Current Search: Characterization (x)
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- Title
- THERMO-MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE SHAPE MEMORY NI-TI-PD WIRES.
- Creator
-
Fox, Matthew, Vaidyanathan, Rajan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Actuator applications of shape memory alloys have typically been limited by their phase transformation temperatures to around 100 degrees C. However, recently with a focus on aerospace and turbomachinery applications there have been successful efforts to increase the phase transformation temperatures. Several of these alloy development efforts have involved ternary and quaternary elemental additions (e.g., Pt, Pd, etc.) to binary NiTi alloys. Experimentally assessing the effects of varying...
Show moreActuator applications of shape memory alloys have typically been limited by their phase transformation temperatures to around 100 degrees C. However, recently with a focus on aerospace and turbomachinery applications there have been successful efforts to increase the phase transformation temperatures. Several of these alloy development efforts have involved ternary and quaternary elemental additions (e.g., Pt, Pd, etc.) to binary NiTi alloys. Experimentally assessing the effects of varying composition and thermo-mechanical processing parameters can be cost intensive, especially when expensive, high-purity elemental additions are involved. Thus, in order to save on development costs there is value in establishing a methodology that facilitates the fabrication, processing and testing of smaller specimens, rather than larger specimens from commercial billets. With the objective of establishing such a methodology, this work compares thermo-mechanical test results from bulk dog-bone tensile Ni29.5Ti50.5Pd20 samples (7.62 mm diameter) with that of thin wires (100 μm-150 µm diameter) extracted from comparable, untested bulk samples by wire electrical-discharge machining (EDM). The wires were subsequently electropolished to different cross-sections, characterized with Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy to verify the removal of the heat affected zone following EDM and subjected to Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy to accurately determine their cross-sections before thermo-mechanical testing. Stress-strain and load-bias experiments were then performed on these wires using a dynamic mechanical analyzer and compared with results established in previous studies for comparable bulk tensile specimens. On comparing the results from a bulk tensile sample with that of the micron-scale wires, the overall thermomechanical trends were accurately captured by the micron-scale wires for both the constrained recovery and monotonic tensile tests. Specifically, there was good agreement between the stress-strain response in both the martensitic and austenitic phases, the transformation strains at lower stresses in constrained recovery, and the transformation temperatures at higher stresses in constrained recovery. This work thus validated that carefully prepared micron-diameter samples can be used to obtain representative bulk thermo-mechanical properties, and is useful for fabricating and optimizing composition and thermo-mechanical processing parameters in prototype button melts prior to commercial production. This work additionally assesses potential applications of high temperature shape memory alloy actuator seals in turbomachinery. A concept for a shape memory alloy turbine labyrinth seal is also presented. Funding support from NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Program, Supersonics Project (NNX08AB51A) and Siemens Energy is acknowledged.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- Identifier
- CFE0002813, ucf:48102
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002813
- Title
- PARTICLE SEPARATION THROUGH TAYLOR COUETTE FLOW AND DIELECTROPHORETIC TRAPPING.
- Creator
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Bock, Christopher, Chen, Quanfang, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As the world population approaches seven billion, a greater strain is put on the resources necessary to sustain life. One of the most basic and essential resources is water and while two thirds of the earth is covered by water, the majority is either salt water (oceans and seas) or it is too contaminated to drink. The purpose of this project is to develop a portable device capable of testing whether a specific source of water (i.e. lake, river, wellÃÂÃ...
Show moreAs the world population approaches seven billion, a greater strain is put on the resources necessary to sustain life. One of the most basic and essential resources is water and while two thirds of the earth is covered by water, the majority is either salt water (oceans and seas) or it is too contaminated to drink. The purpose of this project is to develop a portable device capable of testing whether a specific source of water (i.e. lake, river, wellÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ ) is potable. There are numerous filtration techniques that can remove contaminants and make even the dirtiest water clean enough for consumption but they are for the most part, very time consuming and immobile processes. The device is not a means of water purification but rather focuses on determining the content of the water and whether it is safe. Particles within the water are separated and trapped using a combination of a Taylor Couette fluid flow system and Dielectrophoretic electrodes. This paper explores Taylor Couette flow in a large gap and low aspect ratio system through theory and experimentation with early stage prototypes. Different inner cylinder radii, 2.12cm, 1.665cm and 1.075cm, were tested at different speeds approaching, at and passing the critical Taylor number, 3825, 4713 and 6923 respectively for each cylinder. Dielectrophoretic (DEP) electrodes were designed, fabricated, coated and tested using latex beads to determine the method of integrating them within the fluid flow system. Taylor Couette theory, in terms of the formation of vortices within the large gap, small aspect ratio system, was not validated during testing. The flow pattern generated was more akin to a chaotic circular Couette flow but still served to move the particles toward the outer wall. Fully integrated tests were run with limited success. Recommendations were made to pursue both circular Couette flow as the basis for particle separation and dimensional changes in the setup to allow for the formation of Taylor vortices by increasing the radius ratio but still allowing for a larger volume of fluid.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003129, ucf:48634
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003129
- Title
- RELIABILITY STUDY OF INGAP/GAAS HETEROJUNCTION BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR MMIC TECHNOLOGY BY CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING AND SIMULATION.
- Creator
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LIU, XIANG, Liou, Juin J., University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Recent years have shown real advances of microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) for millimeter-wave frequency systems, such as wireless communication, advanced imaging, remote sensing and automotive radar systems, as MMICs can provide the size, weight and performance required for these systems. Traditionally, GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) or InP based MMIC technology has dominated in millimeter-wave frequency applications because of their high fT and...
Show moreRecent years have shown real advances of microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) for millimeter-wave frequency systems, such as wireless communication, advanced imaging, remote sensing and automotive radar systems, as MMICs can provide the size, weight and performance required for these systems. Traditionally, GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) or InP based MMIC technology has dominated in millimeter-wave frequency applications because of their high fT and fmax as well as their superior noise performance. But these technologies are very expensive. Thus, for low cost and high performance applications, InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) are quickly becoming the preferred technology to be used due to their inherently excellent characteristics. These features, together with the need for only one power supply to bias the device, make InGaP/GaAs HBTs very attractive for the design of high performance fully integrated MMICs. With the smaller dimensions for improving speed and functionality of InGaP/GaAs HBTs, which dissipate large amount of power and result in heat flux accumulated in the device junction, technology reliability issues are the first concern for the commercialization. As the thermally triggered instabilities often seen in InGaP/GaAs HBTs, a carefully derived technique to define the stress conditions of accelerated life test has been employed in our study to acquire post-stress device characteristics for the projection of long-term device performance degradation pattern. To identify the possible origins of the post-stress device behaviors observed experimentally, a two dimensional (2-D) TCAD numerical device simulation has been carried out. Using this approach, it is suggested that the acceptor-type trapping states located in the emitter bulk are responsible for the commonly seen post-stress base current instability over the moderate base-emitter voltage region. HBT-based MMIC performance is very sensitive to the variation of core device characteristics and the reliability issues put the limit on its radio frequency (RF) behaviors. While many researchers have reported the observed stress-induced degradations of GaAs HBT characteristics, there has been little published data on the full understanding of stress impact on the GaAs HBT-based MMICs. If care is not taken to understand this issue, stress-induced degradation paths can lead to built-in circuit failure during regular operations. However, detection of this failure may be difficult due to the circuit complexity and lead to erroneous data or output conditions. Thus, a practical and analytical methodology has been developed to predict the stress impacts on HBT-based MMICs. It provides a quick way and guidance for the RF design engineer to evaluate the circuit performance with reliability considerations. Using the present existing EDA tools (Cadance SpectreRF and Agilent ADS) with the extracted pre- and post-stress transistor models, the electrothermal stress effects on InGaP/GaAs HBT-based RF building blocks including power amplifier (PA), low-noise amplifier (LNA) and oscillator have been systematically evaluated. This provides a potential way for the RF/microwave industry to save tens of millions of dollars annually in testing costs. The world now stands at the threshold of the age of advanced GaAs HBT MMIC technology and researchers have been exploring here for years. The reliability of GaAs HBT technology is no longer the post-design evaluation, but the pre-design consideration. The successful and fruitful results of this dissertation provide methods and guidance for the RF designers to achieve more reliable RF circuits with advanced GaAs HBT technology in the future.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003904, ucf:48744
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003904
- Title
- Characterization of Post-Fire Priming Cup Residue Using Scanning Electron Microscopy Coupled With Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry.
- Creator
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Terry, Molly, Bridge, Candice, Sigman, Michael, Campiglia, Andres, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Ammunition is most often comprised of a lead-based priming mixture which contributes to the traditional characteristics of gunshot residue (GSR). Due to the health risks often associated with lead, lead-free primer alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular. Thus, it is becoming more difficult to determine the presence of GSR based on traditional means, i.e. the presence of lead (Pb), barium (Ba), and antimony (Sb). Eight different ammunitions were purchased which consisted of one...
Show moreAmmunition is most often comprised of a lead-based priming mixture which contributes to the traditional characteristics of gunshot residue (GSR). Due to the health risks often associated with lead, lead-free primer alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular. Thus, it is becoming more difficult to determine the presence of GSR based on traditional means, i.e. the presence of lead (Pb), barium (Ba), and antimony (Sb). Eight different ammunitions were purchased which consisted of one lead-based and one lead-free from four different manufacturers, including Winchester, Federal, Liberty, and Sellier (&) Bellot. Half of the rounds from each manufacturer and chemical composition (i.e. lead-based or lead-free) were disassembled, e.g. the projectile and smokeless powder were removed, leaving the priming cup in place (i.e. primed only). The remaining cartridges were left intact (i.e. full cartridge). Both the full cartridges and the primed only cartridges for each ammunition were fired using a 9mm Glock and the cartridges were collected post-fire, and subsequently deprimed. Five cups and five anvils from each type of ammunition were adhered to aluminum stubs via colloidal graphite. The GSR remaining on the anvils and in the cups was then analyzed using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX). Three spectra were collected for each anvil and each cup resulting in 30 total spectra per type of ammunition. The primary element peaks were then selected and four different dataset matrices were created for the full cartridge anvils, full cartridge cups, primed only anvils, and primed only cups. The data was processed using unit vector normalization and was then analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to determine the characterization between lead-free and lead-based ammunition. The anvils provided better separation and characterization based on the ability to better collect x-rays, and therefore demonstrated the capability of the ammunition to cluster by both primer mixture composition and manufacturer. The lead-based and lead-free primers showed consistencies across samples, such as the presence or absence of K, which allowed for characterization based on primer composition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006509, ucf:51377
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006509
- Title
- Light Trapping in Thin Film Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.
- Creator
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Boroumand Azad, Javaneh, Chanda, Debashis, Peale, Robert, Del Barco, Enrique, Flitsiyan, Elena, Schoenfeld, Winston, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This dissertation presents numerical and experimental studies of a unified light trapping approach that is extremely important for all practical solar cells. A 2D hexagonal Bravais lattice diffractive pattern is studied in conjunction with the verification of the reflection mechanisms of single and double layer anti-reflective coatings in the broad range of wavelength 400 nm - 1100 nm. By varying thickness and conformity, we obtained the optimal parameters which minimize the broadband...
Show moreThis dissertation presents numerical and experimental studies of a unified light trapping approach that is extremely important for all practical solar cells. A 2D hexagonal Bravais lattice diffractive pattern is studied in conjunction with the verification of the reflection mechanisms of single and double layer anti-reflective coatings in the broad range of wavelength 400 nm - 1100 nm. By varying thickness and conformity, we obtained the optimal parameters which minimize the broadband reflection from the nanostructured crystalline silicon surface over a wide range of angle 0(&)deg;-65(&)deg;. While the analytical design of broadband, angle independent anti-reflection coatings on nanostructured surfaces remains a scientific challenge, numerical optimization proves a viable alternative, paving the path towards practical implementation of the light trapping solar cells. A 3 (&)#181;m thick light trapping solar cell is modeled in order to predict and maximize combined electron-photon harvesting in ultrathin crystalline silicon solar cells. It is shown that the higher charge carrier generation and collection in this design compensates the absorption and recombination losses and ultimately results in an increase in energy conversion efficiency. Further, 20 (&)#181;m and 100 (&)#181;m thick functional solar cells with the light trapping scheme are studied. The efficiency improvement is observed numerically and experimentally due to photon absorption enhancement in the light trapping cells with respect to a bare cell of same thickness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006936, ucf:51654
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006936
- Title
- Synthesis and Characterization of Core-Shell Zinc Silica Nanoparticles and Zinc Silica Nanogels for Agricultural Applications.
- Creator
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Berroth, Megan, Santra, Swadeshmukul, Moore, Sean, Jewett, Travis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Plant pathogens are a serious problem facing the agricultural industry today. Current methodologies use copper based biocides as the main form of defense. Unfortunately this can lead to damaging environmental effects and increased rates of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, antimicrobial activity of multiple alternative zinc-based nanoformulations were tested against three important plant pathogens: Xanthomonas alfalfae, Pseudomonas syringae, and Clavobacter michiganensis. Xanthomonas...
Show morePlant pathogens are a serious problem facing the agricultural industry today. Current methodologies use copper based biocides as the main form of defense. Unfortunately this can lead to damaging environmental effects and increased rates of antimicrobial resistance. In this study, antimicrobial activity of multiple alternative zinc-based nanoformulations were tested against three important plant pathogens: Xanthomonas alfalfae, Pseudomonas syringae, and Clavobacter michiganensis. Xanthomonas sub species cause Citrus canker, a devastating disease that affects millions of citrus trees worldwide while the latter two affect tomato crops. Materials synthesis was completed and the resulting nanoformulations were characterized by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The antimicrobial efficacy of the newly synthesized formulas and two commercially available products, Kocide 3000 (DuPont) and Nordox (Brandt), were determined by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Assays followed by Bacterial Viability Assays. The subsequent data demonstrated a marketed difference in the way the antimicrobial agents acted upon the bacterial species. The core-shell zinc silica nanoparticles (C-SZnSiNP) proved to be ineffective, while the zinc silica nanogel (ZnSiNG) was as successful at killing the bacteria as the commercial products. This shows promise for a new alternative material with zinc at the forefront of the fight against plant pathogens.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006209, ucf:51099
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006209
- Title
- design, characterization and analysis of component level electrostatic discharge (esd) protection solutions.
- Creator
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Luo, Sirui, Liou, Juin, Yuan, Jiann-Shiun, Gong, Xun, Jin, Yier, Salcedo, Javier, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Electrostatic Discharges (ESD) is a significant hazard to electronic components and systems. Based on a specific process technology, a given circuit application requires a customized ESD consideration that meets all the requirements such as the core circuit's operating condition, maximum accepted leakage current, breakdown conditions for the process and overall device sizes. In every several years, there will be a new process technology becomes mature, and most of those new technology...
Show moreElectrostatic Discharges (ESD) is a significant hazard to electronic components and systems. Based on a specific process technology, a given circuit application requires a customized ESD consideration that meets all the requirements such as the core circuit's operating condition, maximum accepted leakage current, breakdown conditions for the process and overall device sizes. In every several years, there will be a new process technology becomes mature, and most of those new technology requires custom design of effective ESD protection solution. And usually the design window will shrinks due to the evolving of the technology becomes smaller and smaller. The ESD related failure is a major IC reliability concern and results in a loss of millions dollars each year in the semiconductor industry. To emulate the real word stress condition, several ESD stress models and test methods have been developed. The basic ESD models are Human Body model (HBM), Machine Mode (MM), and Charge Device Model (CDM). For the system-level ESD robustness, it is defined by different standards and specifications than component-level ESD requirements. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61000-4-2 has been used for the product and the Human Metal Model (HMM) has been used for the system at the wafer level.Increasingly stringent design specifications are forcing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to minimize the number of off-chip components. This is the case in emerging multifunction mobile, industrial, automotive and healthcare applications. It requires a high level of ESD robustness and the integrated circuit (IC) level, while finding ways to streamline the ESD characterization during early development cycle. To enable predicting the ESD performance of IC's pins that are directly exposed to a system-level stress condition, a new the human metal model (HMM) test model has been introduced. In this work, a new testing methodology for product-level HMM characterization is introduced. This testing framework allows for consistently identifying ESD-induced failures in a product, substantially simplifying the testing process, and significantly reducing the product evaluation time during development cycle. It helps eliminates the potential inaccuracy provided by the conventional characterization methodology. For verification purposes, this method has been applied to detect the failures of two different products.Addition to the exploration of new characterization methodology that provides better accuracy, we also have looked into the protection devices itself. ICs for emerging high performance precision data acquisition and transceivers in industrial, automotive and wireless infrastructure applications require effective and ESD protection solutions. These circuits, with relatively high operating voltages at the Input/Output (I/O) pins, are increasingly being designed in low voltage Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technologies to meet the requirements of low cost and large scale integration. A new dual-polarity SCR optimized for high bidirectional blocking voltages, high trigger current and low capacitance is realized in a sub 3-V, 180-nm CMOS process. This ESD device is designed for a specific application where the operating voltage at the I/O is larger than that of the core circuit. For instance, protecting high voltage swing I/Os in CMOS data acquisition system (DAS) applications. In this reference application, an array of thin film resistors voltage divider is directly connected to the interface pin, reducing the maximum voltage that is obtained at the core device input down to (&)#177; 1-5 V. Its ESD characteristics, including the trigger voltage and failure current, are compared against those of a typical CMOS-based SCR.Then, we have looked into the ESD protection designs into more advanced technology, the 28-nm CMOS. An ESD protection design builds on the multiple discharge-paths ESD cell concept and focuses the attention on the detailed design, optimization and realization of the in-situ ESD protection cell for IO pins with variable operation voltages. By introducing different device configurations fabricated in a 28-nm CMOS process, a greater flexibility in the design options and design trade-offs can be obtained in the proposed topology, thus achieving a higher integration and smaller cell size definition for multi-voltage compatibility interface ESD protection applications. This device is optimized for low capacitance and synthesized with the circuit IO components for in-situ ESD protection in communication interface applications developed in a 28-nm, high-k, and metal-gate CMOS technology.ESD devices have been used in different types of applications and also at different environment conditions, such as high temperature. At the last section of this research work, we have performed an investigation of several different ESD devices' performance under various temperature conditions. And it has been shown that the variations of the device structure can results different ESD performance, and some devices can be used at the high temperature and some cannot. And this investigation also brings up a potential threat to the current ESD protection devices that they might be very vulnerable to the latch-up issue at the higher temperature range.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005655, ucf:50189
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005655
- Title
- Beneficial Utilization of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Ashes as Sustainable Road Construction Materials.
- Creator
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Tasneem, Kazi, Nam, Boo Hyun, Chopra, Manoj, Reinhart, Debra, Sohn, Yongho, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) is common for energy recovery, and management of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ashes has received a growing attention around the world. In the U.S., generation of MSW has increased up to 65% since 1980, to the current level of 251 million tons per year with 53.8% landfilled, 34.5% recycled and composted, and 11.7% incinerated with energy recovery. In the process of incineration, MSWI ash is being produced as byproducts; about 80 to 90%...
Show moreIncineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) is common for energy recovery, and management of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ashes has received a growing attention around the world. In the U.S., generation of MSW has increased up to 65% since 1980, to the current level of 251 million tons per year with 53.8% landfilled, 34.5% recycled and composted, and 11.7% incinerated with energy recovery. In the process of incineration, MSWI ash is being produced as byproducts; about 80 to 90% of the MSWI ash is bottom ash (BA) and 10 to 20% is fly ash (FA) by weight. The current practice of the U.S. is to combine both BA and FA to meet the criteria to qualify as non-hazardous, and all combined ashes are disposed in landfills.European countries have utilized MSWI BA as beneficial construction materials by separating it from FA. The FA is mostly limited to landfill disposal as hazardous material due to its high content of toxic elements and salts. BA has been actively recycled in the areas of roadbed, asphalt paving, and concrete products in many of European and Asian countries. In those countries, recycling programs (including required physical properties and environmental criteria) of ash residue management have been developed so as to encourage and enforce the reuse of MSWI ashes instead of landfill disposal. Moreover, many studies have demonstrated the beneficial use of MSWI ashes as engineering materials with minimum environmental impacts.On the other hand, the U.S. has shown a lack of consistent and effective management plans, as well as environmental regulations for the use of MSWI ashes., Due to persistent uncertainty of engineering properties and inconsistency in the Federal and State regulations in the U.S., however, the recycling of the MSWI ashes has been hindered and they are mostly disposed in landfills.In this research work, current management practice, existing regulations, and environmental consequences of MSWI ashes utilization are comprehensively reviewed worldwide and nationwide with an emphasis of the potential area of its utilization in asphalt paving and concrete product. This research also entails a detailed chemical and microstructural characterization of MSWI BA and FA produced from a Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility in Florida so that the MSWI ash is well characterized for its beneficial uses as construction materials.The material characterization includes Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. In addition, leaching experiments have been conducted to investigate the environmental properties (e.g. leachate concentration) of BA and ash-mixed hot mix asphalt (HMA) and Portland cement concrete (PCC). Leaching results reveals the reduced leaching potential of toxic material from MSWI ashes while incorporated in HMA and PCC. Lastly, a preliminary experimental approach has been devised for the vitrification of FA which is a promising thermal process of transferring material into glassy state with higher physical and chemical integrity to reduce toxicity so that utilization of FA can be possible.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005425, ucf:50404
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005425
- Title
- Connections Between Voice and Design in Puppetry: A Case-Study.
- Creator
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Skiles, Ryan, Chicurel, Steven, Wood, Vandy, Snyder, Tara, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Puppets have been entertaining, educating, and mesmerizing American audiences since the birth of our nation. Both in live theatrical events and TV/film, audiences have watched puppeteers bring their puppet characters to life with clever voice quality choices, unique characterizations, and vivid visual designs. This thesis is a case study that first borrows insight from cartoon character designers, animators, and voiceover actors to provide considerations for voice quality choices,...
Show morePuppets have been entertaining, educating, and mesmerizing American audiences since the birth of our nation. Both in live theatrical events and TV/film, audiences have watched puppeteers bring their puppet characters to life with clever voice quality choices, unique characterizations, and vivid visual designs. This thesis is a case study that first borrows insight from cartoon character designers, animators, and voiceover actors to provide considerations for voice quality choices, characterizations, and design elements when creating a new puppet character. It then investigates the connections that exist between those three elements once a puppet is fully realized. In order to identify these connections, a test was developed in which participants were asked to use a set of blank puppet heads/bodies and a variety of facial features to each build a unique character and then provide their puppets with a unique character voice. The data collected from the test was then deconstructed and analyzed by comparing each included design element to specific Estill Voice Training System(TM) vocal attributes identified within each individual puppet character's voice to find where connections occurred. The goal of this thesis is to provide a systematic method for creating vibrant and rich original puppet characters.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005714, ucf:50153
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005714
- Title
- Structure and Properties of Polymer-Derived SiBCN Ceramics.
- Creator
-
Chen, Yaohan, An, Linan, Fang, Jiyu, Xu, Chengying, Zhai, Lei, Huo, Qun, Gong, Xun, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) are a unique class of multifunctional materials synthesized by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors. Due to their unique and excellent properties and flexible manufacturing capability, PDC is a promising technology to prepare ceramic fibers, coatings, composites and micro-sensors for high-temperature applications. However, the structure-property relationships of PDCs have not been well understood. The lack of such understandings drastically limited the...
Show morePolymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) are a unique class of multifunctional materials synthesized by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors. Due to their unique and excellent properties and flexible manufacturing capability, PDC is a promising technology to prepare ceramic fibers, coatings, composites and micro-sensors for high-temperature applications. However, the structure-property relationships of PDCs have not been well understood. The lack of such understandings drastically limited the further developments and applications of the materials.In this dissertation, the structure and properties of amorphous polymer-derived silicon carbonitride (SiCN) and silicoboron carbonitride (SiBCN) have been studied. The SiCN was obtained using commercially available polysilazane as pre-ceramic precursor, and the SiBCN ceramics with varied Si-to-B ratio were obtained from polyborosilazanes, which were synthesized by the hydroboration and dehydrocoupling reaction of borane and polysilazane. The structural evolution of polymer-derived SiCN and SiBCN ceramics from polymer to ceramics was investigated by NMR, FTIR, Raman, EPR, TG/DTA, and XRD. The results show a phase-separation of amorphous matrix and a graphitization of (")free(") carbon phase, and suggest that the boron doping has a great influence on the structural evolution. The electric and dielectric properties of the SiCN and SiBCNs were studied by I-V curves, LCR Meter, and network analyzer. A new electronic conduction mechanism and structure model has been proposed to account for the relationships between the observed properties and microstructure of the materials. Furthermore, the SiBCN ceramics showed the improved dielectric properties at characterization temperature up to 1300 (&)#186;C, which allows the fabrication of ultrahigh-temperature wireless microsensors for extreme environments.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004195, ucf:49014
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004195
- Title
- ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION OF OXIDATION RESISTANT AND THERMAL BARRIER COATINGS FOR FUEL-FLEXIBLE GAS TURBINE APPLICATIONS.
- Creator
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Mohan, Prabhakar, Sohn, Yongho, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) has been undoubtedly the most critical advancement in materials technology for modern gas turbine engines. TBCs are widely used in gas turbine engines for both power-generation and propulsion applications. Metallic oxidation-resistant coatings (ORCs) are also widely employed as a stand-alone protective coating or bond coat for TBCs in many high-temperature applications. Among the widely studied durability issues in these high-temperature...
Show moreThe development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) has been undoubtedly the most critical advancement in materials technology for modern gas turbine engines. TBCs are widely used in gas turbine engines for both power-generation and propulsion applications. Metallic oxidation-resistant coatings (ORCs) are also widely employed as a stand-alone protective coating or bond coat for TBCs in many high-temperature applications. Among the widely studied durability issues in these high-temperature protective coatings, one critical challenge that received greater attention in recent years is their resistance to high-temperature degradation due to corrosive deposits arising from fuel impurities and CMAS (calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate) sand deposits from air ingestion. The presence of vanadium, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and calcium impurities in alternative fuels warrants a clear understanding of high-temperature materials degradation for the development of fuel-flexible gas turbine engines. Degradation due to CMAS is a critical problem for gas turbine components operating in a dust-laden environment. In this study, high-temperature degradation due to aggressive deposits such as V2O5, P2O5, Na2SO4, NaVO3, CaSO4 and a laboratory-synthesized CMAS sand for free-standing air plasma sprayed (APS) yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), the topcoat of the TBC system, and APS CoNiCrAlY, the bond coat of the TBC system or a stand-alone ORC, is examined. Phase transformations and microstructural development were examined by using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. This study demonstrated that the V2O5 melt degrades the APS YSZ through the formation of ZrV2O7 and YVO4 at temperatures below 747ðC and above 747ðC, respectively. Formation of YVO4 leads to the depletion of the Y2O3 stabilizer and the deleterious transformation of the YSZ to the monoclinic ZrO2 phase. The investigation on the YSZ degradation by Na2SO4 and a Na2SO4 + V2O5 mixture (50-50 mol. %) demonstrated that Na2SO4 itself did not degrade the YSZ, however, in the presence of V2O5, Na2SO4 formed vanadates such as NaVO3 that degraded the YSZ through YVO4 formation at temperature as low as 700ðC. The APS YSZ was found to react with the P2O5 melt by forming ZrP2O7 at all temperatures. This interaction led to the depletion of ZrO2 in the YSZ (i.e., enrichment of Y2O3 in tÃÂ'-YSZ) and promoted the formation of the fluorite-cubic ZrO2 phase. Above 1250ðC, CMAS deposits were observed to readily infiltrate and significantly dissolve the YSZ coating via thermochemical interactions. Upon cooling, zirconia reprecipitated with a spherical morphology and a composition that depended on the local melt chemistry. The molten CMAS attack destabilized the YSZ through the detrimental phase transformation (tÃÂ' -> t -> f + m). Free standing APS CoNiCrAlY was also prone to degradation by corrosive molten deposits. The V2O5 melt degraded the APS CoNiCrAlY through various reactions involving acidic dissolution of the protective oxide scale, which yielded substitutional-solid solution vanadates such as (Co,Ni)3(VO4)2 and (Cr,Al)VO4. The molten P2O5, on the other hand, was found to consume the bond coat constituents significantly via reactions that formed both Ni/Co rich phosphates and Cr/Al rich phosphates. Sulfate deposits such as Na2SO4, when tested in encapsulation, damaged the CoNiCrAlY by Type I acidic fluxing hot corrosion mechanisms at 1000ðC that resulted in accelerated oxidation and sulfidation. The formation of a protective continuous Al2O3 oxide scale by preoxidation treatment significantly delayed the hot corrosion of CoNiCrAlY by sulfates. However, CoNiCrAlY in both as-sprayed and preoxidized condition suffered a significant damage by CaSO4 deposits via a basic fluxing mechanism that yielded CaCrO4 and CaAl2O4. The CMAS melt also dissolved the protective Al2O3 oxide scale developed on CoNiCrAlY by forming anorthite platelets and spinel oxides. Based on the detailed investigation on degradation of the APS YSZ and CoNiCrAlY by various corrosive deposits, an experimental attempt was carried out to mitigate the melt-induced deposit attack. Experimental results from this study demonstrate, for the first time, that an oxide overlay produced by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) can effectively perform as an environmental barrier overlay for APS TBCs. The EPD protective overlay has a uniform and easily-controllable thickness, uniformly distributed closed pores and tailored chemistry. The EPD Al2O3 and MgO overlays were successful in protecting the APS YSZ TBCs against CMAS attack and hot corrosion attack (e.g., sulfate and vanadate), respectively. Furnace thermal cyclic oxidation testing of overlay-modified TBCs on bond-coated superalloy also demonstrated the good adhesive durability of the EPD Al2O3 overlay.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003099, ucf:48315
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003099
- Title
- Investigation on electrical properties of RF sputtered deposited BCN thin films.
- Creator
-
Prakash, Adithya, Sundaram, Kalpathy, Yuan, Jiann-Shiun, Lin, Mingjie, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The ever increasing advancements in semiconductor technology and continuous scaling of CMOS devices mandate the need for new dielectric materials with low-k values. The interconnect delay can be reduced not only by the resistance of the conductor but also by decreasing the capacitance of dielectric layer. Also cross-talk is a major issue faced by semiconductor industry due to high value of k of the inter-dielectric layer (IDL) in a multilevel wiring scheme in Si ultra large scale integrated...
Show moreThe ever increasing advancements in semiconductor technology and continuous scaling of CMOS devices mandate the need for new dielectric materials with low-k values. The interconnect delay can be reduced not only by the resistance of the conductor but also by decreasing the capacitance of dielectric layer. Also cross-talk is a major issue faced by semiconductor industry due to high value of k of the inter-dielectric layer (IDL) in a multilevel wiring scheme in Si ultra large scale integrated circuit (ULSI) devices. In order to reduce the time delay, it is necessary to introduce a wiring metal with low resistivity and a high quality insulating film with a low dielectric constant which leads to a reduction of the wiring capacitance.Boron carbon nitride (BCN) films are prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering from a B(&)#172;4C target and deposited to make metal-insulator-metal (MIM) sandwich structures using aluminum as the top and bottom electrodes. BCN films are deposited at various N2/Ar gas flow ratios, substrate temperatures and process pressures. The electrical characterization of the MIM devices includes capacitance vs. voltage (C-V), current vs voltage, and breakdown voltage characteristics. The above characterizations are performed as a function of deposition parameters.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- Identifier
- CFE0004912, ucf:49625
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004912
- Title
- CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL ANTIMALARIALS FROM COMPOUNDS INSPIRED BY NATURAL PRODUCTS USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS (PCA).
- Creator
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Balde, Zarina Marie G, Chakrabarti, Debopam, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year worldwide. Although malaria medicines are working well in many parts of the world, antimalarial drug resistance has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing malaria control today. Since the malaria parasites are once again developing widespread resistance to antimalarial drugs, this can cause the spread of malaria to new areas and the re-emergence of malaria in areas...
Show moreMalaria is caused by a protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for over 500,000 deaths per year worldwide. Although malaria medicines are working well in many parts of the world, antimalarial drug resistance has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing malaria control today. Since the malaria parasites are once again developing widespread resistance to antimalarial drugs, this can cause the spread of malaria to new areas and the re-emergence of malaria in areas where it had already been eradicated. Therefore, the discovery and characterization of novel antimalarials is extremely urgent. A previous drug screen in Dr. Chakrabarti's lab identified several natural products (NPs) with antiplasmodial activities. The focus of this study is to characterize the hit compounds using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to determine structural uniqueness compared to known antimalarial drugs. This study will compare multiple libraries of different compounds, such as known drugs, kinase inhibitors, macrocycles, and top antimalarial hits discovered in our lab. Prioritizing the hit compounds by their chemical uniqueness will lessen the probability of future drug resistance. This is an important step in drug discovery as this will allow us to increase the interpretability of the datasets by creating new uncorrelated variables that will successively maximize variance. Characterization of the Natural Product inspired compounds will enable us to discover potent, selective, and novel antiplasmodial scaffolds that are unique in the 3-dimensional chemical space and will provide critical information that will serve as advanced starting points for the antimalarial drug discovery pipeline.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFH2000405, ucf:45893
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000405
- Title
- Customizable Antenna Array Using Reconfigurable Antenna Elements.
- Creator
-
Shirazi, Mahmoud, Gong, Xun, Wahid, Parveen, Jones, W Linwood, Abdolvand, Reza, Kuebler, Stephen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
A shared-aperture reconfigurable slot-ring antenna array switching between different frequency bands and polarizations is presented for phased array applications. PIN diode switches are incorporated into the slots of the antenna to change the state of the reconfigurable slot-ring antenna array. Each frequency band has its own feeding lines which allows for the use of high-performance narrow-band transmit/receive (T/R) modules instead of ultra wideband (UWB) T/R modules. Furthermore, the...
Show moreA shared-aperture reconfigurable slot-ring antenna array switching between different frequency bands and polarizations is presented for phased array applications. PIN diode switches are incorporated into the slots of the antenna to change the state of the reconfigurable slot-ring antenna array. Each frequency band has its own feeding lines which allows for the use of high-performance narrow-band transmit/receive (T/R) modules instead of ultra wideband (UWB) T/R modules. Furthermore, the spacing between the elements in each frequency band is less than half free-space wavelength (?0) over the frequency band of operation which enables grating-lobe-free beam scanning. This is the first shared-aperture reconfigurable dual-polarized antenna with separate feeding for each band which is scalable to a larger array with element spacing of less than 0.5?0 in all frequency bands of operation.First, a switchable-band reconfigurable antenna array switching between L and C bands is presented. This antenna operates at 1.76/5.71 GHz with a fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 8.6%/11.5%, realized gain of 0.1/4.2 dBi and radiation efficiency of 66.6%/80.7% in the L-/C- band operating states, respectively. Second, a wideband version of the reconfigurable antenna element using fractal geometries is presented. This dual-polarized antenna element is switching between S and C bands with wide bandwidth in each operating state. In the S-/C-band operating state, this antenna shows 69.1%/58.3% FBW with a maximum realized gain of 2.4/3.1 dBi. Third, the wideband antenna element is extended to an antenna array. The reconfigurable dual-polarized antenna array with vertical coaxial feeding switches between S- and C-band states with full-band coverage. A 2(&)#215;2 S-band antenna array can be reconfigured to a 4(&)#215;4 C-band antenna array by activating/deactivating PIN diode switches. This antenna array shows 64.3%/66.7% FBW with 8.4/14.3 dBi maximum realized gain in the S-/C-band operating states, respectively. Finally, a reconfigurable antenna element covering three adjacent frequency bands is presented. The FBW of this tri-band antenna element is 75%/63%/26% in the S/C/X band state.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007373, ucf:52092
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007373
- Title
- Design, Synthesis, Stability, and Photocatalytic Studies of Sustainable Metal-Organic Frameworks.
- Creator
-
Logan, Matthew, Uribe Romo, Fernando, Zhai, Lei, Yuan, Yu, Kuebler, Stephen, Rahman, Talat, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The presented dissertation focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) composed of earth-abundant elements the exhibit photoredox activity and studied their application as heterogeneous photocatalysts in organic synthesis and in solar-to-chemical energy conversion. In particular, the structure-property relationships of titanium-based MOFs relating the structure of the organic building unit and the photophysical and photochemical activity of the...
Show moreThe presented dissertation focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) composed of earth-abundant elements the exhibit photoredox activity and studied their application as heterogeneous photocatalysts in organic synthesis and in solar-to-chemical energy conversion. In particular, the structure-property relationships of titanium-based MOFs relating the structure of the organic building unit and the photophysical and photochemical activity of the solid material is studied. The first novel family of seven MOFs isoreticular to MIL-125-NH2, includes functionalized with N-alkyl groups with increasing chain length (methyl to heptyl) and with varying connectivity (primary or secondary). The functionalized materials displayed reduced optical bandgaps correlated with the increased inductive donor ability of the alkyl substituents, enhanced excited-state lifetimes, mechanistic information towards visible light CO2 reduction, and improved water stability. The second family of titanium MOFs was prepared with a new secondary building unit and organic links of varying lengths, for which Their crystal structure was solved utilizing powder X-ray diffraction crystallography. This work provides guidelines for the next generation of photocatalyst for the conversion of solar-to-chemical energy and other organic transformations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007219, ucf:52217
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007219
- Title
- Design, Development, and Testing of a Miniature Fixture for Uniaxial Compression of Ceramics Coupled with In-Situ Raman Spectrometer.
- Creator
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Jordan, Ryan, Orlovskaya, Nina, Kwok, Kawai, Ghosh, Ranajay, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This thesis is about the design, development and integration of an in-situ compression stage which interfaces through the Leica optical microscope coupled with a Renishaw InVia micro-Raman spectrometer. This combined compression stage and Raman system will enable structural characterization of ceramics and ceramic composites. The in-situ compression stage incorporates a 440C stainless steel structural components, 6061 aluminum frame, a NEMA 23 stepper motor. Two load screws that allow to...
Show moreThis thesis is about the design, development and integration of an in-situ compression stage which interfaces through the Leica optical microscope coupled with a Renishaw InVia micro-Raman spectrometer. This combined compression stage and Raman system will enable structural characterization of ceramics and ceramic composites. The in-situ compression stage incorporates a 440C stainless steel structural components, 6061 aluminum frame, a NEMA 23 stepper motor. Two load screws that allow to apply compressive loads up to 14,137 N, with negligible off axis loading, achieving target stresses of 500 MPa for samples of up to 6.00 mm in diameter. The system will be used in the future to study the structural changes in ceramics and ceramic composites, as well as to study thermal residual stress redistribution under applied compressive loads. A broad variety of Raman active ceramics, including the traditional structural ceramics 3mol%Y2O3-ZrO2, B4C, SiC, Si3N4, as well as exotic materials such as LaCoO3 and other perovskites will be studied using this system. Calibration of the systems load cell was performed in the configured state using MTS universal testing machines. To ensure residual stresses from mounting the load cell did not invalidate the original calibration, the in-situ compression stage was tested once attached to the Renishaw Raman spectrometer using LaCoO3 ceramic samples. The Raman shift of certain peaks in LaCoO3 was detected indicative of the effect of the applied compressive stress on the ceramics understudy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007824, ucf:52809
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007824
- Title
- Deposition and characterization studies of boron carbon nitride (BCN) thin films prepared by dual target sputtering.
- Creator
-
Prakash, Adithya, Sundaram, Kalpathy, Kapoor, Vikram, Yuan, Jiann-Shiun, Jin, Yier, Chow, Louis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
As complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices shrink to smaller size, the problems related to circuit performance such as critical path signal delay are becoming a pressing issue. These delays are a result of resistance and capacitance product (RC time constant) of the interconnect circuit. A novel material with reduced dielectric constants may compromise both the thermal and mechanical properties that can lead to die cracking during package and other reliability issues. Boron...
Show moreAs complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices shrink to smaller size, the problems related to circuit performance such as critical path signal delay are becoming a pressing issue. These delays are a result of resistance and capacitance product (RC time constant) of the interconnect circuit. A novel material with reduced dielectric constants may compromise both the thermal and mechanical properties that can lead to die cracking during package and other reliability issues. Boron carbon nitride (BCN) compounds have been expected to combine the excellent properties of boron carbide (B4C), boron nitride (BN) and carbon nitride (C3N4), with their properties adjustable, depending on composition and structure. BCN thin film is a good candidate for being hard, dense, pore-free, low-k dielectric with values in the range of 1.9 to 2.1. Excellent mechanical properties such as adhesion, high hardness and good wear resistance have been reported in the case of sputtered BCN thin films. Problems posed by high hardness materials such as diamonds in high cutting applications and the comparatively lower hardness of c-BN gave rise to the idea of a mixed phase that can overcome these problems with a minimum compromise in its properties. A hybrid between semi-metallic graphite and insulating h-BN may show adjusted semiconductor properties. BCN exhibits the potential to control optical bandgap (band gap engineering) by atomic composition, hence making it a good candidate for electronic and photonic devices. Due to tremendous bandgap engineering capability and refractive index variability in BCN thin film, it is feasible to develop filters and mirrors for use in ultra violet (UV) wavelength region. It is of prime importance to understand process integration challenges like deposition rates, curing, and etching, cleaning and polishing during characterization of low-k films. The sputtering technique provides unique advantages over other techniques such as freedom to choose the substrate material and a uniform deposition over relatively large area. BCN films are prepared by dual target reactive magnetron sputtering from a B4C and BN targets using DC and RF powers respectively. In this work, an investigation of mechanical, optical, chemical, surface and device characterizations is undertaken. These holistic and thorough studies, will provide the insight into the capability of BCN being a hard, chemically inert, low-k, wideband gap material, as a potential leader in semiconductor and optics industry.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006378, ucf:51496
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006378
- Title
- The Influence of Alloying Additions on Diffusion and Strengthening of Magnesium.
- Creator
-
Kammerer, Catherine, Sohn, Yongho, Coffey, Kevin, Challapalli, Suryanarayana, Gordon, Ali, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Magnesium alloys are being developed as advanced materials for structural applications where reduced weight is a primary motivator. Alloying can enhance the properties of magnesium without significantly affecting its density. Essential to alloy development, inclusive of processing parameters, is knowledge of thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical behavior of the alloy and its constituents. Appreciable progress has been made through conventional development processes, but to accelerate...
Show moreMagnesium alloys are being developed as advanced materials for structural applications where reduced weight is a primary motivator. Alloying can enhance the properties of magnesium without significantly affecting its density. Essential to alloy development, inclusive of processing parameters, is knowledge of thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical behavior of the alloy and its constituents. Appreciable progress has been made through conventional development processes, but to accelerate development of suitable wrought Mg alloys, an integrated Materials Genomic approach must be taken where thermodynamics and diffusion kinetic parameters form the basis of alloy design, process development, and properties-driven applications.The objective of this research effort is twofold: first, to codify the relationship between diffusion behavior, crystal structure, and mechanical properties; second, to provide fundamental data for the purpose of wrought Mg alloy development. Together, the principal deliverable of this work is an advanced understanding of Mg systems. To that end, the objective is accomplished through an aggregate of studies. The solid-to-solid diffusion bonding technique is used to fabricate combinatorial samples of Mg-Al-Zn ternary and Mg-Al, Mg-Zn, Mg-Y, Mg-Gd, and Mg-Nd binary systems. The combinatorial samples are subjected to structural and compositional characterization via Scanning Electron Microscopy with X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, Electron Probe Microanalysis, and analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy. Interdiffusion in binary Mg systems is determined by Sauer-Freise and Boltzmann-Matano methods. Kirkaldy's extension of the Boltzmann-Matano method, on the basis of Onsager's formalism, is employed to quantify the main- and cross-interdiffusion coefficients in ternary Mg solid solutions. Impurity diffusion coefficients are determined by way of the Hall method. The intermetallic compounds and solid solutions formed during diffusion bonding of the combinatorial samples are subjected to nanoindentation tests, and the nominal and compositionally dependent mechanical properties are extracted by the Oliver-Pharr method.In addition to bolstering the scantly available experimental data and first-principles computations, this work delivers several original contributions to the state of Mg alloy knowledge. The influence of Zn concentration on Al impurity diffusion in binary Mg(Zn) solid solution is quantified to impact both the pre-exponential factor and activation energy. The main- and cross-interdiffusion coefficients in the ternary Mg solid solution of Mg-Al-Zn are reported wherein the interdiffusion of Zn is shown to strongly influence the interdiffusion of Mg and Al. A critical examination of rare earth element additions to Mg is reported, and a new phase in thermodynamic equilibrium with Mg-solid solution is identified in the Mg-Gd binary system. It is also demonstrated that Mg atoms move faster than Y atoms. For the first time the mechanical properties of intermetallic compounds in several binary Mg systems are quantified in terms of hardness and elastic modulus, and the influence of solute concentration on solid solution strengthening in binary Mg alloys is reported. The most significant and efficient solid solution strengthening is achieved by alloying Mg with Gd. The Mg-Nd and Mg-Gd intermetallic compounds exhibited better room temperature creep resistance than intermetallic compounds of Mg-Al. The correlation between the concentration dependence of mechanical properties and atomic diffusion is deliberated in terms of electronic nature of the atomic structure.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005815, ucf:50043
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005815
- Title
- Adaptive Architectural Strategies for Resilient Energy-Aware Computing.
- Creator
-
Ashraf, Rizwan, DeMara, Ronald, Lin, Mingjie, Wang, Jun, Jha, Sumit, Johnson, Mark, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Reconfigurable logic or Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices have the ability to dynamically adapt the computational circuit based on user-specified or operating-condition requirements. Such hardware platforms are utilized in this dissertation to develop adaptive techniques for achieving reliable and sustainable operation while autonomously meeting these requirements. In particular, the properties of resource uniformity and in-field reconfiguration via on-chip processors are exploited...
Show moreReconfigurable logic or Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices have the ability to dynamically adapt the computational circuit based on user-specified or operating-condition requirements. Such hardware platforms are utilized in this dissertation to develop adaptive techniques for achieving reliable and sustainable operation while autonomously meeting these requirements. In particular, the properties of resource uniformity and in-field reconfiguration via on-chip processors are exploited to implement Evolvable Hardware (EHW). EHW utilize genetic algorithms to realize logic circuits at runtime, as directed by the objective function. However, the size of problems solved using EHW as compared with traditional approaches has been limited to relatively compact circuits. This is due to the increase in complexity of the genetic algorithm with increase in circuit size. To address this research challenge of scalability, the Netlist-Driven Evolutionary Refurbishment (NDER) technique was designed and implemented herein to enable on-the-fly permanent fault mitigation in FPGA circuits. NDER has been shown to achieve refurbishment of relatively large sized benchmark circuits as compared to related works. Additionally, Design Diversity (DD) techniques which are used to aid such evolutionary refurbishment techniques are also proposed and the efficacy of various DD techniques is quantified and evaluated.Similarly, there exists a growing need for adaptable logic datapaths in custom-designed nanometer-scale ICs, for ensuring operational reliability in the presence of Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) and, transistor-aging variations owing to decreased feature sizes for electronic devices. Without such adaptability, excessive design guardbands are required to maintain the desired integration and performance levels. To address these challenges, the circuit-level technique of Self-Recovery Enabled Logic (SREL) was designed herein. At design-time, vulnerable portions of the circuit identified using conventional Electronic Design Automation tools are replicated to provide post-fabrication adaptability via intelligent techniques. In-situ timing sensors are utilized in a feedback loop to activate suitable datapaths based on current conditions that optimize performance and energy consumption. Primarily, SREL is able to mitigate the timing degradations caused due to transistor aging effects in sub-micron devices by reducing the stress induced on active elements by utilizing power-gating. As a result, fewer guardbands need to be included to achieve comparable performance levels which leads to considerable energy savings over the operational lifetime.The need for energy-efficient operation in current computing systems has given rise to Near-Threshold Computing as opposed to the conventional approach of operating devices at nominal voltage. In particular, the goal of exascale computing initiative in High Performance Computing (HPC) is to achieve 1 EFLOPS under the power budget of 20MW. However, it comes at the cost of increased reliability concerns, such as the increase in performance variations and soft errors. This has given rise to increased resiliency requirements for HPC applications in terms of ensuring functionality within given error thresholds while operating at lower voltages. My dissertation research devised techniques and tools to quantify the effects of radiation-induced transient faults in distributed applications on large-scale systems. A combination of compiler-level code transformation and instrumentation are employed for runtime monitoring to assess the speed and depth of application state corruption as a result of fault injection. Finally, fault propagation models are derived for each HPC application that can be used to estimate the number of corrupted memory locations at runtime. Additionally, the tradeoffs between performance and vulnerability and the causal relations between compiler optimization and application vulnerability are investigated.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006206, ucf:52889
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006206