<p align='justify'>This thesis is devoted to the micromechanical study of the size-dependent strengthening in Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels. Such grades of advanced high-strength steels are compelling for the automotive industry, due to their improved mechanical properties. Among others, they combine a good strength versus ductility balance. In this context, many research works have been carried out to study these grades of steels. In particular, from a numerical point of view, earlier studies within the framework of classical plasticity do not properly reproduce the strengthening levels characterizing TRIP steels and obtained experimentally.</p> <p align='justify'>In this study, the strain gradient plasticity theory presented by Fleck and Hutchinson (2001) is chosen to account for the strengthening effect resulting from the phase transformation. A two-dimensional embedded cell model of a simplified microstructure composed of small cylindrical metastable austenitic inclusions, partially undergoing the phase transformation, within a ferritic matrix is used.</p> <p align='justify'>First, the single-parameter version of the strain gradient plasticity theory under small strain assumption is used for the simulations. The impact of the higher order boundary conditions is assessed. It is shown that, when the plastic flow is unconstrained at the elasto-plastic boundaries, the transformation strain has no significant impact on the overall strengthening. The strengthening is essentially coming from the composite effect with a marked inclusion size effect resulting from the appearance during deformation of new boundaries (at the interface between parent and product phases) constraining the plastic flow.</p> <p align='justify'>Second, the multi-parameter version of the strain gradient plasticity theory, incorporating separately the rotational and extensional gradients in the formulation, is employed under small strain assumption. The effect of the plastic strain gradients resulting from the transformation strain is better captured. In particular, the results show a significant influence of the shear component of the transformation strain. An implicit confinement effect is revealed at the elasto-plastic boundaries which is partly responsible for the transformation strain effect. Size effects on the overall strengthening are also revealed, due to a combined size dependent effect of the transformation strain and of the evolving composite structure.</p><p align='justify'>Third, the extension of the strain gradient plasticity theory to a finite strain description is applied. A significant effect of the transformation strain is obtained with the multi-parameter version of the theory as well as an optimal austenite grain size improving the damage resistance of the martensite, in agreement with the typical grain size of the current TRIP-assisted steels (Jacques et al., 2007).</p>

No description available.

TiNi films were prepared by co-sputtering TiNi target and a separate Ti target. Crystalline structure and phase transformation behaviors of TiNi films were investigated. Results showed that TiNi films had fine grain size of about 500 nm and fully martensitic structure at room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that there is adherent and natural TiO₂ film, which is beneficial to its corrosion resistance and biocompatibillity. Results from differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and curvature measurement revealed clearly martensitic transformation upon heating and cooling. The TiNi films were further deposited on micromachined silicon cantilever and membrane structures in order to form micro-gripper or microvalve with large deformation due to shape-memory effect. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Ni-rich NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) are capable of attaining a wide range of transformation temperatures depending on the heat treatment conditions and superior thermo-mechanical cycling stability, which are desired for repeated solid-state actuation. High Ni-content Ni-rich SMAs have very low transformation temperatures in a solutionized condition due to the high Ni-content of the matrix. Slow cooling (furnacecooling) from solutionizing temperature and additional aging heat treatments result in the formation of Ni-rich precipitates such as Ni4Ti3, Ni3Ti2 and Ni3Ti and increase transformation temperatures above ambient by depleting excess Ni from the matrix. However, the precipitates do not undergo a martensitic phase transformation and they decrease the transformation strain by reducing the volume fraction of the material capable of transforming. Meanwhile, recent preliminary work shows that Ni3Ti precipitates dominate fatigue failure. The objectives of the present study are: (1) to eliminate Ni3Ti but still have Ni4Ti3 precipitates, which are responsible for the dimensional stability and increase transformation temperatures, (2) to investigate the effect of heat treatments on the transformation strain, and (3) to select single variant Ni4Ti3 precipitates through constrained aging for the formation of oriented internal stress and eventually obtain twoway shame memory effect (TWSME) and enhanced dimensional stability. Based on these objectives, the effect of aging heat treatment on transformation temperatures, microstructural evolution, and shape memory behavior were investigated for a Ni52Ti48 shape memory alloy (SMA) by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermo-mechanical testing, including isobaric heating-cooling experiments under various stress levels. It was observed that solutionizing at 900 degree C for 24 hours eliminated Ni3Ti type precipitates, but additional aging heat treatments are needed to form Ni4Ti3 precipitates to increase transformation temperatures. Furnace-cooling and additional aging heat treatment results in the multi-stage martensitic transformation due to chemical and stress inhomogeneities in the microstructure. Aging of the controlled furnace-cooled material at 400 degree C for 48 hours resulted in the highest transformation temperatures among all processing conditions investigated due to the combination of Ni3Ti precipitates and 27 percent volume fraction of the Ni4Ti3 precipitates, which led to the depletion of Ni from the transforming matrix. However, since overaging results in losing coherency of the precipitates, dimensional stability during isobaric thermal cycling was negatively impacted.

The impact of B substitution in Ni50Mn35In15-xBx Heusler alloys with x = (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.1 1.5, and 2) on the structural, magnetic, transport, and parameters of magnetocaloric effect has been studied by means of room temperature XRD-diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermomagnetic measurements (in a magnetic field up to 5 T and temperature interval 5-400 K). Direct adiabatic temperature (ΔTAD) measurements have been carried out for an applied magnetic field change (ΔH) of 1.8 T. The partial substitution of In by B in Ni50Mn35In15-xBx Heusler alloys induced a non-linear temperature shift of the magnetostructural transition while Curie temperature (TC) was found to be nearly constant (TC ~ 320 K) for all compounds. The transition temperatures (T-x) phase diagram has been constructed for H = 0.005 T. The MCE parameters were found to be larger or comparable to parameters observed in other MCE materials, such as Ni50Mn34.8In14.2B and Ni50Mn35In14X (X=In, Al, and Ge) Heusler alloys. It has been demonstrated that the martensitic transformation temperature and the corresponding ∆SM can be tuned through a slight variation in composition of B in NiMnInB alloys. A magnetoresistance associated with martensitic transformation was found to be -60% for x = 0.75 at T = 240 K for a magnetic field change of 5 T. The maximum absolute value of ΔTAD = 2.5 K was observed at the magnetostructural transition for Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5. The roles of the magnetic and structural changes on the transition temperatures are discussed.

No description available.

Zirconia based ceramics are strong, hard, inert, and smooth, with low thermal conductivity and good biocompatibility. Such properties made zirconia ceramics an ideal material for different applications form thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) to biomedicine applications like femoral implants and dental bridges. However, this unusual versatility of excellent properties would be mediated by the metastable tetragonal (or cubic) transformation to the stable monoclinic phase after a certain exposure at service temperatures. This transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic, known as LTD (low temperature degradation) in biomedical application, proceeds by propagation of martensite, which corresponds to transformation twinning. As such, tetragonal to monoclinic transformation is highly sensitive to mechanical and chemomechanical stresses. It is known in fact that this transformation is the source of the fracture toughening in stabilized zirconia as it occurs at the stress concentration regions ahead of the crack tip. This dissertation is an attempt to provide a kinetic-based model for tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in zirconia. We used the phase field technique to capture the temporal and spatial evolution of monoclinic phase. In addition to morphological patterns, we were able to calculate the developed internal stresses during tetragonal to monoclinic transformation. The model was started form the two dimensional single crystal then was expanded to the two dimensional polycrystalline and finally to the three dimensional single crystal. The model is able to predict the most physical properties associated with tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in zirconia including: morphological patterns, transformation toughening, shape memory effect, pseudoelasticity, surface uplift, and variants impingement. The model was benched marked with several experimental works. The good agreements between simulation results and experimental data, make the model a reliable tool for predicting tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in the cases we lack experimental observations.

Na atualidade, o estudo da transformação martensítica é de grande importância na área acadêmica e tecnológica, devido à aplicação de aços e ferros fundidos com estruturas martensíticas. O estudo dos fenômenos da transformação martensítica envolve vários pesquisadores no mundo e é objeto de eventos como o ICOMAT e ESOMAT. O presente trabalho acompanhou a transformação martensítica por meio de técnicas experimentais a temperaturas sub-zero em um aço AISI D2 e uma liga Fe-Ni-C previamente austenitizadas. A literatura indica que o tratamento a temperaturas sub-zero pode melhorar propriedades dos aços temperados e revenidos. Foi explorado o uso dos métodos de ruído magnético de Barkhausen (MBN), para detectar a transformação de fase da austenita para a martensita durante o resfriamento sub-zero das amostras, usando três diferentes configurações: a emissão de ruído Barkhausen convencional estimulada por um campo magnético alternado; o método de Okamura que é a emissão de ruído magnético medido embaixo de um campo fixo (DC); e uma nova técnica experimental, que mede a emissão magnética espontânea durante a transformação na ausência de qualquer campo externo. Os fenômenos associados com a transformação de fase também foram medidos por resistividade elétrica e as amostras resultantes foram caracterizadas por microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura. Medições MBN no aço ferramenta AISI D2, austenitizadas a 1473K (1200C) e resfriadas a temperatura de nitrogênio líquido apresentaram uma mudança próximo de 225K (-48C) durante o resfriamento, que corresponde à temperatura Ms, como foi confirmado por medidas de resistividade. As medições da emissão de ruído magnético espontâneo, realizadas in situ durante o resfriamento da amostra imersa em nitrogênio líquido, mostraram que poderia ser detectado um fenômeno de estouro individual (burst), de forma similar às medições de emissão acústica (AE), o qual foi confirmado com a liga Fe-Ni-C. Este método de caracterização Spontaneous Magnetic Emission (SME) pode ser considerado uma nova ferramenta experimental para o estudo de transformações martensiticas em ligas ferrosas. Foi acompanhado o inicio da transformação martensítica por SME, em função do tamanho de grão, já que é conhecido pela literatura que o inicio da transformação martensítica (Ms), muda com a variação do tamanho de grão. / Martensitic transformations are of special interest both as an academic topic and as a technological issue, due to importance of steels and cast irons with martensitic structures. Studies of martensite transformation phenomena involve researchers all over the world and specific conferences and meetings, as ICOMAT and ESOMAT. The present work followed the martensitic transformation using different experimental techniques, during cooling at cryogenic temperatures samples of a AISI D2 cold work tool steel and also a Fe-Ni-C, previously austenitized. There are plenty of references in the literature suggesting that sub-zero cooling treatments could ameliorate the properties of quenched and tempered steels. The Magnetic Barkhausen Noise (MBN) method was applied during cooling to subzero temperatures of austenitic samples of a AISI D2 cold work tool steels (previously quenched from 1200ºC) and to a Invar-type Fe-Ni-C alloy. MBN is a non-destructive technique based on the detection of the signal generated when ferromagnetic materials are subjected to an oscillating external magnetic field. In order to study the austenite to martensite transformation, three different configurations were tested: conventional Barkhausen using an oscillating magnetic field, a method proposed by Okamura, which uses a fixed magnetic field and a new method that detects spontaneous magnetic emissions (SME) on the absence of any applied magnetic field. Other phenomena associated with the transformation were followed using electrical resistivity measurements, optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. MBN measurements on a cold work tool steel AISI D2, austenitized at 1473K (1200ºC) and quenched to room temperature, made during further cooling to liquid nitrogen temperature, presented a clear change of signal intensity near 225K (-48ºC), corresponding to Ms temperature, as confirmed by resistivity measurements. The SME in situ measurements during cooling of samples in liquid nitrogen were able to detect single burst (landslide nucleation and growth) phenomena, in a manner similar to the Acoustic Emission (AE) measurements; these results have been confirmed also with measurements on a Fe-Ni-C alloy. The new Spontaneous Magnetic Emission (SME) characterization method can be considered a new experimental tool for the study of martensitic transformations in ferrous alloys. The beginning temperature for the martensitic transformation detected using SME, electric resistivity and MBN were compared with estimates using the Andrews empirical equation (linear, 1965) for the Ms temperature. The effect of the austenite grain size on the beginning of the martensitic transformation was studied using SME, as it is known that the Ms temperature depends on the austenite grain size.

No description available.

In this thesis two kinds of phase change i.e., solid state phase transformation in steels and solid-to-liquid phase transformation in paraffin, have been modeled and numerically simulated. The solid state phase transformation is modeled using the phase field theory while the solid-to-liquid phase transformation is modeled using the Stokes equation and exploiting the viscous nature of the paraffin, by treating it as a liquid in both states.The theoretical base of the solid state, diffusionless phase transformation or the martensitic transformation comes from the Khachaturyan's phase field microelasticity theory. The time evolution of the variable describing the phase transformation is computed using the time dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation. Plasticity is also incorporated into the model by solving another time dependent equation. Simulations are performed both in 2D and 3D, for a single crystal and a polycrystal. Although the model is valid for most iron-carbon alloys, in this research an Fe-0.3\%C alloy is chosen.In order to simulate martensitic transformation in a polycrystal, it is necessary to include the effect of the grain boundary to correctly capture the morphology of the microstructure. One of the important achievements of this research is the incorporation of the grain boundary effect in the Khachaturyan's phase field model. The developed model is also employed to analyze the effect of external stresses on the martensitic transformation, both in 2D and 3D. Results obtained from the numerical simulations show good qualitative agreement with the empirical observations found in the literature.The microactuators are generally used as a micropump or microvalve in various miniaturized industrial and engineering applications. The phase transformation in a paraffin based thermohydraulic membrane microactuator is modeled by treating paraffin as a highly viscous liquid, instead of a solid, below its melting point.  The fluid-solid interaction between paraffin and the enclosing membrane is governed by the ALE technique. The thing which sets apart the presented model from the previous models, is the use of geometry independent and realistic thermal and mechanical properties. Numerical results obtained by treating paraffin as a liquid in both states show better conformity with the experiments, performed on a similar microactuator. The developed model is further employed to analyze the time response of the system, for different input powers and geometries of the microactuator. / <p>QC 20130219</p>