July/August_AMP_Digital

A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 2 0 8 METALS | POLYMERS | CERAMICS Tooling Tech Group has broken ground on a 10,000 sq ft expansion of its thermoforming and compression mold-making facility in Ft. Loramie, Ohio. This addition will accommodate two new COMI LaborShape 5-axis machining centers specifically designed for high speed machining on aluminum and light alloys. toolingtechgroup.com. The U.S. metalcasting industry accounts for $44.3 billion in direct economic benefit, according to a new study released by the American Foundry Society (AFS). The AFS Foundry Industry 2020 Economic Impact Analysis is one of the most comprehensive assessments of metalcasting’s full economic importance ever undertaken by AFS. The data encompasses the industry’s economic footprint—by state, congressional district, and the whole U.S. It incorporates direct, supplier, and induced impacts. afsinc.org . BRIEFS wings operating at temperatures above 2000°C. The scientists worked with the tri- ple hafnium-carbon-nitrogen system, hafnium carbonitride (Hf-C-N), as re- searchers from Brown University, Pro- vidence, R.I., previously predicted that it would have a high thermal con- ductivity and resistance to oxidation as well as the highest melting point among all known compounds—approx- imately 4200°C. Using self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, the NUST MISIS scientists obtained Hf-C-N close to the theoretical composition, with a high hardness of 21.3 GPa. However, the specific melting point of the new material is above 4000°C and could not be determined precisely in the laboratory. In the future, the team plans to conduct experiments on measuring the melting temperature by high temperature pyrometry using Huang Mingxin shows a thin light piece of super steel, which demonstrates an ultrahigh level of fracture resistance, strength, and ductility. Courtesy of the University of Hong Kong. SUPER STEEL BREAKTHROUGH Scientists working on the Univer- sity of Hong Kong’s Super Steel proj- ect, with collaborators at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), Liver- more, Calif., have made a breakthrough in their new super D&P steel to signifi- cantly enhance its fracture resistance while maintaining super strength for advanced industrial applications. The researchers produced the super steel using a new deformed and partitioned method without sacrificing strength or ductility. The team also made an import- ant scientific discovery in the structure of the super D&P steel. The super steel has a unique fracture feature in which Researchers at the Center for Constructional Ceramic Materials in Moscow believe they have developed the world’s most heat-resistant material. Courtesy of Sergey Gnuskov/ NUST MISIS. multiple micro-cracks are formed be- low the main fracture surface through a novel “high-strength induced multi- delamination” toughening mechanism. These micro-cracks can effectively ab- sorb energy from externally applied forces, resulting in the steel’s much higher toughness resistance compared to existing steel materials. Several patents have been filed internationally and the team is col- laborating with industrial partners to generate prototypes of high-strength bridge cables, bulletproof vests, and car springs with the super steel for fur- ther tests and trials to be conducted. www.hku.hk , lbl.gov. HEAT-RESISTANT MATERIALS Demand for heat-resistant mate- rials continues to rise as internation- al space agencies develop reusable, cost-effective spacecrafts. Now, scien- tists from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST MISIS), Moscow, developed a ce- ramic material with the highest melting point among currently known compounds. Due to the unique combination of physical, mechanical, and thermal properties, the material is promising for use in the most heat- loaded components of aircraft, such as nose fairings, jet engines, and sharp front edges of