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At least 91 records · Page 5

Mechanical properties testing and results for thermal barrier coatings

The paper reports on several years of mechanical testing of thermal barrier coatings. The test results were generated to support the development of durability models for the coatings in heat engine applications. The test data that are reviewed include modulus, static strength, and fatigue strength data. The test methods and results are discussed, along with the significant difficulties inherent in mechanical testing of thermal barrier coating materials. The materials include 7 percent wt. and 8 percent wt. yttria, partially stabilized zirconia as well as a cermet material. Both low pressure plasma spray and electron-beam physical vapor deposited coatings were tested. The data indicate the basic trends in the mechanical properties of the coatings over a wide range of isothermal conditions. Some of the trends are correlated with material density.

Thomas A. Cruse↗

Hafnia-Based Materials Developed for Advanced Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

Thermal and environmental barrier coatings (T/EBCs) will play a crucial role in advanced gas turbine engine systems because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures and reduce cooling requirements, and thus help achieve engine goals of low emissions and high efficiency. Under the NASA Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Project, advanced T/EBCs are being developed for low-emission SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor applications by extending the CMC liner and vane temperature capability to 1650 C (3000 F) in oxidizing and water-vaporcontaining combustion environments. The coating system is required to have increased phase stability, lower lattice and radiation thermal conductivity, and improved sintering and thermal stress resistance under high-heat-flux and thermal-cycling engine conditions. Advanced heat-flux testing approaches (refs. 1 to 4) have been established at the NASA Glenn Research Center for 1650 C coating developments. The simulated combustion water-vapor environment is also being incorporated into the heat-flux test capabilities (ref. 3).

Zhu, Dongming↗

Crack Driving Forces in a Multilayered Coating System for Ceramic Matrix Composite Substrates

The effects of the top coating thickness, modulus and shrinkage strains on the crack driving forces for a baseline multilayer Yttria-Stabilized-Zirconia/Mullite/Si thermal and environment barrier coating (TEBC) system for SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite substrates are determined for gas turbine applications. The crack driving forces increase with increasing modulus, and a low modulus thermal barrier coating material (below 10 GPa) will have no cracking issues under the thermal gradient condition analyzed. Since top coating sintering increases the crack driving forces with time, highly sintering resistant coatings are desirable to maintain a low tensile modulus and maintain a low crack driving force with time. Finite element results demonstrated that an advanced TEBC system, such as ZrO2/HfO2, which possesses improved sintering resistance and high temperature stability, exhibited excellent durability. A multi-vertical cracked structure with fine columnar spacing is an ideal strain tolerant coating capable of reducing the crack driving forces to an acceptable level even with a high modulus of 50 GPa.

Ghosn, Louis J.↗

Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBC) for Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Materials

The upper use temperature of current Environmental Barrier Coatings (EBC's) based on mullite and BSAS (EPM EBC's) is limited to -255 F due to silica volatility, chemical reactions, and high thermal conductivity. Therefore, new EBC s having low CTE, good chemical compatibility, and high melting point (greater than 2700 F ) are being investigated. Sinter-resistant, low thermal conductivity EBC s are strongly desired to achieve the UEET EBC goal of 270 F EBC surface temperature and 30 F AT over long exposures (greater than 1000 hr). Key areas affecting the upper temperature limit of current EBC s as well as the ongoing efforts to develop next generation EBC s in the UEET Program will be discussed.

Lee,Kang↗

Alumina-Enhanced Thermal Barrier

Rigid, fibrous ceramic tile material called "alumina-enhanced thermal barrier" (AETB) extends temperature capability of insulating materials. Material has obvious potential for terrestrial use in kilns, furnaces, heat engines, and other applications in which light weight and high operating temperature are specified. Three kinds of ceramic fibers are blended, molded, and sintered to make refractory tiles.

Smith, Marnell↗

InGaP Heterojunction Barrier Solar Cells

A new solar-cell structure utilizes a single, ultra-wide well of either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or indium-gallium-phosphide (InGaP) in the depletion region of a wide bandgap matrix, instead of the usual multiple quantum well layers. These InGaP barrier layers are effective at reducing diode dark current, and photogenerated carrier escape is maximized by the proper design of the electric field and barrier profile. With the new material, open-circuit voltage enhancements of 40 and 100 mV (versus PIN control systems) are possible without any degradation in short-circuit current. Basic tenets of quantum-well and quantum- dot solar cells are utilized, but instead of using multiple thin layers, a single wide well works better. InGaP is used as a barrier material, which increases open current, while simultaneously lowering dark current, reducing both hole diffusion from the base, and space charge recombination within the depletion region. Both the built-in field and the barrier profile are tailored to enhance thermionic emissions, which maximizes the photocurrent at forward bias, with a demonstrated voltage increase. An InGaP heterojunction barrier solar cell consists of a single, ultra-wide GaAs, aluminum-gallium-arsenide (AlGaAs), or lower-energy-gap InGaP absorber well placed within the depletion region of an otherwise wide bandgap PIN diode. Photogenerated electron collection is unencumbered in this structure. InGaAs wells can be added to the thick GaAs absorber layer to capture lower-energy photons.

Welser, Roger E.↗

Ab initio Screening of Refractory Nitrides and Carbides for High Temperature Hydrogen Permeation Barriers

Density functional theory was used to screen eleven refractory materials – two pure metals, six nitrides, and three carbides–as high-temperature hydrogen permeation barriers to prevent hydrogen embrittlement. Activation energies were calculated for atomic hydrogen (H) diffusion into the first subsurface layer from the lowest energy surface of the high-temperature phase of each candidate material. The candidate barrier materials with the highest activation energies are h-BN, c-BN, HfN, and ZrN with predicted barriers of 3.25 eV, 3.23 eV, 3.14 eV, and 2.76 eV, respectively. Strain energies, Bader charges, and density of states were calculated for the diffusing H at the relaxed initial state and the transition state to provide insight into contributing factors to high energy barriers. The diffusing H atom in materials with the highest predicted barriers are protic. In addition, interstitial H atoms induce mid-gap states in the density of states of both BN polymorphs. The nitrogen retention of each nitride material at high temperatures was predicted using nitrogen vacancy formation energies with respect to gaseous nitrogen. Experimental evaluation of nitrogen retention in h-BN, ZrN, and TiN confirmed their resistance to nitrogen loss at 1773 K. However, of these nitrides, TiN is predicted to be the least stable. This work identifies multiple promising materials that are predicted to be effective hydrogen barriers at high temperatures and that are stable at temperatures above 2700 K, with BN predicted to perform best.

Density Functional Theory (DFT)↗

Thermionic Properties of Carbon Based Nanomaterials Produced by Microhollow Cathode PECVD

Thermionic emission is the process in which materials at sufficiently high temperature spontaneously emit electrons. This process occurs when electrons in a material gain sufficient thermal energy from heating to overcome the material's potential barrier, referred to as the work function. For most bulk materials very high temperatures (greater than 1500 K) are needed to produce appreciable emission. Carbon‐based nanomaterials have shown significant promise as emission materials because of their low work functions, nanoscale geometry, and negative electron affinity. One method of producing these materials is through the process known as microhollow cathode PECVD. In a microhollow cathode plasma, high energy electrons oscillate at very high energies through the Pendel effect. These high energy electrons create numerous radical species and the technique has been shown to be an effective method of growing carbon based nanomaterials. In this work, we explore the thermionic emission properties of carbon based nanomaterials produced by microhollow cathode PECVD under a variety of synthesis conditions. Initial studies demonstrate measureable current at low temperatures (approximately 800 K) and work functions (approximately 3.3 eV) for these materials.

Haase, John R.↗

Advanced Oxide Material Systems For 1650 C Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

Advanced thermal/environmental barrier coatings (T/EBCs) are being developed for low emission SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor and vane applications to extend the CMC liner and vane temperature capability to 1650 C (3000 F) in oxidizing and water-vapor containing combustion environments. The 1650 C T/EBC system is required to have better thermal stability, lower thermal conductivity, and improved sintering and thermal stress resistance than current coating systems. In this paper, the thermal conductivity, water vapor stability and cyclic durability of selected candidate zirconia-/hafnia-, pyrochlore- and magnetoplumbite-based T/EBC materials are evaluated. The test results have been used to downselect the T/EBC coating materials, and help demonstrate advanced 1650OC coatings feasibility with long-term cyclic durability.

Zhu, Dongming↗

Advanced Oxide Material Systems for 1650 C Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

Advanced thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) are being developed for low-emission SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor and vane applications to extend the CMC liner and vane temperature capability to 1650 C (3000 F) in oxidizing and water-vapor-containing combustion environments. The advanced 1650 C TEBC system is required to have a better high-temperature stability, lower thermal conductivity, and more resistance to sintering and thermal stress than current coating systems under engine high-heat-flux and severe thermal cycling conditions. In this report, the thermal conductivity and water vapor stability of selected candidate hafnia-, pyrochlore- and magnetoplumbite-based TEBC materials are evaluated. The effects of dopants on the materials properties are also discussed. The test results have been used to downselect the TEBC materials and help demonstrate the feasibility of advanced 1650 C coatings with long-term thermal cycling durability.

Zhu, Dong-Ming↗

Diamondlike carbon as a moisture barrier and antireflecting coating on optical materials

Diamondlike carbon (DLC) is amorphous, hard, semitransparent, and is under consideration for use as a coating material for infrared optics. DLC is also designated as a-C:H to indicate its amorphous nature as well as to indicate the presence of large (20 to 55 percent) amounts of hydrogen in the film. Two important questions arise with respect to use of DLC in infrared optics. Will the lack of grain boundaries help to keep moisture from penetrating the film. Secondly, application as an antireflection coating places restrictions on the allowed values of the index of refraction of the film relative to the particular substrate material being used. Will DLC have the correct index range. These two questions are addressed in this paper.

Woollam, John A.↗

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.↗

Application of diffusion barriers to high modulus fibers

Barrier layers were coated onto high-modulus fibers, and nickel and titanium layers were overcoated as simulated matrix materials. The objective was to coat the high-strength fibers with unreactive selected materials without degrading the fibers. The fibers were tungsten, niobium, and single-crystal sapphire, while the materials used as barrier coating layers were Al2O3, Y2O3, TiC, ZrC, WC with 14% Co, and HfO2. An ion-plating technique was used to coat the fibers. The fibers were subjected to high-temperature heat treatments to evaluate the effectiveness of the barrier layer in preventing fiber-metal interactions. Results indicate that Al2O3, Y2O3, and HfO2 can be used as barrier layers to minimize the nickel-tungsten interaction. Further investigation, including thermal cycling tests at 1090 C, revealed that HfO2 is probably the best of the three.

Veltri, R. D.↗

Deep Space Storm Shelter Simulation Study

Missions outside of Earth's magnetic field are impeded by the presence of radiation from galactic cosmic rays and solar particle events. To overcome this issue, NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Radiation Works Storm Shelter (RadWorks) has been studying different radiation protective habitats to shield against the onset of solar particle event radiation. These habitats have the capability of protecting occupants by utilizing available materials such as food, water, brine, human waste, trash, and non-consumables to build short-term shelters. Protection comes from building a barrier with the materials that dampens the impact of the radiation on astronauts. The goal of this study is to develop a discrete event simulation, modeling a solar particle event and the building of a protective shelter. The main hallway location within a larger habitat similar to the International Space Station (ISS) is analyzed. The outputs from this model are: 1) the total area covered on the shelter by the different materials, 2) the amount of radiation the crew members receive, and 3) the amount of time for setting up the habitat during specific points in a mission given an event occurs.

Dugan, Kathryn↗

Modeling of Tunable Elastic Ultralight Aircraft

Aircraft weight is one of the most critical factors in the design and operation of modern vehicles. The ability to integrate ultra-light materials into the primary load bearing structures has the potential to reduce aircraft weight significantly. Ultralight materials tend to be lattice-based meta-materials that are difficult and computationally expensive to model. One of the advantages of meta-materials is to be able to tune or "program" their bulk material properties through the placement of heterogeneous components in the material. A large amount of time devoted to the simulation in the development time for the tuning of the material can be a barrier to the adoption of large scale lattice materials. In this paper, we present a workflow and analysis tool-set to provide first-order estimates for rapid development of engineered lattice materials for aerospace applications. We present results for estimating the displacement and maximum structural stresses.

cellular solids↗

Exploring the Effect of EBC Composition on CMAS Wetting Behavior

Rare-earth disilicate (REDS) materials are existing materials used in environmental barrier coating (EBC) for the protection of structural materials in the hot-section of turbine engines. REDS interactions with molten calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate (CMAS) debris are of interest to understand molten CMAS attack and improve CMAS mitigation strategies. This work assesses the effect of REDS composition on CMAS wetting by investigating wetting angle, spreading, and reactivity. Freestanding atmospheric plasma spray (APS) REDS coatings (for RE = Y, La, Nd, Gd, Yb, Lu) were exposed to 10 mg of CMAS (Ca33-Mg9-Al13-Si45 in single cation mol%) in stagnant lab air at 1250C. APS YbDS was compared to a dense spark plasma sintered (SPS) phase-pure Yb2Si2O7 and a nominal 20 vol% phase-mixture of Yb 2 SiO 5 in Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 (20YbMS/YbDS). CMAS mass was held constant but specimen surface areas varied, yielding a range of loading between ~6 and 10 mg/cm2. CMAS was loaded as a cylindrical rod atop the specimen surface, polished to 4000 grit, and heated to temperature in a Linseis L74/HS/1700 heating microscope. The heating microscope measured the evolution of molten CMAS diameter, height, and contact angle. Molten CMAS diameter at 1150C and contact angle measurements after two hours of exposure at 1250C yielded a positive trend with rare-earth cation size. There was no statistically significant difference in CMAS wetting behavior between SPS YbDS and 20YbMS/YbDS. Post-exposure specimens were examined in plan view and cross-section with XRD, SEM, and EDS. CMAS spreading was cross-examined using plan view SEM, while reactivity utilized plan view XRD and cross-sectional SEM/EDS.

Clark Luckhardt↗

Compositional and Microstructural Effects in the Protection of SiC Components in Water Vapor

Greater gas turbine engine efficiency is a major goal in aeronautics research often pursued through increased engine operating temperatures. However, it is necessary to replace the current hot-stage alloy components with more thermally robust parts, such as promising Silicon-based ceramics and composites. Unfortunately, these materials are still susceptible to the effects of oxidation, water vapor, and (Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicate) CMAS interaction, among other issues at high temperature. To mitigate these effects, environmental barrier coating (EBC) materials are employed to help control the rate of degradation to the underlying composite. Often, a thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer forms between the EBC and the composite which can act as a point of failure. The current study focuses on the combined effects of water vapor, composite composition, and microstructure in TGO formation on protected and unprotected SiC samples which have been produced under different processing conditions.

Kowalski, Benjamin↗

Calcium-Magnesium-Aluminosilicate (CMAS) Reactions and Degradation Mechanisms of Advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings

The thermochemical reactions between calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate- (CMAS-) based road sand and several advanced turbine engine environmental barrier coating (EBC) materials were studied. The phase stability, reaction kinetics and degradation mechanisms of rare earth (RE)-silicates Yb2SiO5, Y2Si2O7, and RE-oxide doped HfO2 and ZrO2 under the CMAS infiltration condition at 1500 C were investigated, and the microstructure and phase characteristics of CMAS-EBC specimens were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Experimental results showed that the CMAS dissolved RE-silicates to form crystalline, highly non-stoichiometric apatite phases, and in particular attacking the silicate grain boundaries. Cross-section images show that the CMAS reacted with specimens and deeply penetrated into the EBC grain boundaries and formed extensive low-melting eutectic phases, causing grain boundary recession with increasing testing time in the silicate materials. The preliminary results also showed that CMAS reactions also formed low melting grain boundary phases in the higher concentration RE-oxide doped HfO2 systems. The effect of the test temperature on CMAS reactions of the EBC materials will also be discussed. The faster diffusion exhibited by apatite and RE-doped oxide phases and the formation of extensive grain boundary low-melting phases may limit the CMAS resistance of some of the environmental barrier coatings at high temperatures.

Ahlborg, Nadia L.↗