Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “VOIDS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,027 records · Page 57
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding radiation effects in friction stir welded MA956 using ion irradiation and a rate theory model

We report an outstanding challenge in the manufacturing and joining of oxide dispersion strengthened steels is retaining the nanofeatures in the alloy throughout the fabrication and welding process. MA956 was friction stir welded with two different sets of welding parameters, resulting in a medium and high heat input. After welding, 5 MeV Fe ++ ion irradiations were performed at doses ranging from 50 to 200 dpa in the temperature range of 400 to 500°C. Post-irradiation characterization was performed with scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to investigate the Y-Al-O dispersoids, voids, and dislocations. After welding, the dispersoid microstructure coarsened, resulting in fewer and larger dispersoids regardless of heat input. After irradiation, the dispersoid behavior in the welded material was sensitive to temperature, exhibiting growth behavior attributed to Ostwald coarsening at 500 °C but a mixture of nucleation and more muted growth at 400 and 450 °C, attributed to competing mechanisms of radiation-enhanced diffusion and Ostwald coarsening. Void swelling correlated to heat input; being more prevalent in the welded conditions occurring at lower doses and in higher values relative to the base material. The low values of swelling despite microstructure coarsening caused by welding demonstrate the excellent swelling resistance of MA956, even after welding with the highest swelling values of 0.5% noted in the stir zone high heat input condition at 450 °C, 200 dpa. The dislocation behavior was inconsistent: the strongest trend was that network density was higher for welded versus base material, and an increase in loop diameter with temperature was observed. A rate theory model based on the observed microstructure suggests at high temperature interstitial loss to sinks was more likely to be dominant compared to mutual annihilation via point defect recombination, because of an increase of the radiation diffusion coefficient with temperature regardless of initial welded microstructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Phase stability, mechanical properties, and ion irradiation effects in face-centered cubic CrFeMnNi compositionally complex solid-solution alloys at high temperatures

We report two CrFeMnNi face-centered cubic complex concentrated solid-solution alloys (CSA) have been evaluated for phase stability, mechanical properties, and radiation damage effects from heavy ions. Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 and Cr 15 Fe 35 Mn 15 Ni 35 were predicted by thermodynamic calculations to phase separate and maintain a single phase at 700 °C, respectively. Aging experiments at this temperature confirmed varying degrees of precipitation of a body-centered cubic phase in both Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 and Cr 15 Fe 35 Mn 15 Ni 35 . The alloys showed promising strength in tensile deformation at room temperature, with yield strengths of 155 MPa and 151 MPa for Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 and Cr 15 Fe3 5 Mn 15 Ni 35 , respectively. At 500 °C, the yield strength of Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 fell to 93 MPa, and to 100 MPa in Cr 15 Fe3 5 Mn 15 Ni 35 . Unlike Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 , Cr 15 Fe 35 Mn 15 Ni 35 gained some ductility at 500 °C compared to room temperature. The two CSAs were irradiated to 75 dpa at 500 °C in the plateau region of the displacement curve using 3.7 MeV Ni 2+ ions, alongside model alloy 709 as a reference. Irradiation results produced similar densities and sizes of dislocations loops in the two CSAs compared to the reference. However, while large voids form in the plateau region of Cr 18 Fe 27 Mn 27 Ni 28 , small voids form just beyond the displacement peak of Cr 15 Fe 35 Mn 15 Ni 35 . Atom probe tomography and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy-equipped scanning transmission electron microscopes were used to characterize the alloys for changes in chemical distribution.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2023

An examination of the precipitation behavior of proton irradiated dual phase 308L weldment filler materials

Voids, G phase particles, and Ni-Si rich clusters in proton irradiated dual phase 308L groove filler of a SA508–304 L dissimilar metal weldment are analyzed using advanced characterization techniques. These weldments are often used in light water nuclear reactors and are subject to enhanced corrosion and associated stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Radiation damage is known to accelerate SCC. Ni-Si enriched clusters were observed in proton irradiated γ austenite, while G phase M 6 Ni 16 Si 7 (where M transition metal element) precipitates were observed in proton irradiated δ ferrite. Compositional analysis of the G phase precipitates and Ni-Si clusters from STEM-EDS and APT are compared. Unlike G phase particles in proton irradiated δ ferrite, Ni-Si clusters in proton irradiated γ austenite are not rich in Mn. Both STEM-EDS and APT line-scan profiles of the Ni-Si clusters show that the Fe and Cr concentration gradient between matrix γ austenite and the Ni-Si clusters is not as sharp as those between matrix δ ferrite and G phase. Further, HR-STEM imaging indicates that the lattice parameter of the Ni-Si clusters is commensurate with γ austenite and the clusters do not represent the precipitation of a second phase. Finally, our analysis demonstrates the density and volume fraction of G phase particles and the density of voids scales with proton irradiation damage and the energy to recoils.

308L groove filler↗
DOE OSTI2026

Confinement of quasi-atomic structures in Ti 2 N and Ti 3 N 2 MXene electrides

Metal carbides, nitrides, or carbonitrides of early transition metals, better known as MXenes, possess notable structural, electrical, and magnetic properties. Analyzing electronic structures by calculating structural stability, band structure, density of states, Bader charge transfer, and work functions utilizing first principle calculations, we revealed that titanium nitride MXenes, namely Ti 2 N and Ti 3 N 2 , have excess anionic electrons in their lattice voids, making them MXene electrides. Bulk Ti 3 N 2 has competing antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) configurations with slightly more stable AFM configuration, while the Ti 2 N MXene is nonmagnetic. Although Ti 3 N 2 favors AFM configuration with hexagonal crystal systems having 6/ mmm point group symmetry, Ti 3 N 2 does not support altermagnetism. The monolayer of the Ti 3 N 2 MXene is a ferromagnetic electride. These unique properties of having non-nuclear interstitial anionic electrons in the electronic structure of titanium nitride MXene have not yet been reported in the literature. Density functional theory calculations show TiN is neither an electride, MXene, or magnetic.

Anionic electrons↗
DOE OSTI2022

High energy X-ray diffraction and small-angle scattering measurements of hydrogen fatigue damage in AISI 4130 steel

Accurate lifetime predictions are critical for repurposing existing pipelines for hydrogen transmission as well as for developing novel steels which are minimally susceptible to lifetime degradation by hydrogen. Ultimately, lifetime prediction models assess the amount of damage a material undergoes during a typical service cycle and the cumulative damage a material can withstand prior to failure. However, not all damage processes are equal, and neither is the manner in which mechanical loading translates to damage the same when materials are in inert environments compared to in hydrogen environments. For example, in the three leading proposed mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement (Hydrogen-Enhanced Decohesion (HEDE), the Hydrogen-Enhanced Localized Plasticity (HELP), and the Nano-Void Coalescence (NVC)), hydrogen is proposed to enhance the manifestation of grain separation, dislocation generation/movement, and void coalescence, respectively. A full understanding of the damage modes requires a measurement capable of probing all three mechanisms at once. Here we present simultaneous High Energy X-ray Diffraction (HEXRD) and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) during fatiguing of steel in hydrogen. HEXRD measurements probe strain and dislocation density; SAXS measurements probe nano-pore generation and coalescence. We will discuss the differences in damage modes between steels fatigued in air and in hydrogen and the role these difference play in lifetime predictions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Self-assembled ultra small ZnO nanocrystals for dye-sensitized solar cell application

We demonstrate a facile chemical approach to produce self-assembled ultra-small mesoporous zinc oxide nanocrystals using sodium salicylate (SS) as a template under hydrothermal conditions. These ZnO nanomaterials have been successfully fabricated as a photoanode for the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) in the presence of N719 dye and iodine–triiodide electrolyte. The structural features, crystallinity, purity, mesophase and morphology of the nanostructure ZnO are investigated by several characterization tools. N{sub 2} sorption analysis revealed high surface areas (203 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and narrow pore size distributions (5.1–5.4 nm) for different samples. The mesoporous structure and strong photoluminescence facilitates the high dye loading at the mesoscopic void spaces and light harvesting in DSSC. By utilizing this ultra-small ZnO photoelectrode with film thickness of about 7 μm in the DSSC with an open-circuit voltage (V{sub OC}) of 0.74 V, short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}) of 3.83 mA cm{sup −2} and an overall power conversion efficiency of 1.12% has been achieved. - Graphical abstract: Ultra-small ZnO nanocrystals have been synthesized with sodium salicylate as a template and using it as a photoanode in a dye-sensitized solar cell 1.12% power conversion efficiency has been observed. - Highlights: • Synthesis of self-assembled ultra-small mesoporous ZnO nanocrystals by using sodium salicylate as a template. • Mesoporous ZnO materials have high BET surface areas and void space. • ZnO nanoparticles serve as a photoanode for the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). • Using ZnO nanocrystals as photoelectrode power conversion efficiency of 1.12% has been achieved.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Solid-state syntheses and single-crystal characterizations of three tetravalent thorium and uranium silicates

Colorless crystals of ThSiO{sub 4} (huttonite) (1) and (Ca{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}){sub 2}NaThSi{sub 8}O{sub 20} (2) have been synthesized by the solid-state reactions of ThO{sub 2}, CaSiO{sub 3}, and Na{sub 2}WO{sub 4} at 1073 K. Green crystals of (Ca{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}){sub 2}NaUSi{sub 8}O{sub 20} (3) have been synthesized by the solid-state reactions of UO{sub 2}, CaSiO{sub 3}, and Na{sub 2}WO{sub 4} at 1003 K. All three compounds have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 adopts a monazite-type three-dimensional condensed structure, which is built from edge- and corner-shared ThO{sub 9} polyhedra and SiO{sub 4} tetrahedra. Compounds 2 and 3 are isostructural and they crystallize in a steacyite-type structure. The structure consists of discrete pseudocubic [Si{sub 8}O{sub 20}]{sup 8−} polyanions, which are connected by An{sup 4+} cations into a three-dimensional framework. Each An atom coordinates to eight monodentate [Si{sub 8}O{sub 20}]{sup 8−} moieties in a square antiprismatic geometry. Na{sup +} and Ca{sup 2+} ions reside in the void within the framework. Raman spectra of 1, 2, and 3 were collected on single crystal samples. 1 displays more complex vibrational bands than thorite. Raman spectra of 2 and 3 are analogous with most of vibrational bands located at almost the same regions. - Graphical abstract: A Raman spectrum and crystal structures of (Ca{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}){sub 2}NaAnSi{sub 8}O{sub 20} (An=Th, U), which contain pseudocubic [Si{sub 8}O{sub 20}]{sup 8−} polyanions and eight-coordinate An{sup 4+} cations. - Highlights: • Single crystal growth of three tetravalent actinide silicates from melts. • Single-crystal structures and Raman spectra of (Ca{sub 0.5}Na{sub 0.5}){sub 2}NaAnSi{sub 8}O{sub 20} (An=Th, U). • First report of Raman spectrum of huttonite on single crystal samples.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dynamic shear localization of a titanium alloy under high-rate tension characterized by x-ray digital image correlation

Highlights: • First systematic error analyses for XDIC • First XDIC study of Ti-6Al-4V under dynamic tension • Deformation mode transition induces dynamic ductility decrease. • Dynamic shear localization due to rate-dependent microvoid coalescence process. - Abstract: Dynamic and quasi-static tension experiments are conducted on Ti-6Al-4V alloys, with in situ, synchrotron-based, high-speed, x-ray phase contrast imaging implemented to characterize the dynamic deformation and fracture process of Ti alloys at the Advanced Photon Source. X-ray digital imaging correlation (XDIC) is applied for strain field mapping. The size distribution of x-ray speckles are quantified via a morphological analysis, with a mean of ∼20 μm. Systematic error analyses of displacement and strain field measurements are firstly conducted for XDIC, and demonstrate that the displacement and strain errors can be controlled below 0.01 pixel and 0.1%, respectively. Mesoscale strain characteristics measured via XDIC are consistent with and reveal mechanisms for the bulk-scale stress–strain responses. Under dynamic tension, a sharp transition to strain softening occurs when the bulk strain exceeds about 0.04, which leads to a lower dynamic fracture strain (0.08) than the quasi-static one (0.1). The corresponding strain filed mapping demonstrates that shear deformation localizations grow and coalesce rapidly into a narrow shear deformation band under dynamic loading, while tensile deformation and necking progresses gradually under quasi-static loading. Scanning electron microscopy shows that void nucleation occurs mainly at the interface of α and β phases for both quasi-static and dynamic tension. However, microvoids coalesce preferentially along colony boundaries or the boundary α phase under quasi-static tension, but along the maximum shear stress direction (across colonies) under dynamic tension. Fractography of recovered samples also shows consistent features.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effects of processing defects on the dynamic tensile mechanical behavior of laser-solid-formed Ti-6Al-4 V

Highlights: • Tensile tests are conducted under coupled effects of strain rate and temperature. • Defects act as crack initiation and propagation sites for dynamic tensile fracture. • Dynamic tension-compression asymmetry is due to different behaviors of defects. • Different deformation of defects results in tensile mechanical anisotropy. • Mechanical anisotropy and asymmetry are sensitive to strain rate and temperature. - Abstract: The initial processing defects, i.e. voids, lack-of-fusion pores and inclusions, are the inevitable and unique microstructural features in the Ti-6Al-4 V (Ti64) alloy manufactured by laser solid forming (LSF). This study was to gain insight into the influences of these processing defects on the tensile thermomechanical response of the material under various strain rates of 0.001/s, 500/s, 1000/s and 3000/s, and under a wide range of temperatures from 298 K to 1273 K. The drastic effects of processing defects on the flow stress were founded to be susceptible to tensile loading and increase with the increasing strain rate. The SEM analysis was carried out to further understand the effect of initial processing defects on the dynamic fracture behavior. These processing defects, such as voids and lack-of-fusion pores, are the most vulnerable position to release impact energy instantaneously and then evolve into the initiation site and propagation path for dynamic tensile crack. The tensile crack under high strain rate and high temperature propagates through the columnar prior-β grain boundary α colony. It was analyzed that the typical tension-compression asymmetry in strength is positively associated with the strain rate in the Ti64 alloy by LSF. Such asymmetry is due to the differences in the deformation mechanism of processing defects and in the activated slip system under tensile and compressive loading. Additionally, the anisotropy of the mechanical property was discussed by examining the positive strain rate effects in two orientations (i.e., perpendicular and parallel to the crystal growth direction). This anisotropy is caused by different mechanical behaviors of lack-of-fusion defects and β grain boundary α colony in different orientations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Analysis of electrically conductive adhesives in shingled solar modules by X-ray imaging techniques

The failure mechanisms of electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) in solar modules are difficult to study since the ECA layer is not easily accessible within the module package. In this work, we present two complementary imaging modalities—X-ray radiography and X-ray microcomputed tomography (XCT)—that reveal important morphological features of the ECA within a shingled module. X-ray radiography uses single X-ray projections to provide fast and non-destructive imaging of the shingled interconnection, illuminating the alignment of the ECA relative to the busbars, the size and shape of the ECA, and the presence of voids within it. Through X-ray radiography, we observed, for example, that the average void coverage area of ECA segments reduced from 36.7% to 4.4% when an ECA was cured for 60 s prior to module lamination. XCT is a three-dimensional imaging technique that can identify regions in which the ECA makes electrical contact to busbars on cells and regions in which the ECA has cracked, among other features. XCT can also be used to image the individual metal particles within ECA, from which the metal volume fraction of an ECA was found here to be 70.4%. This is a quantity that is not often reported by ECA manufacturers but is important to ensure isotropic conduction. As X-ray projections can be performed non-destructively on full modules, the technique may be used to pinpoint ECA failures in accelerated degradation testing. XCT is complementary and is suited to forensic analysis of failing modules.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Properties of vapor-deposited and solution-processed targets for laser-driven inertial confinement fusion experiments

Targets for low-adiabat direct-drive-implosion experiments on OMEGA must meet rigorous specifications and tight tolerances on the diameter, wall thickness, wall-thickness uniformity, and presence of surface features. Of these, restrictions on the size and number of defects (bumps and depressions) on the surface are the most challenging. The properties of targets that are made using vapor-deposition and solution-based microencapsulation techniques are reviewed. Targets were characterized using confocal microscopy, bright- and dark-field microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy, and interferometry. Each technique has merits and limitations, and a combination of these techniques is necessary to adequately characterize a target. The main limitation with the glow-discharge polymerization (GDP) method for making targets is that it produces hundreds of domes with a lateral dimension of 0.7–2 μm. Polishing these targets reduces the size of some but not all domes, but it adds scratches and grooves to the surface. Solution-made polystyrene shells lack the dome features of GDP targets but have hundreds of submicrometer-size voids throughout the wall of the target; a few of these voids can be as large as ∼12 μm at the surface.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Quantifying heterogeneous deformation in grain boundary regions on shock loaded tantalum using spherical and sharp tip nanoindentation

Grain boundaries play an important role in the overall mechanical performance of metals and alloys; however, isolating the effects of individual grain boundaries remains rather challenging experimentally. In this work, wire-feed, electron beam additively manufactured tantalum is studied under shock loading conditions generating incipient spall damage. Three grain boundaries aligned parallel to the shock direction were isolated inside a single sample. Postmortem metallography showed voids preferentially appeared on two of the three grain boundaries which had high misorientation angles > 30° compared to the third grain boundary with a relatively lower misorientation angle < 10°. Nanoindentation in grain boundary regions for both pyramidal and spherical tips showed characteristically different strain hardening trends for each grain boundary. Significant local strain hardening is present on both sides of one high angle grain boundary, while strain softening is captured at the other high angle grain boundary. A negligible trend of either hardening or softening is shown in the vicinity of the single low angle grain boundary. As a result, this leads to the conclusion that the trend of strain hardening/softening in grain boundary regions is not monotonically correlated to the susceptibility of specific grain boundaries to an increased propensity for void damage.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Microstructure effects on fatigue crack growth in additively manufactured Ti–6Al–4V

In this article we investigate the relationship between the different microstructural features in additively-manufactured (AM) Direct Metal Laser Deposited Ti–6Al–4V alloys and the observed fatigue and fracture behaviors, using high resolution Digital Image Correlation experiments and microstructural imaging. Fatigue cracks in the AM specimens were observed to periodically propagate parallel to the α' laths and deflect at prior β grain boundaries. Corresponding plastic strain distributions show needle-like regions of high strain that correlated to the α' laths, suggesting significant influence of the microstructure on the plastic zone. In many cases, the fatigue cracks also propagated towards voids from unsintered powder or gas entrapment in the vicinity. In several experiments, premature failure of the AM specimens occurred under monotonic fracture or cyclic fatigue loading, which we attribute to the presence of void clusters located near the crack-tip. These fatigue and fracture characteristics were similar for AM specimens of different build-orientations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Novel Approach to Synthesize Micrometer-Sized Porous Silicon as a High Performance Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Porous structured silicon (p-Si) has been recognized as one of the most promising anodes for Li-ion batteries. However, many available methods to synthesize p-Si are difficult to scale up due to their high production cost. Here we introduce a new scalable approach to obtain spherical micrometer-sized silicon with unique porous structure by using a microemulsion and magnesiothermic reduction method. The spherical micron-sized p-Si particles prepared by this approach consist of highly aligned nano-sized silicon and exhibit a tap density close to that of bulk Si particles. They have demonstrated significantly improved electrochemical stability compared to nano-Si. Well controlled void space and a highly graphitic carbon coating on the p-Si particles enable good stability of the structure and low overall resistance, thus resulting in a Si-based anode with high capacity (~1467 mAh g-1 at 1C), enhanced cycle life (200 cycles with 90% capacity retention), and high rate capability (~650 mAh g-1 at 5C). This scalable approach may also be generalized to prepare other hierarchical structured high capacity anode materials for constructing high energy density lithium ion batteries.

Jia, Haiping↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improvement of two-phase closure models in CTF using Bayesian inference

Under the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) program, extensive capabilities have been developed in CTF to analyze light-water reactors (LWRs) for normal operating conditions, departure from nucleate boiling (DNB), and system transients. However, further improvements are required in the modeling and simulation of boiling water reactors (BWRs), which is a focus of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program. In this work, CTF validation results were used to optimize selected modeling coefficients by calibrating to experimental data using a Bayesian inference approach. Here, calibration studies were conducted to improve (vapor) void fraction prediction without worsening the two-phase pressure drop prediction, as well as to improve the two-phase pressure drop prediction. Calibration was performed for interfacial drag and wall shear models. Surrogates were developed to alleviate the computational expense required for sampling the parameter space using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). An assessment performed with calibrated models demonstrated an improvement of CTF in its prediction of key parameters such as void fraction and two-phase pressure drop.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of machine learning framework for interface force closures based on bubble tracking data

Interfacial force closures in the two-fluid model play a critical role for the predictive capabilities of void fraction distribution. However, the practices of interfacial force modeling have long been challenged by the inherent physical complexity of the two-phase flows. The rapidly expanding computational capabilities in the recent years have made high-fidelity data from the interface-captured direct numerical simulation become more available, and hence potential for data-driven interfacial force modeling has prevailed. In this work, we established a data-driven modeling framework integrated to the HZDR multiphase Eulerian-Eulerian framework for computational fluid dynamics simulations. The data-driven framework is verified in a benchmark problem, where a feedforward neural network managed to capture the non-linear mapping between bubble Reynolds number and drag coefficient and reproduce the void distribution resulting from the baseline model in the test case. The second focus is on utilizing the bubble tracking data set to form a closure for the bubble drag in the turbulent bubbly flow, in which the drag coefficient is set to be correlated with the bubble Reynolds number and the Eötvös number. Pseudo-steady state filtering in the Frenet Frame was carried out to obtain the drag coefficient from the turbulent bubbly flow data. The performance of the data-driven drag model is also examined through a case study, where improvement of model’s prediction near-wall is regarded necessary. In conclusion, discussion and further plans of investigation are provided.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced two-phase subchannel method via non-linear iteration

A fast-running, robust two-phase flow, sub-channel model is presented based on non-linear solution of the steady-state subchannel fluid flow equations. The drift-flux model solves for conservation of liquid and vapor mass, mixture energy, and axial and transverse mixture momentum as part of an efficient planar marching scheme and nonlinear, nested outer and inner iteration. Here, models based on mechanistic subcooled boiling, two-phase turbulent void mixing, and drift are included. Solution verification and mesh convergence studies were performed for modern GE 10 × 10 fuel geometry and are shown to have excellent convergence behavior. Run time performance for a 50 axial mesh model showed 2.2 seconds on a single CPU core to tightly converge all 3D distributions (flow, void, pressure) for the GE 10 × 10 fuel geometry, supporting its efficient use within the Virtual Environment for Reactor Applications boiling water reactor framework.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thermal stability of 3D interface Cu/Nb nanolaminates

Nanocrystalline alloys are promising structural materials yet lack thermal stability in many cases. Recent work shows that interface structure has an outsize effect on the thermal behavior of nanostructured alloys. Here, this work focuses on the role of controlled heterophase interface structure in the thermal evolution of model Cu/Nb nanolaminates. We introduce 3D interfaces containing nanoscale heterogeneities in all spatial dimensions between Cu and Nb, forming 3D Cu/Nb. TEM, nanoindentation, and DSC are used in tandem to establish thermal stability and to identify shifts in microstructure as a function of static annealing temperature. 3D interfaces are shown to survive annealing to 300 °C for 1 hr., while 3D Cu/Nb microstructure evolves to form low-density and voided regions correlating to the onset of layer pinch-off between 500 and 600 °C annealing temperatures. A diffusivity- and vacancy energetics-based mechanism is developed to explain void formation driven by 3D interface degradation at elevated temperature.

3D interfaces↗