Cavitation in thin layer of liquid metal has potential applications in chemical reaction, soldering, extraction, and therapeutic equipment. In this work, the cavitation characteristics and acoustic pressure of a thin liquid Ga–In alloy were studied by high speed photography, numerical simulation, and bubble dynamics calculation. A self-made ultrasonic system with a TC4 sonotrode, was operated at a frequency of 20 kHz and a max output power of 1000 W during the cavitation recording experiment. The pressure field characteristic inside the thin liquid layer and its influence on the intensity, types, dimensions, and life cycles of cavitation bubbles and on the cavitation evolution process against experimental parameters were systematically studied. The results showed that acoustic pressure inside the thin liquid layer presented alternating positive and negative characteristics within 1 acoustic period (T). Cavitation bubbles nucleated and grew during the negative-pressure stage and shrank and collapsed during the positive-pressure stage. A high bubble growth speed of 16.8 m/s was obtained and evidenced by bubble dynamics calculation. The maximum absolute pressure was obtained at the bottom of the thin liquid layer and resulted in the strongest cavitation. Cavitation was divided into violent and weak stages. The violent cavitation stage lasted several hundreds of acoustic periods and had higher bubble intensity than the weak cavitation stage. Cavitation cloud preferentially appeared during the violent cavitation stage and had a life of several acoustic periods. Tiny cavitation bubbles with life cycles shorter than 1 T dominated the cavitation field. High cavitation intensities were observed at high ultrasonication power and when Q235B alloy was used because such conditions lead to high amplitudes on the substrate and further high acoustic pressure inside the liquid.
Gradient colored yarns are manufactured by controlling the blending ratios of three-primary-colored fibers in a slight distribution of gradients along the yarn length, thereby resulting in a continuous natural variation in mixed colors of the fibers throughout the whole yarn. The spinning of gradient colored yarns still remains a challenge, which requires the reliance on digital blending theory of colored fibers and the supporting of multi-channel computer numerical control (CNC) spinning technique. This paper constructed a three-primary-colored fiber gridded color mixing model and its mass mixing matrix and color mixing chromatography matrix by mass discretization and coupling pairing with a 10% gradient for the three-primary-colored fibers. With the aim of continuous natural gradient of mixed colors, the blending ratio gradient path of three-primary-colored fibers was planned based on the mass mixing matrix, and a method of regulating the gradient of color difference between adjacent color segments was proposed. In order to realize the natural gradient of color of the forming yarn, the spinning mechanism of gradient colored yarn was established based on three-channel CNC spinning mechanism and the time-series yarn simulation model, and the time-series spinning processing parameters of three-channel CNC spinning machine were devised. Four gradient colored yarns with different gradient paths were designed and prepared, the linear density, twist, unevenness, surface hairiness, and tensile strength of the spun yarns were measured, compared, and analyzed, and knitted fabrics with color gradient effect were fabricated by small circular knitting machine to obtain continuous and natural color transition with a dreamy and mysterious color effect.
Friction stir welding (FSW) experiments were conducted using three different aluminium alloys (a workhardened alloy, an age hardened alloy and a cast alloy) followed by metallographic examination focusingon the upper weld zone and the surface layer. The examination has revealed the features of the majorforward flow resulting from the forward motion of the tool shoulder. A thin shear layer due to tool rotationwas identified between the tool shoulder and the workpiece with a distinctive shear flow direction. Thethickness of the shear layer was alloy dependent. An embedded layer in the upper weld zone has also beenidentified. The flow phenomena leading to this will be discussed. A velocity profile in the shear layer, basedon the apparent alignment of Si particles in the cast alloy after welding, has suggested a dominant slidingcontact condition.