Experimental and numerical approach on interfacial properties of W/Al bilayer films for electronic devices manufacturing

The aim of this article is to provide a systematic method for performing experimental tests and theoretical evaluations on interfacial adhesion properties of the W/Al bilayer thin films interface. Samples W/Al bilayer thin films assembly is deposited on the quartz glass by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Based on the analysis of the experimental indentation data, the elastic modulus and hardness of the sample are investigated. The test results show that both of the values are easily influenced by the indentation depth. At the meantime, a finite element model is built to simulate the interface mechanical properties. The analysis shows that stress is mainly centralized close to the indenter and the maximum stress occurs in the lower layer Al film, not in the upper W film. The comparison between the experiment and the simulation shows the validity of the test and the modeling of each other to a certain extent. The investigation builds a basis for future work such as the fabrication of W/Al bilayer thin films for micro/nano manufacturing.     

Evaluation of the mechanical properties of PMC interface using slice compression test — Analysis of transfer mechanism of interfacial shear stress

Properties of the fiber/matrix interface in SiO₂/epoxy and SiC/epoxy composite are investigated using the slice compression test (SCT) for the single fiber, where the specimen is loaded and unloaded between a plate which has different mechanical properties. It is found that the interfacial debonding proceeds from the polished surface at a soft plate side and that the fiber protrusion occurs after unloading. The fiber-protrusion length is directly measured at each applied stress level using a scanning electron microscope. Interfacial shear-sliding stress is obtained based on the constant shear-sliding stress analysis employing the obtained protrusion length. It is demonstrated that the value of interfacial shear-sliding stress shows good agreement with that obtained from another technique, the push-out test, on the same system. The relation between the fiber-protrusion length and applied stress is proportional to a certain extent. From this result, it is analytically pointed out that the applied stress has a limiting value in this SCT because of Poisson's effect. Also, two interfacial debonding criteria, which are determined analytically for the PMC, are discussed.     

Silica surface modification using different aliphatic chain length silane coupling agents and their effects on silica agglomerate size and processability

Silica surface was treated with various aliphatic chain length silane coupling agents and compounded in EPDM using an internal mixer, and their agglomerate sizes, viscosity, and extrudate swell were investigated. The treated silica compounds showed smaller agglomerate size, lower viscosity, and lower swell reduction compared to untreated silica compound after equivalent mixing times. Short chain silane treated silica compound exhibited smallest agglomerate size. Silane acted as dispersing agents and processing aids in silica/EPDM compounds.     

Growth of interfacial debonding in notched two-dimensional unidirectional composite under stress and displacement controls

A simplified calculation method for study of the growth of interfacial debonding between elastic fiber and elastic matrix ahead of the notch-tip in composites under displacement and stress controlled conditions was presented based on the shear lag approach in which the influences of residual stress and frictional shear stress at the debonded interface were incorporated. The calculation method was applied to a model two-dimensional composite. An outline is given of the difference and similarity in the growing behavior of the debonding between the displacement and stress controls, and of the influences of the residual stresses, frictional shear stress, the nature of the final cut component (fiber or matrix) and sample length on the debonding behavior.     

Observation of transcrystalline growth of PLA crystals on sisal fibre bundles and the effect of crystal structure on interfacial shear strength

Hot-stage microscopy was used to characterise crystal growth at the interface between sisal fibre bundles and a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix in order to better understand the mechanical properties of sisal fibre–PLA composites. Cooling rates and crystallisation temperatures and times were varied to influence crystalline morphology at the interface. Single sisal fibre bundles were evaluated in their as received state or treated with 6 wt.% caustic soda solution for 48?h at room temperature. A microbond shear test was used to characterise the shear strength of the interface as a function of fibre surface treatment. These tests were performed on sisal fibre bundles carefully embedded in flat films of PLA supported on card mounts. Fibre bundles in a PLA matrix were cooled from 180?°C at rates from 2 to 9?°C/min and then crystallised isothermally. For as received fibre bundles uneven growth of PLA spherulites occurred at all cooling rates and crystallisation temperatures. For caustic soda treated fibres, uneven spherulitic growth was observed at crystallisation temperatures at and above 125?°C. In contrast, transcrystalline growth was observed for samples cooled to 120?°C at cooling rates from 2 to 6?°C/min and then allowed to crystallise. The microbond shear strengths of untreated and caustic soda treated fibre bundles were evaluated using Weibull statistics and the caustic soda treated fibres exhibited higher interfacial shear strengths in comparison to untreated fibres, reflecting the development of a transcrystalline layer at the fibre to matrix interface.     

Effect of surface elasticity on scattering of elastic P-waves from a nanofiber including an inhomogeneous interphase

Scattering of elastic P-waves from a nanofiber in a matrix is studied analytically throughout this paper. An inhomogeneous interphase region is considered between the nanofiber and the matrix. Dividing the interphase into homogeneous sublayers, surface elasticity effects are studied in the layers adjacent to matrix and nanofiber. Wave function expansion method is used to solve the corresponding equations in all three phases including fiber, interphase, and matrix. Dynamic stress concentration factors around the nanofiber are calculated and utilizing a parametric study, effects of different parameters, such as nanoscale interface, interphase thickness, and interphase rigidity are investigated. The results indicate that considering the effects of surface elasticity in wave scattering problems from inhomogeneous interphases show a major impact on the results. The dimensionless equations presented in this paper provide the possibility of further numerical studies.     

Gliding motion of bacteria on power‐law slime

The present investigation deals with an undulating surface model for the motility of bacteria gliding on a layer of non‐Newtonian slime. The slime being the viscoelastic material is considered as a power‐law fluid. A hydrodynamical model of motility involving an undulating cell surface which transmits stresses through a layer of exuded slime to the substratum is examined. The non‐linear differential equation resulting from the balance of momentum and mass is solved numerically by a finite difference method with an iteration technique. The manner in which the various exponent values of the power‐law flow affect the structure of the boundary layer is delineated. A comparison is made of the power‐law fluid with the Newtonian fluid. For the power‐law fluid with respect to different power‐law exponent values, shear‐thinning and shear‐thickening effects can be observed, respectively. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Superposition of large butt-end and coaxial torsional and axial shear deformations of homogeneous and fiber-reinforced thick-wall cylinders

A mathematical model of superposition of large butt-end and coaxial torsional and axial shear deformations of homogeneous and fiber-reinforced thick-wall cylinders is constructed. The macroscopic stresses of the reinforced material are additively determined by matrix stresses and by tensile or constrained compression stresses in the reinforcing fibers. The model is based on the numerical solution of two boundary-value problems, one of which corresponds to the butt-end torsion and the other to the coaxial torsion and axial shear. The boundary-value problem on joint deformations is solved with the use of the displacement field determined from the solution to the boundary-value problem on butt-end torsion. The results obtained by applying this method to homogeneous and axially-radially reinforced thick-wall cylinders subjected to butt-end torsion with subsequent coaxial torsion and axial shear are presented. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 465–492, July–August, 2007.     

Effect of flow history on the structure of a non-polar polymer/clay nanocomposite model system

The effect of flow history on the linear and non-linear viscoelastic properties of non-polar polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) has been investigated by means of a suitable model system based on a Newtonian matrix. The structural recovery of this model suspension after cessation of different pre-shear rates was monitored by measuring its linear viscoelastic properties while its structural evolution under shear flow was followed by using stepwise changes in shear rate including flow reversal measurements. To assess the kinetics of the structural evolution at rest and under flow, empirical relations of stretched exponential form were used. It is shown that for different pre-shear rates, different equilibrium structures were reached at rest but with a similar kinetics of recovery. As a result, the low frequency behaviour was typical of solid-like or weak gel material, strongly dependent on the flow history. After any given shear rate under steady state, only one reversible equilibrium structure was reached after a kinetics that was dependent on the pre-shear history. Finally, typical flow reversal responses as observed for PNCs are reported and interpreted in light of the microstructure evolution under flow. This paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Society of Rheology, Hersonisos, Greece April 2006.     

A rigid line in a confocal elliptic inhomogeneity embedded in an infinite medium under antiplane shear

An effective method is developed and used to investigate the antiplane problem of a rigid line in a confocal elliptic inhomogeneity embedded in an infinite medium. The analytical solution is obtained. The proposed method is based upon the use of conformal mapping and the theorem of analytic continuation. Special solutions which are verified by comparison with existing ones are provided. Finally, the characteristics of stress singularity at the tip of the rigid line inhomogeneity are analyzed and the extension forces for the crack and the rigid line inhomogeneity are derived. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the State Education Commission Foundation and the Failure Mechanics Lab of SEdC.