Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fareed, Ali; Craig, Phillip A.

2002-09-01

Fiber-reinforced ceramic composites demonstrate the high-temperature stability of ceramics--with an increased fracture toughness resulting from the fiber reinforcement of the composite. The material optimization performed under the continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCC) included a series of systematic optimizations. The overall goals were to define the processing window, to increase the robustinous of the process, to increase process yield while reducing costs, and to define the complexity of parts that could be fabricated.

Composite Characterization Using Ultrasonic Wavefield Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, Cara A. C.; Juarez, Peter D.; Seebo, Jeffrey P.

2016-01-01

The large-scale use of composite components in aerospace applications is expected to continue due to the benefits of composite materials, such as reduced weight, increased strength, and tailorability. NASA's Advanced Composites Project (ACP) has the goals of reducing the timeline for certification of composite materials and enabling the expanded use of advanced composite materials. A key technical challenge area for accomplishing these goals is the need for nondestructive evaluation and materials characterization techniques that are optimized for rapid inspection and detailed defect/damage characterization in composite materials. This presentation will discuss ongoing research investigating the use of ultrasonic wavefield techniques for the characterization of defects such as fiber waviness and delamination damage. Ongoing work includes the development of realistic ultrasonic simulation tools for use in predicting the inspectability of composites and optimizing inspection methodologies. Recent studies on detecting/characterizing delamination damage and fiber waviness via wavefield methods will be described.

Advanced Single-Polymer Nanofiber-Reinforced Composite - Towards Next Generation Ultralight Superstrong/Tough Structural Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-29

AFRL-OSR-VA-TR-2015-0144 ADVANCED SINGLE-POLYMER NANOFIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITE YURIS DZENIS UNIVERSITY OF NEBRSKA Final Report 04/29/2015... COMPOSITE - TOWARDS NEXT GENERATION ULTRALIGHT SUPERSTRONG/TOUGH STRUCTURAL MATERIAL 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA9550-11-1-0204 5c. PROGRAM...characterize their mechanical behavior and properties; and (3) fabricate and characterize polyimide nanofiber-reinforced composites . Continuous

Composition analysis by scanning femtosecond laser ultraprobing (CASFLU).

DOEpatents

Ishikawa, Muriel Y.; Wood, Lowell L.; Campbell, E. Michael; Stuart, Brent C.; Perry, Michael D.

2002-01-01

The composition analysis by scanning femtosecond ultraprobing (CASFLU) technology scans a focused train of extremely short-duration, very intense laser pulses across a sample. The partially-ionized plasma ablated by each pulse is spectrometrically analyzed in real time, determining the ablated material's composition. The steering of the scanned beam thus is computer directed to either continue ablative material-removal at the same site or to successively remove nearby material for the same type of composition analysis. This invention has utility in high-speed chemical-elemental, molecular-fragment and isotopic analyses of the microstructure composition of complex objects, e.g., the oxygen isotopic compositions of large populations of single osteons in bone.

Research on Characterization of Damage States in Continuous Fiber Composites Using Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

Composites Using Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation Annual Technical Report I by Vikrai K. Kinra Depdrtment of Aerospace Engineering r and Mechanics...and identify by b ko number) 7It is well known that composite materials suffer complex damage when they are.-ub- jected to either monotonic or...Characterization of Damage States in Continuous Fiber Composites Using Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation Annual Technical Report by Vikram K. Kinra Department

Continuous process to produce lithium-polymer batteries

DOEpatents

Chern, Terry Song-Hsing; Keller, David Gerard; MacFadden, Kenneth Orville

1998-01-01

Solid polymer electrolytes are extruded with active electrode material in a continuous, one-step process to form composite electrolyte-electrodes ready for assembly into battery cells. The composite electrolyte-electrode sheets are extruded onto current collectors to form electrodes. The composite electrodes, as extruded, are electronically and ionically conductive. The composite electrodes can be overcoated with a solid polymer electrolyte, which acts as a separator upon battery assembly. The interface between the solid polymer electrolyte composite electrodes and the solid polymer electrolyte separator has low resistance.

Development of Biodegradable Implants for Use in Maxillofacial Surgery.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-28

PAGE(WhM D .m4m 20 Abstract - continued -to obtain the desired composite material properties. In vitro -- experiments with these materials showed that...the composites were capable of retaining sufficient strength and integrity, in a pseudo-physiological environment, throughout the period normally...VII. Mechanical Properties of Reinforcing Fibers .......... .23 VIII. Effect of Sterilization on High-viscosity Polylactide Composites

Composite Materials for Maxillofacial Prostheses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

1(AXILLOFACIAL PROSTHESES; PROSTHETIC MATERIALS: MICROCAPSULES : SOFT FILLERS; ELASTOMER COMPOSITES *ASTRAC7 lCofIflU Ir F*vsda Side It neceOaeen anud...composite systems are elastomeric-shelled, liquid-filled microcapsules . Experiments continued on the interfacial polymerization process, with spherical...sealed, capsules achieved. The diamine bath has been E] improved and an automatic system has been developed for producing the microcapsules . The one

Braided composite bore evacuator chambers for tank cannons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Philip C.

1990-01-01

Typically, continuous filament composite components are fabricated using a filament winding technique. In this operation, fibers are introduced to a rotating mandrel while a guide holding the material traverses back and forth to place the material in a helical pattern over the surface of the mandrel. This procedure is continued until complete coverage is obtained. An alternative method for fabricating continuous filament composite components is braiding. In the braiding operation a mandrel is traversed through the center of the braider while 144 strands of material traverse around a carrier ring. As the fibers are applied to a mandrel surface, 72 carriers holding the fibers travel clockwise, while another 72 carriers travel counterclockwise to interlock fibers. An additional 72 carriers located on the back of the braider introduce longitudinal fibers to the composite giving the composite lateral strength. The goal of using the braider is to reduce production time by simultaneously applying 144 strands of material onto a mandrel as opposed to the four-strand wrapping most filament winding techniques offer. Benefits to braiding include the ability to (1) introduce longitudinal fibers to the composite structure; (2) fabricate non-symmetric components without using complex functions to produce full coverage; and (3) produce a component with a higher degree of damage tolerance due to the interlocking of fibers. The fabrication of bore evacuator chambers for a tank cannon system is investigated by utilizing a 144 carrier braiding machine, an industrial robot, and a resin applicator system.

Space Radiation Effects in Inflatable and Composite Habitat Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess; Rojdev, Kristina

2015-01-01

This Year 2 project provides much needed risk reduction data to assess solar particle event (SPE) and galactic cosmic ray (GCR) space radiation damage in existing and emerging materials used in manned low-earth orbit, lunar, interplanetary, and Martian surface missions. More specifically, long duration (up to 50 years) space radiation damage is quantified for materials used in inflatable structures (1st priority), and habitable composite structures and space suits materials (2nd priority). The data collected has relevance for nonmetallic materials (polymers and composites) used in NASA missions where long duration reliability is needed in continuous or intermittent radiation fluxes.

Method for continuous control of composition and doping of pulsed laser deposited films

DOEpatents

Lowndes, Douglas H.; McCamy, James W.

1995-01-01

A method for growing a deposit upon a substrate of semiconductor material involves the utilization of pulsed laser deposition techniques within a low-pressure gas environment. The substrate and a target of a first material are positioned within a deposition chamber and a low-pressure gas atmosphere is developed within the chamber. The substrate is then heated, and the target is irradiated, so that atoms of the target material are ablated from the remainder of the target, while atoms of the gas simultaneously are adsorbed on the substrate/film surface. The ablated atoms build up upon the substrate, together with the adsorbed gas atoms to form the thin-film deposit on the substrate. By controlling the pressure of the gas of the chamber atmosphere, the composition of the formed deposit can be controlled, and films of continuously variable composition or doping can be grown from a single target of fixed composition.

Method for continuous control of composition and doping of pulsed laser deposited films by pressure control

DOEpatents

Lowndes, Douglas H.; McCamy, James W.

1996-01-01

A method for growing a deposit upon a substrate of semiconductor material involves the utilization of pulsed laser deposition techniques within a low-pressure gas environment. The substrate and a target of a first material are positioned within a deposition chamber and a low-pressure gas atmosphere is developed within the chamber. The substrate is then heated, and the target is irradiated, so that atoms of the target material are ablated from the remainder of the target, while atoms of the gas simultaneously are adsorbed on the substrate/film surface. The ablated atoms build up upon the substrate, together with the adsorbed gas atoms to form the thin-film deposit on the substrate. By controlling the pressure of the gas of the chamber atmosphere, the composition of the formed deposit can be controlled, and films of continuously variable composition or doping can be grown from a single target of fixed composition.

Process Makes Thermoplastic Prepreg Ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Maywood L.; Johnson, Gary S.

1995-01-01

Manufacturing process produces ribbon of composite material (prepreg) consisting of continuous lengthwise fibers impregnated with thermoplastic resin. Ribbon can later be cut into sheets of required sizes and shapes, stacked, then heated under pressure to form composite-material structural components. Process accommodates variety of thermoplastic resins and variety of fibers.

Processing and Material Characterization of Continuous Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites Using Polymer Derived Ceramics.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.

2014-01-01

The need for high performance vehicles in the aerospace industry requires materials which can withstand high loads and high temperatures. New developments in launch pads and infrastructure must also be made to handle this intense environment with lightweight, reusable, structural materials. By using more functional materials, better performance can be seen in the launch environment, and launch vehicle designs which have not been previously used can be considered. The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Polymer matrix composites can be used for temperatures up to 260C. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in the composites. In this study, continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. The oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing have been performed on test panels and the test results are presented.

Method of making a continuous ceramic fiber composite hot gas filter

DOEpatents

Hill, Charles A.; Wagner, Richard A.; Komoroski, Ronald G.; Gunter, Greg A.; Barringer, Eric A.; Goettler, Richard W.

1999-01-01

A ceramic fiber composite structure particularly suitable for use as a hot gas cleanup ceramic fiber composite filter and method of making same from ceramic composite material has a structure which provides for increased strength and toughness in high temperature environments. The ceramic fiber composite structure or filter is made by a process in which a continuous ceramic fiber is intimately surrounded by discontinuous chopped ceramic fibers during manufacture to produce a ceramic fiber composite preform which is then bonded using various ceramic binders. The ceramic fiber composite preform is then fired to create a bond phase at the fiber contact points. Parameters such as fiber tension, spacing, and the relative proportions of the continuous ceramic fiber and chopped ceramic fibers can be varied as the continuous ceramic fiber and chopped ceramic fiber are simultaneously formed on the porous vacuum mandrel to obtain a desired distribution of the continuous ceramic fiber and the chopped ceramic fiber in the ceramic fiber composite structure or filter.

Microdesigning of Lightweight/High Strength Ceramic Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-31

Continue on reverse if necessary and identiy by block number) FIELD GROUP SUB- GROUP Ceramics, Composite Materials, Colloidal Processing Iii 19. ABSTRACT...to identify key processing parameters that affect the microstructure of the composite material. The second section describes experimental results in...results of the significant theoretical effort made in our group . Theoretical models of particle-particle interaction, particle-polymer interaction

Research & Development of Materials/Processing Methods for Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites (CFCC) Phase 2 Final Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Szweda, A.

2001-01-01

The Department of Energy's Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites (CFCC) Initiative that begun in 1992 has led the way for Industry, Academia, and Government to carry out a 10 year R&D plan to develop CFCCs for these industrial applications. In Phase II of this program, Dow Corning has led a team of OEM's, composite fabricators, and Government Laboratories to develop polymer derived CFCC materials and processes for selected industrial applications. During this phase, Dow Corning carried extensive process development and representative component demonstration activities on gas turbine components, chemical pump components and heat treatment furnace components.

An Overview of Recent Development in Composite Catalysts from Porous Materials for Various Reactions and Processes

PubMed Central

Xie, Zaiku; Liu, Zhicheng; Wang, Yangdong; Yang, Qihua; Xu, Longya; Ding, Weiping

2010-01-01

Catalysts are important to the chemical industry and environmental remediation due to their effective conversion of one chemical into another. Among them, composite catalysts have attracted continuous attention during the past decades. Nowadays, composite catalysts are being used more and more to meet the practical catalytic performance requirements in the chemical industry of high activity, high selectivity and good stability. In this paper, we reviewed our recent work on development of composite catalysts, mainly focusing on the composite catalysts obtained from porous materials such as zeolites, mesoporous materials, carbon nanotubes (CNT), etc. Six types of porous composite catalysts are discussed, including amorphous oxide modified zeolite composite catalysts, zeolite composites prepared by co-crystallization or overgrowth, hierarchical porous catalysts, host-guest porous composites, inorganic and organic mesoporous composite catalysts, and polymer/CNT composite catalysts. PMID:20559508

Digitally tunable physicochemical coding of material composition and topography in continuous microfibres.

PubMed

Kang, Edward; Jeong, Gi Seok; Choi, Yoon Young; Lee, Kwang Ho; Khademhosseini, Ali; Lee, Sang-Hoon

2011-09-04

Heterotypic functional materials with compositional and topographical properties that vary spatiotemporally on the micro- or nanoscale are common in nature. However, fabricating such complex materials in the laboratory remains challenging. Here we describe a method to continuously create microfibres with tunable morphological, structural and chemical features using a microfluidic system consisting of a digital, programmable flow control that mimics the silk-spinning process of spiders. With this method we fabricated hydrogel microfibres coded with varying chemical composition and topography along the fibre, including gas micro-bubbles as well as nanoporous spindle-knots and joints that enabled directional water collection. We also explored the potential use of the coded microfibres for tissue engineering applications by creating multifunctional microfibres with a spatially controlled co-culture of encapsulated cells.

Raw materials for wood-polymer composites.

Treesearch

Craig Clemons

2008-01-01

To understand wood-plastic composites (WPCs) adequately, we must first understand the two main constituents. Though both are polymer based, they are very different in origin, structure, and performance. Polymers are high molecular weight materials whose performance is largely determined by its molecular architecture. In WPCs, a polymer matrix forms the continuous phase...

Composite Materials for Maxillofacial Prostheses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

necessary and Identify byv block number) MAXILLOFACIAL PROSTHESES; PROSTHETIC MATERIALS: MICROCAPSULES : SOFT FILLERS; ELASTOMER COMPOSITES 2,. ABSTRACT...used as fillers in the fabrication of maxillofacial prostheses. The projected systems are elastomeric-shelled, liquid-filled microcapsules . Improvements...elastomeric-shelled, liquid-filled microcapsules . Experiments continued on the interfacial polymerization process, with spherical, sealed, capsules

Continuous process to produce lithium-polymer batteries

DOEpatents

Chern, T.S.H.; Keller, D.G.; MacFadden, K.O.

1998-05-12

Solid polymer electrolytes are extruded with active electrode material in a continuous, one-step process to form composite electrolyte-electrodes ready for assembly into battery cells. The composite electrolyte electrode sheets are extruded onto current collectors to form electrodes. The composite electrodes, as extruded, are electronically and ionically conductive. The composite electrodes can be over coated with a solid polymer electrolyte, which acts as a separator upon battery assembly. The interface between the solid polymer electrolyte composite electrodes and the solid polymer electrolyte separator has low resistance. 1 fig.

Micromechanical analysis of thermo-inelastic multiphase short-fiber composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aboudi, Jacob

1994-01-01

A micromechanical formulation is presented for the prediction of the overall thermo-inelastic behavior of multiphase composites which consist of short fibers. The analysis is an extension of the generalized method of cells that was previously derived for inelastic composites with continuous fibers, and the reliability of which was critically examined in several situations. The resulting three dimensional formulation is extremely general, wherein the analysis of thermo-inelastic composites with continuous fibers as well as particulate and porous inelastic materials are merely special cases.

NASA Thermographic Inspection of Advanced Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cramer, K. Elliott

2004-01-01

As the use of advanced composite materials continues to increase in the aerospace community, the need for a quantitative, rapid, in situ inspection technology has become a critical concern throughout the industry. In many applications it is necessary to monitor changes in these materials over an extended period of time to determine the effects of various load conditions. Additionally, the detection and characterization of defects such as delaminations, is of great concern. This paper will present the application of infrared thermography to characterize various composite materials and show the advantages of different heat source types. Finally, various analysis methodologies used for quantitative material property characterization will be discussed.

Composite Materials for Maxillofacial Prostheses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

projected composite systems are elastomeric-shelled, liquid-filled * microcapsules . Experiments continued on the interfacial polymerization process with...filled microcapsules . Experiments continued on the interfacial polymerization process, with spherical, sealed, capsules achieved. Needs identified are...consists of liquid-filled, elastomeric-shelled microcapsules held together to form a deformable mass; this is to simulate the semi-liquid cellular structure

Potential of Organic Matrix Composites for Liquid Oxygen Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Samuel E.; Herald, Stephen D.; Stolzfus, Joel M.; Engel, Carl D.; Bohlen, James W.; Palm, Tod; Robinson, Michael J.

2005-01-01

Composite materials are being considered for the tankage of cryogenic propellants in access to space because of potentially lower structural weights. A major hurdle for composites is an inherent concern about the safety of using flammable structural materials in contact with liquid and gaseous oxygen. A hazards analysis approach addresses a series of specific concerns that must be addressed based upon test data. Under the 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle contracts, testing was begun for a variety of organic matrix composite materials both to aid in the selection of materials and to provide needed test data to support hazards analyses. The work has continued at NASA MSFC and the NASA WSTF to provide information on the potential for using composite materials in oxygen systems. Appropriate methods for oxygen compatibility testing of structural materials and data for a range of composite materials from impact, friction, flammability and electrostatic discharge testing are presented. Remaining concerns and conclusions about composite tank structures, and recommendations for additional testing are discussed. Requirements for system specific hazards analysis are identified.

Portable Device Slices Thermoplastic Prepregs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Beverly A.; Boston, Morton W.; Wilson, Maywood L.

1993-01-01

Prepreg slitter designed to slit various widths rapidly by use of slicing bar holding several blades, each capable of slicing strip of preset width in single pass. Produces material evenly sliced and does not contain jagged edges. Used for various applications in such batch processes involving composite materials as press molding and autoclaving, and in such continuous processes as pultrusion. Useful to all manufacturers of thermoplastic composites, and in slicing B-staged thermoset composites.

Could Nano-Structured Materials Enable the Improved Pressure Vessels for Deep Atmospheric Probes?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, D.; Fuentes, A.; Bienstock, B.; Arnold, J. O.

2005-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on the use of Nano-Structured Materials to enable pressure vessel structures for deep atmospheric probes is shown. The topics include: 1) High Temperature/Pressure in Key X-Environments; 2) The Case for Use of Nano-Structured Materials Pressure Vessel Design; 3) Carbon based Nanomaterials; 4) Nanotube production & purification; 5) Nanomechanics of Carbon Nanotubes; 6) CNT-composites: Example (Polymer); 7) Effect of Loading sequence on Composite with 8% by volume; 8) Models for Particulate Reinforced Composites; 9) Fullerene/Ti Composite for High Strength-Insulating Layer; 10) Fullerene/Epoxy Composite for High Strength-Insulating Layer; 11) Models for Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composites; 12) Tensile Strength for Discontinuous Fiber Composite; 13) Ti + SWNT Composites: Thermal/Mechanical; 14) Ti + SWNT Composites: Tensile Strength; and 15) Nano-structured Shell for Pressure Vessels.

Pultrusion Die Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Maywood L. (Inventor); Johnson, Gary S. (Inventor); Frye, Mark W. (Inventor); Stanfield, Clarence E. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

This invention relates generally to pultrusion die assemblies, and more particularly, to a pultrusion die assembly which incorporates a plurality of functions in order to produce a continuous, thin composite fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. The invention is useful for making high performance thermoplastic composite materials in sheets which can be coiled on a spool and stored for further processing.

Space Radiation Effects on Inflatable Habitat Materials Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess M.; Nichols, Charles

2015-01-01

The Space Radiation Effects on Inflatable Habitat Materials project provides much needed risk reduction data to assess space radiation damage of existing and emerging materials used in manned low-earth orbit, lunar, interplanetary, and Martian surface missions. More specifically, long duration (up to 50 years) space radiation damage will be quantified for materials used in inflatable structures (1st priority), as well as for habitable composite structures and space suits materials (2nd priority). The data acquired will have relevance for nonmetallic materials (polymers and composites) used in NASA missions where long duration reliability is needed in continuous or intermittent radiation fluxes. This project also will help to determine the service lifetimes for habitable inflatable, composite, and space suit materials.

Comparison Of Models Of Metal-Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bigelow, C. A.; Johnson, W. S.; Naik, R. A.

1994-01-01

Report presents comparative review of four mathematical models of micromechanical behaviors of fiber/metal-matrix composite materials. Models differ in various details, all based on properties of fiber and matrix constituent materials, all involve square arrays of fibers continuous and parallel and all assume complete bonding between constituents. Computer programs implementing models used to predict properties and stress-vs.-strain behaviors of unidirectional- and cross-ply laminated composites made of boron fibers in aluminum matrices and silicon carbide fibers in titanium matrices. Stresses in fiber and matrix constituent materials also predicted.

Posterior composite restoration update: focus on factors influencing form and function

PubMed Central

Bohaty, Brenda S; Ye, Qiang; Misra, Anil; Sene, Fabio; Spencer, Paulette

2013-01-01

Restoring posterior teeth with resin-based composite materials continues to gain popularity among clinicians, and the demand for such aesthetic restorations is increasing. Indeed, the most common aesthetic alternative to dental amalgam is resin composite. Moderate to large posterior composite restorations, however, have higher failure rates, more recurrent caries, and increased frequency of replacement. Investigators across the globe are researching new materials and techniques that will improve the clinical performance, handling characteristics, and mechanical and physical properties of composite resin restorative materials. Despite such attention, large to moderate posterior composite restorations continue to have a clinical lifetime that is approximately one-half that of the dental amalgam. While there are numerous recommendations regarding preparation design, restoration placement, and polymerization technique, current research indicates that restoration longevity depends on several variables that may be difficult for the dentist to control. These variables include the patient’s caries risk, tooth position, patient habits, number of restored surfaces, the quality of the tooth–restoration bond, and the ability of the restorative material to produce a sealed tooth–restoration interface. Although clinicians tend to focus on tooth form when evaluating the success and failure of posterior composite restorations, the emphasis must remain on advancing our understanding of the clinical variables that impact the formation of a durable seal at the restoration–tooth interface. This paper presents an update of existing technology and underscores the mechanisms that negatively impact the durability of posterior composite restorations in permanent teeth. PMID:23750102

Composite structural materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ansell, G. S.; Loewy, R. G.; Wiberley, S. E.

1982-01-01

The promise of filamentary composite materials, whose development may be considered as entering its second generation, continues to generate intense interest and applications activity. Fiber reinforced composite materials offer substantially improved performance and potentially lower costs for aerospace hardware. Much progress has been achieved since the initial developments in the mid 1960's. Rather limited applications to primary aircraft structure have been made, however, mainly in a material-substitution mode on military aircraft, except for a few experiments currently underway on large passenger airplanes in commercial operation. To fulfill the promise of composite materials completely requires a strong technology base. NASA and AFOSR recognize the present state of the art to be such that to fully exploit composites in sophisticated aerospace structures, the technology base must be improved. This, in turn, calls for expanding fundamental knowledge and the means by which it can be successfully applied in design and manufacture.

Welds in thermoplastic composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, N. S.

Welding methods are reviewed that can be effectively used for joining of thermoplastic composites and continuous-fiber thermoplastics. Attention is given to the use of ultrasonic, vibration, hot-plate, resistance, and induction welding techniques. The welding techniques are shown to provide complementary weld qualities for the range of thermoplastic materials that are of interest to industrial and technological applications.

Robotic and Multiaxial Testing for the Determination of the Constitutive Characterization of Composites

Treesearch

John Michopoulos; Athanasios Iliopoulos; John Hermanson

2012-01-01

As wind energy production drives the manufacturing of wind turbine blades, the utilization of glass and carbon fiber composites as a material of choice continuously increases. Consequently, the needs for accurate structural design and material qualification and certification as well as the needs for aging predictions further underline the need for accurate constitutive...

Effect of Continuous Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Flexible Composite Film

PubMed Central

Cha, Ji Eun; Kim, Seong Yun; Lee, Seung Hee

2016-01-01

To investigate the effect of continuous multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the thermal and mechanical properties of composites, we propose a fabrication method for a buckypaper-filled flexible composite film prepared by a two-step process involving buckypaper fabrication using vacuum filtration of MWCNTs, and composite film fabrication using the dipping method. The thermal conductivity and tensile strength of the composite film filled with the buckypaper exhibited improved results, respectively 76% and 275% greater than those of the individual MWCNT-filled composite film. It was confirmed that forming continuous MWCNT fillers is an important factor which determines the physical characteristics of the composite film. In light of the study findings, composite films using buckypaper as a filler and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a flexible matrix have sufficient potential to be applied as a heat-dissipating material, and as a flexible film with high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical properties. PMID:28335310

46 CFR 164.009-21 - Laboratory report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Description of the specimens tested if the specimens are prepared from composite material. (i) If the test was... Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) EQUIPMENT, CONSTRUCTION, AND MATERIALS: SPECIFICATIONS AND APPROVAL MATERIALS Noncombustible Materials for Merchant Vessels § 164.009-21 Laboratory...

Hygrothermal Effects in Continuous Fibre Reinforced Composites. Part I. Thermal and Moisture Diffusion in Composite Materials (Effets Hygrothermiques dans les Composites a Renfort de Fibre Continu. Partie I. Diffusion de L’Humidite et de la Chaleur dans les Materiaux Composites)

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

considered important, complete, and a lasting contribution to existing knowledge. -’ Mechanical Engineering Reports (MS): Scientific and technical information...pertaining to investigations outside aeronautics considered important, complete, and a lasting contribution to existing knowledge. * AERONAUTICAL...NOTES (AN): Information les~s broad in scope but nevertheless of importance as a * contribution to existing knowledge. LABORATORY TECHNICAL REPORTS (LTR

GCR and SPE Radiation Effects in Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess; Rojdev, Kristina; Nichols, Charles

2016-01-01

This Year 3 project provides risk reduction data to assess galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and solar particle event (SPE) space radiation damage in materials used in manned low-earth orbit, lunar, interplanetary, and Martian surface missions. Long duration (up to 50 years) space radiation damage is being quantified for materials used in inflatable structures (1st priority), and space suit and habitable composite materials (2nd priority). The data collected has relevance for nonmetallic materials (polymers and composites) used in NASA missions where long duration reliability is needed in continuous or intermittent space radiation fluxes.

Analysis of the connection of the timber-fiber concrete composite structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holý, Milan; Vráblík, Lukáš; Petřík, Vojtěch

2017-09-01

This paper deals with an implementation of the material parameters of the connection to complex models for analysis of the timber-fiber concrete composite structures. The aim of this article is to present a possible way of idealization of the continuous contact model that approximates the actual behavior of timber-fiber reinforced concrete structures. The presented model of the connection was derived from push-out shear tests. It was approved by use of the nonlinear numerical analysis, that it can be achieved a very good compliance between results of numerical simulations and results of the experiments by a suitable choice of the material parameters of the continuous contact. Finally, an application for an analytical calculation of timber-fiber concrete composite structures is developed for the practical use in engineering praxis. The input material parameters for the analytical model was received using data from experiments.

Some functional properties of composite material based on scrap tires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plesuma, Renate; Malers, Laimonis

2013-09-01

The utilization of scrap tires still obtains a remarkable importance from the aspect of unloading the environment from non-degradable waste [1]. One of the most prospective ways for scrap tires reuse is a production of composite materials [2] This research must be considered as a continuation of previous investigations [3, 4]. It is devoted to the clarification of some functional properties, which are considered important for the view of practical applications, of the composite material. Some functional properties of the material were investigated, for instance, the compressive stress at different extent of deformation of sample (till 67% of initial thickness) (LVS EN 826) [5] and the resistance to UV radiation (modified method based on LVS EN 14836) [6]. Experiments were realized on the purposefully selected samples. The results were evaluated in the correlation with potential changes of Shore C hardness (Shore scale, ISO 7619-1, ISO 868) [7, 8]. The results showed noticeable resistance of the composite material against the mechanical influence and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The correlation with the composition of the material, activity of binder, definite technological parameters, and the conditions supported during the production, were determined. It was estimated that selected properties and characteristics of the material are strongly dependent from the composition and technological parameters used in production of the composite material, and from the size of rubber crumb. Obtained results show possibility to attain desirable changes in the composite material properties by changing both the composition and technological parameters of examined material.

Electronic materials high-T(sub c) superconductivity polymers and composites structural materials surface science and catalysts industry participation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The fifth year of the Center for Advanced Materials was marked primarily by the significant scientific accomplishments of the research programs. The Electronics Materials program continued its work on the growth and characterization of gallium arsenide crystals, and the development of theories to understand the nature and distribution of defects in the crystals. The High Tc Superconductivity Program continued to make significant contributions to the field in theoretical and experimental work on both bulk materials and thin films and devices. The Ceramic Processing group developed a new technique for cladding YBCO superconductors for high current applications in work with the Electric Power Research Institute. The Polymers and Composites program published a number of important studies involving atomistic simulations of polymer surfaces with excellent correlations to experimental results. The new Enzymatic Synthesis of Materials project produced its first fluorinated polymers and successfully began engineering enzymes designed for materials synthesis. The structural Materials Program continued work on novel alloys, development of processing methods for advanced ceramics, and characterization of mechanical properties of these materials, including the newly documented characterization of cyclic fatigue crack propagation behavior in toughened ceramics. Finally, the Surface Science and Catalysis program made significant contributions to the understanding of microporous catalysts and the nature of surface structures and interface compounds.

Bulk metallic glass matrix composites: Processing, microstructure, and application as a kinetic energy penetrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dandliker, Richard B.

The development of alloys with high glass forming ability allows fabrication of bulk samples of amorphous metal. This capability makes these materials available for applications which require significant material thickness in all three dimensions. Superior mechanical properties and advantages in processing make metallic glass a choice candidate as a matrix material for composites. This study reports techniques for making composites by melt-infiltration casting using the alloy Zrsb{41.2}Tisb{13.8}Cusb{12.5}Nisb{10.0}Besb{22.5} (VitreloyspTM 1) as a matrix material. Composite rods 5 cm in length and 7 mm in diameter were made and found to have a nearly fully amorphous matrix; there was less than 3 volume percent crystallized matrix material. The samples were reinforced by continuous metal wires, tungsten powder, or silicon carbide particulate preforms. The most easily processed samples were made with uniaxially aligned tungsten and carbon steel continuous wire reinforcement; the majority of the analysis presented is of these samples. The measured porosity was typically less than 3%. The results also indicate necessary guidelines for developing processing techniques for large scale production, new reinforcement materials, and other metallic glass compositions. Analysis of the microstructure of the tungsten wire and steel wire reinforced composites was performed by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, scanning Auger microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The most common phase in the crystallized matrix is most likely a Laves phase with the approximate formula Besb{12}Zrsb3TiNiCu. In tungsten-reinforced composites, a crystalline reaction layer 240 nm thick of tungsten nanocrystals in an amorphous matrix formed. In the steel reinforced composites, the reaction layer was primarily composed of a mixed metal carbide, mainly ZrC. One promising application of the metallic glass matrix composite is as a kinetic energy penetrator material. Ballistic tests show that a composite of 80 volume percent uniaxially aligned tungsten wires and a VitreloyspTM 1 matrix has self-sharpening behavior, which is a necessary characteristic of superior penetrator materials. Small-scale tests with both aluminum and steel targets show that this composite performs better than tungsten heavy alloys typically used for penetrator applications, and comparably with depleted uranium.

Custom Machines Advance Composite Manufacturing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Here is a brief list of materials that NASA will not be using to construct spacecraft: wood, adobe, fiberglass, bone. While it might be obvious why these materials would not make for safe space travel, they do share a common characteristic with materials that may well be the future foundation of spacecraft design: They all are composites. Formed of two or more unlike materials - such as cellulose and lignin in the case of wood, or glass fibers and plastic resin in the case of fiberglass-composites provide enhanced mechanical and physical properties through the combination of their constituent materials. For this reason, composites are used in everything from buildings, bathtubs, and countertops to boats, racecars, and sports equipment. NASA continually works to develop new materials to enable future space missions - lighter, less expensive materials that can still withstand the extreme demands of space travel. Composites such as carbon fiber materials offer promising solutions in this regard, providing strength and stiffness comparable to metals like aluminum but with less weight, allowing for benefits like better fuel efficiency and simpler propulsion system design. Composites can also be made fatigue tolerant and thermally stable - useful in space where temperatures can swing hundreds of degrees. NASA has recently explored the use of composites for aerospace applications through projects like the Composite Crew Module (CCM), a composite-constructed version of the aluminum-lithium Multipurpose Crew Capsule. The CCM was designed to give NASA engineers a chance to gain valuable experience developing and testing composite aerospace structures.

Engineered Polymer Composites Through Electrospun Nanofiber Coating of Fiber Tows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohlman, Lee W.; Bakis, Charles; Williams, Tiffany S.; Johnston, James C.; Kuczmarski, Maria A.; Roberts, Gary D.

2014-01-01

Composite materials offer significant weight savings in many aerospace applications. The toughness of the interface of fibers crossing at different angles often determines failure of composite components. A method for toughening the interface in fabric and filament wound components using directly electrospun thermoplastic nanofiber on carbon fiber tow is presented. The method was first demonstrated with limited trials, and then was scaled up to a continuous lab scale process. Filament wound tubes were fabricated and tested using unmodified baseline towpreg material and nanofiber coated towpreg.

Class II composite resin restorations: faster, easier, predictable.

PubMed

Jackson, R D

2016-11-18

Composite resin continues to displace amalgam as the preferred direct restorative material in developed countries. Even though composite materials have evolved to include nanoparticles with high physical properties and low shrinkage stress, dentists have been challenged to efficiently create quality, long lasting, predictable restorations. Unlike amalgam, composite resin cannot be condensed making the establishment of a predictable, proper contact more difficult. In addition, composite requires an understanding of adhesives and an appreciation for their exacting application. These facts combined with the precise adaptation and light-curing of multiple layers makes placement of quality Class II composite restorations tedious and time-consuming. For private practicing dentists, it can also have an effect on economic productivity. Clinicians have always wanted an easier, efficient placement technique for posterior composite restorations that rivals that for amalgam. It appears that advances in instrumentation, materials and technology have finally delivered it.

Optimization of sensor introduction into laminated composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaaf, Kristin; Nemat-Nasser, Sia

2008-03-01

This work seeks to extend the functionality of the composite material beyond that of simply load-bearing and to enable in situ sensing, without compromising the structural integrity of the host composite material. Essential to the application of smart composites is the issue of the mechanical coupling of the sensor to the host material. Here we present various methods of embedding sensors within the host composite material. In this study, quasi-static three-point bending (short beam) and fatigue three-point bending (short beam) tests are conducted in order to characterize the effects of introducing the sensors into the host composite material. The sensors that are examined include three types of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin film sensors: silver ink with a protective coating of urethane, silver ink without a protective coating, and nickel-copper alloy without a protective coating. The methods of sensor integration include placement at the midplane between the layers of prepreg material as well as a sandwich configuration in which a PVDF thin film sensor is placed between the first and second and nineteenth and twentieth layers of prepreg. Each PVDF sensor is continuous and occupies the entire layer, lying in the plane normal to the thickness direction in laminated composites. The work described here is part of an ongoing effort to understand the structural effects of integrating microsensor networks into a host composite material.

Present State of the Art of Composite Fabric Forming: Geometrical and Mechanical Approaches

PubMed Central

Cherouat, Abel; Borouchaki, Houman

2009-01-01

Continuous fibre reinforced composites are now firmly established engineering materials for the manufacture of components in the automotive and aerospace industries. In this respect, composite fabrics provide flexibility in the design manufacture. The ability to define the ply shapes and material orientation has allowed engineers to optimize the composite properties of the parts. The formulation of new numerical models for the simulation of the composite forming processes must allow for reduction in the delay in manufacturing and an optimization of costs in an integrated design approach. We propose two approaches to simulate the deformation of woven fabrics: geometrical and mechanical approaches.

Composites structures for bone tissue reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neto, W.; Santos, João.; Avérous, L.; Schlatter, G.; Bretas, Rosario.

2015-05-01

The search for new biomaterials in the bone reconstitution field is growing continuously as humane life expectation and bone fractures increase. For this purpose, composite materials with biodegradable polymers and hydroxyapatite (HA) have been used. A composite material formed by a film, nanofibers and HA has been made. Both, the films and the non-woven mats of nanofibers were formed by nanocomposites made of butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and HA. The techniques used to produce the films and nanofibers were spin coating and electrospinning, respectively. The composite production and morphology were evaluated. The composite showed an adequate morphology and fibers size to be used as scaffold for cell growth.

A combined analytical formulation and genetic algorithm to analyze the nonlinear damage responses of continuous fiber toughened composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Haemin; Yu, Jaesang; Lee, Hunsu; Kim, G. M.; Kim, Jae Woo; Jung, Yong Chae; Yang, Cheol-Min; Yang, B. J.

2017-09-01

Continuous fiber-reinforced composites are important materials that have the highest commercialized potential in the upcoming future among existing advanced materials. Despite their wide use and value, their theoretical mechanisms have not been fully established due to the complexity of the compositions and their unrevealed failure mechanisms. This study proposes an effective three-dimensional damage modeling of a fibrous composite by combining analytical micromechanics and evolutionary computation. The interface characteristics, debonding damage, and micro-cracks are considered to be the most influential factors on the toughness and failure behaviors of composites, and a constitutive equation considering these factors was explicitly derived in accordance with the micromechanics-based ensemble volume averaged method. The optimal set of various model parameters in the analytical model were found using modified evolutionary computation that considers human-induced error. The effectiveness of the proposed formulation was validated by comparing a series of numerical simulations with experimental data from available studies.

Filler particle size and composite resin classification systems.

PubMed

Lang, B R; Jaarda, M; Wang, R F

1992-11-01

The currently used composite resin classification systems need review if they are to continue to serve as descriptives and quantitative parameters denoting the filler particle content of these materials. Examination of the particles in 12 composite resins using a technique of washing the filler particles from the matrix of the composite resin was presented as yet another method of grouping composites according to filler particle content. Light microscopic examination of the filler particles that remained provided a separation of the 12 materials into four easily distinguished groups based on filler particle sizes. The wear of the 12 composite resins determined in a previous study was examined in relation to the classification of the materials by the currently available systems. The wear values were also examined using the groupings of the materials according to their filler particle sizes as determined by separating the particles from the matrix by the washing technique. Grouping composites on the basis of the filler particle sizes found after washing was easily correlated with wear and supported the suggestion that composites with smaller filler particles wear less.

Ultrasonic Characterization of Aerospace Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, Cara; Johnston, Patrick; Haldren, Harold; Perey, Daniel

2015-01-01

Composite materials have seen an increased use in aerospace in recent years and it is expected that this trend will continue due to the benefits of reduced weight, increased strength, and other factors. Ongoing work at NASA involves the investigation of the large-scale use of composites for spacecraft structures (SLS components, Orion Composite Crew Module, etc). NASA is also involved in work to enable the use of composites in advanced aircraft structures through the Advanced Composites Project (ACP). In both areas (space and aeronautics) there is a need for new nondestructive evaluation and materials characterization techniques that are appropriate for characterizing composite materials. This paper will present an overview of NASA's needs for characterizing aerospace composites, including a description of planned and ongoing work under ACP for the detection of composite defects such as fiber waviness, reduced bond strength, delamination damage, and microcracking. The research approaches include investigation of angle array, guided wave, and phase sensitive ultrasonic methods. The use of ultrasonic simulation tools for optimizing and developing methods will also be discussed.

Alkali metal protective garment and composite material

DOEpatents

Ballif, III, John L.; Yuan, Wei W.

1980-01-01

A protective garment and composite material providing satisfactory heat resistance and physical protection for articles and personnel exposed to hot molten alkali metals, such as sodium. Physical protection is provided by a continuous layer of nickel foil. Heat resistance is provided by an underlying backing layer of thermal insulation. Overlying outer layers of fireproof woven ceramic fibers are used to protect the foil during storage and handling.

An evaluation of fiber-reinforced titanium matrix composites for advanced high-temperature aerospace applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsen, James M.; Russ, Stephan M.; Jones, J. W.

1995-12-01

The current capabilities of continuous silicon-carbide fiber-reinforced titanium matrix composites (TMCs) are reviewed with respect to application needs and compared to the capabilities of conventional high-temperature monolithic alloys and aluminides. In particular, the properties of a firstgeneration titanium aluminide composite, SCS-6/Ti-24Al-11Nb, and a second-generation metastable beta alloy composite, SCS-6/TIMETAL 21S, are compared with the nickel-base superalloy IN100, the high-temperature titanium alloy Ti-1100, and a relatively new titanium aluminide alloy. Emphasis is given to life-limiting cyclic and monotonie properties and to the influence of time-dependent deformation and environmental effects on these properties. The composite materials offer a wide range of performance capabilities, depending on laminate architecture. In many instances, unidirectional composites exhibit outstanding properties, although the same materials loaded transverse to the fiber direction typically exhibit very poor properties, primarily due to the weak fiber/matrix interface. Depending on the specific mechanical property under consideration, composite cross-ply laminates often show no improvement over the capability of conventional monolithic materials. Thus, it is essential that these composite materials be tailored to achieve a balance of properties suitable to the specific application needs if these materials are to be attractive candidates to replace more conventional materials.

Insulator coated magnetic nanoparticulate composites with reduced core loss and method of manufacture thereof

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Yide (Inventor); Wang, Shihe (Inventor); Xiao, Danny (Inventor)

2004-01-01

A series of bulk-size magnetic/insulating nanostructured composite soft magnetic materials with significantly reduced core loss and its manufacturing technology. This insulator coated magnetic nanostructured composite is comprises a magnetic constituent, which contains one or more magnetic components, and an insulating constituent. The magnetic constituent is nanometer scale particles (1-100 nm) coated by a thin-layered insulating phase (continuous phase). While the intergrain interaction between the immediate neighboring magnetic nanoparticles separated by the insulating phase (or coupled nanoparticles) provide the desired soft magnetic properties, the insulating material provides the much demanded high resistivity which significantly reduces the eddy current loss. The resulting material is a high performance magnetic nanostructured composite with reduced core loss.

Large boron--epoxy filament-wound pressure vessels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, W. M.; Bailey, R. L.; Knoell, A. C.

1973-01-01

Advanced composite material used to fabricate pressure vessel is prepeg (partially cured) consisting of continuous, parallel boron filaments in epoxy resin matrix arranged to form tape. To fabricate chamber, tape is wound on form which must be removable after composite has been cured. Configuration of boron--epoxy composite pressure vessel was determined by computer program.

Electron microscopy and microanalysis of the fiber-matrix interface in monolithic silicone carbide-based ceramic composite material for use in a fusion reactor application.

PubMed

Toplisek, Tea; Drazic, Goran; Novak, Sasa; Kobe, Spomenka

2008-01-01

A composite material made from continuous monolithic silicone carbide (SiC) fibers and a SiC-based matrix (SiC(f)/SiC), was prepared using a novel technique, i.e. adapted dip coating and infiltration of SiC fibers with a water suspension containing SiC particles and a sintering additive. This kind of material could be used in the first-wall blanket of a future fusion reactor. Using magnetron sputtering, the SiC fibers were coated with various thin layers (TiC, CrN, CrC, WC, DLC-diamond-like carbon) of the interface material by physical vapor deposition (PVD). Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and microanalysis, detailed microstructural studies of the fiber-matrix interface were performed. Both samples, with coated and uncoated fibers, were examined under a load. The microcracks introduced by the Vickers indenter continued their path through the fibers, and thus caused the failure of the composite material, in the case of the uncoated fibers or deviated from their primary direction at the fiber-matrix interface in the case of the coated fibers.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, which allows a shape to be formed prior to the cure, and is then pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Basalt fibers are used for the reinforcement in the composite system. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material.

Dependence of equivalent thermal conductivity coefficients of single-wall carbon nanotubes on their chirality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarubin, V. S.; Sergeeva, E. S.

2018-04-01

Composite materials (composites) composed of a matrix and reinforcing components are currently widely used as structural materials for various engineering devices designed to operate under extreme thermal and mechanical loads. By modifying a composite with structure-sensitive inclusions such as single-wall carbon nanotubes, one can significantly improve the thermomechanical properties of the resulting material. The paper presents relationships obtained for the equivalent thermal conductivity coefficients of single-wall carbon nanotubes versus their chirality using a simulation model developed to simulate the heat transfer process through thermal conductivity in a transversely isotropic environment. With these coefficients, one can conventionally substitute a single-wall carbon nanotube with a continuous anisotropic fiber, thus allowing one to estimate the thermal properties of composites reinforced with objects of this sort by using the well-known models developed for fibered composites. The results presented here can be used to estimate the thermal properties of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites.

Multifunctional Flexible Composites Based on Continuous Carbon Nanotube Fiber

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-28

fibers [1] The mechanical and electrical behavior of carbon nanotube fibers spun continuously from an aerogel is discussed. These fibers exhibit moderate...loading, demonstrates their potential for sensing applications in advanced composite materials. Insight into the failure behavior of the aerogel -spun...nanotube fibers is reported-the aerogel -spun fibers are observed to undergo mild to severe kinking due to tensile failure. This kinking is attributed to

Standard Test Methods for Textile Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masters, John E.; Portanova, Marc A.

1996-01-01

Standard testing methods for composite laminates reinforced with continuous networks of braided, woven, or stitched fibers have been evaluated. The microstructure of these textile' composite materials differs significantly from that of tape laminates. Consequently, specimen dimensions and loading methods developed for tape type composites may not be applicable to textile composites. To this end, a series of evaluations were made comparing testing practices currently used in the composite industry. Information was gathered from a variety of sources and analyzed to establish a series of recommended test methods for textile composites. The current practices established for laminated composite materials by ASTM and the MIL-HDBK-17 Committee were considered. This document provides recommended test methods for determining both in-plane and out-of-plane properties. Specifically, test methods are suggested for: unnotched tension and compression; open and filled hole tension; open hole compression; bolt bearing; and interlaminar tension. A detailed description of the material architectures evaluated is also provided, as is a recommended instrumentation practice.

Improving aircraft composite inspections using optimized reference standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roach, D.; Dorrell, L.; Kollgaard, J.

1998-10-01

The rapidly increasing use of composites on commercial airplanes coupled with the potential for economic savings associated with their use in aircraft structures means that the demand for composite materials technology will continue to increase. Inspecting these composite structures is a critical element in assuring this continued airworthiness. The FAA`s Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center, in conjunction with the Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair committee, is developing a set of composite reference standards to be used in NDT equipment calibration for accomplishment of damage assessment and post-repair inspection of all commercial aircraft composites. In this program, a series of NDI testsmore » on a matrix of composite aircraft structures and prototype reference standards were completed in order to minimize the number of standards needed to carry out composite inspections on aircraft. Two tasks, related to composite laminates and non-metallic composite honeycomb configurations, were addressed.« less

Tensile behavior of glass/ceramic composite materials at elevated temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandell, J. F.; Grande, D. H.; Jacobs, J.

1987-01-01

This paper describes the tensile behavior of high-temperature composite materials containing continuous Nicalon ceramic fiber reinforcement and glass and glass/ceramic matrices. The longitudinal properties of these materials can approach theoretical expectations for brittle matrix composites, failing at a strength and ultimate strain level consistent with those of the fibers. The brittle, high-modulus matrices result in a nonlinear stress-strain curve due to the onset of stable matrix cracking at 10 to 30 percent of the fiber strain to failure, and at strains below this range in off-axis plies. Current fibers and matrices can provide attractive properties well above 1000 C, but composites experience embrittlement in oxidizing atmospheres at 800 to 1000 C due to oxidation of a carbon interface reaction layer.The oxidation effect greatly increases the interface bond strength, causing composite embrittlement.

21 CFR 878.3500 - Polytetrafluoroethylene with carbon fibers composite implant material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES... material intended to be implanted during surgery of the chin, jaw, nose, or bones or tissue near the eye or...

21 CFR 878.3500 - Polytetrafluoroethylene with carbon fibers composite implant material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES... material intended to be implanted during surgery of the chin, jaw, nose, or bones or tissue near the eye or...

21 CFR 878.3500 - Polytetrafluoroethylene with carbon fibers composite implant material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL AND PLASTIC SURGERY DEVICES... material intended to be implanted during surgery of the chin, jaw, nose, or bones or tissue near the eye or...

Conductor-polymer composite electrode materials

DOEpatents

Ginley, D.S.; Kurtz, S.R.; Smyrl, W.H.; Zeigler, J.M.

1984-06-13

A conductive composite material useful as an electrode, comprises a conductor and an organic polymer which is reversibly electrochemically dopable to change its electrical conductivity. Said polymer continuously surrounds the conductor in intimate electrical contact therewith and is prepared by electrochemical growth on said conductor or by reaction of its corresponding monomer(s) on said conductor which has been pre-impregnated or pre-coated with an activator for said polymerization. Amount of the conductor is sufficient to render the resultant composite electrically conductive even when the polymer is in an undoped insulating state.

Composites structures for bone tissue reconstruction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neto, W.; Santos, João; Avérous, L.

2015-05-22

The search for new biomaterials in the bone reconstitution field is growing continuously as humane life expectation and bone fractures increase. For this purpose, composite materials with biodegradable polymers and hydroxyapatite (HA) have been used. A composite material formed by a film, nanofibers and HA has been made. Both, the films and the non-woven mats of nanofibers were formed by nanocomposites made of butylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and HA. The techniques used to produce the films and nanofibers were spin coating and electrospinning, respectively. The composite production and morphology were evaluated. The composite showed an adequate morphology and fibers size tomore » be used as scaffold for cell growth.« less

Technical and economic advantages of making lead-acid battery grids by continuous electroforming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warlimont, H.; Hofmann, T.

A new continuous electroforming process to manufacture lead grids for automotive and industrial lead-acid batteries has been developed. A galvanic cell comprising a drum cathode for electroforming and a subsequent series of galvanic cells which form a strip galvanizing line are operating in a single, fully continuous, automatic process. Virgin lead or lead scrap may be used as the anode material. The product is grid strip of any specified thickness and design which can be fed into existing strip-pasting equipment. The composition and microstructure of the grid material can be varied to provide increased corrosion resistance and increased paste adherence. A unique feature of the material is its inherent layered composite structure that allows optimization of the properties according to particular functional requirements. Thus, both the specific power and the specific energy of the battery can be increased by reducing weight. The material properties increase the calendar life of the battery by increasing the corrosion resistance of the grid, and increase the cycle-life of the battery by improved adherence of the positive active material. The technical and economic features and competitive advantages of this new technology and product are presented in quantitative terms.

Process for application of powder particles to filamentary materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baucom, Robert M. (Inventor); Snoha, John J. (Inventor); Marchello, Joseph M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

This invention is a process for the uniform application of polymer powder particles to a filamentary material in a continuous manner to form a uniform composite prepreg material. A tow of the filamentary material is fed under carefully controlled tension into a spreading unit, where it is spread pneumatically into an even band. The spread filamentary tow is then coated with polymer particles from a fluidized bed, after which the coated filamentary tow is fused before take-up on a package for subsequent utilization. This process produces a composite prepreg uniformly without imposing severe stress on the filamentary material, and without requiring long, high temperature residence times for the polymer.

Method for Selective Cleaning of Mold Release from Composite Honeycomb Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pugel, Diane

2011-01-01

Honeycomb structures are commonly employed as load- and force-bearing structures as they are structurally strong and lightweight. Manufacturing processes for heat-molded composite honeycomb structures commence with the placement of pre-impregnated composite layups over metal mandrels. To prevent permanent bonding between the composite layup and the metal mandrels, an agent, known as a mold release agent, is used. Mold release agents allow the molded composite material to be removed from mandrels after a heat-forming process. Without a specific removal process, mold release agents may continue to adhere to the surface of the composite material, thereby affecting the bonding of other materials that may come into contact with the composite surface in later stages of processing A constituent common to commercially available household cleaning agents is employed for the removal of mold release agents common to the manufacturing of heat-formed composite materials. The reliability of the solvent has been proven by the longevity and reliability of commercial household cleaners. At the time of this reporting, no one has attempted using constituent for this purpose. The material to be cleaned is immersed in the solution, vertically removed so that the solution is allowed to drain along cell walls and into a solvent bath, and then placed on a compressed airflow table for drying.

Continuous Carbon Nanotube-Ultrathin Graphite Hybrid Foams for Increased Thermal Conductivity and Suppressed Subcooling in Composite Phase Change Materials.

PubMed

Kholmanov, Iskandar; Kim, Jaehyun; Ou, Eric; Ruoff, Rodney S; Shi, Li

2015-12-22

Continuous ultrathin graphite foams (UGFs) have been actively researched recently to obtain composite materials with increased thermal conductivities. However, the large pore size of these graphitic foams has resulted in large thermal resistance values for heat conduction from inside the pore to the high thermal conductivity graphitic struts. Here, we demonstrate that the effective thermal conductivity of these UGF composites can be increased further by growing long CNT networks directly from the graphite struts of UGFs into the pore space. When erythritol, a phase change material for thermal energy storage, is used to fill the pores of UGF-CNT hybrids, the thermal conductivity of the UGF-CNT/erythritol composite was found to increase by as much as a factor of 1.8 compared to that of a UGF/erythritol composite, whereas breaking the UGF-CNT bonding in the hybrid composite resulted in a drop in the effective room-temperature thermal conductivity from about 4.1 ± 0.3 W m(-1) K(-1) to about 2.9 ± 0.2 W m(-1) K(-1) for the same UGF and CNT loadings of about 1.8 and 0.8 wt %, respectively. Moreover, we discovered that the hybrid structure strongly suppresses subcooling of erythritol due to the heterogeneous nucleation of erythritol at interfaces with the graphitic structures.

Time-temperature-stress capabilities of composite materials for advanced supersonic technology application, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, J. R.; Haskins, J. F.

1980-01-01

Implementation of metal and resin matrix composites into supersonic vehicle usage is contingent upon accelerating the demonstration of service capacity and design technology. Because of the added material complexity and lack of extensive service data, laboratory replication of the flight service will provide the most rapid method of documenting the airworthiness of advanced composite systems. A program in progress to determine the time temperature stress capabilities of several high temperature composite materials includes thermal aging, environmental aging, fatigue, creep, fracture, and tensile tests as well as real time flight simulation exposure. The program has two parts. The first includes all the material property determinations and aging and simulation exposures up through 10,000 hours. The second continues these tests up to 50,000 cumulative hours. Results are presented of the 10,000 hour phase, which has now been completed.

Current status and recent research achievements in SiC/SiC composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katoh, Y.; Snead, L. L.; Henager, C. H.; Nozawa, T.; Hinoki, T.; Iveković, A.; Novak, S.; Gonzalez de Vicente, S. M.

2014-12-01

The silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix (SiC/SiC) composite system for fusion applications has seen a continual evolution from development a fundamental understanding of the material system and its behavior in a hostile irradiation environment to the current effort which is directed at a broad-based program of technology maturation program. In essence, over the past few decades this material system has steadily moved from a laboratory curiosity to an engineering material, both for fusion structural applications and other high performance application such as aerospace. This paper outlines the recent international scientific and technological achievements towards the development of SiC/SiC composite material technologies for fusion application and discusses future research directions. It also reviews the materials system in the larger context of progress to maturity as an engineering material for both the larger nuclear community and broader engineering applications.

Polymer blends based on epoxy resin and polyphenylene ether as a matrix material for high-performance composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venderbosch, R.W.; Nelissen, J.G.L.; Peijs, A.A.J.M.

1993-12-31

The application of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), PPE, as a matrix material for continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites was studied. PPE is an amorphous thermoplastic exhibiting a high glass transition temperature (220 C) and outstanding mechanical properties with respect to e.g. toughness. However, due to the limited thermal stability at temperatures above T{sub g}, PPE can be regarded as an intractable polymer. Consequently, the introduction of PPE in a composite structure via a melt impregnation route is not feasible. In this investigation a solution impregnation route, using epoxy resin as a reactive solvent, was developed. During impregnation epoxy resin acts as amore » solvent which results in enhanced flow and a reduced processing temperature enabling the preparation of high quality composites, avoiding any degradation. Upon curing of the neat system, phase separation and phase inversion occurs resulting in a continuous PPE matrix filled with glassy epoxy spheres. As a result of this morphology the mechanical and thermal properties of the final material are mainly dominated by the PPE component. In composite applications, a strong influence of the polarity of the carbon fiber surface on the resulting matrix morphology was found. Upon curing, phase separation is initiated at the fiber surface resulting in an epoxy `interlayer` at the fiber surface. This phenomenon can provide a high level of interfacial adhesion. A preliminary investigation of the resulting composite materials revealed outstanding mechanical properties with respect to e.g. interlaminar toughness and strength.« less

CONTINUOUS FILAMENT CERAMIC FIBER

DTIC Science & Technology

high-silica glass compositions. NbB2 gave the most promising results of the materials examined. Time and temperature relationships as well as variations...in bath composition were investigated in an effort to improve premelt characteristics. The addition of V2O5 was particularly effective. It had been

Low temperature joining of ceramic composites

DOEpatents

Barton, Thomas J.; Anderson, Iver E.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Nosrati, Mohammad; Unal, Ozer

1999-01-12

A method of joining similar or dissimilar ceramic and ceramic composite materials, such as SiC continuous fiber ceramic composites, at relatively low joining temperatures uses a solventless, three component bonding agent effective to promote mechanical bond toughness and elevated temperature strength to operating temperatures of approximately 1200 degrees C. The bonding agent comprises a preceramic precursor, an aluminum bearing powder, such as aluminum alloy powder, and mixtures of aluminum metal or alloy powders with another powder, and and boron powder in selected proportions. The bonding agent is disposed as an interlayer between similar or dissimilar ceramic or cermaic composite materials to be joined and is heated in ambient air or inert atmosphere to a temperature not exceeding about 1200 degrees C. to form a strong and tough bond joint between the materials. The bond joint produced is characterized by a composite joint microstructure having relatively soft, compliant aluminum bearing particulate regions dispersed in a ceramic matrix.

Low temperature joining of ceramic composites

DOEpatents

Barton, Thomas J.; Anderson, Iver E.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Nosrati, Mohammad; Unal, Ozer

1999-07-13

A method of joining similar or dissimilar ceramic and ceramic composite materials, such as SiC continuous fiber ceramic composites, at relatively low joining temperatures uses a solventless, three component bonding agent effective to promote mechanical bond toughness and elevated temperature strength to operating temperatures of approximately 1200 degrees C. The bonding agent comprises a preceramic precursor, an aluminum bearing powder, such as aluminum alloy powder, and mixtures of aluminum metal or alloy powders with another powder, and and boron powder in selected proportions. The bonding agent is disposed as an interlayer between similar or dissimilar ceramic or ceramic composite materials to be joined and is heated in ambient air or inert atmosphere to a temperature not exceeding about 1200 degrees C. to form a strong and tough bond joint between the materials. The bond joint produced is characterized by a composite joint microstructure having relatively soft, compliant aluminum bearing particulate regions dispersed in a ceramic matrix.

Low temperature joining of ceramic composites

DOEpatents

Barton, Thomas J.; Anderson, Iver E.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, Sina; Nosrati, Mohammad; Unal, Ozer

2001-04-10

A method of joining similar or dissimilar ceramic and ceramic composite materials, such as SiC continuous fiber ceramic composites, at relatively low joining temperatures uses a solventless, three component bonding agent effective to promote mechanical bond toughness and elevated temperature strength to operating temperatures of approximately 1200 degrees C. The bonding agent comprises a preceramic precursor, an aluminum bearing powder, such as aluminum alloy powder, and mixtures of aluminum metal or alloy powders with another powder, and and boron powder in selected proportions. The bonding agent is disposed as an interlayer between similar or dissimilar ceramic or cermaic composite materials to be joined and is heated in ambient air or inert atmosphere to a temperature not exceeding about 1200 degrees C. to form a strong and tough bond joint between the materials. The bond joint produced is characterized by a composite joint microstructure having relatively soft, compliant aluminum bearing particulate regions dispersed in a ceramic matrix.

Low temperature joining of ceramic composites

DOEpatents

Barton, T.J.; Anderson, I.E.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, S.; Nosrati, M.; Unal, O.

1999-07-13

A method of joining similar or dissimilar ceramic and ceramic composite materials, such as SiC continuous fiber ceramic composites, at relatively low joining temperatures uses a solventless, three component bonding agent effective to promote mechanical bond toughness and elevated temperature strength to operating temperatures of approximately 1200 C. The bonding agent comprises a preceramic precursor, an aluminum bearing powder, such as aluminum alloy powder, and mixtures of aluminum metal or alloy powders with another powder, and boron powder in selected proportions. The bonding agent is disposed as an interlayer between similar or dissimilar ceramic or ceramic composite materials to be joined and is heated in ambient air or inert atmosphere to a temperature not exceeding about 1200 C to form a strong and tough bond joint between the materials. The bond joint produced is characterized by a composite joint microstructure having relatively soft, compliant aluminum bearing particulate regions dispersed in a ceramic matrix. 3 figs.

Low temperature joining of ceramic composites

DOEpatents

Barton, T.J.; Anderson, I.E.; Ijadi-Maghsoodi, S.; Nosrati, M.; Unal, O.

1999-01-12

A method of joining similar or dissimilar ceramic and ceramic composite materials, such as SiC continuous fiber ceramic composites, at relatively low joining temperatures uses a solventless, three component bonding agent effective to promote mechanical bond toughness and elevated temperature strength to operating temperatures of approximately 1200 degrees C. The bonding agent comprises a preceramic precursor, an aluminum bearing powder, such as aluminum alloy powder, and mixtures of aluminum metal or alloy powders with another powder, and boron powder in selected proportions. The bonding agent is disposed as an interlayer between similar or dissimilar ceramic or ceramic composite materials to be joined and is heated in ambient air or inert atmosphere to a temperature not exceeding about 1200 degrees C. to form a strong and tough bond joint between the materials. The bond joint produced is characterized by a composite joint microstructure having relatively soft, compliant aluminum bearing particulate regions dispersed in a ceramic matrix. 3 figs.

Evaluating the effect of some mechanical properties for chemically treated various natural fibers reinforced polyester composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salih, Wafaa Mahdi; Abdulkader, Niveen Jamal; Salih, Sana Mahdi

2018-05-01

This research were studied the effect of some mechanical properties for composite materials reinforced fiber and prepared from material (polyester with various natural fibers) then studied the effect of chemical treatment on the same fiber immerse in 10% NaOH solution for half an hour and then compared, the results of the same test of composite materials without and with chemical treatment and the results proved that there is a clear effect when treat the fiber compared to non-chemical treatment of the fibers also noted that hemp fibers loaded the stress higher than other fibers for both cases to distinguish them that the hemp fiber has continuous fibers either the other fibers are characterized by the type of cross linking or chopped types in tensile test, and the results of the same test of composite materials without and with chemical treatment and the results proved that the hardness of the fiber composite while the treated fiber composite samples better than the untreated fiber, and from the figures the palm leaf has the highest value than lufa fiber, hemp fiber and the smallest value is in sisal fiber because of the nature of formation fibers materials.

The fatigue life study of polyphenylene sulfide composites filled with continuous glass fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Junjie; Hong, Yun; Wang, Yongkun; Zhai, Zhi; Shi, Baoquan; Chen, Xuefeng

2018-04-01

In this study, an effective microscopic model is proposed to investigate the fatigue life of composites containing continuous glass fibers, which is surrounded by polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) matrix materials. The representative volume element is discretized by parametric elements. Moreover, the microscopic model is established by employing the relation between average surface displacements and average surface tractions. Based on the experimental data, the required fatigue failure parameters of the PPS are determined. Two different fiber arrangements are considered for comparisons. Numerical analyses indicated that the square edge packing provides a more accuracy. In addition, microscopic structural parameters (fiber volume fraction, fiber off-axis angle) effect on the fatigue life of Glass/PPS composites is further discussed. It is revealed that fiber strength degradation effects on the fatigue life of continuous fiber-reinforced composites can be ignored.

Technology Base Enhancement Program. Metal Matrix Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-08-30

efficiency, improved structural reliability, and reduced maintenance when compared to carbon fiber reinforced composites . Aerospace engines (in particular...different materials. The composite consists of a metal matrix reinforced with particulates, flakes, whiskers,3 continuous fibers , filaments, wires, or...graphite and carbon to metals. They come in three general forms: particulates (or particles) with a length to diameter ratio of about 1; chopped fibers or

Anomaly detection of microstructural defects in continuous fiber reinforced composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bricker, Stephen; Simmons, J. P.; Przybyla, Craig; Hardie, Russell

2015-03-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) with continuous fiber reinforcements have the potential to enable the next generation of high speed hypersonic vehicles and/or significant improvements in gas turbine engine performance due to their exhibited toughness when subjected to high mechanical loads at extreme temperatures (2200F+). Reinforced fiber composites (RFC) provide increased fracture toughness, crack growth resistance, and strength, though little is known about how stochastic variation and imperfections in the material effect material properties. In this work, tools are developed for quantifying anomalies within the microstructure at several scales. The detection and characterization of anomalous microstructure is a critical step in linking production techniques to properties, as well as in accurate material simulation and property prediction for the integrated computation materials engineering (ICME) of RFC based components. It is desired to find statistical outliers for any number of material characteristics such as fibers, fiber coatings, and pores. Here, fiber orientation, or `velocity', and `velocity' gradient are developed and examined for anomalous behavior. Categorizing anomalous behavior in the CMC is approached by multivariate Gaussian mixture modeling. A Gaussian mixture is employed to estimate the probability density function (PDF) of the features in question, and anomalies are classified by their likelihood of belonging to the statistical normal behavior for that feature.

Quantitative NDE of Composite Structures at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cramer, K. Elliott; Leckey, Cara A. C.; Howell, Patricia A.; Johnston, Patrick H.; Burke, Eric R.; Zalameda, Joseph N.; Winfree, William P.; Seebo, Jeffery P.

2015-01-01

The use of composite materials continues to increase in the aerospace community due to the potential benefits of reduced weight, increased strength, and manufacturability. Ongoing work at NASA involves the use of the large-scale composite structures for spacecraft (payload shrouds, cryotanks, crew modules, etc). NASA is also working to enable the use and certification of composites in aircraft structures through the Advanced Composites Project (ACP). The rapid, in situ characterization of a wide range of the composite materials and structures has become a critical concern for the industry. In many applications it is necessary to monitor changes in these materials over a long time. The quantitative characterization of composite defects such as fiber waviness, reduced bond strength, delamination damage, and microcracking are of particular interest. The research approaches of NASA's Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch include investigation of conventional, guided wave, and phase sensitive ultrasonic methods, infrared thermography and x-ray computed tomography techniques. The use of simulation tools for optimizing and developing these methods is also an active area of research. This paper will focus on current research activities related to large area NDE for rapidly characterizing aerospace composites.

Fiber Reinforced Composite Cores and Panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, Stephen W. (Inventor); Campbell, G. Scott (Inventor); Tilton, Danny E. (Inventor); Stoll, Frederick (Inventor); Sheppard, Michael (Inventor); Banerjee, Robin (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A fiber reinforced core panel is formed from strips of plastics foam helically wound with layers of rovings to form webs which may extend in a wave pattern or may intersect transverse webs. Hollow tubes may replace foam strips. Axial rovings cooperate with overlying helically wound rovings to form a beam or a column. Wound roving patterns may vary along strips for structural efficiency. Wound strips may alternate with spaced strips, and spacers between the strips enhance web buckling strength. Continuously wound rovings between spaced strips permit folding to form panels with reinforced edges. Continuously wound strips are helically wrapped to form annular structures, and composite panels may combine both thermoset and thermoplastic resins. Continuously wound strips or strip sections may be continuously fed either longitudinally or laterally into molding apparatus which may receive skin materials to form reinforced composite panels.

Influence of Implementation of Composite Materials in Civil Aircraft Industry on reduction of Environmental Pollution and Greenhouse Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, A. J.; Hodzic, A.; Soutis, C.; Wilson, C. W.

2011-12-01

Computer-based Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) models were carried out to compare lightweight composites with the traditional aluminium over their useful lifetime. The analysis included raw materials, production, useful life in operation and disposal at the end of the material's useful life. The carbon fibre epoxy resin composite could in some cases reduce the weight of a component by up to 40 % compared to aluminium. As the fuel consumption of an aircraft is strongly influenced by its total weight, the emissions can be significantly reduced by increasing the proportion of composites used in the aircraft structure. Higher emissions, compared to aluminium, produced during composites production meet their 'break even' point after certain number of time units when used in aircraft structures, and continue to save emissions over their long-term operation. The study highlighted the environmental benefits of using lightweight structures in aircraft design, and also showed that utilisation of composites in products without energy saving may lead to increased emissions in the environment.

Process Optimization of Bismaleimide (BMI) Resin Infused Carbon Fiber Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua W.; Tate, LaNetra C.; Cox, Sarah B.; Taylor, Brian J.; Wright, M. Clara; Faughnan, Patrick D.; Batterson, Lawrence M.; Caraccio, Anne J.; Sampson, Jeffery W.

2013-01-01

Engineers today are presented with the opportunity to design and build the next generation of space vehicles out of the lightest, strongest, and most durable materials available. Composites offer excellent structural characteristics and outstanding reliability in many forms that will be utilized in future aerospace applications including the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program and the Orion space capsule. NASA's Composites for Exploration (CoEx) project researches the various methods of manufacturing composite materials of different fiber characteristics while using proven infusion methods of different resin compositions. Development and testing on these different material combinations will provide engineers the opportunity to produce optimal material compounds for multidisciplinary applications. Through the CoEx project, engineers pursue the opportunity to research and develop repair patch procedures for damaged spacecraft. Working in conjunction with Raptor Resins Inc., NASA engineers are utilizing high flow liquid infusion molding practices to manufacture high-temperature composite parts comprised of intermediate modulus 7 (IM7) carbon fiber material. IM7 is a continuous, high-tensile strength composite with outstanding structural qualities such as high shear strength, tensile strength and modulus as well as excellent corrosion, creep, and fatigue resistance. IM7 carbon fiber, combined with existing thermoset and thermoplastic resin systems, can provide improvements in material strength reinforcement and deformation-resistant properties for high-temperature applications. Void analysis of the different layups of the IM7 material discovered the largest total void composition within the [ +45 , 90 , 90 , -45 ] composite panel. Tensile and compressional testing proved the highest mechanical strength was found in the [0 4] layup. This paper further investigates the infusion procedure of a low-cost/high-performance BMI resin into an IM7 carbon fiber material and the optical, chemical, and mechanical analyses performed.

Composite armored vehicle advanced technology demonstator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ostberg, D.T.; Dunfee, R.S.; Thomas, G.E.

1996-12-31

Composite structures are a key technology needed to develop future lightweight combat vehicles that are both deployable and survivable. The Composite Armored Vehicle Advanced Technology Demonstrator Program that started in fiscal year 1994 will continue through 1998 to verily that composite structures are a viable solution for ground combat vehicles. Testing thus far includes material characterization, structural component tests and full scale quarter section tests. Material and manufacturing considerations, tests, results and changes, and the status of the program will be described. The structural component tests have been completed successfully, and quarter section testing is in progress. Upon completion ofmore » the critical design review, the vehicle demonstrator will be Fabricated and undergo government testing.« less

One-piece, composite crucible with integral withdrawal/discharge section

DOEpatents

Besser, Matthew; Terpstra, Robert L.; Sordelet, Daniel J.; Anderson, Iver E.; Hartman, Alan D.; Argetsinger, Edward R.; Hansen, Jeffrey S.; Paige, Jack I.; Turner, Paul C.

2002-07-30

A one-piece, composite open-bottom casting mold with integral withdrawal section is fabricated by thermal spraying of materials compatible with and used for the continuous casting of shaped products of reactive metals and alloys such as, for example, titanium and its alloys or for the gas atomization thereof.

Continous Monitoring of Melt Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazer, R. E.; Andrews, T. W.

1984-01-01

Compositions of glasses and alloys analyzed and corrected in real time. Spectral analysis and temperature measurement performed simultaneously on molten material in container, such as open-hearth furnace, crucible or tank of continuous furnace. Speed of analysis makes it possible to quickly measure concentration of volatile elements depleted by prolonged heating.

Design Protocols and Analytical Strategies that Incorporate Structural Reliability Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, Stephen F.

1997-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and intermetallic materials (e.g., single crystal nickel aluminide) are high performance materials that exhibit attractive mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. These materials are critically important in advancing certain performance aspects of gas turbine engines. From an aerospace engineer's perspective the new generation of ceramic composites and intermetallics offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NO(x) emissions of gas turbine engines. These aspects have increased interest in utilizing these materials in the hot sections of turbine engines. However, as these materials evolve and their performance characteristics improve a persistent need exists for state-of-the-art analytical methods that predict the response of components fabricated from CMC and intermetallic material systems. This need provided the motivation for the technology developed under this research effort. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for "graceful" rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction, these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Thus modeling efforts supported under this research effort have focused on predicting this sort of behavior. For single crystal intermetallics the issues that motivated the technology development involved questions relating to material behavior and component design. Thus the research effort supported by this grant had to determine the statistical nature and source of fracture in a high strength, NiAl single crystal turbine blade material; map a simplistic failure strength envelope of the material; develop a statistically based reliability computer algorithm, verify the reliability model and computer algorithm, and model stator vanes for rig tests. Thus establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict the mechanical behavior of ceramic composites and intermetallics would mitigate the prototype (trial and error) approach currently used by the engineering community. The primary objective of the research effort supported by this short term grant is the continued creation of enabling technologies for the macroanalysis of components fabricated from ceramic composites and intermetallic material systems. The creation of enabling technologies aids in shortening the product development cycle of components fabricated from the new high technology materials.

Design Protocols and Analytical Strategies that Incorporate Structural Reliability Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, Stephen F.

1997-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) and intermetallic materials (e.g., single crystal nickel aluminide) are high performance materials that exhibit attractive mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. These materials are critically important in advancing certain performance aspects of gas turbine engines. From an aerospace engineers perspective the new generation of ceramic composites and intermetallics offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NO(sub x) emissions of gas turbine engines. These aspects have increased interest in utilizing these materials in the hot sections of turbine engines. However, as these materials evolve and their performance characteristics improve a persistent need exists for state-of-the-art analytical methods that predict the response of components fabricated from CMC and intermetallic material systems. This need provided the motivation for the technology developed under this research effort. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for 'graceful' rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Thus modeling efforts supported under this research effort have focused on predicting this sort of behavior. For single crystal intermetallics the issues that motivated the technology development involved questions relating to material behavior and component design. Thus the research effort supported by this grant had to determine the statistical nature and source of fracture in a high strength, NiAl single crystal turbine blade material; map a simplistic future strength envelope of the material; develop a statistically based reliability computer algorithm; verify the reliability model and computer algorithm-, and model stator vanes for rig tests. Thus establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict the mechanical behavior of ceramic composites and intermetallics would mitigate the prototype (trial and error) approach currently used by the engineering community. The primary objective of the research effort supported by this short term grant is the continued creation of enabling technologies for the macro-analysis of components fabricated from ceramic composites and intermetallic material systems. The creation of enabling technologies aids in shortening the product development cycle of components fabricated from the new high technology materials.

Continuous monitoring of the progressive degradation of a liquid composite by means of a noninvasive microwave resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catala-Civera, Jose M.; Canos-Marin, Antoni J.; de los Reyes, E.

2000-07-01

Microwave control capabilities have been used to monitor the degradation of polyol, an alcohol composite material commonly used in the footwear industry for polymerization purposes. The liquid flows continuously inside a thin pipe and its desirable properties are altered with time associated to moisture absorption processes. Consequently, variations in the dielectric properties are involved, and they can be detected by permittivity measurements. In this paper, in order to obtain high sensitivity and resolution, a rectangular cavity resonator working at a fixed frequency was designed using as sample holder a rectangular pipe containing the liquid going through. Changes in the liquid modify the original response of the cavity with a non- degraded liquid and these differences have been used to determine the degree of degradation of the material. The final response of the microwave resonator was experimentally validated with measurements in a continuous line.

Protection of Advanced Electrical Power Systems from Atmospheric Electromagnetic Hazards.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

WORDS (Continue on reverse aide if neceeary and Identify by block number) Aircraft Induced Voltages Filters Composite Structures Lightning Transients...transients on the electrical systems of aircraft with metal or composite structures. These transients will be higher than the equipment inherent hardness... composite material in skin and structure. In addition, the advanced electrical power systems used in these aircraft will contain solid state components

Hygrothermal Effects in Continuous Fibre Reinforced Composites. Part 4. Mechanical Properties 2 - Fatigue and Time-Dependent Properties (Effets Hygrothermiques dans les Composites a Renfort de Fibre Continu. Partie 4. Proprietes Mecaniques 2 - Fatigue et Proprietes Dependant du Temps)

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

reduction of stress intensity at a crack tip due to Lreep was responsible for increasing the fatigue life during the "slow- fast " L .sts. As creep is clearly...Aeronautical Establishment Structures and Materials Laboratory SPONSORING AGENCY/AGENCE DE SUBVENTION 8 DATE FILE/DOSSIER LAB. ORDER PAGES FIGS/ DIAGRAMMES

Stand-off molecular composition analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Gary B.; Lubin, Philip; Meinhold, Peter; O'Neill, Hugh; Brashears, Travis; Zhang, Qicheng; Griswold, Janelle; Riley, Jordan; Motta, Caio

2015-09-01

Molecular composition of distant stars is explored by observing absorption spectra. The star produces blackbody radiation that passes through the molecular cloud of vaporized material surrounding the star. Characteristic absorption lines are discernible with a spectrometer, and molecular composition is investigated by comparing spectral observations with known material profiles. Most objects in the solar system—asteroids, comets, planets, moons—are too cold to be interrogated in this manner. Molecular clouds around cold objects consist primarily of volatiles, so bulk composition cannot be probed. Additionally, low volatile density does not produce discernible absorption lines in the faint signal generated by low blackbody temperatures. This paper describes a system for probing the molecular composition of cold solar system targets from a distant vantage. The concept utilizes a directed energy beam to melt and vaporize a spot on a distant target, such as from a spacecraft orbiting the object. With sufficient flux (~10 MW/m2), the spot temperature rises rapidly (to ~2 500 K), and evaporation of all materials on the target surface occurs. The melted spot creates a high-temperature blackbody source, and ejected material creates a molecular plume in front of the spot. Bulk composition is investigated by using a spectrometer to view the heated spot through the ejected material. Spatial composition maps could be created by scanning the surface. Applying the beam to a single spot continuously produces a borehole, and shallow sub-surface composition profiling is also possible. Initial simulations of absorption profiles with laser heating show great promise for molecular composition analysis.

Versatile composite resins simplifying the practice of restorative dentistry.

PubMed

Margeas, Robert

2014-01-01

After decades of technical development and refinement, composite resins continue to simplify the practice of restorative dentistry, offering clinicians versatility, predictability, and enhanced physical properties. With a wide range of products available today, composite resins are a reliable, conservative, multi-functional restorative material option. As manufacturers strive to improve such properties as compression strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion, water sorption, and wear resistance, several classification systems of composite resins have been developed.

Effect of polyamide 6 on the morphology and electrical conductivity of carbon black-filled polypropylene composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xuewei; Liu, Jiang; Wang, Yi; Wu, Wei

2017-12-01

Carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP) with surface resistivity between 106 and 109 Ω sq-1 is the ideal antistatic plastic material in the electronics and electric industry. However, a large amount of CB may have an adverse effect on the mechanical properties and processing performance of the material, thus an improved ternary system is developed. Blends of CB-filled PP and polyamide 6 (PA6) have been prepared by melt blending in order to obtain electrically conductive polymer composites with a low electrical percolation threshold based on the concept of double percolation. The morphological developments of these composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that CB particles were selectively dispersed in PA6 phases due to the good interaction and interfacial adhesion between CB and PA6. At the same CB loadings, the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/CB composite was smaller than that of PP/CB composite system, which indicated the better conductivity in the former composite. The increasing amount of PA6 in the composites changed the morphology from a typical sea-island morphology to a co-continuous morphology. What is more, with 8 wt% of CB and PP/PA6 phase ratio of 70/30 in which the PP and PA6 phases formed a co-continuous structure, the electrical conductivity of the composite peaked at 2.01 × 105 Ω sq-1.

Phase separation, crystallization and polyamorphism in the Y2O3 Al2O3 system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, Lawrie B.; Barnes, Adrian C.; Salmon, Philip S.; Crichton, Wilson A.

2008-05-01

A detailed study of glass formation from aerodynamically levitated liquids in the (Y2O3)x(Al2O3)1-x system for the composition range 0.21<=x<=0.41 was undertaken by using pyrometric, optical imaging and x-ray diffraction methods. Homogeneous and clear single-phase glasses were produced over the composition range 0.27 \\lesssim x \\lesssim 0.33 . For Y2O3-rich compositions (0.33 \\lesssim x \\le 0.375 ), cloudy materials were produced which contain inclusions of crystalline yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) of diameter up to 40 µm in a glassy matrix. For Y2O3-poor compositions around x = 0.24, cloudy materials were also produced, but it was not possible to deduce whether this resulted from (i) sub-micron inclusions of a nano-crystalline or glassy material in a glassy matrix or (ii) a glass formed by spinodal decomposition. For x = 0.21, however, the sample cloudiness results from crystallization into at least two phases comprising yttrium aluminium perovskite and alumina. The associated pyrometric cooling curve shows slow recalescence events with a continuous and slow evolution of excess heat which contrasts with the sharp recalescence events observed for the crystallization of YAG at compositions near x = 0.375. The materials that are the most likely candidates for demonstrating homogeneous nucleation of a second liquid phase occur around x = 0.25, which corresponds to the limit for formation of a continuous random network of corner-shared AlO4 tetrahedra.

Effect of short-term water storage on the elastic properties of some dental restorative materials--A resonant ultrasound spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Pastila, Pirjo; Lassila, Lippo V J; Jokinen, Mikko; Vuorinen, Jyrki; Vallittu, Pekka K; Mäntylä, Tapio

2007-07-01

This study was aimed to determine if short-term water storage would change elastic properties of dental composite materials. Particulate filler composite resin and continuous unidirectional E-glass FRC materials were photopolymerized and additionally post-polymerized by heat for testing elastic properties with the Resonance Ultrasound Spectroscopy method as a function of time in water storage. The test specimens were stored in 37 degrees C water for up to 30 days. About 1% weight increase due to water sorption was observed in both materials with both polymerization methods. Water sorption did not change the resonance frequencies towards lower values, indicating no significant decrease in elastic properties in these materials. Because of high damping of the polymer composite materials leading to wide resonance peaks and low number of the recorded peaks, accurate determination of the elastic properties was not possible. Results suggest that the most likely explanation for the previously observed decrease in bending stiffness of FRC materials is the decreased yield limit of the hydrated polymer matrix. It is important to recognize that water sorption has the effect on mechanical properties of dental composite materials by changing the yield limit of the matrix rather than by changing the elastic properties of the material.

Identification of material properties of orthotropic composite plate using experimental frequency response function data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tam, Jun Hui; Ong, Zhi Chao; Ismail, Zubaidah; Ang, Bee Chin; Khoo, Shin Yee

2018-05-01

The demand for composite materials is increasing due to their great superiority in material properties, e.g., lightweight, high strength and high corrosion resistance. As a result, the invention of composite materials of diverse properties is becoming prevalent, and thus, leading to the development of material identification methods for composite materials. Conventional identification methods are destructive, time-consuming and costly. Therefore, an accurate identification approach is proposed to circumvent these drawbacks, involving the use of Frequency Response Function (FRF) error function defined by the correlation discrepancy between experimental and Finite-Element generated FRFs. A square E-glass epoxy composite plate is investigated under several different configurations of boundary conditions. It is notable that the experimental FRFs are used as the correlation reference, such that, during computation, the predicted FRFs are continuously updated with reference to the experimental FRFs until achieving a solution. The final identified elastic properties, namely in-plane elastic moduli, Ex and Ey, in-plane shear modulus, Gxy, and major Poisson's ratio, vxy of the composite plate are subsequently compared to the benchmark parameters as well as with those obtained using modal-based approach. As compared to the modal-based approach, the proposed method is found to have yielded relatively better results. This can be explained by the direct employment of raw data in the proposed method that avoids errors that might incur during the stage of modal extraction.

Fabrication and characterisation of a novel biomimetic anisotropic ceramic/polymer-infiltrated composite material.

PubMed

Al-Jawoosh, Sara; Ireland, Anthony; Su, Bo

2018-04-10

To fabricate and characterise a novel biomimetic composite material consisting of aligned porous ceramic preforms infiltrated with polymer. Freeze-casting was used to fabricate and control the microstructure and porosity of ceramic preforms, which were subsequently infiltrated with 40-50% by volume UDMA-TEGDMA polymer. The composite materials were then subjected to characterisation, namely density, compression, three-point bend, hardness and fracture toughness testing. Samples were also subjected to scanning electron microscopy and computerised tomography (Micro-CT). Three-dimensional aligned honeycomb-like ceramic structures were produced and full interpenetration of the polymer phase was observed using micro-CT. Depending on the volume fraction of the ceramic preform, the density of the final composite ranged from 2.92 to 3.36g/cm 3 , compressive strength ranged from 206.26 to 253.97MPa, flexural strength from 97.73 to 145.65MPa, hardness ranged from 1.46 to 1.62GPa, and fracture toughness from 3.91 to 4.86MPam 1/2 . Freeze-casting provides a novel method to engineer composite materials with a unique aligned honeycomb-like interpenetrating structure, consisting of two continuous phases, inorganic and organic. There was a correlation between the ceramic fraction and the subsequent, density, strength, hardness and fracture toughness of the composite material. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of high Tc (greater than 110K) Bi, Tl and Y-based materials as superconducting circuit elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haertling, Gene; Grabert, Gregory; Gilmour, Phillip

1991-01-01

Experimental work was continued on the development and characterization of bulk and hot pressed powders and tapecast materials in the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O systems. A process for producing warp-free, sintered, superconducting tapes of Bi composition Bi1Sr2Ca2 Cu3O(x) was established. The procedure requires a triple calcination at 830 C for 24 hours and sintering at 845 C from 20 to 200 hours. Hot pressing the triple calcined powder at 845 C for 6 hours at 5000 psi yielded a dense material, which on further heat treatment at 845 C for 24 hours, exhibited a Tc of 108.2K. The Bi compositions were found to be much less oxygen sensitive than the Y compositions. This was especially noted in the case of the hot pressed materials which were superconducting as hot pressed, a condition that could not be achieved in the Y compositions. Safire-type grounding links are in the process of being fabricated from these materials.

High impact resistant ceramic composite

DOEpatents

Derkacy, J.A.

1991-07-16

A ceramic material and a method of forming a ceramic material which possesses a high impact resistance are disclosed. The material comprises: (a) a first continuous phase of [beta]-SiC; and (b) a second phase of about 25-40 vol % TiB[sub 2]. Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] is preferably used as a densification aid. The material is formed by hot-pressing the mixture at a temperature from greater than about 1800 C to less than the transition temperature of [beta]-SiC to [alpha]-SiC. The hot-pressing is performed at a pressure of about 2000 psi to about 4000 psi in an inert atmosphere for several hours and results in the formation of a two phase sintered ceramic composite material. 6 figures.

High impact resistant ceramic composite

DOEpatents

Derkacy, James A.

1991-07-16

A ceramic material and a method of forming a ceramic material which possesses a high impact resistance. The material comprises: (a) a first continuous phase of .beta.-SiC; and (b) a second phase of about 25-40 vol % TiB.sub.2. Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is preferably used as a densification aid. The material is formed by hot-pressing the mixture at a temperature from greater than about 1800.degree. C. to less than the transition temperature of .beta.-SiC to .alpha.-SiC. The hot-pressing is performed at a pressure of about 2000 psi to about 4000 psi in an inert atmosphere for several hours and results in the formation of a two phase sintered ceramic composite material.

Advanced electromagnetic methods for aerospace vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balanis, Constantine A.; Sun, Weimin; El-Sharawy, El-Budawy; Aberle, James T.; Birtcher, Craig R.; Peng, Jian; Tirkas, Panayiotis A.; Kokotoff, David; Zavosh, Frank

1993-01-01

The Advanced Helicopter Electromagnetics (AHE) Industrial Associates Program has continuously progressed with its research effort focused on subjects identified and recommended by the Advisory Task Force of the program. The research activities in this reporting period have been steered toward practical helicopter electromagnetic problems, such as HF antenna problems and antenna efficiencies, recommended by the AHE members at the annual conference held at Arizona State University on 28-29 Oct. 1992 and the last biannual meeting held at the Boeing Helicopter on 19-20 May 1993. The main topics addressed include the following: Composite Materials and Antenna Technology. The research work on each topic is closely tied with the AHE Consortium members' interests. Significant progress in each subject is reported. Special attention in the area of Composite Materials has been given to the following: modeling of material discontinuity and their effects on towel-bar antenna patterns; guidelines for composite material modeling by using the Green's function approach in the NEC code; measurements of towel-bar antennas grounded with a partially material-coated plate; development of 3-D volume mesh generator for modeling thick and volumetric dielectrics by using FD-TD method; FDTD modeling of horn antennas with composite E-plane walls; and antenna efficiency analysis for a horn antenna loaded with composite dielectric materials.

Antibacterial and antibiofouling clay nanotube–silicone composite

PubMed Central

Boyer, CJ; Ambrose, J; Das, S; Humayun, A; Chappidi, D; Giorno, R; Mills, DK

2018-01-01

Introduction Invasive medical devices are used in treating millions of patients each day. Bacterial adherence to their surface is an early step in biofilm formation that may lead to infection, health complications, longer hospital stays, and death. Prevention of bacterial adherence and biofilm development continues to be a major healthcare challenge. Accordingly, there is a pressing need to improve the anti-microbial properties of medical devices. Materials and Methods Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was doped with halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), and the PDMS-HNT composite surfaces were coated with PDMS-b-polyethylene oxide (PEO) and antibacterials. The composite material properties were examined using SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, tensile testing, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The antibacterial potential of the PDMS-HNT composites was compared to commercial urinary catheters using cultures of E. coli and S. aureus. Fibrinogen adsorption studies were also performed on the PDMS-HNT-PEO composites. Results HNT addition increased drug load during solvent swelling without reducing material strength. The hydrophilic properties provided by PEO were maintained after HNT addition, and the composites displayed protein-repelling properties. Additionally, composites showed superiority over commercial catheters at inhibiting bacterial growth. Conclusion PDMS-HNT composites showed superiority regarding their efficacy at inhibiting bacterial growth, in comparison to commercial antibacterial catheters. Our data suggest that PDMS-HNT composites have potential as a coating material for anti-bacterial invasive devices and in the prevention of institutional-acquired infections. PMID:29713206

USE OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS AS A COMPONENT OF TUSK FRACTURE MANAGEMENT IN AN ASIAN ELEPHANT (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) AND AN AFRICAN ELEPHANT (LOXODONTA AFRICANA).

PubMed

Sim, Richard R; Stringer, Elizabeth; Donovan, Dennis; Chappell, Rachael; Flora, Pat; Hall, Jon; Pillay, Selvum; Willis, Benjamin G; McCain, Stephanie

2017-09-01

Tusk fractures in Asian (Elephas maximus) and African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can result in damage to the distal end or to longitudinal cracks, potentially progressing to pulpitis. With pulp exposure, endodontic therapy is the treatment of choice, but conservative therapy has sufficed for some elephants. This manuscript describes the use of composite materials as a component of tusk fracture management. A 7-yr-old male Asian elephant fractured the distal end of both tusks with pulp exposure in one. Capping of each tusk with a Kevlar/fiberglass composite prevented further damage, and a modification allowed care of the exposed pulp tissue. A 34-yr-old male African elephant with a longitudinal crack received a carbon fiber/fiberglass composite circumferential wrap to potentially stabilize the crack. Compression of the crack was achieved, but follow-up was truncated due to bacterial pulpitis. Both cases show that composite material allows for lightweight, durable management of tusk fractures with continued radiographic monitoring.

Ceramic fiber reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Narottam P. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A slurry of BSAS glass powders is cast into tapes which are cut to predetermined sizes. Mats of continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-SiC fibers are alternately stacked with these matrix tapes. This tape-mat stack is warm-pressed to produce a 'green' composite which is heated to burn out organic constituents. The remaining interim material is then hot-pressed to form a BSAS glass-ceramic fiber-reinforced composite.

Shrinkage Stresses Generated during Resin-Composite Applications: A Review

PubMed Central

Schneider, Luis Felipe J.; Cavalcante, Larissa Maria; Silikas, Nick

2010-01-01

Many developments have been made in the field of resin composites for dental applications. However, the manifestation of shrinkage due to the polymerization process continues to be a major problem. The material's shrinkage, associated with dynamic development of elastic modulus, creates stresses within the material and its interface with the tooth structure. As a consequence, marginal failure and subsequent secondary caries, marginal staining, restoration displacement, tooth fracture, and/or post-operative sensitivity are clinical drawbacks of resin-composite applications. The aim of the current paper is to present an overview about the shrinkage stresses created during resin-composite applications, consequences, and advances. The paper is based on results of many researches that are available in the literature. PMID:20948573

Fabrication and properties of SiNO continuous fiber reinforced BN wave-transparent composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, F.; Fang, Z.; Chen, F.; Shen, Q.; Zhang, C.

2012-06-01

SiNO continuous fiber reinforced boron nitride (BN) wave-transparent composites (SiNO f /BN) have been fabricated by a precursor infiltration pyrolysis (PIP) method using borazine as the precursor. The densification behavior, microstructures, mechanical properties, and dielectric properties of the composites have been investigated. After four PIP cycles, the density of the composites had increased from 1.1 g·cm-3 to 1.81 g·cm-3. A flexural strength of 128.9 MPa and an elastic modulus of 23.5 GPa were achieved. The obtained composites have relatively high density and the fracture faces show distinct fiber pull-out and interface de-bonding features. The dielectric properties of the SiNO f /BN composites, including the dielectric constant of 3.61 and the dielectric loss angle tangent of 5.7×10-3, are excellent for application as wave-transparent materials.

Resin-Powder Dispenser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Standfield, Clarence E.

1994-01-01

Resin-powder dispenser used at NASA's Langley Research Center for processing of composite-material prepregs. Dispenser evenly distributes powder (resin polymer and other matrix materials in powder form) onto wet uncured prepregs. Provides versatility in distribution of solid resin in prepreg operation. Used wherever there is requirement for even, continuous distribution of small amount of powder.

Young Children's Judgments About the Relative Size of Shared Portions: The Role of Material Type

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wing, Rachel E.; Beal, Carole R.

2004-01-01

3 experiments were conducted to assess young (5-7 years) children's ability to judge the relative amount that a character would receive if sharing a material with 1 friend (halves) or 2 friends (thirds). Materials included items that appeared in 3 forms: continuous, discrete, and composite. In the first 2 experiments, performance was best with…

Recent Development of Thermoelectric Polymers and Composites.

PubMed

Yao, Hongyan; Fan, Zeng; Cheng, Hanlin; Guan, Xin; Wang, Chen; Sun, Kuan; Ouyang, Jianyong

2018-03-01

Thermoelectric materials can be used as the active materials in thermoelectric generators and as Peltier coolers for direct energy conversion between heat and electricity. Apart from inorganic thermoelectric materials, thermoelectric polymers have been receiving great attention due to their unique advantages including low cost, high mechanical flexibility, light weight, low or no toxicity, and intrinsically low thermal conductivity. The power factor of thermoelectric polymers has been continuously rising, and the highest ZT value is more than 0.25 at room temperature. The power factor can be further improved by forming composites with nanomaterials. This article provides a review of recent developments on thermoelectric polymers and polymer composites. It focuses on the relationship between thermoelectric properties and the materials structure, including chemical structure, microstructure, dopants, and doping levels. Their thermoelectric properties can be further improved to be comparable to inorganic counterparts in the near future. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Finite element analysis of stress transfer mechanism from matrix to the fiber in SWCN reinforced nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günay, E.

2017-02-01

This study defined as micromechanical finite element (FE) approach examining the stress transfer mechanism in single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCN) reinforced composites. In the modeling, 3D unit-cell method was evaluated. Carbon nanotube reinforced composites were modeled as three layers which comprises CNT, interface and matrix material. Firstly; matrix, fiber and interfacial materials all together considered as three layered cylindrical nanocomposite. Secondly, the cylindrical matrix material was assumed to be isotropic and also considered as a continuous medium. Then, fiber material was represented with zigzag type SWCNs. Finally, SWCN was combined with the elastic medium by using springs with different constants. In the FE modeling of SWCN reinforced composite model springs were modeled by using ANSYS spring damper element COMBIN14. The developed interfacial van der Waals interaction effects between the continuous matrix layer and the carbon nanotube fiber layer were simulated by applying these various spring stiffness values. In this study, the layered composite cylindrical FE model was presented as the equivalent mechanical properties of SWCN structures in terms of Young's modulus. The obtained results and literature values were presented and discussed. Figures, 16, 17, and 18 of the original article PDF file, as supplied to AIP Publishing, were affected by a PDF-processing error. Consequently, a solid diamond symbol appeared instead of a Greek tau on the y axis labels for these three figures. This article was updated on 17 March 2017 to correct the PDF-processing error, with the scientific content remaining unchanged.

Development of a Novel Continuous Processing Technology for Functionally Graded Composite Energetic Materials Using an Inverse Design Procedure

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

is naturally suited to produce this type of gradient from one composition to another. Operating a twin screw extruder at one steady condition and...dynamically changing the ingredients to produce a new formulation will result in the extrudate changing from the original composition to second one...Because of the inherent backmixing in a twin screw extruder , an abrupt change in ingredients results in a more gradual change in the composition of

Method of producing a ceramic fiber-reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bansal, Narottam P. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A fiber-reinforced composite composed of a BaO-Al2O3-2SiO2 (BAS) glass ceramic matrix is reinforced with CVD silicon carbide continuous fibers. A slurry of BAS glass powders is prepared and celsian seeds are added during ball melting. The slurry is cast into tapes which are cut to the proper size. Continuous CVD-SiC fibers are formed into mats of the desired size. The matrix tapes and the fiber mats are alternately stacked in the proper orientation. This tape-mat stack is warm pressed to produce a 'green' composite. The 'green' composite is then heated to an elevated temperature to burn out organic constituents. The remaining interim material is then hot pressed to form a silicon carbide fiber-reinforced celsian (BAS) glass-ceramic matrix composite which may be machined to size.

Bioinspired Design: Magnetic Freeze Casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, Michael Martin

Nature is the ultimate experimental scientist, having billions of years of evolution to design, test, and adapt a variety of multifunctional systems for a plethora of diverse applications. Next-generation materials that draw inspiration from the structure-property-function relationships of natural biological materials have led to many high-performance structural materials with hybrid, hierarchical architectures that fit form to function. In this dissertation, a novel materials processing method, magnetic freeze casting, is introduced to develop porous scaffolds and hybrid composites with micro-architectures that emulate bone, abalone nacre, and other hard biological materials. This method uses ice as a template to form ceramic-based materials with continuously, interconnected microstructures and magnetic fields to control the alignment of these structures in multiple directions. The resulting materials have anisotropic properties with enhanced mechanical performance that have potential applications as bone implants or lightweight structural composites, among others.

Perspective for Fibre-Hybrid Composites in Wind Energy Applications

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Increasing the efficiency of wind turbines will be vital for the wind energy sector to continue growing. The drive for increased efficiency is pushing turbine manufacturers to shift from glass fibre composite blades towards carbon/glass fibre-hybrid composite blades. This shift brings significant challenges in terms of optimising the design and understanding the failure of these new blade materials. This review therefore surveys the literature on fibre-hybrid composites, with an emphasis on aspects that are relevant for turbine blade materials. The literature on tensile, flexural, compressive, and fatigue performance is critically assessed and areas for future research are identified. Numerical simulations of fibre-hybrid composites have reached a reasonable maturity for tensile failure, but significant progress is required for flexural, compressive, and fatigue failure. Fatigue failure of fibre-hybrid composites in particular, requires more careful attention from both a modelling and experimental point of view. PMID:29117126

Perspective for Fibre-Hybrid Composites in Wind Energy Applications.

PubMed

Swolfs, Yentl

2017-11-08

Increasing the efficiency of wind turbines will be vital for the wind energy sector to continue growing. The drive for increased efficiency is pushing turbine manufacturers to shift from glass fibre composite blades towards carbon/glass fibre-hybrid composite blades. This shift brings significant challenges in terms of optimising the design and understanding the failure of these new blade materials. This review therefore surveys the literature on fibre-hybrid composites, with an emphasis on aspects that are relevant for turbine blade materials. The literature on tensile, flexural, compressive, and fatigue performance is critically assessed and areas for future research are identified. Numerical simulations of fibre-hybrid composites have reached a reasonable maturity for tensile failure, but significant progress is required for flexural, compressive, and fatigue failure. Fatigue failure of fibre-hybrid composites in particular, requires more careful attention from both a modelling and experimental point of view.

Mechanical recycling of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moritzer, Elmar; Heiderich, Gilmar

2016-03-01

This contribution examines possible material recycling of offcuts generated during the production of continuous-fiber-reinforced composite sheets. These sheets consist of a polyamide 6 matrix and glass fiber fabric. In the initial step, the offcut is shredded to obtain particles; following that, the particles are processed in a twin-screw process to produce fiber-reinforced plastic pellets with varying fiber contents. These pellets are intended for use in injection molding processes as a substitution for new raw materials. This investigation centers on the mechanical properties which can be achieved with the recycled material after both the twin-screw process and injection molding.

Ultrasonic Resonance Spectroscopy of Composite Rims for Flywheel Rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harmon, Laura M.; Baaklini, George Y.

2002-01-01

Flywheel energy storage devices comprising multilayered composite rotor systems are being studied extensively for utilization in the International Space Station. These composite material systems were investigated with a recently developed ultrasonic resonance spectroscopy technique. The ultrasonic system employs a continuous swept-sine waveform and performs a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the frequency response spectrum. In addition, the system is capable of equalizing the amount of energy at each frequency. Equalization of the frequency spectrum, along with interpretation of the second FFT, aids in the evaluation of the fundamental frequency. The frequency responses from multilayered material samples, with and without known defects, were analyzed to assess the capabilities and limitations of this nondestructive evaluation technique for material characterization and defect detection. Amplitude and frequency changes were studied from ultrasonic responses of thick composite rings and a multiring composite rim. A composite ring varying in thickness was evaluated to investigate the full thickness resonance. The frequency response characteristics from naturally occurring voids in a composite ring were investigated. Ultrasonic responses were compared from regions with and without machined voids in a composite ring and a multiring composite rim. Finally, ultrasonic responses from the multiring composite rim were compared before and after proof spin testing to 63,000 rpm.

Nanofiber reinforcement of a geopolymer matrix for improved composite materials mechanical performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, AKM Samsur

Geopolymers have the potential to cross the process performance gap between polymer matrix and ceramic matrix composites (CMC), enabling high temperature capable composites that are manufactured at relatively low temperatures. Unfortunately, the inherently low toughness of these geopolymers limits the performance of the resulting fiber reinforced geopolymer matrix composites. Toughness improvements in composites can be addressed through the adjustments in the fiber/matrix interfacial strength and through the improvements in the inherent toughness of the constituent materials. This study investigates the potential to improve the inherent toughness of the geopolymer matrix material through the addition of nanofillers, by considering physical dimensions, mechanical properties, reinforcing capability and interfacial bond strength effects. A process optimization study was first undertaken to develop the ability to produce consistent, neat geopolymer samples, a critical precursor to producing nano-filled geopolymer for toughness evaluation. After that, single edge notched bend beam fracture toughness and un-notched beam flexural strength were evaluated for silicon carbide, alumina and carbon nanofillers reinforced geopolymer samples treated at various temperatures in reactive and inert environments. Toughness results of silicon carbide and carbon nanofillers reinforced geopolymers suggested that with the improved baseline properties, high aspect ratio nanofillers with high interfacial bond strength are the most capable in further improving the toughness of geopolymers. Among the high aspect ratio nanofillers i.e. nanofibers, 2vol% silicon carbide whicker (SCW) showed the highest improvement in fracture toughness and flexural strength of ~164% & ~185%, respectively. After heat treatment at 650 °C, SCW reinforcement was found to be effective, with little reduction in the performance, while the performance of alumina nanofiber (ANF) reinforced geopolymer significantly reduced. By means of SEM, EDS and X-ray diffraction techniques, it was found that the longer and stronger SCW is more capable of reinforcing the microstructurally inhomogeneous geopolymer than the smaller diameter, shorter ANF. After heat treatment at 760 °C, the effectiveness of SCW as reinforcement in both fracture toughness and flexural strength was reduced by ~89% and ~43%, respectively, while, the ANF filled materials performed worse than the neat geopolymer. A strong interaction was suggested between ANF and geopolymer at high temperature by means of chemical reactions and diffusion. SEM & X-ray diffraction results suggested the formation of Al4C3 on the SCW surface, which could reduce the interface strength between SCW and geopolymer. Therefore it is suggested that the interface strength should be as high as required for load transfer and crack bridging. Finally, to investigate the potential synergy of a nano-filled matrix material and the fiber/matrix interface toughening mechanism of a continuous fiber composite, composite specimens were produced and tested. Flexural and shear strengths of Nextel 610 continuous fiber reinforced 2vol% SCW filled geopolymer matrix composites were investigated. Specimens were produced with cleaned Nextel fiber and with carbon-coated fibers to investigate the combinations of nano-filled matrix with continuous reinforcement that is well bonded (cleaned fiber) versus poorly bonded (carbon-coated fiber) to the matrix. The results showed that flexural strength of cleaned and coated fiber composites improved by ~35% and ~21% respectively, while shear strength of the similar composite systems improved by ~39.5% and ~24%. The results verified the effectiveness of SCW in toughening not only the neat geopolymer, but also continuous fiber reinforced geopolymer matrix composites.

Merging Bottom-Up with Top-Down: Continuous Lamellar Networks and Block Copolymer Lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Ian Patrick

Block copolymer lithography is an emerging nanopatterning technology with capabilities that may complement and eventually replace those provided by existing optical lithography techniques. This bottom-up process relies on the parallel self-assembly of macromolecules composed of covalently linked, chemically distinct blocks to generate periodic nanostructures. Among the myriad potential morphologies, lamellar structures formed by diblock copolymers with symmetric volume fractions have attracted the most interest as a patterning tool. When confined to thin films and directed to assemble with interfaces perpendicular to the substrate, two-dimensional domains are formed between the free surface and the substrate, and selective removal of a single block creates a nanostructured polymeric template. The substrate exposed between the polymeric features can subsequently be modified through standard top-down microfabrication processes to generate novel nanostructured materials. Despite tremendous progress in our understanding of block copolymer self-assembly, continuous two-dimensional materials have not yet been fabricated via this robust technique, which may enable nanostructured material combinations that cannot be fabricated through bottom-up methods. This thesis aims to study the effects of block copolymer composition and processing on the lamellar network morphology of polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and utilize this knowledge to fabricate continuous two-dimensional materials through top-down methods. First, block copolymer composition was varied through homopolymer blending to explore the physical phenomena surrounding lamellar network continuity. After establishing a framework for tuning the continuity, the effects of various processing parameters were explored to engineer the network connectivity via defect annihilation processes. Precisely controlling the connectivity and continuity of lamellar networks through defect engineering and optimizing the block copolymer lithography process thus enabled the top-down fabrication of continuous two-dimensional gold networks with nanoscale properties. The lamellar structure of these networks was found to confer unique mechanical properties on the nanowire networks and suggests that materials templated via this method may be excellent candidates for integration into stretchable and flexible devices.

Mechanical properties of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, H. Richard; Cornwell, L. R.

1993-01-01

A composite material incorporates high strength, high modulus fibers in a matrix (polymer, metal, or ceramic). The fibers may be oriented in a manner to give varying in-plane properties (longitudinal, transverse-stress, strain, and modulus of elasticity). The lay-up of the composite laminates is such that a center line of symmetry and no bending moment exist through the thickness. The laminates are tabbed, with either aluminum or fiberglass, and are ready for tensile testing. The determination of the tensile properties of resin matrix composites, reinforced by continuous fibers, is outlined in ASTM standard D 3039, Tensile Properties of Oriented Fiber Composites. The tabbed flat tensile coupons are placed into the grips of a tensile machine and load-deformation curves plotted. The load-deformation data are translated into stress-strain curves for determination of mechanical properties (ultimate tensile strength and modulus of elasticity).

Nondestructive Evaluation for Aerospace Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, Cara; Cramer, Elliott; Perey, Daniel

2015-01-01

Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are important for enabling NASA's missions in space exploration and aeronautics. The expanded and continued use of composite materials for aerospace components and vehicles leads to a need for advanced NDE techniques capable of quantitatively characterizing damage in composites. Quantitative damage detection techniques help to ensure safety, reliability and durability of space and aeronautic vehicles. This presentation will give a broad outline of NASA's range of technical work and an overview of the NDE research performed in the Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch at NASA Langley Research Center. The presentation will focus on ongoing research in the development of NDE techniques for composite materials and structures, including development of automated data processing tools to turn NDE data into quantitative location and sizing results. Composites focused NDE research in the areas of ultrasonics, thermography, X-ray computed tomography, and NDE modeling will be discussed.

Ultrasonic NDE Simulation for Composite Manufacturing Defects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leckey, Cara A. C.; Juarez, Peter D.

2016-01-01

The increased use of composites in aerospace components is expected to continue into the future. The large scale use of composites in aerospace necessitates the development of composite-appropriate nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods to quantitatively characterize defects in as-manufactured parts and damage incurred during or post manufacturing. Ultrasonic techniques are one of the most common approaches for defect/damage detection in composite materials. One key technical challenge area included in NASA's Advanced Composite's Project is to develop optimized rapid inspection methods for composite materials. Common manufacturing defects in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites include fiber waviness (in-plane and out-of-plane), porosity, and disbonds; among others. This paper is an overview of ongoing work to develop ultrasonic wavefield based methods for characterizing manufacturing waviness defects. The paper describes the development and implementation of a custom ultrasound simulation tool that is used to model ultrasonic wave interaction with in-plane fiber waviness (also known as marcelling). Wavefield data processing methods are applied to the simulation data to explore possible routes for quantitative defect characterization.

Durability of a continuous strand mat polymeric composite for automotive structural applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corum, J.M.; McCoy, H.E. Jr.; Ruggles, M.B.

1995-12-31

A key unanswered question that must be addressed before polymeric composites will be widely used in automotive structural components is their durability. Major durability issues are the effects of cyclic loadings, creep, automotive environments, and low-energy impacts on dimensional stability, strength, and stiffness. The U.S. Department of Energy is sponsoring a project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to address these issues and to develop, in cooperation with the Automotive Composites Consortium, experimentally based, durability driven, design guidelines. The initial reference material is an isocyanurate reinforced with a continuous strand, swirl glass mat. This paper describes the basic deformation and failuremore » behavior of the reference material, and it presents test results illustrating the property degradations caused by loading, time, and environmental effects. The importance of characterizing and understanding damage and how it leads to failure is also discussed. The results presented are from the initial phases of an ongoing project. The ongoing effort and plans are briefly described.« less

Mechanical testing and modelling of carbon-carbon composites for aircraft disc brakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, Luke R.

The objective of this study is to improve the understanding of the stress distributions and failure mechanisms experienced by carbon-carbon composite aircraft brake discs using finite element (FE) analyses. The project has been carried out in association with Dunlop Aerospace as an EPSRC CASE studentship. It therefore focuses on the carbon-carbon composite brake disc material produced by Dunlop Aerospace, although it is envisaged that the approach will have broader applications for modelling and mechanical testing of carbon-carbon composites in general. The disc brake material is a laminated carbon-carbon composite comprised of poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) derived carbon fibres in a chemical vapour infiltration (CVI) deposited matrix, in which the reinforcement is present in both continuous fibre and chopped fibre forms. To pave the way for the finite element analysis, a comprehensive study of the mechanical properties of the carbon-carbon composite material was carried out. This focused largely, but not entirely, on model composite materials formulated using structural elements of the disc brake material. The strengths and moduli of these materials were measured in tension, compression and shear in several orientations. It was found that the stress-strain behaviour of the materials were linear in directions where there was some continuous fibre reinforcement, but non-linear when this was not the case. In all orientations, some degree of non-linearity was observed in the shear stress-strain response of the materials. However, this non-linearity was generally not large enough to pose a problem for the estimation of elastic moduli. Evidence was found for negative Poisson's ratio behaviour in some orientations of the material in tension. Additionally, the through-thickness properties of the composite, including interlaminar shear strength, were shown to be positively related to bulk density. The in-plane properties were mostly unrelated to bulk density over the range of densities of the tested specimens.Two types of FE model were developed using a commercially available program. The first type was designed to analyse the model composite materials for comparison with mechanical test data for the purpose of validation of the FE model. Elastic moduli predicted by this type of FE model showed good agreement with the experimentally measured elastic moduli of the model composite materials. This result suggested that the use of layered FE models, which rely upon an isostrain assumption between the layers, can be useful in predicting the elastic properties of different lay-ups of the disc brake material.The second type of FE model analysed disc brake segments, using the experimentally measured bulk mechanical properties of the disc brake material. This FE model approximated the material as a continuum with in-plane isotropy but with different properties in the through-thickness direction. In order to validate this modelling approach, the results of the FE analysis were compared with mechanical tests on disc brake segments, which were loaded by their drive tenons in a manner intended to simulate in-service loading. The FE model showed good agreement with in-plane strains measured on the disc tenon face close to the swept area of the disc, but predicted significantly higher strains than those experimentally measured on the tenon fillet curve. This discrepancy was attributed to the existence of a steep strain gradient on the fillet curve.

Development of Composite Honeycomb and Solid Laminate Reference Standards to Aid Aircraft Inspections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dorrell, L.; Roach, D.

1999-03-04

The rapidly increasing use of composites on commercial airplanes coupled with the potential for economic savings associated with their use in aircraft structures means that the demand for composite materials technology will continue to increase. Inspecting these composite structures is a critical element in assuring their continued airworthiness. The FAA's Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center, in conjunction with the Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee (CACRC), is developing a set of composite reference standards to be used in NDT equipment calibration for accomplishment of damage assessment and post-repair inspection of all commercial aircraft composites. In this program, a series of NDImore » tests on a matrix of composite aircraft structures and prototype reference standards were completed in order to minimize the number of standards needed to carry out composite inspections on aircraft. Two tasks, related to composite laminates and non-metallic composite honeycomb configurations, were addressed. A suite of 64 honeycomb panels, representing the bounding conditions of honeycomb construction on aircraft, were inspected using a wide array of NDI techniques. An analysis of the resulting data determined the variables that play a key role in setting up NDT equipment. This has resulted in a prototype set of minimum honeycomb reference standards that include these key variables. A sequence of subsequent tests determined that this minimum honeycomb reference standard set is able to fully support inspections over the fill range of honeycomb construction scenarios. Current tasks are aimed at optimizing the methods used to engineer realistic flaws into the specimens. In the solid composite laminate arena, we have identified what appears to be an excellent candidate, G11 Phenolic, as a generic solid laminate reference standard material. Testing to date has determined matches in key velocity and acoustic impedance properties, as well as, low attenuation relative to carbon laminates. Furthermore, comparisons of resonance testing response curves from the G11 Phenolic prototype standard was very similar to the resonance response curves measured on the existing carbon and fiberglass laminates. NDI data shows that this material should work for both pulse-echo (velocity-based) and resonance (acoustic impedance-based) inspections. Additional testing and industry review activities are underway to complete the validation of this material.« less

The Use of Basalt, Basalt Fibers and Modified Graphite for Nuclear Waste Repository - 12150

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gulik, V.I.; Biland, A.B.

2012-07-01

New materials enhancing the isolation of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel are continuously being developed.. Our research suggests that basalt-based materials, including basalt roving chopped basalt fiber strands, basalt composite rebar and materials based on modified graphite, could be used for enhancing radioactive waste isolation during the storage and disposal phases and maintaining it during a significant portion of the post-closure phase. The basalt vitrification process of nuclear waste is a viable alternative to glass vitrification. Basalt roving, chopped basalt fiber strands and basalt composite rebars can significantly increase the strength and safety characteristics of nuclear waste and spentmore » nuclear fuel storages. Materials based on MG are optimal waterproofing materials for nuclear waste containers. (authors)« less

Methods for tape fabrication of continuous filament composite parts and articles of manufacture thereof

DOEpatents

Weisberg, Andrew H

2013-10-01

A method for forming a composite structure according to one embodiment includes forming a first ply; and forming a second ply above the first ply. Forming each ply comprises: applying a bonding material to a tape, the tape comprising a fiber and a matrix, wherein the bonding material has a curing time of less than about 1 second; and adding the tape to a substrate for forming adjacent tape winds having about a constant distance therebetween. Additional systems, methods and articles of manufacture are also presented.

Effect of polyamide 6 on the morphology and electrical conductivity of carbon black-filled polypropylene composites

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuewei; Liu, Jiang; Wang, Yi

2017-01-01

Carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP) with surface resistivity between 106 and 109 Ω sq−1 is the ideal antistatic plastic material in the electronics and electric industry. However, a large amount of CB may have an adverse effect on the mechanical properties and processing performance of the material, thus an improved ternary system is developed. Blends of CB-filled PP and polyamide 6 (PA6) have been prepared by melt blending in order to obtain electrically conductive polymer composites with a low electrical percolation threshold based on the concept of double percolation. The morphological developments of these composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that CB particles were selectively dispersed in PA6 phases due to the good interaction and interfacial adhesion between CB and PA6. At the same CB loadings, the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/CB composite was smaller than that of PP/CB composite system, which indicated the better conductivity in the former composite. The increasing amount of PA6 in the composites changed the morphology from a typical sea–island morphology to a co-continuous morphology. What is more, with 8 wt% of CB and PP/PA6 phase ratio of 70/30 in which the PP and PA6 phases formed a co-continuous structure, the electrical conductivity of the composite peaked at 2.01 × 105 Ω sq−1. PMID:29308223

Modification of natural matrix lac-bagasse for matrix composite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhayati, Nanik Dwi; Widjaya, Karna; Triyono

2016-02-01

Material technology continues to be developed in order to a material that is more efficient with composite technology is a combination of two or more materials to obtain the desired material properties. The objective of this research was to modification and characterize the natural matrix lac-bagasse as composite films. The first step, natural matrix lac was changed from solid to liquid using an ethanol as a solvent so the matrix homogenly. Natural matrix lac was modified by adding citric acid with concentration variation. Secondly, the bagasse delignification using acid hydrolysis method. The composite films natural matrix lac-bagasse were prepared with optimum modified the addition citric acid 5% (v/v) and delignification bagasse optimum at 1,5% (v/v) in hot press at 80°C 6 Kg/cm-1. Thirdly, composite films without and with modification were characterized functional group analysis using FTIR spectrophotometer and mechanical properties using Universal Testing Machine. The result of research showed natural matrix lac can be modified by reaction with citric acid. FTIR spectra showed without and with modification had functional groups wide absorption 3448 cm-1 group -OH, C=O ester strong on 1712 cm-1 and the methylene group -CH2 on absorption 1465 cm-1. The mechanical properties showed tensile strength 0,55 MPa and elongation at break of 0,95 %. So that composite films natural matrix lac can be made with reinforcement bagasse for material application.

The Charging of Composites in the Space Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czepiela, Steven A.

1997-01-01

Deep dielectric charging and subsequent electrostatic discharge in composite materials used on spacecraft have become greater concerns since composite materials are being used more extensively as main structural components. Deep dielectric charging occurs when high energy particles penetrate and deposit themselves in the insulating material of spacecraft components. These deposited particles induce an electric field in the material, which causes the particles to move and thus changes the electric field. The electric field continues to change until a steady state is reached between the incoming particles from the space environment and the particles moving away due to the electric field. An electrostatic discharge occurs when the electric field is greater than the dielectric strength of the composite material. The goal of the current investigation is to investigate deep dielectric charging in composite materials and ascertain what modifications have to be made to the composite properties to alleviate any breakdown issues. A 1-D model was created. The space environment, which is calculated using the Environmental Workbench software, the composite material properties, and the electric field and voltage boundary conditions are input into the model. The output from the model is the charge density, electric field, and voltage distributions as functions of the depth into the material and time. Analysis using the model show that there should be no deep dielectric charging problem with conductive composites such as carbon fiber/epoxy. With insulating materials such as glass fiber/epoxy, Kevlar, and polymers, there is also no concern of deep dielectric charging problems with average day-to-day particle fluxes. However, problems can arise during geomagnetic substorms and solar particle events where particle flux levels increase by several orders of magnitude, and thus increase the electric field in the material by several orders of magnitude. Therefore, the second part of this investigation was an experimental attempt to measure the continuum electrical properties of a carbon fiber/epoxy composite, and to create a composite with tailorable conductivity without affecting its mechanical properties. The measurement of the conductivity and dielectric strength of carbon fiber/epoxy composites showed that these properties are surface layer dominated and difficult to measure. In the second experimental task, the conductivity of a glass fiber/epoxy composite was increased by 3 orders of magnitude, dielectric constant was increased approximately by a factor of 16, with minimal change to the mechanical properties, by adding conductive carbon black to the epoxy.

Study on titanium-magnesium composites with bicontinuous structure fabricated by powder metallurgy and ultrasonic infiltration.

PubMed

Jiang, S; Huang, L J; An, Q; Geng, L; Wang, X J; Wang, S

2018-05-01

Titanium-magnesium (Ti-Mg) composites with bicontinuous structure have been successfully fabricated by powder metallurgy and ultrasonic infiltration for biomaterial potential. In the composites, Ti phase is distributed continuously by sintering necks, while Mg phase is also continuous, distributing at the interconnected pores surrounding the Ti phase. The results showed that the fabricated Ti-Mg composites exhibited low modulus and high strength, which are very suitable for load bearing biomedical materials. The composites with 100 µm and 230 µm particle sizes exhibited Young's modulus of 37.6 GPa and 23.4 GPa, 500.7 MPa and 340 MPa of compressive strength and 631.5 MPa and 375.2 MPa of bending strength, respectively. Moreover, both of the modulus and strength of the composites increase with decreasing of Ti particle sizes. In vitro study has been done for the preliminary evaluation of the Ti-Mg composites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Local Debonding Model with Application to the Transverse Tensile and Creep Behavior of Continuously Reinforced Titanium Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2000-01-01

A new, widely applicable model for local interfacial debonding in composite materials is presented. Unlike its direct predecessors, the new model allows debonding to progress via unloading of interfacial stresses even as global loading of the composite continues. Previous debonding models employed for analysis of titanium matrix composites are surpassed by the accuracy, simplicity, and efficiency demonstrated by the new model. The new model was designed to operate seamlessly within NASA Glenn's Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC), which was employed to simulate the time- and rate-dependent (viscoplastic) transverse tensile and creep behavior of SiC/Ti composites. MAC/GMC's ability to simulate the transverse behavior of titanium matrix composites has been significantly improved by the new debonding model. Further, results indicate the need for a more accurate constitutive representation of the titanium matrix behavior in order to enable predictions of the composite transverse response, without resorting to recalibration of the debonding model parameters.

Microstructures and Properties of 40Cu/Ag(Invar) Composites Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy and Subsequent Thermo-Mechanical Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Huang, Yingqiu; Liu, Xiangyu; Yang, Lei; Shi, Changdong; Wu, Yucheng; Tang, Wenming

2018-03-01

Composites of 40Cu/Ag(Invar) were prepared via pressureless sintering and subsequent thermo-mechanical treatment from raw materials of electroless Ag-plated Invar alloy powder and electrolytic Cu powder. Microstructures and properties of the prepared composites were studied to evaluate the effect of the Ag layer on blocking Cu/Invar interfacial diffusion in the composites. The electroless-plated Ag layer was dense, uniform, continuous, and bonded tightly with the Invar alloy substrate. During sintering of the composites, the Ag layer effectively prevented Cu/Invar interfacial diffusion. During cold-rolling, the Ag layer was deformed uniformly with the Invar alloy particles. The composites exhibited bi-continuous network structure and considerably improved properties. After sintering at 775 °C and subsequent thermo-mechanical treatment, the 40Cu/Ag(Invar) composites showed satisfactory comprehensive properties: relative density of 99.0 pct, hardness of HV 253, thermal conductivity of 55.7 W/(m K), and coefficient of thermal expansion of 11.2 × 10-6/K.

Materials science. Materials that couple sensing, actuation, computation, and communication.

PubMed

McEvoy, M A; Correll, N

2015-03-20

Tightly integrating sensing, actuation, and computation into composites could enable a new generation of truly smart material systems that can change their appearance and shape autonomously. Applications for such materials include airfoils that change their aerodynamic profile, vehicles with camouflage abilities, bridges that detect and repair damage, or robotic skins and prosthetics with a realistic sense of touch. Although integrating sensors and actuators into composites is becoming increasingly common, the opportunities afforded by embedded computation have only been marginally explored. Here, the key challenge is the gap between the continuous physics of materials and the discrete mathematics of computation. Bridging this gap requires a fundamental understanding of the constituents of such robotic materials and the distributed algorithms and controls that make these structures smart. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Identification of explosives and drugs and inspection of material defects with THz radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cunlin; Mu, Kaijun; Jiang, Xue; Jiao, Yueying; Zhang, Liangliang; Zhou, Qingli; Zhang, Yan; Shen, Jingling; Zhao, Guoshong; Zhang, X.-C.

2008-03-01

We report the sensing of explosive materials and illicit drugs by using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and imaging. Several explosive materials, such as γ-HNIW, RDX, 2,4-DNT, TNT, Nitro-aniline, and illicit drugs, such as methamphetamine (MA) etc were researched here. Non-destructive testing, as one of the major applications of THz imaging, can be applied to an area of critical need: the testing of aerospace materials. Composite materials such as carbon fiber are widely used in this industry. The nature of their use requires technologies that are able to differentiate between safe and unsafe materials, due to either manufacturing tolerance or damage acquired while in use. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of terahertz (THz) imaging systems to this purpose, focusing on graphite fiber composite materials, carbon silicon composite materials and so on. We applied THz imaging technology to evaluate the fire damage to a variety of carbon fiber composite samples. Major carbon fiber materials have polarization-dependent reflectivity in THz frequency range, and we show how the polarization dependence changes versus the burned damage level. Additionally, time domain information acquired through a THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) system provides further information with which to characterize the damage. We also detect fuel tank insulation foam panel defects with pulse and continuous-wave (CW) terahertz system.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed, to be cured, and be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000degC. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200degC, -SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Testing for this included thermal and mechanical testing per ASTM standard tests.

Fabricating and strengthening the carbon nanotube/copper composite fibers with high strength and high electrical conductivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Baoshuai; Guo, Enyu; Xue, Xiang; Zhao, Zhiyong; Li, Tiejun; Xu, Yanjin; Luo, Liangshun; Hou, Hongliang

2018-05-01

Combining the excellent properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) and copper, CNT/Cu composite fibers were fabricated by physical vapor deposition (PVD) and rolling treatment. Dense and continuous copper film (∼2 μm) was coated on the surface of the CNT fibers by PVD, and rolling treatment was adopt to strengthen the CNT/Cu composite fibers. After the rolling treatment, the defects between the Cu grains and the CNT bundles were eliminated, and the structure of both the copper film and the core CNT fibers were optimized. The rolled CNT/Cu composite fibers possess high tensile effective strength (1.01 ± 0.13 GPa) and high electrical conductivity ((2.6 ± 0.3) × 107 S/m), and thus, this material may become a promising wire material.

Remote laser evaporative molecular absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Gary B.; Lubin, Philip; Cohen, Alexander; Madajian, Jonathan; Kulkarni, Neeraj; Zhang, Qicheng; Griswold, Janelle; Brashears, Travis

2016-09-01

We describe a novel method for probing bulk molecular and atomic composition of solid targets from a distant vantage. A laser is used to melt and vaporize a spot on the target. With sufficient flux, the spot temperature rises rapidly, and evaporation of surface materials occurs. The melted spot creates a high-temperature blackbody source, and ejected material creates a plume of surface materials in front of the spot. Molecular and atomic absorption occurs as the blackbody radiation passes through the ejected plume. Bulk molecular and atomic composition of the surface material is investigated by using a spectrometer to view the heated spot through the ejected plume. The proposed method is distinct from current stand-off approaches to composition analysis, such as Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), which atomizes and ionizes target material and observes emission spectra to determine bulk atomic composition. Initial simulations of absorption profiles with laser heating show great promise for Remote Laser-Evaporative Molecular Absorption (R-LEMA) spectroscopy. The method is well-suited for exploration of cold solar system targets—asteroids, comets, planets, moons—such as from a spacecraft orbiting the target. Spatial composition maps could be created by scanning the surface. Applying the beam to a single spot continuously produces a borehole or trench, and shallow subsurface composition profiling is possible. This paper describes system concepts for implementing the proposed method to probe the bulk molecular composition of an asteroid from an orbiting spacecraft, including laser array, photovoltaic power, heating and ablation, plume characteristics, absorption, spectrometry and data management.

Functional adaptation of crustacean exoskeletal elements through structural and compositional diversity: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

PubMed

Fabritius, Helge-Otto; Ziegler, Andreas; Friák, Martin; Nikolov, Svetoslav; Huber, Julia; Seidl, Bastian H M; Ruangchai, Sukhum; Alagboso, Francisca I; Karsten, Simone; Lu, Jin; Janus, Anna M; Petrov, Michal; Zhu, Li-Fang; Hemzalová, Pavlína; Hild, Sabine; Raabe, Dierk; Neugebauer, Jörg

2016-09-09

The crustacean cuticle is a composite material that covers the whole animal and forms the continuous exoskeleton. Nano-fibers composed of chitin and protein molecules form most of the organic matrix of the cuticle that, at the macroscale, is organized in up to eight hierarchical levels. At least two of them, the exo- and endocuticle, contain a mineral phase of mainly Mg-calcite, amorphous calcium carbonate and phosphate. The high number of hierarchical levels and the compositional diversity provide a high degree of freedom for varying the physical, in particular mechanical, properties of the material. This makes the cuticle a versatile material ideally suited to form a variety of skeletal elements that are adapted to different functions and the eco-physiological strains of individual species. This review presents our recent analytical, experimental and theoretical studies on the cuticle, summarising at which hierarchical levels structure and composition are modified to achieve the required physical properties. We describe our multi-scale hierarchical modeling approach based on the results from these studies, aiming at systematically predicting the structure-composition-property relations of cuticle composites from the molecular level to the macro-scale. This modeling approach provides a tool to facilitate the development of optimized biomimetic materials within a knowledge-based design approach.

Histological Evaluation to Study the Effects of Dental Amalgam and Composite Restoration on Human Dental Pulp: An in vivo Study

PubMed Central

Chandwani, Neelam D.; Pawar, Mansing G.; Tupkari, Jagdish V.; Yuwanati, Monal

2013-01-01

Objective To study and compare the effects of dental amalgam and composite restorations on human dental pulp. Materials and Methods One hundred sound premolars scheduled for orthodontic extraction were divided equally into two groups: group A, teeth restored with silver amalgam, and group B, teeth restored with composite resin. Each group was equally subdivided into two subgroups [extracted after 24 h (A-1 and B-1) or 7 days (A−2 and B−2)], and the histological changes in the pulp related to the two different materials at the two different intervals were studied. Results It was found that after 24 h, the inflammatory response of the pulp in teeth restored with amalgam and composite was similar (p = 1.00). However, after 7 days, the severity of the inflammatory response of the pulp in teeth restored with amalgam was less compared to that in teeth restored with composite (p = 0.045). Conclusion This study confirmed that amalgam continues to be the mechanically as well as biologically more competent restorative material. Composite could be a promising restorative material to satisfy esthetic needs for a considerable period of time. However, its biological acceptance is still in doubt. PMID:24217468

Forecasting waste compositions: A case study on plastic waste of electronic display housings.

PubMed

Peeters, Jef R; Vanegas, Paul; Kellens, Karel; Wang, Feng; Huisman, Jaco; Dewulf, Wim; Duflou, Joost R

2015-12-01

Because of the rapid succession of technological developments, the architecture and material composition of many products used in daily life have drastically changed over the last decades. As a result, well-adjusted recycling technologies need to be developed and installed to cope with these evolutions. This is essential to guarantee continued access to materials and to reduce the ecological impact of our material consumption. However, limited information is currently available on the material composition of arising waste streams and even less on how these waste streams will evolve. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology to forecast trends in the material composition of waste streams. To demonstrate the applicability and value of the proposed methodology, it is applied to forecast the evolution of plastic housing waste from flat panel display (FPD) TVs, FPD monitors, cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs and CRT monitors. The results of the presented forecasts indicate that a wide variety of plastic types and additives, such as flame retardants, are found in housings of similar products. The presented case study demonstrates that the proposed methodology allows the identification of trends in the evolution of the material composition of waste streams. In addition, it is demonstrated that the recycling sector will need to adapt its processes to deal with the increasing complexity of plastics of end-of-life electronic displays while respecting relevant directives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A New Local Failure Model with Application to the Longitudinal Tensile Behavior of Continuously Reinforced Titanium Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2000-01-01

A new model for local fiber failures in composite materials loaded longitudinally is presented. In developing the model, the goal was to account for the effects of fiber breakage on the global response of a composite in a relatively simple and efficient manner. Towards this end, the model includes the important feature of local stress unloading, even as global loading of the composite continues. The model has been incorporated into NASA Glenn's Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) and was employed to simulate the longitudinal tensile deformation and failure behavior of several silicon carbide fiber/titanium matrix (SiC/Ti) composites. The model is shown to be quite realistic and capable of accurate predictions for various temperatures, fiber volume fractions, and fiber diameters. Further- more, the new model compares favorably to Curtin's (1993) effective fiber breakage model, which has also been incorporated into MAC/GMC.

Three-dimensional N-doped graphene/polyaniline composite foam for high performance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jun; Kong, Lirong; Shen, Xiaoping; Chen, Quanrun; Ji, Zhenyuan; Wang, Jiheng; Xu, Keqiang; Zhu, Guoxing

2018-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel and its composite with interconnected pores have aroused continuous interests in energy storage field owning to its large surface area and hierarchical pore structure. Herein, we reported the preparation of 3D nitrogen-doped graphene/polyaniline (N-GE/PANI) composite foam for supercapacitive material with greatly improved electrochemical performance. The 3D porous structure can allow the penetration and diffusion of electrolyte, the incorporation of nitrogen doping can enhance the wettability of the active material and the number of active sites with electrolyte, and both the N-GE and PANI can ensure the high electrical conductivity of total electrode. Moreover, the synergistic effect between N-GE and PANI materials also play an important role on the electrochemical performance of electrode. Therefore, the as-prepared composite foam could deliver a high specific capacitance of 528 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and a high cyclic stability with 95.9% capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. This study provides a new idea on improving the energy storage capacity of supercapacitors by using 3D graphene-based psedocapacitive electrode materials.

Time-temperature-stress capabilities of composite materials for advanced supersonic technology application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, James R.; Haskins, James F.

1987-01-01

Advanced composites will play a key role in the development of the technology for the design and fabrication of future supersonic vehicles. However, incorporating the material into vehicle usage is contingent on accelerating the demonstration of service capacity and design technology. Because of the added material complexity and lack of extensive data, laboratory replication of the flight service will provide the most rapid method to document the airworthiness of advanced composite systems. Consequently, a laboratory program was conducted to determine the time-temperature-stress capabilities of several high temperature composites. Tests included were thermal aging, environmental aging, fatigue, creep, fracture, tensile, and real-time flight simulation exposure. The program had two phases. The first included all the material property determinations and aging and simulation exposures up through 10,000 hours. The second continued these tests up to 50,000 cumulative hours. This report presents the results of the Phase 1 baseline and 10,000-hr aging and flight simulation studies, the Phase 2 50,000-hr aging studies, and the Phase 2 flight simulation tests, some of which extended to almost 40,000 hours.

Flexible Composite-Material Pressure Vessel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Glen; Haggard, Roy; Harris, Paul A.

2003-01-01

A proposed lightweight pressure vessel would be made of a composite of high-tenacity continuous fibers and a flexible matrix material. The flexibility of this pressure vessel would render it (1) compactly stowable for transport and (2) more able to withstand impacts, relative to lightweight pressure vessels made of rigid composite materials. The vessel would be designed as a structural shell wherein the fibers would be predominantly bias-oriented, the orientations being optimized to make the fibers bear the tensile loads in the structure. Such efficient use of tension-bearing fibers would minimize or eliminate the need for stitching and fill (weft) fibers for strength. The vessel could be fabricated by techniques adapted from filament winding of prior composite-material vessels, perhaps in conjunction with the use of dry film adhesives. In addition to the high-bias main-body substructure described above, the vessel would include a low-bias end substructure to complete coverage and react peak loads. Axial elements would be overlaid to contain damage and to control fiber orientation around side openings. Fiber ring structures would be used as interfaces for connection to ancillary hardware.

Development of a method for fabricating metallic matrix composite shapes by a continuous mechanical process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divecha, A. P.; Karmarkar, S. D.; Pawar, P. G.

1973-01-01

The continuing efforts in upscaling to produce larger diameter Al/B tubes are described. While the basic methodology remains unchanged, the larger volume of acrylic binder material and its removal by dissolution in toluene had to be performed by dynamic scrubbing. Similarly, the boron and MCF continuous length requirements increased when a 6 foot long by 7 inches wide mat was needed. These modifications and associated problems are described fully with schematics. Also included are seven experiments conducted to prepare larger tubes. The thermal profile, drawing speeds, and furnace positions in the draw bench bay are presented along with metallographic evidence of composite cross sections.

Property changes induced by the space environment in composite materials on LDEF: Solar array materials passive LDEF experiment A0171 (SAMPLE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

Surface modifications to composite materials induced by long term exposure in low earth orbit (LEO) were dominated by atomic oxygen erosion and micrometeoroid and space debris impacts. As expected, calculated erosion rates were peculiar to material type and within the predicted order of magnitude. Generally, about one ply of the carbon fiber composites was eroded during the 70 month LDEF experiment. Matrix erosion was greater than fiber erosion and was more evident for a polysulfone matrix than for epoxy matrices. Micrometeoroid and space debris impacts resulted in small (less than 1mm) craters and splattered contaminants on all samples. Surfaces became more diffuse and darker with small increases in emissivity and absorption. Tensile strength decreased roughly with thickness loss, and epoxy matrices apparently became slightly embrittled, probably as a result of continued curing under UV and/or electron bombardment. However, changes in the ultimate yield stress of the carbon reinforced epoxy composites correlate neither with weave direction nor fiber type. Unexpected developments were the discovery of new synergistic effects of the space environment in the interaction of atomic oxygen and copious amounts of contamination and in the induced luminescence of many materials.

Carbon/ λ-MnO 2 composites for supercapacitor electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malak-Polaczyk, A.; Matei-Ghimbeu, C.; Vix-Guterl, C.; Frackowiak, E.

2010-04-01

In the present work a composite of carbon with λ-MnO 2 have been synthesized by a simple two-step route. In the first step, to obtain LiMn 2O 4/carbon material, mesoporous activated carbon was impregnated with the solution of precursor metal salts and heated subsequently. As-prepared materials were acid treated which resulted in the formation of λ-MnO 2/carbon. Physical properties, structure and specific surface area of electrode materials were studied by TEM, X-ray diffraction and nitrogen sorption measurements. Voltammetry cycling, galvanostatic charge/discharge and impedance spectroscopy measurements performed in two- and three-electrode cells have been applied in order to measure electrochemical parameters. TEM images confirmed well dispersed λ-MnO 2 particles on the surface of carbon material. The carbon in the composite plays an important role as the surface area enhancing component and a support of pseudocapacitive material. Furthermore, the through-connected porosity serves as a continuous pathway for electrolyte transport. A synergetic effect of the porous carbon framework and of the redox properties of the λ-MnO 2 is at the origin of improvement of specific capacitance values which has been observed for composites after delithiation.

Joining and Adhesion of Advanced Inorganic Materials. Symposium Held in San Francisco, California on April 12-14, 1993. Volume 314

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-14

Scaling (Technology)-Congresses. 3. Joints (Engineering)-Congresses, 4. Metals-Congresses. 5. Composite naterials-Congresses. 6. Ceramic niaterials... COMPOSITE 103 Hsin-Fu Wang, John C, Nelson, Chlen-Li Lin, William W. Gerberich, Charles 1. Skowronek, and Herve E, Deve STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING AT...Arunajatesan, A,H, Carim, TYY Yiin, and VK, Varadan HIGH SPEED JOINING OF ALUMINUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES !1SING CONTINUOUS WAVE AND PULSED LASERS

Advances in SiC/SiC Composites for Aero-Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiCarlo, James A.

2013-01-01

In the last decade, considerable progress has been made in the development and application of ceramic matrix composites consisting of silicon carbide (SiC) based matrices reinforced by small-diameter continuous-length SiC-based fibers. For example, these SiC/SiC composites are now in the early stages of implementation into hot-section components of civil aero-propulsion gas turbine engines, where in comparison to current metallic components they offer multiple advantages due to their lighter weight and higher temperature structural capability. For current production-ready SiC/SiC, this temperature capability for long time structural applications is 1250 degC, which is better than 1100 degC for the best metallic superalloys. Foreseeing that even higher structural reliability and temperature capability would continue to increase the advantages of SiC/SiC composites, progress in recent years has also been made at NASA toward improving the properties of SiC/SiC composites by optimizing the various constituent materials and geometries within composite microstructures. The primary objective of this chapter is to detail this latter progress, both fundamentally and practically, with particular emphasis on recent advancements in the materials and processes for the fiber, fiber coating, fiber architecture, and matrix, and in the design methods for incorporating these constituents into SiC/SiC microstructures with improved thermo-structural performance.

Plasma Polypyrrole Coated Hybrid Composites with Improved Mechanical and Electrical Properties for Aerospace Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yavuz, Hande; Bai, Jinbo

2018-06-01

This paper deals with the dielectric barrier discharge assisted continuous plasma polypyrrole deposition on CNT-grafted carbon fibers for conductive composite applications. The simultaneous effects of three controllable factors have been studied on the electrical resistivity (ER) of these two material systems based on multivariate experimental design methodology. A posterior probability referring to Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) false discovery rate was explored as multiple testing corrections of the t-test p values. BH significance threshold of 0.05 was produced truly statistically significant coefficients to describe ER of two material systems. A group of plasma modified samples was chosen to be used for composite manufacturing to drive an assessment of interlaminar shear properties under static loading. Transversal and longitudinal electrical resistivity (DC, ω =0) of composite samples were studied to compare both the effects of CNT grafting and plasma modification on ER of resultant composites.

Thermomechanical Property Data Base Developed for Ceramic Fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A key to the successful application of metal and ceramic composite materials in advanced propulsion and power systems is the judicious selection of continuous-length fiber reinforcement. Appropriate fibers can provide these composites with the required thermomechanical performance. To aid in this selection, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center, using in-house state-of-the-art test facilities, developed an extensive data base of the deformation and fracture properties of commercial and developmental ceramic fibers at elevated temperatures. Lewis' experimental focus was primarily on fiber compositions based on silicon carbide or alumina because of their oxidation resistance, low density, and high modulus. Test approaches typically included tensile and flexural measurements on single fibers or on multifilament tow fibers in controlled environments of air or argon at temperatures from 800 to 1400 C. Some fiber specimens were pretreated at composite fabrication temperatures to simulate in situ composite conditions, whereas others were precoated with potential interphase and matrix materials.

Plasma Polypyrrole Coated Hybrid Composites with Improved Mechanical and Electrical Properties for Aerospace Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yavuz, Hande; Bai, Jinbo

2017-09-01

This paper deals with the dielectric barrier discharge assisted continuous plasma polypyrrole deposition on CNT-grafted carbon fibers for conductive composite applications. The simultaneous effects of three controllable factors have been studied on the electrical resistivity (ER) of these two material systems based on multivariate experimental design methodology. A posterior probability referring to Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) false discovery rate was explored as multiple testing corrections of the t-test p values. BH significance threshold of 0.05 was produced truly statistically significant coefficients to describe ER of two material systems. A group of plasma modified samples was chosen to be used for composite manufacturing to drive an assessment of interlaminar shear properties under static loading. Transversal and longitudinal electrical resistivity (DC, ω =0) of composite samples were studied to compare both the effects of CNT grafting and plasma modification on ER of resultant composites.

Characterization, Modeling, and Failure Analysis of Composite Structure Materials under Static and Dynamic Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, Brian Thomas

Composite structures have long been used in many industries where it is advantageous to reduce weight while maintaining high stiffness and strength. Composites can now be found in an ever broadening range of applications: sporting equipment, automobiles, marine and aerospace structures, and energy production. These structures are typically sandwich panels composed of fiber reinforced polymer composite (FRPC) facesheets which provide the stiffness and the strength and a low density polymeric foam core that adds bending rigidity with little additional weight. The expanding use of composite structures exposes them to high energy, high velocity dynamic loadings which produce multi-axial dynamic states of stress. This circumstance can present quite a challenge to designers, as composite structures are highly anisotropic and display properties that are sensitive to loading rates. Computer codes are continually in development to assist designers in the creation of safe, efficient structures. While the design of an optimal composite structure is more complex, engineers can take advantage of the effect of enhanced energy dissipation displayed by a composite when loaded at high strain rates. In order to build and verify effective computer codes, the underlying assumptions must be verified by laboratory experiments. Many of these codes look to use a micromechanical approach to determine the response of the structure. For this, the material properties of the constituent materials must be verified, three-dimensional constitutive laws must be developed, and failure of these materials must be investigated under static and dynamic loading conditions. In this study, simple models are sought not only to ease their implementation into such codes, but to allow for efficient characterization of new materials that may be developed. Characterization of composite materials and sandwich structures is a costly, time intensive process. A constituent based design approach evaluates potential combinations of materials in a much faster and more efficient manner.

Block copolymer based composition and morphology control in nanostructured hybrid materials for energy conversion and storage: solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells.

PubMed

Orilall, M Christopher; Wiesner, Ulrich

2011-02-01

The development of energy conversion and storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. However, there are numerous issues that prevent the widespread use of these technologies including cost, performance and durability. These limitations can be directly related to the materials used. In particular, the design and fabrication of nanostructured hybrid materials is expected to provide breakthroughs for the advancement of these technologies. This tutorial review will highlight block copolymers as an emerging and powerful yet affordable tool to structure-direct such nanomaterials with precise control over structural dimensions, composition and spatial arrangement of materials in composites. After providing an introduction to materials design and current limitations, the review will highlight some of the most recent examples of block copolymer structure-directed nanomaterials for photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells. In each case insights are provided into the various underlying fundamental chemical, thermodynamic and kinetic formation principles enabling general and relatively inexpensive wet-polymer chemistry methodologies for the efficient creation of multiscale functional materials. Examples include nanostructured ceramics, ceramic-carbon composites, ceramic-carbon-metal composites and metals with morphologies ranging from hexagonally arranged cylinders to three-dimensional bi-continuous cubic networks. The review ends with an outlook towards the synthesis of multicomponent and hierarchical multifunctional hybrid materials with different nano-architectures from self-assembly of higher order blocked macromolecules which may ultimately pave the way for the further development of energy conversion and storage devices.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 with Ga-doping

DOE PAGES

Wei, Kaya; Beauchemin, Laura; Wang, Hsin; ...

2015-08-10

Gallium doped Cu 2ZnSnSe 4 quaternary chalcogenides with and without excess Cu were synthesized by elemental reaction and densified using hot pressing in order to investigate their high temperature thermoelectric properties. The resistivity, , and Seebeck coefficient, S, for these materials decrease with increased Ga-doping while both mobility and effective mass increase with Ga doping. The power factor (S 2/ρ) therefore increases with Ga-doping. The highest thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT = 0.39 at 700 K) was obtained for the composition that had the lowest thermal conductivity. Our results suggest an approach to achieving optimized thermoelectric properties and are partmore » of the continuing effort to explore different quaternary chalcogenide compositions and structure types, as this class of materials continues to be of interest for thermoelectrics applications.« less

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shivakumar, Kunigal; Argade, Shyam

2003-01-01

This report presents a critical review of the processing techniques for fabricating continuous fiber-reinforced CMCs for possible applications at elevated temperatures. Some of the issues affecting durability of the composite materials such as fiber coatings and cracking of the matrix because of shrinkage in PIP-process are also examined. An assessment of the potential inexpensive processes is also provided. Finally three potential routes of manufacturing C/SiC composites using a technology that NC A&T developed for carbon/carbon composites are outlined. Challenges that will be encountered are also listed.

Flexible Graphene Composites for Human Space Flight Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sosa, Edward D.

2013-01-01

Graphene oxide allows for better dispersion stability in aqueous and organic solvents. Stabilizers provide dispersion of pristine graphene. Roll coating provide the best coverage of polyurethane sheets. Graphene and GO coated polyurethane used to fabricate flexible laminate composite. Permeation testing indicates that pristine graphene acts as a better gas barrier material. Continuous graphene films are expected to provide even better gas barrier properties.

Multi-Ferroic Polymer Nanoparticle Composites for Next Generation Metamaterials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-28

particle size of magnetite nanoparticles. The PI will continue to develop composites that could be utilized for developing high- bandwidth radio frequency...to improve the efficiency and decrease the size of the device. High performance stretchable magneto-dielectric materials can be accomplished using...nanoparticles oxidize at dimensions smaller than the critical size for superparamagnetic to ferromagnetic transition, which is essential for minimal

Preparation and electrochemical properties of core-shell carbon coated Mn-Sn complex metal oxide as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruixue; Fang, Guoqing; Liu, Weiwei; Xia, Bingbo; Sun, Hongdan; Zheng, Junwei; Li, Decheng

2014-02-01

In this study, we synthesized a carbon coated Mn-Sn metal oxide composite with core-shell structure (MTO@C) via a simple glucose hydrothermal reaction and subsequent carbonization approach. When the MTO@C composite was applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it maintained a reversible capacity of 409 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g-1. The uniformed and continuous carbon layer formed on the MTO nanoparticles, effectively buffered the volumetric change of the active material and increased electronic conductivity, which thus prolonged the cycling performance of the MTO@C electrode.

Design Analysis and Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue of a Polyimide Composite for Combustion Chamber Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thesken, J. C.; Melis, M.; Shin, E.; Sutter, J.; Burke, Chris

2004-01-01

Polyimide composites are being evaluated for use in lightweight support structures designed to preserve the ideal flow geometry within thin shell combustion chambers of future space launch propulsion systems. Principles of lightweight design and innovative manufacturing techniques have yielded a sandwich structure with an outer face sheet of carbon fiber polyimide matrix composite. While the continuous carbon fiber enables laminated skin of high specific stiffness; the polyimide matrix materials ensure that the rigidity and durability is maintained at operation temperatures of 316 C. Significant weight savings over all metal support structures are expected. The protypical structure is the result of ongoing collaboration, between Boeing and NASA-GRC seeking to introduce polyimide composites to the harsh environmental and loads familiar to space launch propulsion systems. Design trade analyses were carried out using relevant closed form solutions, approximations for sandwich beams/panels and finite element analysis. Analyses confirm the significant thermal stresses exist when combining materials whose coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) differ by a factor of about 10 for materials such as a polymer composite and metallic structures. The ramifications on design and manufacturing alternatives are reviewed and discussed. Due to stringent durability and safety requirements, serious consideration is being given to the synergistic effects of temperature and mechanical loads. The candidate structure operates at 316 C, about 80% of the glass transition temperature T(sub g). Earlier thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) investigations of chopped fiber polyimide composites made this near to T(sub g), showed that cyclic temperature and stress promoted excessive creep damage and strain accumulation. Here it is important to verify that such response is limited in continuous fiber laminates.

Mechanical property characterization of polymeric composites reinforced by continuous microfibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubayar, Ali

Innumerable experimental works have been conducted to study the effect of polymerization on the potential properties of the composites. Experimental techniques are employed to understand the effects of various fibers, their volume fractions and matrix properties in polymer composites. However, these experiments require fabrication of various composites which are time consuming and cost prohibitive. Advances in computational micromechanics allow us to study the various polymer based composites by using finite element simulations. The mechanical properties of continuous fiber composite strands are directional. In traditional continuous fiber laminated composites, all fibers lie in the same plane. This provides very desirable increases in the in-plane mechanical properties, but little in the transverse mechanical properties. The effect of different fiber/matrix combinations with various orientations is also available. Overall mechanical properties of different micro continuous fiber reinforced composites with orthogonal geometry are still unavailable in the contemporary research field. In this research, the mechanical properties of advanced polymeric composite reinforced by continuous micro fiber will be characterized based on analytical investigation and FE computational modeling. Initially, we have chosen IM7/PEEK, Carbon Fiber/Nylon 6, and Carbon Fiber/Epoxy as three different case study materials for analysis. To obtain the equivalent properties of the micro-hetero structures, a concept of micro-scale representative volume elements (RVEs) is introduced. Five types of micro scale RVEs (3 square and 2 hexagonal) containing a continuous micro fiber in the polymer matrix were designed. Uniaxial tensile, lateral expansion and transverse shear tests on each RVE were designed and conducted by the finite element computer modeling software ANSYS. The formulae based on elasticity theory were derived for extracting the equivalent mechanical properties (Young's moduli, shear moduli, and Poisson's ratios) from the numerical solutions of the RVEs undergone these three load tests. Validation of the obtained micro-scale mechanical properties will be performed using rule of mixture (ROM), 1st, and 2nd order of the mathematical model and experimental data.

Draftsmen Create a Blade Template in the Materials and Stresses Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1953-04-21

Draftsmen in the Materials and Stresses Building at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory create a template for a compressor using actual compressor blades. The Compressor and Turbine Division contained four sections of researchers dedicated to creating better engine components. The Materials and Thermodynamics Division studied the strength, durability, heat transfer characteristics, and physical composition of various materials. The two divisions were important to the research and development of new aircraft engines. The constant battle to increase the engine’s thrust while decreasing its overall weight resulted in additional stress on jet engine components, particularly compressors. As speed and maneuverability were enhanced, the strain on the engines and inlets grew. For decades NACA Lewis researchers continually sought to improve compressor blade design, develop stronger composite materials, and minimize flutter and inlet distortions.

Neutron and gamma radiation shielding material, structure, and process of making structure

DOEpatents

Hondorp, Hugh L.

1984-01-01

The present invention is directed to a novel neutron and gamma radiation elding material consisting of 95 to 97 percent by weight SiO.sub.2 and 5 to 3 percent by weight sodium silicate. In addition, the method of using this composition to provide a continuous neutron and gamma radiation shielding structure is disclosed.

ON THE DEGREE OF CONVERSION AND COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION OF A SINGLE FIBER COMPOSITE USING A FBG SENSOR

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lai, M.; Botsis, J.; Coric, D.

2008-08-28

The increasing needs of extending the lifetime in high-technology fields, such as space and aerospace, rail transport and naval systems, require quality enhancing of the composite materials either from a processing standing point or in the sense of resistance to service conditions. It is well accepted that the final quality of composite materials and structures is strongly influenced by processing parameters like curing and post-curing temperatures, rate of heating and cooling, applied vacuum, etc. To optimize manufacturing cycles, residual strains evolution due to chemical shrinkage and other physical parameters of the constituent materials must be characterized in situ. Such knowledgemore » can lead to a sensible reduction in defects and to improved physical and mechanical properties of final products. In this context continuous monitoring of strains distribution developed during processing is important in understanding and retrieving components' and materials' characteristics such as local strains gradients, degree of curing, coefficient of thermal expansion, moisture absorption, etc.« less

The design and fabrication of highly piezoelectric polymeric composites and their use in responsive devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baur, Cary Allen

In this work, novel approaches to the design of highly piezoelectric and flexible polymer composites were explored. Diverging from past work focused on the addition of piezoelectric particles into polymer matrices, this research explores the ability to increase the piezoelectric performance of a host polymer through the incorporation of charge via polarizable, organic particles. The ability to insert charge into polymers, known as electrets, is well documented but widely considered impractical because of the low lifetime and temperature resistance of the inserted charge. Through the addition of particles that are polarizable, charge can be inserted into a system in a stable manner that results in highly charged materials with long lifetimes. Here, carbon structures, such as Buckminsterfullerenes (C60) and single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs), were composited into poly(vinylidene difluoride) at very low loading levels (0.05-0.25 wt%), resulting in the ability to insert stable charge into the system. We show that these highly charged systems can result in a doubling of the piezoelectric response of the host polymer when optimized. The low amount of nanoparticle filler required to improve these materials allows for the advantageous properties of the polymer matrix such as flexibility and compliance to be preserved, enabling highly piezoelectric and flexible system. This dissertation outlines research efforts towards the design and fabrication of 1) polymer composites with high piezoelectric response, 2) piezoelectric composites with increased operating temperatures, 3) motion control devices that incorporate piezoelectric materials and shape memory polymers, and 4) artificial muscles with piezoelectric polymers. The piezoelectric polymer composites developed in this work have potential to be utilized as highly efficient, flexible energy harvesters that can be used to capture ambient energy from environmental vibrations and motion from the human body. As actuators, these materials may find use as rapid-response muscle replacements in legs, arms, fingers, or toes. As sensors, such devices may provide electrical impulses capable of sensing small vibrations due to structural damage or movements. There is a wide range of applications for flexible piezoelectric materials that will continue to expand as technologies in monitoring, energy harvesting, and motion control continue to develop.

The Effect of Fiber Strength Stochastics and Local Fiber Volume Fraction on Multiscale Progressive Failure of Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricks, Trenton M.; Lacy, Jr., Thomas E.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2013-01-01

Continuous fiber unidirectional polymer matrix composites (PMCs) can exhibit significant local variations in fiber volume fraction as a result of processing conditions that can lead to further local differences in material properties and failure behavior. In this work, the coupled effects of both local variations in fiber volume fraction and the empirically-based statistical distribution of fiber strengths on the predicted longitudinal modulus and local tensile strength of a unidirectional AS4 carbon fiber/ Hercules 3502 epoxy composite were investigated using the special purpose NASA Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC); local effective composite properties were obtained by homogenizing the material behavior over repeating units cells (RUCs). The predicted effective longitudinal modulus was relatively insensitive to small (8%) variations in local fiber volume fraction. The composite tensile strength, however, was highly dependent on the local distribution in fiber strengths. The RUC-averaged constitutive response can be used to characterize lower length scale material behavior within a multiscale analysis framework that couples the NASA code FEAMAC and the ABAQUS finite element solver. Such an approach can be effectively used to analyze the progressive failure of PMC structures whose failure initiates at the RUC level. Consideration of the effect of local variations in constituent properties and morphologies on progressive failure of PMCs is a central aspect of the application of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) principles for composite materials.

Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor for Composite Damage Detection and Diagnosis in Aircraft Lightning Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Chuantong; Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.

2012-01-01

Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage and empennage structures, control surfaces and coverings. However, the potential damage from the direct and indirect effects of lightning strikes is of increased concern to aircraft designers and operators. When a lightning strike occurs, the points of attachment and detachment on the aircraft surface must be found by visual inspection, and then assessed for damage by maintenance personnel to ensure continued safe flight operations. In this paper, a new method and system for aircraft in-situ damage detection and diagnosis are presented. The method and system are based on open circuit (SansEC) sensor technology developed at NASA Langley Research Center. SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect damage in composite materials. Damage in composite material is generally associated with a localized change in material permittivity and/or conductivity. These changes are sensed using SansEC. Unique electrical signatures are used for damage detection and diagnosis. NASA LaRC has both experimentally and theoretically demonstrated that SansEC sensors can be effectively used for in-situ composite damage detection.

Process for the deposition of high temperature stress and oxidation resistant coatings on silicon-based substrates

DOEpatents

Sarin, V.K.

1991-07-30

A process is disclosed for depositing a high temperature stress and oxidation resistant coating on a silicon nitride- or silicon carbide-based substrate body. A gas mixture is passed over the substrate at about 900--1500 C and about 1 torr to about ambient pressure. The gas mixture includes one or more halide vapors with other suitable reactant gases. The partial pressure ratios, flow rates, and process times are sufficient to deposit a continuous, fully dense, adherent coating. The halide and other reactant gases are gradually varied during deposition so that the coating is a graded coating of at least two layers. Each layer is a graded layer changing in composition from the material over which it is deposited to the material of the layer and further to the material, if any, deposited thereon, so that no clearly defined compositional interfaces exist. The gases and their partial pressures are varied according to a predetermined time schedule and the halide and other reactant gases are selected so that the layers include (a) an adherent, continuous intermediate layer about 0.5-20 microns thick of an aluminum nitride or an aluminum oxynitride material, over and chemically bonded to the substrate body, and (b) an adherent, continuous first outer layer about 0.5-900 microns thick including an oxide of aluminum or zirconium over and chemically bonded to the intermediate layer.

Process for the deposition of high temperature stress and oxidation resistant coatings on silicon-based substrates

DOEpatents

Sarin, Vinod K.

1991-01-01

A process for depositing a high temperature stress and oxidation resistant coating on a silicon nitride- or silicon carbide-based substrate body. A gas mixture is passed over the substrate at about 900.degree.-1500.degree. C. and about 1 torr to about ambient pressure. The gas mixture includes one or more halide vapors with other suitable reactant gases. The partial pressure ratios, flow rates, and process times are sufficient to deposit a continuous, fully dense, adherent coating. The halide and other reactant gases are gradually varied during deposition so that the coating is a graded coating of at least two layers. Each layer is a graded layer changing in composition from the material over which it is deposited to the material of the layer and further to the material, if any, deposited thereon, so that no clearly defined compositional interfaces exist. The gases and their partial pressures are varied according to a predetermined time schedule and the halide and other reactant gases are selected so that the layers include (a) an adherent, continuous intermediate layer about 0.5-20 microns thick of an aluminum nitride or an aluminum oxynitride material, over and chemically bonded to the substrate body, and (b) an adherent, continuous first outer layer about 0.5-900 microns thick including an oxide of aluminum or zirconium over and chemically bonded to the intermediate layer.

Terahertz cascades from nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnardottir, K. B.; Liew, T. C. H.

2018-05-01

In this article we propose a system capable of terahertz (THz) radiation with quantum yield above unity. The system consists of nanoparticles where the material composition varies along the radial direction of each nanoparticle in such a way that a ladder of equidistant energy levels emerges. By then exciting the highest level of this ladder we produce multiple photons of the same frequency in the THz range. We demonstrate how we can calculate a continuous material composition profile that achieves a high quantum yield and then show that a more experimentally friendly design of a multishell nanoparticle can still result in a high quantum yield.

STS-87 Day 11 Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

On this eleventh day of the STS-87 mission, the flight crew, Cmdr. Kevin R. Kregel, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Winston E. Scott, Kalpana Chawla, and Takao Doi, and Payload Specialist Leonid K. Kadenyuk continue to look at how plant growth and composite materials are affected by microgravity. The astronauts will use the Middeck Globebox Facility to process samples for the Particle Engulfment and Pushing by a Solid/Liquid Interface experiment. PEP is studying the formation of composite materials, attempting to accurately map the roles of gravity-induced convection and sedimentation in the process by removing the gravity from the equation.

Antibacterial and antibiofouling clay nanotube-silicone composite.

PubMed

Boyer, C J; Ambrose, J; Das, S; Humayun, A; Chappidi, D; Giorno, R; Mills, D K

2018-01-01

Invasive medical devices are used in treating millions of patients each day. Bacterial adherence to their surface is an early step in biofilm formation that may lead to infection, health complications, longer hospital stays, and death. Prevention of bacterial adherence and biofilm development continues to be a major healthcare challenge. Accordingly, there is a pressing need to improve the anti-microbial properties of medical devices. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was doped with halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), and the PDMS-HNT composite surfaces were coated with PDMS-b-polyethylene oxide (PEO) and antibacterials. The composite material properties were examined using SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy, water contact angle measurements, tensile testing, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The antibacterial potential of the PDMS-HNT composites was compared to commercial urinary catheters using cultures of E. coli and S. aureus . Fibrinogen adsorption studies were also performed on the PDMS-HNT-PEO composites. HNT addition increased drug load during solvent swelling without reducing material strength. The hydrophilic properties provided by PEO were maintained after HNT addition, and the composites displayed protein-repelling properties. Additionally, composites showed superiority over commercial catheters at inhibiting bacterial growth. PDMS-HNT composites showed superiority regarding their efficacy at inhibiting bacterial growth, in comparison to commercial antibacterial catheters. Our data suggest that PDMS-HNT composites have potential as a coating material for anti-bacterial invasive devices and in the prevention of institutional-acquired infections.

3D bioactive composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Turnbull, Gareth; Clarke, Jon; Picard, Frédéric; Riches, Philip; Jia, Luanluan; Han, Fengxuan; Li, Bin; Shu, Wenmiao

2018-09-01

Bone is the second most commonly transplanted tissue worldwide, with over four million operations using bone grafts or bone substitute materials annually to treat bone defects. However, significant limitations affect current treatment options and clinical demand for bone grafts continues to rise due to conditions such as trauma, cancer, infection and arthritis. Developing bioactive three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds to support bone regeneration has therefore become a key area of focus within bone tissue engineering (BTE). A variety of materials and manufacturing methods including 3D printing have been used to create novel alternatives to traditional bone grafts. However, individual groups of materials including polymers, ceramics and hydrogels have been unable to fully replicate the properties of bone when used alone. Favourable material properties can be combined and bioactivity improved when groups of materials are used together in composite 3D scaffolds. This review will therefore consider the ideal properties of bioactive composite 3D scaffolds and examine recent use of polymers, hydrogels, metals, ceramics and bio-glasses in BTE. Scaffold fabrication methodology, mechanical performance, biocompatibility, bioactivity, and potential clinical translations will be discussed.

Design protocols and analytical strategies that incorporate structural reliability models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, Stephen F.

1995-01-01

In spite of great improvements in accuracy through the use of computers, design methods, which can be equally critical in establishing the commercial success of a material, have been treated as afterthoughts. Early investment in design and development technologies can easily reduce manufacturing costs later in the product cycle. To avoid lengthy product development times for ceramic composites, funding agencies for materials research must commit resources to support design and development technologies early in the material life cycle. These technologies need not focus on designing the material, rather, the technology must focus on designing with the material, i. e., developing methods to design components fabricated from the new material. Thus a basic tenet that motivated this research effort is that a persistent need exists for improvements in the analysis of components fabricated from CMC material systems. From an aerospace design engineer's perspective the new generation of ceramic composites offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NOx emissions of gas turbine engines. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for 'graceful' rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction, these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Thus any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict this type of behavior in ceramic composites was the general goal of this project.

Design protocols and analytical strategies that incorporate structural reliability models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duffy, Stephen F.

1995-08-01

In spite of great improvements in accuracy through the use of computers, design methods, which can be equally critical in establishing the commercial success of a material, have been treated as afterthoughts. Early investment in design and development technologies can easily reduce manufacturing costs later in the product cycle. To avoid lengthy product development times for ceramic composites, funding agencies for materials research must commit resources to support design and development technologies early in the material life cycle. These technologies need not focus on designing the material, rather, the technology must focus on designing with the material, i. e., developing methods to design components fabricated from the new material. Thus a basic tenet that motivated this research effort is that a persistent need exists for improvements in the analysis of components fabricated from CMC material systems. From an aerospace design engineer's perspective the new generation of ceramic composites offers a significant potential for raising the thrust/weight ratio and reducing NOx emissions of gas turbine engines. Continuous ceramic fiber composites exhibit an increase in work of fracture, which allows for 'graceful' rather than catastrophic failure. When loaded in the fiber direction, these composites retain substantial strength capacity beyond the initiation of transverse matrix cracking despite the fact that neither of its constituents would exhibit such behavior if tested alone. As additional load is applied beyond first matrix cracking, the matrix tends to break in a series of cracks bridged by the ceramic fibers. Thus any additional load is born increasingly by the fibers until the ultimate strength of the composite is reached. Establishing design protocols that enable the engineer to analyze and predict this type of behavior in ceramic composites was the general goal of this project.

Evaluation of composite adhesive bonds using digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Shashi Shekhar

Advanced composite materials are widely used for many structural applications in the aerospace/aircraft industries today. Joining of composite structures using adhesive bonding offers several advantages over traditional fastening methods. However, this technique is not yet employed for fastening the primary structures of aircrafts or space vehicles. There are several reasons for this: There are not any reliable non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods that can quantify the strength of the bonds, and there are no certifications of quality assurance for inspecting the bond quality. Therefore, there is a significant need for an effective, reliable, easy to use NDE method for the analysis of composite adhesive joints. This research aimed to investigate an adhesively bonded composite-aluminum joints of variable bond strength using digital image correlation (DIC). There are many future possibilities in continuing this research work. As the application of composite materials and adhesive bond are increasing rapidly, the reliability of the composite structures using adhesive bond should quantified. Hence a lot of similar research using various adhesive bonds and materials can be conducted for characterizing the behavior of adhesive bond. The results obtained from this research will set the foundation for the development of ultrasonic DIC as a nondestructive approach for the evaluation of adhesive bond line.

3D modelling of squeeze flow of unidirectional and fabric composite inserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghnatios, Chady; Abisset-Chavanne, Emmanuelle; Chinesta, Francisco; Keunings, Roland

2016-10-01

The enhanced design flexibility provided to the thermo-forming of thermoplastic materials arises from the use of both continuous and discontinuous thermoplastic prepregs. Discontinuous prepregs are patches used to locally strengthen the part. In this paper, we propose a new modelling approach for suspensions involving composite patches that uses theoretical concepts related to discontinuous fibres suspensions, transversally isotropic fluids and extended dumbbell models.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000C. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200C, beta-SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Thermal and mechanical testing includes oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing.

Processing and Characterization of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Composites for High Temperature Applications Using Polymer Precursors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, Sarah B.; Lui, Donovan; Wang, Xin; Gou, Jihua

2014-01-01

The development of high temperature structural composite materials has been very limited due to the high cost of the materials and the processing needed. Ceramics can take much higher temperatures, but they are difficult to produce and form in bulk volumes. Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) begin as a polymer matrix, allowing a shape to be formed and cured and then to be pyrolized in order to obtain a ceramic with the associated thermal and mechanical properties. The two PDCs used in this development are polysiloxane and polycarbosilane. Polysiloxanes contain a silicon oxycarbide backbone when pyrolized up to 1000 deg C. Polycarbosilane, an organosilicon polymer, contain a silicon-carbon backbone; around 1200 deg C, Beta-SiC begins to crystallize. The use of basalt in structural and high temperature applications has been under development for over 50 years, yet there has been little published research on the incorporation of basalt fibers as a reinforcement in composites. Basalt is a naturally occurring material found in volcanic rock. Continuous basalt fiber reinforced PDCs have been fabricated and tested for the applicability of this composite system as a high temperature structural composite material. Thermal and mechanical testing includes oxyacetylene torch testing and three point bend testing.

46 CFR 160.174-17 - Approval testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... water. After one hour the membrane must continue to support the column of water with no leakage. (f... the exterior of the aid must be tested. Any material that is a composite formed of two or more...

46 CFR 160.174-17 - Approval testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... water. After one hour the membrane must continue to support the column of water with no leakage. (f... the exterior of the aid must be tested. Any material that is a composite formed of two or more...

46 CFR 160.174-17 - Approval testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... water. After one hour the membrane must continue to support the column of water with no leakage. (f... the exterior of the aid must be tested. Any material that is a composite formed of two or more...

46 CFR 160.174-17 - Approval testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... water. After one hour the membrane must continue to support the column of water with no leakage. (f... the exterior of the aid must be tested. Any material that is a composite formed of two or more...

46 CFR 160.174-17 - Approval testing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... water. After one hour the membrane must continue to support the column of water with no leakage. (f... the exterior of the aid must be tested. Any material that is a composite formed of two or more...

A Spatially Continuous Model of Carbohydrate Digestion and Transport Processes in the Colon

PubMed Central

Moorthy, Arun S.; Brooks, Stephen P. J.; Kalmokoff, Martin; Eberl, Hermann J.

2015-01-01

A spatially continuous mathematical model of transport processes, anaerobic digestion and microbial complexity as would be expected in the human colon is presented. The model is a system of first-order partial differential equations with context determined number of dependent variables, and stiff, non-linear source terms. Numerical simulation of the model is used to elucidate information about the colon-microbiota complex. It is found that the composition of materials on outflow of the model does not well-describe the composition of material in other model locations, and inferences using outflow data varies according to model reactor representation. Additionally, increased microbial complexity allows the total microbial community to withstand major system perturbations in diet and community structure. However, distribution of strains and functional groups within the microbial community can be modified depending on perturbation length and microbial kinetic parameters. Preliminary model extensions and potential investigative opportunities using the computational model are discussed. PMID:26680208

Thermal Fatigue Limitations of Continuous Fiber Metal Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halford, Gary R.; Arya, Vinod K.

1997-01-01

The potential structural benefits of unidirectional, continuous-fiber, metal matrix composites (MMC's) are legendary. When compared to their monolithic matrices, MMC's possess superior properties such as higher stiffness and tensile strength, and lower coefficient of thermal expansion in the direction of the reinforcing fibers. As an added bonus, the MMC density will be lower if the fibers are less dense than the matrix matErial they replace. The potential has been demonstrated unequivocally both analytically and experimentally, especially at ambient temperatures. Successes prompted heavily-funded National efforts within the United States (USAF and NASA) and elsewhere to extend the promise of MMC's into the temperature regime wherein creep, stress relaxation, oxidation, and thermal fatigue damage mechanisms lurk. This is the very regime for which alternative high-temperature materials are becoming mandatory, since further enhancement of state- of-the-art monolithic alloys is rapidly approaching a point of diminishing returns.

Method for grinding precision components

DOEpatents

Ramanath, Srinivasan; Kuo, Shih Yee; Williston, William H.; Buljan, Sergej-Tomislav

2000-01-01

A method for precision cylindrical grinding of hard brittle materials, such as ceramics or glass and composites comprising ceramics or glass, provides material removal rates as high as 19-380 cm.sup.3 /min/cm. The abrasive tools used in the method comprise a strong, light weight wheel core bonded to a continuous rim of abrasive segments containing superabrasive grain in a dense metal bond matrix.

An Investigation of Fiber Reinforced Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramic Composites at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Ding, Zhu; Li, Yu-Yu; Lu, Can; Liu, Jian

2018-05-21

In this study, chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC) fiber reinforced composites were made at indoor temperatures. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the CBPC composites were studied. The CBPC matrix of aluminum phosphate binder, metakaolin, and magnesia with different Si/P ratios was prepared. The results show that when the Si/P ratio was 1.2, and magnesia content in the CBPC was 15%, CBPC reached its maximum flexural strength. The fiber reinforced CBPC composites were prepared by mixing short polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers or unidirectional continuous carbon fiber sheets. Flexural strength and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites were determined, and the microstructures of specimens were analyzed by scanning electron micrography, X-ray diffraction, and micro X-ray computed tomography. The flexural performance of continuous carbon fiber reinforced CBPC composites was better than that of PVA fiber composites. The elastic modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor of the fiber composites were measured through dynamic mechanical analysis. The results showed that fiber reinforced CBPC composites are an inorganic polymer viscoelastic material with excellent damping properties. The reaction of magnesia and phosphate in the matrix of CBPC formed a different mineral, newberyite, which was beneficial to the development of the CBPC.

Low-shrink composite resins: a review of their history, strategies for managing shrinkage, and clinical significance.

PubMed

Pitel, Mark L

2013-09-01

Despite numerous advances in composite resin technology over the course of many decades, shrinkage behavior and the resultant stresses inherent to direct placed composite restorations continue to challenge clinicians. This overview of composite resins includes a review of their history and development along with a discussion of strategies for reducing polymerization shrinkage. An assessment of the clinical significance of these materials is also provided, including a discussion of the differences between polymerization shrinkage and stress, incremental layering versus bulk placement, and the emergence of lower shrinkage stress monomer chemistry.

Fabrication and microstructures of functional gradient SiBCN–Nb composite by hot pressing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Min, E-mail: lcxsunmin@163.com; Fu, Ruoyu; Chen, Jun

2016-04-15

A functional gradient material with five layers composed of SiBCN ceramic and niobium (Nb) was prepared successfully by hot pressing. The phase composition, morphology features and microstructures were investigated in each layer of the gradient material. The Nb-containing compounds involving NbC, Nb{sub 6}C{sub 5}, Nb{sub 4}C{sub 3}, Nb{sub 5}Si{sub 3} and NbN increase with the volume fraction of Nb increasing in the sub-layer. They are randomly scattered (≤ 25 vol.% Nb), then strip-like, and finally distribute continuously (≥ 75 vol.% Nb). The size of BN(C) and SiC grains in Nb-containing layers is larger than in 100% SiBCN layer due tomore » the loss of the capsule-like structures. No distinct interfaces form in the transition regions indicating the gradual changes in phase composition and microstructures. - Highlights: • A functional gradient SiBCN–Nb material was prepared successfully by hot pressing. • Phase composition, morphology features and microstructures were investigated. • Thermodynamic calculation was used to aid in the phase analysis. • No distinct interfaces form typical of the functional gradient material.« less

Composite Nozzle/Thrust Chambers Analyzed for Low-Cost Boosters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Roy M.

1999-01-01

The Low Cost Booster Technology Program is an initiative to minimize the cost of future liquid engines by using advanced materials and innovative designs, and by reducing engine complexity. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center s 60K FASTRAC Engine is one example where these design philosophies have been put into practice. This engine burns a liquid kerosene/oxygen mixture. It uses a one-piece, polymer composite thrust chamber/nozzle that is constructed of a tape-wrapped silica phenolic liner, a metallic injector interface ring, and a filament-wound epoxy overwrap. A cooperative effort between NASA Lewis Research Center s Structures Division and Marshall is underway to perform a finite element analysis of the FASTRAC chamber/nozzle under all the loading and environmental conditions that it will experience during its lifetime. The chamber/nozzle is a complex composite structure. Of its three different materials, the two composite components have distinctly different fiber architectures and, consequently, require separate material model descriptions. Since the liner is tape wrapped, it is orthotropic in the nozzle global coordinates; and since the overwrap is filament wound, it is treated as a monoclinic material. Furthermore, the wind angle on the overwrap varies continuously along the length of the chamber/nozzle.

Facile construction of 3D graphene/MoS2 composites as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Tianhua; Li, Zhangpeng; Liu, Xiaohong; Ma, Limin; Wang, Jinqing; Yang, Shengrong

2016-11-01

Flower-like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) microstructures are synthesized based on three-dimensional graphene (3DG) skeleton via a simple and facile one-step hydrothermal method, aiming at constructing series of novel composite electrode materials of 3DG/MoS2 with high electrochemical performances for supercapacitors. The electrochemical properties of the samples are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests. Specifically, the optimal 3DG/MoS2 composite exhibits remarkable performances with a high specific capacitance of 410 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and an excellent cycling stability with ca. 80.3% capacitance retention after 10,000 continuous charge-discharge cycles at a high current density of 2 A g-1, making it adaptive for high-performance supercapacitors. The enhanced electrochemical performances can be ascribed to the combination of 3DG and flower-like MoS2, which provides excellent charge transfer network and electrolyte diffusion channels while effectively prevents the collapse, aggregation and morphology change of active materials during charge-discharge process. The results demonstrate that 3DG/MoS2 composite is one of the attractive electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Particulate Titanium Matrix Composites Tested-Show Promise for Space Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thesken, John C.; Lerch, Bradley A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2003-01-01

New manufacturing technologies can now produce uniformly distributed particle strengthened titanium matrix composites (TMCs) at lower cost than many types of continuous-fiber composites. The innovative process results in near-final-shape components having a material stiffness up to 26-percent greater than that of components made with conventional titanium materials. This benefit is achieved with no significant increase in the weight of the component. The improved mechanical performance and low-cost manufacturing capability motivated a review of particulate-reinforced metal composite technology as a way to lower the cost and weight of space-access propulsion systems. Focusing on the elevated-temperature properties of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V as the matrix material, researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center conducted experiments to verify the improved performance of the alloy containing 10 wt% of ceramic titanium carbide (TiC) particles. The appropriate blend of metal and ceramic powder underwent a series of cold and hot isostatic pressing procedures to yield bar stock. A set of round dogbone specimens was manufactured from a small sample of the bars. The TMC material proved to have good machinability at this particle concentration as there was no difficulty in producing high-quality specimens.

Environmental exposure effects on composite materials for commercial aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coggeshall, R. L.

1985-01-01

The effects of environmental exposure on composite materials are determined. The environments considered are representative of those experienced by commercial jet aircraft. Initial results have been compiled for the following material systems: T300/5208, T300/5209, and T300/934. Future results will include AS-1/3501-6 and Kevlar 49/F161-188. Specimens are exposed on the exterior and interior of 737 airplanes of three airlines, and to continuous ground-level exposure at four locations. In addition, specimens are exposed in the laboratory to conditions such as: simulated ground-air-ground, weatherometer, and moisture. Residual strength results are presented for specimens exposed for up to five years at five ground-level exposure locations and on airplanes from one airline.

Comprehensive Micromechanics-Analysis Code - Version 4.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, S. M.; Bednarcyk, B. A.

2005-01-01

Version 4.0 of the Micromechanics Analysis Code With Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) has been developed as an improved means of computational simulation of advanced composite materials. The previous version of MAC/GMC was described in "Comprehensive Micromechanics-Analysis Code" (LEW-16870), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 6 (June 2000), page 38. To recapitulate: MAC/GMC is a computer program that predicts the elastic and inelastic thermomechanical responses of continuous and discontinuous composite materials with arbitrary internal microstructures and reinforcement shapes. The predictive capability of MAC/GMC rests on a model known as the generalized method of cells (GMC) - a continuum-based model of micromechanics that provides closed-form expressions for the macroscopic response of a composite material in terms of the properties, sizes, shapes, and responses of the individual constituents or phases that make up the material. Enhancements in version 4.0 include a capability for modeling thermomechanically and electromagnetically coupled ("smart") materials; a more-accurate (high-fidelity) version of the GMC; a capability to simulate discontinuous plies within a laminate; additional constitutive models of materials; expanded yield-surface-analysis capabilities; and expanded failure-analysis and life-prediction capabilities on both the microscopic and macroscopic scales.

Key technologies for manufacturing and processing sheet materials: A global perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demeri, Mahmoud Y.

2001-02-01

Modern industrial technologies continue to seek new materials and processes to produce products that meet design and functional requirements. Sheet materials made from ferrous and non-ferrous metals, laminates, composites, and reinforced plastics constitute a large percentage of today’s products, components, and systems. Major manufacturers of sheet products include automotive, aerospace, appliance, and food-packaging industries. The Second Global Symposium on Innovations in Materials Processing & Manufacturing: Sheet Materials is organized to provide a forum for presenting advances in sheet processing and manufacturing by worldwide researchers and engineers from industrial, research, and academic centers. The symposium, sponsored by the TMS Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division (MPMD), was planned for the 2001 TMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 11 15, 2001. This article is a review of key papers submitted for publication in the concurrent volume. The selected papers present significant developments in the rapidly expanding areas of advanced sheet materials, innovative forming methods, industrial applications, primary and secondary processing, composite processing, and numerical modeling of manufacturing processes.

Doped SnO₂ transparent conductive multilayer thin films explored by continuous composition spread.

PubMed

Lee, Jin Ju; Ha, Jong-Yoon; Choi, Won-Kook; Cho, Yong Soo; Choi, Ji-Won

2015-04-13

Mn-doped SnO₂ thin films were fabricated by a continuous composition spread (CCS) method on a glass substrate at room temperature to find optimized compositions. The fabricated materials were found to have a lower resistivity than pure SnO₂ thin films because of oxygen vacancies generated by Mn doping. As Mn content was increased, resistivity was found to decrease for limited doping concentrations. The minimum thin film resistivity was 0.29 Ω-cm for a composition of 2.59 wt % Mn-doped SnO₂. The Sn-O vibrational stretching frequency in FT-IR showed a blue shift, consistent with oxygen deficiency. Mn-doped SnO₂/Ag/Mn-doped SnO₂ multilayer structures were fabricated using this optimized composition deposited by an on-axis radio frequency (RF) sputter. The multilayer transparent conducting oxide film had a resistivity of 7.35 × 10⁻⁵ Ω-cm and an average transmittance above 86% in the 550 nm wavelength region.

Process-Parameter-Dependent Optical and Structural Properties of ZrO2MgO Mixed-Composite Films Evaporated from the solid Solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sahoo, N. K.; Shapiro, A. P.

1998-01-01

The process-parameter-dependent optical and structural properties of ZrO2MgO mixed-composite material have been investigated. Optical properties were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. By use of atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis, and energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis, the surface morphology, grain size distributions, crystallographic phases, and process-dependent material composition of films have been investigated. EDX analysis made evident the correlation between the oxygen enrichment in the films prepared at a high level of oxygen pressure and the very low refractive index. Since oxygen pressure can be dynamically varied during a deposition process, coatings constructed of suitable mixed-composite thin films can benefit from continuous modulation of the index of refraction. A step modulation approach is used to develop various multilayer-equivalent thin-film devices.

Thermal behavior of silicone rubber-based ceramizable composites characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and microcalorimetry.

PubMed

Anyszka, Rafał; Bieliński, Dariusz M; Jędrzejczyk, Marcin

2013-12-01

Ceramizable (ceramifiable) silicone rubber-based composites are commonly used for cable insulation. These materials are able to create a protective ceramic layer during fire due to the ceramization process, which occurs at high temperature. When the temperature is increased, the polymer matrix is degraded and filler particles stick together by the fluxing agent, producing a solid, continuous ceramic phase that protects the copper wire from heat and mechanical stress. Despite increasing interest in these materials that has resulted in growing applications in the cable industry, their thermal behavior and ceramization process are still insufficiently described in the literature. In this paper, the thermal behavior of ceramizable silicone rubber-based composites is studied using microcalorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The analysis of the experimental data made it possible to develop complete information on the mechanism of composite ceramization.

A mass reduction effort of the electric and hybrid vehicle. [composite door panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freeman, R. B.; Jahnle, H. A.

1980-01-01

Weight reduction, cost competitiveness, and elimination of the intrusion beam resulted from the redesign and fabrication using composite materials of the door outer panel and intrusion beam from a Chevrolet Impala. The basis of the redesign involved replacing these two steel parts with a single compression molding using the unique approach of simultaneously curing a sheet molding compound outside panel with a continuous glass fiber intrusion strap. A weight reduction of nearly 11 pounds per door was achieved. Additional weight savings are possible by taking advantage of the elimination of the intrusion beam to design thinner door structures. The parts consolidation approach allows the composite structure to be cost competitive with the original steel design for both the lower production car models and for the near to midterm production vehicles using current state of the art composite production techniques. The design, prototype fabrication, costing, material, properties and compression molding production requirements are discussed.

Fabrication of COF-MOF Composite Membranes and Their Highly Selective Separation of H2/CO2.

PubMed

Fu, Jingru; Das, Saikat; Xing, Guolong; Ben, Teng; Valtchev, Valentin; Qiu, Shilun

2016-06-22

The search for new types of membrane materials has been of continuous interest in both academia and industry, given their importance in a plethora of applications, particularly for energy-efficient separation technology. In this contribution, we demonstrate for the first time that a metal-organic framework (MOF) can be grown on the covalent-organic framework (COF) membrane to fabricate COF-MOF composite membranes. The resultant COF-MOF composite membranes demonstrate higher separation selectivity of H2/CO2 gas mixtures than the individual COF and MOF membranes. A sound proof for the synergy between two porous materials is the fact that the COF-MOF composite membranes surpass the Robeson upper bound of polymer membranes for mixture separation of a H2/CO2 gas pair and are among the best gas separation MOF membranes reported thus far.

Fabrication of microscale materials with programmable composition gradients.

PubMed

Laval, Cédric; Bouchaudy, Anne; Salmon, Jean-Baptiste

2016-04-07

We present an original microfluidic technique coupling pervaporation and the use of Quake valves to fabricate microscale materials (∼10 × 100 μm(2) × 1 cm) with composition gradients along their longest dimension. Our device exploits pervaporation of water through a thin poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) membrane to continuously pump solutions (or dispersions) contained in different reservoirs connected to a microfluidic channel. This pervaporation-induced flow concentrates solutes (or particles) at the tip of the channel up to the formation of a dense material. The latter invades the channel as it is constantly enriched by an incoming flux of solutes/particles. Upstream Quake valves are used to select which reservoir is connected to the pervaporation channel and thus which solution (or dispersion) enriches the material during its growth. The microfluidic configuration of the pervaporation process is used to impose controlled growth along the channel thus enabling one to program spatial composition gradients using appropriate actuations of the valves. We demonstrate the possibilities offered by our technique through the fabrication of dense assemblies of nanoparticles and polymer composites with programmed gradients of fluorescent dyes. We also address the key issue of the spatial resolution of our gradients and we show that well-defined spatial modulations down to ≈50 μm can be obtained within colloidal materials, whereas gradients within polymer materials are resolved on length scales down to ≈1 mm due to molecular diffusion.

Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of different silage crops: VFAs formation, methane yield from fiber and non-fiber components and digestate composition.

PubMed

Pokój, T; Bułkowska, K; Gusiatin, Z M; Klimiuk, E; Jankowski, K J

2015-08-01

This study presents the results of long-term semi-continuous experiments on anaerobic digestion at an HRT of 45d with ten silages: 2 annual and 4 perennial crops, and 4 mixtures of annual with perennial crops. The composition of substrates and digestates was determined with Van Soest's fractionation method. Removal of non-fiber materials ranged from 49.4% (Miscanthus sacchariflorus) to 89.3% (Zea mays alone and mixed with M. sacchariflorus), that of fiber materials like lignin ranged from 0.005% (Z. mays alone and mixed with grasses at VS ratio of 90:10%) to 46.5% (Sida hermaphrodita). The lowest stability of anaerobic digestion, as confirmed by normalized data concentrations of volatile fatty acids, was reported for both miscanthuses and sugar sorghum. The methane yield coefficients for non-fiber and fiber materials were 0.3666 and 0.2556L/g, respectively. All digestate residues had high fertilizing value, especially those from mixtures of crops. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inorganic Composite Materials in Japan: Status and Trends

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

is planned with have already done some preliminary work) more sayby engineers and scientists and less on titanium and aluminide matrix compos- by...structural reliability of continued research in elevated tempera- the components. ture fiber and ceramic matrix composites. F=aMoving Blade (FRP...Forming Kawasaki 11eavy Ind with regard to these program target goals ONRFE M7 6 for carbon (CF), SiC, and boron filaments in isotropic titanium

Identifying Opportunities in the Development of Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Materials for Armor Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

a state of compression (Gooch 2002). At the same time research continues within the ceramics community to develop stronger and tougher ceramics...ARL-TR-7987 ● MAR 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Identifying Opportunities in the Development of Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC...unless so designated by other authorized documents. Citation of manufacturer’s or trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or

Advances in dental materials.

PubMed

Vaderhobli, Ram M

2011-07-01

The use of materials to rehabilitate tooth structures is constantly changing. Over the past decade, newer material processing techniques and technologies have significantly improved the dependability and predictability of dental material for clinicians. The greatest obstacle, however, is in choosing the right combination for continued success. Finding predictable approaches for successful restorative procedures has been the goal of clinical and material scientists. This article provides a broad perspective on the advances made in various classes of dental restorative materials in terms of their functionality with respect to pit and fissure sealants, glass ionomers, and dental composites. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continuation of tailored composite structures of ordered staple thermoplastic material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santare, Michael H.; Pipes, R. Byron

1992-01-01

The search for the cost effective composite structure has motivated the investigation of several approaches to develop composite structure from innovative material forms. Among the promising approaches is the conversion of a planar sheet to components of complex curvature through sheet forming or stretch forming. In both cases, the potential for material stretch in the fiber direction appears to offer a clear advantage in formability over continuous fiber systems. A framework was established which allows the simulation of the anisotropic mechanisms of deformation of long discontinuous fiber laminates wherein the matrix phase is a viscous fluid. Predictions for the effective viscosities of a hyper-anisotropic medium consisting of collimated, discontinuous fibers suspended in viscous matrix were extended to capture the characteristics of typical polymers including non-Newtonian behavior and temperature dependence. In addition, the influence of fiber misorientation was also modeled by compliance averaging to determine ensemble properties for a given orientation distribution. A design tool is presented for predicting the effect of material heterogeneity on the performance of curved composite beams such as those used in aircraft fuselage structures. Material heterogeneity can be induced during manufacturing processes such as sheet forming and stretch forming of thermoplastic composites. This heterogeneity can be introduced in the form of fiber realignment and spreading during the manufacturing process causing radial and tangential gradients in material properties. Two analysis procedures are used to solve the beam problems. The first method uses separate two-dimensional elasticity solutions for the stresses in the flange and web sections of the beam. The separate solutions are coupled by requiring that forces and displacements match section boundaries. The second method uses an approximate Rayleigh-Ritz technique to find the solutions for more complex beams. Analyses are performed for curved beams of various cross-sections loaded in pure bending and with a uniform distributed load. Preliminary results show that the geometry of the beam dictates the effect of heterogeneity on performance. The role of heterogeneity is larger in beams with a small average radius-to-depth ration, R/t, where R is the average radius of the beam and t is the difference between the inside and outside radii. Results of the anlysis are in the form of stresses and displacements and are compared to both mechanics of materials and numerical solutions obtained using finite element analysis.

Effect of Load Rate on Ultimate Tensile Strength of Ceramic Matrix Composites at Elevated Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Gyekenyesi, John P.

2001-01-01

The strengths of three continuous fiber-reinforced ceramic composites, including SiC/CAS-II, SiC/MAS-5 and SiC/SiC, were determined as a function of test rate in air at 1100 to 1200 C. All three composite materials exhibited a strong dependency of strength on test rate, similar to the behavior observed in many advanced monolithic ceramics at elevated temperatures. The application of the preloading technique as well as the prediction of life from one loading configuration (constant stress-rate) to another (constant stress loading) suggested that the overall macroscopic failure mechanism of the composites would be the one governed by a power-law type of damage evolution/accumulation, analogous to slow crack growth commonly observed in advanced monolithic ceramics. It was further found that constant stress-rate testing could be used as an alternative to life prediction test methodology even for composite materials, at least for short range of lifetimes and when ultimate strength is used as the failure criterion.

The Exploration Atmospheres Working Group's Report on Space Radiation Shielding Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barghouty, A. F.; Thibeault, S. A.

2006-01-01

This part of Exploration Atmospheres Working Group analyses focuses on the potential use of nonmetallic composites as the interior walls and structural elements exposed to the atmosphere of the spacecraft or habitat. The primary drive to consider nonmetallic, polymer-based composites as an alternative to aluminum structure is due to their superior radiation shielding properties. But as is shown in this analysis, these composites can also be made to combine superior mechanical properties with superior shielding properties. In addition, these composites can be made safe; i.e., with regard to flammability and toxicity, as well as "smart"; i.e., embedded with sensors for the continuous monitoring of material health and conditions. The analysis main conclusions are that (1) smart polymer-based composites are an enabling technology for safe and reliable exploration missions, and (2) an adaptive, synergetic systems approach is required to meet the missions requirements from structure, properties, and processes to crew health and protection for exploration missions.

Axisymmetric micromechanics of elastic-perfectly plastic fibrous composites under uniaxial tension loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jong-Won; Allen, David H.

1993-01-01

The uniaxial response of a continuous fiber elastic-perfectly plastic composite is modeled herein as a two-element composite cylinder. An axisymmetric analytical micromechanics solution is obtained for the rate-independent elastic-plastic response of the two-element composite cylinder subjected to tensile loading in the fiber direction for the case wherein the core fiber is assumed to be a transversely isotropic elastic-plastic material obeying the Tsai-Hill yield criterion, with yielding simulating fiber failure. The matrix is assumed to be an isotropic elastic-plastic material obeying the Tresca yield criterion. It is found that there are three different circumstances that depend on the fiber and matrix properties: fiber yield, followed by matrix yielding; complete matrix yield, followed by fiber yielding; and partial matrix yield, followed by fiber yielding, followed by complete matrix yield. The order in which these phenomena occur is shown to have a pronounced effect on the predicted uniaxial effective composite response.

NDE Process Development Specification for SRB Composite Nose Cap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suits, M.

1999-01-01

The Shuttle Upgrade program is a continuing improvement process to enable the Space Shuttle to be an effective space transportation vehicle for the next few decades. The Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), as a component of that system, is currently undergoing such an improvement. Advanced materials, such as composites, have given us a chance to improve performance and to reduce weight. The SRB Composite Nose Cap (CNC) program aims to replace the current aluminum nose cap, which is coated with a Thermal Protection System and poses a possible debris hazard, with a lighter, stronger, CNC. For the next 2 years, this program will evaluate the design, material selection, properties, and verification of the CNC. This particular process specification cites the methods and techniques for verifying the integrity of such a nose cap with nondestructive evaluation.

Development of Mullite Substrates and Containers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sibold, J. D.

1979-01-01

The mullite-molten silicon interaction was evaluated through fabrication of a series of bodies made with variations in density, alumina-silica ratio, and glass-crystalline ratio. The materials were tested in a sessile drop technique. None of the variations stood up to extended exposure to molten silicon sufficiently to be recommended as a container material. However, directional solidification experiments suggest that, under proper conditions, contamination of the silicon by mullite containers can be minimized. To improve an already good thermal expansion match between mullite and silicon, compositional variations were studied. Altering of the alumina-silica ratio was determined to give a continuously varying thermal expansion. A standard mullite composition was selected and substrates 40 x 4 x .040 inches were fabricated. Slotted substrates of various configurations and various compositions were also fabricated.

Fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin matrix composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Robert J. (Inventor); Chang, Glenn E. C. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

Polyimide polymer composites having a combination of enhanced thermal and mechanical properties even when subjected to service temperatures as high as 700.degree. F. are described. They comprise (a) from 10 to 50 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyimide resin prepared from 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane and (b) from 90 to 50 parts by weight of continuous reinforcing fibers, the total of (a) and (b) being 100 parts by weight. Composites based on polyimide resin formed from 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane and pyromellitic dianhydride and continuous carbon fibers retained at least about 50% of their room temperature shear strength after exposure to 700.degree. F. for a period of 16 hours in flowing air. Preferably, the thermoplastic polyimide resin is formed in situ in the composite material by thermal imidization of a corresponding amide-acid polymer prepared from 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane. It is also preferred to initially size the continuous reinforcing fibers with up to about one percent by weight of an amide-acid polymer prepared from 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane. In this way imidization at a suitable elevated temperature results in the in-situ formation of a substantially homogeneous thermoplastic matrix of the polyimide resin tightly and intimately bonded to the continuous fibers. The resultant composites tend to have optimum thermo-mechanical properties.

Density-tunable lightweight polymer composites with dual-functional ability of efficient EMI shielding and heat dissipation.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Hwan; Yu, Seunggun; Shahzad, Faisal; Kim, Woo Nyon; Park, Cheolmin; Hong, Soon Man; Koo, Chong Min

2017-09-21

Lightweight dual-functional materials with high EMI shielding performance and thermal conductivity are of great importance in modern cutting-edge applications, such as mobile electronics, automotive, aerospace, and military. Unfortunately, a clear material solution has not emerged yet. Herein, we demonstrate a simple and effective way to fabricate lightweight metal-based polymer composites with dual-functional ability of excellent EMI shielding effectiveness and thermal conductivity using expandable polymer bead-templated Cu hollow beads. The low-density Cu hollow beads (ρ ∼ 0.44 g cm -3 ) were fabricated through electroless plating of Cu on the expanded polymer beads with ultralow density (ρ ∼ 0.02 g cm -3 ). The resulting composites that formed a continuous 3D Cu network with a very small Cu content (∼9.8 vol%) exhibited excellent EMI shielding (110.7 dB at 7 GHz) and thermal conductivity (7.0 W m -1 K -1 ) with isotropic features. Moreover, the densities of the composites are tunable from 1.28 to 0.59 g cm -3 in accordance with the purpose of their applications. To the best of our knowledge, the resulting composites are the best lightweight dual-functional materials with exceptionally high EMI SE and thermal conductivity performance among synthetic polymer composites.

A CMC database for use in the next generation launch vehicles (rockets)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahanta, Kamala

1994-10-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) are being envisioned as the state-of-the-art material capable of handling the tough structural and thermal demands of advanced high temperature structures for programs such as the SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit), HSCT (High Speed Civil Transport), etc. as well as for evolution of the industrial heating systems. Particulate, whisker and continuous fiber ceramic matrix (CFCC) composites have been designed to provide fracture toughness to the advanced ceramic materials which have a high degree of wear resistance, hardness, stiffness, and heat and corrosion resistance but are notorious for their brittleness and sensitivity to microscopic flaws such as cracks, voids and impurity.

Innovative Approaches to Space-Based Manufacturing and Rapid Prototyping of Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Charles S.

2012-01-01

The ability to deploy large habitable structures, construct, and service exploration vehicles in low earth orbit will be an enabling capability for continued human exploration of the solar system. It is evident that advanced manufacturing methods to fabricate replacement parts and re-utilize launch vehicle structural mass by converting it to different uses will be necessary to minimize costs and allow flexibility to remote crews engaged in space travel. Recent conceptual developments and the combination of inter-related approaches to low-cost manufacturing of composite materials and structures are described in context leading to the possibility of on-orbit and space-based manufacturing.

A CMC database for use in the next generation launch vehicles (rockets)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahanta, Kamala

1994-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) are being envisioned as the state-of-the-art material capable of handling the tough structural and thermal demands of advanced high temperature structures for programs such as the SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit), HSCT (High Speed Civil Transport), etc. as well as for evolution of the industrial heating systems. Particulate, whisker and continuous fiber ceramic matrix (CFCC) composites have been designed to provide fracture toughness to the advanced ceramic materials which have a high degree of wear resistance, hardness, stiffness, and heat and corrosion resistance but are notorious for their brittleness and sensitivity to microscopic flaws such as cracks, voids and impurity.

Pressurized Shell Molds For Metal-Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kashalikar, Uday K.; Lusignea, Richard N.; Cornie, James

1993-01-01

Balanced-pressure molds used to make parts in complex shapes from fiber-reinforced metal-matrix composite materials. In single step, molding process makes parts in nearly final shapes; only minor finishing needed. Because molding pressure same on inside and outside, mold does not have to be especially strong and can be made of cheap, nonstructural material like glass or graphite. Fibers do not have to be cut to conform to molds. Method produces parts with high content of continuous fibers. Parts stiff but light in weight, and coefficients of thermal expansion adjusted. Parts resistant to mechanical and thermal fatigue superior to similar parts made by prior fabrication methods.

Materials Research Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stofan, Andrew J.

1986-01-01

Lewis Research Center, in partnership with U.S. industry and academia, has long been a major force in developing advanced aerospace propulsion and power systems. One key aspect that made many of these systems possible has been the availability of high-performance, reliable, and long-life materials. To assure a continuing flow of new materials and processing concepts, basic understanding to guide such innovation, and technological support for development of major NASA systems, Lewis has supported a strong in-house materials research activity. Our researchers have discovered new alloys, polymers, metallic composites, ceramics, coatings, processing techniques, etc., which are now also in use by U.S. industry. This brochure highlights selected past accomplishments of our materials research and technology staff. It also provides many examples of the facilities available with which we can conduct materials research. The nation is now beginning to consider integrating technology for high-performance supersonic/hypersonic aircraft, nuclear space power systems, a space station, and new research areas such as materials processing in space. As we proceed, I am confident that our materials research staff will continue to provide important contributions which will help our nation maintain a strong technology position in these areas of growing world competition. Lewis Research Center, in partnership with U.S. industry and academia, has long been a major force in developing advanced aerospace propulsion and power systems. One key aspect that made many of these systems possible has been the availability of high-performance, reliable, and long-life materials. To assure a continuing flow of new materials and processing concepts, basic understanding to guide such innovation, and technological support for development of major NASA systems, Lewis has supported a strong in-house materials research activity. Our researchers have discovered new alloys, polymers, metallic composites, ceramics, coatings, processing techniques, etc., which are now also in use by U.S. industry. This brochure highlights selected past accomplishments of our materials research and technology staff. It also provides many examples of the facilities available with which we can conduct materials research. The nation is now beginning to consider integrating technology for high-performance supersonic/hypersonic aircraft, nuclear space power systems, a space station, and new research areas such as materials processing in space.

Laboratory Characterization of SAM-35 Concrete

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

procedures given in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D 2216 (ASTM 2002e). Based on the appropriate values of posttest water content, wet...composition properties of the material. All of the mechanical property tests were conducted quasi -statically with axial strain rates on the order...nondestructive pulse-velocity measurements were performed on each specimen. The TXC tests exhibited a continuous increase in principal stress

Fatigue behavior of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC), 2D C{sub fiber}/SiC{sub matrix}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodrigues, P.A.; Rosa, L.G.; Steen, M.

The material described in this study is a 2D CMC of continuous carbon fibers embedded in a SiC matrix. This work presents the tensile behaviour of the material at room temperature (RT) and 1200{degrees}C. Results of uniaxial tension-tension fatigue tests carried out at both temperatures (RT and 1200{degrees}C) are also presented.

Development and characterization of self-healing carbon fabric/ionomer composite through stitched polymeric artificial muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriel, Mark Joseph

Typical cracks in composite materials are hard to detect, because they may be very small or occur inside the material. This study investigates the development and characterization of carbon fiber and an ionomer, self-healing, laminate composite, enhanced with stitched artificial muscle elements. Although the carbon fiber is used as a structural reinforcement, the carbon fiber can also act as a resistive heating element in order to activate the healing elements in a Close-Then-Heal (CTH) approach. However in this study, hot air in an oven was used to activate the, SurlynRTM 8940, self-healing matrix. Artificial muscle was prepared from commercial fishing line to stitch reinforce the carbon laminate composite in the Z plane. Holes were drilled into the final composite and the muscle was stitched into the composite for active reinforcement. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to characterize the matrix and fishing line properties. The resulting smart composite was subjected to low velocity impact tests and consequential damage before healing in an oven, followed by three point bending flexure tests. Cracks in the carbon fiber reinforcement formed more easily than expected after impact because the holes were drilled to facilitate the muscle stitching. The matrix material could heal, but the reinforcement carbon could not. Several equipment issues and failures limited the amount of samples that could be created to continue testing with new parameters.

Composite films based on biorelated agro-industrial waste and poly(vinyl alcohol). Preparation and mechanical properties characterization.

PubMed

Chiellini, E; Cinelli, P; Imam, S H; Mao, L

2001-01-01

As a part of an ongoing project on the production of composite materials based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and polymeric materials from renewable resources, the present paper reports on the incorporation of agricultural waste materials as organic fillers in a film matrix based on PVA as continuous phase. In this study lignocellulosic fibers byproducts, derived from sugar cane (SC) and apple (AP) and orange (OR) fruit juice extraction, were cast from PVA aqueous solutions. The effect of fiber type and composition on the relative properties of cast films was evaluated and compared. OR resulted to be suitable for blending in higher amounts by weight than SC and AP. Glycerol and urea were added as plasticizing agents and were observed to be effective in giving flexible films. Additionally, cornstarch was added to further increase the composition of polymers from renewable resources in cost-effective and ecoefficient composite film formulations. The prepared films resulted sensitive to moisture and water. To reduce water sensitivity, hexamethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) was tested as a cross-linking agent for the present composite formulations. Cross-linked films exhibited significant improvement in water-resistance that can be taken as a tuneable structural feature for customized applications. The mechanical properties of the prepared composite films (elongation at break, tensile strength, Young modulus) were found to be dependent upon the nature and content of the filler and on environmental conditions.

Manufacturing development of pultruded composite panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meade, L. E.

1989-01-01

The weight savings potential, of graphite-epoxy composites for secondary and medium primary aircraft structures, was demonstrated. One of the greatest challenges facing the aircraft industry is to reduce the acquisition costs for composite structures to a level below that of metal structures. The pultrusion process, wherein reinforcing fibers, after being passed through a resin bath are drawn through a die to form and cure the desired cross-section, is an automated low cost manufacturing process for composite structures. The Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company (LASC) Composites Development Center designed, characterizated materials for, fabricated and tested a stiffened cover concept compatible with the continuous pultrusion process. The procedures used and the results obtained are presented.

High-Throughput Screening Across Quaternary Alloy Composition Space: Oxidation of (AlxFeyNi1-x-y)∼0.8Cr∼0.2.

PubMed

Payne, Matthew A; Miller, James B; Gellman, Andrew J

2016-09-12

Composition spread alloy films (CSAFs) are commonly used as libraries for high-throughput screening of composition-property relationships in multicomponent materials science. Because lateral gradients afford two degrees of freedom, an n-component CSAF can, in principle, contain any composition range falling on a continuous two-dimensional surface through an (n - 1)-dimensional composition space. However, depending on the complexity of the CSAF gradients, characterizing and graphically representing this composition range may not be straightforward when n ≥ 4. The standard approach for combinatorial studies performed using quaternary or higher-order CSAFs has been to use fixed stoichiometric ratios of one or more components to force the composition range to fall on some well-defined plane in the composition space. In this work, we explore the synthesis of quaternary Al-Fe-Ni-Cr CSAFs with a rotatable shadow mask CSAF deposition tool, in which none of the component ratios are fixed. On the basis of the unique gradient geometry produced by the tool, we show that the continuous quaternary composition range of the CSAF can be rigorously represented using a set of two-dimensional "pseudoternary" composition diagrams. We then perform a case study of (AlxFeyNi1-x-y)∼0.8Cr∼0.2 oxidation in dry air at 427 °C to demonstrate how such CSAFs can be used to screen an alloy property across a continuous two-dimensional subspace of a quaternary composition space. We identify a continuous boundary through the (AlxFeyNi1-x-y)∼0.8Cr∼0.2 subspace at which the oxygen uptake into the CSAF between 1 and 16 h oxidation time increases abruptly with decreasing Al content. The results are compared to a previous study of the oxidation of AlxFeyNi1-x-y CSAFs in dry air at 427 °C.

Optimisation of Fabric Reinforced Polymer Composites Using a Variant of Genetic Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Axinte, Andrei; Taranu, Nicolae; Bejan, Liliana; Hudisteanu, Iuliana

2017-12-01

Fabric reinforced polymeric composites are high performance materials with a rather complex fabric geometry. Therefore, modelling this type of material is a cumbersome task, especially when an efficient use is targeted. One of the most important issue of its design process is the optimisation of the individual laminae and of the laminated structure as a whole. In order to do that, a parametric model of the material has been defined, emphasising the many geometric variables needed to be correlated in the complex process of optimisation. The input parameters involved in this work, include: widths or heights of the tows and the laminate stacking sequence, which are discrete variables, while the gaps between adjacent tows and the height of the neat matrix are continuous variables. This work is one of the first attempts of using a Genetic Algorithm ( GA) to optimise the geometrical parameters of satin reinforced multi-layer composites. Given the mixed type of the input parameters involved, an original software called SOMGA (Satin Optimisation with a Modified Genetic Algorithm) has been conceived and utilised in this work. The main goal is to find the best possible solution to the problem of designing a composite material which is able to withstand to a given set of external, in-plane, loads. The optimisation process has been performed using a fitness function which can analyse and compare mechanical behaviour of different fabric reinforced composites, the results being correlated with the ultimate strains, which demonstrate the efficiency of the composite structure.

Effect of dual-cure composite resin as restorative material on marginal adaptation of class 2 restorations.

PubMed

Bortolotto, Tissiana; Melian, Karla; Krejci, Ivo

2013-10-01

The present study attempted to find a simple direct adhesive restorative technique for the restoration of Class 2 cavities. A self-etch adhesive system with a dual-cured core buildup composite resin (paste 1 + paste 2) was evaluated in its ability to restore proximo-occlusal cavities with margins located on enamel and dentin. The groups were: A, cavity filling (cf) with paste 1 (light-curing component) by using a layering technique; B, cf by mixing both pastes, bulk insertion, and dual curing; and C, cf by mixing both pastes, bulk insertion, and chemical curing. Two control groups (D, negative, bulk; and E, positive, layering technique) were included by restoring cavities with a classic three-step etch-and-rinse adhesive and a universal restorative composite resin. SEM margin analysis was performed before and after thermomechanical loading in a chewing simulator. Percentages (mean ± SD) of "continuous margins" were improved by applying the material in bulk and letting it self cure (54 ± 6) or dual cure (59 ± 9), and no significant differences were observed between these two groups and the positive control (44 ± 19). The present study showed that the dual-cured composite resin tested has the potential to be used as bulk filling material for Class 2 restorations. When used as filling materials, dual-cure composite resins placed in bulk can provide marginal adaptation similar to light-cured composites applied with a complex stratification technique.

Seamless metal-clad fiber-reinforced organic matrix composite structures and process for their manufacture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bluck, Raymond M. (Inventor); Bush, Harold G. (Inventor); Johnson, Robert R. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A metallic outer sleeve is provided which is capable of enveloping a hollow metallic inner member having continuous reinforcing fibers attached to the distal end thereof. The inner member is then introduced into outer sleeve until inner member is completely enveloped by outer sleeve. A liquid matrix member is then injected into space between inner member and outer sleeve. A pressurized heat transfer medium is flowed through the inside of inner member, thereby forming a fiber reinforced matrix composite material. The wall thicknesses of both inner member and outer sleeve are then reduced to the appropriate size by chemical etching, to adjust the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal-clad composite structure to the desired value. thereby forming a fiber reinforced matrix composite material. The wall thicknesses of both inner member and outer sleeve are then reduced to the appropriate size by chemical etching, to adjust the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal-clad composite structure to the desired value. The novelty of this invention resides in the development of a efficient method of producing seamless metal clad fiber reinforced organic matrix composite structures.

A new classification system for all-ceramic and ceramic-like restorative materials.

PubMed

Gracis, Stefano; Thompson, Van P; Ferencz, Jonathan L; Silva, Nelson R F A; Bonfante, Estevam A

2015-01-01

Classification systems for all-ceramic materials are useful for communication and educational purposes and warrant continuous revisions and updates to incorporate new materials. This article proposes a classification system for ceramic and ceramic-like restorative materials in an attempt to systematize and include a new class of materials. This new classification system categorizes ceramic restorative materials into three families: (1) glass-matrix ceramics, (2) polycrystalline ceramics, and (3) resin-matrix ceramics. Subfamilies are described in each group along with their composition, allowing for newly developed materials to be placed into the already existing main families. The criteria used to differentiate ceramic materials are based on the phase or phases present in their chemical composition. Thus, an all-ceramic material is classified according to whether a glass-matrix phase is present (glass-matrix ceramics) or absent (polycrystalline ceramics) or whether the material contains an organic matrix highly filled with ceramic particles (resin-matrix ceramics). Also presented are the manufacturers' clinical indications for the different materials and an overview of the different fabrication methods and whether they are used as framework materials or monolithic solutions. Current developments in ceramic materials not yet available to the dental market are discussed.

Continuous microcellular foaming of polyvinyl chloride and compatibilization of polyvinyl chloride and polylactide composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Bhavesh

This dissertation focuses on overcoming existing limitations of WPCs which prevent them from realizing their full market potential. These limitations include: (i) lack of a continuous extrusion process for microcellular foaming of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and its composites using supercritical fluids to reduce the high density of the WPCs, (ii) need for an efficient coupling agent for WPCs to overcome the poor compatibility between wood and plastic, and (iii) unproven use of wood as a filler for the biopolymer polylactide (PLA) to make "green" composites. These limitations were addressed through experimentation to develop a continuous extrusion process for microcellular foaming, and through surface modification of wood flour using natural coupling agents. The effects of wood flour, acrylic modifier and plasticizer content on the rheological properties of PVC based WPCs were studied using an extrusion capillary rheometer and a two-level factorial design. Wood flour content and acrylic modifier content were the major factors affecting the die swell ratio. Addition of plasticizer decreased the true viscosity of unfilled and filled PVC, irrespective of the acrylic modifier content. However, the addition of acrylic modifier significantly increased the viscosity of unfilled PVC but decreased the composite viscosity. Results of the rheological study were used to set baseline conditions for the continuous extrusion foaming of PVC WPCs using supercritical CO 2. Effects of material composition and processing conditions on the morphology of foamed samples were investigated. Foamed samples were produced using various material compositions and processing conditions, but steady-state conditions could not be obtained for PVC. Thus the relationships could not be determined. Incompatibility between wood flour and PVC was the focus of another study. The natural polymers chitin and chitosan were used as novel coupling agents to improve interfacial adhesion between the polymer matrix and wood fiber. Results indicated that addition of chitin and chitosan significantly increased the flexural properties and storage modulus of PVC WPCs, compared to composites without coupling agent. Significant improvements were attained with 0.5 wt. % chitosan and with 6.67 wt. % chitin. Based on the efficiency of chitosan as a coupling agent for PVC based WPCs, a biodegradable composite using polylactide (PLA) and chitosan was developed. Wood flour (0--40 wt. %) was evaluated as a filler for PLA composites and its effect on mechanical, thermal and chemical properties was studied with and without chitosan (0--10 wt. %). Addition of wood flour significantly increased the flexural and storage moduli of PLA-wood flour composites, but had no effect on glass transition temperature (Tg). Chitosan had no significant effect on any of the properties of the composites studied. Development of an efficient and effective coupling agent for PVC wood composite is a significant development which will increase performance while reducing cost. Wood filled PLA composites can further expand WPCs into applications such as packaging and automotive. Results from these studies have broadened the current knowledge base for WPC products and will be useful in the continued expansion of wood composites technology into a variety of industries.

Environmental Exposure Effects on Composite Materials for Commercial Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, D. J.

1981-01-01

This period's activities were highlighted by continued long term and accelerated lab exposure testing, and by completion of all fabrication tasks on the optional material systems, AS1/3501-6 and Kevlar 49/F161-188. Initial baseline testing was performed on the two optional material systems. Long term exposure specimens were returned from three of the four ground rack sites and from two of the three aircraft locations. Test data from specimens returned from Dryden after 2 years exposure do not indicate continuing trends of strength reduction from the 1 year data. Test data from specimens returned from the Wellington, new Zealand ground rack and on Air New Zealand aircraft after 1 year exposure show strength changes fairly typical of other locations.

Solid Freeform Fabrication of Composite-Material Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, C. Jeff; Yang, Jason; Jang, Bor Z.

2005-01-01

Composite solid freeform fabrication (C-SFF) or composite layer manufacturing (CLM) is an automated process in which an advanced composite material (a matrix reinforced with continuous fibers) is formed into a freestanding, possibly complex, three-dimensional object. In CLM, there is no need for molds, dies, or other expensive tooling, and there is usually no need for machining to ensure that the object is formed to the desired net size and shape. CLM is a variant of extrusion-type rapid prototyping, in which a model or prototype of a solid object is built up by controlled extrusion of a polymeric or other material through an orifice that is translated to form patterned layers. The second layer is deposited on top of the first layer, the third layer is deposited on top of the second layer, and so forth, until the stack of layers reaches the desired final thickness and shape. The elements of CLM include (1) preparing a matrix resin in a form in which it will solidify subsequently, (2) mixing the fibers and matrix material to form a continuous pre-impregnated tow (also called "towpreg"), and (3) dispensing the pre-impregnated tow from a nozzle onto a base while moving the nozzle to form the dispensed material into a patterned layer of controlled thickness. When the material deposited into a given layer has solidified, the material for the next layer is deposited and patterned similarly, and so forth, until the desired overall object has been built up as a stack of patterned layers. Preferably, the deposition apparatus is controlled by a computer-aided design (CAD) system. The basic CLM concept can be adapted to the fabrication of parts from a variety of matrix materials. It is conceivable that a CLM apparatus could be placed at a remote location on Earth or in outer space where (1) spare parts are expected to be needed but (2) it would be uneconomical or impractical to store a full inventory of spare parts. A wide variety of towpregs could be prepared and stored on spools until needed. Long-shelf-life towpreg materials suitable for such use could include thermoplastic-coated carbon fibers and metal-coated SiC fibers. When a spare part was needed, the part could be fabricated by CLM under control by a CAD data file; thus, the part could be built automatically, at the scene, within hours or minutes.

High heat flux testing of CFC composites for the tokamak physics experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentine, P. G.; Nygren, R. E.; Burns, R. W.; Rocket, P. D.; Colleraine, A. P.; Lederich, R. J.; Bradley, J. T.

1996-10-01

High heat flux (HHF) testing of carbon fiber reinforced carbon composites (CFC's) was conducted under the General Atomics program to develop plasma-facing components (PFC's) for Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory's tokamak physics experiment (TPX). As part of the process of selecting TPX CFC materials, a series of HHF tests were conducted with the 30 kW electron beam test system (EBTS) facility at Sandia National Laboratories, and with the plasma disruption simulator I (PLADIS-I) facility at the University of New Mexico. The purpose of the tests was to make assessments of the thermal performance and erosion behavior of CFC materials. Tests were conducted with 42 different CFC materials. In general, the CFC materials withstood the rapid thermal pulse environments without fracturing, delaminating, or degrading in a non-uniform manner; significant differences in thermal performance, erosion behavior, vapor evolution, etc. were observed and preliminary findings are presented below. The CFC's exposed to the hydrogen plasma pulses in PLADIS-I exhibited greater erosion rates than the CFC materials exposed to the electron-beam pulses in EBTS. The results obtained support the continued consideration of a variety of CFC composites for TPX PFC components.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory Corman; Krishan Luthra

This report covers work performed under the Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composites (CFCC) program by GE Global Research and its partners from 1994 through 2005. The processing of prepreg-derived, melt infiltrated (MI) composite systems based on monofilament and multifilament tow SiC fibers is described. Extensive mechanical and environmental exposure characterizations were performed on these systems, as well as on competing Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) systems. Although current monofilament SiC fibers have inherent oxidative stability limitations due to their carbon surface coatings, the MI CMC system based on multifilament tow (Hi-Nicalon ) proved to have excellent mechanical, thermal and time-dependent properties. Themore » materials database generated from the material testing was used to design turbine hot gas path components, namely the shroud and combustor liner, utilizing the CMC materials. The feasibility of using such MI CMC materials in gas turbine engines was demonstrated via combustion rig testing of turbine shrouds and combustor liners, and through field engine tests of shrouds in a 2MW engine for >1000 hours. A unique combustion test facility was also developed that allowed coupons of the CMC materials to be exposed to high-pressure, high-velocity combustion gas environments for times up to {approx}4000 hours.« less

A study of the stress wave factor technique for nondestructive evaluation of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarrafzadeh-Khoee, A.; Kiernan, M. T.; Duke, J. C., Jr.; Henneke, E. G., II

1986-01-01

The acousto-ultrasonic method of nondestructive evaluation is an extremely sensitive means of assessing material response. Efforts continue to complete the understanding of this method. In order to achieve the full sensitivity of the technique, extreme care must be taken in its performance. This report provides an update of the efforts to advance the understanding of this method and to increase its application to the nondestructive evaluation of composite materials. Included are descriptions of a novel optical system that is capable of measuring in-plane and out-of-plane displacements, an IBM PC-based data acquisition system, an extensive data analysis software package, the azimuthal variation of acousto-ultrasonic behavior in graphite/epoxy laminates, and preliminary examination of processing variation in graphite-aluminum tubes.

Carbon composites in space vehicle structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayer, N. J.

1974-01-01

Recent developments in the technology of carbon or graphite filaments now provide the designer with greatly improved materials offering high specific strength and modulus. Besides these advantages are properties which are distinctly useful for space applications and which provide feasibility for missions not obtainable by other means. Current applications include major and secondary structures of communications satellites. A number of R & D projects are exploring carbon-fiber application to rocket engine motor cases, advanced antenna systems, and space shuttle components. Future system studies are being made, based on the successful application of carbon fibers for orbiting space telescope assemblies, orbital transfer vehicles, and very large deployable energy generation systems. Continued technology development is needed in analysis, material standards, and advanced structural concepts to exploit the full potential of carbon filaments in composite materials.

Biomediated continuous release phosphate fertilizer

DOEpatents

Goldstein, Alan H.; Rogers, Robert D.

1999-01-01

A composition is disclosed for providing phosphate fertilizer to the root zone of plants. The composition comprises a microorganism capable of producing and secreting a solubilization agent, a carbon source for providing raw material for the microorganism to convert into the solubilization agent, and rock phosphate ore for providing a source of insoluble phosphate that is solubilized by the solubilization agent and released as soluble phosphate. The composition is provided in a physical form, such as a granule, that retains the microorganism, carbon source, and rock phosphate ore, but permits water and soluble phosphate to diffuse into the soil. A method of using the composition for providing phosphate fertilizer to plants is also disclosed.

Additive Manufacturing of Catalytically Active Living Materials.

PubMed

Saha, Abhijit; Johnston, Trevor G; Shafranek, Ryan T; Goodman, Cassandra J; Zalatan, Jesse G; Storti, Duane W; Ganter, Mark A; Nelson, Alshakim

2018-04-25

Living materials, which are composites of living cells residing in a polymeric matrix, are designed to utilize the innate functionalities of the cells to address a broad range of applications such as fermentation and biosensing. Herein, we demonstrate the additive manufacturing of catalytically active living materials (AMCALM) for continuous fermentation. A multi-stimuli-responsive yeast-laden hydrogel ink, based on F127-dimethacrylate, was developed and printed using a direct-write 3D printer. The reversible stimuli-responsive behaviors of the polymer hydrogel inks to temperature and pressure are critical, as they enabled the facile incorporation of yeast cells and subsequent fabrication of 3D lattice constructs. Subsequent photo-cross-linking of the printed polymer hydrogel afforded a robust elastic material. These yeast-laden living materials were metabolically active in the fermentation of glucose into ethanol for 2 weeks in a continuous batch process without significant reduction in efficiency (∼90% yield of ethanol). This cell immobilization platform may potentially be applicable toward other genetically modified yeast strains to produce other high-value chemicals in a continuous biofermentation process.

Emerging low-cost LED thermal management materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zweben, Carl H.

2004-10-01

As chip size and power levels continue to increase, thermal management, thermal stresses and cost have become key LED packaging issues. Until recently, low-coefficient-of-thermal-expansion (CTE) materials, which are needed to minimize thermal stresses, had thermal conductivities that are no better than those of aluminum alloys, about 200 W/m-K. Copper, which has a higher thermal conductivity (400 W/m-K), also has a high CTE, which can cause severe thermal stresses. We now have over a dozen low-CTE materials with thermal conductivities ranging between 400 and 1700 W/m-K, and almost a score with thermal conductivities at least 50% greater than that of aluminum. Some of these materials are low cost. Others have the potential to be low cost in high volume production. Emphasizing low cost, this paper reviews traditional packaging materials and the six categories of advanced materials: polymer matrix-, metal matrix-, ceramic matrix-, and carbon matrix composites; monolithic carbonaceous materials; and metal-metal composites/alloys. Topics include properties, status, applications, cost and likely future directions of new advanced materials, including carbon nanotubes and inexpensive graphite nanoplatelets.

Durability of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-10-01

locations of highest matrix principal stress and propagate parallel to the fibers. Figure 1. In titani - um matrix materials the flaws will propagate...MMC) was removed and retained by Amercom for traceability. Consolidation pressure, temperature-time histories , and as-consolidated tensile strengths

The Place for Thermoplastic Composites in Structural Components

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

The molten tube is then squashed flat and consolidated into ribbon form by continuous opposed-belt laminating. Existing graphite-epoxy pultrusion...the solid form it must have a molecular weight that exceeds the critical entanglement value. Thus thermoplastic materials of commercial worth almost

International Conference on Superplasticity and Superplastic Forming

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-09

aluminides and other intermetallic compounds, as well as certain metal matrix composites. The applications of SPF parts continues to increase both in...aerospace and non-aerospace areas. Titanium continues to be the primary material processed for aerospace, although the development in Al SPF is accelerating...Electrical Technology of SCMI Superplastic Forming of Ti-Alloy Turbine Blade Paper 28 WANG CHENG and LUO YING-SHE, Xiangtan University Nc~’ Advance

Implementation Challenges for Sintered Silicon Carbide Fiber Bonded Ceramic Materials for High Temperature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, M.

2011-01-01

During the last decades, a number of fiber reinforced ceramic composites have been developed and tested for various aerospace and ground based applications. However, a number of challenges still remain slowing the wide scale implementation of these materials. In addition to continuous fiber reinforced composites, other innovative materials have been developed including the fibrous monoliths and sintered fiber bonded ceramics. The sintered silicon carbide fiber bonded ceramics have been fabricated by the hot pressing and sintering of silicon carbide fibers. However, in this system reliable property database as well as various issues related to thermomechanical performance, integration, and fabrication of large and complex shape components has yet to be addressed. In this presentation, thermomechanical properties of sintered silicon carbide fiber bonded ceramics (as fabricated and joined) will be presented. In addition, critical need for manufacturing and integration technologies in successful implementation of these materials will be discussed.

Glue-free assembly of glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics using laser light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binetruy, C.; Clement, S.; Deleglise, M.; Franz, C.; Knapp, W.; Oumarou, M.; Renard, J.; Roesner, A.

2011-05-01

The use of laser light for bonding of continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFTPC) offers new possibilities to overcome the constraints of conventional joining technologies. Laser bonding is environmentally friendly as no chemical additive or glue is necessary. Accuracy and flexibility of the laser process as well as the quality of the weld seams provide benefits which are already used in many industrial applications. Laser transmission welding has already been introduced in manufacturing of short fiber thermoplastic composites. The laser replaces hot air in tapelaying systems for pre-preg carbon fiber placement. The paper provides an overview concerning the technical basics of the joining process and outline some material inherent characteristics to be considered when using continuous glass fiber reinforced composites The technical feasibility and the mechanical characterization of laser bonded CFTPC are demonstrated. The influence of the different layer configurations on the laser interaction with the material is investigated and the dependency on the mechanical strength of the weld seem is analyzed. The results show that the laser provides an alternative joining technique and offers new perspectives to assemble structural components emerging in automotive or aeronautical manufacturing. It overcomes the environmental and technical difficulties related to existing gluing processes.

Micromechanics Analysis Code (MAC) User Guide: Version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilt, T. E.; Arnold, S. M.

1994-01-01

The ability to accurately predict the thermomechanical deformation response of advanced composite materials continues to play an important role in the development of these strategic materials. Analytical models that predict the effective behavior of composites are used not only by engineers performing structural analysis of large-scale composite components but also by material scientists in developing new material systems. For an analytical model to fulfill these two distinct functions it must be based on a micromechanics approach which utilizes physically based deformation and life constitutive models and allows one to generate the average (macro) response of a composite material given the properties of the individual constituents and their geometric arrangement. Here the user guide for the recently developed, computationally efficient and comprehensive micromechanics analysis code, MAC, who's predictive capability rests entirely upon the fully analytical generalized method of cells, GMC, micromechanics model is described. MAC is a versatile form of research software that 'drives' the double or triple ply periodic micromechanics constitutive models based upon GMC. MAC enhances the basic capabilities of GMC by providing a modular framework wherein (1) various thermal, mechanical (stress or strain control), and thermomechanical load histories can be imposed; (2) different integration algorithms may be selected; (3) a variety of constituent constitutive models may be utilized and/or implemented; and (4) a variety of fiber architectures may be easily accessed through their corresponding representative volume elements.

Micromechanics Analysis Code (MAC). User Guide: Version 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilt, T. E.; Arnold, S. M.

1996-01-01

The ability to accurately predict the thermomechanical deformation response of advanced composite materials continues to play an important role in the development of these strategic materials. Analytical models that predict the effective behavior of composites are used not only by engineers performing structural analysis of large-scale composite components but also by material scientists in developing new material systems. For an analytical model to fulfill these two distinct functions it must be based on a micromechanics approach which utilizes physically based deformation and life constitutive models and allows one to generate the average (macro) response of a composite material given the properties of the individual constituents and their geometric arrangement. Here the user guide for the recently developed, computationally efficient and comprehensive micromechanics analysis code's (MAC) who's predictive capability rests entirely upon the fully analytical generalized method of cells (GMC), micromechanics model is described. MAC is a versatile form of research software that 'drives' the double or triply periodic micromechanics constitutive models based upon GMC. MAC enhances the basic capabilities of GMC by providing a modular framework wherein (1) various thermal, mechanical (stress or strain control) and thermomechanical load histories can be imposed, (2) different integration algorithms may be selected, (3) a variety of constituent constitutive models may be utilized and/or implemented, and (4) a variety of fiber and laminate architectures may be easily accessed through their corresponding representative volume elements.

Ultralightweight, low expansion, fiber reinforced SiC composite lithography stage. Final technical report, 17 December 1998--17 June 1999

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robichaud, J.L.

1999-06-17

During the Phase 1 SBIR, SSG has integrated a number of advanced Silicon Carbide (SiC) materials to produce an innovative, lightweight, fracture tough, dimensionally stable, composite mask platen for use on an SVGL Microalign instrument. The fiber reinforced SiC material used has several critical advantages when compared to other competing materials: significantly improved lightweighting (SiC provides a specific stiffness which can be 8x better than aluminum, 8x better than Zerodur, and 2x better than carbon fiber/graphite epoxy based composite materials); excellent long term dimensional stability (through low CTE and no moisture absorption); superior damping (20x better than aluminum 2x bettermore » than carbon fiber/graphite epoxy). All of these advantages combine to yield an optimal material for high speed translation stage applications. During the Phase 1 SBIR SSG has designed, modeled, fabricated, and tested an ultralightweight composite SiC platen which is currently being integrated onto an SVGL Microalign instrument. The platen is ultralightweight (4 lbs with overall dimensions of approx. 18 inch x 10 inch x 1.5 inch) and stiff (first resonant mode at 770 Hz), and meets all of SVG`s operational and functional requirements. SVGL has supported the Phase 1 effort by providing co-funding during Phase 1, and this support is intended to continue through Phase 2.« less

Accelerated fatigue testing of dentin-composite bond with continuously increasing load.

PubMed

Li, Kai; Guo, Jiawen; Li, Yuping; Heo, Young Cheul; Chen, Jihua; Xin, Haitao; Fok, Alex

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate an accelerated fatigue test method that used a continuously increasing load for testing the dentin-composite bond strength. Dentin-composite disks (ϕ5mm×2mm) made from bovine incisor roots were subjected to cyclic diametral compression with a continuously increasingly load amplitude. Two different load profiles, linear and nonlinear with respect to the number of cycles, were considered. The data were then analyzed by using a probabilistic failure model based on the Weakest-Link Theory and the classical stress-life function, before being transformed to simulate clinical data of direct restorations. All the experimental data could be well fitted with a 2-parameter Weibull function. However, a calibration was required for the effective stress amplitude to account for the difference between static and cyclic loading. Good agreement was then obtained between theory and experiments for both load profiles. The in vitro model also successfully simulated the clinical data. The method presented will allow tooth-composite interfacial fatigue parameters to be determined more efficiently. With suitable calibration, the in vitro model can also be used to assess composite systems in a more clinically relevant manner. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioactive Glass Fiber Reinforced Starch-Polycaprolactone Composite for Bone Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jukola, H.; Nikkola, L.; Gomes, M. E.; Chiellini, F.; Tukiainen, M.; Kellomäki, M.; Chiellini, E.; Reis, R. L.; Ashammakhi, N.

2008-02-01

For bone regeneration and repair, combinations of different materials are often needed. Biodegradable polymers are often combined with osteoconductive materials, such as bioactive glass (BaG), which can also improve the mechanical properties of the composite. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize BaG fiber-reinforced starch-poly-ɛ-caprolactone (SPCL) composite. Sheets of SPCL (30/70 wt%) were produced using single-screw extrusion. They were then cut and compression molded in layers with BaG fibers to form composite structures of different combinations. Thermal, mechanical, and degradation properties of the composites were studied. The actual amount of BaG in the composites was determined using combustion tests. A strong endothermic peak indicating melting at about 56 °C was observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA) showed that thermal decomposition of SPCL started at 325 °C with the decomposition of starch and continued at 400 °C with the degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL). Initial mechanical properties of the reinforced composites were at least 50% better than the properties of the non-reinforced composites. However, the mechanical properties of the composites after two weeks of hydrolysis were comparable to those of the non-reinforced samples. During the six weeks' hydrolysis the mass of the composites had decreased only by about 5%. The amount of glass in the composites remained the same for the six-week period of hydrolysis. In conclusion, it is possible to enhance the initial mechanical properties of SPCL by reinforcing it with BaG fibers. However, the mechanical properties of the composites are only sufficient for use as filler material and they need to be further improved to allow long-lasting bone applications.

Bioactive Glass Fiber Reinforced Starch-Polycaprolactone Composite for Bone Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jukola, H.; Nikkola, L.; Tukiainen, M.

2008-02-15

For bone regeneration and repair, combinations of different materials are often needed. Biodegradable polymers are often combined with osteoconductive materials, such as bioactive glass (BaG), which can also improve the mechanical properties of the composite. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize BaG fiber-reinforced starch-poly-{epsilon}-caprolactone (SPCL) composite. Sheets of SPCL (30/70 wt%) were produced using single-screw extrusion. They were then cut and compression molded in layers with BaG fibers to form composite structures of different combinations. Thermal, mechanical, and degradation properties of the composites were studied. The actual amount of BaG in the composites was determined usingmore » combustion tests. A strong endothermic peak indicating melting at about 56 deg. C was observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA) showed that thermal decomposition of SPCL started at 325 deg. C with the decomposition of starch and continued at 400 deg. C with the degradation of polycaprolactone (PCL). Initial mechanical properties of the reinforced composites were at least 50% better than the properties of the non-reinforced composites. However, the mechanical properties of the composites after two weeks of hydrolysis were comparable to those of the non-reinforced samples. During the six weeks' hydrolysis the mass of the composites had decreased only by about 5%. The amount of glass in the composites remained the same for the six-week period of hydrolysis. In conclusion, it is possible to enhance the initial mechanical properties of SPCL by reinforcing it with BaG fibers. However, the mechanical properties of the composites are only sufficient for use as filler material and they need to be further improved to allow long-lasting bone applications.« less

Development of high T(sub c) (greater than 110 K) Bi, Tl, and Y-based materials as superconducting circuit elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haertling, Gene H.; Grabert, Gregory; Gilmour, Phillip

1992-01-01

Experimental work has continued on the development and characterization of bulk and hot pressed powders and tapecast materials in the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O systems. A process for producing warp-free, sintered, superconducting tapes of Bi composition Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O(x) with a mixed oxide process was established. This procedure required a triple calcination at 830 C for 24 hours and sintering at 845 C from 20 to 200 hours. Hot pressing the triple calcined powder at 845 C for 6 hours at 5000 psi yielded a dense material which on further heat treatment at 845 C for 24 hours exhibited a Tc of 108.2 K. A further improvement in the processing of the bismuth materials was achieved via a chemical coprecipitation process wherein the starting nitrate materials were coprecipitated with oxalic acid, thus yielding a more chemically homogeneous, more reactive powder. With the coprecipitated powders, only one calcine at 830 C for 12 hours and a final sinter at 845 C for 30 hours was sufficient to produce a bulk superconducting material with a Tc of 108.4 K. SAFIRE-type grounding links were successfully fabricated from sintered, tapecast, coprecipitated BSCCO 2223 powders. Compositional and processing investigations were continued on the Tl-based superconductors. Manganese and lithium additions and sintering temperature and time were examined to determine their influence on superconducting properties. It was found that lithium substitutions for copper enhance the transition temperatures while manganese additions produced deleterious effects on the superconducting properties. A suitable procedure for producing reproducible bulk and tapecast material of Tl composition Tl2Ba2Ca2Cu3O(x) was developed and used in fabricating uniform superconducting tapes. The highest transition temperature for Tl-based tapes was measured at 110.2 K. Thallium superconducting SAFIRE-type grounding links were fabricated from the tapes.

NASA-UVA light aerospace alloy and structures technology program (LA2ST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangloff, Richard P.

1992-01-01

The NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structure Technology (LAST) Program continues to maintain a high level of activity, with projects being conducted by graduate students and faculty advisors in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Virginia. This work is funded by the NASA-Langley Research Center under Grant NAG-1-745. Here, we report on progress achieved between January 1 and June 30, 1992. The objectives of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of the next generation, light weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with Langley researchers. Technical objectives are established for each research project. We aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement advances; and critically, a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. The accomplishments presented in this report cover topics including: (1) Mechanical and Environmental Degradation Mechanisms in Advance Light Metals and Composites; (2) Aerospace Materials Science; (3) Mechanics of Materials and Composites for Aerospace Structures; and (4) Thermal Gradient Structures.

Biosorption of copper by marine algae Gelidium and algal composite material in a packed bed column.

PubMed

Vilar, Vítor J P; Botelho, Cidália M S; Loureiro, José M; Boaventura, Rui A R

2008-09-01

Marine algae Gelidium and algal composite material were investigated for the continuous removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution in a packed bed column. The biosorption behaviour was studied during one sorption-desorption cycle of Cu(II) in the flow through column fed with 50 and 25 mg l(-1) of Cu(II) in aqueous solution, at pH 5.3, leading to a maximum uptake capacity of approximately 13 and 3 mg g(-1), respectively, for algae Gelidium and composite material. The breakthrough time decreases as the inlet copper concentration increases, for the same flow rate. The pH of the effluent decreases over the breakthrough time of copper ions, which indicates that ion exchange is one of the mechanisms involved in the biosorption process. Temperature has little influence on the metal uptake capacity and the increase of the ionic strength reduces the sorption capacity, decreasing the breakthrough time. Desorption using 0.1M HNO(3) solution was 100% effective. After two consecutive sorption-desorption cycles no changes in the uptake capacity of the composite material were observed. A mass transfer model including film and intraparticle resistances, and the equilibrium relationship, for adsorption and desorption, was successfully applied for the simulation of the biosorption column performance.

The Abundance and Isotopic Composition of Hg in Extraterrestrial Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauretta, D. S.

2004-01-01

During the past three year grant period we made excellent progress in our study of the abundances and isotopic compositions of Hg and other volatile trace elements in extraterrestrial materials. As part of my startup package I received funds to construct a state-of-the-art experimental facility to study gas-solid reaction kinetics. Much of our effort was spent developing the methodology to measure the abundance and isotopic composition of Hg at ultratrace levels in solid materials. In our first study, the abundance and isotopic composition of Hg was determined in bulk samples of the Murchison (CM) and Allende (CV) carbonaceous chondrites. We have continued our study of mercury in primitive meteorites and expanded the suite of meteorites to include other members of the CM and CV chondrite group as well as CI and CO chondrites. Samples of the CI chondrite Orgueil, the CM chondrites Murray, Nogoya, and Cold Bokkeveld, the CO chondrites Kainsaz, Omans, and Isna, and the CV chondrites Vigarano, Mokoia, and Grosnaja were tested. We have developed a thermal analysis ICP-MS technique and applied it to the study of a suite of thermally labile elements (Zn, As, Se, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Te, Hg, Au, Tl, Pb, and Bi) in geologic materials as well.

Continuously graded extruded polymer composites for energetic applications fabricated using twin-screw extrusion processing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallant, Frederick M.

A novel method of fabricating functionally graded extruded composite materials is proposed for propellant applications using the technology of continuous processing with a Twin-Screw Extruder. The method is applied to the manufacturing of grains for solid rocket motors in an end-burning configuration with an axial gradient in ammonium perchlorate volume fraction and relative coarse/fine particle size distributions. The fabrication of functionally graded extruded polymer composites with either inert or energetic ingredients has yet to be investigated. The lack of knowledge concerning the processing of these novel materials has necessitated that a number of research issues be addressed. Of primary concern is characterizing and modeling the relationship between the extruder screw geometry, transient processing conditions, and the gradient architecture that evolves in the extruder. Recent interpretations of the Residence Time Distributions (RTDs) and Residence Volume Distributions (RVDs) for polymer composites in the TSE are used to develop new process models for predicting gradient architectures in the direction of extrusion. An approach is developed for characterizing the sections of the extrudate using optical, mechanical, and compositional analysis to determine the gradient architectures. The effects of processing on the burning rate properties of extruded energetic polymer composites are characterized for homogeneous formulations over a range of compositions to determine realistic gradient architectures for solid rocket motor applications. The new process models and burning rate properties that have been characterized in this research effort will be the basis for an inverse design procedure that is capable of determining gradient architectures for grains in solid rocket motors that possess tailored burning rate distributions that conform to user-defined performance specifications.

The effect of the interaction of cracks in orthotropic layered materials under compressive loading.

PubMed

Winiarski, B; Guz, I A

2008-05-28

The non-classical problem of fracture mechanics of composites compressed along the layers with interfacial cracks is analysed. The statement of the problem is based on the model of piecewise homogeneous medium, the most accurate within the framework of the mechanics of deformable bodies as applied to composites. The condition of plane strain state is examined. The layers are modelled by a transversally isotropic material (a matrix reinforced by continuous parallel fibres). The frictionless Hertzian contact of the crack faces is considered. The complex fracture mechanics problem is solved using the finite-element analysis. The shear mode of stability loss is studied. The results are obtained for the typical dispositions of cracks. It was found that the interacting crack faces, the crack length and the mutual position of cracks influence the critical strain in the composite.

Strengthening materials specifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampath, K.

2005-10-01

Continuing efforts to strengthen materials specifications readily recognize that a mere compliance with a materials specification only assures a material meeting or exceeding the minimum expectations explicitly detailed in the specification. Implicitly, such efforts also recognize that additional and specific client needs must be addressed as supplementary requirements and introduced during material procurement to reduce risks and assure enhanced performance. This article describes two U.S. Navy-related case studies that allowed further strengthening of the materials specification process, using newer methods and renewed understanding. The first case demonstrates the use of a constraints-based modeling approach to specify the chemical composition of high-performance welding electrodes for critical U.S. Navy applications. This approach helps to distinguish high-performance welding electrode chemical compositions from rich and lean welding electrode chemical compositions that might limit the operational envelope, reduce performance, or both, while increasing overall cost of fabrication but otherwise meet electrode specification requirements. The second case identifies that the size of an ingot could be an important factor while specifying the aluminum and sulfur contents of very large-size, heavy-gauge plates. Renewed understanding of melt fluidity issues associated with the solidification of very large-size ingots shows that deficiencies in through-thickness ductility of heavy-gauge plates are related to controlling aluminum and sulfur contents of the voluminous melt, notwithstanding explicit compliance with specification requirements.

LDEF Materials Workshop 1991, part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, Bland A. (Compiler); Young, Philip R. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

The LDEF Materials Workshop 1991 was a follow-on to the Materials Sessions at the First LDEF Post-Retrieval Symposium held in Kissimmee, Florida, June 1991. The workshop comprised a series of technical sessions on materials themes, followed by theme panel meetings. Themes included materials, environmental parameters, and data bases; contamination; thermal control and protective coating and surface treatments; polymers and films; polymer matrix composites; metals, ceramics, and optical materials; lubricants adhesives, seals, fasteners, solar cells, and batteries. This document continues the LDEF Space Environmental Effects on Materials Special Investigation Group (MSIG) pursuit to investigate the effects of LEO exposure on materials which were not originally planned to be test specimens. Papers from the technical sessions are presented.

Progress toward a tungsten alloy wire/high temperature alloy composite turbine blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritzert, F. J.; Dreshfield, R. L.

1992-01-01

A tungsten alloy wire reinforced high temperature alloy composite is being developed for potential application as a hollow turbine blade for advanced rocket engine turbopumps. The W-24Re-HfC alloy wire used for these composite blades provides an excellent balance of strength and wire ductility. Preliminary fabrication, specimen design, and characterization studies were conducted by using commercially available W218 tungsten wire in place of the W-24Re-Hfc wire. Subsequently, two-ply, 50 vol pct composite panels using the W-24Re-HfC wire were fabricated. Tensile tests and metallographic studies were performed to determine the material viability. Tensile strengths of a Waspaloy matrix composite at 870 C were 90 pct of the value expected from rule-of-mixtures calculations. During processing of this Waspaloy matrix composite, a brittle phase was formed at the wire/matrix interface. Circumferential wire cracks were found in this phase. Wire coating and process evaluation efforts were performed in an attempt to solve the reaction problem. Although problems were encountered in this study, wire reinforced high temperature alloy composites continue to show promise for turbopump turbine blade material improvement.

Quality and monitoring of structural rehabilitation measures , part 2 : review and assessment of non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-03-01

As CFRP composites continue to gain acceptance in structural rehabilitation of deteriorating infrastructure, the consequent need for comprehensive and rapid in-situ quality assessment has arisen. Conditioned by the inevitable presence of material-, i...

Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Microsystems

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-07

unlimited 46  Successfully processed the 1st self-healing prepreg in continuous production mode SEM image of E-glass fiber tow (200 count) with 3.3...healing composite with well dispersed microcapsules were fabricated from prepreg . E-glass fiber/epoxy resin Matrix: EPON862/EPIKURE3274

Quantitative Inspection Technologies for Aging Military Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

Continue exploring the application of THz/FTIR for advanced aerospace materials, e.g., Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) and Ceramic Matrix Composites...With On-Board Impedance- Matching Buffers ...Specimen. The Inverted Foil Conductivity Of 1.348%IACS Agrees With The DCPD Value Of 1.342%IACS

Micromechanical analysis of a hybrid composite—effect of boron carbide particles on the elastic properties of basalt fiber reinforced polymer composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna Golla, Sai; Prasanthi, P.

2016-11-01

A fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite is an important material for structural application. The diversified application of FRP composites has become the center of attention for interdisciplinary research. However, improvements in the mechanical properties of this class of materials are still under research for different applications. The reinforcement of inorganic particles in a composite improves its structural properties due to their high stiffness. The present research work is focused on the prediction of the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites where continuous fibers are reinforced in a micro boron carbide particle mixed polypropylene matrix. The effectiveness of the addition of 30 wt. % of boron carbide (B4C) particle contributions regarding the longitudinal and transverse properties of the basalt fiber reinforced polymer composite at various fiber volume fractions is examined by finite element analysis (FEA). The experimental approach is the best way to determine the properties of the composite but it is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, the finite element method (FEM) and analytical methods are the viable methods for the determination of the composite properties. The FEM results were obtained by adopting a micromechanics approach with the support of FEM. Assuming a uniform distribution of reinforcement and considering one unit-cell of the whole array, the properties of the composite materials are determined. The predicted elastic properties from FEA are compared with the analytical results. The results suggest that B4C particles are a good reinforcement for the enhancement of the transverse properties of basalt fiber reinforced polypropylene.

Feasibility of Electrochemical Deposition of Nickel/Silicon Carbide Fibers Composites over Nickel Superalloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosio, E. P.; Abdul Karim, M. R.; Pavese, M.; Biamino, S.; Badini, C.; Fino, P.

2017-05-01

Nickel superalloys are typical materials used for the hot parts of engines in aircraft and space vehicles. They are very important in this field as they offer high-temperature mechanical strength together with a good resistance to oxidation and corrosion. Due to high-temperature buckling phenomena, reinforcement of the nickel superalloy might be needed to increase stiffness. For this reason, it was thought to investigate the possibility of producing composite materials that might improve properties of the metal at high temperature. The composite material was produced by using electrochemical deposition method in which a composite with nickel matrix and long silicon carbide fibers was deposited over the nickel superalloy. The substrate was Inconel 718, and monofilament continuous silicon carbide fibers were chosen as reinforcement. Chemical compatibility was studied between Inconel 718 and the reinforcing fibers, with fibers both in an uncoated condition, and coated with carbon or carbon/titanium diboride. Both theoretical calculations and experiments were conducted, which suggested the use of a carbon coating over the fibers and a buffer layer of nickel to avoid unwanted reactions between the substrate and silicon carbide. Deposition was then performed, and this demonstrated the practical feasibility of the process. Yield strength was measured to detect the onset of interface debonding between the substrate and the composite layer.

CNF Re-Inforced Polymer Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lake, Max L.; Tibbetts, Gary G.; Glasgow, D. Gerald

2004-09-01

In properties of physical size, performance improvement, and production cost, carbon nanofiber (CNF) lies in a spectrum of materials bounded by carbon black, fullerenes, and single wall to multi-wall carbon nanotubes on one end and continuous carbon fiber on the other. Results show promise for use of CNF for modified electrical conductivity of polymer composites. Current compounding efforts focus on techniques for nanofiber dispersion designed to retain nanofiber length, including de-bulking methods and low shear melt processing. Heat treatment of CNF as a postproduction process has also been evaluated for its influence on electrical properties of CNF-reinforced polymer composites.

Polymeric compositions and their method of manufacture. [forming filled polymer systems using cryogenics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moser, B. G.; Landel, R. F. (Inventor)

1972-01-01

Filled polymer compositions are made by dissolving the polymer binder in a suitable sublimable solvent, mixing the filler material with the polymer and its solvent, freezing the resultant mixture, and subliming the frozen solvent from the mixture from which it is then removed. The remaining composition is suitable for conventional processing such as compression molding or extruding. A particular feature of the method of manufacture is pouring the mixed solution slowly in a continuous stream into a cryogenic bath wherein frozen particles of the mixture result. The frozen individual particles are then subjected to the sublimation.

Smart Optical Composite Materials: Dispersions of Metal-Organic Framework@Superparamagnetic Microrods for Switchable Isotropic-Anisotropic Optical Properties.

PubMed

Mandel, Karl; Granath, Tim; Wehner, Tobias; Rey, Marcel; Stracke, Werner; Vogel, Nicolas; Sextl, Gerhard; Müller-Buschbaum, Klaus

2017-01-24

A smart optical composite material with dynamic isotropic and anisotropic optical properties by combination of luminescence and high reflectivity was developed. This combination enables switching between luminescence and angle-dependent reflectivity by changing the applied wavelength of light. The composite is formed as anisotropic core/shell particles by coating superparamagnetic iron oxide-silica microrods with a layer of the luminescent metal-organic framework (MOF) 3 ∞ [Eu 2 (BDC) 3 ]·2DMF·2H 2 O (BDC 2- = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate). The composite particles can be rotated by an external magnet. Their anisotropic shape causes changes in the reflectivity and diffraction of light depending on the orientation of the composite particle. These rotation-dependent optical properties are complemented by an isotropic luminescence resulting from the MOF shell. If illuminated by UV light, the particles exhibit isotropic luminescence while the same sample shows anisotropic optical properties when illuminated with visible light. In addition to direct switching, the optical properties can be tailored continuously between isotropic red emission and anisotropic reflection of light if the illuminating light is tuned through fractions of both UV and visible light. The integration and control of light emission modes within a homogeneous particle dispersion marks a smart optical material, addressing fundamental directions for research on switchable multifunctional materials. The material can function as an optic compass or could be used as an optic shutter that can be switched by a magnetic field, e.g., for an intensity control for waveguides in the visible range.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Continuous Press Forming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost. moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates. resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Seventeen Years of Using Flowable Resin Restoratives--A Dental Practitioner's Personal Clinical Review.

PubMed

Firla, Markus Th

2015-04-01

Seen through the author's eyes on the basis of his practising dentistry for almost three decades, light-activated flowable resin restoratives (FRCs) or, in common clinical dental terminology, flowable composites have gradually gained major importance in restorative dentistry. Inputs to this ongoing trend are coming from continuous improvements in material properties and the favourable handling characteristics experienced with this particular group of restoratives. Intended to be used in direct adhesive filling procedures, the number and variety of recent generations of flowable composites for lining, restoration of all cavity classes (I-V), core build-ups and, more recently, 'bulk-fill-restorations', however, necessitates a profound clinical understanding of the selective use of flowable composites to ensure clinical success and guarantee long-term high quality results. Clinical relevance: Today's flowable composites allow for reliable restoration of all kinds of defects. However, both the handling characteristics and the material properties of FRCs must be fully understood before taking advantage of their potentially excellent clinical performance.

Obtaining Crack-free WC-Co Alloys by Selective Laser Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khmyrov, R. S.; Safronov, V. A.; Gusarov, A. V.

Standard hardmetals of WC-Co system are brittle and often crack at selective laser melting (SLM). The objective of this study is to estimate the range of WC/Co ratio where cracking can be avoided. Micron-sized Co powder was mixed with WC nanopowder in a ball mill to obtain uniform distribution of WC over the surface of Co particles. Continuous layers of remelted material on the surface of a hardmetal plate were obtained from this composite powder by SLM at 1.07μm wavelength. The layers have satisfactory porosity and are well bound to the substrate. The chemical composition of the layers matches the composition of the initial powder mixtures. The powder mixture with 25wt.%WC can be used for SLM to obtain materials without cracks. The powder mixture with 50wt.%WC cracks because of formation of brittle W3Co3C phase. Cracking can considerably reduce the mechanical strength, so that the use of this composition is not advised.

A laser-deposition approach to compositional-spread discovery of materials on conventional sample sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christen, Hans M.; Ohkubo, Isao; Rouleau, Christopher M.; Jellison, Gerald E., Jr.; Puretzky, Alex A.; Geohegan, David B.; Lowndes, Douglas H.

2005-01-01

Parallel (multi-sample) approaches, such as discrete combinatorial synthesis or continuous compositional-spread (CCS), can significantly increase the rate of materials discovery and process optimization. Here we review our generalized CCS method, based on pulsed-laser deposition, in which the synchronization between laser firing and substrate translation (behind a fixed slit aperture) yields the desired variations of composition and thickness. In situ alloying makes this approach applicable to the non-equilibrium synthesis of metastable phases. Deposition on a heater plate with a controlled spatial temperature variation can additionally be used for growth-temperature-dependence studies. Composition and temperature variations are controlled on length scales large enough to yield sample sizes sufficient for conventional characterization techniques (such as temperature-dependent measurements of resistivity or magnetic properties). This technique has been applied to various experimental studies, and we present here the results for the growth of electro-optic materials (SrxBa1-xNb2O6) and magnetic perovskites (Sr1-xCaxRuO3), and discuss the application to the understanding and optimization of catalysts used in the synthesis of dense forests of carbon nanotubes.

Innovative Structural Materials and Sections with Strain Hardening Cementitious Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Vikram

The motivation of this work is based on development of new construction products with strain hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) geared towards sustainable residential applications. The proposed research has three main objectives: automation of existing manufacturing systems for SHCC laminates; multi-level characterization of mechanical properties of fiber, matrix, interface and composites phases using servo-hydraulic and digital image correlation techniques. Structural behavior of these systems were predicted using ductility based design procedures using classical laminate theory and structural mechanics. SHCC sections are made up of thin sections of matrix with Portland cement based binder and fine aggregates impregnating continuous one-dimensional fibers in individual or bundle form or two/three dimensional woven, bonded or knitted textiles. Traditional fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) use random dispersed chopped fibers in the matrix at a low volume fractions, typically 1-2% to avoid to avoid fiber agglomeration and balling. In conventional FRC, fracture localization occurs immediately after the first crack, resulting in only minor improvement in toughness and tensile strength. However in SHCC systems, distribution of cracking throughout the specimen is facilitated by the fiber bridging mechanism. Influence of material properties of yarn, composition, geometry and weave patterns of textile in the behavior of laminated SHCC skin composites were investigated. Contribution of the cementitious matrix in the early age and long-term performance of laminated composites was studied with supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash, silica fume, and wollastonite. A closed form model with classical laminate theory and ply discount method, coupled with a damage evolution model was utilized to simulate the non-linear tensile response of these composite materials. A constitutive material model developed earlier in the group was utilized to characterize and correlate the behavior of these structural composites under uniaxial tension and flexural loading responses. Development and use of analytical models enables optimal design for application of these materials in structural applications. Another area of immediate focus is the development of new construction products from SHCC laminates such as angles, channels, hat sections, closed sections with optimized cross sections. Sandwich composites with stress skin-cellular core concept were also developed to utilize strength and ductility of fabric reinforced skin in addition to thickness, ductility, and thermal benefits of cellular core materials. The proposed structurally efficient and durable sections promise to compete with wood and light gage steel based sections for lightweight construction and panel application.

Novel, inorganic composites using porous, alkali-activated, aluminosilicate binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musil, Sean

Geopolymers are an inorganic polymeric material composed of alumina, silica, and alkali metal oxides. Geopolymers are chemical and fire resistant, can be used as refractory adhesives, and are processed at or near ambient temperature. These properties make geopolymer an attractive choice as a matrix material for elevated temperature composites. This body of research investigated numerous different reinforcement possibilities and variants of geopolymer matrix material and characterized their mechanical performance in tension, flexure and flexural creep. Reinforcements can then be chosen based on the resulting properties to tailor the geopolymer matrix composites to a specific application condition. Geopolymer matrix composites combine the ease of processing of polymer matrix composites with the high temperature capability of ceramic matrix composites. This study incorporated particulate, unidirectional fiber and woven fiber reinforcements. Sodium, potassium, and cesium based geopolymer matrices were evaluated with cesium based geopolymer showing great promise as a high temperature matrix material. It showed the best strength retention at elevated temperature, as well as a very low coefficient of thermal expansion when crystallized into pollucite. These qualities made cesium geopolymer the best choice for creep resistant applications. Cesium geopolymer binders were combined with unidirectional continuous polycrystalline mullite fibers (Nextel(TM) 720) and single crystal mullite fibers, then the matrix was crystallized to form cubic pollucite. Single crystal mullite fibers were obtained by the internal crystallization method and show excellent creep resistance up to 1400°C. High temperature flexural strength and flexural creep resistance of pollucite and polycrystalline/single-crystal fibers was evaluated at 1000-1400°C.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Program. Bibliography, 1993 edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaughan, K.H.

1993-06-01

The Bibliography contains listings of publicly available reports, journal articles, and published conference papers sponsored by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and published between 1987 and mid-1993. The topics of Bibliography include: analysis and evaluation; building equipment research; building thermal envelope systems and materials; district heating; residential and commercial conservation program; weatherization assistance program; existing buildings research program; ceramic technology project; alternative fuels and propulsion technology; microemulsion fuels; industrial chemical heat pumps; materials for advanced industrial heat exchangers; advanced industrial materials; tribology; energy-related inventions program; electric energy systems; superconducting technology program for electric energy systems; thermalmore » energy storage; biofuels feedstock development; biotechnology; continuous chromatography in multicomponent separations; sensors for electrolytic cells; hydropower environmental mitigation; environmental control technology; continuous fiber ceramic composite technology.« less

Flexible strain sensor based on carbon nanotube rubber composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jin-Ho; Kim, Young-Ju; Baek, Woon Kyung; Lim, Kwon Taek; Kang, Inpil

2010-04-01

Electrically conducting rubber composites (CRC) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) filler have received much attention as potential materials for sensors. In this work, Ethylene propylene diene M-class rubber (EPDM)/CNT composites as a novel nano sensory material were prepared to develop flexible strain sensors that can measure large deformation of flexible structures. The EPDM/CNT composites were prepared by using a Brabender mixer with multi-walled CNTs and organo-clay. A strain sensor made of EPDM/CNT composite was attached to the surface of a flexible beam and change of resistance of the strain sensor was measured with respect to the beam deflection. Resistance of the sensor was change quite linearly under the bending and compressive large beam deflection. Upon external forces, CRC deformation takes place with the micro scale change of inter-electrical condition in rubber matrix due to the change of contact resistance, and CRC reveals macro scale piezoresistivity. It is anticipated that the CNT/EPDM fibrous strain sensor can be eligible to develop a biomimetic artificial neuron that can continuously sense deformation, pressure and shear force.

Degradation Mechanisms in Aluminum Matrix Composites: Alumina/Aluminum and Boron/Aluminum. Ph.D. Thesis - North Carolina State Univ. at Raleigh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, G. C.

1981-01-01

The effects of fabrication and long term thermal exposure (up to 10,000 hours at 590 K) on two types of aluminum matrix composites were examined. An alumina/aluminum composite, was made of continuous alpha Al2O3 fibers in a matrix of commercially pure aluminum alloyed with 2.8% lithium. The mechanical properties of the material, the effect of isothermal exposure, cyclic thermal exposure, and fatigue are presented. Two degradation mechanisms are identified. One was caused by formation of a nonstoichiometric alumina during fabrication, the other by a loss of lithium to a surface reaction during long term thermal exposure. The other composite, boron/aluminum, made of boron fibers in an aluminum matrix, was investigated using five different aluminum alloys for the matrices. The mechanical properties of each material and the effect of isothermal and cyclic thermal exposure are presented. The effects of each alloy constituent on the degradation mechanisms are discussed. The effects of several reactions between alloy constituents and boron fibers on the composite properties are discussed.

Compositional Remote Sensing of Icy Planets and Satellites Beyond Jupiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, T. L.

2002-01-01

The peak of the solar energy distribution occurs at visual wavelengths and falls off rapidly in the infrared. This fact, improvements in infrared detector technology, and the low surface temperatures for most icy objects in the outer solar system have resulted in the bulk of telescopic and spacecraft observations being performed at visual and near-infrared wavelengths. Such observations, begun in the early 1970's and continuing to present, have provided compositional information regarding the surfaces of the satellites of Saturn and Uranus, Neptune's moon Triton, Pluto, Pluto's moon Charon, Centaur objects, and Kuiper belt objects. Because the incident sunlight penetrates the surface and interacts with the materials present there, the measured reflected sunlight contains information regarding the surface materials, and the ratio of the reflected to incident sunlight provides a mechanism of identifying the materials that are present.

In vitro bioactivity, cytocompatibility, and antibiotic release profile of gentamicin sulfate-loaded borate bioactive glass/chitosan composites.

PubMed

Cui, Xu; Gu, Yifei; Li, Le; Wang, Hui; Xie, Zhongping; Luo, Shihua; Zhou, Nai; Huang, Wenhai; Rahaman, Mohamed N

2013-10-01

Borate bioactive glass-based composites have been attracting interest recently as an osteoconductive carrier material for local antibiotic delivery. In the present study, composites composed of borate bioactive glass particles bonded with a chitosan matrix were prepared and evaluated in vitro as a carrier for gentamicin sulfate. The bioactivity, degradation, drug release profile, and compressive strength of the composite carrier system were studied as a function of immersion time in phosphate-buffered saline at 37 °C. The cytocompatibility of the gentamicin sulfate-loaded composite carrier was evaluated using assays of cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells. Sustained release of gentamicin sulfate occurred over ~28 days in PBS, while the bioactive glass converted continuously to hydroxyapatite. The compressive strength of the composite loaded with gentamicin sulfate decreased from the as-fabricated value of 24 ± 3 MPa to ~8 MPa after immersion for 14 days in PBS. Extracts of the soluble ionic products of the borate glass/chitosan composites enhanced the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3-E1 cells. These results indicate that the gentamicin sulfate-loaded composite composed of chitosan-bonded borate bioactive glass particles could be useful clinically as an osteoconductive carrier material for treating bone infection.

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Carbon Composite Valve for an Internal Combustion Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivers, H. Kevin (Inventor); Ransone, Philip O. (Inventor); Northam, G. Burton (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A carbon fiber reinforced carbon composite valve for internal combustion engines and the like formed of continuous carbon fibers throughout the valve's stem and head is disclosed. The valve includes braided carbon fiber material over axially aligned unidirectional carbon fibers forming a valve stem; the braided and unidirectional carbon fibers being broomed out at one end of the valve stem forming the shape of the valve head; the valve-shaped structure being densified and rigidized with a matrix of carbon containing discontinuous carbon fibers: and the finished valve being treated to resist oxidation. Also disclosed is a carbon matrix plug containing continuous and discontinuous carbon fibers and forming a net-shape valve head acting as a mandrel over which the unidirectional and braided carbon fibers are formed according to textile processes. Also disclosed are various preform valves and processes for making finished and preform carbon fiber reinforced carbon composite valves.

Biomediated continuous release phosphate fertilizer

DOEpatents

Goldstein, A.H.; Rogers, R.D.

1999-06-15

A composition is disclosed for providing phosphate fertilizer to the root zone of plants. The composition comprises a microorganism capable of producing and secreting a solubilization agent, a carbon source for providing raw material for the microorganism to convert into the solubilization agent, and rock phosphate ore for providing a source of insoluble phosphate that is solubilized by the solubilization agent and released as soluble phosphate. The composition is provided in a physical form, such as a granule, that retains the microorganism, carbon source, and rock phosphate ore, but permits water and soluble phosphate to diffuse into the soil. A method of using the composition for providing phosphate fertilizer to plants is also disclosed. 13 figs.

Method for preparing metallated filament-wound structures

DOEpatents

Peterson, George R.

1979-01-01

Metallated graphite filament-wound structures are prepared by coating a continuous multi-filament carbon yarn with a metal carbide, impregnating the carbide coated yarn with a polymerizable carbon precursor, winding the resulting filament about a mandrel, partially curing the impregnation in air, subjecting the wound composite to heat and pressure to cure the carbon precursor, and thereafter heating the composite in a sizing die at a pressure loading of at least 1000 psi for graphitizing the carbonaceous material in the composite. The carbide in the composite coalesces into rod-like shapes which are disposed in an end-to-end relationship parallel with the filaments to provide resistance to erosion in abrasive laden atmospheres.

Fast mix table construction for material discretization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, S. R.

2013-07-01

An effective hybrid Monte Carlo-deterministic implementation typically requires the approximation of a continuous geometry description with a discretized piecewise-constant material field. The inherent geometry discretization error can be reduced somewhat by using material mixing, where multiple materials inside a discrete mesh voxel are homogenized. Material mixing requires the construction of a 'mix table,' which stores the volume fractions in every mixture so that multiple voxels with similar compositions can reference the same mixture. Mix table construction is a potentially expensive serial operation for large problems with many materials and voxels. We formulate an efficient algorithm to construct a sparse mixmore » table in O(number of voxels x log number of mixtures) time. The new algorithm is implemented in ADVANTG and used to discretize continuous geometries onto a structured Cartesian grid. When applied to an end-of-life MCNP model of the High Flux Isotope Reactor with 270 distinct materials, the new method improves the material mixing time by a factor of 100 compared to a naive mix table implementation. (authors)« less

Fast Mix Table Construction for Material Discretization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Seth R

2013-01-01

An effective hybrid Monte Carlo--deterministic implementation typically requires the approximation of a continuous geometry description with a discretized piecewise-constant material field. The inherent geometry discretization error can be reduced somewhat by using material mixing, where multiple materials inside a discrete mesh voxel are homogenized. Material mixing requires the construction of a ``mix table,'' which stores the volume fractions in every mixture so that multiple voxels with similar compositions can reference the same mixture. Mix table construction is a potentially expensive serial operation for large problems with many materials and voxels. We formulate an efficient algorithm to construct a sparse mix table inmore » $$O(\\text{number of voxels}\\times \\log \\text{number of mixtures})$$ time. The new algorithm is implemented in ADVANTG and used to discretize continuous geometries onto a structured Cartesian grid. When applied to an end-of-life MCNP model of the High Flux Isotope Reactor with 270 distinct materials, the new method improves the material mixing time by a factor of 100 compared to a naive mix table implementation.« less

A finite element framework for multiscale/multiphysics analysis of structures with complex microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varghese, Julian

This research work has contributed in various ways to help develop a better understanding of textile composites and materials with complex microstructures in general. An instrumental part of this work was the development of an object-oriented framework that made it convenient to perform multiscale/multiphysics analyses of advanced materials with complex microstructures such as textile composites. In addition to the studies conducted in this work, this framework lays the groundwork for continued research of these materials. This framework enabled a detailed multiscale stress analysis of a woven DCB specimen that revealed the effect of the complex microstructure on the stress and strain energy release rate distribution along the crack front. In addition to implementing an oxidation model, the framework was also used to implement strategies that expedited the simulation of oxidation in textile composites so that it would take only a few hours. The simulation showed that the tow architecture played a significant role in the oxidation behavior in textile composites. Finally, a coupled diffusion/oxidation and damage progression analysis was implemented that was used to study the mechanical behavior of textile composites under mechanical loading as well as oxidation. A parametric study was performed to determine the effect of material properties and the number of plies in the laminate on its mechanical behavior. The analyses indicated a significant effect of the tow architecture and other parameters on the damage progression in the laminates.

Stiffness distribution in insect cuticle: a continuous or a discontinuous profile?

PubMed

Rajabi, H; Jafarpour, M; Darvizeh, A; Dirks, J-H; Gorb, S N

2017-07-01

Insect cuticle is a biological composite with a high degree of complexity in terms of both architecture and material composition. Given the complex morphology of many insect body parts, finite-element (FE) models play an important role in the analysis and interpretation of biomechanical measurements, taken by either macroscopic or nanoscopic techniques. Many previous studies show that the interpretation of nanoindentation measurements of this layered composite material is very challenging. To develop accurate FE models, it is of particular interest to understand more about the variations in the stiffness through the thickness of the cuticle. Considering the difficulties of making direct measurements, in this study, we use the FE method to analyse previously published data and address this issue numerically. For this purpose, sets of continuous or discontinuous stiffness profiles through the thickness of the cuticle were mathematically described. The obtained profiles were assigned to models developed based on the cuticle of three insect species with different geometries and layer configurations. The models were then used to simulate the mechanical behaviour of insect cuticles subjected to nanoindentation experiments. Our results show that FE models with discontinuous exponential stiffness gradients along their thickness were able to predict the stress and deformation states in insect cuticle very well. Our results further suggest that, for more accurate measurements and interpretation of nanoindentation test data, the ratio of the indentation depth to cuticle thickness should be limited to 7% rather than the traditional '10% rule'. The results of this study thus might be useful to provide a deeper insight into the biomechanical consequences of the distinct material distribution in insect cuticle and also to form a basis for more realistic modelling of this complex natural composite. © 2017 The Author(s).

Research Developments in Nondestructive Evaluation and Structural Health Monitoring for the Sustainment of Composite Aerospace Structures at NASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cramer, K. Elliott

2016-01-01

The use of composite materials continues to increase in the aerospace community due to the potential benefits of reduced weight, increased strength, and manufacturability. Ongoing work at NASA involves the use of the large-scale composite structures for spacecraft (payload shrouds, cryotanks, crew modules, etc). NASA is also working to enable both the use and sustainment of composites in commercial aircraft structures. One key to the sustainment of these large composite structures is the rapid, in-situ characterization of a wide range of potential defects that may occur during the vehicle's life. Additionally, in many applications it is necessary to monitor changes in these materials over their lifetime. Quantitative characterization through Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) of defects such as reduced bond strength, microcracking, and delamination damage due to impact, are of particular interest. This paper will present an overview of NASA's applications of NDE technologies being developed for the characterization and sustainment of advanced aerospace composites. The approaches presented include investigation of conventional, guided wave, and phase sensitive ultrasonic methods and infrared thermography techniques for NDE. Finally, the use of simulation tools for optimizing and validating these techniques will also be discussed.

Identification and Modelling of the In-Plane Reinforcement Orientation Variations in a CFRP Laminate Produced by Manual Lay-Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davila, Yves; Crouzeix, Laurent; Douchin, Bernard; Collombet, Francis; Grunevald, Yves-Henri

2017-08-01

Reinforcement angle orientation has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of composite materials. This work presents a methodology to introduce variable reinforcement angles into finite element (FE) models of composite structures. The study of reinforcement orientation variations uses meta-models to identify and control a continuous variation across the composite ply. First, the reinforcement angle is measured through image analysis techniques of the composite plies during the lay-up phase. Image analysis results show that variations in the mean ply orientations are between -0.5 and 0.5° with standard deviations ranging between 0.34 and 0.41°. An automatic post-treatment of the images determines the global and local angle variations yielding good agreements visually and numerically between the analysed images and the identified parameters. A composite plate analysed at the end of the cooling phase is presented as a case of study. Here, the variation in residual strains induced by the variability in the reinforcement orientation are up to 28% of the strain field of the homogeneous FE model. The proposed methodology has shown its capabilities to introduce material and geometrical variability into FE analysis of layered composite structures.

Identification and Modelling of the In-Plane Reinforcement Orientation Variations in a CFRP Laminate Produced by Manual Lay-Up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davila, Yves; Crouzeix, Laurent; Douchin, Bernard; Collombet, Francis; Grunevald, Yves-Henri

2018-06-01

Reinforcement angle orientation has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of composite materials. This work presents a methodology to introduce variable reinforcement angles into finite element (FE) models of composite structures. The study of reinforcement orientation variations uses meta-models to identify and control a continuous variation across the composite ply. First, the reinforcement angle is measured through image analysis techniques of the composite plies during the lay-up phase. Image analysis results show that variations in the mean ply orientations are between -0.5 and 0.5° with standard deviations ranging between 0.34 and 0.41°. An automatic post-treatment of the images determines the global and local angle variations yielding good agreements visually and numerically between the analysed images and the identified parameters. A composite plate analysed at the end of the cooling phase is presented as a case of study. Here, the variation in residual strains induced by the variability in the reinforcement orientation are up to 28% of the strain field of the homogeneous FE model. The proposed methodology has shown its capabilities to introduce material and geometrical variability into FE analysis of layered composite structures.

Shape morphing and motion of responsive hydrogel composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayward, Ryan

Composites of stimuli-responsive hydrogels paired with stiff structural elements or functional inorganic materials offer myriad opportunities to control the shape, properties, and motion of materials. In one example, our group has studied the geometry and mechanics of swelling-induced buckling of polymer trilayer films consisting of patterning rigid layers sandwiching a swellable hydrogel layer. Of particular recent interest has been the formation of helical structures from seedpod-type architectures with perpendicular orientation of stripes on opposite faces. We have studied the concatenation of two or more helical segments, yielding simple geometric design rules for the fabrication of 3D constructs. In a second example, we have considered the light-driven reshaping and motion of hydrogels containing plasmonic nanoparticles as photothermal heating elements. In contrast to systems pre-programmed to take on a single, or perhaps a few, different 3D shapes, this approach enables continuous shape reconfiguration, and correspondingly, directed motion of composite hydrogel sheets.

[Production technology and use of composite materials in the aeronautics industry, risks and pathology in the manufacturing workers].

PubMed

Franco, G; Candura, F

1985-01-01

The type and applications of composite materials have increased greatly during the last forty years, particularly in the aircraft and aerospace industries. The foreseeable increase of the employment of composite materials in future needs an adequate engagement in finding out health risks involved with technological processes. Composite materials - considered as a close union between a continuous glass, aramid or carbon reinforcing fibre and a epoxy matrix - present several advantages over traditional materials. Structural epoxy adhesives are defined as complex formulated systems. By mixing a large number of ingredients a formulated resin is obtained, which represents the start of the production process for adhesive manufacture. The most important ingredients such as catalysts, accelerators, the groups of epoxy monomers and oligomers, additives most used and their role into the epoxy matrices are illustrated. Of the various technologies existing for the fabrication of aircraft structures the one so called "vacuum bag" is described. The knowledge of the chemical composition of the substances used in the production of composite materials and epoxy adhesives allows to verify the possible existence of hazard for workers health. Among the potentially dangerous chemicals, epoxy monomers and oligomers, catalysts, accelerators are to be considered. The metabolism and the mechanisms of toxicity of epoxides are summarized. However the toxic effects of most epoxides are far from being wholly investigated. In man epoxides ingestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin can lead to several toxic effects: irritation and sensitisation, alterations of liver and nervous function. Finally some epoxides are considered to be carcinogenic in animals and in man; however for many compounds, the results are not yet conclusive. From what it is said above come out the necessity of a careful sanitary control of the workers exposed to these hazards, control that is made difficult by the lack of adequate biological indices for the risks found.

Reduction of thermal stresses in continuous fiber reinforced metal matrix composites with interface layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansson, S.; Leckie, F. A.

1990-01-01

The potential of using an interface layer to reduce thermal stresses in the matrix of composites with a mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion of fiber and matrix was investigated. It was found that compliant layers, with properties of readily available materials, do not have the potential to reduce thermal stresses significantly. However, interface layers with high coefficient of thermal expansion can compensate for the mismatch and reduce thermal stresses in the matrix significantly.

Statistical shear lag model - unraveling the size effect in hierarchical composites.

PubMed

Wei, Xiaoding; Filleter, Tobin; Espinosa, Horacio D

2015-05-01

Numerous experimental and computational studies have established that the hierarchical structures encountered in natural materials, such as the brick-and-mortar structure observed in sea shells, are essential for achieving defect tolerance. Due to this hierarchy, the mechanical properties of natural materials have a different size dependence compared to that of typical engineered materials. This study aimed to explore size effects on the strength of bio-inspired staggered hierarchical composites and to define the influence of the geometry of constituents in their outstanding defect tolerance capability. A statistical shear lag model is derived by extending the classical shear lag model to account for the statistics of the constituents' strength. A general solution emerges from rigorous mathematical derivations, unifying the various empirical formulations for the fundamental link length used in previous statistical models. The model shows that the staggered arrangement of constituents grants composites a unique size effect on mechanical strength in contrast to homogenous continuous materials. The model is applied to hierarchical yarns consisting of double-walled carbon nanotube bundles to assess its predictive capabilities for novel synthetic materials. Interestingly, the model predicts that yarn gauge length does not significantly influence the yarn strength, in close agreement with experimental observations. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 56.20-20 - Valve bypasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Valve bypasses. 56.20-20 Section 56.20-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES..., and of a material of the same nominal chemical composition and physical properties as that used for...

46 CFR 56.20-20 - Valve bypasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Valve bypasses. 56.20-20 Section 56.20-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES..., and of a material of the same nominal chemical composition and physical properties as that used for...

46 CFR 56.20-20 - Valve bypasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Valve bypasses. 56.20-20 Section 56.20-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES..., and of a material of the same nominal chemical composition and physical properties as that used for...

46 CFR 56.20-20 - Valve bypasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Valve bypasses. 56.20-20 Section 56.20-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES..., and of a material of the same nominal chemical composition and physical properties as that used for...

46 CFR 56.20-20 - Valve bypasses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Valve bypasses. 56.20-20 Section 56.20-20 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) MARINE ENGINEERING PIPING SYSTEMS AND APPURTENANCES..., and of a material of the same nominal chemical composition and physical properties as that used for...

DEMONSTRATION OF THE AQUABLOK® SEDIMENT CAPPING TECHNOLOGY - INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

AquaBlok^® is an innovative, proprietary clay polymer composite developed by AquaBlok, Ltd. of Toledo, OH, and represents an alternative to traditional sediment capping materials such as sand. It is designed to swell and form a continuous and highly impermeable isolatio...

Diving into the Creative Realm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culp, Megan

2015-01-01

Just as students should leave their Foundational year of art with a beginning sense of composition, color, value, and materials, so should they be cultivating their creative capacities. With the equipment exercised and the waters tested, students will be prepared to continue their journey; for it is the interplay of personal experience, social…

Heterogeneous fuel for hybrid rocket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stickler, David B. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

Heterogeneous fuel compositions suitable for use in hybrid rocket engines and solid-fuel ramjet engines, The compositions include mixtures of a continuous phase, which forms a solid matrix, and a dispersed phase permanently distributed therein. The dispersed phase or the matrix vaporizes (or melts) and disperses into the gas flow much more rapidly than the other, creating depressions, voids and bumps within and on the surface of the remaining bulk material that continuously roughen its surface, This effect substantially enhances heat transfer from the combusting gas flow to the fuel surface, producing a correspondingly high burning rate, The dispersed phase may include solid particles, entrained liquid droplets, or gas-phase voids having dimensions roughly similar to the displacement scale height of the gas-flow boundary layer generated during combustion.

System Applies Polymer Powder To Filament Tow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baucom, Robert M.; Snoha, John J.; Marchello, Joseph M.

1993-01-01

Polymer powder applied uniformly and in continuous manner. Powder-coating system applies dry polymer powder to continuous fiber tow. Unique filament-spreading technique, combined with precise control of tension on fibers in system, ensures uniform application of polymer powder to web of spread filaments. Fiber tows impregnated with dry polymer powders ("towpregs") produced for preform-weaving and composite-material-molding applications. System and process valuable to prepreg industry, for production of flexible filament-windable tows and high-temperature polymer prepregs.

A conceptual review of regional-scale controls on the composition of clastic sediment and the co-evolution of continental blocks and their sedimentary cover.

PubMed

Cox, R; Lowe, D R

1995-01-02

Both sediment recycling and first-cycle input influence the composition of clastic material in sedimentary systems. This paper examines conceptually the roles played by these processes in governing the composition of clastic sediment on a regional scale by outlining the expected effects on sediment composition of protracted sediment recycling and of continuous first-cycle input on a maturing continental block. Generally speaking, long-term recycling tends to enrich sediments in the most chemically and mechanically stable components: quartz in the sand and silt size fractions, and illite among the clay minerals. Sandstones trend towards pure quartz arenites, and mudrocks become more potassic and aluminous. The average grain size of clastic sediment decreases by a combination of progressive attrition of sand grains and ongoing breakdown of primary silicate minerals to finer-grained clay minerals and oxides. Sandstones derived by continuous first-cycle input from an evolving continental crustal source also become increasingly rich in quartz, but in addition become more feldspathic as the proportion of granitic material in the upper continental crust increases during crustal stabilization. Associated mudrocks also become richer in potassium and aluminum, but will have higher K2O/Al2O3 ratios than recycled muds. The average grain size of the sediment may increase with time as the proportion of sand-prone granitic source rocks increases at the expense of more mud-prone volcanic sources. In general, except in instances where chemical weathering is extreme, first-cycle sediments lack the compositional maturity of recycled detritus, and are characterized by the presence of a variety of primary silicate minerals. Sedimentary systems are not usually completely dominated by either recycling or first-cycle detritus. Generally, however, sedimentary systems associated with the earliest phases of formation and accretion of continental crust are characterized by first-cycle input from igneous and metamorphic rocks, whereas those associated with more mature cratons tend to be dominated by recycled sedimentary material.

Fiber-reinforced composite substructure: load-bearing capacity of an onlay restoration and flexural properties of the material.

PubMed

Garoushi, Sufyan K; Lassila, Lippo V J; Tezvergil, Arzu; Vallittu, Pekka K

2006-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the static load-bearing capacity of composite resin onlay restorations made of particulate filler composite (PFC) with two different types of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) substructures. In addition, flexural properties of the material combination and the effect of polymerization devices were tested. Specimens were prepared to simulate an onlay restoration, which consisted of 2 to 3 mm of FRC layer as a substructure (short random and continuous bidirectional fiber orientation) and a 1 mm surface layer of PFC. Control specimens were prepared from plain PFC. In Group A the specimens were incrementally polymerized only with a hand-light curing unit for 40 s, while in Group B the specimens were post-cured in a light-curing oven for 15 min before they were statically loaded with a steel ball. Bar-shaped test specimens were prepared to measure the flexural properties of material combination using a three-point bending test (ISO 10477). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed all specimens with a FRC substructure have higher values of static load-bearing capacity and flexural properties than those obtained with plain PFC (p<0.001). The load-bearing capacity of all the specimens decreased after post-curing and water storage. Restorations made from a material combination of FRC and PFC showed better mechanical properties than those obtained with plain PFC.

Processing, Structure and High Temperature Oxidation Properties of Polymer-Derived and Hafnium Oxide Based Ceramic Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terauds, Kalvis

Demands for hypersonic aircraft are driving the development of ultra-high temperature structural materials. These aircraft, envisioned to sustain Mach 5+, are expected to experience continuous temperatures of 1200--1800°C on the aircraft surface and temperatures as high as 2800°C in combustion zones. Breakthroughs in the development of fiber based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are opening the door to a new class of high-tech UHT structures for aerospace applications. One limitation with current carbon fiber or silicon carbide fiber based CMC technology is the inherent problem of material oxidation, requiring new approaches for protective environmental barrier coatings (EBC) in extreme environments. This thesis focuses on the development and characterization of SiCN-HfO2 based ceramic composite EBC systems to be used as a protective layer for silicon carbide fiber based CMCs. The presented work covers three main architectures for protection (i) multilayer films, (ii) polymer-derived HfSiCNO, and (iii) composite SiCN-HfO 2 infiltration. The scope of this thesis covers processing development, material characterization, and high temperature oxidation behavior of these three SiCN-HfO2 based systems. This work shows that the SiCN-HfO 2 composite materials react upon oxidation to form HfSiO4, offering a stable EBC in streaming air and water vapor at 1600°C.

Development of a core sheath process for production of oxide fibers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freske, S.

1972-01-01

Improvements were sought in an oxide fiber of a core sheath configuration intended for structural applications at 2000 F (1093 C). Discontinuities in the core were eliminated by using core materials other than pure alumina, and continuous core sheath fibers were produced. In the case of some core materials, the continuous sections were sufficiently long for applications in short fiber composites. Creep at 2000 F (1093 C) was found to be due, in most cases, to breaks in the core, allowing the glass sheath to creep. Evidence was obtained indicating that a closer match between the thermal expansion coefficient of the sheath and the core would greatly improve the strength.

Rehabilitation of adobe buildings. Understanding different materials from Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, Cristiana; Rocha, Fernando; Velosa, Ana

2016-04-01

Earth construction is the oldest building material known, with documented cases of the use of earth bricks since Mesopotamia around 10 000 BC (Heathcote, 1995). The earth construction exists throughout the majority of the world in different cultures, and for some countries, nowadays it continues to be the main process of construction (Vega et al, 2011). Around 30% of the world's population lives in buildings made of earth materials. Earthen construction is an environmentally friendly technique with a social and cultural contribution; this advantage is increased when this type of construction is applied in developing countries where the material costs counterbalance with labour costs, and where other materials and techniques cannot be available (Ciancio et al, 2013). Studies of materials characterization are required in order to understand the composition and specific properties of the earth buildings, their heterogeneity and their degradation mechanisms. Some adobes from different buildings, ages and regions of Portugal were collected in order to characterize them (mineralogically, chemically and physically). It was possible to understand the composition of these materials and their differences. Main minerals are quartz, feldspars, calcite and phyllosilicates (mica and kaolinite). The mechanical behaviour of these materials isn't the best, but it is possible to improve it with some simple and cheap natural additives (kaolinitic soils). The characterization of these materials allows us to understand the differences between the materials from the different regions (controlled by locally available raw materials). Understanding these materials, and their properties, it is possible to formulate new ones for repair, conservation and rehabilitation works. The adobe bricks are an alternative of kiln baked bricks which has several advantages and one of the most important is that these materials are recyclable. Adobes are an excellent option for building rehabilitation, if composition is optimised.

Continuous fiber ceramic matrix composites for heat engine components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tripp, David E.

1988-01-01

High strength at elevated temperatures, low density, resistance to wear, and abundance of nonstrategic raw materials make structural ceramics attractive for advanced heat engine applications. Unfortunately, ceramics have a low fracture toughness and fail catastrophically because of overload, impact, and contact stresses. Ceramic matrix composites provide the means to achieve improved fracture toughness while retaining desirable characteristics, such as high strength and low density. Materials scientists and engineers are trying to develop the ideal fibers and matrices to achieve the optimum ceramic matrix composite properties. A need exists for the development of failure models for the design of ceramic matrix composite heat engine components. Phenomenological failure models are currently the most frequently used in industry, but they are deterministic and do not adequately describe ceramic matrix composite behavior. Semi-empirical models were proposed, which relate the failure of notched composite laminates to the stress a characteristic distance away from the notch. Shear lag models describe composite failure modes at the micromechanics level. The enhanced matrix cracking stress occurs at the same applied stress level predicted by the two models of steady state cracking. Finally, statistical models take into consideration the distribution in composite failure strength. The intent is to develop these models into computer algorithms for the failure analysis of ceramic matrix composites under monotonically increasing loads. The algorithms will be included in a postprocessor to general purpose finite element programs.

[Advanced Composites Technology Initiatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Julian, Mark R.

2002-01-01

This final report closes out the W02 NASA Grant #NCC5-646. The FY02 grant for advanced technology initiatives through the Advanced Composites Technology Institute in Bridgeport, WV, at the Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) Bridgeport Manufacturing Technology Center, is complete; all funding has been expended. RCBI continued to expand access to technology; develop and implement a workforce-training curriculum; improve material development; and provide prototyping and demonstrations of new and advanced composites technologies for West Virginia composites firms. The FY 02 efforts supported workforce development, technical training and the HST development effort of a super-lightweight composite carrier prototype and expanded the existing technical capabilities of the growing aerospace industry across West Virginia to provide additional support for NASA missions. Additionally, the Composites Technology and Training Center was awarded IS0 9001 - 2000 certification and Cleanroom Class 1000 certification during this report period.

Influence of photoactivation method and mold for restoration on the Knoop hardness of resin composite restorations.

PubMed

Brandt, William Cunha; Silva-Concilio, Lais Regiane; Neves, Ana Christina Claro; de Souza-Junior, Eduardo Jose Carvalho; Sinhoreti, Mario Alexandre Coelho

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the Knoop hardness in the top and bottom of composite photo activated by different methods when different mold materials were used. Z250 (3M ESPE) and XL2500 halogen unit (3M ESPE) were used. For hardness test, conical restorations were made in extracted bovine incisors (tooth mold) and also metal mold (approximately 2 mm top diameter × 1.5 mm bottom diameter × 2 mm in height). Different photoactivation methods were tested: high-intensity continuous (HIC), low-intensity continuous (LIC), soft-start, or pulse-delay (PD), with constant radiant exposure. Knoop readings were performed on top and bottom restoration surfaces. Data were submitted to two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (p = 0.05). On the top, regardless of the mold used, no significant difference in the Knoop hardness (Knoop hardness number, in kilograms-force per square millimeter) was observed between the photoactivation methods. On the bottom surface, the photoactivation method HIC shows higher means of hardness than LIC when tooth and metal were used. Significant differences of hardness on the top and in the bottom were detected between tooth and metal. The photoactivation method LIC and the material mold can interfere in the hardness values of composite restorations.

Ferromagnetic, folded electrode composite as a soft interface to the skin for long-term electrophysiological recording.

PubMed

Jang, Kyung-In; Jung, Han Na; Lee, Jung Woo; Xu, Sheng; Liu, Yu Hao; Ma, Yinji; Jeong, Jae-Woong; Song, Young Min; Kim, Jeonghyun; Kim, Bong Hun; Banks, Anthony; Kwak, Jean Won; Yang, Yiyuan; Shi, Dawei; Wei, Zijun; Feng, Xue; Paik, Ungyu; Huang, Yonggang; Ghaffari, Roozbeh; Rogers, John A

2016-10-25

This paper introduces a class of ferromagnetic, folded, soft composite material for skin-interfaced electrodes with releasable interfaces to stretchable, wireless electronic measurement systems. These electrodes establish intimate, adhesive contacts to the skin, in dimensionally stable formats compatible with multiple days of continuous operation, with several key advantages over conventional hydrogel based alternatives. The reported studies focus on aspects ranging from ferromagnetic and mechanical behavior of the materials systems, to electrical properties associated with their skin interface, to system-level integration for advanced electrophysiological monitoring applications. The work combines experimental measurement and theoretical modeling to establish the key design considerations. These concepts have potential uses across a diverse set of skin-integrated electronic technologies.

Robust, self-assembled, biocompatible films

DOEpatents

Swanson, Basil I; Anderson, Aaron S.; Dattelbaum, Andrew M.; Schmidt, Jurgen G.

2014-06-24

The present invention provides a composite material including a substrate having an oxide surface, and, a continuous monolayer on the oxide surface, the monolayer including a silicon atom from a trifunctional alkyl/alkenyl/alkynyl silane group that attaches to the oxide surface, an alkyl/alkenyl/alkynyl portion of at least three carbon atoms, a polyalkylene glycol spacer group, and either a reactive site (e.g., a recognition ligand) or a site resistant to non-specific binding (e.g., a methoxy or the like) at the terminus of each modified SAM. The present invention further provides a sensor element, a sensor array and a method of sensing, each employing the composite material. Patterning is also provided together with backfilling to minimize non-specific binding.

Novel Wireless Sensor System for Monitoring Oxygen, Temperature and Respiration Rate of Horticultural Crops Post Harvest

PubMed Central

Løkke, Mette Marie; Seefeldt, Helene Fast; Edwards, Gareth; Green, Ole

2011-01-01

In order to design optimal packages, it is of pivotal importance to determine the rate at which harvested fresh fruits and vegetables consume oxygen. The respiration rate of oxygen (RRO2) is determined by measuring the consumed oxygen per hour per kg plant material, and the rate is highly influenced by temperature and gas composition. Traditionally, RRO2 has been determined at discrete time intervals. In this study, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) were used to determine RRO2 continuously in plant material (fresh cut broccoli florets) at 5 °C, 10 °C and 20 °C and at modified gas compositions (decreasing oxygen and increasing carbon dioxide levels). Furthermore, the WSN enabled concomitant determination of oxygen and temperature in the very close vicinity of the plant material. This information proved a very close relationship between changes in temperature and respiration rate. The applied WSNs were unable to determine oxygen levels lower than 5% and carbon dioxide was not determined. Despite these drawbacks in relation to respiration analysis, the WSNs offer a new possibility to do continuous measurement of RRO2 in post harvest research, thereby investigating the close relation between temperature and RRO2. The conclusions are that WSNs have the potential to be used as a monitor of RRO2 of plant material after harvest, during storage and packaging, thereby leading to optimized consumer products. PMID:22164085

LDEF Materials Workshop 1991, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, Bland A. (Compiler); Young, Philip R. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

The workshop comprised a series of technical sessions on materials themes, followed by theme panel meetings. Themes included materials, environmental parameters, and data bases; contamination; thermal control and protective coatings and surface treatments; polymers and films; polymer matrix composites; metals, ceramics, and optical materials; lubricants adhesives, seals, fasteners, solar cells, and batteries. This report contains most of the papers presented at the technical sessions. It also contains theme panel reports and visual aids. This document continues the LDEF Space Environmental Effects on Materials Special Investigation Group (MSIG) pursuit of its charter to investigate the effects of LEO exposure on materials which where not originally planned to be test specimens and to integrate this information with data generated by principal investigators into an LDEF materials data base.

Numerical investigation of the thermal behavior of heated natural composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qasim, S. M.; Mohammed, F. Abbas; Hashim, R.

2015-11-01

In the present work numerical investigation was carried out for laminar natural convection heat transfer from natural composite material (NCM). Three types of natural materials such as seed dates, egg shells, and feathers are mixed separately with polyester resin. Natural materials are added with different volume fraction (10%, 20%, and 30%) are heated with different heat flux (1078W/m2, 928W/m2, 750W/m2, 608W/m2, and 457W/m2) at (vertical, inclined, and horizontal) position. Continuity and Navier-Stocks equations are solved numerically in three dimensions using ANSYS FLUENT package 12.1 software commercial program. Numerical results showed the temperature distribution was affected for all types at volume fraction 30% and heat flux is 1078 W/m2, for different position. So, shows that the plumes and temperature behavior are affected by the air and the distance from heat source. Numerical results showed acceptable agreement with the experimental previous results.

Dispersion of Projectile and Target Debris Upon Penetration of Thin Targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynn, D.; Bernhard, R. P.; See, T. H.; Horz, F.

1996-03-01

We continue to conduct penetration experiments of thin foils to support the development of cosmic-dust flight instruments that utilize thin films for the measurement of particle trajectories, or for the potential soft capture of hypervelocity impactors for subsequent compositional analysis upon retrieval to Earth. Each experiment is equipped with a witness plate, mounted to the rear of the target and fabricated from soft Aluminum-1100, ~30 x 30 cm in size and ranging from 2 to 5 mm thick; these witness plates essentially simulate the rear wall of a capture cell onto which the projectile material will plate out, including material that is being dislodged from the penetrated foil itself. Using compositionally contrasting projectile and foil materials in the laboratory, such as soda-lime glass impactors and aluminum targets, one produces two distinct populations of craters on the witness plates.

Environmental exposure effects on composite materials for commercial aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gibbins, M. N.; Hoffman, D. J.

1982-01-01

The effects of environmental exposure on composite materials are studied. The environments considered are representative of those experienced by commercial jet aircraft. Initial results have been compiled for the following material systems: T300/5208, T300/5209 and T300/934. Specimens were exposed on the exterior and interior of Boeing 737 airplanes of three airlines, and to continuous ground level exposure at four locations. In addition specimens were exposed in the laboratory to conditions such as: simulated ground-air-ground, weatherometer, and moisture. Residual strength results are presented for specimens exposed for up to two years at three ground level exposure locations and on airplanes from two airlines. Test results are also given for specimens exposed to the laboratory simulated environments. Test results indicate that short beam shear strength is sensitive to environmental exposure and dependent on the level of absorbed moisture.

Third-generation pure alumina and alumina matrix composites in total hip arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Hannouche, Didier; Zingg, Matthieu; Miozzari, Hermes; Nizard, Remy; Lübbeke, Anne

2018-01-01

Wear, corrosion and periprosthetic osteolysis are important causes of failure in joint arthroplasty, especially in young patients. Ceramic bearings, developed 40 years ago, are an increasingly popular choice in hip arthroplasty. New manufacturing procedures have increased the strength and reliability of ceramic materials and reduced the risk of complications. In recent decades, ceramics made of pure alumina have continuously improved, resulting in a surgical-grade material that fulfills clinical requirements. Despite the track record of safety and long-term results, third-generation pure alumina ceramics are being replaced in clinical practice by alumina matrix composites, which are composed of alumina and zirconium. In this review, the characteristics of both materials are discussed, and the long-term results with third-generation alumina-on-alumina bearings and the associated complications are compared with those of other available ceramics. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2018;3:7-14. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.3.170034 PMID:29657840

Composite analysis E-area vaults and saltstone disposal facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, J.R.

1997-09-01

This report documents the Composite Analysis (CA) performed on the two active Savannah River Site (SRS) low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facilities. The facilities are the Z-Area Saltstone Disposal Facility and the E-Area Vaults (EAV) Disposal Facility. The analysis calculated potential releases to the environment from all sources of residual radioactive material expected to remain in the General Separations Area (GSA). The GSA is the central part of SRS and contains all of the waste disposal facilities, chemical separations facilities and associated high-level waste storage facilities as well as numerous other sources of radioactive material. The analysis considered 114 potentialmore » sources of radioactive material containing 115 radionuclides. The results of the CA clearly indicate that continued disposal of low-level waste in the saltstone and EAV facilities, consistent with their respective radiological performance assessments, will have no adverse impact on future members of the public.« less

NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scully, John R.; Shiflet, Gary J.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Wert, John A.

1996-01-01

The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program was initiated in 1986 and continues with a high level of activity. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light-weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, environmental/corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement and modeling advances; and a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. Three research areas are being actively investigated, including: (1) Mechanical and environmental degradation mechanisms in advanced light metals, (2) Aerospace materials science, and (3) Mechanics of materials for light aerospace structures.

Continuous fiber-reinforced titanium aluminide composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackay, R. A.; Brindley, P. K.; Froes, F. H.

1991-01-01

An account is given of the fabrication techniques, microstructural characteristics, and mechanical behavior of a lightweight, high service temperature SiC-reinforced alpha-2 Ti-14Al-21Nb intermetallic-matrix composite. Fabrication techniques under investigation to improve the low-temperature ductility and environmental resistance of this material system, while reducing manufacturing costs to competitive levels, encompass powder-cloth processing, foil-fiber-foil processing, and thermal-spray processing. Attention is given to composite microstructure problems associated with fiber distribution and fiber-matrix interfaces, as well as with mismatches of thermal-expansion coefficient; major improvements are noted to be required in tensile properties, thermal cycling effects, mechanical damage, creep, and environmental effects.

TEA CO2 laser machining of CFRP composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salama, A.; Li, L.; Mativenga, P.; Whitehead, D.

2016-05-01

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have found wide applications in the aerospace, marine, sports and automotive industries owing to their lightweight and acceptable mechanical properties compared to the commonly used metallic materials. Machining of CFRP composites using lasers can be challenging due to inhomogeneity in the material properties and structures, which can lead to thermal damages during laser processing. In the previous studies, Nd:YAG, diode-pumped solid-state, CO2 (continuous wave), disc and fibre lasers were used in cutting CFRP composites and the control of damages such as the size of heat-affected zones (HAZs) remains a challenge. In this paper, a short-pulsed (8 μs) transversely excited atmospheric pressure CO2 laser was used, for the first time, to machine CFRP composites. The laser has high peak powers (up to 250 kW) and excellent absorption by both the carbon fibre and the epoxy binder. Design of experiment and statistical modelling, based on response surface methodology, was used to understand the interactions between the process parameters such as laser fluence, repetition rate and cutting speed and their effects on the cut quality characteristics including size of HAZ, machining depth and material removal rate (MRR). Based on this study, process parameter optimization was carried out to minimize the HAZ and maximize the MRR. A discussion is given on the potential applications and comparisons to other lasers in machining CFRP.

The Preparation of Soft Magnetic Composites Based on FeSi and Ferrite Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strečková, Magdaléna; Fáberová, Mária; Bureš, Radovan; Kurek, Pavel

2016-12-01

The fields of soft magnetic composites and powder metallurgy technologies have a powerful potential to redesign the way of electric motor preparation, and will continue to grow for years to come. A design of the novel soft microcomposite material composed of spherical FeSi particles and Ni0.3Zn0.7Fe2O4 ferrite nanofibers is reported together with a characterization of basic mechanical and electrical properties. The needle-less electrospinning method was used for a preparation of Ni0.3Zn0.7Fe2O4 ferrite nanofibers, which has a spinel-type crystal structure as verified by XRD and TEM analysis. The dielectric coating was prepared by mixing of nanofibers with glycerol and ethanol because of safe manipulation with fumed fibers and homogeneous distribution of the coating around the FeSi particle surface. The final microcomposite samples were prepared by a combination of the traditional PM compaction technique supplemented with a conventional sintering process of the prepared green compacts. The composition and distribution of the secondary phase formed by the spinel ferrite fibers were examined by SEM. It is demonstrated that the prepared composite material has a tight arrangement without any significant porosity, which manifest itself through superior mechanical properties (high mechanical hardness, Young modulus, and transverse rupture strength) and specific electric resistivity compared to the related composite materials including resin as the organic binder.

Long discontinuous fiber composite structure: Forming and structural mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pipes, R. B.; Santare, M. H.; Otoole, B. J.; Beaussart, A. J.; Deheer, D. C.; Okine, R. K.

1991-01-01

Cost effective composite structure has motivated the investigation of several new approaches to develop composite structure from innovative material forms. Among the promising new approaches is the conversion of planar sheet to components of complex curvature through sheet forming or stretch forming. In both cases, the potential for material stretch in the fiber direction appears to offer a clear advantage in formability over continuous fiber systems. In the present study, the authors have established a framework which allows the simulation of the anisotropic mechanisms of deformation of long discontinuous fiber laminates wherein the matrix phase is a viscous fluid. The initial study focuses upon the establishment of micromechanics models for prediction of the effective anisotropic viscosities of the oriented fiber assembly in a viscous matrix. Next, the developed constitutive relation is employed through an analogy with incompressible elasticity to exercise the finite element technique for determination of local fiber orientation and laminate thickness after forming. Results are presented for the stretch bending of a curved beam from an arbitrary composite laminate and the bulging of a clamped sheet. Structural analyses are conducted to determine the effect of microstructure on the performance of curved beams manufactured from long discontinuous fiber composites. For the purposes of this study, several curved beams with ideal and non-ideal microstructures are compared for response under pure bending. Material parameters are determined from a separate microstructural analysis.

Electrical Conductivity in Polymer Blends/ Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Ajit R.; Bose, Suryasarathi; Bhattacharyya, Arup R.

2008-10-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) based polymer composites have emerged as the future multifunctional materials in view of its exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. One of the major interests is to develop conductive polymer composites preferably at low concentration of CNT utilizing their high aspect ratio (L/D) for numerous applications, which include antistatic devices, capacitors and materials for EMI shielding. In this context, polymer blends have emerged as a potential candidate in lowering the percolation thresholds further by the utilization of `double-percolation' which arises from the synergistic improvements in blend properties associated with the co-continuous morphology. Due to strong inter-tube van der Waals' forces, they often tend to aggregate and uniform dispersion remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, we exploited sodium salt of 6-aminohexanoic acid (Na-AHA) which was able to assist in debundlling the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) through `cation-π' interactions during melt-mixing leading to percolative `network-like' structure of MWNT within polyamide6 (PA6) phase in co-continuous PA6/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. The composite exhibited low electrical percolation thresholds of 0.25 wt% of MWNT, the lowest reported value in this system so far. Retention of `network-like structure' in the solid state with significant refinement was observed even at lower MWNT concentration in presence Na-AHA, which was assessed through AC electrical conductivity measurements. Reactive coupling was found to be a dominant factor besides `cation-π' interactions in achieving low electrical percolation in PA6/ABS+MWNT composites.

Substrats poreux biodegradables prepares a partir de phases co-continues dans les melanges de polymeres immiscibles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarazin, Pierre

2003-06-01

In this thesis a novel approach to preparing biodegradable materials with highly structured and interconnected porosity is proposed. The method involves the controlled preparation of immiscible co-continuous polymer blends using melt-processing technology followed by a bulk solvent extraction step of one of the phases (the porogen phase). A co-continuous structure is defined as the state when each phase of the blend is fully interconnected through a continuous pathway. This method allows for the preparation of porous materials with highly controlled pore size, pore volume and pore shape which can then be transformed and shaped in various forms useful for biomedical applications. Various properties of the skin of the polymeric articles (closed-cell, open-cell, modification of the pore size) can be controlled. Initially, the study on the immiscible binary and compatibilized poly(L-lactide)/polystyrene blends (PLLA/PS) after extraction of the PS phase demonstrated that highly percolated blends exist from 40--75%PS and 40--60%PS for the binary and compatibilized blends, respectively. It is demonstrated that both the pore size and extent of co-continuity can be controlled through composition and interfacial modification. The subsequent part of our work treats of the preparation of porous PLLA from a blend of two biodegradable polymers and the performance of such porous materials. This portion of the work uses only polymer materials which have been medically approved for internal use. In this case, small amounts of the porogen phase can be tolerated in the final porous substrate. Co-continuous blends comprised of poly(L-lactide)/Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) PLLA/PCL, were prepared via melt processing. A wide range of phase sizes for the co-continuous blend is generated through a combination of concentration control and quiescent annealing. As the PLLA phase can not be dissolved selectively in PLLA/PS blends, the co-continuity range was evaluated indirectly. To precisely assess the formation of the co-continuous morphology, the polylactide was replaced by a poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) in the following work. PCL possesses a similar biocompatibility, although it exhibits a much slower degradation rate. These results practically allow for a separation of the effects of deformation/disintegration processes and coalescence on continuous and co-continuous morphology development. Coalescence phenomena for systems such as the PS in PCL case is clearly the dominant parameter controlling phase size at higher compositions. These results underline the requirement of co-continuity models to include parameters related to coalescence effects. The data indicate the significant potential of mixing temperature as a tool for the morphology control of co-continuous polymer blends. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Bisphenol A and Related Compounds in Dental Materials

PubMed Central

Fleisch, Abby F.; Sheffield, Perry E.; Chinn, Courtney; Edelstein, Burton L.; Landrigan, Philip J.

2014-01-01

CONTEXT Dental sealants and composite filling materials containing bisphenol A (BPA) derivatives are increasingly used in childhood dentistry. Evidence is accumulating that BPA and some BPA derivatives can pose health risks attributable to their endocrine-disrupting, estrogenic properties. OBJECTIVES To systematically compile and critically evaluate the literature characterizing BPA content of dental materials; to assess BPA exposures from dental materials and potential health risks; and to develop evidence-based guidance for reducing BPA exposures while promoting oral health. METHODS The extant toxicological literature and material safety data sheets were used as data sources. RESULTS BPA is released from dental resins through salivary enzymatic hydrolysis of BPA derivatives, and BPA is detectable in saliva for up to 3 hours after resin placement. The quantity and duration of systemic BPA absorption is not clear from the available data. Dental products containing the bisphenol A derivative glycidyl dimethacrylate (bis-GMA) are less likely to be hydrolyzed to BPA and have less estrogenicity than those containing bisphenol A dimethacrylate (bis-DMA). Most other BPA derivatives used in dental materials have not been evaluated for estrogenicity. BPA exposure can be reduced by cleaning and rinsing surfaces of sealants and composites immediately after placement. CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the proven benefits of resin-based dental materials and the brevity of BPA exposure, we recommend continued use with strict adherence to precautionary application techniques. Use of these materials should be minimized during pregnancy whenever possible. Manufacturers should be required to report complete information on the chemical composition of dental products and encouraged to develop materials with less estrogenic potential. PMID:20819896

Luminescence of III-IV-V thin film alloys grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Roger; Zhu, Tony; Bulović, Vladimir; Fitzgerald, Eugene A.

2018-05-01

III-IV-V heterovalent alloys have the potential to satisfy the need for infrared bandgap materials that also have lattice constants near GaAs. In this work, significant room temperature photoluminescence is reported for the first time in high quality III-IV-V alloys grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Pronounced phase separation, a characteristic suspected to quench luminescence in the alloys in the past, was successfully inhibited by a modified growth process. Small scale composition fluctuations were observed in the alloys; higher growth temperatures resulted in fluctuations with a striated morphology, while lower growth temperatures resulted in fluctuations with a speckled morphology. The composition fluctuations cause bandgap narrowing in the alloys—measurements of various compositions of (GaAs)1-x(Ge2)x alloys reveal a maximum energy transition of 0.8 eV under 20% Ge composition rather than a continuously increasing transition with the decreasing Ge composition. Additionally, luminescence intensity decreased with the decreasing Ge composition. The alloys appear to act as a Ge-like solid penetrating a GaAs lattice, resulting in optical properties similar to those of Ge but with a direct-bandgap nature; a decrease in the Ge composition corresponds to a reduction in the light-emitting Ge-like material within the lattice. An energy transition larger than 0.8 eV was obtained through the addition of silicon to the (GaAs)1-x(Ge2)x alloy. The results indicate significant promise for III-IV-V alloys as potential materials for small bandgap optical devices with previously unachievable lattice constants.

Crystallization, flow and thermal histories of lunar and terrestrial compositions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhlmann, D. R.

1979-01-01

Contents: a kinetic treatment of glass formation; effects of nucleating heterogeneities on glass formation; glass formation under continuous cooling conditions; crystallization statistics; kinetics of crystal nucleation; diffusion controlled crystal growth; crystallization of lunar compositions; crystallization between solidus and liquidus; crystallization on reheating a glass; temperature distributions during crystallization; crystallization of anorthite and anorthite-albite compositions; effect of oxidation state on viscosity; diffusive creep and viscous flow; high temperature flow behavior of glass-forming liquids, a free volume interpretation; viscous flow behavior of lunar compositions; thermal history of orange soil material; breccias formation by viscous sintering; viscous sintering; thermal histories of breccias; solute partitioning and thermal history of lunar rocks; heat flow in impact melts; and thermal histories of olivines.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Including Continuous Press Forming and Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate is disclosed. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply, and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform, and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length, and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Comparison of dissimilarity measures for cluster analysis of X-ray diffraction data from combinatorial libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwasaki, Yuma; Kusne, A. Gilad; Takeuchi, Ichiro

2017-12-01

Machine learning techniques have proven invaluable to manage the ever growing volume of materials research data produced as developments continue in high-throughput materials simulation, fabrication, and characterization. In particular, machine learning techniques have been demonstrated for their utility in rapidly and automatically identifying potential composition-phase maps from structural data characterization of composition spread libraries, enabling rapid materials fabrication-structure-property analysis and functional materials discovery. A key issue in development of an automated phase-diagram determination method is the choice of dissimilarity measure, or kernel function. The desired measure reduces the impact of confounding structural data issues on analysis performance. The issues include peak height changes and peak shifting due to lattice constant change as a function of composition. In this work, we investigate the choice of dissimilarity measure in X-ray diffraction-based structure analysis and the choice of measure's performance impact on automatic composition-phase map determination. Nine dissimilarity measures are investigated for their impact in analyzing X-ray diffraction patterns for a Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloy composition spread. The cosine, Pearson correlation coefficient, and Jensen-Shannon divergence measures are shown to provide the best performance in the presence of peak height change and peak shifting (due to lattice constant change) when the magnitude of peak shifting is unknown. With prior knowledge of the maximum peak shifting, dynamic time warping in a normalized constrained mode provides the best performance. This work also serves to demonstrate a strategy for rapid analysis of a large number of X-ray diffraction patterns in general beyond data from combinatorial libraries.

Combinatorial materials synthesis and high-throughput screening: an integrated materials chip approach to mapping phase diagrams and discovery and optimization of functional materials.

PubMed

Xiang, X D

Combinatorial materials synthesis methods and high-throughput evaluation techniques have been developed to accelerate the process of materials discovery and optimization and phase-diagram mapping. Analogous to integrated circuit chips, integrated materials chips containing thousands of discrete different compositions or continuous phase diagrams, often in the form of high-quality epitaxial thin films, can be fabricated and screened for interesting properties. Microspot x-ray method, various optical measurement techniques, and a novel evanescent microwave microscope have been used to characterize the structural, optical, magnetic, and electrical properties of samples on the materials chips. These techniques are routinely used to discover/optimize and map phase diagrams of ferroelectric, dielectric, optical, magnetic, and superconducting materials.

Degradation of experimental composite materials and in vitro wear simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Givan, Daniel Allen

2001-12-01

The material, mechanical, and clinical aspects of surface degradation of resin composite dental restorative materials by in vitro wear simulation continues to be an area of active research. To investigate wear mechanisms, a series of experimental resin composites with variable and controlled filler particle shape and loading were studied by in vitro wear simulation. The current investigation utilized a simulation that isolated the wear environment, entrapped high and low modulus debris, and evaluated the process including machine and fluid flow dynamics. The degradation was significantly affected by filler particle shape and less by particle loading. The spherical particle composites demonstrated wear loss profiles suggesting an optimized filler loading may exist. This was also demonstrated by the trends in the mechanical properties. Very little difference in magnitude was noted for the wear of irregular particle composites as a function of particulate size; and as a group they were more wear resistant than spherical particle composites. This was the result of different mechanisms of wear that were correlated with the three-dimensional particle shape. The abrasive effects of the aggregate particles and the polymeric stabilization of the irregular shape versus the destabilization and "plucking" of the spherical particles resulted in an unprotected matrix that accounted for significantly greater wear of spherical composite. A model and analysis was developed to explain the events associated with the progressive material wear loss. The initial phase was explained by fatigue-assisted microcracking and loss of material segments in a zone of high stress immediately beneath a point of high stress contact. The early phase was characterized by the development of a small facet primarily by fatigue-assisted microcracking. Although the translation effects were minimal, some three-body and initial two-body wear events were also present. In the late phases, the abrasive effects of the debris aggregate predominated the wear process. The non-linear rate of wear loss was accelerated as the facet deepened. Physical effects, such as thermal fatigue, and chemical effects were less important but contributed to the degradation process. This study provides new insight into the role(s) of high modulus third body debris in the wear of dental composites.

Compositional Analysis of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks. 1. Review and Description of Methods

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

As interest in lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for conversion into transportation fuels grows, the summative compositional analysis of biomass, or plant-derived material, becomes ever more important. The sulfuric acid hydrolysis of biomass has been used to measure lignin and structural carbohydrate content for more than 100 years. Researchers have applied these methods to measure the lignin and structural carbohydrate contents of woody materials, estimate the nutritional value of animal feed, analyze the dietary fiber content of human food, compare potential biofuels feedstocks, and measure the efficiency of biomass-to-biofuels processes. The purpose of this paper is to review the history and lineage of biomass compositional analysis methods based on a sulfuric acid hydrolysis. These methods have become the de facto procedure for biomass compositional analysis. The paper traces changes to the biomass compositional analysis methods through time to the biomass methods currently used at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The current suite of laboratory analytical procedures (LAPs) offered by NREL is described, including an overview of the procedures and methodologies and some common pitfalls. Suggestions are made for continuing improvement to the suite of analyses. PMID:20669951

PCEMCAN - Probabilistic Ceramic Matrix Composites Analyzer: User's Guide, Version 1.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, Ashwin R.; Mital, Subodh K.; Murthy, Pappu L. N.

1998-01-01

PCEMCAN (Probabalistic CEramic Matrix Composites ANalyzer) is an integrated computer code developed at NASA Lewis Research Center that simulates uncertainties associated with the constituent properties, manufacturing process, and geometric parameters of fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites and quantifies their random thermomechanical behavior. The PCEMCAN code can perform the deterministic as well as probabilistic analyses to predict thermomechanical properties. This User's guide details the step-by-step procedure to create input file and update/modify the material properties database required to run PCEMCAN computer code. An overview of the geometric conventions, micromechanical unit cell, nonlinear constitutive relationship and probabilistic simulation methodology is also provided in the manual. Fast probability integration as well as Monte-Carlo simulation methods are available for the uncertainty simulation. Various options available in the code to simulate probabilistic material properties and quantify sensitivity of the primitive random variables have been described. The description of deterministic as well as probabilistic results have been described using demonstration problems. For detailed theoretical description of deterministic and probabilistic analyses, the user is referred to the companion documents "Computational Simulation of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composite Behavior," NASA TP-3602, 1996 and "Probabilistic Micromechanics and Macromechanics for Ceramic Matrix Composites", NASA TM 4766, June 1997.

Improving efficiency of polystyrene concrete production with composite binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesovik, R. V.; Ageeva, M. S.; Lesovik, G. A.; Sopin, D. M.; Kazlitina, O. V.; Mitrokhina, A. A.

2018-03-01

According to leading marketing researchers, the construction market in Russia and CIS will continue growing at a rapid rate; this applies not only to a large-scale major construction, but to a construction of single-family houses and small-scale industrial facilities as well. Due to this, there are increased requirements for heat insulation of the building enclosures and a significant demand for efficient walling materials with high thermal performance. All these developments led to higher requirements imposed on the equipment that produces such materials.

Sealable stagnation flow geometries for the uniform deposition of materials and heat

DOEpatents

McCarty, Kevin F.; Kee, Robert J.; Lutz, Andrew E.; Meeks, Ellen

2001-01-01

The present invention employs a constrained stagnation flow geometry apparatus to achieve the uniform deposition of materials or heat. The present invention maximizes uniform fluxes of reactant gases to flat surfaces while minimizing the use of reagents and finite dimension edge effects. This results, among other things, in large area continuous films that are uniform in thickness, composition and structure which is important in chemical vapor deposition processes such as would be used for the fabrication of semiconductors.

Method for manufacturing lightning strike mitigation composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaidyanathan, K. Ranji (Inventor); Campbell, Jeffrey (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A method for manufacturing a composite material utilizes a tooling material having a desired shape. The surface of the tooling material is coated with a composite film that includes a conductive filler material. A composite composition is introduced into contact with the surface of the tooling material to form a desired shape. The composite composition is processed to produce the composite material, and the composite material has a conductive composite surface layer that includes the conductive filler material.

A silicon nanowire-reduced graphene oxide composite as a high-performance lithium ion battery anode material.

PubMed

Ren, Jian-Guo; Wang, Chundong; Wu, Qi-Hui; Liu, Xiang; Yang, Yang; He, Lifang; Zhang, Wenjun

2014-03-21

Toward the increasing demands of portable energy storage and electric vehicle applications, silicon has been emerging as a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to its high specific capacity. However, serious pulverization of bulk silicon during cycling limits its cycle life. Herein, we report a novel hierarchical Si nanowire (Si NW)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite fabricated using a solvothermal method followed by a chemical vapor deposition process. In the composite, the uniform-sized [111]-oriented Si NWs are well dispersed on the rGO surface and in between rGO sheets. The flexible rGO enables us to maintain the structural integrity and to provide a continuous conductive network of the electrode, which results in over 100 cycles serving as an anode in half cells at a high lithium storage capacity of 2300 mA h g(-1). Due to its [111] growth direction and the large contact area with rGO, the Si NWs in the composite show substantially enhanced reaction kinetics compared with other Si NWs or Si particles.

Assessment of variations in wear test methodology.

PubMed

Gouvêa, Cresus V D; Weig, Karin; Filho, Thales R M; Barros, Renata N

2010-01-01

The properties of composite resin for dental fillings were improved by development, but its weakness continues to be its wear strength. Several tests have been proposed to evaluate wear in composite resin materials. The aim of this study was to verify how polishing and the type of abrasive can influence the wear rate of composite resin. The test was carried out on two groups. In one group we employed an ormocer and a hybrid composite that was polished group the composite was polished with the same abrasive paper plus a 1 microm and 0.25 microm grit diamond paste. A three-body wear test was performed using the metal sphere of the wear test machine, the composite and an abrasive. A diamond paste and aluminum oxide dispersion were used as abrasive. Analysis of the results showed that there was no difference between polishing techniques, but revealed a difference between abrasives.

The 737 graphite composite flight spoiler flight service evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coggeshall, R. L.

1982-01-01

A flight service report was prepared which covers the flight service experience of 111 graphite epoxy spoilers on 737 transport aircraft and related ground based environmental exposure of graphite epoxy material specimens. Spoilers were installed on 28 aircraft representing seven major airlines operating throughout the world. Tests of removed spoilers after the seventh year of service continue to indicate modest changes in composite strength properties. Two spoilers were tested, one with 6 and one with 7 years of service, and both had residual strengths that fall within the original static strength scatter band. Both these units had typical service included discrepancies when tested. Based on visual, ultrasonic, and destructive inspection there continues to be no evidence of moisture migration into the honeycomb core and no core corrosion in the deployed units.

The Application of Metal Matrix Composite Materials in Propulsion System Valves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laszar, John; Shah, Sandeep; Kashalikar, Uday; Rozenoyer, Boris

2003-01-01

Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) materials have been developed and used in many applications to reduce the weight of components where weight and deflection are the driving design requirement. MMC materials are being developed for use in some propulsion system components, such as turbo-pumps and thrust chambers. However, to date, no propulsion system valves have been developed that take advantage of the materials unique properties. The stiffness of MMC's could help keep valves light or improve life where deflection is the design constraint (such as seal and bearing locations). The low CTE of the materials might allow the designer to reduce tolerances and clearances producing better performance and lighter weight valves. Using unique manufacturing processes allow parts to be plated/coated for longer life and allow joining either by welding or threading/bolting. Additionally, casting of multi part pre-forms to form a single part can lead to designs that would be hard or impossible to manufacture with other methods. Therefore, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed and tested a prototype propulsion system valve that utilizes these materials to demonstrate these advantages. Through design and testing, this effort will determine the best use of these materials in valves designed to achieve the goal of a highly reliable and lightweight propulsion system. This paper is a continuation of the paper, The Application of Metal Matrix Composite Materials In Propulsion System Valves, presented at the JANNAF Conference held in April, 2002. Fabrication techniques employed, valve development, and valve test results will be discussed in this paper.

Micromechanics Analysis Code With Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC): User Guide. Version 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arnold, S. M.; Bednarcyk, B. A.; Wilt, T. E.; Trowbridge, D.

1999-01-01

The ability to accurately predict the thermomechanical deformation response of advanced composite materials continues to play an important role in the development of these strategic materials. Analytical models that predict the effective behavior of composites are used not only by engineers performing structural analysis of large-scale composite components but also by material scientists in developing new material systems. For an analytical model to fulfill these two distinct functions it must be based on a micromechanics approach which utilizes physically based deformation and life constitutive models and allows one to generate the average (macro) response of a composite material given the properties of the individual constituents and their geometric arrangement. Here the user guide for the recently developed, computationally efficient and comprehensive micromechanics analysis code, MAC, who's predictive capability rests entirely upon the fully analytical generalized method of cells, GMC, micromechanics model is described. MAC/ GMC is a versatile form of research software that "drives" the double or triply periodic micromechanics constitutive models based upon GMC. MAC/GMC enhances the basic capabilities of GMC by providing a modular framework wherein 1) various thermal, mechanical (stress or strain control) and thermomechanical load histories can be imposed, 2) different integration algorithms may be selected, 3) a variety of material constitutive models (both deformation and life) may be utilized and/or implemented, and 4) a variety of fiber architectures (both unidirectional, laminate and woven) may be easily accessed through their corresponding representative volume elements contained within the supplied library of RVEs or input directly by the user, and 5) graphical post processing of the macro and/or micro field quantities is made available.

Ceramic composites for rocket engine turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbell, Thomas P.; Eckel, Andrew J.

1991-01-01

The use of ceramic materials in the hot section of the fuel turbopump of advanced reusable rocket engines promises increased performance and payload capability, improved component life and economics, and greater design flexibility. Severe thermal transients present during operation of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), push metallic components to the limit of their capabilities. Future engine requirements might be even more severe. In phase one of this two-phase program, performance benefits were quantified and continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite components demonstrated a potential to survive the hostile environment of an advanced rocket engine turbopump.

Ceramic composites for rocket engine turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herbell, Thomas P.; Eckel, Andrew J.

1991-01-01

The use of ceramic materials in the hot section of the fuel turbopump of advanced reusable rocket engines promises increased performance and payload capability, improved component life and economics, and greater design flexibility. Severe thermal transients present during operation of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), push metallic components to the limit of their capabilities. Future engine requirements might be even more severe. In phase one of this two-phase program, performance benefits were quantified and continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite components demonstrated a potential to survive the hostile environment of an advaced rocket engine turbopump.

Chemical bath deposition of semiconductor thin films & nanostructures in novel microreactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPeak, Kevin M.

Chemical bath deposition (CBD) offers a simple and inexpensive route to deposit semiconductor nanostructures and thin films, but lack of fundamental understanding and control of the underlying chemistry has limited its versatility. CBD is traditionally performed in a batch reactor, requiring only a substrate to be immersed in a supersaturated solution of aqueous precursors such as metal salts, complexing agents, and pH buffers. Highlights of CBD include low cost, operation at low temperature and atmospheric pressure, and scalability to large area substrates. In this dissertation, I explore CBD of semiconductor thin films and nanowire arrays in batch and continuous flow microreactors. Microreactors offer many advantages over traditional reactor designs including a reduction in mass transport limitations, precise temperature control and ease of production scale-up by "numbering up". Continuous flow micoreactors offer the unique advantage of providing reaction conditions that are time-invariant but change smoothly as a function of distance down the reaction channel. Growth from a bath whose composition changes along the reactor length results in deposited materials whose properties vary as a function of position on the substrate, essentially creating a combinatorial library. These substrates can be rapidly characterized to identify relationships between growth conditions and material properties or growth mechanisms. I have used CBD in a continuous flow microreactor to deposit ZnO nanowire arrays and CdZnS films whose optoelectronic properties vary as a function of position. The spatially-dependent optoelectronic properties of these materials have been correlated to changes in the composition, structure or growth mechanisms of the materials and ultimately their growth conditions by rigorous spatial characterization. CBD in a continuous flow microreactor, coupled with spatial characterization, provides a new route to understanding the connection between CBD growth conditions and the resulting optoelectronic properties of the film. The high surface-to-volume ratio of a microreactor also lends itself to in situ characterization studies. I demonstrated the first in situ x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) study of CBD. The high sensitivity and ability to characterize liquid, amorphous and crystalline materials simultaneously make in situ XAFS spectroscopy an ideal tool to study the CBD of inorganic nanomaterials.

Identification of novel compositions of ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys using composition spreads.

PubMed

Takeuchi, I; Famodu, O O; Read, J C; Aronova, M A; Chang, K-S; Craciunescu, C; Lofland, S E; Wuttig, M; Wellstood, F C; Knauss, L; Orozco, A

2003-03-01

Exploration of new ferroic (ferroelectric, ferromagnetic or ferroelastic) materials continues to be a central theme in condensed matter physics and to drive advances in key areas of technology. Here, using thin-film composition spreads, we have mapped the functional phase diagram of the Ni-Mn-Ga system whose Heusler composition Ni(2)MnGa is a well known ferromagnetic shape-memory alloy. A characterization technique that allows detection of martensitic transitions by visual inspection was combined with quantitative magnetization mapping using scanning SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) microscopy. We find that a large, previously unexplored region outside the Heusler composition contains reversible martensites that are also ferromagnetic. A clear relationship between magnetization and the martensitic transition temperature is observed, revealing a strong thermodynamical coupling between magnetism and martensitic instability across a large fraction of the phase diagram.

Natural Mallow Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composite for Ballistic Armor Against Class III-A Ammunition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nascimento, Lucio Fabio Cassiano; Holanda, Luane Isquerdo Ferreira; Louro, Luis Henrique Leme; Monteiro, Sergio Neves; Gomes, Alaelson Vieira; Lima, Édio Pereira

2017-10-01

Epoxy matrix composites reinforced with up to 30 vol pct of continuous and aligned natural mallow fibers were for the first time ballistic tested as personal armor against class III-A 9 mm FMJ ammunition. The ballistic efficiency of these composites was assessed by measuring the dissipated energy and residual velocity after the bullet perforation. The results were compared to those in similar tests of aramid fabric (Kevlar™) commonly used in vests for personal protections. Visual inspection and scanning electron microscopy analysis of impact-fractured samples revealed failure mechanisms associated with fiber pullout and rupture as well as epoxy cracking. As compared to Kevlar™, the mallow fiber composite displayed practically the same ballistic efficiency. However, there is a reduction in both weight and cost, which makes the mallow fiber composites a promising material for personal ballistic protection.

High-precision terahertz frequency modulated continuous wave imaging method using continuous wavelet transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yu; Wang, Tianyi; Dai, Bing; Li, Wenjun; Wang, Wei; You, Chengwu; Wang, Kejia; Liu, Jinsong; Wang, Shenglie; Yang, Zhengang

2018-02-01

Inspired by the extensive application of terahertz (THz) imaging technologies in the field of aerospace, we exploit a THz frequency modulated continuous-wave imaging method with continuous wavelet transform (CWT) algorithm to detect a multilayer heat shield made of special materials. This method uses the frequency modulation continuous-wave system to catch the reflected THz signal and then process the image data by the CWT with different basis functions. By calculating the sizes of the defects area in the final images and then comparing the results with real samples, a practical high-precision THz imaging method is demonstrated. Our method can be an effective tool for the THz nondestructive testing of composites, drugs, and some cultural heritages.

Polyaniline silver nanoparticle coffee waste extracted porous graphene oxide nanocomposite structures as novel electrode material for rechargeable batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundriyal, Poonam; Bhattacharya, Shantanu

2017-03-01

The exploration of new and advanced electrode materials are required in electronic and electrical devices for power storage applications. Also, there has been a continuous endeavour to formulate strategies for extraction of high performance electrode materials from naturally obtained waste products. In this work, we have developed an in situ hybrid nanocomposite from coffee waste extracted porous graphene oxide (CEPG), polyaniline (PANI) and silver nanoparticles (Ag) and have found this novel composite to serve as an efficient electrode material for batteries. The successful interaction among the three phases of the nano-composite i.e. CEPG-PANI-Ag have been thoroughly understood through RAMAN, Fourier transform infrared and x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, morphological studies through field emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Thermo-gravimetric analysis of the nano-composite demonstrates higher thermal stability up-to a temperature of 495 °C. Further BET studies through nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms confirm the presence of micro/meso and macro-pores in the nanocomposite sample. The cyclic-voltammetry (CV) analysis performed on CEPG-PANI-Ag nanocomposite exhibits a purely faradic behaviour using nickel foam as a current collector thus suggests the prepared nanocomposite as a battery electrode material. The nanocomposite reports a maximum specific capacity of 1428 C g-1 and excellent cyclic stability up-to 5000 cycles.

A novel pressed porous silicon-polycaprolactone composite as a dual-purpose implant for the delivery of cells and drugs to the eye.

PubMed

Irani, Yazad D; Tian, Yuan; Wang, Mengjia; Klebe, Sonja; McInnes, Steven J; Voelcker, Nicolas H; Coffer, Jeffery L; Williams, Keryn A

2015-10-01

Dysfunction of corneal epithelial stem cells can result in painful and blinding disease of the ocular surface. In such cases, treatment may involve transfer of growth factor and normal adult stem cells to the ocular surface. Our purpose was to develop an implantable scaffold for the delivery of drugs and cells to the ocular surface. We examined the potential of novel composite biomaterials fabricated from electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibres into which nanostructured porous silicon (pSi) microparticles of varying sizes (150-250 μm or <40 μm) had been pressed. The PCL fabric provided a flexible support for mammalian cells, whereas the embedded pSi provided a substantial surface area for efficient delivery of adsorbed drugs and growth factors. Measurements of tensile strength of these composites revealed that the pSi did not strongly influence the mechanical properties of the polymer microfiber component for the Si loadings evaluated. Human lens epithelial cells (SRA01/04) attached to the composite materials, and exhibited enhanced attachment and growth when the materials were coated with foetal bovine serum. To examine the ability of the materials to deliver a small-drug payload, pSi microparticles were loaded with fluorescein diacetate prior to cell attachment. After 6 hours (h), cells exhibited intracellular fluorescence, indicative of transfer of the fluorescein diacetate into viable cells and its subsequent enzymatic conversion to fluorescein. To investigate loading of large-molecule biologics, murine BALB/c 3T3 cells, responsive to epidermal growth factor, insulin and transferrin, were seeded on composite materials. The cells showed significantly more proliferation at 48 h when seeded on composites loaded with these biologics, than on unloaded composites. No cell proliferation was observed on PCL alone, indicating the biologics had loaded into the pSi microparticles. Drug release, measured by ELISA for insulin, indicated a burst followed by a slower, continuous release over six days. When implanted under the rat conjunctiva, the most promising composite material did not cause significant neovascularization but did elicit a macrophage and mild foreign body response. These novel pressed pSi-PCL materials have potential for delivery of both small and large drugs that can be released in active form, and can support the growth of mammalian cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced composite fuselage technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ilcewicz, Larry B.; Smith, Peter J.; Horton, Ray E.

1993-01-01

Boeing's ATCAS program has completed its third year and continues to progress towards a goal to demonstrate composite fuselage technology with cost and weight advantages over aluminum. Work on this program is performed by an integrated team that includes several groups within The Boeing Company, industrial and university subcontractors, and technical support from NASA. During the course of the program, the ATCAS team has continued to perform a critical review of composite developments by recognizing advances in metal fuselage technology. Despite recent material, structural design, and manufacturing advancements for metals, polymeric matrix composite designs studied in ATCAS still project significant cost and weight advantages for future applications. A critical path to demonstrating technology readiness for composite transport fuselage structures was created to summarize ATCAS tasks for Phases A, B, and C. This includes a global schedule and list of technical issues which will be addressed throughout the course of studies. Work performed in ATCAS since the last ACT conference is also summarized. Most activities relate to crown quadrant manufacturing scaleup and performance verification. The former was highlighted by fabricating a curved, 7 ft. by 10 ft. panel, with cocured hat-stiffeners and cobonded J-frames. In building to this scale, process developments were achieved for tow-placed skins, drape formed stiffeners, braided/RTM frames, and panel cure tooling. Over 700 tests and supporting analyses have been performed for crown material and design evaluation, including structural tests that demonstrated limit load requirements for severed stiffener/skin failsafe damage conditions. Analysis of tests for tow-placed hybrid laminates with large damage indicates a tensile fracture toughness that is higher than that observed for advanced aluminum alloys. Additional recent ATCAS achievements include crown supporting technology, keel quadrant design evaluation, and sandwich process development.

Steps Towards Industrialization of Cu–III–VI2Thin‐Film Solar Cells:Linking Materials/Device Designs to Process Design For Non‐stoichiometric Photovoltaic Materials

PubMed Central

Chang, Hsueh‐Hsin; Sharma, Poonam; Letha, Arya Jagadhamma; Shao, Lexi; Zhang, Yafei; Tseng, Bae‐Heng

2016-01-01

The concept of in‐line sputtering and selenization become industrial standard for Cu–III–VI2 solar cell fabrication, but still it's very difficult to control and predict the optical and electrical parameters, which are closely related to the chemical composition distribution of the thin film. The present review article addresses onto the material design, device design and process design using parameters closely related to the chemical compositions. Its variation leads to change in the Poisson equation, current equation, and continuity equation governing the device design. To make the device design much realistic and meaningful, we need to build a model that relates the opto‐electrical properties to the chemical composition. The material parameters as well as device structural parameters are loaded into the process simulation to give a complete set of process control parameters. The neutral defect concentrations of non‐stoichiometric CuMSe2 (M = In and Ga) have been calculated under the specific atomic chemical potential conditions using this methodology. The optical and electrical properties have also been investigated for the development of a full‐function analytical solar cell simulator. The future prospects regarding the development of copper–indium–gallium–selenide thin film solar cells have also been discussed. PMID:27840790

Steps Towards Industrialization of Cu-III-VI2Thin-Film Solar Cells:Linking Materials/Device Designs to Process Design For Non-stoichiometric Photovoltaic Materials.

PubMed

Hwang, Huey-Liang; Chang, Hsueh-Hsin; Sharma, Poonam; Letha, Arya Jagadhamma; Shao, Lexi; Zhang, Yafei; Tseng, Bae-Heng

2016-10-01

The concept of in-line sputtering and selenization become industrial standard for Cu-III-VI 2 solar cell fabrication, but still it's very difficult to control and predict the optical and electrical parameters, which are closely related to the chemical composition distribution of the thin film. The present review article addresses onto the material design, device design and process design using parameters closely related to the chemical compositions. Its variation leads to change in the Poisson equation, current equation, and continuity equation governing the device design. To make the device design much realistic and meaningful, we need to build a model that relates the opto-electrical properties to the chemical composition. The material parameters as well as device structural parameters are loaded into the process simulation to give a complete set of process control parameters. The neutral defect concentrations of non-stoichiometric CuMSe 2 (M = In and Ga) have been calculated under the specific atomic chemical potential conditions using this methodology. The optical and electrical properties have also been investigated for the development of a full-function analytical solar cell simulator. The future prospects regarding the development of copper-indium-gallium-selenide thin film solar cells have also been discussed.

Liquid crystal polyester-carbon fiber composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, T. S.

1984-01-01

Liquid crystal polymers (LCP) have been developed as a thermoplastic matrix for high performance composites. A successful melt impregnation method has been developed which results in the production of continuous carbon fiber (CF) reinforced LCP prepreg tape. Subsequent layup and molding of prepreg into laminates has yielded composites of good quality. Tensile and flexural properties of LCP/CF composites are comparable to those of epoxy/CF composites. The LCP/CF composites have better impact resistance than the latter, although epoxy/CF composites possess superior compression and shear strength. The LCP/CF composites have good property retention until 200 F (67 % of room temperature value). Above 200 F, mechanical properties decrease significantly. Experimental results indicate that the poor compression and shear strength may be due to the poor interfacial adhesion between the matrix and carbon fiber as adequate toughness of the LCP matrix. Low mechanical property retention at high temperatures may be attributable to the low beta-transition temperature (around 80 C) of the LCP matrix material.

Continuous flow chemical vapour deposition of carbon nanotube sea urchins.

PubMed

de La Verpilliere, Jean; Jessl, Sarah; Saeed, Khuzaimah; Ducati, Caterina; De Volder, Michael; Boies, Adam

2018-04-26

Hybrid structures consisting of functional materials enhanced by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have potential for a variety of high impact applications, as shown by the impressive progress in sensing and mechanical applications enabled by CNT-enhanced materials. The hierarchical organisation of CNTs with other materials is key to the design of macroscale devices benefiting from the unique properties of individual CNTs, provided CNT density, morphology and binding with other materials are optimized. In this paper, we provide an analysis of a continuous aerosol process to create a hybrid hierarchical sea urchin structure with CNTs organized around a functional metal oxide core. We propose a new mechanism for the growth of these carbon nanotube sea urchins (CNTSU) and give new insight into their chemical composition. To corroborate the new mechanism, we examine the influence of CNT growth conditions on CNTSU morphology and demonstrate a new in-line characterisation technique to continuously monitor aerosol CNT growth during synthesis, which enables industrial-scale production optimization. Based upon the new formation mechanism we describe the first substrate-based chemical vapour deposition growth of CNTSUs which increases CNT length and improves G to D ratio, which also allows for the formation of CNTSU carpets with unique structures.

An electrical-heating and self-sensing shape memory polymer composite incorporated with carbon fiber felt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Xiaobo; Liu, Liwu; Liu, Yanju; Leng, Jinsong

2016-03-01

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have the ability to adjust their stiffness, lock a temporary shape, and recover the permanent shape upon imposing an appropriate stimulus. They have found their way into the field of morphing structures. The electrically Joule resistive heating of the conductive composite can be a desirable stimulus to activate the shape memory effect of SMPs without external heating equipment. Electro-induced SMP composites incorporated with carbon fiber felt (CFF) were explored in this work. The CFF is an excellent conductive filler which can easily spread throughout the composite. It has a huge advantage in terms of low cost, simple manufacturing process, and uniform and tunable temperature distribution while heating. A continuous and compact conductive network made of carbon fibers and the overlap joints among them was observed from the microscopy images, and this network contributes to the high conductive properties of the CFF/SMP composites. The CFF/SMP composites can be electrical-heated rapidly and uniformly, and its’ shape recovery effect can be actuated by the electrical resistance Joule heating of the CFF without an external heater. The CFF/SMP composite get higher modulus and higher strength than the pure SMP without losing any strain recovery property. The high dependence of temperature and strain on the electrical resistance also make the composite a good self-sensing material. In general, the CFF/SMP composite shows great prospects as a potential material for the future morphing structures.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electronbeam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Characterization of MoS2-Graphene Composites for High-Performance Coin Cell Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Bissett, Mark A; Kinloch, Ian A; Dryfe, Robert A W

2015-08-12

Two-dimensional materials, such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), can greatly increase the performance of electrochemical energy storage devices because of the combination of high surface area and electrical conductivity. Here, we have investigated the performance of solution exfoliated MoS2 thin flexible membranes as supercapacitor electrodes in a symmetrical coin cell arrangement using an aqueous electrolyte (Na2SO4). By adding highly conductive graphene to form nanocomposite membranes, it was possible to increase the specific capacitance by reducing the resistivity of the electrode and altering the morphology of the membrane. With continued charge/discharge cycles the performance of the membranes was found to increase significantly (up to 800%), because of partial re-exfoliation of the layered material with continued ion intercalation, as well as increasing the specific capacitance through intercalation pseudocapacitance. These results demonstrate a simple and scalable application of layered 2D materials toward electrochemical energy storage.

Production of continuous piezoelectric ceramic fibers for smart materials and active control devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, Jonathan D.; Weitz, Gregory E.; Luke, John E.; Cass, Richard B.; Jadidian, Bahram; Bhargava, Parag; Safari, Ahmad

1997-05-01

Advanced Cerametrics Inc. has conceived of and developed the Viscous-Suspension-Spinning Process (VSSP) to produce continuous fine filaments of nearly any powdered ceramic materials. VSSP lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fiber tows with 100 and 790 filaments have been spun in continuous lengths exceeding 1700 meters. Sintered PZT filaments typically are 10 - 25 microns in diameter and have moderate flexibility. Prior to carrier burnout and sintering, VSSP PZT fibers can be formed into 2D and 3D shapes using conventional textile and composite forming processes. While the extension of PZT is on the order of 20 microns per linear inch, a woven, wound or braided structure can contain very long lengths of PZT fiber and generate comparatively large output strokes from relatively small volumes. These structures are intended for applications such as bipolar actuators for fiber optic assembly and repair, vibration and noise damping for aircraft, rotorcraft, automobiles and home applications, vibration generators and ultrasonic transducers for medical and industrial imaging. Fiber and component cost savings over current technologies, such as the `dice-and-fill' method for transducer production, and the range of unique structures possible with continuous VSSP PZT fiber are discussed. Recent results have yielded 1-3 type composites (25 vol% PZT) with d33 equals 340 pC/N, K equals 470, and g33 equals 80 mV/N, kt equals 0.54, kp equals 0.19, dh equals 50.1pC/N and gh equals 13 mV/N.

Repair of dimethacrylate-based composite restorations by a silorane-based composite: a one-year randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Popoff, D A V; Santa Rosa, T T A; Ferreira, R C; Magalhães, C S; Moreira, A N; Mjör, I A

2012-01-01

To investigate clinical performance of a low-shrinkage silorane-based composite resin when used for repairing conventional dimethacrylate-based composite restorations. Despite the continued development of resin-based materials, polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress still require improvement. A silorane-based monomer system was recently made available for dental restorations. This report refers to the use of this material for making repairs and evaluates the clinical performance of this alternative treatment. One operator repaired the defective dimethacrylate-based composite resin restorations that were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: control (n=50) repair with Adper SE Plus (3M/ESPE) and Filtek P60 Posterior Restorative (3M/ESPE), and test (n=50) repair with P90 System Adhesive Self-Etch Primer and Bond (3M/ESPE) and Filtek P90 Low Shrink Posterior Restorative (3M/ESPE). After one week, restorations were finished and polished. Two calibrated examiners (Kw≥0.78) evaluated all repaired restorations, blindly and independently, at baseline and one year. The parameters examined were marginal adaptation, anatomic form, surface roughness, marginal discoloration, postoperative sensitivity, and secondary caries. The restorations were classified as Alpha, Bravo, or Charlie, according to modified US Public Health Service criteria. Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare the groups. Of the 100 restorations repaired in this study, 93 were reexamined at baseline. Dropout from baseline to one-year recall was 11%. No statistically significant differences were found between the materials for all clinical criteria, at baseline or at one-year recall (p>0.05). No statistically significant differences were registered (p>0.05) for each material when compared for all clinical criteria at baseline and at one-year recall. The hypothesis tested in this randomized controlled clinical trial was accepted. After the one-year evaluations, the silorane-based composite exhibited a similar performance compared with dimethacrylate-based composite when used to make repairs.

When 1+1>2: Nanostructured composites for hard tissue engineering applications.

PubMed

Uskoković, Vuk

2015-12-01

Multicomponent, synergistic and multifunctional nanostructures have taken over the spotlight in the realm of biomedical nanotechnologies. The most prospective materials for bone regeneration today are almost exclusively composites comprising two or more components that compensate for the shortcomings of each one of them alone. This is quite natural in view of the fact that all hard tissues in the human body, except perhaps the tooth enamel, are composite nanostructures. This review article highlights some of the most prospective breakthroughs made in this research direction, with the hard tissues in main focus being those comprising bone, tooth cementum, dentin and enamel. The major obstacles to creating collagen/apatite composites modeled after the structure of bone are mentioned, including the immunogenicity of xenogeneic collagen and continuously failing attempts to replicate the biomineralization process in vitro. Composites comprising a polymeric component and calcium phosphate are discussed in light of their ability to emulate the soft/hard composite structure of bone. Hard tissue engineering composites created using hard material components other than calcium phosphates, including silica, metals and several types of nanotubes, are also discoursed on, alongside additional components deliverable using these materials, such as cells, growth factors, peptides, antibiotics, antiresorptive and anabolic agents, pharmacokinetic conjugates and various cell-specific targeting moieties. It is concluded that a variety of hard tissue structures in the body necessitates a similar variety of biomaterials for their regeneration. The ongoing development of nanocomposites for bone restoration will result in smart, theranostic materials, capable of acting therapeutically in direct feedback with the outcome of in situ disease monitoring at the cellular and subcellular scales. Progress in this research direction is expected to take us to the next generation of biomaterials, designed with the purpose of fulfilling Daedalus' dream - not restoring the tissues, but rather augmenting them. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A continuum model for damage evolution in laminated composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, D. C.; Allen, D. H.; Harris, C. E.

1991-01-01

The accumulation of matrix cracking is examined using continuum damage mechanics lamination theory. A phenomenologically based damage evolutionary relationship is proposed for matrix cracking in continuous fiber reinforced laminated composites. The use of material dependent properties and damage dependent laminate averaged ply stresses in this evolutionary relationship permits its application independently of the laminate stacking sequence. Several load histories are applied to crossply laminates using this model, and the results are compared to published experimental data. The stress redistribution among the plies during the accumulation of matrix damage is also examined. It is concluded that characteristics of the stress redistribution process could assist in the analysis of the progressive failure process in laminated composites.

Intermittent sizing on carbon fiber for composite application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norris, Jr, Robert E.; Paulauskas, Felix L.; Ozcan, Soydan

Intermittent sizing is a technique designed to improve the bonding of carbon fiber to a resin when manufacturing composite parts. The purpose of this technique is to improve Sheet Molding Composites (SMC) made of non-continuous carbon fibers while using regular material. At the end of the project, tests showed that improved mechanical properties have been achieved using this technique compared to conventional process. Mechanical properties have been improved by 110% for the peak tensile stress and by 60% for the modulus at the laboratory scale. In this project, Continental Structural Plastics and ORNL have worked to demonstrate the scalability andmore » viability of commercialization of this technique.« less

Phase composition of Katowice - Wełnowiec pytometallurgical slags: preliminary SEM study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warchulski, Rafał; Szopa, Krzysztof

2014-09-01

Exploitation on Zn-Pb ores in Upper Silesia region dates back to the XIII century. Analyzed slags are associated with Hohenlohe smelting plant which started its work in 1804 as an iron smelter, and continued as zinc smelter since 1873. Waste material from smelting plant production was stored in Katowice - Wełnowiec, although nowadays most of it has been used for commercial purposes. Slags are composed of silicates and aluminosilicates, e.g. willemite, pyroxene- and melilite-group, K-feldspar accompanied by silico-phosphates close to perhamite, harrisonite and arsenate-chloride with composition similar to nealite. Chemical composition of most phases is simple with some unique substitutions in case of Sr and Ce

Phase Composition of Katowice - Wełnowiec Pytometallurgical Slags: Preliminary SEM Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warchulski, Rafał; Szopa, Krzysztof

2014-09-01

Exploitation on Zn-Pb ores in Upper Silesia region dates back to the XIII century. Analyzed slags are associated with Hohenlohe smelting plant which started its work in 1804 as an iron smelter, and continued as zinc smelter since 1873. Waste material from smelting plant production was stored in Katowice - Wełnowiec, although nowadays most of it has been used for commercial purposes. Slags are composed of silicates and aluminosilicates, e.g. willemite, pyroxene- and melilite-group, K-feldspar accompanied by silico-phosphates close to perhamite, harrisonite and arsenate-chloride with composition similar to nealite. Chemical composition of most phases is simple with some unique substitutions in case of Sr and Ce.

Deformation processed Al/Ca nano-filamentary composite conductors for HVDC applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czahor, C. F.; Anderson, I. E.; Riedemann, T. M.; Russell, A. M.

2017-07-01

Efficient long-distance power transmission is necessary as the world continues to implement renewable energy sources, often sited in remote areas. Light, strong, high-conductivity materials are desirable for this application to reduce both construction and operational costs. In this study an Al/Ca (11.5% vol.) composite with nano-filamentary reinforcement was produced by powder metallurgy then extruded, swaged, and wire drawn to a maximum true strain of 12.7. The tensile strength increased exponentially as the filament size was reduced to the sub-micron level. In an effort to improve the conductor’s ability to operate at elevated temperatures, the deformation-processed wires were heat-treated at 260°C to transform the Ca-reinforcing filaments to Al2Ca. Such a transformation raised the tensile strength by as much as 28%, and caused little change in ductility, while the electrical conductivity was reduced by only 1% to 3%. Al/Al2Ca composites are compared to existing conductor materials to show how implementation could affect installation and performance.

Process for the manufacture of seamless metal-clad fiber-reinforced organic matrix composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bluck, Raymond M. (Inventor); Bush, Harold G. (Inventor); Johnson, Robert R. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A process for producing seamless metal-clad composite structures includes providing a hollow, metallic inner member and an outer sleeve to surround the inner member and define an inner space therebetween. A plurality of continuous reinforcing fibers is attached to the distal end of the outside diameter of the inner member, and the inner member is then introduced, distal end first, into one end of the outer sleeve. The inner member is then moved, distal end first, into the outer sleeve until the inner member is completely enveloped by the outer sleeve. A liquid matrix material is then injected into the space containing the reinforcing fibers between the inner member and the outer sleeve. Next a pressurized heat transfer medium is passed through the inner member to cure the liquid matrix material. Finally, the wall thickness of both the inner member and the outer sleeve are reduced to desired dimensions by chemical etching, which adjusts the thermal expansion coefficient of the metal-clad composite structure to a desired value.

Fabrication and experimentation of FRP helical spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekanthappa, J.; Shiva Shankar, G. S.; Amith, B. M.; Gagan, M.

2016-09-01

In present scenario, the automobile industry sector is showing increased interest in reducing the unsprung weight of the automobile & hence increasing the fuel Efficiency. One of the feasible sub systems of a vehicle where weight reduction may be attempted is vehicle- suspension system. Usage of composite material is a proven way to lower the component weight without any compromise in strength. The composite materials are having high specific strength, more elastic strain energy storage capacity in comparison with those of steel. Therefore, helical coil spring made of steel is replaceable by composite cylindrical helical coil spring. This research aims at preparing a re-usable mandrel (mould) of Mild steel, developing a setup for fabrication, fabrication of FRP helical spring using continuous glass fibers and Epoxy Resin (Polymer). Experimentation has been conducted on fabricated FRP helical spring to determine its strength parameters & for failure analysis. It is found that spring stiffness (K) of Glass/Epoxy helical-spring is greater than steel-coil spring with reduced weight.

Commercial production of QWIP wafers by molecular beam epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fastenau, J. M.; Liu, W. K.; Fang, X. M.; Lubyshev, D. I.; Pelzel, R. I.; Yurasits, T. R.; Stewart, T. R.; Lee, J. H.; Li, S. S.; Tidrow, M. Z.

2001-06-01

As the performance of quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) and QWIP-based imaging systems continues to improve, their demand will undoubtedly grow. This points to the importance of a reliable commercial supplier of semiconductor QWIP material on three inch and, in the near future, four-inch substrates. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is the preferred technique for growing the demanding QWIP structure, as tight control is required over the material composition and layer thickness. We report the current status of MBE-grown GaAs-based QWIP structures in a commercial production environment at IQE. Uniformity data and run-to-run reproducibility on both three-inch and four-inch GaAs substrates are quantified using alloy composition and QW thickness. Initial results on growth technology transfer to a multi-wafer MBE reactor are also presented. High-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate GaAs QW thickness variations and AlGaAs barrier compositions changes to be less than 4% and 1% Al, respectively, across four-inch QWIP wafers from both single- and multiple-wafer MBE platforms.

Hybrid Tank Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Researchers have accomplished great advances in pressure vessel technology by applying high-performance composite materials as an over-wrap to metal-lined pressure vessels. These composite over-wrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) are used in many areas, from air tanks for firefighters and compressed natural gas tanks for automobiles, to pressurant tanks for aerospace launch vehicles and propellant tanks for satellites and deep-space exploration vehicles. NASA and commercial industry are continually striving to find new ways to make high-performance pressure vessels safer and more reliable. While COPVs are much lighter than all-metal pressure vessels, the composite material, typically graphite fibers with an epoxy matrix resin, is vulnerable to impact damage. Carbon fiber is most frequently used for the high-performance COPV applications because of its high strength-to-weight characteristics. Other fibers have been used, but with limitations. For example, fiberglass is inexpensive but much heavier than carbon. Aramid fibers are impact resistant but have less strength than carbon and their performance tends to deteriorate.

Push-out tests on a new silicon carbide/reaction-bonded silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curtin, William A.; Eldridge, Jeffrey I.; Srinivasan, Gajawalli V.

1993-01-01

Fiber push-out tests have been performed on a ceramic matrix composite consisting of carborundum-sintered SiC fibers, with a BN coating, embedded in a reaction-bonded SiC matrix. Analysis of the push-out data, utilizing the most complete theory presently available, shows that one of the fiber/coating/matrix interfaces has a low fracture energy (one-tenth that of the fiber) and a moderate sliding resistance of about 8 MPa. The debonded sliding interface shows some continuous but minor abrasion, which appears to increase the sliding resistance, but overall the system exhibits very clean smooth sliding. The tensile response of a full-scale composite is then modeled using data obtained here and known fiber strengths to demonstrate the good composite behavior predicted for this material.

Numerical Simulations of As-Extruded Mg Matrix Composites Interpenetrated by Metal Reinforcement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Y Wang, H.; Wang, S. R.; Yang, X. F.; Li, P.

2017-12-01

The interpenetrating magnesium composites reinforced by three-dimensional braided stainless steel wire reinforcement were fabricated and investigated. The extrusion processes of the composites in different conditions were carried out and simulated by finite element method using the DEFORM-3D software. The results show that the matrix and reinforcement of the composites form a good interfacial bonding and the grains were refined by extrusion and the influence of reinforcement, which are in accordance with the enhanced strength and degraded plasticity. The combined quality between the matrix and reinforcement can be strengthened in extrusion chamber where occurred large strain and suffered intense stress, and the effective stress of the material increases continuously with the increase in extrusion ratio and the decrease in extrusion speed until it reaches a stable value.

Accelerated x-ray scatter projection imaging using multiple continuously moving pencil beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dydula, Christopher; Belev, George; Johns, Paul C.

2017-03-01

Coherent x-ray scatter varies with angle and photon energy in a manner dependent on the chemical composition of the scattering material, even for amorphous materials. Therefore, images generated from scattered photons can have much higher contrast than conventional projection radiographs. We are developing a scatter projection imaging prototype at the BioMedical Imaging and Therapy (BMIT) facility of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron in Saskatoon, Canada. The best images are obtained using step-and-shoot scanning with a single pencil beam and area detector to capture sequentially the scatter pattern for each primary beam location on the sample. Primary x-ray transmission is recorded simultaneously using photodiodes. The technological challenge is to acquire the scatter data in a reasonable time. Using multiple pencil beams producing partially-overlapping scatter patterns reduces acquisition time but increases complexity due to the need for a disentangling algorithm to extract the data. Continuous sample motion, rather than step-and-shoot, also reduces acquisition time at the expense of introducing motion blur. With a five-beam (33.2 keV, 3.5 mm2 beam area) continuous sample motion configuration, a rectangular array of 12 x 100 pixels with 1 mm sampling width has been acquired in 0.4 minutes (3000 pixels per minute). The acquisition speed is 38 times the speed for single beam step-and-shoot. A system model has been developed to calculate detected scatter patterns given the material composition of the object to be imaged. Our prototype development, image acquisition of a plastic phantom and modelling are described.

High-efficiency volume holograms recording on acrylamide and N,N'methylene-bis-acrylamide photopolymer with pulsed laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego, Sergi; Ortuno, Manuel; Garcia, Celia; Neipp, Cristian; Belendez, Augusto; Pascual, Inmaculada V.

2004-09-01

In order to achieve higher diffraction efficiencies of the volume gratings stored in acrylamide based photopolymer, we introduce in the photopolymer a crosslinker (N,N'methylene-bis-acrylamide). The presence of this component increase the rate polymerization and the modulation of refraction index. The recording was performed using a holographic copying process. The original was a grating of 1000 lines/mm processed using silver halide sensitized gelatine, with diffraction efficiency around 50 % for a reconstruction wavelength of 532 nm. The main beam was split in two secondary beams by the original grating, with an intensity ratio 1:1. The results obtained using the new composition of material are compared with the composition without crosslinker. In the other hand the no linearity of the material's response is also studied comparing the energetic sensitivity, diffraction efficiencies and index modulation of gratings recorded with pulsed and continuous laser. This study is realized fitting the angular scan of each grating using Kogelnik's theory. The gratings are recorded with wavelength of 532 nm when pulsed exposure is used and with wavelength of 514 nm when continues exposure is used. Using pulsed laser at 532 nm the photopolymer without crosslinker presents the diffraction efficiencies lightly smaller than 60%. In the other hand when the crosslinker has been introduced in photopolymer composition, the diffraction efficiencies achieves are higher than 85 %.

Micromechanics of Composite Materials Governed by Vector Constitutive Laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Aboudi, Jacob; Arnold, Steven M.

2017-01-01

The high-fidelity generalized method of cells micromechanics theory has been extended for the prediction of the effective property tensor and the corresponding local field distributions for composites whose constituents are governed by vector constitutive laws. As shown, the shear analogy, which can predict effective transverse properties, is not valid in the general three-dimensional case. Consequently, a general derivation is presented that is applicable to both continuously and discontinuously reinforced composites with arbitrary vector constitutive laws and periodic microstructures. Results are given for thermal and electric problems, effective properties and local field distributions, ordered and random microstructures, as well as complex geometries including woven composites. Comparisons of the theory's predictions are made to test data, numerical analysis, and classical expressions from the literature. Further, classical methods cannot provide the local field distributions in the composite, and it is demonstrated that, as the percolation threshold is approached, their predictions are increasingly unreliable. XXXX It has been observed that the bonding between the fibers and matrix in composite materials can be imperfect. In the context of thermal conductivity, such imperfect interfaces have been investigated in micromechanical models by Dunn and Taya (1993), Duan and Karihaloo (2007), Nan et al. (1997) and Hashin (2001). The present HFGMC micromechanical method, derived for perfectly bonded composite materials governed by vector constitutive laws, can be easily generalized to include the effects of weak bonding between the constituents. Such generalizations, in the context of the mechanical micromechanics problem, involve introduction of a traction-separation law at the fiber/matrix interface and have been presented by Aboudi (1987), Bednarcyk and Arnold (2002), Bednarcyk et al. (2004) and Aboudi et al. (2013) and will be addressed in the future.

Damage Detection Response Characteristics of Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dudley, Kenneth L.; Szatkowski, George N.; Smith, Laura J.; Koppen, Sandra V.; Ely, Jay J.; Nguyen, Truong X.; Wang, Chuantong; Ticatch, Larry A.; Mielnik, John J.

2013-01-01

The capability to assess the current or future state of the health of an aircraft to improve safety, availability, and reliability while reducing maintenance costs has been a continuous goal for decades. Many companies, commercial entities, and academic institutions have become interested in Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) and a growing effort of research into "smart" vehicle sensing systems has emerged. Methods to detect damage to aircraft materials and structures have historically relied on visual inspection during pre-flight or post-flight operations by flight and ground crews. More quantitative non-destructive investigations with various instruments and sensors have traditionally been performed when the aircraft is out of operational service during major scheduled maintenance. Through the use of reliable sensors coupled with data monitoring, data mining, and data analysis techniques, the health state of a vehicle can be detected in-situ. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is developing a composite aircraft skin damage detection method and system based on open circuit SansEC (Sans Electric Connection) sensor technology. Composite materials are increasingly used in modern aircraft for reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing the overall design, performance, and manufacturability of airborne vehicles. Materials such as fiberglass reinforced composites (FRC) and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) are being used to great advantage in airframes, wings, engine nacelles, turbine blades, fairings, fuselage structures, empennage structures, control surfaces and aircraft skins. SansEC sensor technology is a new technical framework for designing, powering, and interrogating sensors to detect various types of damage in composite materials. The source cause of the in-service damage (lightning strike, impact damage, material fatigue, etc.) to the aircraft composite is not relevant. The sensor will detect damage independent of the cause. Damage in composite material is generally associated with a localized change in material permittivity and/or conductivity. These changes are sensed using SansEC. The unique electrical signatures (amplitude, frequency, bandwidth, and phase) are used for damage detection and diagnosis. An operational system and method would incorporate a SansEC sensor array on select areas of the aircraft exterior surfaces to form a "Smart skin" sensing surface. In this paper a new method and system for aircraft in-situ damage detection and diagnosis is presented. Experimental test results on seeded fault damage coupons and computational modeling simulation results are presented. NASA LaRC has demonstrated with individual sensors that SansEC sensors can be effectively used for in-situ composite damage detection of delamination, voids, fractures, and rips. Keywords: Damage Detection, Composites, Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring (IVHM), Aviation Safety, SansEC Sensors

Advances in aluminum powder usage as an energetic material and applications for rocket propellant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghipour, S.; Ghaderian, J.; Wahid, M. A.

2012-06-01

Energetic materials have been widely used for military purposes. Continuous research programs are performing in the world for the development of the new materials with higher and improved performance comparing with the available ones in order to fulfill the needs of the military in future. Different sizes of aluminum powders are employed to produce composite rocket propellants with the bases of Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) and Hydroxyl-Terminated-Polybutadiene (HTPB) as oxidizer and binder respectively. This paper concentrates on recent advances in using aluminum as an energetic material and the properties and characteristics pertaining to its combustion. Nano-sized aluminum as one of the most attractable particles in propellants is discussed particularly.

Bipolar batteries based on Ebonex ® technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loyns, A. C.; Hill, A.; Ellis, K. G.; Partington, T. J.; Hill, J. M.

Continuing work by Atraverda on the production of a composite-laminate form of the Ebonex ® material, that can be cheaply formulated and manufactured to form substrate plates for bipolar lead-acid batteries, is described. Ebonex ® is the registered trade name of a range of titanium suboxide ceramic materials, typically Ti 4O 7 and Ti 5O 9, which combine electrical conductivity with high corrosion and oxidation resistance. Details of the structure of the composite, battery construction techniques and methods for filling and forming of batteries are discussed. In addition, lifetime and performance data obtained by Atraverda from laboratory bipolar lead-acid batteries and cells are presented. Battery production techniques for both conventional monopolar and bipolar batteries are reviewed. The findings indicate that substantial time and cost savings may be realised in the manufacture of bipolar batteries in comparison to conventional designs. This is due to the fewer processing steps required and more efficient formation. The results indicate that the use of Ebonex ® composite material as a bipolar substrate will provide lightweight and durable high-voltage lead-acid batteries suitable for a wide range of applications including advanced automotive, stationary power and portable equipment.

On the development of an intrinsic hybrid composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kießling, R.; Ihlemann, J.; Riemer, M.; Drossel, W.-G.; Scharf, I.; Lampke, T.; Sharafiev, S.; Pouya, M.; F-X Wagner, M.

2016-03-01

Hybrid parts, which combine low weight with high strength, are moving into the focus of the automotive industry, due to their high potential for usage in the field of crash-relevant structures. In this contribution, the development of an intrinsic hybrid composite is presented, with a focus on the manufacturing process, complex simulations of the material behaviour and material testing. The hybrid composite is made up of a continuous fibre- reinforced plastic (FRP), in which a metallic insert is integrated. The mechanical behaviour of the individual components is characterised. For material modelling, an approach is pointed out that enables modelling at large strains by directly connected rheological elements. The connection between the FRP and the metallic insert is realised by a combination of form fit and adhesive bonds. On the one hand, adhesive bonds are generated within a sol gel process. On the other hand, local form elements of the metallic insert are pressed into the FRP. We show how these form elements are generated during the macroscopic forming process. In addition, the applied sol gel process is explained. Finally, we consider design concepts for a specimen type for high strain testing of the resulting interfaces.

Spirit Examines Light-Toned 'Halley' (False Color)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Stretching along 'Low Ridge' in front of the winter haven for NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit are several continuous rock layers that make up the ridge. Some of these layers form fins that stick out from the other rocks in a way that suggests that they are resistant to erosion. Spirit is currently straddling one of these fin-like layers and can reach a small bit of light-toned material that might be a broken bit of it. Informally named 'Halley,' this rock was broken by Spirit's wheels when the rover drove over it.

The first analyses of Halley showed it to be unusual in composition, containing a lot of the minor element zinc relative to the soil around it and having much of its iron tied up in the mineral hematite. When scientists again placed the scientific instruments on Spirit's robotic arm on a particularly bright-looking part of Halley, they found that the chemical composition of the bright spots was suggestive of a calcium sulfate mineral. Bright soils that Spirit has examined earlier in the mission contain iron sulfate.

This discovery raises new questions for the science team: Why is the sulfate mineralogy here different? Did Halley and the fin material form by water percolating through the layered rocks of Low Ridge? When did the chemical alteration of this rock occur? Spirit will continue to work on Halley and other light-toned materials along Low Ridge in the coming months to try to answer these questions.

Spirit took this red-green-blue composite image with the panoramic camera on the rover's 820th sol, or Martian day, of exploring Mars (April 24, 2006). The image is presented in false color to emphasize differences among materials in the rocks and soil. It combines frames taken through the camera's 750-nanometer, 530-nanometer, and 430-nanometer filters. The middle of the imaged area has dark basaltic sand. Spirit's wheel track is at the left edge of the frame. Just to the right of the wheel track in the lower left are two types of brighter material examined by Spirit at the Halley target. The bluer material yielded the evidence for a calcium sulfate mineral.

Electrical Conductivity in Polymer Blends/ Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kulkarni, Ajit R.; Bose, Suryasarathi; Bhattacharyya, Arup R.

2008-10-23

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) based polymer composites have emerged as the future multifunctional materials in view of its exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. One of the major interests is to develop conductive polymer composites preferably at low concentration of CNT utilizing their high aspect ratio (L/D) for numerous applications, which include antistatic devices, capacitors and materials for EMI shielding. In this context, polymer blends have emerged as a potential candidate in lowering the percolation thresholds further by the utilization of 'double-percolation' which arises from the synergistic improvements in blend properties associated with the co-continuous morphology. Due to strong inter-tube vanmore » der Waals' forces, they often tend to aggregate and uniform dispersion remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, we exploited sodium salt of 6-aminohexanoic acid (Na-AHA) which was able to assist in debundlling the multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) through 'cation-{pi}' interactions during melt-mixing leading to percolative 'network-like' structure of MWNT within polyamide6 (PA6) phase in co-continuous PA6/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) blends. The composite exhibited low electrical percolation thresholds of 0.25 wt% of MWNT, the lowest reported value in this system so far. Retention of 'network-like structure' in the solid state with significant refinement was observed even at lower MWNT concentration in presence Na-AHA, which was assessed through AC electrical conductivity measurements. Reactive coupling was found to be a dominant factor besides 'cation-{pi}' interactions in achieving low electrical percolation in PA6/ABS+MWNT composites.« less

Viscoelastic stability of resin-composites aged in food-simulating solvents.

PubMed

Marghalani, Hanadi Y; Watts, David C

2013-09-01

To study time-dependent viscoelastic deformation (creep and recovery) of resin-composites, after conditioning in food-simulating solvents, under a compressive stress at 37°C. Five dimethacrylate-based composites: (Spectrum TPH, Premise Body, Tetric Ceram HB, Filtek P60, X-tra fil), and two Ormocers (Experimental Ormocer V 28407, Admira) were studied. Three groups of cylindrical specimens (4mm×6mm) were prepared and then conditioned in 3 solvents: methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), ethanol, and water for 1 month at 37°C. The compressive creep-strain under 35MPa in 37°C water was recorded continuously for 2h and then the unloaded recovery-strain was monitored for another 2h. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni's test. The materials all exhibited classic creep and recovery curves, with most parameters being significantly different (p<0.0001) for each solvent condition. All materials showed lower creep-strain in water than in ethanol or MEK solvents. Maximum creep-strain and permanent-set gave negative linear-regression (r(2)>0.98) with logarithm of the solvent solubility-parameter. The % mean (SD) creep-strain ranged from a minimum of 0.82 (0.01) for the Exp. Ormocer in water to the maximum of 4.19 (0.30) for Admira in MEK. Similar trends were found for permanent-set. The dimethacrylate-based composites behaved as an intermediate group, apart from X-tra fil that had similar stability to the Exp. Ormocer. The viscoelastic stability (low creep and permanent-set) of the Exp. Ormocer, compared to many dimethacrylate-based composites, in food-simulating solvents may be due to its diluent-free formulation. This was closely matched by a highly-filled dimethacrylate material (X-tra fil). Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

Fabrication and characterization of biomimetic ceramic/polymer composite materials for dental restoration.

PubMed

Petrini, Morena; Ferrante, Maurizio; Su, Bo

2013-04-01

Conventional dental composites with randomly dispersed inorganic particles within a polymer matrix fail to recapitulate the aligned and anisotropic structure of the dentin and enamel. The aim of the study was to produce a biomimetic composite consisting of a ceramic preform with graded and continuously aligned open pores, infiltrated with epoxy resin. The freeze casting technique was used to obtain the hierarchically structured architecture of the ceramic preforms. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry (TG-DTA) were used to characterize the samples. Three point bending test and compression test were also performed. All analysis confirmed that the biomimetic composite was characterized by a multi-level hierarchical structure along the freezing direction. In the bottom layers close to the cooling plate (up to 2mm thick), a randomly packed ceramic with closed pores were formed, which resulted in incomplete infiltration with resin and resultant poor mechanical propertiesof the composite. Above 2mm, all ceramic samples showed an aligned structure with an increasing lamellae spacing (wavelength) and a decreasing wall thickness. Mechanical tests showed that the properties of the composites made from ceramic preforms above 2mm from cooling plate are similar to those of the dentin. The fabrication processing reported in this work offers a viable route for the fabrication of biomimetic composites, which could be potentially used in a range of dental restorations to compete with the current dental composites and ceramics. Copyright © 2012 Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

Molecular Simulation of Ionic Polyimides and Composites with Ionic Liquids as Gas-Separation Membranes.

PubMed

Abedini, Asghar; Crabtree, Ellis; Bara, Jason E; Turner, C Heath

2017-10-24

Polyimides are at the forefront of advanced membrane materials for CO 2 capture and gas-purification processes. Recently, ionic polyimides (i-PIs) have been reported as a new class of condensation polymers that combine structural components of both ionic liquids (ILs) and polyimides through covalent linkages. In this study, we report CO 2 and CH 4 adsorption and structural analyses of an i-PI and an i-PI + IL composite containing [C 4 mim][Tf 2 N]. The combination of molecular dynamics (MD) and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations is used to compute the gas solubility and the adsorption performance with respect to the density, fractional free volume (FFV), and surface area of the materials. Our results highlight the polymer relaxation process and its correlation to the gas solubility. In particular, the surface area can provide meaningful guidance with respect to the gas solubility, and it tends to be a more sensitive indicator of the adsorption behavior versus only considering the system density and FFV. For instance, as the polymer continues to relax, the density, FFV, and pore-size distribution remain constant while the surface area can continue to increase, enabling more adsorption. Structural analyses are also conducted to identify the nature of the gas adsorption once the ionic liquid is added to the polymer. The presence of the IL significantly displaces the CO 2 molecules from the ligand nitrogen sites in the neat i-PI to the imidazolium rings in the i-PI + IL composite. However, the CH 4 molecules move from the imidazolium ring sites in the neat i-PI to the ligand nitrogen atoms in the i-PI + IL composite. These molecular details can provide critical information for the experimental design of highly selective i-PI materials as well as provide additional guidance for the interpretation of the simulated adsorption systems.

Molecular characteristics of continuously released DOM during one year of root and leaf litter decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altmann, Jens; Jansen, Boris; Kalbitz, Karsten; Filley, Timothy

2013-04-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the most dynamic carbon pools linking the terrestrial with the aquatic carbon cycle. Besides the insecure contribution of terrestrial DOM to the greenhouse effect, DOM also plays an important role for the mobility and availability of heavy metals and organic pollutants in soils. These processes depend very much on the molecular characteristics of the DOM. Surprisingly the processes that determine the molecular composition of DOM are only poorly understood. DOM can originate from various sources, which influence its molecular composition. It has been recognized that DOM formation is not a static process and DOM characteristics vary not only between different carbon sources. However, molecular characteristics of DOM extracts have scarcely been studied continuously over a longer period of time. Due to constant molecular changes of the parent litter material or soil organic matter during microbial degradation, we assumed that also the molecular characteristics of litter derived DOM varies at different stages during root and needle decomposition. For this study we analyzed the chemical composition of root and leaf samples of 6 temperate tree species during one year of litter decomposition in a laboratory incubation. During this long-term experiment we measured continuously carbon and nitrogen contents of the water extracts and the remaining residues, C mineralization rates, and the chemical composition of water extracts and residues by Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry with TMAH We focused on the following questions: (I) How mobile are molecules derived from plant polymers like tannin, lignin, suberin and cutin? (II) How does the composition of root and leaf derived DOM change over time in dependence on the stage of decomposition and species? Litter derived DOM was generally dominated by aromatic compounds. Substituded fatty acids as typically cutin or suberin derived were not detected in the water extracts. Fresh leaf and needle samples released a much higher amount of tannins than fresh root samples. At later litter decomposition stages the influence of tannins decreased and lignin derived phenols dominated the extracts. With ongoing litter degradation the degree of oxidation for the litter material increased, which was also reflected by the water extracted molecules.

Applications of high thermal conductivity composites to electronics and spacecraft thermal design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharp, G. Richard; Loftin, Timothy A.

1990-01-01

Recently, high thermal conductivity continuous graphite fiber reinforced metal matrix composites (MMC's) have become available that can save much weight over present methods of heat conduction. These materials have two or three times higher thermal conductivity in the fiber direction than the pure metals when compared on a thermal conductivity to weight basis. Use of these materials for heat conduction purposes can result in weight savings of from 50 to 70 percent over structural aluminum. Another significant advantage is that these materials can be used without the plumbing and testing complexities that accompany the use of liquid heat pipes. A spinoff of this research was the development of other MMC's as electronic device heat sinks. These use particulates rather than fibers and are formulated to match the coefficient of thermal expansion of electronic substrates in order to alleviate thermally induced stresses. The development of both types of these materials as viable weight saving substitutes for traditional methods of thermal control for electronics packaging and also for spacecraft thermal control applications are the subject of this report.

Comparison of Elevated Temperature Tensile Properties and Fatigue Behavior of Two Variants of a Woven SiC/SiC Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalluri, Sreeramesh; Brewer, David N.; Sreeramesh, Kalluri

2005-01-01

Tensile properties (elastic modulus, proportional limit strength, in-plane tensile strength, and strain at failure) of two variants of a woven SiC/SiC composite, manufactured during two separate time periods (9/99 and 1/01), were determined at 1038 and 1204 C by conducting tensile tests on specimens machined from plates. Continuous cycling fatigue tests (R = 0.05) and 20 cpm) were also conducted at the same two temperatures on specimens from both composites. In this study, average tensile properties, 95% confidence intervals associated with the tensile properties, and geometric mean fatigue lives of both composite materials are compared. The observed similarities and differences in the tensile properties are highlighted and an attempt is made to understand the relationship, if any, between the tensile properties and the fatigue behaviors of the two woven composites.

Optimizing and developing a continuous separation system for the wet process separation of aluminum and polyethylene in aseptic composite packaging waste.

PubMed

Yan, Dahai; Peng, Zheng; Liu, Yuqiang; Li, Li; Huang, Qifei; Xie, Minghui; Wang, Qi

2015-01-01

The consumption of milk in China is increasing as living standards rapidly improve, and huge amounts of aseptic composite milk packaging waste are being generated. Aseptic composite packaging is composed of paper, polyethylene, and aluminum. It is difficult to separate the polyethylene and aluminum, so most of the waste is currently sent to landfill or incinerated with other municipal solid waste, meaning that enormous amounts of resources are wasted. A wet process technique for separating the aluminum and polyethylene from the composite materials after the paper had been removed from the original packaging waste was studied. The separation efficiency achieved using different separation reagents was compared, different separation mechanisms were explored, and the impacts of a range of parameters, such as the reagent concentration, temperature, and liquid-solid ratio, on the separation time and aluminum loss ratio were studied. Methanoic acid was found to be the optimal separation reagent, and the suitable conditions were a reagent concentration of 2-4 mol/L, a temperature of 60-80°C, and a liquid-solid ratio of 30 L/kg. These conditions allowed aluminum and polyethylene to be separated in less than 30 min, with an aluminum loss ratio of less than 3%. A mass balance was produced for the aluminum-polyethylene separation system, and control technique was developed to keep the ion concentrations in the reaction system stable. This allowed a continuous industrial-scale process for separating aluminum and polyethylene to be developed, and a demonstration facility with a capacity of 50t/d was built. The demonstration facility gave polyethylene and aluminum recovery rates of more than 98% and more than 72%, respectively. Separating 1t of aluminum-polyethylene composite packaging material gave a profit of 1769 Yuan, meaning that an effective method for recycling aseptic composite packaging waste was achieved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Part I. Corrosion studies of continuous alumina fiber reinforced aluminum-matrix composites. Part II. Galvanic corrosion between continuous alumina fiber reinforced aluminum-matrix composites and 4340 steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jun

Part I. The corrosion performance of continuous alumina fiber reinforced aluminum-matrix composites (CF-AMCs) was investigated in both the laboratory and field environments by comparing them with their respective monolithic matrix alloys, i.e., pure Al, A1-2wt%Cu T6, and Al 6061 T6. The corrosion initiation sites were identified by monitoring the changes in the surface morphology. Corrosion current densities and pH profiles at localized corrosion sites were measured using the scanning-vibrating electrode technique and the scanning ion-selective electrode technique, respectively. The corrosion damage of the materials immersed in various electrolytes, as well as those exposed in a humidity chamber and outdoor environments, was evaluated. Potentiodynamic polarization behavior was also studied. The corrosion initiation for the composites in 3.15 wt% NaCl occurred primarily around the Fe-rich intermetallic particles, which preferentially existed around the fiber/matrix interface on the composites. The corrosion initiation sites were also caused by physical damage (e.g., localized deformation) to the composite surface. At localized corrosion sites, the buildup of acidity was enhanced by the formation of micro-crevices resulting from fibers left in relief as the matrix corroded. The composites that were tested in exposure experiments exhibited higher corrosion rates than their monolithic alloys. The composites and their monolithic alloys were subjected to pitting corrosion when anodically polarized in the 3.15 wt% NaCl, while they passivated when anodically polarized in 0.5 M Na2SO4. The experimental results indicated that the composites exhibited inferior corrosion resistance compared to their monolithic matrix alloys. Part II. Galvanic corrosion studies were conducted on CF-AMCs coupled to 4340 steel since CF-AMCs have low density and excellent mechanical properties and are being considered as potential jacketing materials for reinforcing steel gun barrels. Coupled and uncoupled coupons were immersed in various electrolytes, exposed to a humidity chamber, and exposed at outdoor test sites. Results showed that the corrosion rates of the CF-AMCs increased, while those of the 4340 steel decreased after being coupled together, in most cases. Crevice corrosion was also observed in these exposure experiments. Zero resistance ammeter (ZRA) experiments were conducted to record the galvanic-corrosion rates and potentials of the couples. The CF-AMCs were found to serve as anodes, while the steel was cathodic, in most test conditions. Galvanic performance predicted by polarization experiments was in close agreement with the ZRA results. Key words. Aluminum, metal-matrix composites, alumina fiber, pitting corrosion, galvanic corrosion.

Effects of Simulated Functional Loading Conditions on Dentin, Composite, and Laminate Structures

PubMed Central

Walker, Mary P.; Teitelbaum, Heather K.; Eick, J. David; Williams, Karen B.

2008-01-01

Use of composite restorations continues to increase, tempered by more potential problems when placed in posterior dentition. Thus, it is essential to understand how these materials function under stress-bearing clinical conditions. Since mastication is difficult to replicate in the laboratory, cyclic loading is frequently used within in vitro evaluations but often employs traditional fatigue testing, which typically does not simulate occlusal loading because higher stresses and loading frequencies are used, so failure mechanisms may be different. The present investigation utilized relevant parameters (specimen size; loading frequency) to assess the effects of cyclic loading on flexural mechanical properties and fracture morphology of (coronal) dentin, composite, and dentin-adhesive-composite “laminate” structures. Incremental monitoring of flexural modulus on individual beams over 60,000 loading cycles revealed a gradual increase across materials; post-hoc comparisons indicated statistical significance only for 1 versus 60k cycles. Paired specimens were tested (one exposed to 60k loading cycles, one to static loading only), and comparisons of flexural modulus and strength showed statistically significantly higher values for cyclically-loaded specimens across materials, with no observable differences in fracture morphology. Localized reorganization of dentin collagen and polymer chains could have increased flexural modulus and strength during cyclic loading, which may have implications toward the life and failure mechanisms of clinical restorations and underlying tooth structure. PMID:18823019

Concurrent Probabilistic Simulation of High Temperature Composite Structural Response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdi, Frank

1996-01-01

A computational structural/material analysis and design tool which would meet industry's future demand for expedience and reduced cost is presented. This unique software 'GENOA' is dedicated to parallel and high speed analysis to perform probabilistic evaluation of high temperature composite response of aerospace systems. The development is based on detailed integration and modification of diverse fields of specialized analysis techniques and mathematical models to combine their latest innovative capabilities into a commercially viable software package. The technique is specifically designed to exploit the availability of processors to perform computationally intense probabilistic analysis assessing uncertainties in structural reliability analysis and composite micromechanics. The primary objectives which were achieved in performing the development were: (1) Utilization of the power of parallel processing and static/dynamic load balancing optimization to make the complex simulation of structure, material and processing of high temperature composite affordable; (2) Computational integration and synchronization of probabilistic mathematics, structural/material mechanics and parallel computing; (3) Implementation of an innovative multi-level domain decomposition technique to identify the inherent parallelism, and increasing convergence rates through high- and low-level processor assignment; (4) Creating the framework for Portable Paralleled architecture for the machine independent Multi Instruction Multi Data, (MIMD), Single Instruction Multi Data (SIMD), hybrid and distributed workstation type of computers; and (5) Market evaluation. The results of Phase-2 effort provides a good basis for continuation and warrants Phase-3 government, and industry partnership.

Joining dissimilar materials using Friction Stir scribe technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upadhyay, Piyush; Hovanski, Yuri; Jana, Saumyadeep

2016-10-03

The ability to effectively join materials with vastly different melting points like Aluminum-Steel, Polymer composites - metals has been one of the road blocks in realizing multi-material components for light weighting efforts. Friction stir scribe (FSS) technique is a promising method that produces continuous overlap joint between materials with vastly different melting regimes and high temperature flow characteristics. FSS uses an offset cutting tool at the tip of the FSW pin to create an insitu mechanical interlock between material interfaces. With investments from Vehicle Technology office, US DOE and several automotive manufacturers and suppliers PNNL is developing the FSS processmore » and has demonstrated viability of joining several material combinations. Details of welding trails, unique challenges and mitigation strategies in different material combinations will be discussed. Joint characterization including mechanical tests and joint performances will also be presented.« less

Convection driven generation of long-range material gradients

PubMed Central

Du, Yanan; Hancock, Matthew J.; He, Jiankang; Villa-Uribe, Jose; Wang, Ben; Cropek, Donald M.; Khademhosseini, Ali

2009-01-01

Natural materials exhibit anisotropy with variations in soluble factors, cell distribution, and matrix properties. The ability to recreate the heterogeneity of the natural materials is a major challenge for investigating cell-material interactions and for developing biomimetic materials. Here we present a generic fluidic approach using convection and alternating flow to rapidly generate multi-centimeter gradients of biomolecules, polymers, beads and cells and cross-gradients of two species in a microchannel. Accompanying theoretical estimates and simulations of gradient growth provide design criteria over a range of material properties. A poly(ethyleneglycol) hydrogel gradient, a porous collagen gradient and a composite material with a hyaluronic acid/gelatin cross-gradient were generated with continuous variations in material properties and in their ability to regulate cellular response. This simple yet generic fluidic platform should prove useful for creating anisotropic biomimetic materials and high-throughput platforms for investigating cell-microenvironment interaction. PMID:20035990

NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program (LA2ST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gangloff, Richard P.; Starke, Edgar A., Jr.; Kelly, Robert G.; Scully, John R.; Shiflet, Gary J.; Stoner, Glenn E.; Wert, John A.

1997-01-01

The NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology (LA2ST) Program was initiated in 1986 and continues with a high level of activity. Here, we report on progress achieved between July I and December 31, 1996. The objective of the LA2ST Program is to conduct interdisciplinary graduate student research on the performance of next generation, light-weight aerospace alloys, composites and thermal gradient structures in collaboration with NASA-Langley researchers. Specific technical objectives are presented for each research project. We generally aim to produce relevant data and basic understanding of material mechanical response, environmental/corrosion behavior, and microstructure; new monolithic and composite alloys; advanced processing methods; new solid and fluid mechanics analyses; measurement and modeling advances; and a pool of educated graduate students for aerospace technologies. The accomplishments presented in this report are summarized as follows. Three research areas are being actively investigated, including: (1) Mechanical and Environmental Degradation Mechanisms in Advanced Light Metals, (2) Aerospace Materials Science, and (3) Mechanics of Materials for Light Aerospace Structures.

Constraints on the nanoscale minerals on the surface of Saturnian icy moons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srama, R.; Hsu, H.; Kempf, S.; Horanyi, M.

2011-12-01

Nano-phase iron particles embedded into the surfaces of Saturn's icy moons as well as in the ring material have been proposed to explain the infrared spectra obtained by Cassini VIMS. Because the continuous influx of interplanetary fast impactors into the Saturnian system erodes any exposed surface, a certain amount of the embedded nano-particles will be ejected into the Saturnian magnetosphere and speed up to velocities high enough to be detected by the Cassini dust detector CDA. Thus, the analysis of the so-called stream particles provides constraints on the amount and the composition of any nano-phase material within the surfaces of the icy moons. Nanoparticles registered by the Cassini dust detector are most likely composed of silica (SiO2). Their dynamical properties indicate that they are relics of E ring dust grains. In this talk we will show that the Cassini stream particle measurements provide strong constraints for the composition and size distribution of any embedded nano-material.

A high-throughput investigation of Fe-Cr-Al as a novel high-temperature coating for nuclear cladding materials.

PubMed

Bunn, Jonathan Kenneth; Fang, Randy L; Albing, Mark R; Mehta, Apurva; Kramer, Matthew J; Besser, Matthew F; Hattrick-Simpers, Jason R

2015-07-10

High-temperature alloy coatings that can resist oxidation are urgently needed as nuclear cladding materials to mitigate the danger of hydrogen explosions during meltdown. Here we apply a combination of computationally guided materials synthesis, high-throughput structural characterization and data analysis tools to investigate the feasibility of coatings from the Fe–Cr–Al alloy system. Composition-spread samples were synthesized to cover the region of the phase diagram previous bulk studies have identified as forming protective oxides. The metallurgical and oxide phase evolution were studied via in situ synchrotron glancing incidence x-ray diffraction at temperatures up to 690 K. A composition region with an Al concentration greater than 3.08 at%, and between 20.0 at% and 32.9 at% Cr showed the least overall oxide growth. Subsequently, a series of samples were deposited on stubs and their oxidation behavior at 1373 K was observed. The continued presence of a passivating oxide was confirmed in this region over a period of 6 h.

Three-dimensional analysis of anisotropic spatially reinforced structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogdanovich, Alexander E.

1993-01-01

The material-adaptive three-dimensional analysis of inhomogeneous structures based on the meso-volume concept and application of deficient spline functions for displacement approximations is proposed. The general methodology is demonstrated on the example of a brick-type mosaic parallelepiped arbitrarily composed of anisotropic meso-volumes. A partition of each meso-volume into sub-elements, application of deficient spline functions for a local approximation of displacements and, finally, the use of the variational principle allows one to obtain displacements, strains, and stresses at anypoint within the structural part. All of the necessary external and internal boundary conditions (including the conditions of continuity of transverse stresses at interfaces between adjacent meso-volumes) can be satisfied with requisite accuracy by increasing the density of the sub-element mesh. The application of the methodology to textile composite materials is described. Several numerical examples for woven and braided rectangular composite plates and stiffened panels under transverse bending are considered. Some typical effects of stress concentrations due to the material inhomogeneities are demonstrated.

Crack propagation in functionally graded strip under thermal shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, I. V.; Sadowski, T.; Pietras, D.

2013-09-01

The thermal shock problem in a strip made of functionally graded composite with an interpenetrating network micro-structure of Al2O3 and Al is analysed numerically. The material considered here could be used in brake disks or cylinder liners. In both applications it is subjected to thermal shock. The description of the position-dependent properties of the considered functionally graded material are based on experimental data. Continuous functions were constructed for the Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity and implemented as user-defined material properties in user-defined subroutines of the commercial finite element software ABAQUS™. The thermal stress and the residual stress of the manufacturing process distributions inside the strip are considered. The solution of the transient heat conduction problem for thermal shock is used for crack propagation simulation using the XFEM method. The crack length developed during the thermal shock is the criterion for crack resistance of the different graduation profiles as a step towards optimization of the composition gradient with respect to thermal shock sensitivity.

Third-generation pure alumina and alumina matrix composites in total hip arthroplasty: What is the evidence?

PubMed

Hannouche, Didier; Zingg, Matthieu; Miozzari, Hermes; Nizard, Remy; Lübbeke, Anne

2018-01-01

Wear, corrosion and periprosthetic osteolysis are important causes of failure in joint arthroplasty, especially in young patients.Ceramic bearings, developed 40 years ago, are an increasingly popular choice in hip arthroplasty. New manufacturing procedures have increased the strength and reliability of ceramic materials and reduced the risk of complications.In recent decades, ceramics made of pure alumina have continuously improved, resulting in a surgical-grade material that fulfills clinical requirements.Despite the track record of safety and long-term results, third-generation pure alumina ceramics are being replaced in clinical practice by alumina matrix composites, which are composed of alumina and zirconium.In this review, the characteristics of both materials are discussed, and the long-term results with third-generation alumina-on-alumina bearings and the associated complications are compared with those of other available ceramics. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2018;3:7-14. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.3.170034.

Synthesis and thermal conductivity of type II silicon clathrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beekman, M.; Nolas, G. S.

2006-08-01

We have synthesized and characterized polycrystalline Na 1Si 136 and Na 8Si 136, compounds possessing the type II clathrate hydrate crystal structure. Resistivity measurements from 10 to 300 K indicate very large resistivities in this temperature range, with activated temperature dependences indicative of relatively large band gap semiconductors. The thermal conductivity is very low; two orders-of-magnitude lower than that of diamond-structure silicon at room temperature. The thermal conductivity of Na 8Si 136 displays a temperature dependence that is atypical of crystalline solids and more indicative of amorphous materials. This work is part of a continuing effort to explore the many different compositions and structure types of clathrates, a class of materials that continues to be of interest for scientific and technological applications.

Experimental study on the cool storage performance of super absorbent polymers for cool storage clothes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shidong; Mo, Caisong; Wang, Junze; Zheng, Jingfu; Tian, Ruhong

2017-11-01

In this paper, a kind of cool storage clothes which can cool the human body in high temperature condition is put forward. super absorbent polymers was selected as a cold storage material, through at the normal and extreme environment simulation, the cold storage materials were prepared with different composition, and their performance was tested. Test results show that:under normal temperature conditions, the 1:50 concentration of super absorbent polymers continued to release the longest cooling time, compared with pure water, cooling time extended 43 minutes by about 30%; under the condition of 37°C, the 1:100 concentration of super absorbent polymers continued to release the longest cooling time, compared with pure water, cooling time extended 105 minutes by about 50%.

Future opportunities for advancing glucose test device electronics.

PubMed

Young, Brian R; Young, Teresa L; Joyce, Margaret K; Kennedy, Spencer I; Atashbar, Massood Z

2011-09-01

Advancements in the field of printed electronics can be applied to the field of diabetes testing. A brief history and some new developments in printed electronics components applicable to personal test devices, including circuitry, batteries, transmission devices, displays, and sensors, are presented. Low-cost, thin, and lightweight materials containing printed circuits with energy storage or harvest capability and reactive/display centers, made using new printing/imaging technologies, are ideal for incorporation into personal-use medical devices such as glucose test meters. Semicontinuous rotogravure printing, which utilizes flexible substrates and polymeric, metallic, and/or nano "ink" composite materials to effect rapidly produced, lower-cost printed electronics, is showing promise. Continuing research advancing substrate, "ink," and continuous processing development presents the opportunity for research collaboration with medical device designers. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

Damage accumulation in titanium matrix composites under generic hypersonic vehicle flight simulation and sustained loads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, W.S.; Mirdamadi, M.; Bakuckas, J.G. Jr.

1996-12-31

Titanium matrix composites (TMC), such as Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (Ti-15-3) reinforced with continuous silicon-carbide fibers (SCS-6), are being evaluated for use in hypersonic vehicles and advanced gas turbine engines where high strength-to-weight and high stiffness-to-weight ratios at elevated temperatures are critical. Such applications expose the composite to mechanical fatigue loading as well as thermally induced cycles. The damage accumulation behavior of a [0/90]2s laminate made of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (Ti-15-3) reinforced with continuous silicon-carbide fibers (SCS-6) subjected to a simulated generic hypersonic flight profile, portions of the flight profile, and sustained loads was evaluated experimentally. Portions of the flight profile were used separately tomore » isolate combinations of load and time at temperature that influenced the fatigue behavior of the composite. Sustained load tests were also conducted and the results were compared with the fatigue results under the flight profile and its portions. The test results indicated that the fatigue strength of this materials system is considerably reduced by a combination of load and time at temperature.« less

Glass and Glass-Ceramic Materials from Simulated Composition of Lunar and Martian Soils: Selected Properties and Potential Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, C. S.; Sen, S.; Reis, S. T.; Kim, C. W.

2005-01-01

In-situ resource processing and utilization on planetary bodies is an important and integral part of NASA's space exploration program. Within this scope and context, our general effort is primarily aimed at developing glass and glass-ceramic type materials using lunar and martian soils, and exploring various applications of these materials for planetary surface operations. Our preliminary work to date have demonstrated that glasses can be successfully prepared from melts of the simulated composition of both lunar and martian soils, and the melts have a viscosity-temperature window appropriate for drawing continuous glass fibers. The glasses are shown to have the potential for immobilizing certain types of nuclear wastes without deteriorating their chemical durability and thermal stability. This has a direct impact on successfully and economically disposing nuclear waste generated from a nuclear power plant on a planetary surface. In addition, these materials display characteristics that can be manipulated using appropriate processing protocols to develop glassy or glass-ceramic magnets. Also discussed in this presentation are other potential applications along with a few selected thermal, chemical, and structural properties as evaluated up to this time for these materials.

Glass fiber processing for the Moon/Mars program: Center director's discretionary fund final report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, D. S.; Ethridge, E.; Curreri, P.

1992-01-01

Glass fiber has been produced from two lunar soil simulants. These two materials simulate lunar mare soil and lunar highland soil compositions, respectively. Short fibers containing recrystallized areas were produced from the as-received simulants. Doping the highland simulant with 8 weight percent B2-O3 yielded a material which could be spun continuously. The effects of lunar gravity on glass fiber formation were studied utilizing NASA's KC-135 aircraft. Gravity was found to play a major role in final fiber diameter.

A novel route for electrosynthesis of CuCr(2)O(4) nanocomposite with p-type conductive polymer as a high performance material for electrochemical supercapacitors.

PubMed

Shayeh, Javad Shabani; Sadeghinia, Mohammad; Siadat, Seyed Omid Ranaei; Ehsani, Ali; Rezaei, Mehran; Omidi, Meisam

2017-06-15

In this work, supercapacitive performance of polypyrrole copper chromate nano particles (Ppy/CuCr 2 O 4 NPs) was studied. CuCr 2 O 4 NPs with the average size of 20nm were synthesized simply by hydrothermal method and the composite electrodes were then electropolymerized on the surface of glassy carbon electrode. Common surface analysis techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) were used to study the morphology and structure of the composite. Furthermore, for electrochemical evaluation of composite electrodes, techniques including cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge discharge (CD) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used. Using cyclic voltammetry, the specific capacitance values of Ppy and Ppy/CuCr 2 O 4 NPs were calculated to be 109 and 508 F g -1 , respectively. Results show that using CuCr 2 O 4 NPs in the structure of polymeric films led to increased specific capacitance of composite electrodes more than four times that of poly pyrrole. Increasing the conductivity and stability of composite electrodes through continuous cycles are the other advantages of using CuCr 2 O 4 NPs as active materials in a polymeric structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Up-and-coming IMCs. [Intermetallic-Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowman, Randy; Noebe, Ronald

1989-01-01

While the good oxidation and environmental resistance, high melting points, and comparatively low densities of such ordered intermetallics as Ti3Al, NiAl, FeAl, and NbAl3 render them good candidates for advanced aerospace structures, their poor toughness at low temperatures and low strength at elevated temperatures have prompted the development of fiber-reinforced intermetallic-matrix composites (IMCs) with more balanced characteristics. Fabrication methods for continuous-fiber IMCs under development include the P/M 'powder cloth' method, the foil/fiber method, and thermal spraying. The ultimate success of IMCs depends on fibers truly compatible with the matrix materials.

Structural, Mechanical, and Magnetic Properties of W Reinforced FeCo Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; Corte-Real, Michelle; Yarlagadda, Shridhar; Vaidyanathan, Ranji; Xiao, John; Unruh, Karl

2002-03-01

Despite their superior soft magnetic properties, the poor mechanical properties of FeCo alloys have limited their potential use in rotating machines operating at elevated temperatures. In an attempt to address this shortcoming we have prepared bulk FeCo alloys at near equiatomic compositions reinforced by a relatively small volume fraction of continuous W fibers. These materials have been assembled by consolidating individual FeCo coated W fibers at elevated temperatures and moderate pressures. The mechanical and magnetic properties of the fiber reinforced composites have been studied and correlated with results of microstructural characterization.

Production of fiberglass/metal composite material suitable for building habitat and manufacturing facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The production of a fiberglass/metal composite material suitable for building habitats and manufacturing facilities was the project for Clemson. The concept and development of the knowledge necessary to produce glass fibers originated in the spring semester. During the summer, while at Johnson Space Center, fiberglass from a rock composition similar to ones found at the Apollo 16 site on the moon was successfully produced. The project this year was a continuation of last year's studies. We addressed the following problems which emerged as the work progressed: (1) Methods for coating the fibers with a metal were explored. We manufactured composites in two stages: Glass fibers without any coating on them; and fibers coated with metals as they were made. This proved to be a difficult process. Future activities include using a chemical vapor deposition process on fibers which have been made. (2) A glass furnace was developed which relies primarily on solar energy for melting the glass. The temperature of the melted glass is maintained by electrical means. The design is for 250 kg of glass per day. An electrical engineering student developed a scheme for controlling the melting and manufacturing process from the earth. This was done to minimize the human risk. Graphite refractories are relied on to contain the melt. (3) The glass composition chosen for the project is a relatively pure anorthite which is available in the highland regions of the lunar surface. A major problems with this material is that it melts at a comparatively high temperature. This problem will be solved by using graphite refractory materials for the furnace. The advantage of this glass composition is that it is very stable and does not tend to crystallize. (4) We have also refined the experimental furnace and fiber making machinery which we will be using at Johnson Space Center this summer. We believe that we will be able to draw and coat glass fibers in a vacuum for use in composites. We intend to make and test the mechanical properties of these composites.

Development of permanent magnet MnAlC/polymer composites and flexible filament for bonding and 3D-printing technologies

PubMed Central

Rial, Javier; de Vicente, Javier; Skårman, Björn; Vidarsson, Hilmar; Larsson, Per-Olof

2018-01-01

Abstract Searching for high-performance permanent magnets components with no limitation in shape and dimensions is highly desired to overcome the present design and manufacturing restrictions, which affect the efficiency of the final devices in energy, automotive and aerospace sectors. Advanced 3D-printing of composite materials and related technologies is an incipient route to achieve functional structures avoiding the limitations of traditional manufacturing. Gas-atomized MnAlC particles combined with polymer have been used in this work for fabricating scalable rare earth-free permanent magnet composites and extruded flexible filaments with continuous length exceeding 10 m. Solution casting has been used to synthesize homogeneous composites with tuned particles content, made of a polyethylene (PE) matrix embedding quasi-spherical particles of the ferromagnetic τ-MnAlC phase. A maximum filling factor of 86.5 and 72.3% has been obtained for the composite and the filament after extrusion, respectively. The magnetic measurements reveal no deterioration of the properties of the MnAlC particles after the composite synthesis and filament extrusion. The produced MnAlC/PE materials will serve as precursors for an efficient and scalable design and fabrication of end-products by different processing techniques (polymerized cold-compacted magnets and 3D-printing, respectively) in view of technological applications (from micro electromechanical systems to energy and transport applications). PMID:29887921

Development of permanent magnet MnAlC/polymer composites and flexible filament for bonding and 3D-printing technologies.

PubMed

Palmero, Ester M; Rial, Javier; de Vicente, Javier; Camarero, Julio; Skårman, Björn; Vidarsson, Hilmar; Larsson, Per-Olof; Bollero, Alberto

2018-01-01

Searching for high-performance permanent magnets components with no limitation in shape and dimensions is highly desired to overcome the present design and manufacturing restrictions, which affect the efficiency of the final devices in energy, automotive and aerospace sectors. Advanced 3D-printing of composite materials and related technologies is an incipient route to achieve functional structures avoiding the limitations of traditional manufacturing. Gas-atomized MnAlC particles combined with polymer have been used in this work for fabricating scalable rare earth-free permanent magnet composites and extruded flexible filaments with continuous length exceeding 10 m. Solution casting has been used to synthesize homogeneous composites with tuned particles content, made of a polyethylene (PE) matrix embedding quasi-spherical particles of the ferromagnetic τ -MnAlC phase. A maximum filling factor of 86.5 and 72.3% has been obtained for the composite and the filament after extrusion, respectively. The magnetic measurements reveal no deterioration of the properties of the MnAlC particles after the composite synthesis and filament extrusion. The produced MnAlC/PE materials will serve as precursors for an efficient and scalable design and fabrication of end-products by different processing techniques (polymerized cold-compacted magnets and 3D-printing, respectively) in view of technological applications (from micro electromechanical systems to energy and transport applications).

Understanding Thermal Transport in Graded, Layered and Hybrid Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

interfacial chemistries, including metallic and carbide layers, and; (iv) mimic the observed interface structure on a TDTR specimen by manipulating the...surface carbides , which were extracted from several different composites via acid dissolution of Cu, continued throughout the last 12 months of the...effort. The previously-reported electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) based techniques were employed to estimate the interfacial carbide layer thickness

Hybrid Micro-Electro-Mechanical Tunable Filter

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

Figure 2.10), one can see the developers have used surface micromachining techniques to build the micromirror structure over the CMOS addressing...DBRs, microcavity composition, initial air gap, contact layers, substrate Dispersion Data Curve -fit dispersion data or generate dispersion function...measurements • Curve -fit the dispersion data or generate a continuous, wavelength-dependent, representation of material dispersion • Manually design the

Dielectric function in the spectral range (0.5–8.5)eV of an (Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}){sub 2}O{sub 3} thin film with continuous composition spread

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt-Grund, R., E-mail: Schmidt-Grund@physik.uni-leipzig.de; Kranert, C.; Wenckstern, H. von

2015-04-28

We determined the dielectric function of the alloy system (Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}){sub 2}O{sub 3} by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the wide spectral range from 0.5 eV to 8.5 eV and for Al contents ranging from x = 0.11 to x = 0.55. For the composition range x < 0.4, we observe single phase material in the β-modification and for larger Al content also the occurrence of γ-(Al,Ga){sub 2}O{sub 3}. We derived spectra of the refractive index and the absorption coefficient as well as energy parameters of electronic band-band transitions by model analysis of the dielectric function. The dependence of the dielectric functions lineshape and the energy parameters on xmore » is highly continuous, reflecting theoretical expectations. The data presented here provide a basis for a deeper understanding of the electronic properties of this material system and may be useful for device engineering.« less

High voltage fragmentation of composites from secondary raw materials - Potential and limitations.

PubMed

Leißner, T; Hamann, D; Wuschke, L; Jäckel, H-G; Peuker, U A

2018-04-01

The comminution of composites for liberation of valuable components is a costly and energy-intensive process within the recycling of spent products. It therefore is continuously studied and optimized. In addition to conventional mechanical comminution innovative new principles for size reduction have been developed. One is the use of high voltage (HV) pulses, which is known to be a technology selectively liberating along phase boundaries. This technology offers the advantage of targeted liberation, preventing overgrinding of the material and thus improving the overall processing as well as product quality. In this study, the high voltage fragmentation of three different non-brittle composites (galvanized plastics, carbon fibre composites, electrode foils from Li-ion batteries) was investigated. The influence of pulse rate, number of pulses and filling level on the liberation and efficiency of comminution is discussed. Using the guideline VDI 2225 HV, fragmentation is compared to conventional mechanical comminution with respect to numerous criteria such as cost, throughput, energy consumption, availability and scalability. It was found that at current state of development, HV fragmentation cannot compete with mechanical comminution beyond laboratory scale. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combinatorial growth of oxide nanoscaffolds and its influence in osteoblast cell adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acevedo-Morantes, Claudia Y.; Irizarry-Ortiz, Roberto A.; Caceres-Valencia, Pablo G.; Singh, Surinder P.; Ramirez-Vick, Jaime E.

2012-05-01

We report a novel method for high-throughput investigations on cell-material interactions based on metal oxide nanoscaffolds. These scaffolds possess a continuous gradient of various titanium alloys allowing the compositional and morphological variation that could substantially improve the formation of an osseointegrative interface with bone. The model nanoscaffold has been fabricated on commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) substrate with a compositional gradients of tin (Sn), chromium (Cr), and niobium (Nb) deposited using a combinatorial approach followed by annealing to create native oxide surface. As an invitro test system, the human fetal osteoblastic cell line (hFOB 1.19) has been used. Cell-adhesion of hFOB 1.19 cells and the suitability of these alloys have been evaluated for cell-morphology, cell-number, and protein adsorption. Although, cell-morphology was not affected by surface composition, cell-proliferation rates varied significantly with surface metal oxide composition; with the Sn- and Nb-rich regions showing the highest proliferation rate and the Cr-rich regions presenting the lowest. The results suggest that Sn and Nb rich regions on surface seems to promote hFOB 1.19 cell proliferation and may therefore be considered as implant material candidates that deserve further analysis.

Use of unbalanced laminates as a screening method for microcracking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papadopoulos, Demetrios S.; Bowles, Kenneth J.

1990-01-01

State-of-the-art, high temperature polyimide matrix composites, reinforced with continuous graphite fibers are known to be susceptible to intraply cracking when thermally cycled over their useful service temperature range. It is believed that the transply cracking, in part, results from residual stresses caused by differences in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the polymer matrix and the reinforcement. Thermal cycling tests to investigate this phenomenon involve expensive time and energy consuming programs which are not economically feasible for use as a part of a materials screening process. As an alternative to thermal cycling studies, a study of unbalanced crossply graphite fiber reinforcement composites was conducted to assess the effect of the composite ply layup and surface condition on the residual stresses that remain after the processing of these materials. The residual stresses were assessed by measuring the radii of curvature of the types of laminates that were studied. The temperature at which stress-free conditions existed were determined and a dye penetrant method was used to observe surface damage resulting from excessive residual stress buildup. These results are compared with some published results of thermal cycling tests that were previously conducted on balanced polyimide composites.

The Effect of Tow Shearing on Reinforcement Positional Fidelity in the Manufacture of a Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrix Composite via Pultrusion-Like Processing of Commingled Feedstock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warlick, Kent M.

While the addition of short fiber to 3D printed articles has increased structural performance, ultimate gains will only be realized through the introduction of continuous reinforcement placed along pre-planned load paths. Most additive manufacturing research focusing on the addition of continuous reinforcement has revolved around utilization of a prefrabricated composite filament or a fiber and matrix mixed within a hot end prior to deposition on a printing surface such that conventional extrusion based FDM can be applied. Although stronger 3D printed parts can be made in this manner, high quality homogenous composites are not possible due to fiber dominated regions, matrix dominated regions, and voids present between adjacent filaments. Conventional composite manufacturing processes are much better at creating homogeneous composites; however, the layer by layer approach in which they are made is inhibiting the alignment of reinforcement with loads. Automated Fiber Placement techniques utilize in plane bending deformation of the tow to facilitate tow steering. Due to buckling fibers on the inner radius of curves, manufacturers recommend a minimum curvature for path placement with this technique. A method called continuous tow shearing has shown promise to enable the placement of tows in complex patterns without tow buckling, spreading, and separation inherent in conventional forms of automated reinforcement positioning. The current work employs fused deposition modeling hardware and the continuous tow shearing technique to manufacture high quality fiber reinforced composites with high positional fidelity, varying continuous reinforcement orientations within a layer, and plastic elements incorporated enabling the ultimate gains in structural performance possible. A mechanical system combining concepts of additive manufacturing with fiber placement via filament winding was developed. Paths with and without tension inherent in filament winding were analyzed through microscopy in order to examine best and worst case scenarios. High quality fiber reinforced composite materials, in terms of low void content, high fiber volume fractions and homogeneity in microstructure, were manufactured in both of these scenarios. In order to improve fidelity and quality in fiber path transition regions, a forced air cooling manifold was designed, printed, and implemented into the current system. To better understand the composite performance that results from varying pertinent manufacturing parameters, the effect of feed rate, hot end temperature, forced air cooling, and deposition surface (polypropylene and previously deposited glass polypropylene commingled tow) on interply performance, microstructure, and positional fidelity were analyzed. Interply performance, in terms of average maximum load and average peel strength, was quantified through a t-peel test of the bonding quality between two surfaces. With use of forced air cooling, minor decreases in average peel strength were present due to a reduction in tow deposition temperature which was found to be the variable most indicative of performance. Average maximum load was comparable between the forced air cooled and non-air cooled samples. Microstructure was evaluated through characterization of composite area, void content, and flash percentage. Low void contents mostly between five to seven percent were attained. Further reduction of this void content to two percent is possible through higher processing temperatures; however, reduced composite area, low average peel strength performance, and the presence of smoke during manufacturing implied thermal degradation of the polypropylene matrix occurred in these samples with higher processing temperatures. Positional fidelity was measured through calculations of shear angle, shift width, and error of a predefined path. While positional fidelity variation was low with a polypropylene deposition surface, forced air cooling is necessary to achieve fidelity on top of an already deposited tow surface as evident by the fifty-six percent reduction in error tolerance profile achieved. Lastly, proof of concept articles with unique fiber paths and neat plastic elements incorporated were produced to demonstrate fiber placement along pre-planned load paths and the ability to achieve greater structural efficiency through the use of less material. The results show that high positional fidelity and high quality composites can be produced through the use of the tow shearing technique implemented in the developed mechanical system. The implementation of forced air cooling was critical in achieving fidelity and quality in transition regions. Alignment of continuous reinforcement with pre-planned load paths was demonstrated in the proof of concept article with varying fiber orientations within a layer. Combining fused deposition modeling of plastic with the placement of continuous reinforcement enabled a honeycomb composite to be produced with higher specific properties than traditional composites. Thus, the current system demonstrated a greater capability of achieving ultimate gains in structural performance than previously possible.

Nicotine, acetanilide and urea multi-level2H-,13C- and15N-abundance reference materials for continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schimmelmann, A.; Albertino, A.; Sauer, P.E.; Qi, H.; Molinie, R.; Mesnard, F.

2009-01-01

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the S values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown S values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for ??13C and ??13N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: ??2Hnicotine -162 to -45%o, ??13Cnicotine -30.05 to +7.72%, ?? 15Nnicotine -6.03 to +33.62%; ??15N acetanilide +1-18 to +40.57%; ??13Curea -34.13 to +11.71%, ??15Nurea +0.26 to +40.61% (recommended ?? values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different ??13N values. Comparative ??13C and ??15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials.

Physical interpretation and development of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation techniques applied to the quantitative characterization of textile composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, James G.

1994-01-01

In this Progress Report, we describe our continuing research activities concerning the development and implementation of advanced ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation methods applied to the inspection and characterization of complex composite structures. We explore the feasibility of implementing medical linear array imaging technology as a viable ultrasonic-based nondestructive evaluation method to inspect and characterize complex materials. As an initial step toward the application of linear array imaging technology to the interrogation of a wide range of complex composite structures, we present images obtained using an unmodified medical ultrasonic imaging system of two epoxy-bonded aluminum plate specimens, each with intentionally disbonded regions. These images are compared with corresponding conventional ultrasonic contact transducer measurements in order to assess whether these images can detect disbonded regions and provide information regarding the nature of the disbonded region. We present a description of a standoff/delay fixture which has been designed, constructed, and implemented on a Hewlett-Packard SONOS 1500 medical imaging system. This standoff/delay fixture, when attached to a 7.5 MHz linear array probe, greatly enhances our ability to interrogate flat plate specimens. The final section of this Progress Report describes a woven composite plate specimen that has been specially machined to include intentional flaws. This woven composite specimen will allow us to assess the feasibility of applying linear array imaging technology to the inspection and characterization of complex textile composite materials. We anticipate the results of this on-going investigation may provide a step toward the development of a rapid, real-time, and portable method of ultrasonic inspection and characterization based on linear array technology.

Thermal expansion of selected graphite reinforced polyimide-, epoxy-, and glass-matrix composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompkins, S. S.

1985-01-01

The thermal expansion of three epoxy-matrix composites, a polyimide-matrix composite and a borosilicate glass-matrix composite, each reinforced with continuous carbon fibers, has been measured and compared. The expansion of a composite with a rubber toughened epoxy-matrix and P75S carbon fibers was very different from the expansion of two different single phase epoxy-matrix composites with P75S fibers although all three had the same stacking sequence. Reasonable agreement was obtained between measured thermal-expansion data and results from classical laminate theory. The thermal expansion of a material may change markedly as a result of thermal cycling. Microdamage, induced by 250 cycles between -156 C and 121 C in the graphite/polyimide laminate, caused a 53 percent decrease in the coefficient of thermal expansion. The thermal expansion of the graphite/glass laminate was not changed by 100 thermal cycles from -129 C to 38 C; however, a residual strain of about 10 x 10 to the minus 6 power was measured for the laminate tested.

Thermal conductivity of hybrid short fiber composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, M.L.; Taya, M.; Hatta, H.

1993-01-01

A combined analytical/experimental study has been undertaken to investigate the effective thermal conductivity of hybrid composite materials. The analysis utilizes the equivalent inclusion approach for steady state heat conduction (Hatta and Taya, 1986) through which the interaction between the various reinforcing phases at finite concentrations is approximated by the Mori-Tanaka (1973) mean field approach. The multiple reinforcing phases of the composite are modeled as ellipsoidal in shape and thus can simulate a wide range of microstructural geometries ranging from thin platelet to continuous fiber reinforcement. The case when one phase of the composite is penny-shaped microcracks is studied in detail.more » Multiphase composites consisting of a Kerimid matrix and Al2O3 short fibers and Si3N4 whiskers were fabricated and, after a careful study of their microstructure, their thermal conductivities were measured. Analytical predictions are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results obtained for the Al2O3/Si3N4/Kerimid short fiber composites. 26 refs.« less

Chemical characterization of selected LDEF polymeric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Philip R.; Slemp, Wayne S.

1991-01-01

Chemical characterization of selected polymeric materials which received exposure on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) is reported. The specimens examined include silvered fluorinated ethylene propylene Teflon thermal blanket material, polysulfone, epoxy, polyimide matrix resin/graphite fiber reinforced composites, and several high performance polymer films. These specimens came from numerous LDEF locations, and thus received different environmental exposures. The results to date show no significant change at the molecular level in the polymer that survived exposure. Scanning electron and scanning tunneling microscopes show resin loss and a texturing of some specimens which resulted in a change in optical properties. The potential effect of a silicon-containing molecular contamination on these materials is addressed. The possibility of continued post-exposure degradation of some polymeric films is also proposed.

An Analysis of the Macroscopic Tensile Behavior of a Nonlinear Nylon Reinforced Elastomeric Composite System Using MAC/GMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Assaad, Mahmoud; Arnold, Steven M.

1999-01-01

A special class of composite laminates composed of soft rubbery matrices and stiff reinforcements made of steel wires or synthetic fibers is examined, where each constituent behaves in a nonlinear fashion even in the small strain domain. Composite laminates made of piles stacked at alternating small orientation angles with respect to the applied axial strain are primarily dominated by the nonlinear behavior of the reinforcing fibers. However; composites with large ply orientations or those perpendicular to the loading axis, will approximate the behavior of the matrix phase and respond in even a more complex fashion for arbitrarily stacked piles. The geometric nonlinearity due to small cord rotations during loading was deemed here to have a second order effect and consequently dropped from any consideration. The user subroutine USRMAT within the Micromechanics Analysis Code with the Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC), was utilized to introduce the constituent material nonlinear behavior. Stress-strain behavior at the macro level was experimentally generated for single and multi ply composites comprised of continuous Nylon-66 reinforcements embedded in a carbon black loaded rubbery matrix. Comparisons between the predicted macro composite behavior and experimental results are excellent when material nonlinearity is included in the analysis. In this paper, a brief review of GMC is provided, along with a description of the nonlinear behavior of the constituents and associated constituent constitutive relations, and the improved macro (or composite) behavior predictions are documented and illustrated.

PAFAC- PLASTIC AND FAILURE ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bigelow, C. A.

1994-01-01

The increasing number of applications of fiber-reinforced composites in industry demands a detailed understanding of their material properties and behavior. A three-dimensional finite-element computer program called PAFAC (Plastic and Failure Analysis of Composites) has been developed for the elastic-plastic analysis of fiber-reinforced composite materials and structures. The evaluation of stresses and deformations at edges, cut-outs, and joints is essential in understanding the strength and failure for metal-matrix composites since the onset of plastic yielding starts very early in the loading process as compared to the composite's ultimate strength. Such comprehensive analysis can only be achieved by a finite-element program like PAFAC. PAFAC is particularly suited for the analysis of laminated metal-matrix composites. It can model the elastic-plastic behavior of the matrix phase while the fibers remain elastic. Since the PAFAC program uses a three-dimensional element, the program can also model the individual layers of the laminate to account for thickness effects. In PAFAC, the composite is modeled as a continuum reinforced by cylindrical fibers of vanishingly small diameter which occupy a finite volume fraction of the composite. In this way, the essential axial constraint of the phases is retained. Furthermore, the local stress and strain fields are uniform. The PAFAC finite-element solution is obtained using the displacement method. Solution of the nonlinear equilibrium equations is obtained with a Newton-Raphson iteration technique. The elastic-plastic behavior of composites consisting of aligned, continuous elastic filaments and an elastic-plastic matrix is described in terms of the constituent properties, their volume fractions, and mutual constraints between phases indicated by the geometry of the microstructure. The program uses an iterative procedure to determine the overall response of the laminate, then from the overall response determines the stress state in each phase of the composite material. Failure of the fibers or matrix within an element can also be modeled by PAFAC. PAFAC is written in FORTRAN IV for batch execution and has been implemented on a CDC CYBER 170 series computer with a segmented memory requirement of approximately 66K (octal) of 60 bit words. PAFAC was developed in 1982.

A new silver based composite material for SPA water disinfection.

PubMed

Tartanson, M A; Soussan, L; Rivallin, M; Chis, C; Penaranda, D; Lapergue, R; Calmels, P; Faur, C

2014-10-15

A new composite material based on alumina (Al2O3) modified by two surface nanocoatings - titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver (Ag) - was studied for spa water disinfection. Regarding the most common microorganisms in bathing waters, two non-pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (Gram positive) were selected as surrogates for bacterial contamination. The bactericidal properties of the Al2O3-TiO2-Ag material were demonstrated under various operating conditions encountered in spa water (temperature: 22-37 °C, presence of salt: CaCO3 or CaCl2, high oxygen content, etc.). Total removal of 10(8) CFU mL(-1) of bacteria was obtained in less than 10 min with 16 g L(-1) of material. Best results were observed for both conditions: a temperature of 37 °C and under aerobic condition; this latest favouring Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation. The CaCO3 salt had no impact on the bactericidal activity of the composite material and CaCl2 considerably stabilized the silver desorption from the material surface thanks to the formation of AgCl precipitate. Preliminary tests of the Al2O3-TiO2-Ag bactericidal behaviour in a continuous water flow confirmed that 2 g L(-1) of material eliminated more than 90% of a 2.0 × 10(8) CFU mL(-1) bacterial mixture after one water treatment recycle and reached the disinfection standard recommended by EPA (coliform removal = 6 log) within 22 h. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trans-Laminar-Reinforced (TLR) Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinders, Mark; Dickinson, Larry

1997-01-01

A Trans-Laminar-Reinforced (TLR) composite is defined as composite laminate with up to five percent volume of fibrous reinforcement oriented in a 'trans-laminar' fashion in the through-thickness direction. The TLR can be continuous threads as in 'stitched laminates', or it can be discontinuous rods or pins as in 'Z-Fiber(TM) materials. It has been repeatedly documented in the literature that adding TLR to an otherwise two dimensional laminate results in the following advantages: substantially improved compression-after-impact response; considerably increased fracture toughness in mode 1 (double cantilever beam) and mode 2 (end notch flexure); and severely restricted size and growth of impact damage and edge delamination. TLR has also been used to eliminate catastrophic stiffener disbonding in stiffened structures. TLR directly supports the 'Achilles heel' of laminated composites, that is delamination. As little as one percent volume of TLR significantly alters the mechanical response of laminates. The objective of this work was to characterize the effects of TLR on the in-plane and inter-laminar mechanical response of undamaged composite laminates. Detailed finite element models of 'unit cells', or representative volumes, were used to study the effects of adding TLR on the elastic constants; the in-plane strength; and the initiation of delamination. Parameters investigated included TLR material, TLR volume fraction, TLR diameter, TLR through-thickness angle, ply stacking sequence, and the microstructural features of pure resin regions and curved in-plane fibers. The work was limited to the linear response of undamaged material with at least one ply interface. An inter-laminar dominated problem of practical interest, a flanged skin in bending, was also modeled.

Repair process and a repaired component

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, III, Herbert Chidsey; Simpson, Stanley F.

Matrix composite component repair processes are disclosed. The matrix composite repair process includes applying a repair material to a matrix composite component, securing the repair material to the matrix composite component with an external securing mechanism and curing the repair material to bond the repair material to the matrix composite component during the securing by the external securing mechanism. The matrix composite component is selected from the group consisting of a ceramic matrix composite, a polymer matrix composite, and a metal matrix composite. In another embodiment, the repair process includes applying a partially-cured repair material to a matrix composite component,more » and curing the repair material to bond the repair material to the matrix composite component, an external securing mechanism securing the repair material throughout a curing period, In another embodiment, the external securing mechanism is consumed or decomposed during the repair process.« less

Anaerobic rumen SBR for degradation of cellulosic material.

PubMed

Barnes, S P; Keller, J

2004-01-01

Hydrolysis of organic particulates under anaerobic conditions is generally regarded as the rate limiting step in solid digestion processes. Rumen-based ecosystems appear to achieve very high hydrolysis rates for cellulosic organic material. This study aimed at the development and demonstration of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process operating with a rumen-based microbial inoculum. Fibrous alpha cellulose was used as sole carbon substrate and the use of an SBR operating cycle allowed the utilisation of a high liquid flow rate (hydraulic retention time of 0.67 d) while maintaining a much longer solids retention time of 7 d. Complete mass balances for carbon and nitrogen, as well as COD balancing allowed the full characterisation of the process stoichiometry and kinetics. Elemental analysis of the biomass revealed a composition of C5H4.8O2.4N0.7, which is quite different from other generic biomass compositions used in the literature. The anaerobic rumen SBR was compared with another rumen-based reactor system in the literature which used a continuous filtration process for solid/liquid separation. This comparison showed that the volatile fatty acid production rate from cellulose in the anaerobic SBR was comparable with the performance achieved in the continuous system, although loading, substrate type and media composition were quite different between these two studies. Further evaluation of the anaerobic rumen SBR is required to determine its practical application for other substrates and to demonstrate the scale-up potential of this concept.

Preparation and characterization of phase transition/graphite foam composite materials.

PubMed

Yu, Jia; Tang, ChenLong; Yu, ZhiChao

2016-07-04

Phase transition/graphite foam (PCM/GF) composite materials are a kind of composite materials that fill graphite foam with phase change materials. In this paper, graphite foam was prepared firstly by the soft template method, the heat conductivity of which at room temperature is 5.44 W/(m∙K). Then, four phase change materials including eicosane, acetamide, xylitol, and erythritol were chosen for filling into the prepared graphite foam to obtain PCM/GF composite materials. Among the four kinds of materials, erythritol composite material has the highest melting point (118.5°C) and the highest enthalpy of fusion (266.3J/g), weight loss ratios of xylitol composite material after ten cycles is the lowest (2.1%), the compressive strength of xylitol composite material is the highest (9.08 MPa) and that of eicosane composite material is the lowest (3.32 MPa).

Highly Sideophile Element Abundance Constraints on the Nature of the Late Accretionary Histories of Earth, Moon and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, R. J.; Puchtel, I. S.; Brandon, A. D.; Horan, M. F.; James, O. B.

2007-01-01

The highly siderophile elements (HSE) include Re, Os, Ir, Ru, Pt and Pd. These elements are initially nearly-quantitatively stripped from planetary silicate mantles during core segregation. They then may be re-enriched in mantles via continued accretion sans continued core segregation. This suite of elements and its included long-lived radiogenic isotopes systems (Re-187 (right arrow) Os-187; Pt-190 (right arrow) Os-186) can potentially be used to fingerprint the characteristics of late accreted materials. The fingerprints may ultimately be useful to constrain the prior nebular history of the dominant late accreted materials, and to compare the proportion and genesis of late accretionary materials added to the inner planets. The past ten years have seen considerable accumulation of isotopic and compositional data for HSE present in the Earth's mantle, lunar mantle and impact melt breccias, and Martian meteorites. Here we review some of these data and consider the broader implications of the compiled data.

Thermomechanical testing of high-temperature composites - Thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) behavior of SiC(SCS-6)/Ti-15-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castelli, Michael G.; Bartolotta, Paul; Ellis, John R.

1992-01-01

Thermomechanical testing techniques recently developed for monolithic structural alloys were successfully extended to continuous fiber reinforced composite materials in plate form. The success of this adaptation was verified on a model metal matrix composite (MMC) material, namely SiC(SCS-6)/Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn. Effects of heating system type and specimen preparation are also addressed. Cyclic lives determined under full thermomechanical conditions were shown to be significantly reduced from those obtained under comparable isothermal and in-phase bi-thermal conditions. Fractography and metallography from specimens subjected to isothermal, out-of-phase and in-phase conditions reveal distinct differences in damage-failure modes. Isothermal metallography revealed extensive matrix cracking associated with fiber damage throughout the entire cross-section of the specimen. Out-of-phase metallography revealed extensive matrix damage associated with minimal (if any) fiber cracking. However, the damage was located exclusively at surface and near-surface locations. In-phase conditions produced extensive fiber cracking throughout the entire cross-section, associated with minimal (if any) matrix damage.

Thermomechanical testing techniques for high-temparature composites: TMF behavior of SiC(SCS-6)/Ti-15-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castelli, Michael G.; Ellis, J. Rodney; Bartolotta, Paul A.

1990-01-01

Thermomechanical testing techniques recently developed for monolithic structural alloys were successfully extended to continuous fiber reinforced composite materials in plate form. The success of this adaptation was verified on a model metal matrix composite (MMC) material, namely SiC(SCS-6)/Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn. Effects of heating system type and specimen preparation are also addressed. Cyclic lives determined under full thermo-mechanical conditions were shown to be significantly reduced from those obtained under comparable isothermal and in-phase bi-thermal conditions. Fractography and metallography from specimens subjected to isothermal, out-of-phase and in-phase conditions reveal distinct differences in damage-failure modes. Isothermal metallography revealed extensive matrix cracking associated with fiber damage throughout the entire cross-section of the specimen. Out-of-phase metallography revealed extensive matrix damage associated with minimal (if any) fiber cracking. However, the damage was located exclusively at surface and near-surface locations. In-phase conditions produced extensive fiber cracking throughout the entire cross-section, associated with minimal (if any) matrix damage.

Two-dimensional Si(x)Ge(1-x) films with variable composition made via multilayer colloidal template-guided ionic liquid electrodeposition.

PubMed

Xin, Wuhong; Zhao, Jiupeng; Ge, Dengteng; Ding, Yanbo; Li, Yao; Endres, Frank

2013-02-21

The binary alloy system Si(x)Ge(1-x) provides a continuous series of materials with gradually varying properties. In this paper, we report on a fundamental basis a method to make large-area macroporous Si(x)Ge(1-x) films with variable Ge content by electrodeposition in an ionic liquid, with SiCl(4) and GeCl(4) as precursors. The chemical composition of the products can be modified by changing the molar ratio of the precursors. Periodical macroporous Si(x)Ge(1-x) was made by a multilayer polystyrene (PS) template assembled as face-centered cubic lattice. Two-dimensional (2-D) Si(x)Ge(1-x) bowl-like and fishing-net structures can be obtained by applying different deposition temperatures. The results highlight the potential applications, including photonic bandgap and battery materials, as well as ultra-thin gratings, due to the effect of modification of light and improved tunability of composition, although Si(x)Ge(1-x) made by our method is sensitive to oxidation by air.

Modular protein domains: an engineering approach toward functional biomaterials.

PubMed

Lin, Charng-Yu; Liu, Julie C

2016-08-01

Protein domains and peptide sequences are a powerful tool for conferring specific functions to engineered biomaterials. Protein sequences with a wide variety of functionalities, including structure, bioactivity, protein-protein interactions, and stimuli responsiveness, have been identified, and advances in molecular biology continue to pinpoint new sequences. Protein domains can be combined to make recombinant proteins with multiple functionalities. The high fidelity of the protein translation machinery results in exquisite control over the sequence of recombinant proteins and the resulting properties of protein-based materials. In this review, we discuss protein domains and peptide sequences in the context of functional protein-based materials, composite materials, and their biological applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Noise reduction in heat-assisted magnetic recording of bit-patterned media by optimizing a high/low Tc bilayer structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muthsam, O.; Vogler, C.; Suess, D.

2017-12-01

It is assumed that heat-assisted magnetic recording is the recording technique of the future. For pure hard magnetic grains in high density media with an average diameter of 5 nm and a height of 10 nm, the switching probability is not sufficiently high for the use in bit-patterned media. Using a bilayer structure with 50% hard magnetic material with low Curie temperature and 50% soft magnetic material with high Curie temperature to obtain more than 99.2% switching probability leads to very large jitter. We propose an optimized material composition to reach a switching probability of Pswitch > 99.2% and simultaneously achieve the narrow transition jitter of pure hard magnetic material. Simulations with a continuous laser spot were performed with the atomistic simulation program VAMPIRE for a single cylindrical recording grain with a diameter of 5 nm and a height of 10 nm. Different configurations of soft magnetic material and different amounts of hard and soft magnetic material were tested and discussed. Within our analysis, a composition with 20% soft magnetic and 80% hard magnetic material reaches the best results with a switching probability Pswitch > 99.2%, an off-track jitter parameter σoff,80/20 = 0.46 nm and a down-track jitter parameter σdown,80/20 = 0.49 nm.

Depth estimation of multi-layered impact damage in PMC using lateral thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitlow, Travis; Kramb, Victoria; Reibel, Rick; Dierken, Josiah

2018-04-01

Characterization of impact damage in polymer matrix composites (PMCs) continues to be a challenge due to the complex internal structure of the material. Nondestructive characterization approaches such as normal incident immersion ultrasound and flash thermography are sensitive to delamination damage, but do not provide information regarding damage obscured by the delaminations. Characterization of material state below a delamination requires a technique which is sensitive to in-plane damage modes such as matrix cracking and fiber breakage. Previous studies of the lateral heat flow through a composite laminate showed that the diffusion time was sensitive to the depth of the simulated damage zone. The current study will further evaluate the lateral diffusion model to provide sensitivity limits for the modeled flaw dimensions. Comparisons between the model simulations and experimental data obtained using a concentrated heat source and machined targets will also be presented.

Machine Learning and Infrared Thermography for Fiber Orientation Assessment on Randomly-Oriented Strands Parts.

PubMed

Fernandes, Henrique; Zhang, Hai; Figueiredo, Alisson; Malheiros, Fernando; Ignacio, Luis Henrique; Sfarra, Stefano; Ibarra-Castanedo, Clemente; Guimaraes, Gilmar; Maldague, Xavier

2018-01-19

The use of fiber reinforced materials such as randomly-oriented strands has grown in recent years, especially for manufacturing of aerospace composite structures. This growth is mainly due to their advantageous properties: they are lighter and more resistant to corrosion when compared to metals and are more easily shaped than continuous fiber composites. The resistance and stiffness of these materials are directly related to their fiber orientation. Thus, efficient approaches to assess their fiber orientation are in demand. In this paper, a non-destructive evaluation method is applied to assess the fiber orientation on laminates reinforced with randomly-oriented strands. More specifically, a method called pulsed thermal ellipsometry combined with an artificial neural network, a machine learning technique, is used in order to estimate the fiber orientation on the surface of inspected parts. Results showed that the method can be potentially used to inspect large areas with good accuracy and speed.

Fate and Behavior of Gunshot Residue-A Review.

PubMed

Blakey, Lauren S; Sharples, George P; Chana, Kal; Birkett, Jason W

2018-01-01

A review of the literature concerning the fate and behavior of gunshot residue (GSR) is presented. A number of concomitant parameters including firearm and ammunition type, plume and GSR material characteristics, travel distances, chemical composition and GSR morphology are critically discussed in relation to their effects on the distribution and deposition, transfer and persistence processes of GSR. The underlying mechanisms associated with such processes are also considered. Knowledge of these processes on GSR materials could provide valuable information concerning scene preservation and subsequent forensic sampling. The number of GSR particles deposited can vary significantly with each firearm discharge, highlighting the potential to produce distinctive data in each individual case. With the continual development and compositional changes of new ammunition types, further evaluation of the effect these processes may have on GSR evidence and their possible influence on the interpretation of the analytical results should be given due consideration. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Demandite, lunar materials and space industrialization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Criswell, D. R.

1977-01-01

Terrestrial industry consumes a wide range of elements in producing the outputs which support and make industrial societies possible. 'Demandite' is a conceptual or synthetic molecule which is composed of the weight fractions of the major elements consumed by industry. Demandite needed for mature industrial activities in space will differ from the terrestrial composition because solar energy must replace hydrocarbon-energy, lunar and asteroidal bulk compositions are different from mineral deposits on the earth, and the major bulk processing in space will be the creation of radiation shielding for human habitats to provide real estate in space complete with water, atmosphere and life-stock elements. Demandite cost may be dominated by earth to deep space transport cost of minor elemental constituents depleted in the lunar soils unless careful attention is given to substitution of materials, searches of the moon (polar regions) and asteroids for the depleted elements, and continuing lowering of earth to deep space transport costs.

Geologic Mapping of the Nili Fossae Region of Mars: MTM Quadrangles 20287, 20282, 25287, 25282, 30287, and 30282

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleamaster, Leslie F., III; Crown, David A.

2010-01-01

Geologic mapping studies at the 1:1M-scale are being used to assess geologic materials and processes that shape the highlands along the Arabia Terra dichotomy boundary. In particular, this mapping will provide a regional context and evaluate the distribution, stratigraphic position, and potential lateral continuity of compositionally distinct outcrops identified by spectral instruments currently in orbit (i.e., CRISM and OMEGA). Placing these landscapes, their material units, structural features, and unique compositional outcrops into spatial and temporal context with the remainder of the Arabia Terra dichotomy boundary may provide constraints on: 1) origin of the dichotomy boundary, 2) paleoenvironments and climate conditions, and 3) various fluvial-nival modification processes related to past and present volatile distribution and their putative reservoirs (aquifers, lakes and oceans, surface and ground ice) and the influences of nearby volcanic and tectonic features on hydrologic processes, including hydrothermal alteration, across the region.

Machine Learning and Infrared Thermography for Fiber Orientation Assessment on Randomly-Oriented Strands Parts

PubMed Central

Maldague, Xavier

2018-01-01

The use of fiber reinforced materials such as randomly-oriented strands has grown in recent years, especially for manufacturing of aerospace composite structures. This growth is mainly due to their advantageous properties: they are lighter and more resistant to corrosion when compared to metals and are more easily shaped than continuous fiber composites. The resistance and stiffness of these materials are directly related to their fiber orientation. Thus, efficient approaches to assess their fiber orientation are in demand. In this paper, a non-destructive evaluation method is applied to assess the fiber orientation on laminates reinforced with randomly-oriented strands. More specifically, a method called pulsed thermal ellipsometry combined with an artificial neural network, a machine learning technique, is used in order to estimate the fiber orientation on the surface of inspected parts. Results showed that the method can be potentially used to inspect large areas with good accuracy and speed. PMID:29351240

The microstructural characterization of an in situ grown Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} whisker-reinforced BAS glass-ceramic matrix composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Feng; Ortiz-Longo, C.R.; White, K.W.

The microstructure of barium aluminum silicate (BAS)/silicon nitride in situ whisker reinforced ceramic matrix composite was examined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Although the authors can not conclusively exclude the presence of orthorhombic BAS, hexagonal BAS and both {alpha}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and {beta}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were identified in this material. The {beta}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} whiskers nucleate and grow in random directions in the nearly continuous matrix of metastable hexacelsian. The crystallization process of the glass phase can be taken almost to completion but a small proportion of residual glass phase is present atmore » the interface and grains-junction. Both whisker-like and equiaxed {beta}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} exist in this material.« less

An experimental investigation of damage evolution in a ceramic matrix composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walter, M.E.; Ravichandran, G.

The mechanical behavior of a glass-ceramic matrix composite, SiC/CAS (calcium aluminosilicate reinforced with unidirectional SiC fibers), is studied. Results based on uniaxial tension experiments are presented for specimens with fibers aligned in the loading direction. Axial and transverse strain gages on all four gage section surfaces and in situ acoustic emission and ultrasonic wave speed measurements were used to monitor the evolution of damage. All measurements were made with high-resolution, continuous data acquisition. Post-test optical and scanning electron microscopy was also used to identify the various micromechanisms of damage. The experimental results demonstrate the existence of zones of deformation'' whichmore » are associated with the onset of different damage mechanisms. It is shown that the observed stress-strain behavior can be explained in terms of the material properties of the matrix and the fiber, the material processing, and the postulated zones of deformation.« less

Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring of Adhesively Bonded Composite Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, William Walker

As the growth of fiber reinforced composite materials continues in many industries, structural designers will have to look to new methods of joining components. In order to take full advantage of composite materials, such as increased stiffness, decreased weight, tailored material properties and increased fatigue life, mechanical fasteners will need to be replaced by adhesive bonding or welding, when possible. Mechanical fasteners require the drilling of holes, which damages the laminate and becomes the source of further fatigue damage. Also, an increase in laminate thickness or inclusion of other features is required for the material to withstand the bearing stress needed to preload fasteners. Adhesives transfer the load over a large area, do not require additional machining operations, provide increased stiffness through the joint, provide corrosion protection when joining dissimilar materials, and provide vibrational damping. Additionally, the repair of composite structures, which will become a major concern in the near future, will require the use of adhesive bonding for thermoset composites. In order for adhesives to be used to join primary aerospace structures they must meet certification requirements, which includes proof that the joint can withstand the required ultimate load without structural failure. For most components, nondestructive inspection is used to find critical flaws, which is combined with fracture mechanics to ensure that the structure can meet the requirements. This process works for some of the adhesive flaws, but other critical defects are not easily detected. Weak interface bonding is particularly challenging. This type of defect results in an interphase zone that may be only a dozen microns in thickness. Traditional bulk wave ultrasonic techniques cannot easily distinguish this zone from the interface between adherend and adhesive. This work considers two approaches to help solve this problem. Guided elastic wave propagation along laminate structures is highly dependent on the boundary conditions at the surface and between plies, especially at high frequencies. This work investigates how interfacial defects can alter the propagation of guided waves through bonded fiber reinforced composite materials. As well as how this information can be used to determine the interface properties and correlate the results with fracture parameters. The second approach investigates how structural health monitoring can be used to detect the growth of disbonds from service loads. A mode selection technique is proposed for selecting frequency ranges for electromechanical impedance spectroscopy.

Help for the Steel Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

A collaboration between NASA Lewis Research Center (LRC) and Gladwin Engineering resulted in the adaptation of aerospace high temperature metal technology to the continuous casting of steel. The continuous process is more efficient because it takes less time and labor. A high temperature material, once used on the X-15 research plane, was applied to metal rollers by a LRC developed spraying technique. Lewis Research Center also supplied mold prototype of metal composites, reducing erosion and promoting thermal conductivity. Rollers that previously cracked due to thermal fatigue, lasted longer. Gladwin's sales have increased, and additional NASA-developed innovations are anticipated.

High Performance High Temperature Thermoelectric Composites with Metallic Inclusions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Firdosy, Samad A. (Inventor); Kaner, Richard B. (Inventor); Ma, James M. (Inventor); Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Star, Kurt (Inventor); Bux, Sabah K. (Inventor); Ravi, Vilupanur A. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The present invention provides a composite thermoelectric material. The composite thermoelectric material can include a semiconductor material comprising a rare earth metal. The atomic percent of the rare earth metal in the semiconductor material can be at least about 20%. The composite thermoelectric material can further include a metal forming metallic inclusions distributed throughout the semiconductor material. The present invention also provides a method of forming this composite thermoelectric material.

Wood-based composite materials : panel products, glued-laminated timber, structural composite lumber, and wood-nonwood composite materials

Treesearch

Nicole M. Stark; Zhiyong Cai; Charles Carll

2010-01-01

This chapter gives an overview of the general types and composition of wood-based composite products and the materials and processes used to manufacture them. It describes conventional wood-based composite panels and structural composite materials intended for general construction, interior use, or both. This chapter also describes wood–nonwood composites. Mechanical...

Low Cost Fabrication of Silicon Carbide Based Ceramics and Fiber Reinforced Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, M.; Levine, S. R.

1995-01-01

A low cost processing technique called reaction forming for the fabrication of near-net and complex shaped components of silicon carbide based ceramics and composites is presented. This process consists of the production of a microporous carbon preform and subsequent infiltration with liquid silicon or silicon-refractory metal alloys. The microporous preforms are made by the pyrolysis of a polymerized resin mixture with very good control of pore volume and pore size thereby yielding materials with tailorable microstructure and composition. Mechanical properties (elastic modulus, flexural strength, and fracture toughness) of reaction-formed silicon carbide ceramics are presented. This processing approach is suitable for various kinds of reinforcements such as whiskers, particulates, fibers (tows, weaves, and filaments), and 3-D architectures. This approach has also been used to fabricate continuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced ceramic composites (CFCC's) with silicon carbide based matrices. Strong and tough composites with tailorable matrix microstructure and composition have been obtained. Microstructure and thermomechanical properties of a silicon carbide (SCS-6) fiber reinforced reaction-formed silicon carbide matrix composites are discussed.

Amorphous ZnO Quantum Dot/Mesoporous Carbon Bubble Composites for a High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

PubMed

Tu, Zhiming; Yang, Gongzheng; Song, Huawei; Wang, Chengxin

2017-01-11

Due to its high theoretical capacity (978 mA h g -1 ), natural abundance, environmental friendliness, and low cost, zinc oxide is regarded as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). A lot of research has been done in the past few years on this topic. However, hardly any research on amorphous ZnO for LIB anodes has been reported despite the fact that the amorphous type could have superior electrochemical performance due to its isotropic nature, abundant active sites, better buffer effect, and different electrochemical reaction details. In this work, we develop a simple route to prepare an amorphous ZnO quantum dot (QDs)/mesoporous carbon bubble composite. The composite consists of two parts: mesoporous carbon bubbles as a flexible skeleton and monodisperse amorphous zinc oxide QDs (smaller than 3 nm) encapsulated in an amorphous carbon matrix as a continuous coating tightly anchored on the surface of mesoporous carbon bubbles. With the benefits of abundant active sites, amorphous nature, high specific surface area, buffer effect, hierarchical pores, stable interconnected conductive network, and multidimensional electron transport pathways, the amorphous ZnO QD/mesoporous carbon bubble composite delivers a high reversible capacity of nearly 930 mA h g -1 (at current density of 100 mA g -1 ) with almost 90% retention for 85 cycles and possesses a good rate performance. This work opens the possibility to fabricate high-performance electrode materials for LIBs, especially for amorphous metal oxide-based materials.

Industry to Education Technical Transfer Program & Composite Materials. Composite Materials Course. Fabrication I Course. Fabrication II Course. Composite Materials Testing Course. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massuda, Rachel

These four reports provide details of projects to design and implement courses to be offered as requirements for the associate degree program in composites and reinforced plastics technology. The reports describe project activities that led to development of curricula for four courses: composite materials, composite materials fabrication I,…

Design of phononic band gaps in functionally graded piezocomposite materials by using topology optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vatanabe, Sandro L.; Silva, Emílio C. N.

2011-04-01

One of the properties of composite materials is the possibility of having phononic band gaps, within which sound and vibrations at certain frequencies do not propagate. These materials are called Phononic Crystals (PCs). PCs with large band gaps are of great interest for many applications, such as transducers, elastic/ acoustic filters, noise control, and vibration shields. Most of previous works concentrates on PCs made of elastic isotropic materials; however, band gaps can be enlarged by using non-isotropic materials, such as piezoelectric materials. Since the main property of PCs is the presence of band gaps, one possible way to design structures which have a desired band gap is through Topology Optimization Method (TOM). TOM is a computational technique that determines the layout of a material such that a prescribed objective is maximized. Functionally Graded Materials (FGM) are composite materials whose properties vary gradually and continuously along a specific direction within the domain of the material. One of the advantages of applying the FGM concept to TOM is that it is not necessary a discrete 0-1 result, once the material gradation is part of the solution. Therefore, the interpretation step becomes easier and the dispersion diagram obtained from the optimization is not significantly modified. In this work, the main objective is to optimize the position and width of piezocomposite materials band gaps. Finite element analysis is implemented with Bloch-Floquet theory to solve the dynamic behavior of two-dimensional functionally graded unit cells. The results demonstrate that phononic band gaps can be designed by using this methodology.

Application of CFCC technology to hot gas filtration applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richlen, S.

1995-06-01

Discussion will feature high temperature filter development under the DOE`s Office of Industrial Technologies Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composite (CFCC) Program. Within the CFCC Program there are four industry projects and a national laboratory technology support project. Atlantic Research, Babcock & Wilcox, DuPont Lanxide Composites, and Textron are developing processing methods to produce CFCC Components with various types of matrices and composites, along with the manufacturing methods to produce industrial components, including high temperature gas filters. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is leading a National Laboratory/University effort to increase knowledge of such generic and supportive technology areas as environmental degradation, measurementmore » of mechanical properties, long-term performance, thermal shock and thermal cycling, creep and fatigue, and non-destructive characterization. Tasks include composite design, materials characterization, test methods, and performance-related phenomena, that will support the high temperature filter activities of industry and government.« less

Highly conductive composites for fuel cell flow field plates and bipolar plates

DOEpatents

Jang, Bor Z; Zhamu, Aruna; Song, Lulu

2014-10-21

This invention provides a fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate having flow channels on faces of the plate, comprising an electrically conductive polymer composite. The composite is composed of (A) at least 50% by weight of a conductive filler, comprising at least 5% by weight reinforcement fibers, expanded graphite platelets, graphitic nano-fibers, and/or carbon nano-tubes; (B) polymer matrix material at 1 to 49.9% by weight; and (C) a polymer binder at 0.1 to 10% by weight; wherein the sum of the conductive filler weight %, polymer matrix weight % and polymer binder weight % equals 100% and the bulk electrical conductivity of the flow field or bipolar plate is at least 100 S/cm. The invention also provides a continuous process for cost-effective mass production of the conductive composite-based flow field or bipolar plate.

Interlaminar fracture toughness of thermoplastic composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinkley, J. A.; Johnston, N. J.; Obrien, T. K.

1988-01-01

Edge delamination tension and double cantilever beam tests were used to characterize the interlaminar fracture toughness of continuous graphite-fiber composites made from experimental thermoplastic polyimides and a model thermoplastic. Residual thermal stresses, known to be significant in materials processed at high temperatures, were included in the edge delamination calculations. In the model thermoplastic system (polycarbonate matrix), surface properties of the graphite fiber were shown to be significant. Critical strain energy release rates for two different fibers having similar nominal tensile properties differed by 30 to 60 percent. The reason for the difference is not clear. Interlaminar toughness values for the thermoplastic polyimide composites (LARC-TPI and polyimidesulfone) were 3 to 4 in-lb/sq in. Scanning electron micrographs of the EDT fracture surfaces suggest poor fiber/matrix bonding. Residual thermal stresses account for up to 32 percent of the strain energy release in composites made from these high-temperature resins.

Layered and scrolled nanocomposites with aligned semi-infinite graphene inclusions at the platelet limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Pingwei; Jin, Zhong; Katsukis, Georgios; Drahushuk, Lee William; Shimizu, Steven; Shih, Chih-Jen; Wetzel, Eric D.; Taggart-Scarff, Joshua K.; Qing, Bo; Van Vliet, Krystyn J.; Li, Richard; Wardle, Brian L.; Strano, Michael S.

2016-07-01

Two-dimensional (2D) materials can uniquely span the physical dimensions of a surrounding composite matrix in the limit of maximum reinforcement. However, the alignment and assembly of continuous 2D components at high volume fraction remain challenging. We use a stacking and folding method to generate aligned graphene/polycarbonate composites with as many as 320 parallel layers spanning 0.032 to 0.11 millimeters in thickness that significantly increases the effective elastic modulus and strength at exceptionally low volume fractions of only 0.082%. An analogous transverse shear scrolling method generates Archimedean spiral fibers that demonstrate exotic, telescoping elongation at break of 110%, or 30 times greater than Kevlar. Both composites retain anisotropic electrical conduction along the graphene planar axis and transparency. These composites promise substantial mechanical reinforcement, electrical, and optical properties at highly reduced volume fraction.

Layered and scrolled nanocomposites with aligned semi-infinite graphene inclusions at the platelet limit.

PubMed

Liu, Pingwei; Jin, Zhong; Katsukis, Georgios; Drahushuk, Lee William; Shimizu, Steven; Shih, Chih-Jen; Wetzel, Eric D; Taggart-Scarff, Joshua K; Qing, Bo; Van Vliet, Krystyn J; Li, Richard; Wardle, Brian L; Strano, Michael S

2016-07-22

Two-dimensional (2D) materials can uniquely span the physical dimensions of a surrounding composite matrix in the limit of maximum reinforcement. However, the alignment and assembly of continuous 2D components at high volume fraction remain challenging. We use a stacking and folding method to generate aligned graphene/polycarbonate composites with as many as 320 parallel layers spanning 0.032 to 0.11 millimeters in thickness that significantly increases the effective elastic modulus and strength at exceptionally low volume fractions of only 0.082%. An analogous transverse shear scrolling method generates Archimedean spiral fibers that demonstrate exotic, telescoping elongation at break of 110%, or 30 times greater than Kevlar. Both composites retain anisotropic electrical conduction along the graphene planar axis and transparency. These composites promise substantial mechanical reinforcement, electrical, and optical properties at highly reduced volume fraction. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Process engineering of polynanomeric layered and infused composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Ebonee Porche Marie

As the application of advanced polymeric composites expands, the continued adaptation of traditional as well as the incorporation and/or implementation of new technologies continue to be at the core of development for engineers. One of these traditional technologies is honeycomb sandwich composites. This technology has been around for more than fifty years and there have been minimal alterations to the materials used to produce the parts and the process used to manufacture the structures. This is where the depth of this work focused. Traditional honeycomb core dip resin systems were modified to incorporate nano scale fillers. This adaptation is one of the defining aspects of polynanomeric systems, the concept of which is that modifications of the nano scale in a polymer system create nano layered structures that emulate the properties of both the polymer and the nano filler, a nano composite. The modified resin systems were characterized to investigate morphology, thermal and mechanical properties as well as electrical characteristics. It was observed that the nano altered resin system exhibited increased mechanical, 50 to 60%, and thermal properties, burn temperatures extended by 30°C, while also demonstrating improved electrical properties. These were significant results given that the main applications of honeycomb sandwich structures are on the interior of aircrafts. These results could open the door to some new applications of the modified resin system. This work also implemented a new processing technique to produce honeycomb sandwich structures. The technique was Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding, VARTM, which has gained interest over the last decade due to the reduced up front cost to initiate production, the ease of processing, and the overall health benefits. This process was successfully performed to produce sandwich structures by incorporating a permeable scrim layer at the core face sheet interface. This was the first successful production of unfilled honeycomb core sandwich part production. Overall this work is at the tip of implementing new materials and processing techniques into honeycomb core and honeycomb sandwich composite structures.

The development of mixer machine for organic animal feed production: Proposed study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leman, A. M.; Wahab, R. Abdul; Zakaria, Supaat; Feriyanto, Dafit; Nor, M. I. F. Che Mohd; Muzarpar, Syafiq

2017-09-01

Mixer machine plays a major role in producing homogenous composition of animal feed. Long time production, inhomogeneous and minor agglomeration has been observed by existing mixer. Therefore, this paper proposed continuous mixer to enhance mixing efficiency with shorter time of mixing process in order to abbreviate the whole process in animal feed production. Through calculation of torque, torsion, bending, power and energy consumption will perform in mixer machine process. Proposed mixer machine is designed by two layer buckets with purpose for continuity of mixing process. Mixing process was performed by 4 blades which consists of various arm length such as 50, 100,150 and 225 mm in 60 rpm velocity clockwise rotation. Therefore by using this machine will produce the homogenous composition of animal feed through nutrition analysis and short operation time of mixing process approximately of 5 minutes. Therefore, the production of animal feed will suitable for various animals including poultry and aquatic fish. This mixer will available for various organic material in animal feed production. Therefore, this paper will highlights some areas such as continues animal feed supply chain and bio-based animal feed.

In-situ Frequency Dependent Dielectric Sensing of Cure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kranbuehl, David E.

1996-01-01

With the expanding use of polymeric materials as composite matrices, adhesives, coatings and films, the need to develop low cost, automated fabrication processes to produce consistently high quality parts is critical. Essential to the development of reliable, automated, intelligent processing is the ability to continuously monitor the changing state of the polymeric resin in-situ in the fabrication tool. This final report discusses work done on developing dielectric sensing to monitor polymeric material cure and which provides a fundamental understanding of the underlying science for the use of frequency dependent dielectri sensors to monitor the cure process.

Phospho-silicate and silicate layers modified by hydroxyapatite particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rokita, M.; Brożek, A.; Handke, M.

2005-06-01

Common used metal materials do not ensure good connection between an implant and biological neighbourhood. Covering implants by thin silicate or phosphate layers enable to improve biological properties of implants and create conditions for producing the non-concrete bonding between the implant and tissue. The project includes preparing silicate sols of different concentrations and proper (powder) fraction of synthetic as well as natural ox hydroxyapatite, depositing the sol mixed with hydroxyapatite onto the base material (metal, ceramic carbon) and heat treatment. Our work includes also preparation of phospho-silicate layers deposited onto different base materials using sol-gel method. Deposited sols were prepared regarding composition, concentration and layer heat treatment conditions. The prepared layers are examined to determine their phase composition (XRD, IR spectroscopy methods), density and continuity (scanning microscopy with EDX methods). Biological activity of layers was evaluated by means of estimation of their corrosive resistance in synthetic body fluids ('in vitro' method) and of bone cells growth on the layers surface. Introducing hydroxyapatite to the layer sol should improve connection between tissue and implant as well as limit the disadvantageous, corrosive influence of implant material (metal) on the tissue.

Metal-Organic Frameworks for Separation.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiang; Wang, Yanxiang; Li, Dong-Sheng; Bu, Xianhui; Feng, Pingyun

2018-03-27

Separation is an important industrial step with critical roles in the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and nuclear industries, as well as in many other fields. Although much progress has been made, the development of better separation technologies, especially through the discovery of high-performance separation materials, continues to attract increasing interest due to concerns over factors such as efficiency, health and environmental impacts, and the cost of existing methods. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a rapidly expanding family of crystalline porous materials, have shown great promise to address various separation challenges due to their well-defined pore size and unprecedented tunability in both composition and pore geometry. In the past decade, extensive research is performed on applications of MOF materials, including separation and capture of many gases and vapors, and liquid-phase separation involving both liquid mixtures and solutions. MOFs also bring new opportunities in enantioselective separation and are amenable to morphological control such as fabrication of membranes for enhanced separation outcomes. Here, some of the latest progress in the applications of MOFs for several key separation issues, with emphasis on newly synthesized MOF materials and the impact of their compositional and structural features on separation properties, are reviewed and highlighted. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ceramic Composite Development for Gas Turbine Engine Hot Section Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiCarlo, James A.; VANrOODE, mARK

2006-01-01

The development of ceramic materials for incorporation into the hot section of gas turbine engines has been ongoing for about fifty years. Researchers have designed, developed, and tested ceramic gas turbine components in rigs and engines for automotive, aero-propulsion, industrial, and utility power applications. Today, primarily because of materials limitations and/or economic factors, major challenges still remain for the implementation of ceramic components in gas turbines. For example, because of low fracture toughness, monolithic ceramics continue to suffer from the risk of failure due to unknown extrinsic damage events during engine service. On the other hand, ceramic matrix composites (CMC) with their ability to display much higher damage tolerance appear to be the materials of choice for current and future engine components. The objective of this paper is to briefly review the design and property status of CMC materials for implementation within the combustor and turbine sections for gas turbine engine applications. It is shown that although CMC systems have advanced significantly in thermo-structural performance within recent years, certain challenges still exist in terms of producibility, design, and affordability for commercial CMC turbine components. Nevertheless, there exist some recent successful efforts for prototype CMC components within different engine types.

International SAMPE Symposium and Exhibition, 35th, Anaheim, CA, Apr. 2-5, 1990, Proceedings. Books 1 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janicki, G.; Bailey, V.; Schjelderup, H.

The present conference discusses topics in the fields of ultralightweight structures, producibility of thermoplastic composites, innovation in sandwich structures, composite failure processes, toughened materials, metal-matrix composites, advanced materials for future naval systems, thermoplastic polymers, automated composites manufacturers, advanced adhesives, emerging processes for aerospace component fabrication, and modified resin systems. Also discussed are matrix behavior for damage tolerance, composite materials repair, testing for damage tolerance, composite strength analyses, materials workplace health and safety, cost-conscious composites, bismaleimide systems, and issues facing advanced composite materials suppliers.

Three-dimensional Macroscopic Scaffolds With a Gradient in Stiffness for Functional Regeneration of Interfacial Tissues

PubMed Central

Singh, Milind; Dormer, Nathan; Salash, Jean R.; Christian, Jordan M.; Moore, David S.; Berkland, Cory; Detamore, Michael S.

2010-01-01

A novel approach has been demonstrated to construct biocompatible, macroporous 3-D tissue engineering scaffolds containing a continuous macroscopic gradient in composition that yields a stiffness gradient along the axis of the scaffold. Polymeric microspheres, made of poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and composite microspheres encapsulating a higher stiffness nano-phase material (PLGA encapsulating CaCO3 or TiO2 nanoparticles) were used for the construction of microsphere-based scaffolds. Using controlled infusion of polymeric and composite microspheres, gradient scaffolds displaying an anisotropic macroscopic distribution of CaCO3/TiO2 were fabricated via an ethanol sintering technique. The controllable mechanical characteristics and biocompatible nature of these scaffolds warrants further investigation for interfacial tissue engineering applications. PMID:20336753

Research and education on fiber-based materials for nanofluidics at Clemson University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornev, Konstantin G.

2007-11-01

Advanced materials and the science and engineering related to their design, process, test and manufacture represents one of the fast growing sectors of the Materials Science and Engineering field. Awareness of existing process, performance, manufacturing or recycle-ability issues and limitations, often dictates the next generation of advances needed to improve existing or create new materials. To compete in this growing science and technology area, trained experts must possess strong academic skills in their discipline as well as advanced communication, networking and cultural teamwork experience. Clemson's School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), is continuing to expand our program to focus on unique capabilities which support local, regional and national needs in advanced materials. Specifically, MSE at Clemson is evolving to highlight intrinsic strengths in research and education areas related to optical materials, advanced fibers and composites (based on inorganic, organic and natural fibers), biomaterials and devices, and architectural and restoration material science (including the conservation and preservation of maritime structures). Additionally, we continue to invest in our expertise in materials design and fabrication, which has historically supported our well known programs in ceramics and textiles. In addition to a brief review of the School's forward-looking challenges to remain competitive among strong southeast regional materials science programs, this presentation will also highlight recent technical advances in fiber-based materials for nanofluidic applications. Specifically we will present recent results on design of fiber-based nanofluidics for sensor applications and we will discuss some physical phenomena associated with liquid transport at nanoscale.

Effective conductivity of a periodic dilute composite with perfect contact and its series expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pukhtaievych, Roman

2018-06-01

We study the asymptotic behavior of the effective thermal conductivity of a periodic two-phase dilute composite obtained by introducing into an infinite homogeneous matrix a periodic set of inclusions of a different material, each of them of size proportional to a positive parameter ɛ . We assume a perfect thermal contact at constituent interfaces, i.e., a continuity of the normal component of the heat flux and of the temperature. For ɛ small, we prove that the effective conductivity can be represented as a convergent power series in ɛ and we determine the coefficients in terms of the solutions of explicit systems of integral equations.

Aerogel/polymer composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Roberson, Luke B. (Inventor); Clayton, LaNetra M. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The invention provides new composite materials containing aerogels blended with thermoplastic polymer materials at a weight ratio of aerogel to thermoplastic polymer of less than 20:100. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability. The composite materials also have better flexibility and less brittleness at low temperatures than the parent thermoplastic polymer materials.

Aerogel / Polymer Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Trent M. (Inventor); Clayton, LaNetra M. (Inventor); Fesmire, James E. (Inventor); Williams, Martha K. (Inventor); Roberson, Luke B. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

The invention provides new composite materials containing aerogels blended with thermoplastic polymer materials at a weight ratio of aerogel to thermoplastic polymer of less than 20:100. The composite materials have improved thermal insulation ability. The composite materials also have better flexibility and less brittleness at low temperatures than the parent thermoplastic polymer materials.

Development of New Sensing Materials Using Combinatorial and High-Throughput Experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potyrailo, Radislav A.; Mirsky, Vladimir M.

New sensors with improved performance characteristics are needed for applications as diverse as bedside continuous monitoring, tracking of environmental pollutants, monitoring of food and water quality, monitoring of chemical processes, and safety in industrial, consumer, and automotive settings. Typical requirements in sensor improvement are selectivity, long-term stability, sensitivity, response time, reversibility, and reproducibility. Design of new sensing materials is the important cornerstone in the effort to develop new sensors. Often, sensing materials are too complex to predict their performance quantitatively in the design stage. Thus, combinatorial and high-throughput experimentation methodologies provide an opportunity to generate new required data to discover new sensing materials and/or to optimize existing material compositions. The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of the key concepts of experimental development of sensing materials using combinatorial and high-throughput experimentation tools, and to promote additional fruitful interactions between computational scientists and experimentalists.

Biodeterioration of the Cement Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luptáková, Alena; Eštoková, Adriana; Mačingová, Eva; Kovalčíková, Martina; Jenčárová, Jana

2016-10-01

The destruction of natural and synthetic materials is the spontaneous and irreversible process of the elements cycling in nature. It can by accelerated or decelerated by physical, chemical and biological influences. Biological influences are represented by the influence of the vegetation and microorganisms (MO). The destruction of cement composites by different MO through the diverse mechanisms is entitled as the concrete biodeterioration. Several sulphur compounds and species of MO are involved in this complex process. Heterotrophic and chemolithotrophic bacteria together with fungi have all been found in samples of corroding cement composites. The MO involved in the process metabolise the presented sulphur compounds (hydrogen sulphide, elemental sulphur etc.) to sulphuric acid reacting with concrete. When sulphuric acid reacts with a concrete matrix, the first step involves a reaction between the acid and the calcium hydroxide forming calcium sulphate. This is subsequently hydrated to form gypsum, the appearance of which on the surface of concrete pipes takes the form of a white, mushy substance which has no cohesive properties. In the continuing attack, the gypsum would react with the calcium aluminate hydrate to form ettringite, an expansive product. The use supplementary cementing composite materials have been reported to improve the resistance of concrete to biodeterioration. The aim of this work was the study of the cement composites biodeterioration by the bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. Experimental works were focused on the comparison of special cement composites and its resistance affected by the activities of used sulphur-oxidising