NEW TECHNOLOGY IN THE USE OF HIGH TEMPERATURE COATINGS AS A REFERENCE FOR ULTRA HIGH TEMPERATURE STRAIN MEASURMENTS

CURRENT METHODS USED TO MEASURE STRAIN AT HIGH TEMPERATURES DEPEND ON UNDESIRABLE ATTACHMENTS, EXTENSIONS, OR INDENTATIONS OF THE TEST SAMPLES. THIS STUDY WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY TO APPLY HIGH TEMPERATURE COATING MARKS TO TEST SAMPLES. THESE APPLIED MARKS WILL ACT AS A REFERENCE OR GAUGE FOR OPTICAL STRAIN MEASUREMENT. MATERIALS INCLUDING REFRACTORY METALS AND CERAMICS WILL BE APPLIED BY SPUTTERING OR VAPOR DEPOSITION AND WILL THEN BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE THEIR SUITABILITY FOR THIS APPLICATION. THE APPLIED COATINGS WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THEIR QUALITY (GOOD EDGES, ETC.), THEIR RESISTANCE TO EROSION AT HIGH TEMPERATURE, AND THEIR UPPER TEMPERATURE LIMITS. THE BEST COATINGS WILL BE TESTED FOR A DISCERNABLE DIFFERENCE IN EMISSIVITY AND/OR REFLECTIVITY, AS COMPARED TO HIGH TEMPERATURE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS. FINALLY, A SYSTEM DESIGN WILL BE COMPLETED THAT MAKES USE OF THE INFORMATION GAINED IN THIS STUDY. THIS SYSTEM WILL INCLUDE DESIGNS FOR THE EQUIPMENT FOR COATING (MARKING) THE TEST STRUCTURE, THE OPTICAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRECISE HIGH TEMPERATURE STRAIN MEASUREMENT, AND THE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE NECESSARY TO INTERPRET THE SIGNALS FROM DIGITAL OPTICAL EQUIPMENT. THIS SYSTEM WILL THEN BE READY FOR CONSTRUCTION AND ACTUAL LABORATORY TESTING IN PHASE II.