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NEWS & EVENTS
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Development of a phosphorescent coating for the Spallation
Neutron Source target - From concept to field application in three months
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| ORNL and CTSR researchers embarked on a novel initiative to apply a conformal phos-phorescent thermal sprayed ruby coating on the neutron generator target at the Spalla-tion Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal was to deposit a thin functional (luminescent) coating on the face of a neutron generator target for proton beam profiling. The development of such a functional coating required overcoming nu-merous challenges including optimizing phase and crystallinity of the ceramic layer, appli-cation on the target material without significant thermal loading from the process, appli-cation of the coating on site at ORNL, limited development time, and challenges with feedstock materials and chemistry optimization. |
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| CTSR researchers applied the concepts of process maps and in situ coating property sensing to optimize the phase and micro-structure of the coatings. Together with luminescence measurements at ORNL, deposition conditions and mate-rial chemistry were identified. |
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Finally, a portable applica-tion system including robotics, materials handling, and dust collection was designed, fabricated and transported to ORNL resulting in the successful application of the novel luminescent coating. The entire project lasted <3 months and points to the power of advanced scientific concepts in expanding thermal spray applications
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Field Trips with the In-situ Coating Property Sensor
In October 2009, CTSR team had four successful field trips to Europe to conduct research and characterization of coat-ings using in-booth diagnostic sensors. Dr. Alfredo Valarezo (postdoctoral associate) had the opportunity to visit Alstom Power Systems facility at Birr, and Sulzer Metco at Wohlen, both in Switzerland; and Dr. Brian Choi (postdoctoral associ-ate) and Mr. Steve Baader (research engineer) visited the University of Stuttgart and Forschungszentrum Julich in Ger-many. This was the fifth CTSR field trip to Europe after visit-ing Volvo-Aero in Trollhattan, Sweden, in January 2009.
This series of field trips in the US and Europe started in 2007, and have proven to be very beneficial not only for students and associates at CTSR, but also for researchers and engineers at akin research facilities at universities, special-ized labs, and industries.
For total of ten days, 92 spray experiments were con-ducted using the in-situ Coating Property (ICP) sensor, devel-oped by CTSR. We look forward to sharing the interesting results out coming from the carried out research.
At Alstom Power Systems, we worked together to vali-date their spray process conditions. In three days, 25 experi-ments were conducted spraying TBC’s and bond coats by different processes. Characterization of coatings is still going on. At Sulzer Metco, stress management in carbide coatings by APS was investigated by two different torches and proc-ess parameters. In two days, 12 experiments were con-ducted to find key parameters for optimization of residual stress states.
Left: Alstom Power Systems including Sebastian Mihm, Alfredo Valarezo, and Joerg Sopka. Center: Forschungszentrum Julich including Balasundaram Rajasekaran, Georg Mauer, Kalr-Heinz Rauwald, Brian Choi, Robert Vassen, and Stephen Baader. Rright: Sulzer Metco including Alexander Barth, Mischa Weder, and Alfredo Valarezo
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| Brian and Steve spent two days at the Institute for Manu-facturing Technologies of Ceramic Components and Compos-ites (IFKB) in University of Stuttgart with Prof. Rainer Gadow, Dr. Andreas Killinger, and graduate students. The ICP sensor was used for the first time to monitor stress evolution of ceramic coatings deposited with High Velocity Solution Flame Spray (HVSFS). This process yields extreme substrate temperature conditions: 750oC at 8” (20cm) spray distance. |
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CTSR Graduate Students Abroad
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Arash Ghabchi
Arash’s research focuses
on addressing the wear
performance and mechanisms
of thermal spray
composi te coat ings
(carbide-based) by recourse
to multi-scale mechanical
properties. By
using a modeling approach
Arash aim to find the effects of crucial microstructural
and mechanical properties (e.g. carbide, binder, porosities,
etc.) on global mechanical response of composite coatings
to external loading conditions such as indentation. Additionally,
coating response to wear will be examined through
modeling and the results will be compared with experiments
leading to a deeper understanding of underlying wear
mechanism. |
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During this work, the linkage between process,
microstructure and coating properties as well as performance
will be studied employing process map approach.Conducting his research in Technical Research Center of
Finland (VTT), which is the biggest research organization in
Northern Europe with over 3000 employees, provided Arash
great opportunities. State of the art research facilities, expert
colleagues in wide variety of research fields, possibility
to participate in different international projects with industrial
and academic partners are the ways that VTT helps
Arash to improve the quality of his research work and
achieve his professional goals.
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José Colmenares
One of our graduate Students, Jose
Colmenares, is attending a 5 month
international exchange program at the
National Institute of Materials Science
of Japan. He is working under the
supervision of Dr. Seiji Kuroda, director
of the Hybrid Materials Center. Dr.
Kuroda and his NIMS team have been
instrumental in the understanding of
stress evolution and the development
of advanced corrosion control coatings
in the field of thermal spray technology.
One of CTSR’s post-doctoral scientist,
Kentaro Shinoda has a joint appointment between CTSR
and NIMS where he serves as a Visiting Researcher and has
developed techniques for visualization of splat impact.
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Jose’s work is focused on the development of solution and
precursor spraying techniques. He is also learning about the
different activities going on in the NIMS coating group, such
as the study of their in-house developed warm spraying
technique and diverse characterization techniques. He has
also interacted with researchers such as Jin Kawakita
(Electrochemistry of TiO2 coatings ) KeeHyun Kim (Metallic
Splat Impact Phenomena) Hideyuki Murakami (Oxidation
Resistance) and Makoto Watanabe (Fail safe thermal spray
coatings). |
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CTSR Welcomes New Staff Member: Chris Jensen
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In September 2009 Chris Jensen joined the Center for Thermal Spray Research as a Senior Research Support Spe-cialist. Chris earned his Bachelor of Engi-neering in Engineering Science, with a mi-nor in Materials Science, from Stony Brook University in 2003.
After Stony Brook University Chris worked as a process engineer with eele Laboratories, a Long Island based startup company geared towards the production of etendue efficient lighting systems for projection displays. He was responsible for optimizing a nickel based electroforming process used in the manufacture of preci-sion optical reflectors. Chris was also in-volved in the development of cold mirror and bandpass coatings deposited on the reflectors via an ion beam assisted electron beam evapora-tion process.
During his time with eele Laboratories Chris
traveled to Taiwan where he setup a manufacturing facility to produce the thin film coated optical reflectors in high volume to enter into the Digital Light Projec-tion (DLP) markets.
Afterwards Chris moved to CVD Equip-ment Corporation where he optimized the Chemical Vapor Deposition processes used to synthesize advanced materials such as carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, epi-taxial thin films, and transparent conductive oxides. During his time at CVD Chris de-cided to return to academia to get his mas-ters degree in Materials Science which he is now in the process of completing at CTSR.
Chris is excited to become a part of The Center for Thermal Spray Research and looks forward to bringing his knowledge and experience to the team.
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Graduate Student Lorena Bejarano Joins TSS Board of Directorsts
Lorena was nominated and selected to form part of the TSS Board of Directors in March 2009. She partici-pates on the board as a Student Board Member together with Mr. Viktor Drescher, a graduate stu-dent at Technical University of Berlin. “Being part of the TSS Board is a great experi-ence that enables me to learn from the outstanding group of board members who work hard to overcome issues of the thermal spray community” says Lorena.
She thinks of this opportunity as a very enriching activity not only to advance her own knowledge and gain firsthand experience but also to contribute to the TSS through her participation in board meetings. Board discussions aim to lead the Thermal Spray Society as a robust and well established organization by de-veloping policies, organizing conferences, and proposing standards and certification methods. The Students Board Members were assigned with a “board mentor”, Mr. Ray-mond Sinatra from Rolls Royce Corporation, to guide them through this experience. Lorena will be serving as Student Board Member through March 1, 2010.
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