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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 109 records · Page 6

Time-Dependent Failure Assessment of Ceramic Receivers

The outlet temperature targets for Gen 3 Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems pose a significant challenge to the structural reliability of high temperature metallic components, including those manufactured from nickel-based superalloys. Advanced ceramics present a potential solution due to their excellent high-temperature strength. However, accurate assessment of ceramic components requires an entirely different approach compared to metallic components. This paper describes the implementation of time-dependent reliability analysis of ceramic components in srlife – an open-source software package for estimating the life of high temperature CSP components. This new capability will allow high temperature CSP designers to make fair comparisons between competing metallic and ceramic designs and accurately assess the performance of different ceramic materials for CSP receivers and other components. The current version of the tool is available at https://github.com/Argonne-National-Laboratory/srlife.

Barua, Bipul (ORCID:0000000247184113)↗

Methods of removing a ceramic coating from a substrate

A method for removing a ceramic coating from a substrate is presented. The method includes contacting the ceramic coating with a composition including a fluoride source and nitric acid. A method of forming a component having a variation in saturation magnetization is presented. The method includes masking selected portions of a surface of a metallic component using a ceramic coating to form a masked metallic component; selectively diffusing nitrogen into the metallic component by exposing the masked metallic component to a nitrogen-rich atmosphere; and removing the ceramic coating from the surface of the metallic component by contacting the ceramic coating with a composition including the fluoride source and nitric acid.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Compositions and methods for thermoelectric ceramics

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions comprising a CaMnO 3 ceramic. In a further aspect, the disclosed thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions can dramatically increase the energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric through a combination of modifying the chemistry of precursor materials, and simultaneously introducing a metal oxide liquid phase during sintering. In a further aspect, the present disclosure pertains to thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions comprising a metal doped CaMnO 3 having with a metal oxide grain boundary phase; wherein the metal is selected from group 13, group 14, group 15, group 16, or a rare earth element. In a still further aspect, the disclosure relates to methods for making the thermoelectric ceramic oxide materials. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Song, Xueyan↗

Ceramic airfoil trailing end configuration

An airfoil includes an airfoil body that has a trailing edge region. The trailing edge region includes first and second monolithic ceramic exterior walls, a flow discharge passage between the first and second monolithic ceramic exterior walls, a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) liner at least a portion of which is disposed in the flow discharge passage between the first and second monolithic ceramic exterior walls, and an array of pedestals disposed in the flow discharge passage. Each of the flow guides bridges the CMC liner and at least one of the first and second monolithic ceramic exterior walls.

Kennedy, Matthew B.↗

System and method for engineered ceramic packages for use in fluid treatment technologies

The present disclosure relates to a fluid modification system having a container structure and a plurality of independent, ceramic elements. The ceramic elements may be arranged in random orientations and contained in the container structure, thus causing a fluid flow entering the container structure at any given cross-section location to flow over the surfaces of a first subplurality of the ceramic elements, and through the porous walls of a second subplurality of the ceramic elements, before exiting at a second location of the container structure. Each one of the ceramic elements has at least one of a nanofibrous or nanoporous microstructure to enable internal flow both through a wall structure thereof, and over and around the wall structure to affect performance.

Kelly, James Patrick↗

Porous ceramics for additive manufacturing, filtration, and membrane applications

In accordance with one aspect of the presently disclosed inventive concepts, a porous ceramic structure includes a three-dimensional printed structure having predefined features, where the three-dimensional structure has a geometric shape. The average length of the features may be at least 10 microns. The three-dimensional structure includes a ceramic material having an open cell structure with a plurality of pores, where the pores form continuous channels through the ceramic material from one side of the ceramic material to an opposite side of the ceramic material.

Campbell, Patrick↗

Systems and methods for fluoride ceramic phosphors for LED lighting

The present disclosure relates to a lighting component which may comprise a light emitting diode (LED) or laser diode (LD) for generating at least one of blue light or ultraviolet light. A fluoride phosphor matrix may be included, which may be consolidated into a phosphor ceramic structure including at least one of a transparent fluoride ceramic structure or a translucent fluoride ceramic structure, and positioned adjacent to the LED or LD. The phosphor ceramic structure generates at least one of red or orange light when irradiated by the light emitted from the LED or LD. The phosphor ceramic structure exhibits reduced thermal quenching relative to a fluoride particulate structure irradiated by the LED or LD.

Cherepy, Nerine↗

Porous ceramic supports for resistively heated hybrid gas sorbents

A porous sorbent ceramic product includes a three-dimensional structure having an electrically conductive ceramic material, wherein the conductive ceramic material has an open cell structure with a plurality of intra-material pores, a sorbent additive primarily present in the intra-material pores of the conductive ceramic material for adsorption of a gas, and at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the conductive ceramic material.

Ellebracht, Nathan C.↗

Processing and 3D printing of SiCN polymer-derived ceramics

Preceramic polymer resins are attractive for the 3D printing of net-shaped ceramic components. Recently various processes have been demonstrated for 3D printing of polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs). Ultimately in these processes, the process outcomes strongly depend on the process parameters. In particular, for PDCs the ceramic density, and ceramic yield are affected by the catalyst concentration and cross-linking duration. Here, we use thermal analysis and FTIR to quantify the interrelation of the process parameters on the process outcome for polysilazanes and demonstrate 3D printing of PDC components based on the best-identified process parameters. Furthermore, the results of this work can be used as guidelines for future additive manufacturing of PDCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Influence of Printing Parameters, Post-Processing, and Testing Conditions on the Properties of Binder Jetting Additive Manufactured Functional Ceramics

This article outlines the current state-of-the-art binder jetting (BJT) additive manufacturing of functional ceramics. The impact of printing parameters, heat treatment processing, and testing conditions on the observed performance of these ceramics is discussed. Additionally, this article discusses the impact of physical properties such as density and mechanical strength on the overall performance of these functional ceramics. Although printing parameters and initial feedstock are crucial for the printability of the desired parts, other factors play an important role in the performance of the ceramic. Thermal post-processing is crucial to achieve optimized functional properties, while the testing orientation is key to obtaining the maximum output from the part. Finally, future research directions for this field are also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Customized Nanostructured Ceramics via Microphase Separation 3D Printing

To date, the restricted capability to fabricate ceramics with independently tailored nano- and macroscopic features has hindered their implementation in a wide range of crucial technological areas, including aeronautics, defense, and microelectronics. In this study, a novel approach that combines self- and digital assembly to create polymer-derived ceramics with highly controlled structures spanning from the nano- to macroscale is introduced. Polymerization-induced microphase separation of a resin during digital light processing generates materials with nanoscale morphologies, with the distinct phases consisting of either a preceramic precursor or a sacrificial polymer. By precisely controlling the molecular weight of the sacrificial polymer, the domain size of the resulting material phases can be finely tuned. Pyrolysis of the printed objects yields ceramics with complex macroscale geometries and nanoscale porosity, which display excellent thermal and oxidation resistance, and morphology-dependent thermal conduction properties. This method offers a valuable technological platform for the simplified fabrication of nanostructured ceramics with complex shapes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Stability of ceramic matrix materials in molten hydroxide under oxidizing and reducing conditions

The degradation mechanism of ceramic matrix materials used as molten hydroxide electrolyte support for steam electrolysis cells, is not well documented. In this study, we have investigated the structural and chemical stability of non-oxide and oxide ceramics (SiC, YSZ, Li 2 ZrO 3, LiAlO 2 , and SrZrO 3 ) in the presence of molten hydroxide under oxidizing and reducing conditions with humidity levels of 3 and 85% at 550 °C. SiC, YSZ, Li 2 ZrO 3 and LiAlO 2 showed structural and chemical changes due to dissolution of the ceramic particles in the hydroxide melt followed by precipitation. The SrZrO 3 powder, on the other hand, remained both chemically and structurally stable during 500 h test under both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. The findings of a stable ceramic matrix in molten hydroxide contribute to the enhancement of the durability and performance of intermediate temperature water electrolysis system.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Additive manufacturing of ceramic materials for energy applications: Road map and opportunities

Among engineering materials, ceramics are indispensable in energy applications such as batteries, capacitors, solar cells, smart glass, fuel cells and electrolyzers, nuclear power plants, thermoelectrics, thermoionics, carbon capture and storage, control of harmful emission from combustion engines, piezoelectrics, turbines and heat exchangers, among others. Advances in additive manufacturing (AM) offer new opportunities to fabricate these devices in geometries unachievable previously and may provide higher efficiencies and performance, all at lower costs. This article reviews the state of the art in ceramic materials for various energy applications. The focus of the review is on material selections, processing, and opportunities for AM technologies in energy related ceramic materials manufacturing. The aim of the article is to provide a roadmap for stakeholders such as industry, academia and funding agencies on research and development in additive manufacturing of ceramic materials toward more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable energy systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hot-pressed 6 LiInSe 2 for use as a ceramic radiation detector

Lithium based chalcogenides have many uses in the nuclear science field. 6 LiInSe 2 (or LISe) has been researched extensively because of its ability to operate in both scintillator and semiconductor modes. Here, this makes it useful in applications including nuclear material detection for national security, space applications, and medical imaging. In some applications growth and fabrication costs are of concern, as it takes upwards of 40 days to synthesize a charge, grow a crystal and fabricate a detector. Ceramics are a solution for this long route of preparation. This research shows that using a 6 LiInSe 2 ceramic instead of a single crystal significantly decreases the time required to make a detector. In the present work, ceramic wafers can be formed using a mechanical press equipped with a heating attachment. The resulting ceramic wafer performs very similar to a slow-growth single crystal when used in the scintillator mode.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Polymer–Ceramic Composite Electrolytes for Lithium Batteries: A Comparison between the Single-Ion-Conducting Polymer Matrix and Its Counterpart

Single-ion-conducting polymer electrolytes are attractive to use in lithium batteries as the transference number of the lithium cation approaches unity. This helps prevent concentration gradients across the electrolyte, which can result in dendrite formation. The addition of ceramic particles to polymer electrolytes at high loadings can increase the mechanical strength of the polymer, which can also help suppress dendrite formation. Here, a single-ion-conducting polymer electrolyte is blended with lithium-conducting oxide ceramic particles to make a composite electrolyte. This electrolyte is studied in comparison to a composite electrolyte containing freely dissolved lithium salt. It is found that the addition of ceramic particles to the single-ion-conducting polymer can result in increased cation dissociation and consequent increased ionic conductivity. The electrolytes are cycled in lithium symmetrical cells, and it is found that the ceramic-containing electrolytes show increased interfacial stability with the lithium metal compared to the pristine polymer electrolytes. Our findings shed light on how to optimize the polymer host chemistry to form composite electrolytes that can meet the challenging requirements to stabilize the lithium metal anode.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Effect of sintering temperature on feature resolution and flexural strength of ceramics fabricated through vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing

Although ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) could be used to fabricate complex, high-resolution parts for diverse, functional applications, one ongoing challenge is optimizing the post-process, particularly sintering, conditions to consistently produce geometrically accurate and mechanically robust parts. This study aims to investigate how sintering temperature affects feature resolution and flexural properties of silica-based parts formed by vat photopolymerization (VPP) AM. Test artifacts were designed to evaluate features of different sizes, shapes and orientations, and three-point bend specimens printed in multiple orientations were used to evaluate mechanical properties. Sintering temperatures were varied between 1000°C and 1300°C. Deviations from designed dimensions often increased with higher sintering temperatures and/or larger features. Higher sintering temperatures yielded parts with higher strength and lower strain at break. Many features exhibited defects, often dependent on geometry and sintering temperature, highlighting the need for further analysis of debinding and sintering parameters. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time test artifacts have been designed for ceramic VPP. This work also offers insights into the effect of sintering temperature and print orientation on flexural properties. These results provide design guidelines for a particular material, while the methodology outlined for assessing feature resolution and flexural strength is broadly applicable to other ceramics, enabling more predictable part performance when considering the future design and manufacture of complex ceramic parts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The effects of carbonaceous inclusions and their distributions on dynamic failure processes in boron carbide ceramics

Commercially available boron carbide ceramics typically have heterogeneous microstructures that contain distributions of processing-induced inclusions. The inclusions that are rich in carbon (i.e., carbonaceous) govern the underlying mechanisms of brittle fracture through wing crack formation, and thus dictate the mechanical response of the ceramic. In this study, we investigate the dynamic failure of five boron carbide ceramic materials with different inclusion populations. All of the materials were prepared by hot-pressing; four of these boron carbides contained different sizes and concentrations of carbonaceous inclusions, while one contained no carbonaceous inclusions. The heterogeneity distributions were characterized in some detail for statistical analysis using scanning electron microscopy and quantitative image analysis. A modified compression Kolsky bar setup with in situ ultra-high-speed microscopic imaging (10 million frames per second) was then used to study the influence of the inclusion distributions on the dynamic failure processes in these materials, at nominal high strain rates of 10 2 -10 3 s -1 . The in situ ultra-high-speed microscopy highlighted the link between micro and macroscale failure processes and demonstrated that the carbonaceous inclusions are indeed the preferential sites for nucleation of wing cracks, as previously hypothesized based on post-mortem observations. The relative orientation of an inclusion with respect to the compression axis was shown to affect the likelihood that it would participate in crack nucleation. In conclusion, all of the ceramics were also found to have orientation-dependent peak compressive stress, regardless of the presence of carbonaceous inclusions, suggesting that grain orientation distributions are also important.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Thermal-Mechanical Analysis of an Additive Manufacturing Ceramic Heat Exchanger for High-Temperature Recuperator in a sCO2 Power System

Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) Brayton power cycle can be configured in a closed-loop power system and has a potentially high cycle efficiency. Compactness and high efficiency of a sCO2 power block make the sCO2 Brayton cycle a versatile power cycle in broad applications. While many heat sources are of sufficient intensity to produce high temperature working fluids to achieve high cycle efficiency, the thermal-mechanical stability of traditional materials (e.g., steels and nickel-based superalloys) used in construction of heat exchangers and turbine components limits the operating conditions and thus thermodynamic efficiency of the system. This effort seeks to establish the viability of ceramic heat exchanger technologies for the most extreme operating conditions envisioned for power generation and other high temperature processes. Heat exchangers constructed from ultra-high temperature ceramics, a class of extreme environment materials featuring melting points (Tmp.) above 3000 degrees C, is particularly appealing for sCO2 Brayton cycles given their ultra-low creep rates and very high retained strength at low homologous temperatures (i.e., T < 0.5 Tmp., or at least 1500 degrees C). To translate these materials properties to ultra-high temperature heat exchangers, innovations are required in ceramic manufacturing techniques to realize the complex architectures featured in compact heat exchangers with high power density. With appropriate processing, ZrB2-SiC based compositions can be sintered to near full density and shaped into complex topologies via ceramic additive manufacturing methods. This paper analyzes heat exchanger designs and explores thermal-mechanical implications of the operating environment. Thermal flow, heat transfer, and conjugate mechanical analyses provide insights into benefits and risks associated with the design approach.

additive manufacturing↗