NSUF 25-5231: Effect of irradiation on 3D printed magnetostrictive materials
Magnetostrictive materials deform in response to a magnetic field and exhibit magnetization variation when stressed. Iron-gallium alloys (Galfenol) and terbium-iron-dysprosium alloys (Terfenol-D) are of particular interest due to their significant magnetostrictive responses, radiation tolerance, and high-temperature survivability. Researchers have used these magnetostrictive alloys to prototype acoustic sensors and contactless force sensors for in-pile harsh environments. Despite their great potential, difficulties in sensor integration, which currently relies on adhesives or mechanical clamps, impede their wide deployment. Sponsored by the DOE Advanced Sensors & Instrumentation (ASI) program and Idaho National Laboratory (INL), our team has successfully used the material extrusion (MEX) technique to directly print Galfenol and Terfenol-D films on host structures. Although this additive manufacturing approach has resolved the sensor integration challenges, the impact of radiation on the properties of the printed magnetostrictive materials has yet to be determined.
The goal of this project is to pioneer a fundamental understanding of how short-term radiation affects the microstructural, magnetic, and magnetomechanical properties of printed magnetostrictive materials. Following our previous success in MEX, we will print single-layer Galfenol and Terfenol-D films with an estimated thickness of 100 microns on 0.25×2×0.025’’ zicaloy-4 substrates and sinter them in a tube furnace under a reducing atmosphere. The sample preparation efforts will be supported by an ongoing Consolidated Innovative Nuclear Research (CINR) project.
Scope of Work for this Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE): The timeframe for the RTE project is 63 hours of irradiation at the Ohio State University Nuclear Reactor Laboratory (OSU-NRL) and 98 hours of post-irradiation experiments (PIE) at the Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS). We will first use the dry tube facilities at OSU-NRL to estimate the fluence and irradiation time to ensure post-irradiation samples are safe for shipping and handling. We anticipate the radiation activation on these samples will be negligible. Six of each printed sample (12 in total) will be sent to OSU-NRL to be irradiated for various amounts of time (3 days and 6 days, 7 hours/day) in a dry tube. Irradiation will be conducted at room temperature, eliminating the need to differentiate effects from high temperatures versus radiation. PIE efforts at MaCS include scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). We will use the same characterization techniques to characterize pre-irradiation samples (2 in total). We will identify potential damage and microstructure changes of printed magnetostrictive thin films induced by irradiation.
Additional characterization for pre- and post-irradiation samples (14 in total) will be carried out at Boise State, which is supported by our ongoing CINR project. We will use a vibrating sample magnetometer to characterize the material magnetization and use strain gauges to quantify the magnetostrictive response. By prototyping a magnetostrictive transducer and measuring its frequency-dependent electrical impedance, we will also evaluate the magneto-mechanical energy coupling intensity of the printed samples. We anticipate that the printed Galfenol and Terfenol-D will maintain their microstructural, magnetic, and magnetostrictive properties after irradiation. Results of this experiment will be distributed through conference presentations and publications.
Informações Adicionais
| Campo | Valor |
|---|---|
| Award Announced Date | 2025-08-06T10:07:11.17 |
| Awarded Institution | Boise State University |
| Facility Tech Lead | Mukesh Bachhav, Raymond Cao |
| Irradiation Facility | Ohio State University Research Reactor |
| PI | Zhangxian Deng |
| PI Email | [email protected] |
| Project Type | RTE |
| RTE Number | None |