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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 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

The Investigation of the Toughening Mechanism of PHBV/PBAT with a Novel Hyperbranched Ethylenediamine Triazine Polymer Based Modifier: The Formation of the Transition Layer and the Microcrosslinking Structure

A new type of designed hyperbranched ethylenediamine trazine polymer (HBETP) is successfully synthesized and characterized based upon NMR and GPC. The prepared HBETP is used to modify the poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends. The effect of HBETP on the microstructure, mechanical properties and thermal properties of the blends is studied. The results indicate that upon addition of 1.0 wt% of HBETP, the impact strength of the PHBV/PBAT blends is increased by 47.1%; ∆T{sub g} of the blends decreases from 53.2 to 49.9 °C. These results, together with the morphology analysis of the fractured surface of the blends, conclude the formation of the transition layer between PHBV and PBAT. Also, the XRD result shows that the addition of HBETP can limit the growth of the PHBV crystals and causes the decrease of both the crystallinity and the grain crystalline size. The DSC result demonstrates that the addition of HBETP mainly affects the crystallization of the HB-HV binary eutectic region within PHBV. The mechanism of PHBV/PBAT toughening is due to the formation of the strong physical hydrogen bonding and the chemical micro-crosslinking between HBETP and PHBV/PBAT, which is proposed based on XPS characterization.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2002

Designing Gamma TiAl Alloys (K5 Based) for Use at 840 C and Above

The objective of this program was to investigate how carbon additions and Al content variation affects RT tensile properties and creep performance in gamma TiAl alloys. On the basis of the results from the work four alloys were selected within the composition range of Ti-(44.7-47.0) Al-(1.0-1.7)Cr-3.0Nb-0.2W-0.2B-(0.23-0.43)C-(0, 0.2)Si. Through extensive annealing/aging experiments, detailed observations of microstructure evolution, property measurements and analyses, comprehensive understanding was made in the carbide formation process. It was found that creep properties depend on the distribution of carbide particles, which is controlled not only by the aging process but also the amount ratio fo Al and carbon. From the results and analysis, new creep-resistant alloy compositions are suggested for further development.

Kim, Young-Won↗
DOE OSTI2018

Atomic-scale to Meso-scale Simulation Studies of Thermal Ageing and Irradiation Effects in Fe- Cr Alloys

In this project, we target at three primary objectives: Molecular Dynamics (MD) code development for Fe-Cr alloys, which can be utilized to provide thermodynamic and kinetic properties as inputs in mesoscale Phase Field (PF) simulations; validation and implementation of the MD code to explain thermal ageing and radiation damage; and an integrated modeling platform for MD and PF simulations. These two simulation tools, MD and PF, will ultimately be merged to understand and quantify the kinetics and mechanisms of microstructure and property evolution of Fe-Cr alloys under various thermal and irradiation environments

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solidification and crystallographic texture modeling of laser powder bed fusion Ti-6Al-4V using finite difference-monte carlo method

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing makes near-net-shaped parts with reduced material cost and time, rising as a promising technology to fabricate Ti-6Al-4V, a widely used titanium alloy in aerospace and medical industries. However, LPBF Ti-6Al-4V parts produced with 67° rotation between layers, a scan strategy commonly used to reduce microstructure and property inhomogeneity, have varying grain morphologies and weak crystallographic textures that change depending on processing parameters. Here, this study predicts LPBF Ti-6Al-4V solidification at three energy levels using a finite difference-Monte Carlo method and validates the simulations with large-area electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) scans. The developed model accurately shows that a <001> texture forms at low energy and a <111> texture occurs at higher energies parallel to the build direction but with a lower strength than the textures observed from EBSD. A validated and well-established method of combining spatial correlation and general spherical harmonics representation of texture is developed to calculate a difference score between simulations and experiments. The quantitative comparison enables effective fine-tuning of nucleation density (N 0 ) input, which shows a nonlinear relationship with increasing energy level. Future improvements in texture prediction code and a more comprehensive study of N 0 with different energy levels will further advance the optimization of LPBF Ti-6Al-4V components. These developments contribute a novel understanding of crystallographic texture formation in LPBF Ti-6Al-4V, the development of robust model validation and calibration pipeline methodologies, and provide a platform for mechanical property prediction and process parameter optimization.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1999

Thermal Barrier Coatings for Advanced Gas Turbine and Diesel Engines

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBCS) have been developed for advanced gas turbine and diesel engine applications to improve engine reliability and fuel efficiency. However, durability issues of these thermal barrier coatings under high temperature cyclic conditions are still of major concern. The coating failure depends not only on the coating, but also on the ceramic sintering/creep and bond coat oxidation under the operating conditions. Novel test approaches have been established to obtain critical thermomechanical and thermophysical properties of the coating systems under near-realistic transient and steady state temperature and stress gradients encountered in advanced engine systems. This paper presents detailed experimental and modeling results describing processes occurring in the ZrO2-Y2O3 thermal barrier coating systems, thus providing a framework for developing strategies to manage ceramic coating architecture, microstructure and properties.

Zhu, Dongming↗
DOE OSTI2021

Enhanced biomechanical performance of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V bone plates

As the global trauma fixation devices market expands rapidly, it is imperative to improve the production of fixation devices through enhanced design accuracy and fit for best performance and maximum patient comfort. Selective laser melting (SLM) is one of the mature additive manufacturing methods, which provides a viable route for the rapid production of such devices. In this work, the ability of SLM to produce near-net-shape parts, as desired for medical implants, was utilized for the fabrication of bone plates from Ti-6Al-4V alloy powder. Martensitic microstructure obtained after the printing of alloy resulted in poor ductility, limiting its application in the field of orthopedics. A specially designed repeated cyclic heating and cooling close to but below the β-transus was used to transform from acicular to a bimodal microstructure without the need for plastic deformation prior to heat treatment for improving the ductility. Bone plates subjected to this heat treatment were mechanically tested by means of tensile and 3-point bend tests and demonstrated large improvement in ductility, and the values were comparable to those similar plates prepared from wrought alloy. Other important properties required for implants were assessed, such as corrosion resistance in simulated body fluid and cytocompatibility in vitro using MC3T3-E1 cells. These results for the bone plate after heat treatment were excellent and similar to those of the additively manufactured and wrought plates. Taken together, the performance of the additively manufactured bone plates after subjecting to heat treatment was similar to those of bone plate manufactured using wrought alloy. These results have important implications for the fabrication of patient-specific metallic orthopedic devices using SLM without compromising their biomechanical performance by subjecting them to a tailored heat treatment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Elucidating Pore Network Evolution in Laboratory‐ and Shaft‐Furnace Hydrogen‐Reduced Iron Pellets Using Nanotomographic Characterization

Direct reduced iron (DRI) is an increasingly important feedstock for modern steelmaking. Fundamental research into DRI properties is limited by the discrepancy between the behavior of industrially produced pellets and laboratory‐produced pellets, leading to nongeneralizable conclusions from laboratory work. Here, in this study, a detailed nano‐computed tomographic characterization of ore pellets, hydrogen DRI reduced in a pilot‐scale shaft furnace, and laboratory‐reduced DRI is presented to better understand the microstructurally influenced property differences between the two. The shaft‐furnace‐reduced pellets show lower overall porosity but larger average pore volume thickness and solid volume thickness than the laboratory‐reduced pellets. This effect is attributed to increased sintering behavior in the shaft furnace case. All pellet types show almost entirely connected pore volumes. The tortuosity of the pores is shown to increase with a degree of reduction, though the shaft furnace pellets show lower tortuosity than the laboratory‐reduced pellets. Again, this difference is attributed to the larger pore volume thickness for shaft‐furnace‐reduced pellets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

The effects of material anisotropy on secondary processing of additively manufactured CoCrMo

Components produced by near net shape additive manufacturing processes often require subsequent subtractive finishing operations to satisfy requisite surface finish and geometric tolerances. It is well established that the microstructure and properties of the as-built component are sensitive to the additive processing history. Therefore, downstream secondary processes may be affected by the as-built components’ mechanical behavior. In this work we study the sensitivity of secondary machining operations on CoCrMo samples produced via laser powder bed fusion. Utilizing novel high-throughput mechanical testing, microstructure characterization, and a rigorous statistical analysis we investigate the degree of material anisotropy present in the as-built material. We then study the effects of this anisotropy on secondary processing via slot milling experiments. Our results indicate that mechanical anisotropy is driven by both the morphology of the microstructure as well as crystallographic texture. Furthermore, the machining force response is correspondingly sensitive to these sources of anisotropy, which has the potential to impact how manufacturers finish additively built parts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2002

Thermal Exposure Effects on Properties of Al-Li Alloy Plate Products

Aluminum-Lithium (AL-Li) alloys offer significant performance benefits for aerospace structural applications due to their higher specific properties compared with conventional aluminum alloys. For example, the application of an Al-Li alloy to the space shuttle external cryogenic fuel tank contributed to the weight savings that enabled successful deployment of International Space Station components. The composition and heat treatment of this alloy were optimized specifically for strength-toughness considerations for an expendable cryogenic tank. Time dependent properties related to reliability, such as thermal stability, fatigue, and corrosion, will be of significant interest when materials are evaluated for a reusable cryotank structure. As most aerospace structural hardware is weight sensitive, a reusable cryotank will be designed to the limits of the materials mechanical properties. Therefore, this effort was designed to establish the effects of thermal exposure on the mechanical properties and microstructure of one relatively production mature alloy and two developmental alloys C458 and L277. Tensile and fracture toughness behavior was evaluated after exposure to temperatures as high as 3oooF for up to IO00 hrs. Microstructural changes were also evaluated to correlate with the observed data trends. The ambient temperature parent metal data showed an increase in strength and reduction in elongation after exposure at lower temperatures. Strength reached a peak with intermediate temperature exposure followed by a decrease at highest exposure temperature. Characterizing the effect of thermal exposure on the properties of Al-Li alloys is important to defining a service limiting temperature, exposure time, and end-of-life properties.

Shah, Sandeep↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-Entropy Alloy R&D for Accelerator Beam Window Applications

High-Entropy Alloys are a class of novel material that can offer improved resistance to beam-induced radiation damage and thermal shock. Development of these new alloys to serve as beam windows in multi-megawatt accelerator target applications is ongoing at Fermilab. Currently we are investigating AlCoCrMnTiV alloy systems of 4-6 components for service as beam windows; these compositions are predicted by CALPHAD simulation to have a low density and single-phase BCC crystal structure. The microstructures of these systems are being studied by electron microscopy techniques such as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to determine elemental homogeneity and composition, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to quantify grain structure and orientation, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to observe defect structures and precipitate formation; nanoindentation is used to probe microstructural mechanical properties. Initial bulk property characterization utilizes differential scanning calorimetry to quantify specific heat capacity (cp), dilatometry to determine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) to measure thermal conductivity (K). A miniature tensile testing apparatus is also being developed to test tensile properties. Post-irradiation examination is currently ongoing for several of these compositions that have been irradiated by low-energy ions to damage levels and at a temperature relevant to beam window applications at future next-generation accelerator facilities. This talk will briefly describe the alloy design and synthesis before going into more depth covering microstructural pre-characterization, and post-irradiation examination results from low-energy ion irradiated specimens. This will be followed by the plans for alloy down selection and future prototypic proton irradiations.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Research on Resistance Heating Behavior of High-Strength Steel and its Hot-Stamping Forming

A hot-stamping process of high-strength steel sheet using resistance heating (RH) was developed to improve springback and formability. The RH curves of S355J2W steel and the microstructure and mechanical properties after RH were explored to control and guide the RH time and the selected current density for the subsequent RH hot-stamping forming. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy observations revealed the microstructure evolution in RH and the improvement of mechanical properties at a current density of 0-6.67 A mm{sup −2}, showing the advantage of the application of RH to these materials. The results showed that steel strength can be increased by up to 3.2% and the elongation can be improved by up to 33% after RH. In addition, the forming height increased and the forming angle is closer to the desired angle with the increased current density in cap-shaped RH hot-stamping forming experiment, which means that the forming accuracy is improved. A comparison of the forming accuracy of cap-shaped parts formed by RH under different current densities with those heated to the same temperature by furnace heating (FH) shows that there is no obvious difference between them. The heating time of RH is much shorter than that of the FH, and the surface quality of the parts formed by RH hot-stamping is better than that of the parts formed by FH hot-stamping. These results demonstrate that the RH method has the advantages of efficiency, safety, energy saving and the improvement of surface quality as well as a clear understanding of the benefits of RH hot-stamping forming for materials properties and forming accuracy; this work also develops and applies fundamental theory to practical engineering of bogie cover plate manufacturing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2008

Effect of Excess Lead and Bismuth Content on the Electrical Properties of High-Temperature Bismuth Scandium Lead Titanate Ceramics

Aeronautic and aerospace applications require piezoelectric materials that can operate at high temperatures. The air-breathing aeronautic engines can use piezoelectric actuators for active combustion control for fuel modulation to mitigate thermo-acoustic instabilities and/or gas flow control to improve efficiency. The principal challenge for the insertion of piezoelectric materials is their limitation for upper use temperature and this limitation is due low Curie temperature and increasing conductivity. We investigated processing, microstructure and property relationship of (1-x)BiScO3-(x)PbTiO3 (BS-PT) composition as a promising high temperature piezoelectric. The effect of excess Pb and Bi and their partitioning in grain boundaries were studied using impedance spectroscopy, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric measurement techniques. Excess Pb addition increased the grain boundary conduction and the grain boundary area (average grain size was 24.8 m, and 1.3 m for compositions with 0at.% and 5at.% excess Pb, respectively) resulting in ceramics with higher AC conductivity (tan d= 0.9 and 1.7 for 0at.% and 5at.% excess Pb at 350 C and at 10kHz) that were not resistive enough to pole. Excess Bi addition increased the resistivity (rho= 4.1x10(exp 10) Omega cm and 19.6 x10(exp 10) Omega.cm for compositions with 0at.% and 5at.% excess Bi, respectively), improved poling, and increased the piezoelectric coefficient from 137 to 197 pC/N for 5at.% excess Bi addition. In addition, loss tangent decreased more than one order of magnitude at elevated temperatures (greater than 300 C). For all compositions the activation energy of the conducting species was similar (approximately equal to 0.35-0.40 eV) and indicated electronic conduction.

Sehirlioglu, Alp↗
DOE OSTI2019

Nondestructive characterization of polycrystalline 3D microstructure with time-domain Brillouin scattering

In this paper, we employ gigahertz frequency ultrasonic waves to non-invasively image grain microstructure in polycrystalline ceria, an important electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells. This technique, termed time domain Brillouin scattering (TDBS), is a pump-probe technique that launches and monitors ultrasonics waves as they propagate from the surface into the depth of a sample. We demonstrate the capability of TDBS to image surface and subsurface grain structure by measuring mode and depth dependent velocity of the ultrasonic wave. A neural network tool is adopted to determine grain orientation from measured velocities. The TDBS results compare closely with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements. This work expands the application of picosecond ultrasonics to three-dimensional imaging and offers a new route for the nondestructive microstructure characterization and in situ examination of polycrystalline materials.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Iridescence from Total Internal Reflection at 3D Microscale Interfaces: Mechanistic Insights and Spectral Analysis

An experimental investigation and the optical modeling of the structural coloration produced from total internal reflection interference within 3D microstructures are described. Ray-tracing simulations coupled with color visualization and spectral analysis techniques are used to model, examine, and rationalize the iridescence generated for a range of microgeometries, including hemicylinders and truncated hemispheres, under varying illumination conditions. An approach to deconstruct the observed iridescence and complex far-field spectral features into its elementary components and systematically link them to ray trajectories that emanate from the illuminated microstructures is demonstrated. The results are compared with experiments, wherein microstructures are fabricated with methods such as chemical etching, multiphoton lithography, and grayscale lithography. Microstructure arrays patterned on surfaces with varying orientation and size lead to unique color-traveling optical effects and highlight opportunities for how total internal reflection interference can be used to create customizable reflective iridescence. The findings herein provide a robust conceptual framework for rationalizing this multibounce interference mechanism and establish approaches for characterizing and tailoring the optical and iridescent properties of microstructured surfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1993

Development of dispersion-strengthened XD (trademark) Cu alloys for high heat-flux applications

In a previous effort sponsored by NASA LeRC, the XD(trademark) process was used to produce ZrB2 particulate reinforcements in Cu and the resulting extruded material was microstructurally characterized and evaluated in tension over a range of temperatures. A problem that was encountered in that study was microstructural inhomogeneity resulting from the frequent presence of 'ZrB2 agglomerates' that were several microns in size. The presence of these agglomerates was attributed to improper mixing of powders in the green compact used in the XD process for elemental boron powder segregation. In this program, several milling parameters were examined in an effort to optimize this processing step; two levels of ZrB2 reinforcements were considered (7 vol. percent and 15 vol. percent). Microstructures of the reacted powder mass were examined to verify the absence of these agglomerates. Larger bathes of powder were then mixed, reacted, machined to size, canned, and extruded. The microstructure and tensile properties of these extrusions were examined, and the measured properties were correlated with the observed microstructure. Large unreacted or partially reacted Zr particles were present. These particles affected the mechanical properties deleteriously, and their presence is attributed to insufficient heat of reaction during XD synthesis. Alternate processing routes are recommended.

Kumar, K. Sharvan↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effect of 316 stainless steel powder processing conditions on microstructure

One parameter that has both economic and performance effects in the manufacturing of steel parts is the powder feedstock used. 316 L steel powder can be produced through water atomization or gas atomization, where both the powder size and the atomization process determine the cost of powder feedstock. Gas atomized powder is spherical and has a lower oxygen content than water atomized powder, making it the preferred choice for performance, but comes at a higher financial cost. Here, in this study, various 316 L powder batches are characterized to understand physical properties and microstructural variations. Density and flowability were determined using gas pycnometry and Hall flow tests. Powder morphology and porosity were qualitatively analyzed via optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, Finally, transmission electron microscopy was used to determine changes in phases present. Spherical gas atomized powder of 30–100 μm contained Mn$-$Si rich oxides both on the surface and within the matrix. Meanwhile, irregular water atomized powder 30 μm in diameter contained silicon oxides without manganese. All powder particles contained a nickel rich cellular structure which was shown to support the formation of additional phases. While literature has observed general microstructural features across 316 L powder particles, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in this study has identified variations in precipitation and cell structures. Information regarding morphology, flowability, density, and phase distributions can be applied to understand variations in part consolidation, which will in turn show which powder aspects are significant for production.

Chemical segregation↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Application of Canned Deformation to a Hard-Deformed Spray-Deposited Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy

A wide variety of industrial applications require Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with high strength and ductility. However, Zn-rich Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys prepared by rapid solidification methods usually show excellent strength but poor formability, which restricts their wide application in complex forming. In this study, we developed a new deformation method for the spray-deposited Zn-rich Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy to avoid crack formation and achieve isotropic properties. The microstructure evolution and crystallographic textures were analyzed and compared with the results of a normal deformation process. Crack-free forgings with the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS) and elongation of 727 ± 5 MPa, 690 ± 3 MPa, 5.0 ± 0.7% along the radial direction and 735 ± 2 MPa, 693 ± 3 MPa, 6.3 ± 0.2% along the tangential direction were finally obtained. The improvement in the mechanical properties can be attributed to the larger amount of subgrains and substructures generated in the canned deformed alloy. The results of this study show excellent advantages and potential application prospects of the canned deformation to hard-deformed Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Limiting Retained Austenite Decomposition in Quenched and Tempered Steels: Influences of Rapid Tempering and Silicon

Tempering reactions are critical to microstructure and property control in martensitic steels. Here, retained austenite decomposition and cementite precipitation are monitored using Mössbauer spectroscopy in 4340 and 300-M steel under conventional and rapid tempering conditions. Tempering times are compared at a constant tempered hardness by increasing tempering temperatures associated with short time conditions to achieve equivalent matrix softening to that of longer tempering times. Time-temperature combinations that provide equivalent tempered hardness generated microstructures with similar dislocation densities and cementite precipitation fractions; these mechanisms are controlled by self-diffusion. However, systematic differences in retained austenite content were observed at a given degree of softening, where shorter tempering times exhibited higher levels of retained austenite compared to more conventional conditions. At low temperatures, the differences in retained austenite preservation between explored time-temperature conditions are attributed to corresponding differences in carbon diffusion distance (in austenite), the controlling diffusional process of retained austenite decomposition. At higher temperatures, retained austenite decomposition exhibits C-curve kinetic behavior in 4340. Thus, reduced thermodynamic driving force for cementite and ferrite formation at higher temperature is believed to play a role in restricting retained austenite decomposition within some short-time, high temperature tempering regimes. The addition of silicon pushes cementite precipitation and retained austenite decomposition to higher temperatures, although retained austenite decomposition is suppressed to a greater extent than cementite precipitation. Potential is illustrated for coupling rapid tempering with silicon alloying to produce appreciably tempered martensite (~490 HV) with relatively less retained austenite decomposition compared to conventional tempering conditions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗