Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “metallic components”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Distributed strain sensing using Bi-metallic coated fiber optic sensors embedded in stainless steel

Silica fiber optic sensors are resistant to corrosive environments and high temperatures, making them attractive candidates for harsh conditions found in nuclear and aerospace industries. Moreover, fibers can be deployed remotely for continuous measuring of spatially distributed temperatures and strains. Here, this study investigated embedding a Ni/Cu bi-metallic coated fiber in a stainless-steel 316 (SS316) matrix using laser powder bed fusion towards functionalizing metal components for site-specific health monitoring. The embedded fiber was continuously interrogated during controlled heating to 1000°C. The measured fiber strains were similar to the expected differential thermal strains between the fiber and the SS316 matrix, until divergent behavior was observed at temperatures >500°C. No debonding at the matrix–coating–fiber interfaces was observed during microscopy, but significant interactions between the coatings and matrix resulted in diffusion-driven chemistry variations and Kirkendall void formation. Applying the strain-lag theory revealed plastic behavior in the Ni coating at temperatures >500°C, limiting the strain transfer to the fiber at higher temperatures. It was estimated that the elastic modulus in the Ni coating had decreased from ~200 GPa at room temperature to below 40 GPa, starting at 600°C. The low elastic modulus above 600°C is within the margin of what the tangent modulus would be in the case of bilinear isotropic hardening. Regardless of the divergent strain transfer at higher temperatures, the fiber was exposed to the equivalent of 1.9 % engineering strain at 1000°C, but measured only a 0.7 % engineering strain due to the poor strain transfer. Although compensating for the plastic behavior of Ni proved challenging, the bonding of a brittle silica fiber to a metal matrix surviving to 1000°C invites potential iterations on coating material for future application. For example, the embedded fiber is sufficient for acoustic energy transfer, realizing high temperature distributed acoustic sensing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Microstructure-sensitive modeling of high temperature creep in grade-91 alloy

Predicting the effects of microstructure on high-temperature creep responses of steel components is critical to minimize the risks of failure and maximize economic viability in the energy sector. In this research, a recently developed advanced mechanistic constitutive model is employed to study the effect of microstructure on the creep responses and to rationalize experimentally reported variability in the performances of grade-91 alloy. Hundreds of experimental creep tests from the literature are used to assess the predictability of the model. The model proposed is shown to accurately predict the steady-state creep rates and also the less commonly considered, yet important, primary-to-secondary transients for a wide range of creep conditions. Further, the model is capable of extrapolating the creep response of grade 91 alloy even outside of the calibration regime. Using this model, the roles of initial microstructure described in terms of grain size, dislocation density, and precipitate content, on the creep responses are investigated. The effect of initial microstructure on the steady-state creep rates and creep-strain is found to vary with stress and temperature. Grain size plays a significant role in the low-stress creep, where the diffusional creep is dominant. On the other hand, the effects of dislocation densities and precipitate content are significant in the dislocation-plasticity-dominated high-stress and temperature regimes. Furthermore, by comparing model predictions against a large experimental creep database, it is found that variability in the creep responses can be rationalized on the basis of differences in the initial microstructure. Overall, this work provides a robust pathway for microstructure-aware engineering design, verification, and validation of metallic components for energy applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Organic-rich fluids in Pluto’s interior—A source of cryovolcanic activity

The highly variegated surface of Pluto revealed by the New Horizons spacecraft is composed of both volatile ices (N2, CH4, CO) and H2O ice, all of which are intrinsically colorless. The colors on Pluto reveal a non-ice component generally acknowledged to be a refractory complex organic material (tholins) produced by photolysis in the planet’s atmosphere [1], and by photolysis and radiolysis of the surface ices [2-4]. These processes have produced a range of colors from pale yellow to red to brown, and result in a variation of a factor of 10in albedo across the surface. Tholins are disordered polymer-like materials made of repeating chains of linked subunits and complex combinations of functional groups containing carbon. Nitrogen, oxygen, and other elements can be substituted in both the aliphatic and aromatic subunits. The detection of the spectral absorption of an ammoniated compound associated with surface exposures of red-colored H2O ice (herein, RAW) in the LEISA spectral mapping data from New Horizons suggests that a third source of a colored material is ejected from Pluto’s interior as a water-rich fluid(cryomagma) that rapidly freezes at the low temperature (~40K) of the surface [5,6]. The ammoniated compound is thought to be an ammonia hydrate or an ammoniated salt; the spectral data cover a limited wavelength range, resulting in ambiguity in the identification of the form of the ammonia. The distribution of RAW in the vicinity of tectonically stressed and deformed geological structures, particularly graben (fossae), is seen as the result of both fluid effusion and fountaining ejection of cryoclastic materials in Pluto’s Virgil Fossae region [5,6]. RAW is seen elsewhere on Pluto, both in association with graben complexes and on broad expanses of old surface, but primarily in zones of tectonic stress. The nature of the putative subsurface fluid is unknown, but it must have existed at relatively shallow depths such that the graben faulting could reach it. Geochemical modeling of fluids in the interiors of small planetary bodies in the outer Solar System[7] shows that ammonia-bearing H2O in contact with rock and metal components produce a rich chemical soup, including gases that can, in principle, help propel the fluid from shallow reservoirs through crustal fractures to reach the surface. An organic component of the fluid cryomagma is predicted to originate from thermal processing of the components [ref] and may be an example of one-pot synthesis of such complexes as amino acid precursors [ref].

Dale P Cruikshank↗
DOE OSTI2020

Unprecedented non-hysteretic superelasticity of [001]-oriented NiCoFeGa single crystals

Superelasticity associated with the martensitic transformation has found a broad range of engineering applications. However, the intrinsic hysteresis and temperature sensitivity of the first-order phase transformation significantly hinder the usage of smart metallic components in many critical areas. In this paper, we report a large superelasticity up to 15.2% strain in [001]-oriented NiCoFeGa single crystals, exhibiting non-hysteretic mechanical responses, a small temperature dependence and high-energy-storage capability and cyclic stability over a wide temperature and composition range. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements show that the superelasticity is correlated with a stress-induced continuous variation of lattice parameter accompanied by structural fluctuation. Neutron diffraction and electron microscopy observations reveal an unprecedented microstructure consisting of atomic-level entanglement of ordered and disordered crystal structures, which can be manipulated to tune the superelasticity. The discovery of the large elasticity related to the entangled structure paves the way for exploiting elastic strain engineering and development of related functional materials. NiCoFeGa single crystals exhibit large non-hysteretic superelasticity over broad temperature and composition ranges. It is attributed to the continuous phase transition with applied stress, which is related to the fluctuation of entangled ordered and disordered crystal structures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Conductive Ink with Circular Life Cycle for Printed Electronics

Electronic waste carries energetic costs and an environmental burden rivaling that of plastic waste due to the rarity and toxicity of the heavy-metal components. Recyclable conductive composites are introduced for printed circuits formulated with polycaprolactone (PCL), conductive fillers, and enzyme/protectant nanoclusters. Circuits can be printed with flexibility (breaking strain ≈80%) and conductivity (≈2.1 × 10 4 S m -1 ). These composites are degraded at the end of life by immersion in warm water with programmable latency. Approximately 94% of the functional fillers can be recycled and reused with similar device performance. The printed circuits remain functional and degradable after shelf storage for at least 7 months at room temperature and one month of continuous operation under electrical voltage. Here, the present studies provide composite design toward recyclable and easily disposable printed electronics for applications such as wearable electronics, biosensors, and soft robotics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Solution Processed Ternary Tin (II) Alloy as Hole–Transport Layer of Sn–Pb Perovskite Solar Cells for Enhanced Efficiency and Stability

Tin-lead (Sn-Pb) narrow bandgap (NBG) perovskites show great potential in both single-junction and all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are still limited by low charge collection efficiency and poor stability. Here, we report a ternary Sn (II) alloy of SnOCl as the hole-transport material (HTM) with a work function of 4.95 eV for Sn-Pb PSCs. The solution processed SnOCl layer has a texture structure which not only reduces the optical loss of the devices but also changes grain growth of Sn-Pb perovskites and boosts the carrier diffusion length to 3.63 μm. The formation of small perovskite grains at the HTM/perovskite interface is suppressed. These result in an almost constant internal quantum efficiency of 96 ± 2% across the absorption spectrum of Sn-Pb perovskites. The SnOCl HTM significantly enhances the stability of Sn-Pb PSCs with 87% of its initial efficiency retained after 1-sun illumination for 1,200 h, and keep 85% efficiency under 85°C thermal stress for 1,500 h. Furthermore, the hybrid HTM further improve the stabilized efficiencies of single-function Sn-Pb PSCs and all-perovskite tandem solar cells to 23.2% and 25.9%, respectively. This discovery opens an avenue to the multi-component metal alloys as HTM in PSCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Migration and Precipitation of Platinum in Anion‐Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract Despite the recent progress in increasing the power generation of Anion‐exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), their durability is still far lower than that of Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Using the complementary techniques of X‐ray micro‐computed tomography (CT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy, we have identified Pt ion migration as an important factor to explain the decay in performance of AEMFCs. In alkaline media Pt +2 ions are easily formed which then either undergo dissolution into the carbon support or migrate to the membrane. In contrast to PEMFCs, where hydrogen cross over reduces the ions forming a vertical “Pt line” within the membrane, the ions in the AEM are trapped by charged groups within the membrane, leading to disintegration of the membrane and failure. Diffusion of the metal components is still observed when the Pt/C of the cathode is substituted with a FeCo−N−C catalyst, but in this case the Fe and Co ions are not trapped within the membrane, but rather migrate into the anode, thereby increasing the stability of the membrane.

Raut, Aniket↗
DOE OSTI2023

Migration and Precipitation of Platinum in Anion–Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Despite the recent progress in increasing the power generation of Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), their durability is still far lower than that of Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Using the complementary techniques of X-ray micro-computed tomography (CT), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, we have identified Pt ion migration as an important factor to explain the decay in performance of AEMFCs. In alkaline media Pt+2 ions are easily formed which then either undergo dissolution into the carbon support or migrate to the membrane. In contrast to PEMFCs, where hydrogen cross over reduces the ions forming a vertical “Pt line” within the membrane, the ions in the AEM are trapped by charged groups within the membrane, leading to disintegration of the membrane and failure. Furthermore, diffusion of the metal components is still observed when the Pt/C of the cathode is substituted with a FeCo–N–C catalyst, but in this case the Fe and Co ions are not trapped within the membrane, but rather migrate into the anode, thereby increasing the stability of the membrane.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Exploring the Microstructure-Property Relationship of Mg-Al-Mn alloys enhanced via Friction Stir Processing

Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is a solid-state thermomechanical processing technique that enables local grain refinement, densification, and homogenization of microstructure in metallic components. Here, FSP is applied to thin sheets of high-pressure die cast AM60 to address the porosity and heterogeneities inherent to the casting process. In this work, microstructure characterization is correlated to improvements in the static mechanical properties of the Mg-Al-Mn alloy system at various FSP processing conditions. Notably, there is a significant increase in the ductility and ultimate tensile stress of system following FSP. The dominant deformation mechanisms for the as-cast material and the FSP material are investigated. Finally, the fatigue life improvement is correlated to microstructure modifications that may lead to distinct behavior in crack initiation and crack propagation for the as-cast and FSP material.

Garcia, David↗
DOE OSTI2020

Correlations between thermal history and keyhole porosity in laser powder bed fusion

Additive manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize the production of metallic components as it yields near net shape parts with complex geometries and minimizes waste. At the present day, additively manufactured components face qualification and certification challenges due to the difficulty in controlling defects. This has driven a significant research effort aimed at better understanding and improving processing controls – yielding a plethora of in-situ measurements aimed at correlating defects with material quality metrics of interest. In this work, we develop machine-learning methods to learn correlations between thermal history and subsurface porosity for a variety of print conditions in laser powder bed fusion. Un-normalized surface temperatures (in the form of black-body radiances) are obtained using high-speed infrared imaging and porosity formation is observed in the sample cross-section through synchrotron x-ray imaging. To demonstrate the predictive power of these features, we present four statistical machine-learning models that correlate temperature histories to subsurface porosity formation in laser fused Ti-6Al4V powder.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Developing ductile and isotropic Ti alloy with tailored composition for laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is an advanced technology to create metallic components with complex geometry. Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) is one of the most frequently used materials for LPBF. The intrinsic high cooling rates and ultra-high directional thermal gradient of melt, however, lead to a hierarchical structure composed of fine martensitic alpha' within columnar prior-beta grains in LPBF Ti64. This microstructure results in poor ductility and strong mechanical anisotropy in as-built Ti64 components, which largely limit their applications. Here, we report that the above shortcomings can be overcome by tailoring the alloy composition. Specifically, by reducing the aluminum content from 6 wt% to 4 wt%, the resultant LPBF Ti-4Al-4V (Ti44) alloy exhibits substantially improved ductility and mechanical isotropy. These improvements are attributed to grain refinement during solidification and the activation of multiple slip modes and twinning in the as-built material during deformation. This work offers a simple strategy to design new titanium alloys for LPBF with significantly improved ductility and isotropy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Phase-field modeling of crack growth under coupled creep-fatigue

Crack growth under coupled creep-fatigue strongly influences service life of metallic components operating at high temperatures. However, there lack numerical models that enable direct simulations of crack growth and plasticity development under coupled creep-fatigue. Here, in this study, a unified phase-field model is developed for simulating crack growth under fatigue, creep, and coupled creep-fatigue. This model is able to reproduce the Paris laws for both brittle and ductile materials in pure fatigue mode, which shows that the degradation rate due to cyclic stress in ductile materials is generally larger than that in brittle materials. Fatigue simulations with different yield strengths demonstrate that plasticity facilitates crack growth in typical ductile materials. High-throughput simulations are performed under coupled creep-fatigue conditions, with varying hold-stress levels and hold-time. By analyzing crack growth rate under different hold-time, a creep-fatigue interaction term is obtained. Simulation results demonstrate that the creep-fatigue interaction is caused by smaller stress gradient and enhanced degradation rate ahead of the crack tips under coupled creep-fatigue, compared to the situation of pure fatigue. This work reveals the origin of different Paris-law exponents in brittle and ductile materials and demonstrates how the interplay between creep and fatigue affects crack growth.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

An operando synchrotron study on the effect of wire melting state on solidification microstructures of Inconel 718 in wire-laser directed energy deposition

Directed energy deposition (DED) with a coaxial wire-laser configuration has gained significant attention in recent years for the production of large-scale metallic components because of its low directional dependence, fast deposition rate, high feedstock efficiency, and low manufacturing costs. This work studies the coaxial wire-laser DED process of Inconel 718 alloy under a stable deposition condition with a relatively low input volumetric energy density (55.5J/mm 3 ). Post characterization reveals a cluster of refined grains at the center-bottom region of the as-printed track. Operando high-energy synchrotron X-ray experiments and multi-physics modeling are applied innovatively to study the fundamental mechanism responsible for the formation of this microstructure. The X-ray diffraction experiment provides direct evidence, which is supported by the simulation, that the feeding wire can reach the melt pool bottom and release solid particles (primarily carbides) near the mushy zone owing to insufficient melting. Consequently, these sub-micron sized particles suppress the growth of large columnar grains and cause the formation of unique microstructural heterogeneity. In conclusion, this discovery offers new opportunities for tailoring the solidification microstructure by controlling the melting state of the feedstock wire in DED process, in addition to commonly known factors such as the thermal gradient and solidification velocity.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Simulation-driven design optimization of reaction injection molding (RIM) process for polydicyclopentadiene (pDCPD): Minimizing cycle time, defects, and warpage

Replacing metal components in trucks, trailers, and buses with lightweight polymer composites is challenging due to high temperatures and complex manufacturing. The Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) process using Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) resin offers a solution by producing robust parts with excellent stiffness, impact strength, and resistance properties. Simulations are essential for optimizing this process, predicting defects, and improving quality. However, most commercial software is tailored for thermoplastics, requiring thermoset users to generate their own datasets. In this study, a material data card for DCPD was developed to perform RIM simulations. Design of Experiments (DOE) was used to identify key factors affecting filling, curing, and warpage, aiming to minimize cycle time and defects. The simulations explored varying injection gate parameters (size, location, number) and process conditions (mold/resin temperature, injection/curing pressure). Results showed that gate design significantly impacts filling behavior and defects. A single central gate provided balanced flow with fewer defects, while two corner gates led to more defects. Additionally, lower injection pressure increased filling time, while higher mold temperature accelerated curing but led to more warpage. In conclusion, this optimization framework aims to enhance DCPD part performance and promote sustainable manufacturing by reducing waste and energy consumption.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Scale bridging damage model for quasi-brittle metals informed with crack evolution statistics

Computationally efficient methods for bridging length scales, from highly resolved micro/meso-scale models that can explicitly model crack growth, to macro-scale continuum models that are more suitable for modeling large parts, have been of interest to researchers for decades. In this work, an improved brittle damage model is presented for the simulation of dynamic fracture in continuum scale quasi-brittle metal components. Crack evolution statistics, including the number, length, and orientation of individual cracks, are extracted from high-fidelity, finite discrete element method (FDEM) simulations and used to generate effective material moduli that reflect the material’s damaged state over time. This strategy allows for the retention of small-scale physical behaviors such as crack growth and coalescence in continuum scale hydrodynamic simulations. However, the high-fidelity simulations required to generate the crack statistics are computationally expensive. Thus, steps were taken to produce a flexible constitutive model to reduce the number of costly high-fidelity simulations needed to produce accurate results. A new stress based degradation criterion is introduced for the degradation of individual material zones. This allows for the development of a heterogeneous damage distribution within the bulk material. Then a flow stress model is added to the hydrodynamic simulation to account for plasticity in quasi-brittle materials. As a result, the effective moduli model can be applied to a larger range of materials. The effective moduli constitutive model is used to simulate beryllium flyer plate experiments. The results from the continuum scale simulations using statistics from a single high-fidelity simulation are found to be in excellent agreement with numerical and experimental velocity interferometer data. The same set of crack statistics are used to extrapolate the results of a higher rate flyer plate case using the effective moduli model. In conclusion, the extension of this model to higher rate cases shows promise for further reducing the number of costly high-fidelity simulations needed to generate crack statistics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Healing of nanocracks by collision cascades in nickel

We use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction between collision cascades and pre-existing nano-cracks in nickel (Ni). We find that collision cascades cause the cracks to heal whenever a cascade initiates a thermal spike whose core overlaps with the crack. Moreover, crack healing affects the distribution of radiation-induced defects generated during a collision cascade: defect clusters, such as dislocations and stacking fault tetrahedra, dominate in the presence of crack healing, while isolated point defects dominate in its absence. Furthermore, this work indicates that irradiation may reduce the number of pre-existing crack-like flaws in metallic components, potentially improving their mechanical resilience.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Process planning for hybrid manufacturing using additive friction stir deposition

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) provides a solid-state approach to metal deposition that does not rely on local melting and solidification, but rather on kinetic energy and plastic flow. Here, in this study, AFSD is combined with structured light scanning, turning, and milling to produce metal components while considering the unique requirements imposed by the hybrid manufacturing process sequences. Two demonstrations are presented which include: 1) a cylindrical build plate selection to enable coordinate system transfer between deposition and turning of a hollow cone; and 2) intermittent deposition-machining operations with structured light scanning to fabricate a two-sided hexagon-cylinder geometry.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Material properties of aqueous potassium acetate solutions for use in liquid desiccant air conditioning

We present thermophysical properties of aqueous potassium acetate solutions relevant to their application as a liquid desiccant in air-conditioning systems. Liquid desiccant air conditioners could provide up to 80% energy savings compared to high-efficiency vapor compression air conditioners. However, the commonly used liquid desiccants, particularly chloride salt solutions, are highly corrosive. This precludes the use of metallic components, necessitating specialized plastics and thereby driving up cost, weight, and limiting operational temperature and pressure ranges. Potassium acetate has been identified as a less corrosive alternative, potentially enabling broader material compatibility in LDAC components. In this study we systematically measured and modelled key thermophysical properties of KAc solutions density, vapor pressure, viscosity, specific heat capacity, phase behavior, and diffusion coefficient across a range of concentrations (10 - 70wt%) and temperatures. For instance, KAc exhibits a vapor pressure of 3.1 kPa at 50wt% and 40degrees C, demonstrating dehumidification capability comparable to chloride salts. By providing an extended dataset and associated models, this work advances the understanding needed to design energy-efficient, corrosion mitigating LDAC system.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗