Declan Carolan

Role of Rate and Temperature on Fracture and Mechanical Properties of PCD

Polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDC) cutters are widely used in oil and gas well drilling and a different format of the same material is also used in high speed turning. During the cutting process these tools experience very high temperatures and impact loads which lead to their sudden fracture. In this work the mechanical and fracture properties of two different grades of PCD test specimens, i.e. the Young’s modulus and fracture toughness, are measured under a range of test conditions such as temperature and loading rate, which correspond to the actual drilling conditions. The fracture is found to propagate in a highly dynamic manner, where the results show the examined properties of PCD specimens to vary with the loading rate and temperature. The study performed leads to a greater understanding of PCD behaviour, and aims to provide guidance for improved material design.

Quantifying Alumina Nanoparticle Dispersion in Hybrid Carbon Fiber Composites Using Photoluminescent Spectroscopy

Composites modified with nanoparticles are of interest to many researchers due to the large surface-area-to-volume ratio of nano-scale fillers. One challenge with nanoscale materials that has received significant attention is the dispersion of nanoparticles in a matrix material. A random distribution of particles often ensures good material properties, especially as it relates to the thermal and mechanical performance of composites. Typical methods to quantify particle dispersion in a matrix material include optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy. These utilize images and a variety of analysis methods to describe particle dispersion. This work describes how photoluminescent spectroscopy can serve as an additional technique capable of quickly and comprehensively quantifying particle dispersion of photoluminescent particles in a hybrid composite. High resolution 2D photoluminescent maps were conducted on the front and back surfaces of a hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymer containing varying contents of alumina nanoparticles. The photoluminescent maps were analyzed for the intensity of the alumina R1 fluorescence peak, and therefore yielded alumina particle dispersion based on changes in intensity from the embedded nanoparticles. A method for quantifying particle sedimentation is also proposed that compares the photoluminescent data of the front and back surfaces of each hybrid composite and assigns a single numerical value to the degree of sedimentation in each specimen. The methods described in this work have the potential to aid in the manufacturing processes of hybrid composites by providing on-site quality control options, capable of quickly and noninvasively providing feedback on nanoparticle dispersion and sedimentation.

Fracture Properties of PCBN as a Function of Loading Rate and Temperature

Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride (PCBN) is a super-hard material used in some of the most demanding material removal operations today. These include turning of hardened steels, as well as the machining of highly abrasive alloys. In these applications the tools are subjected to high operating temperatures, abrasive and impact loading. This can lead to the brittle fracture of the tool. Accurate determination of the fracture toughness and mechanical properties of PCBN under a wide range of operating conditions is therefore essential in order to evaluate the performance of the tool under these highly demanding conditions. For this study, a laboratory scale three point bend test rig has been used for the fracture tests. The fracture toughness of two different grades of PCBN are measured at a range of loading rates and temperatures corresponding to the actual in-service conditions. The results show the measured properties of these materials vary with both loading rate and temperature. The fracture surfaces of the specimens are examined using scanning electron microscopy to determine dominant fracture mechanisms.

Fracture Properties of PCBN as a Function of Loading Rate

Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride (PCBN) is a superhard material which is used in machining of hardened steels and other abrasive and aerospace grade alloys. In these applications the tools are subjected to high operating temperatures, abrasive and impact loading. Impact loading can lead to the sudden fracture and hence failure of the tool. In this work the static and dynamic fracture toughness of PCBN is determined via a combined experimental-numerical approach. The results show that the fracture toughness of PCBN varies with loading rate.

The Role of Microstructure on the Fracture Behaviour and Statistics of Advanced Ceramics

Strength data of three advanced ceramics were fitted to the Weibull, normal and lognormal distributions. The three ceramics had similar grain size and varied in binder content. The role of microstructure in the failure mechanism of such ceramics was analysed in terms of the chosen strength distributions. The best-fit distributions were determined using the maximum log-likelihood criteria and a comparison between the best and worst fit was conducted using the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC). Both large and small samples were tested to investigate possible scaling effects for these ceramics. It was found that for two of the three ceramics tested that a lognormal distribution rather then the conventionally used Weibull distribution was preferable in characterising the strength data. A small drop in strength was noticed between large and small samples but this trend was not thought to be a result of scaling rather due to the decrease in binder content.

Characterization of Hybrid Carbon Fiber Composites using Photoluminescence Spectroscopy

Hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymers (HCFRPs) are a new breed of material that are currently being explored and characterized for next generation aerospace applications. Through the introduction of secondary reinforcements, such as alumina nanoparticles, it is possible to achieve improved mechanical behavior and enable structural sensing to create unique hybrid properties. The photoluminescent properties of the alumina inclusions allow for the application of local stress measurements through piezospectroscopy (PS) in addition to dispersion characterization. Measuring the shift in emission wavenumber at several points across the face of a sample allows for determination of the local stress through the application of the PS relationship. Measuring local intensity di↵erences across the face of the sample, alternatively, allows for the determination of relative local particle concentration for dispersion characterization. Through investigation of an HCFRP sample loaded with 10 wt% of alumina nanoparticles, it was found that stress was greater in regions with high relative particle concentrations upon mechanical loading. Further investigation also found evidence of particle-matrix debonding, characterized by a lower particle stress response to increasing composite strain at higher loads. In order to address both of these issues silane coupling agents are utilized to adjust particle behavior. It is found that the use of these treatments results in improved particle dispersion and reduced sedimentation. A reactive and non-reactive surface treatment were compared and it was found that the reactive treatment was more e↵ective at improving dispersion for the weight percentage investigated. The outcomes of this work demonstrate the potential of utilizing the photoluminescent sensing capability of these reinforcing particulates to tailor the design of the hybrid carbon fiber composites.

Fracture Toughness of Hard and Superhard Materials: Testing Methods and Limitations

This chapter reviews the most important testing techniques for determination of fracture toughness in use today. A discussion of the merits and demerits of each technique is provided. A brief introduction into Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics is provided. Finally a brief discussion of the statistical nature of the strength of superhard materials is introduced.

Characterizing Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Alumina Carbon Fiber Composites with Piezospectroscopy

Carbon fiber composites have become popular in aerospace structures and applications due to their light weight, high strength, and high performance. Recently, scientists have begun investigating hybrid composites that include fibers and particulate fillers, since they allow for advanced tailoring of mechanical properties, such as improved fatigue life. This project investigated a hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymer (HCFRP) that includes carbon fiber and additional alumina nanoparticle fillers, which act as embedded nano stresssensors. Utilizing the piezospectroscopic e↵ect, the photo-luminescent (PL) spectral signal of the embedded nanoparticles has been monitored as it changes with stress, enabling noncontact stress detection of the material. The HCRFPs stress-sensitive properties have been investigated in-situ using a laser source and a tensile mechanical testing system. Hybrid composites with varying mass contents of alumina nanoparticles have been studied in order to determine the e↵ect of particle content on the overall stress sensing properties of the material. Additionally, high resolution photo-luminescent maps were collected from the surfaces of each specimen in order to determine the particulate dispersion of specimens with varying alumina content. The dispersion maps also served as a method of quantifying particulate sedimentation, and can aid in the improvement of the manufacturing process. The results showed that the emitted photo-luminescent spectrum can indeed be captured from the embedded alumina nanoparticles, and exhibits a systematic trend in photo-luminescent peak shift with respect to stress, up to a certain critical stress. Therefore, the non-contact stress sensing results shown in this work have strong implications for the development of multi-functional hybrid composites to support structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of aerospace structures.

Micromechanical Modelling of Advanced Ceramics Using Statistically Representative Microstructures

Advanced ceramics are a class of materials used as cutting tools in some of the most demanding material removal operations. Their high hardness makes them extremely suited for use at these extreme conditions. However they have a relatively low fracture toughness when compared to other conventional tool materials. A combined experimental-numerical method was used to investigate the role of microstructure on the fracture of advanced ceramics. In particular, the effect of grain size and matrix content were examined. Representative finite volume (FV) microstructures were created using Voronoi tessellation. It is shown, by comparing with real micrographs, that the method captures the features of real microstructures in terms of grain size distribution and grain aspect ratio. It was found that the underlying microstructure significantly affects the failure of this class of materials. Furthermore, it was found that by altering the microstructural parameters in the numerical model, such as grain size and matrix content, it is possible to specify material improvements.

Micromechanical Modelling of Advanced Ceramics with Statistically Representative Synthetic Microstructures

Advanced ceramics are a class of material used in extreme conditions, such as high speed turning of aerospace alloys and rock drilling. Their high hardness makes them suitable for these uses, however their lower toughness means that failure due to fracture and chipping is a problem. They are composed of micron-sized particles of a primary hard phase together with either a ceramic or metallic matrix material. A combined experimental-numerical method was used to investigate the role of microstructure on the fracture of advanced ceramics. Two dimensional, statistically representative microstructures of the advanced ceramics are created using Voronoi tessellation. The synthetic microstructures are compared to real microstructures in terms of particle size distribution and particle aspect ratio. Simulation results indicate that the computed elastic parameters are within the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds and agree closely with analytical predictions made with the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka method. It is found that the local stress and strain distribution within the model is significantly affected by the underlying microstructure, which in turn affects fracture properties. Hence, tailoring the microstructure can optimise the bulk strength parameters of the material.