Tomasz Wejrzanowski

Image Based Analysis of Complex Microstructures of Engineering Materials

Image Based Analysis of Complex Microstructures of Engineering Materials The paper presents various methods for quantitative description of material structures. The main focus is on direct methods of description based on image analysis. In particular, techniques for the estimation of the size, shape and spatial distribution of structural elements observed by different microscopic techniques are described. The application of these methods for the characterization of the structures of engineering materials is demonstrated on a stainless steel used in petrochemical installations. It is shown that the methods applied are useful for the assessment of service degradation of materials.

Heat transfer through metal-graphene interfaces

The paper presents the results of Molecular Dynamics (MD) studies of the thermal properties of Cu and Ag composites with single- (SLG) and multi-layered (MLG) graphene. We show that the thermal boundary conductance (TBC) of the metal-graphene interface drops significantly for the systems containing more than one layer of graphene. It is also concluded that the TBC for a single graphene layer is significantly higher for silver than for copper. For both systems, however, we found that the interface is a barrier for heat transfer with the thermal conductance being at least two orders of magnitude lower than for metal. Moreover, we found that the TBC decreases with an increase in the number of graphene layers. The interfacial effect becomes negligible for a thickness bigger than two graphene layers. Above this thickness the thermal conductivity of the region of multilayered graphene is not influenced by the interface and becomes similar to that of graphite. The results are compared with available experimental...

Statistical Model of Grain Growth in Polycrystalline Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials, due to their fine grain sizes, exhibit enhanced mechanical properties. However, their low stability at also relatively low temperatures might limit their future applications. In the present work, a statistical model has been proposed in order to study grain growth processes in nanomaterials. The Hillert’s approach has been extended by incorporating two mechanisms of growth for an individual grain: grain boundary migration – GBM - (diffusion based - continuous) and grain-rotation coalescence – GRC - (discontinuous). The influence of the grain size distribution on the grain growth process has been studied. The results show that the inclusion of GRC mechanisms results in a departure from the parabolic law of grain growth. Such a deviation has also been observed experimentally, especially in nanomaterials. The results reveal that grain growth rate increases with higher dispersion of the fine grains and the rotation mechanism can initiate growth even with low dispersion. This causes a steady increase in the coefficient of variation which, after some time interval, decays to homogeneity. This paper also demonstrates that the average rotation mobility which is a consequence of the varying misorientation angle contributes up to about 50% of the overall average boundary mobility.

Stereology of Grains in Nano-Crystals

Nano-polycrystalline materials exhibit distinctly different m echanical and physical properties to conventional materials. To a large extent these spec ific properties are related to the greater density of grain boundaries in nano-sized crystalline aggr egates. Proper quantification of their effect requires a precise description of the size and shape of nano-grains in nano-polycrystals. This can be obtained by modern methods of stereology and computer aided ima g analysis. The paper describes the application of these methods to estimate the me an volume of grains and the grain boundary density. Grain size homogeneity can be measured and the va riation in the grain’s elongation. Examples are given of the further use of these paramete s to r veal changes occurring during processing of nano-grained materials and to model their plastic deformation.

Imaging resolution of AFM with probes modified with FIB.

This study concerns imaging of the structure of materials using AFM tapping (TM) and phase imaging (PI) mode, using probes modified with focused ion beam (FIB). Three kinds of modifications were applied - thinning of the cantilever, sharpening of the tip and combination of these two modifications. Probes shaped in that way were used for AFM investigations with Bruker AFM Nanoscope 8. As a testing material, titanium roughness standard supplied by Bruker was used. The results show that performed modifications influence the oscillation of the probes. In particular thinning of the cantilever enables one to acquire higher self-resonant frequencies, which can be advantageous for improving the quality of imaging in PI mode. It was found that sharpening the tip improves imaging resolution in tapping mode, which is consistent with existing knowledge, but lowered the quality of high frequency topography images. In this paper the Finite Element Method (FEM) was used to explain the results obtained experimentally.

The Effect of Grain Size Distribution on the Mechanical Properties of Nanometals

Predicting the properties of a material from knowledge of the internal microstructures is attracting significant interest in the fields of materials design and engineering. The most commonly used expression, known as Hall-Petch Relationship (HPR), reports on the relationship between the flow stress and the average grain size. However, there is much evidence that other statistical information that the grain size distribution in materials may have significant impact on the mechanical properties. These could even be more pronounced in the case of grains of the nanometer size, where the HPR is no longer valid and the Reverse-HPR is more applicable. This paper proposes a statistical model for the relationship between flow stress and grain size distribution. The model considered different deformation mechanisms and was used to predict mechanical properties of aluminium and copper. The results obtained with the model shows that the dispersion of grain size distribution plays an important role in the design of desirable mechanical properties. In particular, it was found that that the dependence of a material’s mechanical properties on grain size dispersion also follows the HPR to Inverse-HPR type of behaviour. The results also show that copper is more sensitive to changes in grain size distribution than aluminium.

Optimization of the Microstructure of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Anode

Development of Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells is strongly governed by improvement of durability and efficiency of the main components. This can only be achieved by defining the relationships between structure and properties of materials for MCFC. Present work introduces the results of optimization of the manufacturing process parameters and characterization of materials obtained herewith. Tape-casting manufacturing technique based on forming of a slurry with strictly defined composition and properties was used. The influence of slurry composition and further heat treatment conditions are correlated with structural parameters such as porosity and pore morphology in final products.

Effect of grain size on the melting point of confined thin aluminum films

The melting of aluminum thin film was studied by a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation technique. The effect of the grain size and type of confinement was investigated for aluminum film with a constant thickness of 4 nm. The results show that coherent intercrystalline interface suppress the transition of solid aluminum into liquid, while free-surface gives melting point depression. The mechanism of melting of polycrystalline aluminum thin film was investigated. It was found that melting starts at grain boundaries and propagates to grain interiors. The melting point was calculated from the Lindemann index criterion, taking into account only atoms near to grain boundaries. This made it possible to extend melting point calculations to bigger grains, which require a long time (in the MD scale) to be fully molten. The results show that 4 nm thick film of aluminum melts at a temperature lower than the melting point of bulk aluminum (933 K) only when the grain size is reduced to 6 nm.

Grain Boundary Migration in Nanocrystalline Iron

In this study a series of 3D models for curved [100] grain boundaries (GBs) in pure α-iron have been constructed. Each model consisted of a spherical grain, with an initial size of about 9 nm, surrounded by a large single-crystal. Different orientations have been assigned to the grain and the matrix in order to obtain interfaces with misorientation angles in the range of 5-45 degrees in steps of 5 degrees. The molecular dynamics with Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potential have been performed for investigation of the temporal changes in GB migration and grain rotations at temperature of 1000 K. The relationship between GB misorientation and its mobility has been found. It was also discovered that the density of the material decreases with a reduction of GB area. The effect of a triple junction on the interface motion has been also studied by introducing a bi-crystal matrix instead of a singlecrystal one. The results are discussed in terms of grain growth investigations in nanometals.

Microstructure of Al2O3-Fe FGM Obtained by Modified Slip-Casting Method

This paper describes the technology and microstructure of Al2O3-Fe functionally graded composites, FGM, obtained by slip-casting under magnetic field. Alumina a-Al2O3, provided by Alcoa (symbol A16SG), with average grain size of 0.5 µm, and iron powder, (symbol Distaloy AB) from Hoganas, with average grain size of 35 µm, were used to produce a series of specimens which differed in contents of Fe particles in Al2O3. As a source of magnetic force a permanent magnet was used. Preforms were sintered in a vacuum at temp. 1470oC. The microstructures of the specimens were quantitatively described via stereological methods. Sections, parallel to the magnetic field lines were analyzed using special image analysis software. Stereological methods presented in this work have been used to determine gradient in the volume fraction of the Fe particles and variation in their size and dispersion. These parameters are essential for controlling the technological process of interest and to design microstructure for needed properties (fracture toughness).