Strain mapping in graphite and MAX phase during high-temperature disc compression via in-situ synchrotron X-ray radiography and diffraction

Authors: Rory Whybrow (University of Oxford) , Marcus Williamson (University of Oxford) , T. James Marrow (University of Oxford)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Conference Paper
Conference: BSSM's 16th International Conference on Advances in Experimental Mechanics
Peer Reviewed: No

State: Published (Approved)
Published: September 2022
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 28314

Abstract: Graphite and MAX Phase ceramics are materials under consideration as key core components in high temperature Gen IV reactors. Their structural integrity is dependent on the evolution of their material properties under elevated temperature and neutron irradiation, and also their performance under mechanical load at high temperatures. Test techniques are needed to measure the mechanical properties of small samples, which are suitable for irradiated materials. In this work, small ‘Brazilian’ discs (5 and 3 mm diameter) of the fine-grained graphite SNG742 and the MAX Phase ceramic Ti2AlC were tested in diametral compression up to 80% failure load, at ambient and elevated temperature, achieved by resistance heating, up to 950°C. The testing geometry produces a compressive-tensile biaxial stress state at the centre of the discs. Simultaneous synchrotron X-ray diffraction in transmission and digital image correlation of radiographs enabled mapping of the elastic and bulk strains respectively at high spatial resolution within the specimens The analysis aims to correlate these spatially to investigate the development of non-linear behaviour in tension due to damage mechanisms, and their possible temperature dependent. Ultimately, this approach will be applied to investigate the damage tolerance of neutron irradiated materials at elevated temperatures.

Subject Areas: Materials, Engineering, Technique Development


Instruments: I12-JEEP: Joint Engineering, Environmental and Processing

Added On: 05/09/2022 08:47

Discipline Tags:

Technique Development - Materials Science Materials Engineering & Processes Ceramics Materials Science Engineering & Technology

Technical Tags:

Diffraction Imaging Tomography