High-carbon steels are normally used as tool materials. The use of such steels for construction is limited due to their increased brittleness and poor weldability. However, it appears that high-carbon steels possess certain hidden reserves for enhanced plasticity and strength if properly heat-treated. An unconventional heat treatment was applied to carbon eutectoid steel (0.8 wt.% C) in order to increase its strength and impact toughness simultaneously. Samples for tensile and impact testing were held at 800 °C for different time ranges from 3 min to 9 min with subsequent cooling in oil. It was established that for each type of sample, an optimal holding time exists that is responsible for increased strength and high impact toughness. The hardness and microhardness levels of the surface and under-surface regions of the samples reached 390 HV after optimal heat treatment. An X-ray revealed a shift of the (211)α-peak to the lower 2-theta angles after heat treatment with the optimal holding time; this indicates an increase in carbon content in alpha solid solutions of approximately 0.12 wt.%. Thus, a nanostructured mixture of low-carbon martensite and thin cementite plates is formed in the under-surface region of carbon eutectoid steel after heat treatment, with a controlled holding time at the austenitizing temperature.

This study examines the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of quaternary AlCoCrNi high-entropy alloys after heat treatment at 873 K for 72 and 192 h. The changes in nanostructure and phase transformation based on the heat treatment duration were as follows: B2 dendrite + BCC interdendrite and sigma phases after 72 h; B2 dendrite and interdendritic sigma phases + BCC after 192 h. After annealing, the morphology of the dendritic region shifted from spherical to needle-like, and the interdendritic region transformed from a spinodal-like to a plate-like morphology. Additionally, a phase transformation was observed in the dendritic regions of the annealed alloys at the nano-scale. The presence of the sigma phase in AlCoCrNi high-entropy alloys significantly improved the yield strength to around 1172 MPa; nevertheless, it decreased the compressive strain rapidly to 0.62%.

The effects of chromium (Cr) addition ranging 0.1-0.3 wt.% on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-4Cu-0.25Mg (wt.%) alloy have been investigated. The cast Cr-free alloy consisted of α-Al, eutectic Si, Q-Al5Mg8Cu2Si6 and θ-Al2Cu phases. Doping of Cr resulted in the appearance of a polyhedron-shaped α-Al13Cr4Si4 phase with a cubic structure. The Al13Cr4Si4 particles were found to embed with Al2Cu blocks and bring about size reduction for the Al2Cu blocks. The area fraction of Al13Cr4Si4 monotonously increased with Cr content. After T6 treatment, the Al2Cu blocks almost fully dissolved and transformed to θ\'-Al2Cu precipitates in the Cr-containing alloys. TEM observation revealed relatively large-sized θ\' precipitates attached to Al13Cr4Si4 dispersoids. The Cr-containing alloys showed impressive mechanical properties, with the peak strength up to 452 MPa at room temperature. The ductility exhibited an increasing trend with Cr content, but the strength dropped dramatically when the Cr content reached 0.3 wt.%. It is suggested that the strength contribution from the Al13Cr4Si4 phase is limited, especially at an elevated temperature.

The growing use of aluminum and its compounds has increased the volume of aluminum waste. To mitigate environmental impacts and cut down on manufacturing expenses, extensive investigations have recently been undertaken to recycle aluminum compounds. This paper outlines the outcomes of a study on fabricating standard EN AW-2007 alloy using industrial and secondary scrap through continuous casting. The resultant recycled bars were analyzed for their chemical makeup and examined for microstructural features in both the cast and T4 states, undergoing mechanical property evaluations. The study identified several phases in the cast form through LM, SEM + EDS, and XRD techniques: Al7Cu2Fe, θ-Al2Cu, β-Mg2Si, Q-Al4Cu2Mg8Si7, and α-Al15(FeMn)3 (SiCu)2, along with Pb particles. Most primary intermetallic precipitates such as θ-Al2Cu, β-Mg2Si, and Q-Al4Cu2Mg8Si7 dissolved into the α-Al solid solution during the solution heat treatment. In the subsequent natural aging process, the θ-Al2Cu phase predominantly emerged as a finely dispersed hardening phase. The peak hardness achieved in the EN AW-2007 alloy was 124.8 HB, following a solution heat treatment at 500 °C and aging at 25 °C for 80 h. The static tensile test assessed the mechanical and ductility properties of the EN AW-2007 alloy in both the cast and T4 heat-treated states. Superior strength parameters were achieved after solution heat treatment at 500 °C for 6 h, followed by water quenching and natural aging at 25 °C/9 h, with a tensile strength of 435.0 MPa, a yield strength of 240.5 MPa, and an appreciable elongation of 18.1% at break. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of producing defect-free EN AW-2007 alloy ingots with excellent mechanical properties from recycled scrap using the continuous casting technique.

The effect of heat treatment on zircon color was studied from a new perspective of chromaticity of gemstones. The mechanism behind zircon color enhancement was investigated through the combination of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The study reveals that the color of zircon has no significant correlation to the degree of metamorphism, which decreases as heating temperature rises. Type I and Type II defects in zircon are characterized by the deletion of an oxygen atom at the nearest site to Y3+ occupied by the Zr4+ and the loss of electrons at the next nearest oxygen atom to Y3+, respectively. These defects lead to broad absorption bands in the UV-vis spectra ranging from 340 nm and 500 nm, respectively. Additionally, there is a correlation between the color of zircon and the strength of the relationship between the two absorption bands. After undergoing heat treatment, the first defects to be repaired were type II, followed by type I. Subsequently, the zircon appeared colorless after both types of defects had been corrected.

To improve probiotics\' survivability during gastrointestinal digestion and heat treatment, Lactobacillus plantarum was microencapsulated by spray-drying using Laminaria japonica polysaccharide/sodium caseinate/gelatin (LJP/SC/GE) composites. Thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that the denaturation of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules requires higher thermal energy than that of SC/GE microcapsules, and the addition of LJP may improve thermal stability. Zeta potential measurements indicated that, at low pH of the gastric fluid, the negatively charged LJP attracted the positively charged SC/GE, helping to maintain an intact microstructure without disintegration. The encapsulation efficiency of L. plantarum-loaded LJP/SC/GE microcapsules reached about 93.4%, and the survival rate was 46.9% in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) for 2 h and 96.0% in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) for 2 h. In vitro release experiments showed that the LJP/SC/GE microcapsules could protect the viability of L. plantarum in SGF and release probiotics slowly in SIF. The cell survival of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules was significantly improved during the heat treatment compared to SC/GE microcapsules and free cells. LJP/SC/GE microcapsules can increase the survival of L. plantarum by maintaining the lactate dehydrogenase and Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Overall, this study demonstrates the great potential of LJP/SC/GE microcapsules to protect and deliver probiotics in food and pharmaceutical systems.

This study aimed to enhance the solubility and digestibility of macadamia protein isolate (MPI) for potential utilization in the food industry. The impact of dry- and moist-heat treatments at various temperatures (80, 90, and 100°C) and durations (15 and 30 min) on macadamia protein\'s microstructure, solubility, molecular weight, secondary and tertiary structure, thermal stability, and digestibility were investigated and evaluated. The heating degree was found to cause roughening of the MPI surface. The solubility of MPI after dry-heat treatment for 15 min at 100°C reached 290.96 ± 2.80% relative to that of untreated protein. Following heat treatment, the bands of protein macromolecules disappeared, while MPI was stretched by vibrations of free and hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl groups. Additionally, an increase in thermal stability was observed. After heat treatment, hydrophobic groups inside the protein are exposed. Heat treatment significantly improved the in vitro digestibility of MPI, reaching twice that of untreated protein. The results also demonstrated that dry- and moist-heat treatments have distinct impacts on MPI, while heating temperature and duration affect the degree of modification. With a decreased ordered structure and increased random coil content, the dry-heat treatment significantly enhanced the in vitro digestibility of MPI. The digestibility of MPI after dry-heat treatment for 30 min at 90°C increased by 77.82 ± 2.80% compared to untreated protein. Consequently, compared to moist-heat treatment, dry-heat treatment was more effective in modifying macadamia protein. Dry-heat treatment of 30 min at 90°C was determined as the optimal condition. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Heat treatment enhances MPI characteristics, potentially advancing macadamia-derived food production, including plant-based beverages and protein supplements.

This study focuses on enhancing the pozzolanic activity of bentonite through heat treatment to improve its compressive strength, while also considering its expansion properties for applications. Sodium bentonite was subjected to various temperatures and analyzed using thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The results indicated that at 100 °C, adsorbed and interlayer water in montmorillonite was lost, and constitution water was eliminated at 700 °C. With further temperature increases, montmorillonite decomposes into an amorphous phase at 900 °C. At 1100 °C, the amorphous phase recrystallized into magnesium-aluminum silicate, which further decomposed into cristobalite. The study concludes that bentonite heat-treated at 800-900 °C can be effectively used as an additive in mining backfill materials to enhance compressive strength while maintaining its expansion properties.

TC21 alloy is a high-strength titanium alloy that has been gaining attention in various industries for its excellent combination of strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Given that this alloy is hard to cut material, therefore this study aims to optimize the process parameters of Turing this alloy under different conditions (i.e. as-received alloy, and heat-treated alloy). The L9 Taguchi approach-base orthogonal array is used to determine the optimum cutting parameters and the least number of experimental trials required. The achievement of this target, three different cutting parameters are used in the experimental work; each cutting parameter has three levels. The cutting speeds are chosen as 120, 100, and 80 m/min. The feed rates\' values are 0.15, 0.1, and 0.05, mm/rev, and the depth of cut values are 0.6, 0.4, and 0.2 mm. After applying three steps of heat treatment (First step: is heating the sample to 920 °C for 1 h then decreasing to 820 °C also for 1 h, second step: cooling the sample to room temperature by water quenching (WQ), the third step: holding the sample at 600 °C for 4 h (Aging process)). The results revealed that the triple heat treatment led to the change in the microstructure from (α + β) to (α + β) with secondary α platelets (αs) formed in residual β matrix leading to a decreased surface roughness by 56.25% and tool wear by 24.18%. The two most critical factors that affect the tool insert wear and surface roughness are the death of cut and cutting speed, which contribute 46.6% and 46.7% of the total, respectively. Feed rate, on the other hand, has the least importance, contributing 20.2% and 31.9% respectively.

Taking austenitic stainless-steel bellows as the research object, a finite element model for the heat treatment of austenitic stainless-steel bellows was constructed based on ABAQUS CAE 2022. The physical properties of the bellows after the heat treatment were analyzed using experimental and simulated curve processing analysis methods. The changes in residual stress and deformation in relation to the bellows under different cooling times were explored, as well as the distribution of residual stress and deformation at a certain cooling time. The results show that as the cooling time of the heat treatment increases, the residual stress of the bellow decreases significantly, the reduction rate accelerates, and the degree of deformation gradually decreases. When the cooling time of the heat treatment is 900 s, the residual stress of the wave peak in the middle position of the bellow is relatively small, and the residual stress value of the wave valley along the axis direction does not change significantly. The deformation degree of the wave peak and valley axis direction is relatively uniform.