Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

About: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a other organization based out in Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Mach number. The organization has 5817 authors who have published 9157 publications receiving 292559 citations. The organization is also known as: Wright-Patterson AFB & FFO.

Eddy Current Assessment of Near-Surface Residual Stress in Shot-Peened Nickel-Base Superalloys

Abstract: It is shown in this paper that, in contrast with most other materials, shot-peened nickel-base superalloys exhibit an apparent increase in eddy current conductivity at increasing inspection frequencies, which can be exploited for nondestructive residual stress assessment of subsurface residual stresses. It has been found that the primary reason why nickel-base superalloys, which are often used in the most critical gas-turbine engine components, lend themselves easily for eddy current residual stress assessment lies in their favorable electro-elastic behavior, namely that the parallel stress coefficient of the eddy current conductivity has a large negative value while the normal coefficient is smaller but also negative. As a result, the average stress coefficient is also large and negative, therefore the essentially isotropic compressive plane state of stress produced by most surface treatments causes a significant increase in conductivity parallel to the surface. The exact reason for this unusual behavior is presently unknown, but the role of paramagnetic contributions cannot be excluded, therefore the measured quantity will be referred to as “apparent” eddy current conductivity. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that the magnitude of the increase in apparent eddy current conductivity correlates well with the initial peening intensity as well as with the remnant residual stress after thermal relaxation.

The relationship between tensile strength and flexure strength in fiber-reinforced composites

Abstract: Tensile data on unidirectional composites generated from a flexure test usually yield a higher strength than observed from a standard tensile coupon. According to a statistical-strength theory based on a Weibull distribution, the presence of a stress gradient in the flexure-test results in an apparent increase in tensile strength as compared to the tensile test under uniform stress. In the present paper, this concept is explored by utilizing data from unidirectional graphite-epoxy composites to compare with theoretical results generated from a two-parameter Weibull distribution. A larger variation in tensile strength is observed from tensile-coupon data than from flexure data. Such differences are not in accordance with strength theories based on a uniform flaw distribution and raise questions concerning variability of the test methods, as well as sources of material variability.

Synthesis and characterization of tungsten disulphide films grown by pulsed-laser deposition

Abstract: The synthesis and characterization of tungsten disulphide (WS2) films grown on 440C stainless steel substrates using the 248 nm line from a KrF excimer laser are reported. Film properties could be adjusted by controlling substrate temperature and by laser or thermal anneals. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, glancing angle XRD, Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate film chemistry, crystallinity and morphology. Films grown at room temperature were amorphous, near stoichiometric, and had a multiplicity of chemical states. Local order and bonding were improved most dramatically through post-deposition laser anneals. Crystallite size could be increased by raising the substrate temperature during deposition and, to a lesser degree, by post-deposition thermal anneals. Local disorder was observed within the larger crystallites compared to those that were laser annealed. Crystallinity was induced in amorphous films by mechanical rubbing at room temperature under conditions where frictional heating was negligible. The degree of control over film properties provided by PLD demonstrates its value for growing/designing tribological coatings.