Materials Development and Characterization
The Materials Development and Characterization Group (MD&C) investigates the physical and mechanical properties of materials used in various magnet designs. The group generates engineering design data and conducts basic applied research to improve the materials for high field magnets. This capability requires unique facilities and personnel.
Resources
Facilities
In the Materials Characterization Laboratory, scientists and engineers perform a wide variety of tests using mechanical and superconductor systems (see below tables). They measure the mechanical, electrical and physical properties of materials. We perform precise measurements of electrical resistivity, thermal expansion, superconductor critical currents and mechanical properties over a wide range of temperatures. The use of the equipment and/or services of the group are available to outside researchers on a contract or per usage fee basis. The types of tests perfomed in this facility include:
- Charpy Impact Tests
- Component Tests, (Coils, Composites, Mechanisms, etc.)
- Critical Superconductor Properties, Ic, Tc, and Jc vs. Strain
- Elastic Properties, Young’s Modulus, Poisson Ratio
- Electrical Resistivity, RRR
- Fracture Toughness, Fatigue Crack Growth
- Tension, Compression, Fatigue Tests
- Thermal Expansion/Contraction Tests
Mechanical Test Systems
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System
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Specifications
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Servo-hydraulic
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ASTM and modified test procedures
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100 kN MTS
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Tension, Compression, Fatigue, Fracture Toughness, Shear, etc.
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Cryogenic Test System
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Load Cell Range to 50 N;
Temp. Range 1.8 K to 500 K
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Servo-hydraulic
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Tension, Compression, Fatigue, etc.
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(2) 250 kN MTS
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Temp. Range 80 K to 500 K
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500 kN MTS
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Temp. Range 4 K to 300 K
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2.5 MN
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Available at adjacent DOT site
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Screw-Drive Machines
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Tension, Compression, etc.
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100 kN ATS
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Temp. Range 295 K to 1100 K
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50 kN Instron
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Temp. Range 77 K to 500 K
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Charpy Impact
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Charpy
Temp. Range 77K to 300K
Tinius-Olsen 400 N-m (300 ft-lb) capacity
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Superconductor Test Systems
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System
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Specifications
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Ic vs. B
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Current = 2 kA , Field = 20 T;
Standard ITER Barrell
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Jc vs. B, and Strain
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Current = 2 kA , Field = 20 T
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wire or tape
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Straight Sample, 50 mm between Vtap;
Force = 2.5 kN, Strain = 2 %
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In addition to the Materials Characterization Laboratory, this MD&C group does microstructural characterization and sample preparation in the Microanalysis Laboratory. Among the tools housed there are several x-ray diffraction systems, a transmission electron microscope (TEM), an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) equipped with back-scatter Kikuchi diffractometer (BKD) and an energy dispersive x-ray analysis system (EDS), a metallographic preparation laboratory, and heat treating and alloy preparation furnaces.
For more information on materials characterization, please contact Dr. Ke Han at han@magnet.fsu.edu or (850) 644-6746. For information on scheduling and charges for facilities, please contact Bob Walsh at walsh@magnet.fsu.edu or (850) 644-5088.
