Papers by Keyword: In Situ Observation

Abstract: In the solution growth method for silicon carbide (SiC) single-crystal fabrication, in-situ observations were performed inside the furnace to monitor the meniscus at the seed–solution interface. A meniscus formed at the contact between the seed crystal and the solution, and variations in the reflections on the solution surface enabled optical monitoring and control of this interface. The observed surface images were also dependent on the frequency of the induction heating. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations indicated that lowering the heating frequency causes an upward displacement of the solution surface at its central region, producing a locally elevated contact position between the seed crystal and the solution. These findings demonstrate that in-situ observation constitutes an effective approach for precise control of meniscus shape during solution growth of SiC single crystals.

Abstract: Conventionally, brass has toughness more than other metals, so there is a concern about its poor machinability. Therefore, improvement of machinability was attempted by adding lead to brass. This brass called free cutting brass, typified by JIS C3771. This free-cutting brass is used for piping components and machine parts. There is a concern about elution of the lead into drinking water. Hence, Drinking Water Quality Standards Law has been amended and it restricts lead content in the free cutting brass. Therefore, lead-free free-cutting brass with no lead or minimized content of lead is required.Consequently, a lead-free free-cutting brass had been developed to improve in machinability such as JIS C6931 and JIS C6803 that are added Si and Bi instead of lead respectively. Lead was also used for the solder for joining among pure copper pipes and brass valves. That causes elution of lead from the solder into drinking water. For this reason, Lead-free solder such as Sn-Sb and Sn-Ag-Cu have been used.A fire torch technology often was used for soldering of brass. The purpose of this study is investigating soldering-ability and wettability of lead-free solder on lead-free free-cutting brass. Hence, we investigated the soldering ability of lead-free solders, Sn-5%Sb and Sn-3%Ag-0.5%Cu, for pure Cu and brass joints with nonuniform heating by hot plate.

Abstract: Self-annealing behaviors of the electrodeposited silver films which preferentially orient in (001) and (111) directions were investigated by in situ EBSP analysis. In the (001)-oriented film, self-annealing starts in storage for a few hours at R. T. and is almost complete after storage for 6 h at R. T. (001)- and (212)-oriented recrystallized grains mainly nucleate, and (001)-oriented grains mainly grow up. In the (111)-oriented film, self-annealing starts in storage for 15 min at R. T. and is almost complete after storage for 1 h at R. T. (111)-, (001)- and (212)-oriented recrystallized grains mainly nucleate, and (111)-oriented grains mainly grow up. The size of recrystallized grains induced in the (111)-oriented film by self-annealing is approximately half that in the (001)-oriented film although the rate of recrystallization in the (111)-oriented film is faster than that in the (001)-oriented one. The area fraction of the preferential orientation after completion of recrystallization saturates in approximately 70% and 50% in the (001)- and (111)-oriented films, respectively.

Abstract: We have established the grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXD) method under ultra- high temperature for in-situ crystal growth observation. For this purpose, we have developed the compact furnace which can be mounted on a goniometer used for the GIXD experiment. Using the custom-designed furnace, we have succeeded in controlling very high temperature around 1800°C. Subsequently, we have proved the performance of the furnace through the measurement of the tem- perature dependence of a-lattice constant of 4H-SiC in the range from room temperature to 1500 °C.

Abstract: NCu30-4-2-1 alloy was treated by the two methods of in situ observation experiment at high temperature and common heat treatment to determine solution temperature. High temperature metallurgical microscope was used to in situ observation of microstructure evolution of NCu30-4-2-1 alloy during heating process. The microstructures of the samples were observed by optical microscope. The results show that the as-cast microstructure of NCu30-4-2-1 alloy is composed by dendritic α-Ni-based solid solution and net-like (α+β) eutectics. The morphology of strengthening phase β-Ni3Si is graininess distributing on the grain boundary. The optimum solution temperature is both determined as 950°C by the two methods. The two methods of in situ observation experiment at high temperature and common heat treatment have comparability.

Abstract: In this paper, an in-situ measurement of crack size as a function of applied indentation load during indentation test was conducted. To perform the in-situ measurement, an instrumented indentation test machine with the in-situ observation system was developed and used. The joints of transparent ceramics by diffusion bonding were prepared as the specimen used in this study. The indentations were performed at the interface of the joints, and in the monolithic transparent ceramics by means of the instrumented indenter with the in-situ observation system. The relationship between crack shape and indentation load, as well as, the effect of the indenter shape on it were discussed.

Abstract: A novel experimental method has been developed by amalgamating a pencil beam X-Ray diffraction (XRD) technique with the recently developed grain boundary tracking (GBT) technique. XRD and GBT are both non-destructive in-situ analysis techniques for characterizing bulk materials, which can be carried out close to the point of fracture. DAGT provides information about individual grain orientations and 1-micron-level grain morphologies in 3-dimensions (3D) together with high-density local strain mapping. An Al-3 mass % Cu model alloy was used to investigate its deformation behavior under tension. The morphology of the grains was determined by the X-ray microtomography (XMT) imaging and the liquid metal wetting technique, after which GBT provided an accurate description of the position and morphology of all the grains in a region of interests. Diffraction spots in the XRD experiments were related to grains, making it possible to describe crystallographic orientation of all the grains. It has been revealed that deformation is localized at both microscopic and meso-scopic levels. Inhomogeneous deformation was observed in each individual grain. In addition, a group of a few grains coordinately interacts and specific grain boundaries thereby exhibit intense strain localization. Hydrostatic tension was also observed at quadruple junction points and its mechanism was analyzed.

Abstract: The effect of high magnetic field on diamagnetic fluid flow has been studied by in-situ optical observation. The Schlieren optics utilizable under high magnetic fields was developed to carry out in-situ observation of the behavior of feeble magnetic fluids. Using a crystal of the diamagnetic aluminum potassium sulfate dodecahydrate, the behavior of the downward flow of high concentration solution in the sample dissolution process was observed. It was found that the direction of diamagnetic fluid flow was changed under spatially varied magnetic field. This phenomenon was understood qualitatively by considering the magnetic force acting on the high concentration solution and the surrounding solution.

Abstract: In order to understand the fracture mechanisms of Cu/CuWC_P layered composites. An in-situ experimental study was carried out to investigate the behavior of the composites under uniaxial tensile loading. The specimens were manufactured by vacuum hot-pressed sintering technique, microscopic observations displayed that the microstructure of Cu/CuWC_P layered composites distribute uniformly, and have no visible defect at interface. In situ tensile tests were performed in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the tensile strengths, failure modes of composites were measured. From the in situ experiments, the stages of nucleation, growth and coalescence of cracks in the vicinity of particles are well observed and understood. The results indicated that microcrack initiation happens at particle agglomeration and the matrix-particle interface because bond strength is weak,. With the density of microcracks increaseing, macrocrack formed, and finally cause failure of CuWC_P layer, however, the Cu layer is not fracture during the whole testing.

Abstract: Identification of failure mechanisms of thermal spray coatings by means of traditional fractography of failed parts is often troublesome. Reason for this is a highly inhomogeneous character of the coating microstructure and harsh in-service conditions which may hinder evidentiary fractographic marks. In this study, failure evolution of advanced thermal barrier coating (TBC) prepared by plasma spraying was studied in-situ at high magnification in a scanning electron microscope under well-defined laboratory conditions of three-point bending (3PB).