264 research outputs found
Noncontact temperature measurement: Requirements and applications for metals and alloys research
Temperature measurement is an essential capability for almost all areas of metals and alloys research. In the microgravity environment many of the science priorities that have been identified for metals and alloys also require noncontact temperature measurement capability. For example, in order to exploit the full potential of containerless processing, it is critical to have available a suitable noncontact temperature measurement system. This system is needed to track continuously the thermal history, including melt undercooling and rapid recalescence, of relatively small metal spheres during free-fall motion in drop tube systems. During containerless processing with levitation-based equipment, accurate noncontact temperature measurement is required to monitor one or more quasi-static samples with sufficient spatial and thermal resolution to follow the progress of solidification fronts originating in undercooled melts. In crystal growth, thermal migration, coarsening and other experiments high resolution thermal maps would be a valuable asset in the understanding and modeling of solidification processes, fluid flows and microstructure development. The science and applications requirements place several constraints on the spatial resolution, response time and accuracy of suitable instrumentation
Containerless processing of undercooled melts
All practical solidification processes involve some level of melt undercooling. Usually in bulk liquids crystallization is initiated at a heterogeneous nucleation site at low undercooling. The realization of appreciable levels of liquid undercooling requires some control over the kinetics of crystal nucleation. One level of control is available in containerless processing where the capability to melt and solidify samples without a container removes a major source of impurities and heterogeneous nucleation sites which can be effective in promoting large undercooling and in studying other potential nucleants. The microgravity environment offers a unique opportunity for containerless processing of large liquid samples with negligible melt disturbance and continuous temperature measurement throughout processing. Perhaps the most important potential for microgravity containerless processing lies in the significant structural control to develop distinct microstructures and metastable phases during solidification at high undercooling
Containerless processing of undercooled melts
The investigation focused on the control of microstructural evolution in Mn-Al, Fe-Ni, Ni-V, and Au-Pb-Sb alloys through the high undercooling levels provided by containerless processing, and provided fundamental new information on the control of nucleation. Solidification analysis was conducted by means of thermal analysis, x-ray diffraction, and metallographic characterization on samples processed in a laboratory scale drop tube system. The Mn-Al alloy system offers a useful model system with the capability of phase separation on an individual particle basis, thus permitting a more complete understanding of the operative kinetics and the key containerless processing variables. This system provided the opportunity of analyzing the nucleation rate as a function of processing conditions and allowed for the quantitative assessment of the relevant processing parameters. These factors are essential in the development of a containerless processing model which has a predictive capability. Similarly, Ni-V is a model system that was used to study duplex partitionless solidification, which is a structure possible only in high under cooling solidification processes. Nucleation kinetics for the competing bcc and fcc phases were studied to determine how this structure can develop and the conditions under which it may occur. The Fe-Ni alloy system was studied to identify microstructural transitions with controlled variations in sample size and composition during containerless solidification. This work was forwarded to develop a microstructure map which delineates regimes of structural evolution and provides a unified analysis of experimental observations. The Au-Pb-Sb system was investigated to characterize the thermodynamic properties of the undercooled liquid phase and to characterize the glass transition under a variety of processing conditions. By analyzing key containerless processing parameters in a ground based drop tube study, a carefully designed flight experiment may be planned to utilize the extended duration microgravity conditions of orbiting spacecraft
Solidification of undercooled liquids
During rapid solidification processing (RSP) the amount of liquid undercooling is an important factor in determining microstructural development by controlling phase selection during nucleation and morphological evolution during crystal growth. While undercooling is an inherent feature of many techniques of RSP, the deepest undercoolings and most controlled studies have been possible in carefully prepared fine droplet samples. From past work and recent advances in studies of nucleation kinetics it has become clear that the initiation of crystallization during RSP is governed usually by heterogeneous sites located at surfaces. With known nucleant sites, it has been possible to identify specific pathways of metastable phase formation and microstructural development in alloys. These advances have allowed for a clearer assessment of the interplay between undercooling, cooling rate and particle size statistics in structure formation. New approaches to the examination of growth processes have been developed to follow the thermal behavior and morphology in small samples in the period of rapid crystallization and recalescence. Based upon the new experimental information from these studies, useful models can be developed for the overall solidification process to include nucleation behavior, thermodynamic constraints, thermal history, growth kinetics, solute redistribution and resulting structures. From the refinement of knowledge concerning the underlying factors that govern RSP a basis is emerging for an effective alloy design and processing strategy
Amorphous metallizations for high-temperature semiconductor device applications
The initial results of work on a class of semiconductor metallizations which appear to hold promise as primary metallizations and diffusion barriers for high temperature device applications are presented. These metallizations consist of sputter-deposited films of high T sub g amorphous-metal alloys which (primarily because of the absence of grain boundaries) exhibit exceptionally good corrosion-resistance and low diffusion coefficients. Amorphous films of the alloys Ni-Nb, Ni-Mo, W-Si, and Mo-Si were deposited on Si, GaAs, GaP, and various insulating substrates. The films adhere extremely well to the substrates and remain amorphous during thermal cycling to at least 500 C. Rutherford backscattering and Auger electron spectroscopy measurements indicate atomic diffussivities in the 10 to the -19th power sq cm/S range at 450 C
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Synthesis and Performance of Fe-based Amorphous Alloys for Nuclear Waste Applications
Recent developments in multi-component Fe-based amorphous alloys have shown that these novel materials exhibit outstanding corrosion resistance compared to typical crystalline alloys such as high-performance stainless steels and Ni-based C-22 alloy. During the past decade, amorphous alloy synthesis has advanced to allow for the casting of bulk metallic glasses. In several Fe-based alloy systems it is possible to produce glasses with cooling rates as low as 100 K/s. At such low cooling rates, there is an opportunity to produce amorphous solids through industrial processes such as thermal spray-formed coatings. Moreover, since cooling rates in typical thermal spray processing exceed 1000 K/s, novel alloy compositions can be synthesized to maximize corrosion resistance (i.e. adding Cr and Mo) and to improve radiation compatibility (adding B) and still maintain glass forming ability. The applicability of Fe-based amorphous coatings in typical environments where corrosion resistance and thermal stability are critical issues has been examined in terms of amorphous phase stability and glass-forming ability through a coordinated computational analysis and experimental validation. For example, a wedge casting technique has been applied to examine bulk glass forming alloys by combining multiple thermal probes with a measurement based kinetics analysis and a computational thermodynamics evaluation to elucidate the phase selection competition and critical cooling rate conditions. Based upon direct measurements and kinetics modeling it is evident that a critical cooling rate range should be considered to account for nucleation behavior and that the relative heat flow characteristics as well as nucleation kinetics are important in judging ease of glass formation. Similarly, a novel computational thermodynamics approach has been developed to explore the compositional sensitivity of glass-forming ability and thermal stability. Also, the synthesis and characterization of alloys with increased cross-section for thermal neutron capture will be outlined to demonstrate that through careful design of alloy composition it is possible to tailor the material properties of the thermally spray-formed amorphous coating to accommodate the challenges anticipated in typical nuclear waste storage applications over tens of thousands of years in a variety of corrosive environments
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SYNTHESIS AND PERFORMANCE OF FE-BASED AMORPHOUS ALLOYS FOR NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY APPLICATIONS
In several Fe-based alloy systems it is possible to produce glasses with cooling rates as low as 100 K/s that exhibit outstanding corrosion resistance compared to typical crystalline alloys such as high-performance stainless steels and Ni-based C-22 alloy. Moreover, novel alloy compositions can be synthesized to maximize corrosion resistance (i.e. adding Cr and Mo) and to improve radiation compatibility (adding B) and still maintain glass forming ability. The applicability of Fe-based amorphous coatings in typical environments where corrosion resistance and thermal stability are critical issues has been examined in terms of amorphous phase stability and glass-forming ability through a coordinated computational analysis and experimental validation. Similarly, a novel computational thermodynamics approach has been developed to explore the compositional sensitivity of glass-forming ability and thermal stability. Also, the synthesis and characterization of alloys with increased cross-section for thermal neutron capture will be outlined to demonstrate that through careful design of alloy composition it is possible to tailor the material properties of the thermally spray-formed amorphous coating to accommodate the challenges anticipated in typical nuclear waste storage applications over tens of thousands of years in a variety of corrosive environments
JTEC panel report on advanced composites in Japan
The JTEC Panel on Advanced Composites visited Japan and surveyed the status and future directions of Japanese high performance ceramic and carbon fibers and their composites in metal, intermetallic, ceramic and carbon matrices. The panel's interests included not only what composite systems were chosen, but also how these systems were developed. A strong carbon and fiber industry makes Japan the leader in carbon fiber technology. Japan has initiated an oxidation resistant carbon/carbon composite program. The goals for this program are ambitious, and it is just starting, but its progress should be closely monitored in the United States
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