Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr based AA7010 aluminum alloy belongs to the class of heat treatable alloys and the semi-finished products are generally produced by hot rolling, forging or extrusion processes. It is well known that the thermo-mechanical processing parameters strongly influence both the evolution of texture as well as microstructure in the material. As a result, the semi-finished products exhibit anisotropy in mechanical properties causing legitimate concerns on the applicability of the alloys. In the present thesis, a systematic study on the evolution of texture and microstructure and its implications on the mechanical properties anisotropy of AA7010 alloy has been attempted. A brief introduction on the development of texture and its influence on the anisotropy of the mechanical properties of 7xxx series aluminum alloys is presented first with a view to explore the scopes for further investigation. An overview of the relevant literature is described subsequently. The development of texture and microstructure in an Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr based 7010 aluminum alloy during uneven, hot cross-rolling is presented. Materials processing involves three different types of uneven cross-rolling. The variations in relative intensity of the β-fibre components as a function of cross rolling modes have been investigated. It has been shown that the main attributes to the texture evolution in the present study are (a) cross-rolling and inter-pass annealing that reduce the intensity of Cu component following each successive pass, (b) recrystallization resistance of Bs oriented grains, (c) stability of Bs texture under cross-rolling, and (d) Zener pinning by Al3Zr dispersoids. The stability of the unique single, rotated Brass-{110}(556) component developed in the present alloy, during long term thermal annealing and cold rolling deformation has been systematically investigated further. Subsequently, the influence of development of microstructure and texture on the in-plane anisotropy (AIP) of yield strength, work hardening behavior and yield locus anisotropy has been presented. The AIP and work hardening behavior are evaluated by tensile testing at 0o, 45o and 90o to the rolling direction, whilst yield loci have been generated by Knoop hardness method. It has been observed that in spite of having strong rotated Brass texture, the specimens show low AIP especially in peak aged temper. The in-plane anisotropy (AIP) of yield strength, and work hardening behavior of a heat treated 7010 aluminum alloy sheet having strong, rotated Brass-{110}556 component with different texture intensity and volume fraction of recrystallization has been further evaluated. It is observed that the AIP increases with increase in texture intensity and volume fraction of recrystallization. In the subsequent chapter, the tensile flow and work hardening behavior are described using constitutive equations. Room temperature tensile properties have been evaluated as a function of tensile axis orientations in as-hot rolled as well as peak aged conditions. It has been found that both the Ludwigson and a generalized Voce-Bergström relation adequately describe the tensile flow behavior in all conditions compared to the Hollomon relation. The Voce-Bergström parameters define the slope of - plots in the stage-III regime when the specimens show a classical linear decrease in hardening. Further analysis of work hardening behavior throws light on the effect of texture on the dislocation storage and dynamic recovery. An overall summary of the experimental results and the scopes for future studies have been presented at the end.

Copper (Cu) interconnects have been widely used to replace aluminum in ultra-large-scale integration due to low resistivity and superior resistance to electromigration. Current processes for the fabrication of interconnects require thin Cu seed layers before the subsequent Cu filling by electrochemical deposition (ECD). It is crucial that these seed layers are coated conformally and smoothly in vias and trenches, ensuring that the ECD Cu films are free of voids. With the continuous scaling down of device dimensions, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been considered as the most promising technology for making the Cu seed layers, because of its excellent conformality and precise thickness control. This dissertation is dedicated to the multiscale simulation of Cu ALD using the Cu beta-diketonate precursors (nBu3P)2Cu(acac) and Cu(acac)2. Different co-reactants (H, H2, H2O, O3 and wet O2) were investigated with respect to their application for the ALD of metallic Cu and Cu oxides. While Cu beta-diketonates have been widely applied in ALD, the mechanistic details of the surface reactions are still largely unknown. Ab initio calculations were performed to obtain the input data for reactive molecular dynamics (RMD) simulations and thermodynamic modeling, which were realized at the molecular-scale and macroscale, respectively. / Kupferleitbahnen werden in höchstintegrierten Schaltkreisen aufgrund des niedrigen spezifischen Widerstands und der sehr guten Beständigkeit gegen Elektromigration verwenden. Aktuelle Verfahren zur Leitbahnherstellung erfordern dünne Cu Keimschichten vor der anschließenden Cu Füllung durch die elektrochemische Abscheidung (ECD). Dabei ist es entscheidend, dass diese Keimschichten konform und glatt in den Vias und Gräben abgeschieden werden können, so dass die ECD Cu-Filme frei von Hohlräumen sind. Mit der weiteren Skalierung wird die Atomlagenabscheidung (ALD) mit ihrer hohen Konformalität und der ausgezeichneten Dickensteuerung als die vielversprechendste Technik zur Herstellung der Cu Keimschichten betrachtet. Die vorliegende Dissertation ist der Multiskalensimulation der ALD von metallischem Kupfer und Kupferoxiden aus Cu-beta-Diketonat Präkursoren (nBu3P)2Cu(acac) und Cu(acac)2 gewidmet. Verschiedene Koreaktanden H, H2, H2O, O3 und feuchtes O2 werden hinsichtlich ihrer Anwendung für die ALD von metallischem Kupfer oder Kupferoxid untersucht. Die Mechanismen der Oberflächenreaktionen dieser Präkursoren sind noch weitgehend unbekannt, obwohl die Cu Beta-Diketonate in der ALD bereits breite Verwendung finden. Ab-initio-Rechnungen wurden durchgeführt, um die Eingangsdaten für die reaktive Molekulardynamiksimulation und die thermodynamische Modellierung zu erhalten, die sowohl auf molekularer wie auch auf makroskopischer Ebene durchgeführt wurden.

Les alliages d'aluminium de la série 7000 à hautes caractéristiques mécaniques, constitués principalement des éléments d'addition Zn, Mg, et Cu, sont notamment utilisés dans l'industrie aéronautique civile. Néanmoins, les traitements thermiques et/ou thermomécaniques appliqués pour maximiser les propriétés mécaniques de ces alliages, peuvent les sensibiliser à divers modes de corrosion structurale dont la corrosion feuilletante, dont les mécanismes sont encore mal compris. En outre, les nouvelles générations d'alliages, développées en vue d'augmenter les propriétés mécaniques, contiennent toujours plus d'éléments d'addition, ce qui est susceptible de modifier leur sensibilité à ce phénomène. <br />Ce travail s'attache à faire progresser la compréhension des mécanismes de corrosion feuilletante des alliages 7000, en cherchant à identifier le rôle des principaux éléments d'alliage. Pour cela nous avons caractérisé finement les états de précipitation d'un grand nombre de microstructures, comme la composition des précipités durcissants nanométriques et de la matrice, par ASAXS et 3DAP. En parallèle, nous avons développé de nouvelles techniques électrochimiques permettant de quantifier la sensibilité de ces mêmes microstructures à la corrosion feuilletante. <br />Les résultats de l'étude mettent en évidence l'existence de deux mécanismes de corrosion : endommagement par dissolution intergranulaire et par rupture intergranulaire, dont la prédominance dépend de la composition de l'alliage et du traitement thermique. Nous proposons une explication au comportement en corrosion des différentes microstructures, faisant intervenir la composition chimique des différentes entités microstructurales.

Sur le site minier de Milluni (Bolivie, Altiplano, 4800 m asl), la contamination des eaux de surface et des sédiments par les métaux lourds a été étudiée en combinant des approches géochimiques, minéralogiques et hydrochimiques. Pour les différents métaux, les sources minérales de la contamination ont été établies, ainsi que les processus géochimiques d'altération des minéraux primaires en minéraux tertiaires. La compréhension des mécanismes géochimiques en jeu et les bilans réalisés ont permis de déterminer les origines et les modes de transport et de contrôle des métaux dans cet environnement. Enfin, les carottages des sédiments lacustres et des tourbières ont permis d'évaluer l'évolution historique de la contamination en métaux lourds, notamment au cours du siècle dernier.

本文認為，1950年代馬寅初被批判一事，不論就其性質或時期，都與反右運動不同，只是有時間上一部分的重疊，有必要重新釐清。馬寅初有關計劃生育的主張，並非首倡，中共黨內的毛澤東，中共黨外的邵力子等人，比起馬寅初，在中共建政後對人口問題的重視，在時間點上都比馬寅初要早。毛澤東自始至終，始終強調要有計劃地控制人口。馬寅初所關切的，表面上是人口問題，實際上是中國大陸當時經濟積累的效率，因為這將影響中國大陸工業化的速度。若拉長時間縱深來看，馬寅初事件背後所呈現出來的，是馬爾薩斯主義和馬克思主義對於中國大陸人口研究典範的領導權爭奪戰，歷經四十年，馬克思主義終於取得優勢。而馬寅初作為一位知識份子，與其他同類型的傾左知識份子，在中共建政之後，政治上日漸認同中共，在思想上自覺地馬克思主義化，但多數不為那些更早轉向馬克思主義、掌握了馬克思主義在中國的詮釋權的人所接納，最終，大多在文革以前，便已受到不同程度的排擠和批判。 / This essay will argue that the Ma Yin-Chu incident and the Anti-Rightist Campaign is not the same thing, neither on the period nor on the nature, and he is not the first one who advocated birth control when he announced his article “New Principle of Population” in 1957. Instead, Mao Tze-Dong and the CCP have been promoted birth control several years ago. Besides, the aim of “New Principle of Population” focused on the economical accumulation for industrialization, not for birth control itself. On the other hand, if we consider this incident historically, we can see there are two diachronic trends: One is the struggle of the hegemony of China’s population research between the Malthusism and Marxism, this struggle lasts over 40years since the May-forth Movement, and in1960s’, the winner is Marxism. The other is there were many left-leaning intellectuals who changed their political or philosophical position into the CCP or Marxism since 1940s’, like Ma Yin-Cu, didn’t be affiliated by those intellectuals who had change their position before the “Yan-An Rectification” in 1942. Most of them like Ma Yin-Cu have been criticized before the Cultural Revolution.

The adsorption of biologically active molecules, such as the DNA bases, amino acids, on solid surfaces has been the subject of a number of experimental and theoretical studies in the past years. The understanding of the self-assembly mechanism of bioactive molecules on surfaces not only is fundamentally important in the preparation of bioactive surfaces, but also provides us insight into the origins of life and homo-chirality in nature. In this thesis, the adsorption behaviour of adenine and phenylglycine molecules on the Cu(110) surface has been investigated in order to understand the effect of experimental parameters like coverage, annealing temperature etc. on the molecular orientation and the ordering of the adlayer structures. The thesis is organised in six parts: Chapter I gives an introduction to the relevance of surface sciences studies, describing the phenomena of surface chirality and molecular adsorption behaviours on surfaces. Chapter II gives an overview of the experimental techniques and introduces basic concepts of theoretical calculation. Chapter III investigates the effect of experimental parameters, e.g. surface coverage, annealing temperature and substrate temperature on molecular diffusion, molecular orientation and ordering of the adlayer structures. LT-STM examination of the contrast variations of adenine chains and isolated adsorbate as a function of the tip-sample bias voltage is also presented with the aim to understand the tunnelling mechanism. Chapter IV shows RAIR spectra studies of the evolution of phenylglycine molecular orientation as a function of surface coverage at room temperature. The adsorption geometry and binding nature of phenylglycine is discussed. Chapter V concerns with the adsorption behaviours of phenylglycine and adenine on Cu(110) surface pre-covered with oxygen. Chapter VI summarises the conclusions and describes the outlook of some future work.

Submitted by PPG Engenharia e Tecnologia de Materiais (engenharia.pg.materiais@pucrs.br) on 2017-10-26T16:09:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Eng. Piedade.pdf: 6225051 bytes, checksum: c7f77823a538300959734acada65a861 (MD5) / Rejected by Caroline Xavier (caroline.xavier@pucrs.br), reason: Devolvido devido a 1) Arquivo PDF sem capa institucional. 2) Na primeira e segunda folha do arquivo PDF, o nome do autor est? incompleto. Na ficha catalogr?fica e publica??o enviada est? completo. 3) Nome e descri??o do arquivo na publica??o est?o em desacordo com o manual enviado. on 2017-11-07T13:03:14Z (GMT) / Submitted by PPG Engenharia e Tecnologia de Materiais (engenharia.pg.materiais@pucrs.br) on 2017-11-08T17:01:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 final para entrega com capa.pdf: 6291908 bytes, checksum: a447082574d55fe4709b55f1c2da38fb (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Caroline Xavier (caroline.xavier@pucrs.br) on 2017-11-17T12:16:13Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 final para entrega com capa.pdf: 6291908 bytes, checksum: a447082574d55fe4709b55f1c2da38fb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-17T12:20:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 final para entrega com capa.pdf: 6291908 bytes, checksum: a447082574d55fe4709b55f1c2da38fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-18 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / Quasicrystals are materials that have unusual characteristics, they can not be described as crystalline, for not having long-range order, or as amorphous, have medium-range structure. Some Al-Cu-Fe family alloys presents quasicrystalline phases when have rapidly solidification. In order to obtain this alloy, ingots of the Al65Cu35-xFex family were casted with x=6 (atomic), initially in a standard mold with solidification equilibrium. To provide samples with different cooling rates, the alloy was cast in a stepped mold, containing six different steps, resulting in samples out of equilibrium state (rapidly solidification). For the analysis of the cooling curves, the CACC-TA technique was used, with cooling rates varying from170 to 540?C / s, which were obtained by dT/dt. Analyzes by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dispersive energy spectrometry (EDS), show microstructure with faceted dendrites, lamellar interdendritic formations and pentagonal precipitates (IQC). The Vickers microhardness ranged from 4.09 to 7.22 GPa and the X-ray diffraction (XRD) proved by characteristic diffractograms the icosahedral quasicrystalline phase formation. / Os quasicristais s?o materiais que apresentam caracter?sticas incomuns, pois n?o podem ser descritos como cristalinos, por n?o apresentarem ordem de longo alcance, nem como amorfos, apresentam estrutura de m?dio alcance. Algumas ligas da fam?lia Al-Cu-Fe apresentam fases quasicristalinas quando rapidamente solidificadas. Para obter-se esta liga, foram fundidos lingotes da fam?lia Al65Cu35-xFex com x=6 (at?mico), inicialmente em um molde padr?o com solidifica??o em estado de equil?brio. Para proporcionar amostras com taxas de resfriamento variadas, a liga foi vazada em um molde escalonado, contendo seis cavidades diferentes, resultando em amostras solidificadas fora do estado de equil?brio (solidifica??o r?pida). Para an?lise das curvas de resfriamento utilizou- se a t?cnica CACC-TA, com taxas de resfriamento variando entre 170 e 540?C/s, que foram obtidas por meio de dT/dt. An?lises por microscopia ?ptica, microscopia eletr?nica de varredura (MEV), espectrometria por energia dispersiva (EDS), mostram microestrutura com dendritas facetadas, forma??es interdendr?ticas lamelares e precipitados pentagonais (IQC). A microdureza Vickers variou entre 417 HV e 736 HV (4,09 e 7,22 GPa) e a difra??o de raios X (DRX) comprovou por meio de difratogramas caracter?sticos a forma??o de fase quasicristalina icosa?drica.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / The structural and thermal decomposition properties of Mg-Fe and Co-Cu-Fe hy- drotalcites (HT) have been studied through thermogravimetric analysis, X ray powder difraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 57Fe MÃssbauer spec- troscopy. In the Mg-Fe system, the destruction of the layered structure took place at about 300 oC. The broad peaks observed in the X ray difractograms suggests that the resultant oxides constitute a solid solution. For samples treated at temperatures higher than 500 oC the formation of the MgO and MgFe2O4 formation of the MgO and MgFe2O4 spinel phases is observed. 57Fe MÃssbauer spectroscopy was employed to monitor the Fe chemical environment for the samples annealed at diferent temperatures (100-900 oC). In situ XRD experiments revealed that the HTs start an interlayer contraction at about 180 oC. This phenomenon is identified as being due to a grafting process for which the interlamellar anions attach to the layers through a covalent bond. The reconstruction of the Mg-Fe HTs was also investigated and its eficiency depends on the thermal anneal- ing temperature and on the Mg/Fe ratio. The structure of the reconstructed samples was found to be exactly the same as the parent structure. The in situ 57Fe MÃssbauer experiments were performed in the 100-500 oC temperature range confirm an increasing structural disorder in this temperature range. The quadrupolar splitting indicates that the maximum disorder occurs at 300 oC. Regarding the Co-Cu-Fe ternary system we have observed that due to the strong Jahn-Teller effect the Cu-Fe layered system is stabilized only in the presence of Co2+. At low Co2+ contents, additional phases are segregated in the solids. X ray patterns diffraction show the presence of Cu(OH)2 and CuO. The decomposition process was investigated by in situ X ray, in situ MÃssbauer and FTIR experiments. By increasing the temperature from 25 oC up to 180 oC we observed that the structural disorder increases. This effect has been likely attributed to the Co2+ to Co3+ oxidation since thermal decomposition was carried out under static air atmosphere. Part of the Co3+ cations could migrate to the interlayer region, thus forming a metastable compound that still has a layered structure. Collapse of the layered structure was ob- served at about 200 oC. By further increasing the temperature the system becomes more crystalline and the formation of Co3O4 is observed in the X ray patterns. In Cu-rich HT, some of the carbonate anions are released at temperatures higher than 550 oC and this phenomenon is attributed to the formation of a carbonate-rich phase. The specific surface area data present its highest values in the temperature range where the collapse of the layered structure takes place. / As propriedades estruturais e de decomposiÃÃo tÃrmica das hidrotalcitas Mg-Fe e Co-Cu-Fe foram estudadas atravÃs de espectroscopia MÃssbauer de 57Fe, anÃlise termo- gravimÃtrica, difraÃÃo de raios X, e espectroscopia de absorÃÃo no infravermelho (FTIR). No sistema Mg-Fe a destruiÃÃo da estrutura lamelar ocorre em torno de 300 oC. O alargamento dos picos de difraÃÃo de raios X observados nos difratogramas sugerem que os Ãxidos resultantes constituem uma soluÃÃo sÃlida. Para as amostras tratadas em temperaturas maiores do que 500 oC a formaÃÃo de fases do tipo MgO e MgFe2O4 à observada. A espectroscopia MÃssbauer de 57Fe foi empregada para monitorar o ambiente quÃmico do Fe na faixa 100-900 oC de temperatura. As medidas in situ de difraÃÃo de raios X revelam que em 180 oC inicia-se uma contraÃÃo interlamelar. Este fenÃmeno à atribuÃdo ao processo de âgrafting" no qual os Ãnions interlamelares ligam-se nas camadas atravÃs de uma ligaÃÃo covalente. A reconstruÃÃo estrutural da hidrotalcita Mg-Fe tambÃm foi investigada. A eficiÃncia da reconstruÃÃo estrutural depende da temperatura de tratamento e da razÃo molar Mg/Fe. A estrutura das amostras reconstruÃdas sÃo as mesmas da amostra inicial. As medidas in situ de espectroscopia MÃssbauer de 57Fe foram realizadas na faixa 100-500 oC confirmaram uma desordem estrutural crescente nesta regiÃo de temperaturas. Os valores do desdobramento quadrupolar indicam que o mÃximo de desordem ocorre em 300 oC. Com relaÃÃo ao sistema ternÃrio Co-Cu-Fe observamos que devido ao efeito Jahn-Teller o sistema Cu-Fe somente à estabilizado na presenÃa de Co2+. Para baixas concentraÃÃes Co2+ fases adicionais segregadas sÃo observadas nos sÃlidos. Os padrÃes de difraÃÃo de raios X indicam a presenÃa de Cu(OH)2 e CuO. O processo de decomposiÃÃo tÃrmica foi investigado atravÃs de difraÃÃo de raios X, espectroscopia MÃssbauer de 57Fe in situ e de espectroscopia de absorÃÃo no infravermelho (FTIR). Aumentando a temperatura de tratamento tÃrmico das amostras de 25 oC a 180 oC observamos um aumento da desordem estrutural. Este efeito tem sido atribuÃdo a oxidaÃÃo Co2+ para Co3+ uma vez que a decomposiÃÃo foi realizada ao ar. Parte dos cÃtions Co3+ migram para a regiÃo interlamelar formando um composto metastÃvel que ainda possui uma estrutura lamelar. O colapso da estrutura lamelar à observado a 300 oC. Com o aumento posterior da temperatura o sistema torna-se mais cristalino e a formaÃÃo de Co3O4 à observada atravÃs do ensaio de raios X. Nas hidrotalcitas com maior teor de Cu, alguns dos Ãnions carbonato sÃo liberados somente acima de 550 oC sendo este fenÃmeno atribuÃdo a formaÃÃo de uma fase rica em carbonato. Os valores de Ãrea superficial especÃfica apresentam um mÃximo na faixa de temperatura onde ocorre o colapso da estrutura lamelar.

Dans l'ouest de l'Europe, une grande importance est accordée à la composante sol dans l'élaboration des vins. La nutrition minérale est la principale voie par laquelle le sol peut avoir une influence sur la vigne et par conséquent sur le vin qui en est issu. Dès lors, ce travail de thèse appréhende la question plus large des transferts élémentaires entre le sol et la plante à travers de l'utilisation d'outils géochimiques en milieu viticole. Une combinaison de techniques impliquant des indicateurs classiques tels que les rapports élémentaires ou des bilans de masses ainsi que des traceurs plus innovants comme les rapports isotopiques du Cu et la résonance paramagnétique électronique (RPE) est utilisée. Dans un premier temps, l'influence du sol sur la composition élémentaire du vin a été étudiée dans plus que 200 vins provenant d'Allemagne, d'Espagne, de France, et d'Italie. A cette échelle, le type de sol (classé comme calcaire ou non-calcaire) et les conditions météorologiques apparaissent comme des critères discriminants. Par la suite, deux parcelles viticoles de Soave (Italie) aux sols contrastés ont été étudiées afin de d´déterminer l'influence du type du sol sur les vignes. Même si les sols présentent des propriétés pédologiques différentes, une pédogénèse complexe a induit des propriétés géochimiques similaires. Dans les vignes, les traceurs élémentaires et biochimiques montrent que la variabilité inter-annuelle et inter-individuelle est plus grande que la différence liée au sol lui-même. Néanmoins, il est possible de déterminer quel est le sol considéré par l'étude des rapports isotopiques du Sr. Parmi tous les nutriments et éléments toxiques généralement étudiés pour leur mobilité dans les sols, le cuivre a été suivi dans la dernière partie de cette thèse, essentiellement du fait de son épandage toujours massif comme fongicide en viticulture. En effet, les pesticides cupriques comme la bouillie bordelaise sont utilisés depuis environ 150 ans en viticulture. Le Cu s'accumule d`es lors dans les sols et les conséquences ´ecotoxicologiques en font un sujet de plus en plus sensible. Parmi les pesticides analysés dans notre étude, les rapports isotopiques du Cu varient autant entre les différents fongicides que dans les sols étudiés dans la littérature, rendant ainsi impossible l'utilisation de ces isotopes comme traceurs d'origine du Cu dans les sols. [...] / In western Europe, soil is of primordial importance for wine making. Soil qualities are often discussed and an influence on wine flavor is frequently inferred. However, evidence for a role of soil chemistry on wine composition and taste is scarce, but mineral nutrition of grapevine plants is one possible way of influence. This thesis approaches the complex question of elemental cycling between soil and plant through the use of geochemical tracers in vineyard environments. A combination of traditional tracers such as elemental ratios and mass balances as well as innovative tools such as Cu isotope analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) are used on different observation scales. The influence of soil type on wine elemental composition was investigated using over 200 wine samples from France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Results of chemical analysis were then statistically linked to environmental conditions. At this scale, elemental contents of wine vary depending on soil type (calcareous or not), meteorological conditions, and wine making practice. To determine which soil properties can influence the chemical composition of grapevine plants, two vineyard plots on contrasted soils in Soave (Italy) were examined. Soil forming mechanisms were studied along two catenas and subsequently linked to elemental composition of grapevine plants and biochemical markers of plant health. Even though soil morphology was different, complex soil forming processes led to similar geochemical properties of soils. Differences in plant chemical compositions between soil types are small compared to inter-individual and inter-annual variability. However the use of Sr isotopic ratios allows the determination of the pedological origin of plants. In a next step, the fate of Cu pesticides in vineyard soils was studied. Cu-based pesticides have been used for almost 150 years in European vineyards and Cu accumulates in soils, so that the fate of Cu and its ecotoxicological implications are of growing importance. Therefore, Cu mobility in vineyard soils and transfer to grapevine plants were investigated using stable Cu-isotope ratios and EPR-measurements. Isotope ratios of Cu-based fungicides vary largely between products, covering Cu isotope ratios in soils reported in literature and thus making source tracing impossible. However, Cu isotope ratios are useful for tracing biogeochemical mechanisms of Cu transport in soils. The vertical transport of Cu in different soil types was investigated in the Soave vineyard using a combination of mass balance calculations, kinetic extractions and δ65Cu-isotope ratios. Results suggest that Cu can be transported to depth even in carbonated environments. Besides it is shown that heavy organic-bound Cu is lost from carbonated soil columns likely caused by dissolution of Cu carbonates by organic matter. [...]

AA6061 Al alloys modified with addition of Mn, Cr and Cu were homogenized at temperatures between 350 ºC and 550 ºC after casting. STEM experiments revealed that the formation of α-Al(MnFeCr)Si dispersoids during homogenization were strongly affected by various factors such as heating rate, concentration of Mn, low temperature pre-nucleation treatment and homogenization temperature. Through analysis of the STEM results using an image software Image-Pro, the size distributions and number densities of the dispersoids formed during different annealing treatments were quantitatively measured. It was revealed that increasing the heating rate or homogenization temperature led to a reduction of the number density and an increase in size of the dispersoids. The number density of dispersoids could be markedly increased through a low temperature pre-nucleation treatment. A higher Mn level resulted in the larger number density, equivalent size and length/width ratio of the dispersoids in the alloy. Upsetting tests on two of these Mn and Cr-containing AA6061 (Al-Mg-Si-Cu) Al alloys with distinctive Mn contents were carried out at a speed of 15 mm s-1 under upsetting temperature of 450 ºC after casting and subsequent homogenization heat treatment using a 300-Tone hydraulic press. STEM experiments revealed that the finely distributed α-Al(MnFeCr)Si dispersoids formed during homogenization showed a strong pinning effect on dislocations and grain boundaries, which could effectively inhibit recovery and recrystallization during hot deformation in the two alloys. The fractions of recrystallization after hot deformation and following solution heat treatment were measured in the two alloys with EBSD. It was found that the recrystallization fractions of the two alloys were less than 30%. This implied that the finely distributed α-dispersoids were rather stable against coarsening and they stabilized the microstructure by inhibiting recovery and recrystallization by pinning dislocations during deformation and annealing at elevated temperatures. By increasing the content of Mn, the effect of retardation on recrystallization were further enhanced due to the formation of higher number density of the dispersoids. STEM and 3-D atom probe tomography experiments revealed that α-Al(MnFeCr)Si dispersoids were formed upon dissolution of lathe-shaped Q-AlMgSiCu phase during homogenization of the modified AA6061 Al alloy. It was, for the first time, observed that Mn segregated at the Q-phase/matrix interfaces in Mn-rich regions in the early stage of homogenization, triggering the transformation of Q-phase into strings of Mn-rich dispersoids afterwards. Meanwhile, in Mn-depleted regions the Q-phase remained unchanged without segregation of Mn at the Q-phase/matrix interfaces. Upon completion of α-phase transformation, the atomic ratio of Mn and Si was found to be 1:1 in the α-phase. The strengthening mechanisms in the alloy were also quantitatively interpreted, based on the measurements of chemical compositions, dispersoids density and size, alloy hardness and resistivity as a function of the annealing temperature. This study clarified the previous confusion about the formation mechanism of α-dispersoids in 6xxx series Al alloys. Four-point bend fatigue tests on two modified AA6061 Al alloys with different Si contents (0.80 and 1.24 wt%, respectively) were carried out at room temperature, f = 20 Hz, R = 0.1, and in ambient air. The stress-number of cycles to failure (S-N) curves of the two alloys were characterized. The alloys were solution heat treated, quenched in water, and peak aged. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to capture a detailed view of the fatigue crack initiation behaviors of the alloys. Fatigue limits of the two alloys with the Si contents of 0.80 and 1.24 wt% were measured to be approximately 224 and 283.5 MPa, respectively. The number of cracks found on surface was very small (1~3) and barely increased with the applied stress, when the applied stress was below the yield strength. However, it was increased sharply with increase of the applied stress to approximately the ultimate tensile strength. Fatigue crack initiation was predominantly associated with the micro-pores in the alloys. SEM examination of the fracture surfaces of the fatigued samples showed that the crack initiation pores were always aspheric in shape with the larger dimension in depth from the sample surface. These tunnel-shaped pores might be formed along grain boundaries during solidification or due to overheating of the Si-containing particles during homogenization. A quantitative model, which took into account the 3-D effects of pores on the local stress/strain fields in surface, was applied to quantification of the fatigue crack population in a modified AA6061 Al alloy under cyclic loading. The pores used in the model were spherical in shape, for simplicity, with the same size of 7 μm in diameter. The total volume fraction of the pores in the model were same as the area fraction of the pores measured experimentally in the alloy. The stress and strain fields around each pore near the randomly selected surface in a reconstructed digital pore structure of the alloy were quantified as a function of pore position in depth from the surface using a 3-D finite element model under different stress levels. A micro-scale Manson-Coffin equation was used to estimate the fatigue crack incubation life at each of the pores in the surface and subsurface. The population of fatigue cracks initiated at an applied cyclic loading could be subsequently quantified. The simulated results were consistent with those experimentally measured, when the applied maximum cyclic stress was below the yield strength, but the model could not capture the sudden increase in crack population at UTS, as observed in the alloy. This discrepancy in crack population was likely to be due to the use of the spherical pores in the model, as these simplified pores could not show the effects of pore shape and their orientations on crack initiation at the pores near surface. Although it is presently very time-consuming to calculate the crack population as a function of pore size and shape in the alloy with the current model, it would still be desirable to incorporate the effects of shape and orientation of the tunnel-shaped pores into the model, in the future, in order to simulate the fatigue crack initiation more accurately in the alloy.