Christopher DeSalle, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Electron beam technology has played a critical role in thin film coating deposition, high heat flux testing, micromachining, welding, and additive manufacturing due to tailorable beam energy densities, control frequency, and spot size. Electron beam physical vapor deposition has demonstrated superior microstructural control of various coating chemistries to improve the thermal conductivity, erosion, and CMAS degradation of yttria stabilized zirconia, gadolinium alumina perovskite, and gadolinium zirconate based thermal barrier coatings for next-generation nickel-based superalloy turbine blades. Electron beam directed energy deposition has introduced the capability to additively manufacture bulk components with complex design architectures, controlled solidification, fine feature resolution, and multi-materials from a powder feedstock. The short pulse duration, spot size, and energy resolution enables electron beam systems to also be employed during materials fabrication including but not limited to micromachining and welding. Electron beams and control instrumentation have been optimized to create metasurfaces, perform pyrolosis, generate high-tolerance micro-cavities, and weld liquid or vapor chambers for a variety of applications including microelectronics and other components for extreme environment operation. In addition to materials synthesis and fabrication, the Penn State Applied Research Lab Heat Flux Facility (HHFF) can perform heat flux testing and thermal analysis to advance the engineering science of thermal management systems including hypersonics, plasma facing components, accelerator targets, high power electronics, high temperature heat exchangers space applications and validate computational tools used for design and performance predictions. The versatility of electron beam technology for materials synthesis, fabrication, and extreme environment testing has enhanced the thermomechanical and thermochemicial properties of materials and components across many industries in addition to further correlating structure-process-property-performance relationships.