Fundamental studies of stress distributions and stress relaxation in oxide scales on high temperature alloys

The high temperature X-ray diffraction system developed for this program is being used to measure the strains which develop during oxidation. This is being applied to Ni/NiO and Cr/Cr[sub 2]O[sub 3]. Our work suggests tat the oxide and metal crystalline texture, anisotropic elastic modulus and anisotropic thermal expansion can have a pronounced effect on strain state of these systems. Acoustic emission is being used to study oxide scale failure (fracture) during oxidation. AE data from 304 stainless steel are being used to develop a statistical model of fracture process. Strength of metal/scale interface is an important property that has been difficult to quantify. Using Nano-indentation and scratch techniques developed for characterizing thin film interfaces, an effort has begun to measure the fracture toughness of the metal/scale interface. Mathematical modelling of origin and time evolution of growth stresses is an extension and improvement of previous models. The current effort employs a more sophisticated stress analysis and expands the scope to include other stress relaxation process. The interaction between the modeling studies and the X-ray diffraction measurements provides a natural credibility check to both efforts

A study of scale cracking and its effects on oxidation and hot corrosion

For many high temperature applications, oxidation (or hot corrosion) is an important mode of degradation of metals and alloys. Degradation mechanisms may be divided into two categories: one dealing with the chemical and transport aspects of scale growth or dissolution, and the other dealing with mechanical aspects such as stresses and scale fracture. Some applications, such as corrosion/erosion, combine both aspects in a complicated manner. Much research has been concerned with relationships between alloy composition and scale growth rates, attempting to identify alloy compositions and growth mechanisms that form compact, slow-growing scales, such as Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} or Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Nevertheless, in practice a very common mode of scale degradation is cracking and spalling, followed by re-oxidation. Efforts to understand scale stresses and ultimately scale fracture have been hampered by the simultaneous interaction of numerous variables in determining the state of stress. Thus complex issues are involved in both experimental measurements and theoretical models of stresses and fracture of oxide scales. In this study we have considered both chemical/transport issues (as applied to the oxidation and hot corrosion of SiC and Ni-Cr Alloys) and mechanical issues of oxidation, but the emphasis has been on mechanical issues. In the following sections we will briefly describe the highlights of each of several projects, and where appropriate, will attach preprints or reprints of papers that describe in more detail the results of a particular study

Normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary growth axis in three dwarf friesian foals

Serial blood samples were collected from three dwarf Friesian foals to examine their endogenous growth hormone (GH) profiles, and the integrity of the GH-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis was tested in one of them by examining its responses to the administration of GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and to 10 days of treatment with recombinant equine GH. The basal serum concentrations of IGF-1 in the three dwarf foals were compared with those in nine age-matched normal foals. All the dwarf foals secreted endogenous GH. Stimulation with 7.0 microg/kg GHRH led to a 1400 per cent increase in plasma GH concentration in the dwarf foal tested, and 10 daily subcutaneous treatments with 20 microg/kg recombinant equine GH led to a 100 per cent increase in its serum IGF-1 concentration. The basal serum concentrations of IGF-1 in the dwarf foals were not significantly different from those of the normal foals

Normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary growth axis in three dwarf friesian foals

Serial blood samples were collected from three dwarf Friesian foals to examine their endogenous growth hormone (GH) profiles, and the integrity of the GH-insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis was tested in one of them by examining its responses to the administration of GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and to 10 days of treatment with recombinant equine GH. The basal serum concentrations of IGF-1 in the three dwarf foals were compared with those in nine age-matched normal foals. All the dwarf foals secreted endogenous GH. Stimulation with 7.0 microg/kg GHRH led to a 1400 per cent increase in plasma GH concentration in the dwarf foal tested, and 10 daily subcutaneous treatments with 20 microg/kg recombinant equine GH led to a 100 per cent increase in its serum IGF-1 concentration. The basal serum concentrations of IGF-1 in the dwarf foals were not significantly different from those of the normal foals

Selective vulnerability of Rich Club brain regions is an organizational principle of structural connectivity loss in Huntington’s disease

Neurological Motor Disorder