diagrams deepen the understanding of material properties after sinter hardening and support the design of materials on an industrial scale by providing information about required cooling rates for successful sinter hardening of these materials.

The removal of oxygen during sintering by carbothermic reduction was studied for steel compacts Fe-Cr-Mo-C and Fe-Mo-C prepared from prealloyed powders. The compacts were prepared by pressing at 600 and 1000 MPa and sintering at 1100 and 1300°C in vacuum. It showed that for the Cr-Mo steel, deoxidation strongly depends on the sintering temperature, in contrast to the plain Mo steel; at 1300°C very low oxygen levels were measured with the standard density compact while at high density still significant oxygen is contained. This indicates inhibition of final deoxidation by pore closure, but apparently without adverse effect on the mechanical properties.

A carbonaceous sorbent was prepared from rice husk via sulphuric acid treatment. After preparation and washing, the wet carbon with moisture content 85% was used in its wet status in this study due to its higher reactivity towards Cr(VI) than the dry carbon. The interaction of Cr(VI) and the carbon was studied and two processes were investigated in terms of kinetics and equilibrium namely Cr(VI) removal and chromium sorption. Cr(VI) removal and chromium sorption were studied at various initial pH (1.6-7), for initial Cr(VI) concentration (100 mg/l). At equilibrium, maximum Cr(VI) removal occurred at low initial pH (1.6-2) where, Cr(III) was the only available chromium species in solution. Cr(VI) removal, at such low pH, was related to the reduction to Cr(III). Maximum chromium sorption (60.5 mg/g) occurred at initial pH 2.8 and a rise in the final pH was recorded for all initial pH studied. For the kinetic experiments, approximate equilibrium was reached in 60-100 hr. Cr(VI) removal data, at initial pH 1.6-2.4, fit well pseudo first order model but did not fit pseudo second order model. At initial pH 2.6-7, Cr(VI) removal data did not fit, anymore, pseudo first order model, but fit well pseudo second order model instead. The change in the order of Cr(VI) removal process takes place in the pH range 2.4-2.6 under the experimental conditions. Other two models were tested for the kinetics of chromium sorption with the data fitting well pseudo second order model in the whole range of pH. An increase in cation exchange capacity, sorbent acidity and base neutralization capacity was recorded for the carbon sorbent after the interaction with acidified Cr(VI) indicating the oxidation processes on the carbon surface accompanying Cr(VI) reduction.

Co-Fe-Ni-B-Si-Cr based amorphous strips containing nitrogen were manufactured via melt spinning, and then devitrified by crystallization treatment at the various annealing temperatures of for up to 30 minutes in an inert gas atmosphere. The microstructures were examined by using XRD and TEM and the magnetic properties were measured by using VSM and B-H meter. Among the alloys, the amorphous ribbons of containing 121 ppm of nitrogen showed relatively high saturation magnetization. The alloy ribbons crystallized at showed that the grain size of alloy containing 121 ppm of nitrogen was about f nm, which exhibited paramagnetic behavior. The formation of nano-grain structure was attributed to the finely dispersed Fe4N particles and the solid-solutionized nitrogen atoms in the matrix. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the nano-grain structure of 5nm in size could reduce the core loss within the normally applied magnetic field of 300A/m at 10kHz.

The effect of use of as PCA(process control agent) to prevent the carbon contamination during mechanical alloying process and the precipitation behavior in Ni-20Cr-20Fe-5Nb bulk alloy after aging were investigated. NbC and were formed during mechanical alloying and consolidation processes in the Ni-20Cr-20Fe-5Nb alloy in which methanol() was added as PCA. Formation of NbC in this alloy decreased the amount of Nb dissolved in the Ni matrix. The use of as PCA in Ni-20Cr-20Fe-5Nb alloy prevented the formation of NbC and increased the hardness. The increase of hardness in this alloy was attributed to the increased amount of Nb dissolved in the Ni matrix. After aging treatment for 20 hours at of Ni-20Cr-20Fe-5Nb bulk alloy in which added as PCA, precipitates were formed, respectively. The precipitation temperatures of and in this bulk alloy were lower than those in commercial IN 718 alloy. It seemed that the lower precipitation temperatures for and in this bulk alloy than in commercial IN 718 alloy were due to severe plastic deformation during mechanical alloying.

Nano-sized WC particles in WC/Co composite powders were synthesized by mechanochemical method. The raw powders and graphite) were mixed by planetary milling for 30 hours. The compositions were WC-10 and -20 wt% Co added VC and . The direct reduction and carburization of the mixed powders were carried at for 1 to 3 hours under flowing Ar gas. The mean size of WC particles in WC/Co composite powders was about 16 nm. The resultant powders were compacted and sintered at for 0.5 hour. After sintering the mean size of WC particles was about 50 nm.

The effect of different cooling rate on the structure and mechanical properties of Fe-3%Mn-(Cr)-(Mo)-0.3%C steels is described. Pre-alloyed Astaloy CrM and CrL, ferromanganese and graphite were used as the starting powders. Following pressing in a rigid die, compacts were sintered at and in atmospheres and cooled with cooling rates and . Convective cooled specimens were subsequently tempered at for 60 and 240 minutes.