The aerospace and power generation industries have an increasing demand for high-temperature, highstrength materials. However, conventional materials typically lack sufficient fracture toughness and oxidation resistance at high temperatures. This study aims to enhance the high-temperature properties of Nb-Si-Ti alloys through ball milling. To analyze the effects of milling time, the progression of alloying is evaluated on the basis of XRD patterns and the microstructure of alloy powders. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is employed to produce compacts, with thermodynamic modeling assisting in predicting phase fractions and sintering temperature ranges. The changes in the microstructure and variation in the mechanical properties due to the adjustment of the sintering temperature provide insights into the influence of Nb solid solution, Nb5Si3, and crystallite size within the compacts. By investigating the changes in the mechanical properties through strengthening mechanisms, such as precipitation strengthening, solid solution strengthening, and crystallite refinement, this study aims to verify the applicability of Nb-Si-Ti alloys in advanced material systems.

In order to respond to environmental pollution, developed countries, including Korea, have begun to conduct research to utilize hydrogen energy. For mass transfer of hydrogen energy, storage as liquid hydrogen is advantageous, and in this case, the volume can be reduced to 1/800. As such, the transportation technology of liquefied hydrogen for ships is expected to be needed in the near future, but there is no commercialized method yet. This study is a study on the technology to test the performance of the components constituting the membrane type storage container in a cryogenic environment as a preparation for the above. It is a study to find a way to respond by analyzing in advance the problems that may occur during the shear test of adhesives. Through this study, the limitations of ISO4587 were analyzed, and in order to cope with this, the specimen was supplemented so that fracture occurred in the adhesive, not the adhesive gripper, by using stainless steel, a low-temperature steel, to reinforce the thickness. Based on this, shear evaluation was performed under conditions lowered to minus 243℃, and it was confirmed that the breaking strength was higher at cryogenic temperatures.

In concrete structures exposed to chloride environments such as seashore structures, chloride ions penetrate into the concrete. Chlorine ions in concrete react with cement hydrates to form Friedel’s salt and change the microstructure. Changes in the microstructure of concrete affect the mechanical performance, and the effect varies depending on the concentration of chloride ions that have penetrated. However, research on the mechanical performance of concrete by chloride ion penetration is lacking. In this study, the effect of chloride ion penetration on the mechanical performance of dry cask concrete exposed to the marine environment was investigated. The mixture proportion of self-compacting concrete is used to produce concrete specimens. CaCl2 was used to add chlorine ions, and 0, 1, 2, and 4% of the binder in weight were added. To evaluate the mechanical performance of concrete, a compressive strength test, and a splitting tensile strength test were performed. The compressive strength test was conducted through displacement control to obtain a stress-strain curve, and the loading speed was set to 10 με/sec, which is the speed of the quasi-static level. The splitting tensile strength test was performed according to KS F 2423. As a result of the experiment, the compressive strength increased when the chloride ion concentration was 1%, and the compressive strength decreased when the chlorine ion concentration was 4%. The effect of the chloride ion concentration on the peak strain was not shown. In order to present a stress-strain curve model according to the chloride ion concentration, the existing concrete compressive stress-strain models were reviewed, and it was confirmed that the experimental results could be simulated through the Popovics model.

To address the need for a suitable thermoplastic resin-based sizing agent for accommodating the increasing demands of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, in this work, alcohol-soluble polyamide 6 (PA6) and silane were chemically combined in a certain ratio to improve the mechanical interface properties of the carbon fiber/PA6 composite, and the enhancement in the mechanical interface strength of the final composite according to the treatment time was confirmed. Carbon fiber surface properties were analyzed through ultrahigh-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The tensile strength of carbon fibers before and after hybrid sizing treatment and the mechanical interfacial shear strength of the final composite were analyzed using tensile and universal testing machines, respectively. After the hybrid sizing treatment, the introduction of the sizing agent to the carbon fiber surface was confirmed through FE-SEM, and a simultaneous increase in the surface roughness was observed. Moreover, the interfacial adhesion was confirmed to increase significantly, as compared to that of the desized carbon fiber. Therefore, this modified sizing agent treatment serves as an effective method for improving the mechanical interfacial adhesion between the carbon fiber and the PA6 matrix.

수처리 및 의약바이오 분야에서 유효물질 분리에 활용되고 있는 알루미나 중공사 분리막은 얇은 두께로 인해 취 급 및 적용시 쉽게 파괴되는 단점이 있기 때문에 분리막의 강도를 100 MPa 이상으로 향상시키기 위한 연구가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 나노입자의 함량을 0, 1, 3, 5 wt%로 증가시켰을 때 제조된 중공사 분리막의 특성을 평가하였다. 그 결과, 나노입 자의 함량이 증가함에 따라 중공사 분리막의 강도는 79 MPa에서 115 MPa로 증가하였으며, 밀도는 1.76 g/m3에서 1.88 g/m3 으로 증가하였고 기공률과 평균기공크기는 각각 51%에서 48%로, 416 nm에서 352 nm로 감소한 것을 확인하였다. 스폰지구 조가 발달하고 스폰지구조의 기공크기가 향상된 알루미나 중공사 분리막은 100 MPa 이상으로 기계적 강도가 향상되었으며, 약 100000 GPU의 높은 질소 투과도 및 약 3000 L/m2h의 높은 물 투과도를 나타내었다. 따라서, γ-알루미나 나노입자를 소 결조제로 첨가하는 것은 α-알루미나 중공사 분리막의 기계적 강도를 효과적으로 증진시키고 높은 투과성능을 유지할 수 있 는 매우 유효한 방법임을 확인하였다.

Abstract In this study, micro-defects on/in carbon fibers were modified by irradiation with an electron beam, which improved the mechanical strength of single carbon fibers. The electron beam irradiation was 10 kGy (using a 1.5 MeV accelerator in the air). The total doses ranged from 100 to 500 kGy. The tensile strength of the single carbon fiber was measured using a universal testing machine. The micro-defects on the fiber surface were observed with scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and those in the fiber were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. In conclusion, the electron beam treatment produced changes in the micro-defects on/in the carbon fibers, resulting in up to 14% improvement in the tensile strength of single carbon fiber.

Porous basalt aggregate is commonly used in roadbed engineering, but its application in concrete has rarely been studied. This paper studies the application of porous basalt in concrete. Porous basalt aggregate is assessed for its effects on mechanical strength and durability of prepared C50 concrete; because it has a hole structure, porous basalt aggregate is known for its porosity, and porous basalt aggregates can be made full of water through changing the content of saturated basalt; after full-water condition is achieved in porous basalt aggregate mixture of C50 concrete, we discuss its mechanical properties and durability. The effects of C50 concrete prepared with basalt aggregate on the compressive strength, water absorption, and electric flux of concrete specimens of different ages were studied through experiments, and the effects of different replacement rates of saturated porous basalt aggregate on the properties of concrete were also studied. The results show that porous basalt aggregate can be prepared as C50 concrete. For early saturated porous basalt aggregate concrete, its compressive strength decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate; this occurs up to concrete curing at 28 d, when the replacement rate of saturated basalt aggregate is greater than or equal to 40 %. The compressive strength of concrete increases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate. The 28 d electric flux decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate, indicating that saturated porous basalt aggregate can improve the chloride ion permeability resistance of concrete in later stages.

Conversion to modern hydrogen energy is required, and research on liquefied hydrogen cargo containment systems is needed for large-capacity transport and storage. In this study, changes in the mechanical properties of the adhesive required for storage and transport in liquid hydrogen were confirmed. The lap shear test was performed by realizing cryogenic conditions in a small chamber using liquid nitrogen and liquid helium. There was an increase of 11.0% in the -180℃ condition compared to room temperature, and an increase of 1.8% in the -230℃ condition compared to the -180℃ condition was confirmed. In the case of shear strain, it is known that it decreases as the temperature goes down. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the value at room temperature and the value at -180℃ reduced the shear strain by 5.0%, and -230˚ compared to the -180℃ condition. An increase of 1.5% was confirmed in the C condition. In the case of the specimen tested at -230℃, the deformation in the gripper part was larger than in other tests, and it is judged that the maximum shear strength and shear strain were affected. In addition, in this study, there is a limitation in the experiment at -230°C rather than 253°C, which is the boiling point of hydrogen

This study deals with the effects of austempering time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ultrahigh strength nanostructured bainitic steels with high carbon and silicon contents. The steels are composed of bainite, martensite and retained austenite by austempering and quenching. As the duration of austempering increases, the thickness of bainitic ferrite increases, but the thickness of retained austenite decreases. Some retained austenites with lower stability are more easily transformed to martensite during tensile testing, which has a detrimental effect on the elongation due to the brittleness of transformed martensite. With increasing austempering time, the hardness decreased and then remained stable because the transformation to nanostructured bainite compensates for the decrease in the volume fraction of martensite. Charpy impact test results indicated that increasing austempering time improved the impact toughness because the formation of brittle martensite was prevented by the decreased fraction and increased stability of retained austenite.

Commercial ultra-high-strength PAN-based carbon fibers (T1000G) were heat-treated at the temperature range of 2300– 2600 °C under a constant stretching of 600 cN. After continuous high-temperature graphitization treatment, microstructures, mechanical properties and thermal stability of the carbon fibers were investigated. The results show that the T1000G carbon fibers present the similar round shape with a smooth surface before and after graphitization, indicating the carbon fibers are fabricated by dry–wet spinning. In comparison, the commercial high-strength and high-modulus PAN-based carbon fibers (M40JB and M55JB) present elliptical shapes with ridges and grooves on the surface, indicating the carbon fibers are fabricated by wet spinning. After graphitization treatment from 2300 to 2600 °C under a constant stretching of 600 cN, the Young’s modulus of the T1000G carbon fibers increases from about 436 to 484 GPa, and their tensile strength decreases from about 5.26 to 4.45 GPa. The increase in Young’s modulus of the graphitized T1000G carbon fibers is attributed to the increase in the crystallite sizes and the preferred orientation of graphite crystallites along the fiber longitudinal direction under a constant stretching condition. In comparison with the M40JB and the M55JB carbon fibers, the graphitized T1000G carbon fibers are easier to be oxidized, which can be contributed to the formation of more micropores and defects during the graphitization process, thus leading to the decrease in the tensile strength.

In the current steel structures of high-rise buildings, high heat input welding techniques are used to improve productivity in the construction industry. Under the high heat input welding, however, the microstructures of the weld metal (WM) and heat-affected zone (HAZ) coarsen, resulting in the deterioration of impact toughness. This study focuses mainly on the effects of fine TiN precipitates dispersed in steel plates and B addition in welding materials on grain refinement of the HAZ microstructure under submerged arc welding (SAW) with a high heat input of 200 kJ/cm. The study reveals that, different from that in conventional steel, the γ grain coarsening is notably retarded in the coarse grain HAZ (CGHAZ) of a newly developed steel with TiN precipitates below 70 nm in size even under the high heat input welding, and the refinement of HAZ microstructure is confirmed to have improved impact toughness. Furthermore, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analyses demonstrate that B is was identified at the interface of TiN in CGHAZ. It is likely that B atoms in the WM are diffused to CGHAZ and are segregated at the outer part of undissolved TiN, which contributes partly to a further grain refinement, and consequently, improved mechanical properties are achieved.

Cordierite composed of an alumina-silica-magnesia compound has a low coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) and excellent thermal shock resistance. It also has a low dielectric constant and high electrical insulation. However, due to low mechanical strength, it is limited for use in a ceramic heater. In this study, ZrO2 is added to an 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite composition, and the effect of ZrO2 addition on the mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance is investigated. With an increasing addition of ZrO2, cordierite-mullite formed ZrO2, ZrSiO4 and spinel phases. With sintering conducted at 1400 °C with the addition of 5 wt% ZrO2 to 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite, the most dense microstructure forms along with an excellent mechanical strength with a 3-point flexural strength of 238MPa. When this composition is quenched in water at ΔT = 400℃ , the 3-point flexural strength is maintained. Moreover, when this composition is cooled from 800℃ to air, the 3-point flexural strength is maintained even after 100 cycles. In addition, the CTE is measured as 3.00 × 10−6·K−1 at 1000℃ . Therefore, 80 wt% cordierite-20 wt% mullite with 5 wt% ZrO2 is considered to be appropriate as material for a ceramic heater.

Reaction-bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) is a SiC-based composite ceramic fabricated by the infiltration of molten silicon into a skeleton of SiC particles and carbon, in order to manufacture a ceramic body with full density. RBSC has been widely used and studied for many years in the SiC field, because of its relatively low processing temperature for fabrication, easy use in forming components with a near-net shape, and high density, compared with other sintering methods for SiC. A radiant tube is one of the most commonly employed ceramics components when using RBSC materials in industrial fields. In this study, the mechanical strengths of commercial RBSC tubes with different sizes are evaluated using 3-point flexural and C-ring tests. The size scaling law is applied to the obtained mechanical strength values for specimens with different sizes. The discrepancy between the flexural and C-ring strengths is also discussed.

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) is one of key elements to determine both electrochemical performances and lifetimes of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). PEM is exposed to a variety of dynamic stimuli (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, fuel gases and so on) under their operation conditions and meets unavoidable mechanical damages derived from unequal pressure difference between anode and cathode feed gases. Even though there have been approaches to evaluate the mechanical strength of PEM materials, most of the trials could provide static information on their mechanical strength. In this study, a pressure-loaded blister hybrid system connected with gas chromatography was developed to disclose the efficacy of the system as an evaluation tool of dynamic PEM strength under realistic FCEV operation conditions.