Residual stress measurement and lifetime evaluation of railway axles by neutron scattering technology

Hu, F.-F.*; Qin, T.-Y.*; Ao, N.*; 徐 平光; Su, Y. H.; Parker, J. D.*; 篠原 武尚; 菖蒲 敬久; Kang, G.-Z.*; Ren, M.-M.; et al.

Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, 25(2), p.75 - 93, 2025/04

https://dx.doi.org/10.19818/j.cnki.1671-1637.2025.02.005

https://transport.chd.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19818/j.cnki.1671-1637.2025.02.005

https://transport.chd.edu.cn/cn/article/doi/10.19818/j.cnki.1671-1637.2025.02.005

To accurately predict the remaining lifetime of surface-strengthened railway axles, a damage tolerance method considering three-dimensional (3D) residual stresses was proposed. By taking the induction-hardened carbon steel S38C axle as an example, two-dimensional (2D) distribution characterization of residual strain and 3D residual stress measurement were performed through comprehensive application of the neutron Bragg-edge transmission imaging and angle-dispersive neutron diffraction experiments. A numerical method was employed to implant the 3D residual stress into the axle model, and the remaining lifetime of the full-scale axle was studied by coupling the measured load spectrum, press-fit loads, and residual stresses. Experimental results shows that, both axial and hoop directions present a compressive residual strain gradient layer of about 3 mm, with a maximum compressive residual strain of up to -4500 in the surface layer, yet a maximum tensile strain of up to 1000 in the core. The maximum axial and hoop compressive stresses of the axle are about -500 MPa and -303 MPa respectively, while radial stresses overall fluctuate in the zero mean stress range. At depths beyond 4.5 mm from the surface layer, all three components are tensile stresses. The axle surface layer is subjected to compressive residual stresses, and crack propagation does not occur if the crack depth is less than 4.5 mm. Nevertheless, cracks propagate accelerates when the crack depth is greater than 4.5 mm. Different crack propagation depth thresholds lead to a larger calculated remaining lifetime for the residual stress-free condition than for the case where 3D residual stresses are taken into account. However, the axle remaining service mileage of the axle of 227000 Km under the most conservative conditions exceeds 3.5 non-destructive inspection (NDI) cycles, with a large safety margin. The experimental results can provide a scientific reference for the development and optimization of NDI cycles for surface-strengthened railway axles.

Strong low-energy rattling modes enabled liquid-like ultralow thermal conductivity in a well-ordered solid

Liu, P.-F.*; Li, X.*; Li, J.*; Zhu, J.*; Tong, Z.*; 古府 麻衣子*; 楡井 真実; Xu, J.*; Yin, W.*; Wang, F.*; et al.

National Science Review, 11(12), p.nwae216_1 - nwae216_10, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae216

Crystalline solids exhibiting inherently low lattice thermal conductivity () are of great importance in applications such as thermoelectrics and thermal barrier coatings. However, cannot be arbitrarily low and is limited by the minimum thermal conductivity related to phonon dispersions. In this work, we report the liquid-like thermal transport in a well-ordered crystalline CsAgTe, which exhibits an extremely low value of 0.18 WmK. On the basis of first-principles calculations and inelastic neutron scattering measurements, we find that there are lots of low-lying optical phonon modes at 3.1 meV hosting the avoided-crossing behavior with acoustic phonons. These strongly localized modes are accompanied by weakly bound rattling Ag atoms with thermally induced large amplitudes of vibrations. Using the two-channel model, we demonstrate that coupling of the particle-like phonon modes and the heat-carrying wave-like phonons is essential for understanding the low , which is heavily deviated from the temperature dependence of the standard Peierls theory. In addition, our analysis indicates that the soft structural framework with liquid-like motions of the fluctuating Ag atoms is the underlying cause that leads to the suppression of the heat conduction in CsAgTe. These factors synergistically account for the ultralow value. Our results demonstrate that the liquid-like heat transfer could indeed exist in a well-ordered crystal.

Gradient residual strain measurement procedure in surface impacted railway steel axles by using neutron scattering

Zhou, L.*; Zhang, H.*; Qin, T. Y.*; Hu, F. F.*; 徐 平光; Ao, N.*; Su, Y. H.; He, L. H.*; Li, X. H.*; Zhang, J. R.*; et al.

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 55(7), p.2175 - 2185, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-024-07352-5

High-speed railway S38C axles undergo surface induction hardening for durability, but are susceptible to fatigue cracks from foreign object impact. The neutron diffraction method was employed to measure the residual strain in S38C axles, obtaining microscopic lattice distortion data, for the gradient layer at a depth of 8 mm under the surface. The results showed that after induction-hardening, the microscopic lattice distortion had a gradient distribution, decreasing with the distance from the surface. However, in the case of impacting speed of 600 km/m, the average microscopic lattice distortion increased with the distance from the surface, reaching a maximum augmentation of 55 pct. These findings indicate a strong experimental basis, and improve our understanding of the relationship between macroscopic residual stress and decision-making, in regard to operation and maintenance.

Crystal-liquid duality driven ultralow two-channel thermal conductivity in -MgAgSb

Li, J.*; Li, X.*; Zhang, Y.*; Zhu, J.*; Zhao, E.*; 古府 麻衣子; 中島 健次; Avdeev, M.*; Liu, P.-F.*; Sui, J.*; et al.

Applied Physics Reviews (Internet), 11(1), p.011406_1 - 011406_8, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0173680

The desire for intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity () in thermoelectrics motivates numerous efforts on understanding the microscopic mechanisms of heat transport in solids. Here, based on theoretical calculations, we demonstrate that -MgAgSb hosts low-energy localized phonon bands and avoided crossing of the rattler modes, which coincides with the inelastic neutron scattering result. Using the two-channel lattice dynamical approach, we find, besides the conventional contribution (70% at 300 K) from particlelike phonons propagating, the coherence contribution dominated by the wavelike tunneling of phonons accounts for 30% of total at 300 K. By considering dual contributions, our calculated room-temperature of 0.64 WmK well agrees with the experimental value of 0.63 WmK. More importantly, our computations give a nonstandard dependence, perfectly explaining the abnormal temperature-trend of in experiment for -MgAgSb. By molecular dynamics simulation, we reveal that the structure simultaneously has soft crystalline sublattices with the metavalent bonding and fluctuating liquid-like sublattices with thermally induced large amplitude vibrations. These diverse forms of chemical bonding arouse mixed part-crystal part-liquid state, scatter strongly heat-carrying phonons, and finally produce extremely low . The fundamental research from this study will accelerate the design of ultralow- materials for energy-conversion applications.

Extreme phonon anharmonicity underpins superionic diffusion and ultralow thermal conductivity in argyrodite AgSnSe

Ren, Q.*; Gupta, M. K.*; Jin, M.*; Ding, J.*; Wu, J.*; Chen, Z.*; Lin, S.*; Fabelo, O.*; Rodriguez-Velamazan, J. A.*; 古府 麻衣子; et al.

Nature Materials, 22(8), p.999 - 1006, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-023-01560-x

Ultralow thermal conductivity and fast ionic diffusion endow superionic materials with excellent performance both as thermoelectric converters and as solid-state electrolytes. Yet the correlation and interdependence between these two features remain unclear owing to a limited understanding of their complex atomic dynamics. Here we investigate ionic diffusion and lattice dynamics in argyrodite AgSnSe using synchrotron X-ray and neutron scattering techniques along with machine-learned molecular dynamics. We identify a critical interplay of the vibrational dynamics of mobile Ag and a host framework that controls the overdamping of low-energy Ag-dominated phonons into a quasi-elastic response, enabling superionicity. Concomitantly, the persistence of long-wavelength transverse acoustic phonons across the superionic transition challenges a proposed 'liquid-like thermal conduction' picture. Rather, a striking thermal broadening of low-energy phonons, starting even below 50 K, reveals extreme phonon anharmonicity and weak bonding as underlying features of the potential energy surface responsible for the ultralow thermal conductivity ( 0.5 WmK) and fast diffusion. Our results provide fundamental insights into the complex atomic dynamics in superionic materials for energy conversion and storage.

decay of exotic P and S isotopes with neutron number near 28

Tripathi, V.*; Bhattacharya, S.*; Rubino, E.*; Benetti, C.*; Perello, J. F.*; Tabor, S. L.*; Liddick, S. N.*; Bender, P. C.*; Carpenter, M. P.*; Carroll, J. J.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 106(6), p.064314_1 - 064314_14, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.106.064314

ミシガン州立大学の国立超伝導サイクロトロン研究所にて、中性子過剰なリン、硫黄同位体を生成し、そこからのベータ崩壊半減期および娘核の励起準位を測定した。Pの崩壊によって得られるエネルギー準位から、この原子核の基底状態はあるいはであることが示唆された。中性子数が偶数の硫黄同位体からの崩壊様式を系統的に調べた結果、中性子数が増えるにつれてガモフテラー遷移強度の大きな準位の励起エネルギーが高くなることがわかった。これは、大規模殻模型計算によって予言されている現象に一致する。

Mass spectrum and strong decays of tetraquark states

Wang, G.-J.*; Meng, L.*; Xiao, L.-Y.*; 岡 眞; Zhu, S.-L.*

European Physical Journal C, 81(2), p.188_1 - 188_12, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-021-08978-0

クォーク模型を用いて、S波のテトラクォーク状態の質量を計算し、さらにチャネルへの崩壊幅の計算を行った。これらは、最近LHCbで報告されている状態の理解につながる。また、対応するの状態として、を予言した。この状態が実験的に見つかることで、この模型が実証されてインパクトが大きい。

Odd and even modes of neutron spin resonance in the bilayer iron-based superconductor CaKFeAs

Xie, T.*; Wei, Y.*; Gong, D.*; Fennell, T.*; Stuhr, U.*; 梶本 亮一; 池内 和彦*; Li, S.*; Hu, J.*; Luo, H.*

Physical Review Letters, 120(26), p.267003_1 - 267003_7, 2018/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.267003

We report an inelastic neutron scattering study on the spin resonance in the bilayer iron-based superconductor CaKFeAs. In contrast to its quasi-two-dimensional electron structure, three strongly -dependent modes of spin resonance are found below = 35 K. The mode energies are below and linearly scale with the total superconducting gaps summed on the nesting hole and electron pockets, essentially in agreement with the results in cuprate and heavy fermion superconductors. This observation supports the sign-reversed Cooper-pairing mechanism under multiple pairing channels and resolves the long-standing puzzles concerning the broadening and dispersive spin resonance peak in iron pnictides. More importantly, the triple resonant modes can be classified into odd and even symmetries with respect to the distance of Fe-Fe planes within the Fe-As bilayer unit. Thus, our results closely resemble those in the bilayer cuprates with nondegenerate spin excitations, suggesting that these two high- superconducting families share a common nature.

Second-order structural transition in (CaSr)RhSn

Cheung, Y. W.*; Hu, Y. J.*; Goh, S. K.*; 金子 耕士; 筒井 智嗣; Logg, P. W.*; Grosche, F. M.*; 金川 響*; 谷奥 泰明*; 今井 正樹*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 807(3), p.032002_1 - 032002_4, 2017/04

BB2016-0329.pdf:0.86MB

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/807/3/032002

(CaSr)RhSn is a member of the substitution series (CaSr)RhSn which has recently been argued to feature a structural quantum critical point at = 0.9. In the stoichiometric compound SrRhSn, the structural transition at 138 K has been shown to be a second-order phase transition. Moving towards xc, we examine the character of the structural transition in (CaSr)RhSn (i.e. = 0.5, 55 K) using electrical resistivity, heat capacity and X-ray scattering. The absence of the thermal hysteresis in specific heat around , and the continuous evolution of the superlattice reflection detected by X-ray diffraction are consistent with the scenario that the structural transition associated with a modulation vector = (0.5, 0.5, 0) in (CaSr)RhSn remains second-order on approaching the quantum critical point.

Carrier-mediated ferromagnetism in the magnetic topological insulator Cr-doped (Sb,Bi)Te

Ye, M.*; Li, W.*; Zhu, S.-Y.*; 竹田 幸治; 斎藤 祐児; Wang, J.*; Pan, H.*; Nurmamat, M.*; 角田 一樹*; Ji, F.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 6, p.8913_1 - 8913_7, 2015/11

AA2015-0647.pdf:0.64MB

https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9913

磁性元素を添加したトポロジカル絶縁体は、量子異常ホール効果や無散逸伝導などの魅力的な現象の発現が予言され、低消費電力スピンデバイスの開発につながっていくものと期待されている。既に、いくつかの磁性添加トポロジカル絶縁体で長距離磁気秩序が確認されている。しかし、量子異常ホール効果の発現は、極低温におけるCrを添加した(Sb,Bi)Te系に限られており、強磁性の微視的な起源はほとんど分かっていない。そこで、今回、X線磁気円二色性実験による元素選択的研究を行うことにより、本物質系の強磁性は、母体の正孔キャリアーを媒介としたものであり、Crの3d電子とSbやTeのp電子の相互作用が極めて重要であることを明らかにした。この結果は、異常量子ホール素子の実現に向けても重要である。