The study of magnetic Mn+1AXn (MAX) phases (n = 1 − 3, M – a transition metal, A – an A group element, X – C or N) is a recently established research area, fuelled by theoretical predictions and first confirmed experimentally through alloying of Mn into the well-known Cr2AlC and Cr2GeC. Theoretical phase stability investigations suggested a new magnetic MAX phase, Mn2GaC, containing Ga which is liquid close to room temperature. Hence, alternative routes for MAX phase synthesis were needed, motivating a further development of magnetron sputtering from liquid targets. In this thesis, (Cr1-xMnx)2GaC 0 ≤ x ≤ 1  MAX phase thin films have been synthesized from elemental and/or compound targets, using ultra high vacuum magnetron sputtering. Initial thin film synthesis of Cr2GaC was performed using elemental targets, including liquid Ga. Process optimization ensured optimal target size and crucible geometry for containing the Ga. Films were deposited at 650 °C on MgO(111) substrates. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirms the growth of epitaxial Cr2GaC MAX phase with minor inclusions of Cr3Ga. To explore the magnetic characteristics upon Mn alloying, synthesis of (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC thin films was performed from elemental Ga and C and a composite Cr/Mn target of 1:1 composition. Films were deposited on MgO(111), Al2O3(0001) (with or without NbN seed layer), and 4° off-cut 4H-SiC(0001) substrates. The films are smooth and of high structural quality as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The film composition measured by high resolution energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms a composition corresponding to (Cr0.5Mn0.5)2GaC. The magnetic response, as measured with vibrating sample magnetometry, displays a ferromagnetic component, however, the temperature dependence of the magnetic moments and saturation fields suggests competing magnetic interaction and possible non-collinear magnetic ordering. Finally, inspired by theoretical predictions, a new member of the MAX phase family, Mn2GaC, was synthesized. This is the first MAX phase containing Mn as a sole M element. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirms the characteristic MAX phase structure with a 2:1:1 composition. Theoretical work suggests that the magnetic ground state is almost degenerate between ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic. Vibrating sample magnetometry shows ferromagnetic response with a transition temperature Tc of 230 K. However, also for this phase, complex magnetism is suggested. Altogether, the results indicate a new family of magnetic nanolaminates with a rich variation of magnetic ground states.

Omställningstiden i ytmonteringslinan Panasonic på Stoneridge Electronics AB ansågs vara en bidragande orsak till att maskinernas fulla kapacitet inte kunde utnyttjas. Syftet med det här examensarbetet var därför att analysera omställningssituationen och med analysen som grund reducera omställningstiden med hjälp av SMED-metoden samt ta fram förbättringsförslag gällande arbetet i övrigt. Förutom SMED har tidsmätningar, observationer samt litteraturstudier legat till grund för reduceringen av omställningstid samt förbättringsförslagen som innebär bl.a. sekventiell omställning av conveyersystemet i ytmonteringslinan samt tydligare instruktioner och mer visuell styrning, enligt teorin om Lean. Ett fortsatt arbete i form av uppdatering av arbetsinstruktioner och själva utförandet av omställningen är exempel på typen av ständiga förbättringar som företaget redan idag jobbar aktivt med. / The changeover time in Panasonic SMT-line at Stoneridge Electronics AB was considered a contributing reason to that the machine's full potential could not be utilized. The aim of this thesis was to analyze the changeover situation and with the analysis as a basis reduce changeover time using the SMED method and develop improvement suggestions regarding the work in general. Besides SMED has time measurements, observations and literature studies formed the basis for the reduction of changeover time and for the improvement suggestions, including sequential conversion of the conveyer system in the SMT-line and also clearer instructions and more visual control, according to the theory of Lean. Further work like updating work instructions and the actual execution of the conversion is an example of the type of continuous improvement as the company is already familiar with.

The main part of this work has been a literature survey, reviewing scientifical reports forinformation on how steel cleanness is evaluated today, and also how the steel cleanness is related tothe fatigue performance of clean steels.

An increase in conversion efficiency of CIGS thin film solar cells has been reached at Ångström Solar Center (ÅSC) due to an introduction of a post-deposition-treatment (PDT) with potassium fluoride (KF) on the CIGS absorber layer. The PDT will however affect the growth of the cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer normally deposited on the CIGS layer. The purpose of this study has therefore been to increase the conversion efficiency of the CIGS solar cells by optimizing the process parameters when growing CdS with a chemical bath deposition process (CBD) on CIGS with KF-PDT. The purpose has also been to understand how CdS grows on CIGS with KF-PDT. CdS has been deposited with CBD on both CIGS with KF-PDT and on soda lime glass samples by varying process parameters such as time, bath temperature and concentrations. The solar cells were characterized using current-voltage measurements as well as external quantum efficiency measurements. Further methods of analysis were profilometry, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the solar cells with the best performance were obtained at a bath temperature of 70 °C, process time of 3 min after preheating the cadmium acetate and ammonia solutions for 6 min and using the concentrations of the baseline process for CBD of CdS at ÅSC. The best cell of this sample resulted in a conversion efficiency of 19.1 % without antireflective coating.

Includes bibliographical references. / The abrasive nature of fly ash handled in large coal-fired power stations results in unacceptable material and maintenance costs in ash-water mixing plant. Wear testing has been carried out in situ using a variety of generic materials. A ranking order of wear performance has been established both as a function of material and operating costs, and it has been demonstrated that impressive cost savings can be effected by the use of ceramic-coated steel mixing blades. The performance of such composites has been found to be sensitive to the design and method of application. To optimise materials selection, a family of tungsten carbide-cobalt cermets together with a number of structural ceramics were tested in situ. The modes of wear can be related to material constitution. By ranking the performance of these candidate materials, value based materials selection and design for use can be applied.

Bibliography: pages 89-93. / A laboratory wear testing facility has been developed to generate wear rate data for polymeric materials sliding at constant velocity against a hardened stainless steel base. The polymers investigated were ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene-with a friction reducing additive (UHMWPE/FILL), polyoxymethylene (POM), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PETP), molybdenum disulphide filled polyamide 6 (PA6/MoS₂) and graphite filled poly(amide-imide) (P(A-I)/GR). Testing was carried out as a function of sliding velocity between 0.13 to 2.27 ms⁻¹, loads of 1, 3 and 5 MP a and counterface roughnesses which varied from 1 micrometre to 0.25 micrometres. An increase in the counterface roughness resulted in a variable increase in the wear rate of the individual polymers except for the filled UHMWPE. These changes in the wear rate have been explained in terms of the mechanism of material removal. A progressive increase in sliding velocity has been shown to result in an initial increase in the wear rate followed by a decrease and finally a rapid increase for all materials under the majority of applied conditions. Explanations for such behaviour have been advanced in terms of the viscoelastic response of the polymers to strain rate and temperature. Low modulus materials however showed a significant drop in wear rate under low loads above a critical velocity which is believed to be due to a transition from boundary to partial el astohydrodynamic lubrication. Generally an increase in load gave an increase in wear rate for all polymers except for UHMWPE and filled UHMWPE at a counterface roughness of 1 micrometre. These conditions have been discussed with reference to the materials response to thermal effects and counterface interactions.

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With superior oxidation and corrosion resistance, metallic coatings (i.e. diffusion coatings and MCrAlX coatings) are widely used to protect hot components made of superalloys in turbine engines. Two issues are critically important for the coating at high temperatures: thermal property related to oxidation/corrosion behavior and microstructure stability, and mechanical properties (e.g. creep and fatigue). The aim of this project is to develop better understanding of the thermal and mechanical behaviors of metallic coatings on superalloys and to improve the accuracy of prediction of their lifetime by thermodynamic modeling. The present work includes an investigation on the oxidation behavior of MCrAlX coating with a new lifetimeprediction model and a study on the influence of diffusion coatings on creep and fatigue behaviors of the superalloy IN792. Experiments on isothermal and thermal cycling oxidation were designed to investigate the oxidation behavior of a HVOF CoNiCrAlYSi coating on superalloy IN792. It is found that the oxidation behaviors of the coating are related to its thermodynamic property. A diffusion model has been established using the homogenization models in the DICTRA software and taking into consideration of the influence of surface oxidation, coating-substrate interdiffusion and diffusion blocking effect caused by internal voids and oxides. The simulation results show an improved accuracy of lifetime prediction by introducing the diffusion blocking effect. Microstructural evolution during creep process at high temperatures was studied in different diffusion coatings (NiAl and PtAl). It is found that the inward diffusion of aluminum controls the thickening rate of the diffusion coatings. The developed coatings displayed two types of mechanical behavior - being easily plasticized or cracked - dependent on temperature and type of coating, and therefore could be considered as non-load carrying material during creep test. The influence of cracking of PtAl coating on the high-cycle fatigue (HCF) behavior of the IN792 was also investigated. The results show that precracking of the coating prior to the fatigue test has little influence on the fatigue limit of specimens with thin coating (50 μm) but lowers the fatigue limit of specimens with thick coating (70 μm). The through-coating crack has enough mobility to penetrate into the substrate and causes fatigue failure only when the driving force for crack propagation is increased above a critical value due to a higher applied stress or a larger crack length (thicker coating). / <p>Som minor changes has been done in the electronic version compared to the printed version such as acknowledgement among others.</p>

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QC 20101216