Oxidation resistance of 9-12% Cr steels: effect of rare earth surface treatment

Medium Cr steels have been used in fossil fired power plants for many years because of their excellent high temperature stability and mechanical properties. The environment in a fossil fired power plant is extremely aggressive in terms of corrosion, especially oxidation. This is only accelerated as the operating temperature increases to 650C and beyond. For any new steel to be qualified for power plant use, in addition to adequate strength at the operating temperature, material wastage from all corrosion processes must be kept to a minimum acceptable level. The use of medium Cr steels provides a means to improve overall corrosion resistance. Three medium Cr are under development for use as high temperature power plant steels: 0.08C-(9-12)Cr-1.2Ni-0.7Mo-3.0Cu-3.0Co-0.5Ti. Oxidation tests were performed on the steels for times greater than 1000 hours in order to determine the oxidation kinetics and extent of material wastage. Also, rare earth oxides were incorporated into the outer surface layers of the steels to see if the oxidation resistance could be improved. These results will be compared to current power plant steels

Development of chromium-tungsten alloys

Cr alloys containing 0-30 weight % W were investigated for their high temperature strength and oxidation resistance. These experimental alloys are intended for use in elevated temperature applications. Alloys were melted in a water-cooled, copper-hearth arc furnace. Microstructure of the alloys was studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and light microscopy. Meyer and Vickers hardness tests were utilized for measuring room temperature strength. A hot hardness tester with a spherical ruby indenter was used to study the strength of these materials between 800ºC and 1200ºC. A parabolic relationship was observed between load and indent size at all temperatures. On the other hand, decrease in hardness of the alloys with temperature was linear up to 1200ºC

Ultra supercritical steamside oxidation

Ultra supercritical (USC) power plants offer the promise of higher efficiencies and lower emissions, which are part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Vision 21 goals. Most current coal power plants in the U.S. operate at a maximum steam temperature of 538 C. However, new supercritical plants worldwide are being brought into service with steam temperatures of up to 620 C. Vision 21 goals include steam temperatures of up to 760 C. This research examines the steamside oxidation of advanced alloys for use in USC systems. Emphasis is placed on alloys for high- and intermediate-pressure turbine sections. Initial results of this research are presented

Understanding the corrosion behavior of chromia-forming 316L stainless steel in dual oxidizing-reducing environment representative of SOFC interconnect

A and B site doped LaCrO3-based electronically conducting Perovskite ceramic materials have been extensively used as interconnects in solid oxide fule cells (SOFC) operating at 800° to 1000°C as the Perovskites offer good electrical conductivity, chemical compatibility with the adjacent components of the fuel cell, chemical stability in reducing and oxidizing atmospheres, and thermal expansion coefficients that match other cell components. However, requirements for good mechanical properties, electrical and thermal conductivities, and low cost make metallic interconnects more promising. Significant progress in reducing the operating temperature of SOFC from ~1000°C to ~750°C is expected to permit the use of metallic materials with substantial cost reduction. Among the commercially available metallic materials, Cr2O3 (chromia) scale-forming iron base alloys appear to be the most promising candidates since they can fulfill the technical and economical requirements. These alloys, however, remain prone to reactions with oxygen and water vapor at fuel cell operating conditions and formation of gaseous chromium oxides and oxyhydroxides. To study the degradation processes and corrosion mechanisms of commercial chromia scale-forming alloys under SOFC interconnect exposure conditions, 316L was selected for this research because of the availability of the materials. The dual environment to which the interconnect material was exposed consisted of dry air (simulates the cathode side environment) and a mixture of H2 and 3% H2O (simulates the anode side environment). Post-corrosion surface evaluation involved the use of optical and scanning electron microscopy, as well as energy dispersive X-ray analyses

T-Lymphocytes Enable Osteoblast Maturation via IL-17F during the Early Phase of Fracture Repair

While it is well known that the presence of lymphocytes and cytokines are important for fracture healing, the exact role of the various cytokines expressed by cells of the immune system on osteoblast biology remains unclear. To study the role of inflammatory cytokines in fracture repair, we studied tibial bone healing in wild-type and Rag1−/− mice. Histological analysis, µCT stereology, biomechanical testing, calcein staining and quantitative RNA gene expression studies were performed on healing tibial fractures. These data provide support for Rag1−/− mice as a model of impaired fracture healing compared to wild-type. Moreover, the pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-17F, was found to be a key mediator in the cellular response of the immune system in osteogenesis. In vitro studies showed that IL-17F alone stimulated osteoblast maturation. We propose a model in which the Th17 subset of T-lymphocytes produces IL-17F to stimulate bone healing. This is a pivotal link in advancing our current understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of fracture healing, which in turn may aid in optimizing fracture management and in the treatment of impaired bone healing

Type-1 Collagen differentially alters β-catenin accumulation in primary Dupuytren's Disease cord and adjacent palmar fascia cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dupuytren's Disease (DD) is a debilitating contractile fibrosis of the palmar fascia characterised by excess collagen deposition, contractile myofibroblast development, increased Transforming Growth Factor-β levels and β-catenin accumulation. The aim of this study was to determine if a collagen-enriched environment, similar to <it>in vivo </it>conditions, altered β-catenin accumulation by primary DD cells in the presence or absence of Transforming Growth Factor-β.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Primary DD and patient matched, phenotypically normal palmar fascia (PF) cells were cultured in the presence or absence of type-1 collagen and Transforming Growth Factor-β1. β-catenin and α-smooth muscle actin levels were assessed by western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>DD cells display a rapid depletion of cellular β-catenin not evident in patient-matched PF cells. This effect was not evident in either cell type when cultured in the absence of type-1 collagen. Exogenous addition of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 to DD cells in collagen culture negates the loss of β-catenin accumulation. Transforming Growth Factor-β1-induced α-smooth muscle actin, a marker of myofibroblast differentiation, is attenuated by the inclusion of type-1 collagen in cultures of DD and PF cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings implicate type-1 collagen as a previously unrecognized regulator of β-catenin accumulation and a modifier of TGF-β1 signaling specifically in primary DD cells. These data have implications for current treatment modalities as well as the design of <it>in vitro </it>models for research into the molecular mechanisms of DD.</p