About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Mechanics at the Extremes: Bridging Length-Scales From Nanoscale to Bulk
|
| Presentation Title |
Thermo-Mechanical behavior of TaC and TaN: Insights for High-Temperature Structural Materials |
| Author(s) |
Catherine Ott, John Reidy, Gianna Valentino, Ian McCue |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Catherine Ott |
| Abstract Scope |
Tantalum carbide (TaC) and tantalum nitride (TaN) are ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) of interest for hypersonic vehicle applications due to their high melting points, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance. However, their inherent brittleness and porosity pose challenges for traditional mechanical testing. This work explores hot isostatic pressing to densify TaC and TaN, if needed, for reliable high-temperature mechanical characterization. A customized Gleeble thermal-mechanical simulator enables direct resistive heating and employs a novel method to extract thermal expansion and elastic modulus under constrained boundary conditions. Preliminary results show crack formation under rapid heating, along with evidence of crack bridging and potential healing phenomena. These behaviors suggest a complex local response to thermal shock, which is examined via electron microscopy. These resulting temperature-dependent properties, obtained through novel high-temperature testing, are critical for accurately modeling and designing UHTC components for extreme environments such as hypersonic flight. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Ceramics, High-Temperature Materials, Mechanical Properties |