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Abstract: This study focuses on the mechanical, fatigue and metallographic characterisation of copper-brazed 316L stainless steel for the potential use in different plate heat exchangers (PHE) applications. The quasi-static and fatigue tests have been performed on the specially designed copper-brazed tensile specimens to obtain the engineering stress–strain diagram and the fatigue life curve of the analysed brazed joint. Furthermore, a comprehensive metallographic investigation has been done, focusing on (i) material characterisation of asreceived stainless steel 316L, (ii) characterisation of the brazed joint and (iii) fractographic analyses of fractured surfaces by quasi-static and fatigue loading. The obtained experimental results may be beneficial for designing copper-brazed plate heat exchangers in the future.
Keywords: brazed joint, fatigue, experimental testing, metallographic investigation
Published in DKUM: 28.11.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 2
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Abstract: Skin bioprinting has the potential to revolutionize treatment approaches for injuries and surgical procedures, while also providing a valuable platform for assessing and screening cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. This technology offers key advantages, including flexibility and reproducibility, which enable the creation of complex, multilayered scaffolds that closely mimic the intricate microenvironment of native skin tissue. The development of an ideal hydrogel is critical for the successful bioprinting of these scaffolds with incorporated cells. In this study, we used a hydrogel formulation developed in our laboratory to fabricate a 3D-bioprinted skin model. The hydrogel composition was carefully selected based on its high compatibility with human skin cells, incorporating alginate, methyl cellulose, and nanofibrillated cellulose. One of the critical challenges in this process, particularly for its commercialization and large-scale production, is ensuring consistency with minimal batch-to-batch variations. To address this, we explored methods with which to preserve the physicochemical properties of the hydrogels, with a focus on freezing techniques. We validated the pre-frozen hydrogels’ printability, rheology, and mechanical and surface properties. Our results revealed that extended freezing times significantly reduced the viscosity of the formulations due to ice crystal formation, leading to a redistribution of the polymer chains. This reduction in viscosity resulted in a more challenging extrusion and increased macro- and microporosity of the hydrogels, as confirmed by nanoCT imaging. The increased porosity led to greater water uptake, swelling, compromised scaffold integrity, and altered degradation kinetics. The insights gained from this study lay a solid foundation for advancing the development of an in vitro skin model with promising applications in preclinical and clinical research.
Keywords: in vitro skin model, 3D printing, hydrogels, preclinical and clinical medicine
Published in DKUM: 28.07.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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Abstract: V disertaciji je obravnavan vpliv mikrolegiranja s Sc, Y in V na razvoj kompleksne mikrostrukture in izboljšanja lastnosti. Referenčno zlitino predstavlja AA 6086, ki je modificirana zlitina AA 6082 z višjimi vsebnostmi Si, Cu in Zr. Preiskovani vzorci so bili liti v bakreno koliko ter toplotno obdelani v različnih temperaturnih režimih. Karakterizacija je potekala z uporabo matematičnih modelov ter eksperimentalno s svetlobno mikroskopijo, vrstično in presevno elektronsko mikroskopijo, energijsko disperzijsko spektroskopijo, rentgensko difrakcijo, diferenčno vrstično kalorimetrijo ter meritvami mehanskih lastnosti v obliki dilatometrije, trdote in tlačnih preizkusov. Izvedena je bila napredna karakterizacija mikrostrukturnih vsebin v litem in homogeniziranem stanju, ter v umetno staranih stanjih v temperaturnem območju od 170 °C do 450 °C. Razvoj mikrostrukture in lastnosti je primerljiv za zlitine s Sc in kombinacijo Sc in Y, medtem ko dodatek V bistveno ne vpliva na spremembe v referenčni zlitini. V vseh vzorcih so potrjeni številni eksotermni procesi, ki nakazujejo na aktiven razvoj disperzoidov in izločkov. Elementa Sc in Y vplivata na kinetiko izločanja predvsem pri povišanih temperaturah, kjer se reakcija nastajanja disperzoidov v primerjavi z referenčno zlitino premakne za red velikosti 50 °C. V vzorcih so detektirani majhni poligonalni in večji igličasti disperzoidi, za vzorca s Sc in Y pa je opravljena poglobljena karakterizacija prisotnih disperzoidov. Izboljšane mehanske lastnosti referenčne zlitine so bile dosežene s toplotno obdelavo vzorcev v litem stanju, kjer so izmerjene vrednosti v povprečju 77,5 HV ter so 30 % višje kakor v toplotno obdelanih homogeniziranih vzorcih. Visokotrdnostne lastnosti so bile dosežene s klasičnim staranjem pri 180 °C, kjer je povprečna izmera trdota po 8 urah znašala 122 HV.
Keywords: aluminijeve zlitine Al-Mg-Si, mikrolegiranje, mikrostruktura, mehanske lastnosti
Published in DKUM: 12.05.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0

Abstract: The microstructure and surface topography of PVD hard coatings are among the most important properties, as they significantly determine their mechanical, tribological and other properties. In this study, we systematically analyzed the microstructure and topography of a TiAlN/CrN nanolayer coating (NL-TiAlN/CrN), not only because such coatings possess better mechanical and tribological properties than TiAlN and CrN monolayer coatings, mainly because the contours of the individual layers, in the cross-sectional STEM or SEM images of such coatings, make it easier to follow topographic and microstructural changes that occurred during its growth. We investigated the effects of the substrate rotation modes on the microstructure and surface topography of the NL-TiAlN/CrN coating, as well as on the periodicity of the nanolayer structure. The influence of the substrate material and the ion etching methods were also studied, while special attention was given to the interlayer roughness and influence of non-metallic inclusions in the steel substrates on the growth of the coating. The topographical features of the NL-TiAlN/CrN coating surface are correlated with the observations from the cross-sectional TEM and FIB analysis. Selected non-metallic inclusions, covered by the NL-TiAlN/CrN coating, were prepared for SEM and STEM analyses by the focused ion beam. The same inclusions were analyzed prior to and after deposition. We found that substrate rotation modes substantially influence the microstructure, surface topography and periodicity of the NL-TiAlN/CrN layer. Non-metallic inclusions in the substrates cause the formation of shallow craters or protrusions, depending on their net removal rates during the substrate pretreatment (polishing and ion etching), as compared to the matrix.
Keywords: magnetron sputtering, nanolayer hard coatings, growth defects, surface topography, interlayer roughness, non-metallic inclusion, focused ion beam (FIB), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)
Published in DKUM: 19.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 7
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Keywords: aluminijeve zlitine, toplotna obdelava, mikrostruktura, disperzoidi, dilatometrija, trdota, aluminium alloy, heat treatment, microstructure, dispersoids, dilatometry, DSC, hardness
Published in DKUM: 05.04.2024; Views: 183; Downloads: 31
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