Dan J. Thoma

Structure and magnetic properties of (Fe0.5Co0.5)88Zr7B4Cu1 nanocrystalline alloys

The development of Fe73.5Si13.5B9Nb3Cu1 (FINEMET) by Yoshizawa et al. and Fe88Zr7B4Cu1 (NANOPERM) by Inoue et al. have shown that nanocrystalline microstructures can play an important role in the production of materials with outstanding soft magnetic properties. The FINEMET and NANOPERM materials rely on nanocrystalline α-Fe3Si and α-Fe, respectively, for their soft magnetic properties. The magnetic properties of a new class of nanocrystalline magnets are described herein. These alloys with a composition of (Fe,Co)–M–B–Cu (where M=Zr and Hf) are based on the α- and α′-FeCo phases, have been named HITPERM magnets, and offer large magnetic inductions to elevated temperatures. This report focuses on thermomagnetic properties, alternating current (ac) magnetic response, and unambiguous evidence of α′-FeCo as the nanocrystalline ferromagnetic phase, as supported by synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Synchrotron data have distinguished between the HITPERM alloy, with nanocrystallites having a B2 structure from the ...

Critical examination of heat capacity measurements made on a Quantum Design physical property measurement system

Abstract We examine the operation and performance of an automated heat-capacity measurement system manufactured by Quantum Design (QD). QD’s physical properties measurement system (PPMS) employs a thermal-relaxation calorimeter that operates in the temperature range of 1.8–395 K. The accuracy of the PPMS specific-heat data is determined here by comparing data measured on copper and synthetic sapphire samples with standard literature values. The system exhibits an overall accuracy of better than 1% for temperatures between 100 and 300 K, while the accuracy diminishes at lower temperatures. These data confirm that the system operates within the ±5% accuracy specified by QD. Measurements on gold samples with masses of 4.5 and 88 mg indicate that accuracy of ±3% or better can be achieved below 4 K by using samples with heat capacities that are half or greater than the calorimeter addenda heat capacity. The ability of a PPMS calorimeter to accurately measure sharp features in Cp(T) near phase transitions is determined by measuring the specific heat in the vicinity of the first-order antiferromagnetic transition in Sm2IrIn8 (T0=14 K) and the second-order hidden order (HO) transition in URu2Si2 (TN=17 K). While the PPMS measures Cp(T) near the second-order transition accurately, it is unable to do so in the vicinity of the first-order transition. We show that the specific heat near a first-order transition can be determined from the PPMS-measured decay curves by using an alternate analytical approach. This correction is required because the latent heat liberated/absorbed at the transition results in temperature–decay curves that cannot be described by a single relaxation time constant. Lastly, we test the ability of the PPMS to measure the specific heat of Mg11B2, a superconductor of current interest to many research groups, that has an unusually strong field-dependent specific heat in the mixed state. At the critical temperature the discontinuity in the specific heat is nearly 15% lower than measurements made on the same sample using a semi-adiabatic calorimeter at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The development and advantages of beryllium capsules for the National Ignition Facility

Capsules with beryllium ablators have long been considered as alternatives to plastic for the National Ignition Facility laser ; now the superior performance of beryllium is becoming well substantiated. Beryllium capsules have the advantages of relative insensitivity to instability growth, low opacity, high tensile strength, and high thermal conductivity. 3-D calculation with the HYDRA code NTIS Document No. DE-96004569 (M. M. Marinak et.al. in UCRL-LR-105821-95-3) confirm 2-D LASNEX U. B. Zimmerman and W. L. Kruer, Comments Plasmas Phys. Controlled Thermonucl. Fusion, 2, 51(2975) results that particular beryllium capsule designs are several times less sensitive than the CH point design to instability growth from DT ice roughness. These capsule designs contain more ablator mass and leave some beryllium unablated at ignition. By adjusting the level of copper dopant, the unablated mass can increase or decrease, with a corresponding decrease or increase in sensitivity to perturbations. A plastic capsule with the same ablator mass as the beryllium and leaving the same unablated mass also shows this reduced perturbation sensitivity. Beryllium`s low opacity permits the creation of 250 eV capsule designs. Its high tensile strength allows it to contain DT fuel at room temperature. Its high thermal conductivity simplifies cryogenic fielding.

Directed light fabrication of a solid metal hemisphere using 5-axis powder deposition

Abstract Directed light fabrication (DLF) is a direct metal deposition process that fuses metal powders, delivered by gas into the focal zone of a high-powered laser beam, to form a fully-dense metal deposit. Computer-based design and numerical controls are used in conjunction with the metal deposition process to guide the formation of 3D parts. This study demonstrates the ability to directly fabricate complex shapes using a 5-axis DLF machine. As an example, the production of a hemispherical shape is described, with the associated fabrication case study, metallographic examination and part characterization. The deposition of fully-dense stainless-steel components is achieved in all orientations, from horizontal to vertical, and dimensional comparisons between the DLF-deposited shape and the original part definition, illustrates that near-net shape tolerance levels are attainable within a 0.1 mm envelope. The single-step production of fully-dense, near-net shaped, 3D metal parts directly from a computer model is achieved without the use of forming dies, tooling or machining. As a result, significant process flexibility over conventional processing capabilities are recognized, with potentially lower productions costs and higher quality components.

Synthesis and properties of Mo5Si3 single crystals

The ultra-high temperature structural intermetallic Mo5Si3 has been studied for alloy processing, physical properties, and mechanical behavior. High purity single crystals of Mo5Si3 have been synthesized by both optical floating zone and Czochralski methods. Structural, thermal, and elastic properties of Mo5Si3 single crystals were measured by X-ray powder diffraction, thermal mechanical analysis, and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, respectively. Results show that the thermal expansion of Mo5Si3, a tetragonal structure with I4/mcm symmetry, is strongly anisotropic along the a and c directions with αc/αa=2.2. Single crystal elastic moduli of Mo5Si3 indicate that it has less elastic anisotropy and lower shear modulus than most transition metal disilicides. The impacts of these physical properties on alloy processing and mechanical behavior are discussed. Room temperature Vickers indentation tests on the (100) and (001) planes have been performed for different orientations of the indenter diagonal and the corresponding hardness, fracture toughness, and deformation behavior have been obtained as a function of the crystallography. Finally, the physical properties and mechanical behavior of Mo5Si3 are compared with those of other high temperature structural silicides, e.g. MoSi2.

Mo5Si3 single crystals : physical properties and mechanical behavior

Abstract The materials processing, physical properties and mechanical behavior of an ultrahigh temperature structural silicide, Mo5Si3, have been studied. High purity single crystals of Mo5Si3 have been synthesized by both optical floating zone and Czochralski methods. The thermal and elastic properties of the Mo5Si3 single crystals were experimentally measured. Results show that Mo5Si3 has significant thermal expansion anisotropy along the a and c directions with αc/αa=2.2. The single crystal elastic moduli of Mo5Si3 indicate that it has less elastic anisotropy and lower shear moduli than transition metal disilicides. Tensile stresses of up to 1.8 GPa can develop at grain boundaries after cooling from the melting point due to the thermal expansion mismatch in Mo5Si3, causing grain boundary cracking during processing of polycrystals. Room temperature Vickers indentation tests on (100) and (001) planes have been performed with different indenter diagonal orientations and the orientation dependence of hardness and fracture toughness of Mo5Si3 single crystals have been obtained. The corresponding deformation and fracture modes have been revealed by microscopy studies. Finally, a comparison of Mo5Si3 with other high temperature structural silicides is discussed.

The effect of alloying on the properties of (Nb, Ti)Cr2 C15 laves phases

Abstract The effect of composition on the ternary (NbCr 2 –TiCr 2 ) C 15 phase properties has been investigated, focusing upon the defect structure, elastic properties, and mechanical behavior. The C 15 phase field is continuous between NbCr 2 –TiCr 2 , with a maximum phase field width of at least 7 at.% solubility. The defect mechanism is governed by anti-site constitutional defects for all alloys. Mechanically, the alloys display a maximum in hardness in the center of the ternary phase field (and a minimum of toughness). The ternary phase field has features that are characteristic of solid-solution strengthening mechanisms. Finally, the elastic properties indicate that the alloys become stiffer in the middle of the ternary phase field. The best compromise of properties occurs furthest from stoichiometry in the ternary phase field at the nominal composition of Nb 19 Ti 19 Cr 62 . The relationships between the defect structure, elastic properties, and mechanical response for the C15 phases are discussed using a combination of atomic size arguments and electronic structure analyses. From these relationships, alloy design strategies for NbCr 2 -based alloys are evaluated.

Elastic constants of the C15 laves phase compound NbCr2

Elastic properties of a solid are important because they relate to various fundamental solid-state phenomena such as interatomic potentials, equations of state, and phonon spectra. Elastic properties are also linked thermodynamically with specific heat, thermal expansion, Debye temperature, and Gruneisen parameter. Most important, knowledge of elastic constants is essential for many practical applications related to the mechanical properties of a solid as well: load-deflection, thermoelastic stress, internal strain (residual stress), sound velocities, dislocation core structure, and fracture toughness. In order to understand better the physical properties and deformation behavior of the C15 compound NbCr{sub 2}, the authors have studied its elastic properties in this paper. In Section 2, the experimental methods are described, including the preparation of the sample and the measurement of the elastic constants. In Section 3, the experimental results are presented and the implications of these experimental results are discussed. Conclusions are drawn in Section 4.

Directed light fabrication

Directed Light Fabrication (DLF) is a rapid prototyping process being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to fabricate metal components. This is done by fusing gas delivered metal powder particles in the focal zone of a laser beam that is programmed to move along or across the part cross section. Fully dense metal is built up a layer at a time to form the desired part represented by a 3 dimensional solid model from CAD software. Machine “tool paths” are created from the solid model that command the movement and processing parameters specific to the DLF process so that the part can be built one layer at a time. The result is a fully dense, near net shape metal part that solidifies under rapid solidification conditions.Directed Light Fabrication (DLF) is a rapid prototyping process being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to fabricate metal components. This is done by fusing gas delivered metal powder particles in the focal zone of a laser beam that is programmed to move along or across the part cross section. Fully dense metal is built up a layer at a time to form the desired part represented by a 3 dimensional solid model from CAD software. Machine “tool paths” are created from the solid model that command the movement and processing parameters specific to the DLF process so that the part can be built one layer at a time. The result is a fully dense, near net shape metal part that solidifies under rapid solidification conditions.

Beryllium’s monocrystal and polycrystal elastic constants

Using resonant-ultrasound spectroscopy, we measured beryllium’s elastic constants for both a monocrystal and a polycrystal. Thus, we consider the monocrystal–polycrystal elastic-constant relationship for hexagonal symmetry. Beside the Cij, we report the Debye characteristic temperature Θ and the Gruneisen parameter γ. We comment on beryllium’s chemical bonding and its remarkably low Poisson ratio.