Papers by Author: Tsutomu Sonoda

Abstract: Dense oxide coated AZ 31 magnesium alloy surfaces were uniformly formed using a radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. The magnesium oxide thin film thickness was about 240 nm. XRD results of the film indicated that film of magnesium oxide single phase was deposited. The surface of the film was uniform and no crack was observed. The Vickers hardness measured by the nanoindenter was about Hv80 and Hv200 for the AZ31 substrate and the sample coated with the thin film, respectively. The dynamic hardness of the AZ31 substrate and the sample coated with the thin film were almost the same. In the curve at the time of pressurization, a step was observed in the sample coated with the thin film. On the other hand, many steps were observed in the data curve for the thin film deposited on the glass substrate.

Abstract: Low Al single-phase magnesium alloy surfaces with dense magnesium oxide films were uniformly formed. The films were deposited with a radio frequency magnetron sputtering process with a planar magnetron sputtering system. The thickness of deposited magnesium oxide thin films was around 240 nm. According to the XRD results, a magnesium oxide phase film was formed on the substrate. The surface was uniform, and no cracks or exfoliation were observed. The deposited magnesium oxide film did not have any cracks or pores, and the surface of the sample was covered by magnesium oxide. The hardness of the magnesium oxide-coated magnesium alloy reached around Hv200, while that of the uncoated Mg-alloy was around Hv80. Moreover, the Vickers indenter under a 10-mN load indented the magnesium alloy substrate coated with the magnesium oxide film to a depth of around 640 nm, while that for the uncoated magnesium alloy substrate was around 620 nm. Meanwhile, the elasticity value for the magnesium alloy substrate coated with magnesium oxide film was around 5.3×10¹⁰ Pa, while that of the uncoated magnesium alloy substrate was around 4.2×10¹⁰ Pa.

Abstract: Multiple target magnetron sputtering technique was employed for the deposition of (Cr,V)2AlC thin films, on the substrate of Si wafer at temperatures ranging from ambient to 840 K. The chemical composition and crystal structure of the deposited thin films were analyzed, surfaces as well the cross sections observed. The experimental results demonstrated that the temperature of the substrate does not affect the chemical composition of the deposited thin films. Deposition at room temperature or moderate elevated temperatures was found to result in amorphous films, whereas crystalline MAX phase thin films were obtained at high temperature. The transition of the substrate temperature was found to be around 743 K. The thin films deposited at temperatures below the transition showed the featureless flat surfaces. At high substrate temperatures, crystalline MAX thin films were formed. When deposited at temperatures near the transition, amorphous/nanocrystalline double layer thin films were deposited.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate/ titanium oxide/ titanium/ plastic composite implants with 1.6-mm diameter and 7-mm length were successfully formed using a DC/ RF magnetron sputtering machine. The sample had no cracks and the surface of the sample was uniformly smooth. The chemical composition of the >10-nm-thick calcium phosphate layer was Ca: P: O=1.0: 0.79: 2.8. The sample was implanted into the tibia of an male 8-week-old SD rat for 28 days. When 0.70-μm sections of the tibia were prepared, the titanium layer with titanium oxide layer of the implant was not broken and the surfaces of the layer of the implant had not decomposed. The interaction between living bone and the implant could be clearly observed by light microscope and TEM.

Abstract: The deposition of copper onto acrylic resin powder in its self-convective motion by magnetron DC sputtering was examined in order to prepare granular polymeric spacers coated with the metal, aiming at enhancing the cell wall structure of sintered highly porous aluminum materials. The fabrication of sintered highly porous aluminum materials was carried out in an ordinary powder metallurgy processing combined with a space-holder method with the polymer-copper binary spacer granules prepared by powder-coating using the sputter-deposition technique. The effects of the sputter-deposition of copper onto the spherical polymeric spacers on cell structures of the sintered porous compacts were investigated. According to optical observations, it was found that the sputtered copper could be uniformly and adherently deposited onto the surface of the acrylic granules. According to EPMA analysis on the cross-section on a sintered porous compact, it was found that Cu atoms were distributed at the vicinity of its cell walls, concluding that cell wall structures could be enhanced by this processing. Therefore it was expected that the compressive properties of the sintered highly porous aluminum materials were also improved by this powder coating process.

Abstract: The deposition of pure tin onto pure aluminum powder in its self-convective motion by magnetron DC sputtering was examined in order to prepare Al-Sn composite powder and thereby to improve the sintering of the aluminum particles, aiming at the development of highly structure-controlled porous aluminum materials. The fabrication of porous aluminum materials was carried out by space-holder method using the prepared Al-Sn composite powder in ordinary powder metallurgy processing. The effects of the sputterdeposition of tin on porous structure and mechanical properties of the sintered compact were investigated. It was found that the porous structure of the sintered porous materials with the porosity 80% was better regulated by the sputter-deposition, compared to that without the deposition. Regarding their compressive properties, it was found that the plateau stress of the sintered porous materials reached by the sputter-deposition twice as high as that without the deposition. Therefore it was concluded that coating of aluminum powder with tin deposits enables the porous-structure to be controlled more effectively in fabricating sintered highly porous aluminum materials, as well as improves their mechanical property.

Abstract: The cell-structure of highly porous aluminum material prepared by foaming of aluminum alloy melt with titanium hydride was investigated nondestructively with fine-focus X-ray 3D-CT at several interrupt steps during slow compressive deformation. The foamed highly porous aluminum has anisotropic shape of each cell inevitably because of gravity force during solidification of foamed material and mechanical properties especially the dependence on the deformation direction of highly porous aluminum is analyzed well from the size and shape of each void composing the porous material. The statistic anisotropic distribution of these form factors such as three axial lengths and directions at the time of ellipsoidal approximation of each cell was found to be less important to improve the mechanical properties of this type of material.

Abstract: Fabrication of sintered compact from aluminum powder coated with tin deposits was examined, in order to enhance the bonding among the aluminum particles under the assistance of tin and thereby the sintering effect of the aluminum powder, aiming at improving the mechanical properties of sintered aluminum materials. For the coating of aluminum powder with tin deposits, the deposition of pure tin onto the aluminum particles was carried out by magnetron DC sputtering during the self-convective motion of the aluminum powder in a vacuum chamber. The tablet consisting of the aluminum powder coated with tin deposits was sintered at 650°C in a vacuum chamber for 2 hours, while the tablet consisting of non-coated aluminum powder was also sintered under the same condition for comparison. The sintered compact from the coated aluminum powder was solid and uniform, and its consolidation reached over 95% while that from non-coated aluminum powder was around 85%. According to tensile tests, the tensile strength of the sintered compact from the coated aluminum powder was 75.4N/mm2 while that from non-coated aluminum powder was 71.0N/mm2, and the elongation of the sintered compact from the coated aluminum powder reached over 20% while that from non-coated aluminum powder was around 10%. Therefore it was found that the consolidation and the mechanical properties of the sintered compact consisting of aluminum powder were considerably improved by this powder coating process.

Abstract: The cell-structure of highly porous aluminum material prepared by melt foaming technology was investigated under deformation with fine-focus X-ray 3D-CT to make clear the development target porous material for automobile industries with improved reliability. It was confirmed that structures with more fine, more uniform and exclusion peculiar anisotropic pores would make improved mechanical properties of the material.

Abstract: Coating of austentic stainless steel substrates with Ti/O compositionally gradient film was examined using reactive DC sputtering technique, in order to improve not only the abrasion resistance of the stainless steel but also the adhesion between the deposited film and the substrate with preserving the high hardness of such a hard ceramic coating as titanium oxide coating. The deposition of Ti/O compositional gradient films were realized by varying continuously the oxygen content in Ar-O2 sputter-gas during the reactive sputtering. The obtained films were appeared to be uniform and adhesive, while Ti-O compositional constant (i.e. non-gradient) films which were deposited by reactive DC sputtering under the same sputtering conditions except for the Ar-O2 gas mixing condition, i.e., with the oxygen content in the gas mixture constant, peeled off partly. According to AES in-depth profiles, the oxygen (O) concentration in the obtained film gradually decreased in depth direction from the surface toward the substrate, confirming that Ti/O compositional films had formed on the stainless steel. On the basis of XRD, it was found that not only hcp alpha-titanium and titanium oxide (anatase) but also some types of suboxides had formed in the gradient films. Furthermore the gradient films approximately indicated Hv600 which was much higher than that of the stainless steel substrate. Therefore the abrasion resistance of the stainless steel and the adhesion at the interface were expected to be improved at the same time.