Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of 3D-Printed SiC-FY20

Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties of 3D-Printed SiC before and after Neutron Irradiation – FY21

“…The Weibull parameters determined by the regression lines are summarized in Table 2. The Weibull moduli measured are within the range of 7 to 14, which is a typical range for SiC materials [8,25,26], and no evidence of a clear difference between the binderjet/CVI processed SiC and the reference CVD SiC was found. The results indicate that the characteristic strength of the three 3D-printed SiC variants is approximately 20% lower than the CVD SiC.…”

“…A novel methodology that combines these processes was recently developed to produce carbide ceramics. This new methodology has been leveraged to produce an inert SiC fuel matrix or structure for the TCR core [22,[26][27][28]. Specimens used for this testing and characterization task were produced using the newly established manufacturing process.…”

“…The failure strength of ceramics like SiC is known to be dependent on dimensional and microstructural conditions. For example, the size of the specimen affects the measured strength of SiC since its failure is statistically controlled by the number of critical defects contained in the sample that is proportional to the volume or surface area [25,26]; the processing route and condition significantly influence the failure strength of SiC, because those factors determine the type, size, and density of the defects critical to failure initiation. A series of flexural strength tests were planned to elucidate the effects of these dimensional and structural variables on the failure behavior of 3D-printed SiC materials.…”

Demonstration of Embedded Sensors in Ceramic Structures

“…The densified parts are typically ~90% of the theoretical density, composed entirely of high-purity SiC, and have thermomechanical properties comparable with those of chemical vapor deposition β-SiC [23].…”

Advanced Moderation Module for High-Temperature Micro-Reactor Applications

“…Recently, a BeO/MgO composite solution has been investigated, where compromise in moderation performance [14] is expected. Other moderator materials such as SiC [15,16] may not provide advantageous moderation performance compared to graphite, but have the potential to improve other properties with acceptable compromise in moderation performance. Hydrides of other elements can also be considered as they bring a high density of hydrogen, examples are covalent hydrides, saline hydride, and metallic hydrides.…”