The Design and Testing of a High-Temperature Graphite Dilatometer

Abstract

A dilatometer for investigating the high-temperature behavior of carbonaceous materials has been constructed within a graphite tube furnace in the Composites Section of the Mechanics and Materials Technology Center of The Aerospace Corporation. The dilatometer is a single-pushrod type with a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) dilation measurement system and employs computer data acquisition and analysis. It can measure thermally induced strain of a sample from room temperature to over 3000 deg C, a temperature that has been difficult to reach with currently available laboratory apparatus. The estimated uncertainty of the dilation measurement system is about +/- 5 um over the entire temperature range. All components in the hot zone, including the sample holder and pushrod, are made of polycrystalline graphite. A three-point- bend fixture can be placed in the apparatus to measure the rheological properties of a pyrolyzing carbon precursor or the high-temperature creep properties of a carbon under conditions of constant flexural stress.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 24, 1992
Accession Number
ADA262185

Entities

People

  • George W. Henderson
  • Patrick M. Sheaffer

Organizations

  • The Aerospace Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Carbon Carbon Composites
  • Composite Materials
  • Computers
  • Data Acquisition
  • Data Analysis
  • Graphitic Materials
  • High Temperature
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanics
  • Space Systems

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster