Non-contact measurements of creep properties of niobium at 1985 degrees C

摘要

The stress exponent in the power-law creep of niobium at 1985 degrees C was measured by a non-contact technique using an electrostatic levitation facility at NASA MSFC. This method employs a distribution of stress to allow the stress exponent to be determined from each test, rather than from the curve fit through measurements from multiple samples that is required by conventional methods. The sample is deformed by the centripetal acceleration from the rapid rotation, and the deformed shapes are analyzed to determine the strain. Based on a mathematical proof, which revealed that the stress exponent was determined uniquely by the ratio of the polar to equatorial strains, a series of finite-element analyses with the models of different stress exponents were also performed to determine the stress exponent corresponding to the measured strain ratio. The stress exponent from the ESL experiment showed a good agreement with those from the literature and the conventional creep test.