SBIR-STTR Award

Most alloys intended for use at high temperatures are required to form a stable barrier layer of oxide, an oxide scale, which provides protection against reaction with the environment. Research on scale reliability and new alloy development requires real time temperature monitoring of the scale growth and associated stresses. An instrument for monitoring the oxide growth rate and stresses at high temperatures during mechanical loading will be developed and built. The instrument will use x-ray diffraction for simultaneously measuring the rate of oxide scale growth and residual stresses. The object of Phase I is to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous stress and oxide thickness measurement on samples of arbitrary shape in the high temperature (up to 1200°C) oxidizing environment. Through the experimental efforts, the measurement conditions will be optimized and the prototype instrument will be designed.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The instrument will be used in the development of new material systems for high temperature applications. In the power generation and automotive industries, the benefits will be improved energy efficiency and mitigation of the adverse impacts of the energy production and use.