Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines

This thesis relates my investigation of an environmental barrier coating formulation, first developed for Russian RD-180 engines, which prevents ignition due to particle impact on ox-turbopump turbine. Ignition resistant environmental barrier coatings are of particular interest for reusable rocket...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kiel, Christopher M.
Other Authors: Cordero, Zachary C
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2024
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/154026
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author Kiel, Christopher M.
author2 Cordero, Zachary C
author_facet Cordero, Zachary C
Kiel, Christopher M.
author_sort Kiel, Christopher M.
collection MIT
description This thesis relates my investigation of an environmental barrier coating formulation, first developed for Russian RD-180 engines, which prevents ignition due to particle impact on ox-turbopump turbine. Ignition resistant environmental barrier coatings are of particular interest for reusable rocket systems, which have recently suffered oxygen compatibility failures. The study details the fabrication and characterization of the bulk material for use in a thermomechanical model to predict spallation during a flight cycle. From experimentation, the coating has been determined to be a three-phase metal-ceramic composite composed of nickel, cerium borate, and barium alumino-borate glass. These phases have been verified through thermodynamic modeling using FactSage. Thermal properties are similar to IN-718, while mechanical properties such as modulus and density are significantly lower. Initial studies of the crack propagation mechanisms suggest possible toughening of the composite due to the percolation of the ductile phase nickel. When compared to the theoretical stresses and energy release rates at the interface, the coating is expected to survive modern flight conditions. microstructural modification via experimental characterization and numerical analysis of delamination, could make these coatings suitable for modern reusable rocket engines.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1540262024-04-03T03:38:27Z Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines Kiel, Christopher M. Cordero, Zachary C Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering This thesis relates my investigation of an environmental barrier coating formulation, first developed for Russian RD-180 engines, which prevents ignition due to particle impact on ox-turbopump turbine. Ignition resistant environmental barrier coatings are of particular interest for reusable rocket systems, which have recently suffered oxygen compatibility failures. The study details the fabrication and characterization of the bulk material for use in a thermomechanical model to predict spallation during a flight cycle. From experimentation, the coating has been determined to be a three-phase metal-ceramic composite composed of nickel, cerium borate, and barium alumino-borate glass. These phases have been verified through thermodynamic modeling using FactSage. Thermal properties are similar to IN-718, while mechanical properties such as modulus and density are significantly lower. Initial studies of the crack propagation mechanisms suggest possible toughening of the composite due to the percolation of the ductile phase nickel. When compared to the theoretical stresses and energy release rates at the interface, the coating is expected to survive modern flight conditions. microstructural modification via experimental characterization and numerical analysis of delamination, could make these coatings suitable for modern reusable rocket engines. S.B. 2024-04-02T14:57:04Z 2024-04-02T14:57:04Z 2022-05 2024-03-29T13:29:15.349Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/154026 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright retained by author(s) https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Kiel, Christopher M.
Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title_full Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title_fullStr Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title_full_unstemmed Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title_short Structural and Thermal Properties of Ignition Resistant Coatings for Reusable Rocket Engines
title_sort structural and thermal properties of ignition resistant coatings for reusable rocket engines
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/154026
work_keys_str_mv AT kielchristopherm structuralandthermalpropertiesofignitionresistantcoatingsforreusablerocketengines