Max Planck Partner Group “Extreme mechanics of 3D nano-architected oxides”

Electron beam irradiation-based deformation processes in 3D nano-architected oxides at extreme strain rates and temperatures

This project aims to investigate the combined mechanical responses of 3D nano-architected oxides under the influence of electron-beam irradiation, strain rate, and temperature. The intrinsic brittleness of oxides can be alleviated through variations in temperature, material size, and the application of electron-beam irradiation [1,2]. In this study, the combined effects on the mechanical response of 3D nano-architected oxides will be systematically examined using an in-situ SEM micromechanical testing system equipped with a piezo-actuator and precise temperature control systems. This project seeks to deepen the understanding of oxide deformation induced by electron-beam irradiation and its dependencies on size, strain rate, and temperature.

For material fabrication, we will employ a combination of localized electrodeposition, atomic layer deposition, and selective etching. Localized electrodeposition enables the fabrication of metallic microarchitectures with resolutions on the order of hundreds of nanometers [3]. Subsequently, an oxide layer, tens of nanometers thick, will be deposited onto the metallic microarchitectures via atomic layer deposition. Finally, selective etching of the metal core will produce the nano-architected oxide structures.

Deformation behavior and corresponding mechanical properties will be studied through in-situ SEM micromechanical tests. Electron-beam parameters will be calibrated based on an electron-matter interaction model. Deformation behavior will be evaluated under high temperatures and under electron-beam irradiation to confirm whether the same deformation mechanisms are at play. Additional investigations over a wide range of strain rates and at low temperatures (−150 °C) will explore the characteristics of viscoplastic deformation induced by electron-beam irradiation, distinguishing these effects from those observed under high-temperature conditions above the glass transition temperature.

Sung-Gyu Kang, Kyeongjae Jeong, Jeongin Paeng, Wonseok Jeong, Seungwu Han, Jae-Pyeong Ahn, Steven Boles, Heung Nam Han, In-Suk Choi
Athermal glass work at the nanoscale: Engineered electron-beam-induced viscoplasticity for mechanical shaping of brittle amorphous silica
Acta Materialia
Volume 238, 1 October 2022, 118203
Sung-Gyu Kang, Wonseok Jeong, Jeongin Paeng, Hwangsun Kim, Eunsol Lee, Gyeong-Su Park, Seungwu Han, Heung Nam Han, In-Suk Choi
E-beam-enhanced solid-state mechanical amorphization of α-quartz: Reduced deformation barrier via localized excess electrons as network modifiers
MaterialsToday
Volume 66, June 2023, Pages 62-71
Sung Gyu Kang, Bárbara Bellón Lara, Lalithkumar Bhaskar, Siyuan Zhang, Alexander Götz, Janis Wirth, Benjamin Apeleo Zubiri, Szilvia Kalácska, Manish Jain, Amit Sharma, Wabe Koelmans, Patrik Schürch, Erdmann Spiecker, Johann K. Michler, Jakob Schwiedrzik, Gerhard Dehm, and Rajaprakash Ramachandramoorthy, "Fabrication and extreme micromechanics of additive metal microarchitectures", in ArXiv, (2023).
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