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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Thermal cyclic durability testing of ceramic materials for turbine engines

The thermal cyclic durability of commercial ceramic materials for turbine engines was under evaluation since 1978. Ceramic materials are exposed to cyclic diesel-fired burner exhaust at either 1204 or 1371 C (2200 or 2500 F) for up to 3500 hours. The test conditions are selected to simulate the environment experienced by the hot flow path components in an automotive gas turbine engine. The silicon nitride and silicon carbide materials tested are the same ceramic materials currently used on the AGT100 and AGT101 ceramic turbine engine program.

Lindberg, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Polymer precursors for ceramic composites

The fiber composite approach to reinforced ceramics provides the possibility of achieving ceramics with high fracture toughness relative to monolithics. Fabrication of ceramic composites, however, demands low processing temperatures to avoid fiber degradation. Formation of complex shapes further requires small diameter fibers as well as techniques for infiltrating the matrix between fibers. Polymers offer low temperature processability, control of rheology not available with ceramic powders, and should serve as precursors to matrix fibers. In recent years, a number of polysilanes and polysilezanes were investigated as potential presursors. A review of candidate polymers is presented, including recent studies of silsesquioxanes.

Hurwitz, Frances I.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Ceramic matrix and resin matrix composites - A comparison

The underlying theory of continuous fiber reinforcement of ceramic matrix and resin matrix composites, their fabrication, microstructure, physical and mechanical properties are contrasted. The growing use of organometallic polymers as precursors to ceramic matrices is discussed as a means of providing low temperature processing capability without the fiber degradation encountered with more conventional ceramic processing techniques. Examples of ceramic matrix composites derived from particulate-filled, high char yield polymers and silsesquioxane precursors are provided.

Hurwitz, Frances I.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A review of failure models for unidirectional ceramic matrix composites under monotonic loads

Ceramic matrix composites offer significant potential for improving the performance of turbine engines. In order to achieve their potential, however, improvements in design methodology are needed. In the past most components using structural ceramic matrix composites were designed by trial and error since the emphasis of feasibility demonstration minimized the development of mathematical models. To understand the key parameters controlling response and the mechanics of failure, the development of structural failure models is required. A review of short term failure models with potential for ceramic matrix composite laminates under monotonic loads is presented. Phenomenological, semi-empirical, shear-lag, fracture mechanics, damage mechanics, and statistical models for the fast fracture analysis of continuous fiber unidirectional ceramic matrix composites under monotonic loads are surveyed.

Tripp, David E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Nondestructive evaluation of advanced ceramics

A review is presented of Lewis Research Center efforts to develop nondestructive evaluation techniques for characterizing advanced ceramic materials. Various approaches involved the use of analytical ultrasonics to characterize monolythic ceramic microstructures, acousto-ultrasonics for characterizing ceramic matrix composites, damage monitoring in impact specimens by microfocus X-ray radiography and scanning ultrasonics, and high resolution computed X-ray tomography to identify structural features in fiber reinforced ceramics.

Klima, Stanley J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Lightweight ceramic insulation and method

A process is disclosed for manufacturing a low density ceramic powder which can be formed to make a lightweight material for insulation or other construction. The ceramic product made from the process has a final density of less than 25 to about 1 percent of the theoretical weight of the ceramic powder. The ceramic product is lightweight and can be made to withstand high temperatures greater than 1400 C.

Green, David J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A review of failure models for ceramic matrix composite laminates under monotonic loads

Ceramic matrix composites offer significant potential for improving the performance of turbine engines. In order to achieve their potential, however, improvements in design methodology are needed. In the past most components using structural ceramic matrix composites were designed by trial and error since the emphasis of feasibility demonstration minimized the development of mathematical models. To understand the key parameters controlling response and the mechanics of failure, the development of structural failure models is required. A review of short term failure models with potential for ceramic matrix composite laminates under monotonic loads is presented. Phenomenological, semi-empirical, shear-lag, fracture mechanics, damage mechanics, and statistical models for the fast fracture analysis of continuous fiber unidirectional ceramic matrix composites under monotonic loads are surveyed.

Tripp, David E.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The role of NDE in ceramic turbine engine component development

A systematic approach to the use of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) throughout the ceramic engine component development cycle is necessary to achieve the high reliability required for turbine engine applications. Specifically, NDE techniques must be developed and applied to component design, development, fabrication, and test to ensure adequate materials characterization. This approach has the potential of reducing ceramic component cost by optimizing the initial design and eliminating unacceptable components early in the fabrication cycle. Although research NDE techniques have been developed that have the potential to solve the problems of ceramic component inspection, systematic application of these NDE techniques for inspection and process control has not yet occurred. The application of NDE techniques for both material characterization and flaw detection is discussed as well as an approach for applying NDE throughout the fabrication process to achieve highly reliable ceramic components.

Minter, Janet↗
NASA NTRS1989

A hybrid procedure for dynamic characterization of ceramics at elevated temperature

A hybrid experimental-numerical procedure to characterize the dynamic fracture response of ceramics and ceramic composites at temperatures in excess of 1400 C is described. This hybrid methodology was developed to characterize dynamic fracture responses and to study the effect of temperature on dynamic fracture responses of ceramics and ceramic matrix composites. The hybrid methodology was used to determine the dynamic stress intensity factors (SIF) associated with a running crack in a three-point bend specimen at elevated temperature. This procedure was utilized to determine the dynamic SIF versus crack velocity relations of alumina, TiB2-particulate/SiC-matrix composite, and SiC-whisker/Al2O3-matrix composite. Minor differences in the dynamic SIF versus crack velocity relations at room and elevated temperature were seen, and significant differences under impact and static loadings were observed in the dynamic SIF versus crack velocity relations.

Yang, K. H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Development of BEM for ceramic composites

Details on the progress made during the first three years of a five-year program towards the development of a boundary element code are presented. This code was designed for the micromechanical studies of advance ceramic composites. Additional effort was made in generalizing the implementation to allow the program to be applicable to real problems in the aerospace industry. The ceramic composite formulations developed were implemented in the three-dimensional boundary element computer code BEST3D. BEST3D was adopted as the base for the ceramic composite program, so that many of the enhanced features of this general purpose boundary element code could by utilized. Some of these facilities include sophisticated numerical integration, the capability of local definition of boundary conditions, and the use of quadratic shape functions for modeling geometry and field variables on the boundary. The multi-region implementation permits a body to be modeled in substructural parts; thus dramatically reducing the cost of the analysis. Furthermore, it allows a body consisting of regions of different ceramic matrices and inserts to be studied.

Henry, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Effect of hydrogen on the strength and microstructure of selected ceramics

Ceramics in monolithic form and as composite constituents in the form of fibers, matrices, and coatings are currently being considered for a variety of high-temperature applications in aeronautics and space. Many of these applications involve exposure to a hydrogen-containing environment. The compatibility of selected ceramics in gaseous high-temperature hydrogen is assessed. Environmental stability regimes for the long term use of ceramic materials are defined by the parameters of temperature, pressure, and moisture content. Thermodynamically predicted reactions between hydrogen and several monolithic ceramics are compared with actual performance in a controlled environment. Morphology of hydrogen attack and the corresponding strength degradation is reported for silicon carbide, silicon nitride, alumina, magnesia, and mullite.

Herbell, Thomas P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mechanical behavior of a ceramic matrix composite material

Monolithic ceramic materials have been used in industry for hundreds of years. These materials have proven their usefulness in many applications, yet, their potential for critical structural applications is limited. The existence of an imperfection in a monolithic ceramic on the order of several microns in size may be critical, resulting in catastrophic failure. To overcome this extreme sensitivity to small material imperfections, reinforced ceramic materials were developed. A ceramic matrix which has been reinforced with continuous fibers is not only less sensitive to microscopic flaws, but is also able to sustain significant damage without suffering catastrophic failure. A borosilicate glass reinforced with several layers of plain weave silicon carbide cloth (Nicalon) was studied. The mechanical testing which was performed included both flexural and tensile loading configurations. This testing was done not only to determine the material properties, but also to initiate a controlled amount of damage within each specimen. Several nondestructive testing techniques, including acousto-ultrasonics (AU), were performed on the specimens periodically during testing. The AU signals were monitored through the use of an IBM compatible personal computer with a high speed data acquisition board. Software was written which manipulates the AU signals in both the time and frequency domains, resulting in quantitative measures of the mechanical response of the material. The measured AU parameters are compared to both the mechanical test results and data from other nondestructive methods including ultrasonic C-scans and penetrant enhanced x ray radiography.

Grosskopf, Paul P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Containerless synthesis of ceramic materials using microwave heating

It was demonstrated that microwave heating technique may be employed for the synthesis of a number of multicomponent ceramic oxide-based materials, e.g., YBa2Cu3O7 and CuFe2O4. A characteristic, and potentially extremely useful, feature of such synthesis is that they occur in significantly less time than that required using conventional furnace-based techniques. However, the information obtained to date is necessarily rather empirical, and systematic investigations of the use of microwave heating for the synthesis of ceramic materials are required. The synthesis of ceramic materials at high temperatures are often affected by unwanted, deleterious reactions of the reactants and/or products with the reaction container. Consequently, it is of interest to investigate the high temperature synthesis of ceramic materials using microwave heating in a containerless environment.

Dunn, B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Evaluation and ranking of candidate ceramic wafer engine seal materials

Modern engineered ceramics offer high temperature capabilities not found in even the best superalloy metals. The high temperature properties of several selected ceramics including aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and silicon nitride are reviewed as they apply to hypersonic engine seal design. A ranking procedure is employed to objectively differentiate among four different monolithic ceramic materials considered, including: a cold-pressed and sintered aluminum oxide; a sintered alpha-phase silicon carbide; a hot-isostatically pressed silicon nitride; and a cold-pressed and sintered silicon nitride. This procedure is used to narrow the wide range of potential ceramics considered to an acceptable number for future detailed and costly analyses and tests. The materials are numerically scored according to their high temperature flexural strength; high temperature thermal conductivity; resistance to crack growth; resistance to high heating rates; fracture toughness; Weibull modulus; and finally according to their resistance to leakage flow, where materials having coefficients of thermal expansion closely matching the engine panel material resist leakage flow best. The cold-pressed and sintered material (Kyocera SN-251) ranked the highest in the overall ranking especially when implemented in engine panels made of low expansion rate materials being considered for the engine, including Incoloy and titanium alloys.

Steinetz, Bruce M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Ceramic composition

Novel transformation toughened ceramic compositions comprising finely divided Zr0 2 -Hf0 2 solid solution particles dispersed in a Al 2 0 3 -Cr 2 0 3 (alumina) or 3Al 2 0 3 .2Si0 2 -3Cr 2 0 3 .2Si0 2 (mullite) solid solution matrix phase. It is found that increased hardness and modulus associated with higher relative Cr 2 0 3 content (e.g. 20 mole % ) in the matrix phase and increased fracture toughness associated with higher relative Hf0 2 content ( e.g. 10 to 20 mole % ) in the disperse phase represent viable and improved ceramic compositions. Such transformation toughened ceramic compositions are considered useful in superhot light diesel engine applications, high temperature gas turbines and ultrahigh temperature ceramic heat exchangers.

Tseng-Ying Tien↗
NASA NTRS1991

Lightweight ceramic components for propulsion applications

It is demonstrated that two ceramic engine components of reduced weight can be efficiently produced and employed at higher combustion gas temperatures. The engine components, containing internal cooling and hydraulic passages, are fabricated in a process involving platelet technology, tape casting, and multilayer ceramic packaging techniques. Traditional metal platelet design techniques are used to fabricate components from ceramic tape which are then laminated and processed to densities of close to 100 percent. A methane cooled regenerator for an air turbo ramjet engine and a rocket engine bipropellant injector are fabricated from silicon nitride. The two components are tested under conditions similar to the pressurization, thrusts, and temperatures encountered in a combustion gas environment. The survivability and leak-free nature of the components demonstrate that more complex ceramic engine components can be fabricated using these techniques.

Franklin, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Compatibility of potential reinforcing ceramics with Ni and Fe aluminides

The compatibility of candidate ceramic reinforcement materials with intermetallic matrices for high temperature composite systems has been evaluated. Powders of FeAl and NiAl were mixed with ceramic powders and consolidated by hot isostatic pressing and subsequent heat treatment. The microstructures of these composites and the nature of the ceramic/matrix interfaces were assessed using a wide variety of electron-beam techniques. The system FeAl/TiB2 was found to be particularly promising. The matrix appears to be bonded to the ceramic particles, which may be the result of diffusion of Fe into the ceramic. The particles stabilized in a previously unreported monoclinic crystal structure, rather than the equilibrium hexagonal form exhibited by the binary compound.

Moser, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Superplastic forming of ceramic insulation

Superplasticity has been demonstrated in many fine-grained structural ceramics and ceramic composites, including yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (YTZP), alumina, and Al2O3-reinforced zirconia (Al2O3/YTZ) duplex composites and SiC-reinforced Si3N4. These superplastic ceramics obviously offer the potential benefit of forming net shape or near net shape parts. This could be particularly useful for forming complicated shapes that are difficult to achieve using conventional forming techniques, or require elaborate, subsequent machining. In the present study, we successfully demonstrated the following: (1) superplastic 3Y-TXP and 20 percent Al2O3/YTZ composite have for the first time been successfully deformed into hemispherical caps via a biaxial gas-pressure forming technique; (2) no experimental difficulty was encountered in applying the required gas pressures and temperatures to achieve the results, thus, it is certain that higher rates of deformation than those presented in this study will be possible by using the current test apparatus at higher temperatures and pressures; and (3) an analytical model incorporating material parameters, such as variations during forming in the strain rate sensitivity exponent and grain growth-induced strain hardening, is needed to model accurately and therefore precisely control the biaxial gas-pressure forming of superplastic ceramics. Based on the results of this study, we propose to fabricate zirconia insulation tubes by superplastic extrusion of zirconia polycrystal. This would not only reduce the cost, but also improve the reliability of the tube products.

Nieh, T. G.↗