Compliant Interlayer for Porous Ceramic Honeycomb Strength Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mechanical testing methods for high porosity ceramic honeycomb bodies face challenges in accurately assessing compressive strength due to edge effects, stress concentrations, and the inability of porous webs to transmit loads effectively, leading to inaccurate stress-strain curves and low strength values.

Innovation Solution

The use of a compliant intermediate layer, such as Teflon/mat/Teflon, between the specimen and loading platens reduces edge effects and allows lateral movement, enabling accurate measurement of compressive mechanical properties by minimizing stress concentrations and ensuring uniform axial loading.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If direct contact between loading platens and honeycomb specimen is used, then test setup is simple, but edge effects and stress concentrations cause inaccurate strength measurements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompressive strength measurement accuracyVSAvoidtesting apparatus structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A compliant intermediate layer (such as Teflon or rubber material with thickness 0.5-2.0 mm) is introduced between the rigid loading platens and the honeycomb specimen. This intermediary layer distributes the applied load more uniformly across the specimen surface, eliminates edge effects and stress concentrations, and enables accurate compressive strength measurements without complicating the overall test setup

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If rigid platens are used for loading, then force application is direct, but porous webs cannot transmit load effectively leading to low measured strength

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasured compressive strengthVSAvoidstress-strain curve accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The loading system transitions from rigid platens with high local pressure to a system with a compliant intermediate layer that modifies the pressure distribution parameter. This layer has sufficient compliance to allow the porous ceramic webs to deform and transmit load effectively throughout the specimen, producing accurate stress-strain curves and reliable compressive strength values

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If no intermediate layer is used, then testing procedure is simple, but lateral movement is constrained causing stress concentrations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetesting procedure simplicityVSAvoidcompressive mechanical properties accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

A thin compliant layer (0.5-2.0 mm thickness) is placed between the rigid platen and specimen, allowing lateral movement of the specimen during compression while maintaining simple operation procedures. This flexible layer accommodates the Poisson effect and prevents stress concentrations, enabling accurate measurement of compressive mechanical properties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach significantly improves the measured strength values for high porosity ceramic honeycomb bodies, bringing them closer to the actual product strength, and reduces the impact of porosity on testing accuracy, providing a more reliable assessment of compressive strength.

Implementation Method 1

The use of a compliant intermediate layer, such as Teflon/mat/Teflon, between the specimen and loading platens reduces edge effects and allows lateral movement, enabling accurate measurement of compressive mechanical properties by minimizing stress concentrations and ensuring uniform axial loading

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLateral movement: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3359946B1Apparatus and methods of mechanical testing materials
Publication Date: 2019.11.20 CORNING INC
  • EP3359946B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3359946B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3359946B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An apparatus and method to strength test porous ceramic honeycomb bodies. The apparatus includes an interlayer between at least one platen and a surface of the high porosity honeycomb body to be tested. The method includes disposing at least one interlayer between at least one platen and an end face of the body, applying a force to the high porosity ceramic honeycomb body and monitoring a result of applying the force. The interlayer comprises a surface weight of about 350 g/m2 and a thickness in a direction N between facing surfaces load platens of at least about 20 mm. Axial and radial localized stamping tests also strength test porous ceramic honeycomb bodies.