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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 253 records · Page 14

Twin Boundaries Contribute to The First Cycle Irreversibility of LiNiO 2

Abstract LiNiO 2 remains a target for layered oxide Li‐ion cathode development as it can theoretically deliver the highest energy density of this materials class. In practice, LiNiO 2 suffers from poor capacity retention due to electrochemically‐induced structural changes. While the impact of Ni off‐stoichiometry on the electrochemical performance has been extensively studied, that of planar defects present in the as‐synthesized cathode is not well understood. Advanced ex situ and operando structure probes are used to identify and quantify point and planar defects present in as‐synthesized Li 1‐y Ni 1+y O 2 cathodes and monitor their evolution during the first cycle. Specifically, a 7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signature characteristic of Li environments near twin boundaries is identified; an assignment supported by first‐principles calculations and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images of twin boundary defects. The NMR results suggest that the concentration of twin boundaries depends on the amount of Ni excess. Moreover, operando magnetometry and ex situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction and NMR demonstrate that these planar defects impede Li reinsertion into the bulk cathode at reasonable discharge rates and contribute to the first cycle irreversible capacity. These findings provide new design rules for Li 1‐y Ni 1+y O 2 cathodes, whereby a reduced concentration of twin boundaries in the pristine material leads to reduced kinetic limitations and improved cathode utilization.

Nguyen, H.↗

Composition of dust from Comet P/Halley: The mineral fraction

The composition of dust from Comet Halley was investigated in situ during the Vega 1, Vega 2, and Giotto encounters by the PIA/PUMA impact mass spectrometers. More than 5000 meaningful spectra of individual dust particles were obtained, most in a compressed mode. The interpretation of these spectra in terms of elemental and mineralogical composition will be discussed. Accounting for these difficulties, the following conclusions can be derived for the mineral fraction of dust particles: (1) the observed compositions are compatible with the full range of observed meteoritic minerals (in particular mafic silicates, plagioclases, sulfides, oxides); and (2) within each mineralogical class, the spread in composition appears much wider and more uniform than in meteorites. The low overall density and very large excess of light elements will be discussed. These first direct results on cometary dust considerably strengthen the case for a comet sample return mission.

Langevin, Y.↗

A Hybrid Nonlinear Control Scheme for Active Magnetic Bearings

A nonlinear control scheme for active magnetic bearings is presented in this work. Magnet winding currents are chosen as control inputs for the electromechanical dynamics, which are linearized using feedback linearization. Then, the desired magnet currents are enforced by sliding mode control design of the electromagnetic dynamics. The overall control scheme is described by a multiple loop block diagram; the approach also falls in the class of nonlinear controls that are collectively known as the 'integrator backstepping' method. Control system hardware and new switching power electronics for implementing the controller are described. Various experiments and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the concepts' potentials.

Xia, F.↗

The Absolute Spectrum Polarimeter (ASP)

The Absolute Spectrum Polarimeter (ASP) is an Explorer-class mission to map the absolute intensity and linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background and diffuse astrophysical foregrounds over the full sky from 30 GHz to 5 THz. The principal science goal is the detection and characterization of linear polarization from an inflationary epoch in the early universe, with tensor-to-scalar ratio r much greater than 1O(raised to the power of { -3}) and Compton distortion y < 10 (raised to the power of{-6}). We describe the ASP instrument and mission architecture needed to detect the signature of an inflationary epoch in the early universe using only 4 semiconductor bolometers.

Kogut, A. J.↗

System Level Aerothermal Testing for the Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT)

The Adaptive Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT), a mechanically deployable entry vehicle technology, has been under development at NASA since 2011. As part of the technical maturation of ADEPT, designs capable of delivering small payloads (10 kg) are being considered to rapidly mature sub 1 m deployed diameter designs. The unique capability of ADEPT for small payloads comes from its ability to stow within a slender volume and deploy to achieve a mass efficient drag surface with a high heat rate capability. The low ballistic coefficient results in entry heating and mechanical loads that can be met by a revolutionary three-dimensionally woven carbon fabric supported by a deployable skeleton structure. This carbon fabric has test proven capability as both primary structure and payload thermal protection system. In order to rapidly advance ADEPTs technical maturation, the project is developing test methods that enable thermostructural design requirement verification of ADEPT designs at the system level using ground test facilities. Results from these tests are also relevant to larger class missions and help us define areas of focused component level testing in order to mature material and thermal response design codes. The ability to ground test sub 1 m diameter ADEPT configurations at or near full-scale provides significant value to the rapid maturation of this class of deployable entry vehicles. This paper will summarize arc jet test results, highlight design challenges, provide a summary of lessons learned and discuss future test approaches based upon this methodology.

Hypersonic↗

Spin liquid state in a rare-earth hyperkagome lattice

We report quantum fluctuations enhanced by frustration and subtle interplay between competing degrees of freedom offer an ideal ground to realize novel states with fractional quantum numbers in quantum materials that defy standard theoretical paradigms. Quantum spin liquid (QSL) is a highly entangled state wherein frustration-induced strong quantum fluctuations preclude symmetry-breaking phase transitions down to zero temperature without any order parameter. Experimental realizations of QSL in quantum materials with spin dimensionality greater than one is very rare. Here, we present our thermodynamic, nuclear magnetic resonance, muon spin relaxation, and inelastic neutron scattering studies of a rare-earth hyperkagome compound Li 3 Yb 3 Te 2 O 12 in which Yb 3+ ions constitute a three-dimensional spin lattice without any detectable disorder. Our comprehensive experiments evince neither signature of magnetic ordering nor spin freezing down to 38 mK that suggest the realization of dynamic liquid-like ground state in this antiferromagnet. The ground state of this material is interpreted by a low energy J eff = 1/2 degrees of freedom with short-range spin correlations. The present results demonstrate a viable basis to explore spin-orbit driven enigmatic correlated quantum states in a class of rare-earth-based three-dimensional frustrated magnets that may open avenues in theoretical and experimental search for spin liquids.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Progress in the development of the community Particle Accelerator Lattice Standard (PALS)

The Particle Accelerator Lattice Standard (PALS) is a community effort to create an open standard to promote lattice information exchange for particle accelerators. PALS development is a community-wide international effort involving accelerator physicists from multiple institutions. While it started as a lattice standard for beam dynamics simulations, it is now being extended to support other particle accelerator activities, in particular accelerator operation. With new accelerators that are becoming more complex, larger collaborations and the increasing imprint of artificial intelligence in all accelerator activities (from design to operation to workforce development), the imperative for a common, standardized accelerator ontology has been transitioning from “nice-to-have” to “must-have”. We will present the status of the project, its relations to other projects, including to two of the particle accelerator projects of the newly announced US DOE Genesis Mission: the Multi-Office Accelerator Team (MOAT) project and the Nuclear physics AI-Ready Accelerator Data (NARAD) project.

Brynes, A. [Science and Technology Facilities Coun↗

GdWN 3 is a nitride perovskite

Nitride perovskites ABN3 are an emerging and highly underexplored class of materials that are of interest due to their intriguing calculated ferroelectric, optoelectronic, and other functional properties. Incorporating novel A-site cations is one strategy to tune and expand such properties; for example, Gd 3+ is compelling due to its large magnetic moment, potentially leading to multiferroic behavior. However, the theoretically predicted ground state of GdWN 3 was a non-perovskite monoclinic structure. Here, we experimentally show that GdWN 3-y crystallizes in a perovskite structure. High-throughput combinatorial sputtering with activated nitrogen is employed to synthesize thin films of Gd 2-x W x N 3-y O y with oxygen content y < 0.05. Ex situ annealing crystallizes a polycrystalline perovskite phase in a narrow composition window near x = 1. LeBail fits of synchrotron grazing incidence wide angle x-ray scattering data are consistent with a perovskite ground-state structure. Refined density functional theory calculations that included antiferromagnetic configurations confirm that the ground-state structure of GdWN 3 is a distorted Pnma perovskite with antiferromagnetic ordering, in contrast to prior predictions. Initial property measurements find that GdWN 3-y is paramagnetic down to T = 2 K with antiferromagnetic correlations and that the absorption onset depends on cation stoichiometry. This work provides an important path toward both the rapid expansion of the emerging family of nitride perovskites and understanding their potential multiferroic properties.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Quantum Noise Spectroscopy of Dynamical Critical Phenomena

The transition between distinct phases of matter is characterized by the nature of fluctuations near the critical point. We demonstrate that noise spectroscopy can not only diagnose the presence of a phase transition, but can also determine fundamental properties of its criticality. In particular, by analyzing a scaling collapse of the decoherence profile, one can directly extract the critical exponents of the transition and identify its universality class. Our approach naturally captures the presence of conservation laws and distinguishes between classical and quantum phase transitions. In the context of quantum magnetism, our proposal complements existing techniques and provides a novel toolset optimized for interrogating two-dimensional magnetic materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Experimental research on the Stirling engine

Experiments on Stirling engines of the 50 KW class were conducted to clarify the characteristics of the engine and its problems. The problems involve durability of the high temperature heat exchanger which is exposed to high flame temperatures above 1600 C, thermal distortion and high temperature corrosion of the devices near combustion, and of the preheater.

Ishizaki, Y.↗

On the cosmological evolution of the X-ray emission from quasars

The average dependence of the ratio of X-ray luminosity to optical luminosity as a function of redshift and optical luminosity for quasars is derived, and it is found that the explicit dependence of this ratio is predominantly on optical luminosity. For a wide class of models for the cosmological evolution of quasars, the results imply that the evolution of the X-ray luminosity function is weaker than the evolution of the optical luminosity function. Implications for physical models of quasars and for global properties of the quasar population are indicated.

Avni, Y.↗

Forest inventory using multistage sampling with probability proportional to size

A multistage sampling technique, with probability proportional to size, for forest volume inventory using remote sensing data is developed and evaluated. The study area is located in the Southeastern Brazil. The LANDSAT 4 digital data of the study area are used in the first stage for automatic classification of reforested areas. Four classes of pine and eucalypt with different tree volumes are classified utilizing a maximum likelihood classification algorithm. Color infrared aerial photographs are utilized in the second stage of sampling. In the third state (ground level) the time volume of each class is determined. The total time volume of each class is expanded through a statistical procedure taking into account all the three stages of sampling. This procedure results in an accurate time volume estimate with a smaller number of aerial photographs and reduced time in field work.

Parada, N. D. J.↗

Development of nickel-metal hydride cell: An update

This paper presents in viewgraph format an overview of NASDA's evaluation of commercial nickel metal-hydride (Ni-MH) cells and the development and testing of Ni-MH cells for use in space. The commercial cells are concluded to be feasible and suitable for use in LEO; for GEO, the durability for overcharge is needed because long-term charge retention is required. For the aerospace Ni-MH cell design, two activation procedures are applied to evaluate the effect of the difference in the amount of overcharge protection and precharge. Specific energy of the Ni-MH cell is nearly accomplished at 50 Wh/kg. Initial characteristics indicate the effect derived from precharge. Thirty-five amp-hour class Ni-MH cells have good performance for LEO cycle of 25 and 40 percent DOD up to 3000 cycles as similar to commercial cells. The effect of the difference in the amount of overcharge protection will appear in life test.

Kuwajima, S.↗

Extraction and Separation of Rare-Earth Elements from Coal Fly Ash and Leachate using a Recyclable Ionic Liquid

Coal fly ash (CFA) can be a promising source for recovering rare-earth elements (REEs), as it contains a broad range of REEs with average concentrations frequently exceeding those in traditional rare earth mines. Recent research from our group has demonstrated that REEs can be preferentially extracted from CFA solids using a recyclable ionic liquid (IL), betainium bis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf2N]). When CFA was heated with the mixture of IL and an aqueous solution above 65°C, most leached REEs partitioned into the IL phase and were separated from the bulk elements. Subsequent acid stripping of the REE-loaded IL removed the REEs and regenerated the IL for reuse in multiple extraction cycles. This IL-based REE-CFA recovery method has been applied to ten CFA samples derived from different coal sources, including ash recovered from disposal ponds. Analysis of 34 elements confirmed the process consistently achieved high REE recovery efficiency, with strong selectivity over bulk and trace elements across diverse CFA types. In addition to the IL-solid extraction, the performance of [Hbet][Tf2N] in extracting REEs from fly-ash leachates have been evaluated by four commonly used leaching reagents, including HCl, HNO3, H2SO4, and citrate. During the IL-leachate extraction, [Hbet][Tf2N] was mixed and heated with a Class C fly ash leachate generated from each leaching reagent, followed by an acid stripping. It was observed that the partitioning and recovery of REEs increased as the leachate pH increased from 3 to 11. Among the investigated leachates, HCl and citrate proved to be the most compatible with IL extraction, exhibiting a slightly higher REE recovery and a lower non-REE co-extraction compared to the IL-solid extraction. Sc, Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, and Yb consistently showed a high recovery rate from both CFA solids and leachates. Notably, Pr, Tb, and Ho, which were not previously leached from the CFA solids, were partially recovered from the leachates. Overall, our studies revealed the strong potential of [Hbet][Tf2N] for effectively recovering REEs from leachates, highlighting its applicability as a sustainable strategy for other aqueous REE feedstocks. Furthermore, a techno-economic analysis will be performed to quantify the economic viability of the IL-based REE recovery method and guide future process improvement.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Beam steering at the nanosecond time scale with an atomically thin reflector

Techniques to mold the flow of light on subwavelength scales enable fundamentally new optical systems and device applications. The realization of programmable, active optical systems with fast, tunable components is among the outstanding challenges in the field. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a few-pixel beam steering device based on electrostatic gate control of excitons in an atomically thin semiconductor with strong light-matter interactions. By combining the high reflectivity of a MoSe 2 monolayer with a graphene split-gate geometry, we shape the wavefront phase profile to achieve continuously tunable beam deflection with a range of 10°, two-dimensional beam steering, and switching times down to 1.6 nanoseconds. Our approach opens the door for a new class of atomically thin optical systems, such as rapidly switchable beam arrays and quantum metasurfaces operating at their fundamental thickness limit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗