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NASA NTRS2001

Stress-Rupture and Stress-Relaxation of SiC/SiC Composites at Intermediate Temperature

Tensile static stress and static strain experiments were performed on woven Sylramic (Dow Corning, Midland, MI) and Hi-Nicalon (Nippon Carbon, Japan) fiber reinforced, BN interphase, melt-infiltrated SiC matrix composites at 815 C. Acoustic emission was used to monitor the damage accumulation during the test. The stress-rupture properties of Sylramic composites were superior to that of Hi-Nicalon Tm composites. Conversely, the applied strain levels that Hi-Nicalon composites can withstand for stress-relaxation experiments were superior to Sylramic composites; however, at a cost of poor retained strength properties for Hi-Nicalon composites. Sylramic composites exhibited much less stress-oxidation induced matrix cracking compared to Hi-Nicalon composites. This was attributed to the greater stiffness and roughness of Sylramic fibers themselves and the lack of a carbon layer between the fiber and the BN interphase for Sylramic composites, which existed in Hi-Nicalon composites. Due to the lack of stress-relief for Sylramic composites, time to failure for Sylramic composite stress-relaxation experiments was not much longer than for stress-rupture experiments when comparing the peak stress condition for stress-relaxation with the applied stress of stress-rupture.

Morscher, Gregory N.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Scatter in Carbon/Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) Composites Quantified

Carbon-fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix (C/SiC) composites processed by chemical vapor infiltration are candidate materials for aerospace thermal structures. Carbon fibers can retain properties at very high temperatures, but they are known to have poor oxidation resistance in adverse, high-temperature environments. Nevertheless, the combination of CVI-SiC matrix with higher stiffness and oxidation resistance, the interfacial coating, and additional surface-seal coating provides the necessary protection to the carbon fibers, and makes the material viable for high-temperature space applications operating under harsh environments. Furthermore, C/SiC composites, like other ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), exhibit graceful non-catastrophic failure because of various inherent energy dissipating mechanisms. The material exhibits nonlinearity in deformation even at very low stress levels. This is the result of the severe matrix microcracking present in the as processed composite because of large differences between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fiber and the matrix. Utilization of these advanced composites in next generation space vehicles will require innovative structural configurations, updated materials, and refined analyses. Structural safety issues for these vehicles are in direct competition with performance and cost. One would have to quantify the uncertainties associated with the design using formal probabilistic methods. Specifically four fundamental aspects on which analyses are based-- (1) loading conditions, (2) material behavior, (3) geometrical configurations, and (4) structural connections between the composite components and baseline structure--are stochastic in nature. A direct way to formally account for uncertainties is to develop probabilistic structural analysis methods where all participating variables are described by appropriate probability density functions. The present work, however, focuses on analyzing the stochastic material behavior of these advanced composites using formal probabilistic analysis methods. Often, some of the desirable property characteristics that allow composites to offer advantages over conventional structural materials (like tailoring of composite properties) and the complexity are in fact responsible for their greater statistical variability and the requirements for more characterization tests. Composite properties are anisotropic as well, having different properties in different directions. This means that characterization of a property such as stiffness--which will vary greatly depending on the orientation of the fiber relative to the direction of the testing--must be repeated for several different directions and loading conditions. The fabrication process for composites also introduces statistical variations in properties and geometry. A composite part is produced in a number of steps, each of which introduces statistical variability. The matrix is usually produced from a combination of raw materials; and the fiber, which has its own set of properties, is often coated or surface treated, introducing yet another source of variability.

Murthy, Pappu L. N.↗

NASA NTRS2008

The Manufacturing Process for the NASA Composite Crew Module Demonstration Structure

This paper will describe the approaches and methods selected in fabrication of a carbon composite demonstration structure for the Composite Crew Module (CCM) Program. The program is managed by the NASA Safety and Engineering Center with participants from ten NASA Centers and AFRL. Multiple aerospace contractors are participating in the design development, tooling and fabrication effort as well. The goal of the program is to develop an agency wide design team for composite habitable spacecraft. The specific goals for this development project are: a).To gain hands on experience in design, building and testing a composite crew module. b) To validate key assumptions by resolving composite spacecraft design details through fabrication and testing of hardware. This abstract is based on Preliminary Design data..The final design will continue to evolve through the fall of 2007 with fabrication mostly completed by conference date. From a structures perspective, the.CCM can be viewed as a pressure module with variable pressure time histories and a series of both impact and quasi-static, high intensity point, line, and area distributed loads. The portion of the overall space vehicle being designed and. fabricated by the CCM team is just the pressure module and primary loading points. The heaviest point loads are applied and distributed to the pressure module at.an aluminum Service Module/Alternate Launch Abort System (SM/ALAS) fittings and at Main and Drogue Chute fittings. Significant line loads with metal to metal impact is applied at.the Lids ring. These major external point and line loads as well as pressure impact loads (blast and water landing) are applied to the lobed floor though the reentry shield and crushable materials. The pressure module is divided into upper and lower. shells that mate together with a bonded belly band splice joint to create the completed structural assembly. The benefits of a split CCM far outweigh the risks of a joint. These benefits include lower tooling cost and less manufacturing risk. Assembly of the top and bottom halves of the pressure shell will allow access to the interior of the shell throughout remaining fabrication sequence and can also potentially permit extensive installation of equipment and .crew facilities prior to final assembly of the two shell halves. A Pi pre-form is a woven carbon composite material which is provided in pre-impregnated form and frozen for long term storage. The cross-section shape allows the top of the pi to be bonded to a flat or curved surface with a second flat plate composite section bonded between two upstanding legs of the Pi. One of the regions relying on the merits of the Pi pre-form is the backbone. All connections among plates of the backbone structure, including the upper flanges, and to the lobe base of the pressure shell are currently joined by Pi pre-forms. The intersection of backbone composite plates is formed by application of two Pi pre-forms, top flanges and lobed surfaces are bonded with one Pi pre-form. The process of applying the pre-impregnated pi-preform will be demonstrated to include important steps like surface preparation, forming, application of pressure dams, vacuum bagging for consolidation, and curing techniques. Chopped carbon fiber tooling was selected over other traditional metallic and carbon fiber tooling. The requirement of schedule and cost economy for a moderate reuse cure tool warranted composite tooling options. Composite tooling schedule duration of 18 weeks compared favorably against other metallic tooling including invar tooling. Composite tooling also shows significant cost savings over low CTE metallic options. The composite tooling options were divided into two groups and the final decision was based on the cost, schedule, tolerance, temperature, and reuse requirements.

Pelham, Larry↗

NASA NTRS2010

Comparison of Autoclave and Out-of-Autoclave Composites

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate initiated an Advanced Composite Technology Project through the Exploration Technology Development Program in order to support the polymer composite needs for future heavy lift launch architectures. As an example, the large composite dry structural applications on Ares V inspired the evaluation of autoclave and out-of-autoclave (OOA) composite materials. A NASA and industry team selected the most appropriate materials based on component requirements for a heavy lift launch vehicle. Autoclaved and OOA composites were fabricated and results will highlight differences in processing conditions, laminate quality, as well as initial room temperature thermal and mechanical performance. Results from this study compare solid laminates that were both fiber-placed and hand-laid. Due to the large size of heavy-lift launch vehicle composite structures, there is significant potential that the uncured composite material or prepreg will experience significant out-life during component fabrication. Therefore, prepreg out-life was a critical factor examined in this comparison. In order to rigorously test material suppliers recommended out-life, the NASA/Industry team extended the out-time of the uncured composite prepreg to values that were approximately 50% beyond the manufacturers out-time limits. Early results indicate that the OOA prepreg composite materials suffered in both composite quality and mechanical property performance from their extended out-time. However, the OOA materials performed similarly to the autoclaved composites when processed within a few days of exposure to ambient "shop" floor handling. Follow on studies evaluating autoclave and OOA aluminum honeycomb core sandwich composites are planned.

Sutter, James K.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Critical Team Composition Issues for Long-Distance and Long-Duration Space Exploration: A Literature Review, an Operational Assessment, and Recommendations for Practice and Research

Prevailing team effectiveness models suggest that teams are best positioned for success when certain enabling conditions are in place (Hackman, 1987; Hackman, 2012; Mathieu, Maynard, Rapp, & Gilson, 2008; Wageman, Hackman, & Lehman, 2005). Team composition, or the configuration of member attributes, is an enabling structure key to fostering competent teamwork (Hackman, 2002; Wageman et al., 2005). A vast body of research supports the importance of team composition in team design (Bell, 2007). For example, team composition is empirically linked to outcomes such as cooperation (Eby & Dobbins, 1997), social integration (Harrison, Price, Gavin, & Florey, 2002), shared cognition (Fisher, Bell, Dierdorff, & Belohlav, 2012), information sharing (Randall, Resick, & DeChurch, 2011), adaptability (LePine, 2005), and team performance (e.g., Bell, 2007). As such, NASA has identified team composition as a potentially powerful means for mitigating the risk of performance decrements due to inadequate crew cooperation, coordination, communication, and psychosocial adaptation in future space exploration missions. Much of what is known about effective team composition is drawn from research conducted in conventional workplaces (e.g., corporate offices, production plants). Quantitative reviews of the team composition literature (e.g., Bell, 2007; Bell, Villado, Lukasik, Belau, & Briggs, 2011) are based primarily on traditional teams. Less is known about how composition affects teams operating in extreme environments such as those that will be experienced by crews of future space exploration missions. For example, long-distance and long-duration space exploration (LDSE) crews are expected to live and work in isolated and confined environments (ICEs) for up to 30 months. Crews will also experience communication time delays from mission control, which will require crews to work more autonomously (see Appendix A for more detailed information regarding the LDSE context). Given the unique context within which LDSE crews will operate, NASA identified both a gap in knowledge related to the effective composition of autonomous, LDSE crews, and the need to identify psychological and psychosocial factors, measures, and combinations thereof that can be used to compose highly effective crews (Team Gap 8). As an initial step to address Team Gap 8, we conducted a focused literature review and operational assessment related to team composition issues for LDSE. The objectives of our research were to: (1) identify critical team composition issues and their effects on team functioning in LDSE-analogous environments with a focus on key composition factors that will most likely have the strongest influence on team performance and well-being, and 1 Astronaut diary entry in regards to group interaction aboard the ISS (p.22; Stuster, 2010) 2 (2) identify and evaluate methods used to compose teams with a focus on methods used in analogous environments. The remainder of the report includes the following components: (a) literature review methodology, (b) review of team composition theory and research, (c) methods for composing teams, (d) operational assessment results, and (e) recommendations.

Bell, Suzanne T.↗

DOE OSTI2018

Formation of gradient microstructure and mechanical properties of hot-pressed W-20 wt% Cu composites after sliding friction severe deformation

Highlights: • W particles of composites were refined during sliding friction treatment (SFD). • Dislocation, dislocation tangles and boundary clearly exist in deformed W particle. • YS and UTS of SFDed sample are 308.74 MPa and 553.60 MPa owing to the refinement. • Electrical conductivity of SFDed sample decreased from 33 IACS% to 28.5 IACS%. • Fracture mode changing from inter-granular mode to trans-granular. - Abstract: W-based alloys are currently considered promising candidates for high heat flux components in future fusion reactors. In this paper, hot pressed W-20 wt%Cu composites were treated at room temperature using a sliding friction severe deformation (SFD) process, with a moving speed of 0.2 m/s and an applied load of 500 N. Microstructural evolution of composites after the SFD treatment was evaluated and compared with that of the untreated composites. Results showed that there was a gradient structure generated and an obvious refinement in tungsten particles size in the surface layer after the SFD process. The average particle size of tungsten in the SFD treated composites was 2.60 μm, whereas it was 4.5 μm for tungsten in the untreated composites. Fracture surfaces of the composites indicated that the SFD treatment destroyed the W skeleton and changed fracture mode from predominant inter-granular one to trans-granular one due to the decrease in contact area of W-W inter-particles. Yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of composites after the SFD treatment were 308 MPa and 553 MPa, respectively. The treated composites exhibited micro-hardness values with an average reading of about 308 HV. Analysis of the facture microstructures clearly suggested that the tungsten particles in the treated composites are consisted of dislocations and boundaries as well as dislocation tangles. The electrical conductivity of the composites was decreased from 33 IACS% to 28.5 IACS% after the SFD treatment, mainly due to loss or squeezing of copper into the inner surface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2018

Fabrication and Thermoelectric Characterization of Transition Metal Silicide-Based Composite Thermocouples

Metal silicide-based thermocouples were fabricated by screen printing thick films of the powder compositions onto alumina tapes followed by lamination and sintering processes. The legs of the embedded thermocouples were composed of composite compositions consisting of MoSi2, WSi2, ZrSi2, or TaSi2 with an additional 10 vol % Al2O3 to form a silicide–oxide composite. The structural and high-temperature thermoelectric properties of the composite thermocouples were examined using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and a typical hot–cold junction measurement technique. MoSi2-Al2O3 and WSi2-Al2O3 composites exhibited higher intrinsic Seebeck coefficients (22.2–30.0 µV/K) at high-temperature gradients, which were calculated from the thermoelectric data of composite//Pt thermocouples. The composite thermocouples generated a thermoelectric voltage up to 16.0 mV at high-temperature gradients. The MoSi2-Al2O3//TaSi2-Al2O3 thermocouple displayed a better performance at high temperatures. The Seebeck coefficients of composite thermocouples were found to range between 20.9 and 73.0 µV/K at a temperature gradient of 1000 °C. There was a significant difference between the calculated and measured Seebeck coefficients of these thermocouples, which indicated the significant influence of secondary silicide phases (e.g., Mo5Si3, Ta5Si3) and possible local compositional changes on the overall thermoelectric response. The thermoelectric performance, high sensitivity, and cost efficiency of metal silicide–alumina ceramic composite thermocouples showed promise for high-temperature and harsh-environment sensing applications.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2017

Pressure Loading with In-Situ Permeability Measurement of SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite Tube

Silicon carbide fiber in a silicon carbide matrix composite (SiC-SiC) has been actively researched as a potential structural material to be used in advanced high temperature gas reactors (HTGR) and as an accident tolerant cladding material for light water reactors (LWR). This ceramic composite material demonstrates desirable properties for use in nuclear reactor core that include retention of strength from ambient to LWR and HTGR operating and accident temperatures and stability under neutron radiation. However, the ceramic composite material must be designed to meet all the necessary, application driven requirements before it could be implemented in a reactor design. As one of the requirements for a fuel cladding material, the composite has to maintain high level of impermeability as to retain fission gases throughout the fuel cycle. General Atomics (GA) had previously reported results on permeability levels obtained by CVI produced SiC-SiC composites. It has been determined that for LWR size cladding tube that is 51 mm long the permeability allocation equivalent to currently used claddings is 7.3 E-10 atm*cc/sec. With high level of attention to possible sources of leaks in a test setup, it has been demonstrated that a CVI SiC-SiC composites produced by GA can achieve a leak rate of 1 E-12 atm*cc/sec, and therefore it meets the permeability allocation for a fuel cladding. Further study showed that a particular SiC-SiC composite tube can remain impermeable after being pressure loaded well above LWR normal operating conditions. In the study done by Deck et al., hoop stress was applied to a composite tube using pressure load on the inside surface in a load-unload stepwise sequence with increasing maximum applied stress at each step and measuring permeability between steps. The tested composite comprised of 70% thickness of SiC-SiC composite which provides fracture toughness and bears a majority of the applied stress and a 30% thickness of monolithic SiC layer on the outside surface to provide an impermeable barrier. The composite remained impermeable up to internal pressure of 56 MPa which is more than 2.5 times greater than a typical pressure at the end of life in a fuel rod.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Experimental determinations of carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionations and methane clumped isotope compositions associated with ethane pyrolysis from 550 to 600°C

Methane clumped isotope compositions signify the relative natural abundances of rare, doubly substituted isotopic species of methane ( 13 CH 3 D and 12 CH 2 D 2 ) and have emerged as a new isotopic tool to trace the sources, sinks, and lifecycles of methane in the environment. Such measurements can identify equilibration (or reequilibration) temperatures if found to be in isotopic equilibrium or non-equilibrium processes (e.g., kinetically controlled reactions or mixing) if not in isotopic equilibrium. Naturally occurring thermogenic methane—formed by the thermally activated breakdown of larger organic molecules—has been found to have clumped isotope compositions consistent with equilibrium at reasonable gas formation temperatures in some settings and non-equilibrium processes occurring during either formation, migration, storage, or extraction in others. To explore the potential controls on the isotopic composition of thermogenic methane, we conducted isothermal time-series ethane pyrolysis experiments at 550 and 600 °C to measure methane and ethane 13 C/ 12 C and D/H fractionations and methane clumped isotope compositions (resolved 13 CH 3 D and 12 CH 2 D 2 ). We explore the effects of modifying the initial clumped isotope composition of ethane and the addition of water vapor to pyrolysis experiments. We observe that ethane and methane 13 C/ 12 C are controlled by kinetic isotope effects and Rayleigh distillation processes. In contrast, ethane and methane D/H and methane clumped isotope compositions appear to be controlled by a combination of these processes and hydrogen isotope exchange. The hydrogen isotope exchange processes lead to isotopic equilibrium as reaction completion is approached for both D/H (ethane/methane) and methane clumped isotope compositions. Here, we develop a chemical model based on a mass balance approach that accounts for inheritance vs. hydrogen-abstraction formation pathways for singly and doubly substituted isotopologues of ethane and methane that is compared to the experimental data. The model allows the determination of carbon and hydrogen kinetic isotope effects associated with ethane cracking and hydrogen abstraction reactions that, where applicable, we compare to prior theoretical constraints. From the comparison of the model to the experimental data, we infer that the kinetically controlled ethane and methane bulk isotope compositions and methane clumped isotope compositions are controlled by kinetic isotope effects (both primary and secondary) associated with both C–C bond and C–H bond cleavage reactions. Specifically, the methane clumped isotope compositions likely result from a combination of clumped isotope effects associated with ethane breakdown and/or assembly of methane isotopologues (expressed in terms of γ-factor parameters ≠ 1) and combinatorial effects that arise probabilistically. We discuss our experimental results in the context of recent pyrolysis experiments and observations of naturally occurring thermogenic methane. We consider a proposal consistent with observations from nature that the hydrogen isotope exchange reactions that promote equilibration of methane isotopic molecules at or near formation temperature may be facilitated by free radicals generated by pyrolysis reactions. In this framework, isotope exchange effectively ceases when pyrolysis effectively ceases locking in compositions that can be consistent with peak formation temperatures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2020

U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites densified by spark plasma sintering for accident-tolerant fuels

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of the U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) with controlled microstructures for accident-tolerant fuel application. The U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 composites with different silicide and oxide ratios were synthesized by SPS at temperatures from 1000 to 1300 °C for 5 minutes. The microstructure and phase composition of the SPS densified composite fuels were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersed spectroscopy (EDS). A systematic study of the thermal and mechanical properties was conducted using microhardness testing and laser flash apparatus, along with oxidation resistance measurements using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that the synthesis of composite fuels can be achieved with a 90% theoretical density (TD) at 1000 °C and over 95% TD when sintered at 1300 °C. XRD and EDS results confirmed that the dominant phases in the composites are U 3 Si 2 and UO 2 . Improved physical density generally leads to improved hardness, fracture toughness, thermal diffusivity, and onset temperature during the oxidation process. U 3 Si 2 was found to play a dominant role in determining the mechanical and oxidation properties of the composite fuels, whereas UO 2 had a more important impact on controlling the thermal diffusivity of the composites. The composite with 50 wt% UO 2 sintered at 1300 °C displayed the onset oxidation temperature of 500 °C by dynamic oxidation testing using TGA at a ramp degree of 10 °C/min. The composite also achieved a high fracture toughness of ~3.5 MPa m ½ . Finally, these results highlight the potential of composite fuel forms densified by SPS with simultaneously enhanced fissile element density, fracture toughness, thermal transport properties, and oxidation resistance.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2014

Tribological properties of self-lubricating NiAl/Mo-based composites containing AgVO{sub 3} nanowires

Silver vanadate (AgVO{sub 3}) nanowires were synthesized by hydrothermal method and self-lubricating NiAl/Mo-AgVO{sub 3} composites were fabricated by powder metallurgy technique. The composition and microstructure of NiAl/Mo-based composites were characterized and the tribological properties were investigated from room temperature to 900 °C. The results showed that NiAl/Mo-based composites were consisted of nanocrystalline B2 ordered NiAl matrix, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Mo{sub 2}C, metallic Ag and vanadium oxide phase. The appearance of metallic Ag and vanadium oxide phase can be attributed to the decomposition of AgVO{sub 3} during sintering. Wear testing results confirmed that NiAl/Mo-based composites have excellent tribological properties over a wide temperature range. For example, the friction coefficient and wear rate of NiAl/Mo-based composites containing AgVO{sub 3} were significantly lower than the composites containing only metallic Mo or AgVO{sub 3} lubricant when the temperature is above 300 °C, which can be attributed to the synergistic lubricating action of metallic Mo and AgVO{sub 3} lubricants. Furthermore, Raman results indicated that the composition on the worn surface of NiAl-based composites was self-adjusted after wear testing at different temperatures. For example, Ag{sub 3}VO{sub 4} and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} lubricants were responsible for the improvement of tribological properties at 500 °C, AgVO{sub 3}, Ag{sub 3}VO{sub 4} and molybdate for 700 °C, and AgVO{sub 3} and molybdate for 900 °C of NiAl-based composites with the addition of metallic Mo and AgVO{sub 3}. - Highlights: • NiAl/Mo-AgVO{sub 3} nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical alloying and sintering. • AgVO{sub 3} decomposed to metallic Ag and vanadium oxide during the sintering process. • NiAl/Mo-AgVO{sub 3} exhibited superior tribological properties at a board temperature range. • Phase composition on the worn surface was varied with temperatures. • Self-adjusted action was responsible for the improvement of tribological properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Optical constants of Cu(In, Ga)Se{sub 2} for arbitrary Cu and Ga compositions

The optical constants of Cu(In, Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS)-based polycrystalline layers with different Cu and Ga compositions are parameterized completely up to a photon energy of 6.5 eV assuming several Tauc-Lorentz transition peaks. Based on the modeled optical constants, we establish the calculation procedure for the CIGS optical constants in a two-dimensional compositional space of (Cu, Ga) by taking the composition-induced shift of the critical point energies into account. In particular, we find that the variation of the CIGS optical constants with the Cu composition can be modeled quite simply by a spectral-averaging method in which the dielectric function of the target Cu composition is estimated as a weighted average of the dielectric functions with higher and lower Cu compositions. To express the effect of the Ga composition, on the other hand, an energy shift model reported earlier is adopted. Our model is appropriate for a wide variety of CIGS-based materials having different Cu and Ga compositions, although the modeling error increases slightly at lower Cu compositions [Cu/(In + Ga) < 0.69]. From our model, the dielectric function, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and absorption coefficient for the arbitrary CIGS composition can readily be obtained. The optical database developed in this study is applied further for spectroscopic ellipsometry analyses of CIGS layers fabricated by single and multi-stage coevaporation processes. We demonstrate that the compositional and structural characterizations of the CIGS-based layers can be performed from established analysis methods.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2018

Predicting the Optical Properties of Matrix Composites Containing Spherical Inclusions with Metal Shells

Individual small particles consisting of an insulating core and a metal shell exhibit more intricate behavior when exposed to electromagnetic radiation than continuous metal particles. A composite medium containing a large number of such particles is therefore bound to have new optical properties. If the inclusions are small relative to the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, the optical characteristics of an inhomogeneous medium can be estimated from its effective permittivity. On the basis of the generalized effective field approximation, a formula is derived to calculate the effective dielectric characteristics of a matrix composite containing spherical inclusions with shells. The formula can be considered a generalization of the classical Maxwell–Garnett formula for a matrix medium with inhomogeneous inclusions consisting of anisotropic cores and isotropic shells. Using the formula, the frequency dependences of the real and imaginary parts of the effective permittivity in the 0.282–0.855 μm range of wavelengths are calculated for a composite consisting of an α-quartz matrix and spherical nanoinclusions with α-quartz cores and silver shells. The dependences are obtained for different relative volume fractions of cores in the inclusions and of inclusions in the composite. The frequency dependences of the refractive index, the extinction coefficient of the composite, and the transmittance and reflectance of a thin composite film are calculated for the range of wavelengths indicated above. It is shown that inclusions with metal shells in a matrix composite result in an additional plasmon resonance, compared to a composite containing all-metal inclusions. With a matrix composite, the additional plasmon resonance is observed at a wavelength of 0.33–0.34 μm in the ultraviolet range and is much less intense than the principal plasmon resonance. The additional plasmon resonance is responsible for the very low transmittance of a composite film in the ultraviolet region. At a constant volume fraction of inclusions in the composite, an increase in the volume fraction of the cores in them shifts the principal plasmon resonance to longer wavelengths and lowers its intensity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2017

Performance of a Steel/Oxide Composite Waste Form for Combined Waste Steams from Advanced Electrochemical Processes

The results of electrochemical corrosion tests and modeling activities performed collaboratively by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory as part of workpackage NU-13-IL-UIC-0203-02 are summarized herein. The overall objective of the project was to develop and demonstrate testing and modeling approaches that could be used to evaluate the use of composite alloy/ceramic materials as high-level durable waste forms. Several prototypical composite waste form materials were made from stainless steels representing fuel cladding, reagent metals representing metallic fuel waste streams, and reagent oxides representing oxide fuel waste streams to study the microstructures and corrosion behaviors of the oxide and alloy phases. Microelectrodes fabricated from small specimens of the composite materials were used in a series of electrochemical tests to assess the corrosion behaviors of the constituent phases and phase boundaries in an aggressive acid brine solution at various imposed surface potentials. The microstructures were characterized in detail before and after the electrochemical tests to relate the electrochemical responses to changes in both the electrode surface and the solution composition. The results of microscopic, electrochemical, and solution analyses were used to develop equivalent circuit and physical models representing the measured corrosion behaviors of the different materials pertinent to long-term corrosion behavior. This report provides details regarding (1) the production of the composite materials, (2) the protocol for the electrochemical measurements and interpretations of the responses of multi-phase alloy and oxide composites, (3) relating corrosion behaviors to microstructures of multi-phase alloys based on 316L stainless steel and HT9 (410 stainless steel was used as a substitute) with added Mo, Ni, and/or Mn, and (4) modeling the corrosion behaviors and rates of several alloy/oxide composite materials made with added lanthanide and uranium oxides. These analyses show the corrosion behaviors of the alloy/ceramic composite materials are very similar to the corrosion behaviors of multi-phase alloy waste forms, and that the presence of oxide inclusions does not impact the corrosion behaviors of the alloy phases. Mixing with metallic waste streams is beneficial to lanthanide and uranium oxides in that they react with Zr in the fuel waste to form highly durable zirconates. The measured corrosion behaviors suggest properly formulated composite materials would be suitable waste forms for combined metallic and oxide waste streams generated during electrometallurgical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Electrochemical methods are suitable for evaluating the durability and modeling long-term behavior of composite waste forms: the degradation model developed for metallic waste forms can be applied to the alloy phases formed in the composite and an affinity-based mineral dissolution model can be applied to the ceramic phases.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

DOE OSTI2025

Uncertainty-Based Design: Finite Element and Explainable Machine Learning Modeling of Carbon–Carbon Composites for Ultra-High Temperature Solar Receivers

Design under uncertainty has significantly grown in research developments during the past decade. Additionally, machine learning (ML) and explainable ML (XML) have offered various opportunities to provide reliable predictable models. The current article investigates the use of finite element modeling (FEM), ML and XML predictions, and uncertain-based design of carbon-carbon (C-C) composites for use in ultra-high temperatures. A C-C composite concentrating solar power (CSP) as a microvascular receiver is considered as a case study. These C-C composites are fiber composites with directly integrated carbonized microchannels to form a lightweight, high-absorptivity material that includes an embedded microvascular network of channels. The topology of these microchannels is engineered to optimize heat transfer to a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) heat transfer fluid. The mechanical characterization of C-C composites is highly challenging. Thus, designing every component made of C-C composites for ultra-high temperature applications needs an uncertainty-based analysis. As a part of a comprehensive project on the development of a novel carbonized microvascular C-C composite, this paper explores C-C composite sensitivity analysis, FEM, ML prediction, and XML analysis. The resulting composite can then be carbonized and coated with an oxidation-resistant coating to form a thermally efficient and mechanically robust C-C composite. An ANSYS 3-D-FE model was used to analyze the CSP’s stress/strain. To consider the variability in the mechanical and thermal properties of C-C composites, various mechanical properties are considered as the ANSYS FEM’s input. A synthetic dataset from 730 ANSYS runs was produced to feed into the ML and XML algorithms for uncertainty analysis and prediction. The ML and XML algorithms could accurately predict the CSP stresses/strains.

Daghigh, Vahid (ORCID:0000000298941620)↗

NASA NTRS1983

Mechanics of composite materials: Recent advances; Proceedings of the Symposium, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, August 16-19, 1982

The present conference on the mechanics of composites discusses microstructure's influence on particulate and short fiber composites' thermoelastic and transport properties, the elastoplastic deformation of composites, constitutive equations for viscoplastic composites, the plasticity and fatigue of metal matrix composites, laminate damping mechanisms, the micromechanical modeling of Kevlar/epoxy composites' time-dependent failure, the variational characterization of waves in composites, and computational methods for eigenvalue problems in composite design. Also discussed are the elastic response of laminates, elastic coupling nonlinear effects in unsymmetrical laminates, elasticity solutions for laminate problems having stress singularities, the mechanics of bimodular composite structures, the optimization of laminated plates and shells, NDE for laminates, the role of matrix cracking in the continuum constitutive behavior of a damaged composite ply, and the energy release rates of various microcracks in short fiber composites.

Hashin, Z.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A domain-specific design architecture for composite material design and aircraft part redesign

Advanced composites have been targeted as a 'leapfrog' technology that would provide a unique global competitive position for U.S. industry. Composites are unique in the requirements for an integrated approach to designing, manufacturing, and marketing of products developed utilizing the new materials of construction. Numerous studies extending across the entire economic spectrum of the United States from aerospace to military to durable goods have identified composites as a 'key' technology. In general there have been two approaches to composite construction: build models of a given composite materials, then determine characteristics of the material via numerical simulation and empirical testing; and experience-directed construction of fabrication plans for building composites with given properties. The first route sets a goal to capture basic understanding of a device (the composite) by use of a rigorous mathematical model; the second attempts to capture the expertise about the process of fabricating a composite (to date) at a surface level typically expressed in a rule based system. From an AI perspective, these two research lines are attacking distinctly different problems, and both tracks have current limitations. The mathematical modeling approach has yielded a wealth of data but a large number of simplifying assumptions are needed to make numerical simulation tractable. Likewise, although surface level expertise about how to build a particular composite may yield important results, recent trends in the KBS area are towards augmenting surface level problem solving with deeper level knowledge. Many of the relative advantages of composites, e.g., the strength:weight ratio, is most prominent when the entire component is designed as a unitary piece. The bottleneck in undertaking such unitary design lies in the difficulty of the re-design task. Designing the fabrication protocols for a complex-shaped, thick section composite are currently very difficult. It is in fact this difficulty that our research will address.

Punch, W. F., III↗

NASA NTRS1993

Integrated analysis and design of thick composite structures for optimal passive damping characteristics

The development of novel composite mechanics for the analysis of damping in composite laminates and structures and the more significant results of this effort are summarized. Laminate mechanics based on piecewise continuous in-plane displacement fields are described that can represent both intralaminar stresses and interlaminar shear stresses and the associated effects on the stiffness and damping characteristics of a composite laminate. Among other features, the mechanics can accurately model the static and damped dynamic response of either thin or thick composite laminates, as well as, specialty laminates with embedded compliant damping layers. The discrete laminate damping theory is further incorporated into structural analysis methods. In this context, an exact semi-analytical method for the simulation of the damped dynamic response of composite plates was developed. A finite element based method and a specialty four-node plate element were also developed for the analysis of composite structures of variable shape and boundary conditions. Numerous evaluations and applications demonstrate the quality and superiority of the mechanics in predicting the damped dynamic characteristics of composite structures. Finally, additional development was focused on the development of optimal tailoring methods for the design of thick composite structures based on the developed analytical capability. Applications on composite plates illustrated the influence of composite mechanics in the optimal design of composites and the potential for significant deviations in the resultant designs when more simplified (classical) laminate theories are used.

Saravanos, D. A.↗