Engineering Commons^™

The Properties And Structure Of Tin Phosphate Glasses Modified With Other Oxides, Jong Wook (Austin) Lim

Masters Theses

"The main objective of this research was to evaluate the properties and structures of glasses from the stannous (SnO) phosphate system for possible use in low temperature optical applications. Glasses in the binary xSnO-(100-x)P₂O₅ system (50 ≤ x ≤ 70) were prepared and their thermal and optical properties were evaluated. Differences in glass transition temperatures (T_g) measured here and reported in the literature were explained by differences in the residual water content in the glasses, as determined by infrared spectroscopy. In general, increasing the SnO content of the binary glasses increased the refractive index and the glass transition …

Resistance Switching In Electrodeposited Magnetite Thin Films, Samantha Glen Matthews

Masters Theses

"The resistance switching phenomenon has been extensively studied in metal oxide thin films for its applications in the non-volatile memory industry. The research presented here focuses on magnetite thin films which have been electrodeposited onto gold-sputtered glass substrates via the electrochemical reduction of a Fe(III)-triethanolamine complex in aqueous alkaline solution. Magnetite was chosen for its usefulness in read/write memory applications, its high Curie temperature, its metal-to-insulator (Verwey) transition, and its half-metallic character and attendant spintronic properties. Resistance switching behavior caused by a reversible redox reaction at the anode was observed in the films, demonstrating that electrodeposited films show the same …

Sintering And Microstructural Effects On Mechanical Properties Of Zirconium Carbide-Tungsten Cermets, Melissa M. Giles Craft

Masters Theses

"Zirconium carbide-tungsten cermets were prepared by in situ reaction sintering a mixture of zirconia and tungsten carbide. Tungsten is a refractory metal with a melting point of 3422⁰C; however, its mechanical strength decreases significantly with increasing temperature. One approach to improve the elevated temperature strength is to add ceramic particulates to the matrix. Zirconia and tungsten carbide were compacted and then reacted and sintered in a single step by heating to 2050⁰C. The resulting stoichiometric zirconium carbide-tungsten cermet had a relative density greater than 96%. Cermets with two different grain sizes were produced by altering the final sintering temperature. Sintering …

Evaluation Of Alternative Methods For Surface Preparation And Deposition Of Cerium-Based Conversion Coatings On Aluminum Alloys, William J. Gammill

Masters Theses

"This thesis investigates alternative surface preparation and deposition methods for cerium-based conversion coatings (CeCC) on high strength aluminum alloys. Cerium-based conversion coatings are being investigated as a more environmentally friendly replacement for chromium-based conversion coatings. Currently, the alloys are immersed in strong alkaline and acidic solutions to prepare the aluminum surfaces for conversion coating, in which immersion may not be suitable for all situations. Alternatives to this method were investigated, including wipe application of solution, ultrasonic processing in deionized water, and abrasive blasting with alumina. AI 7075-T6 test panels were prepared using each of these methods and compared to a …

Experimental Study On Thermal Treatment Of Used Printed Wiring Boards (Pwbs), Xiangjun Zuo

Masters Theses

The availability of cheaper and better electronic products as a result of the rapid innovation in technology in past decades has driven the production of e-waste forward. Printed wiring board (PWB) is a component made of one or more layers of insulating material with electrical conductors. The existing processes of recycling PWBs use pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical methods, which generate atmospheric pollution. Green recycling has obvious benefits to decrease the amount of PWBs. Green recycling includes two features, 1) little or zero pollution of toxic gases and heavy metals, and 2) efficient (quick and economical) recycling.

The aim of this work …

Controlling Strength And Permeability Of Silica Investment Casting Molds, Darryl M. Kline

Masters Theses

"Investment casting is a metal casting process in which a ceramic mold is created around a disposable pattern using dip coating. The fine silica flour making up most of the mold gives the benefits of a smooth internal mold surface and high density. The high density allows for investment casting molds to be thinner and lighter than sand-based molds, but gives substantially smaller gaps between particles for air flow. This research focused on the design and improvement of the formulation for making investment casting molds with customizable physical properties. Properties of the molds, specifically flexural strength, permeability, and physical structure, …

Foundry Parameters For Casting High-Aluminum Lightweight Steel In Complex Shapes, Angella Marie Schulte

Masters Theses

"This work investigated the liquid metal treatment and molding practices for Fe- 30wt.%Mn-9wt.%Al-1wt.%Si-0.9wt.%C-0.5wt.%Mo steel. The goal of this research was to determine the process conditions that would produce a tough Fe-Mn-Al-C alloy and the appropriate mold design to produce a defect-free P900 plate.

Notch toughness of age-hardenable Fe-Mn-Al-C alloys decreases as phosphorus increases. Thermodynamic calculations and experimental work show that additions of Ca followed by Ce can be used to mitigate the deleterious effects of phosphorus, and the addition of Ar-stirring can be used to decrease the number of harmful aluminum nitride inclusions. In the solution-treated and aged condition (Brinell …

Zinc Iron Phosphate Glasses For Enameling Applications, Sagnik Saha

Masters Theses

"New compositions of low temperature black glasses were developed that are suitable as frits for enameling soda-lime silicate (S-L-S) glass substrates. Zinc iron phosphate glasses are of interest for this application because they possess dilatometric low softening points (under 600ºC) and have coefficients of thermal expansion that are compatible with S-L-S glass (in the range 90-110x10⁻⁷/ºC). The development of compositions with excellent chemical durability, particularly in acidic conditions, is also desired. Compositional modification were made to the (Na₂O+K₂O)·ZnO·MnO·Fe₂O₃·P₂O₅ glass system using design of experiments. The compositional boundaries used in the design were based on earlier work at Missouri S&T. The …