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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

High-Temperature Oxidation Behavior of Wrought and Additive Manufactured Ni-based Alloys in Direct-Fired Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle Environments

Materials selection is a key concern for corrosion resistance in elevated temperature and pressure direct-fired supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles. Herein, the wrought product form of alloy H282, as well as several additional nickel-based commercial alloys (230, 263, 617, 625, 740H), were exposed to direct-fired supercritical CO2 conditions (95CO2 – 4H2O – 1O2) at 750 °C and 20 MPa for over 2,000 h. Additionally, additive manufactured (AM) 282 produced by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) were also included in the exposures. This paper focuses primarily on the differences observed in the degradation behavior of the wrought and additively manufactured materials. AM samples in the as-printed state were found to form less protective oxide scales resulting in higher oxidation rates compared to wrought samples. However, applying a 600 grit surface finish to the AM samples modified the oxidation behavior to closely resemble that of the wrought material. The AM samples formed Mo-rich carbides in the alloy beneath the oxide following sCO2 exposure, implying potentially higher levels of carbon uptake relative to the wrought material. Conversely, the AM samples seemed to be less affected by water-assisted oxide volatilization compared to the wrought material. The results are discussed in terms of the potential compatibility issues that may arise when using Ni-based alloys in the hot portions of direct-fired sCO2 power cycles, particularly in the case of thin-walled components.

Carney, Casey↗
DOE OSTI2024

Coupling of radiation and grain boundary corrosion in SiC

Abstract Radiation and corrosion can be coupled to each other in non-trivial ways and such coupling is of critical importance for the performance of materials in extreme environments. However, it has been rarely studied in ceramics and therefore it is not well understood to what extent these two phenomena are coupled and by what mechanisms. Here, we discover that radiation-induced chemical changes at grain boundaries of ceramics can have a significant (and positive) impact on the corrosion resistance of these materials. Specifically, we demonstrate using a combination of experimental and simulation studies that segregation of C to grain boundaries of silicon carbide leads to improved corrosion resistance. Our results imply that tunning of stoichiometry at grain boundaries either through the sample preparation process or via radiation-induced segregation can provide an effective method for suppressing surface corrosion.

Materials Science↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nanostructured Alumina Forming Austenitic Alloy (NAFA) Production using Advanced Manufacturing

Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) alloys are well known for their exceptional corrosion-resistant properties due to the formation of a dense oxide scale beneficial in their application as a nuclear material. However, use of the alloys in core material applications is limited due to the high nickel-transmutation and helium generation rate in service, leading to swelling and reduced lifetimes. Enhancing the sink strength to pin gas bubbles and increasing gas management of the material may mitigate many of the degradation phenomena expected during alloy deployment (such as high-temperature helium embrittlement and cavity swelling for lead-cooled fast-reactor applications). Nanostructured materials are usually produced using a time-consuming and expensive batch process like mechanical alloying to achieve the fine homogenous distribution of nanoprecipitates throughout the matrix material. Integrating the nanoprecipitates in modern additive manufacturing processes has proven difficult, as the required nano-sizes or number densities cannot be achieved simultaneously. Efforts to increase the number density of precipitates by adding more precipitate-forming rare-earth elements led to agglomeration of such elements, while the nano-sized precipitates did not form in sufficient quantity when not enough rare-earth element was use. In this work a novel approach to advanced manufacturing and the fabrication of Nanostructured AFA (NAFA) materials was chosen. A dual precipitate-forming NAFA steel with a chemistry more suitable for advanced reactor applications was produced to create an environmentally resistant, high-sink-strength austenitic alloy for advanced reactor cladding applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nanostructured Alumina-Forming Austenitic Alloy (NAFA) Production Using Advanced Manufacturing

Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) alloys are well known for their exceptional corrosion-resistant properties due to the formation of a dense oxide scale beneficial in their application as a nuclear material. However, use of the alloys in core material applications is limited due to the high nickel-transmutation and helium generation rate in service, leading to swelling and reduced lifetimes. Enhancing the sink strength to pin gas bubbles and increasing gas management of the material may mitigate many of the degradation phenomena expected during alloy deployment (such as high-temperature helium embrittlement and cavity swelling for lead-cooled fast-reactor applications). Nanostructured materials are usually produced using a time-consuming and expensive batch process like mechanical alloying to achieve the fine homogenous distribution of nanoprecipitates throughout the matrix material. Integrating the nanoprecipitates in modern additive manufacturing processes has proven difficult, as the required nano-sizes or number densities cannot be achieved simultaneously. Efforts to increase the number density of precipitates by adding more precipitate-forming rare-earth elements led to agglomeration of such elements, while the nano-sized precipitates did not form in sufficient quantity when not enough rare-earth element was use. In this work a novel approach to advanced manufacturing and the fabrication of Nanostructured AFA (NAFA) materials was chosen. A dual precipitate-forming NAFA steel with a chemistry more suitable for advanced reactor applications was produced to create an environmentally resistant, high-sink-strength austenitic alloy for advanced reactor cladding applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Protective coatings with nanoscale multilayer architecture: current state and main trends

Binary systems (layers) and multicomponent layers with bilayer thicknesses varying from microns to a few nanometers are considered. A strong dependence of the microstructure formation on the deposition conditions (the magnitude of the bias potential, the flow of inert and reactive gases, the ion beam power (current density) supplied to the target) is found. General regularities in the change in the functional properties and structural state of the coatings are formulated. The conditions for the formation of a columnar structure and growth texture are noted; various mechanisms and their interpretation are proposed. Finally, the relationship among the size of nanograins, diffusion at the interphase boundary, and effects determining the physico-mechanical, tribological characteristics, as well as resistance to corrosion and oxidation, is shown.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Voltammetry measurements in lithium chloride-lithium oxide (LiCl–Li 2 O) salt: An evaluation of working electrode materials

Instrumentation to provide process monitoring (PM) and safeguards for the oxide reduction (OR) step in the electrochemical processing of used oxide nuclear fuel is necessary to ensure equipment is operated as declared. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) has been proposed for real-time monitoring of the operation of an OR process for safeguards purposes. In this study, different materials including 316 stainless steel (SS), tantalum (Ta), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), platinum (Pt), and iridium (Ir) were evaluated as potential working electrode (WE) materials based on their chemical inertness, corrosion resistance, and sensitivity in detecting Li 2 O and other chloride salts in the OR electrolyte. Of the electrodes evaluated, 316 SS, Ir, and Pt all performed reasonably well in the LiCl-Li 2 O electrolyte. Here, stainless steel was operated in the cathodic potential and had reasonable corrosion resistance and is relatively inexpensive. Iridium could be operated in both the cathodic and anodic potentials and was the most corrosion resistant of those evaluated. Platinum is limited to the anodic potential range, had reasonable corrosion resistance, and was the most sensitive to Li 2 O concentrations in the salt. In the development of a stand-alone safeguards instrumentation, our recommendation is a CV sensor fitted with both Ir and Pt WEs. The results in this study may also be helpful for anode material selection in other electrometallurgy industries, such as molten salt electrolysis.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
NASA NTRS1987

Application of powder metallurgy technique to produce improved bearing elements for cryogenic aerospace engine turbopumps

Traditionally, vacuum melted 440C stainless steel is used for high performance bearings for aerospace cryogenic systems where corrosion due to condensation is a major concern. For the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), however, 440C performance in the high-pressure turbopumps has been marginal. A basic assumption of this study was that powder metallurgy, rather than cast/wrought, processing would provide the finest, most homogeneous bearing alloy structure. Preliminary testing of P/M alloys (hardness, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, fatigue resistance, and fracture toughness) was used to 'de-select' alloys which did perform as well as baseline 440C. Five out of eleven candidate materials (14-4/6V, X-405, MRC-2001, T-440V, and D-5) based on preliminary screening were selected for the actual rolling-sliding five-ball testing. The results of this test were compared with high-performance vacuum-melted M50 bearing steel. The results of the testing indicated outstanding performance of two P/M alloys, X-405 and MRC-2001, which eventually will be further evaluated by full-scale bearing testing.

Moxson, V. S.↗
DOE OSTI2023

High temperature gamma radiation-induced chromium redox chemistry via in situ spectroscopic measurements

Chromium ions can make their way into the primary coolant of nuclear power reactors from the corrosion of stainless-steel reactor components, decreasing the material's corrosion resistance and resulting in increased transport of further corrosion products. Despite these potential effects, the radiation-induced redox speciation of chromium ions in aqueous solution is not well understood, especially at the elevated temperatures experienced by reactor coolants. Here, in the present work, we report new experimental results demonstrating that in aerated aqueous solution, the radiolytic oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI) occurs at pH 4, while the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) occurs at pH 2. The oxidation of Cr(III) is primarily attributed to the reaction of the hydroxyl radical (˙OH) with the Cr(OH) 2+ species, while the reduction of Cr(VI) is attributed to reactions involving the hydrated electron (e aq - ) and hydrogen atom (H˙). Additionally, the steady-state equilibrium yield of Cr(VI) from the gamma irradiation of pH 4 Cr(III) solutions decreased with increasing temperature (over a range of 37–195 °C). This observation indicates that the activation energy of the Cr(VI) reduction reactions is higher than that for the Cr(III) oxidation reactions, such that it becomes relatively more favorable at higher temperatures. Overall, these data are important for the development of complementary multiscale models for the prediction of metal ion speciation in high temperature radiation environments.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
NASA NTRS1974

Advanced Rankine and Brayton cycle power systems: Materials needs and opportunities

Conceptual advanced potassium Rankine and closed Brayton power conversion cycles offer the potential for improved efficiency over steam systems through higher operating temperatures. However, for utility service of at least 100,000 hours, materials technology advances will be needed for such high temperature systems. Improved alloys and surface protection must be developed and demonstrated to resist coal combustion gases as well as potassium corrosion or helium surface degradation at high temperatures. Extensions in fabrication technology are necessary to produce large components of high temperature alloys. Long time property data must be obtained under environments of interest to assure high component reliability.

Grisaffe, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Advanced Rankine and Brayton cycle power systems - Materials needs and opportunities

Conceptual advanced potassium Rankine and closed Brayton power conversion cycles offer the potential for improved efficiency over steam systems through higher operating temperatures. However, for utility service of at least 100,000 hours, materials technology advances will be needed for such high temperature systems. Improved alloys and surface protection must be developed and demonstrated to resist coal combustion gases as well as potassium corrosion or helium surface degradation at high temperatures. Extensions in fabrication technology are necessary to produce large components of high temperature alloys. Long-time property data must be obtained under environments of interest to assure high component reliability.

Grisaffe, S. J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

TCF - Sustainable Well Cement for Geothermal, Thermal Recovery, and Carbon Storage wells

Primary cementing is the most important operation performed on a subterranean well. Cement, placed in the annulus between the casing and the formations, serves as a hydraulic seal preventing fluids and gas migrations, protecting steel casing from corrosion, and supporting the well structure. Poor cementing jobs can be directly responsible for wells not reaching their full capacity, casing corrosion, compromised well integrity and, in the worst-case scenarios, well collapse. Geothermal, thermal recovery, and carbon storage wells offer environments that are especially difficult for cements to survive while the required lifespan of these wells can be years. In these wells currently used cements cannot provide durable well integrity, and new solutions are necessary. The necessity of stabilizing the electric grid, increasing its flexibility, and providing energy on demand will further expand the market of durable cement solutions for applications in high-temperature underground reservoir thermal energy storage wells (HT RTES). The design challenges of special cement systems for such wells originate from chemistry limitations of currently used well cements, aggressive environments, temperature and repeated shock conditions associated with them, and very weak formations that are not uncommon in these wells. During the last 70 years the most common systems for thermal-well construction have been Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) (absolute majority of the wells), silica-lime system, and high aluminum cement-containing formulations. The major issues of calcium-silicate hydrates, that form during the hydration of OPC resulting in hardened material, are their poor chemical resistance to acids due to the calcium interactions with acid anions followed by its eventual dissolution, even in mild acids, such as carbonic acid from CO 2 dissolution, and inadequate bonding to the steel causing serious casing corrosion problems (Sugama & Pyatina, 2019). Performance of OPC-based cement may be significantly improved with organic additives; however, those are limited by their temperature stability. An alternative to calcium-silicate cement was developed by BNL and commercialized by Halliburton as ThermaLock TM cement. Calcium-aluminate-phosphate-based chemistry of the material allowed overcoming acid-resistance problems of OPC, especially in CO 2 -rich geothermal environments. In 2012-2015, building upon this experience, BNL developed Thermal Shock Resistant Cement (TSRC) with the support of Geothermal Technology Office (GTO) of DOE. TSRC has high-temperature stable chemistry, superior properties of cement-metal casing bond and corrosion protection (4-times better than currently used OPC-based formulation), significantly outperforms common well-cements in thermal-shock tests, has self-healing properties, and like ThermaLock TM is CO 2 resistant incorporating carbonate ions into stable hydrates (Gill et al., 2012).

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multimetallic Layered Composites (MMLCs) for Rapid, Economical Advanced Reactor Deployment (Final Report)

This project focused on the development of multi-metallic layered composites (MMLCs) for advanced fission reactor technologies. There are many instances where one alloy or material simply cannot meet all the demands thrown at it by a reactor system, or cannot allow it to perform as strongly as one would like. Instead of focusing all our effort on developing one perfect alloy, we seek to leverage the design principle of “separation of functionality,” used in many other arenas in design, to boost performance beyond single alloys alone. One illustrative example shows the power of this approach for molten salt-cooled reactors: A three meter tall, three meter diameter reactor vessel made of Incoloy 800 was quoted at $\$$500k in 2018. A Hastelloy N vessel was quoted at $\$$5M. An MMLC vessel, in which a layer of Hastelloy N would be weld-overlaid onto Incoloy 800, was quoted at $\$$700k, and it would achieve the same performance. The potential economic gains of leveraging this approach are therefore substantial. At a minimum, each MMLC would contain one core structural layer and one coolant-facing corrosion-resistant layer. Sometimes, MMLCs required buffer layers, as the structural and corrosion-resistant layers were metallurgically incompatible. In other words, they didn’t always play nice, thus separating layers compatible with both functioned as intermediaries to keep the composite together. However, in doing so we inevitably produce new interfaces, where new issues can arise. Therefore, this project focused on what happens at these interfaces from a combination of high temperatures, irradiation, corrosion, and time. After all, a reactor makes money when it is operating, and outages of any kind erode its economic viability. First, we set out to experimentally prove that MMLCs for at least two advanced reactor systems can be made, today, in US domestic facilities. In this respect we were successful – one MMLC (a Ni-201/Incoloy 800H composite) was successfully made and drawn into two-inch coolant piping. Others were attempted, though new issues relating to cracking in vanadium layers for one and radiation damage performance of the corrosion-resistant layer in another prevented us from moving further in those specific arenas – these are engineering problems which deserve continued focus after this project. Additional experimental work focused on long-term corrosion testing of the outermost layers of the salt-cooled and liquid lead-cooled MMLC concepts, which would then be fed into predictions of how long the MMLCs could last. Next, computational (thermodynamics and atomistic) simulation studies studied how much we expect the interfaces to “blend,” due to the mixing action of neutron irradiation. This eats into both the margin for the structural layer of each MMLC, as dilution from the corrosion-resistant layer into the structural layer would decrease the total load-bearing capacity of an MMLC of finite size. On the other hand, dilution of the corrosion-resistant layer into the structural layer further reduced the margin of corrodible material, reducing the lifetime of the MMLC or necessitating extra thickness to be imparted to the MMLC to meet its functional requirements. Work here focused on irradiation-induced segregation to predict new phases which may embrittle the MMLCs, as well as quantifying irradiation-induced mixing at each interface. The results showed that mixing is expected, but it is both steady and therefore predictable, and not lifetime-limiting for most MMLC concepts – it simply has to be accounted for in calculations of reactor performance when utilizing an MMLC. Then, full-core simulations using the experimentally-derived corrosion data, the computationally discovered irradiation-induced mixing data (partially validated by experiment), and existing, benchmarked core designs for large and small sized reactor concepts (one salt-cooled, one lead-cooled) were conducted to quantify any expansion of reactor operating envelopes achieved by utilizing these MMLCs. This new framework, called REX (Reactor Envelope Expansion), incorporates a combination of core neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and the material performance data derived from this project to see how using an MMLC expands advanced fission reactor operating envelopes. It was discovered that in some cases, MMLC utilization does indeed increase the maximum operating temperatures and cycle lengths of reactor concepts, while in other cases it does not. Finally, our tech-to-market (T2M) strategy was not necessarily to create specific embodiments of MMLCs for immediate sale (because getting into the nuclear market is incredibly slow and laden with regulation, this is a long-term goal), but rather immediate stimulation of US industry using the design approach of MMLCs derived from this project. In this respect we were successful, as one of the PhD students funded on this project co-founded Allium Engineering, Inc., which created a stainless steel / low-alloy steel MMLC to function as chloride corrosion-resistant rebar for embedding into concrete structures. Allium Engineering continues to be successful, having recently opened their first factory as of this writing.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Corrosion of Silica-Based Optical Fibers in Various Environments

This research article explores the potential of optical fibers as sensors, highlighting their ability to measure various parameters such as temperature, pressure, stress, and radiation dose. The study focuses on investigating the material compatibility of optical fibers in challenging sensing environments like Gen II/II+ and advance nuclear reactors, as well as concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Material compatibility tests were conducted to determine the feasibility of using fluorine and germanium optical fiber sensors in these environments. The study found that raw fibers were corrosion-resistant to lead bismuth eutectic at 600 °C, regardless of the coating. In molten salt environments, raw fibers were incompatible with FLiNaK but showed corrosion resistance to MgCl₂-NaCl-KCl. However, the survivability of raw fiber optics improved with a gold coating in FLiNaK. Raw fiber optics were found to be incompatible in high-temperature steam at 1200 °C and in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) at 300 °C.

Leong, Amanda (ORCID:0000000307134493)↗
NASA NTRS1976

Propellant material compatibility program and results

The effects of long-term (up to 10 years) contact of inert materials with earth-storable propellants were studied for the purpose of designing chemical propulsion system components that can be used for current as well as future planetary spacecraft. The primary experimental work, and results to date are reported. Investigations include the following propellants: hydrazine, hydrazine-hydrazine nitrate blends, monomethyl-hydrazine, and nitrogen tetroxide. Materials include: aluminum alloys, corrosion-resistant steels, and titanium alloys. More than 700 test specimen capsules were placed in long-term storage testing at 43 C in the special material compatibility facility. Material ratings relative to the 10-year requirement have been assigned.

Toth, L. R.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Effects of Surface Treatments on the Outgassing of 3D-Printed 316L Stainless Steel.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) is a world leader in designing and operating particle accelerators for nuclear and particle physics research. These accelerators rely on electric fields to propel particle beams, which are then directed and focused using magnetic fields. To ensure these beams travel without interference, they must move through an ultra-high vacuum environment, typically around 10⁻⁹ torr. Maintaining such a vacuum requires materials with exceptionally low outgassing rates. 316L stainless steel is a common material choice for vacuum systems due to its low outgassing rates, excellent corrosion resistance, non-magnetic properties, and high mechanical strength. When manufactured using traditional methods like machining, extrusion, and casting, the vacuum properties of 316L stainless steel are well understood. However, the behavior of 316L stainless steel produced through additive manufacturing, such as Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), is not as well documented. This study aims to determine the outgassing rate of 316L stainless steel fabricated using DMLS. The investigation focuses on measuring the outgassing rates of 1.5 2 vacuum reducers and evaluating the effects of surface preparation techniques, such as mechanical polishing and electropolishing, on the outgassing performance. Understanding the outgassing performance of 3D-printed 316L stainless steel could enable Fermilab engineers to adopt this fabrication method for producing complex parts designed for ultra-high vacuum environments. These advancements have the potential to benefit projects, such as the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and the Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II), by improving design flexibility and fostering innovation in accelerator development.

Cloud, Jaiden [Central State University]↗
DOE OSTI2020

Defects and Mechanical Behavior of Plutonium [Slides]

Defects are important because they heavily influence material properties (e.g. strength, ductility, elasticity, conductivity, phase transformation temperatures (melting point), corrosion resistance, etc.). At LANL defects in plutonium are being characterized using many different methods (e.g. EXAFS, XRD, microscopy, RUS, DSC, dilatometry, density, etc.) My goal is to introduce a complimentary method of understanding defects in δ-Pu using the mechanical microscope concept. Using well-developed theories of first principles strengthening mechanisms (i.e. how defects influence strength) and carefully designed experiments, mechanical testing can compliment other defect characterization tools.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Characterization and Electrochemical Analysis of Acidic Condensate-Induced Corrosion on Aluminized Coating on Steel in Residential Heaters

Condensing furnace residential heaters are starting to replace outdated and less efficient non-condensing units in homes across the US. However, the burning of natural gas in these new units produces acidic gases, which can form acid droplets (H 2 SO 4 , HNO 3 , H 2 CO 3 , etc.) that are corrosive to low-grade heat exchanger metallic materials. Type-1 aluminized steel has been used in industrial applications, such as marine, heating, and automobile parts, due to its resistance to oxidation at elevated temperature. Many components of the condensing furnaces, including heat exchangers, are made from type-1 aluminized steel. We investigated the interaction of type-1 aluminized steel substrates with two acidic condensate liquids by 500 h corrosion exposures as well as short-term electrochemical impedance measurements. SEM plan and cross-sectional view images revealed damage to the Al-Si rich layer and exposure of the steel substrate. The non-uniform damage in the Al-Si rich layer was likely attributed to a pitting corrosion mechanism and induced by high acidity of the condensate liquid. Electrochemical impedance measurements in an acidic condensate revealed lower corrosion resistance of the aluminized steel surface with a weld line, identifying welded sections as preferential corrosion initiation sites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1979

Tungsten fiber reinforced FeCralY: A first generation composite turbine blade material

Tungsten-fiber/FeCrAlY (W/FeCrAlY) was identified as a promising aircraft engine, first generation, turbine blade composite material. Based on available data, W/FeCrAlY should have the stress-rupture, creep, tensile, fatigue, and impact strengths required for turbine blades operating from 1250 to 1370 K. It should also have adequate oxidation, hot corrosion, and thermal cycling damage resistance as well as high thermal conductivity. Concepts for potentially low cost blade fabrication were developed. These concepts were used to design a first stage JT9D convection cooled turbine blade having a calculated 50 K use-temperature advantage over the directionally solidified superalloy blade.

Petrasek, D. W.↗