Date of Graduation
8-2009
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Zou, Min
Committee Member/Reader
Zou, Min
Committee Member/Second Reader
Couvillion, Rick J.
Abstract
Nano-engineered-textures on a material surface used to conduct fluids can significantly improve the hydrophobicity or wetting property of the surface, resulting in lower resistance of the surface to the fluid?s movement. In this work, aluminum-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon was investigated for generating nano-textures on copper substrates, a common material in heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems. Flat copper substrate was utilized. Several experiments were conducted to study the effects of annealing temperature, annealing duration, a-Si and Al thickness, and the sequence of film structure. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to characterize the surface nano-topography. The results showed that the AIC of a-Si process was successful in producing nano-textured surfaces on Cu substrate. The Cu/a-Si/Al nano-texture process can be affected by changing a-Si and Al thickness, along with anneal duration and temperature. Oxidation of the Cu substrate occurred due to exposure to air at room temperature, low temperature heating, and high temperature annealing, and was found to have a negative effect on the adhesion of the nano-texture to Cu substrate. Reversal of the a-Si and Al film deposition order in the AIC of a-Si process was found to improve adhesion of the texture to the substrate.
Citation
Morehead, J. (2009). Nano-surface engineering on copper substrate for friction reduction. Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/meeguht/27
