Creep

MECH2300 Materials Lecture 3

Creep
at room temperature, most metals and ceramics : = f() independent of time and Temperature - low temperature behaviour

R. W. Truss Materials Engineering Email: R.Truss@uq.edu.au

Good Ref: M. F. Ashby & D.R.H. Jones, Engineering Materials I - An Introduction to their properties and applications, Pergamon Press 1980, Chapters 17-20

creep
numerous applications occur at high temperature for which : = f (, t , T)

Definition: Creep
slow continuous deformation of a material with time under stress

Examples of high temperature:

examples of high temperature

tungsten - filament of a light bulb

light bulb runs at ~ 2000 C Tm (tungsten) = 3407 C

examples of high temperature

polypropylene Tm (polypropylene) = 160 C boiling water is a high temperature for PP

examples of high temperature

ice - glaciers Tm (water) = 0 C temperature of glacier is a high temperature for ice ice creeps!

High temperature
Crystalline materials creep for: T > 0.3 - 0.4 Tm (K) for metals T > 0.4 - 0.5 Tm (K) for ceramics for amorphous materials (polymers and glasses), reference point not Tm but Tg

Creep test
sample under constant load, constant T Elastic response Primary creep Secondary or Steady State Creep Tertiary Creep

varying , constant T
if d/dt is plotted against on log/log plot d/dt = B n low stress, n = 1 high stress, n = 3-8

effect of temperature
activated rate process d/dt = C e -Q/RT combining d/dt = An e -Q/RT

Example: Integrated assignment

Steel RSJ Skid Mounting Plate

Steel RSJ Skid Mounting Plate

Will fan impellor fail by creep?

Creep of fan impellor

Fan spinning at high speed 2900 rpm Centrifugal force gives tensile stress on impellor blades Fan runs in gas temperatures 150-750C Fan impellor is made of mild steel sheet Tm ~ 1520 C So T may be > 0.3-0.4 Tm Creep possible OUTCOME?

Steel RSJ Skid Mounting Plate

Steel RSJ Skid Mounting Plate

Creep Mechanisms
(crystalline materials) Dislocation creep - Power Law creep d/dt = B n

Recall (first year)

plastic deformation due to dislocations stress for dislocation motion a) intrinsic lattice resistance b) obstacles eg. solid soln atoms, precipitates, other dislocations, etc.

dislocation creep
dislocations locked at obstacles unlocking dislocations from obstacles achieved by climb climb of dislocations occurs by diffusion diffusion requires high T

Dislocation climb

Dislocation climb glide leading to creep

dislocation creep (cont.)

at high T/Tm, diffusion occurs through bulk of the crystal - bulk diffusion at slightly lower T/Tm, diffusion occurs via easy paths ie. along dislocation, or grain boundaries

Creep Mechanisms (crystalline materials)

Diffusional Creep - linear viscous creep, d/dt = B as decreases, d/dt decreases rapidly applied stress relieved by grain elongation achieved via diffusion

Diffusion leading to creep

Diffusional Creep at high T, bulk diffusion as T decreases, grain boundary diffusion

Deformation mechanisms at different temperatures and stresses

Tertiary creep
during steady state creep, damage accumulates as internal voids usually on grain boundaries voids decrease load bearing cross section > stress increases

Tertiary creep since d/dt = B n , d/dt increases rapidly voids will link up and fracture occurs

selecting materials for resistance to Power law creep

high Tm - gives low diffusion difficult dislocation motion solid soln hardening, ppt hardening, etc. large lattice resistance covalent bonds, silicates, ceramics SiC, Si3N4

selecting materials for resistance to Diffusional creep

high Tm large grain size - single grains are best ppt in grain boundaries to resist grain boundary sliding

creep in polymers/amorphous materials

viscous flow like creep d/dt = Ce -Q/RT Thermoplastics below Tg partially elastic partially viscous visco-elastic

selecting polymers for resistance to creep

high Tg cross linking high molecular weight semi-crystalline better than amorphous fillers or composites