In-situ mechanical testing of high temperature materials for gas turbine engines

In this project, the student will work closely with our industrial partner, CN-Tech Ltd with the aim to deliver high quality research on high-temperature microscopic failure and fracture mechanisms of hot-section materials via in situ observation and measurement. Impact is targeted at the aerospace industry and CN-Tech will adopt outputs to improve its products and maintain and grow competitiveness and market share in materials analysis and testing. An in-situ mechanical testing method for high-temperature time-resolved surface observations inside the scanning electron microscope will be carried out. It will be used to improve the mechanistic understanding of high temperature materials that are used in the hottest section of gas turbine engines, including Nickel-based superalloys turbine blades, Thermal Barrier Coatings, Environmental Barrier Coatings, and ceramic matrix composites, etc. In-situ observations will provide an objective assessment of the possible modes of failure and damage which are operating at different temperatures over 1000 °C. In addition, the experimental set-up will be optimised and compared to a finite element model of the testing arrangement to assess the accuracy and limitations of the experimental methodology.