Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC)
Iranian Ceramic Society (ICERS)Advanced Ceramics Progress2423-747711420251001Effect of Slag on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Microwave-Sintered Floor Tile1623929710.30501/acp.2025.534169.1181ENTouradjEbadzadehProfessor, Department of Ceramics, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.0000-0002-8008-1095KeivanAsadianAssistance Professor, Department of Semiconductors, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.0000-0003-2532-7694Journal Article20250725Copper slag is a solid waste generated during the industrial production of copper, and its accumulation in the environment poses significant challenges. To date, copper slag has been utilized in various industries, including construction, where it serves as clinker in cement, aggregate in asphalt, a component in glass compositions, and as a raw material in tile and brick manufacturing. Its application in these areas is primarily due to its chemical composition, which contains oxides of calcium, iron, silica, and alumina—components commonly found in cement clinker, asphalt aggregate, glass, tiles, and bricks. Therefore, the use of copper slag not only mitigates environmental waste but also reduces the consumption of non-renewable natural resources. One of the objectives of the present study is to explore the incorporation of copper slag in the tile industry to decrease slag reserves. The results indicate that adding slag to the tile composition increases the density and reduces the porosity of the floor tile after sintering. Specifically, the addition of 5 wt% slag allowed the sintering temperature to decrease from 1200°C to 1170°C, while maintaining comparable density and porosity values. The addition of slag had a negligible effect on the hardness of the samples; however, it significantly influenced flexural strength. The incorporation of 15 wt% slag resulted in an approximately 30% increase in flexural strength compared to tiles without slag.https://www.acerp.ir/article_239297_7b6ae6d0962c08fd5e0702c2b77b4c15.pdfMaterials and Energy Research Center (MERC)
Iranian Ceramic Society (ICERS)Advanced Ceramics Progress2423-747711420251001Tribological enhancement of automotive A356 Al-Si alloy using plasma electrolytic oxidation coating reinforced with SiC nanoparticles72024630610.30501/acp.2026.580474.1192ENSinaRahimiMS Student, Division, Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.0000-0002-7497-6511BenyaminYarmandAssociate Professor, Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.0000-0002-6771-314XAlirezaKolahiAssistant Professor, Department of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj, Iran.0000-0002-0087-2138Journal Article20260504The poor tribological behavior of the A356 aluminum-silicon alloy remains a significant drawback that limits its use in automotive components. This study aims to improve the surface properties of the A356 alloy through the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method and to investigate how the incorporation of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles affects its tribological performance. To this end, oxide coatings were prepared on an A356 substrate by the PEO process in silicate electrolytes containing 0 to 2 g·L⁻¹ SiC nanoparticles. The results revealed that the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles into the PEO process enhanced the coating formation voltage, resulting in increased coating thickness and hardness, while reducing surface porosity and roughness. Evaluation of the wear performance showed that the wear rate of the A356 substrate decreased from 2.64 ± 0.02 × 10⁻⁴ to 1.39 ± 0.02 × 10⁻⁴ mm³·N⁻¹·m⁻¹ with the formation of a pure oxide coating and reached a minimum of 0.17 ± 0.01 × 10⁻⁴ mm³·N⁻¹·m⁻¹ with the incorporation of the maximum concentration of SiC nanoparticles. The evolution of the friction coefficient indicated that the pure oxide coating generated lower friction forces than the A356 substrate, while oxide coatings formed in electrolytes containing up to 1 g·L⁻¹ SiC nanoparticles increased the friction coefficient. Notably, for the oxide coating formed in the electrolyte containing 2 g·L⁻¹ SiC nanoparticles, the friction coefficient decreased to its lowest value. This behavior resulted from the effect of SiC nanoparticles in reducing friction forces by changing the wear mechanism from sliding to rolling.https://www.acerp.ir/article_246306_a852a4ee481973e61a028b3f4e394758.pdfMaterials and Energy Research Center (MERC)
Iranian Ceramic Society (ICERS)Advanced Ceramics Progress2423-747711420251001A Comparative Study of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties in Copper Processed by Simple Shear Extrusion and Elliptical Cross-Section Spiral Equal-Channel Extrusion213024702010.30501/acp.2026.584598.1197ENMostafaBalaliInstructor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran.0009-0006-6194-4832Journal Article20260608One of the well-known approaches for producing ultrafine-grained and nanostructured materials is severe plastic deformation (SPD), which has attracted significant attention in recent years. This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of commercially pure copper processed by two SPD methods: Simple Shear Extrusion (SSE) and Spiral Equal-Channel Extrusion with an Elliptical Cross-Section (ECSEE). Samples underwent four sequential extrusion passes at room temperature using both techniques and were subsequently characterized through metallography, microhardness measurements, tensile testing, and forming force analysis. The results demonstrate a substantial enhancement in mechanical properties and grain refinement with each additional pass for both processes. However, the ECSEE method, which imposes more severe plastic strain, yielded superior results. Specifically, after four passes, the ECSEE-processed samples achieved an ultimate tensile strength of 349 MPa and a microhardness of 166 HV, representing increases of 104% and 9%, respectively, compared to the annealed condition. In contrast, the SSE method, which applies lower and more gradual strain, resulted in an ultimate tensile strength of 242 MPa and a microhardness of 139 HV after four passes. Microstructural analysis revealed reductions in grain size of 28% and 17% for the ECSEE- and SSE-processed samples, respectively, after the fourth pass. Furthermore, the SSE method required a lower forming force due to the lower strain imposed. The findings conclusively indicate that the ECSEE process produces superior microstructural characteristics and enhanced mechanical behavior, including strength, microhardness, and ductility, compared to the SSE method.https://www.acerp.ir/article_247020_7caaaf80ce3219bc899a93e7e2880401.pdfMaterials and Energy Research Center (MERC)
Iranian Ceramic Society (ICERS)Advanced Ceramics Progress2423-747711420251001Effect of Thermal Activation of Iranian Bentonite on Nickel Adsorption Properties from Synthetic Wastewater by Chitosan/Bentonite Composite314324744010.30501/acp.2026.580021.1191ENAmirmohammadNaghizadehMS Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.0009-0005-8302-049XMajidHosseinzadehAssistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.HamidrezaRezaeiProfessor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.0000-0003-2855-7823Journal Article20260430Contamination of water by heavy metals and organics is a critical environmental issue, with adsorption being a key remediation strategy. Effective adsorbents include clays, zeolites, and biopolymers like chitosan. Chitosan excels at capturing metal cations, but its performance in acidic media, mechanical strength, and immersion behavior can be enhanced through compositing with other materials, such as bentonite. This study synthesized composite beads from chitosan and thermally activated bentonite. A 1.5% (w/v) chitosan solution in 2% acetic acid was mixed with bentonite suspensions at weight ratios of 3.75%, 7.5%, and 15% (w/v). The mixtures were dropwise introduced into an alkaline NaOH solution (pH 7-8) and solidified for 24 hours. Adsorption performance was evaluated using nickel solutions (40-100 ppm). The composite with a chitosan-to-bentonite ratio of 2:1 (CSB2) demonstrated optimal results, achieving 90.4% nickel removal and a capacity of 18.42 mg/g at an initial Ni²⁺ concentration of 80 ppm. This represents a 6.9% improvement in removal efficiency and an 8.9% increase in capacity compared to pure chitosan beads. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the formation of Ni(RNH₂)₂⁺ complexes within the beads. Adsorption isotherm analysis indicated that the Freundlich and Temkin models best fit the experimental data. Freundlich parameters (Kf = 1.77 mg/L, 1/n = 0.909) confirmed multilayer adsorption on heterogeneous sites with linearly decreasing energy as adsorbate thickness increased. This composite shows enhanced potential for efficient nickel removal from wastewater.https://www.acerp.ir/article_247440_29bfe9479070a93288da50ca55bda238.pdfMaterials and Energy Research Center (MERC)
Iranian Ceramic Society (ICERS)Advanced Ceramics Progress2423-747711420251001From Machining Waste to Advanced Implants: Recycled Ti/GO Composite with Improved Mechanical Properties for Orthopedic Applications445424774410.30501/acp.2026.586725.1199ENRamezanaliMahdavinejadProfessor, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.0009-0006-3713-7555Sayyed HosseinHosseininasabMSc student, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.Sayyed MohammadrezaSedehiPhD student, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.0009-0006-5714-7451Journal Article20260614This study introduces a novel strategy for recycling titanium machining chips through powder metallurgy combined with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles, enabling the fabrication of biocompatible implants with enhanced mechanical strength and resistance properties. The process involves converting machining chips into powder using ball mill grinding, followed by the fabrication of recycled samples through spark plasma sintering (SPS). Furthermore, the investigation explores the fabrication of a composite by combining recycled titanium powder with 0.2% graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. In this research, three distinct samples are examined: pure titanium, recycled titanium, and a titanium/graphene oxide composite. Characterization of the samples is accomplished using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the properties, including hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, are investigated. The hardness test revealed that pure titanium had the lowest hardness, at 322 HV. The recycled sample exhibited a 17% increase, reaching 378 HV, while the composite sample exhibited a 25% increase, reaching 402 HV. The wear resistance test showed that the pure titanium specimen, recycled titanium sample, and composite sample had mass losses of 17.98, 11.77, and 0.86 mg, respectively. The corrosion test results indicated that pure titanium had a corrosion rate of 0.0022 mm/year, while the recycled titanium sample had a corrosion rate of 0.00156 mm/year. The composite specimen had the lowest corrosion rate, at 0.00012 mm/year. The findings indicate that this recycling process not only facilitates the reuse of industrial waste but also, by enhancing mechanical and resistance properties, constitutes an effective step toward the development of high-performance medical implants.https://www.acerp.ir/article_247744_9b27f36f588db546eb5ab168b02563c2.pdf