In-situTensileandCreepTesting.docVIP

In-situ Tensile and Creep Testing For the in-situ tensile and in-situ tensile-creep experiments, flat dog-bone-shaped samples, with gage section dimensions of 3 mm wide by 2.5 mm thick by 10 mm long, were EDM cut. A slight reduction in width of 0.6 mm at the middle of the sample gage section was introduced in selected samples to ensure that failure occurred at this location. The specimens were glued to a metallic platen and polished using an automatic polishing machine (See Figure 3.6). These tests were performed using a screw-driven tensile stage built by Ernest F. Fullam, Incorporated (Lantham, NY), placed inside the chamber of the CamScan 44FE SEM (see Figure 3.7). The load-displacement-time relationship was obtained live during the experiments using MTESTW version F 8.8e data acquisition and control software (Admet, Inc., Norwood, MA) that allowed for either load-control or displacement-control testing. The displacement data acquired during the experiments comprised that of the sample as well as the gripping fixtures, and the displacement values reported in this study do not represent the sole displacement of the sample. Since the pressure within the SEM chamber never exceeded 10-6 torr, oxidation did not affect the in-situ BSE imaging characterization. In fact, no evidence of oxidation was observed even after 162 hours of creep testing at 650°C. Digital images of post creep tested samples are shown in Figure 3.8 (a). Figure 3.8 (a) clearly shows that all the deformation that occurred during the creep experiments occurred within the section of the sample’s gage length located directly above the tungsten-based heating element and that the integrity of the sample’s surface was maintained throughout the duration of the experiment. The in-situ stage allows for tensile or tensile-creep testing at temperatures ranging from RT to 1000°C and loads up to 4.4 kN (1000 lbs). A 1000 lb load cell was attached to the end of the displacement assembly to monitor lo