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At least 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Thermal Shock Behavior of Single Crystal Oxide Refractive Concentrators for High Temperatures Solar Thermal Propulsion

Single crystal oxides such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2), yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Y3Al5O12, or YAG), magnesium oxide (MgO) and sapphire (Al2O3) have been considered as refractive secondary concentrator materials for high temperature solar propulsion applications. However, thermal mechanical reliability of the oxide components in severe thermal environments during space mission sun/shade transitions is of great concern. In this paper, critical mechanical properties of these oxide crystals are determined by the indentation technique. Thermal shock resistance of the oxides is evaluated using a high power CO, laser under high temperature-high thermal gradients. Thermal stress fracture behavior and failure mechanisms of these oxide materials are investigated under various temperature and heating conditions.

Zhu, Dongming↗
NASA NTRS2001

Oxidation of ZrB2-SiC

In this paper the oxidation behavior of ZrB2-20 vol% SiC is examined. Samples were exposed in stagnant air in a zirconia furnace (Deltech, Inc.) at temperatures of 1327, 1627, and 1927 C for ten ten-minute cycles. Samples were removed from the furnace after one, five, and ten cycles. Oxidized material was characterized by mass change when possible, x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Oxidation kinetics, oxide scale development, and matrix recession were monitored as a function of time and temperature. Oxidation and recession rates of ZrB2 - 20 vol% SiC were adequately modeled by parabolic kinetics. Oxidation rates of this material are rapid, allowing only very short-term application in air or other high oxygen partial pressure environments.

Opila, Elizabeth J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Effect of Hf Additions to Pt Aluminide Bond Coats on EB-PVD TBC Life

Small Hf additions were incorporated into a Pt aluminide coating during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on single crystal RENE N5 substrates. Standard yttria-stabilized zirconia top coats were subsequently deposited onto the coated substrates by electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD). The coated substrates underwent accelerated thermal cycle testing in a furnace at a temperature in excess of 1121 C (2050 F) (45 minute hot exposure, 15 minute cool to approximately 121 C (250 F)) until the thermal barrier coating (TBC) failed by spallation. Incorporating Hf in the bond coat increased the TBC life by slightly more than three times that of a baseline coating without added Hf. Scanning electron microscopy of the spalled surfaces indicated that the presence of the Hf increased the adherence of the thermally grown alumina to the Pt aluminide bond coat. The presence of oxide pegs growing into the coating from the thermally grown alumina may also partially account for the improved TBC life by creating a near-surface layer with a graded coefficient of thermal expansion.

Nesbitt, James↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Survey of Alternative Oxygen Production Technologies

Utilization of the Martian atmosphere for the production of fuel and oxygen has been extensively studied. The baseline fuel production process is a Sabatier reactor, which produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of the water is only half of that needed for methane-based rocket propellant, and additional oxygen is needed for breathing air, fuel cells and other energy sources. Zirconia electrolysis cells for the direct reduction of CO2 are being developed as an alternative means of producing oxygen, but present many challenges for a large-scale oxygen production system. The very high operating temperatures and fragile nature of the cells coupled with fairly high operating voltages leave room for improvement. This paper will survey alternative oxygen production technologies, present data on operating characteristics, materials of construction, and some preliminary laboratory results on attempts to implement each.

Lueck, Dale E.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Calculation of Phase Equilibria in the Y2O3-Yb2O3-ZrO2 System

Rare earth oxide stabilized zirconias find a wide range of applications. An understanding of phase equilibria is essential to all applications. In this study, the available phase boundary data and thermodynamic data is collected and assessed. Calphad-type databases are developed to completely describe the Y2O3-ZrO2, Yb2O3-ZrO2, and Y2O3-Yb2O3 systems. The oxide units are treated as components and regular and subregular solution models are used. The resultant calculated phase diagrams show good agreement with the experimental data. Then the binaries are combined to form the database for the Y2O3-Yb2O3-ZrO2 psuedo-ternary.

Jacobson, Nathan S.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Quasistatic vs. Dynamic Modulus Measurements Of Plasma-Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coatings

Plasma-sprayed 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have been demonstrated to exhibit nonlinear hysteretic elastic behavior by quasistatic cyclic compression and cylindrical punch indentation measurements. In particular, the instantaneous (tangential) elastic modulus increases with applied stress and exhibits significant hysteresis during cycling. Sound velocity (dynamic) measurements also show an increase in TBC modulus with applied compressive stress, but in contrast show no significant hysteresis for the modulus during cycling. The nonlinear elastic behavior of the TBCs evidenced by these tests is attributed to coating compaction and internal sliding. The differences between the quasistatic and dynamic measurements are explained by the relative absence of the effect of internal sliding in the dynamic modulus measurements. By incorporating short load reversals into the larger loading cycle and measuring the instantaneous modulus at the start of each load reversal, the effects of internal sliding can be substantially reduced in the quasistatic measurements, and the resulting modulus values show good agreement with the modulus values determined by dynamic sound velocity measurements.

Eldridge, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Information Technology and the Autonomous Control of a Mars In-Situ Propellant Production System

With the rapidly increasing performance of information technology, i.e., computer hardware and software systems, as well as networks and communication systems, a new capability is being developed that holds the clear promise of greatly increased exploration capability, along with dramatically reduced design, development, and operating costs. These new intelligent systems technologies, utilizing knowledge-based software and very high performance computer systems, will provide new design and development tools, scheduling mechanisms, and vehicle and system health monitoring capabilities. In addition, specific technologies such as neural nets will provide a degree of machine intelligence and associated autonomy which has previously been unavailable to the mission and spacecraft designer and to the system operator. One of the most promising applications of these new information technologies is to the area of in situ resource utilization. Useful resources such as oxygen, compressed carbon dioxide, water, methane, and buffer gases can be extracted and/or generated from planetary atmospheres, such as the Martian atmosphere. These products, when used for propulsion and life-support needs can provide significant savings in the launch mass and costs for both robotic and crewed missions. In the longer term the utilization of indigenous resources is an enabling technology that is vital to sustaining long duration human presence on Mars. This paper will present the concepts that are currently under investigation and development for mining the Martian atmosphere, such as temperature-swing adsorption, zirconia electrolysis etc., to create propellants and life-support materials. This description will be followed by an analysis of the information technology and control needs for the reliable and autonomous operation of such processing plants in a fault tolerant manner, as well as the approach being taken for the development of the controlling software. Finally, there will be a brief discussion of the verification and validation process so crucial to the implementation of mission-critical software.

Gross, Anthony R.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Processing and Mechanical Properties of Various Zirconia/Alumina Composites for Fuel Cell Applications

Various electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells were fabricated by hot pressing 10 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (10-YSZ) reinforced with two different forms of alumina, particulates and platelets, each containing 0 to 30 mol% alumina. Flexure strength and fracture toughness of both particulate and platelet composites at ambient temperature increased with increasing alumina content, reaching a maximum at 30 mot% alumina. For a given alumina content, strength of particulate composites was greater than that of platelet composites, whereas, the difference in fracture toughness between the two composite systems was negligible. No virtual difference in elastic modulus and density was observed for a given alumina content between particulate and platelet composites. Thermal cycling up to 10 cycles between 200 to 1000 C did not show any effect on strength degradation of the 30 mol% platelet composites, indicative of negligible influence of CTE mismatches between YSZ matrix and alumina grains.

Choi, Sung R.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Mullite+CAS Bond Coat for Environmental Barrier Coatings for Si-Based Ceramics

Current environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) for silicon-based ceramics consist of a bond coat and a top coat. Mullite bond coat modified by adding low CTE glass ceramics, such as BSAS (xBaO.1xSrO.Al2O3.2SiO2) or CAS (CaO.Al2O3.2SiO2), was developed in the NASA Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) Program. EBCs based on mullite+CAS bond coat were characterized using high steam thermal cycling test and high steam isothermal thermogravemitry (TGA) at 1225 C - 13,000 C. The Mullite+CAS bond coat showed far superior durability compared to mullite bond coat, due to enhanced crack resistance. A BSAS top coat provided further improved durability compared to EBCs with a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coat. Still further improvement in the durability was achieved by adding a silicon bond coat between the mullite and the substrate. However, the silicon/mullite+CAS/BSAS EBC showed inferior long-term durability compared to the current state-of-the art EBC (silicon/mullite+BSAS/BSAS EBC), presumably due to the higher CAS-silica chemical reactivity.

Lee, Kang N.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Environmental Barrier Coatings Having a YSZ Top Coat

Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) with a Si bond coat, a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coat, and various intermediate coats were investigated. EBCs were processed by atmospheric pressure plasma spraying. The EBC durability was determined by thermal cycling tests in water vapor at 1300 C and 1400 C, and in air at 1400 C and 1500 C. EBCs with a mullite (3Al2O3 (dot) 2SiO2) + BSAS (1 - xBaO (dot) xSrO (dot) Al2O3 (dot) 2SiO2) intermediate coat were more durable than EBCs with a mullite intermediate coat, while EBCs with a mullite/BSAS duplex intermediate coat resulted in inferior durability. The improvement with a mullite + BSAS intermediate coat was attributed to enhanced compliance of the intermediate coat due to the addition of a low modulus BSAS second phase. Mullite + BSAS/YSZ and BSAS/YSZ interfaces produced a low melting (less than 1400 C) reaction product, which is expected to degrade the EBC performance by increasing the thermal conductivity. EBCs with a mullite + BSAS / graded mullite + YSZ intermediate coat showed the best durability among the EBCs investigated in this study. This improvement was attributed to diffused CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) mismatch stress and improved chemical stability due to the compositionally graded mullite+YSZ layer.

Lee, Kang N.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Pt and Hf Additions to NiAl Bond Coats and Their Effect on the Lifetime of Thermal Barrier Coatings

The lifetimes of thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) with various NiAlPt(HfZr) bond coats were determined by cyclic oxidation testing at 1163 C (2125 F). The bond coats were sprayed from powders by low pressure plasma spraying onto Rene N5 superalloy substrates. Yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) top coats were applied by air plasma spraying. Surprisingly, there was not a strong correlation between TBC lifetime and Pt or Hf content although Zr additions decreased lifetimes. TBC failure morphologies and bond coat microstructures were examined and are discussed with respect to the bond coat compositions.

Nesbitt, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Health Monitoring of Thermal Barrier Coatings by Mid-Infrared Reflectance

Mid-infrared (MIR) reflectance is shown to be a powerful tool for monitoring the integrity of 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Because of the translucent nature of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs, particularly at MIR wavelengths (3 to 5 microns), measured reflectance does not only originate from the TBC surface, but contains strong contributions from internal scattering within the coating as well as reflectance from the underlying TBC/substrate interface. Therefore, changes in MIR reflectance measurements can be used to monitor the progression of TBC delamination. In particular, MIR reflectance is shown to reproducibly track the progression of TBC delamination produced by repeated thermal cycling (to 1163 C) of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs on Rene N5 superalloy substrates. To understand the changes in MIR reflectance with the progression of a delamination crack network, a four-flux scattering model is used to predict the increase in MIR reflectance produced by the introduction of these cracks.

Eldridge, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Health Monitoring of Thermal Barrier Coatings by Mid-Infrared Reflectance

Mid-infrared (MIR) reflectance is shown to be a powerful tool for monitoring the integrity of 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Because of the translucent nature of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs at MIR wavelengths (3 to 5 pm), measured reflectance does not only originate from the TBC surface, but contains strong contributions from internal scattering within the coating as well as reflectance from the underlying TBC/substrate interface. Therefore, changes in MIR reflectance measurements can be used to monitor the progression of TBC delamination. In particular, MIR reflectance is shown to reproducibly track the progression of TBC delamination produced by repeated thermal cycling (to 1163 C) of plasma-sprayed 8YSZ TBCs on Rene N5 superalloy substrates. To understand the changes in MIR reflectance with the progression of a delamination crack network, a four-flux scattering model is used to predict the increase in MIR reflectance produced by the introduction of these cracks.

Eldridge, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Strength, Fracture Toughness, and Slow Crack Growth of Zirconia/alumina Composites at Elevated Temperature

Various electrolyte materials for solid oxide fuel cells were fabricated by hot pressing 10 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (10-YSZ) reinforced with two different forms of alumina particulates and platelets each containing 0 to 30 mol% alumina. Flexure strength and fracture toughness of platelet composites were determined as a function of alumina content at 1000 C in air and compared with those of particulate composites determined previously. In general, elevated-temperature strength and fracture toughness of both composite systems increased with increasing alumina content. For a given alumina content, flexure strength of particulate composites was greater than that of platelet composites at higher alumina contents (greater than or equal to 20 mol%), whereas, fracture toughness was greater in platelet composites than in particulate composites, regardless of alumina content. The results of slow crack growth (SCG) testing, determined at 1000 C via dynamic fatigue testing for three different composites including 0 mol% (10-YSZ matrix), 30 mol % particulate and 30 mol% platelet composites, showed that susceptibility to SCG was greatest with SCG parameter n = 6 to 8 for both 0 and 30 mol% particulate composites and was least with n = 33 for the 30 mol% platelet composite.

Choi, Sung R.↗
NASA NTRS2003

An Introduction to Mars ISPP Technologies

This viewgraph presentation provides information on potential In Situ Propellant Production (ISPP) technologies for Mars. The presentation discusses Sabatier reactors, water electrolysis, the advantages of methane fuel, oxygen production, PEM cell electrolyzers, zirconia solid electrolyte cells, reverse water gas shift (RWGS), molten carbonate electrolysis, liquid CO2, and ionic liquids.

Lueck, Dale E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Flow Visualization of Low Prandtl Number Fluids using Electrochemical Measurements

It is well established that residual flows exist in contained liquid metal processes. In 1-g processing, buoyancy forces often drive these flows and their magnitudes can be substantial. It is also known that residual flows can exist during microgravity processing, and although greatly reduced in magnitude, they can influence the properties of the processed materials. Unfortunately, there are very few techniques to visualize flows in opaque, high temperature liquid metals, and those available are not easily adapted to flight investigation. In this study, a novel technique is developed that uses liquid tin as the model fluid and solid-state electrochemical cells constructed from Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) to establish and measure dissolved oxygen boundary conditions. The melt serves as a common electrode for each of the electrochemical cells in this design, while independent reference electrodes are maintained at the outside surfaces of the electrolyte. By constructing isolated electrochemical cells at various locations along the container walls, oxygen is introduced or extracted by imposing a known electrical potential or passing a given current between the melt and the reference electrode. This programmed titration then establishes a known oxygen concentration boundary condition at the selected electrolyte-melt interface. Using the other cells, the concentration of oxygen at the electrolyte-melt interface is also monitored by measuring the open-circuit potentials developed between the melt and reference electrodes. Thus the electrochemical cells serve to both establish boundary conditions for the passive tracer and sense its path. Rayleigh-Benard convection was used to validate the electrochemical approach to flow visualization. Thus, a numerical characterization of the second critical Rayleigh numbers in liquid tin was conducted for a variety of Cartesian aspect ratios. The extremely low Prandtl number of tin represents the lowest value studied numerically. Additionally, flow field oscillations are visualized and the effect of tilt on convecting systems is quantified. Experimental studies of the effect of convection in liquid tin are presented. Three geometries are studied: (1) double electrochemical cell with vertical concentration gradients; (2) double cell with horizontal concentration gradients; and (3) multiple cells with vertical temperature gradients. The first critical Rayleigh number transition is detected with geometry (1) and it is concluded that current measurements are not as affected by convection as EMF measurements. The system is compared with numerical simulations in geometry (2), and oscillating convection is detected with geometry (3).

Crunkleton, D.↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Interaction Between an Insoluble Particle and an Advancing Solid/Liquid Interface: Micro-Gravity Experiments and Theoretical Developments

The interaction of an insoluble particle with an advancing solid/liquid interface (SLI) has been a subject of investigation for the past four decades. While the original interest stemmed from geology applications (e.g., frost heaving in soil), researchers soon realized that the complex science associated with such an interaction is relevant to many other scientific fields encompassing metal matrix composites (MMCs), high temperature superconductors, inclusion management in steel, growth of monotectics, and preservation of biological cells. During solidification of a liquid containing an insoluble particle, three distinct interaction phenomena have been experimentally observed: instantaneous engulfment of the particle, continuous pushing, and particle pushing followed by engulfment. It was also observed that for given experimental conditions and particle size there is a critical solidification velocity, V(sub cr), above which a particle is engulfed. During solidification of MMCs pushing leads to particle agglomeration at the grain boundaries and this has detrimental effects on mechanical properties of the casting. Consequently, the process must be designed for instantaneous engulfment to occur. This implies the development of accurate theoretical models to predict V(sub cr), and perform benchmark experiments to test the validity of such models. Although considerable progress has been made in understanding the pushing/engulfment phenomenon (PEP), its quantification in terms of the material and processing parameters remains a focus of research. Since natural convection currents occurring during terrestrial solidification experiments complicate the study of PEP, execution of experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) has been approved and funded by NASA. Extensive terrestrial (1g) experiments and preliminary micro-gravity (mu g) experiments on two space shuttle missions have been conducted in preparation for future experiments on the ISS. The investigated systems included metal-ceramic particles (pure aluminum - zirconia particles) and transparent organic - non-reactive particles (succinonitrile - polystyrene and biphenyl - glass). This paper will discuss the experimental results obtained in both lg and pg conditions and the influence of the natural convection on V(sub cr). A summary of past mathematical models and our recent theoretical developments will also be presented to explain the experimentally observed particle/SLI interaction.

Catalina, Adrian V.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Depth-Selective Diagnostics of Thermal Barrier Coatings Incorporating Thermographic Phosphors

Thermographic phosphors have been previously demonstrated to provide effective non-contact, emissivity-independent surface temperature measurements. Because of the translucent nature of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), thermographic-phosphor-based temperature measurements can be extended beyond the surface to provide depth-selective temperature measurements by incorporating the thermographic phosphor layer at the depth where the temperature measurement is desired. In this paper, thermographic phosphor (Y2O3:Eu) fluorescence decay time measurements are demonstrated for the first time to provide through-the-coating-thickness temperature readings up to 1000 C with the phosphor layer residing beneath a 100-Fm-thick TBC (plasma-sprayed 8wt% yttria-stabilized zirconia). With an appropriately chosen excitation wavelength and detection configuration, it is shown that sufficient phosphor emission is generated to provide effective temperature measurements, despite the attenuation of both the excitation and emission intensities by the overlying TBC. This depth-selective temperature measurement capability should prove particularly useful for TBC diagnostics, where a large thermal gradient is typically present across the TBC thickness.

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.↗