Results for “HEXS”

DOE OSTI2023

The High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P): supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, and nuclear astrophysics

HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging (< 10" full width at half maximum) and broad spectral coverage (0.2–80 keV) with an effective area far superior to current facilities (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) to enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. HEX-P is ideally suited to address important problems in the physics and astrophysics of supernova remnants (SNRs) and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). For shell SNRs, HEX-P can greatly improve our understanding via more accurate spectral characterization and localization of non-thermal X-ray emission from both non-thermal-dominated SNRs and those containing both thermal and non-thermal components, and can discover previously unknown non-thermal components in SNRs. Multi-epoch HEX-P observations of several young SNRs (e.g., Cas A and Tycho) are expected to detect year-scale variabilities of X-ray filaments and knots, thus enabling us to determine fundamental parameters related to diffusive shock acceleration, such as local magnetic field strengths and maximum electron energies. For PWNe, HEX-P will provide spatially-resolved, broadband X-ray spectral data separately from their pulsar emission, allowing us to study how particle acceleration, cooling, and propagation operate in different evolution stages of PWNe. HEX-P is also poised to make unique and significant contributions to nuclear astrophysics of Galactic radioactive sources by improving detections of, or limits on, 44Ti in the youngest SNRs and by potentially discovering rare nuclear lines as evidence of double neutron star mergers. Throughout the paper, we present simulations of each class of objects, demonstrating the power of both the imaging and spectral capabilities of HEX-P to advance our knowledge of SNRs, PWNe, and nuclear astrophysics.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): Galactic PeVatrons, star clusters, superbubbles, microquasar jets, and gamma-ray binaries

HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging (<10" FWHM) and broad spectral coverage (0.2–80 keV) with an effective area far superior to current facilities (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) to enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. With the recent discoveries of over 40 ultra-high-energy gamma-ray sources (detected above 100 TeV) and neutrino emission in the Galactic Plane, we have entered a new era of multi-messenger astrophysics facing the exciting reality of Galactic PeVatrons. In the next decade, as more Galactic PeVatrons and TeV gamma-ray sources are expected to be discovered, the identification of their acceleration and emission mechanisms will be the most pressing issue in both particle and high-energy astrophysics. In this paper, along with its companion papers, we will present that HEX-P is uniquely suited to address important problems in various cosmic-ray accelerators, including Galactic PeVatrons, through investigating synchrotron X-ray emission of TeV–PeV electrons produced by both leptonic and hadronic processes. For Galactic PeVatron candidates and other TeV gamma-ray sources, HEX-P can fill in a large gap in the spectral-energy distributions (SEDs) of many objects observed in radio, soft X-rays, and gamma rays, constraining the maximum energies to which electrons can be accelerated, with implications for the nature of the Galactic PeVatrons and their contributions to the spectrum of Galactic cosmic rays beyond the knee at ~3 PeV. In particular, X-ray observation with HEX-P and TeV observation with CTAO will provide the most powerful multi-messenger diagnostics to identify Galactic PeVatrons and explore a variety of astrophysical shock mechanisms. We present simulations of each class of Galactic TeV–PeV sources, demonstrating the power of both the imaging and spectral capabilities of HEX-P to advance our knowledge of Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators. In addition, we discuss HEX-P’s unique and complementary roles to upcoming gamma-ray and neutrino observatories in the 2030s.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): Galactic PeVatrons, star clusters, superbubbles, microquasar jets, and gamma-ray binaries

HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging (<10" FWHM) and broad spectral coverage (0.2–80 keV) with an effective area far superior to current facilities (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) to enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. With the recent discoveries of over 40 ultra-high-energy gamma-ray sources (detected above 100 TeV) and neutrino emission in the Galactic Plane, we have entered a new era of multi-messenger astrophysics facing the exciting reality of Galactic PeVatrons. In the next decade, as more Galactic PeVatrons and TeV gamma-ray sources are expected to be discovered, the identification of their acceleration and emission mechanisms will be the most pressing issue in both particle and high-energy astrophysics. In this paper, along with its companion papers, we will present that HEX-P is uniquely suited to address important problems in various cosmic-ray accelerators, including Galactic PeVatrons, through investigating synchrotron X-ray emission of TeV–PeV electrons produced by both leptonic and hadronic processes. For Galactic PeVatron candidates and other TeV gamma-ray sources, HEX-P can fill in a large gap in the spectral-energy distributions (SEDs) of many objects observed in radio, soft X-rays, and gamma rays, constraining the maximum energies to which electrons can be accelerated, with implications for the nature of the Galactic PeVatrons and their contributions to the spectrum of Galactic cosmic rays beyond the knee at ~3 PeV. In particular, X-ray observation with HEX-P and TeV observation with CTAO will provide the most powerful multi-messenger diagnostics to identify Galactic PeVatrons and explore a variety of astrophysical shock mechanisms. We present simulations of each class of Galactic TeV–PeV sources, demonstrating the power of both the imaging and spectral capabilities of HEX-P to advance our knowledge of Galactic cosmic-ray accelerators. In addition, we discuss HEX-P’s unique and complementary roles to upcoming gamma-ray and neutrino observatories in the 2030s.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Hex-C 558 : A new porous metallic carbon allotrope for lithium-ion battery anode

Due to the limited specific capacity of graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), it is imperative to find alternatives with better performance. Here in this work, we propose, for the first time, a three dimensional (3D) porous metallic 5-5-8 carbon monolith with hexagonal lattice as a potential candidate. With 5-5-8 carbon nanoribbon as the building block, this material, named Hex-C558, goes beyond graphene-nanoribbon-based 3D porous carbon structures. Using first-principles calculations, we show that Hex-C 558 is not only dynamically and thermally stable, but also is energetically more favorable than many other theoretically predicted carbon allotropes. More importantly, Hex-C 558 is metallic with ordered ionic conducting channels and possesses a low mass density of 1.05 gcm -3 , exhibiting great potential for ion-battery applications. As an anode for LIBs, Hex-C558 possesses a large specific capacity of 591 mAhg -1 , low diffusion energy barrier of 0.27 eV (at low Li concentration) and 0.52 eV (at high Li concentration), a low open-circuit voltage of 0.51 V, and a small volume change of 2.4%. This work provides a new route for the design and synthesis of novel carbon materials for battery applications by using pentagon-based building units.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Optical Design of $\mathrm{DEI/ABI}$ System at the $\mathrm{HEX}$ Beamline at the $\mathrm{NSLS-II}$

Diffraction Enhanced Imaging (DEI) or Analyzer Based Imaging (ABI) uses a perfect crystal monochromator and matching analyzer to achieve sensitivity to x-ray refraction and ultra small-angle scattering on the order of 0.01 micro-radians. As such, a thermal bump caused by heat-load in the order of 1 W is detrimental. The heat load at the HEX (High Energy Engineering X-ray) super-conducting wiggler (SCW) beamline, under construction at the NSLS-II, is on the order of 1 kW. How to reconcile the three orders of magnitude difference between the HEX source power and the DEI/ABI requirements? The solution involves using a double-crystal bent-Laue monochromator as pre-monochromator to prepare a beam with a large divergence and bandwidth that is matched to a flat crystal post-monochromator. We show through phase-space (x-ray energy vs. angle as viewed by a flat crystal) analysis and Dumond diagrams that there is indeed a unique bending radius that matches the double-crystal bent-Laue monochromator in phase space to the flat Bragg crystal. The matched system has a desirable feature that the phase space of the bent crystal’s output beam is much larger than that of the flat crystal, making the combined system stable. Based on these considerations, here we present our optical design for performing DEI/ABI at the HEX beamline

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Development of the high energy engineering X-ray (HEX) superconducting wiggler, magnetic measurement, installation, and commissioning

The High energy Engineering X-ray (HEX) diffraction beamline at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL) is the first high-energy beamline capable of reaching 200 keV for a monochromatic beam. With the 3 GeV electron beam energy for the NSLS-II ring, only the superconducting wiggler (SCW) producing greater than 4 T peak field can cover these ranges with a sufficient number of photons. The 1.2 m-long HEX-SCW has a period length of 70 mm and a field strength on-axis of 4.3 T. It utilizes no liquid helium, and the vertical aperture size of the electron beam vacuum chamber is 8 mm. Unlike regular undulators/wigglers, there is no standard configuration for the magnetic measurement system for superconducting insertion devices. The NSLS-II Insertion Devices group has developed, in collaboration with the vacuum group, a novel in-vacuum Hall mapper with a 1.75 m in-vacuum linear motor and an in-vacuum flip coil system utilizing many commercial-off-the-shelf products. The measurements were conducted at the BNL, and the device was installed in the ring and commissioned. Here, this paper provides a description of the SCW and its magnetic measurement systems, as well as a brief account of the installation and commissioning efforts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Dose Measurement and Monte Carlo FLUKA simulations for the FE and FOE of the 27-ID HEX Beamline

The 27-ID High Energy Engineering X-ray Scattering (HEX) beamline, commissioned in 2024, operates within the Hard X-ray Scattering and Spectroscopy program at Brookhaven Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). The high energy spectrum at the HEX beamline extends up to several hundred keV, making it well suited for applications such as imaging large engineering samples, including fully assembled batteries, fuel cells, etc.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Scaling whole-chip QAOA for higher-order ising spin glass models on heavy-hex graphs

Abstract We show that the quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) for higher-order, random coefficient, heavy-hex compatible spin glass Ising models has strong parameter concentration across problem sizes from 16 up to 127 qubits for p = 1 up to p = 5, which allows for computationally efficient parameter transfer of QAOA angles. Matrix product state (MPS) simulation is used to compute noise-free QAOA performance. Hardware-compatible short-depth QAOA circuits are executed on ensembles of 100 higher-order Ising models on noisy IBM quantum superconducting processors with 16, 27, and 127 qubits using QAOA angles learned from a single 16-qubit instance using the JuliQAOA tool. We show that the best quantum processors find lower energy solutions up to p = 2 or p = 3, and find mean energies that are about a factor of two off from the noise-free distribution. We show that p = 1 QAOA energy landscapes remain very similar as the problem size increases using NISQ hardware gridsearches with up to a 414 qubit processor.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2026

Classical combinatorial optimization scaling for random Ising models on 2D heavy-hex graphs

Motivated by near term quantum computing hardware limitations, combinatorial optimization problems that can be addressed by current quantum algorithms and noisy hardware with little or no overhead are used to probe capabilities of quantum algorithms such as the quantum approximate optimization algorithm. In this study, a specific class of near term quantum computing hardware defined combinatorial optimization problems, Ising models on heavy-hex graphs both with and without geometrically local cubic terms, are examined for their classical computational hardness via empirical computation time scaling quantification. Specifically the time-to-solution (TTS) metric using the classical heuristic simulated annealing is measured for finding optimal variable assignments (ground states), as well as the time required for the optimization software Gurobi to find an optimal variable assignment. Because of the sparsity of these Ising models, the classical algorithms are able to find optimal solutions efficiently even for large instances (i.e. 100 000 spin variables). The Ising models both with and without geometrically local cubic terms exhibit average-case linear-time or weakly quadratic scaling when solved exactly using Gurobi, and the Ising models with no cubic terms show evidence of exponential-time TTS scaling when sampled using simulated annealing. These findings point to the necessity of developing and testing more complex, namely more densely connected, optimization problems in order for quantum computing to ever have a practical advantage over classical computing. Our results are another illustration that different classical algorithms can indeed have exponentially different running times, thus making the identification of the best practical classical technique important in any quantum computing vs. classical computing comparison.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2024

Linear optics compensation for the HEX superconducting wiggler at NSLS-II

At the NSLS-II ring, a 1.2 m long superconducting wiggler with the maximum 4.34T magnetic field has been installed at a low-β straight section (cell 27) to drive the high energy engineering X-ray scattering (HEX) beamline. To mitigate the potential performance degradation due to the linear optics distortion, a local compensation scheme was adopted and confirmed with the online beam measurement. A feedforward control to enable a dynamic compensation of the linear optics distortion was deployed. It can maintain the storage ring lattice performance when the device main coil current ramps.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Effects of HEX-SCW field errors on linear optics and orbit

Abstract not provided.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Local Decomposition of Hexahedral Singular Nodes into Singular Curves

Hexahedral (hex) meshing is a long studied topic in geometry processing with many challenging associated problems. Hex meshes vary from structured to unstructured depending on application or domain of interest. Fully structured meshes require that all interior mesh edges be adjacent to four hexes each. Edges failing this criteria are singular and indicate an unstructured hex mesh. Singular edges join together into singular curves that either form closed cycles, end on the mesh boundary, or end at a singular node, a complex junction of more than two singular curves. Hex meshes with more complex singular nodes tend to have more distorted elements and smaller scaled Jacobian values. In this work, we study the topology of singular nodes. We show that all eight of the most common singular nodes are decomposable into just singular curves. We further show that all singular nodes, regardless of edge valence, are locally decomposable. Finally we demonstrate these decompositions on hex meshes, thereby decreasing their distortion and converting all singular nodes into singular curves. In conclusion, with this decomposition, the enigmatic complexity of 3D singular nodes becomes effectively 2D.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2022

Sea level extremes and compounding marine heatwaves in coastal Indonesia

Low-lying island nations like Indonesia are vulnerable to sea level Height EXtremes (HEXs). When compounded by marine heatwaves, HEXs have larger ecological and societal impact. Here we combine observations with model simulations, to investigate the HEXs and Compound Height-Heat Extremes (CHHEXs) along the Indian Ocean coast of Indonesia in recent decades. We find that anthropogenic sea level rise combined with decadal climate variability causes increased occurrence of HEXs during 2010–2017. Both HEXs and CHHEXs are driven by equatorial westerly and longshore northwesterly wind anomalies. For most HEXs, which occur during December-March, downwelling favorable northwest monsoon winds are enhanced but enhanced vertical mixing limits surface warming. For most CHHEXs, wind anomalies associated with a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and co-occurring La Niña weaken the southeasterlies and cooling from coastal upwelling during May-June and November-December. Our findings emphasize the important interplay between anthropogenic warming and climate variability in affecting regional extremes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Texture Memory in Hexagonal Metals and Its Mechanism

Texture memory is a phenomenon in which retention of initial textures occurs after a complete cycle of forward and backward transformations, and it occurs in various phase-transforming materials including cubic and hexagonal metals such as steels and Ti and Zr alloys. Texture memory is known to be caused by the phenomena called variant selection, in which some of the allowed child orientations in an orientation relationship between the parent and child phases are preferentially selected. Without such variant selection, the phase transformations would randomize preferred orientations. In this article, the methods of prediction of texture memory and mechanisms of variant selections in hexagonal metals are explored. The prediction method using harmonic expansion of orientation distribution functions with the variant selection in which the Burgers orientation relationship, {110}β//{0001} α-hex <1$\bar{1}$1>β//$\langle2\bar{11}0\rangle$ α-hex , is held with two or more adjacent parent grains at the same time, called “double Burgers orientation relation (DBOR)”, is introduced. This method is shown to be a powerful tool by which to analyze texture memory and ultimately provide predictive capabilities for texture changes during phase transformations. Variation in nucleation and growth rates on special boundaries and an extensive growth of selected variants are also described. Analysis of textures of commercially pure Ti observed in situ by pulsed neutron diffraction reveals that the texture memory in CP-Ti is indeed quite well predicted by consideration of the mechanism of DBOR. The analysis also suggests that the nucleation and growth rates on the special boundary of 90° rotation about $\langle2\bar{11}0\rangle$ α-hex should be about three times larger than those of the other special boundaries, and the selected variants should grow extensively into not only one parent grain but also other grains in α-hex(hexagonal)→β(bcc) transformation. The model calculations of texture development during two consecutive cycles of α-hex→β→α-hex transformation in CP-Ti and Zr are also shown.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Replace Human Intelligence with Fast and Smart Geometric Reasoning and Graph Neural Network to Accelerate Next Gen ModSim Workflows

We present an agent-guided approach to CAD geometry decomposition that automates hex/hybrid meshing with graph neural networks (GNNs) to accelerate next-generation ModSim workflows. Our end-to-end pipeline (i) reduces 3D boundary-representation (B-Rep) models to a 2D chordal axis skeleton (CAT) and then to a 1D bipartite graph of surface and curve nodes, (ii) assigns per node labels as Cubit® WebCut actions, (iii) trains a multi-action GNN under supervised learning, and (iv) predicts five surface-node and three curve-node actions on out-of-distribution test geometries. Each graph node carries geometric, topological, and meshing attributes drawn from the B-Rep “skin” and CAT “skeleton,” with two-way mappings across 3D↔2D↔1D representations to maintain traceability back to 3D CAD. The supervised learning model exhibits stable convergence of the binary cross-entropy loss and achieves 98.7% accuracy on unseen lattice models. To operationalize decision-making, we rank predicted commands by geometric significance and prototyped the agent-guided workflow through the Cubit® Meshing PowerTool GUI. As a stretch goal, we explore reinforcement learning (RL) to reduce or remove label requirements and to learn policies for action sequences that maximize total reward (e.g., size of hex-meshable regions and resulting hex mesh quality). When all-hex meshing is not feasible, the agent assists in producing hybrid meshes—prioritizing hex in critical regions and transitioning to tetrahedral elements (tets) elsewhere—maintaining fidelity while ensuring robustness. The overarching objective is to replace manual, heuristics-based decomposition with data-driven, reproducible automation, cutting meshing turnaround time by orders of magnitude. We anticipate direct impact on simulation workflows through intelligent, scalable decomposition of complex CAD models into hex-meshable subdomains.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Closing the Loop between In Situ Stress Complexity and EGS Fracture Complexity

We present an agent-guided approach to CAD geometry decomposition that automates hex/hybrid meshing with graph neural networks (GNNs) to accelerate next-generation ModSim workflows. Our end-to-end pipeline (i) reduces 3D boundary-representation (B-Rep) models to a 2D chordal axis skeleton (CAT) and then to a 1D bipartite graph of surface and curve nodes, (ii) assigns per node labels as Cubit® WebCut actions, (iii) trains a multi-action GNN under supervised learning, and (iv) predicts five surface-node and three curve-node actions on out-of-distribution test geometries. Each graph node carries geometric, topological, and meshing attributes drawn from the B-Rep “skin” and CAT “skeleton,” with two-way mappings across 3D↔2D↔1D representations to maintain traceability back to 3D CAD. The supervised learning model exhibits stable convergence of the binary cross-entropy loss and achieves 98.7% accuracy on unseen lattice models. To operationalize decision-making, we rank predicted commands by geometric significance and prototyped the agent-guided workflow through the Cubit® Meshing PowerTool GUI. As a stretch goal, we explore reinforcement learning (RL) to reduce or remove label requirements and to learn policies for action sequences that maximize total reward (e.g., size of hex-meshable regions and resulting hex mesh quality). When all-hex meshing is not feasible, the agent assists in producing hybrid meshes—prioritizing hex in critical regions and transitioning to tetrahedral elements (tets) elsewhere—maintaining fidelity while ensuring robustness. The overarching objective is to replace manual, heuristics-based decomposition with data-driven, reproducible automation, cutting meshing turnaround time by orders of magnitude. We anticipate direct impact on simulation workflows through intelligent, scalable decomposition of complex CAD models into hex-meshable subdomains.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2023

Determining the Effects of Neutron Irradiation on the Structural Integrity of Additively Manufactured Heat Exchangers for Very Small Modular Reactor Applications, DOE Final Report (Project # 19-16980)

Auburn University (AU) teamed with the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) and Kansas State University (KSU) to determine how to best use laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing (AM) methods for generating radiation resistant nickel-based superalloys, Inconel alloy 625 and 718, for special purpose reactor (SPR) or very small modular reactor (vSMR) heat-exchangers (HeXs). Compact, conformal, and durable HeXs that are tolerant of extreme environments are needed for supporting the technical maturity of next-generation, portable compact reactors. AM is an enabler for realizing this new wave of HeXs – providing a means to make customizable hot and cold stream architectures with novel flow path geometries (e.g., tortuous channels with non-uniform, asymmetric cross-sections) and reduced layer-to-layer contact resistance (i.e., no separate bonding procedure required). AM further enables a more time/cost efficient means for fabricating SPRs by reducing the number of suppliers required for HeX assembly and allowing for on-site HeX fabrication. The project aim has been to better understand how neutron irradiation affects the microstructure and properties of additively manufactured nickel-based superalloys, to accelerate their safe, reliable use in the modular reactor industry. The major objective was to qualify/quantify the microstructure and microhardness of nickel-based superalloys (including Inconel 718 and 625) additively manufactured via the L-PBF process in the neutron-dosed (irradiated) and non-irradiated states over a course of 3 years. Effects of build orientation during L-PBF and post-AM heat treatments on neutron resistance, microstructure and mechanical properties were also investigated. Neutron damage mechanisms via hardening were characterized. This project combined subject-matter experts in AM, mechanical/microstructure metallic part characterization, and neutron irradiation, as well as unique assets and capabilities at AU and MURR at MU, to ensure project results translated to effectively addressing known gaps in nuclear science and engineering. Parts were fabricated using L-PBF systems readily available at AU. Specimens were then irradiated using MURR facilities; a manipulator equipped hot cell was also used to measure material hardness after dosing. MURR, a 10 MW, light-water nuclear reactor, is the largest, highest powered, highest-flux university owned research reactor in the U.S. The major findings in this project provide evidence that AM can serve as an alternative way to build structural components for future advanced small modular reactors using advanced materials like Inconel 625 (IN625) or Inconel 718 (IN718). After full spectrum neutron irradiation, vertically as-built AM IN625 samples were observed to display better resistance towards radiation-induced-hardening defects relative to traditionally machined metals. A Vickers microhardness tester, using settings of 1 kgf and dwell time of 15 seconds per indentation, was used to measure hardness in this study. The as-built, vertically printed samples experienced 1.2% of radiation hardening vs. 5.25% radiation hardening observed in wrought IN625. Another set of IN625 and IN718 samples were exposed to fast neutron irradiation. It was observed that IN718 showed more resistance towards radiation hardening compared to IN625 samples indicating IN718 had a better performance. Results showed that the IN718 samples experienced less change (-2.5 to 3.24 %) in microhardness. On the other hand, IN625 samples underwent more (0.9 to 7.21%) change in microhardness after fast neutron irradiation. AM IN625 samples were irradiated using an ion (proton) beam in cyclotron. The mechanical properties of AM samples post irradiation were compared with wrought samples. The irradiated region on the samples were tested using nano-hardness indention. It was observed that the beam current and time used in this study generated an annealing effect and thus reduced the hardness of the samples. The sum of the project results provide precious insight into how one may minimize radiation hardening in AM materials while maintaining material property constraints. Results should assist engineers in selecting an appropriate heat treatment for AM nickel-based superalloys for increased radiation resistance. Results should increase confidence levels for adopting AM for building nuclear reactor components which perform the same or better than conventionally manufactured components. Fast neutron irradiation testing provided an accelerated means of obtaining radiation effects without making materials radioactive and difficult to handle.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Effect of lattice orientation on compressive properties of selective laser sintered nylon lattice coupons

As AM lattices become more popular in medical devices, it is important to consider how lattice design parameters affect the mechanical integrity and performance of a device. This research investigated the effect of lattice orientation on the compressive mechanical response of five common lattice geometries: Hexagonal Honeycomb (Hex), Diamond, Voronoi Tessellation Method (VTM), sheet-based Gyroid, and Face-Centered-Cubic (FCC). Samples were tested at two relative densities and eight orientations, printed in Nylon 12 (PA2200) on an EOS P396. The mechanical response was compared to simulated finite element analysis (FEA) response for Hex and FCC lattices. Hex lattices displayed significant orientation dependance. Diamond lattices demonstrated some orientation dependance when at a lower relative density. Gyroid, FCC, and VTM all displayed minimal orientation dependance. Increasing lattice relative density appeared to reduce anisotropy among tested orientations of all lattice geometries except Hex. FEA simulations were able to produce a trend response that matched the mechanical response trends based on the investigated orientations. Furthermore, these results support the need for multi axial lattice mechanical test considerations. It also bolsters the need for lattice FEA models to have a sufficient comparator when identifying “worst-case” lattice test scenarios.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗