Forming and Processing: Powder consolidation capabilities include continuous tape casting and lamination, injection molding, conventional dry pressing, colloidal filtration, cold-isostatic pressing, and electrophoretic deposition. Green compact characterization methodologies routinely employed in our work include non-contacting ultrasonic green body inspection, acoustic resonance spectroscopy and sound velocity density, and gas pycnometry. Densification methodologies employed in our research include pressureless sintering to 2500˚C in a variety of controlled atmospheres, and uniaxial hot pressing (100 ton load to 2350˚C,) hot isostatic pressing to 2000˚C and 25ksi.
Property Evaluation: Elastic and mechanical test capabilities exist for the evaluation of the quasistatic properties of materials. Acoustic resonance spectroscopy is available for the evaluation of the elastic properties and damping of materials to temperatures of 1500˚C in air. This capabilitiy is further strengthened by a full array of non-destructive analysis capabilities such as high frequency ultrasonic C-scan and phased array ultrasound systems. Static and cyclic fatigue testing of advanced materials is routinely practiced from room temperature to 1600˚C in air and inert environments. Screw driven and servo-hydraulic mechanical test frames, equipped with furnaces are available for the study. Recent acquisition of servo-hydraulic load frame, equipped with computer data acquisition and control, high temperature furnacing, axial-torsional extensometers, and a crack growth monitoring system, permits studies of axial-torsional fatigue of ceramics and composites. Instrumented load-displacement indentation equipment is available for characterization of interfacial shear behavior in ceramic composites. Acoustic emission spectroscopy is routinely employed for detection of the onset of interfacial failure during load-displacement testing; the acoustic emission equipment is portable and suitable for use during other mechanical tests to detect the onset of fatigue damage (matrix cracking, interfacial failure, etc.) in ceramics and composites.
Characterization: In addition, state-of-the-art analytical facilities are available for characterization of ceramic and composite microstructures, interfacial characteristics, and post-mortem failure analyses. State-of-the-art field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, a wide range of x-ray diffractometry capability, exists for use on a fee basis within the Center. A state-of-the-art scanning laser confocal microscope, with lateral resolution of 0.25 m and surface profile measurement capabilities with a resolution of 0.1 m, is available for studies of surface topography and matrix deformation in fractographic examination of composites. An x-ray Double Crystal Diffractometry and Topography System is available for microplasticity measurement, and features an image intensifying system, position sensitive detector, and automated diffractometer. In addition, and x-ray residual stress measurement system with position sensitive detector and fully automated controller is available for stress quantification at composite interfaces.