Acquisition of Elemental Analysis Equipment for Engineering Materials

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9622213 German This award supports the acquisition of two instruments which analyze oxygen/nitrogen and carbon/sulfur content in engineering materials. The presence of these four elements can have far-reaching effects on the microstructure, mechanical properties, thermal properties, and electronic behavior of engineering materials, especially when they are used as powders. When dealing with powdered metals and ceramics, the processing, sintering, and post-sintering properties are often controlled by the surface chemistry of the starting material. Elements such as carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen are known to concentrate on particle surfaces. Thus, the ability to detect their presence and quantify the amount of each that is present is crucial to understanding the final properties of the material. This equipment will provide envaluable information on many areas of powder processing including: (1) The effect of sintering atmosphere on the mechanical properties of high performance alloys; (2) Binder selection for the processing of particulate materials; (3) The effect of powder chemistry on the thermal behavior of materials; (4) Oxide growth; and (5) Fundamental microstructural studies. %%% The acquisition of this analytical equipment will add an important facet to this advanced microstructural analysis facility. Now, the microstructural and mechanical property data can be directly linked with the alloy chemistry. Once a database has been established with this information, it will be possible to design alloys with very specific microstructures and properties without having to enter into a detailed experimental matrix; that is, an expert system can be developed that provides the alloy chemistry and processing parameters that will yield a material with the desired properties on the first experiment. Currently, such a system does not exist. ***