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At least 523 records · Page 29

Barrier Self for Hydraulic Actuators

Barrier seal slows loss of pressurized hydraulic fluid due to leakage in primary seal. Barrier seal, placed downstream of primary O-ring seal, serves as secondary obstacle to leakage.

Prout, R. E.↗

Further industrial tests of ceramic thermal barrier coatings

The NASA Lewis Research Center made technical assistance arrangements (contracts) with several commercial organizations under which Lewis designed plasma-sprayed thermal-barrier coatings (TBC) for their products. Lewis was then furnished with the test conditions and evaluations of coating usefulness. The coating systems were developed and sprayed at Lewis. All of the systems incorporated a two-layer, ceramic-bond coating concept. Coating thickness and chemical composition were varied to fit three applications: the leading edges of first-stage turbine vanes for an advanced gas turbine engine; the flame impingement surfaces of a combustor transition section; and diesel engine valves and head surfaces. The TBC incorporated yytria-stabilized zirconia, which lowered metal temperatures, protected metal parts, and increased metal part life. In some cases metal burning, melting, and warping were eliminated. Additional benefits were realized from these endeavors: hands-on experience with thermal-barrier coatings was provided to industry; the success of these endeavors encourages these and other organizations to accelerate the implementation of TBC technology.

Liebert, C. H.↗

Considerations of technology transfer barriers in the modification of strategic superalloys for aircraft turbine engines

A typical innovation-to-commercialization process for the development of a new hot section gas turbine material requires one to two decades with attendant costs in the tens of millions of dollars. This transfer process is examined to determine the potential rate-controlling steps for introduction of future low strategic metal content alloys or processes. Case studies are used to highlight the barriers to commercialization as well as to identify the means by which these barriers can be surmounted. The opportunities for continuing joint government-university-industry partnerships in planning and conducting strategic materials R&D programs are also discussed.

Stephens, J. R.↗

Thermal barrier coating system having improved adhesion

The adherence between a ceramic thermal barrier coating and a metal bond coating is improved by ion sputtering a ceramic film on the bond cost. A ceramic thermal barrier coating is then plasma-sprayed onto this primer film. This improves the integrity and strength of the interface between the plasma-sprayed ceramic layer and metallic bond coat which insures stronger adherence between the metal and the ceramic.

Bill, R. C.↗

Covering solid, film cooled surfaces with a duplex thermal barrier coating

Thermal barrier coating systems were applied to hardware having passageways in the walls connecting apertures in the surface to a gas supply for film cooling. An inert gas, such as argon, is discharged through the apertures during the application of the thermal barrier coating system by plasma spraying. This flow of inert gas reduces both blocking of the holes and base metal oxidation during the coating operation.

Liebert, C. H.↗

Barriers to flashover discharge arcs on Teflon

The effect of various barriers (empty gap, copper, Mylar, and nickel mesh) on the probability of simultaneous arc discharging of two physically separated pieces of electron-beam-charged Teflon was studied. For the empty gap barrier, it was found that simultaneous discharges rarely occur when the separation between the samples is greater than approximately 0.4 times the length of their common edge when this length is of the order of 1 cm. Evidence suggests that electromagnetic fields play a larger role than electrons in influencing the occurrence of simultaneous arc discharges.

Gossland, M.↗

Reusable Thermal Barrier for Insulation Gaps

Filler composed of resilient, heat-resistant materials. Thermal barrier nestles snugly in gap between two tiles with minimal protrusion beyond faces of surrounding tiles. When removed from gap, barrier springs back to nearly original shape. Developed for filling spaces between tiles on Space Shuttle, also used in furnaces and kilns.

Saladee, C. E.↗

Degradation mechanisms of ceramic thermal barrier coatings in corrosive environments

Chemical as well as thermal-mechanical interactions between the ceramics and gas turbine combustion gases/condensates are found to play critical roles in the degradation of porous plasma-sprayed ceramic thermal barrier coatings. The detailed degradation mechanisms of several state-of-the-art ceramic thermal barrier coatings, including several zirconia compositions and a calcium silicate, in corrosive environments are examined in this paper. Approaches to extend coating lifetime are also described.

Lau, S. K.↗

Mechanical property measurements of plasma-sprayed thermal-barrier coatings subjected to oxidation

Techniques have been developed for measuring the tensile properties of plasma-sprayed coatings which are used in thermal barrier applications. The measurements have included the average Young's modulus, bond strength and elongation at failure. The oxidation behavior of the bond coat plays an important role in the integrity and adhesion of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings. This work studies the nature of the high temperature degradation on the mechanical properties of the coating. Furnace tests have been carried out on U-700 alloy with bond coats of NiCrAlY or NiCrAlZr and an overlay of ZrO2-8 percent Y2O3. Weight gain measurements on the coatings have been examined with relation to the adhesion strength and failure observations. The results from an initial study are reported in this work.

Berndt, C. C.↗

High-efficiency silicon solar-cell design and practical barriers

A numerical evaluation technique is used to study the impact of practical barriers, such as heavy doping effects (Auger recombination, band gap narrowing), surface recombination, shadowing losses and minority-carrier lifetime (Tau), on a high efficiency silicon solar cell performance. Considering a high Tau of 1 ms, efficiency of a silicon solar cell of the hypothetical case is estimated to be around 29%. This is comparable with (detailed balance limit) maximum efficiency of a p-n junction solar cell of 30%. Value of Tau is varied from 1 second to 20 micro. Heavy doping effects, and realizable values of surface recombination velocities and shadowing, are then considered in succession and their influence on cell efficiency is evaluated and quantified. These practical barriers cause the cell efficiency to reduce from the maximum value of 29% to the experimentally achieved value of about 19%. Improvement in open circuit voltage V sub oc is required to achieve cell efficiency greater than 20%. Increased value of Tau reduces reverse saturation current and, hence, improves V sub oc. Control of surface recombination losses becomes critical at higher V sub oc. Substantial improvement in Tau and considerable reduction in surface recombination velocities is essential to achieve cell efficiencies greater than 20%.

Mokashi, A.↗

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings for electric utility gas turbine engines

Research and development into thermal barrier coatings for electric utility gas turbine engines is reviewed critically. The type of coating systems developed for aircraft applications are found to be preferred for clear fuel electric utility applications. These coating systems consists of a layer of plasma sprayed zirconia-yttria ceramic over a layer of MCrAly bond coat. They are not recommended for use when molten salts are presented. Efforts to understand coating degradation in dirty environments and to develop corrosion resistant thermal barrier coatings are discussed.

Miller, R. A.↗

Thermal barrier coating life prediction model development

A methodology was established to predict thermal barrier coating life in an environment simulative of that experienced by gas turbine airfoils. Specifically, work is being conducted to determine failure modes of thermal barrier coatings in the aircraft engine environment. Analytical studies coupled with appropriate physical and mechanical property determinations are being employed to derive coating life prediction model(s) on the important failure mode(s). An initial review of experimental and flight service components indicates that the predominant mode of TBC failure involves thermomechanical spallation of the ceramic coating layer. This ceramic spallation involves the formation of a dominant crack in the ceramic coating parallel to and closely adjacent to the metal-ceramic interface. Initial results from a laboratory test program designed to study the influence of various driving forces such as temperature, thermal cycle frequency, environment, and coating thickness, on ceramic coating spalling life suggest that bond coat oxidation damage at the metal-ceramic interface contributes significantly to thermomechanical cracking in the ceramic layer. Low cycle rate furnace testing in air and in argon clearly shows a dramatic increase of spalling life in the non-oxidizing environments.

Sheffler, K. D.↗

The coverage-dependent effect on the barrier for oxygen penetration into a metal lattice

Model calculations for O/Cu(111) show that the rigid lattice penetration barrier is reduced from 8.2 to 5.3 eV as the O coverage is increased from 1/4 to 1/2 monolayer; it is expected that this large reduction will also apply to the relaxed lattice case. An increase of the distance between the first and second Cu layers, without changing the intralayer spacing, does not affect the barrier.

Bauschlicher, C. W., Jr.↗

Oxygen-Barrier Coating for Titanium

Oxygen-barrier coating for titanium developed to provide effective and low-cost means for protecting titanium alloys from oxygen in environment when alloys used in high-temperature mechanical or structural applications. Provides protective surface layer, which reduces extent of surface oxidation of alloy and forms barrier to diffusion of oxygen, limiting contamination of substrate alloy by oxygen. Consists of submicron layer of aluminum deposited on surface of titanium by electron-beam evaporation, with submicron layer of dioxide sputtered onto aluminum to form coat.

Clark, Ronald K.↗

Advanced Thermal-Barrier Bond Coatings for Alloys

New and improved bond coatings developed for use in thermal-barrier systems on Ni, Co-, and Fe-base alloy substrates. Use of these new bond coatings, containing ytterbium instead of yttrium, significantly increased lives of resultant thermal-barrier systems. Uses include many load-bearing applications in high-temperature, hostile environments.

Secura, Stephen↗

Thermal barrier coating life prediction model development

A methodology is established to predict thermal barrier coating life in a environment similar to that experienced by gas turbine airfoils. Experiments were conducted to determine failure modes of the thermal barrier coating. Analytical studies were employed to derive a life prediction model. A review of experimental and flight service components as well as laboratory post evaluations indicates that the predominant mode of TBC failure involves thermomechanical spallation of the ceramic coating layer. This ceramic spallation involves the formation of a dominant crack in the ceramic coating parallel to and closely adjacent to the topologically complex metal ceramic interface. This mechanical failure mode clearly is influenced by thermal exposure effects as shown in experiments conducted to study thermal pre-exposure and thermal cycle-rate effects. The preliminary life prediction model developed focuses on the two major damage modes identified in the critical experiments tasks. The first of these involves a mechanical driving force, resulting from cyclic strains and stresses caused by thermally induced and externally imposed mechanical loads. The second is an environmental driving force based on experimental results, and is believed to be related to bond coat oxidation. It is also believed that the growth of this oxide scale influences the intensity of the mechanical driving force.

Demasi, J. T.↗

Amosphous diffusion barriers

Amorphous W-Zr and W-N alloys were investigated as diffusion barriers in silicon metallization schemes. Data were presented showing that amorphous W-Zr crystallizes at 900 C, which is 200 C higher than amorphous W-Ni films, and that both films react with metallic overlayers at temperatures far below the crystllization temperature. Also, W-N alloys (crystalline temperature of 600 C) were successfully incorporated as a diffusion barrier in contact structures with both Al and Ag overlayers. The thermal stability of the electrical characteristics of shallow n(+)p junctions significantly improved by incorporating W-N layers in the contact system. One important fact demonstated was the critical influence of the deposition parameters during formation of these carriers.

Kolawa, E.↗

Evaluation of moisture barrier coatings on carbon-phenolic SRM nozzle materials

The carbon-phenolic composite ablative material used on the Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) nozzle is known to absorb moisture from the atmosphere. This could cause problems such as pocketing during firing. Several moisture barrier coatings were tested on the SRM nozzle material. Data are presented for six of the 12 coatings to be tested. The data were obtained from immersion of coated samples in an environmental chamber at 100 F and 100% relative humidity and by using a modified TGA (thermal gravimetric analysis) technique. The TGA technique involved allowing wet nitrogen (25 C, 80% relative humidity) to flow across a small sample at about 65 cu cm per minute while continually monitoring the weight increase. These preliminary results show Kel-F-800, a material supplied by 3M Corporation to be the better moisture barrier. A second task was to collect data on the relative absorption of water and kerosene into the carbon-phenolic SRM nozzle material. These data indicate that water absorbs into the nozzle material to a much greater extent than kerosene. Thus kerosene is the more likely solvent in which to make specific gravity measurements on the SRM nozzle material.

Mcnutt, Ronald C.↗