Peng Cheng Zhai

Numerical Analysis for Small Punch Creep Tests by Finite-Element Method

A numerical study is presented that simulates small punch creep (SP-C) tests using a finite-element method (FEM). The objective of the present study is to develop a miniaturized testing methodology for high-temperature creep properties. The numerical simulations have been shown to produce deflection versus time curves that are quantitatively similar to the experimental results obtained on tungsten-alloyed 9 % Cr ferritic steels. It is also demonstrated that the numerically predicted curves show the steady state (secondary) creep stage. Furthermore, the numerical simulations reveal that the magnitude of the equivalent stress in the central region of the SP-C specimen shows no significant change with respect to time at the secondary creep stage, supporting the use of the present SP-C testing method to characterize the secondary creep deformation rate. Finally, an approximate equation is proposed for the assessment of the equivalent stress in the SP-C specimen in terms of the load and testing parameters.

Recent Development in Nano and Graded Thermoelectric Materials

In 2003, a joint research project entitled “Nano and graded thermoelectric materials/Photovoltaic-thermoelectric-wind power generation” is established in cooperation among research institutes from Japan and China. The major research institutes include State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing (Wuhan University of Technology, China), Shanghai Institute of Ceramics (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China), State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing (Tsinghua University, China), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, Japan) and Foundation for Promotion of Japanese Aerospace Technology (JAST, Japan). The main aim of this project is to develop a photovoltaic-thermoelectric-wind power generation system with high efficiency solar energy conversion. The key works of the project include: (1) fabrication of high efficiency nano thermoelectric materials with a maximum figure of merit Z≥1.3; (2) design and fabrication of nano graded thermoelectric material/component with efficiency conversion larger than 12% for wide temperature range and (3) design and construction of photovoltaic- thermoelectric coupled power generation system. The recent progress about the joint research project is reported in this paper. Emphasis is put on the mechanism, design and fabrication of high efficiency nano graded thermoelectric materials. The future research plan is also mentioned in brief.

Creep Property of Functionally Graded Materials

The present paper investigates the creep phenomenon of the functionally graded materials under high temperature environment by the computational micromechanical method (CMM). Based on the real microstructure of the functionally graded interlayer with different component volume fractions, the emulation experiment is implemented for the creep test numerically and the creep parameters are obtained. A further series of simulation works are carried out to investigate the creep phenomenon of FGM interlayers in more detail. Numerical results show that the creep phenomenon is obvious not only for the metal-rich interlayers but also for the ceramic-rich interlayers. The creep property of ceramic/metal interlayer depends on the material’s properties of the ceramic obviously. It is remarkable that the creep strain rate of the ceramic/metal interlayer is larger than the corresponding one of pure metal under the same load when the modulus of the ceramic component is lower than the one of the metal component.

Evaluation on Small Punch Creep Test by Finite Element Method

The Small Punch Creep Tests (SP-C tests) are simulated by a Finite Element Method (FEM). The objective of the present study is to establish a foundation for the SP-C test method by investigating the deformation and stress state of the SP-C test specimen. The emphasis is placed on the dependence relation of the creep strain and the stress on the measurable quantities, such as applied loads and the central deflections. Simulation works are conducted for two different materials, one is the tungsten-alloyed 9% Cr ferritic steel and the other is 12Cr1MoV steel. The numerical results for the central deflection versus time curves are quantitatively similar to the experimental results obtained on tungsten-alloyed 9% Cr ferritic steels. From the numerical results, the relationship between the central deflection and the equivalent creep strain is approximately independent of load, temperature, and material properties. The magnitude of the equivalent stress in the central region of the SP-C specimen shows no significant change with respect to time at the secondary creep stage, an approximate equation is proposed for the assessment of the equivalent stress in the SP-C specimen. As a farther result, the high temperature creep properties of the 12Cr1MoV steel and tungsten-alloyed 9% Cr ferritic steel are appraised by numerical simulation. The results are in good agreement with the results from the standard test method. The results indicate that the small punch test technique is an effective method for the evaluation of the high-temperature creep properties of materials.

Effective Thermal Conductivity of Functionally Graded Composite with Arbitrary Geometry of Particulate

In this paper, a new micromechanical method, the Weighted Residual Self-consistent Scheme (WRSCS), is developed for the prediction of the effective thermal conductivity of particulate composites with arbitrary configurations. The method is based on the concept of the traditional Self-consistent Scheme (SCS). For some special configurations of inclusions, such as spherical or ellipsoidal, the effective conductivity of the composite can be solved without much difficulty using SCS. But for the composite with inclusion of arbitrary geometry, such as polygon or other irregular configurations, it is difficult to get an analytic solution. In the WRSCS, the arbitrary inclusion configuration is modeled by applying collocation points at interface. Based on SCS micromechanical model, the local fields inside the inclusion can be evaluated by using the solution of a single inclusion in an infinite matrix and inclusion interaction is taken into account through the yet unknown average equivalent medium. The solution for calculating the potential field inside the inclusion is obtained by means of Weighted Residual Method (WRM). Using the WRSCS, the effective thermal conductivities for composites with different inclusion’s geometry are calculated. For the case of spherical inclusion, the results from the WRSCS show good agreements with the one from traditional SCS [7, 8]. Examining results corresponding to different inclusion’s geometry, it shows that the effective thermal conductivity depends not only on the volume fractions and the properties of components, but also on the inclusion’s configuration.

Investigation on the Effect of Test Parameters on Small Punch Creep Tests by Finite Element Method

The small punch creep (SP-C) test technique is a new method which is applied to evaluate the high temperature creep properties of materials by using miniature specimen. In the present paper, the Finite Element Method (FEM) is employed to simulate the SP-C test in order to investigate the effects of test parameters on testing results of the SP-C test. In this attempt, we perform systematic numerical simulations of SP-C tests by changing friction coefficient, specimen thickness, the diameter of punch ball and the inner diameter of lower die, and discuss the effects of the variation of test parameters on test results in detail. The resulting regression equations for assessing the effects of testing parameters on test results are obtained. It is found that the test results are influenced significantly by the specimen thickness, the diameter of punch ball and the inner diameter of lower die. However, the effects of friction coefficient on the results of the SP-C test can be neglected.

Experimental and Numerical Researches of Dynamic Failure of a High Strength Alumina/Boride Ceramic Composite

The dynamic compressive behavior of Al2O3 (10% vol.) / TiB2 ceramic composite had been tested by using a split Hopkinson pressure bar in this paper. The results show that the main failure modes of the ceramic composite include crushed failure and split fracture along the loading direction. The former is the typical compressive failure of brittle materials. The later is tensile failure along the flaws produced during the composite manufacturing. The numerical simulation was also used to study the effect of the diameter/length ratio of the samples on the experimental results. The effect of the deformation in the bars’ ends, which contacted with the samples, was also studied in the numerical models.

Optimization of Material Composition of FGM Coating under Steady Heat Flux Loading by Micro-Genetic Algorithms

This paper studies the optimization problem of composition distribution of functionally graded material (FGM) coating subjected to steady heat flux loading. The investigation object of the paper is an infinite plate substrate with FGM coating in the surface. The materials are heated at the ceramic surface (upside) with a steady high-intensity heat flux input, and cooled at the metal surface (underside) with flowing liquid nitrogen. The thermal stress distribution and the temperature distribution are obtained by formulation. For optimization, the design variables are the thickness of each interlayer and the volume fraction distribution of the coating. The objective function is the danger coefficient and the restricted condition is the total thickness of FGM plate and heat insulation coefficient. In the paper, three different optimization schemes are considered and compared. The µGA and related parameters are discussed in detail. Optimizing the thermal stress distribution and minimizing the danger coefficient are carried out by µGA. The optimization results of composition distribution are gained, and the results show the optimum composition distribution can distinctly reduce the danger coefficient.

Effective Permittivity of Composite with Core-Shell Type Inclusions by Self-Consistent Method

In the paper, firstly self-consistent model (SCM) is used for establishing the predicted formula which can predict the effective permittivity of the composite materials with core-shell type inclusions. Then the factors on the effective permittivity of this kind of composite are investigated on the base of this predicted formula. The researching results indicate the effective permittivity of composite depends on not only the volume fraction of inclusions, but also the permittivity of matrix and inclusions (core and shell). According to our works, the optimal design of composite with core-shell type inclusion must be done if we want to make this composite get better effect of absorbing wave.

Creep Properties of SUS304 Steel by Small Punch Creep Tests

Creep behavior of SUS304 stainless steel is studied by small punch creep (SP-C) test. Series of SP-C testing for SUS304 stainless steel are carried out at 600°C. The time dependence of the central deflection is obtained by the SP-C testing at different load level and the creep deflection curves are quantitatively similar to those observed in conventional uniaxial creep testing. In this paper, an analytic approach based on Chakrebarty’s membrane-stretch model is used to interpret the SP-C test method. The relationship between specimen central deflection and equivalent strain is deduced, and the relationship between load and equivalent stress are established. The creep stress exponent of SUS304 stainless steel is determined by the theory formula and the data obtained in the SP-C testing. Comparison of the creep stress exponent of the Norton equations in SP-C testing and conventional creep testing is performed. The results show that the creep stress exponent is well consistent with conventional experimental results.