Advances in Engineering Materials

Table of Contents

1. Experimental Analysis on Wear Behavior of Luffa–Date Leaves–Sawdust Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites

   Shreoshi Das Gupta, D. N. Mahto, Niharika Kumari, Kamal Prasad, M. K. Paswan

   Abstract

   In the present day, natural fibers are a popular choice for researchers for creating various polymer composites because not only are they sustainable but also eco-friendly too. In the present world where there is an overuse of single-time use plastics and the usage of non biodegradable materials, natural fiber composites find itself in a vital role in various applications and research of engineering. It is very hard to choose an appropriate fiber for an application because the characteristics of the individual natural fiber depend on a large set of various properties which include where the fiber is harvested and the conditions at which it was harvested or even the fertilizers used for its growth and much more. The natural fibers which have been used in making the specimen are luffa fibers, saw dust, and date leaves which were reinforced with epoxy resin LY 556 matrix; the specimen fabricated was developed by hand lay-up technique, the natural fibers were dried in the sun for 36 h, and the fibers were mixed in different volume fractions in the ratios of 5(luffa): 3(date leaves): 2(sawdust), 4:5:1 and 6:3:1, respectively. The prepared sample is tested for flexural strength and tensile strength, and the result is shown graphically. Volume fraction of fibers is in the ratios of 5(luffa): 3(date leaves): 2(sawdust), 4:5:1 and 6:3:1, respectively.

2. Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Environmental Effect on Composite Sandwich Structure by Varying the Face Sheet Thickness

   Arun Kumar Gaur, Anil Kumar, Aman Aggarwal

   Abstract

   In this study, composite sandwich panels were fabricated by vacuum-assisted hand lay-up method. Carbon fiber is used as face sheet material, and Nomex^™ PN1 honeycomb is used as core material. Three panels were fabricated of different configurations; thickness of core took 8 mm remains the same in all three panels, but total thickness of face sheet took 0.4 mm, 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm for different panels. After fabrication, the specimens were prepared as per ASTM standards available for different tests and carried out various tests like compression test, three-point bending test, water absorption test, acid attack resistance test and soil degradation test on all panels and then analyzed the effect of varying face sheet thicknesses. The results showed that when specimen thicknesses were 8.4 mm, 8.8 mm and 9.2 mm, then compression strengths were 16.43 N/mm², 103.86 N/mm² and 571.65 N/mm², respectively and deflections were 2 mm(approx), 2.5 mm(approx) and 3 mm(approx), respectively; so increasing the face sheet thickness of structure increases the compression strength and deflection. For acid attack resistance test, when specimen thicknesses were 8.4 mm, 8.8 mm and 9.2 mm, then changes in weight were +50.20%, +27.08% and +20.92%, respectively so that effect of acid was less when the face sheet thickness increases. When specimen thicknesses were 8.4 mm, 8.8 mm and 9.2 mm, then changes in their weight for water absorption test were +8.98%, +6.08% and +9.92%, respectively, and changes in their weight for soil degradation test were +3.41%, +0.55% and +0.79%, respectively, so water absorption and soil degradation tests showed that increasing the face sheet thickness was better, but it should not be over thick.

3. Vibrational Characterization of Graphene Nano-ribbon Resonator

   Saumil Desai, Ankur Pandya, Mitesh B. Panchal

   Abstract

   Nowadays, the attention-seeking characteristics of graphene material used for making nano-resonator, in particular, the capability of atomic level sensing, have unlocked new dimensions to develop the bio/nano-sensing technologies. Graphene in pristine form is non-piezoelectric material. To stimulate piezoelectricity into grapheme, a point or line defect, adatoms or mechanical/thermal strain can be applied. Natural frequency is an important aspect of piezoelectric resonator. In the present work, lithium adatoms are introduced onto the surface of graphene monolayer nano-resonator. The present work deals with the different boundary conditions onto natural frequency of graphene nano-ribbon (GNR) resonator. Two boundary conditions including beam clamped at both ends and cantilevered are considered to illustrate the vibrational behaviour of mono-layer graphene nano-ribbon piezoelectric resonator. Due to size of nano-ribbon, Euler–Bernoulli beam theory is used to model the GNR.

4. Effect of Feed Rate on Bead Dimensions in TIG Welding

   Rudra Pratap Singh, Abhishek Chauhan, Ashu Kumar Verma, Abhishek Mishra

   Abstract

   In every industry, some types of machines are used, and generally, the parts of machines are connected to each other with joints. The joints should be strong enough to bear the applied load to the structure. Welding is an important method of joining. In any welding process, the mechanical properties of the weld are closely related to the dimensions of the bead. In this investigation, the real experiments were performed with tungsten inert gas welding process to analyze the effect of feed rate on the dimensions of the bead. The input variables except the feed rate were fixed, as the current at 200 A, voltage at 10.5 V, travel speed or welding speed at 4.19 mm/s for whole the experimentation period. Only the rate of feed of electrode wire was varied, and the effect of this variation on weld width, depth of penetration, and reinforcement height was studied. Total 6 pairs of mild steel plates of dimensions 75 mm × 50 mm × 5 mm were welded for six variations of feed rate. The results were tabulated and were expressed in three diagrams one for depth of penetration, one for reinforcement height, and one for weld width. This study explains the sensitivity analysis of the effect of the feed rate on the three dimensions of the weld bead.

5. A Review of Effect of Welding Parameters on the Structure and Properties of the Weld in Shielded Metal Arc Welding Process

   Rudra Pratap Singh, Abhishek Mishra, Abhishek Chauhan, Ashu Kumar Verma

   Abstract

   The shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) is one among the most common welding processes that is generally used in the fabrication process in industries to join components, as its operation is easy. Shielded metal arc welding is a prominent process of metal fabrication which finds its best usage in shipbuilding operations, construction, and metal structure industries. This paper investigates the descriptions and findings of different researchers. Several researchers performed experiments on SMAW and investigated the effect of rate of welding heat input on the structure and properties of the materials. The heat rate is the function of welding speed, welding current, and welding voltage. The properties of the materials are affected by welding current, welding voltage, and welding speed. This review research paper includes the selected important research papers which describe the effect of current, voltage, and speed of welding on the effect of mechanical and microstructural properties. The joints produced by shielded metal arc welding process have enough strength, and when these joints are compared with any other joints, the cost is relatively low.

6. Thermal Cycling Effects on Microstructural Evolution and Hardness of Martensite 13wt.%Cr–4wt.%Ni Steel

   Jai Singh, S. K. Nath

   Abstract

   Martensitic 13wt.%Cr–4wt.%Ni steel (13-4 MSS) is widely used in underwater applications where it is exposed to severe fluid velocity. The severe service conditions cause its erosion which leads to a reduction in efficiency and large economic losses. To develop the erosion resistance steel, this is an attempt to strengthen the 13-4 MSS by processing a new heat treatment called thermal cycling treatment (TCT). The as-received steel (as-received) was subjected to TCT by using a thermomechanical simulator (Gleeble 3800). The microstructural characterization of as-received and the microstructural evolution due to TCT was analyzed by optical, electron microscopy, and XRD analysis. The microhardness of each phase and the bulk material hardness were determined to characterize the TCT. The progressive dissolution and the fragmentation of delta ferrite caused the removal of delta ferrite content from 12.7% (for as-received) to 6.3% (for treated). The bulk material hardness was found to be the function of the microhardness of martensite and the volume fraction of the delta ferrite. A 42% increase in the bulk material hardness was obtained by the present TCT.

7. A Review on Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing: Effect of Process Parameters on the Build Material Properties

   Meet Gor, Harsh Soni, Gautam Singh Rajput, Honey Shah, Pankaj Sahlot

   Abstract

   Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) has attracted more attention in recent years, due to its ability to create large components with high material deposition rate and low cost of equipment. It is getting more popular nowadays because it provides high strength at low cost, high deposition rate, faster build time, and optimum heat input. In this article, a comprehensive literature review has been covered to show the effect of different process parameters on mechanical and microstructural properties. Primarily, aim is to provide information about accuracy of WAAM manufactured part in correlation with change in different processes parameters such as heat input, current, voltage, wire feed rate, and travel speed. This paper also gives an idea about which parameters can be used to get desired mechanical and microstructural properties. It also provides information about challenges that lead to abnormal results and remedies to overcome with heterogeneous and anisotropic properties of materials. Selection of process parameters help to optimize the WAAM process to obtain the desired geometry with required properties.

8. Tribological Aspect of Nano-lubricant Based on Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and Graphene—A Review

   Prayag Narayan Singh, Ankit Saxena, Swati Gangwar

   Abstract

   In the present time, heat dissipation is one of the major concerns for any mechanical system sustention. The principal reason for the breakdown in any mechanical system is found due to the wear and tear of its mechanical parts. This problem can be solved by many methods; effective lubrication is one of them. Effective lubrication is based upon the selection of base oil/lubricants mixing with nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are present in scattered form in base oil named as ‘nano-lubricants’. This research review article represents a useful overview of significant research advancement on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene to be used as nanoparticles to synthesize nano-lubricants. The main reason for using these two as nanoparticle is because they have the similar surface characteristics and coalesce electronic structure. It is observed that graphene flakes have been inspected as an improver for lubricants due to their exceptional thermo-physical and tribological characteristics. On the other hand, nano-lubricants prepared with carbon nanotubes are likely to hold improved heat transfer properties because of the non-spherical shape of the CNTs. This comprehensive review could be useful for future in the research area of nano-lubrication because, in present time energy demands, precision manufacturing and mechanical losses are progressively rising that shows a need for an efficient lubricant for any mechanical system survival.

9. Review of Recent Progresses in Thermoelectric Materials

   Jitendra Mohan Giri, Pawan Kumar Singh Nain

   Abstract

   Thermoelectric (TE) technology facilitates the direct conversion of heat into electricity and vice versa. Thermoelectric materials attract researchers since they facilitate a promising green energy solution in the form of solid-state cooling and power generation. However, the low energy conversion efficiency restricts the use of TE materials in real-world applications. Developing highly efficient thermoelectric materials is necessary to benefit the environment as well as the economy. The performance of a particular TE material is generally evaluated by the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT). Recent years have witnessed progress with new techniques in maximizing the ZT values of various thermoelectric materials. In this review, we summarize recent development in thermoelectric materials for a specific temperature range, which has been developed to improve their maximum ZT value up to 95% at the same temperature.

10. Experimental Investigation on Surface Characteristics of Nickel-Based Super Alloy Inconel-600 in Powder Mixed Electric Discharge Machining by Using Response Surface Methodology

    Satish Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar

    Abstract

    Present work considers the experimental study of the surface properties of Inconel-600 through transfer of material mechanism using electrical discharge machining (EDM) with powder mixed dielectric. Different process variables such as tool material (copper, copper-chromium, graphite), powder particles (tungsten carbide, cobalt and boron carbide), peak current, pulse-on time (T_on) and pulse-off time (T_off) have been analyzed on surface roughness (SR). Response surface methodology (RSM) with Box–Behnken design technique has been used for the experiments. Experimental results indicated that the current, T_off, and tool material significantly affect the surface roughness while among the three powder particles, boron carbide significantly affects the surface integrity of the Inconel-600 material. Also during the study of surface characteristics of selected machined samples with a scanning electron microscope, microcracks, craters, debris and pockmarks were noticed. Machined specimen also analyzed with the help of energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX).

11. Effect of Various Aspects on Mechanical Properties of High Entropy Alloys: A Review

    Rohan Onattu, Pankaj Sahlot

    Abstract

    The research effort in high entropy alloys (HEAs) has intensified in the recent years. This is due to the fact that HEAs have a wide range of compositions based on elements used, the number of different elements in a system and the sheer number of compatible elements that exist. HEAs exhibit broader range of superior mechanical and microstructural properties, and this fact points toward many potential applications. The aim of this research is to unify and present the multiple streams of research efforts which have impacted the understanding of HEAs. The information has been included based on its dominant focus areas. Article has been categorized into important aspects based on its effect on the mechanical properties of the alloys. The effect of element compositions, treating conditions and processes on microstructural and mechanical properties has been also considered. In future, better methods and newer technologies will definitely result in better and more reliable materials which will supersede some of the previously existing materials.

12. Comparative Analysis of Different Composites for Ankle Foot Orthosis: A Review

    Neelesh Kumar Dubey, Swati Gangwar

    Abstract

    In ancient times, orthosis was made up of woods which were easily available and easy to fabricate; later, it replaced by metal and leather because of various properties such as high strength, tear resistant, but these orthoses were generally bulky, heavy and less comfortable to the wearers. After industrial revolution, composite materials such as carbon fiber composite, polymer composite, replaced the conventional materials. Its several physical and mechanical properties such as high strength-to-weight ratio, high strength and modulus, corrosion resistance, low density, etc., which makes them most suited material for ankle foot orthosis. Nowadays, composite materials are widely used in the field of medicals; various medical devices are made up of composite material. Carbon fiber is quite expensive, making it less economical for general patient uses, whereas plastic materials have less strength compared to carbon fiber, and it is also not eco-friendly. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of natural fiber composites for the application of ankle foot orthosis. The discussion will be on ankle foot orthosis, manufacturing process used, comparing the mechanical properties of natural fiber to the currently used materials. In this research, it was concluded that natural fibers possess desirable mechanical properties for ankle foot orthosis, and it has almost similar mechanical properties to polypropylene and are very cheap as compared to other material such as carbon fiber that could be beneficial for future ankle foot orthosis material application.

13. Structural, Wear and Thermal Behavior of Copper Metal Matrix Composites: A Review

    Prateek Mittal, Vaibhav Raghav, Dinesh Chawla, Jimmy Mehta, Mani Kant Paswan, Pallav Gupta

    Abstract

    Materials have always been a prime area of research in the development and advancement of new technologies. Metal matrix composites have gained importance due to their low weight and high strength, low coefficient of thermal expansion, good wear resistance and capability to withstand high temperatures. Various researchers have undertaken wide variety of research works in the field of copper matrix composites involving diverse fabrication techniques and varied reinforcement. This paper presents a comprehensive review of selected research works undertaken in the field of copper matrix composites wherein phase analysis, microstructure, hardness, wear and thermal behavior are discussed.

14. Parametric Analysis of Electric Discharge Machining of Hybrid Composite Materials

    Gurpreet Singh Matharou, Basanta Kumar Bhuyan

    Abstract

    This study is an attempt to investigate the influences of input variables like voltage (V), current (I), pulse on time (T_on), pulse off time (T_off) and spark gap (S_g) on the response parameters such as material removal rate (MRR) of the electrodischarge machining (EDM) of Al-SiC-B₄C-Mg as a hybrid composite workpiece material using copper electrode as a tool material. The hybrid composite material has been developed by stir casting route with 84%(wt) Aluminum 6063, SiC of micron size 45 µm in 10%(wt), B₄C of micron size 52 µm in 5%(wt) and Mg in 1%(wt). The trend of graph advocates that MRR increases with increase in voltage, current and pulse on time, but MRR decreases with increase of pulse off time. Moreover, it has also been observed that the highest value of MRR was found in pulse off time at 3 µs and current at 13 A and the lowest MRR was obtained at 40 V.

15. A Literature Review for Development of Advanced Composites Materials by Reinforcement of Epoxy Composites with Graphene and Natural Silk

    K. N. Sanjeev Kumar, Sanjeev Sharma, Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad, P. B. Sharma

    Abstract

    Penetration of composites in the wind and aerospace sector is very critical for sustainable business growth. The primary focus is toward a reduction in composite weight and thereby the cost of the material. Further, advancement in the improvement of the mechanical strength of the composites can lead to the development of lightweight high-performance composites which is imperative for these growing market sectors. This review focus on various ongoing researches on graphene and natural silk being used as nano reinforcement in the epoxy composites that have shown significant potential to enhance the mechanical properties and thereby result in reducing the weight of the structural members used in wind turbine and aircraft. Also, this review explores the novel concept of graphene and natural silk fiber being used as combined reinforcement materials for the development of high-performance epoxy composite materials.

16. Hybridization of Natural Fibers to Develop the Polymeric Composite Materials: A Review

    Dhruv Bhardwaj, Ayush Gupta, Vijay Chaudhary, Sumit Gupta

    Abstract

    In recent years, study on natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites has been extensive due to their strength and reduced weight. Natural fibers are also eco-friendly, have a reduced carbon footprint in the environment, biodegradable, low cost of production and are cheap as compared to synthetic fibers. Reuse of the waste natural fiber is a sustainable option for the environment. Although these properties make natural fiber a substitute in practical applications above synthetic fibers, their affinity toward water and improper matrix interface bonding is a major concern toward their use in many applications. Due to the above reasons, the use of synthetic fiber comes into play. Synthetic fibers do not encounter these problems but are non-biodegradable and cost more than natural fibers. Therefore, a lot of time has been spent on research and development of hybrid composites. These hybrid composites utilize both natural and synthetic fibers in such a way to get best possible solutions. Present work focuses on these hybrid composites, their production, properties and where they lack.

17. Underwater Friction Stir Welding of AA6082-T6: Thermal Analysis

    Mohd Atif Wahid, Pankul Goel, Zahid Akhtar Khan, Krishna Mohan Agarwal, Etkaf Hasan Khan

    Abstract

    Underwater friction stir welding (UFSW) is a variant of friction stir welding (FSW) in which the workpiece is totally inundated in water during the welding. In this study, a 3D nonlinear thermal model is developed to estimate the temperature distribution of the joint produced by FSW and UFSW using ANSYS Workbench 15. The thermal model is made in transient thermal module, and the temperature distribution is ascertained utilizing numerical simulation. The FSW/UFSW experiments are performed on aluminum alloy AA-6082- T6 at same parametric combination to discover the temperature distributions in inundated water state and normal air. The obtained results revealed that the temperature distribution acquired during the experiment is in immense agreement with the temperature attained employing numerical simulation. It is found that the peak temperature in UFSW remains significantly less than the temperature encountered during FSW. For UFSW, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) area is noticeably narrowed, and the thermal gradient is effectively controlled distinguishing it from FSW.

18. Hybrid Metal Matrix Composite Development by Stir Casting and Environmental Concerns

    Gurpreet Singh Matharou, Basanta Kumar Bhuyan

    Abstract

    In the last few decades, the demand for composite materials is on increasing trend. As an engineering supply material, the composites have already been replacing iron/bronze-based alloys. A composite material, generally has two or more, different materials with entire different compositions in terms of physical and chemical characteristics. By suitable mixing methods such as open and closed molding, cast molding produces a new material with characteristics entire different from the parent materials. Around fifty thousand different materials are available to today’s engineers, which needs to be explored. Such new composites because of their advantageous position in terms of strength, hardness, weight, etc., find considerable demand in today’s automobile, aeronautical, and other mechanical sectors. This paper addresses the detailed development stages of Al 6063-10%w SiC-5%w B₄C with 1%w of Mg hybrid metal matrix composite (HMMC) through stir casting route. During stir casting process, the melting action of material emits out certain gases and residual apart from the required composite. The residuals have certain environmental concerns, which need to be addressed, since some of the gases and solid waste can cause adverse affects to the environment in terms of air and soil pollution. The severe affects have been addressed of such residuals on the environment.