• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2016

Nuclear fuel cladding used in a nuclear power plant must possess superior oxidation resistance in the coolant atmosphere of high temperature/high pressure. However, as was the case for the critical LOCA (loss-of-coolant accident) accident that took place in the Fukushima disaster, there is a risk of hydrogen explosion when the nuclear fuel cladding and steam reacts dramatically to cause a rapid high-temperature oxidation accompanied by generation of a huge amount of hydrogen. Hence, an active search is ongoing for an alternative material to be used for manufacturing of nuclear fuel cladding. Studies are currently aimed at improving the safety of this cladding. In particular, ceramic-based nuclear fuel cladding, such as SiC, is receiving much attention due to the excellent radiation resistance, high strength, chemical durability against oxidation and corrosion, and excellent thermal conduction of ceramics. In the present study, cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ protective films was fabricated using a process that forms a matrix phase by polymer impregnation of polycarbosilane (PCS) after filament-winding the SiC fiber onto an existing Zry-4 cladding tube. It is analyzed the oxidation and microstructure of the metal cladding with $SiC_f/SiC$ composite protective films using a drop tube furnace for thermal shock test.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.136-141
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• 2008

In this study, the magnetic(static and high-frequency) and microwave absorbing properties have been investigated in Ru-Co substituted M-hexaferrites($BaFe_{12-2x}Ru_xCo_xO_{19}$). The powders and sintered specimens were prepared by conventional ceramic processing technique. With the calcined powders, the composite specimens were prepared using the silicone rubber as a matrix material. The substitution ratio of Ru-Co to obtain in-plane magnetic anisotropy, thus having the minimum coercivity, is much smaller (about x=0.3) than the previously reported Ti-Co substituted specimen. Owing to this low substitution, the specimen has a large value of saturation magnetization($M_s$=65 emu/g). Ferromagnetic resonance behavior and microwave absorbing frequency band is strongly influnced by the coercvity which can be controlled by Ru-Co substitution ratio. It is found that the M-hexaferrites with planar magnetic anisotropy by doping Ru-Co in both sintered and composite form have superior microwave absorbing properties in GHz frequency range.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2021

In this paper, a multi-scale finite element (FE) modeling methodology for three-dimensional (3D) needle-punched (NP) C/SiC with a complex microstructure is presented. The variations of the material properties induced by the needle-punching process and complex geometrical features could pose challenges when estimating the material behavior. For considering these features of composites, a 3D microscopic FE approach is introduced based on micro-CT technology to produce a 3D high fidelity FE model. The image processing techniques of micro-CT are utilized to generate discrete-gray images and reconstruct the high fidelity model. Furthermore, a subcell modeling technique is developed for the 3D NP C/SiC based on the high fidelity FE model to expand to the macro-scale structural problem. A numerical homogenization approach under periodic boundary conditions (PBCs) is employed to estimate the equivalent behavior of the high fidelity model and effective properties of subcell components, considering geometry continuity effects. For verification, proposed models compare excellently with experimental results for the mechanical behavior of tensile, shear, and bending under static loading conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.3250-3259
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• 2022

A new approach to the use of rice straw as a difficult-to-recycle agricultural waste was proposed. Potassium aluminosilicate was obtained by spark plasma sintering as an effective material for subsequent immobilization of ¹³⁷Cs into a solid-state matrix. The sorption properties of potassium aluminosilicate to ¹³⁷Cs from aqueous solutions were studied. The effect of the synthesis temperature on the phase composition, microstructure, and rate of cesium leaching from samples obtained at 800-1000 ℃ and a pressure of 25 MPa was investigated. It was shown that the positive dynamics of compaction was characteristic of glass ceramics throughout the sintering. Glass ceramics RS-(K,Cs)AlSi₃O₈ obtained by the SPS method at 1000 ℃ for 5 min was characterized by a high density of ~2.62 g/cm³, Vickers hardness ~ 2.1 GPa, compressive strength ~231.3 MPa and the rate of cesium ions leaching of ~1.37 × 10^-7 g cm^-2·day^-1. The proposed approach makes it possible to safe dispose of rice straw and reduce emissions into the atmosphere of microdisperse amorphous silica, which is formed during its combustion and causes respiratory diseases, including cancer. In addition, the obtained is perspective to solve the problem of recycling long-lived ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides formed during the operation of nuclear power plants into solid-state matrices.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 1997

ZrO2 phase transformations depending on the type and amount of dopants and the sintering temperatures were studied for the 2 components (CaO-, Y2O3-, MgO-ZrO2) and the 3 components(MgO-ZrO2-Al2O3)ZrO2 powder by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. In the CaO- and Y2O3-ZrO2 systems, as the CaO and Y2O3 contents increased to 6~15mol% and 3~15mol% respectively, we were not able to identify between tetragonal and cubic in the X-ray diffraction patterns. On the other hand, all Raman modes shifted to lower wavenumbers, decreasing in intensity and the number of bands, markedly. These phenomena were caused by tetragonallongrightarrowcubic phase transformation and interpreted by the breakdown of the wave vector selection rule(k=0) and the structural disorder associated with the formation of oxygen sublattice which was caused by the substitution between Zr4+ ion and Ca2+ or Y3+ ion in ZrO2 matrix. The monoclinic to cubic phase transformation occurred in 10mol% MgO-ZrO2 system. As the Al2O3 content increased from 0 to 20mol% in the MgO-ZrO2-Al2O3 systems, cubic phase transformed to monoclinic phase, this is because the MgO didn't play a role in a stabilizer because of the formation of the spinel(MgAl2O4) by the reaction between MgO and Al2O3, Also, the ZrO2 phase transformation was explained by the change of it's lattice parameters depending on the type and amount of dopants. Namely, as the amount of dopant increased to 10~13mol%, the axial ra-tio c/a came close to unity with increasing the lattice parameter a and decreasing the lattice parameter c. At that time, the tetragonallongrightarrowcubic phase transformation occurred.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.342-351
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• 2010

The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites were fabricated by combining 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 vol. % of zirconium diboride ($ZrB_2$) powders with silicon carbide (SiC) matrix. The SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites and the sintered compacts were produced through spark plasma sintering (SPS) under argon atmosphere, and its physical, electrical, and mechanical properties were examined. Also, the thermal image analysis of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites was examined. Reactions between $\beta$-SiC and $ZrB_2$ were not observed via x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The apparent porosity of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were 7.2546, 0.8920, 0.6038, 1.0981, and 10.0108%, respectively. The XRD phase analysis of the sintered compacts demonstrated a high phase of SiC and $ZrB_2$. Among the $SiC+ZrB_2$ composites, the SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the lowest flexural strength, 290.54MPa, the other composites had more than 980MPa flexural strength except the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite; the SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ composite had the highest flexural strength, 1011.34MPa, at room temperature. The electrical properties of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had positive temperature coefficient resistance (PTCR). The V-I characteristics of the SiC-$ZrB_2$ composites had a linear shape in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$. The electrical resistivities of the SiC+30vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+50vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites were $4.573\times10^{-3}$, $1.554\times10^{-3}$, $9.365\times10^{-4}$, $6.999\times10^{-4}$, and $6.069\times10^{-4}\Omega{\cdot}cm$, respectively, at room temperature, and their resistance temperature coefficients were $1.896\times10^{-3}$, $3.064\times10^{-3}$, $3.169\times10^{-3}$, $3.097\times10^{-3}$, and $3.418\times10^{-3}/^{\circ}C$ in the temperature range from room to $500^{\circ}C$, respectively. Therefore, it is considered that among the sintered compacts the SiC+35vol.%$ZrB_2$, SiC+40vol.%$ZrB_2$ and SiC+45vol.%$ZrB_2$ composites containing the most outstanding mechanical properties as well as PTCR and V-I characteristics can be used as an energy friendly ceramic heater or ohmic-contact electrode material through SPS.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.9-10
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• 2000

An important business-field of world-wide steel-industry is the coating of thin metal-sheets with zinc, zinc-aluminum and aluminum based materials. These products mostly go into automotive industry. in particular for the car-body. into building and construction industry as well as household appliances. Due to mass-production, the processing is done in large continuously operating plants where the mostly cold-rolled metal-strip as the substrate is handled in coils up to 40 tons unwind before and rolled up again after passing the processing plant which includes cleaning, annealing, hot-dip galvanizing / aluminizing and chemical treatment. In the liquid Zn, Zn-AI, AI-Zn and AI-Si bathes a combined action of corrosion and wear under high temperature and high stress onto the transfer components (rolls) accounts for major economic losses. Most critical here are the bearing systems of these rolls operating in the liquid system. Rolls in liquid system can not be avoided as they are needed to transfer the steel-strip into and out of the crucible. Since several years, ceramic roller bearings are tested here [1.2], however, in particular due to uncontrollable Slag-impurities within the hot bath [3], slide bearings are still expected to be of a higher potential [4]. The today's state of the art is the application of slide bearings based on Stellite\ulcorneragainst Stellite which is in general a 50-60 wt% Co-matrix with incorporated Cr- and W-carbides and other composites. Indeed Stellite is used as the bearing-material as of it's chemical properties (does not go into solution), the physical properties in particular with poor lubricating properties are not satisfying at all. To increase the Sliding behavior in the bearing system, about 0.15-0.2 wt% of lead has been added into the hot-bath in the past. Due to environmental regulations. this had to be reduced dramatically_ This together with the heavily increasing production rates expressed by increased velocity of the substrate-steel-band up to 200 m/min and increased tractate power up to 10 tons in modern plants. leads to life times of the bearings of a few up to several days only. To improve this situation. the Mechanical Alloying (MA) TeChnique [5.6.7.8] is used to prOduce advanced Stellite-based bearing materials. A lubricating phase is introduced into Stellite-powder-material by MA, the composite-powder-particles are coated by High Energy Milling (HEM) in order to produce bearing-bushes of approximately 12 kg by Sintering, Liquid Phase Sintering (LPS) and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP). The chemical and physical behavior of samples as well as the bearing systems in the hot galvanizing / aluminizing plant are discussed. DependenCies like lubricant material and composite, LPS-binder and composite, particle shape and PM-route with respect to achievable density. (temperature--) shock-reSistibility and corrosive-wear behavior will be described. The materials are characterized by particle size analysis (laser diffraction), scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. corrosive-wear behavior is determined using a special cylinder-in-bush apparatus (CIBA) as well as field-test in real production condition. Part I of this work describes the initial testing phase where different sample materials are produced, characterized, consolidated and tested in the CIBA under a common AI-Zn-system. The results are discussed and the material-system for the large components to be produced for the field test in real production condition is decided. Outlook: Part II of this work will describe the field test in a hot-dip-galvanizing/aluminizing plant of the mechanically alloyed bearing bushes under aluminum-rich liquid metal. Alter testing, the bushes will be characterized and obtained results with respect to wear. expected lifetime, surface roughness and infiltration will be discussed. Part III of this project will describe a second initial testing phase where the won results of part 1+11 will be transferred to the AI-Si system. Part IV of this project will describe the field test in a hot-dip-aluminizing plant of the mechanically alloyed bearing bushes under aluminum liquid metal. After testing. the bushes will be characterized and obtained results with respect to wear. expected lifetime, surface roughness and infiltration will be discussed.