Additive repair, Modification, and manufacturing of structural alloys
The largest theme of research in our laboratory in on materials deposition techniques for additive repair, modification, and manufacturing.
Adding materials to substrates has incredible potential for manufacturing, but this potential is just as large for repairing metallic structures. Both vehicles, aircraft, ships, automobiles, and fixed structures, e.g. chemical and nuclear reactor components and bridges, can experience damage due to material loss from a combination of corrosion, erosion, and wear. Additive techniques can be used to "add" material back to an existing structure as a means of repair. In particular, we emphasis solid state structural repair (SSSR) as fusion-based additive techniques can negatively impact the microstructure and properties of the underlying structure due to excessive heat input.
We are using two main approaches to SSSR: cold spray deposition and the MELD approach to additive friction stir deposition.
In the cold spray approach to SSSR, we use a supersonic gas jet to accelerate small metal particles (10-40 microns in diameter) to supersonic velocities. When these particles impact a substrate, they permanently bond to the material, and can thus be used to build up the structure. We are applying this technique to high strength aluminum alloys (e.g. AA7075 and AA2024) for aircraft structural repairs, to high strength steels (e.g. HY-80 and 4340) for ship repair, and to austenitic stainless steels for nuclear waste storage cask repair.
Adding materials to substrates has incredible potential for manufacturing, but this potential is just as large for repairing metallic structures. Both vehicles, aircraft, ships, automobiles, and fixed structures, e.g. chemical and nuclear reactor components and bridges, can experience damage due to material loss from a combination of corrosion, erosion, and wear. Additive techniques can be used to "add" material back to an existing structure as a means of repair. In particular, we emphasis solid state structural repair (SSSR) as fusion-based additive techniques can negatively impact the microstructure and properties of the underlying structure due to excessive heat input.
We are using two main approaches to SSSR: cold spray deposition and the MELD approach to additive friction stir deposition.
In the cold spray approach to SSSR, we use a supersonic gas jet to accelerate small metal particles (10-40 microns in diameter) to supersonic velocities. When these particles impact a substrate, they permanently bond to the material, and can thus be used to build up the structure. We are applying this technique to high strength aluminum alloys (e.g. AA7075 and AA2024) for aircraft structural repairs, to high strength steels (e.g. HY-80 and 4340) for ship repair, and to austenitic stainless steels for nuclear waste storage cask repair.
