Development and Investigation of High-Temperature Ultrasonic Measurement Transducers Resistant to Multiple...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Non-Destructive Testing

Background:

• Traditional ultrasonic transducers using PZT and silver electrodes face adhesion issues and potential damage at high temperatures.
• Silver's solubility in solder necessitates protective copper layers, complicating transducer assembly.
• High von Mises stresses in metal layers can lead to disbonding under cyclic thermal loads.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present and evaluate a multilayer ultrasonic transducer designed for high-temperature non-destructive testing.
• To assess the transducer's performance and structural integrity during thermal cycling up to 225 °C.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a multilayer ultrasonic transducer incorporating PZT, silver electrodes, copper layers, and backing.
• Experimental thermal cycling from room temperature to 225 °C and back.
• B-scan analysis to monitor the amplitude of reflected ultrasonic signals during thermal cycling.
• Observation of structural integrity and signs of fatigue after multiple heating-cooling cycles.

Main Results:

• The amplitude of the reflected ultrasonic signal decreased with increasing temperature.
• The transducer maintained consistent performance across six heating-cooling cycles.
• No signs of fatigue or significant degradation were observed after thermal cycling up to 225 °C.

Conclusions:

• The developed multilayer ultrasonic transducer exhibits excellent thermal stability and durability.
• The robust design allows for reliable non-destructive testing in environments with cyclic temperature variations up to 225 °C.
• This transducer is well-suited for high-temperature applications where material integrity and performance under thermal stress are critical.