Rapidly solidified nanoquasicrystalline Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ at% alloy has previously shown outstanding mechanical performance and microstructural stability up to elevated temperatures. Despite this, no in-depth study had previously been performed assessing the active strengthening mechanisms, the long term microstructural stability and the effect of plastic deformation at elevated temperature to simulate the production methods utilised for engineering applications. The current project analysed eight bars consisting of a nanoquasicrystalline Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ at% alloy matrix with varying amounts of pure Al fibres, produced through gas atomisation and warm extrusion. Microstructural characterisation and thermal analysis of the as-atomized powder was carried out to assess whether microstructural changed were likely to occur at the extrusion temperature. A microstructure made primarily of nanometre-sized icosahedral particles in an FCC-Al matrix was observed through a combination of SEM, TEM (and CBDP), EDX, XRD. Thermal analysis of the powders performed by DSC showed that no change was expected to occur at the extrusion temperature. Five bars were extruded during the course of this project: one bar of pure Al-Fe-Cr-Ti alloy, two composite bars with 10 vol% added pure Al and two bars with 20 vol% added Al. Three more bars were received from a previous project and analysed. Warm extrusion caused the powder particles to become well bonded and elongated in the extrusion direction introducing a preferred orientation in the FCC-Al grains. A bimodal distribution of grain size was observed after extrusion. Several low angle (5-15 °) grain boundaries were also identified by EBSD along the extrusion direction. No obvious change in size or shape was observed by TEM in the icosahedral phase (a bimodal distribution of hard, incoherent precipitates was observed after extrusion), or any change in the amount of solutes in solid solution in the Al matrix. Mechanical properties at room temperature were tested by Vickers microhardness, quasi-static tensile tests, dynamic tensile tests and dynamic compression tests. A theoretical model correlating the microstructures observed with the various active strengthening mechanisms was applied in order to predict an estimate of the yield strength of the material produced. It was found that the strength of the Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ alloy came primarily from a combination of the effect of the hard, incoherent nanoparticles, the small grain size and work hardening. The fibre addition to this alloy caused a linear decrease in mechanical strength with increasing vol% pure Al. This work represents the first quantitative estimate of which strengthening mechanisms are active and how much they influence the mechanical strength of Al₉₃Fe₃Cr₂Ti₂ alloy and composites. An understanding of the yield strength is essential as engineering components would only be safe to use within the elastic region. To investigate the thermal stability of the alloy and composites, thermal analyses involving DSC and long heat treatments (up to a maximum of 1000 hours) were performed at various temperatures along with microstructural characterisation by XRD, SEM and TEM and microhardness tests. No microstructural change was detected, however a 2-5% decrease in microhardness was observed. Compression tests were performed across a range of temperatures and strain rates to simulate the behaviour of these composites under typical conditions necessary to process them into useful engineering components. Phase changes occurring during plastic deformation at high temperature were investigated by XRD. The measured yield strength at 350 °C was over 3x that of high strength 7075 T6 Al alloy showing outstanding thermal stability and mechanical performance. However, the microstructure was shown by XRD to undergo a phase transformation which resulted in the decomposition of the icosahedral phase at 500 °C into more stable intermetallic phases. Serrated flow was also observed in some of the tests. The high temperature compressive data was then used for the first time in a semi-quantitative analysis to determine which species in solid solution (Fe, Cr or Ti) was likely to cause the serrations. A dynamic strain ageing model, which calculates the diffusion coefficients at the minimum in ductility and strain rate sensitivity, suggested that the Ti in solid solution in the matrix could be the most likely candidate.

Les matériaux composites sont largement utilisés dans les structures aéronautiques. Les travaux présentés ici visent à mettre en place une méthode de calcul permettant de prédire les délaminages dans ces structures stratifiées soumises à des chargements dynamiques tout en assurant des coûts de calculs compatibles dans un contexte industriel. Une méthode de décomposition de domaine en dynamique est d’abord utilisée, afin de coupler des modélisations et des pas de temps de calcul différents. Une modélisation fine est utilisée uniquement dans les zones en cours de dégradation. Une représentation macroscopique du stratifié par des éléments de coque 3D est développée et employée dans le reste de la structure. Les coûts de calcul sont ainsi réduits tout en assurant une bonne précision des résultats. Pour éviter un remaillage avec l’avancée du délaminage, une approche multi-échelle en temps et en espace est ensuite proposée. Un maillage global de coque 3D de l'ensemble de la structure est défini. Des maillages utilisant une représentation fine du matériau sont utilisés localement. Des pas de temps adaptés sont utilisés dans les deux types de maillage. / The part of composite materials in aeronautic structures is increasing due to their specific properties and the mass reduction they enable. Accurate numerical simulations are thus needed in order to design these structures, particularly to verify if they could resist dynamic charges such as soft bodies impact. Nevertheless, using a refined model to represent phenomenon such as delamination leads to computing time and dofs number incompatible with an industrial context. The aim of the present work is to propose a multi-scale method in space and time to solve dynamic impact problems on laminate structures. A domain decomposition method for dynamic problems is first used to couple different kinds of models and time discretisations. A refined model for the laminate is used in the degradating areas only - elsewhere, a coarser representation using 3D-shell elements is used. This approach reduced the cost of the simulation giving accurate results. To avoid a remeshing due to delamination propagation within the structure, a multi-scale method is then proposed. A global 3D shell elements mesh for the whole structure is defined. Local meshes based on a refined representation of the laminates are used only if required. Coupling between global and local representation is done using velocity field.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.‘ Johannesburg, August 2017 / Fe-B-C composites were produced, from boron carbide and iron powders, using spark plasma sintering. This provided information on the effects of rapid sintering on densification, composition and the microstructure of the materials produced. The composition range included a selection high Fe contents (69.3, 78 and 80.9 vol. % Fe-B4C) and high B4C concentrations (1, 3, 5 vol. % Fe-B4C). The properties of the materials were investigated to determine the potential for using relatively cheap Fe and B4C powders to produce hard, wear resistant materials. High Fe-B4C composites were sintered at 900, 1000 and 1100°C at 60 MPa. Densification increased with increasing temperature and at 1100° each composition achieved ≥ 97 % densification. The materials reacted during sintering with the main phases observed being Fe2B and Fe3(B,C) whilst additional phases formed were FeB, C and Fe23(B,C)6.Comparing the phases that were produced to Fe-B-C phase diagrams showed deviations from expected compositions, indicating the non-equilibrium nature of producing the composites using SPS. Although the composites were not at equilibrium, all the B4C reacted and could not be maintained, even with fast heating and cooling rates. The properties of the materials were dependent on both densification and the phases that were present after sintering. Materials containing higher amounts of the Fe2B phase showed higher hardness and fracture toughness results, up to 13.7 GPa and 3.5 MPa.m0.5 respectively for the 69.3 vol. % Fe-B4C. The materials were sensitive to grain and pore growth which negatively affected properties at 1100°C. The transverse rupture strength of 388.3 MPa for 80.9 vol. % Fe-B4C composite was the greatest, and showed evidence of both intergranular and transgranular fracture. The strength was affected by a fine dispersion of porosity at the grain boundaries, throughout the material, and free carbon in the structure was detrimental to the strength of the 69.3 % Fe-B4C. The wear rates were lower using Si3N4 wear balls compared to stainless steel balls, where 69.3 vol. % Fe-B4C showed the best wear rates, 8.9×10-6 mm3/Nm (stainless steel ball) and 1.77×10-6 mm3/Nm (Si3N4 ball), due to the higher Fe2B composition and free carbon acting as a lubricant during sliding. 1, 3 and 5 vol. % Fe-B4C composites were sintered to densities above 97 % of theoretical at 2000°C and 30 MPa. The formation of a transient FeB liquid phase assisted densification. 1 % Fe-B4C attained hardness and fracture toughness up to 33.1 GPa and 5.3 MPa.m0.5 with a strength of 370.5 MPa. Thermal mismatch between the FeB phase and B4C caused high residual stresses at the interface which led to cracking and pull-out of the FeB phase. Residual carbon at the grain boundary interface exacerbated the pull-out effect. Increasing Fe and the subsequent FeB phase had an embrittling effect. The materials suffered severe wear of up to 36.92×10-6 mm3/Nm as a result of the pull-out with the remaining porosity acting as a stress raiser. 20 vol. % of the Fe in each system was substituted with Ti to reduce the presence of residual carbon. Although in some case the properties of the respective compositions improved, residual carbon was still present in the composites. / MT2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the built environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, October 2017 / An investigation was carried out to determine the effect of the addition of clay on the mechanical properties of a Natural Fibre Composite consisting of a polypropylene matrix with kenaf fibre reinforcement. The kenaf fibres were treated using various chemical treatments to improve the strength of the composites manufactured. Four treatments using different 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxy silane (MPS) concentrations were investigated to determine which treatment resulted in the best mechanical properties. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT 2018

Les matériaux composites à matrices thermoplastiques renforcées de fibres longues sont étudiés de manière intensive pour leur introduction dans les prochaines générations de pièces structurales aéronautiques. Par ses performances thermomécaniques, l’unidirectionnel carbone/PEEK apparait comme un candidat possible, toutefois les procédés actuels de formage ne semblent pas en mesure de réaliser des pièces épaisses avec ce matériau. Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif de proposer un procédé innovant capable de réaliser des pièces composites carbone/PEEK épaisses de types cornières structurales en L ou en U. Le cœur du concept est la réalisation de l’étape de mise en forme dans le domaine caoutchoutique pour favoriser le glissement inter-plis et éviter ainsi la formation de défaut de type plissement quelle que soit l’épaisseur. Dans un premier temps, la fenêtre de processabilité adaptée à l’obtention d’une préforme a été définie en se basant sur les propriétés physiques de la matrice PEEK. La mise en application du procédé proposé, faite à partir des résultats collectés, a mis en évidence la complexité des mécanismes de déformation dans ces conditions spécifiques. Une meilleure compréhension de ces mécanismes a pu être apportée par une approche de modélisation et de simulation. Enfin, la santé matière et les performances des pièces réalisées par ce nouveau procédé ont été mesurées, la comparaison à des pièces obtenues par un procédé conventionnel de formage valide le procédé proposé. / Thermoplastic composite materials based on long carbon fibers are extensively studied to prepare their introduction in the next generation of structural parts in aerospace industry. Because of its thermomechanical properties, unidirectional carbon/PEEK appears as a potential candidate, however the current forming processes do not appear able to manufacture thick parts with this material. The aim of my PhD thesis is to propose an innovative process to produce thick carbon/PEEK parts of L-shape and U-shape profiles. The heart of the concept is to carry out the step of deformation when the matrix is in the rubbery state to promote inter-ply sliding and thus avoiding the formation of wrinkling defect whatever the thickness. In a first step, the processing window suitable to obtain a preform was defined based on the physical properties of the PEEK matrix. The implementation of the proposed method, based on the results collected, has highlighted the complexity of the deformation mechanisms under these specific conditions. A better understanding of these mechanisms has been provided by a modeling and simulation approach. Finally, the material properties and the performance of the parts produced by this new process have been measured, the comparison with parts obtained by a conventional forming process validates the proposed process.

Orientador: Gustavo Ventorim / Coorientadora: Juliana Cortez Barbosa / Banca: Marilia da Silva Bertolini / Banca: André Luis Christoforo / Resumo: Com o desenvolvimento das indústrias brasileiras e crescimento do consumo, o aumento na geração de resíduos é inevitável, sendo muitas vezes dispostos inadequadamente no meio ambiente. No entanto, a utilização destes resíduos sólidos como matéria-prima para a produção de compósitos pode reduzir consideravelmente a extração de recursos naturais e a quantidade de material descartado, além de diminuir o impacto sobre o meio ambiente e auxiliar no desenvolvimento sustentável. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo a produção e caracterização de compósitos formados por matriz de gesso reciclado, proveniente de placas de gesso acartonado, e reforço de polpa celulósica e poliestireno expandido (EPS) para utilização em composições termoacústicas. Foram adotadas cinco variações na proporção de polpa celulósica e EPS, mantendo sempre a mesma proporção de gesso reciclado e água, verificando suas influências no desempenho dos compósitos. Para as análises de isolamento termoacústico foram utilizados os documentos normativos: ASTM E1530-11, para a determinação da condutividade térmica e ISO 10534-2, para a determinação do coeficiente de absorção sonora. Com os resultados obtidos, observou-se que as variações nas quantidades de cada material não causaram diferenças significativas estatisticamente nas propriedades analisadas. Os compósitos apresentaram desempenho satisfatório para uso como isolante térmico, com valores de condutividade menores que os encontrados na literatura... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: With the development of Brazilian industries and consumption growth, the increase in waste generation is unavoidable, often inadequately disposed in the environment. The use of solid wastes as raw material for composite production can, considerably, reduce the natural resources extraction and the amount of discarded material, thus reducing the environmental impact. In this outline, the present work has as its objective the production and characterization of composites formed by a recycled plaster matrix from gypsum board, reinforcement of cellulosic pulp and knauf in order to use in thermoacoustic compositions. Five variations were adopted in the proportion of cellulose pulp and knauf, maintaining the same proportion of recycled gypsum and water, verifying their influence on the composites performance. For the analysis of thermoacoustic insulation, the normative documents were used: ASTM E1530-11, for the determination of the thermal conductivity and ISO 10534-2, for the determination of the sound absorption coefficient. With the results obtainment it was observed that the variations in the quantities of each material did not cause statistically significant differences in the analyzed properties. The composites presented satisfactory performance for use as thermal insulation, with conductivity values lower than those found in the literature for materials with gypsum matrix. For the sound absorption the composite presented results below that found in the literature for absorbent materials, but favorable to the use as sound reflector. Therefore, it was verified the feasibility of production and application of the composite in compositions intended for thermoacoustic comfort / Mestre

Degradation of the Carbon Fiber/Vinylester (CF/VE) polymer matrix composites due to different electrochemical interactions when exposed to seawater or at high temperature had been experimentally investigated. Water uptake behavior of composite specimen was examined based on weight gain measurement. Three point bending test was performed to quantify the mechanical degradation of composite immersed in seawater with different environmental and electrochemical interactions. Finally, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to better understanding of the degradation process in CF/VE composite produced by interactions between electrochemical and different environmental conditions. A detailed equivalent circuit analysis by using EIS spectra is also presented in an attempt to elucidate the degradation phenomenon in composites. / by Md Hasnine. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

This thesis describes a methodology for mechanical fault detection and diagnostics in an ocean turbine using vibration analysis and modeling. This methodology relies on the use of advanced methods for machine vibration analysis and health monitoring. Because of some issues encountered with traditional methods such as Fourier analysis for non stationary rotating machines, the use of more advanced methods such as Time-Frequency Analysis is required. The thesis also includes the development of two LabVIEW models. The first model combines the advanced methods for on-line condition monitoring. The second model performs the modal analysis to find the resonance frequencies of the subsystems of the turbine. The dynamic modeling of the turbine using Finite Element Analysis is used to estimate the baseline of vibration signals in sensors locations under normal operating conditions of the turbine. All this information is necessary to perform the vibration condition monitoring of the turbine. / by Mustapha Mjit. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Este trabalho tem por objetivo obter propriedades mecânicas de compósitos angle-ply fabricados pelo processo de enrolamento filamentar, na forma de placas com diversas orientações do reforço. As placas foram fabricadas com fibra de carbono e matriz epoxídica e fibra de vidro e matriz epoxídica. Os exemplares para ensaio foram obtidos nas direções de 0°, ±10°, ±20°, ±30°, ±60°, ±70°, ±80° e 90° em relação á direção do equipamento de ensaio, atribuída como sendo 0°. Resultados mostraram que para corpos-de-prova de fibra de cartaono bobinados na direção ±10° a tensão máxima média obtida foi de 855 MPa e o módulo de elasticidade médio de 136 GPa, enquanto que para corpos-de-prova de fibra de carbono bobinados na direção de ±80°, a tensão máxima média foi de 68 MPa e módulo de elasticidade médio de 10 GPa. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as propriedades mecânicas diminuem acentuadamente a partir da direção de ±10°. Também foram obtidas as frações volumétricas, dureza Barcol e análise térmica das placas fabricadas. / This work aims to obtain some mechanical properties of angle-ply composites manufactured by the filament winding process. The plates were manufactured with different reinforcement orientation. The composites were manufactured with carbon fibers and an epoxy resin system as polymeric matrix and glass fibers and an epoxy resin system as polymeric matrix. The coupons were manufactured in the directions of 0°, ±10°, ±20°, ±30°, ±60°, ±70°, ±80° e 90°, related to the 0° fiber direction. Results show that coupons with cartDon fiber in the direction ±10°, the mean strength was 855 MPa and the mean module of elasticity was 136 GPa, whereas coupons with cartDon fiber in the direction of ±80° the mean strength was 68 MPa and the mean module of elasticity was 10 GPa. The results obtained have indicated that the mechanical strength diminishing acutely from the orientation of ±10° The volumetric fractions, Barcol hardness and thermal analysis are also obtained of all the manufactured plates.

A composite 3 meter ocean current turbine blade has been designed and analyzed using Blade Element Theory (BET) and commercial Finite Element Modeling (FEM) code, ANSYS. It has been observed that using the numerical BET tool created, power production up to 141 kW is possible from a 3 bladed rotor in an ocean current of 2.5 m/s with the proposed blade design. The blade is of sandwich construction with carbon fiber skin and high density foam core. It also contains two webs made of S2-glass for added shear rigidity. Four design cases were analyzed, involving differences in hydrodynamic shape, material properties, and internal structure. Results from the linear static structural analysis revealed that the best design provides adequate stiffness and strength to produce the proposed power without any structural failure. An Eigenvalue Buckling analysis confirmed that the blade would not fail from buckling prior to overstressed laminate failure if the loading was to exceed the Safety Factor. / by Nicholas S. Asseff. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.