The instability of flows around hump and dip imperfections is investigated. The mean flow is calculated using interacting boundary layers, thereby accounting for viscous/inviscid interaction and separation bubbles. Then, the two-dimensional linear instability of this flow is analyzed, and the amplification factors are computed. Results are obtained for several height/width ratios and locations. The theoretical results have been used to correlate the experimental results of Greening and Walker. The observed transition locations are found to correspond to amplification factors varying between 7.4 and 10, consistent with previous results for flat plates. The method accounts for Tollmien-Schlichting waves, the shear layer instability, and their interaction. Separation is found to increase significantly the amplification factor. / Master of Science

The surface chemistry of two systems of block copolymers was studied using angular dependent X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy poly(dimethyl (XPS). Surface concentration siloxane-b-sulfone)/polysulfone profiles of [PDMS/PSF] blends cast at several rates of solvent evaporation, and cast on several substrates were measured. Surface concentration profiles of poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene) poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene) [SIS] triblock [SBS] and copolymers cast at several rates of solvent evaporation, and cast from two different solvents were also measured. The concentration profile analyses were made using three different XPS quantification techniques. The PDMS/PSF systems were analyzed using the peak area ratio, and the SBS and SIS copolymers were analyzed using both the Cls shakeup to main ratio, and spectral measurements of the valence band. The results of this study indicate a variation in surface concentration as well as concentration gradient for different sample preparation routes. The variations can be explained by considering the rate of film formation (kinetics), polymer - solvent interactions, and polymer - substrate interactions. However, in both systems the lower surface energy copolymer block (siloxane block, or diene block) preferentially segregated to the surface for all of the sample preparation routes stUdied. / Master of Science

No description available.

The role of the single component instability of surface melt fracture on the interface behavior in stratified bicomponent flow has been examined. First, the factors and conditions leading to the onset of surface melt fracture in linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) were identified using fluoro-elastomer (FE) as a blending additive and as a die coating in two visualization dies. A visualization die was constructed so that subsequent experiments examining the joining flow behavior of two stratified flows could be examined. Experiments were conducted in the joining flow die over a range of upstream conditions corresponding to surface melt fracture behavior and the resulting flow birefringence patterns and the interface of the extrudate were examined. It was determined from the: single component studies that the role of FE in eliminating surface melt fracture behavior for LLDPE was to introduce slip at the melt/metal interface in the dies. Additionally, it was determined that the coupling of a critical stress with a critical acceleration of the melt as it exits the die, suggested by Kurtz [19], was an accurate description of the behavior observed experimentally. Under upstream conditions corresponding to surface melt fracture behavior, no irregular distortions were observed in the bicomponent interface. It was therefore concluded that the single component instability of surface melt fracture does not play a role in irregular distortions of the interface. Numerical simulations employing the Phan-Thien Tanner (PTT) constitutive model and the finite element method (FEM) were conducted to examine the influence of relaxation times and extensional viscosity on the developing flow region in joining flow die. Numerical predictions employing material constants fit to the rheological properties of LLDPE were compared with the ex- perimental results to establish the reliability of the numerical method. Qualitative agreement between the predictions and the experimental behavior was observed. However, the magnitude of the stresses predicted by the model were not quantitatively accurate. It was concluded that the numerical method was capable of predicting trends in behavior, but was not quantitatively accurate. Given this limitation, it was suggested by the results of the numerical studies that the relaxation behavior has a pronounced effect on the developing stress field, while the impact of the extensional viscosity is minimal. Simulations were also performed to evaluate the ‘stick-slip’ behavior of LLDPE. The results provided additional support to the supposition of the role of FE in eliminating surface melt fracture behavior in LLDPE. / Ph. D.

The techniques of surface deformation and mapping are useful tools for the visualization of medical surfaces, especially for highly undulated or branched surfaces. In this thesis, two algorithms are presented for flattened visualizations of multi-branched medical surfaces, such as vessels. The first algorithm is an angle preserving approach, which is based on conformal analysis. The mapping function is obtained by minimizing two Dirichlet functionals. On a triangulated representation of vessel surfaces, this algorithm can be implemented efficiently using a finite element method. The second algorithm adjusts the result from conformal mapping to produce a flattened representation of the original surface while preserving areas. It employs the theory of optimal mass transport via a gradient descent approach. A new class of image morphing algorithms is also considered based on the theory of optimal mass transport. The mass moving energy functional is revised by adding an intensity penalizing term, in order to reduce the undesired "fading" effects. It is a parameter free approach. This technique has been applied on several natural and medical images to generate in-between image sequences.

Hydrogen terminated silicon surfaces play an important role in the integrated circuit (IC) industry. Ultra-pure water is extensively used for the cleaning and surface preparation of silicon surfaces. This work studies the effects of ultra-pure water on hydrogen passivated silicon surfaces in a short time frame of 120 minutes using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy – attenuated total reflection techniques. Varying conditions of ultra-pure water are used. This includes dissolved oxygen poor media after nitrogen bubbling and equilibration under nitrogen atmosphere, as well as metal contaminated solutions. Both microscopically rough and ideal monohydride terminated surfaces are examined. Hydrogen terminated silicon is also used as the sensing electrode for a potentiometric sensor for ultra-trace amounts of metal contaminants. Previous studies show the use of this potentiometric electrode sensor in hydrofluoric acid solution. This work is able to shows sensor function in ultra-pure water media without the need for further addition of hydrofluoric acid. This is considered a boon for the sensor due to the hazardous nature of hydrofluoric acid. Thin carbon films can be formed by spin coating photoresist onto silicon substrates and pyrolyzing at 1000 degrees C under reducing conditions. This work also shows that the electroless deposition of palladium and platinum may be accomplished in hydrofluoric acid solutions to attain palladium and platinum nanoparticles on a this film carbon surface for use as an electrode. Catalysis of these substrates is studied using hydrogen evolution in acidic media, cyclic voltammetry, and catalysis of formaldehyde. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) is used to ensure that there is little strain on palladium and platinum particles. Iridium is thought to be a prime candidate for investigation as a new generation copper diffusion barrier for the IC industry. Copper electrodeposition on iridium is studied to address the potential of iridium as a copper diffusion barrier. Copper electrodeposition is studied using a current-transient technique to obtain insight into the nucleation and growth mechanism. Copper on iridum was annealed up to 600 degrees C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and XRD confirm that electrodeposited copper exists in a metallic state. XRD shows that copper exists in the characteristic face-centered cubic (111) form. XRD also confirms the stability of the copper-iridium interface with no new peaks after annealing, which is indicative that no interaction occurs. Scanning electron microscopy, and Scotch ® Tape peel tests confirm the uniformity and strength of copper on iridium even after annealing to 600 degrees C.

Defect generation and propagation in thin films, such as separation membranes, can lead to premature or catastrophic failure of devices such as polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). It is hypothesized that defects (e.g., air bubbles, pin-holes, and holes) originate during the manufacturing stage, if precise control is not maintained over the coating process, and they propagate during system operation. Experimental and numerical studies were performed to detect and eliminate defects that were induced during slot die coating of high-viscosity (1 to 40 Pa-s), shear-thinning solutions. The effects of fluid properties, geometric parameters and processing conditions on air entrainment and coating windows (limited set of processing conditions for which defect-free coating exists) were studied. When smaller slot gaps and coating gaps were used, relatively small bubbles were entrained in the coated film. The air bubble sizes increased as the viscosity of the coating solution decreased. A semi-empirical model correlating the maximum coating speed to a solution's material properties, geometric parameters and processing conditions was developed. Such a predictive model will enable engineers to determine the maximum coating boundary for shear-thinning and Newtonian solutions within certain constraints. Smaller coating gaps and low-viscosity solutions produced higher coating speeds. The surface tension property of the coating solution provided stability to the coating bead. Therefore, solutions with higher surface tension could be processed at higher coating speeds.

The work elucidates the novel physical and thermal properties of thin and ultra-thin films of crosslinked polymer and organized microstructures with a special emphasis on surface and interfacial effects and the structure-property relationships. Two major crosslinked polymer coatings have been thoroughly investigated: polymer microstructures fabricated by multi-laser interference lithography (IL), and plasma polymer coatings. We unveiled intriguing thermal properties of plasma polymer films originating from their physical state and exploiting the same for the design of ultrasensitve chemical sensors. A novel paradigm of surface coatings, single and bi-component periodic, porous crosslinked polymeric structures, has been introduced and thoroughly studied. Surface, interfacial, and mechanical properties of these novel class crosslinked polymer coatings clearly demonstrate the enormous potential of the IL microstructures as organized multicomponent polymer systems. When subjected to external or internal stresses the periodic porous structures can exhibit a sudden and dramatic pattern transformation resulting in remarkable change in the photonic, phononic and mechanical properties of these structures. Furthermore, the confinement of these instabilities to localized regions results in complex hierarchical structures. The two polymer coatings (plasma polymers and IL microstructures) with complementary attributes (such as periodic structure, vertical stratification, residual internal stresses, and high surface and interface tunability) enabled us to understand and design novel multifunctional polymer coatings.

This work examines the chemical and physical effects of a material treatment process on the biopolymers PEEK, POM-h, POM-c, PTFE and UHMWPE. The polymers are analyzed physically and chemically using atomic force microscopy, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, contact angle measurement, FT infra-red spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. PEEK is found to be the most suitable polymer and FT Infra-red spectroscopy an informative analytic tool.

Fundação Araucária; CNPQ / As máquinas-ferramentas são encontradas em diversas indústrias do setor metal mecânico e oficinas. Estas são acionadas por motores de indução trifásicos, os quais estão sujeitos a problemas relacionados à carga aplicada em seus eixos bem como aos distúrbios da alimentação de energia elétrica na rede. No processo de usinagem os parâmetros relacionados à máquina ferramenta, às propriedades do material da peça, à geometria e ao material da ferramenta e ao próprio processo em si, podem interferir no acabamento superficial das peças usinadas. A rugosidade é considerada um dos principais índices de qualidade do produto final nos processos de usinagem, podendo apresentar variações com as alterações do conjugado eletromagnético no eixo do motor. A proposta deste trabalho é apresentar um preditor de rugosidade superficial de peças baseado exclusivamente na corrente eficaz que alimenta o motor de indução trifásico num processo de torneamento, utilizando redes neurais artificiais para analisar o comportamento da rugosidade em função das condições de usinagem empregadas. Resultados de simulação são apresentados e mostram o desempenho da Rede Neural Artificial (RNA) proposta para diversas situações de operação com desequilíbrios de tensões (entre +10% à -10%) e degraus de torque de carga (25 degraus de 1 em 1 Nm) com erro relativo médio (ERM) de 0,0120%. Os resultados experimentais conforme o método da (RNA) proposta para diversas situações de alimentação da rede elétrica: equilibrado, falta de fase e desequilíbrios de tensões (sobretensão e subtensão), mostram elevada capacidade em aproximar o comportamento da variável de saída (rugosidade Ra) com relação aos valores de entrada (correntes RMS das fases A, B e C). O maior erro relativo médio verificado foi de 0,001754%. / The machine tools are found in various metal and mechanical industries as well as garages. They are operated by three phase induction motors, which are subject to problems related to the applied load on their rotors and disturbances concerning to the quality of electrical supply network. Within the machining process the parameters related to the machine tool, the properties of the workpiece material, geometry and material tool and the process itself, may affect the surface completion of the machined parts. The roughness is considered one of the main indexes of the final product quality in machining processes which may produce changes in the electromagnetic torque on the motor shaft. The purpose of this work is to present a predictor of superficial roughness of parts based on the dynamics of the effective current that feeds the induction motor in the turning process using artificial neural networks to analyze the roughness actions according to the machining conditions employed (speed cutting feed and range of the tool tip). Simulation results are presented and show the performance of the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) proposed several operating situations with imbalances of tensions (between +10% to -10%) and load torque steps (25 steps in 1 1 Nm) with mean relative error (MRE) of 0.0120%. Experimental results depending on the method of (RNA) proposed for various situations power grid: balanced, phase loss and voltage imbalances (overvoltage and undervoltage), show high ability to approximate the behavior of the output variable (roughness Ra) with respect to input values (RMS currents of phases a, B and C). The greatest mean relative error of 0.001754% was observed.