Estudo da molhabilidade de ligas de adição à base de prata sobre insertos cerâmicos para aplicação em brocas perfuração de poços de petróleo

Metal-ceramic interfaces are present in tricone drill bits with hard ceramic inserts for oil well drilling operations. The combination of actions of cutting, crushing and breaking up of rocks results in the degradation of tricone drill bits by wear, total or partial rupture of the drill bit body or the ceramic inserts, thermal shock and corrosion. Also the improper pressfitting of the ceramic inserts on the bit body may cause its total detachment, and promote serious damages to the drill bit. The improvement on the production process of metal-ceramic interfaces can eliminate or minimize some of above-mentioned failures presented in tricone drill bits, optimizing their lifetime and so reducing drilling metric cost. Brazing is a widely established technique to join metal-ceramic materials, and may be an excellent alternative to the common mechanical press fitting process of hard ceramic inserts on the steel bit body for tricone drill bit. Wetting phenomena plays an essential role in the production of metal/ceramic interfaces when a liquid phase is present in the process. In this work, 72Silver-28Copper eutectic based brazing alloys were melted onto zirconia, silicon nitride and tungsten carbide/Co substrates under high vacuum. Contact angle evolution was measured and graphically plotted, and the interfaces produced were analysed by SEM-EDX. The AgCu eutectic alloy did not wet any ceramic substrates, showing high contact angles, and so without chemical interaction between the materials. Better results were found for the systemns containing 3%wt of titanium in the AgCu alloy. The presence os titanium as a solute in the alloy produces wettable cand termodinamically stable compounds, increasing the ceramics wetting beahviour

Silicon carbide surface modification by nitrogen plasma expander

Silicon carbide (SiC) has been employed in many different fields such as ballistic armor, thermal coating, high performance mirror substrate, semiconductors devices, among other things. Plasma application over the silicon carbide ceramics is relatively recent and it is able to promote relevant superficial modifications. Plasma expander was used in this work which was supplied by nitrogen and switched by a capacitor bank. Nitrogen plasma was applied over ceramic samples for 20 minutes, in a total medium of 1440 plasma pulses. SiC ceramics were produced by uniaxial pressing method (40 MPa) associated to isostatic pressing (300 MPa) and sintered at 1950 degrees C under argon gas atmosphere. Silicon carbide (beta-sic - BF-12) supplied by HC-Starck and sintering additive (7.6% YAG - Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) were used in order to obtain the ceramics. Before and after the plasma application, the samples were characterized by SEM, AFM, contact angle and surface energy measurement.

α-SiAION: Development and machining test on gray cast iron

The α-SiAlON ceramic cutting tool insert is developed. Silicon nitride and additives powders are pressed and sintered in the form of cutting tool inserts at temperature of 1900 °C. The physics and mechanical properties of the inserts like green density, weight loss, relative density, hardness and fracture toughness are evaluated. Machining studies are conducted on grey cast iron workpiece to evaluate the performance of α-SiAlON ceramic cutting tool. In the paper the cutting tool used in higher speed showed an improvement in the tribological interaction between the cutting tools and the grey cast iron workpiece resulted in a significant reduction of flank wear and roughness, because of better accommodation and the presence of the graphite in gray cast iron. The above results are discussed in terms of their affect at machining parameters on gray cast iron.

Usinagem da liga de níquel inconel 718 com pastilhas de cerâmica

The machining of super alloys resistant to high temperatures such as nickel alloys, inconel 718 specifically, is a very difficult job to obtain improvements in the process, due to the difficulty of machining at high cutting speeds, the use of these alloys in industries showed great developments in recent years, its application in aeronautical industry spread being used in vane turbo, compressor parts, props and set elements. The automotive, chemical, medical and others also took advantage of the great features of inconel 718 and has used the material. The high temperature resistant alloys have high machining difficulty, a fact that is associated with high cutting forces generated during machining which result in high temperatures. High levels of temperatures can cause deterioration of the cutting edge, with subsequent deformation or breakage, wear most common obtained in machining such materials are flank wear the formation of built-up edge for cutting and notch wear. The experimental part of the work consists in machining of nickel-based alloy Inconel 718 heat treated for hardness, using a tool based ceramic silicon nitride Sandvik (Si3N4) in order to compare the best results obtained in the master's thesis of SANTOS (2010) who used a tool ceramics also the basis of silicon nitride which was developed in the doctoral thesis of SOUZA (2005). Assays were performed on a CNC lathe and was noted for each cutting edge results obtained. Tests were made starting from an initial condition of the tool with cutting speed of 200 m/min, feed 0.5 mm and 0.5 mm depth of cut was reduced cutting speed for the subsequent tests with the same conditions of feed and depth of cut. The tool presented wear instant under two 200 m/min and 100 m/min, premature rupture of 50 m/min and finally cut provided with difficulty... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Caracterização de cerâmicas a base de nitreto de silício para aplicações estruturais

The need for development of new materials is a natural process in the companies’ technological point of view, seeking improvements in materials and processes. Specifically, among the materials, ceramic exhibit valuable properties, especially the covalent ceramics which have excellent properties for applications which requires the abrasion resistance, hardness, high temperatures, resistence, etc. being a material that has applications in several areas. Most studies are related to improvement of properties, specially fracture toughness that allows the expansion of its application. Among the most promising ceramic materials are silicon nitride (Si3N4) which has excellent properties. The goal of this work was the development and caracterization of Si3N4-based ceramics, doped with yttrium oxide (Y2O3), rar earth concentrate (CTR2O3) and cerium oxide (CeO2) in the same proportion for the evaluation of properties. The powders' mixtures were homogenized, dried and compressed under pressure uniaxial and isostatic. Sintering was carried out in 1850 ⁰C under pressure of 0,1MPa N2 for 1 h with a heating rate of 25 ⁰C / min and cooling in the furnace inertia. The characterizations were performed using Archimedes principle to relative density, weight loss by measuring before and after sintering, phase analysis by X-ray diffraction, microstructure by scanning electron microscope (SEM), hardness and fracture toughness by the method Vickers indentation. The results obtained showed relative density of 97-98%, Vickers hardness 17 to 19 GPa, fracture toughness 5.6 to 6.8 MPa.m1/2, with phases varying from α-SiAlON and β-Si3N4 depending the types of additives used. The results are promising for tribological applications and can be defined according to the types of additives to be used

Sinais de vibração no monitoramento do processo de retificação plana de cerâmicas avançadas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Impact of Impurities on the Mechanical Strength of Multicrystalline Silicon

The usage of more inexpensive silicon feedstock for crystallizing mc-Si blocks promises cost reduction for the photovoltaic market. For example, less expensive substrates of upgraded metallurgical silicon (UMG-Si) are used as a mechanical support for the epitaxial solar cell. This feedstock has higher content of impurities which influences cell performance and mechanical strength of the wafers. Thus, it is of importance to know these effects in order to know which impurities should be preferentially removed or prevented during the crystallization process. Metals like aluminum (Al) can decrease the mechanical strength due to micro-cracking of the silicon matrix and introduction of high values of thermal residual stress. Additionally, silicon oxide (SiOx) lowers the mechanical strength of mc-Si due to thermal residual stresses and stress intensification when an external load is applied in the surrounding of the particle. Silicon carbide (SiC) introduces thermal residual stresses and intensifies slightly the stress in the surrounding of the particle but can have a toughening effect on the silicon matrix. Finally, silicon nitride (Si3N4) does not influence significantly the mechanical strength of mc- Si and can have a toughening effect on the silicon matrix.

Influence of high aluminium content on the mechanical properties of directionally solidified multicrystalline silicon

The purpose of this research is the mechanical characterisation of multicrystalline silicon crystallised from silicon feedstock with a high content of aluminium for photovoltaic applications. The mechanical strength, fracture toughness and elastic modulus were measured at different positions within the multicrystalline silicon block to quantify the impact of the segregation of impurities on these mechanical properties. Aluminium segregated to the top of the block and caused extensive micro-cracking of the silicon matrix due to the thermal mismatch between silicon and the aluminium inclusions. Silicon nitride inclusions reduced the fracture toughness and caused failure by radial cracking in its surroundings due to its thermal mismatch with silicon. However, silicon carbide increased the fracture toughness and elastic modulus of silicon.

Estudo da molhabilidade de ligas de adição à base de prata sobre insertos cerâmicos para aplicação em brocas perfuração de poços de petróleo

Metal-ceramic interfaces are present in tricone drill bits with hard ceramic inserts for oil well drilling operations. The combination of actions of cutting, crushing and breaking up of rocks results in the degradation of tricone drill bits by wear, total or partial rupture of the drill bit body or the ceramic inserts, thermal shock and corrosion. Also the improper pressfitting of the ceramic inserts on the bit body may cause its total detachment, and promote serious damages to the drill bit. The improvement on the production process of metal-ceramic interfaces can eliminate or minimize some of above-mentioned failures presented in tricone drill bits, optimizing their lifetime and so reducing drilling metric cost. Brazing is a widely established technique to join metal-ceramic materials, and may be an excellent alternative to the common mechanical press fitting process of hard ceramic inserts on the steel bit body for tricone drill bit. Wetting phenomena plays an essential role in the production of metal/ceramic interfaces when a liquid phase is present in the process. In this work, 72Silver-28Copper eutectic based brazing alloys were melted onto zirconia, silicon nitride and tungsten carbide/Co substrates under high vacuum. Contact angle evolution was measured and graphically plotted, and the interfaces produced were analysed by SEM-EDX. The AgCu eutectic alloy did not wet any ceramic substrates, showing high contact angles, and so without chemical interaction between the materials. Better results were found for the systemns containing 3%wt of titanium in the AgCu alloy. The presence os titanium as a solute in the alloy produces wettable cand termodinamically stable compounds, increasing the ceramics wetting beahviour

Composition and morphology of particle emissions from in-use aircraft during takeoff and landing

In order to provide realistic data for air pollution inventories and source apportionment at airports, the morphology and composition of ultrafine particles (UFP) in aircraft engine exhaust were measured and characterized. For this purpose, two independent measurement techniques were employed to collect emissions during normal takeoff and landing operations at Brisbane Airport, Australia. PM1 emissions in the airfield were collected on filters and analyzed using the particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. Morphological and compositional analyses of individual ultrafine particles in aircraft plumes were performed on silicon nitride membrane grids using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). TEM results showed that the deposited particles were in the range of 5 to 100 nm in diameter, had semisolid spherical shapes and were dominant in the nucleation mode (18 – 20 nm). The EDX analysis showed the main elements in the nucleation particles were C, O, S and Cl. The PIXE analysis of the airfield samples was generally in agreement with the EDX in detecting S, Cl, K, Fe and Si in the particles. The results of this study provide important scientific information on the toxicity of aircraft exhaust and their impact on local air quality.

Low-temperature plasma processing for Si photovoltaics

There has been a recent rapid expansion of the range of applications of low-temperature plasma processing in Si-based photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The desire to produce Si-based PV materials at an acceptable cost with consistent performance and reproducibility has stimulated a large number of major research and research infrastructure programs, and a rapidly increasing number of publications in the field of low-temperature plasma processing for Si photovoltaics. In this article, we introduce the low-temperature plasma sources for Si photovoltaic applications and discuss the effects of low-temperature plasma dissociation and deposition on the synthesis of Si-based thin films. We also examine the relevant growth mechanisms and plasma diagnostics, Si thin-film solar cells, Si heterojunction solar cells and silicon nitride materials for antireflection and surface passivation. Special attention is paid to the low-temperature plasma interactions with Si materials including hydrogen interaction, wafer cleaning, masked or mask-free surface texturization, the direct formation of p-n junction, and removal of phosphorus silicate glass or parasitic emitters. The chemical and physical interactions in such plasmas with Si surfaces are analyzed. Several examples of the plasma processes and techniques are selected to represent a variety of applications aimed at the improvement of Si-based solar cell performance. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Thermal properties and thermal shock resistance of γ-Y 2Si2O7

Thermal properties, namely, Debye temperature, thermal expansion coefficient, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of γ-Y 2Si2O7, a high-temperature polymorph of yttrium disilicate, were investigated. The anisotropic thermal expansions of γ-Y2Si2O7 powders were examined using high-temperature X-ray diffractometer from 300 to 1373 K and the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient is (6.68±0.35) × 10-6 K-1. The linear thermal expansion coefficient of polycrystalline γ-Y2Si2O7 determined by push-rod dilatometer is (3.90±0.4) × 10-6 K-1, being very close to that of silicon nitride and silicon carbide. Besides, γ-Y2Si2O7 displays a low-thermal conductivity, with a κ value measured below 3.0 W·(m·K) -1 at the temperatures above 600 K. The calculated minimum thermal conductivity, κmin, was 1.35 W·(m·K) -1. The unique combination of low thermal expansion coefficient and low-thermal conductivity of γ-Y2Si2O7 renders it a very competitive candidate material for high temperature structural components and environmental/thermal-barrier coatings. The thermal shock resistance of γ-Y2Si2O7 was estimated by quenching dense materials in water from various temperatures and the critical temperature difference, ΔTc, was determined to be 300 K.

Temperature-dependent photoluminescence of GaN grown on beta-Si3N4/Si (111) by plasma-assisted MBE

Photoluminescence (PL) of high quality GaN epitaxial layer grown on beta-Si3N4/Si (1 1 1) substrate using nitridation-annealing-nitridation method by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) was investigated in the range of 5-300 K. Crystallinity of GaN epilayers was evaluated by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and surface morphology by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM). The temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra showed an anomalous behaviour with an `S-like' shape of free exciton (FX) emission peaks. Distant shallow donor-acceptor pair (DAP) line peak at approximately 3.285 eV was also observed at 5 K, followed by LO replica sidebands separated by 91 meV. The activation energy of the free exciton for GaN epilayers was also evaluated to be similar to 27.8 +/- 0.7 meV from the temperature-dependent PL studies. Low carrier concentrations were observed similar to 4.5 +/- 2 x 10(17) Cm-3 by measurements and it indicates the silicon nitride layer, which not only acts as a growth buffer layer, but also effectively prevents Si diffusion from the substrate to GaN epilayers. The absence of yellow band emission at around 2.2 eV signifies the high quality of film. The tensile stress in GaN film calculated by the thermal stress model agrees very well with that derived from Raman spectroscopy. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduction of oxygen impurity at GaN/beta-Si(3)N(4)/Si interface via SiO(2) to Ga(2)O conversion by exposing of Si surface under Ga flux

The removal of native oxide from Si (1 1 1) surfaces was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectra (SIMS) depth profiles. Two different oxide removal methods, performed under ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) conditions, were carried out and compared. The first cleaning method is thermal desorption of oxide at 900 degrees C. The second method is the deposition of metallic gallium followed by redesorption. A significant decrease in oxygen was achieved by thermal desorption at 900 degrees C under UHV conditions. By applying a subsequent Ga deposition/redesorption, a further reduction in oxygen could be achieved. We examine the merits of an alternative oxide desorption method via conversion of the stable SiO(2) surface oxide into a volatile Ca(2)O oxide by a supply of Ga metals. Furthermore, ultra thin films of pure silicon nitride buffer layer were grown on a Si (1 1 1) surface by exposing the surface to radio-frequency (RF) nitrogen plasma followed by GaN growth. The SIMS depth profile shows that the oxygen impurity can be reduced at GaN/beta-Si(3)N(4)/Si interfaces by applying a subsequent Ga deposition/redesorption. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Substrate nitridation induced modulations in transport properties of wurtzite GaN/p-Si (100) heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Phase pure wurtzite GaN films were grown on Si (100) substrates by introducing a silicon nitride layer followed by low temperature GaN growth as buffer layers. GaN films grown directly on Si (100) were found to be phase mixtured, containing both cubic (beta) and hexagonal (alpha) modifications. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies reveal that the significant enhancement in the structural as well as in the optical properties of GaN films grown with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 800 degrees C when compared to the samples grown in the absence of silicon nitride buffer layer and with silicon nitride buffer layer grown at 600 degrees C. Core-level photoelectron spectroscopy of Si(x)N(y) layers reveals the sources for superior qualities of GaN epilayers grown with the high temperature substrate nitridation process. The discussion has been carried out on the typical inverted rectification behavior exhibited by n-GaN/p-Si heterojunctions. Considerable modulation in the transport mechanism was observed with the nitridation conditions. The heterojunction fabricated with the sample of substrate nitridation at high temperature exhibited superior rectifying nature with reduced trap concentrations. Lowest ideality factors (similar to 1.5) were observed in the heterojunctions grown with high temperature substrate nitridation which is attributed to the recombination tunneling at the space charge region transport mechanism at lower voltages and at higher voltages space charge limited current conduction is the dominating transport mechanism. Whereas, thermally generated carrier tunneling and recombination tunneling are the dominating transport mechanisms in the heterojunctions grown without substrate nitridation and low temperature substrate nitridation, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3658867]