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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 397 records · Page 22

Partitioning of tramp elements Cu and Si in a Ni-based superalloy and their effect on creep properties

An alloy's processing history, including melting, remelting or the choice of stock material, affects its purity and eventually involves tramp element pickup or retention. Herein, variants of a novel Ni-based superalloy were manufactured with different levels of purity. The so-called low purity alloys contained 0.138 wt. % Cu and 0.019 wt. % Si while the Cu and Si levels were below x-ray fluorescence (XRF) detection limits of 0.003 and 0.010 wt. %, respectively, in the high purity ingots. Atom-probe tomography (APT) was carried out and revealed Si partitioning at the following interfaces: grain boundaries, MC carbide/γ, M 3 B 2 boride/$γ$ and M 3 B 2 boride/$γ$'. Copper was found to primarily segregate to the $γ$' precipitates. An average of 2.4 × decrease in creep life and 4.3 × decrease in creep ductility was measured in the low purity alloys, which was attributed to the embrittlement caused by Si segregation to grain boundaries. Furthermore, the positive effect of B on the creep properties was mitigated by the presence of Si. Thermodynamic predictions for the matrix and γ' precipitate compositions represented the trends observed experimentally although the extent of preferential partitioning lacks accuracy. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to describe the partitioning of Cu and Si atoms to either $γ$ or $γ$' phases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Processes controlling helium bubble dynamics at varying temperatures in simulated radioactive materials

Alpha-radiation damage is known to degrade materials exposed to harsh radiation environments via swelling and embrittlement by nano-scale helium bubbles. How these bubbles grow under varying temperature is essential to understanding and predicting material failure and optimization. Using in situ X-ray scattering, we probed ≈1012 bubbles before, during and after annealing at different temperatures in He-implanted aluminum to reveal a critical growth activation temperature that depends strongly on the helium implantation conditions. An analysis of the data aided by our molecular dynamics simulations identifies multiple temperature-dependent bubble growth mechanisms above and below the critical growth activation temperature. Moreover, the irreversible bubble growth that occurs after annealing for ≈4 h was evaluated using dislocation dynamics and found to negligibly affect the yield strength but may affect subsequent bubble growth at temperature. These in situ results provide valuable insight into bubble growth never observed before and reveal, for the first time, bubble shrinkage after cooling.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Influence of grain size on α' Cr precipitation in an isothermally aged Fe-21Cr-5Al alloy

Cr-rich α' precipitation during aging typically leads to hardening and accordingly embrittlement of FeCrAl alloys, which needs to be suppressed. The influence of grain size on α' precipitation was studied by aging coarse-grained (CG), ultra-fine grained (UFG), and nanocrystalline (NC) ferritic Kanthal-D [KD; Fe-21Cr-5Al (wt.%) alloy] at 450, 500 and 550 °C for 500 h. After aging at 450 and 500 °C, less hardening was observed in the UFG KD than in CG KD. Atom probe tomography indicated a lower number density and larger sized intragranular α' in the UFG versus the CG alloy. The smaller grain size and higher defect (vacancy and dislocation) density in the UFG KD facilitated diffusion and accordingly enhanced precipitation kinetics, leading to coarsening of precipitates, as well as saturation of precipitation at lower temperatures, as compared to those in CG KD. No hardening occurred in UFG and CG KD after aging at 550 °C, indicating that the miscibility gap is between 500 and 550 °C. NC KD exhibited softening after aging owing to grain growth. α' precipitation occurred in NC KD aged at 450 °C but not at 500 °C, indicating that miscibility gap is between 450 and 500 °C. Thus, the significantly smaller grain size in NC KD decreased the miscibility gap, as compared to that in CG and UFG KD. Finally, this is attributed to the absorption of vacancies by migrating grain boundaries during aging, suppressing α' nucleation and enhancing Cr solubility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Modeling and experimental validation of a W f /W-fabrication by chemical vapor deposition and infiltration

Tungsten (W) has a unique combination of excellent thermal properties, low sputter yield, low hydrogen retention, and acceptable activation. Therefore, W is presently the main candidate for the first wall material in future fusion devices. However, its intrinsic brittleness and its further embrittlement during operation bears the risk of a sudden and catastrophic component failure. As a countermeasure, tungsten fiber-reinforced tungsten (W f /W) with extrinsic toughening is being developed. A possible synthesis route is chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using heated W fabrics as substrate. The challenge is that the growing CVD-W can isolate domains from precursor access leading to strength-reducing pores. To deepen the process understanding and to optimize the CVD parameters, models were developed with COMSOL Multiphysics and validated experimentally. W deposition rate equations as function of the temperature and the partial pressures of the precursors H 2 and WF 6 were experimentally validated in previous work. In the present article, these equations are applied to obtain partial pressures within the CVD reactor. The results are taken as input for transient simulations in the microscale, in which W coatings, growing onto multiple adjacent W fibers, were simulated via mesh deformation and remeshing. The surface-to-surface contact of the W coatings and the corresponding potential pore formation were simulated by implementing sophisticated deposition rate stop conditions. Within the measuring uncertainties of ≃ ±1%, the models are validated successfully by experimental comparison regarding the deposition rate, pore structure, and relative densities ranging from 0.6 to 0.9.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Low temperature hydrogen superpermeation in vanadium composite metal foil pumps

Palladium-based foil membranes are an effective option for hydrogen isotope recovery from the plasma exhaust of future fusion plants, but cost and availability are concerns. Vanadium (V) is a relatively low cost, neutron tolerant material with high hydrogen permeability. It has been well-studied as a superpermeable membrane at high temperature (>500 °C), but V displays negligible superpermeation at low temperature (75–200 °C) due to catalytic limitations. Composite membranes were fabricated by depositing thin layers (~100 nm) of either Pd or BCC PdCu on sputter-cleaned vanadium foils (100 μm). Symmetric membranes elevated superpermeation to levels approaching bulk Pd or PdCu foils, with ~5X higher flux in the latter reflecting the superior properties of PdCu. Asymmetric membranes revealed that the Pd-based catalyst layer was critical for both efficient absorption of superthermal hydrogen upstream as well as catalyzing re-combinative desorption downstream. At T ≥ 150 °C composite membrane superpermeation was equivalent to the Pd-based foils, but the flux was attenuated by a factor of 2-3X as the temperature was reduced. This deviation from pure foil performance coincided with the formation of vanadium hydride (β-V 2 H), which also impacted the transient response. Nevertheless, no embrittlement was observed under the conditions examined and elevating the temperature >150 °C removed the hydride and restored full performance. The achievement of palladium-level performance with a >99% reduction in Pd inventory makes these V composite metal foils pumps an attractive option for low temperature hydrogen isotope recovery in future fusion plants.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Origin of increased helium density inside bubbles in Ni (1–$x$) Fe $x$ alloys

Due to virtually no solubility, He atoms implanted or created inside materials tend to form bubbles, which are known to damage material properties through embrittlement. Higher He density in nano-sized bub- bles was observed both experimentally and computationally in Ni (1–$x$) Fe $x$ -alloy samples compared to Ni. The bubbles in the Ni (1–$x$) Fe $x$ -alloys were observed to be faceted, whereas in elemental Ni they were more spherical. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that stacking fault structures formed around bubbles at maximum He density. Higher Fe concentrations stabilize stacking fault structures, suppress evolution of dislocation network around bubbles and suppress complete dislocation emission, leading to higher He density.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The effect of current and lambda on white-etch-crack failures

White etching cracks (WECs) have been associated with premature failure of wind turbine roller bearings. Various drivers for the generation of WECs have been identified such as loading conditions, slip, steel quality, lubrication, hydrogen embrittlement, corrosion fatigue cracking, and stray electrical currents passing through the surface. Here, in this work, a benchtop test rig utilizing a three-ring-on-roller test configuration was used to investigate the effect of electrical current and operation in different lubricating regimes, defined by lambda (λ), on high-quality bearing steel samples tested in a commercially available power transmission EP gear lubricant. It was observed that there is an inverse correlation between the magnitude of electric current applied to the ring/ roller system and time-to-failure. Higher current magnitudes lead to shorter time-to-failure than lower current magnitudes, with macropitting as the main failure mode. Sub-surface investigation revealed the presence of WECs in all cases. For the same current magnitude, tests conducted in boundary and mixed lubrication regimes showed that time-to-failure increased as lambda increased, and the tests resulted in WEC related macropits, whereas tests conducted in near-hydrodynamic regime resulted in surface damage with no macropit. It was also noted that a shift toward near-hydrodynamic lubrication resulted in a distinct surface distress on the roller surface. Furthermore, there seems to be a transition in the mixed regime during which the surface distress occurred. The damage on the surface of the test samples resembled non-spatially, periodic, groove-like corrugations and, in some cases, crater-like depressions. Sub-surface imaging, performed by sequential sectioning, revealed the presence of WECs in all cases, and broad, branching cracks that were more prevalent under the more severe boundary conditions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Detecting Thermally Induced Spinodal Decomposition with Picosecond Ultrasonics in Cast Austenitic Stainless Steels

Given the existential climate crisis faced by mankind and the world, the lifetime and sustainability of nuclear reactors as a carbon-free source of renewable energy depend on the susceptibility of their structural components to environmental degradation. In particular, critical components for light water reactors (LWRs) evolve over decades in service, losing ductility and toughness due to thermal and irradiation aging. Techniques to monitor their health cannot be easily applied in the field due to their destructive, expensive, or immobile nature. Thus, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods are sought to monitor and evaluate the health of major LWR components such as core barrels, steam generator tubes, or primary coolant pipes and are often required by policy, such as NRC policy #10-CFR-50.65. In this work we demonstrate the use of gigahertz, non-contact ultrasonics to gauge the state of cast austenitic stainless steels (CASS), used in some of the largest components in LWR primary systems. We do so by linking changes in their surface acoustic wave (SAW) characteristics using transient grating spectroscopy (TGS) to transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-verified evidence of spinodal decomposition and G-phase precipitation. In this thesis, thermal aging is shown to induce SAW peak splitting in spinodally decomposed CASS alloys, correlated strongly with lowered toughness and decreased ductility. Furthermore, statistical testing on the number of SAW peak splits observed show that the second SAW peak significantly appears more frequently and is significantly different in frequency in comparison to counts and frequencies measured in unaged specimens. The ability of this technique to non-destructively detect microstructural degradation at a distance in a predictive manner in the case of CASS motivates extending gigahertz ultrasonics to detect other LWR material degradation modes as an in-vessel inspection technique, such as reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement. This allows for the greater use of NDE techniques for confident monitoring of LWR structural material health to 80 years and beyond, saving costs by minimizing structural replacements until needed and maximizing energy production by preventing early decommission until necessary.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Proton irradiation-decelerated intergranular corrosion of Ni-Cr alloys in molten salt

The effects of ionizing radiation on materials often reduce to "bad news". Radiation damage usually leads to detrimental effects such as embrittlement, accelerated creep, phase instability, and radiation-altered corrosion. Here we report that proton irradiation decelerates intergranular corrosion of Ni-Cr alloys in molten fluoride salt at 650 °C. We demonstrate this by showing that the depth of intergranular voids resulting from Cr leaching into the salt is reduced by proton irradiation alone. Interstitial defects generated from irradiation enhance diffusion, more rapidly replenishing corrosion-injected vacancies with alloy constituents, thus playing the crucial role in decelerating corrosion. Our results show that irradiation can have a positive impact on materials performance, challenging our view that radiation damage usually results in negative effects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Learning grain boundary segregation energy spectra in polycrystals

The segregation of solute atoms at grain boundaries (GBs) can profoundly impact the structural properties of metallic alloys, and induce effects that range from strengthening to embrittlement. And, though known to be anisotropic, there is a limited understanding of the variation of solute segregation tendencies across the full, multidimensional GB space, which is critically important in polycrystals where much of that space is represented. Here we develop a machine learning framework that can accurately predict the segregation tendency—quantified by the segregation enthalpy spectrum—of solute atoms at GB sites in polycrystals, based solely on the undecorated (pre-segregation) local atomic environment of such sites. We proceed to use the learning framework to scan across the alloy space, and build an extensive database of segregation energy spectra for more than 250 metal-based binary alloys. The resulting machine learning models and segregation database are key to unlocking the full potential of GB segregation as an alloy design tool, and enable the design of microstructures that maximize the useful impacts of segregation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Atomic motifs govern the decoration of grain boundaries by interstitial solutes

Abstract Grain boundaries, the two-dimensional defects between differently oriented crystals, tend to preferentially attract solutes for segregation. Solute segregation has a significant effect on the mechanical and transport properties of materials. At the atomic level, however, the interplay of structure and composition of grain boundaries remains elusive, especially with respect to light interstitial solutes like B and C. Here, we use Fe alloyed with B and C to exploit the strong interdependence of interface structure and chemistry via charge-density imaging and atom probe tomography methods. Direct imaging and quantifying of light interstitial solutes at grain boundaries provide insight into decoration tendencies governed by atomic motifs. We find that even a change in the inclination of the grain boundary plane with identical misorientation impacts grain boundary composition and atomic arrangement. Thus, it is the smallest structural hierarchical level, the atomic motifs, that controls the most important chemical properties of the grain boundaries. This insight not only closes a missing link between the structure and chemical composition of such defects but also enables the targeted design and passivation of the chemical state of grain boundaries to free them from their role as entry gates for corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, or mechanical failure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Observations of grain-boundary phase transformations in an elemental metal

The theory of grain boundary (the interface between crystallites, GB) structure has a long history 1 and the concept of GBs undergoing phase transformations was proposed 50 years ago 2,3 . The underlying assumption was that multiple stable and metastable states exist for different GB orientations 4,5,6 . The terminology ‘complexion’ was recently proposed to distinguish between interfacial states that differ in any equilibrium thermodynamic property 7 . Different types of complexion and transitions between complexions have been characterized, mostly in binary or multicomponent systems 8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19 . Simulations have provided insight into the phase behaviour of interfaces and shown that GB transitions can occur in many material systems 20,21,22,23,24 . However, the direct experimental observation and transformation kinetics of GBs in an elemental metal have remained elusive. In this work we demonstrate atomic-scale GB phase coexistence and transformations at symmetric and asymmetric $[11\bar{1}]$ tilt GBs in elemental copper. Atomic-resolution imaging reveals the coexistence of two different structures at Σ19b GBs (where Σ19 is the density of coincident sites and b is a GB variant), in agreement with evolutionary GB structure search and clustering analysis 21,25,26 . We also use finite-temperature molecular dynamics simulations to explore the coexistence and transformation kinetics of these GB phases. Our results demonstrate how GB phases can be kinetically trapped, enabling atomic-scale room-temperature observations. Our work paves the way for atomic-scale in situ studies of metallic GB phase transformations, which were previously detected only indirectly 9,15,27,28,29 , through their influence on abnormal grain growth, non-Arrhenius-type diffusion or liquid metal embrittlement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interaction of Polymethyl Methacrylate with Boehmite-Filmed Aluminum Cladding Under Gamma Irradiation

This paper presents an overview of ongoing work to qualify the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) driver fuel elements that have been affected by irradiation-degraded polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) flux wands. Irradiation testing was performed on PMMA material in contact with aluminum clad material. The cladding was prefilmed with a boehmite oxide layer, an important feature of the ATR driver fuel. The effects on the boehmite layer due to gamma irradiation of the PMMA-aluminum clad system were investigated. PMMA embrittlement, followed by softening and degradation, occurred at high radiation levels. Adhesion between the cladding and irradiated PMMA was observed. Flow testing at prototypic ATR flow rates demonstrated the effective removal of the adhered material. Measurements of the boehmite layer thickness were performed, and Raman spectroscopy was utilized to detect the presence of boehmite in the irradiated PMMA material.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Review of ECCS Acceptance Criteria and Experimental Basis Evolution Toward Fuel Fragmentation, Relocation, and Dispersal Studies

The U.S. nuclear industry is pursuing extensions of light water reactor (LWR) fuel burnup and enrichment limits to approximately 75 GWd/t and 10 wt.% 235 U to achieve economic and operational benefits. A central safety consideration in this effort is the behavior of high burnup (HBu) fuel during loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs), particularly fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal (FFRD). Here, this work provides a historical and technical review of U.S. LOCA regulation and experimentation, clarifying how the evolution of Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) acceptance criteria in 10 CFR 50.46 has shaped both testing approaches and interpretations of fuel safety. The study revisits the original intent of the ECCS criteria, showing that the peak cladding temperature and equivalent cladding reacted limits were developed as surrogates to preserve a coolable geometry. The explicit inclusion of the coolable geometry criterion in the regulation was intended to emphasize the underlying safety philosophy and as a safeguard against unforeseen failure modes, an intent that remains directly relevant to modern concerns regarding FFRD. The review traces the lineage of HBu LOCA experiments to the Argonne National Laboratory furnace tests, from which subsequent programs at Studsvik, Halden, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory were derived. These tests employed a 5 °C/s heating rate inherited from early embrittlement studies, a stylized temperature history that does not represent actual LWR LOCA thermal-hydraulics. Comparison of these test conditions to pressurized water reactor large break LOCAs and separate effects data indicates that the existing HBu LOCA database may not be fully applicable to all LWR LOCA scenarios, from which a qualitative framework for applicability is proposed.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Tritium Aging Effects on Fracture Toughness of Stainless Steel Weldments

The long-term embrittlement effects of tritium and decay helium on the structural properties of stainless steels have been studied for years at Savannah River to provide required data for establishing safe operating conditions and lifetimes of pressure vessels used to contain tritium gas. In this study, the fracture toughness properties of the longest-aged tritium-precharged stainless-steel base metals and weldments tested at Savannah River were measured and compared to earlier results. The fracture toughness values were the lowest recorded here for tritium-exposed stainless steel. As-forged and as-welded specimens were thermally precharging with tritium gas at 34.5 MPa and 623 K, then aged for up to 17 years to buildin decay helium prior to testing. ASTM J-Integral fracture mechanics analyses, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) examinations were conducted to characterize the effects of tritium and its radioactive decay product, helium-3. Results show that the fracture toughness values were reduced to less than 2-4% of the as-forged values for specimens with more than 1300 appm helium from tritium decay. The trend of decreasing fracture toughness values with increasing helium content was consistent with earlier observations, and the data show that Type 304L stainless steel is more resistant to tritium-induced cracking than Type 21-6-9 stainless at similar decay helium levels. The fracture toughness properties of long-aged weldments were also affected, but the reductions were not as severe over time because weldments did not retain as much tritium as did the base metals. TEM observations were used to characterize the effects of decay helium bubbles on the deformation substructures, but nanometer-sized helium bubbles were not easily resolved because of high dislocation densities within the forged microstructures. SANS results are presented that suggest the technique can provide information on decay helium bubble size, spacing, and distribution in these steels.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Design and Analysis of an Advanced Three-Point Bend Test Approach for Miniature Irradiated Disk Specimens

Candidate tungsten armor materials in a magnetic confinement fusion device must be able to withstand thermal variation that leads to internal stresses caused by the impinging heat load. In addition, the thermomechanical properties of these materials are degraded by irradiation-induced defect accumulation. Fission reactor–based irradiation data are used to predict the fusion neutron damage and property change. This study examines the motivation and design of a custom-designed three-point bend test for neutron-irradiated disk specimens that are 3 mm in diameter to be able to define the flexural strength of advanced tungsten materials, alloys, and composites—and to the extent that embrittlement occurs after neutron irradiation. The theory provided shows a calculation for the flexural deflection and shear deflection due to the small-geometry constraints. A finite element deformation analysis is performed to evaluate the mechanical stress field of disk bend specimens. The stress values above 80% of the maximum stress are concentrated in 2.4 mm of the 3.0-mm length of the centerline across the tungsten disk diameter. A bend test fixture has been designed and fabricated to enable testing of these specimens with precisely engineered tolerance and minimal machine compliance. This fixture will be able to be placed inside a universal testing frame at elevated temperatures for the mechanical property evaluation of future neutron-irradiated disk specimens.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

On the uncertainties in helium generation predictions for fission and fusion alloys

With ongoing advances in fusion and advanced fission reactors, quantifying irradiation effects in materials is critical. Transmutation-induced helium in cladding and structural materials can drive swelling and embrittlement, thereby reducing these components’ lifespans. Yet most studies ignore the considerable uncertainties in predicting helium generation rates. In this work, we created a code wrapper, F-SCATTER, that automatically performs simulations in FISPACT-II. We used this tool to investigate potential variance in helium generation rate, or He/dpa, calculations based on deviations in alloy composition, irradiating neutron flux spectrum, computational methodology, and nuclear data sources. We used 12 wt% Cr HT9 steel as the reference case and observed a 6.5%–98.3% He/dpa spread based on compositional variation within a single chemical specification, a 1.8%–11.5% He/dpa variation upon the incorporation of a 15% artificial uncertainty in flux at each energy, and a He/dpa difference as high as 231% when using ENDF/B-VIII.0 versus TENDL-2021 data libraries. Similar results were found for other prominent iron-based alloys, including Grade 91, castable nano-structured alloy, and 316H—where additional variations exist based on reactor type (e.g. thermal, fast, or fusion) and alloying elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and nickel. Based on the simulated results, we conclude that a significant part of the heat-to-heat variability in swelling responses of Fe-based alloys can be driven by impurity content in alloy compositions, and, therefore, chemical control should be a key element in supply chain design for advanced nuclear energy systems. Furthermore, we provide critical recommendations on best practices for evaluating and reporting helium production and lattice damage rates when computing predictions with multiphysics programs such as FISPACT-II.

FISPACT-II↗

Endowing low fatigue for elastocaloric effect by refined hierarchical microcomposite in additive manufactured NiTiCuCo alloy

Abstract NiTiCu-based shape memory alloys have been considered as ideal materials for solid-state refrigeration due to their superb cycling stability for elastocaloric effect. However, the embrittlement and deterioration caused by secondary phase and coarse grains restrict their applications, and it is still challenging since the geometric components are required. Here, bulk NiTiCuCo parts with excellent forming quality were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique. The as-fabricated alloy exhibits refined three-phases hierarchical microcomposite formed based on the rapid cooling mode of LPBF, composed of intricate dendritic Ti 2 Ni–NiTi composite and nano Ti 2 Cu embedded inside the NiTi-matrix. This configuration endows far superior elastocaloric stability compared to the as-cast counterpart. The low fatigue stems from the strong elastic coupling between the interphases with reversible martensite transformation, revealed byin-situsynchrotron high-energy x-ray diffraction. The fabrication of NiTiCuCo alloy via LPBF fills the bill of complex geometric structures for elastocaloric NiTiCu alloys. The understanding of interphase micro-coupling could provide the guide for designing LPBF fabricated shape memory-based composites, enabling their applications for special demands on other functionalities.

Engineering↗