Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

Fabrication, Thermophysical, And Mechanical Properties Of Cermet And Cercer Fuel Composites For Nuclear Thermal Propulsion, Neal D. Gaffin

Doctoral Dissertations

Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) utilizes nuclear fission to double the efficiency of
in-space propulsion systems compared with traditional combustion rocket systems.
NTP systems are limited primarily by the fuel material choice, due to the extreme
conditions they will need to endure, including temperatures up to 3000 K, multiple
thermal cycles with rapid heating and cooling, exposure to hot flowing hydrogen,
large thermal gradients, and high neutron flux. Particle based fuels, namely ceramic-
metallic (cermet) and ceramic-ceramic (cercer) composites are both promising fuel
element material candidates for NTP. Given the high temperature nature, these
materials are difficult to fabricate and very …

Evaluating The Effects Of Granulated Rubber And Glass Fibers In Polymer Concrete As A Structural Material For Wafer Grinding Machines, Kevin Gabriel Kuehn, Philip Randall Streeter

Materials Engineering

Polymer concrete is a composite material used to replace cast iron and steel in wafer grinding machines for vibration damping. During the grinding and lapping processes of manufacturing silicon wafers, excessive vibrations may cause subsurface damage which requires additional polishing and reduces yield. Nine compositions containing various levels of granulated rubber and glass fibers were manufactured. CRM WRF-10 granulated rubber was examined at 0%, 5%, and 10% and Corning Cem-Fil glass fibers were added at 0%, 0.5%, and 1% by weight. Smooth-On EpoxAcast 690 epoxy resin was held constant at 16% for each composition. Crushed granite aggregate from Martin Marietta, …

Study Of Static And Dynamical Properties Of Complex Antiferroelectrics Materials, Kinnary Yogeshbhai Patel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this dissertation is the investigation of the static and dynamical properties of the complex antiferroelectric materials using Effective Hamiltonian method and First principles calculations. In chapter 3, a novel elemental interatomic coupling in perovskite materials which bilinearly couples the antiferroelectric displacements of cations with the rotations of the oxygen octahedra. This new coupling explains a very complex crystal structure of prototypical antiferroelectric PbZrO3. My explanation provides a unified description of many other complex antipolar crystal structures in variety of perovskite materials, including the occurrence of incommensurate phases in some of them. In chapter 4, results and analysis …

Research Trend Of Metal Matrix Composites Reinforced With Silica Extracted By Green Route: A Bibliometric Analysis, Rinku Datkhile, Meena Laad, Babaji Ghule

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Metal Matrix Composites have acquired an important place in the engineering applications due to their distinctive characteristics such as high specific strength, lower specific gravity, improved material stiffness, better durability, enhanced creep and fatigue strength etc. Worldwide scientists are working on the improvement of mechanical properties of composite materials. The present work attempts to summarise all the research carried out on metal matrix composites reinforced with silica extracted by green route and provides up-to-date research material for researchers who are interested in the field of composites with metal matrices. Scopus databases and software such as Gephi Vos Viewer and Table2Net …

Tension-Tension Fatigue Behavior Of Nextel™ 720/Alumina-Mullite Ceramic Composite At 1200°C In Air And In Steam, Sarah A. Witzgall

Theses and Dissertations

Uniaxial tension-tension fatigue performance of an oxide-oxide continuous fiber ceramic composite was studied at 1200°C in laboratory air and in steam. The composite is reinforced with laminated, 0/90 mullite/alumina (NEXTEL™720) fibers woven in an eight-harness satin weave and has a porous alumina/mullite matrix. There is no interphase between the fiber and matrix. The composite relies on the porous matrix for crack deflection and flaw tolerance. Tension-tension fatigue was examined for maximum stresses of 45 – 136 MPa in air and in steam. To assess the effects of the steam environment on fatigue performance, experimental results obtained in air are compared …

Fatigue Behavior Of An Advanced Melt-Infiltrated Sic/Sic Composite With Environmental Barrier Coating At 1200°C In Air And In Steam, Thaddeus M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Advanced aerospace applications such as aircraft turbine engine components, hypersonic flight vehicles, and spacecraft reentry thermal protection systems require structural materials that have superior long-term mechanical properties under high temperature, high pressure, and varying environmental factors, such as moisture. Because of their low density, high strength and fracture toughness at high temperatures SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components. In these applications the composites will be subjected to various types of mechanical loadings at elevated temperatures in oxidizing environments. Because their constituents are intrinsically oxidation-prone, the most significant problem hindering SiC/SiC composites is oxidation …

Characterization And Computational Modelling For The Garnet Oxide Solid State Electrolyte Ta-Llzo, Colin A. Versnick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The all-solid-state-battery (ASSB) serves as a promising candidate for next generation lithium ion batteries for significant improvements in battery safety, capacity, and longevity. Of the material candidates researched to replace the conventionally used liquid electrolyte, the garnet oxide Ta-LLZO (Li_6.4La₃Zr_1.4Ta_0.6O₁₂) has received much attention thanks to its high chemical and electrochemical stability, and ionic conductivity which rivals that of liquid electrolytes. While much investigation has taken place regarding the electrochemical performance of Ta-LLZO, much less is known about the micromechanics, including microstructural characterization, stress and strain development, and material failure …

Ballistic Evaluation Of Carbon Nanotube Sheet Material In Multifunctional Applications, Casey M. Keilbarth

Theses and Dissertations

Significant development of carbon nanotubes has occurred since they were first studied in the 1990's. Attempts to capture the phenomenal molecular properties in practical applications are gaining ground as new methods of producing CNTs have been developed. This thesis sought to determine if the addition of commercially produced CNT sheets to thin carbon fiber panels improved the ballistic properties of the panel. The difference between 0 and 4 CNT sheets was studied. The hypothesis was that inte- grating CNT sheets into the laminate would increase the projectile energy absorbed by the panel and reduce the damage to the panel incurred …

Measuring Characteristic Shrinkage Variability Due To Metal Loading Effects In Low Temperature Co-Fired Ceramic Using Image Processing, John Ezekiel Zumbro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) has many benefits when it comes to electronic packaging due to the low dielectric loss, reliability in extreme environments, and high breakdown voltage. Though the ceramic has a lot of benefits it is not widely used due to the high cost and complexities associated with manufacturing. One of these issues with manufacturing is compensating for the shrinkage of the ceramic, this is accomplished by using an expansion factor, creating the “green” or manufactured design. This expansion factor is approximated through knowledge of the ceramic factors such as the metal loading, layers of ceramic tape, firing …

Creep Of Hafnium Diboride -20 Vol% Silicon Carbide At 1500°C In Air, Glen E. Pry

Theses and Dissertations

Refractory metal borides, commonly referred to as Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs), exhibit a number of unique properties, such as extremely high melting temperature and hardness, chemical stability, high electrical and thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. It has been demonstrated that the addition of SiC improves the oxidation resistance of ZrB2- and HfB2-based UHTCs above 1200°C by modifying the composition of the oxide scale. Addition of SiC retards the oxidation rate of ZrB2 and HfB2 by forming a protective layer of borosilicate glass. Creep deformation is one of the critical criterion for structural application of ceramics at elevated temperatures. Compression …

Microstructural Analysis Of Thermoelastic Response, Nonlinear Creep, And Pervasive Cracking In Heterogeneous Materials, Alden C. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the development of robust numerical solution procedures for the generalized micromechanical analysis of linear and nonlinear constitutive behavior in heterogeneous materials. Although the methods developed are applicable in many engineering, geological, and materials science fields, three main areas are explored in this work. First, a numerical methodology is presented for the thermomechanical analysis of heterogeneous materials with a special focus on real polycrystalline microstructures obtained using electron backscatter diffraction techniques. Asymptotic expansion homogenization and finite element analysis are employed for micromechanical analysis of polycrystalline materials. Effective thermoelastic properties of polycrystalline materials are determined and compared …

Microstructure And Mechanical Properties Of Nanofiller Reinforced Tantalum-Niobium Carbide Formed By Spark Plasma Sintering, Christopher Charles Rudolf

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) are candidate materials for high temperature applications such as leading edges for hypersonic flight vehicles, thermal protection systems for spacecraft, and rocket nozzle throat inserts due to their extremely high melting points. Tantalum and Niobium Carbide (TaC and NbC), with melting points of 3950°C and 3600°C, respectively, have high resistivity to chemical attack, making them ideal candidates for the harsh environments UHTCs are to be used in. The major setbacks to the implementation of UHTC materials for these applications are the difficulty in consolidating to full density as well as their low fracture toughness. In …

High Pressure Behavior Of Mullite-Type Oxides: Phase Transitions, Amorphization, Negative Linear Compressibility And Microstructural Implications, Patricia Kalita

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Even though mullite occurs rarely in nature, it is perhaps one of the most important phases in both traditional and advanced ceramics. Existing and emerging applications of mullite and mullite-type materials include: high-temperature composites, aerospace materials, ballistic shielding for military applications and even non-linear optical materials. There are many uncertainties regarding the basic physical properties of mullite-type materials, particularly in terms of their high-pressure structural stability and mechanical behavior that are important to address for emerging applications of mullites as engineering materials. This work is the first reported comprehensive investigation of the high –pressure structural behavior of several different mullites …

Impact Of Fuel Rod Coatings On Reactor Performance And Safety, Ian Robert Stewart

Masters Theses

This study evaluates the use of a ceramic coating on the Zr-alloy cladding within a PWR using four ceramic compounds of 5 and 10 micron thicknesses: ZrO2, TiAlN, Ti2AlC, and Ti3AlC2. The film’s impact is assessed for variation on: reactivity, fuel cycle length, maximum temperature, film’s roughness, and transient conditions. The reactivity is analyzed using the following methods: change in the multiplication factor (k) each film introduces to the system using the ABH method, and Monte Carlo software (MCNP). Both methods are in good agreement, yielding less than half a percent change from a reference, no-film fuel pin. In order …

Effects Of Temperature Change On Interfacial Delamination In Thermal Barrier Coatings, Hossein Ebrahimi, Soheil Nakhodchi

Hossein Ebrahimi

No abstract provided.

Radiation-Induced Radicals In Polyurea-Crosslinked Silica Aerogel, Benjamin Michael Walters

Masters Theses

Free radicals are atoms or molecules with an odd number of electrons in an outer shell. Since electrons typically occur in pairs, this leaves one electron that is unpaired. In seek of another electron to pair with, free radicals react with and steal electrons from neighboring molecules, which then become free radicals themselves. This can start a chain reaction, cascading into large scale damage.

Ionizing radiation can tear through molecules, just as bullets can tear through things that we see. If free radicals can be detected, and seen to increase in a material upon radiation exposure, this can indicate molecular …

Experimental Investigation Of Mechanical Behavior Of An Oxide/Oxide Ceramic Composite In Interlaminar Shear And Under Combined Tension-Torsion Loading, Skyler R. Hilburn

Theses and Dissertations

Creep behavior in interlaminar shear of an oxide-oxide ceramic composite, Nextel 720™/aluminosilicate (N720/AS), was investigated at 1100°C in laboratory air and in steam. The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) was determined as 7.65 MPa. The creep behavior was examined for interlaminar shear stresses in the 2-6 MPa range. Primary and secondary creep regimes were observed in all tests conducted in air and in steam. Tertiary creep was noted in the tests performed at 6 MPa. Larger creep strains and higher creep strain rates were produced in steam. Surprisingly, the presence of steam had a beneficial effect on creep lifetimes. It appears …

Studies Of Dynamic Crack Propagation And Crack Branching With Peridynamics, Youn Doh Ha Ph.D., Florin Bobaru Ph.D.

Florin Bobaru Ph.D.

In this paper we discuss the peridynamic analysis of dynamic crack branching in brittle materials and show results of convergence studies under uniform grid refinement (m-convergence) and under decreasing the peridynamic horizon (δ-convergence). Comparisons with experimentally obtained values are made for the crack-tip propagation speed with three different peridynamic horizons.We also analyze the influence of the particular shape of themicro-modulus function and of different materials (Duran 50 glass and soda-lime glass) on the crack propagation behavior. We show that the peridynamic solution for this problem captures all the main features, observed experimentally, of dynamic crack propagation and branching, as well …

Calcium Phosphate-Based Resorbable Biomaterials For Bone Regeneration, Daniel O. Costa

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Bone defects are a prevalent problem in orthopedics and dentistry. Calcium phosphate-based coatings and nanocomposites offer unique solutions towards producing scaffolds with suitable physical, mechanical and biological properties for bone regeneration.

We developed a novel method to synthesize hydroxyapatite (HA) particles with high aspect ratio using sol-gel chemistry and hydrothermal treatment. We obtained tunable pure-phase carbonated-HA in the form of micro/nanorods and nanowires (diameters 25-800 nm). To mimic the structure of bone, HA nanowires were homogenously mixed within poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) to produce nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties as determined by uniaxial tensile testing.

Surface chemistry and topography of biomaterials play …

Finite Element Analysis Of The Contact Deformation Of Piezoelectric Materials, Ming Liu

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Piezoelectric materials in the forms of both bulk and thin-film have been widely used as actuators and sensors due to their electromechanical coupling. The characterization of piezoelectric materials plays an important role in determining device performance and reliability. Instrumented indentation is a promising method for probing mechanical as well as electrical properties of piezoelectric materials.

The use of instrumented indentation to characterize the properties of piezoelectric materials requires analytical relations. Finite element methods are used to analyze the indentation of piezoelectric materials under different mechanical and electrical boundary conditions.

For indentation of a piezoelectric half space, a three-dimensional finite element …

Studies Of Dynamic Crack Propagation And Crack Branching With Peridynamics, Youn Doh Ha Ph.D., Florin Bobaru Ph.D.

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Faculty Publications

In this paper we discuss the peridynamic analysis of dynamic crack branching in brittle materials and show results of convergence studies under uniform grid refinement (m-convergence) and under decreasing the peridynamic horizon (δ-convergence). Comparisons with experimentally obtained values are made for the crack-tip propagation speed with three different peridynamic horizons.We also analyze the influence of the particular shape of themicro-modulus function and of different materials (Duran 50 glass and soda-lime glass) on the crack propagation behavior. We show that the peridynamic solution for this problem captures all the main features, observed experimentally, of dynamic crack propagation and branching, as well …

Effects Of Environment On Creep Behavior Of Two Oxide-Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composites At 1200°C, Pavlos Koutsoukos

Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies by the advisor and graduate students examined creep behavior of the Nextel720/Alumina CMC in air and in 100% steam environments at 1200 and 1330°C. Results showed that while this oxide/oxide system exhibits an exceptionally high fatigue limit at 1200°C it also experiences substantial strain accumulation under sustained loading conditions. Furthermore, these earlier investigations revealed a significant degrading effect of 100% steam environment on material performance under both static and cyclic loadings. The present effort will investigate creep rupture behavior of Nextel720/Alumina composite in the inert gas environment. In addition, creep rupture behavior of Nextel720/Aluminosilicate CMC will be investigated …

Effect Of Environment On Creep Behavior Of An Oxide/Oxide Cfcc With ±45° Fiber Orientation, Gregory T. Siegert

Theses and Dissertations

Aerospace applications require materials capable of maintaining superior mechanical properties while operating at high temperatures and oxidizing environments. Nextel™ 720/A (N720/A), an oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composite (CMC) with a porous alumina matrix was developed specifically to provide improved long-term properties and performance at 1200°C. This research evaluated the creep behavior of N720/A with a ±45° fiber orientation at 1200°C in: laboratory air, steam, and argon environments. Creep-rupture tests at the creep stress levels of: 45, 40, 35, and 15 MPa were conducted in each environment.
The ultimate tensile strength of N720/A with ±45° fiber orientation was 55 MPa, the elastic …

Effects Of Frequency And Environment On Fatigue Behavior Of An Oxide-Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composite At 1200°C, Griffin Hetrick

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in aeronautical engineering in the 21st century depend upon materials that can perform well in extreme environments such as high temperatures and oxidizing conditions. Nextel™720/Alumina (N720/A) is an oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composite with a porous alumina matrix that has been identified as a candidate material for such applications. This research investigated the effects of frequency on fatigue response of N720/A at 1200°C in both air and steam environment. Prior investigation of this material by Eber [8] in 2005 studied fatigue behavior at 1200°C in air and in steam environments at the frequency of 1.0 Hz. The current research focused …

Characterization Of Compressive Creep Behavior Of Oxide/Oxide Composite With Monazite Coating At Elevated Temperature, Patrick R. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

The compressive creep behavior of a N610/monazite/alumina composite was investigated in this work. The composite consists of a porous alumina matrix reinforced with NextelTM610 fibers coated with monazite in a symmetric cross-ply (0°/90°/0°/90°)s orientation. Compressive stress-strain behavior was investigated as well. The addition of monazite coating resulted in ~ 35% loss in compressive strength at 900°C and in ~45% loss in compressive strength at 1100°C. Compressive creep behavior was examined at 900 and 1100°C for creep stresses ranging from 50 to 95 MPa. Primary and secondary creep regimes were observed at both temperatures. Minimum creep rate was reached in all …

Creep-Rupture And Fatigue Behaviors Of Notched Oxide/Oxide Ceramic Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature, Mark A. Sullivan

Theses and Dissertations

Oxide/oxide composites are being considered for use in high temperature aerospace applications where their inherent resistance to oxidation provides for better long life properties at high temperature than most other ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). One promising oxide/oxide CMC is Nextel 720/A (N720/A) which uses an 8-harness satin weave (8HSW) of Nextel 720 fibers embedded in a porous alumina matrix. Possible aerospace applications for N720/A will likely require inserting holes into the material for mounting and cooling purposes. The notch characteristics must be understood to ensure designs using the material are sufficient for the desired application. This research effort examined the …

Effect Of Hold Times On Fatigue Behavior Of Nextel 720™/Alumina Ceramic Matrix Composite At 1200°C In Air And In Steam Environment, John M. Mehrman

Theses and Dissertations

The aerospace field requires structural materials that can maintain superior mechanical properties while subjected to high temperatures and oxidizing environments. This research investigated the effect of hold times at maximum load on fatigue performance of a Nextel 720/Alumina ceramic matrix composite at 1200 C, explored the influence of environment on material response to cyclic loading with hold times at maximum load, and assessed the effects of loading history on material behavior and environmental durability. The N720/A composite relies on an oxide/oxide composition for inherent oxidation resistance and a porous matrix with no interphase between the fiber and matrix for damage …

Monotonic, Creep-Rupture, And Fatigue Behavior Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/Sic) At An Elevated Temperature, John M. Engesser

Theses and Dissertations

The main objective of this research effort was to examine the impact that cyclic loading frequency has on the life of a C/SiC composite at an elevated temperature of 550°C. Cyclic loading of C/SiC was investigated at frequencies of 375 Hz, 10 Hz, 1 Hz, and 0.1 Hz. Creep-Rupture tests and tests that were combinations of creep-rupture and fatigue were also accomplished. A monotonic tensile test was performed at 550°C and compared to a room temperature monotonic test. This study showed that an elevated temperature of 550°C has very little effect on the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of C/SiC. The …

Fatigue Behavior Of A Cross-Ply Ceramic Matrix Composite At Elevated Temperature Under Tension-Tension Loading, Craig D. Steiner

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the fatigue behavior and damage mechanisms of a [0-90]_4s SiC-MAS ceramic matrix composite under tension-tension loading at two elevated temperatures and two frequencies. Stress and strain hystereses, maximum and minimum strain, and modulus of elasticity were evaluated to characterize the material behavior. Microscopy and fractography were used to evaluate damage progression and mechanisms. Fatigue life was independent of frequency at both temperatures.

Investigation Into The Behavior Of Geometrically Nonlinear Composite Arches, John C. Bailey

Theses and Dissertations

This research modifies the existing finite element formulation of a potential energy based large deformation and moderate rotation theory. Hermitian shape functions replace the existing linear bending angle interpolations. Negligible differences between the two formulations indicate the underlying kinematics limit the accuracy, not the finite element interpolations. Using the new program, numerous nonlinear arch geometries are modeled to investigate the effects of arc length and thickness variations. Local and global snapping phenomena are captured as well as through the thickness shear driven nonlinearities.