Joel D. Montalvo

Proton Radiography Peers into Metal Solidification

Historically, metals are cut up and polished to see the structure and to infer how processing influences the evolution. We can now peer into a metal during processing without destroying it using proton radiography. Understanding the link between processing and structure is important because structure profoundly affects the properties of engineering materials. Synchrotron x-ray radiography has enabled real-time glimpses into metal solidification. However, x-ray energies favor the examination of small volumes and low density metals. Here we use high energy proton radiography for the first time to image a large metal volume (>10,000 mm3) during melting and solidification. We also show complementary x-ray results from a small volume (<1 mm3), bridging four orders of magnitude. Real-time imaging will enable efficient process development and the control of structure evolution to make materials with intended properties; it will also permit the development of experimentally informed, predictive structure and process models.

Influence of Texture and Temperature on the Dynamictensile-Extrusion Response of High-Purity Zirconium

To create comprehensive models of mechanical deformation in Zirconium (Zr) it is important to observe the effect of high strain on the material. The mechanical behavior and damage evolution in textured, high-purity zirconium (Zr) is influenced by strain rate, temperature, stress state, grain size, and texture. In particular, texture is known to influence the slip-twinning response of Zr, which directly affects the work hardening behavior at both quasi-static and dynamic strain rates. However, while microstructural and textural evolution of Zr in compression and to relatively low strains in tension has been studied, little is understood about the dynamic, high strain, tensile response of Zr. Here, the influence of texture on the dynamic, tensile, mechanical response of high-purity Zr is correlated with the evolution of the substructure. Experiments will be conducted using dynamic-tensile-extrusion process. A bullet-shaped sample has been impacted into a high-strength steel extrusion die and soft recovered in the Taylor Anvil Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Finite element modeling that employs a continuum level constitutive description of Zr will be performed to provide insight into the dynamic extrusion process. Current experimental findings will be presented.

Fuel Fabrication Capability WBS 01.02.01.05 - HIP Bonding Experiments Final Report

The goals of this project were to demonstrate reliable, reproducible solid state bonding of aluminum 6061 alloy plates together to encapsulate DU-10 wt% Mo surrogate fuel foils. This was done as part of the CONVERT Fuel Fabrication Capability effort in Process Baseline Development . Bonding was done using Hot Isotatic Pressing (HIP) of evacuated stainless steel cans (a.k.a HIP cans) containing fuel plate components and strongbacks. Gross macroscopic measurements of HIP cans prior to HIP and after HIP were used as part of this demonstration, and were used to determine the accuracy of a finitie element model of the HIP bonding process. The quality of the bonding was measured by controlled miniature bulge testing for Al-Al, Al-Zr, and Zr-DU bonds. A special objective was to determine if the HIP process consistently produces good quality bonding and to determine the best characterization techniques for technology transfer.