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At least 541 records · Page 30

Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction of samples from the Santa Catharina iron meteorite

Conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS) of samples from the Santa Catharina iron meteorite shows the presence of the ordered iron-nickel phase with 50% Ni, tetrataenite, and of the paramagnetic iron-nickel phase with 25% Ni. The FeNi phase with 50% Ni amounts to 70% of the iron-nickel alloys. Futhermore, the CEM spectra show the presence of small peaks from one or more spinel compounds. These small peaks are more pronounced when regions near the rim of the samples are analyzed. The X-ray diffraction of different areas of the samples, both optically dark and optically light areas, shows the presence of a diffraction pattern from a single f.c.c. lattice with a lattice parameter of a=3.58A This means that the two different Fe-Ni phases seen in the CEMS analysis occupy the same lattice. The X-ray photographs also show the presence of super-structure reflections from the ordered FeNi phase, and that the orientation of the f.c.c. lattice is the same within the whole sample.

Roy-Poulsen, H.↗

The 1200 C cyclic oxidation behavior of two nickel-aluminum alloys (Ni3AL and NiAl) with additions of chromium, silicon, and titanium

The alloys Ni3Al and NiAl with and without 1 and 3 atomic percent chromium, silicon, and titanium replacing the aluminum were cyclically oxidized at 1200 C for times to 200 hours, and the results were compared with those obtained with the alloy B-1900 subjected to the same oxidation process. The evaluation was based on metal recession, specific weight change, metallography, electron microprobe analysis, and X-ray diffraction. The oxidation resistance of Ni3Al was improved by Si, unaffected by Ti, and degraded by Cr. The oxidation resistance of NiAl was slightly improved by Ti, unaffected by Si, and degraded by Cr. The oxidation resistance of Ni3Al with 1 atomic percent Si was nearly equal to that of NiAl. Alloy B-1900 exhibited oxidation resistance comparable to that of Ni3Al + Cr compositions.

Lowell, C. E.↗

Role of HF and Zr in the hydrogen embrittlement of Ta and Cb alloys

An attempt is made to characterize the hydrogen embrittlement of aged T-111 and similar Ta and Cb alloys and to describe the mechanisms believed responsible for the increased sensitivity of T-111 to low temperature hydrogen embrittlement after aging for 1000 hr or longer near 1040 C. A total of eight Ta-base alloys and two Cb-base alloys were investigated. The effects of pre-age annealing temperature, aging time, temperature and environment, and alloy composition on the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement were investigated. The primary method of determining the effects of these variables on the ductility of T-111 was by bend testing at 25 and -196 C. Fractured specimens were examined by the scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, metallography, and X-ray diffraction.

Stephens, J. R.↗

High-resolution electron microscope

Employing scanning transmission electron microscope as interferometer, relative phases of diffraction maximums can be determined by analysis of dark field images. Synthetic aperture technique and Fourier-transform computer processing of amplitude and phase information provide high resolution images at approximately one angstrom.

Nathan, R.↗

Influence of cobalt, tantalum, and tungsten on the microstructure and mechanical properties of superalloy single crystals

The influence of Co, Ta, and W on the microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel base super-alloy single crystals was investigated. A matrix of alloys was based on Mar-M 247 stripped of C, B, Zr, and Hf. The microstructures of the alloys were examined using optical and electron microscopy, phase extraction, X-ray diffraction, and differential thermal analysis. Tensile and creep-rupture tests were performed at 1000 C. An increase in tensile and creep strength resulted when Co was removed from alloys containing high refractory metal contents, but Co effects were negligible for alloys with lower refractory metal levels. In the composition range studied, W was more effective than Ta in increasing the creep resistance. The mechanical properties are discussed in relation to the microstructures of the alloys.

Nathal, M. V.↗

Preparation and analysis of particulate metal deposits

Small particles and clusters of palladium were grown by deposition from the vapor phase under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Amorphous and crystalline support films of Al2O3 and ultrathin amorphous carbon films were used as substrate materials. The growth of the metal deposit was monitored in situ by scanning transmission diffraction of energy-filtered 100 kV electrons and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed in a separate instrument. It was established by in situ TEM, however, that the transfer of specimens in this case did not unduly affect the size and distribution of deposit particles. It was found that the cleanness, stoichiometry, crystallinity and structural perfection of the support surface play an essential role in determining the crystalline perfection and structure of the particles. The smallest palladium clusters reproducibly prepared contained not more than six atoms but size determinations below 1 nm average particle diameter are very problematic with conventional TEM. Palladium particles grown on carbon supports feature an impurity-stabilized mosaic structure.

Poppa, H.↗

Fundamental Effects of Aging on Creep Properties of Solution-Treated Low-Carbon N-155 Alloy

A method is developed whereby the fundamental mechanisms are investigated by which processing, heat treatment, and chemical composition control the properties of alloys at high temperatures. The method used metallographic examination -- both optical and electronic --studies of x-ray diffraction-line widths, intensities, and lattice parameters, and hardness surveys to evaluate fundamental structural conditions. Mechanical properties at high temperatures are then measured and correlated with these measured structural conditions. In accordance with this method, a study was made of the fundamental mechanism by which aging controlled the short-time creep and rupture properties of solution-treated low-carbon n-155 alloy at 1200 degrees F.

Frey, D N↗

Furnace Cyclic Behavior of Plasma-Sprayed Zirconia-Yttria and Multi-Component Rare Earth Oxide Doped Thermal Barrier Coatings

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to enable further increases in engine temperatures. However, the coating performance and durability become a major concern under the increasingly harsh thermal cycling conditions. Advanced zirconia- and hafnia-based cluster oxide thermal barrier coatings with lower thermal conductivity and improved thermal stability are being developed using a high-heat-flux laser-rig based test approach. Although the new composition coatings were not yet optimized for cyclic durability, an initial durability screening of numerous candidate coating materials was carried out using conventional furnace cyclic tests. In this paper, furnace thermal cyclic behavior of the advanced plasma-sprayed zirconia-yttria-based thermal barrier coatings that were co-doped with multi-component rare earth oxides was investigated at 1163 C using 45 min hot cycles. The ceramic coating failure mechanisms were studied by using scanning electron microscopy combined with X-ray diffraction phase analysis after the furnace tests. The coating cyclic lifetime will be discussed in relation to coating phase structures, total dopant concentrations, and other properties.

Zhu, Dongming↗

Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminosilicate (CMAS) Reactions and Degradation Mechanisms of Advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings

The thermochemical reactions between calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate- (CMAS-) based road sand and several advanced turbine engine environmental barrier coating (EBC) materials were studied. The phase stability, reaction kinetics and degradation mechanisms of rare earth (RE)-silicates Yb2SiO5, Y2Si2O7, and RE-oxide doped HfO2 and ZrO2 under the CMAS infiltration condition at 1500 C were investigated, and the microstructure and phase characteristics of CMAS-EBC specimens were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Experimental results showed that the CMAS dissolved RE-silicates to form crystalline, highly non-stoichiometric apatite phases, and in particular attacking the silicate grain boundaries. Cross-section images show that the CMAS reacted with specimens and deeply penetrated into the EBC grain boundaries and formed extensive low-melting eutectic phases, causing grain boundary recession with increasing testing time in the silicate materials. The preliminary results also showed that CMAS reactions also formed low melting grain boundary phases in the higher concentration RE-oxide doped HfO2 systems. The effect of the test temperature on CMAS reactions of the EBC materials will also be discussed. The faster diffusion exhibited by apatite and RE-doped oxide phases and the formation of extensive grain boundary low-melting phases may limit the CMAS resistance of some of the environmental barrier coatings at high temperatures.

Ahlborg, Nadia L.↗

On-Going Laboratory Efforts to Quantitatively Address Clay Abundance on Mars

Data obtained at visible and near-infrared wavelengths by OMEGA on MarsExpress and CRISM on MRO provide definitive evidence for the presence of phyllosilicates and other hydrated phases on Mars. A diverse range of both Fe/Mg-OH and Al-OH-bearing phyllosilicates were identified including the smectites, nontronite, saponite, and montmorillonite. In order to constrain the abundances of these phyllosilicates spectral analyses of mixtures are needed. We report on our on-going effort to enable the quantitative evaluation of the abundance of hydrated-hydroxylated silicates when they are contained in mixtures. We include two component mixtures of hydrated/hydroxylated silicates with each other and with two analogs for other martian materials; pyroxene (enstatite) and palagonitic soil (an alteration product of basaltic glass). For the hydrated-hydroxylated silicates we include saponite and montmorillonite (Mg- and Al- rich smectites). We prepared three size separates of each end-member for study: 20-45, 63-90, and 125-150 μm. As the second phase of our effort we used scanning electron microscopy imaging and x-ray diffraction to characterize the grain size distribution, and structural nature, respectively, of the mixtures. Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of the 63-90 micrometers grain size of the mixture samples are shown in Figure 1. We discuss the results of our measurements of these mixtures.

Mars↗

Chemical and Microstructural Changes in Metallic and Ceramic Materials Exposed to Venusian Surface Conditions

The chemical and microstructural behavior of steels (304, 310, 316, and 1018), nickel-based alloys (beta-NiAl, G30, and 625), gold, coatings (4YSZ, SilcoNert(TradeMark) 1040 (SilcoTek Co.), Dursan(TradeMark) (SilcoTek Co.), and porcelain), and bulk ceramics (alpha-Al2O3, fused quartz, beta-SiC, and alpha-Si3N4) were probed after exposure to supercritical fluid with temperature, pressure, and composition mimicking the Venus lower atmosphere. Exposures were carried out in the Glenn Extreme Environments Rig (GEER) chamber with the Venusian gas mixture (96.5% CO2, 3.5% N2, 30 ppm H2O, 150 ppm SO2, 28 ppm CO, 15 ppm OCS, 3 ppm H2S, 0.5 ppm HCl, and 5 ppb HF) at 92 bar (1330 psi) and 467 C (873 F) for durations of 10 and 42 days. An additional 21-day exposure was done to stainless steel uncoated and coated with SilcoNert(TradeMark) and Dursan(TradeMark). Samples were characterized before and after the experiment by gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopies, and cross section electron microscopy analysis. All steels exposed for 10 and 42 days formed double-layered scales consisting mainly of metal (Cr, Fe, Ni) oxides and sulfides showing different chemistry, microstructure, and crystalline phases. The alloys G30 and 625 formed double-layered scales consisting mainly of nickel sulfides. After 10 days, the beta-NiAl exhibited no detectable scale, suggesting only a very thin film was formed. The 304 and 316 stainless steels coated with 4YSZ that were exposed for 10 and 42 days exhibited no significant oxidation. Steel 1018 coated with 4YSZ exhibited a corrosion scale of iron and/or chromium oxide formed at the base of the alloy. The 304 steel coated with porcelain did not exhibit corrosion, although the coating exhibited recession. SilcoNert(TradeMark) exposed for 10 and 42 days exhibited recession, although no oxidation was found to occur at the base of the alloy. Stainless steel 316 coated with Dursan(TradeMark)  exhibited corrosion at the base of the alloy. All ceramics tested showed no clear evidence of reaction. The weight-gain-per-area performance of the materials exposed in the GEER for 10 and 42 days are reported from the lowest to the highest weight gain per area as follows: gold did not exhibit any weight change; nickel-based alloys: beta- NiAl < G30 < 625; steels: 304 < 310 < 316 < 1018; ceramics: considering the experimental uncertainties, no weight change was observed for all ceramics of this work (alpha-Al2O3, Si3N4, SiC, and amorphous SiO2).

Costa, Gustavo C. C.↗

Photon Sieve Design and Fabrication for Imaging Characteristics Using UAV Flight

The Photon Sieve (PS) team at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) began receiving support for the development and characterization of PS devices through the NASA Internal Research & Development Program (IRAD) in 2015. The project involves ascertaining the imaging characteristics of various PS devices. These devices hold the potential to significantly reduce mission costs and improve imaging quality by replacing traditional reflector telescopes. The photon sieve essentially acts as a lens to diffract light to a concentrated point on the focal plane like a Fresnel Zone Plate (FZP). PS’s have the potential to focus light to a very small spot which is not limited by the width of the outermost zone as for the FZP and offers a promising solution for high resolution imaging. In the fields of astronomy, remote sensing, and other applications that require imaging of distant objects both on the ground and in the sky, it is often necessary to perform post-process filtering in order to separate noise signals that arise from multiple scattering events near the collection optic. The PS exhibits a novel filtering technique that rejects the unwanted noise without the need for time consuming post processing of the images. This project leverages key Langley resources to design, manufacture, and characterize a series of photon sieve specimens. After a prototype was developed and characterized in the Langley ISO5 optical cleanroom and laboratory, outside testing was conducted via the capture of images of the moon by using a telescopic setup. This next goal of the project is to design and develop a telescope and image capture system as a drone-based instrument payload. The vehicle utilized for the initial demonstration was a NASA hive model 1200 XE-8 research Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), capable of handling a 20-pound maximum payload with a 25-minute flight time. This NASA Technical Memorandum (NASA-TM) introduces preliminary results obtained using a PS-based imaging system on the UAV. The next version of the telescope structure will be designed around diffractive optical components and commercially available camera electronics to create a lightweight payload.

Kim, Hyun Jung↗

TEM and XRD Investigation of Impact Glass Alteration Products: Amorphous Materials, Phyllosilicates and Everything in Between

Impact cratering is one of the most ubiquitous geologic processes shaping the surface of all solid bodies in our solar system. Impacts are also a major source of clay minerals and poorly crystalline, clay-like materials on Earth and Mars[1,2].These phyllosilicates and related clay-like phases comprise an incredibly complex group of materials, and their characterization, even in controlled laboratory settings, remains a challenging endeavor. The nature and origin of clay minerals and amorphous materials on Mars, which form a major component (~20-70 wt %) of rock and soil samples in Gale Crater as determined by the CheMin instrument on Curiosity, have remained ambiguous[3]. These amorphous phases likely fall on a spectrum between pristine volcanic and/or impact-produced primary materials and clay minerals and related phases formed from aqueous alteration. Amorphous materials are common weathering products in terrestrial sediments, soils, and paleosols [e.g., 4,5].Primary impact materials (glass, melt rocks)are comparable in some ways to those generated volcanically [6], and so it may be possible that an amorphous component is preserved within altered impactites. There are hundreds of thousands of impact craters on Mars, and Curiosity and Perseverance are currently exploring ancient impact craters. We hypothesize that the sediments and lithologies in Gale and Jezero Craters and elsewhere contain altered impact products; it is therefore important to better understand the composition and structure of these materials. Here we present the first results from a study characterizing materials produced from impact glass alteration–clay minerals, poorly crystalline/amorphous materials–in terrestrial craters using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD)and chemical (EDS) analysis.

Impact crater↗

Effect of Ni2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ on green rust transformation to magnetite

In this study, we investigated Ni2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ mineralogical incorporation and its effect on green rust transformation to magnetite. Mineral transformation experiments were conducted by heating green rust suspensions at 85 °C in the presence of Ni2+, Zn2+, or Co2+ under strict anoxic conditions. Transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction showed the conversion of hexagonal green rust platelets to fine grained cubic magnetite crystals. The addition of Ni2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ resulted in faster rates of mineral transformation. The conversion of green rust to magnetite was concurrent to significant increases in metal uptake, demonstrating a strong affinity for metal sorption/ co-precipitation by magnetite. Dissolution ratio curves showed that Ni2+, Zn2+, and Co2+ cations were incorporated into the mineral structure during magnetite crystal growth. The results indicate that the transformation of green rust to magnetite is accelerated by metal impurities, and that magnetite is a highly effective scavenger of trace metals during mineral transformation. The implications for using diagenetic magnetite from green rust precursors as paleoproxies of Precambrian ocean chemistry are discussed.

Hydrosulfate green rust↗

Neutron diffractometer allows both magnetic and crystallographic analyses

Automatic double-crystal neutron diffractometer performs both crystal and magnetic structural analyses. This shielded installation has a goniometric turntable and electronic controls, and auxiliary equipment including a goniometer, diffraction electromagnet, two cryogenic dewars, and two diffraction furnaces.

Atoji, M.↗

An Exploratory Study of the Microstructure of Mullite Fibers

The microstructures of mullite composition fibers were examined by transmission electron microscopic techniques and by X-ray diffraction analyses. Both spun and monofilament fiber structures contained little porosity, nor did the degree of porosity change after heating the monofilament to 1205 C for one half hour. Thermal exposure produced crystallite growth and nucleation from the amorphous phase in all three of the spun fibers. After 116 hours at 1426 C, the crystallites of the standard spun fibers became contiguous. In addition, the surface crystallites of these fibers were found to be more than twice as large as the interior crystallites.

Santoro, G.↗