This work characterizes the fractographic features of the neat epoxy and ZrO2 epoxy nanocomposites. All samples were subjected to a tensile test to determine the tensile strength and tensile modulus. SEM images were used to study the morphology of the fractured surface. The fractographic of the fracture surfaces were studied by microstructure analysis program (j-images) to specify the effect of ZrO2 nanoparticles on tensile performance and failure mechanism for ZrO2 epoxy nanocomposites. The tensile test results show that the addition of ZrO2 nanoparticles (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 vol.%) to the epoxy matrix leads to increase the tensile strength about 40% for optimal content of ZrO2 nanoparticles at 4 vol.%, tensile modules of ZrO2 epoxy nanocomposites increased about 200% for optimal content of ZrO2 nanoparticles at 4 vol.%. SEM images show that the patterns of fractured surfaces of ZrO2 epoxy nanocomposites are different from the pattern of the neat epoxy. The fracture roughness of ZrO2 epoxy nanocomposites increased with the increases of the percentages of ZrO2 nanoparticles, where the increment of fracture roughness about 30% for optimal content of ZrO2 nanoparticles at 4 vol.% can be indicator for the improvement of mechanical properties (tensile strength and modules).
In this paper, the effect of wear in the fluid film journal bearings on the dynamic stability of rotor bearing system has been studied depending on the development of new analytical equations for motion, instability threshold speed and steady state harmonic response for rotor with offset disc supported by worn journal bearings. Finite element method had been used for modeling the rotor bearing system. The analytical model is verified by comparing its results with that obtained numerically for a rotor supported on the short bearings. The analytical and numerical results showed good agreement with about 8.5% percentage error in the value of critical speed and about 3.5% percentage error in the value of harmonic response. T
... Show MoreIt is well known that petroleum refineries are considered the largest generator of oily sludge which may cause serious threats to the environment if disposed of without treatment. Throughout the present research, it can be said that a hybrid process including ultrasonic treatment coupled with froth floatation has been shown as a green efficient treatment of oily sludge waste from the bottom of crude oil tanks in Al-Daura refinery and able to get high yield of base oil recovery which is 65% at the optimum operating conditions (treatment time = 30 min, ultrasonic wave amplitude = 60 micron, and (solvent: oily sludge) ratio = 4). Experimental results showed that 83% of the solvent used was recovered meanwhile the main water
... Show MoreStrengthening of composite beams is highly needed to upgrade the capacities of existing beams. The strengthening methods can be classified as active or passive techniques. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to provide detailed FE simulations for strengthened and unstrengthened steel–concrete composite beams at the sagging and hogging moment regions with and without profiled steel sheeting. The developed models were verified against experimental results from the literature. The verified models were used to present comparisons between the effect of using external post-tensioning and CFRP laminates as strengthening techniques. Applying external post-tensioning at the sagging moment regions is more effective because of the e
... Show MoreThis paper develops a nonlinear transient three-dimensional heat transfer finite element model and a rate independent three-dimensional deformation model, developed for the CO2 laser welding simulations in Al-6061-T6 alloy. Simulations are performed using an indirect coupled thermal-structural method for the process of welding. Temperature-dependent thermal properties of Al-6061-T6, effect of latent heat of fusion, and the convective and radiative boundary conditions are included in the model. The heat input to the model is assumed to be a Gaussian heat source. The finite element code ANSYS12, along with a few FORTRAN subroutines, are employed to obtain the numerical results. The benefit of the proposed methodology is that it
... Show MoreCarbon dioxide geo-sequestration (CGS) into sediments in the form of (gas) hydrates is one proposed method for reducing anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and, thus reducing global warming and climate change. However, there is a serious lack of understanding of how such CO2 hydrate forms and exists in sediments. We thus imaged CO2 hydrate distribution in sandstone, and investigated the hydrate morphology and cluster characteristics via x-ray micro-computed tomography in 3D in-situ. A substantial amount of gas hydrate (∼17% saturation) was observed, and the stochastically distributed hydrate clusters followed power-law relations with respect to their size distributions and surface area-volume relationships. The layer-
... Show MorePulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique was applied to prepared Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) nanostructure doped with Titanium oxide (TiO2) thin films at different concentration ratios 3,5,7 and 9 wt % of TiO2. The effect of TiO2 dopant on the average size of crystallite of the synthesized nanostructures was examined by X-ray diffraction. The morphological properties were discussed using atomic force microscopy(AFM). Observed optical band gap value ranged from 2.68 eV to 2.55 eV by ultraviolet visible(UV-Vis.) absorption spectroscopy with longer wave length shifted in comparison with that of the bulk Cr2O3 ~3eV. This indicated that the synthesized samples a
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