<p dir="ltr">Non-Newtonian fluid models such as the Bingham and Herschel-Bulkley models are used to characterize the flow behavior of many complex fluids and soft solids. The three parameter Herschel-Bulkley model captures the yield stress behavior and the nonlinear power law behavior. In this thesis, the semi-analytical solution of Herschel-Bulkley fluids provided by Covey and Stanmore is used to experimentally characterize the squeeze flow behavior. A ‘Squeeze Flow and Thermal Resistance Tester’ was custom designed to perform velocity controlled squeeze flow experiments. The tester has an additional capability of performing thermal resistance characterization adhering to the ASTM-D5470 standard. A novel framework is described for characterizing the three Herschel-Bulkley parameters (τy, n and ηHB) using the developed tester. </p><p dir="ltr">Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs) are used to efficiently dissipate heat from a heat generating component to a heat sink in an electronic package. Thermal grease is a type of TIM comprising of a base material (e.g. polymer) loaded with highly conducting filler particles (e.g, boron nitride, alumina or sometimes conducting metals such as aluminum or silver). These greases are expected to exhibit Herschel-Bulkley flow behavior. Hence, thermal greases are used as candidate materials for squeeze flow characterization. In addition to the flow characterization, the thermal resistance across these thermal greases are also characterized using the custom designed tester. Characterization of mechanical and thermal behavior of TIMs is crucial to predicting their long-term reliability. </p><p dir="ltr">The effect of in-situ isothermal baking duration and test temperature on flow behavior is studied. The increase in duration of isothermal baking at test temperature of 55◦C showed that the material tends to stiffen with baking duration. The increase in test temperature from 5◦C to 100◦C resulted in a decrease in the power law index n and viscosity ηHB. </p><p dir="ltr">Finally, a numerical simulation strategy for performing squeeze flow simulations is described. The characterized flow parameters from the squeeze flow experiments were used as input material parameters for a dynamic mesh-based numerical simulation of squeeze flow between parallel surfaces. The results of the experimental force response and numerical simulation results were compared and found to be in close agreement. In order to simulate flow of thermal greases in a package undergoing deformation, a non-flat test setup was fabricated and squeeze experiments were performed. Numerical simulations were subsequently performed for the non-flat surface using material parameters extracted from previous experiments and the results were compared. The results from both experiments and numerical simulations showed that the force response of thermal greases under non-flat surfaces was significantly higher than the planar case.</p>

Molding is a simple manufacturing process whereby fluid fills a master tool and then solidifies in the shape of the tool cavity. The precise nature of material flow during molding has long allowed fabrication of plastic components with sizes 1 mm 1 m. Polymer molding with precise critical dimension control could enable scalable, inexpensive production of micro- and nanostructures for functional or lithographic use. This dissertation reports experiments and simulations on molding of polymer micro- and nanostructures at length scales 1 nm 1 mm. The research investigates two main areas: 1) mass transport during micromolding and 2) polymer mechanical properties during nanomolding at length scales 100 nm. Measurements and simulations of molding features of size 100 nm 1 mm show local mold geometry modulates location and rate of polymer shear and determines fill time. Dimensionless ratios of mold geometry, polymer thickness, and bulk material and process properties can predict flow by viscous or capillary forces, shape of polymer deformation, and mold fill time. Measurements and simulations of molding at length scales 100 nm show the importance of nanoscale physical processes distinct from bulk during mechanical processing. Continuum simulations of atomic force microscope nanoindentation accurately model sub-continuum polymer mechanical response but highlight the need for nanoscale material property measurements to accurately model deformation shape. The development of temperature-controlled nanoindentation enables characterization of nanoscale material properties. Nanoscale uniaxial compression and squeeze flow measurements of glassy and viscoelastic polymer show film thickness determines polymer entanglement with cooperative polymer motions distinct from those observed in bulk. This research allows predictive design of molding processes and highlights the importance of nanoscale mechanical properties that could aid understanding of polymer physics.

[pt] É uma prática usual em reologia medir o tensão limite de escoamento. Nessas medidas, a tensão limite de escoamento é definida como o máximo valor absoluto de tensão ao qual abaixo não ocorrem escoamentos irreversíveis. Sendo assim, tensão limite de escoamento aparente estimada é usada em conjunto com o critério de von Mises em qualquer escoamento complexo. Este critério compara esta medida a intensidade do segundo invariante do tensor deviatórico das tensões. Acontece que, para escoamento simples de cisalhamento, o mesmo é composto por tensões cisalhantes e diferenças de tensão normais, mas a contribuição do último nunca foi considerada na determinação experimental da tensão limite de escoamento. Em vista de avaliar a importância da contribuição das diferenças de tensões normais na tensão limite de escoamento aparente, foram realizadas uma sequência de testes de creep para cada material, estimando a tensão crítica que representa o valor médio obtido entre os valores das curvas de tensão nas quais o material escoa e não escoa com uma tolerância considerável. Depois disso, foram propostos testes para avaliar os valores de N1 − N2 e apenas N1 no nível de tensão crítica. E em seguida avaliando-se adequadamente a tensão limite de escoamento. Observou-se que, para alguns materiais, a contribuição das diferenças de tensões normais é muito maior do que a contribuiçõ da tensão cisalhante. Por fim, a validade do critério de von Mises para materiais elasto-viscoplásticos foi avaliada. Para este fim, com o intuito de generalizar o estudo, ensaios de compressão a volume constante e de tração foram realizados avaliando-se as correspondentes tensões limites de escoamento. Como conclusão mais importante, o critério de von Mises não foi considerado adequado como critério de falha para os materiais elasto-viscoplásticos analisados. / [en] It is usual practice in rheology to measure the yield stress in a simple shear flow. In these measurements, the yield stress is identified as the maximum value of the shear stress below which no irreversible flow occurs. Then, the thus determined yield stress is used in conjunction with the von Mises criterion in any complex flow. The latter compares it with the intensity of the deviatoric stress tensor. It happens that for simple shear flow the intensity of the deviatoric stress is composed of both the shear stress and the normal stress differences, but the contribution of the latter is never considered in the experimental determination of the yield stress. In view of assess the importance of the contribution of the normal stresses to the yield stress, a sequence o standard constant shear stress tests were performed for each material, estimating the critical stress which represents the mean value obtained between the stress values of the curves in which the material flows and does not flow with an accurate tolerance. After that, proposed tests were performed in order to obtain the values of N1 − N2 and solely N1 at the critical stresses. Following the appropriate yield stress evaluation. It was observed that for some materials the normal stress contribution is much larger than the shear stress contribution. Furthermore, the validity of the von Mises yielding criterion for elasto-viscoplastic materials was evaluated. For this purpose, in order to generalize the study for different flow conditions, constant volume squeeze flow and traction tests were performed evaluating the corresponding yield stresses. As the most important conclusion, the von Mises yielding criterion was considered not to be accurate representing yielding for the elastoviscoplastic materials analyzed.