The Materials Division at the Lewis Research Center has a long record of contributions to both materials and process technology as well as to the understanding of key high-temperature phenomena. An overview of the division staff, facilities, past history, recent progress, and future interests is presented

Grisaffe, Salvatore J.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

5-2-81 N88-16699 
LEWIS MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY: AN OVERVIEW 
Salvatore J .  Grisaffe 
ABSTRACT 
The Materials Division at the Lewis Research Center has a long record of contribu- 
tions to both materials and process technology as well as to the understanding of key 
high-temperature phenomena. This paper overviews the division staff, facilities, 
past history, recent progress, and future interests. The papers which follow expand 
on some of our research areas and plans. 
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19880007316 2020-03-20T07:19:09+00:00Z
LEWIS MATERIALS DIVISION 
The Materials Division at the Lewis Research Center is NASA's focal point for high 
temperature materials research aimed at aerospace propulsion and power system needs. 
Lewis is NASA's largest materials research group. Currently the staff consists of 
about 99 civil servants (over 45 percent are Ph.D.'s) and 73 NRC post doctoral fel- 
lows, university consortia, support service contractors, and industrial guest inves- 
tigators. Their backgrounds cover all the materials disciplines. Thirty percent of 
our staff represent recent graduates, reflecting an ongoing commitment to fresh ideas 
and new talent. Our facilities give us the capability to make, consolidate, and fab- 
ricate new materials and to test and analyze them. With the centers powerful compu- 
tational capabilities, we can also model, compute, and predict material behavior. 
Our job is to create new materials and new understanding in support of NASA's needs 
and specific materials goals. We then work to transfer the resulting knowledge, 
technology, and processes to the broad user community. 
For those interested in collaboration on research of potential mutual interest, a 
description of our key facilities can be obtained by writing me a letter outlining 
your specific interests. 
LEWIS MATERIALS DIVISION 
STAFF FACILITIES 
99 CIVIL SERVANTS LABORATORIES IN SEVEN BUILDINGS 
40 M IN CAPITAL EQUIPMENT - 85 PROFESSIONAL 
- 45 PERCENT PhD TO 
- 32 PERCENT M S  - CONSOLDIATE 
IN - FABRICATE 
CERAMICSICERAMICS ENG. - TEST 
CHEMISTRYICHEM. ENG. - CHARACTERIZE 
PHYSICS - COMPUTE 
/ 
METALLURGYIMET. ENG. 
MECHANICAL ENG. 
73 UNIVERSITY CONSORTIA, 
NRC POST DOCTORAL FELLOWS, 
SUPPORT CONTRACTORS, ETC. * 
MEET NASA's MATERIALS NEED IN AEROSPACE PROPULSION AND POWER 
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SOME MATERIALS DIVISION CONTRIBUTIONS 
In the past Lewis has made many contributions to the technology of high temperature, 
high performance materials. In our laboratories, as well as in conjunction with 
industry, Lewis has pressed the advance of such concepts as: 
Metal matrix composites. - Continuous fiber reinforced metal composites were born at 
Lewis and the rule of mixtures was applied to property estimation. 
Refractory metals and compounds. - New W or Mo+Re alloys were discovered at Lewis 
and then strengthened via Hf&C additions. We conducted much of the early work on 
HfC and TaC. 
Ceramics. - Lewis conducted the first engine tests on brittle cermets, developed 
early blade root designs for brittle materials, identified ceramic ball bearing 
potential, amd generated early data on Si3N4 and Sic ceramic potential for gas 
turbine service. 
Coatings. - Lewis research resulted in early identification of NiCrAl and FeCrAl as 
surface protection systems for superalloys the first TBC's to work in oxidizing 
environments and to be tested on blades in engines. 
Polymer composites. - PMR-15 was discovered at Lewis and we supported it through 
commercial introduction. 
SOME MATERIALS DIVISION CONTRIBUTIONS 
1950 1960 1970 1980 
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1ST MMC 
A A  
CERMET R.O.M. 
BLADES APPLIED 
IN TEST TO 
ENGINES COMPOSITES 
A 
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MO, W, TA 
ALLOYS 
CERAMIC 
BALL 
BEARINGS 
POWDER A ATTRlTlNG 
UNIVERSAL 
SLOPES 
A A A 
NICRAL- ODs+ ' ARC-SPRAY 
CLAD S.A. (+IN& MMC MONOTAPE 
FAB 
A 
SIC&S13N4 
SHOW 
PROMISE 
A 
SlClRBSN 
Hia 
TEST ENGINE 
BLADES 
CD-87-28969 
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COMMON MATERIAL NEEDS 
Today, propulsion system limits are limiting aircraft advances. Achievement of 
viable high thrust-to-weight aircraft, Mach 2 to 6 aircraft, very high efficiency/ 
pressure ratio subsonic aircraft, VSTOL, NASP, etc. depend on advances in engine 
materials. Similarly, in the whole arena of space propulsion and space power, the 
availability of high performance materials is controlling advances. Many of the same 
needs exist for both types of systems. Indeed, as we move toward hypersonics, toward 
cryogenic fueled aircraft, and toward multiple reuse rockets, the temperature, per- 
formance, and life demands show significant overlap. 
COMMON MATERIAL NEEDS 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
AERO 
SYSTEMS 
HIGH TEMPERATURE 
LIGHTWEIGHT 
HIGH STRENGTH 
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESISTANT 
LONG LIFE 
STABLE 
DESIGN ABLE 
FABRICABLE 
REPAIRABLE 
PREDICTABLE 
4 SPACE 
SYSTEMS 
CD-87-28970 
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BASIC RESEARCH 
In response to such requirements the Materials Division is aiming its efforts toward 
advanced high temperature composites capable of meeting NASA and industry needs for 
the year 2000 and beyond. Our work involves basic research, focused research, and 
direct project support and consultation. 
exploratory research and basic studies aimed at understanding key barrier phenomena. 
Some of these areas are shown. Note that as part of our efforts to mathematically 
characterize and predict material responses, we have a growing modeling activity sup- 
porting our experiments. 
About 20 percent of our work involves 
BASIC RESEARCH 
SOLIDIFICATION 
FUNDAMENTALS 
TRIBOLOGY COMPUTER GUIDED 
POLYMER SYNTHESIS 
SURFACE GLASSPHASE 
ANALYSIS SEPARATION RAPID SO LID1 FIC ATlON 
TECHNOLOGY 
TBC LIFE 
MODELS PREDICTION 
Process 
CD-87- -28971 
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FOCUSED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 
About 65 percent of our effort involves focused research -- looking at long range 
system needs and attacking those issues that would enable and enhance system 
performance. Such research covers a very broad range of NASA and industry 
interests. In the area ‘of hypersonic engine structures (and advanced rocket 
nozzles) we are looking for high strengthlhigh conductivity systems such as W 
fiber/copper composites for cooled applications as well as for high temperature 
ceramic composites for hard-to-cool components. Long life materials for high speed 
turbopump blades, bearings, etc. are being sought. Ceramic materials, intermetallic 
composites, and polymer conductors are all being pursued to provide lightweight high 
performance alternatives to current technology. In the high temperature supercon- 
ductor arena we are supporting efforts aimed at NASA-specific applications. 
enhance satellites and the space station’s effectiveness we are working on improved 
lubricants as well as 
commercial use of space programs. 
issues. Our microgravity materials science laboratory is a place where we work with 
industry and university investigators to help clarify their ideas and lay the ground 
work for potential space experiments or processing hardware. 
To 
I supporting the microgravity science and applications/ 
Here we do focused research on basic processing 
~ 
I 
I 
FOCUSED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY 
HYPERSONIC CERAMIC COMPONENTS HIGH T/W HTS 
STRUCTURES CONCEPTS 
I ADV. ROCKETS POLYMER SATELLITE 
CONDUCTORS LUBRICANTS 
I 
MICROGRAVITY 
SPACE PROCESSING 
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SYSTEMS SUPPORT 
About 15 percent of our effort supports systems where NASA has a major role in 
development. 
radiators, research that is clarifying the basis for Ge-Si/GaP thermoelectric 
performance improvements, and on high strength refractory composites for lithium- 
cooled heat pipes. 
thermal storage and corrosion resistant materials for their containment. 
auto gas turbine program that NASA manages for DOE,  we have done a lot toward 
raising the reliability and reproducibility of monolithic ceramics and toward 
characterizing factors that currently limit their use. 
For example, our work on SP-100 includes materials for lightweight 
Our support f o r  Space Station includes identifying salts for 
In the 
SYSTEMS SUPPORT 
SP-100 
AUTO GAS TURBINE 
SPACE STATION 
SOLAR SPACE 
AC ELECTRICITY 
NASP 
CD-87-28973 
ORiGINAX PAGE IS 
OF POOR QUALITY 
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ADVANCED HIGH TEMPERATURE MATERIALS FOR TURBINE ENGINES 1988 to 1993 
NASA recognized the growing relationship between materials availability and system 
performance limits. So this year a new effort was started. It is called Advanced 
High Temperature Materials for Turbine Engines. 
concentrate on accelerating the exploratory and the focused types of work -- 
primarily aimed at readying high temperature composites for engine consideration. 
With this effort we will be moving to tie together both the materials development 
and the structural analysis efforts from the start in an attempt to reduce the 12 to 
15 year time that new materials normally take to reach system use. We are also 
trying to create new linkages between ourselves, industry, and the universities. 
This coordination will benefit U.S. aeropropulsion by concentrating the diversity of 
views and backgrounds on moving such revolutionary materials forward. Specifically, 
we expect future advances in: 
This base R&T augmentation will 
Fibers. - Improved fiber properties and temperature limits, fiber coating to control 
interface reactions, and interface characterization methods. 
Composite fabrication. - Optimizing current processes, but looking for better ways 
so as to create options to make complex shapes economically in a reliable manner. 
Testing and analysis. - New methods and facilities to generate high temperature 
property data and to verify the new analytical codes and models to guide lay-up and 
fabrication. 
Life and failure analysis. - Better ways to relate multiphase microstructures to 
properties and eventually properties to component performance. 
Ideas. - New ideas to help create a "next generation'' basic industry capable of a 
strong role in world trade. 
ADVANCE HIGH TEMPERATURE MATERIALS FOR 
TURBINE ENGINES 1988 TO 1993 
EXPECT FUTURE 
ADVANCES IN: 
CERAMICS 
INTERMETALLICS 
+- 
LIFE = XN t By t 
I 
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Lewis materials research and technology: An overview

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