Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) stacks require elastomeric gaskets for each cell to keep the reactant gases within their respective regions[1]. If any gasket degrades or fails, the reactant gases can leak or mix with each other directly during operation or standby, affecting the overall operation and performance of the FC. The elastomeric gaskets used as FC seals are exposed to a range of environmental conditions, and concurrently, subjected to mechanical compression between the bipolar plates forming the cell. The combination of mechanical stress and environmental exposure may result in degradation of the seal material[2] over a period of time. In order to address the durability and make reliability predictions, the long-term stability of the gaskets in FC assemblies is critical. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of elastomeric seals in a simulated FC environment in the presence of mechanical stresses. The overall scope of the study includes mechanical and viscoelastic properties characterization, and lifetime durability predictions based on an accelerated characterization approach. With the help of finite element analysis software, ABAQUS, a fixture was designed to perform strain-based accelerated characterization of seal material in air, deionized (DI) water, 50v/50v ethylene glycol/water solution, and 0.1M sulfuric acid solution. Dogbone samples were strained to different levels in the custom fixture and submerged in liquid solutions at 90°C and in air at 90°C and 120°C. It was observed that mechanical properties such as tensile strength, strain to break, 100% modulus, crosslink density, and tensile set degrade due to aging and the extent of change (increase or decrease) depends significantly on the strain level on the specimen. Trouser tear tests were conducted on reinforced specimens in air and deionized water (DI) to evaluate the tear resistance of an elastomeric seal material intended for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Plots relating the crack growth rate with tearing energy were obtained at various temperatures and provided significant insight into the rate and temperature dependence of the tearing strength of the seal material. Stick-slip crack propagation was observed at all temperatures and loading rates, although the behavior was suppressed significantly at low loading rates and high temperatures. Crack growth rate versus tearing energy data at different temperatures was shifted to construct a master curve and an estimate on the threshold value of tear energy was obtained which may be helpful in designing components where material tear is of concern. Strain energy release rate (SERR) value, calculated using the J-integral approach for a pre-existing crack in ABAQUS, was used to estimate the crack growth rate in a given seal cross-section to predict lifetime. In order to assess the viscoelastic behavior and to investigate the long term stress relaxation behavior of the seal material, compression stress relaxation (CSR) tests were performed on molded seals, called as SMORS, over a range of environmental conditions using a custom-designed fixture. The effect of temperature and environment was evident on material property changes and presented in terms of momentary properties and stress relaxation behavior. Various mechanisms involved in material degradation, chain scission and crosslinking, were suggested and insights were gained into how cure state and level of antidegradants in a material dictate the material behavior during the first phase of environmental exposure leading to change in material properties. Ring samples made of silicone were also tested using the fixture to obtain insight additional into material degradation due to aging. Results presented from testing on SMORS showed a lot more variation in data as compared to neat silicone rings due to the complexity involved in making SMORS. For understanding the deformation behavior of an elastomeric seal and its sealing performance, finite element characterization of seal cross-section was carried out on O-ring and SMORS cross-section. The effect of a seal's layout on distribution and magnitude of contact stresses and contact width was investigated for the O-ring and the information obtained thereby helped to analyze a complex assembly such as SMORS, where several interfaces and boundary conditions are involved. Stress/strain profiles were generated to visualize their concentration and distribution in the seal cross-section. Frictionless and rough interfacial conditions between seal material and platens were assumed and it was found that its effect on contact width and peak contact pressure was insignificant. Results obtained from FEA on SMORS were validated through comparison with contact mechanics approach and experimental data and it was found that Lindley's equation correlates well with experimental data whereas ABAQUS overestimates the load values at a given compression. Lindley's approach may be used to develop contact pressure profiles that may help estimate peak contact pressure at a given time so leaking can be avoided. / Ph. D.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T20:43:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Natany Dayani de Souza Assai.pdf: 1950917 bytes, checksum: a6c8b87bcaabbbdbf5ca798360a90bcc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08-27 / The residual stress may decrease and redistribute through a process called relaxation. The relaxation of the residual stress is an important phenomenon in relation to the estimated fatigue resistance of the material and can occur due to static mechanical loading, thermal, cyclical and extension fatigue effects. Residual stresses are usually harmful for overlapping the operating voltage, while the fatigue resistance of metals and alloys can be improved by compressive residual stresses present in the surface layer by means of shot peening surface. The fatigue life with the compressive residual stress field caused by shot peening or sophisticated models for modeling voltage field Compressive Residual (CTRC) usually does not take into account the possibility of this change during the cyclic loading, ie , place the relaxation process, which also changes the fatigue life. This study aimed to obtain the residual stress profile relaxation by cyclic loading on aluminum alloy samples 7050- T7541 with shot peening glass and ceramics subjected to axial fatigue test. The technique for determining the residual stress was the X-ray diffraction for measuring accurately the redistribution of residual stresses along the depth of fatigue produced by the process. The removal of layers of material was performed by electrolytic attack. Hereby, it was possible to establish the relationship between the maximum stress and number of cycles in relation to the greater or lesser relaxation test specimens in different regimes of cyclic peening conditions with spherical glass and ceramics in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The results showed that the samples with the longitudinal direction shot peening redistribution showed higher compressive residual stresses in the transverse direction along the depth. For the samples of shot peening ceramic was virtually no relaxation on the surface only in depth when compared to the original profile, samples of ceramic shot peening obtained relaxation in remote locations of the surface, due to the influence of roughness. The redistribution of stresses for samples of shot peening glass were higher than those with shot peening ceramic along the depth in all cyclic regimens studied in the L and T directions. The residual stress relaxation occurred in both directions did not compromise beneficial effect of shot peening increase the fatigue life thereof, in relation to the base material. / As tensões residuais podem diminuir e se redistribuir por meio de um processo chamado relaxação. A relaxação das tensões residuais é um fenômeno importante no que se refere à previsão da resistência à fadiga dos materiais e pode ocorrer devido a carga mecânica estática, térmica, cíclica como efeitos de extensão da fadiga. As tensões residuais geralmente são prejudiciais por se sobreporem às tensões de serviço, enquanto a resistência à fadiga dos metais e ligas pode ser melhorada por tensões residuais compressivas presentes nas camadas superficiais por meio do tratamento de superfície de shot peening. A vida em fadiga com o campo de tensão residual compressiva originada pelo shot peening ou modelos sofisticados para a modelagem do Campo de Tensão Residual Compressivo (CTRC), geralmente não leva em consideração, a possibilidade deste alterar-se durante o carregamento cíclico, ou seja, ocorrer o processo de relaxação, que também altera a vida em fadiga. Este trabalho teve como objetivo obter o perfil de tensão residual de relaxação por carregamento cíclico em amostras de liga de alumínio 7050- T7541 com shot peening de vidro e cerâmica submetidas a ensaio de fadiga axial. A técnica para determinação das tensões residuais foi a difração de raios X que permite medir com precisão a redistribuição de tensões residuais ao longo da profundidade produzidas pelo processo de fadiga. A remoção das camadas de material foi realizada por ataque eletrolítico. Por meio deste, foi possível constatar a relação entre a tensão máxima e quantidade de ciclos no que se refere à maior ou menor relaxação de corpos de prova em diferentes regimes cíclicos nas condições de shot peening com esfera de vidro e cerâmica nas direções longitudinal e transversal à laminação.Os resultados mostraram que as amostras com shot peening na direção longitudinal apresentaram redistribuição de tensões residuais compressivas maiores que no sentido transversal ao longo da profundidade. Para os corpos de prova de shot peening de cerâmica praticamente não houve relaxação na superfície apenas na profundidade quando comparado ao perfil original, as amostras de shot peening de cerâmica obtiveram a relaxação em posições mais afastadas da superfície, devido a influência da rugosidade. A redistribuição de tensões para as amostras de shot peening de vidro foram superiores em relação aquelas com shot peening de cerâmica ao longo da profundidade em todos os regimes cíclicos estudados nas direções L e T. A relaxação de tensão residual ocorrida em ambas direções não comprometeu o efeito benéfico do shot peening no aumento da vida em fadiga das mesmas em relação ao material base.

De récentes analyses statistiques de données satellitales et de bouées dérivantes ont révélé le caractère hautement hétérogène et intermittent de la déformation de la banquise Arctique, démontrant de ce fait que le schéma rhéologique visco-plastique utilisé traditionnellement en modélisation climatique et opérationnelle ne simule pas adéquatement le comportement dynamique des glaces ainsi que les efforts mécaniques en leur sein.Un cadre rhéologique alternatif, baptisé "Maxwell-Élasto-Fragile" (Maxwell-EB) est donc développé dans le but de reproduire correctement la dérive et la déformation des glaces dans les modèles continus de la banquise à l'échelle régionale et globale. Le modèle se base en partie sur un cade de modélisation élasto-fragile utilisé pour les roches et la glace. Un terme de relaxation visqueuse est ajouté à la relation constitutive d'élasticité linéaire ainsi qu'une viscosité effective, ou "apparente", laquelle évolue en fonction du niveau d'endommagement local du matériel simulé, comme son module d'élasticité. Ce cadre rhéologique permet la dissipation partielle des contraintes internes par le biais de déformations permanentes, possiblement grandes, le long de failles (ou "leads") lorsque le matériel est fortement endommagé ainsi que la conservation de la mémoire des contraintes associées aux déformations élastiques dans les zones où le matériel reste relativement peu endommagé.The schéma numérique du modèle Maxwell-EB est basé sur des méthodes de calcul variationnel et par éléments finis. Une représentation Eulérienne des équations du mouvement est utilisée et des méthodes dites Galerkin discontinues sont implémentées pour le traitement des processus d'advection.Une première série de simulations idéalisées et sans advection est présentée, lesquelles démontrent que la rhéologie Maxwell-Élasto-Fragile reproduit les caractéristiques principales du comportement mécanique de la banquise, c'est-à-dire la localisation spatiale, l'anisotropie et l'intermittence de la déformation ainsi que les lois d'échelle qui en découlent. La représentation adéquate de ces propriétés de la déformation se traduit par la présence de très forts gradients au sein des champs de contrainte, de déformation et du niveau d'endommagement simulés par le modèle. Des tests visant à évaluer la diffusion numérique découlant de l'advection de ces gradients extrêmes ainsi qu'à identifier certaines contraintes numériques du modèle sont ensuite présentés. De premières simulations en grandes déformations, incluant les processus d'advection, sont réalisées, lesquelles permettent une comparaison aux résultats d'une expérience de Couette annulaire sur de la glace fabriquée en laboratoire. Le modèle reproduit en partie le comportement mécanique observé. Par ailleurs, les différences entre les résultats des simulations et ceux obtenus en laboratoire permettent d'identifier certaines limitations, numériques et physiques, du modèle en grandes déformations. Finalement, le modèle rhéologique est utilisé pour modéliser la dérive et la déformation des glaces à l'échelle de la banquise Arctique. Des simulations idéalisées de l'écoulement de glace dans un chenal étroit sont présentées. Le modèle simule une propagation localisée de l'endommagement, définissant des failles en forme d'arche, et la formation de ponts de glace stables. / In recent years, analyses of available ice buoy and satellite data have revealed the strong heterogeneity and intermittency of the deformation of sea ice and have demonstrated that the viscous-plastic rheology widely used in current climate models and operational modelling platforms does not simulate adequately the drift, deformation and mechanical stresses within the ice pack.A new alternative rheological framework named ''Maxwell-Elasto-Brittle” (Maxwell-EB) is therefore developed in the view of reproducing more accurately the drift and deformation of the ice cover in continuum sea ice models at regional to global scales. The model builds on an elasto-brittle framework used for ice and rocks. A viscous-like relaxation term is added to a linear-elastic constitutive relationship together with an effective viscosity that evolves with the local level of damage of the material, like its elastic modulus. This framework allows for part of the internal stress to dissipate in large, permanent deformations along the faults/leads once the material is highly damaged while retaining the memory of small, elastic deformations over undamaged areas. A healing mechanism is also introduced, counterbalancing the effects of damaging over large time scales.The numerical scheme for the Maxwell-EB model is based on finite elements and variational methods. The equations of motion are cast in the Eulerian frame and discontinuous Galerkin methods are implemented to handle advective processes.Idealized simulations without advection are first presented. These demonstrate that the Maxwell-EB rheological framework reproduces the main characteristics of sea ice mechanics and deformation : the strain localization, the anisotropy and intermittency of deformation and the associated scaling laws. The successful representation of these properties translates into very large gradients within all simulated fields. Idealized numerical experiments are conducted to evaluate the amount of numerical diffusion associated with the advection of these extreme gradients in the model and investigate other limitations of the numerical scheme. First large-deformation simulations are carried in the context of a Couette flow experiment, which allow a comparison with the result of a similar laboratory experiment performed on fresh-water ice. The model reproduces part of the mechanical behaviour observed in the laboratory. Comparison of the numerical and experimental results allow identifying some numerical and physical limitations of the model in the context of large-deformation and laboratory-scale simulations. Finally, the Maxwell-EB framework is implemented in the context of modelling the drift and deformation of sea ice on geophysical scales. Idealized simulations of the flow of sea ice through a narrow channel are presented. The model simulates the propagation of damage along arch-like features and successfully reproduces the formation of stable ice bridges.

Fretting fatigue is a damage process that may arise in engineering applications where small cyclic relative displacements develop inside contacts leading to detrimental effects on the material fatigue properties. Fretting is located in regions not easily accessible, which makes it a dangerous phenomenon. It is therefore important to be able to make reliable predictions of the fretting fatigue lives. The work presented in this thesis has its focus on different aspects related to fretting fatigue in the titanium alloy Ti-17. A fretting experiment was developed which allowed for separate control of the three main fretting loads. Initially, the evolution of the coefficient of friction inside the slip region was investigated experimentally and analytically. Subsequently, 28 fretting tests were performed in which large fatigue cracks developed. The fretting tests were firstly evaluated with respect to fatigue crack initiation through five multiaxial fatigue criteria. The criteria predicted a too high fretting fatigue limit. A possible clue to the discrepancy was found in the fretting induced surface roughness with the asperity-pit interactions. The fatigue growth of the large fretting cracks was numerically modelled through a parametric crack growth procedure. The predicted lives were compared to the experimental outcome. The numerical simulations showed that linear elastic fracture mechanics was an appropriate tool for the prediction of fretting fatigue propagation lives in the long crack regime. Fatigue cracks spend most of their propagation life in the small crack regime. The possibility of modelling the small crack behaviour is therefore very important from the engineering point of view. The fatigue growth of through thickness short cracks was studied experimentally and numerically in the four-point bend configuration. It was found that linear elastic fracture mechanics and closure-free material growth data furnished conservative estimates for cracks longer than 50 μm. One method to improve fretting fatigue life is to shot peen the contact surfaces. Experimental results on fretting life with or without shot peening were simulated. The fatigue life enhancement in shot peened specimens could be explained by slower crack growth in the surface material layer with residual compressive stresses. / QC 20100827

The aim of the presented work was to deposit cubic boron nitride thin films by magnetron sputtering under simultaneous stress relaxation by ion implantation. An in situ instrument based on laser deflectometry on cantilever structures and in situ ellipsometry, was used for in situ stress measurements. The characteristic evolution of the instantaneous stress during the layered growth of cBN films observed in IBAD experiments, could be reproduced for magnetron sputter deposition. To achieve simultaneous stress relaxation by ion implantation, a complex bipolar pulsed substrate bias source was constructed. This power supply enables the growth of cBN thin films under low energy ion irradiation (up to 200 eV) and, for the first time, the simultaneous implantation of ions with an energy of up to 8 keV during high voltage pulses. It was demonstrated that the instantaneous stress in cBN thin films can be released down to -1.1 GPa by simultaneous ion bombardment during the high voltage pulses. A simultaneous stress relaxation during growth is possible in the total investigated ion energy range between 2.5 and 8 keV. These are the lowest ion energies reported for the stress relaxation in cBN. Since such a substrate bias power supply is easy to integrate in existing process lines, this result is important for industrial deposition of thin films, not only for cubic boron nitride films. It was found that the amount of stress relaxation depends on the number of atomic displacements (displacements per atom: dpa) that are induced by the high energy ion bombardment and is therefore dependent on the ion energy and the high energy ion flux. In practise, this means that the stress relaxation is controlled by the product of the pulse voltage and the pulse duty cycle or frequency. The cantilever bending measurements were complemented on microscopic scale by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The analysis of the cBN (111) lattice distances revealed a pronounced biaxial compressive state of stress in a non-relaxed cBN film with d(111) being larger in out-of-plane than in in-plane direction. Post deposition annealing at 900 ° C of a sample with an ion induced damage of 1.2 dpa, resulted in a complete relaxation of the lattice with equal in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters. In the case of medium-energy ion bombardment, the in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters approach the value of the annealed sample with increasing ion damage. This is a clear evidence for stress relaxation within the cBN lattice. The stability of cBN under ion bombardment was investigated by IR spectroscopy and XRD. The crystalline cBN was found to be very stable against ion irradiation. However a short-range ordered, sp3/sp2 - mixed phase may exist in the films, which could be preferably converted to a sp2 -phase at high damage values. From the analysis of the near surface region by XANES, it can be concluded the stress relaxation by the energetic ion bombardment is less at the surface than in the bulk film. This is explained with the dynamic profile of the ion induced damage, that reaches the stationary bulk value in 15-20 nm depth, whereas it is decreasing towards the surface. This fits with the results that the stress relaxation is dependent on the amount of ion induced damage. Comparing the results from substrate curvature measurement, XRD, XANES, and IR spectroscopy possible mechanisms of stress relaxation are discussed. Concluding the results, it can be stated that using simultaneous ion implantation for stress relaxation during the deposition it is possible to produce BN films with a high amount of the cubic phase and with very low residual stress.

Submitted by Marco Antonio Oliveira da Silva (maosilva@ipen.br) on 2017-05-25T11:30:49Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-25T11:30:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / No presente trabalho foram estudados alguns efeitos causados pelo jateamento por granalhas no aço Cr-Si-V, processo que tem por objetivo aumentar a resistência à fadiga. Para este estudo a variação de parâmetros no processo são ferramentas para melhor compreender os mecanismos que influenciam esta propriedade. Os parâmetros utilizados neste trabalho foram a variação da granalha e o pré tensionamento das amostras aplicados em lâminas utilizadas em feixe de molas automobilísticas de aço de liga cromo silício vanádio (SAE 9254+V). Inicialmente foi realizada a avaliação do perfil de tensão residual, efetuada por difração de raios-x pelo método do sen2 ao longo da espessura na região onde a tensão é compressiva. Nos resultados nota-se um efeito anômalo em relação ao perfil característico da distribuição de tensão residual com a perda de compressão nas camadas iniciais em relação à superfície jateada. Com o uso da microscopia eletrônica de varredura foi observado a região afetada pelo jateamento por granalhas notando que as regiões plasticamente deformadas se encontram nas mesmas regiões onde ocorre a diminuição da tensão residual compressiva. O perfil obtido pela difração de raios-x fornece as informações necessárias com o propósito de conjugar os efeitos que a microtensão (microdeformação) influenciam na macrotensão (tensão residual). Esta relação foi comprovada pela sobreposição dos resultados encontrados na distribuição da microdeformação da rede cristalina com a tensão residual ao longo da espessura na região plasticamente deformada. Os resultados dos perfis das difrações de raios-x mostraram a existência de anisotropia de tensões entre os planos, geradas por defeitos de empilhamento e pela densidade de discordâncias. Assim sendo, para obter os valores das microtensões devem ser considerados os fatores das constantes elásticas (conforme o módulo das direções) e dos planos cristalográficos. O método aplicado foi o Williamson-Hall modificado. Além deste método outros também foram utilizados, tais como: método de Warren-Averbach e o método Single Line, este aplicando a série de Fourier, porém, ao observar os resultados, nota-se a diferença entre os valores obtidos nas deformações, tanto aos métodos quanto aos planos cristalográficos, porém a ênfase deste trabalho foi dada às características dos perfis da distribuição e não aos valores absolutos. Somando a isto, foi proporcionado o estudo da distribuição do tamanho médio de cristalito ao longo da espessura no perfil das difrações de raios-x e os resultados mostraram que esta distribuição varia de forma inversa a microdeformação. A relação entre o tamanho médio de cristalito e a variação das distâncias interplanares corresponde diretamente a alterações das densidades de discordâncias ocorridas no material que por sua vez estão ligadas às microdeformações da rede cristalina. Como complemento ao trabalho foram analisados o fator de concentração de tensão e ensaios de fadiga do material. O fator de concentração de tensão não variou conforme a utilização das granalhas S330 e S390, ambas sendo aplicadas no mesmo regime de jateamento. Os ensaios de fadiga indicaram que o pré tensionamento aumenta a vida útil nas tensões cíclicas do material estudado. / Tese (Doutorado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

L'alliage N19 est un superalliage base nickel, élaboré par métallurgie des poudres, qui a été développé récemment en vue d'une application pour disques de turbine aéronautique. L'objectif de cette étude est d'optimiser la microstructure de cet alliage en agissant sur les paramètres de traitements thermiques pour améliorer les propriétés mécaniques de l'alliage. Une bonne compréhension des relations entre les paramètres de traitements thermiques et la microstructure, d'une part, et, des relations entre la microstructure et les propriétés mécaniques, d'autre part, est donc nécessaire. De nombreux traitements thermiques ont été appliqués à l'alliage N19 pour évaluer l'effet de la température de mise en solution, des conditions de refroidissement et de la température de revenu sur la taille de grains, et sur la taille et la distribution des précipités gamma prime. L'observation des microstructures en microscopie électronique à balayage et en transmission a permis d'évaluer l'effet des différentes étapes du traitement thermique sur les caractéristiques microstructurales de l'alliage. L'effet de ces modifications microstructurales sur la vitesse de propagation de fissure en fatigue-fluage à 650°C a été étudié. Les résultats de ces essais de propagation de fissure en fatigue-fluage ont été analysés à l'aide d'essais de comportement en fatigue-relaxation. Une synthèse des différentes propriétés mécaniques de l'alliage en fonction des paramètres de traitements thermiques et des caractéristiques microstructurales a été proposée. / The N19 alloy is a powder metallurgy nickel-based superalloy which has recently been developed for aircraft engine turbine disks. The aim of this study is to optimize the N19 microstructure through the adjustment of the heat treatment parameters in order to enhance the mechanical properties of this alloy. A good understanding of the relationships between the heat treatment parameters and the microstructure, and between the microstructure and the mechanical properties is required. Numerous heat treatments were applied to the alloy to investigate the effect of the solutionizing temperature, the cooling path, and the ageing temperature on the grain size, and on the gamma prime precipitates size and distribution. The observation of the microstructures using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy supports the analysis of the heat treatment parameters effects on the microstructural features of the alloy. The effect of the microstructural modifications on the creep fatigue crack growth rate at 650°C was studied. The results of the creep fatigue crack growth tests were analyzed using cyclic stress-relaxation tests. A synthesis of the various mechanical properties of the alloy according to the heat treatment parameters and microstructural features is proposed.

Nanotubular structures from a new family of misfit compounds LnS–TaS₂ with (Ln = La, Ce, Nd, Ho, Er) and LaSe–TaSe₂ (some of them not known hitherto) are reported. Stress relaxation originating from the lattice mismatch between the alternating LnS(Se) and TaS₂(Se) layers, combined with seaming of the dangling bonds in the rim, leads to the formation of a variety of nanotubular structures. Their structures are studied via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Tubules exhibiting a single folding vector for the LnS(Se) as well as TaS₂(Se) layers were often found. The small values of the c-axis periodicities are indicative of a strong interaction between the two constituent layers which was also supported by Raman spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.

No description available.

The aim of the presented work was to deposit cubic boron nitride thin films by magnetron sputtering under simultaneous stress relaxation by ion implantation. An in situ instrument based on laser deflectometry on cantilever structures and in situ ellipsometry, was used for in situ stress measurements. The characteristic evolution of the instantaneous stress during the layered growth of cBN films observed in IBAD experiments, could be reproduced for magnetron sputter deposition. To achieve simultaneous stress relaxation by ion implantation, a complex bipolar pulsed substrate bias source was constructed. This power supply enables the growth of cBN thin films under low energy ion irradiation (up to 200 eV) and, for the first time, the simultaneous implantation of ions with an energy of up to 8 keV during high voltage pulses. It was demonstrated that the instantaneous stress in cBN thin films can be released down to -1.1 GPa by simultaneous ion bombardment during the high voltage pulses. A simultaneous stress relaxation during growth is possible in the total investigated ion energy range between 2.5 and 8 keV. These are the lowest ion energies reported for the stress relaxation in cBN. Since such a substrate bias power supply is easy to integrate in existing process lines, this result is important for industrial deposition of thin films, not only for cubic boron nitride films. It was found that the amount of stress relaxation depends on the number of atomic displacements (displacements per atom: dpa) that are induced by the high energy ion bombardment and is therefore dependent on the ion energy and the high energy ion flux. In practise, this means that the stress relaxation is controlled by the product of the pulse voltage and the pulse duty cycle or frequency. The cantilever bending measurements were complemented on microscopic scale by x-ray diffraction (XRD). The analysis of the cBN (111) lattice distances revealed a pronounced biaxial compressive state of stress in a non-relaxed cBN film with d(111) being larger in out-of-plane than in in-plane direction. Post deposition annealing at 900 ° C of a sample with an ion induced damage of 1.2 dpa, resulted in a complete relaxation of the lattice with equal in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters. In the case of medium-energy ion bombardment, the in-plane and out-of-plane lattice parameters approach the value of the annealed sample with increasing ion damage. This is a clear evidence for stress relaxation within the cBN lattice. The stability of cBN under ion bombardment was investigated by IR spectroscopy and XRD. The crystalline cBN was found to be very stable against ion irradiation. However a short-range ordered, sp3/sp2 - mixed phase may exist in the films, which could be preferably converted to a sp2 -phase at high damage values. From the analysis of the near surface region by XANES, it can be concluded the stress relaxation by the energetic ion bombardment is less at the surface than in the bulk film. This is explained with the dynamic profile of the ion induced damage, that reaches the stationary bulk value in 15-20 nm depth, whereas it is decreasing towards the surface. This fits with the results that the stress relaxation is dependent on the amount of ion induced damage. Comparing the results from substrate curvature measurement, XRD, XANES, and IR spectroscopy possible mechanisms of stress relaxation are discussed. Concluding the results, it can be stated that using simultaneous ion implantation for stress relaxation during the deposition it is possible to produce BN films with a high amount of the cubic phase and with very low residual stress.