Application of Instrumented Indentation Procedure in Assessing the Low-Cycle Fatigue Properties of Selected Heat-Treated Steels.

The paper presents an analysis of the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of C45, X20Cr13, and 34CrNiMo6 steels subjected to various heat treatment processes. Strain-controlled LCF tests were carried out with a total cyclic strain amplitude equal to 0.5, 1 and 1.

Sensitivity Analysis of Single- and Bimetallic Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors.

Comparative analysis of the sensitivity of two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors was conducted on a single-metallic Au sensor and bimetallic Ag-Au sensor, using a cathepsin S sensor as an example. Numerically modeled resonance curves of Au and Ag-Au layers, with parameters verified by the results of experimental reflectance measurement of real-life systems, were used for the analysis of these sensors. Mutual relationships were determined between ∂Y/∂n components of sensitivity of the Y signal in the SPR measurement to change the refractive index n of the near-surface sensing layer and ∂n/∂c sensitivity of refractive index n to change the analyte's concentration, c, for both types of sensors.

Determination of Surface Stresses in X20Cr13 Steel by the Use of a Modified Hardness Measurement Procedure with Vickers Indenter.

The paper presents a method for estimating the value of equibiaxial stress in a surface layer of a material by using a modified hardness measurement procedure with a Vickers indenter. A certain characteristic parameter was defined and related to the surface stress. A hybrid approach, based on experimental tests and accompanied by the complementary results obtained by the finite element modelling of X20Cr13 steel in elastic-plastic range, confirmed a linear relationship between the value of the characteristic parameter and the magnitude of equibiaxial stress at the surface.