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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Surface grain refinement of casting A380 aluminum alloy by ultrasonic-assisted surface mechanical grinding treatment

A novel surface processing technique, ultrasonic-assisted surface mechnical grinding treatment (U-SMGT), was proposed and applied to modify the surface micriostructure of the casting aluminum alloy (A380). Comprehensive post-process chracterization techniques including 3D profilometry, optical microscope, scanning electric microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were carried out to investigate the surface morphology and microstructure of the processed region (PR). It was found that a surface layer of grain refinement with a thickness of about 50 µm was formed. In the as-received base material (BM), large clusters of dendritic eutectic phase with a size of approximately 20 µm were isolated by α-Al matrix. Nano-indentation tests showed that hardness of the eutectic and α-Al in the as-received BM was 2.15 GPa and 1.2 GPa respectively. After U-SMGT, the large dendritic eutectic phase was broken down into much fine particles with an average size of 0.57 µm. These fine particles were uniformly distributed into the α-Al matrix. Nano-indentation measurement exhibited a hardness of 2.27 GPa within the processed region. The overall high hardness in the processed region is a result of the pinning effect of uniformly distributed fine dendrites and grain refinement of Al-matrix.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pool boiling critical heat flux studies of accident tolerant fuel cladding materials

Pool boiling experiments have been performed at atmospheric pressure on potential accident tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding materials (Zirlo®, Cr coated Zirlo®, FeCrAl coated Zirlo®, and monolithic SiC) to evaluate the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) points. Corrosion resistant coatings of Cr and FeCrAl alloy were deposited on flat Zirlo® samples using cold spray technology. The as-prepared samples after uniform surface polishing were subjected to autoclave tests at 360 °C water and 18.6 MPa for 360 h to simulate prototypic corrosion of the ATF cladding materials in LWR normal operation. Surface characteristics potentially influencing CHF such as surface morphology, roughness, static contact angle, and surface chemistry were characterized using a suite of characterization methods including scanning electron microscopy, 3D optical profilometry, optical contact angle measurements, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thermo-physical properties of the samples such as density, thermal conductivity, and heat capacity were measured by differential scanning calorimetry and laser flash thermal diffusivity measurement. FeCrAl coatings showed CHF values comparable to bare Zirlo® samples, while slightly lower CHF values were observed for Cr coated samples and bulk SiC flats (produced by chemical vapor deposition, CVD). As-deposited Cr coatings showed 67% higher CHF than the as-polished Cr coatings due to its higher surface roughness level. The autoclave testing for the prepared samples generally increased the CHF except for the surface polished Cr coatings. Similar CHF values of bare Zirlo®, FeCrAl coating, and CVD SiC samples were observed after autoclave test but there were negligible change CHF of Cr coatings. XPS studies indicated that the formation or deposition of a few monolayers of hydrophobic carbonaceous species on surface can affect CHF values. The trends in CHF data are discussed in terms of evolution of the surface characteristics of the ATF materials.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nucleosynthetic Analysis of Three-dimensional Core-collapse Supernova Simulations

Abstract We study in detail the ejecta conditions and theoretical nucleosynthetic results for 18 three-dimensional core-collapse supernova (CCSN) simulations done by F ornax . Most of the simulations are carried out to at least 3 s after bounce, which allows us to follow their longer-term behaviors. We find that multidimensional effects introduce many complexities into the ejecta conditions. We see a stochastic electron fraction evolution, complex peak temperature distributions and histories, and long-tail distributions of the time spent within nucleosynthetic temperature ranges. These all lead to substantial variation in CCSN nucleosynthetic yields and differences from 1D results. We discuss the production of lighter α -nuclei, radioactive isotopes, heavier elements, and a few isotopes of special interest. Comparing pre-CCSN and CCSN contributions, we find that a significant fraction of elements between roughly Si and Ge are generally produced in CCSNe. We find that 44 Ti exhibits an extended production timescale as compared to 56 Ni, which may explain its different distribution and higher than previously predicted abundances in supernova remnants such as Cas A and SN1987A. We also discuss the morphology of the ejected elements. This study highlights the high-level diversity of ejecta conditions and nucleosynthetic results in 3D CCSN simulations and emphasizes the need for additional long-term (∼10 s) 3D simulations to properly address such complexities.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2020

A 3D nonfullerene electron acceptor with a 9,9'-bicarbazole backbone for high-efficiency organic solar cells

One-dimensional ladder-type nonfullerene electron acceptors (NFAs) with large fused ring cores have been typically used in highly efficient organic solar cells (OSCs). Prior studies have demonstrated that small molecule acceptors with three-dimensional (3D) structures may exhibit low energy loss, and hence can lead to improved OSC performance. In this study, a new 3D NFA ( 99CZ-8F ) with a 9,9'-bicarbazole backbone was designed, synthesized, and characterized, where two linear A-D-A architectures were linked by a single N–N bond. 99CZ-8F showed strong absorption in the range of 500–800 nm in the solid state, which is complementary to the absorption of the donor material PM6 . After regulating the morphology of the active layer via binary solvent mixture, the optimized device exhibited a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.6 ± 0.1%, which is among the best reported values for 3D nonfullerene electron acceptor based OSCs

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

A data-driven framework for permeability prediction of natural porous rocks via microstructural characterization and pore-scale simulation

Understanding the microstructure–property relationships of porous media is of great practical significance, based on which macroscopic physical properties can be directly derived from measurable microstructural informatics. However, establishing reliable microstructure–property mappings in an explicit manner is difficult, due to the intricacy, stochasticity, and heterogeneity of porous microstructures. In this paper, a data-driven computational framework is presented to investigate the inherent microstructure–permeability linkage for natural porous rocks, where multiple techniques are integrated together, including microscopy imaging, stochastic reconstruction, microstructural characterization, pore-scale simulation, feature selection, and data-driven modeling. A large number of 3D digital rocks with a wide porosity range are acquired from microscopy imaging and stochastic reconstruction techniques. A broad variety of morphological descriptors are used to quantitatively characterize pore microstructures from different perspectives, and they compose the raw feature pool for feature selection. Here high-fidelity lattice Boltzmann simulations are conducted to resolve fluid flow passing through porous media, from which reliable permeability references are obtained. The optimal feature set that best represents permeability is identified through a performance-oriented feature selection process, upon which a cost-effective surrogate model is rapidly fitted to approximate the microstructure-permeability mapping via data-driven modeling. This surrogate model exhibits great advantages over empirical/analytical formulas in terms of prediction accuracy and generalization capacity, which can predict reliable permeability values spanning four orders of magnitude. Besides, feature selection also greatly enhances the interpretability of the data-driven prediction model, from which new insights into the mechanism of how microstructural characteristics determine intrinsic permeability are obtained.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Meso-scale modelling of compressive fracture in concrete with irregularly shaped aggregates

This paper presents a meso-scale modelling framework to investigate the fracture process in concrete subjected to uniaxial and biaxial compression accounting for its mesostructural characteristics. 3D mesostructure of concrete consisting of coarse aggregates, mortar and interfacial transition zone between them was developed using an in-house code based on the Voronoi tessellation and splining method, which enables to generate the realistic-look aggregates with controllable structural features such as content, location, size and shape. Based on the generated 3D mesostructure, the concrete damage plasticity approach was employed to simulate the compressive fracture behaviour of concrete in terms of crack morphology and stress-strain response against the shape parameters of aggregate. Results indicate that the shape of aggregate has a negligible effect on compressive strength of concrete, which is highly associated with the random location and size distribution of aggregate. The aggregate irregularity has a significant influence on crack initiation and growth of concrete.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Simulation studies of the interaction of laser radiation with additively manufactured foams

The interaction of laser radiation with foams of various porosities and low densities has been the subject of several numerical and experimental studies. In all cases, the modeling of low-Z under-dense foams as uniform gases of equivalent average density using standard radiation-hydrodynamics codes has resulted in heat-front velocities that are considerably faster than those observed experimentally. It has been theoretically conjectured that this difference may be attributed to the breakdown of the foam’s morphology, leading to a dynamics of filament expansion where the ion and electron energy partitions are significantly different from those calculated using the uniform gas model. We found that 3D computer simulations employing a disconnected representation of the foam’s microstructure which allowed for the dynamics of foam element heating, expansion, and stagnation largely supported the theoretical picture. Simulations using this model for laser experiments on under-dense 2 mg cc -1 SiO 2 aerogel foams reproduced the experimental data fairly well. We used the validated model in simulations of low-density structured foam-like materials (produced via additive manufacturing) with a variety of morphologies. We found that the log-pile configurations were consistent with the analytical propagation model of Gus’kov et al. Further validation of the model was obtained by simulating experiments performed at the Jupiter Laser Facility using the log-pile and octet-truss foam morphologies. Simulations of the foam-laser interaction using a wave propagation code showed that the microstructure was able to enhance stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) by concentrating the light energy into density holes. In turn, this promotes laser filamentation, reducing SBS and bringing the predicted values closer to the experimental data.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enhanced Electron Correlation and Significantly Suppressed Thermal Conductivity in Dirac Nodal-Line Metal Nanowires by Chemical Doping

Enhancing electron correlation in a weakly interacting topological system has great potential to promote correlated topological states of matter with extraordinary quantum properties. Here, the enhancement of electron correlation in a prototypical topological metal, namely iridium dioxide (IrO 2 ), via doping with 3d transition metal vanadium is demonstrated. Single-crystalline vanadium-doped IrO 2 nanowires are synthesized through chemical vapor deposition where the nanowire yield and morphology are improved by creating rough surfaces on substrates. Vanadium doping leads to a dramatic decrease in Raman intensity without notable peak broadening, signifying the enhancement of electron correlation. The enhanced electron correlation is further evidenced by transport studies where the electrical resistivity is greatly increased and follows an unusual $\sqrt{T}$ dependence on the temperature (T). The lattice thermal conductivity is suppressed by an order of magnitude via doping even at room temperature where phonon-impurity scattering becomes less important. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the remarkable reduction of thermal conductivity arises from the complex phonon dispersion and reduced energy gap between phonon branches, which greatly enhances phase space for phonon–phonon Umklapp scattering. This work demonstrates a unique system combining 3d and 5d transition metals in isostructural materials to enrich the system with various types of interactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

High Speed In-situ X-ray Imaging of 3D Freeze Printing of Aerogels

3D freeze printing (3DFP) combines drop-on-demand (DOD) inkjet printing with freeze casting to fabricate lightweight and multifunctional aerogels with customized geometries. Freeze casting is an efficient and easily implemented method capable of fabricating porous, sponge-like structures for many different applications. This process enables tailoring the microstructure of the final product (i.e., pore morphology, alignment, average size distribution, etc.) by controlling the fabrication conditions and freezing kinetics. Furthermore, its combination with DOD printing provides the capability of engineering the macrostructure without relying on a mold as reported for 3D freeze-printed aerogels made from graphene, silver nanowires, and other nanocomposites. In this paper, we performed in-situ X-ray imaging to understand the inside process dynamics in 3DFP using a commercially available colloidal silica ink. We investigated the 3DFP process with the following hierarchy: first, single droplets; then, uniform lines obtained from coalescence of droplets; and finally, three consecutive lines deposited layer by layer. With the help of X-ray imaging, the importance of the balance between material deposition and freezing rates was shown in-situ by the observation inside of the freeze front following the tip of the printed line. The effects of the substrate temperature on the elimination of undesired interfacial boundaries were also shown by the observed ice crystals penetrating from lower to upper layer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Assessing the performance of MagLIF with 3D MHD simulations

The Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) experimental platform at Sandia National Laboratories has realized a number of recent improvements in electrical current and laser preheat coupling but fusion yields are below expectations, based on modeling with clean (that is, simulations with no interfacial instabilities and no mix) two-dimensional (2D) magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) simulations, by a factor of 5 or more. However, magnetized liner implosions are known to produce helical magneto-Rayleigh–Taylor (MRT) modes and complex stagnation structures that cannot be directly modeled in 2D. This paper presents the results of 3D HYDRA MHD simulations, including helical MRT, showing that degradation from these instabilities can readily reproduce experimental yields, but it is difficult to simultaneously match the yield along with inferred fuel temperature, pressure, and burn history (assessed with x-rays), which are larger in the experiments considered here. Additional analysis methods and future experiments are proposed to help address the discrepancies. The 3D simulations also show, without substantive improvements to stability, changing the applied Bz or preheat is unlikely to increase performance of MagLIF to the same degree as clean 2D simulations. Finally, the first 3D HYDRA simulations with the Hall term show the ab initio production of helical MRT and produce a clear change in stagnation morphology compared to pre-seeded simulations without Hall. In spite of the differences, the simulations still produce comparable fusion performance but with longer, lower power, neutron yield history.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

The role of CenKR in the coordination of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cell elongation and division

ABSTRACT Cell elongation and division are essential aspects of the bacterial life cycle that must be coordinated for viability and replication. The impact of misregulation of these processes is not well understood as these systems are often not amenable to traditional genetic manipulation. Recently, we reported on the CenKR two-component system (TCS) in the Gram-negative bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides that is genetically tractable, widely conserved in α-proteobacteria, and directly regulates the expression of components crucial for cell elongation and division, including genes encoding subunit of the Tol-Pal complex. In this work, we show that overexpression of cenK results in cell filamentation and chaining. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), we generated high-resolution two-dimensional (2D) images and three-dimensional (3D) volumes of the cell envelope and division septum of wild-type cells and a cenK overexpression strain finding that these morphological changes stem from defects in outer membrane (OM) and peptidoglycan (PG) constriction. By monitoring the localization of Pal, PG biosynthesis, and the bacterial cytoskeletal proteins MreB and FtsZ, we developed a model for how increased CenKR activity leads to changes in cell elongation and division. This model predicts that increased CenKR activity decreases the mobility of Pal, delaying OM constriction, and ultimately disrupting the midcell positioning of MreB and FtsZ and interfering with the spatial regulation of PG synthesis and remodeling. IMPORTANCE By coordinating cell elongation and division, bacteria maintain their shape, support critical envelope functions, and orchestrate division. Regulatory and assembly systems have been implicated in these processes in some well-studied Gram-negative bacteria. However, we lack information on these processes and their conservation across the bacterial phylogeny. In R. sphaeroides and other α-proteobacteria, CenKR is an essential two-component system (TCS) that regulates the expression of genes known or predicted to function in cell envelope biosynthesis, elongation, and/or division. Here, we leverage unique features of CenKR to understand how increasing its activity impacts cell elongation/division and use antibiotics to identify how modulating the activity of this TCS leads to changes in cell morphology. Our results provide new insight into how CenKR activity controls the structure and function of the bacterial envelope, the localization of cell elongation and division machinery, and cellular processes in organisms with importance in health, host-microbe interactions, and biotechnology.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Elementary Composite Binary and Grain Alignment Locked in Dust Growth

Abstract Planets are known to grow out of a star-encircling disk of the gas and dust inherited from an interstellar cloud; their formation is thought to begin with coagulation of submicron dust grains into aggregates, the first foundational stage of planet formation. However, with nanoscale and submicron solids unobservable directly in the interstellar medium (ISM) and protoplanetary disks, how dust grains grow is unclear, as are the morphology and structure of interstellar grains and the whereabouts and form of “missing iron.” Here we show an elementary composite binary in 3D sub-10 nm detail—and the alignments of its two subunits and nanoinclusions and a population of elongated composite grains locked in a primitive cosmic dust particle—noninvasively uncovered with phase-contrast X-ray nanotomography. The binary comprises a pair of oblate, quasi-spheroidal grains whose alignment and shape meet the astrophysical constraints on polarizing interstellar grains. Each member of the pair contains a high-density core of octahedral nanocrystals whose twin relationship is consistent with the magnetite’s diagnostic property at low temperatures, with a mantle exhibiting nanoscale heterogeneities, rounded edges, and pitted surfaces. This elongated binary evidently formed from an axially aligned collision of the two similar composite grains whose core–mantle structure and density gradients are consistent with interstellar processes and astronomical evidence for differential depletion. Our findings suggest that the ISM is threaded with dust grains containing preferentially oriented iron-rich magnetic nanocrystals that hold answers to astronomical problems from dust evolution, grain alignment, and the structure of magnetic fields to planetesimal growth.

Hu, Z. W. (ORCID:0000000278648830)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pulling thin single crystal silicon wafers from a melt: The new leading-edge solar substrate

The Floating Silicon Method (FSM) has been established as a viable, stable method for growing single crystal ribbons directly from a silicon melt. With intense helium jet cooling to drive the linear progress of a [111] facet, pulled in the <110> direction, ribbons in the 0.6 – 3.0 mm thickness range can be grown at linear growth rates from 0.3 mm/s to >6 mm/s as reported in the literature. We report on recent progress towards growing (100) oriented ribbons with a net thickness of less than 200 microns and a ribbon width up to 18 cm using a stable, continuous process in the Leading Edge prototype furnace. Here, the 3D details of the single crystal growth are explained by extending the mechanics of the Limit Cycle Theory, with novel Internal Side Effect morphology described by a proposed Facet Flow Theory. Grown-in crystalline defect distributions are described as well as values of critical impurities like oxygen, carbon, dopants, and metals that are relevant for use as wafers for solar cells.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Understanding the Effect of Electrochemical Properties and Microstructure on the Microgalvanic Corrosion of Mg Alloys via Phase-Field Simulations

In this work, we apply a phase-field model to gain insights into the corrosion behavior of Mg alloys. Specifically, we study the effect of electrochemical properties of the materials and their environment and the spatial distribution of second phases in a magnesium alloy. To this end, we perform sensitivity analyses in which we separately vary the exchange current density and corrosion potential of the second phase, as well as the electrolyte conductivity. We describe the effects of these parameters on the corrosion current and the resulting corrosion-front morphology. We also confirm that the ratio between the Wagner length, calculated for the anodic phase, and the initial width of the anodic domain is a good predictor of the morphological characteristic of the corroding surface. In addition, we examine the effect of the microstructure on the corrosion behavior in both 2D and 3D systems by varying the shape, size, and distribution of the second-phase regions. Our findings provide insights into the influence of the two-phase microstructure on the corrosion behavior in a magnesium alloy.

Electrochemistry↗
DOE OSTI2022

3D simulations of spinlike flames in Co/Al multilayers with enhanced conduction losses

Reactive Co/Al multilayers are uniformly structured materials that may be ignited to produce rapid and localized heating. Prior studies varying the bilayer thickness (i.e., sum of two individual layers of Co and Al) have revealed different types of flame morphologies, including: (a) steady/planar, (b) wavy/periodic, and (c) transverse bands, originating in the flame front. These instabilities resemble the “spin waves” first observed in the early studies of solid combustion (i.e., Ti cylinder in a N 2 atmosphere), and are likewise thought to be due to the balance of heat released by reaction and heat conduction forward into the unreacted multilayer. However, the multilayer geometry and three-dimensional (3D) edge effects are relatively unexplored. In this work, a new diffusion-limited reaction model for Co/Al multilayers was implemented in large, novel 3D finite element analysis (FEA) simulations, in order to study the origins of these spinlike flames. This reaction model builds upon previous work by introducing three new phase-dependent property models for: (1) the diffusion coefficient, (2) anisotropic thermal conductivity tensor, and (3) bulk heat capacity, as well as one additional model for the bilayer-dependent heat of reaction. These novel 3D simulations are the first to predict both steady and unsteady flames in Co/Al multilayers. Moreover, two unsteady modes of flame propagation are identified, which depend on the enhanced conduction losses with slower flames, as well as flame propagation around notched edges. Finally, future work will consider the generality of the current modeling approach and also seek to define a more generalized set of stability criteria for additional multilayer systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Three-Dimensional Ultrastructure of Arabidopsis Cotyledons Infected with Colletotrichum higginsianum

We used serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) to study the host–pathogen interface between Arabidopsis cotyledons and the hemibiotrophic fungus Colletotrichum higginsianum. By combining high-pressure freezing and freeze-substitution with SBF-SEM, followed by segmentation and reconstruction of the imaging volume using the freely accessible software IMOD, we created 3D models of the series of cytological events that occur during the Colletotrichum–Arabidopsis susceptible interaction. We found that the host cell membranes underwent massive expansion to accommodate the rapidly growing intracellular hypha. As the fungal infection proceeded from the biotrophic to the necrotrophic stage, the host cell membranes went through increasing levels of disintegration culminating in host cell death. Intriguingly, we documented autophagosomes in proximity to biotrophic hyphae using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a concurrent increase in autophagic flux between early to mid/late biotrophic phase of the infection process. Occasionally, we observed osmiophilic bodies in the vicinity of biotrophic hyphae using TEM only and near necrotrophic hyphae under both TEM and SBF-SEM. Overall, we established a method for obtaining serial SBF-SEM images, each with a lateral ( x-y) pixel resolution of 10 nm and an axial ( z) resolution of 40 nm, that can be reconstructed into interactive 3D models using the IMOD. Application of this method to the Colletotrichum–Arabidopsis pathosystem allowed us to more fully understand the spatial arrangement and morphological architecture of the fungal hyphae after they penetrate epidermal cells of Arabidopsis cotyledons and the cytological changes the host cell undergoes as the infection progresses toward necrotrophy. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗
DOE OSTI2021

Revealing the Nanostructure of Mesoporous Fuel Cell Catalyst Supports for Durable, High-Power Performance

Achieving high power performance and durability with low Pt loadings are critical challenges for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. PtCo catalysts developed on new carbon black supports show promise by simultaneously providing good oxygen reduction kinetics and local oxygen transport. We investigate the role of nanoscale morphology in the performance of these catalysts supported on accessible (HSC-e and HSC-f) and conventional (Ketjen Black) porous carbons using 3D electron tomography, nitrogen sorption, and electrochemical performance measurements. We find that the accessible porous carbons have hollow interiors with mesopores that are larger and more numerous than conventional porous carbons. However, mesopore-sized openings (>2 nm width) are too rare to account for significant oxygen transport. Instead we propose the primary oxygen transport pathway into the interior is through 1–2 nm microporous channels permeating the carbon. The increased mesoporosity in the accessible porous carbons results in a shorter diffusion pathlength through constrictive, tortuous micropores in the support shell leading to lower local oxygen transport resistance. In durability testing, the accessible porous carbons show faster rates of electrochemical surface area loss, likely from fewer constrictive pores that would mitigate coarsening, but maintain superior high current density performance at end of test from the improved local oxygen transport.

Electrochemistry↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multi-Scale Characterization of Porosity and Cracks in Silicon Carbide Cladding after Transient Reactor Test Facility Irradiation

Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic matrix composite (CMC) cladding is currently being pursued as one of the leading candidates for accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding for light water reactor applications. The morphology of fabrication defects, including the size and shape of voids, is one of the key challenges that impacts cladding performance and guarantees reactor safety. Therefore, quantification of defects’ size, location, distribution, and leak paths is critical to determining SiC CMC in-core performance. This research aims to provide quantitative insight into the defect’s distribution under multi-scale characterization at different length scales before and after different Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) irradiation tests. A non-destructive multi-scale evaluation of irradiated SiC will help to assess critical microstructural defects from production and/or experimental testing to better understand and predict overall cladding performance. X-ray computed tomography (XCT), a non-destructive, data-rich characterization technique, is combined with lower length scale electronic microscopic characterization, which provides microscale morphology and structural characterization. This paper discusses a fully automatic workflow to detect and analyze SiC-SiC defects using image processing techniques on 3D X-ray images. Following the XCT data analysis, advanced characterizations from focused ion beam (FIB) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were conducted to verify the findings from the XCT data, especially quantitative results from local nano-scale TEM 3D tomography data, which were utilized to complement the 3D XCT results. In this work, three SiC samples (two irradiated and one unirradiated) provided by General Atomics are investigated. The irradiated samples were irradiated in a way that was expected to induce cracking, and indeed, the automated workflow developed in this work was able to successfully identify and characterize the defects formation in the irradiated samples while detecting no observed cracking in the unirradiated sample. These results demonstrate the value of automated XCT tools to better understand the damage and damage propagation in SiC-SiC structures for nuclear applications.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗