Hamid Bolvardi

Systematic study on the electronic structure and mechanical properties of X2BC (X?=?Mo, Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta and W)

In this work the electronic structure and mechanical properties of the phases X(2)BC with X =Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W (Mo(2)BC-prototype) were studied using ab initio calculations. As the valence electron concentration (VEC) per atom is increased by substitution of the transition metal X, the six very strong bonds between the transition metal and the carbon shift to lower energies relative to the Fermi level, thereby increasing the bulk modulus to values of up to 350 GPa, which corresponds to 93% of the value reported for c-BN. Systems with higher VEC appear to be ductile as inferred from both the more positive Cauchy pressure and the larger value of the bulk to shear modulus ratio (B/G). The more ductile behavior is a result of the more delocalized interatomic interactions due to larger orbital overlap in smaller unit cells. The calculated phase stabilities show an increasing trend as the VEC is decreased. This rather unusual combination of high stiffness and moderate ductility renders X(2)BC compounds with X = Ta, Mo and W as promising candidates for protection of cutting and forming tools.

Modeling of metastable phase formation diagrams for sputtered thin films

Abstract A method to model the metastable phase formation in the Cu–W system based on the critical surface diffusion distance has been developed. The driver for the formation of a second phase is the critical diffusion distance which is dependent on the solubility of W in Cu and on the solubility of Cu in W. Based on comparative theoretical and experimental data, we can describe the relationship between the solubilities and the critical diffusion distances in order to model the metastable phase formation. Metastable phase formation diagrams for Cu–W and Cu–V thin films are predicted and validated by combinatorial magnetron sputtering experiments. The correlative experimental and theoretical research strategy adopted here enables us to efficiently describe the relationship between the solubilities and the critical diffusion distances in order to model the metastable phase formation during magnetron sputtering.

Effect of Si additions on thermal stability and the phase transition sequence of sputtered amorphous alumina thin films

Si-alloyed amorphous alumina coatings having a silicon concentration of 0 to 2.7 at. % were deposited by combinatorial reactive pulsed DC magnetron sputtering of Al and Al-Si (90-10 at. %) split segments in Ar/O2 atmosphere. The effect of Si alloying on thermal stability of the as-deposited amorphous alumina thin films and the phase formation sequence was evaluated by using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability window of the amorphous phase containing 2.7 at. % of Si was increased by more than 100 °C compared to that of the unalloyed phase. A similar retarding effect of Si alloying was also observed for the α-Al2O3 formation temperature, which increased by more than 120 °C. While for the latter retardation, the evidence for the presence of SiO2 at the grain boundaries was presented previously, this obviously cannot explain the stability enhancement reported here for the amorphous phase. Based on density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations and synchrotr...

Investigation of the Suitability of Surface Treatments for Dry Cold Extrusion by Process-Oriented Tribological Testing

In cold extrusion of aluminum alloys adhesive wear can be prevented by an excessive lubrication of the process. While this causes additional process steps also environmental risks have to be addressed. Hence, dry metal forming, i.e. avoiding lubrication by means of coatings and topography modifications is highly desirable. In this paper first results concerning the behavior of tailored surfaces under dry metal forming conditions for pure aluminum are presented. Different surface treatments (laser polishing and Mo2BC coating) of the tool steel AISI H11 are tested in a compression-torsion-tribometer under conditions adapted from cold extrusion. Normal stresses six times higher than the initial yield stress of the tested workpiece material pure aluminum (AA1050-O) are applied. Furthermore, a strategy for the characterization of aluminum adhesions to the tool is introduced. The influences of different topographies and the presence of a coating on the loss of material due to adhesive wear are investigated.

Nanostructure of and structural defects in a Mo2BC hard coating investigated by transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography

In this work, the nanostructure of a Mo2BC hard coating was determined by several transmission electron microscopy methods and correlated with the mechanical properties. The coating was deposited on a Si (100) wafer by bipolar pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering from a Mo2BC compound target in Ar at a substrate temperature of 630 °C. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed structural features at various length scales: bundles (30 nm to networks of several micrometers) consisting of columnar grains (∼10 nm in diameter), grain boundary regions with a less ordered atomic arrangement, and defects including disordered clusters (∼1.5 nm in diameter) as well as stacking faults within the grains. The most prominent defect with a volume fraction of ∼0.5% is the disordered clusters, which were investigated in detail by electron energy loss spectroscopy and atom probe tomography. The results provide conclusive evidence that Ar is incorporated into the Mo2BC film as disordered Ar-rich Mo-B-C c...