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DOE OSTI2024

Characterization of build parameters and microstructure in low heat input WAAM of Ni-based superalloy Haynes 282

Conference paper for 2024 10th International Conference on Advances in Materials, Manufacturing & Repair for Power Plants. Ni-based superalloy Haynes 282 is a prime candidate for advanced power generation systems due to its superior fabricability, weldability, and high-temperature performance. Additive manufacturing offers potential cost and time savings for gas turbine components. Wire-arc direct energy deposition can create large components but often requires post-processing treatments, such as hot isostatic pressing (HIP), to address porosity. This study explores a low heat-input, high deposition rate GMAW process to achieve fully dense Haynes 282 without HIP. Twenty-one blocks were deposited, varying travel and wire feed speeds. Initial analysis (visual inspection, microstructural examination, and CT) revealed the impact of build parameters on internal porosity and defects. Scanning electron microscopy provided insights into structural heterogeneity and microstructural properties. Related journal article can be found at https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.cp.am-epri-2024p0001.

Adam, Benjamin↗

DOE OSTI2023

Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured 316L Stainless Steel Before and After Neutron Irradiation–FY23

This report presents the observed mechanical behavior of the additively manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steel (SS) before and after neutron irradiation. In the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program, a variety of mechanical and physical property data are generated and accumulated to assess the AM austenitic alloy for nuclear reactor applications. The testing and evaluation task in the FY 2023 focused on elucidating the effects of sampling location and build size on the mechanical properties of AM 316L SS (in stress-relieved condition) before and after neutron irradiation. The laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process produced 316L plates of three distinct sizes from which SS-J3 miniature tensile specimens were machined from six different locations. The tensile specimens were irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) normally to 2 and 10 dpa at the target temperatures of 300 °C and 600 °C. Post-irradiation tensile testing was performed at room temperature, 300 °C, and 600 °C. The mechanical properties of AM 316L SS were significantly influenced by the characteristic microstructures of printed materials, which include fine grains and high-density dislocations. Compared with the traditional 316L SS, AM 316L showed higher initial strength and lower ductility. Regardless of sampling location, the AM 316L steel retained relatively high strength and ductility to the highest irradiation dose. A prompt necking at yield (with little uniform ductility) was observed after irradiation at 300 °C but no embrittlement was observed up to 10 dpa. Ductilization by irradiation–the radiation-induced increase of ductility–was observed for the 600 °C irradiation only and it occurred in low dose range only. The neutron irradiation increased the data variation in many tensile property datasets, particularly after 600 °C irradiation, and no clear dependence of tensile properties on build thickness or sampling location was observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Corrosion testing needs and considerations for additively manufactured materials in nuclear reactors

Metal additive manufacturing holds significant promise as an enabling technology for the 21st century nuclear energy industry. Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) can allow the fabrication of novel materials and innovative component designs that are not achievable through conventional manufacturing. Due to its very different fabrication methods, as-fabricated MAM components are characteristically different from conventionally manufactured components. MAM materials exhibit very different microstructures from conventional cast or wrought materials. For example, austenitic stainless steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion exhibit columnar grain structures, dislocation cell structures, and melt pool fingerprints. In addition, MAM fabrication may result in defects such as porosity, incomplete processing of the feedstock (e.g., lack of fusion in melt-based methods), and oxide inclusions. Heat treatments may further evolve the microstructure, microsegregation, and stresses within the component. Furthermore, MAM components have a rough surface with feature sizes on the order of the feedstock material, as opposed to smooth surfaces resulting from conventional machining and forming operations. As a result, the corrosion behavior of MAM components will likely be significantly different from that of conventionally formed components. Corrosive environments for structural materials within advanced reactor environments include molten fluoride and chloride salts, liquid sodium and lead-bismuth, and high-temperature helium. The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program within the Department of Nuclear Energy in the United States Department of Energy is assessing the unique concerns of MAM component corrosion and testing methodologies in advanced nuclear reactor environments. We discuss these concerns and testing strategies in this paper.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2022

TopTemp: Parsing Precipitate Structure from Temper Topology

Technological advances are in part enabled by the development of novel manufacturing processes that give rise to new materials or material property improvements. Development and evaluation of new manufacturing methodologies is labor-, time-, and resource-intensive expensive due to complex, poorly defined relationships between advanced manufacturing process parameters and the resulting microstructures. In this work, we present a topological representation of temper (heat-treatment) dependent material micro-structure, as captured by scanning electron microscopy, called TopTemp. We show that this topological representation is able to support temper classification of microstructures in a data limited setting, generalizes well to previously unseen samples, is robust to image perturbations, and captures domain interpretable features. The presented work outperforms conventional deep learning baselines and is a first step towards improving understanding of process parameters and resulting material properties.

Kassab, Lara↗

DOE OSTI2020

Assessment of the Material Performance for TCR Applications (Progress Report)

The objective of Argonne’s materials research activities for the Transformational Challenge Reactor (TCR) program is to improve the understanding of material properties from additive manufacturing with the focus on understanding the creep and fatigue properties of additively manufactured materials. The material work conducted by Argonne provides support in developing and qualifying advanced materials and manufacturing processes to allow for innovative reactor design and licensing for the TCR. In FY 2020, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) provided six ASTM standard sized creep specimens of additively-manufactured 316L stainless steel (AM 316L SS) for evaluation of the effect of post-build heat treatment on the creep property. Two different teat treatments were conducted on the as-built specimens, namely 1050°C/1h and 650°C/1h before creep testing. All specimens were creep tested at 550°C and 275 MPa to understand the effect of heat treatments. We have also received AM 316L SS printed in various forms including rods and sheets, wrought 316 L SS (as a reference material), and AM IN718 for tensile, creep and fatigue testing. Both ASTM standard sized specimens and subsized specimens are being fabricated or tested to contribute to a comprehensive mechanical property database of AM materials and to provide location-specific property data to the TCR digital platform. Mechanical testing at Argonne is conducted to ASME NQA-1 or its lab equivalent for quality assurance. This report presents the results of the creep tests at 550°C and microstructural characterization for the assessment of the effect of the post-build heat treatment on the creep behavior of AM 316L SS. It also discusses ongoing efforts on obtaining location-dependent properties of AM 316L SS.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Progress Report on the Assessment of the Material Performance for TCR Applications

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advanced electrode processing for lithium-ion battery manufacturing

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) need to be manufactured at speed and scale for their use in electric vehicles and devices. However, LIB electrode manufacturing via conventional wet slurry processing is energy-intensive and costly, challenging the goal to achieve sustainable, affordable and facile manufacturing of high-performance LIBs. Here, in this Review, we discuss advanced electrode processing routes (dry processing, radiation curing processing, advanced wet processing and 3D-printing processing) that could reduce energy usage and material waste. Maxwell-type dry processing is a scalable alternative to conventional processing and has relatively low manufacturing cost and energy consumption. Radiation curing processing could enable high-throughput manufacturing, but binder selection is limited to certain radiation curable chemistries. 3D-printing processing can produce electrodes with diverse architectures and improved rate performance, but scalability is yet to be demonstrated. 3D-printing processing is good for special applications where throughput and cost can be compromised for performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS2001

Proceedings of the 4th Conference on Aerospace Materials, Processes, and Environmental Technology

The next millennium challenges us to produce innovative materials, processes, manufacturing, and environmental technologies that meet low-cost aerospace transportation needs while maintaining US leadership. The pursuit of advanced aerospace materials, manufacturing processes, and environmental technologies supports the development of safer, operational, next-generation, reusable, and expendable aeronautical and space vehicle systems. The Aerospace Materials, Processes, and Environmental Technology Conference (AMPET) provided a forum for manufacturing, environmental, materials, and processes engineers, scientists, and managers to describe, review, and critically assess advances in these key technology areas.

Griffin, D. E.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Mechanical behaviour of additively manufactured metals

Additive manufacturing is reshaping the production of engineering components in diverse industries, such as the automotive, aerospace, defense, and biomedical sectors, by offering unprecedented design flexibility. The non-equilibrium processing conditions of additive manufacturing generate materials with unique microstructures and tailored mechanical properties that are often unattainable through conventional routes. This review focuses on recent advances in additively manufactured metals that demonstrate distinctive mechanical behaviors, including strength-ductility synergy, microstresses and gradient plasticity, fracture and fatigue resistance, and high-temperature creep performance. Here, we examine the mechanisms and micromechanical effects arising from the heterogeneous microstructures fabricated by additive manufacturing, to guide the design of a wide range of high-performance structural materials. Furthermore, we discuss critical research needs and emerging opportunities in process control, alloy design, advanced characterization, high-fidelity computational modeling, and machine learning aimed at achieving exceptional mechanical properties in additively manufactured metals.

Additive Manufacturing↗

DOE OSTI2021

Advancing lightweight mirror design: a paradigm shift in mirror preforms by utilizing design for additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing is a disruptive technology that can be leveraged by the redesign of components in most engineering fields. Fundamental engineering resources for lightweight mirrors were developed more than 30 years ago with a main design limitation, state of the art manufacturing. In this study, we present two design methodologies for the design of lightweight mirrors. The first method utilizes analytical expressions to design a traditional isogrid mirror, which provided the foundation for most lightweight mirrors to date. The second method employs a combination of topology optimization, lattice infill, and analytical estimation to develop an advanced lightweight mirror designed for additive manufacturing. The advanced mirror design outperforms the traditional design for each functional requirement, including a 94% reduction in predicted surface quilting and a higher specific stiffness. The manufacturing of the advanced mirror is only possible with an additive manufacturing process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2020

NASA Advanced Composites Project

The recently-completed NASA Advanced Composites Project (ACP) successfully developed several new technologies aimed at reducing the timeline to design and certify composite aircraft structures. Advancements in the areas of manufacturing simulation, nondestructive inspection and advanced structural design and analysis methodologies were completed in late 2019 under the Advanced Composites Consortium (ACC) public/private partnership as well as NRA-funded university contracts. In the area of Structures, the ACC made significant improvements in rapid design tools for preliminary sizing of structure, along with developing detailed static and fatigue strength prediction methods and methods for modeling high energy impact events in composite structures. These new methodologies and toolsets were validated against a range of representative test data using a comprehensive verification and validation approach which has been published and is now used extensively on other programs. Specific new tool improvements supported by ACC include NASA’s CompDam code and Floating Node Method code. CompDam is now available from NASA as open source code. The team alsoworked on improved impact modeling using LS-Dyna™ and improved delamination modeling using Abaqus™. Rapid design tool improvements are available through Hypersizer. The ACC team released well over 50 publications documenting these method improvements, and the ACP recently received the prestigious NASA Group Achievement Award for their work.Typical Hat Stiffened Panel Test Article Used for Method Validation

ACC↗

DOE OSTI2023

Functional Filaments: Creating and Degrading pH-Indicating PLA Filaments for 3D Printing

With the rapid pace of advancements in additive manufacturing and techniques such as fused filament fabrication (FFF), the feedstocks used in these techniques should advance as well. While available filaments can be used to print highly customizable parts, the creation of the end part is often the only function of a given feedstock. In this study, novel FFF filaments with inherent environmental sensing functionalities were created by melt-blending poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and pH indicator powders (bromothymol blue, phenolphthalein, and thymol blue). The new PLA-PEG-indicator filaments were universally more crystalline than the PLA-only filaments (33–41% vs. 19% crystallinity), but changes in thermal stability and mechanical characteristics depended upon the indicator used; filaments containing bromothymol blue and thymol blue were more thermally stable, had higher tensile strength, and were less ductile than PLA-only filaments, while filaments containing phenolphthalein were less thermally stable, had lower tensile strength, and were more ductile. When the indicator-filled filaments were exposed to acidic, neutral, and basic solutions, all filaments functioned as effective pH sensors, though the bromothymol blue-containing filament was only successful as a base indicator. The biodegradability of the new filaments was evaluated by characterizing filament samples after aging in soil and soil slurry mixtures; the amount of physical deterioration and changes in filament crystallinity suggested that the bromothymol blue filament degraded faster than PLA-only filaments, while the phenolphthalein and thymol blue filaments saw decreases in degradation rates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of advanced composite panels incorporating CO 2 -derived multi-walled carbon nanotubes and hemp fiber for sustainable building applications

Advanced composite panels represent a promising pathway to reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry, yet comprehensive environmental impact assessments remain limited. Here, in this study, we conduct a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of innovative composite panels produced from multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), hemp fiber (HF), recycled carbon fiber (rCF), and recycled polypropylene (PP), exploring their potential as baseline structural equivalents to conventional gypsum board. MWCNTs and HF play a critical role in sequestering carbon during raw material production, while the recycling processes for CF and PP generally require less energy compared to virgin material production. The LCA evaluates environmental performance using the TRACI 2.1 method, covering global warming potential (GWP), ozone depletion, smog formation, acidification, eutrophication, carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects, respiratory impacts, ecotoxicity, and fossil fuel depletion. Compositional variations—resin type (virgin vs. recycled), rCF content (9–29 wt%), and HF content (10–30 wt%)—are introduced for sensitivity and hotspot analyses. Results demonstrate that, when compared on the basis of preliminary structural equivalence, increasing recycled PP, rCF, and HF content can significantly reduce global warming potential compared to gypsum board. Beyond carbon reduction, the composite panels show trade-offs across other environmental categories. With the growing demand for composite materials in interior panels, ceiling systems, and exterior claddings, these findings highlight the environmental benefits and potential trade-offs of the proposed composites, establishing a foundational framework to support their continued development toward full building-system integration.

Advanced composite manufacturing↗

DOE OSTI2025

Seismic Performance of Conventional and Additively Manufactured U-Shaped Flexural Plates

U-shape flexural plates (UFPs) have gained significant attention in seismic structural design due to their ability to provide stable hysteresis behaviour and serve as effective energy-dissipating devices. Concurrently, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has advanced significantly, enabling the production of metallic components with mechanical properties comparable to those of conventionally manufactured cold-rolled materials. This study aims to explore the seismic response of single and double UFP fabricated through Laser Powder Based Fusion (LPBF) and conventional cold rolled 316L stainless steel (SS). The experimental results are evaluated based on force-displacement hysteresis behaviour, energy dissipation capacity, load-carrying capacity, and stiffness degradation. The findings confirm the efficacy of AM-fabricated UFPs for seismic energy dissipation. Additionally, the results suggest the potential for further improvement through the optimization of AM process parameters, such as laser scan speed, hatch spacing, and layer thickness, to enhance hysteretic performance and energy dissipation characteristics.

Risal, Kshitiz [Idaho State University]↗

DOE OSTI2024

Production of microchannel plates using nano-scale additive manufacturing

Microchannel plate (MCP) detectors have been the workhorse detector for many applications, including space borne ultra-violet imaging and spectrographic instruments. Recent advances in additive manufacturing (AM) have enabled fabrication of complex structures with nano-scale resolution facilitating the production of highly customizable MCPs. Using AM to produce MCPs potentially has many advantages over traditional fused glass substrates, including better material control (e.g., more robust glasses or ceramics), better control of microscopic features (e.g., unique pore geometries to improve performance), and better control of macroscopic features (e.g., printing precision curved surfaces for focal plane matching). Through a collaboration with industry, national laboratory, and university partners, small format microcapillary array substrates were produced using a standard polymer photoresin. In conclusion, these substrates were functionalized using atomic layer deposition and their performance was compared to current state-of-the-art Pb-glass and borosilicate-glass MCPs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Recent developments in 3D-printed membranes for water desalination

The recognition of membrane separations as a vital technology platform for enhancing the efficiency of separation processes has been steadily increasing. Concurrently, 3D printing has emerged as an innovative approach to fabricating reverse osmosis membranes for water desalination and treatment purposes. This method provides a high degree of control over membrane chemistry and structural properties. In particular, when compared to traditional manufacturing techniques, 3D printing holds the potential to expedite customization, a feat that is typically achieved through conventional manufacturing methods but often involves numerous processes and significant costs. This review aims to present the current advancements in membrane manufacturing technology specifically tailored for water desalination purposes, with a particular focus on the development of 3D-printed membranes. A comprehensive analysis of recent progress in 3D-printed membranes is provided. However, conducting experimental work to investigate various influential factors while ensuring consistent results poses a significant challenge. To address this, we explore how membrane manufacturing processes and performance can be effectively pre-designed and guided through the use of molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, this review outlines the challenges faced and presents future perspectives to shed light on research directions for optimizing membrane manufacturing processes and achieving optimal membrane performance.

3D printing membranes↗

DOE OSTI2022

Developments in Physics-Based Modeling and Machine Learning for Environmental Effects in Nuclear Materials [Slides]

This presentation is part of an annual review for the new Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program under the Office of Nuclear Energy within the Department of Energy. This presentation covers advances in physics-based modeling and machine learning for environmental effects in nuclear materials. It discusses efforts in combining density functional theory with machine learning to predict material properties, studying irradiation defect recombination, and improving MOOSE-based tools for crystal plasticity modeling and the Stochastic Tools Module.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Optimization of Rocket Engine Components using Multi-Metallic Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) is advancing many applications of component design for liquid rocket engines. AM has been demonstrated in various rocket component applications using a variety of monolithic metal alloys, many of which are traditional alloys for extreme environments. NASA and industry partners have focused in recent years to advance processing to create bimetallic and multicomponent AM processes and materials. The role of multi-metallic AM offers advantages since it can further optimize weight, optimize reliability and performance by increasing the strength to weight ratio of a component, and can optimize materials for various engineering requirements. NASA’s Rapid Analysis and Manufacturing Propulsion Technology (RAMPT) project has designed and manufactured a series of additively manufactured (AM) coupled combustion chambers, nozzles, and other engine components to advance new AM processes and materials with the goal of reducing cost and schedule for engine manufacturing. These designs incorporated multimetallic AM, which further enabled carbon-fiber composite overwrap to reduce overall thrust chamber assembly (TCA) mass. Various AM processes were demonstrated on these components using a copper-based alloy/superalloy bimetallic solution. The AM processes being explored individually and in combination for bimetallic applications include Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Laser Powder Directed Energy Deposition (LP-DED), and cold spray. The combination of bimetallic material combinations explored in this research include GRCop-based alloys and superalloys, Inconel 625 or NASA HR-1. One unique development that will be presented is the combustion chamber and nozzle as a single component by using freeform integrated DED to build the nozzle directly onto the aft end of the chamber. The various aspects of the additive manufacturing processes and challenges, materials characterization and mechanical testing, and hot-fire testing of bimetallic components in a relevant rocket engine environment will be discussed.

Additive Manufacturing↗