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Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering
Strengthening Mechanisms In Nanocrystalline Silver-Nickel Nanolayered Materials, Malcolm Ryan Pringle
Strengthening Mechanisms In Nanocrystalline Silver-Nickel Nanolayered Materials, Malcolm Ryan Pringle
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Among all metals, silver has the highest electrical conductivity but also is one of the softest materials under mechanical deformation. Therefore, developing means and methods for strengthening silver without reducing conductivity is critically important for its use as a conductive electrode material in various engineering applications such as solar cells and touchscreen displays. This thesis presents a molecular-dynamics simulation study of strengthening mechanisms by intercalating nanocrystalline silver films with amorphous nickel layers, characterizing the structure of nanolayered material prototypes obtained by sputtering deposition technique. The objectives of the thesis are three-fold: To study the effects of Ni layer thickness and …
An Atomic Force Microscopy Nanoindentation Study Of Size Effects In Face-Centered Cubic Metal And Bimetallic Nanowires, Erin Leigh Wood
An Atomic Force Microscopy Nanoindentation Study Of Size Effects In Face-Centered Cubic Metal And Bimetallic Nanowires, Erin Leigh Wood
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
The enhancement of strength of nanoscale materials such as face-centered cubic metal nanowires is well known and arises largely from processes mediated by high energy surface atoms. This leads to strong size effects in nanoscale plasticity; ,smaller is stronger. Yet, other factors, such as crystalline defects also contribute greatly to the mechanical properties. In particular, twin boundaries, which are pervasive and energetically favorable defects in face-centered cubic metal nanowires, have been shown to greatly enhance the strength, furthermore this increase in strength has been shown to be directly influenced by the twin density. However, attempts to control the …