MATERIALS PERFORMANCE LABORATORY

The Materials Performance Laboratory (MPL) in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has numerous research and development capabilities in areas of metallurgical and corrosion engineering using state-of-the-art techniques. MPL is well equipped to study the effect of heat treatment on the resultant metallurgical microstructure and tensile properties of engineering metals and alloys at ambient and elevated temperatures (up to 1500°C) in the presence of an inert atmosphere. Crack initiation/propagation and fracture toughness of structural materials can also be evaluated using fracture mechanics principles. Both static and dynamic loading can be accommodated in this equipment. An in-situ crack-monitoring device (direct current potential drop - DCPD) can also be used to monitor crack growth. The susceptibility of many metallic materials and alloys to environment-induced degradation such as localized corrosion, stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and hydrogen embrittlement (HE) can be evaluated in MPL using both conventional and electrochemical test methods. Environment-assisted cracking behavior such as SCC and HE, which are of major concern for different energy-related applications such as nuclear power generation, oil and gas exploration, and geothermal energy development, can be precisely evaluated under constant load and slow-strain-rate (SSR) conditions in aqueous environments of interest. The susceptibility of metallic materials to SCC can also be evaluated involving self-loaded specimens contained in an autoclave at elevated temperatures. Microstructural characterization, fractographic evaluations (SEM), defects analyses (TEM), and phase characterization (XRD) can also be accommodated. In essence, this world-class research facility at UNLV is capable of materials characterization as functions of different metallurgical, mechanical and environmental variables, which can lead to the development of basic understanding of numerous scientific aand engineering phenomena.

Principal Investigator: Ajit K. Roy, Ph.D. (702-895-1463, aroy@unlv.nevada.edu)

Function of Facility: 100 % research

Major Areas of Expertise

Environmental effects on materials' behavior including electrochemical polarization, SCC and HE.

Effects of thermal treatment and resultant microstructures on plastic deformation under different loading conditions.

Development of deformation mechanism of engineering alloys as functions of temperature, strain rate and chemical composition.

Crack-growth studies using constant/cyclic loading, and constant displacement method based on fracture mechanics.

Fracture and Impact toughness evaluation.

Fractographic evaluation (SEM), defects characterization (TEM) and phase identification (XRD)

Research Projects

NHI Project, “Development, Characterization and Crack Growth Studies of Structural Materials for High-Temperature-Heat-Exchangers in Hydrogen Generation.” United States Department of Energy (USDOE), Award Amount: $2,355,000 (2003-2007)

AFCI/TRP Project Task-20, “Effect of Silicon Content on the Corrosion Resistance and Radiation-Induced Embrittlement of Target Structural Materials.” USDOE Award Amount: $444,199 (2004-2007)

AFCI/TRP Task-14, “Use of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy for Stress-Strain Measurements,” USDOE, Award Amount: $354,000 (2002-2005)

AFCI/TRP Task-10, “Development of a Mechanistic Understanding of High-Temperature Deformation of Alloy EP-823 for Transmutation Applications,” USDOE, Award Amount: $295,000 (2001-2004)

AFCI/TRP Task-4, “Hydrogen-Induced Embrittlement of Candidate Target Materials for Applications in Spallation-Neutron-Target Systems,” USDOE, Award Amount: $435,000 (2001-2004)

YMP Task-32, “Delayed Hydride Cracking of Spent Fuel Cladding under Repository Conditions,” USDOE, Award Amount: $769,599 (2001-2003)

Current Research Scholars

Debajyoti Maitra Ph.D., University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
Arindam Ghosh Ph.D., Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur, India

Recent Journal Publications

Current Graduate Students

Vikram Marthandam (Ph.D., Spring 2008)
Anand Venkatesh (Ph.D., Spring 2008)
Joydeep Pal (Ph.D., Summer 2009)
Muhammad Hasibul Hasan (Ph.D. Spring 2009)
Sudin Chatterjee (Ph.D., Spring 2010)
Hanumantha Rao Chava (M.S., Fall 2008)

Equipment

Twelve Cortest Constant Load Testing Fixtures (Proof Rings: 7500 lb Load Capacity)

Four Cortest SSR Test Frame (Constant Extension Rate Fixture: 7500 lb Load Capacity

Twelve High Temperature (120°C) Corrosion-Resistant Test Vessels (Hastelloy C-276)

High-Temperature (500°C) Corrosion-Resistant Autoclave (Hastelloy C-276) with Lid having Electrochemical Connections

High-Temperature (650°C) and Pressure Autoclave made of Hastelloy C-276

Two EG&G Model 273A Potentiostats, and one EG&G eight-channel multiple Potentiostat

Two Gamry Potentiostats

Blue-M 1200°C Heat Treatment Furnace

High-Temperature Water Bath

Mettler Electronic Balance

Twelve Custom Luggin Probes for Polarization under Controlled Electrochemical Potential

1000X Resolution Leica Optical Microscope with Digital Image Capture

Isomet 4000 Linear Precision Saw

Ecomet 6 Variable Speed Grinder/Polisher with Automet 2 Power Head

Abrasimet 2 Abrasive Cutter

High-Temperature (650°C) Ceramic-Lined Chamber for Tensile Testing in an MTS Unit

High-Temperature (1500°C) Instron Mechanical Testing Equipment for evaluation of tensile properties, fracture toughness & crack-growth-rate

Dynatup Instrumented Impact Tester

Direct-Current-Potential-Drop (DCPD) Crack Monitoring Device Manufactured by FTA

Pendulum Type Instron Charpy Impact Tester

Furnace for heating Charpy-V-Notch specimens (500°C) manufactured by ATS

Leco R-600 Hardness Tester

In addition to the above equipments, UNLV has a Jeol Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with a Microprobe Analyzer for elemental analyses. Further, a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) are available for defects analyses and phase characterization, respectively.