beta-FeSi2 has been shown to have a minimum direct band gap of 0.87 eV, which leads to the opportunity of Si based opto-electronics. One of the many applications that beta-FeSi2 has been linked with is solar cells. Its proposed suitability for solar cell applications originates from a large absorption coefficient above the fundamental edge (105 cm-1), predicted solar cell efficiencies as high as 23% and photoelectric properties with a quantum efficiency of 32%. Ion beam assisted deposition represent a technique that is suitable for producing low cost material over large areas, thus making it suitable for solar cell fabrication. The work reported here represents an in-depth optical characterisation of the effects of fabrication and post-fabrication processing on ion beam assisted deposited FeSi layers on Si substrates. Two different sets of substrates have been investigated; the first were deposited with layers of Fe and Si in the ratios between (40%:60%) and (29%:71%), and the second were deposited in stoichiometric ratios (1:2). A range of post-fabrication processes have been investigated, these have included studying the effects of annealing time (10 minutes to 18 hours) and temperature (100°C to 900°C) on the band gap and defects underneath the fundamental absorption edge. A study of the effect of annealing regime on the measurement temperature dependency of the band gap was also completed. The results have shown that annealing temperature has a stronger effect on the band gap rather than annealing time, while both affect the absorption underneath the fundamental edge. Optical evidence for the formation of beta-FeSi2 was found for annealing temperatures as low as 425°C. Increasing the annealing temperature/time also results in structural changes in the material, which are dependent on the as-deposited composition of the FeSi layer. beta-FeSi2/Si(n-type) solar cell devices have been fabricating, showing rectifying I-V characteristics, and a photo-voltage spectral response that indicated two distinct regions; 0.72 eV to 1.1 eV and 1.1 eV and above.

O trabalho aborda o desenvolvimento e implantação de um processo de recozimento conjugado com campo magnético induzido. Para este trabalho foi escolhido como material o FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M com GNO (Grão-Não-Orientado) devido ao baixo custo de obtenção das peças e também por ser um material de fácil aquisição no mercado. O processo tem como benefício minimizar as perdas magnéticas produzidas pelo corte convencional na borda das chapas elétricas. Para realizar o processo o sistema é composto de um forno, enrolamento de indução e fonte de alimentação. Os parâmetros utilizados no tratamento térmico situam-se na faixa de temperatura de aquecimento até 910ºC e uma indução magnética mínima na faixa de 80 até aproximadamente 1,5 T. Para melhorar as propriedades magnéticas de forma contundente na região deformada buscou-se através do recozimento conjugado com campo induzido um alinhamento dos domínios, ou seja, uma ordenação dos “spins” que juntamente com a elevação de temperatura tenderam a ter um mesmo sentido, facilitando de maneira significativa à passagem do fluxo magnético, propriedade importante para o desempenho dos núcleos das máquinas elétricas. Para avaliar o desempenho do processo, chapas do mesmo material foram cortadas por eletroerosão a fio, onde o perfil do corte permitiu um fluxo magnético uniforme e constante. O efeito do processo de recozimento com indução de campo magnético foi medido conforme determina a norma, ou seja, utilizando o “Quadro de Epstein” para chapas elétricas. Os resultados foram correlacionados com os dados obtidos a partir do uso do ferro-silício, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, com as mesmas condições de uso e testes de laboratório. Do ponto de vista científico, uma das contribuições deste trabalho, está na influência da indução de campo magnético durante o tratamento térmico das amostras, pois é possível verificar um ganho nas propriedades magnéticas apresentadas. Este trabalho permite afirmar que é possível desenvolver e melhorar as propriedades magnéticas em ferro silício com alto desempenho e também sugerir que outras aplicações, onde seja necessário aumento do desempenho magnético, este processo possa ser aplicado. / This work presents and discusses the development and application of an annealing process together with the induced magnetic field. For this study development, the chosen material is the iron silicon, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M, due to the low trading costs and eases of purchase on the market. The process has the benefit of minimizing magnetic losses produced by conventional cutting the edge of the hot plates. To carry out the process system consists of a furnace, induction coil and power supply. The parameters used in the heat treatment are in the range of heating temperature to 910 ° C and a minimum magnetic induction in the range of about 80 to 1.5 T. The challenge of this work was in the fact that structure changes in the silicon iron, allied to inclusions of non-magnetizable materials, modify for worse the performance of magnetic cores. To obtain a structure that the magnetic field could permeate, the silicon iron alloys were selected to eliminate, at most, the presence of non-magnetizable materials, and only then consider a heat treatment process with magnetic induction to make the material suitable for use in cores of electrical machines. To improve the magnetic properties, an alignment of dipoles of the material, through induced magnetic field during annealing was intended. Annealing with induced magnetic field was carried out, observing the performance of the initial magnetic permeability of the samples, and subsequently measured with field saturation equipment. The results were correlated with the obtained data from the use of the FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, with the same conditions of use and laboratory tests. From the scientific point of view, one of the contributions of this work is the influence of induced magnetic field during the heat treatment of the samples, since it was possible to verify a significant gain in the magnetic properties of the cores electrical machines during the performance tests. As a result of this work, the possibility of using annealing with magnetic induction was presented as a way to increase the permeability of a material with high carbon content, in this particular case, the silicon iron. This work suggests that it is possible to develop and improve the magnetic properties of iron and silicon with high performance also suggest that other applications where necessary increase in magnetic performance, this process can be applied.

O trabalho aborda o desenvolvimento e implantação de um processo de recozimento conjugado com campo magnético induzido. Para este trabalho foi escolhido como material o FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M com GNO (Grão-Não-Orientado) devido ao baixo custo de obtenção das peças e também por ser um material de fácil aquisição no mercado. O processo tem como benefício minimizar as perdas magnéticas produzidas pelo corte convencional na borda das chapas elétricas. Para realizar o processo o sistema é composto de um forno, enrolamento de indução e fonte de alimentação. Os parâmetros utilizados no tratamento térmico situam-se na faixa de temperatura de aquecimento até 910ºC e uma indução magnética mínima na faixa de 80 até aproximadamente 1,5 T. Para melhorar as propriedades magnéticas de forma contundente na região deformada buscou-se através do recozimento conjugado com campo induzido um alinhamento dos domínios, ou seja, uma ordenação dos “spins” que juntamente com a elevação de temperatura tenderam a ter um mesmo sentido, facilitando de maneira significativa à passagem do fluxo magnético, propriedade importante para o desempenho dos núcleos das máquinas elétricas. Para avaliar o desempenho do processo, chapas do mesmo material foram cortadas por eletroerosão a fio, onde o perfil do corte permitiu um fluxo magnético uniforme e constante. O efeito do processo de recozimento com indução de campo magnético foi medido conforme determina a norma, ou seja, utilizando o “Quadro de Epstein” para chapas elétricas. Os resultados foram correlacionados com os dados obtidos a partir do uso do ferro-silício, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, com as mesmas condições de uso e testes de laboratório. Do ponto de vista científico, uma das contribuições deste trabalho, está na influência da indução de campo magnético durante o tratamento térmico das amostras, pois é possível verificar um ganho nas propriedades magnéticas apresentadas. Este trabalho permite afirmar que é possível desenvolver e melhorar as propriedades magnéticas em ferro silício com alto desempenho e também sugerir que outras aplicações, onde seja necessário aumento do desempenho magnético, este processo possa ser aplicado. / This work presents and discusses the development and application of an annealing process together with the induced magnetic field. For this study development, the chosen material is the iron silicon, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M, due to the low trading costs and eases of purchase on the market. The process has the benefit of minimizing magnetic losses produced by conventional cutting the edge of the hot plates. To carry out the process system consists of a furnace, induction coil and power supply. The parameters used in the heat treatment are in the range of heating temperature to 910 ° C and a minimum magnetic induction in the range of about 80 to 1.5 T. The challenge of this work was in the fact that structure changes in the silicon iron, allied to inclusions of non-magnetizable materials, modify for worse the performance of magnetic cores. To obtain a structure that the magnetic field could permeate, the silicon iron alloys were selected to eliminate, at most, the presence of non-magnetizable materials, and only then consider a heat treatment process with magnetic induction to make the material suitable for use in cores of electrical machines. To improve the magnetic properties, an alignment of dipoles of the material, through induced magnetic field during annealing was intended. Annealing with induced magnetic field was carried out, observing the performance of the initial magnetic permeability of the samples, and subsequently measured with field saturation equipment. The results were correlated with the obtained data from the use of the FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, with the same conditions of use and laboratory tests. From the scientific point of view, one of the contributions of this work is the influence of induced magnetic field during the heat treatment of the samples, since it was possible to verify a significant gain in the magnetic properties of the cores electrical machines during the performance tests. As a result of this work, the possibility of using annealing with magnetic induction was presented as a way to increase the permeability of a material with high carbon content, in this particular case, the silicon iron. This work suggests that it is possible to develop and improve the magnetic properties of iron and silicon with high performance also suggest that other applications where necessary increase in magnetic performance, this process can be applied.

O trabalho aborda o desenvolvimento e implantação de um processo de recozimento conjugado com campo magnético induzido. Para este trabalho foi escolhido como material o FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M com GNO (Grão-Não-Orientado) devido ao baixo custo de obtenção das peças e também por ser um material de fácil aquisição no mercado. O processo tem como benefício minimizar as perdas magnéticas produzidas pelo corte convencional na borda das chapas elétricas. Para realizar o processo o sistema é composto de um forno, enrolamento de indução e fonte de alimentação. Os parâmetros utilizados no tratamento térmico situam-se na faixa de temperatura de aquecimento até 910ºC e uma indução magnética mínima na faixa de 80 até aproximadamente 1,5 T. Para melhorar as propriedades magnéticas de forma contundente na região deformada buscou-se através do recozimento conjugado com campo induzido um alinhamento dos domínios, ou seja, uma ordenação dos “spins” que juntamente com a elevação de temperatura tenderam a ter um mesmo sentido, facilitando de maneira significativa à passagem do fluxo magnético, propriedade importante para o desempenho dos núcleos das máquinas elétricas. Para avaliar o desempenho do processo, chapas do mesmo material foram cortadas por eletroerosão a fio, onde o perfil do corte permitiu um fluxo magnético uniforme e constante. O efeito do processo de recozimento com indução de campo magnético foi medido conforme determina a norma, ou seja, utilizando o “Quadro de Epstein” para chapas elétricas. Os resultados foram correlacionados com os dados obtidos a partir do uso do ferro-silício, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, com as mesmas condições de uso e testes de laboratório. Do ponto de vista científico, uma das contribuições deste trabalho, está na influência da indução de campo magnético durante o tratamento térmico das amostras, pois é possível verificar um ganho nas propriedades magnéticas apresentadas. Este trabalho permite afirmar que é possível desenvolver e melhorar as propriedades magnéticas em ferro silício com alto desempenho e também sugerir que outras aplicações, onde seja necessário aumento do desempenho magnético, este processo possa ser aplicado. / This work presents and discusses the development and application of an annealing process together with the induced magnetic field. For this study development, the chosen material is the iron silicon, ABNT NM71-2000/ 35F 420M, due to the low trading costs and eases of purchase on the market. The process has the benefit of minimizing magnetic losses produced by conventional cutting the edge of the hot plates. To carry out the process system consists of a furnace, induction coil and power supply. The parameters used in the heat treatment are in the range of heating temperature to 910 ° C and a minimum magnetic induction in the range of about 80 to 1.5 T. The challenge of this work was in the fact that structure changes in the silicon iron, allied to inclusions of non-magnetizable materials, modify for worse the performance of magnetic cores. To obtain a structure that the magnetic field could permeate, the silicon iron alloys were selected to eliminate, at most, the presence of non-magnetizable materials, and only then consider a heat treatment process with magnetic induction to make the material suitable for use in cores of electrical machines. To improve the magnetic properties, an alignment of dipoles of the material, through induced magnetic field during annealing was intended. Annealing with induced magnetic field was carried out, observing the performance of the initial magnetic permeability of the samples, and subsequently measured with field saturation equipment. The results were correlated with the obtained data from the use of the FeSi, ABNT NM71-2000/35F 420M, with the same conditions of use and laboratory tests. From the scientific point of view, one of the contributions of this work is the influence of induced magnetic field during the heat treatment of the samples, since it was possible to verify a significant gain in the magnetic properties of the cores electrical machines during the performance tests. As a result of this work, the possibility of using annealing with magnetic induction was presented as a way to increase the permeability of a material with high carbon content, in this particular case, the silicon iron. This work suggests that it is possible to develop and improve the magnetic properties of iron and silicon with high performance also suggest that other applications where necessary increase in magnetic performance, this process can be applied.

<p> The oxidation kinetics of a 1.5 ʷ/ₒ silicon-iron alloy in atmospheres of carbon dioxide - carbon monoxide at 890ºC and 1000ºC have been determined with a gravimetric balance as a function of gas composition. The reaction was observed to proceed in three stages. </p> <p> In The initial stage simultaneous growth of wustite-fayalite nodules and an amorphous silica film on different regions of the specimen was observed and this mixed reaction continued until complete coverage by a uniform scale was achieved. A model involving bother lateral and vertical growth of the oxide nodules and vertical growth of the silica film has been proposed to rationalize these kinetics. </p> <p> The second stage involving fluctuations in the reaction rate was observed in atmospheres of low oxidizing potential. These fluctuations were associated with the formation of massive fayalite bands, brought about by silicon supersaturation of the wustite and alloy. At high oxidizing potentials, this stage was not observed. </p> <p> At long times, a third stage consisting of linear reaction kinetics was observed. A model based on gas-oxide interfacial reaction control, involving the dissociation of carbon dioxide and incorporation of the chemisorbed oxygen into the wustite lattice has been advanced to describe these kinetics. The observed gas pressure dependence of the linear rate constants is consistent with the model. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

As the major electricity consumer, electrical machines play a key role for global energy savings. Machine manufacturers put considerable efforts into the development of more efficient electrical machines for loss reduction and higher power density achievements. A consolidated knowledge of the occurring losses in electrical machines is a basic requirement for efficiency improvements. This thesis deals with iron losses in electrical machines. The major focus is on the influences of the stator core magnetic material due to the machine manufacturing process, temperature influences, and the impact of inverter operation. The first part of the thesis gives an overview of typical losses in electrical machines, with focus put on iron losses. Typical models for predicting iron losses in magnetic materials are presented in a comprehensive literature study. A broad comparison of magnetic materials and the introduction of a new material selection tool conclude this part. Next to the typically used silicon-iron lamination alloys for electrical machines, this thesis investigates also cobalt-iron and nickel-iron lamination sheets. These materials have superior magnetic properties in terms of saturation magnetization and hysteresis losses compared to silicon-iron alloys. The second and major part of the thesis introduces the developed measurement system of this project and presents experimental iron loss investigations. Influences due to machine manufacturing changes are studied, including punching, stacking and welding effects. Furthermore, the effect of pulse-width modulation schemes on the iron losses and machine performance is examined experimentally and with finite-element method simulations. For nickel-iron lamination sheets, a special focus is put on the temperature dependency, since the magnetic characteristics and iron losses change considerably with increasing temperature. Furthermore, thermal stress-relief processes (annealing) are examined for cobalt-iron and nickel-iron alloys by magnetic measurements and microscopic analysis. A thermal method for local iron loss measurements is presented in the last part of the thesis, together with experimental validation on an outer-rotor permanent magnet synchronous machine. / <p>QC 20140516</p>