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At least 559 records · Page 31

Tailoring Thermal and Mechanical Performance Through Multimaterial Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition of Copper and 17-4PH Stainless Steel

This study investigates the additive manufacturing (AM) processing, microstructural evolution, and resulting mechanical and thermal properties of multimaterial components combining 17-4PH stainless steel and pure copper (Cu) fabricated via laser powder directed energy deposition (LP-DED). Conventional tooling steels exhibit limited thermal conductivity, significantly constraining production throughput in high-volume processes. Incorporating Cu, with its superior thermal conductivity, could significantly enhance tool performance, though Cu and steel present metallurgical incompatibilities when processed via AM. A systematic investigation was conducted across compositions ranging from 0 to 100 wt% Cu, revealing critical thresholds influencing solidification behavior, defect formation, microstructure, hardness, and thermal transport. Optical microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), hardness testing, and thermal conductivity measurements provided comprehensive process–structure–property correlations. Severe hot cracking occurred at low-Cu contents (6–25 wt%), aligning generally well with crack susceptibility modeling, with an unexpected discrepancy at 25 wt%. Porosity remained low (≥99% dense) throughout the compositional spectrum. EBSD analysis revealed a transformation from columnar martensitic structures at low-Cu contents to equiaxed FCC Cu-dominated structures at higher Cu concentrations, highlighting the complex microstructural transitions driven by Cu-induced changes in solidification and phase stability. Hardness decreased from 330 HV (pure 17-4PH) to 62 HV (pure Cu), consistent with microstructural changes. Concurrently, thermal conductivity improved substantially from 13.5 W/m K to 367.9 W/m K, emphasizing Cu’s dominant role in thermal transport. The findings highlight the feasibility of leveraging compositional gradients between 17-4PH and Cu to achieve tailored tooling with optimized thermal and mechanical performance.

17-4PH↗

Determination of the Solid-State Resistance-Weldability of Additively Manufactured 304L Stainless Steel

• A scoping study was undertaken at Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to determine the solidstate resistance-weldability of additively manufactured 304L stainless steel. • Additive manufacturing of pressure-containing boundaries is of interest to numerous industries. • The approach investigated in this study was a low energy, solid state spot weld (pinch weld). • This general approach has been routinely used for conventionally prepared tubing and is now being expanded to additively manufactured components. • This work aimed to understand the impact of AM on the bond quality and weld geometry of pinch welds.

Rogers, Jeremy K. [Savannah River National Laborat↗

Experimental Permeability Measurements on a Strut-Supported Transpiration-Cooled Turbine Blade with Stainless-Steel Shell made by the Federal-Mogul Corporation under Bureau of Aeronautics Contract N0as 51613-C

A turbine blade with a porous stainless-steel shell sintered to a supporting steel strut has been fabricated for tests at the NACA by Federal-Mogul Corporation under contract from the Bureau of Aeronautics, Department of the Navy. The apparent permeability of this blade, on the average, more nearly approaches the values specified by the NAGA than did two strut-supported bronze blades in a previous investigation. Random variations of permeability in the present blade are substantialy greater than those of the bronze blades, but projected improvements in certain phases of the fabrication process are expected to reduce these variations.

Richards, Hadley T.↗

Probing the fatigue enhancement in a thermally aged cast duplex stainless steel by in situ neutron diffraction

After long-term thermal aging at 400 °C for 3000 h and 10,000 h, a cast duplex stainless steel exhibits promoted fatigue performance, including enhanced three-stage cyclic hardening and prolonged fatigue life. Utilizing in situ neutron diffraction, the phase-specific stresses are resolved, and their evolutions over entire fatigue cycling reveal the underlying mechanisms of the fatigue enhancement. It is found that the ferrite phase bears a much higher stress than the austenite matrix under both as-received and aged conditions. The enhanced cyclic hardening in Stage I is attributed to the strengthening of both phases due to thermal aging, while the enhancement in Stage III results from the martensitic transformation induced strengthening. The fatigue life is prolonged thanks to the cyclic hardening and the delay of martensitic transformation in the austenite phase after thermal aging.

Yu, Dunji↗

The Stress Corrosion Resistance and the Cryogenic Temperature Mechanical Behavior of 18-3 Mn (Nitronic 33) Stainless Steel Parent and Welded Material

The ambient and cryogenic temperature mechanical properties and the ambient temperature stress corrosion results of 18-3 Mn (Nitronic 33)stainless steel, longitudinal and transverse, as received and as welded (TIG) material specimens manufactured from 0.063 inch thick sheet material, were described. The tensile test results indicate an increase in ultimate tensile and yield strengths with decreasing temperature. The elongation remained fairly constant to -200 F, but below that temperature the elongation decreased to less than 6.0% at liquid hydrogen temperature. The notched tensile strength (NTS) for the parent metal increased with decreasing temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature. Below -320 F the NTS decreased rapidly. The notched/unnotched (N/U) tensile ratio of the parent material specimens remained above 0.9 from ambient to -200 F, and decreased to approximately 0.65 and 0.62, respectively, for the longitudinal and transverse directions at liquid hydrogen temperature. After 180 days of testing, only those specimens exposed to the salt spray indicated pitting and some degradation of mechanical properties.

Montano, J. W.↗

Correlation of Rupture Life, Creep Rate, and Microstructure for Type 304 Stainless Steel

The stress and temperature sensitivites of the rupture life and secondary creep rate were examined in detail for a single heat of type 304 stainless steel (9T2796). Assuming that the rupture life has a power law stress dependency, relatively small differences in the stress exponent were observed over a broad range of stress and temperature. In contrast, large changes were observed for equivalent parameter for secondary creep rate. As a result of these differences, the Monkman-Grant correlation was sensitive to stress and temperature below 650 C. Metallurgical studies based on light and transmission electron microscopy suggested that the temperature and stress sensitivities of secondary creep rate at temperatures below 650 C were related to features of the substructure not present at higher temperature. Specifically, the presence of a fine dislocation network stabilized by precipitates altered the stress and temperature sensitivities relative to what might be expected from high temperature studies.

Swindeman, R. W.↗

Rate and temperature independent model calibrations for J2 plasticity and Wilkins failure models for 17-4PH H1150 stainless steel

This memo’s objective is to report a calibration of the J2 plasticity model with the Wilkins ductile failure criterion for 17-4 PH H1150 stainless steel under slow loading at room temperature. The calibration of the hardening function was based on uniaxial tension tests, while that of the failure model included data from tension tests on notched specimens, a butterfly specimen shear test, and a set of interrupted compression tests on shear hat specimens. The procedure was that described in, minus the rate and temperature dependence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Tensile and fatigue data for irradiated and unirradiated AISI 310 stainless steel and titanium - 5 percent aluminum - 2.5 percent tin: Application of the method of universal slopes

Irradiated and unirradiated tensile and fatigue specimens of AISI 310 stainless steel and Ti-5Al-2.5Sn were tested in the range of 100 to 10,000 cycles to failure to determine the applicability of the method of universal slopes to irradiated materials. Tensile data for both materials showed a decrease in ductility and increase in ultimate tensile strength due to irradiation. Irradiation caused a maximum change in fatigue life of only 15 to 20 percent for both materials. The method of universal slopes predicted all the fatigue data for the 310 SS (irradiated as well as unirradiated) within a life factor of 2. For the titanium alloy, 95 percent of the data was predicted within a life factor of 3.

Debogdan, C. E.↗

Results of inphase axial-torsional fatigue experiments on 304 stainless steel

A series of axial-torsional, inphase, strain-controlled, low-cycle fatigue tests were performed at room temperature on tubular specimens of 304 stainless steel. The program was conducted in cooperation with the task group on multiaxial fatigue research of ASTM committee E-09. The objective was to quantify the variability in multiaxial test results among several laboratories. Only included is data which was generated at the NASA Lewis Research Center's High Temperature Fatigue and Structures Laboratory. The experimental equipment and procedures used are described. The tubular specimens were polished on the outer surface to aid in the use of a cellulose film surface replication technique for crack detection. However, cracking initiated predominantly on the internal surface for all specimens. Honing of the bore of the tubular specimens lessened but did not entirely eliminate this problem. The observed fatigue lives are compared with lives calculated from three multiaxial life models. Constants for the life prediction models were obtained from uniaxial and torsional tests performed on the same heat of material. The observed fatigue lives agreed with calculated lives to within a factor of two for all but one of the life prediction models.

Bonacuse, Peter J.↗

Thermal desorption of CO and H2 from degassed 304 and 347 stainless steel

Thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS), along with Auger electron spectroscopy, was used to study the desorption of H2 and CO from baked 304 and 347 stainless-steel samples exposed only to residual gases. Both 347 and 304 samples gave identical TDS spectra. The spectra for CO contained a sharp leading peak centered in the temperature range 410-440C and an exponentially increasing part for temperatures higher than 500C, with a small peak around 600C appearing as a shoulder. The leading peak followed a second-order desorption behavior with an activation energy of 28+/-2 kcal/mol, suggesting that the rate-limiting step for this peak is most likely a surface reaction that produces the CO molecules in the surface layer. The amount of desorbed CO corresponding to this peak was approximately 0.5X10(exp 14) molecules/cm(exp 2) . The exponentially rising part of the CO spectrum appeared to originate from a bulk diffusion process. The TDS spectrum for H2 consisted of a main peak centered also in the temperature range 410-440C, with two small peaks appearing as shoulders at approximately 500 and 650C. The main peak in this case also displayed a second-order behavior with an activation energy of 14+/-2 kcal/mol. The amount of desorbed H2, approximately 1.9X 10(exp 15) molecules/cm(exp 2) , appeared to be independent of the concentration of hydrogen in the bulk, indicating that the majority of the desorbed H2 originated from the surface layer.

Rezaie-Serej, S.↗

Axial-Load Fatigue Tests on 17-7 PH Stainless Steel Under Constant-Amplitude Loading

Axial-load fatigue tests were conducted at room temperature on notched and unnotched sheet specimens of 17-7 PH stainless steel in Condition TH 1050. The notched specimens had theoretical stress-concentration factors of 2.32, 4.00, and 5.00. All specimens were tested under completely reversed loading. S-N curves are presented for each specimen configuration and ratios of fatigue strengths of unnotched specimens to those of notched specimens are given. Predictions of the fatigue behavior of notched specimens near the fatigue limit were made.

Leybold, Herbert A.↗

Hydrogen influences thermal activation parameters for dislocation glide during low cycle fatigue of 316L stainless steel

Measurements of activation areas are used to investigate the effect of hydrogen on the kinetics of dislocation glide during cyclic deformation in cold-worked 316L stainless steel. Non-charged and hydrogen-precharged (H-precharged) specimens were tested in low cycle fatigue (LCF) under plastic strain control. A series of plastic strain rate changes was performed periodically at the peak true plastic strain from the first cycle to half-life, and at various plastic strain values around stable hysteresis loops near half-life to determine the operational activation area, Δ a ∗. Both material conditions demonstrate a rapid increase in Δ a ∗ during the initial rapid softening followed by a region of approximately constant values coinciding with a reduced rate of softening. Near half-life, hydrogen reduces Δ a ∗ at a given true stress due to its effect on the activation distance and obstacle spacing. The magnitudes of Δ a ∗ reveal that bypassing solutes, cutting forest dislocations, and initiating cross slip are important mechanisms of thermally activated dislocation glide at all amplitudes, except hydrogen suppresses cross slip at the lowest plastic strain amplitudes. These results are supported by electron microscopy characterization of deformed microstructures. A Haasen plot analysis indicates that forest dislocations control the kinetics of deformation in both material conditions. It also reveals the presence of athermal obstacles in both non-charged and H-precharged conditions, likely dense dislocation tangles and cell walls. Additionally, the effect of hydrogen on microstructure evolution (by reducing the propensity for cross slip) leads to a dependence of athermal stress on plastic strain amplitude.

Activation area↗

Response of 304L stainless steel and 6061-T651 aluminum alloy at -40 °C

The objective of this work is to extend the thermal-mechanical, elastic-plastic calibrations for 304L stainless steel [1] and and 6061-T651 aluminum alloy [2] to the regime between room temperature and -40 °C. The basis to extend the calibration consisted of new uniaxial tension tests conducted at -40 °C using the same plate material stocks, circular cylindrical specimen geometries and testing apparatus as previously, followed by attempts to fit power-law hardening functions to replicate the response observed in the specimens and then extend the yield, hardening constant, hardening exponent and rate constant functions in the calibrations to cover the new temperature regime.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Updated ASME design correlations and qualification plan for powder bed fusion 316H stainless steel

This report provides an update on the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program effort to qualify Laser-Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) 316H stainless steel for use with the ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code Section III, Division 5 rules. The report summarizes progress in testing and characterizing L-PBF material at elevated temperatures by providing preliminary design data for L-PBF 316H and by comparing the elevated temperature performance of the L-PBF material to wrought and conventional fusion welded 316H. The report then updates the initial AMMT qualification plan for L-PBF 316H, originally developed in 2023, to update the accelerated qualification strategy adopted in that plan to account for the new high temperature test data. The report also explores a few methods for further accelerating the qualification process using machine learning techniques to supplement the more conventional, empirical analysis methods typically used by ASME to correlate and extrapolate time-dependent material test data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Tensile Properties of 17-7 PH and 12 MoV Stainless-Steel Sheet under Rapid-Heating and Constant-Temperature Conditions

Results are presented of rapid-heating tests of 17-7 PH and 12 MoV stainless-steel sheet heated to failure at temperature rates from about 1 F to 170 F per second under constant-load conditions. Yield and rupture strengths obtained from rapid-heating tests are compared with yield and tensile strengths obtained from short-time elevated-temperature tensile tests (30-minute exposure). A rate-temperature parameter was used to construct master curves from which yield and rupture stresses or temperatures can be predicted. A method for measuring strain by optical means is described.

Manning, Charles R., Jr.↗

Failure Maps for Rectangular 17-4PH Stainless Steel Sandwiched Foam Panels

A new and innovative concept is proposed for designing lightweight fan blades for aircraft engines using commercially available 17-4PH precipitation hardened stainless steel. Rotating fan blades in aircraft engines experience a complex loading state consisting of combinations of centrifugal, distributed pressure and torsional loads. Theoretical failure plastic collapse maps, showing plots of the foam relative density versus face sheet thickness, t, normalized by the fan blade span length, L, have been generated for rectangular 17-4PH sandwiched foam panels under these three loading modes assuming three failure plastic collapse modes. These maps show that the 17-4PH sandwiched foam panels can fail by either the yielding of the face sheets, yielding of the foam core or wrinkling of the face sheets depending on foam relative density, the magnitude of t/L and the loading mode. The design envelop of a generic fan blade is superimposed on the maps to provide valuable insights on the probable failure modes in a sandwiched foam fan blade.

Raj, S. V.↗

Extended continuous cooling transformation diagram for 410 stainless steel encompassing δ → γ and γ → αʹ transformations determined by dilatometry

In this study, we use dilatometry to construct an extended Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) diagram for 410 stainless steel, capturing both δ → γ and γ → αʹ transformations specifically for directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing (AM) applications. To ensure that the findings are representative of AM specific microstructures and compositions, dilatometry coupons were extracted from a wire arc DED wall, thereby preserving the inherent microstructural and compositional variability within the material. The on-heating phase transformations, including A c1 , A c3 , and γ → δ, were found to be essentially location independent, despite the typical heterogeneity associated with AM. Conversely, increasing cooling rates were observed to shift the start and finish temperatures of both δ → γ and γ → αʹ transformations to lower values. The resulting extended CCT diagram offers a more complete depiction of phase transformation behavior in the system, enabling accurate microstructure evolution modeling and residual stress predictions specifically for directed energy deposition additive manufacturing applications.

Additive manufacturing↗