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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Tuning Perovskites’ Hydration-Induced Chemical Expansion with Octahedral Tilt Angles

Hydration-induced strains in proton-conducting oxides compromise chemo-mechanical stability when these materials are applied in protonic ceramic electrochemical cells. Here, to develop design principles for zero-strain materials, we systematically studied the hydration coefficients of chemical expansion (CCEs) in perovskite (Sr, Ba)(Ce, Zr, Y)O 3–x solid solutions with in situ dilatometry and thermogravimetric analysis in the range of 430–630 °C. By including and decoupling a wide range of tolerance factors and lattice parameters, we were able to identify a minimum in hydration CCEs (0–0.02) at intermediate tolerance factor values (t ≈ 0.95). Conversely, despite expectations of lower CCEs in larger unit cells, no general trend in CCE versus lattice parameter was found, and opposite trends could be seen for Sr(Ce, Zr, Y)O 3–x versus Ba(Ce, Zr, Y)O 3–x separately. In situ neutron diffraction (ND) enabled atomistic insight. Upon decreasing t, chemical strain anisotropy increased, but this trend did not match the U-shaped dependence of macroscopic CCEs on t. Instead, perovskites with intermediate t, hosting intermediate octahedral tilt angles in the nominally dry state, underwent the largest change in the B–O–B angles during hydration. Accommodating hydration through decreasing B–O–B angles is beneficial because it does not result in large lattice parameter changes. We propose an intermediate tolerance factor as a simple structural descriptor to enable near-zero hydration strains in proton-conducting perovskites.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1972

Biaxial stress relaxation in glassy polymers - Polymethylmethacrylate.

Biaxial stress relaxation studies were performed on glassy polymethylmethacrylate in combined torsion-tension strain fields using a specially designed apparatus with exceptionally high stiffness and low cross talk between the torsional and tensile load measuring transducers. It was found that at low strain levels uniaxial tension relaxation is slower than pure torsion relaxation; tensile-component relaxation rates are unaffected by the level of torsional strain; torsional-component relaxation rates decrease as tensile strain is increased; uniaxial tension relaxation rates approach the pure torsion rates at higher strains (about 2%). A phenomenological treatment is presented which shows that relaxation rates can be coupled to the strain fields in which they are observed and yet be consistent with the concepts of linear viscoelasticity and the Boltzmann superposition integral.

Sternstein, S. S.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation of Strain and Exhaustion Limits for Vessels

Design rules for impulsively loaded vessels (ILVs) have been incorporated in Section VIII, Division 3 of the ASME Code since 2019, based upon earlier development of ASME Code Case 2564. These rules are particularly applicable to explosive containment vessels (ECVs) used to fully or partially contain the combustion products of explosives. Uses of these ECVs include containment of suspect luggage at airports, bomb disposal, containment of experiments on explosive devices, and destruction of chemical munitions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Strain dependence of Auger recombination in 3 μm GaInAsSb/GaSb type-I active regions

We differentiate the effect of strain induced by lattice-mismatched growth from strain induced by mechanical deformation on cubic nonradiative Auger recombination in narrow-gap GaInAsSb/GaSb quantum well (QW) heterostructures. The typical reduction in the Auger coefficient observed with lattice-mismatched growth appears to be due to the concomitant compositional change rather than the addition of strain, with implications for mid-IR semiconductor laser design. We induced a range of internal compressive strain in five samples from -0.90% to -2.07% by varying the composition during the growth and mechanically induced a similar range of internal strain in analogous quantum well membrane samples. We performed time-resolved photoluminescence and differential reflectivity measurements to extract the carrier recombination dynamics, taken at 300 K with carrier densities from 2.7 × 10 18 cm -3 to 1.4 × 10 19 cm -3 . We observed no change with strain in the cubic Auger coefficient of samples that were strained mechanically, but we did observe a trend with strain in samples that were strained by the QW alloy composition. Measured Auger coefficients ranged from 3.0 × 1 0 - 29 cm 6 s -1 to 3.0 × 1 0 - 28 cm 6 s -1 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Automated Strain Construction for Biosynthetic Pathway Screening in Yeast

Automation accelerates the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle for synthetic biology; however, most strain construction pipelines lack robotic integration. Here, in this study, we present the workflow design and source code for a modular, integrated protocol that automates the Build step in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We programmed the Hamilton Microlab VANTAGE to integrate off-deck hardware via its central robotic arm, enabling automated steps that increased throughput to 2,000 transformations per week. We developed a user interface with the Hamilton VENUS software to support on-demand parameter customization. As a proof of concept, we screened a gene library in an engineered yeast strain producing verazine, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of steroidal alkaloids. Our pipeline rapidly identified pathway bottlenecks and genes that enhanced verazine production by 2.0- to 5-fold. This technical note provides resources for synthetic biologists designing yeast workflows for biofoundries to screen libraries for pathway discovery/optimization, combinatorial biosynthesis, and protein engineering.

automation↗
NASA NTRS1998

Evaluation of Composite Honeycomb Sandwich Panels Under Compressive Loads at Elevated Temperatures

Fourteen composite honeycomb sandwich panels were tested to failure under compressive loading. The test specimens included panels with both 8 and 24-ply graphite-bismaleimide composite facesheets and both titanium and graphite-polyimide core materials. The panels were designed to have the load introduced through fasteners attached to pairs of steel angles on the ends of the panels to simulate double shear splice joints. The unloaded edges were unconstrained. Test temperatures included room temperature, 250F, and 300F. For the room and 250F temperature tests, the 24-ply specimen failure strains were close to the unnotched allowable strain values and failure loads were well above the design loads. However, failure strains much lower than the unnotched allowable strain values, and failure loads below the design loads were observed with several of the 8-ply specimens. For each individual test temperature, large variations in the failure strains and loads were observed for the 8-ply specimens. Dramatic decreases in the failure strains and loads were observed for the 24-ply specimens as the test temperature was increased from 250F to 300F. All 8-ply specimens appeared to have failed in a facesheet strength failure mode for all test temperatures. The 24-ply specimens displayed appreciably greater amounts of bending prior to failure than the 8-ply specimens, and panel buckling occurred prior to facesheet strength failure for the 24-ply room and 250F temperature tests.

Walker, Sandra P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The application of probabilistic design theory to high temperature low cycle fatigue

Metal fatigue under stress and thermal cycling is a principal mode of failure in gas turbine engine hot section components such as turbine blades and disks and combustor liners. Designing for fatigue is subject to considerable uncertainty, e.g., scatter in cycles to failure, available fatigue test data and operating environment data, uncertainties in the models used to predict stresses, etc. Methods of analyzing fatigue test data for probabilistic design purposes are summarized. The general strain life as well as homo- and hetero-scedastic models are considered. Modern probabilistic design theory is reviewed and examples are presented which illustrate application to reliability analysis of gas turbine engine components.

Wirsching, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS2003

LS-DYNA Implementation of Polymer Matrix Composite Model Under High Strain Rate Impact

A recently developed constitutive model is implemented into LS-DYNA as a user defined material model (UMAT) to characterize the nonlinear strain rate dependent behavior of polymers. By utilizing this model within a micromechanics technique based on a laminate analogy, an algorithm to analyze the strain rate dependent, nonlinear deformation of a fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite is then developed as a UMAT to simulate the response of these composites under high strain rate impact. The models are designed for shell elements in order to ensure computational efficiency. Experimental and numerical stress-strain curves are compared for two representative polymers and a representative polymer matrix composite, with the analytical model predicting the experimental response reasonably well.

Zheng, Xia-Hua↗
NASA NTRS2017

Development and Testing of a Friction-Based Post-Installable Sensor for Subsea Fiber-Optic Monitoring Systems

This paper presents the design and development of a friction-based coupling device for a fiber-optic monitoring system that can be deployed on existing subsea structures. This paper provides a summary of the design concept, prototype development, prototype performance testing, and design refinements of the device. The results of the laboratory testing of the first prototype performed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) are included in this paper. Limitations of the initial design were identified and future design improvements were proposed. These new features will enhance the coupling of the device and improve the monitoring system measurement capabilities. A major challenge of a post-installed instrumentation monitoring system is to ensure adequate coupling between the instruments and the structure of interest for reliable measurements. Friction-based coupling devices have the potential to overcome coupling limitations caused by marine growth and soil contamination on subsea structures, flowlines or risers. The work described in this paper investigates the design of a friction-based coupling device (friction clamp), which is applicable for pipelines and structures that are suspended in the water column and those that are resting on the seabed. The monitoring elements consist of fiber-optic sensors that are bonded to a metal clamshell with a high-friction coating. The friction clamp has a single hinge design to facilitate the operation of the clamp and dual rows of opposing fasteners to distribute the clamping force on the structure. The friction clamp can be installed by divers in shallow depths or by remotely operated vehicles in deep-water applications. NASA-JSC was involved in the selection and testing of the friction coating, and in the design and testing of the prototype clamp device. Four-inch diameter and eight-inch diameter sub-scale friction clamp prototypes were built and tested to evaluate the strain measuring capabilities of the design under different loading scenarios. The testing revealed some limitations of the initial design concept, and subsequent refinements were explored to improve the measurement performance of the system. This study was part of a collaboration between NASA-JSC and Astro Technology, Inc. within a study called Clear Gulf. The primary objective of the Clear Gulf study is to develop advanced instrumentation technologies that will improve operational safety and reduce the risk of hydrocarbon spillage. NASA provided unique insights, expansive test facilities, and technical expertise to advance these technologies that would benefit the environment, the public, and commercial industries.

Bentley, Nicole↗
NASA NTRS2017

Development and Testing of a Friction-Based Post-Installable Sensor for Subsea Fiber-Optic Monitoring System

This paper presents the design and development of a friction-based coupling device for a fiber-optic monitoring system that can be deployed on existing subsea structures. This paper provides a summary of the design concept, prototype development, prototype performance testing, and design refinements of the device. The results of the laboratory testing of the first prototype performed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) are included in this paper. Limitations of the initial design were identified and future design improvements were proposed. These new features will enhance the coupling of the device and improve the monitoring system measurement capabilities. A major challenge of a post-installed instrumentation monitoring system is to ensure adequate coupling between the instruments and the structure of interest for reliable measurements. Friction-based coupling devices have the potential to overcome coupling limitations caused by marine growth and soil contamination on subsea structures, flowlines or risers. The work described in this paper investigates the design of a friction-based coupling device (friction clamp), which is applicable for pipelines and structures that are suspended in the water column and those that are resting on the seabed. The monitoring elements consist of fiber-optic sensors that are bonded to a metal clamshell with a high-friction coating. The friction clamp has a single hinge design to facilitate the operation of the clamp and dual rows of opposing fasteners to distribute the clamping force on the structure. The friction clamp can be installed by divers in shallow depths or by remotely operated vehicles in deep-water applications. NASA-JSC was involved in the selection and testing of the friction coating, and in the design and testing of the prototype clamp device. Four-inch diameter and eight-inch diameter sub-scale friction clamp prototypes were built and tested to evaluate the strain measuring capabilities of the design under different loading scenarios. The testing revealed some limitations of the initial design concept, and subsequent refinements were explored to improve the measurement performance of the system. This study was part of a collaboration between NASA-JSC and Astro Technology, Inc. within a study called Clear Gulf. The primary objective of the Clear Gulf study is to develop advanced instrumentation technologies that will improve operational safety and reduce the risk of hydrocarbon spillage. NASA provided unique insights, expansive test facilities, and technical expertise to advance these technologies that would benefit the environment, the public, and commercial industries.

Bentley, Nicole L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Strain gage system evaluation program

A program was conducted to determine the reliability of various strain gage systems when applied to rotating compressor blades in an aircraft gas turbine engine. A survey of current technology strain gage systems was conducted to provide a basis for selecting candidate systems for evaluation. Testing and evaluation was conducted in an F 100 engine. Sixty strain gage systems of seven different designs were installed on the first and third stages of an F 100 engine fan. Nineteen strain gage failures occurred during 62 hours of engine operation, for a survival rate of 68 percent. Of the failures, 16 occurred at blade-to-disk leadwire jumps (84 percent), two at a leadwire splice (11 percent), and one at a gage splice (5 percent). Effects of erosion, temperature, G-loading, and stress levels are discussed. Results of a post-test analysis of the individual components of each strain gage system are presented.

Dolleris, G. W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Triple tandem trimer immunogens for HIV-1 and influenza nucleic acid-based vaccines

Recombinant native-like HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimers are used in candidate vaccines aimed at inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies. While state-of-the-art SOSIP or single-chain Env designs can be expressed as native-like trimers, undesired monomers, dimers and malformed trimers that elicit non-neutralizing antibodies are also formed, implying that these designs could benefit from further modifications for gene-based vaccination approaches. Here, we describe the triple tandem trimer (TTT) design, in which three Env protomers are genetically linked in a single open reading frame and express as native-like trimers. Viral vectored Env TTT induced similar neutralization titers but with a higher proportion of trimer-specific responses. The TTT design was also applied to generate influenza hemagglutinin (HA) trimers without the need for trimerization domains. Additionally, we used TTT to generate well-folded chimeric Env and HA trimers that harbor protomers from three different strains. In summary, the TTT design is a useful platform for the design of HIV-1 Env and influenza HA immunogens for a multitude of vaccination strategies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1944

Wire-Strain-Gage Hinge-Moment Indicators for Use in Tests of Airplane Models

The design and construction of various forms of strain-gage spring units and hinge-moment assemblies are discussed with particular reference to wind-tunnel test, although the indicators may be used equally well in flight tests. Strain-gage specifications are given, and the techniques of their application and use are described briefly. Testing, calibration and operation of hinge-moment indicators are discussed and precautions necessary for successful operation are stressed. Difficulties that may be encountered are summarized along with the possible causes.

Edwards, Howard B.↗
DOE OSTI2023

High strain rate nanoindentation testing: Recent advancements, challenges and opportunities

Recent advancements in electronics have renewed the interest in high strain rate nanoindentation testing, resulting in the development of new high strain rate nanoindentation test equipment and test methodologies. Here, in this work, the current state-of-the-art in high strain rate nanoindentation testing is critically reviewed, with focus on three key aspects - the testing equipment's dynamic mechanical and electronic response, test methodology, and post-processing of raw data to obtain hardness and strain rate. The challenges in instrument hardware design and post-test data analysis are discussed, along with optimal strain rate window for accurate high strain rate measurements. Specific focus will be on instrumented high strain rate testing using self-similar indenters at strain rates in excess of 100 s -1 , wherein load and depth of penetration into the sample are both measured or applied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Biosensor and optogenetics for systems biology of yeast branched-chain alcohol production and tolerance

In this project we combined synthetic biology, systems biology, protein engineering and metabolic engineering to study, control, and improve the production of branched chain alcohols (BCAs), a class of advanced biofuels preferred by the DOE, in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This involved the development and application of optogenetic systems as a new modality of dynamic control of native and engineered metabolic pathways, using light as inducible or repressible agent. The optogenetic systems include gene circuits for light control of gene expression, as well as light-assembled synthetic organelles and photo-switchable protein binders to control metabolic and protein function with light at the protein level. In addition, we developed the first genetically encoded biosensor for BCA production in yeast, which we used to design high throughput assays to identify highly productive strains, pathways, and enzymes. We also showed that this biosensor can be functionally co-expressed with optogenetic circuits in the same strain, raising the possibility of establishing, for the first time, computer-interfaced closed-loop controls of engineered metabolic pathways. The yeast gene deletion library was also utilized to conduct the first systems-level study on BCA toxicity in yeast, which uncovered key fundamental principles of yeast sensitivity and tolerance to these alcohols, allowing us to design highly tolerant strains with increased BCA production. This project, thus comprises the development of several new technologies, which we integrated to make new discoveries on the dynamics of BCA production and their mechanisms of cellular toxicity and tolerance, as well as to establish new paradigms to engineer and control metabolic pathways and microbial fermentations with light, for the production of BCAs and other products of interest to the DOE.

2-metyl-1-butanol↗
DOE OSTI2022

Prediction of strain, inter-layer interaction and critical current in CORC ® wires under axial strain by T-A modeling

Superconducting conductors on round core (CORC ® ) cables and wires can meet the needs of large high-field magnets, such as particle accelerators and compact nuclear fusion machines, due to their simple cabling process, high current-carrying capacity and reliable operation under high mechanical stresses. Many high-field magnets require CORC ® cables to carry a current of thousands of amperes in a background magnetic field exceeding 20 T. As a result, the large electromagnetic forces will deform the cable in the axial direction due to hoop stress and in the transverse direction by compressive stress. Therefore, it is essential to determine the irreversible deformation limit of the CORC ® cable under axial tensile load and optimize the cabling parameters to potentially extend this limit. Analytical and numerical methods are developed to assess the performance degradation of CORC ® wires under axial tensile load. The strain level, interlayer contact pressure and friction and their impact on the critical current are calculated by combining the mechanical response and the T-A method. Analyzing the results shows that the winding angle of the tape and the Poisson’s ratio of the inner core are key factors affecting the irreversible tensile strain limit of CORC ® wires. The smaller the winding angle and the higher the Poisson’s ratio of the inner core, the higher the irreversible tensile strain limit. For multi-layer CORC ® wires, the initial contact pressure caused by the cabling process must also be considered. The inter-layer interaction is coupled with the tape strain of each layer. The results of this research can serve as a basis for optimizing and designing CORC ® wires with extended irreversible strain limits.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design and performance assessment of a dual-mode latent thermal storage integrated heat pump across multiple climate zones

The electrification of space cooling and heating systems risks overloading the existing electrical grid during peak hours. Heat pumps integrated with thermal energy storage (HP-TES) offer a promising solution by shifting peak loads to off-peak hours, reducing grid strains. This work presents the design and assessment of a dual-mode HP-TES that uses a single 22°C phase-change material (PCM) as a heat source or sink in heating and cooling modes, respectively. Performance assessment was conducted using Modelica-based transient models, and full-year simulations were conducted across eight US climate zones using typical weather data. Two HP-TES performance metrics: peak energy reduction and recharge energy increases, were defined by comparing HP-TES energy consumption with base HP peak consumptions. Annual heating demand reductions (40–65%) exceeded cooling demand reductions (15–20%) due to the elimination of peak-hour backup heating. Cooling mode recharge energy requirements (0–10%) were reduced in locations with lower summer nighttime temperatures, while heating recharge requirements were lower than the high base-peak energy demand from backup heating. Simplified rapid methods that were 10 7 times faster than annual simulations were developed to predict seasonal cooling and heating energy reductions, and recharge energy requirements, with maximum deviations of ±2.5% and ±3.5% points. These methods enabled rapid parametric studies that identified optimal location-specific PCM temperatures between 22°C and 27°C, highlighting the need to consider both discharge and recharge energy requirements to achieve sustainable, energy-efficient peak load shifting across various climate zones.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗