Thermal and mechanical characterization of Titanium Carbide discs for ultra-high temperature applications produced by Additive Manufacturing technologies

The ISOL (Isotope Separation On-Line) technique for the production of exotic species requires the interaction of an accelerated proton beam on a target, maintained at elevated temperatures, composed of carbide, which in the case of the work covered in this thesis is titanium (TiC). For the extraction of the desired radioisotopes, a controlled geometry and porosity are required, as well as a fine crystalline grain, so as to favour the effusion of the species, optimal heat dissipation and a controlled chemical composition; therefore, the best technique to meet these requirements is additive manufacturing, in particular the DIW (Direct Ink Writing) technique. The targets, due to the interaction with the proton beam, are subject to inhomogeneous heating that generates stress gradients that can lead to breakage if the stress limit value is reached. The objective of this thesis work, after the specimens have been printed with the DIW, is to characterise them by means of thermal and mechanical tests. The former will be carried out by means of high vacuum conductivity tests, firstly by assessing emissivity and central and peripheral temperatures; then, the experimental results will be compared with the numerical results, obtained from the ANSYS software, by means of the Optimal Function model. The latter will be performed by means of B3B (ball on three balls test). Finally, a fractographic analysis was performed using images of the fracture sites taken with the SEM.