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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.

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At least 19 records

Dynamic Tensile Characterization of Thin-Sheet Brittle Metallic Materials

Refractory metals are favorable materials in applications where high strength and ductility are needed at elevated temperatures. In some cases, operating temperatures may be near the melting point of the material. However, as temperature drops, refractory metals typically undergo a significant mechanical response change - ductile-to-brittle transition. These materials may be subjected to high strain rate loading at an ambient temperature state, such as an impact or crash. Knowledge of the high rate material properties are essential for design as well as simulation of impact events. The high rate stress-strain behavior of brittle metallic materials at ambient temperature is rarely studied because of experimental challenges, particularly when failure is involved. Failure typically occurs within the non-gage section of the material, which invalidates any collected stress-strain information. Here, a method to determine a specimen geometry which will produce failures in the gage section is presented. Pure tungsten in thin-sheet form was used as a trial material to select a specimen geometry for high rate Kolsky tension bar experiments. A finite element simulation was conducted to derive a strain correction for more accurate results. The room temperature stress-strain behavior of pure tungsten at a strain rate of 24 s –1 is presented. The outcome of this experimental technique can be applied to other brittle materials for dynamic tensile characterization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development of Computational Materials Workflows for Additively Manufactured Metallic Materials to Enable Accelerated Prediction of Fatigue Performance

The maturation of computational materials approaches for fatigue performance prediction in a qualification and certification process is stifled by the ability to validate complex, microstructure-based simulations. Such a validation strategy bears immediate challenges including generating accurate virtual microstructures, efficiently solving physics-based mechanical simulations over relevant spatial and temporal scales, and acquiring high-fidelity calibration and validation data at the appropriate length scale. This presentation will overview these common challenges and present a case study to demonstrate a computational materials workflow for additively manufactured metallic materials. In this study, process-specific defects are characterized using segmented X-Ray micro-computed tomography measurements and overlaid on virtual microstructures. Accelerated crystal plasticity-based fatigue simulations are performed to demonstrate cyclic evolution and localization of mechanical fields in the vicinity of defects in response to their precise spatial configuration. An example of how this computational materials workflow may support next-generation qualification is discussed.

computational materials↗

Analysis of the NASA White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) Test System for Friction-Ignition of Metallic Materials

Friction is a known ignition source for metals in oxygen-enriched atmospheres. The test system developed by the NASA White Sands Test Facility in response to ASTM G-94 has been used successfully to determine the relative ignition from friction of numerous metallic materials and metallic materials pairs. These results have been ranked in terms of a pressure-velocity product (PV) as measured under the prescribed test conditions. A high value of 4.1(exp 8) watts per square meter for Inconel MA 754 is used to imply resistance to friction ignition, whereas a low value of 1.04(exp 8) watts per square meter for stainless steel 304 is taken as indicating material susceptible to friction ignition. No attempt has been made to relate PV values to other material properties. This work reports the analysis of the WSTF friction-ignition test system for producing fundamental properties of metallic materials relating to ignition through friction. Three materials, aluminum, titanium, and nickel were tested in the WSTF frictional ignition instrument system under atmospheres of oxygen or nitrogen. Test conditions were modified to reach a steady state of operation, that is applied, the force was reduced and the rotational speed was reduced. Additional temperature measurements were made on the stator sample. The aluminum immediately galled on contact (reproducible) and the test was stopped. Titanium immediately ignited as a result of non-uniform contact of the stator and rotor. This was reproducible. A portion of the stator sampled burned, but the test continued. Temperature measurements on the stator were used to validate the mathematical model used for estimating the interface (stator/rotor) temperature. These interface temperature measurements and the associate thermal flux into the stator were used to distinguish material-phase transitions, chemical reaction, and mechanical work. The mechanical work was used to analyze surface asperities in the materials and to estimate a coefficient of fiction. The coefficient of fiction was analyzed in terms of material properties that is, hardness, Young's modulus and elasticity/plasticity of the material.

Shoffstall, Michael S.↗

Metal Complex Inks for Low-Cost Photovoltaic Material Metallization

The aim of the project titled “Metal Complex Inks for Low-Cost Photovoltaic Material Metallization” was to develop new metal complex conductive inks and pastes for PV, invented and commercialized by Electroninks, Inc. (EI, Austin, TX USA, https://electroninks.com), the only global supplier and scaled-manufacturing company of these metal complex inks. These materials were developed in this work for photovoltaic applications to significantly lower the cost of metallization, improve the manufacturability, and greatly reduce metal usage, while maintaining or improving device efficiencies when compared to traditional nanoparticle-based inks. The new pastes will do so by: 1) lowering the finger resistivity and precious metals usage by printing much denser (and therefore thinner/less material) metal films than possible with traditional particle-based screen-printed pastes; 2) decreasing the firing temperature to help preserve passivation; and 3) enabling a path to move the TW-scale PV industry from Ag to other materials including Ni, Cu, and Ni/Cu alloy pastes while continuing to leverage capital investment and expertise in screen printing metallization.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Method for heat-treating metal materials

A method for heat treating metal materials by passing electrical current through a metallic workpiece to heat the workpiece via Joule heating to a preselected temperature for a preselected period of time, based upon the formula I2×R×t, wherein I is current, R is resistance and t is time. The current may be a direct or an alternating one. Various configurations of the method are envisioned wherein multiple current inputs and outputs are attached to the metal material so as to selectively heat specific portions of the piece including irregular shapes and differing diameters.

Rohatgi, Aashish↗

Recent Studies on Void Shrinkage in Metallic Materials Subjected to In Situ Heavy Ion Irradiations

The continuous formation and growth of voids induced by radiations in metallic materials may lead to significant microstructure damage and degradation of mechanical properties. In sharp contrast to the void swelling commonly observed in irradiated metallic materials, nanovoids in nanoporous metallic materials are found to shrink during radiation and thus nanovoids enhance the radiation tolerance of metallic materials. This article reviews recent studies on size-dependent void shrinkage in metallic materials subject to in situ heavy ion irradiation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the capability of machine learning in identifying and tracking the evolution of nanovoids. Finally, the physical mechanisms of radiation induced void shrinkage revealed by simulation studies are briefly summarized.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Computational Materials for Qualification and Certification of Process-Intensive Metallic Materials (CM4QC)

NASA and the FAA established the Computational Materials (CM) for Qualification and Certification (Q&C) steering group comprised of representatives from industry, government regulatory and research organizations, and academia with the following goals: - Inform the research and development investments made by U.S. industry and the U.S. government toward maturation of CM-based approaches for Qualification and Certification (Q&C) of process intensive metallic materials (PIM) including additive manufacturing. - Identify key considerations and enablers required to increase airworthiness / certifying authorities’ acceptance of CM methods use for Q&C of structural or flight-critical parts produced with PIM technologies. - Identify key CM technology gaps and maturation paths (in the context of Q&C applications). - Increase dialogue among stakeholder organizations. This presentation will summarize the technology and regulatory considerations that motivate this national effort, discuss progress and provide a summary and status of a multi-year roadmap that is being developed to guide technology development in this important area.

Computational Materials↗

Thermodynamic Analysis of the Combustion of Metallic Materials

Two types of computer codes are available to assist in the thermodynamic analysis of metallic materials combustion. One type of code calculates phase equilibrium data and is represented by CALPHAD. The other type of code calculates chemical reaction by the Gordon-McBride code. The first has seen significant application for alloy-phase diagrams, but only recently has it been considered for oxidation systems. The Gordon-McBride code has been applied to the combustion of metallic materials. Both codes are limited by their treatment of non-ideal solutions and the fact they are limited to treating volatile and gaseous species as ideal. This paper examines the significance of these limitations for combustion of metallic materials. In addition, the applicability of linear-free energy relationships for solid-phase oxidation and their possible extension to liquid-phase systems is examined.

Wilson, D. Bruce↗

Revealing atomic-to-nanoscale oxidation mechanisms of metallic materials

Oxidation and corrosion are the leading causes of degradation and failure of metallic materials. Future alloy development requires the incorporation of corrosion resistance into alloy design and processing, and this begins with attaining a fundamental insight into dynamic reaction mechanisms and kinetics between a metal and aggressive environments. With recent advances in environmental transmission electron microscopy, there have been increased efforts to apply this approach to atomically probe the microscopic mechanisms that govern the oxidation and corrosion behavior of metallic materials. Consequently, fundamental insights have been obtained in understanding the underlying processes of oxidation and passivation, including active sites, surface restructuring, oxide/metal interface dynamics, and microstructure and phase evolution. Additionally, we discuss on-going and future developments that are expected to significantly advance the field of high-temperature oxidation and corrosion.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

The non-metallic materials sample array

The Non-Metallic Materials Sample Array (MSA) was flown as verification flight instrumentation (VFI) on both Spacelab 1 (SL-1) and Spacelab 2 (SL-2). The basis for materials selection was either previous flight history or probable flight suitability based upon analysis. The observed changes in the optical properties of the exposed materials are, in general, quite minimal; however, this data represents the short exposure of two Space Shuttle missions, and no attempt should be made to extrapolate the long-term exposure. The MSA was in orbit for 10 days at approximately 240 km on SL-1 and for 7 days at approximately 315 km on SL-2. The array was exposed to the solar flux for only a portion of the time in orbit.

King, H. M.↗

Improved Method Being Developed for Surface Enhancement of Metallic Materials

Surface enhancement methods induce a layer of beneficial residual compressive stress to improve the impact (FOD) resistance and fatigue life of metallic materials. A traditional method of surface enhancement often used is shot peening, in which small steel spheres are repeatedly impinged on metallic surfaces. Shot peening is inexpensive and widely used, but the plastic deformation of 20 to 40 percent imparted by the impacts can be harmful. This plastic deformation can damage the microstructure, severely limiting the ductility and durability of the material near the surface. It has also been shown to promote accelerated relaxation of the beneficial compressive residual stresses at elevated temperatures. Low-plasticity burnishing (LPB) is being developed as an improved method for the surface enhancement of metallic materials. LPB is being investigated as a rapid, inexpensive surface enhancement method under NASA Small Business Innovation Research contracts NAS3-98034 and NAS3-99116, with supporting characterization work at NASA. Previously, roller burnishing had been employed to refine surface finish. This concept was adopted and then optimized as a means of producing a layer of compressive stress of high magnitude and depth, with minimal plastic deformation (ref. 1). A simplified diagram of the developed process is given in the following figure. A single pass of a smooth, free-rolling spherical ball under a normal force deforms the surface of the material in tension, creating a compressive layer of residual stress. The ball is supported in a fluid with sufficient pressure to lift the ball off the surface of the retaining spherical socket. The ball is only in mechanical contact with the surface of the material being burnished and is free to roll on the surface. This apparatus is designed to be mounted in the conventional lathes and vertical mills currently used to machine parts. The process has been successfully applied to nickel-base superalloys by a team from the NASA Glenn Research Center, Lambda Research, and METCUT Research, as supported by the NASA Small Business Innovation Research Phase I and II programs, the Ultra Safe program, and the Ultra- Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Program.

Gabb, Timothy P.↗