Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “structure-property relationship”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

46 records · Page 3

Lattice Thermal Conductivity from Atomistic Simulations: ZrB2 and HfB2

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) including ZrB2 and HfB2 have a number of properties that make them attractive for applications in extreme environments. One such property is their high thermal conductivity. Computational modeling of these materials will facilitate understanding of fundamental mechanisms, elucidate structure-property relationships, and ultimately accelerate the materials design cycle. Progress in computational modeling of UHTCs however has been limited in part due to the absence of suitable interatomic potentials. Recently, we developed Tersoff style parameterizations of such potentials for both ZrB2 and HfB2 appropriate for atomistic simulations. As an application, Green-Kubo molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of ZrB2 and HfB2. The atomic mass difference in these binary compounds leads to oscillations in the time correlation function of the heat current, in contrast to the more typical monotonic decay seen in monoatomic materials such as Silicon, for example. Results at room temperature and at elevated temperatures will be reported.

Lawson, John W.↗

Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2 from Atomistic Simulations

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) including ZrB2 and HfB2 have a number of properties that make them attractive for applications in extreme environments. One such property is their high thermal conductivity. Computational modeling of these materials will facilitate understanding of fundamental mechanisms, elucidate structure-property relationships, and ultimately accelerate the materials design cycle. Progress in computational modeling of UHTCs however has been limited in part due to the absence of suitable interatomic potentials. Recently, we developed Tersoff style parameterizations of such potentials for both ZrB2 and HfB2 appropriate for atomistic simulations. As an application, Green-Kubo molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of ZrB2 and HfB2. The atomic mass difference in these binary compounds leads to oscillations in the time correlation function of the heat current, in contrast to the more typical monotonic decay seen in monoatomic materials such as Silicon, for example. Results at room temperature and at elevated temperatures will be reported.

Lawson, John W.↗

The Effects of Fiber Surface Modification and Thermal Aging on Composite Toughness And its Measurement

A detailed experimental study was conducted to establish the structure-property relationships between elevated temperature aging and (I) fiber-matrix bonding, (2) Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness, and (3) failure modes of carbon fiber/PMR-15 composites. The fiber-matrix adhesion was varied by using carbon fibers with different surface treatments. Short beam shear tests were used to quantify the interfacial shear strength afforded by the use of the different fiber surface treatments. The results of the short beam shear tests definitely showed that, for aging times up to 1000 hr, the aging process caused no observable changes in the bulk of the three composite materials that---would degrade the shear properties of the material. Comparisons between the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) measured by the short beam shear tests and the GII c test results, as measured by the ENF test, indicated that the differences in the surface treatments significantly affected the fracture properties while the effect of the aging process was probably limited to changes at the starter crack tip. The fracture properties changed due to a shift in the fracture from an interfacial failure to a failure within the matrix when the fiber was changed from AU-4 to AS-4 or AS-4G. There appears to be an effect of the fiber/matrix bonding on the thermo-oxidative stability of the composites that were tested. The low bonding afforded by the AU-4 fiber resulted in weight losses about twice those experienced by the AS-4 reinforced composites, the ones with the best TOS.

Bowles, Kenneth J.↗

Plasticity and Damage Modeling of Stress Asymmetry and Dynamic Behavior of AFS Additive Manufactured Aluminum Alloy 2219

The Solid State Additive Manufacturing (AM) process referred as MELD that fabricated the samples in this study, provides a new path for repairing, coating, joining and additive manufacturing metals and metal matrix composites. This research will be the first application of a physics-based microstructure dependent internal state variable (ISV) plasticity and damage material model to capture the mechanical response of an AM Aluminum Alloy (AA) 2219 via the MELD process. In this research, a microstructure-based internal state variable (ISV) plasticity-damage model was used to capture the mechanical behavior of AFS 2219 aluminum alloy. Aeroprobe Corporation, creator and patent holder for the MELD process, fabricated the material by pushing a solid filler rod of AA2219-T861 material through a hollow rotating tool onto an AA2219 T851 plate substrate. As feedstock, solid or powder precursor metals are pushed through a nonconsumable rotating cylindrical tool. Herein, added layers are deposited and metallurgically bonded to substrate material or previously deposited layers by the heat generated from the rotating tool through plastic deformation of the filler material. Once a layer has been added, the tool height increases, and starts the deposition of the next layer. This process results in beneficial properties such as grain refinement, homogenization and reduced porosity (fully dense). This process will experience temperatures similar to those in the weld nugget zone (WNZ) in friction stir welding (FSW), ranging from 0.6-0.9 Tm, with Tm being the melting point of the material. MELD is highly scalable with AA deposition rates reaching over 1000 cm3/hr, which allows for MELD being used for repairs, coatings, and building components. A motivating factor driving the research for physics-based history dependent material modeling of MELD components is the ability to accurately capture the stress-state and strain rate dependence in the material caused by variations in material microstructure from the MELD processing of new or repaired components. The ISV model incorporates microstructural content and is consistent with continuum level kinematics, kinetics, and thermodynamics. These features allow the ISV model to capture large deformations at the structural scale using the kinematic and isotropic hardening, while microscale damage is obtained from the microstructural features. The benefits of the ISV model arise from the inclusion of structure-property relationships identified from microstructural characterization and experimentation. The Bauschinger effect (BE) is an important concept, vital in the accurate prediction of cyclic stress-strain response of ductile materials such as metals. The ISV model has been successfully used to capture the behavior and damage, and the BE of different aluminum alloys and steels. The ISV model uses kinematic and isotropic hardening to help capture deformations of the material at the macro scale. To understand this hardening relationship, calculating the kinematic and isotropic hardening relationship in the material is warranted for a high-fidelity model. Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) was used to characterize the as-fabricated microstructure, where a fully-dense equiaxed grain morphology with average grain size of 2.5 μm was observed. Microhardness mapping of the as-built structures, monotonic tension and compression experiments at both quasi-static (0.001/s) strain rates, tension-followed-by-compression and compression-followed-by-tension experiments were performed to obtain the set of plasticity and damage constants necessary to capture strain rate and stress state behavior of this additive material. To calibrate the plasticity-damage model, a single set of constants were determined to capture the different stress states the MELD AA2219. One set of the constants was determined from experimental true stress-strain curves for the tension and compression data. Additionally, microstructural information and data from the open literature were used as the other model constants. This research is a first of its kind for AFS AA2219, includes correlating the ISV model to the monotonic experimental results that capture the isotropic and kinematic plasticity mechanical response.

Rivera, O. G.↗

Novel Environmental Barrier Coatings for the Protection of SiC Components

Greater gas turbine engine efficiency is a major goal in aeronautics research often pursued through increased engine operating temperatures. However, it is necessary to replace the current hot-stage alloy components with more thermally robust parts, such as Silicon-based ceramics and composites. Unfortunately, these materials are still susceptible to the effects of oxidation, water vapor, and (Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicate) CMAS interaction, among other issues at high temperature. To mitigate these effects, environmental barrier coating (EBC) materials are employed to help control the rate of degradation to the underlying composite, but must also survive the corrosive environment. The current study explores new design space in Mg-based EBC materials with respect to microstructure, high temperature phase stability, volatilization in water vapor, as well as structure-property relationships at high temperature.

Kowalski, Benjamin A.↗

Dual Anion-Cation Crosslinked Poly(ionic liquid) Composite Membranes for Enhanced CO2 Separation

Herein, we propose a strategy of developing novel dual anionic-cationic crosslinked poly(IL)-IL composite membranes via a photopolymerization method for enhanced CO2 separations. These are the first examples of dually photopolymerized anionic-cationic poly(IL)-IL composite systems, in which the backbones of poly(IL)s feature both pendant anions and cations without any mobile counterions unlike poly(IL) reported so far in the literature. A new type of dual photopolymerizable anionic-cationic IL (DIL) monomer having methacrylate functional group tethered with highly delocalized sulfonimide anion (–SO2–N(-)–SO2–C7H7) and a vinylimidazolium counterion ([C4(vim)](+)) was successfully synthesized and photopolymerized with four distinct amounts of free IL with a structurally analogous cation ([C4(mim)][Tf2N]) and 20 wt% PEGDA crosslinker, offering novel composite matrices. Further, the structure-property relationships as well as gas separation behaviors of the four newly developed dual anioniccationic poly(IL)-IL composite membranes were extensively characterized by FT-IR, DSC, and XRD. All of the newly developed dual anionic-cationic poly(IL)-IL composite membranes displayed outstanding permselectivites for CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, and CO2/H2 gas pairs together with reasonable CO2 permeabilities. As a result, all the dual anionic-cationic poly(IL)-IL composite membranes outperformed the common poly(IL)-IL systems in the upper bound limit plots with best CO2 permeability of 40 barrer and CO2/CH4 permselectivity of 85. This study may pave a new platform to explore countless potential poly(IL)-IL composites for selective separation of CO2 from flue gas, natural gas, and syngas streams.

Irshad Kammakakam↗

Understanding Variability in Mechanical Behavior of Adhesively Bonded Sandwich Joints due to Stochastic Material Damage

A mesoscale progressive damage analysis was applied to the analysis of recently tested adhesively bonded sandwich panels, in which ten nominally identical tension loaded panels failed in three different failure modes, with peakloads ranging from 13.0 –16.1 kips. A parametric finite element model for progressive damage analysis of an adhesively bonded joint (ABJ) considering matrix and fiber damage, and delamination cracks in unidirectional and fabric composite sections of the joint, as well as core crushing, and adhesive fracture was developed. The model was developed using Abaqus/Explicit and utilized continuum damage mechanics material models for intralaminar damage in the facesheet and doubler plies, cohesive elements for delamination and adhesive debonding, and discretized cells considering plasticity to model crushing of the aluminum honeycomb core. Analysis predictions obtained with a pristine model agreed well with the average experimental peak load, strain in the joint, and post-test damage states. Then, various methods to incorporate stochastic material variability into ABJ model were evaluated. These methods included simulation of pre-existing matrix damage, pre-existing adhesive porosity, and uniform modification of adhesive properties. These material and manufacturing defects changed the damage mode predictions in some cases. The analysis of stochastic strength due to the considered defects revealed unintuitive damage mode interaction in the ABJ, explaining some structure-property relationships observed experimentally.

Richard Larson↗

Auxetic Thermo-Responsive Shape-Memory Polyurethane Aerogels

Shape memory polymer aerogels are stimuli-responsive aerogel materials that incorporate polymer aerogel characteristics such as flexibility at low density, and high porosity with shape-changing capabilities upon exposure to external stimuli. By designing the structure of these materials at meso- to macroscale, their shape memory response can be efficiently engineered to show an auxetic response such as a negative Poisson’s ratio, leading to an active and tunable metamaterial. We present a material technology based on a shape memory polyurethane aerogel derived from aliphatic triisocyanate and triethylene glycol, which demonstrates and remembers an auxetic shape change through a thermomechanical cycle first below, and then back again above the glass transition temperature of the polyurethane. Our auxetic shape memory polyurethane aerogels exhibit a significant auxetic response with a negative Poisson’s ratio of approximately -0.8 at 15% compressive strain. This technology is expected to impact multiple areas of interest in relation to commercial, aeronautic, and aerospace industries. Potential applications include minimally invasive medical technologies, soft robotics, and self-deployable structures and habitats. Structure-property relationships of the auxetic shape memory polymer aerogels will be discussed.

Sadeq Malakooti↗

Thermomechanical Property Prediction of Amorphous and Crystal PEKK via Molecular Dynamics

Traditionally, advanced aerospace composites have been manufactured using thermoset resins. However, recently, thermoplastics have been investigated for use in the manufacturing of composite materials due to their unique manufacturing characteristics. Thermoplastic resins can be reshaped and formed, along with the added benefit of being recyclable, which thermoset resin cannot. Thermoplastic materials undergo a crystallization process during manufacturing which affects the percent crystallinity of the material. The crystallization needs to be understood better to maximize the potential of thermoplastic resins. PEKK is a thermoplastic material with good chemical, thermal, and mechanical loading resistance. PEKK is also a material NASA is interested in for developing new bonded joint technology. The crystalline microstructure of PEKK is at the micrometer length scale, and it is of interest to model the effects of the crystallinity structure on PEKK’s bulk properties. Molecular dynamics (MD) is a simulation tool that allows for property-structure relationships between atomistic structure and nanometer-length portions of a material. This makes MD a useful tool for developing the structure-property relationship of PEKK. However, the micrometer length scale of PEKK’s crystal structure is too large for MD. Thus, a hybrid approach to modeling PEKK’s microstructure is proposed in this work where MD models are built of both the amorphous and crystalline phases of PEKK. The engineering material properties can be obtained using MD at the nanometer length scale. A micromechanics approach can then generate the micrometer length scale of the crystallinity and the effective properties can be homogenized. The objective of this paper is to show the MD model workflow and the MD-predicted properties of PEKK. The properties can then be homogenized with different crystalline percentages to build design graphs that can be used to tailor PEKK for specific composite applications.

poly ether ketone ketone↗

Structure-Property Correlations in Al-Li Alloy Integrally Stiffened Extrusions

The objective of this investigation was to establish the relationship between mechanical property anisotropy, microstructure and crystallographic texture in integrally 'T'-stiffened extruded panels fabricated from the Al-Li alloys 2195, 2098 and 2096. In-plane properties were measured as a function of orientation at two locations in the panels, namely mid-way between (Skin), and directly beneath (Base), the integral 'T' stiffeners. The 2195 extrusion exhibited the best combination of strength and toughness, but was the most anisotropic. The 2098 extrusion exhibited lower strength and comparable toughness, but was more isotropic than 2195. The 2096 extrusion exhibited the lowest strength and poor toughness, but was the most isotropic. All three alloys exhibited highly elongated grain structures and similar location-dependent variations in grain morphology. The textural characteristics comprised a beta + <100> fiber texture, similar to rolled product, in the Skin regions and alpha <111> + <100> fiber texture, comparable to axisymmetric extruded product, in the Base regions. In an attempt to quantitatively correlate texture with yield strength anisotropy, the original 'full constraint' Taylor model and a variant of the 'relaxed constraint' model, explored by Wert et al., were applied to the data. A comparison of the results revealed that the Wert model was consistently more accurate than the Taylor model.

Hales, Stephen J.↗