Because the roof lithology in an underground coal mine is typically variable and poorly known, the safety and efficiency of these mines is reduced. To address this shortcoming, a device for analyzing rock properties by way of scratching a mine roof borehole was designed and tested in multiple different media with the goal of determining in situ mine roof properties with a nondestructive technique. Tools were developed for measuring extraction force and position of the scratching mechanism and those values were compared versus time for multiple tests to look for changes in applied force over changing positions. Because of signal stability and inconsistencies in scratch depths the data were found to contain too much variation to determine any rock properties or changing rock conditions from the simulated roof material in the concrete block. However, further scratch tests in a sandstone block indicated that increasing the diameter of the wire scratchers (and therefore increasing their stiffness and accompanying normal force) from 0.045 inches to 0.055 inches increased the average pull force from 6.24 to 9.96 lbs. Similar to that test, a scratch test was performed in a PVC pipe where it was found that increasing the scratcher diameter from 0.045 inches to 0.051 inches increased the pull force from a 2.81 lb average to a 36.46 lb average, with considerably better gouging of the host material. / Master of Science

The diploma thesis deals with characterization of adhesion of plasma polymer films deposited on silicon wafers. The samples included organosilicon thin films based on tetravinylsilane monomer prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Scratch test was used to characterize film adhesion employing nanoindentation measurements. Adhesion of plasma polymer films of different mechanical properties and film thickness was analyzed by normal and lateral forces, friction coefficient, and scratch images obtained by scanning probe microscope working in atomic force microscopy mode.

The doctoral thesis deals with the study of morphology and mechanical properties of thin plasma polymer films based on tetravinylsilane monomer and its mixtures with oxygen and argon. Thin films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition on silicon and glass substrates. Atomic force microscopy was used for characterization of thin film surface and for depiction of composite interphase with functional interlayer. Mechanical properties of thin films, namely Young’s modulus and hardness, were studied by cyclic nanoindentation technique. Nanoindentation device was also used to carry out scratch test, which was helpful to describe adhesion of films to substrate. In this thesis the influence of deposition conditions on surface and mechanical properties of thin films prepared in continual and pulse wave on planar substrates is discussed. Also, the suitability of few atomic force microscopy techniques for depiction of composite interphase was reviewed.

Ce travail s’intéresse a la synthèse et à la caractérisation de revêtements hybrides O/I à base de silice, préparés par voie sol-gel et déposés sur polycarbonate (PC), pour des applications en milieu chaud et humide dans le domaine culinaire. Le PC étant connu pour sa sensibilité à l’hydrolyse dans ce type de milieux (provoquant sa dépolymérisation progressive et ainsi la libération de bisphénol A, molécule suspectée comme étant toxique), le rôle du revêtement est donc de protéger le PC et d’éviter son vieillissement prématuré, tout en améliorant ses propriétés mécaniques. Dans un premier temps, de nombreux sols ont été synthétisés et optimisés, principalement en termes de nature et quantités de précurseurs, et de pH, dans le but d’obtenir des revêtements homogènes et transparents. Un suivi des réactions d’hydrolyse et de condensation des sols a également été réalisé afin de déterminer le temps minimal de maturation de ces derniers. Apres dépôt des revêtements par dip-coating, les propriétés mécaniques des films ont été étudiées par de nombreuses techniques. D’un point de vue général, les propriétés des échantillons revêtus ont été trouvées supérieures à celles du PC nu. L’influence de nombreux paramètres de synthèse comme le ratio organoalcoxysilane(s)/silice colloïdale, l’ajout d’additifs, le type de traitement de surface du PC pré-dépôt ou encore les conditions de recuit, a également été étudiée. L’ensemble de ce travail a permis d’obtenir, à partir de deux systèmes sol-gel différents, des revêtements performants en termes de transparence, d’adhésion au substrat, de non-toxicité, couplés à des valeurs élevées de dureté, de densité et de module de Young / This work deals with the synthesis and the characterization of hybrid O/I silica coatings prepared by the sol-gel route and deposited on polycarbonate (PC), for applications in hot and humid environment in the alimentary field. PC is well-known for undergoing hydrolysis in such conditions (causing its progressive depolymerization and thus leading to the release of bisphenol A, a molecule suspected to be toxic): the function of the coating would thus consist in preventing PC from this kind of premature ageing, along with the enhancement of its mechanical properties. As a first step, a lot of different sols were synthesized and optimized, mainly in terms of type and quantity of precursors, along with the pH, in order to obtain transparent and homogeneous coatings. The hydrolysis and condensation reactions were monitored in order to determine the minimum ageing time to be waited before any film deposition. After deposition by dip-coating, the mechanical properties of the films were assessed by using many different techniques. Basically, the coated-PC samples display higher properties than the uncoated one. The influence of numerous synthesis parameters such as the organoalkoxysilanes/colloidal silica ratio, the presence of additives, the kind of surface treatment of PC before film deposition, or the annealing conditions was also studied. This whole work led to the synthesis, from two different sol-gel systems, of superior quality coatings in terms of transparency, adherence to the substrate, non-toxicity, along with elevated hardness, density and Young’s modulus values

Aluminium is one of the metals playing a prominent role in automobile industry after cast iron. Because of its light weight property and good mechanical properties. When aluminium reinforced with silicon carbide showing good tribological properties and improved strength. Aluminium silicon carbide needs some good wear and frictional properties to use it as break disc. Aluminium reinforced with 15% and 20% silicon carbide and casted in two different ways, liquid casting and stir casting. Four different composites are compared in this paper. Hardness test was carried out on the samples. Increase in the Vickers hardness with increase in silicon carbide reinforcement for both the castings is observed. Rockwell C hardness is showing decreasing trend with increase in SiC reinforcement. The scratch resistance of the surface under micro level was analysed with the help of nano scratch test. The SiC particles in the aluminium matrix are resisting the indenter from deep deformation of the surface. Frictional forces are dropped whenever the indenter met the SiC particles. In other cases, SiC particles are deforming the aluminium matrix in the form of broken particles. The plastic deformation of aluminium is observed, and material is piled up on sideways of groove at high load.Sliding wear behaviour of the composites are investigated by means of reciprocating pin on plate wear rig. The test was carried out at load of 20N for five different sliding duration. Aluminium with 20% silicon carbide of liquid casting is used as a base metal. The worn-out surface of the samples is analysed in SEM. The metallography of the worn-out samples is showing some deep grooves and abrasion of the material. Wear debris from both the surfaces are forming into a cluster of layers. These layers are protecting the surface from wear in some areas were observed. Composition of tribo layer formed during the test was investigated with the help of EDS analysis. The tribo layer are rich in aluminium and silicon elements because both the samples are made of aluminium silicon carbide.

A new scratch test methodology is proposed. The new test methodology is developed based on the principles of materials science and solid mechanics, which include the consideration of material parameters, use of microscopy for image analysis and the finite element method (FEM). The consistency and reproducibility of test results are shown using a new scratch test device on two sets of neat and talcfilled polypropylene (PP) systems. Three different test conditions, i.e., linear load increase under constant rate, constant load under constant rate, and linear rate increase under constant load, have been conducted to determine the most effective, informative test conditions for evaluation of scratch resistance of polymers. Experimental observations and FEM results show a good qualitative correlation. The unique advantages of the new scratch test method for evaluating scratch resistance of polymers are discussed. A systematic study of surface damage effected by a progressive scratching load is performed on model polypropylene (PP) systems. Mar-scratch and stress -whitening transitions can be readily observed, and the corresponding critical loads determined. Distinctive scratch hardnesses and surface damage features are found for different material systems. Visibility of scratched surface is quantified using gray level analysis via a flatbed scanner and a commercial image analysis tool. It is found that the onset of scratch visibility can be determined accurately and reproducibly using the custom -built scratcher under progressive loading condition. Talc particles are found to be responsible for the increased light scattering, leading to greatly increased visibility. The observed scratch visibility is also found to be related to the measured frictional force profiles. Approaches for producing scratch resistant PP are discussed.

Wear is an important phenomenon that occurs in all the polymer applications in one form or the other. However, important links between materials properties and wear remain illusive. Thus optimization of material properties requires proper understanding of polymer properties. Studies to date have typically lacked systematic approach to all polymers and wear test developed are specific to some polymer classes. In this thesis, different classes of polymers are selected and an attempt is made to use multiple scratch test to define wear and to create a universal test procedure that can be employed to most of the polymers. In each of the materials studied, the scratch penetration depth s reaches a constant value after certain number of scratches depending upon the polymer and its properties. Variations in test parameters like load and speed are also studied in detail to understand the behavior of polymers and under different conditions. Apart from polystyrene, all the other polymers studied under multiple scratch test reached asymptotes at different scratch numbers.

Diplomová práce nastiňuje problémy spojené s výrobou a analýzou tenkých vrstev DLC:H. Tyto vrstvy jsou ve středu zájmu mnoha vědeckých pracovníků již po několik desetiletí. V současné době existuje mnoho technik pro přípravu a analýzu. Příprava DLC vrstev má zásadní vliv na jejich vlastnosti a možnosti použití. Je zde mnoho kritérií jak vrstvy posuzovat. V této práci jsou studovány vlastnosti DLC:H vrstev připravených na substrát krystalického křemíku metodou RF-PECVD a následně jsou studovány mechanické, tribologické a optické vlastnosti. Jsou zde využity techniky jako XPS, Ramanova spektroskopie, reflektometrie, měření tvrdosti a adheze. Část práce se zabývá modelováním DLC z prvních principů. Pro tento účel je využito prvoprincipiálního programu Abinit který je šířen pod GPL. Je studována otázka přípravy vstupních dat s ohledem na konvergenci výsledků. Pozornost je také věnována výpočtu vibračních spekter ve středu Brillouinovy zóny ( bod) a celkové hustotě elektronových stavů clusteru DLC v supercele tvaru krychle. Tyto výsledky mohou být porovnány s experimentálně získanými daty z Ramanovy spektroskopie, respektive z XPS spektra valenčního pásu

Mechanické vlasnosti intermetalika na bázi titan hliník Ti-46Al-7Nb-0.7Cr-0.1Si-0.2Ni jsou konstatní do teploty 700 °C. Nad touto teplotou slitina oxiduje. Cílem této práce bylo zlepšit oxidační vlastnosti pomocí kovové multivrstvy na bázi yttrium hlinik. Pro depozici vrstev byla použita metoda PVD. Na vzorky byly naneseny vrstvy čistého ytria nebo kombinace yttrium, hliník. Vzorky byly následně žíhány v inertní atmosféře na 700°C a 900°C nebo nebyly. Kvalita nanesených vrstev byla zkoumána pomocí scratch testu a EDS analýzi. Dále byly vzorky izotermicky oxidovány na 900°C po dobu 100 hodin. Na vzorcích byly po oxidaci prováděny měření pevnosti v tříbodovém obybu a měření hmotnosti. Chemické složení oxidické vrstvy bylo vyhodnoceno pomocí EDS. Žádná z vrstev s nebo bez žíhání neprokázaly zlepšení oxidických vlastností. Vyšší teplota žíhání prokýzala zlepšení mechanických vlastnotí vrstvy, ale zhoršení materiálu.

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