DFG-Projekt WE 2525/4
Numerical and experimental analysis of diffusion induced aging in engineering solid mixture components
In modern technical applications various multiphase mixtures
are used to meet demanding mechanical, chemical and electrical
requirements. Their range of applications covers lightweight
design of automotive components and jointing materials in
microelectronics as well as protective coatings and advanced
medical applications. Consequently, in order to understand the
structural properties of the macroscopic material, it is
important to capture the microstructural evolution of these
mixtures.
Until recently, material modeling and studies on microstructure
have mainly been subjects of empirical sciences. Systematic
experimental observations provided the key to derive
constitutive and structural properties of the considered
materials. Meanwhile, however, mathematical simulation of
materials on different length- and timescales are a matter of
great scientific interest. Now the main objective is to develop
a model and to perform numerical simulations in order to gain
an understanding of the physical processes within the material.
The overall goal of the advised research project is to provide
a simulation tool for studying and analyzing diffusion
controlled aging in engineering multicomponent structures;
special emphasis is put on long-term phase growth. The
simulations will base on a NURBS based finite element analysis.
The major difference to existing numerical tools will be the
ability of the program to account for realistic geometry,
composition and loading regimes of solid mixture components.
Selected numerical results will be verified experimentally.
As object of demonstration serve here binary and ternary
brazing solder alloys, specifically Ag-Cu and Ag-Cu-Zn,
subjected to thermomechanical and electro-thermal loading. Such
alloys are typically employed to join metallic surfaces in a
high temperature range, e.g. in automotive control units and at
solar panels. Alloys of copper with either zinc or silver are
the most common braze alloys. Silver provides mechanical
strength but reduces ductility at low temperatures. Zinc lowers
the melting point and is low cost but it is highly susceptible
to corrosion. During operation these solder alloys are known to
decompose into metallurgical defined phases. The evolved
microstructure exerts a significant effect in very small
components such as interconnects and solder bumps in
microelectronic packages. With the continuing strive toward
downsizing and higher functionality of devices demand for finer
bump sizes is increasing; meanwhile, solder bumps of less than
50 microns in diameter are developed.
In conclusion, the project will lead to a computational tool
allowing the simulation of full multi-component structures like
solder balls subjected to thermo-mechanical loading. The
numerical model, validated and adjusted by means of
experimentally obtained aging results, will allow for an
efficient prediction of spinodal decomposition and phase
coarsening in real world applications. Furthermore, mastering a
competitive simulation tool for diffusion induced aging of
multi-material engineering components will allow to incorporate
additional electrical, chemical and mechanical fields as well
as and surface phenomena (corrosion) in future research.
Group: M.Sc. Stefan Schuß , Prof. Dr.
Christian Hesch, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Weinberg
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