Erica L Corral

Erica L Corral

Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Associate Professor, Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering
Distinguished Scholar, Materials Science and Engineering
Member of the Graduate Faculty
Associate Professor, BIO5 Institute
Primary Department
Contact
(520) 621-0934

Research Interest

Erica Corral, PhD, essentially dives into three primary areas of research. Her first research area focuses on processing ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTC) composites and coatings for use as advanced thermal protection systems and to provide oxidation protection of carbon-carbon composites. Secondly, she focuses on developing bulk multifunctional high-temperature ceramic nanocomposites reinforced with single-walled carbon nanotubes for enhanced toughness in ceramics that also have tailored electrical and thermal properties. Last but not least, Dr. Corral also focuses on developing nanocomposite compositions of iron oxide and zirconia for use as hydrogen generation materials. Recent postdoctoral research also focused on investigating the thermomechanical properties of UHTCs, and engineering mechanical and chemical properties of glass-composites for use as reliable seals in solid oxide fuel cells, and ceramic powder processing of magnesium oxide and electrolyte powder for use in thermal batteries. As a graduate student at Rice University, Dr. Corral was an NSF-Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Fellow, and pioneered the first SWNT-reinforced silicon nitride nanocomposites with multifunctional properties.

Publications

Corral, E. L., III, J. C., Shyam, A., Lara-Curzio, E., Bell, N., Stuecker, J., Perry, N., Prima, M. D., Munir, Z., Garay, J., & Barrera, E. V. (2008). Engineered nanostructures for multifunctional single-walled carbon nanotube reinforced silicon nitride nanocomposites. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 91(10), 3129-3137.

Abstract:

Colloidal processing was used to make highly dispersed aqueous composite suspensions containing single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and Si 3N4 particles. The SWNTs and Si3N4 particles were stabilized into composite suspensions using a cationic surfactant at low pH values. Bulk nanocomposites containing 1.0, 2.0, and 6.0 vol% SWNTs were successfully fabricated using rapid prototyping. The survival of SWNTs was detected, using Raman spectroscopy, after high-temperature sintering, up to 1800°C. The nanocomposites have densities up to 97% of the composite theoretical density. The engineered nanostructures reveal an increase in grindability and damage tolerance behavior over the monolithic ceramic. We also observed toughening mechanisms such as SWNT crack bridging and pull-out, indicating that SWNTs have the potential to serve as toughening agents in ceramics. Increased fracture toughness values over the monolithic Si 3N4 were observed for the 2.0-vol% SWNT-Si 3N4 nanocomposite when a given sintered microstructure was present. We report here the effects of colloidal processing on mechanical behavior of SWNT reinforced nonoxide ceramic nanocomposites. © 2008 The American Ceramic Society.

Clark, M. D., Walker, L. S., Hadjiev, V. G., Khabashesku, V., Corral, E. L., & Krishnamoorti, R. (2012). Fast Sol-Gel Preparation of Silicon Carbide-Silicon Oxycarbide Nanocomposites. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, 94(12), 4444-4452.

Silicon carbide nanofiber dispersion within a silicon oxycarbide glassy ceramic was achieved through a combination of a fast solgel procedure for in situ ceramic matrix synthesis and nanofiber conversion from sacrificial multiwalled carbon nanotube templates. Nanotubes were dispersed using both surfactant adsorption and a covalent sidewall modification scheme with gel-grafting capabilities. The combination of high temperature processing and silicon monoxide precursor concentrations allowed substantial carbothermal reduction of the nanotube templates, yielding silicon carbide nanofibers. The resulting nanocomposites were examined for density, Vickers microhardness, Young's modulus, and fracture toughness. The surfactant-assisted route inhibited ceramic densification, offering virtually no mechanical property enhancement. In contrast, the covalently functionalized nanotube templates at 0.8 wt% loading enhanced tensile modulus of 77% while simultaneously maintaining both Vickers microhardness and fracture toughness. These results indicate strong interfacial adhesion between the nanofiber surface and host matrix despite the abrupt chemical changes experienced during the high temperature processing.

Varma, S. K., Corral, E., Esquivel, E., & Salas, D. (1999). Solutionizing effects on deformation-induced phase transformations in 2014 aluminum composite. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 30(9), 2539-2545.

Abstract:

A solutionizing heat treatment of 2014 aluminum alloy reinforced with 0.15 volume fraction of alumina particles (VFAP) results in deformation-induced precipitation during rolling and tensile deformation, with 0.10 VFAP, at room temperature. The extent of precipitation increases with increase in time and/or temperature of solutionizing. An attempt has been made to identify the various types of precipitates in the samples deformed to a given strain and in fractured conditions. The work-hardening curves and tensile properties of the composites have been shown to be dependent on the time and temperature combination of the solutionizing process.

Varma, S. K., Corral, E., Hernandez, C., Mahapatra, R., & Frazier, W. E. (1998). Evolution of microstructures during cyclic and thermal stability of Ti-44Al-11Nb alloy. Proceedings of the TMS Fall Meeting, 15-20.

Abstract:

A study has been conducted to determine the cyclic and static thermal stability of Ti-44Al-11Nb alloy in air in a range of temperature from 900 to 1000 °C. Weight gain method shows that the static oxidation rates are higher than cyclic oxidation rates under identical experimental conditions at a given temperature. The oxide layer at the surface penetrates the base metal in a direction parallel to the lamellae of the two phases, α2 and γ, confirmed by scanning electron micrographs. The thermal stability of up to 168 hours indicates that there are phase transformations taking placed affecting the microstructures in such a way that large amount of dislocation activities are involved.

Corral, E. L., III, J. C., Stuecker, J. N., & Barrera, E. V. (2002). Processing of carbon nanofiber reinforced silicon nitride matrix composites. Proceedings of the TMS Fall Meeting, 53-62.

Abstract:

This work presents a process optimization study for processing vapor grown carbon fibers and single walled carbon nanotubes into Si3N4 with the goal of developing advanced structural ceramic materials. Solid composite specimens were fabricated using a freeform fabrication technique called robocasting that uses high solids loading aqueous suspensions to fabricate near-net-shape-ceramic composite parts. Colloidal processing methods were used to manipulate the charging behavior between carbon nanofibers and silicon nitride particle surfaces in order to develop forty-five percent solids loading suspensions with a pseudoplastic theology that borders on dilatancy and is suitable for robocasting solid parts. Dispersion of nanofibers within each composite system was identified as was the starting dispersion of the nanofibers in the slurry.