Determination of weldability and elevated temperature stability of refractory metal alloys. 5 - Weldability of tungsten base alloys
Weldability of tungsten base alloys and elevated temperature stability
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Weldability of tungsten base alloys and elevated temperature stability
High-entropy alloys (HEAs) provide uniquely tunable structural and electronic properties that enable robust electrocatalysis. While compositional manipulation of HEAs is well-known, systematically controlling the crystalline phase and morphology remains a challenge that could provide new avenues for controlling reactive sites and physical properties. Here, we show the preferential stabilization of mixed fcc/bcc to fcc phases by controlling the Au content in quinary AuPdFeCoNi HEA nanoparticles. This systematic structural and compositional control, when investigated with an ensemble of electronic, X-ray synchrotron, and surface techniques, allows us to identify the critical short- (few-Å) and medium- (6–10 Å) range structural motifs that deliver exceptional hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysis. Specifically, these HEAs exhibit both outstanding durability (240 h) and high mass activity (50 A/mg PGM ) normalized to noble metal content, outperforming commercial Pt/C (3.18 A/mg PGM ). This structural control over HEA morphology, and its direct association with changes in specific metallic oxidation states and pair–pair atomic structural features, provides new means and strategies for finely designing robust and sustainable electrocatalysts with a majority nonprecious metal composition.
The need for compact, solid-state actuation systems for use in the aerospace, automotive, and other transportation industries is currently motivating research in high-temperature shape-memory alloys (HTSMA) with transformation temperatures greater than 100 C. One of the basic high-temperature alloys investigated to fill this need is Ni(19.5)Ti(50.5)Pd30. Initial testing has indicated that this alloy, while having acceptable work characteristics, suffers from significant permanent deformation (or ratcheting) during thermal cycling under load. In an effort to overcome this deficiency, various solid-solution alloying and thermomechanical processing schemes were investigated. Solid-solution strengthening was achieved by substituting 5at% gold or platinum for palladium in Ni(19.5)Ti(50.5)Pd30, the so-called baseline alloy, to strengthen the martensite and austenite phases against slip processes and improve thermomechanical behavior. Tensile properties, work behavior, and dimensional stability during repeated thermal cycling under load for the ternary and quaternary alloys were compared. The relative difference in yield strength between the martensite and austenite phases and the dimensional stability of the alloy were improved by the quaternary additions, while work output was only minimally impacted. The three alloys were also thermomechanically processed by cycling repeatedly through the transformation range under a constant stress. This so-called training process dramatically improved the dimensional stability in these samples and also recovered the slight decrease in work output caused by quaternary alloying. An added benefit of the solid-solution strengthening was maintenance of enhanced dimensional stability of the trained material to higher temperatures compared to the baseline alloy, providing a greater measure of over-temperature capability.
The graded interface between an ion-plated film and a substrate is discussed as well as the friction and wear properties of ion-plated gold. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling and microhardness depth profiling were used to investigate the interface. The friction and wear properties of ion-plated and vapor-deposited gold films were studied both in an ultra high vacuum system to maximize adhesion and in oil to minimize adhesion. The results indicate that the solubility of gold on the substrate material controls the depth of the graded interface. Thermal diffusion and chemical diffusion mechanisms are thought to be involved in the formation of the gold-nickel interface. In iron-gold graded interfaces the gold was primarily dispersed in the iron and thus formed a physically bonded interface. The hardness of the gold film was influenced by its depth and was also related to the composition gradient between the gold and the substrate. The graded nickel-gold interface exhibited the highest hardness because of an alloy hardening effect. The effects of film thickness on adhesion and friction were established.
The graded interface between an ion-plated film and a substrate is discussed as well as the friction and wear properties of ion-plated gold. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling and microhardness depth profiling were used to investigate the interface. The friction and wear properties of ion-plated and vapor-deposited gold films were studied both in an ultra high vacuum system to maximize adhesion and in oil to minimize adhesion. The results indicate that the solubility of gold on the substrate material controls the depth of the graded interface. Thermal diffusion and chemical diffusion mechanisms are thought to be involved in the formation of the gold-nickel interface. In iron-gold graded interfaces the gold was primarily dispersed in the iron and thus formed a physically bonded interface. The hardness of the gold film was influenced by its depth and was also related to the composition gradient between the gold and the substrate. The graded nickel-gold interface exhibited the highest hardness because of an alloy hardening effect. The effects of film thickness on adhesion and friction were established.
Use of a single alloy conductor to form simultaneous ohmic contacts (SOC) to n- and p-type 4H-SiC. The single alloy conductor also is an effective diffusion barrier against gold (AU) and oxygen (O.sub.2) at high temperatures (e.g., up to 800.degree. C.). The innovation may also provide an effective interconnecting metallization in a multi-level metallization device scheme.
Both chromium and iron couples were studied on various electrode surfaces in acidic perchlorate solution by using rotating ring-disk techniques. It was found that chloride which forms inner sphere coordination complexes with the redox species enhances the electrode kinetics dramatically. The effects of lead underpotential deposition and surface alloy formation on the kinetics of the chromium couple on gold were studied using both linear sweep voltammetry and potential step techniques. The lad underpotential deposition was found to slow down the kinetics of the reduction of the Cr species on gold surfaces although increase the hydrogen overvoltage. The effect on the chromium kinetics can be explained in terms of principally a double layer effect. The underpotential deposition lead species with its positive charge results in a decrease in the concentration of the Cr species at the electrode surface. Similar phenomena were also observed with bismuth underpotential deposition on gold for the iron couple.
A relatively impervious mechanical seal is formed between the outer surface of a tube and the inside surface of a mechanical fitting of a high pressure fluid or hydraulic system by applying a very thin soft metal layer onto the outer surface of the hard metal tube and/or inner surface of the hard metal fitting, prior to swaging the fitting onto the tube. The thickness of such thin metal layer is independent of the size of the tube and/or fittings. Many metals and alloys of those metals exhibit the requisite softness, including silver, gold, nickel, tin, platinum, indium, rhodium and cadmium. Suitably, the coating is about 0.0025 millimeters (0.10 mils) in thickness. After swaging, the tube and fitting combination exhibits very low leak rates on the order or 10.sup.-8 cubic centimeters per second or less as meaured using the Helium leak test.
A relatively impervious mechanical seal is formed between the outer surface of a tube and the inside surface of a mechanical fitting of a high pressure fluid or hydraulic system by applying a very thin soft metal layer onto the outer surface of the hard metal tube and/or inner surface of the hard metal fitting. The thickness of such thin metal layer is independent of the size of the tube and/or fittings. Many metals and alloys of those metals exhibit the requisite softness, including silver, gold, tin, platinum, indium, rhodium and cadmium. Suitably, the coating is about 0.0025 millimeters (0.10 mils) in thickness. After compression, the tube and fitting combination exhibits very low leak rates on the order or 10.sup.-8 cubic centimeters per second or less as measured using the Helium leak test.
ASTRO-H is an astrophysics satellite dedicated for X-ray spectroscopic study non-dispersively and to carry out survey complementally, which will be borne out of US-Japanese collaborative effort. Among the onboard instruments there are four conically approximated Wolter-I X-ray mirrors, among which two of them are soft X-ray mirrors\ of which the energy range is from a few hundred eV to 15 keY, currently being fabricated in the X-ray Optics Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center. The focal point instruments will be a calorimeter (SXS) and a CCD camera (SXI), respectively. The reflectors of the mirror are made of heat-formed aluminum substrate of the thickness gauged of 152 micron, 229 micron, and 305 micron of the alloy 5052 H-19, followed by epoxy replication on gold-sputtered smooth Pyrex cylindrical mandrels to acquire the X-ray reflective surface. The epoxy layer is 10 micron nominal and surface gold layer of 0.2 micron. Improvements on angular response over the Astro-El/Suzaku mirrors come from error reduction on the figure, the roundness, and the grazing angle/radius mismatching of the reflecting surface, and tighter specs and mechanical strength on supporting structure to reduce the reflector positioning and the assembly errors. In this paper, we report the results of calibration of the engineering model of SXT (EM), and project the quality of the flight mirrors.
ASTRO-H is an astrophysics satellite dedicated for non-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic study on selective celestial X-ray sources. Among the onboard instruments there are four Wolter-I X-ray mirrors of their reflectors' figure in conical approximation. Two of the four are soft X-ray mirrors, of which the energy range is from a few hundred eV to 15 keV. The focal point instruments will be a calorimeter (SXS) and a CCD camera (SXI), respectively. The mirrors were in quadrant configuration with photons being reflected consecutively in the primary and secondary stage before landing on the focal plane of 5.6 m away from the interface between the two stages. The reflectors of the mirror are made of heat-formed aluminum substrate of the thickness gauged of 152 m, 229 m, and 305 m of the alloy 5052 H-19, followed by epoxy replication on gold-sputtered smooth Pyrex cylindrical mandrels to acquire the X-ray reflective surface. The epoxy layer is 10 m nominal and surface gold layer of 0.2 m. Improvements on angular response over its predecessors, e.g. Astro-E1/Suzaku mirrors, come from error reduction on the figure, the roundness, and the grazing angle/radius mismatching of the reflecting surface, and tighter specs and mechanical strength on supporting structure to reduce the reflector positioning and the assembly errors. Each soft x-ray telescope (SXT), FM1 or FM2, were integrated from four independent quadrants of mirrors. The stray-light baffles, in quadrant configuration, were mounted onto the integrated mirror. Thermal control units were attached to the perimeter of the integrated mirror to keep the mirror within operating temperature in space. The completed instrument went through a series of optical alignment, thus made the quadrant images confocal and their optical axes in parallel to achieve highest throughput possible. Environmental tests were carried out, and optical quality of the telescopes has been confirmed. The optical and x-ray calibrations also include: angular resolution, effective area in the energy range of ~ 0.4 - 12keV, off-axis response, etc. Some of those are being carried out by our counterpart at JAXA/ISAS, Japan. We report the calibration results of the FM1 and FM2 that were obtained at Goddard Space Flight Center.
A float glass process for production of high melting temperature glasses utilizes a binary metal alloy bath having the combined properties of a low melting point, low reactivity with oxygen, low vapor pressure, and minimal reactivity with the silicate glasses being formed. The metal alloy of the float medium is exothermic with a solvent metal that does not readily form an oxide. The vapor pressure of both components in the alloy is low enough to prevent deleterious vapor deposition, and there is minimal chemical and interdiffusive interaction of either component with silicate glasses under the float processing conditions. Alloys having the desired combination of properties include compositions in which gold, silver or copper is the solvent metal and silicon, germanium or tin is the solute, preferably in eutectic or near-eutectic compositions.
Friction properties were measured with a gold film; the graded interface between gold and nickel substrate; and the nickel substrate. All sliding was conducted against hard silicon carbide pins in two processes. In the adhesive process, friction arises primarily from adhesion between sliding surfaces. In the abrasion process, friction occurs as a result of the hard pin sliding against the film, indenting into it, and plowing a series of grooves. Copper and 440 C stainless steel substrates were also used. Results indicate that the friction related to both adhesion and abrasion is influenced by coating depth. The trends in friction behavior as a function of film depth are, however, just the opposite. The graded interface exhibited the highest adhesion and friction, while the graded interface resulted in the lowest abrasion and friction. The coefficient of friction due to abrasion is inversely related to the hardness. The greater the hardness of the surface, the lower is the abrasion and friction. The microhardness in the graded interface exhibited the highest hardness due to an alloy hardening effect. Almost no graded interface between the vapor-deposited gold film and the substrates was detected.
For the case of ion-plated gold, the graded interface between gold and a nickel substrate and a nickel substrate, such tribological properties as friction and microhardness are examined by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis and depth profiling. Sliding was conducted against SiC pins in both the adhesive process, where friction arises from adhesion between sliding surfaces, and abrasion, in which friction is due to pin indentation and groove-plowing. Both types of friction are influenced by coating depth, but with opposite trends: the graded interface exhibited the highest adhesion, but the lowest abrasion. The coefficient of friction due to abrasion is inversely related to hardness. Graded interface microhardness values are found to be the highest, due to an alloying effect. There is almost no interface gradation between the vapor-deposited gold film and the substrate.
The contracted activities for the procurement of 'Investigate Zero-Stress Replicated Optics' to support the AXAF-S x-ray spectrometer mirrors has been completed. To date four large Wolter I grazing incidence x-ray optical shells have been electroformed from nickel. The mirrors were fabricated utilizing each of two nickel alloy plated aluminum substrates twice. A wide variety of testing has been completed by NASA MSFC and UAH. This testing includes heat treatment control tests, subscale plating and fixture testing, alloy control of the electroless nickel, adhesion and release testing of the gold to electroless nickel, electroforming instrumentation and software and fabrication of subscale models. The full scale shells are one millimeter thick nickel electrodeposited over a thin gold layer which in turn has the optical surface on the inside. The optical surface is the replicate of the surface prepared on the substrate. Appendix I briefly outlines the fabrication process. Major objectives which were shared by UAH and MSFC include the design of facilities, equipment and tooling and procurement of materials and equipment. Process development followed with the fabrication of small scale pilot units. Procurement commenced immediately and equipment and materials were ordered to implement the fabrication of first surface full scale substrates (mandrels) and the second surface electroformed optical components. All principal objectives have been achieved. Inspection of the mirrors in visible and x-ray modes validates that the required performance and the quality can be achieved by an electroforming replication process. A very distinct progressive improvement has been achieved with each of the four mirrors produced. The final mirror exceeded the original goals and set an improved standard for flight hardware. The future goal of a 30 arc second resolution at 8 KEV x-ray appears to be achievable by this process when proper cleanliness and process control is utilized.
Technology for interconnecting monolithic integrated circuit chips with other components is investigated. The advantages and disadvantages of the current flip-chip approach as compared to other interconnection methods are outlined. A fluxless solder-bump contact technology is evaluated. Multiple solder-bump contacts were formed on silicon integrated circuit chips. The solder-bumps, comprised of a rigid nickel under layer and a compliant solder overlayer, were electroformed onto gold device pads with the aid of thick dry film photomasks. Different solder alloys and the use of conductive epoxy for bonding were explored. Fluxless solder-bump bond quality and reliability were evaluated by measuring the effects of centrifuge, thermal cycling, and high temperature storage on bond visual characteristics, bond electrical continuity, and bond shear tests. The applicability and suitability of this technology for hybrid microelectronic packaging is discussed.
High-temperature shape-memory alloys (HTSMAs) based on nickel-titanium (NiTi) with significant ternary additions of palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), or hafnium (Hf) have been identified as potential high-temperature actuator materials for use up to 500 C. These materials provide an enabling technology for the development of "smart structures" used to control the noise, emissions, or efficiency of gas turbine engines. The demand for these high-temperature versions of conventional shape-memory alloys also has been growing in the automotive, process control, and energy industries. However these materials, including the NiPtTi alloys being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center, will never find widespread acceptance unless they can be readily processed into useable forms.
Sliding friction experiments were conducted with ion-plated and vapor-deposited gold films on various substrates in contact with a 0.025-mm-radius spherical silicon carbide rider in mineral oil. Hardness measurements were also made to examine the hardness depth profile of the coated gold on the substrate. The results indicate that the hardness is influenced by the depth of the gold coating from the surface. The hardness increases with an increase in the depth. The hardness is also related to the composition gradient in the graded interface between the gold coating and the substrate. The graded interface exhibited the highest hardness resulting from an alloy hardening effect. The coefficient of friction is inversely related to the hardness, namely, the load carrying capacity of the surface. The greater the hardness that the metal surface possesses, the lower is the coefficient of friction. The graded interface exhibited the lowest coefficient of friction.