Egor Morokov

Methods of pulsed acoustic microscopy in industrial diagnostics

A brief review of the methods of pulsed acoustic microscopy is presented. The problems and possibilities of nondestructive ultrasonic high-resolution monitoring are discussed. It is shown that methods of pulsed acoustic microscopy can be used to control the integrity of multilayer constructions and associated mechanical units. Micron resolution of acoustic images is attained by focusing the probing ultrasonic beam (50–100 MHz). Original results obtained in joint efforts with developers of 3D miroelectronics and the technology for producing turbine blades are presented.

Bulk microstructure and local elastic properties of carbon nanocomposites studied by impulse acoustic microscopy technique

Bulk microstructure and elastic properties of epoxy-nanocarbon nanocomposites for diverse types and different content of carbon nanofiller has been studied by using impulse acoustic microscopy technique. It has been shown occurrence of various types of mesoscopic structure formed by nanoparticles inside the bulk of nanocomposite materials, including nanoparticle conglomerates and nanoparticle aerogel systems. In spite of the bulk microstructure, nanocarbon composites demonstrate elastic uniformity and negligible influence of nanofiller on elastic properties of carbon nanocomposite materials.

Studying the dynamics of microdefect growth in carbon fiber reinforced plastics under mechanical loading by means of ultrasonic microscopy

Strength characteristics of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are investigated by nondestructive means as microstructural changes in a material’s bulk under external mechanical loads. CFRP microstructure is studied experimentally via pulsed ultrasonic microscopy at the level of mechanical deformation resulting in degradation of a material’s properties. The process of composite deformation is studied by means of stepped stretching. Acoustic emissions are used to identify the stage preceding final destruction (the accumulation of microcracks, fibers breaking, and delamination) as an indicator of a material’s degradation. Pulse acoustic microscopy is used to observe the accumulation of microcracks in individual layers of a material. To study the behavior of a CFRP microstructure upon mechanical loading, tensile stress was applied to samples with cross-ply packing of fibers (0°, 90°) and (45°, −45°). It is shown that the brittle fracturing of reinforcing fibers is typical of CFRPs with fiber orientation (0°, 90°), and is accompanied by growing areas of stress concentration and a rise in of acoustic emission activity, with a subsequent increase in the signal energy and the formation of extensive interlaminar delamination. Acoustic emission shows a low level of activity for CFRP samples with fiber orientation (45°, −45°), which is accompanied by the formation of structural microdefects that are clearly visible in acoustic images.

Studying the Degradation of Reinforced Composites by High-Resolution Ultrasonic Means

Nondestructive means of pulsed acoustic microscopy are used to visualize and assess the bulk microstructure of carbon fiber reinforced composites. Irreversible changes in the composite structure under the influence of external mechanical and climatic factors are studied, and the dynamics of the accumulation and growth of microscopic defects leading to destruction is studied. Ultrasonic explorations are conducted at frequencies of 50–100 MHz. It is shown that scattered (diffracted) radiation participates in image formation; this makes it possible to detect small cavities (detachment of reinforcing fibers), clusters of microscopic defects, and inclined extended cracks oriented along the fibers’ packing. These cracks are precursors to the brittle fracture of a composite, and their visualization is difficult with standard ultrasonic methods.

Dispersion Hardening of Composites in the System Aluminum Oxide and Cerium Cation Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconium Dioxide

The production of composites based on nanopowders synthesized by the sol-gel method in the system aluminum oxide and tetragonal zirconium dioxide stabilized by cerium cations (Al2O3–[Ce–TZP]) is described. It is shown that modification of the compositions by calcium oxide promotes the formation of composites of a dispersion-hardening phase in the form of long-prismatic grains in the sintering process. The presence of this phase affects the increase of strength and resistance to brittle fracture of composites with a ZrO2 matrix and with an Al2O3 matrix. The strength in static bending of the composites reaches 1000 MPa and the cracking resistance K1c increases to 11.0 MPa·m1/2.

Ultrasonic microscopy of contact joints

Ultrasonic techniques allow examination of internal structure and the detection of discontinuities at the interface of various joints. Contact joints obtained via diffusion welding, sintering, and other adhesive methods are investigated using impulse acoustic microscopy. It is shown that short probing pulses of focused ultrasound with frequencies of 50–100 MHz reveal areas with different adhesion strengths, areas of partial contact, peeling or air bubbles, and buffer layer thicknesses. Mechanisms of acoustic contrast at such interfaces are discussed. The results are of interest to specialists in the field of high-resolution ultrasonic nondestructive testing. They are needed to predict the failure mechanisms of composite products, from carbon fiber–reinforced plastics for the aviation industry to high-density ceramics used in medical prosthetics.