January_AMP_Digital

6 A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0 RESEARCH FACILITY FEATURES NEW BEAMLINES The Cornell High Energy Syn- chrotron Source (CHESS) is introduc- ing a new materials research subfacil- ity based on $7.1 million in funding from the Air Force Research Lab. The new subfacility will provide dedicated access to two new x-ray beamlines at CHESS for Air Force and other Depart- ment of Defense materials researchers, as well as original equipment manufac- turers. High-intensity, high-energy x-ray beams available at the newly upgrad- ed CHESS facility will enable break- throughs in materials and designs for military components. Through this re- search, CHESS aims to improve the per- formance and safety of new and exis- ting materials while also lowering costs. One of the new x-ray beamlines will look at structural materials, and the other, functional materials. With the structural materials beamline, re- searchers will use high-energy x-rays to understand the evolving internal structure of metals, polymers, ceram- ics, and composites during service and processing conditions. The beamline will allow researchers to observe ma- terials in real time and at length scales ranging from atomic bonds to structur- al components such as turbine blades or weld joints. Traditional design test- ing considersmate- rial behavior at the macro or compo- nent scale, rather than at the atomic scale. Using emerg- ing x-ray techni- ques developed at CHESS and around the world, it is now possible to mea- sure and simulate how each individu- al atomic crystal in a sample evolves over time—for example, during stress experienced by a titanium compres- sor blade in a jet engine. Eventually, a fatigue crack will begin at the atom- ic scale. In addition to helping predict when this crack will occur, researchers can use x-rays to watch and understand the crack’s evolution and growth. In contrast, the functional mate- rials beamline is designed for analysis of soft materials, such as organic mole- cule and polymer-based materials and composites used in lightweight struc- tural components and organic elec- tronics, among other applications. This beamline will permit studies of mater- ials used in 3D printing and other addi- tive manufacturing techniques. Such studies will help researchers under- stand the complex links between pro- cess conditions, structure, and func- tion. The x-ray data from the subfac- ility will play a fundamental role in designing mili- tary aircraft com- ponents from the single crystal scale upward and pro- ducing compo- nents using 3D printing. cornell. edu. Graduate student Mark Obstalecki prepares a sample at CHESS. Courtesy of Cornell. RESEARCH TRACKS PARTNERSHIP EXPLORES ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR VEHICLES The DOE’s Oak Ridge National Lab- oratory (ORNL) and The University of Toledo signed a memorandum of un- derstanding for collaborative research into the advanced design and manufac- turing of high-strength, lightweight ma- terials for use in the automotive sector. The partnership brings together ORNL’s expertise in manufacturing, carbon fiber and composites, machining, energy stor- age, and metrology with the university’s knowledge regarding manufacturing system modeling, metals engineering, and assembly systems. The collabora- tion also plans to engage with the auto- motive industry in Ohio and Michigan. Some of the research areas to be pursued include monitoring and con- trol systems for metal forming process- es; optimizing joining techniques for high-strength materials such as steel, aluminum, and composites; and ex- ploring the combination of new mate- rials such as shape memory alloys with additive manufacturing to create strong and resilient structures for vehicle ap- plications. The research is expected to engage the capabilities of the Manufac- turing Demonstration Facility at ORNL as well as the lab’s Carbon Fiber Tech- nology Facility. ornl.gov, utoledo.edu . Representatives from The University of Toledo and ORNL are team- ing up to conduct automotive materials research.