Ce travail a porté sur l'étude des phases métastables de l'alliage à mémoire de forme CuAlBe sous différents types de sollicitations mécaniques et thermiques par diffraction des neutrons. Il a permis de définir un protocole expérimental de caractérisation des transformations des phases métastables caractéristiques de l'effet mémoire de forme et de la superélasticité. Après élaboration par filage à chaud suivi d'une trempe à l'eau, le matériau est entièrement austénitique β1. Sa microstructure est composée de grains de taille relativement importante, de l'ordre de 400 µm. Ce procédé de fabrication génère une texture cristallographique de type fibre partielle <001>. L'étude de la superélasticité lors d'un essai de traction à température ambiante a mis en évidence le comportement pseudoélastique de l'alliage. L'étude de l'évolution des microdéformations a permis de mettre en avant la forte hétérogénéité de comportement du plan (400). Le pic de diffraction de ce plan présente également un fort élargissement dû aux fautes d'empilements qui est directement à relier à la transformation de phase de l'austénite en martensite. La martensite β'1 de structure monoclinique 18R complexe a été affinée à l'aide d'un modèle de type 6M. Ce modèle permet de rendre compte au mieux de la faible périodicité des fautes d'empilement caractéristiques de cette phase métastable à notre échelle d'analyse caractéristique d'un volume de l'ordre du centimètre cube. Après déformation plastique, la texture cristallographique du matériau a fortement évoluée. Le laminage à froid fait disparaitre la fibre partielle <001>. Aux plus forts taux de déformation plastique par laminage à chaud, la fibre <111> apparait. Cette forte déformation affecte également l'orientation des lattes de martensite. D'autre part, les températures des transformations de phases ainsi que l'hystérésis sont modifiées. Cependant, la structure cristallographique de la martensite générée par déformation plastique est identique à celle obtenue par refroidissement pour notre échelle d'observation. L'étude du retour à l'équilibre des phases métastables après recuit à haute température suivi d'une trempe sur un échantillon déformé plastiquement a montré la disparition totale de la martensite et l'apparition des phases stables α et γ2 pour des températures de recuit entre 500°C et 600°C. Au-delà de 600°C, ces deux phases disparaissent au profit de la phase β. On observe alors un fort grossissement du grain. La texture cristallographique est de nouveau caractérisée par la fibre partielle <001>. / This work deals with the study of metastable phases of CuAlBe shape memory alloy under mechanical and thermal solicitations by neutron diffraction. It enables to define an experimental protocol of characterization of metastable phase transformation.The raw material is fully austenitic at room temperature. Its microstructure is composed by huge grain size, close to 400 µm. The crystallographic texture is characterized by a <001> partial fibber.The study of the superelasticity during a tensile test at room temperature demonstrated the pseudoelastic behaviour of this material. The evolution of microdeformations showed the heterogeneous behaviour, especially for the (400) plane in axial direction. The diffraction peak of this plane family also has an important increase of the width. This increase can be linked to the transformation of the austenite into martensite.The crystallographic structure of the monoclinic martensite β'1 has been refined using the 6M model. This model enables to report the relatively low periodicity of stacking faults characterizing the martensitic transformation.After plastic deformation, the crystallographic texture evolved. The <001> partial fibber disappears. For the larger deformation rates, the <111> fibber appears.This large deformation also affects the martensite variant orientation and modifies the temperature of phase transformation.The return into equilibrium of metastable phases after annealing treatments between 500°C and 600°C followed by a quenching at room temperature on a plastically deformed sample has shown the disappearance of martensite and the growth of α and γ2 stable phases. Beyond 600°C, the grains grow largely. The crystallographic texture is characterized by the <001> partial fibber.

We envisage a fundamental study of the physical mechanisms (dislocation slip versus deformation twinning) involved in plastic deformation of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) metals like titanium and magnesium. A novel combination of X-ray imaging and diffraction techniques, termed X-ray diffraction contrast tomography (DCT), will be used to investigate details of the deformation process in the bulk of polycrystalline specimen. DCT provides access to the position, 3D shape, (average) orientation and elastic strain tensor of grains in polycrystalline sample volumes containing up to 1000 grains and more. Ultimately, an extension of the X-ray DCT technique is associated with a section topography methodology on the same instrument. This combination enables the measurement of local orientation and elastic strain tensors inside selected bulk grains. A very preliminary study of this approach is carried out on a magnesium alloy, underlying the current limitations and possible improvements of such approach. In this thesis, the data acquisition and analysis procedures required for this type of combined characterisation approach have been developed. The work is supported by the use of neutron diffraction, for an in-situ loading experiments, and two-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), for the initial microstructure of the materials and cross-validation of the results obtained with the X-ray DCT technique.

The goal of the present work is investigation of deformation mechanisms in magnesium-based metal matrix composites and examination of the influence of morphology of strengthening phase on the mechanical properties. The microstructure of the specimen was studied by means of light optical and electron microscopy (SEM). Compression tests in the temperature range of 20řC-300řC were preformed. Acoustic emission measurements were performed during compression test at room temperature, whose help us elucidate the ongoing micromechanisms during the straining. Furthermore residual stress in the magnesium matrix at different strain levels was measured by neutron diffraction.

Title: Magnetic properties of R2TIn8 and related tetragonal compounds Author: Petr Čermák Department / Institute: Department of Condensed Matter Physics Supervisor of the doctoral thesis: doc. Mgr. Pavel Javorský, Dr., Department of Condensed Matter Physics Abstract: Intermetallic compounds R2TIn8 (R = rare earth, T = transition metal), commonly called "218" because of stoichiometry, are structurally related to a class of well- known Ce-based heavy-fermions like CeCoIn5 or CeRhIn5. They are located between fully 3D cubic compound (e.g. CeIn3) and quasi-2D "115" superconductors, which makes them ideal candidates to study structural dimensionality effects on various properties. Recent developments in this field showed that it is possible to grow compounds with T = Pd or Pt with "218" stoichiometry. Therefore further study of "218" compounds is desired since much less is known about them compared to "115" compounds. We have focused mainly on the determination of magnetic structures and crystal field effects along the series of Rh based "218" compounds for various rare-earth elements. The single crystals of compounds with R = Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, La, Lu, Y were successfully grown. Results of bulk measurements (specific heat, susceptibility) together with magnetic structures determined from several neutron...

The objective of this thesis is to study the mechanical properties of magnesium-based composite (AX41) reinforced by short Saffil fibers. Two type of samples have been investigated: fiber plane parallel respective perpendicular to the loading axis. In both case compression tests were performed in temperature range from 23řC to 200řC. Deformation test were completed by acoustic emission and neutron diffraction measurement. Both methods provide information about the ongoing deformation mechanisms. Microstructure of deformed sample was investigated by SEM and EBSD methods in order to confirm the ND and AE results. The internal strain field in the material was predicted with numerical FEM and compared with the observed experimental values.

Heusler compounds are cubic intermetallics with a wide range of interesting properties, which are closely related to the structure of the material. In addition, several exotic physical phenomena have been predicted for different compositions in the family, but have not been experimentally realized. By and large, the lack of success in realization of various properties are due to the issues with intrinsic material attributes, which have been difficult to resolve as the relationship between them is not well understood. The aim of this work has been to unravel the entanglement between the intrinsic material attributes of cobalt-based quaternary Heusler compounds such as the structure, defects (disorder), chemical inhomogeneities etc., and the resulting physical properties.

<p>  </p> <p>Metallic uranium-zirconium (U-Zr) nuclear fuel is a primary candidate for future fast reactors. The U-Zr system has been studied for decades with thousands of fuel pins being irradiated, yet the phase boundaries and lattice evolution with respect to temperature and composition remain poorly quantified. Historic engineering scale testing has resulted in empirical models for fuel evolution and subsequent fuel performance. However, these historic tests are on a convoluted system, consisting of dynamic temperatures, evolving thermal gradients, varying irradiation damage and damage rates, evolving compositions via fission and redistribution of primary constituents, and morphological evolution. This system proves exceedingly difficult to describe mechanistically due to the coexistence of various intertwined thermodynamic driving forces (e.g., temperature, composition, fluence, and fission rate which all vary concurrently). The driving forces influence the manifestation of the primary life-limiting phenomena present within the U-Zr system, specifically fuel-cladding mechanical interaction, fuel-cladding chemical interaction, fuel swelling, and fuel constituent redistribution. Although the phenomena present in the U-Zr system are known and qualitatively described, they are lacking in fundamental descriptions due to the historic inability to deconvolve the effects of temperature, composition, and fission rate. This study evaluates the current understanding of U-Zr fuel swelling and constituent redistribution in a uniquely quantified manner using Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables. </p> <p><br></p> <p>In response to these findings, a novel separate effects irradiation test vehicle, housing uniquely fabricated U-Zr alloys, was proposed, developed, and successfully fabricated to provide the community with a means to decouple temperature, composition, initial microstructure, and fission rate from one-another. Initial out-of-pile characterization was conducted with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and neutron diffraction with in-situ heating on various U-Zr alloys (U- 6, 10, 20, and 30 wt.% Zr). This work quantifies the initial microstructure throughout the fabrication process and the thermal response of the material. Results include the phase morphology, phase boundaries, absolute lattice parameters, and lattice specific coefficients of thermal expansion. The phase boundaries identified in this study were then used to develop a new U-Zr phase diagram. The isolation of thermal and compositional dependencies furthers the understanding of the fuel system and can be used to increase fuel longevity.</p>

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第18340号 / 農博第2065号 / 新制||農||1024(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H26||N4847(農学部図書室) / 31198 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科森林科学専攻 / (主査)教授 木村 恒久, 教授 西尾 嘉之, 教授 髙野 俊幸 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第19893号 / 工博第4209号 / 新制||工||1651(附属図書館) / 32970 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科材料工学専攻 / (主査)教授 辻 伸泰, 教授 白井 泰治, 教授 松原 英一郎 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

In my time at the Laboratory of Membrane and Protein Dynamics at McMaster University, it has been our goal to investigate the fundamental properties of model membranes and how some common membrane molecules, namely water, ethanol, and cholesterol, interact with the bilayer. Our studies employ highly-oriented, solid-supported membranes in order to extract unambiguous structural information perpendicular to and in the plane of the membranes, with the exception of the hydrated powder samples used in probing the effects on ethanol. Both X-ray and neutron scattering were employed to investigate the structural properties of the membranes and neutron scattering was used to infer the dynamical properties. A variety of neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the properties of hydrated lipid bilayers, as described in the first two publications listed. Instruments including a neutron backscattering spectrometer, reflectometer, and time-of-flight spectrometer were used to observe bilayer structure, lipid/water coupling, and water diffusion. We found that hydrated, solid-supported single-bilayers showed no strong coupling between hydration water and lipid tails and the out-of-plane structure of stacked fluid bilayers as well as the anisotropic and anomalous behaviour of hydration water compared to bulk water. Both X-ray and neutron scattering experiments were done to determine the effect of a 2mol% concentration of ethanol on a hydrated lipid powder. X-ray scattering was used to determine the structural changes due to the addition of ethanol and the location of ethanol within the bilayer. This was accomplished by determining areas of increased electron density in the head group and among the acyl tails. The presence of ethanol also attributed to a decrease in lateral lipid diffusion constant in the gel phase, while no significant change was found in fluid bilayers. In the final study outlined in this thesis, the result of a 32.5% concentration of cholesterol in a hydrated, fluid phospholipid membrane is discussed. Coarse-grained molecular simulations and measurements of the lateral structure of the membrane via neutron spectrometry were able to determine the heterogeneous nature of the liquid-ordered phase and the structure of each of the domains in the membrane. The following thesis will introduce model membranes, their relevant components and the scattering of X-rays and neutrons from such matter. Next, experimental techniques, sample constituents, sample preparations, and instruments used in experiments will be described. Then, each study will be introduced and discussed which will showcase the progress made in the field of model membranes. Lastly, an overview of the studies will lead in to future directions for each model system in terms of suggested experiments and general path. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)