SUMMARY GTD-111 DS is a directionally solidified superalloy currently used in turbine engines. To accurately predict the life of engine components it is essential to examine and characterize the microstructural evolution of the material and its effects on material properties. The as-cast microstructure of GTD-111 is highly inhomogeneous as a result of coring. The current post-casting heat treatments do not effectively eliminate the inhomogeneity. This inhomogeneity affects properties including tensile strength, fracture toughness, fracture path, and corrosion behavior, primarily in terms of the number of grains per specimen. The goal of this work was to link microstructural features to these properties. Quantitative fractography was used to determine that the path of cracks during failure of tensile specimens is influenced by the presence of carbides, which are located in the interdendritic regions of the material as dictated by segregation. The solvus temperature of the precipitate phase, Ni3(Al, Ti), was determined to be 1200C using traditional metallography, differential thermal analysis, and dilatometry. A heat-treatment was designed to homogenize the microstructure for tensile testing that isolates the carbide by dissolving all of the eutectic Ni3(Al, Ti) precipitate phase, which is also found in the interdendritic areas. High temperature oxidation/sulfidation tests were conducted to investigate the corrosion processes involved when GTD-111 DS is utilized in steam and gas combustion turbine engines. The kinetics of corrosion in both oxidizing and sulfidizing atmospheres were determined using thermogravimetric analysis. Additionally, metallography of these samples after TGA revealed a correlation between the presence of grain boundaries and sulfur attack, which led to catastrophic failure of the material under stress-free conditions in a sulfur bearing environment. In summary, this work correlates the inhomogeneous microstructure of GTD-111 DS to tensile fracture, and the corrosion process in turbine engines.

Perchlorate is a threat to public health through water but also food. However, there is no effective chemical treatment process which can destroy perchlorate found in groundwater and surface water. Thus, there is growing interest in developing effective technologies, especially chemical treatments, to completely destroy trace levels of perchlorate present in drinking and groundwater. The research on perchlorate reduction by zero-valent titanium (Ti(0)) showed that perchlorate was effectively reduced to chloride using electrochemically developed pitting corrosion on Ti(0). Perchlorate reduction was believed to be caused by an active reductant (dissolved Ti(II)) during the pitting corrosion of Ti(0). The rate of perchlorate reduction was independent on the imposed potential as long as the potential was maintained above the pitting potential of Ti(0), but it was proportional to the applied current. The perchlorate reduction on the pitting developed Ti(0) was inhibited by the presence of chloride and bromide. Inhibition mechanism of perchlorate reduction inhibition was believed to be caused either by competitive adsorption of aggressive anions on bare Ti(0) surface or Ti(II) consumption by electrochemically produced chlorine. Kinetic models were developed based surface coverage of aggressive anions on bare Ti(0) and Ti(II) oxidation by chlorine. These kinetic models supported the perchlorate concentration change in the solution, but Ti(II) consumption model was not able to predict chloride concentration due to insufficient information describing complex nature of pitting on Ti(0). These results shown in this research demonstrate that pitting corrosion developed Ti(0) has the capability to chemically reduce perchlorate present in natural water and engineered systems as well as possible problems associated with electric input. This research may be a starting point for development of a new treatment process that applies titanium or titanium metal ions as a chemical reductant to abate contaminants present in natural and engineering systems. Further developments can be achieved by alloying titanium metal with other metals such as iron and aluminum, and finding a methodology producing stable Ti(II) in ambient conditions.

The use of stainless steel alloys in reinforced concrete structures has shown great success in mitigating corrosion in even the most severe of exposures. However, the use of high-strength stainless steels (HSSSs) for corrosion mitigation in prestressed concrete (PSC) structures has received limited attention. To address these deficiencies in knowledge, an experimental study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of using HSSSs for corrosion mitigation in PSC. The study examined mechanical behavior, corrosion resistance, and techniques for the production of HSSS prestressing strands. Stainless steel grades 304, 316, 2101, 2205, 2304, and 17-7 along with a 1080 prestressing steel control were included in the study. Tensile strengths of 1250 to 1550 MPa (181 to 225 ksi) were achieved in the cold-drawn HSSSs. 1000 hr stress relaxation of all candidate HSSSs was predicted to be between 6 and 8 % based on the results of 200 hr tests conducted at 70 % of the ultimate tensile strength. Residual stresses due to the cold drawing had a significant influence on stress vs. strain behavior and stress relaxation. Electrochemical corrosion testing found that in solutions simulating alkaline concrete, all HSSSs showed exceptional corrosion resistance at chloride (Cl-) concentrations from zero to 0.25 M. However, when exposed to solutions simulating carbonated concrete, corrosion resistance was reduced and the only HSSSs with acceptable corrosion resistance were duplex grades 2205 and 2304, with 2205 resistant to corrosion initiation at Cl- concentrations up to 1.0 M (twice that in seawater). Based on these results, duplex grades 2205 and 2304 were identified as optimal HSSSs and were included in additional studies which found that: (1) 2304 is susceptible to corrosion when tested in a stranded geometry, (2) 2205 and 2304 are not susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, and (3) 2205 and 2304 are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement. Efforts focused on the production of 2205 and 2304 prestressing strands showed that they could be produced as strands using existing ASTM A416 prestressing strand production facilities. Due to the ferromagnetic properties of 2205 and 2304, a low-relaxation heat treatment was found to be a viable option to reduce stress relaxation and improve mechanical properties. The overall conclusion of the study was that HSSSs, especially duplex grades 2205 and 2304, show excellent promise to mitigate corrosion if utilized as prestressing reinforcement in PSC structures exposed to severe marine environments.

Thèse doctorat : Génie des Matériaux : Villeurbanne, INSA : 2005. Thèse doctorat : Génie des Matériaux : Université de Pitesti (Roumanie) : 2005. / Thèse soutenue en co-tutelle. Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. , 6 p.

Thèse de doctorat : Chimie : Evry-Val d'Essonne : 2008. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre.

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