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Main Authors: Toncich, Nensi, Schwarz, Fabian, Gallivan, Rebecca A., Gillon, Jemma, Spolenak, Ralph
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.02333
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author Toncich, Nensi
Schwarz, Fabian
Gallivan, Rebecca A.
Gillon, Jemma
Spolenak, Ralph
author_facet Toncich, Nensi
Schwarz, Fabian
Gallivan, Rebecca A.
Gillon, Jemma
Spolenak, Ralph
contents Ni/Al reactive multilayers are promising materials for applications requiring controlled local energy release and superior mechanical performance. This study systematically investigates the impact of compositional variations, ranging from 30 to 70 at.% Ni, and bilayer thicknesses (30 nm and 50 nm) on the mechanical properties and reaction dynamics of Ni/Al multilayers. Multilayers with varying Ni-to-Al ratios were fabricated and subjected to instrumented nanoindentation testing to evaluate hardness and elastic modulus. Combustion experiments, conducted on dogbone-shaped multilayers deposited onto silicon wafers with thermal barrier coatings, characterized the reaction front's speed, temperature, and the resulting phases. The findings revealed that composition variations within this range enable precise tuning of reaction speed and temperature without significant changes in mechanical properties, while deviations in modulus and hardness at higher nickel concentrations suggest microstructural influences. Notably, phase formation in Al-rich samples deviated from equilibrium predictions, highlighting the role of kinetic factors, such as diffusion and rapid quenching, in driving non-adiabatic processes during phase evolution. Molecular dynamics simulations provided complementary atomistic insights into mechanical responses and reaction kinetics, bridging experimental observations with theoretical predictions. This integrated approach advances the understanding of Ni/Al multilayers, offering a framework for optimizing their composition and structural design to achieve tailored performance for application-specific requirements.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2502_02333
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Composition Effects on Ni/Al Reactive Multilayers: A Comprehensive Study of Mechanical Properties, Reaction Dynamics and Phase Evolution
Toncich, Nensi
Schwarz, Fabian
Gallivan, Rebecca A.
Gillon, Jemma
Spolenak, Ralph
Materials Science
Computational Physics
I.6.3
Ni/Al reactive multilayers are promising materials for applications requiring controlled local energy release and superior mechanical performance. This study systematically investigates the impact of compositional variations, ranging from 30 to 70 at.% Ni, and bilayer thicknesses (30 nm and 50 nm) on the mechanical properties and reaction dynamics of Ni/Al multilayers. Multilayers with varying Ni-to-Al ratios were fabricated and subjected to instrumented nanoindentation testing to evaluate hardness and elastic modulus. Combustion experiments, conducted on dogbone-shaped multilayers deposited onto silicon wafers with thermal barrier coatings, characterized the reaction front's speed, temperature, and the resulting phases. The findings revealed that composition variations within this range enable precise tuning of reaction speed and temperature without significant changes in mechanical properties, while deviations in modulus and hardness at higher nickel concentrations suggest microstructural influences. Notably, phase formation in Al-rich samples deviated from equilibrium predictions, highlighting the role of kinetic factors, such as diffusion and rapid quenching, in driving non-adiabatic processes during phase evolution. Molecular dynamics simulations provided complementary atomistic insights into mechanical responses and reaction kinetics, bridging experimental observations with theoretical predictions. This integrated approach advances the understanding of Ni/Al multilayers, offering a framework for optimizing their composition and structural design to achieve tailored performance for application-specific requirements.
title Composition Effects on Ni/Al Reactive Multilayers: A Comprehensive Study of Mechanical Properties, Reaction Dynamics and Phase Evolution
topic Materials Science
Computational Physics
I.6.3
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2502.02333