No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1915. / Vita. Bibliography: p. [1] at end.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1915. / Vita. Bibliography: p. [1] at end.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed Jan. 21, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-58) .

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 56 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 51-53).

published_or_final_version / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy

Aluminium composites reinforced by particles have received considerable attention because of their superior mechanical properties over monolithic aluminum matrix. Over the last ten years, nanocomposites with nano-sized reinforcements have become a revolutionary progress for composites because they have different strengthening mechanisms as compared to that in composites with micro-sized reinforcements. Consequently novel properties can be expected from the nanometric particulate reinforced composites. The aim of this project was to fabricate SiC (50nm)/7075 aluminium composites via a modified powder metallurgy and extrusion route. Ageing treatment was used to increase the strength of the composites and mechanical tests, including tensile test and abrasive wear test, were performed. The effects of nanometric silicon carbide particulates to the ageing behaviours and mechanical properties of the composites have been studied by optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the dispersion of nanometric silicon carbide was not homogeneous, but tended to disperse along grain boundaries. Clustering of these nano-reinforcements was also found within the grains. This was particular true when the amount of nano-reinforcement increased to 5%. Compared with the monolithic 7075 alloy, the 1 vol.% SiC (50nm)/7075 aluminium had a higher strength because of effective dislocation pinnings by the reinforcements, while 5% SiC (50nm)/7075 had a much lower strength and ductility because of severe aggregation of nanometric particulates. Nanometric silicon carbide was not as effective as the micro ones in improving abrasive wear resistance of aluminium, this was because of micro-cracking in the aggregation and relatively large abrasive grit. In summary, the addition of a small amount of SiC nanoreinforcements has a high potential to further strengthen 7xxx aluminium alloy. However, the clustering of reinforcements in the matrix will detrimentally affect the strength and ductility of the alloy. The wear resistance of nanometric particulate reinforced composites was inferior to those with micrometric reinforcements. It is suggested that by improving the dispersion of nanometric reinforcements, as well as putting in reinforcememts with different sizes, the mechanical properties and wear resistance can both be increased.

��-SiC is a semiconductor for high temperature devices, which exhibits several outstanding properties such as high thermal stability, good chemical stability and wide band gap. There is a possibility of fabricating a crack-free ultrathin SiC film on silicon wafers by pyrolysis of polymethylsilane (PMS) film. This study looks into the possibility, as the first phase, to modify the surface of silicon and graft PMS onto the surface. A new technique reported in this thesis consists of a surface modification with trimethoxysilylpropene (TSP) followed by the surface attachment of dichloromethylsilane (DMS) in the presence of a platinum catalyst, which acts as the first unit for grafting PMS molecules by the sodium polycondensation of additional DMS monomers. The grafted PMS polymers would serve as the pyrolytic precursor to be converted into thin layers of SiC. Surface analysis of these films on silicon wafers by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that the silicon surface was successfully modified with TSP, attached with DMS, and finally grafted with PMS. It was also confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) that PMS formed simultaneously in the bulk solution was converted into SiC by pyrolysis at temperatures above 1100��C under Ar atmosphere. Extended studies showed that the PMS-derived coatings, formed in an Ar stream containing 1% H��� at 400��C, were significantly oxidized, and further heating to 700��C yielded a Si0��� layer with graphitic carbon. The intensity of the graphite peak decreased with an increase in the pyrolysis temperature. Based on these preliminary studies towards the second phase, i.e. the pyrolysis of PMS to SiC, the need for further research to eliminate the oxidation source(s) is strongly suggested. / Graduation date: 2001

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.