Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “ceramic processing”

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 325 records · Page 18

Powder Processing of High Temperature Cermets and Carbides at Marshall Space Flight Center

The Materials and Processing Laboratory at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is developing Powder Metallurgy (PM) processing techniques for high temperature cermet and carbide material consolidation. These new group of materials would be utilized in the nuclear core for Nuclear Thermal Rockets (NTR). Cermet materials offer several advantages for NTR such as retention of fission products and fuels, better thermal shock resistance, hydrogen compatibility, high thermal conductivity, and high strength. Carbide materials offer the highest operating temperatures but are sensitive to thermal stresses and are difficult to process. To support the effort, a new facility has been setup to process refractory metal, ceramic, carbides and depleted uranium-based powders. The facility inciudes inert atmosphere glove boxes for the handling of reactive powders, a high temperature furnace, and powder processing equipment used for blending, milling, and sieving. The effort is focused on basic research to identify the most promising compositions and processing techniques. Several PM processing methods including Cold and Hot Isostatic Pressing are being evaluated to fabricate samples for characterization and hot hydrogen testing.

Salvail, Pat↗

Lightweight Ceramic Insulation

Fiber burnout process yields low densities. Low density attained by process of sacrificial burnout. Graphite or carbon fibers mixed into slurry of silica, alumina, and boron-compound fibers in amounts ranging from 25 to 75 percent of total fiber content by weight. Mixture formed into blocks and dried. Blocks placed in kiln and heated to 1,600 degrees F(870 degrees C) for several hours. Graphite or carbon fibers slowly oxidize away, leaving voids and reducing block density. Finally, blocks heated to 2,350 degrees F (1,290 degrees C) for 90 minutes to bond remaining ceramic fibers together. Developed for use on Space Shuttle and other spacecraft, rigid insulation machined to requisite shape and bonded in place.

Wheeler, W. H.↗

Direct Processing of Lithium Chloride Based Waste Salt in a Ceramic Waste Form

Ceramic waste form materials were fabricated with a LiCl based salt mixture to demonstrate the suitability of direct processing of waste salt from an all LiCl pyroprocessing flow sheet on the formation, microstructure, and durability of ceramic waste forms. Materials were successfully synthesized by using the simplified direct processing technique with salt loadings of 5, 7.5, and 10 wt% at the laboratory scale. Materials fabricated with LiCl based salt indicated full conversion of zeolite to sodalite occurred to form products with low open porosity. This indicates that the Na 2 O content of NBS4 glass is suitable for processing salt chemistries which do not contain NaCl. Generated sodalite was microencapsulated by the glass binder, halite occlusions were detected within sodalite domains at all salt loadings, and a Cs-rich phase believed to be Cs-pollucite was detected in the material made with the lowest salt loading (5 wt%). Salt inclusions were encapsulated within the binder glass at all loadings, and found to consist primarily of NaCl with Cs present. A small amount of salt was found at the surface of the wasteform made with the highest salt loading of 10 wt%, which may indicate an upper limit to the amount of salt that can be accommodated or incomplete mechanical mixing of the reagents. Durability testing by using the ASTM C1308 method indicated that initial rapid dissolution of exposed halite inclusion phases was directly correlated to salt loading. Wasteform degradation during all tests occurred primarily due to dissolution of the sodalite phase. Durability of the binder glass was found to increase as the waste salt loading increased. Results for the release of cations from the salt indicate the changes in wasteform durability and halite inclusion chemistry are strongly influenced by ion exchange phenomena between the salt and the glass. This appears to be the result of the relatively stronger affinity for the glass phase of Li, compared to that of other cations such as Na and Cs. The effects from cation exchange were diminished at lower salt loadings.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Porous Ceramic Spheres From Cation Exchange Beads

This document is a slide presentation that examines the use of a simple templating process to produce hollow ceramic spheres with a pore size of 1 to 10 microns. Using ion exchange process it was determined that the method produces porous ceramic spheres with a unique structure: (i.e., inner sphere surrounded by an outer sphere.)

Dynys, Fred↗

Polymer derived Nicalon/Si-C-O composites - Processing and mechanical behavior

Ceramic matrix composites fabricated using Nicalon fiber and several polysilsesquioxane-derived Si-C-O matrices were characterized by optical and SEM and in four-point bending. In the matrix material linear shrinkages of up to 19 percent were observed for the vinylmethyl copolymer pyrolyzed to 1200 C, and up to 13 percent for the phenylmethyl material pyrolyzed to the same temperature, resulting in considerable matrix cracking. Under four-point loading, most composite samples fractured in a brittle manner as the result of strong fiber-matrix bonding. Flexural strengths, moduli, and ultimate strain varied with fiber sizing and processing parameters. Testing and analysis is being applied to promote more fibrous pullout during fracture.

Hurwitz, Frances I.↗

Tribology of ceramics: Report of the Committee on Tribology of Ceramics

The current state of knowledge of ceramic surface structures, composition, and reactivity is reviewed. The tribological requirements of advanced mechanical systems now being deployed (in particular, heat engines) exceed the capabilities of traditional metallic-based materials because of the high temperatures encountered. Advanced ceramic materials for such applications are receiving intense scrutiny, but there is a lack of understanding of the properties and behavior of ceramic surfaces and the influence of processing on the properties of ceramics is described. The adequacy of models, ranging form atomic to macro, to describe and to predict ceramic friction and wear are discussed, as well as what is known about lubrication at elevated temperatures. From this analysis, recommendations are made for coordination, research, and development that will lead to better performance of ceramic materials in tribological systems.

Source record↗

Densification, microstructure and properties of TiB2 ceramics fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Highlights: • Nearly full densification of in-house processed TiB{sub 2} ceramic powders at 1500 °C. • Microstructures revealing the size and shape of TiB{sub 2} grains after SPS. • The effect of sub-micron particles on the densification during SPS. • The effect of sintering pressure on the microstructure. • Microhardness and nano-indentation measurements along with oxidation studies. - Abstract: This study reports the fabrication of high-density TiB{sub 2} ceramics at reduced temperatures (1500 °C) by using field assisted sintering technology/spark plasma sintering (FAST/SPS) technique. In-house processed TiB{sub 2} powders with high purity were employed as starting materials. The effects of SPS conditions on the sintering behavior and microstructure of TiB{sub 2} were investigated. Sub-micron character of TiB{sub 2} particles has a strong influence on the densification during SPS. Microstructural analyses revealed that the high pressure affected both the grain size and the shape of TiB{sub 2} crystallites. Elongated grains with average size of 6 μm were perceived in TiB{sub 2} sample fabricated by SPS at 1500 °C under 60 MPa pressure with a relative density of 96.7%. The microhardness and elastic modulus were measured as 27.4 GPa and 685.2 GPa, respectively. This sample revealed an improved oxidation resistance due to the formation of a thin oxidation layer on the surface when heated up to 1200 °C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Method for thermally spraying crack-free mullite coatings on ceramic-based substrates

A process for depositing a mullite coating on a silicon-based material, such as those used to form articles exposed to high temperatures and including the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. The process is generally to thermally spray a mullite powder to form a mullite layer on a substrate, in which the thermal spraying process is performed so that the mullite powder absorbs a sufficient low level of energy from the thermal source to prevent evaporation of silica from the mullite powder. Processing includes deposition parameter adjustments or annealing to maintain or reestablish phase equilibrium in the mullite layer, so that through-thickness cracks in the mullite layer are avoided.

Spitsberg, Irene T.↗

Method for thermally spraying crack-free mullite coatings on ceramic-based substrates

A process for depositing a mullite coating on a silicon-based material, such as those used to form articles exposed to high temperatures and including the hostile thermal environment of a gas turbine engine. The process is generally to thermally spray a mullite powder to form a mullite layer on a substrate, in which the thermal spraying process is performed so that the mullite powder absorbs a sufficient low level of energy from the thermal source to prevent evaporation of silica from the mullite powder. Processing includes deposition parameter adjustments or annealing to maintain or reestablish phase equilibrium in the mullite layer, so that through-thickness cracks in the mullite layer are avoided.

Spitsberg, Irene T.↗

Method of producing an internal cavity in a ceramic matrix composite

A process for producing an internal cavity in a CMC article and mandrels used therewith. The process entails incorporating a mandrel made of a fusible material that is melted and drained during a thermal treatment of a CMC preform to form the CMC article. The mandrel material is preferably non-wetting and non-reactive with any constituents of the CMC preform during the thermal treatment. The mandrel is preferably tin or an alloy of tin.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Microwave Debinding of Ceramics Produced by Additive Manufacturing

Microwave-assisted debinding offers an innovative approach to processing 3D-printed engineering ceramics. Ceramic parts produced with photopolymer-based additive manufacturing techniques require thermal debinding to remove polymers that bind ceramic particles during the printing process. Microwave-assisted debinding significantly reduces processing times and offers energy savings over conventional thermal treatments due to higher heating rates and more uniform heating. Finite-element modeling of the debinding process allows for the optimization and prediction of temperature distribution, stress development, and potential defects, leading to improved process control and material quality.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Progress report

The NASA funding allowed Clark Atlanta University (CAU) to establish a High Performance Polymers And Ceramics (HiPPAC) Research Center. The HiPPAC Center is consolidating and expanding the existing polymer and ceramic research capabilities at CAU through the development of interdepartmental and interinstitutional research in: (1) polymer synthesis; (2) polymer characterization and properties; (3) polymer processing; (4) polymer-based ceramic synthesis; and (5) ceramic characterization and properties. This Center has developed strong interactions between scientists and materials scientists of CAU and their counterparts from sister institutions in the Atlanta University Center (AUC) and the Georgia Institute of Technology. As a component of the center, we have started to develop strong collaborations with scientists from other universities and the HBCU's, national and federal agency laboratories, and the private sector during this first year. During this first year we have refined the focus of the research in the HiPPAC Center to three areas with seven working groups that will start programmatic activities on January 1, 1993, as follows: (1) nonlinear optical properties of chitosan derivatives; (2) polymeric electronic materials; (3) nondestructive characterization and prediction of polyimide performance; (4) solution processing of high-performance materials; (5) processable polyimides for composite applications; (6) sol-gel based ceramic materials processing; and (7) synthetic based processing of pre-ceramic polymers.

Abhiraman, A.↗

Ceramic Heat Pipe for Thermal Management of a High Frequency Inductor

As the power density of electric machines and power electronics continues to increase to meet the demands of more electric aircraft, the thermal management of these devices becomes increasingly important. Ideally, the thermal management solution of the device should have high thermal conductivity and be electrically insulating so that it can be directly integrated with the device in question. Technical ceramics are a class of materials that meet these two requirements. Direct liquid cooling by submerging electric components in a dielectric fluid is an alternate option, but adds system complexity and may incur pumping loss. In this work, the thermal management solution for a high frequency inductor is presented. A conventional wicked heat pipe is designed that is made from a solid ceramic case with a sintered ceramic wick. This heat pipe can provide structural support for the core and windings and is electrically insulating, so it does not incur any additional eddy current losses from the high frequency magnetic fields. It does not require additional pumping power, because conventional wicked heat pipes are passive devices. In this paper, the manufacturing process of the ceramic heat pipe is also presented. It is shown that the sintering of large diameter spherical ceramic particles is difficult due to their high specific surface area and low surface free energy. To overcome this difficulty, a flux material was used to initiate liquid phase sintering. The results of the sintering trials show that for the 120 μm diameter α-Al2O3powder selected for the wick, the combination of 1650°C sintering temperature and the addition of 5 wt% talc sintered the porous matrix together sufficiently for use as a heat pipe wic

High-frequency Inductor↗

Ceramic Heat Pipe for Thermal Management of a High Frequency Inductor

As the power density of electric machines and power electronics continues to increase to meet the demands of more electric aircraft, the thermal management of these devices becomes increasingly important. Ideally, the thermal management solution of the device should have high thermal conductivity and be electrically insulating so that it can be directly integrated with the device in question. Technical ceramics are a class of materials that meet these two requirements. Direct liquid cooling by submerging electric components in a dielectric fluid is an alternate option, but adds system complexity and may incur pumping loss. In this work, the thermal management solution for a high frequency inductor is presented. A conventional wicked heat pipe is designed that is made from a solid ceramic case with a sintered ceramic wick. This heat pipe can provide structural support for the core and windings and is electrically insulating, so it does not incur any additional eddy current losses from the high frequency magnetic fields. It does not require additional pumping power, because conventional wicked heat pipes are passive devices. In this paper, the manufacturing process of the ceramic heat pipe is also presented. It is shown that the sintering of large diameter spherical ceramic particles is difficult due to their high specific surface area and low surface free energy. To overcome this difficulty, a flux material was used to initiate liquid phase sintering. The results of the sintering trials show that for the 120 μm diameter α-Al2O3 powder selected for the wick, the combination of 1650°C sintering temperature and the addition of 5 wt% talc sintered the porous matrix together sufficiently for use as a heat pipe wick.

High frequency inductor↗