Anette M. Karlsson

A numerical model for the cyclic instability of thermally grown oxides in thermal barrier systems

Morphological instability of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) is a fundamental source of failure in some thermal barrier systems. The instabilities occur when initial non-planarity in the TGO grows in amplitude as the system experiences thermal cycling. By numerical means, this study explores how these instabilities are linked to constituent properties. The associated phenomena involve oxidation of the TGO, plastic flow of the bond coat, thermal expansion misfit between the TGO, bond coat and substrate, and stress relaxation in the TGO at high temperature. A key implication of the simulations is that the incidence of reverse yielding upon reheating differentiates between systems that exhibit a systematic increase in imperfection amplitude upon thermal cycling (ratcheting) and those that exhibit shakedown.

Simulated properties of Kagomé and tetragonal truss core panels

The finite element method has been used to simulate the properties of panels with Kagome and tetragonal cores under compressive and shear loading. The simulation has been performed for two different materials: a Cu-alloy with extensive strain hardening and an Al-alloy with minimal hardening. It is shown that the Kagome core is more resistant to plastic buckling than the tetragonal core under both compression and shear. One consequence is that the Kagome structure has the greater load capacity and a deferred susceptibility to softening. Another is that the Kagome core is isotropic in shear: contrasting with the soft orientations exhibited by the tetragonal core.

A fundamental model of cyclic instabilities in thermal barrier systems

Cyclic morphological instabilities in the thermally grown oxide (TGO) represent a source of failure in some thermal barrier systems. Observations and simulations have indicated that several factors interact to cause these instabilities to propagate: (i) thermal cycling; (ii) thermal expansion misfit; (iii) oxidation strain; (iv) yielding in the TGO and the bond coat; and (v) initial geometric imperfections. This study explores a fundamental understanding of the propagation phenomenon by devising a spherically symmetric model that can be solved analytically. The applicability of this model is addressed through comparison with simulations conducted for representative geometric imperfections and by analogy with the elastic/plastic indentation of a half space. Finite element analysis is used to confirm and extend the model. The analysis identifies the dependencies of the instability on the thermo-mechanical properties of the system. The crucial role of the in-plane growth strain is substantiated, as well as the requirement for bond coat yielding. It is demonstrated that yielding of the TGO is essential and is, in fact, the phenomenon that differentiates between cyclic and isothermal responses.

The displacement of the thermally grown oxide in thermal barrier systems upon temperature cycling

Models that characterize the displacement instability of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) found in some thermal barrier systems are reviewed, consolidated and extended. It is demonstrated that the simulations are only consistent with the observations whenever the bond coat and TGO both undergo plastic deformation. The TGO yields at the peak temperature, during growth, while the bond coat yields on thermal cycling. The trends oppose. Namely, the TGO displacement is diminished by increasing the high temperature strength of the bond coat, but is increased upon increasing the TGO strength. The model rationalizes certain experimental trends, particularly the decrease in durability as the hot time per cycle decreases. Interactions between the instability and cracks in the thermal barrier layer are discussed.

Stresses in Proton Exchange Membranes Due to Hygro-Thermal Loading

Durability of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) is a major technical barrier to the commercial viability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) for stationary and transportation applications. In order to reach Department of Energy objectives for automotive PEMFCs, an operating design lifetime of at least 5000 h over a broad temperature range is required. Reaching these lifetimes is an extremely difficult technical challenge. Though good progress has been made in recent years, there are still issues that need to be addressed to assure successful, economically viable, long-term operation of PEM fuel cells. Fuel cell lifetime is currently limited by gradual degradation of both the chemical and hygro-thermomechanical properties of the membranes. Eventually the system fails due to a critical reduction of the voltage or mechanical damage. However, the hygro-thermomechanical loading of the membranes and how this effects the lifetime of the fuel cell is not understood. The long-term objective of the research is to establish a fundamental understanding of the mechanical processes in degradation and how they influence the lifetime of PEMFCs based on perfluorosulfuric acid membrane. In this paper, we discuss the finite element models developed to investigate the in situ stresses in polymer membranes.

The effect of the thermal barrier coating on the displacement instability in thermal barrier systems

Thermal barrier systems are susceptible to instability of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) at the interface between the bond coat and the thermal barrier coating (TBC). The instabilities have been linked to thermal cycling and initial geometrical imperfections, as well as to misfit strains due to both oxide growth and thermal expansion misfit. Numerical simulations are used to investigate the role of the thermo-mechanical properties of the TBC in this instability. It is found that the TBC constrains the deformation, whereupon instabilities develop preferentially in regions where crack-like imperfections either pre-exist in the TBC or are created because of the induced stresses.

A Model Study of Displacement Instabilities during Cyclic Oxidation

The shape changes that occur at imperfections on the surface of an alumina-forming alloy, subject to thermal cycling, have been simulated and measured. Observations have been made by emplacing a surface groove into a FeCrAlY material. Upon thermal cycling, large shape distortions have been observed: whereas, for comparable isothermal oxidation, the shape changes are minimal. The simulations predict similar responses. Upon cycling, upward displacements (pile-up) occur around the perimeter, accompanied by downward displacements at the center. Yet, minimal displacements arise upon isothermal oxidation. To realize cyclic displacements comparable in magnitude to those found experimentally, large values of the in-plane growth strain are required and the bond coat must be relatively soft.

Numerical Investigation of Mechanical Durability in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

William B. Johnson Gore Fuel Cell Technologies Follow this and additional works at: http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/enme_facpub Part of the Mechanical Engineering Commons Publishers Statement

Synchrotron X-ray measurement techniques for thermal barrier coated cylindrical samples under thermal gradients.

Measurement techniques to obtain accurate in situ synchrotron strain measurements of thermal barrier coating systems (TBCs) applied to hollow cylindrical specimens are presented in this work. The Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition coated specimens with internal cooling were designed to achieve realistic temperature gradients over the TBC coated material such as that occurring in the turbine blades of aeroengines. Effects of the circular cross section on the x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in the various layers, including the thermally grown oxide, are investigated using high-energy synchrotron x-rays. Multiple approaches for beam penetration including collection, tangential, and normal to the layers, along with variations in collection parameters are compared for their ability to attain high-resolution XRD data from the internal layers. This study displays the ability to monitor in situ, the response of the internal layers within the TBC, while implementing a thermal gradient across the thickness of the coated sample. The thermal setup maintained coating surface temperatures in the range of operating conditions, while monitoring the substrate cooling, for a controlled thermal gradient. Through variation in measurement location and beam parameters, sufficient intensities are obtained from the internal layers which can be used for depth resolved strain measurements. Results are used to establish the various techniques for obtaining XRD measurements through multi-layered coating systems and their outcomes will pave the way towards goals in achieving realistic in situ testing of these coatings.

An object-oriented approach for modeling and simulation of crack growth in cyclically loaded structures

We present an object-oriented modeling frame for simulating crack propagation due to cyclic loadings. Central to the approach is that the crack propagates when a user-defined propagation criterion is fulfilled, i.e., the crack propagation rate is not prescribed but predicted. The approach utilizes the commercial finite element software package ABAQUS and its associated Python based scripting interface. The crack propagation is simulated by a generalized node release technique. If the propagation criteria are satisfied in the end of a cycle, the crack is allowed to propagate. The incremental crack growth is inferred from an iterative investigation of the propagation criteria. The propagation criteria are user-defined, and can be based on any parameter or parameter set that can be obtained from the simulations. We illustrate the developed modeling frame by two benchmark problems, where the propagation criterion is based on the dissipated energy in the vicinity of the crack tip.