Der weltraumgestützte Gravitationswellendetektor LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) besteht aus drei identischen Satelliten an Bord derer sich jeweils zwei frei schwebende Testmassen befinden. Die Lage der einzelnen Testmassen in Bezug auf die zugehörige optische Bank muss mit einer Genauigkeit besser 1 pm/sqrt(Hz) in der Abstands- und besser 10 nrad/sqrt(Hz) in der Winkelmessung erfolgen. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein kompaktes optisches Auslesesystem präsentiert, welches als Prototyp für diese Abstands- und Winkelmetrologie dient. Das dafür entwickelte polarisierende Heterodyn-Interferometer mit räumlich getrennten Frequenzen basiert auf einem hoch-symmetrischen Design, bei dem zur optimalen Gleichtakt-Unterdrückung Mess- und Referenzarm die gleiche Polarisation und Frequenz sowie annähernd gleiche optische Pfade haben. Für die Winkelmessung wird die Methode der differentiellen Wellenfrontmessung eingesetzt. In einem ersten Prototyp-Aufbau wird ein Rauschniveau von weniger als 100 pm/sqrt(Hz) in der Translations- und von weniger als 100 nrad/sqrt(Hz) in der Winkelmessung (beides für Frequenzen oberhalb 0.1 Hz) demonstriert. In einem zweiten Prototyp-Aufbau werden zusätzlich eine Intensitätsstabilisierung und ein Phasenlock der beiden Frequenzen implementiert. Die analoge Phasenmessung ist durch eine digitale, FPGA basierte, ersetzt. Mit diesem Aufbau wird ein Rauschen kleiner 5 pm/sqrt(Hz) in der Translationsmessung und kleiner 10 nrad/sqrt(Hz) in der Winkelmessung, beides für Frequenzen größer 0.01 Hz, erreicht. Eine Rausch-Analyse wurde durchgeführt und die Nichtlinearitäten des Interferometers bestimmt. Das Interferometer wurde im Hinblick auf die LISA Mission entwickelt, findet seine Anwendung aber auch bei der Charakterisierung der dimensionalen Stabilität von ultra-stabilen Materialien sowie in der optischen Profilometrie. Die Adaptierung des Interferometers dazu sowie erste Resultate zu beiden Anwendungen werden in dieser Arbeit präsentiert. / The space-based gravitational wave detector LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) consists of three identical satellites. Each satellite accommodates two free-flying proof masses whose distance and tilt with respect to its corresponding optical bench must be measured with at least 1 pm/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity in translation and at least 10 nrad/sqrt(Hz) sensitivity in tilt measurement. In this thesis, a compact optical readout system is presented, which serves as a prototype for the LISA proof mass attitude metrology. We developed a polarizing heterodyne interferometer with spatially separated frequencies. For optimum common mode rejection, it is based on a highly symmetric design, where measurement and reference beam have the same frequency and polarization, and similar optical pathlengths. The method of differential wavefront sensing (DWS) is utilized for the tilt measurement. In a first prototype setup noise levels below 100 pm/sqrt(Hz) in translation and below 100 nrad/sqrt(Hz) in tilt measurement (both for frequencies above 0.1 Hz) are achieved. A second prototype was developed with additional intensity stabilization and phaselock of the two heterodyne frequencies. The analog phase measurement is replaced by a digital one, based on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). With this setup, noise levels below 5 pm/sqrt(Hz) in translation measurement and below 10 nrad/sqrt(Hz) in tilt measurement, both for frequencies above 0.01Hz, are demonstrated. A noise analysis was carried out and the nonlinearities of the interferometer were measured. The interferometer was developed for the LISA mission, but it also finds its application in characterizing the dimensional stability of ultra-stable materials such as carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and in optical profilometry. The adaptation of the interferometer and first results in both applications are presented in this work.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo dos processos de prensagem e sinterização do politetrafluoretileno (PTFE) com o objetivo principal de investigar a influência dos parâmetros desses processos na microestrutura e nas propriedades mecânicas do material após sinterização. O PTFE faz parte do grupo dos termoplásticos, mas assim como outros polímeros de alto peso molecular, apresenta elevada viscosidade no estado fundido que impede sua utilização em moldagem por injeção, e seu processamento é realizado por compactação a frio do pó polimérico seguida de sinterização. No processo de sinterização é aplicado um tratamento térmico acima da temperatura de fusão do material que é responsável por grandes deformações anisotrópicas que, por sua vez, são dependentes do histórico de carregamentos induzidos na fase de compactação. Com o objetivo de desenvolver modelos de comportamento termomecânicos para realizar simulações computacionais dessas etapas de fabricação, ensaios experimentais foram realizados para se investigar os diferentes mecanismos de evolução microestrutural e de deformações nas etapas de compactação e sinterização. O estudo experimental do processo de compactação compreendeu a realização de ensaios de compactação uniaxial (oedométrico), de compactação hidrostática em prensa isostática e ensaios triaxiais verdadeiros em um dispositivo original acoplado numa prensa triaxial com seis atuadores eletrohidráulicos. Através dos resultados obtidos dos ensaios de compactação foi possível identificar os parâmetros do modelo de Drucker-Prager/cap, disponível na biblioteca de leis de comportamento do programa de cálculo pelo método dos elementos finitos ABAQUSTM, que permitiu de simular numericamente alguns casos simples. O estudo experimental do processo de sinterização foi realizado com o auxílio de ensaios de termogravimetria (TGA), calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC) e ensaios de dilatometria em corpos-de-prova isótropos e anisótropos com diferentes índices de vazios. Através dos resultados obtidos destes ensaios foi possível identificar que a deformação global de sinterização é composta por uma deformação térmica reversível, uma deformação devido à mudança de fase cristalina em fase amorfa -ou vice-versa-, uma deformação devido ao fechamento dos vazios e uma deformação de recuperação. Este estudo foi realizado em dois tipos de materiais, sendo o PTFE puro e o PTFE reforçado com 5wt% de EkonolTM e 5wt% de fibras de carbono, respectivamente comercializados pelos nomes de TeflonTM 6407 e TeflonTM 6507. / The main objective of this work is to study the influence the process parameters on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of components manufactured by compaction at room temperature and sintering of polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). Similary to other High Molecular Weight Polymers and although it belongs to the group of thermoplastic polymers, since it cannot be processed in the melt state because its very high viscosity, PTFE, is powder processed -that consists in sintering compacted powder-. Sintering corresponds to a heat treatment up to temperatures higher than the melting temprature, inducing finite deformations that are generally anistropic and dependent on the mechanical loading the material has been submitted to during the pre-compaction at room temperature. In order to develop thermo-mechanical constitutive equations that could be used during predictive numerical simulations of the whole process, different tests have been performed to study the different mechanisms that are responsible for microstructural evolutions and deformations during compaction and sintering. The experimental study of the compaction has been performed via uniaxial (oedometric) compaction tests, hydrostatic compaction tests that were made with an isostatic hydraulic press and triaxial tests that were made with and original device installed on an electrohydraulic testing machine six actuators. A \"Drucker-Prager/cap\" type elasto-plastic model -as available in the constitutiveequations library of ABAQUSTM industrial finite element software- has been identified from the results of these tests, so that a few simple cases have been numerically simulated. The experimental study of the sintering process has been performed via Thermo-Gravimetric Analyses (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetric analyses (DSC) and dilatometry tests that were performed on isotropic or anisotropic specimens with different values of the porosity From the results of these tests it has been possible to decompose the sintering deformation into different mechanisms, viz. a reversible thermal expansion, a strain that is linked to the transition from the crystalline phase to the amorphous phase -or vice versa-, a pore closure strain and a recovery strain. This study has been performed on a powder made of pure PTFE and a powder of PTFE filed with 5wt% EkonolTM and 5wt% of carbon fibres, respectively available as TeflonTM 6407 and TeflonTM 6507.

No description available.

VILELA, Rivelino Cunha. Estudo de transições de fase em cristais de l-alanina + ácido oxálico. 2013. 113 f. Tese (Doutorado em Física) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Física, Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2013. / Submitted by Edvander Pires (edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2015-10-29T21:51:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_tese_rcvilela.pdf: 12577577 bytes, checksum: 4dc32419c1bbdde79375612c04227181 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Edvander Pires(edvanderpires@gmail.com) on 2015-11-03T19:48:22Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_tese_rcvilela.pdf: 12577577 bytes, checksum: 4dc32419c1bbdde79375612c04227181 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-03T19:48:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_tese_rcvilela.pdf: 12577577 bytes, checksum: 4dc32419c1bbdde79375612c04227181 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / In the present word we have studied the effect of temperature on the Raman spectra of crystals of L-alanine + oxalic acid, C3H8NO2+.C2HO4-. Raman spectroscopy measurements were performed on polycrystalline samples at different temperatures varying in the range from room temperature to T = 20 K; a tentative assignment of all normal modes was furnished. In order to help the understanding of the crystal behavior we have also obtained X-ray diffractograms and studied the dependence of lattice parameters through dilatometry as a function of temperature in the 290 K – 93 K range. The three different techniques allowed us to construct a picture of the material under low temperature conditions. As a consequence we have realized that L-alanine + oxalic acid crystal undergoes three phase transitions at low temperatures. The splitting of a band at 90 cm-1 and an anomaly in one of the lattice parameters are the signature for the first phase transition that is observed at 250 K. At 150 K it was observed the appearance of two new bands in the Raman spectrum and, simultaneously, it was observed change in the curves of a and c lattice parameters. Additionally, it was verified the appearance of new peaks in the X-ray diffractogram at the same temperature, characterizing the second phase transition. At a temperature even lower, at about 43 K, it was verified the occurrence of the third phase transition that has as main characteristic the splitting of two bands that are associated to the lattice modes. Changes in the modes associated with CH3 and NH3+ during the cooling is discussed. An important behavior of the crystal with the cooling process was the red shift of the band of lower frequency, similar to the soft-mode vibration of ferroelectric materials, although the frequency of the mode in L-alanine + oxalic acid does not goes to zero. Based on the results on Raman spectroscopy, dilatometry and X-ray diffraction, and on the possible symmetry sites occupied by the molecules through the O=CC group in the various phases, it is suggested the following sequence of phase transitions D24  C2h5  Cs3  C23, which should occur at 250 K, 150 K and 43 K. / Neste trabalho, estudou-se o efeito da temperatura nos espectros Raman de cristais de L-alanina + ácido oxálico, C3H8NO2+.C2HO4-. Foram realizadas medidas de espectroscopia Raman em policristais a diferentes temperaturas no intervalo compreendido entre a temperatura ambiente e a temperatura de 20 K, sendo fornecida uma identificação tentativa para todos os modos normais de vibração observados. Para auxiliar o entendimento do comportamento do cristal também foram obtidos os difratogramas de raios-X bem como estudada a dependência dos parâmetros de rede em função da temperatura através de dilatometria no intervalo entre 290 K e 93 K. As três técnicas utilizadas em conjunto permitiram mostrar o comportamento estrutural do material em baixas temperaturas. Deste quadro foi possível inferir que os cristais de L-alanina + ácido oxálico apresentam três diferentes transições de fase durante o resfriamento. Em 250 K o aparecimento de um dubleto em 90 cm-1 e a anomalia num dos parâmetros de rede apontam para a ocorrência da primeira transição de fase. Em 150 K surgem pelo menos duas novas bandas no espectro Raman, ao mesmo tempo em que ocorrem bruscas mudanças de inclinação nas curvas que representam as dimensões dos eixos a e c do cristal. Também se verifica que, de forma semelhante ao que ocorre com os espectros Raman, aparecem novos picos no difratograma de raios-X em torno desta temperatura, caracterizando assim a segunda transição de fase. A uma temperatura ainda mais baixa, em torno de 43 K, foi verificada a ocorrência da terceira transição de fase, que tem como principal característica a separação de dois modos Raman associados a modos da rede. Mudanças nos ambientes dos grupos CH3 e do NH3+ durante o resfriamento são discutidas. Um importante aspecto apresentado pelos espectros Raman com o resfriamento da amostra foi o deslocamento da banda de mais baixa energia para menores valores de frequências, semelhantemente ao que ocorre com vibrações do tipo soft-mode em materiais ferroelétricos, embora a frequência do modo no cristal de L-alanina + ácido oxálico não tenha ido à zero. Baseado nos resultados acima e nos possíveis sítios de simetria ocupados pelas moléculas através do grupo O=CC nas diversas fases, sugere-se a seguinte sequência de transições de fase D24 para C2h5 para Cs3 para C23, que aconteceriam, respectivamente, nas temperaturas de 250 K, 150 K e 43 K.

L'acier maraging inoxydable MLX17, développé et élaboré par Aubert & Duval, est une nuance candidate pour des applications dans le domaine de l’aéronautique. Cette nuance possède un fort potentiel en termes de résistance mécanique qui dépasse celle des autres nuances inoxydables. Cependant, elle s’avère sensible à la vitesse de refroidissement après revenu, qui influence directement la ténacité. La recherche des origines scientifiques de la dégradation de la ténacité lorsque la vitesse de refroidissement après revenu diminue (refroidissement à l'air par rapport à un refroidissement à l'eau) constitue l’objectif majeur de cette thèse. Un suivi des modifications microstructurales de la nuance, selon différentes conditions de revenu a été réalisé. Une démarche intégrant différentes échelles d'observation (de l’échelle macroscopique jusqu'à l'échelle atomique) s’est imposée au vu de la complexité de la microstructure. Parallèlement, l’étude des propriétés mécaniques en traction et en résistance à la propagation brutale de fissure a été menée afin de s’attacher en permanence à corréler le comportement mécanique à l’évolution microstructurale observée pour les différentes conditions de revenu. Les analyses par dilatométrie et par sonde atomique tomographique ont permis de mettre en évidence la formation d’un complément de précipitation, à l'origine de la dégradation de la ténacité. Pour permettre une meilleure maîtrise du complément de précipitation et le rendre moins fragilisant, une modification des conditions de revenu a été proposée. Cette alternative a permis d'obtenir une amélioration du compromis résistance/ténacité. / The stainless maraging steel MLX17, produced and developed by Aubert & Duval, is a candidate for applications in the field of the aeronautics. This steel possesses a high potential in term of mechanical resistance that exceeds that of the other stainless steels. However, the fracture toughness of this grade proves to be sensitive to the cooling rate after aging, resulting of a dispersal of this property. The research of the scientific origins of the degradation of the fracture toughness by a decrease of the cooling rate (air cooling in comparison to water cooling) is the main objective of this thesis. The microstructure was observed for several aging conditions. An approach using various scales (from micrometric to atomic scale) was necessary because of the complexity of the microstructure. In parallel, the study of tensile mechanical properties and resistance to propagation of cracks was led. The aim was to correlate the mechanical behavior to the microstructural evolution observed for the aging conditions investigated. Microstructural analyses by dilatometry and atomic tomography probe have shown the formation of a complementary precipitation of the hardening phase, responsible of the fracture toughness deterioration. In order to have a better control of this additional precipitation and to make it less fragile, a modification of the aging conditions was proposed. This alternative enabled an improvement of the trade-offs between the high strength and the fracture toughness.

Les aciers bainitiques sont utilisés industriellement pour leur bon compromis entre résistance, ductilité et ténacité. Cependant, après obtention de sa microstructure d'emploi, l’acier peut subir des maintiens additionnels en température (soit en fin de fabrication et/ou lors de son utilisation), susceptibles de dégrader ses propriétés. Ces travaux de thèse cherchent à comprendre les origines microstructurales de cette dégradation. Pour ce faire, des traitements thermiques contrôlés ont été appliqués à des aciers de nuances modèles FeNiC et FeNiMnC. Une première série de traitements a permis de fabriquer des microstructures bainitiques supérieure, inférieure, martensitique et mixtes. Ces produits de transformation bruts ont été caractérisés et analysés en détail, en particulier par EBSD en résolution angulaire améliorée. Les données ont été exploitées pour reconstruire les ex-grains austénitiques et distinguer les différents produits de transformation par l'organisation spatiale de leurs variants cristallographiques. Une deuxième série de traitements a consisté à soumettre ces microstructures à des maintiens isothermes prolongés. Nous avons montré que ces microstructures bainitiques en lattes ne sont pas stables dans certaines conditions ultérieures de maintien isotherme. Dans les cas les plus sévères, nous avons observé un processus de « granularisation » de la microstructure en lattes avec disparition des variants fortement désorientés et une maturation des carbures. Ces phénomènes sont observés sur nos alliages modèles y compris sur des temps courts (<1h) à basses températures (300°C). Ces évolutions ainsi que leurs cinétiques ont été investiguées à différentes échelles en couplant des observations en MEB, EBSD, MET et aussi in situ par DRX Haute Energie sur grands instruments. La composition chimique et la microstructure initiale affectent sensiblement les cinétiques. Mais nous avons surtout pointé le rôle majeur de la présence (même résiduelle) de bainite dite supérieure dans la microstructure initiale pour amorcer le processus de granularisation, indépendamment de la température de dénaturation. L’ensemble des résultats permet de discuter les possibles mécanismes sous-jacents et leurs forces motrices et ouvre une discussion plus large sur la classification des bainites / Bainitic steels are widely used in industry thanks to their good combinations of strength, toughness and ductility. Meanwhile, after obtaining the targeted microstructure, the steel can undergo additional isothermal holdings (either during manufacturing and/or during usage) prone to degrade its properties. The thesis work aims at understanding the microstructural origins of this degradation. To achieve this, we applied controlled heat treatments on model FeNiC and FeNiMnC steel grades. A first set of heat treatments allowed us to obtain different microstructures; upper and lower bainites, martensite and mixed concepts. These transformation products were characterized and analyzed in detail, particularly by EBSD with improved angular resolution. Data was operated to reconstruct prior austenitic grains and to distinguish the different transformation products according to their crystallographic variant spatial organization. A second set of heat treatments consisted in aging these microstructures by extended isothermal holdings. We show that lath-like bainitic microstructures are not stable under certain isothermal conditions. In the most advanced cases, we observed a « granularization » process of the lath microstructure, associated with high misoriented variant disappearance and carbides ripening. These phenomena were observed for the studied model alloys, even within short holding times (<1h) and at low temperatures (300°C). These highlighted evolutions as well as their kinetics were investigated at different scales, coupling SEM observations, EBSD, TEM and in situ XRD High Energy on large instruments. The initial microstructure and the steel chemical composition affect significantly the « granularization » kinetics. But we have above all put the light on the major role of the presence of an upper bainite fraction (even a residual one) in the initial microstructure, to start the granularization phenomenon, independently of aging temperature. All of these results allow discussing possible mechanisms with their respective driving forces and opening larger discussion about bainite classification

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Neste trabalho, estudou-se o efeito da temperatura nos espectros Raman de cristais de L-alanina + Ãcido oxÃlico, C3H8NO2+.C2HO4-. Foram realizadas medidas de espectroscopia Raman em policristais a diferentes temperaturas no intervalo compreendido entre a temperatura ambiente e a temperatura de 20 K, sendo fornecida uma identificaÃÃo tentativa para todos os modos normais de vibraÃÃo observados. Para auxiliar o entendimento do comportamento do cristal tambÃm foram obtidos os difratogramas de raios-X bem como estudada a dependÃncia dos parÃmetros de rede em funÃÃo da temperatura atravÃs de dilatometria no intervalo entre 290 K e 93 K. As trÃs tÃcnicas utilizadas em conjunto permitiram mostrar o comportamento estrutural do material em baixas temperaturas. Deste quadro foi possÃvel inferir que os cristais de L-alanina + Ãcido oxÃlico apresentam trÃs diferentes transiÃÃes de fase durante o resfriamento. Em 250 K o aparecimento de um dubleto em 90 cm-1 e a anomalia num dos parÃmetros de rede apontam para a ocorrÃncia da primeira transiÃÃo de fase. Em 150 K surgem pelo menos duas novas bandas no espectro Raman, ao mesmo tempo em que ocorrem bruscas mudanÃas de inclinaÃÃo nas curvas que representam as dimensÃes dos eixos a e c do cristal. TambÃm se verifica que, de forma semelhante ao que ocorre com os espectros Raman, aparecem novos picos no difratograma de raios-X em torno desta temperatura, caracterizando assim a segunda transiÃÃo de fase. A uma temperatura ainda mais baixa, em torno de 43 K, foi verificada a ocorrÃncia da terceira transiÃÃo de fase, que tem como principal caracterÃstica a separaÃÃo de dois modos Raman associados a modos da rede. MudanÃas nos ambientes dos grupos CH3 e do NH3+ durante o resfriamento sÃo discutidas. Um importante aspecto apresentado pelos espectros Raman com o resfriamento da amostra foi o deslocamento da banda de mais baixa energia para menores valores de frequÃncias, semelhantemente ao que ocorre com vibraÃÃes do tipo soft-mode em materiais ferroelÃtricos, embora a frequÃncia do modo no cristal de L-alanina + Ãcido oxÃlico nÃo tenha ido à zero. Baseado nos resultados acima e nos possÃveis sÃtios de simetria ocupados pelas molÃculas atravÃs do grupo O=CC nas diversas fases, sugere-se a seguinte sequÃncia de transiÃÃes de fase D24 para C2h5 para Cs3 para C23, que aconteceriam, respectivamente, nas temperaturas de 250 K, 150 K e 43 K. / In the present word we have studied the effect of temperature on the Raman spectra of crystals of L-alanine + oxalic acid, C3H8NO2+.C2HO4-. Raman spectroscopy measurements were performed on polycrystalline samples at different temperatures varying in the range from room temperature to T = 20 K; a tentative assignment of all normal modes was furnished. In order to help the understanding of the crystal behavior we have also obtained X-ray diffractograms and studied the dependence of lattice parameters through dilatometry as a function of temperature in the 290 K â 93 K range. The three different techniques allowed us to construct a picture of the material under low temperature conditions. As a consequence we have realized that L-alanine + oxalic acid crystal undergoes three phase transitions at low temperatures. The splitting of a band at 90 cm-1 and an anomaly in one of the lattice parameters are the signature for the first phase transition that is observed at 250 K. At 150 K it was observed the appearance of two new bands in the Raman spectrum and, simultaneously, it was observed change in the curves of a and c lattice parameters. Additionally, it was verified the appearance of new peaks in the X-ray diffractogram at the same temperature, characterizing the second phase transition. At a temperature even lower, at about 43 K, it was verified the occurrence of the third phase transition that has as main characteristic the splitting of two bands that are associated to the lattice modes. Changes in the modes associated with CH3 and NH3+ during the cooling is discussed. An important behavior of the crystal with the cooling process was the red shift of the band of lower frequency, similar to the soft-mode vibration of ferroelectric materials, although the frequency of the mode in L-alanine + oxalic acid does not goes to zero. Based on the results on Raman spectroscopy, dilatometry and X-ray diffraction, and on the possible symmetry sites occupied by the molecules through the O=CC group in the various phases, it is suggested the following sequence of phase transitions D24 &#61664; C2h5 &#61664; Cs3 &#61664; C23, which should occur at 250 K, 150 K and 43 K.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo dos processos de prensagem e sinterização do politetrafluoretileno (PTFE) com o objetivo principal de investigar a influência dos parâmetros desses processos na microestrutura e nas propriedades mecânicas do material após sinterização. O PTFE faz parte do grupo dos termoplásticos, mas assim como outros polímeros de alto peso molecular, apresenta elevada viscosidade no estado fundido que impede sua utilização em moldagem por injeção, e seu processamento é realizado por compactação a frio do pó polimérico seguida de sinterização. No processo de sinterização é aplicado um tratamento térmico acima da temperatura de fusão do material que é responsável por grandes deformações anisotrópicas que, por sua vez, são dependentes do histórico de carregamentos induzidos na fase de compactação. Com o objetivo de desenvolver modelos de comportamento termomecânicos para realizar simulações computacionais dessas etapas de fabricação, ensaios experimentais foram realizados para se investigar os diferentes mecanismos de evolução microestrutural e de deformações nas etapas de compactação e sinterização. O estudo experimental do processo de compactação compreendeu a realização de ensaios de compactação uniaxial (oedométrico), de compactação hidrostática em prensa isostática e ensaios triaxiais verdadeiros em um dispositivo original acoplado numa prensa triaxial com seis atuadores eletrohidráulicos. Através dos resultados obtidos dos ensaios de compactação foi possível identificar os parâmetros do modelo de Drucker-Prager/cap, disponível na biblioteca de leis de comportamento do programa de cálculo pelo método dos elementos finitos ABAQUSTM, que permitiu de simular numericamente alguns casos simples. O estudo experimental do processo de sinterização foi realizado com o auxílio de ensaios de termogravimetria (TGA), calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC) e ensaios de dilatometria em corpos-de-prova isótropos e anisótropos com diferentes índices de vazios. Através dos resultados obtidos destes ensaios foi possível identificar que a deformação global de sinterização é composta por uma deformação térmica reversível, uma deformação devido à mudança de fase cristalina em fase amorfa -ou vice-versa-, uma deformação devido ao fechamento dos vazios e uma deformação de recuperação. Este estudo foi realizado em dois tipos de materiais, sendo o PTFE puro e o PTFE reforçado com 5wt% de EkonolTM e 5wt% de fibras de carbono, respectivamente comercializados pelos nomes de TeflonTM 6407 e TeflonTM 6507. / The main objective of this work is to study the influence the process parameters on the microstructure and the mechanical properties of components manufactured by compaction at room temperature and sintering of polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). Similary to other High Molecular Weight Polymers and although it belongs to the group of thermoplastic polymers, since it cannot be processed in the melt state because its very high viscosity, PTFE, is powder processed -that consists in sintering compacted powder-. Sintering corresponds to a heat treatment up to temperatures higher than the melting temprature, inducing finite deformations that are generally anistropic and dependent on the mechanical loading the material has been submitted to during the pre-compaction at room temperature. In order to develop thermo-mechanical constitutive equations that could be used during predictive numerical simulations of the whole process, different tests have been performed to study the different mechanisms that are responsible for microstructural evolutions and deformations during compaction and sintering. The experimental study of the compaction has been performed via uniaxial (oedometric) compaction tests, hydrostatic compaction tests that were made with an isostatic hydraulic press and triaxial tests that were made with and original device installed on an electrohydraulic testing machine six actuators. A \"Drucker-Prager/cap\" type elasto-plastic model -as available in the constitutiveequations library of ABAQUSTM industrial finite element software- has been identified from the results of these tests, so that a few simple cases have been numerically simulated. The experimental study of the sintering process has been performed via Thermo-Gravimetric Analyses (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetric analyses (DSC) and dilatometry tests that were performed on isotropic or anisotropic specimens with different values of the porosity From the results of these tests it has been possible to decompose the sintering deformation into different mechanisms, viz. a reversible thermal expansion, a strain that is linked to the transition from the crystalline phase to the amorphous phase -or vice versa-, a pore closure strain and a recovery strain. This study has been performed on a powder made of pure PTFE and a powder of PTFE filed with 5wt% EkonolTM and 5wt% of carbon fibres, respectively available as TeflonTM 6407 and TeflonTM 6507.

As mudanças microestruturais, causadas pela adição de elementos de liga e pelos tratamentos térmicos, modificam as propriedades mecânicas e tribológicas dos materiais. Foi desenvolvido então um estudo em amostras de um ferro fundido branco de alto cromo com molidbênio e nióbio, procurando determinar os efeitos dos elementos de liga molibdênio e nióbio, na microestrutura deste material, através de medidas de dureza, dilatometria, ataque químico, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e,principalmente, a utilização de metalografia em altas temperaturas. A técnica de metalografia em altas temperaturas permite o estudo das mudanças microestruturais durante os ciclos térmicos, que foram programados, tendo como referência a curva TTT previamente traçada para este material, focalizando regiões onde não ocorrem mudanças de fase. Deste modo foram obtidas as aparências metalográficas em altas temperaturas e feito um estudo comparativo com as outras técnicas usadas. Com isto é possível melhorar o conhecimento sobre a microestrutura do material em questão e obter ligas com propriedades pré-determinadas. / The microstructural changes caused by the addition of alloying elements and by thermal treatments modify the mechanical and tribological properties of the materials. A study was develop on samples of molybdenum and niobium high chromium white cast iron, trying to determine the effects of molybdenum and niobium alloys elements on microstructure of this material through hardness measurements, dilatometry, chemical etching, scanning electron microscopy, and mainly, utilizing metallography at high temperatures. The metallography at high temperatures technic allows the study of microstructural changes during the thermal cyc1es, which were scheduled, having as reference the TTT curve previously traced to this material, focusing regions where changes of fase don\'t occur. So the metallographic appearances at high temperatures were obtained and it was done a comparative study using other technics. Because of that is possible to improve the knowledge of the material microstructure, which it has been studied, and to obtain alloys with predetermined properties.

In the present dissertation the formation of microstructure, the kinetics of densification and the formation of surface layers developing during liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide are studied. The focus is on the additive systems Al2O3 plus Y2O3 and AlN plus Y2O3. Phase and especially liquid phase formation in both of the systems SiC, Al2O3 , Y2O3 and AlN, Al2O3 , Y2O3 are investigated in detail examining 12 espectively 17 different compositions per system. Melting temperatures have been determined by TG/DTA, in both systems for the first time. Phase composition of samples was analysed by the combination of XRD, SEM and EDX. In the system SiC, Al2O3 , Y2O3 the formation of the phases expected from the quasibinary Al2O3 , Y2O3 could be observed thus silicon carbide has to be in equilibrium with the oxide additives. The low solubility of SiC in the oxide melt, which was suggested by Hoffmann and Nader, could be confirmed. In the system AlN, Al2O3 , Y2O3 the formation of phases as stated by Medraj was confirmed, except for the dimension of the stability region of the γ- spinel and YAG which is wider in the present work. For the first time diffusion coefficients of the species Y3+ and Al3+ in the oxide melt formed by Al2O3 and Y2O3 at temperatures above 1825 ◦ C were determined. The values are in the order of 2 · 10−6 cm2 /s which results in a diffusion length of 14.1 μm for a diffusion time of one second. This allows the fast equilibration of Y and Al deficiencies. Kinetics of densification was modeled by kinetic field, master curve and thermokinetic method, based on detailed experimental investigation of the shrinkage during liquid phase sintering of SiC. It could be proved that the first 30 − 40 % of densification are controlled by solid phase reactions which accelerate particle rearrangement without presence of a liquid phase. During the remaining 60 − 70 % of densification a liquid is present, resulting in the predominance of mechanisms of liquid phase sintering. The models deliver activation energies in the range from 608 KJ/mol to 1668 kJ/mol and allow, within the scope of validity of each method the prediction of densification during liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide. When sintering silicon carbide with Al2O3 plus Y2O3 the formation of several surface layers, depending on atmosphere, maximum temperature, dwelling time and amount and composition of additives was observed. In nitrogen atmosphere with low partial pressures a surface layer consisting of AlN is forming whilst at high partial pressures SiAlON- polytypes occur. After sintering in Argon or Ar-CO- atmosphere three main types of surface layers are present. One consists of alumina, one contains only YAG and one shows highly porous, additive depleted regions. An explanation for the formation of the several surface layers could be given by the combination of the determined diffusion coefficients with the results achieved in the thermodynamics part. The results achieved in this work can be a contribution to the knowledge based design of the production process of liquid phase sintering of silicon carbide.