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Abstract Hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) elastomer was thermo-oxidatively aged at different temperatures up to 150 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), compression stress relaxation (CSR) and international rubber hardness degree (IRHD) microhardness were used to characterise the chemo-mechanical changes of HNBR O-rings during thermo-oxidative ageing. FTIR shows the development of carbonyl, methyl and ester groups but the nitrile content was not affected by ageing. The effect of sample geometry during CSR was investigated. CSR data were converted through integrated kinetic laws. The conversion has proven its sensibility to detect heterogeneous ageing. This was confirmed by the IRHD measure-ments across the section of O-rings. The influence of compression during ageing was assessed through IRHD measurements across the section of compressed and uncom-pressed aged O-rings. The DLO effect was more pronounced in compressed O-rings. By applying the model of Wise et al., theoretical IRHD and oxidation profiles were determined on the basis of IRHD experimental data of compressed O-rings. Good agreements between the experimental and the theoretical IRHD profiles in the core region were obtained. However, near the edge, the theoretical IRHD values were overestimated.
The storage of spent fuel and high level radioactive waste in Germany is performed in interim storage containers with double lid systems. The lids are bolted and equipped with metal seals (e.g. Helicoflex®) to ensure the safe enclosure of the inventory. The used metal seals have a layered structure consisting of three components as can be seen schematically in the cross-sectional view in Fig. 1.
In the center a helical spring is positioned that is surrounded by two C-shaped jackets and is mainly responsible for generation of the required restoring force. The inner jacket is made of stainless steel and homogenizes the restoring force of the helical spring. The outer jacket is made of silver or aluminium which both are soft metals in comparison to the contact partners (lid and container body). During bolting of the lid to the container body the seal is compressed. The generated restoring force of the helical spring causes a plastic deformation of the outer jacket and adapts to the surfaces of the lid and the container body. Hence, leakage paths are closed and the sealing function is generated.
Typical durations for existing interim storage licenses in Germany are 40 years, but it can be expected that they have to be extended to longer periods as a final repository will not be available before the end of the running licence periods. This extension of license periods requires a solid understanding of the long-term behaviour of the seals under storage conditions. To meet this challenge long-term investigations have been started at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM) in 2009. These tests focus on seals assembled in test flanges which are stored at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 150 °C for accelerated ageing. The aged seals are tested repeatedly after certain ageing steps and the leakage rate as indicator for sealing performance, the remaining seal force, and the useable resilience upon decompression are determined.
In the poster an update on the performed investigations in respect to earlier publications (Grelle et al. 2019, Goral et al. 2023) will be given and the implications of the results for resilient long term safety will be presented. Additionally, a focus will be laid on the currently planned further investigations and the question “What is additionally needed for evaluation of an interim storage period extension in regard to the used metal seals?” will be addressed.
Packagings for the transport of dangerous goods need to meet special requirements to get an approval. This includes free fall drop testing onto an essentially unyielding surface as a means to assess a package’s resistance to mechanical damage. A main requirement for drop tests is that the impact target’s mass shall be at least 50 times that of the heaviest package to be tested. Nevertheless, many manufacturers do not possess foundation structures with the required mass ratio. Previous evidence highlights that the mass ratio is not a decisive criterion on its own. Parameters such as the impact target foundation’s connection and the impulse experienced by the impacting object are essential as well. However, these factors are not easily verifiable since experimental measurements are not possible at most facilities. The objective of this work is to provide a detailed analysis on the interaction between impact target foundation and subgrade in dynamic impact testing using validated finite-element (FE) models. This research is highly beneficial for industrial application since it allows manufacturers to make informed predictions about the mechanical response of installed impact target foundations.
Degradation and damage analysis of composite pressure vessels via experimental modal analysis
(2023)
For mobile gas storage systems, the application of type IV pressure vessels is state of the art. Type IV tanks consist of an inner polymer liner fully wrapped with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Because of the complex fabric of the FRP as well as a difficulty estimable interaction behaviour between the single components under load, there are still no satisfying non-destructive testing methods to assess the current state of failure nor to estimate the level of degradation accurately and economically. At BAM division 3.5, analysing the ageing process of mobile composite pressure vessels is a major task to ensure safe usage over the whole lifetime. In this context, key aspects of our ongoing research activities are the invention of new test procedures and the development of accurate lifetime prediction models. In order to determine the level of degradation or damage, one meaningful non-destructive approach is to analyse the structural dynamic behaviour via an experimental modal analysis (EMA). Over the last few years, different types and sizes of composite pressure vessels have been tested in several research projects. The presented paper gives an insight into how to extract and interpret modal parameters and how to fit them to the results of residual strength tests.
Degradation and damage analysis of composite pressure vessels via experimental modal analysis
(2023)
For mobile gas storage systems, the application of type IV pressure vessels is state of the art. Type IV tanks consist of an inner polymer liner fully wrapped with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP). Because of the complex fabric of the FRP as well as a difficulty estimable interaction behaviour between the single components under load, there are still no satisfying non-destructive testing methods to assess the current state of failure nor to estimate the level of degradation accurately and economically. At BAM division 3.5, analysing the ageing process of mobile composite pressure vessels is a major task to ensure safe usage over the whole lifetime. In this context, key aspects of our ongoing research activities are the invention of new test procedures and the development of accurate lifetime prediction models. In order to determine the level of degradation or damage, one meaningful non-destructive approach is to analyse the structural dynamic behaviour via an experimental modal analysis (EMA). Over the last few years, different types and sizes of composite pressure vessels have been tested in several research projects. The presented paper gives an insight into how to extract and interpret modal parameters and how to fit them to the results of residual strength tests.
Overview of ongoing research and future prospects on polyethylene neutron shielding materials at BAM
(2023)
The extension of the interim storage period of radioactive waste before disposal will cause additional challenges for the nuclear waste management in Germany, so that an extensive knowledge of the long-term performance of casks, including their components and inventories, will be required for future extended storage licenses.
Ultra-high and high molecular weight polyethylenes ((U)HMW-PE) are used for neutron shielding purposes in casks for storage and transport of spent fuel and high-level waste due to their extremely high hydrogen content. During their service life of several decades as cask components, the PE materials are exposed to neutron and gamma radiation from the radioactive inventory of the casks, mechanical assembling stresses and temperature. All these combined effects affect the material properties of such components which in turn may be crucial for some possible accident scenarios.
At the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), the effects of high temperature exposure in combination with subsequent or previous irradiation were investigated with a comprehensive aging program including thermal aging at 125 °C for different aging periods up to 5 years and irradiation with doses ranging from 50 to 600 kGy.
This contribution provides an overview of the ongoing research related to the structural changes of (U)HMW-PE induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature exposure and focuses on current research perspectives at BAM with regard to the prediction of the dynamic behavior of the material during extended interim storage in case of an accident scenario. First results of the coupled effect of temperature, radiation and mechanical loading will be presented. The effect of microstructural changes induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature on the mechanical behavior of (U)HMW-PE will be assessed.
Overview of ongoing research and future prospects on polyethylene neutron shielding materials at bam
(2023)
The extension of the interim storage period of radioactive waste before disposal will cause additional challenges for the nuclear waste management in Germany, so that an extensive knowledge of the long-term performance of casks, including their components and inventories, will be required for future extended storage licenses.
Ultra-high and high molecular weight polyethylenes ((U)HMW-PE) are used for neutron shielding purposes in casks for storage and transport of spent fuel and high-level waste due to their extremely high hydrogen content. During their service life of several decades as cask components, the PE materials are exposed to neutron and gamma radiation from the radioactive inventory of the casks, mechanical assembling stresses and temperature. All these combined effects affect the material properties of such components which in turn may be crucial for some possible accident scenarios.
At the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), the effects of high temperature exposure in combination with subsequent or previous irradiation were investigated with a comprehensive aging program including thermal aging at 125 °C for different aging periods up to 5 years and irradiation with doses ranging from 50 to 600 kGy.
This contribution provides an overview of the ongoing research related to the structural changes of (U)HMW-PE induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature exposure and focuses on current research perspectives at BAM with regard to the prediction of the dynamic behavior of the material during extended interim storage in case of an accident scenario. First results of the coupled effect of temperature, radiation and mechanical loading will be presented. The effect of microstructural changes induced by gamma irradiation and high temperature on the mechanical behavior of (U)HMW-PE will be assessed.
Photopolymer derived carbon grows in popularity, yet the range in available feature sizes is limited. Here we focus on expanding the field to low surface to volume ratio (SVR) structures. We describe a high temperature acrylic photopolymerizable precursor with FTIR and DSC and develop a thermal inert-gas treatment for producing architected carbon in the mm scale with SVR of 1.38 x10-3 μm-1. Based on TGA and MS, we distinguish two thermal regimes with activation energies of ~79 and 169 kJ mol-1, which we reason with mechanisms during the polymer’s morphologic conversion between 300 - 500 °C. The temperature range of the major dimensional shrinkage (300-440 °C, 50%) does not match the range of the largest alteration in elemental composition (440-600 °C, O/C 0.25-0.087%). The insights lead to an optimized thermal treatment with an initial ramp (2 °C min-1 to 350 °C), isothermal hold (14h), post hold ramp (0.5 °C min-1 to 440 °C) and final ramp (10 °C min-1 to 1000 °C). The resulting carbon structures are dimensionally stable, non-porous at the μm scale, and comprise an unprecedented variation in feature sizes (from mm to μm scale). The findings shall advance architected carbon to industrially relevant scales.
Nowadays, in every terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem, even in the remotest areas, small residues of plastics, the so called microplastic (MP) can be found. MPs are particles with a size of 1-1000 µm (ISO/TR 21960:2020), mainly containing synthetic polymers like polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Even styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) as an indication for tire wear is included due to similar particle formation. To understand the MPs consequences to the environment, it is of high priority to capture its extent of contamination. It is surprising that in the analysis of polymer masses in environmental samples, PE, PS and SBR are often detected, but only small amounts of PP, although this is the second most commonly produced standard plastic and many MP particles originate from carelessly disposed packaging materials.
This presentation provides hypotheses about the reasons of rare PP identification and mass quantification in environmental samples. Different investigations of pristine PP and representative environmental samples, including the pre-treatment by Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) or with density separation followed by the thermal extraction / desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TED-GC/MS) are presented. The results are discussed according to the material properties and a possible degradation mechanism under different weathering conditions which indicate less stability under relevant storage conditions.
It is common practice in the application of finite element analysis to model compression set (CS) of elastomers during aging with two different material models according to the two-network theory of Tobolsky. The theory relies on the existence of two networks. The first one represents the original network after vulcanization and is sensitive to chain scission. The second network accounts for the formation of additional crosslinking during aging. Besides the use of user subroutines to describe the two-network model, an element overlay technique is also needed as the full set of both material behaviors did not exist for assignment to a single element. This element overlay technique is valuable for research and developmental purposes but makes extension to industrial usage quite challenging. Our goal is to simulate the CS of elastomers after long-term aging in a commercial finite element software with no need for extra subroutine codes or mesh superposition.
Ethylene propylene diene (EPDM) O-rings were aged in a compressed state at 75 °C, 100 °C, 125 °C and 150 °C for up to 183 days. Investigations of the experimental test results were used to identify material models and their parameters to develop a finite element model to simulate CS. The model was implemented in the finite element software ABAQUS/Standard® with a sequential temperature-displacement coupling.
Regarding the influence of temperature, the Arrhenius equation is adopted for the time-temperature relationship. The activation energy value that is required for the simulation is firstly determined from shifting the experimental CS results with the time-temperature superposition technique and plotting the shift factors in an Arrhenius diagram. The experiments were compared with the simulation results. Afterwards different activation energies were used in the simulation and discussed. A suitable choice of the activation energy value with regard to the reference temperature and the test temperature is presented. With the chosen activation energies, the match between numerical CS values after long-term aging and the experimental results was improved.
Recovery is an important measure for seal applications representing to which extent the elastomer regains its initial shape after deformation and release of an applied force. Compression set (CS) indicates the degree of recovery. Ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) was aged at 75 ◦C, 100 ◦C, 125 ◦C and 150 ◦C for different ageing times up to five years and compression set measurements were performed at different times after disassembly and after additional tempering. Short- and long-term recovery up to one year after release for samples aged at 125 ◦C and 150 ◦C was also studied. To assess the curvature in the Arrhenius diagram that may occur due to non-sufficiently aged specimens, a degradation-rate based model was fitted to the CS data after tempering. For each ageing temperature, two decay fit functions were proposed, each with an activation energy and a corresponding degradative process. The influence of ageing on the leak-tightness after fast small partial release is investigated and estimated through the analysis of the shift factors from time temperature superposition (TTS) of CS measurements at different times after disassembly. Shift factors of CS measurement after 1 s and after additional tempering are in good agreement.
Elastomer seals are mounted as barrier seals in lid systems of containers designed for transport and disposal of negligible heat generating radioactive waste and as auxiliary seals in spent fuel storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks (DPC)). When the behavior of mounted seals under normal and hypothetical accident conditions of disposal and transport is to be simulated, a comprehensive knowledge of their complex mechanical properties at every state of aging is necessary. In previous works, BAM’s efforts in experimental investigations on specimen artificially aged at different temperatures and times and the implementation of the found results in finite element material models were presented. Additionally, our approaches to reproduce the aging process itself and to extrapolate the results of artificially accelerated aging to longer times were presented. Numerical simulations have shown that the behavior of the seal during mounting and one-sided pressurizing and the resulting performance values such as leakage rate strongly depend on the coefficient of friction (COF) between flange and seal. The friction coefficient, in turn, depends on the aging state of the elastomer material as several publications suggest (see below).
Dynamic COF between an exemplary ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) material and a stainless steel ball were determined by using a self-designed linear oscillation tribometer. Unaged and artificially aged EPDM specimen stored for 30 days and 100 days at a temperature of 150 °C were tested. A stainless steel ball (d=10 mm) is brought in contact with the specimen’s surface und loaded by normal forces of 2.5 N, 5 N, 10 N and 20 N. During a reciprocating movement of the EPDM sheet, the horizontal force/friction force is continuously measured, and the COF can be derived.
It is well known that friction is a complex phenomenon especially in soft materials. It cannot be excluded that the measured friction force is influenced by additional force components, resulting from the ball’s grooving through the elastomer’s surface. This force depends on the penetration depth of the ball and on the resistance of the elastomer in its different states of aging. The latter results from microstructural changes i.e., chain scission and additional crosslinking that occur during aging which in turn influence the softening or hardening of the material.
A finite element (FE) ABAQUS® model was developed to reproduce the measurement process. It should help to better understand the physical mechanisms and to quantify the percentage of measured forces resulting from real friction on the one hand and forces resulting from unintended side effects that could falsify the result on the other hand. The behavior of the elastomer in its different states of aging is reproduced by a FE material model already presented in previous works of BAM.
Elastomer seals are mounted as barrier seals in lid systems of containers designed for transport and disposal of negligible heat generating radioactive waste and as auxiliary seals in spent fuel storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks (DPC)). When the behavior of mounted seals under normal and hypothetical accident conditions of disposal and transport is to be simulated, a comprehensive knowledge of their complex mechanical properties at every state of aging is necessary. In previous works, BAM’s efforts in experimental investigations on specimen artificially aged at different temperatures and times and the implementation of the found results in finite element material models were presented. Additionally, our approaches to reproduce the aging process itself and to extrapolate the results of artificially accelerated aging to longer times were presented. Numerical simulations have shown that the behavior of the seal during mounting and one-sided pressurizing and the resulting performance values such as leakage rate strongly depend on the coefficient of friction (COF) between flange and seal. The friction coefficient, in turn, depends on the aging state of the elastomer material as several publications suggest (see below).
Dynamic COF between an exemplary ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) material and a stainless steel ball were determined by using a self-designed linear oscillation tribometer. Unaged and artificially aged EPDM specimen stored for 30 days and 100 days at a temperature of 150 °C were tested. A stainless steel ball (d=10 mm) is brought in contact with the specimen’s surface und loaded by normal forces of 2.5 N, 5 N, 10 N and 20 N. During a reciprocating movement of the EPDM sheet, the horizontal force/friction force is continuously measured, and the COF can be derived.
It is well known that friction is a complex phenomenon especially in soft materials. It cannot be excluded that the measured friction force is influenced by additional force components, resulting from the ball’s grooving through the elastomer’s surface. This force depends on the penetration depth of the ball and on the resistance of the elastomer in its different states of aging. The latter results from microstructural changes i.e., chain scission and additional crosslinking that occur during aging which in turn influence the softening or hardening of the material.
A finite element (FE) ABAQUS® model was developed to reproduce the measurement process. It should help to better understand the physical mechanisms and to quantify the percentage of measured forces resulting from real friction on the one hand and forces resulting from unintended side effects that could falsify the result on the other hand. The behavior of the elastomer in its different states of aging is reproduced by a FE material model already presented in previous works of BAM.
Hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) elastomer was thermo-oxidatively aged at different temperatures up to 150°C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), compression stress relaxation (CSR) and IRHD microhardness were used to characterise the chemo-mechanical changes of HNBR O-rings during thermo-oxidative ageing. FTIR shows the development of carbonyl, methyl and ester groups but the nitrile content was not affected by ageing. The effect of sample geometry during CSR was investigated. CSR data were converted through integrated kinetic laws. The conversion has proven its sensibility to detect heterogeneous ageing. This was confirmed by the IRHD measurements across the section of O-rings. Oxidation profiles were determined by applying the model of Wise et al. to the IRHD experimental results.
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are one technology to overcome the challenges of climate and energy crisis. They are widely used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, or as storage for renewable energy sources. However, despite innovations in batteries' components like cathode and anode materials, separators, and electrolytes, the aging mechanism related to metallic aluminum current collector degradation causes a significant drop in their performance and prevents the durable use of LIBs.[1] Glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) is a powerful method for depth-profiling of batteries' electrode materials. This work investigates aging-induced aluminum deposition on commercial lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) batteries' cathodes. The results illustrate the depth-resolved elemental distribution from the cathode surface to the current collector. An accumulation of aluminum is found on the cathode surface by GD-OES, consistent with results from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) combined with focused ion beam (FIB) cutting. In comparison to FIB-EDX, GD-OES allows a fast and manageable depth-profiling. Results from different positions on an aged cathode indicate an inhomogeneous aluminum film growth on the surface. The conclusions from these experiments can lead to a better understanding of the degradation of the aluminum current collector, thus leading to higher lifetimes of LIBs.
Investigation of degradation of the aluminum current collector in lithium-ion batteries by GD-OES
(2022)
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are one technology to overcome the challenges of climate and energy crisis. They are widely used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, or as storage for renewable energy sources. However, despite innovations in batteries' components like cathode and anode materials, separators, and electrolytes, the aging mechanism related to metallic aluminum current collector degradation causes a significant drop in their performance and prevents the durable use of LIBs. Glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) is a powerful method for depth-profiling of batteries' electrode materials. This work investigates aging-induced aluminum deposition on commercial lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) batteries' cathodes. The results illustrate the depth-resolved elemental distribution from the cathode surface to the current collector. An accumulation of aluminum is found on the cathode surface by GD-OES, consistent with results from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) combined with focused ion beam (FIB) cutting. In comparison to FIB-EDX, GD-OES allows a fast and manageable depth-profiling. Results from different positions on an aged cathode indicate an inhomogeneous aluminum film growth on the surface. The conclusions from these experiments can lead to a better understanding of the degradation of the aluminum current collector, thus leading to higher lifetimes of LIBs.
The thermal expansion of polymeric parts can be an issue in many applications where the available space is limited, or exact dimensions of the part are required. For this study, a device was designed and built that allowed measuring the thermal expansion simultaneously in all three spatial directions on cubic samples with real-scale dimensions (78 mm edge length). The results are shown between 25 °C and 125 °C for two PE materials, one HMWPE and one tempered UHMWPE, for non-irradiated samples as well as cubes that have been irradiated with 100 and 400 kGy. The results measured with the new device were very similar to those measured with conventional thermo-mechanical analysis equipment and to literature data of UHMWPE. The HMWPE material shows a much larger thermal expansion coefficient in one direction compared to the other two directions during the first heating due to frozen stresses from the pressing step during material manufacturing. These stresses are mostly released by the expansion during the first heating, so that the expansion during the second heating is more uniform. The overall volumetric expansion is the same for both heating runs. By contrast, the tempered UHMWPE material shows no significant difference between first and second heating run, as the stresses from processing could already relax in the tempering step. The irradiation treatment does not affect the values significantly for the given test set-up.
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are one technology to overcome the challenges of climate and energy crisis. They are widely used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, or as storage for renewable energy sources. However, despite innovations in batteries' components like cathode and anode materials, separators, and electrolytes, the aging mechanism related to metallic aluminum current collector degradation causes a significant drop in their performance and prevents the durable use of LIBs. Glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) is a powerful method for depth-profiling of batteries' electrode materials. This work investigates aging-induced aluminum deposition on commercial lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) batteries' cathodes. The results illustrate the depth-resolved elemental distribution from the cathode surface to the current collector. An accumulation of aluminum is found on the cathode surface by GD-OES, consistent with results from energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) combined with focused ion beam (FIB) cutting. In comparison to FIB-EDX, GD-OES allows a fast and manageable depth-profiling. Results from different positions on an aged cathode indicate an inhomogeneous aluminum film growth on the surface. The conclusions from these experiments can lead to a better understanding of the degradation of the aluminum current collector, thus leading to higher lifetimes of LIBs.
In a laboratory test, transparent high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) jerrycans have been exposed to both UV radiation and 55 wt‐% nitric acid solution at (41 ± 2)°C, for up to 20 days. For comparison, UV radiant exposure (21 days) and nitric acid exposure (up to 6 weeks) were performed separately, at nearly equal temperatures. The damages are compared with FTIR spectroscopy in ATR and HT‐gel permeation chromatography(GPC) on a molecular level and with hydraulic internal pressure testing as a component test. For the used jerrycans, relevant oxidation can only be found after the combined exposure. This is caused by the decomposition of nitric acid into nitrous gases by UV radiation, which is also observed at lower concentrations (28 wt‐%). After 6 days of laboratory exposure, this is rated as critical, which corresponds to about 1/10 year in Central Europe, according to the UV radiant exposure. The gradual increase in oxidative damage shows the reproducibility of the test.
During an extensive test programme at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und prüfung, material property changes of EPDM O-rings were investigated at different ageing times and two ageing temperatures of 125∘C and 150∘C. To exclude possible diffusion-limited oxidation (DLO) effects that can distort the data, IRHD microhardness measurements were taken over the cross section of compressed O-rings. Continuous stress relaxation measurements were taken on samples free of DLO effects. The additional effect of physical processes to irreversible chemical ones during a long-term thermal exposure is quantified by the analysis of compression set measurements under various test conditions. By combining the different experimental methods, characteristic times relative to the degradation processes were determined. On the basis of experimental data, a microphysically motivated model that takes into account reversible and irreversible processes was developed. The parameter identification strategy of the material model is based on our experimental investigations on homogeneously aged elastomer O-rings. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experiments.
Abstract: In this work, a conceptual framework is suggested for analyzing thermorheologically simple and complex behavior by using just one approach. Therefore, the linear relation between master time and real time which is required in terms of the time-temperature superposition principle was enhanced to a nonlinear equivalent relation. Furthermore, we evaluate whether there is any relation among well-known existing time-temperature equivalent formulations which makes it possible to generalize different existing formulations. For this purpose, as an example, the power law formulation was used for the definition of the master time. The method introduced here also contributes a further framework for a unification of established time-temperature equivalent formulations, for example the time-temperature superposition principle and time-temperature parameter models. Results show, with additional normalization conditions, most of the developed time-temperature parameter models can be treated as special cases of the new formulation. In the aspect of the arrow of time, the new defined master time is a bended arrow of time, which can help to understand the corresponding physical meaning of the suggested method.
Aging of elastomer O-rings and PE neutron shielding materials for radioactive waste containers
(2021)
Our institution BAM in Berlin, Germany is concerned with research and testing of materials in the context of safety in chemistry and technology. Our working group is involved in the licensing procedures of casks for radioactive waste. Besides, we’re doing research on aging and lifetime prediction of elastomer O-rings and investigate degradation and thermal expansion of PE neutron shielding materials.
During an extensive test programme at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und prüfung, material property changes of EPDM O-rings were investigated at different ageing times and an ageing temperature of 125 °C. To exclude possible diffusion limited oxidation (DLO) effects that can distort the data, IRHD micro hardness measurements were performed over the cross-section of compressed O-rings. Continuous stress relaxation measurements were conducted on samples free of DLO effects. The additional effect of physical processes to irreversible chemical ones during a long-term thermal exposure is quantified by the analysis of compression set measurements under various test conditions. By combining the different experimental methods, characteristic times relative to the degradation processes were determined. On the basis of experimental data, a microphysically motivated model that takes into account reversible and irreversible processes was developed. The parameter identification strategy of the material model is based on our experimental investigations on homogeneously aged elastomer O-rings. The simulated results are in good agreement with the experiments.
The main task of the division "Safety of Storage Containers" at BAM is the safety assessment of storage containers for radioactive waste. A sufficient sealing of bolted lid systems for the safe containment of the waste for transport, storage and disposal is very important. Extensive knowledge of the change of the elastomer’s properties during ageing and the availability of reliable end-of-lifetime criteria is mandatory to guarantee long term safe enclosure.
In a long-term test programme over 5 years we have studied the degradation and the change of sealing properties of several elastomers, including EPDM, at four different ageing temperatures (75 °C, 100 °C, 125 °C and 150 °C). Compression stress relaxation (CSR) and compression set (CS) experiments were carried out. It has been found that when the data does not cover a sufficient time frame necessary for the evolution of the degradation of a chosen property, a curvature in the Arrhenius relationship is observed. For CSR, the curvature was observed for samples aged up to 186 days. As for CS experiments, the curvature was detected for sample aged up to 2 years. To cover the possible lack of experimental long-term data at low temperatures, a numerical model for CSR was developed and longer ageing times for the simulation were adopted. A degradation-rate based model for the evolution of degradative processes is proposed. The main advantage of the model is the possibility to quickly validate the interpolation at lower temperatures within the range of slower chemical processes without forcing an Arrhenius straight-line extrapolation. The model was also applied to CS experiments and validated by the 5 years experimental results where the curvature was gone, and the degradation property has followed an Arrhenius relationship. In the figure the contribution of the two degradative processes are shown over CS and CSR respectively.
Biodiesel (FAME) from rapeseed is an environmentally friendly alternative to common fossil fuels. It is also suitable to serve as blending component to fuels like heating oil. If the fuel composition is changed, materials compatibility must be guaranteed. Adding polar biodiesel to nonpolar heating oil, changes the blend’s solvency and might cause swelling, extraction and solvation of polymers. The objective of this research was to investigate the compatibility of polymeric materials, which are commonly used for components in middle distillate facilities, along with blends of heating oil and 20 % biodiesel (B20). For this propose, ACM, HNBR, FKM, PE, PA 6, POM, PUR and PVC were exposed to heating oil and B20 for 42 and 84 days at 40 °C. In addition, the polymers HNBR, FKM, PA, POM and PVC were also exposed at 70 °C. Furthermore, the resistance of polymers in eight-year aged B10 at 40 °C was evaluated. Ageing of biodiesel increases acidity which might propagate polymer corrosion. The materials were evaluated as resistant, if the loss in tensile properties (tensile strength and elongation at break) and Shore hardness remained under 15 % compared to the initial unexposed material values. For investigations under compressed conditions, the compression set was determined for specimens of ACM, FKM and HNBR after exposure in heating oil B0 and B20 for 3,7,14, 28, 56 and 90 days at 40 °C according to ISO 815-1. It was found that the resistance in B20 at 40 °C was given for all tested polymers except PUR. In the 8 years aged B10, PUR and POM were not compatible and ACM just conditionally compatible. At 70 °C, FKM and PVC were resistant in B20, whereas HNBR and PA 6 were not compatible. Swelling occurred for the elastomers ACM, HNBR and PUR.
Biodiesel (FAME) from rapeseed is an environmentally friendly alternative to common fossil fuels. It is also suitable to serve as blending component to fuels like heating oil. If the fuel composition is changed, materials compatibility must be guaranteed. Adding polar biodiesel to nonpolar heating oil, changes the blend’s solvency and might cause swelling, extraction and solvation of polymers.
The objective of this research was to investigate the compatibility of polymeric materials, which are commonly used for components in middle distillate facilities, along with blends of heating oil and 20 % biodiesel (B20). For this propose, ACM, HNBR, FKM, PE, PA 6, POM, PUR and PVC were exposed to heating oil and B20 for 42 and 84 days at 40 °C. In addition, the polymers HNBR, FKM, PA, POM and PVC were also exposed at 70 °C. Furthermore, the resistance of polymers in eight-year aged B10 at 40 °C was evaluated. Ageing of biodiesel increases acidity which might propagate polymer corrosion.
The materials were evaluated as resistant, if the loss in tensile properties (tensile strength and elongation at break) and Shore hardness remained under 15 % compared to the initial unexposed material values. For investigations under compressed conditions, the compression set was determined for specimens of ACM, FKM and HNBR after exposure in heating oil B0 and B20 for 3,7,14, 28, 56 and 90 days at 40 °C according to ISO 815-1.
It was found that the resistance in B20 at 40 °C was given for all tested polymers except PUR. In the 8 years aged B10, PUR and POM were not compatible and ACM just conditionally compatible. At 70 °C, FKM and PVC were resistant in B20, whereas HNBR and PA 6 were not compatible. Swelling occurred for the elastomers ACM, HNBR and PUR.
Hard carbon is the material of choice for sodium ion battery anodes. Capacities comparable to those of lithium/graphite can be reached, but the understanding of the underlying sodium storage mechanisms remains fragmentary. A two‐step process is commonly observed, where sodium first adsorbs to polar sites of the carbon (“sloping region”) and subsequently fills small voids in the material (“plateau region”). To study the impact of nitrogen functionalities and pore geometry on sodium storage, a systematic series of nitrogen‐doped hard carbons is synthesized. The nitrogen content is found to contribute to sloping capacity by binding sodium ions at edges and defects, whereas higher plateau capacities are found for materials with less nitrogen content and more extensive graphene layers, suggesting the formation of 2D sodium structures stabilized by graphene‐like pore walls. In fact, up to 84% of the plateau capacity is measured at potentials less than 0 V versus metallic Na, that is, quasimetallic sodium can be stabilized in such structure motifs. Finally, gas physisorption measurements are related to charge discharge data to identify the energy storage relevant pore architectures. Interestingly, these are pores inaccessible to probe gases and electrolytes, suggesting a new view on such “closed pores” required for efficient sodium storage.
Elastomer seals are used in many industrial applications due to their excellent mechanical properties at a wide range of temperatures. Their high versatility and recovery potential under several load conditions make them well suitable for the application in containers designed for transport, storage and/or disposal of radioactive materials. In containers for low and intermediate level radioactive waste, elastomer seals are used as barrier seals, and as auxiliary seals in storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks) for heat generating radioactive waste, such as spent fuel and high-level waste. While a seal exchange at defined intervals is typical in many conventional applications, it is impossible or at least hard to perform when principles of minimization of radiation exposure have to be considered and prohibit an unnecessary cask handling. An extensive knowledge of the change of the elastomer’s properties during aging and the availability of reliable end-of-lifetime criteria to guarantee the permanent safe enclosure of the radioactive material is mandatory. As BAM is involved in most of the national cask licensing procedures and in the evaluation of cask-related long-term safety issues, great efforts have been already made and are still planned to scientifically support this task.
Compression stress relaxation and compression set were identified as key indicators of elastomer long-term performance and quantitatively investigated in comprehensive test programs. Among other representative types of elastomers, specimens made from ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) were tested before, during and after aging to capture the most important of their complex mechanical properties.
In the presented study, exemplary results were used to simulate the compression stress relaxation and the compression set of elastomer O-rings during aging. Regarding the influence of temperature, the time temperature superposition principle is applied in the relaxation analysis of elastomer O-rings. The proposed model is implemented in the commercial finite element software ABAQUS/Standard® [1] with a sequential temperature displacement coupling. Numerical results match the experimental compression stress relaxation measurements well. The prediction of compression set values after long-term aging shows a relatively good agreement with the experimental results. Nevertheless, all input parameters derived from the specimen tests, additional assumptions concerning boundary conditions and modeling strategy are discussed with regard to the identified slight discrepancies.
The possibility to extend the finite element model to represent the O-ring seal’s ability to recover after a (fast) partial release is taken into account
The containment system of transport packages for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste usually includes bolted lids with metal gaskets. The specified transport condition imply high loading on the lids and the bolt connections of the package. The response of the lid systems on these load conditions is generally investigated by drop tests or numerically. BAM has started a research project to get a better understanding about the behavior of prestressed bolt connection under loadings typical for drop tests.
We present the results of distributed fiber optic strain sensing for condition monitoring of a hybrid type IV composite fully wrapped pressure vessel using multilayer integrated optical fibers. Distributed strain sensing was performed for a total number of 252,000 load cycles until burst of the vessel. During this ageing test material fatigue could be monitored and spatially localized. Critical material changes were detected 17,000 cycles before material failure. Results have been validated by acoustic emission analysis.
Packages for the transport of high-level radioactive material must withstand severe hypothetical accidents. Regulatory test conditions shall cover these severe accident conditions and consist of mechanical tests and a following thermal test. To withstand the mechanical tests heavy weight packages are often designed with impact limiters consisting of wood encapsulated in steel sheets. The thermal test is defined precisely in the IAEA-regulations as a 30 minute fully engulfing 800 °C fire. After the fire phase a pre-damaged impact limiter might continue burning or smouldering and influence the cask thermal behaviour with its energy release. The energy transferred from the impact limiter to the cask is of importance for the safety of transport packages. A full-scale fire test with an impact limiter of 2.3 m in diameter and filled with spruce wood was designed and performed. The impact limiter continued burning for 3 days. Energy transfer and temperature measurements were performed.
Elastomer seals are used in many industrial applications due to their excellent mechanical properties at a wide range of temperatures. Their high versatility and recovery potential under several load conditions make them well suitable for the application in containers designed for transport, storage and/or disposal of radioactive materials. In containers for low and intermediate level radioactive waste, elastomer seals are used as barrier seals, and as auxiliary seals in storage and transportation casks (dual purpose casks) for heat generating radioactive waste, such as spent fuel and high-level waste. While a seal exchange at defined intervals is typical in many conventional applications, it is impossible or at least hard to perform when principles of minimization of radiation exposure have to be considered and prohibit an unnecessary cask handling. An extensive knowledge of the change of the elastomer’s properties during aging and the availability of reliable end-of-lifetime criteria to guarantee the permanent safe enclosure of the radioactive material is mandatory. As BAM is involved in most of the national cask licensing procedures and in the evaluation of cask-related long-term safety issues, great efforts have been already made and are still planned to scientifically support this task.
Compression stress relaxation and compression set were identified as key indicators of elastomer long-term performance and quantitatively investigated in comprehensive test programs. Among other representative types of elastomers, specimens made from ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) were tested before, during and after aging to capture the most important of their complex mechanical properties.
In the presented study, exemplary results were used to simulate the compression stress relaxation and the compression set of elastomer O-rings during aging. Regarding the influence of temperature, the time-temperature superposition principle is applied in the relaxation analysis of elastomer O-rings. The proposed model is implemented in the commercial finite element software ABAQUS/Standard® [1] with a sequential temperature displacement coupling. Numerical results match the experimental compression stress relaxation measurements well. The prediction of compression set values after long-term aging shows a relatively good agreement with the experimental results. Nevertheless, all input parameters derived from the specimen tests, additional assumptions concerning boundary conditions and modeling strategy are discussed with regard to the identified slight discrepancies.
The possibility to extend the finite element model to represent the O-ring seal’s ability to recover after a (fast) partial release is taken into account.
Understanding the failure mechanisms that lead to leakage of rubber seals at low temperatures is important. Rubber properties are highly temperature dependent. Changes in behaviour at low temperatures can result from the rubber-glass transition and for some rubbers by partial crystallisation. Experimental results on the low temperature behaviour of different rubber seals were discussed to help understand seal failure processes.
To improve the predictive capability of long-term stress relaxation of elastomers during thermo-oxidative ageing, a method to separate reversible and irreversible processes was adopted.
The separation is performed through the analysis of compression set after tempering. On the Basis of this separation, a numerical model for long-term stress relaxation during homogeneous ageing is proposed. The model consists of an additive contribution of physical and chemical relaxation.
Computer simulations of compression stress relaxation were performed for long ageing times and the results were validated with the Arrhenius treatment, the kinetic study and the time-temperature superposition technique based on experimental data. For chemical relaxation, two decay functions are introduced each with an activation energy and a degradative process. The first process with the lower activation energy dominates at lower ageing times, while the second one with the higher activation energy at longer ageing times. A degradation-rate based model for the evolution of each process and ist contribution to the total system during homogeneous ageing is proposed. The main advantage of the model is the possibility to quickly validate the interpolation at lower temperatures within the range of slower chemical processes without forcing a straight-line extrapolation.
O-rings made of HNBR, EPDM and FKM were aged in the compressed and uncompressed state at 150 °C, 125 °C, 100 °C, 75 °C, 60 °C and 23 °C for aging times of up to five years. Hardness was measured and increased with aging time and temperature for HNBR and EPDM, but it remained practically constant for FKM. Indenter modulus measurements were performed on the lateral O-ring surface (that was free of DLO effects) to assess an influence of the compression during aging, but none was detected. The equilibrium compression set (CS) exhibited faster and stronger degradation than hardness and was used for lifetime predictions using the time-temperature superposition (TTS) principle. With an end-of-lifetime criterion of 70 % CS, lifetimes of 4.5 years, 50 years and 526 years at 75 °C were estimated for HNBR, EPDM and FKM, respectively. The activation energies derived from an Arrhenius plot of the shift factors from the TTS were 85 kJ/mol, 99 kJ/mol and 78 kJ/mol for HNBR, EPDM and FKM, respectively, revealing that a higher activation energy does not necessarily mean that the material has a higher lifetime at lower temperatures. Furthermore, the measured lifetime of EPDM O-rings at 100 °C (5 years) was compared to that predicted on the basis of the lifetime at 150 °C as well as 125 °C using the corresponding shift factors. The error of the prediction was only ± 4 %. However, this precise prediction could only be achieved using the five-year long-term aging data. When using only data from aging times up to 0.5 years and 2 years, the lifetime of EPDM O-rings at 100 °C was underestimated by 31 % and 22 %, respectively.
A new dual purpose cask design was developed for the safe transport and interim storage of spent fuel elements of German research reactors. In the framework of the safety assessment within the licensing procedure the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und –prüfung (BAM) as competent authority performed a series of drop tests according to the IAEA-Regulations. The package consists of a cylindrical thick-walled ductile cast iron cask body closed by a double lid system with metallic seals. A lid and bottom sided impact limiter consisting of a wood/steel construction limit the mechanical impact loading. The full-scale test specimen was equipped with a basket and assembled with dummy-fuel elements. The package and test specimen, respectively have a total mass of approximately 24 metric tons.
The mechanical test program included three 9m free drop tests, in horizontal, vertical and oblique cask orientation onto the lid system. Additionally, a 1m-puncture drop test followed the horizontal drop test to consider an IAEA-test sequence. The horizontal and vertical drop tests were performed at a temperature of minus 40°C. During the oblique drop test the upper impact limiter was heated to +80°C. The tests were conducted onto an unyielding target, fulfilling the requirements of the IAEA regulations.
The test specimen was considerably instrumented with strain gauges and accelerometers. Transient strains at selected locations of the inner and outer container walls, of the primary and secondary lid, as well as of the corresponding lid bolts were measured during the drop tests. Furthermore, decelerations in different locations at the cask body and the lids were measured. The complex geometrical deformation of the impact limiters due to the impact were determined by optical 3d- measurements using the projected fringe method in combination with multi-image photogrammetry. Before and after the drop tests the leakage rate of the lid system was determined by helium leakage testing.
The experimental results contribute to the evaluation of the package response to mechanical tests, demonstrating safety under normal and accident conditions of transport. Especially to the verification of the dynamic finiteelement model of the package used in the package design safety report. The paper describes the performance of the drop tests, selected test results focusing on the lid screws and the cask body and the deformation of the impact limiters as well as impact kinematics, respectively.
THz and mid IR spectroscopy of high-molecular PE (HMW) and ultra high-molecular PE (UHMW) reveals modifications of the molecular structure. Characteristic absorption bands are changed if the two materials are exposed by γ-Co60 radiation up to 600 kGy and subsequently stored at an annealing temperature of 398 K until for 729 days. UHMW-PE and HMW-PE behave differently during the ageing process because of their molecular weight and inherent structure distinctions. The spectroscopic data offer characteristic absorption bands, which have been used to describe the complete ageing process in more detail. For instance, the integral absorption in the B1u THz-region can be used to describe quantitatively the reduction of crystallinity. The formation of trans vinylene unsaturation and the decay of vinyl during ageing can be observed in detail in the mid IR range.
In this presentation the main requirements of BAM-GGR 016 regarding maintenance and periodic inspections were explained. BAM ensures during acceptance of the quality management program that specific and relevant instructions for maintenance and periodic inspections are developed and handed to the operator of the packaging. Examples are given.
At BAM, which is a federal institute for materials research and testing in Germany, it is one of our tasks to evaluate the safety of casks designed for transport and/or storage of radioactive material. This includes assessment of elastomeric seals applied in the casks. One of the aims is to identify a suitable method for estimating the service lifetime of the seals with regard to the requirements for long-term safety (40 years and more) of the containers. Therefore, we started an accelerated ageing programme with selected rubbers often used for seals (HNBR, EPDM and FKM) which are aged at four different temperatures (75 °C, 100 °C, 125 °C and 150 °C) for up to five years. In order to assess sealability, O-rings were aged in compression by 25 % (corresponding to the compression during service) between plates as well as in flanges that allow leakage rate measurements. For comparison, uncompressed O-rings were aged as well. In order to understand the underlying ageing mechanisms in each material, material properties such as hardness, density and tensile properties were examined. Additionally, compression set (CS), which represents the recovery behaviour of a seal after release from compression, is measured. For obtaining results closely related to practical conditions, O-rings with a full-scale cord diameter of 10 mm were aged. However, this set-up can lead to heterogeneous ageing caused by diffusion-limited oxidation (DLO) effects especially for HNBR, resulting in distorted bulk properties such as compression set. However, if DLO-affected data is excluded, extrapolations of CS data are possible using time-temperature shifts.
For selecting an appropriate end-of-lifetime criterion, leakage rate measurements were performed, since leakage rate is the only characteristic directly correlated to the performance of the sealing system. A significant increase in leakage rate was considered as the end of the lifetime. However, the O-rings remained leak tight under static conditions even though material properties had already degraded strongly. For this reason, a modified, more demanding leakage test involving a fast small decompression of the seal was developed that allowed determining a more conservative end-of-lifetime criterion with a safety margin for EPDM seals. FKM, which is a very heat and oxidation resistant material, exhibited only little degradation, even though it had the smallest activation energy.
Depending on the specific plastic’s ageing sensitivities, the durations which plastic components remain in the environment can be very long. As, in the past, the advantages in ageing resistance and durability were highly evaluated, we now face the problem of quite stable plastic waste within the environment.
However, there is only little knowledge on the real timescales until macroscopic fragmentation for the different kinds of plastic under various environmental conditions.
Here, weathering methods are presented, which have been used for the failure prediction in specific outdoor conditions. Issues of uncertainty, reproducibility, or validation are discussed.
For the prediction of the plastic’s fragmentation, much longer time scales have to be considered. To do this within a limited project life span, various processes as well as their acceleration potential have to be evaluated separately, such as temperature increase or spectral shift.
The possibilities and limitations of such controlled acceleration will be discussed.
Weathering reference materials are used to characterize the harshness of an exposure, aiming on either reproducibility of a specific exposure or on the comparability between various kinds of weathering exposure.
The materials that are used as weathering reference materials differ in their sensitivities (as well as in interactions and interferences of the latter), conditioned by the different processes which lead to the respective property change. It is also essential to take into account the necessary measurement equipment for the respective property change, in order to allow timely intervention.
What are the key issues on choosing a weathering reference material?
What can be learned from the weathering reference materials, investigated so far?
Possibilities and limitations are discussed on the basis of existing weathering reference materials. Conclusions are drawn, for establishing new weathering reference materials.
Biodiesel is subject to degradation processes like oil and grease. The oxidative degradation products of vegetable oil esters in biodiesel particularly lead to enhanced sedimentation in blended fuels.
The polarity of biodiesel increases its solvency and facilitates permeation and extraction. Solvation, swelling and/or extraction lead to changes in the physical properties and chemical changes of polymeric materials. It also accelerates the degradation (hydrolysis and oxidation) of these materials with the loss of additives and stabilizers.
The objective of this research was to determine the resistance of frequently used polymeric materials such as ACM, EPDM, FKM, FVMQ, CR, CSM, IIR, HNBR, NBR, PA, PE; POM, PUR, PVC and VMQ in biodiesel and heating oil with 10 %/20 % biodiesel (B10/B20) at 40°C and 70°C.
Mass, tensile strength and breaking elongation of the test specimens were determined before and after the exposure for 84 days in the biodiesel heating oil blends. The visual examination of some elastomer test specimens clearly showed the great volume increase until break or partial dissolution. Shore hardness A and D were determined before and after exposure of the test specimens in the biofuels for 42 days.
The elastomers CR, CSM, EPDM, IIR, NBR and VMQ were generally not resistant to biodiesel and B10 at 40°C and 70°C. FKM, ACM, HNBR, PA, PE, POM, and PVC showed high compatibility in B10/B20 at 40°C. A lower compatibility was determined for ACM in biodiesel. ACM and HNBR were not resistant in B20 at 70°C.
Weathering reference materials (WRMs) are used to characterize the harshness of an exposure, aiming on either reproducibility of a specific exposure or on the comparability between various kinds of natural or artificial weathering exposure.
The materials that are used as weathering reference materials differ in their sensitivities (as well as in interactions and interferences of the latter), conditioned by the different processes which lead to the respective property change. It is also essential to take into account the necessary measurement equipment for the respective property change, in order to allow timely intervention.
What are the key issues on choosing a weathering reference material?
What can be learned from the weathering reference materials, investigated so far?
Possibilities and limitations are discussed on the basis of existing weathering reference materials. Conclusions are drawn, for establishing new weathering reference materials.
In Europe biodiesel gained from rapeseeds are considered as an alternative to common fossil fuels due to its environmental performance and its independence from import of raw materials. Biodiesel is also suitable to serve as blending component to heating oil. In that case, it must be considered that changes of fuel composition might cause material degradation.
The objective of this research was to investigate the resistance of metallic materials exposed to heating oil, heating oil blend B20 with 20 % biodiesel and pure biodiesel. Furthermore, the resistance of metals to eight-year aged B10 and six-year aged pure biodiesel was evaluated. Ageing of biodiesel forms acids and water which might propagate metal corrosion. The investigated metals (aluminium, unalloyed steel, austenitic CrNi-steel, copper, die cast zinc and brass) are commonly used for components in middle distillate facilities.
According to DIN 50905-4 the immersed metals were exposed in a climate chamber at 50°C for 4 weeks. The metallic materials were evaluated as resistant if the annual corrosion rate due to uniform corrosion remained under 0.1 mm/year and no localized corrosion in the form of pitting occurred.
The corrosion rates of the exposed materials stayed far below the limit of 0.1 mm/year for all tested fuels. An exception was die cast zinc ZP0410 in eight-year aged B10; a corrosion rate up to 0.3 mm/year due to uniform corrosion was measured. In no case localized corrosion occurred. Copper and brass caused discolouration of biodiesel from yellow to green.
In conclusion, the tested metallic materials were resistant in heating oil, heating oil blend B20 and pure biodiesel at 50 °C. Even the metals exposed to six-year aged biodiesel and eight-year aged B10 showed no uniform or localized corrosion; except for zinc, which was not resistant in eight-year aged B10.
Heating oil storage tanks made of polyethylene grades have been on the market in Germany since the early 1970s. To ensure safety, their replacement is recommended by tank manufacturers after a period of 30 years. Polyethylene is subject to ageing by alteration of the properties during its life cycle. The degree of degradation and the nature of the process mainly depend on the chemical alteration of the polyethylene, the wall thickness of the tank and the environmental conditions. There are no data available on the long-term behaviour of the polyethylene grades, especially after a service life of more than 30 years.
The aim of this investigation was to find a suitable test method to determine the factual degree of damage in comparison to the uncontaminated polyethylene grades. Material data of the used polyethylene grades are available because the BAM was the competent authority for the tests and expert reports for the approval of these tanks until the middle of the 1990s. Therefore, tank sections from the bottom, the shell and the roof of 22 individual storage tanks produced of polyethylene grades A and B have been examined by Melt Flow Rate (MFR) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR). Their service life was in the range between 20 and 41 years.
The MFR measurements of the tank sections showed differences in the values depending on the weight which was used (5 kg or 21.6 kg). An increase of the MFR was determined for the samples of polyethylene grade A, whereas a reduction of the MFR values was measured for most samples of polyethylene grade B. This grade is mainly subject to the internal ageing by cross-linkages, increased degree of branched molecules and loss of the plasticizer.
ATR analysis exhibits an absorption band at 909 cm‒1 predominantly in samples of polyethylene grade A indicating chain scission and concomitantly formed terminal vinyl groups. This absorption band can be used for the characterization of the ageing of the polyethylene grades.
Biodiesel is viewed as a major source of energy. In areas such as the European Union, where 80 % of the oil-based fuel is imported, there is also the desire to reduce dependence on external oil supplies.
Materials compatibility is a major concern whenever the fuel composition is changed. The question arises of whether polymeric materials are resistant to heating oil with 20 % biodiesel (B20) in comparison to pure heating oil.
The polarity of biodiesel increases its solvency and facilitates permeation and extraction. Solvation, swelling and/or extraction lead to changes in the physical properties. Extraction alters the fuel chemistry. These chemical changes could also accelerate the degradation (hydrolysis and oxidation) of the polymeric material with the loss of additives and stabilizers.
The objective of this research was to determine the resistance of frequently used materials for components in middle distillate facilities such as ACM, FKM, HNBR, PA, PE, POM, PUR and PVC in heating oil and heating oil blend B20 for 84 days at 40 °C, and FKM, HNBR, PA, POM, PUR and PVC at 70 °C.
Mass, tensile strength, breaking elongation and Shore hardness A (D) of the test specimens were determined before and after exposure for 84 (42) days in the test fuels under static conditions.
For the investigations under compressed conditions, the mass and the compression set of FKM test specimens were determined before and after exposure for 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 90 days in B20 at 40 °C and 70 °C according to ISO 815-1 “Rubber, vul-canized or thermoplastic - determination of compression set – Part 1: At ambient or elevated temperatures”.
There is not determined a threshold for the reduction in tensile properties and Shore hardness in the international standards. Therefore, a threshold of 15 % was determined for the evaluation of the compatibility.
The change of tensile strength and breaking elongation of test specimens made of ACM, FKM, HNBR, PA, PE, POM, PUR and PVC exposed to heating oil and the blend B20 was less than 15 % at 40 °C. A maximum reduction in Shore hardness A of 14 % was determined for ACM at 40 °C and for HNBR of 15 % at 70 °C.
It can be concluded that ACM, FKM, HNBR, PA, PE, POM, PVC and PUR were resistant in B20 at 40°C. FKM, PA, POM and PVC were evaluated as resistant in heat-ing oil and B20 at 70 °C, HNBR and PUR were not resistant in these fuels at 70°C.
Based on the mass increase and compression set values of FKM test specimens it can be stated that FKM is resistant in B20 under compressed conditions at 40 °C and 70 °C.
Elastomeric O-ring seals are used in a wide range of applications due to their excellent elasticity. However, like all polymers, elastomers degrade under the influence of e.g. time, temperature, oxygen, radiation and mechanical stress. Especially in applications where a replacement of seals after a certain time is hard or almost impossible, it is important to know the seal lifetime. Therefore, an extensive ageing programme with elastomers made of EPDM, HNBR and other materials was started with the aim of determining suitable methods for accelerated ageing and lifetime prediction.
In order to determine the lifetime of polymeric parts, the time-temperature superposition principle is commonly used to shift property changes obtained by accelerated ageing at higher temperatures to lower temperatures. If the shift factors yield a straight line in an Arrhenius diagram, a corresponding activation energy can be determined. However, we have found that the shift factors and thus the predicted lifetime depends on the test method that yielded the shifted data. For example, the shift factor between 125 °C and 150 °C ageing temperature was roughly the same (5/5/4.5 respectively) for hardness, density and maximum of loss factor tan measured on HNBR, but different for elongation at break (8) and compression set (2.2, excluding DLO-affected data). A possible explanation might be that while the different oxidation reactions proceed with a fixed activation energy, they have differing impact on the measured properties. For example, hardness is lowered by chain scission reactions, and increases by crosslinking reactions during ageing. As usually both chain scission and crosslinking reactions occur during ageing, the measured hardness increase reflects only the net effect of both reaction types. On the other hand, compression set is influenced additively by both reaction types: chain scission leads to an increase of the remaining deformation, as broken chains lose their recovery potential, and crosslinking reactions during ageing fix the compressed geometry, which also leads to less recovery. Thus, compression set reflects the total number of changes in the network and shows degradation effects much faster, which results in lower shift factors and lower activation energy. This phenomenon was observed for EPDM as well.
In order to verify our hypotheses and to gain further insights, temperature-dependent oxygen consumption measurements are currently being performed and results will be presented at the conference. The shift factors and activation energy determined by oxygen consumption measurements are expected to be close to the values for compression set.
Packages for the transport of radioactive material shall withstand severe accidents. Therefore, the IAEA Regulations define different test scenarios to cover severe hypothetical accident conditions. One of these tests defined in detail is the thermal test, mainly consisting of a 30 minute fully engulfing 800 °C pool fire or an equally severe fire test. The heat fluxes into the package are of significant importance and depend substantially on the fire characteristics and the surface temperature of the package.
In order to investigate the heat fluxes over a wide range of surface temperatures during a propane gas fire test and to get information about local fire impact a fire reference package, representing the outer geometry of a specific type of transport cask for radioactive waste, was designed. A closed steel sheet cylinder with a wall thickness of 10 mm was chosen as fire reference package. The cylinder was filled with refractory insulation material and instrumented with thermocouples distributed all over the cylinder. The local steel sheet temperatures measured allow the determination of local as well as global heat fluxes as a function of time and surface temperature.
With this fire reference package three open-air propane gas fire tests were performed at BAM’s open air fire test stand. The flame exposure time period was changed for the different fire tests. Furthermore, the wind conditions changed between and during the tests. Test stand parameters like wind shield location and propane gas volume flow were chosen constant for the three tests. The test results were used to determine the changes of heat flux into the fire reference package in relation to the package surface temperature. This data also allows the calculation of local characteristics of the propane gas fire as there are the flame temperature, the fire convection coefficient and the radiation exchange coefficient in a first approach. The recently conducted tests provide an initial picture of local fire characteristics of the propane gas fire test facility. The test shows that the propane gas fire covers the IAEA-fire over a wide range of surface temperatures with the chosen test stand parameters.