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Abstract In this work, the complex relationship between deformation history and residual stresses in a magnesium-to-aluminum self-pierce riveted (SPR) joint is elucidated using numerical and experimental approaches. Non-linear finite element (FE) simulations incorporating strain rate and temperature effects were performed to model the deformation in the SPR process. In order to accurately capture the deformation, a stress triaxiality-based damage material model was employed to capture the sheet piercing from the rivet. Strong visual comparison between the physical cross-section of the SPR joint and the simulation was achieved. To aid in understanding of the role of deformation in the riveting process and to validate the modeling approach, several experimental measurements were conducted. To quantify the plastic deformation from the piercing of the rivet, micro hardness mapping was performed on a cross-section of the SPR joint.

Abstract The current investigation studies the microstructure and high-temperature hot corrosion behavior of plasma-sprayed coatings. The composition of Fe17Cr2Ni0.18C and fly ash cenosphere powder is maintained in the 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% ratio by weight percent, respectively. Both powder mixtures were thoroughly blended correspondingly and coated on T22 boiler steel tubings. Thermocyclic hot corrosion studies were examined in a liquid salt condition of Na2SO4—60% V2O5 for 17 cycles of 51 h at 600°C on bare and coated steels. Thermogravimetric practice was used to establish the kinetics of hot corrosion of uncoated and coated steels. As-coated samples are studied for microstructure and microhardness. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray mapping characterization techniques have been utilized for structural analysis of the as-coated and hot-corroded samples.

Abstract Automotive-grade high-strength steels are galvanized for improved corrosion resistance. However, selective oxidation of alloying elements during annealing heat-treatment may influence the subsequent zinc (Zn) coating quality. The formation of internal and external oxides depends on the alloy composition, especially the Si/Mn ratio, and the oxygen potential of the annealing atmosphere. In this work, a dual-phase (DP) steel was intercritically annealed with varied fuel-to-air ratios in a direct-fired furnace and then galvanized in a Zn bath with 0.2 wt% Al. The type of internal and external oxides and the interfacial structures between the steel substrate, the Al-Fe-Zn inhibition layer, and the Zn coating were examined by using site-specific focused ion beam (FIB) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Abstract Combining ball milling with stir casting in the synthesis of nanocomposites is found effective in increasing the strength and ductility of the nanocomposites. In the first step, the nanoparticles used as reinforcement are generated by milling a mixture of aluminum (Al) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) powders. A mixture of Al and MnO2 powders are mixed in the ratio of 1:2.4 by weight and milled at 300 rpm in a high-energy planetary ball mill for different durations of 120 min, 240 min, and 360 min to generate nano-sized alumina (Al2O3) particles. It is supposed that the powders have two different roles during milling, firstly, to generate nano-sized Al2O3 by oxidation at the high-energy impact points due to collision between Al and MnO2 particles, and secondly, to keep nano-sized Al2O3 particles physically separate by the presence of coarser particles.

Abstract The aluminum alloy 7075 sheets have drawn more attention in recent years in the automotive industry for lightweighting. Hot stamping of high-strength aluminum alloy has been developed to improve the formability of the part without springback. Obtaining an adequate quench rate is a critical step of the hot stamping process and corresponds to good strength and corrosion resistance. This work looks at measuring the quench rate of 7075 at advanced aging (AA) and T6 condition via two different approaches: forced air and water with various temperatures. The results verify that water is a superior form of quenching, i.e., from 50°C/s to 550°C/s, the forced air-cooled quench rate is 2°C/s-10°C/s. Besides, mechanical properties such as yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and uniform elongation were measured by tensile testing. As a result, a correlation between the quench rate and final mechanical properties was developed.

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Lightweighting in the automotive industry has been primarily motivated by fuel economy and greenhouse gas emission targets. The target greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, the fuel economy for the average vehicle in both the United States and European Union are required to achieve significant annual improvements through 2026. Weight reduction, or lightweighting of an automobile, provides improvements not only in the fuel economy of engine-powered vehicles but also provides for improvements in the driving range of electric vehicles. As an industry example, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan utilizes a blend of high-strength steels, aluminum, and magnesium to reduce vehicle weight by over 100 kg, helping achieve a nearly 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in a larger vehicle footprint with increasing industry safety demands [1].

Abstract Late-cycle soot oxidation in heavy-duty (HD) diesel engine low-swirl combustion was investigated using single-cylinder engine and spray chamber experiments together with engine combustion simulations. The in-cylinder flow during interactions between adjacent flames (flame-flame events) was shown to have a large impact on late-cycle combustion. To modify the flame-flame flow, a new piston bowl shape with a protrusion (wave) was designed to guide the near-wall flow. This design significantly reduced soot emissions and increased engine thermodynamic efficiency. The wave’s main effect was to enhance late-cycle mixing, as demonstrated by an increase in the apparent rate of heat release after the termination of fuel injection. Combustion simulations showed that the increased mixing is driven by enhanced flow re-circulation, which produces a radial mixing zone (RMZ).

Abstract Cast magnesium (Mg) door inner panels can provide a good combination of weight, functional, manufacturing, and economical requirements. However, several challenges exist including casting technology for thin-wall part design, multi-material incompatibility, and relatively low strength versus steel. A project was supported by the US Department of Energy to design and develop a lightweight frame-under-glass door having a thin-wall, full die-cast, Mg inner panel. This development project is the first of its kind within North America. The 2.0 mm Mg design, through casting process enablers, has met or exceeded all stiffness and side-impact requirements, with significant mass reduction and part consolidation. In addition, a corrosion mitigation strategy has been established using industry-accepted galvanic isolation methods and coating technologies. The performance of the Mg design has been demonstrated through component and vehicle tests.

Abstract AA7075 is susceptible to localized corrosion like exfoliation corrosion (EXCO), intergranular corrosion (IGC), and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Its susceptibility is strongly affected by heat treatments. In this study, the effects of two heat treatments applied to AA7075 alloy at a different time and temperature on EXCO, IGC, and SCC were investigated. Furthermore, a joining corrosion evaluation using self-piercing riveting (SPR) was conducted. It was concluded that, when compared to the traditional T6 aging process, the samples subjected to a novel advanced aging process with a significantly reduced aging time were comparable with respect to the resistance to EXCO, IGC, SCC, and SPR joining corrosion.

Abstract Tribological properties determine the elemental factors influencing the performance of the components that are subjected to relative motion. Of late, low-density Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) have been renowned as materials for the components that are subjected to tribological applications. This work reports an experimental study of wear and corrosion behavior of Aluminum Metal Matrix Composites (AMMCs) reinforced with in situ TiB2 particles. These composites were synthesized by a mixed salt route procedure using K2TiF6 and KBF4 at a temperature of 850°C by using the stir casting method. Dry sliding wear behavior of AA5754-TiB2 in situ composites were compared with base material for the various loads, sliding speed, and sliding distances. These parameters were analyzed using Taguchi techniques. It was found that the percentage of reinforcement and load are the most significant parameters.

Abstract The issue of material compatibility of biodiesel has been discussed by few researchers but the reported corrosion rates were alarmingly high. This study addresses the corrosion issue of biodiesel with automotive materials with a different but systematic approach following SAE J1747 standard. In earlier studies while conducting material compatibility studies with biodiesel, mention of any specific standard/s has not been generally observed. Earlier studies were conducted by storing the samples for a long time without any change of fuel. However in actual automotive application, change of fuel is always on a periodic basis due to consumption of fuel and the SAE standard recommends for the same. This difference has a significant effect on the material compatibility as this periodic change does not result in making the fuel particularly biodiesel more acidic which is otherwise when stored for a long time during the test period.

Abstract During diesel engine operation, some fuel is entrained in engine oil, particularly as a consequence of strategies to regenerate NOx traps or particle filters. This “fuel dilution” of oil can adversely affect engine oil properties and performance. Compared to diesel fuel, biodiesel is more prone to fuel dilution and more susceptible to oxidation. Oxidation stability experiments were conducted at 160°C using a modified Rapid Small-Scale Oxidation Test (RSSOT) and a Rancimat instrument with 0, 5, 10, and 20 wt% biodiesel in four fully formulated engine oils, two partially formulated engine oils, and two base oils. These experiments showed decreasing oxidation stability with increasing biodiesel content. An exception was noted with the least stable oils (two base oils and one engine oil) in which 5 wt% biodiesel improved the oxidation stability relative to oil without biodiesel.

Abstract The appearance of an automobile is anything but unimportant for the owner. This applies to the acquisition as well as the keeping. In this context, the avoidance of corrosion is a fundamental part of the user’s satisfaction of a company. The body design can be modified to optimize drainage and reduce the risk of corrosion, improving the owner’s satisfaction with the purchase of the automobile. During the proof of concept of water management, as part of the process of development, physical prototypes are state of the art. At this point in the development process, every necessary change is expensive and time consuming. Virtual methods are able to support the development in earlier steps and thus reduce costs. The conventional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods could not handle the simulation of a full car in the rain or water passage properly due to much higher computation efforts and deviations from the experiments.

Abstract Letter from the Editor

Abstract Tin sulfides (SnS and SnS2), represent a safer and greener alternative to other metal sulfides such as copper sulfides, and MoS2 etc. Their behavior is usually associated to that of solid lubricants such as graphite. A mixture of tin sulfides, with the 65 wt% of SnS2, has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy and by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In order to investigate the effect of tin sulfides upon two crucial friction material ingredients, two mixtures were prepared: the former was made by mixing tin sulfides with a natural flake graphite and the latter was made mixing tin sulfides with a straight novolak. They were analyzed by TGA and differential thermal analysis (DTA) in both nitrogen and air. Some interferences were detected between tin sulfides and graphite in air.

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Abstract Aluminum hybrid composites are driving a new trend in metal matrix composites for high strength-to-weight ratio applications such as the automotive industry (piston–cylinder, brakes, shafts), aircraft (engines, airframe), aerospace (space panels), and marine (body frame). Al 6061 is chosen as the matrix for its compatibility and excellent castability in the current work. The reinforcements were silicon carbide (SiC) of size 65μ and tungsten carbide (WC) of 3–5μ due to their enhancing mechanical and corrosion behavior with low density. Composites were prepared through stir casting using different quantities of SiC wt.% 10 and 15, while WC is 0–6% by weight in 2% increments. The results show that mechanical properties such as tensile strength and hardness enhanced due to the gradual strengthening of grains leads to high wear resistance. SEM images of tensile failure show that pits, voids, cracks, burrs, and grain fractures characterize composite failure.

Abstract The hot corrosion studies for the die-casted magnesium (Mg) silver (Ag) alloys are carried out through the steam heating route. The Magnesium Silver (QE22A) alloy is fixed under the top lid of the pressure cooker (2 liters) and filled with water and 5% salt (NaCl) solution. The specimens are treated with different time intervals (10, 20, and 30 minutes), with the steam temperature maintained at 100°C around the specimen. The results showed an increase in the corrosion rate with the increase in the steaming time. Further, after the specimens have cooled down to room temperature, similar experiments are repeated for the second and third cycles. Here the formation of the oxide layers over the specimen has reduced the corrosion rate. The structural, surface study was carried out through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to know the corrosion behavior on the specimen.

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