About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Ceramics and Ceramic-Based Composites for Nuclear Applications III
|
| Presentation Title |
Build anisotropy in binder jet printed ZrC and its implications |
| Author(s) |
J. Matthew Kurley, M. Dylan Richardson, Rebekah Petrosky, Dianne Ezell Bull, Tyler Gerczak |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
J. Matthew Kurley |
| Abstract Scope |
Binder jet printing offers a way to produce high temperature ceramic parts with previously inaccessible geometries. Printed zirconium carbide (ZrC) is of interest for nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) applications because it offers exceptional resistance to hydrogen at temperatures exceeding 2500°C. Understanding how fabrication affects overarching properties at reactor conditions is crucial to produce parts that meet the requirements for deployment. To study the effect of anisotropy on bulk properties, cylinders were printed, heat treated, and machined in three directions: along the build direction, within the build plane, and at 45° to both. Density and thermal diffusivity were measured to observe how the measurement direction affects the bulk thermal conductivity. It was determined that density is not significantly affected by anisotropy while thermal diffusivity is changed by roughly a factor of two. Ultimately, utilizing binder jet printing’s inherent anisotropy and ability to produce specialized geometries will propel NTP to new heights. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Ceramics, High-Temperature Materials |