Search Results (12)

Cu-based interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) are candidate materials for sliding-contact applications in which thermal management, wear resistance, and electrical transport must be balanced. Herein, Cu–(CrW_x)C IPCs were fabricated by pressureless infiltration using nominal W-addition indices x = 0, 10, 25, and 50, corresponding to 0, 10, 25, and 50 g W added per 100 g Cr₂O₃ rather than final W mass fractions. Microstructural characterization indicates that W addition changes the scale and connectivity of W-containing carbide regions while preserving a continuous Cu-rich network. Representative quasi-static compression curves illustrate the large-strain load-bearing response but are interpreted descriptively because independent replicate specimens were not available for every composition under an identical test matrix. All composites retain room-temperature electrical conductivities of 39.23–40.44% of the International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS). Cu–(CrW10)C reaches a thermal conductivity of 208.27 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 500 °C and the lowest specific wear rate of 2.42 × 10⁻⁶ mm³ N⁻¹ m⁻¹. Worn-surface and cross-sectional observations show that its low material loss coexists with localized cracking and adhered/detached features, whereas higher nominal W additions promote carbide fragmentation, interfacial separation, and hard-debris-mediated abrasion. The thermo-tribological performance index (TTPI) and electrical-thermal-wear balance index (ETWBI), used as internal screening metrics, identify Cu–(CrW10)C as the most balanced composition within the present four-composition dataset. These results demonstrate that wear resistance is governed by the stability of the skeleton-supported tribologically modified layer and continuous Cu-network transport rather than by hardness or nominal W addition alone. Full article

Lightweight resin lattice structures are prone to instability and failure under compressive loading, which leads to limited load bearing capacity and energy absorption performance. In this study, tough resin triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice scaffolds were fabricated using stereolithography-based 3D printing, and polyurethane foam (PUF) was subsequently infiltrated into three representative topologies, namely Schwarz Primitive (P), I-Wrapped Package (IWP), and Gyroid (G), to form interpenetrating phase composites (IPC). Quasi-static compression results show that PUF infiltration significantly improves the compressive response of all IPC architectures. The stress level in the plateau region is increased, while the magnitude of local stress drops is reduced, leading to a more stable progressive compression behavior. By comparing the stress–strain responses of IPC with the linear superposition of the pure resin scaffold and PUF phases, it is found that the actual energy absorption of IPC exceeds the predicted additive response, indicating a pronounced synergistic effect between the two phases. Among them, the IWP-based IPC achieves a specific energy absorption of 11.72 J/g. These results demonstrate that interpenetrating phase architectures can maintain lightweight characteristics while enhancing load bearing stability and energy absorption efficiency, providing useful guidance for topology selection and lightweight design of TPMS-based energy absorbing composite structures. Full article

Additively manufactured cellular architectures frequently exhibit brittle failure under impact due to layer-induced stress concentrations. Through the programming of architectural and material design, specifically combining Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) lattice topology with hyperelastic polyurea infiltration, this study achieves active control over the macroscopic transition from catastrophic structural fragmentation to stable progressive collapse. To evaluate this, auxetic and honeycomb specimens printed with ABS and glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide (PA-GF) were evaluated in unreinforced and polyurea-infiltrated states under quasi-static compression, three-point bending, and Charpy impact loading. Results show that the compressive response depends primarily on cellular topology; the pure auxetic (A-A) configuration provided the highest stiffness and energy absorption. Polyurea infiltration did not significantly alter elastic stiffness but increased post-yield stability, leading to a 96.6% elastic recovery in PA-GF A-A structures. In flexure, the base polymer governed stiffness, with ABS structures measuring 68% stiffer than PA-GF. Unreinforced ABS achieved 34% higher specific energy absorption (SEA) than PA-GF under compression, with the A-H topology maximizing SEA. Under dynamic impact, PA-GF absorbed an average of 70% more energy than ABS, and the H-A configuration recorded the highest impact resistance. The addition of polyurea shifted the failure mode from brittle fragmentation to stable elastomeric deformation, increasing absorbed impact energy by 52% for ABS and over 30% for PA-GF, preventing catastrophic structural failure. Integrating topological sequencing with elastomeric confinement provides a direct method to control energy dissipation and damage tolerance in 3D-printed cellular composites. Full article

The rapid development of high-end equipment has created stringent requirements for multifunctional integration in materials. However, traditional porous materials have faced a fundamental trade-off between lightweight characteristics and mechanical and acoustic performance. To address this challenge, a design and fabrication method for interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) based on triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures was proposed. The effects of porosity, unit cell size, and structural type on the performance of porous structures were systematically investigated. TPMS frameworks were fabricated from AlSi7Mg alloy using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). These frameworks were then combined with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) via a foaming infiltration process to create the AlSi7Mg/TPU IPCs. Acoustic and compression tests were performed using an impedance tube and a universal testing machine. The results indicated that, compared to unfilled TPMS structures, the IPCs exhibited a shift in the first peak acoustic absorption coefficient to lower frequencies, an increase (1.59 = fold) in the average acoustic absorption coefficient within the 500–6300 Hz range, and a significant enhancement (35.58 fold) in the average normal incidence transmission loss (TL). Under quasi-static compression, the plateau stage was sustained over 60% strain, and the energy absorption capacity increased by a factor of 3.56. This research provides a technical reference for developing multifunctional materials for aerospace and other acoustic applications. Full article

Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMSs) are mathematically defined surfaces that exhibit periodicity in three dimensions while maintaining a minimal surface property. TPMS-based lattices have gained significant attention in recent years, fueled by advancements in Additive Manufacturing (AM). These structures exhibit exceptional mechanical, thermal, and mass transfer properties, positioning them as a promising class of next-generation materials. However, fully leveraging their potential requires a comprehensive understanding of their design, properties, optimization, and applications. Given the hierarchical nature of TPMSs, achieving optimal performance requires multiscale optimization at the macro- and micro-levels. Addressing these complexities requires advanced computational methods to balance structural integrity and functional performance. In this narrative review, design strategies like functional grading and hybridization to create optimized TPMS-based lattices are summarized. Herein, the performance of such lattices in the mechanical, thermal, and mass transfer domains is focused upon. The role of topology optimization (TO) in the creation of architectured materials for specific application is discussed along with the emerging integration of machine learning. Furthermore, multidisciplinary applications of TPMS structures are examined, particularly in heat sinks, interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs), and biomimetic scaffolds, with their potential to enhance heat dissipation, structural resistance, and biomimicry of biological scaffolds. In addition, various additive manufacturing technologies for fabricating TPMS structures are reviewed, emphasizing how additive manufacturing allows high reproducibility construction of their complex geometry in a precise manner. Further unexplored areas of research are also discussed. Full article

Interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) have demonstrated tremendous potential across various fields, particularly those based on triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures, whose uniquely interwoven lattice architectures have attracted widespread attention. However, current research on the dynamic mechanical properties of such IPC remains limited, and their impact resistance and damage mechanisms are yet to be thoroughly understood. In this study, a novel design of two volume fractions of IPCs based on the TPMS IWP configuration is developed using Python-based parametric modeling, with the Ti6Al4V alloy TPMS scaffolds fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM) and the AlSi12 reinforcing phase through infiltration casting. The influence of Ti alloy volume fraction and strain rate on the dynamic mechanical behavior of the Ti/Al IPC is systematically investigated using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experimental setup. Microscopic characterization validates the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed IPC fabrication method. Results show that the increasing Ti alloy volume fraction significantly affects the dynamic mechanical properties of the IPC, and IPCs with different Ti alloy volume fractions exhibit contrasting mechanical behaviors under increasing strain rates, attributed to the dominance of different constituent phases. This study enhances the understanding of the dynamic behavior of TPMS-based IPCs and offers a promising route for the development of high-performance energy-absorbing materials. Full article

This study utilizes desalted and denitrated treated aluminum dross (TAD) as a raw material, along with kaolin and 10 ppi (pores per inch) polyurethane foam as a template. The slurry is converted into an aluminum dross green body with a three-dimensional network structure using the impregnation method. A three-dimensional network aluminum dross ceramic framework (TAD_3D) is created at a sintering temperature of 1350 °C. The liquid 5A05 aluminum alloy at a temperature of 950 °C infiltrates into the voids of TAD_3D through pressureless infiltration, resulting in TAD_3D/5A05Al composite material with an interpenetrating phase composite (IPC) structure. The corrosion behavior of TAD_3D/5A05 composite material in sodium chloride solution was examined using the salt spray test (NSS) method. The study shows that the pores of the TAD3D framework, produced by sintering aluminum dross as raw material, are approximately 10 ppi. The bonding between TAD3D and 5A05Al interfaces is dense, with strong interfacial adhesion. The NSS corrosion time ranged from 24 h to 360 h, during which the composite material underwent pitting corrosion, crevice corrosion and self-healing processes. Results from Potentiodynamic Polarization (PDP) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) indicate that, as corrosion progresses, the E_corr of TAD_3D/5A05Al decreases from −0.718 V to −0.786 V, and I_corr decreases from 0.398 μA·cm⁻² to 0.141 μA·cm⁻². A dense oxide film forms on the surface of the composite material, increasing the anodic Tafel slope and decreasing the cathodic Tafel slope, thus slowing down the rates of cathodic and anodic reactions. Factors such as lower interface corrosion resistance or a relatively weak passivation film at the interface do not significantly diminish the corrosion resistance of TAD_3D and 5A05Al. The corrosion resistance of the composite material initially decreases and then increases. Full article

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling is one of the most important environmental issues, assuring a cleaner environment and reducing the carbon footprint of technological products, taking into account the quantities used year by year. The recycling possibilities depend on the quality of the collected material and on the targeted product. Current research aims to increase recycling quantities by putting together recycled PET in an innovative way as a filler for the additive manufactured metallic lattice structure. Starting from the structures mentioned above, a new range of composite materials was created: IPC (interpenetrating phase composites), materials with a complex architecture in which a solid phase, the reinforcement, is uniquely combined with the other phase, heated to the temperature of melting. The lattice structure was modeled by the intersection of two rings using Solid Works, which generates the lattice structure, which was further produced by an additive manufacturing technique from 316L stainless steel. The compressive strength shows low values for recycled PET, of about 26 MPa, while the stainless-steel lattice structure has about 47 MPa. Recycled PET molding into the lattice structure increases its compressive strength at 53 MPa. The Young’s moduli are influenced by the recycled PET reinforcement by an increase from about 1400 MPa for the bare lattice structure to about 1750 MPa for the reinforced structure. This sustains the idea that recycled PET improves the composite elastic behavior due to its superior Young’s modulus of about 1570 MPa, acting synergically with the stainless-steel lattice structure. The morphology was investigated with SEM microscopy, revealing the binding ability of recycled PET to the 316L surface, assuring a coherent composite. The failure was also investigated using SEM microscopy, revealing that the microstructural unevenness may act as a local tensor, which promotes the interfacial failure within local de-laminations that weakens the composite, which finally breaks. Full article

Understanding the infiltration and solidification processes of liquid 5083Al alloy into Al₂O₃ three-dimensional reticulated porous ceramic (Al₂O_3(3D) RPC) is essential for optimizing the microstructure and properties of Al₂O_3(3D)/5083Al interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) prepared by low-pressure infiltration process (LPIP). This study employs ProCAST software to simulate the infiltration and solidification processes of liquid 5083Al with pouring velocities (PV) of 0.4 m/s infiltrating into Al₂O_3(3D) RPC preforms with varying porosities at different pouring temperatures (PT) to prepare Al₂O_3(3D)/5083Al IPCs using LPIP. The results demonstrate that pore diameter of Al₂O_3(3D) RPC preforms and PT of liquid 5083Al significantly influence the of the infiltration. Solidification process analysis reveals that the Al₂O_3(3D) RPC preform with smaller pore diameters allows the lower pouring velocity of 5083Al to solidify faster compared to the preform with larger pore diameters. Al₂O_3(3D)/5083Al IPCs were prepared successfully from Al₂O_3(3D) RPC porosity of 15 PPI with liquid 5083Al at PV 0.4 m/s and PT 800 °C using LPIP, resulting in nearly fully dense composites, where both Al₂O_3(3D) RPCs and 5083Al interpenetrate throughout the microstructure. The infiltration and solidification defects were reduced under air pressure of 0.3 MPa (corresponding to PV of 0.4 m/s) during LPIP. Finite volume method simulations are in good agreement with experimental data, validating the suitability of the simplified model for Al₂O_3(3D) RPCs in the infiltration simulation. Full article

The paper presents experimental results of the work conducted to improve the adhesion between alumina ceramics and urea-urethane elastomer in the interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs), in which these two phases are interpenetrating three-dimensionally and topologically throughout the microstructure. Measurements of the contact angle, surface roughness, and shear tests were used to evaluate the effectivity and select the quantity of a silane coupling agent and the ceramic fabrication method. The tests were conducted using samples of dense alumina ceramic obtained by three- or four-step methods. In the four-step process, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) was applied additionally. As a result of the coupling agent coat and HIP application, the ceramic substrate wettability by the elastomer was improved. The water contact angle was reduced from 80 to 60%. In the next step, porous ceramic preforms were fabricated using HIP sintering and a solution of silane coupling agent treated their surface. The composites were produced using vacuum-pressure infiltration of porous alumina ceramics by urea-urethane elastomer in liquid form. The influence of the coupling agent application on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was estimated. The microstructure of the composites was identified using SEM microscopy and X-ray tomography. As a result of using the coupling agent, residual porosity decreased from 7 to 2%, and compressive strength, as well as stress at a plateau, increased by more than 20%, from 25 to 33 MPa and from 15 to 24 MPa, respectively, for the composites fabricated by infiltration ceramic preforms with 40% of porosity. Full article

The damage process and failure mechanisms were analyzed by a series of quasi-static compressive experiments of seven materials including pure epoxy (EP), three different PPI (pores per linear inch) foam nickel-iron, and three different PPI foam nickel/iron-epoxy interpenetrating phase composites (IPC). Plotting the stress–strain curves of different materials, their change rules are discussed, then the effective elastic modulus and yield limit of the materials are provided, and the energy absorption properties of different materials are analyzed by the stress–strain curves. It was found that the effective elastic modulus and specific stiffness of the three IPC materials were higher than pure foam nickel-iron. The brittleness of epoxy can be obviously changed by selecting a suitable PPI foam nickel-iron composited with it. The unit volume energy absorption rate of foam nickel/iron-epoxy was significantly higher than pure epoxy and pure foam nickel-iron. It was also found that the energy absorption rate decreased with the increase in PPI. The stress relaxation rate decreased first and then increased with the increase in PPI. The creep behavior of the three composites was obvious in the creep elastic stage, and the creep rate increased with the increase in PPI. The creep rate decreased with the increase in PPI in the creep transition stage. Full article

Alumina–Aluminum composites with interpenetrating network structures are a new class of advanced materials with potentially better properties than composites reinforced by particles or fibers. Local casting reinforcement was proposed to take into account problems with the machinability of this type of materials and the shaping of the finished products. The centrifugal infiltration process fabricated composite castings in the form of locally reinforced shafts. The main objective of the research presented in this work was to compare the tribological properties (friction coefficient, wear resistance) of AlSi12/Al₂O₃ interpenetrating composite layers with unreinforced AlSi12 matrix areas. Profilometric tests enabled both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the wear trace that formed on investigated surfaces. It has been shown that interpenetrating composite layers are characterized by lower and more stable coefficients of friction (μ), as well as higher wear resistance than unreinforced matrix areas. At the present stage, the study confirmed that the tribological properties of the composite layers depend on the spatial structure of the ceramic reinforcement, and primarily the volume and size of alumina foam cells. Full article