Results for “materials and fuels complex” — Page 14

DOE OSTI2020

A Mechanical Test Frame for Property Evaluations at Cryogenic Temperature

On-board storage of hydrogen fuel has been designated as a limiting factor in the advancement of fuel cell technologies in the automotive industry. The use of cryo-compressed Type III pressure vessels presents one option to overcome this barrier. These multi-material vessels will be expected to perform at high pressure and extreme low temperatures, which creates a complex engineering design challenge. Many materials exhibit highly temperature-dependent properties, which must be considered for the efficient design of cryo-compressed pressure vessels. Complicating this issue, mechanical property data at cryogenic temperatures is sparse. This technical paper provides a description of a test apparatus commissioned specifically to help address this shortcoming. A mechanical test frame was retrofitted with a continuous flow cryostat capable to evaluate various mechanical properties throughout a broad temperature range of 25 °C to -269 °C with a load limit of 10 kN. An investigation of the thermomechanical properties of an epoxy resin was carried out as a demonstration.

Mechanical characterization, cryogenic pressure ve↗

NASA NTRS2011

Characterization of Catalyst Materials for Production of Aerospace Fuels

Due to environmental, economic, and security issues, there is a greater need for cleaner alternative fuels. There will undoubtedly be a shift from crude oil to non-petroleum sources as a feedstock for aviation (and other transportation) fuels. Additionally, efforts are concentrated on reducing costs coupled with fuel production from non-conventional sources. One solution to this issue is Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquid technology. Fischer-Tropsch processing of synthesis gas (CO/H2) produces a complex product stream of paraffins, olefins, and oxygenated compounds such as alcohols and aldehydes. The Fisher-Tropsch process can produce a cleaner diesel oil fraction with a high cetane number (typically above 70) without any sulfur or aromatic compounds. This process is most commonly catalyzed by heterogeneous (in this case, silver and platinum) catalysts composed of cobalt supported on alumina or unsupported alloyed iron powders. Physisorption, chemisorptions, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) are described to better understand the potential performance of Fischer-Tropsch cobalt on alumina catalysts promoted with silver and platinum. The overall goal is to preferentially produce C8 to C18 paraffin compounds for use as aerospace fuels. Progress towards this goal will eventually be updated and achieved by a more thorough understanding of the characterization of catalyst materials. This work was supported by NASA s Subsonic Fixed Wing and In-situ Resource Utilization projects.

DeLaRee, Ana B.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Characterization of Catalyst Materials for Production of Aerospace Fuels

Due to environmental, economic, and security issues, there is a greater need for cleaner alternative fuels. There will undoubtedly be a shift from crude oil to non-petroleum sources as a feedstock for aviation (and other transportation) fuels. Additionally, efforts are concentrated on reducing costs coupled with fuel production from non-conventional sources. One solution to this issue is Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquid technology. Fischer-Tropsch processing of synthesis gas (CO/H2) produces a complex product stream of paraffins, olefins, and oxygenated compounds such as alcohols and aldehydes. The Fisher-Tropsch process can produce a cleaner diesel oil fraction with a high cetane number (typically above 70) without any sulfur or aromatic compounds. This process is most commonly catalyzed by heterogeneous (in this case, silver and platinum) catalysts composed of cobalt supported on alumina or unsupported alloyed iron powders. Physisorption, chemisorptions, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) are described to better understand the potential performance of Fischer-Tropsch cobalt on alumina catalysts promoted with silver and platinum. The overall goal is to preferentially produce C8 to C18 paraffin compounds for use as aerospace fuels. Progress towards this goal will eventually be updated and achieved by a more thorough understanding of the characterization of catalyst materials. This work was supported by NASA s Subsonic Fixed Wing and In-situ Resource Utilization projects.

Best, Lauren M.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Complexity of segregation behavior at localized deformation sites formed while in service in a 316 stainless steel baffle-former bolt

Here, post-irradiation evaluation was performed on a 316 stainless steel baffle former bolt harvested after 40 years of service in a pressurized water reactor. Microstructure analysis revealed the presence of defect-free dislocation channels and strain-induced twins, indicative of loading at a stress level close to yield stress at least once while in service. Primary radiation-induced Ni/Si precipitates were destroyed during channel and twin formation, and secondary, significantly coarser Ni/Si precipitates formed along newly formed Σ3 boundaries during the continued irradiation. Additionally, an elevated phosphorus level was observed inside the strain-induced twin. Complex chemistry inside the strain-induced feature may overlap with dislocation pileups and impact localized corrosion, material long-term performance, and safety.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Final Technical Report

The Department of Energy is interested in technologies that support the sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, and other bioproducts from plant biomass, to offset the nation’s reliance on fossil resources. The plant cell wall of energy crops provides the largest reservoir of raw materials for bioproducts. However, the widespread use of plant cell walls is hampered by their complexity and resistance to breakdown. To improve the productivity and cost-effectiveness of using energy crops to generate bioproducts, the fundamental problem of deconstructing plant cell walls must be addressed. This project developed and evaluated an innovative genetic modification technology to produce strategically designed enzymes that specifically accumulate in the plant cell wall. The resulting enzyme-engineered energy crops are expected to grow normally under natural conditions but break down more quickly and easily under high temperature during the production of biobased products. As such, this plant cell wall targeting enzyme engineering effort will reduce the cost of plant cell wall deconstruction and ultimately improve the economics of bioproducts. The overall objective of this project is to develop and evaluate the in-planta enzyme engineering technology to reduce lignocellulose deconstruction cost. The concept was first validated using tobacco plant, a model plant system that is typically used in lab testing for initial concept validation. Then the enzyme optimization was validated using switchgrass, the energy crop to be used to produce bioproducts. There are three specific objectives in this Phase I project: (1) validate the enzyme optimization concept using tobacco plant, a model plant system. (2) validate the enzyme optimization concept using switchgrass. (3) techno-economic analysis (TEA) for further scale-up application. By the end of this project, in-planta enzyme engineering was validated in both tobacco and switchgrass plants, with improved enzyme activity and saccharification efficiency. The in-planta enzyme engineering in Tabacco didn’t have a significant impact on plant growth and development. Transgenic tobacco plants with in-planta cellulose degrading enzymes showed higher biomass digestibility than wild type. Gene construction and transformation in switchgrass was much longer than expected, which delayed the research progress. Besides, in-planta engineering of lignin degrading enzyme is more challenging than cellulose degrading enzyme, in terms of expression detection. Expression of lignin degrading enzyme and cellulose degrading enzyme improved biomass yield and saccharification efficiency of switchgrass, respectively. It is promising to express both genes in switchgrass for optimized overall performance. According to the results of TEA, switchgrass biomass production cost is mainly attributed to by fertility and harvesting. Biomass production profit can increase up to 10-fold depending on biomass price. The PHA production profit is also sensitive to the biomass price. The proposed technology could potentially reduce the biomass deconstruction cost from 33% to 9% of PHA revenue, making the biomass-based PHA competitive to petroleum-based polymers even in case of relatively high biomass price of biomass. Therefore, cultivation of the genetically engineered self-deconstruction switchgrass for Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production could benefit switchgrass grower and PHA producer with attractive profits for both sectors. This new enzyme optimization approach will be beneficial for bioindustries that use energy crops as feedstocks. It will improve the economic viability of converting energy crops to renewable products that support a sustainable society and helps address the Nation’s long-term strategic needs for renewable products and reduction of reliance on fossil resources.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Applying deep learning methods to develop new models of molecular charge transfer, nonadiabatic dynamics, and nonlinear spectroscopy in the condensed phase

Photon- and field-induced charge transfer has central importance in the generation and storage of electricity, the novel properties of materials, photo-induced catalysis, and electro-optic activity (e.g., photovoltaic cells, fuel cells, and organic chromophores for use in optical fibers and light-emission diodes). These non-equilibrium electronic and chemical transformations are probed by ultrafast, nonlinear spectroscopies. Accurate simulations play a crucial role in our ability to understand, optimize, and control these transformations. This project applies modern deep learning and machine learning (ML) methods to dramatically improve models of electronic dynamics, electronic-nuclear dynamics, and spectroscopic measurements for improved simulations of chemistry in complex environments, far from equilibrium phenomena, and processes in extreme environments, such as materials exposed to strong or resonant fields. This project develops accurate neural net models that go beyond predictive capability to also provide new insight into the fundamental physics underlying electron and nuclear dynamics. To achieve its objectives, this project explores and develops customized versions of high-capacity deep learning algorithms/models. These techniques are developed with an emphasis on fundamental chemical insight, not just predictive accuracy, to assist the development of the next generation of quantum simulation methods.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Photoelectrochemical materials for solar energy conversion

Research and development on semiconductors for applications in solar energy conversion has witnessed rapid growth over the past several decades. With the aim of producing chemical fuels from sunlight, intense research efforts have focused on the discovery of semiconductors with crystalline structures and chemical compositions that have the potential to satisfy the complex set of required photoelectrochemical properties. This chapter focuses on the foundational structure-property relationships of selected oxide and nitride semiconductors relevant to their uses as n-/p-type photoelectrodes and as photocatalysts. Their solid-state structures and compositions are described, with a special emphasis on strategies proven effective at targeting suitable band gaps with strong visible-light absorption, efficient charge separation and diffusion of charge carriers, and optimal band edge energies for driving surface redox reactions for water splitting.

O’Donnell, Shaun↗

DOE OSTI2025

UO2 microstructural evolutions induced by Ni, Mo, and W dopants for intentional forensics

The concept of tagging nuclear fuel with a chemical barcode to enable forensics analysis across the nuclear fuel cycle is an area of active investigation, particularly to ensure fabrication viability without disrupting current fuel performance. This study explored the feasibility of using Ni, Mo, and W isotopic double-spikes as dopants in UO2 fuel from the perspective of fuel fabrication. Doped UO2 pellets were produced using conventional fuel fabrication processes, including powder mixing, sieving, pressing, and sintering in a reductive atmosphere. Two composition levels, 100 and 1000 ppm, were evaluated for each dopant element with isotopic double-spike configurations. For the Ni system, additional dopant concentrations of 250 and 500 ppm were produced with nonperturbed isotopic ratios. The results demonstrated that successful incorporation of Ni, Mo, and W double-spikes into UO2 pellets occurred with minimal shift in final density or dopant loss during pellet fabrication. Isotopic analysis confirmed the presence of the double-spike signature even when diluted with natural isotopic material in ratio of 1:5 in the fabrication process. Microstructural examinations revealed different impacts on grain size compared with undoped UO2. This study showed that Ni incorporation up to ∼500 ppm promoted moderate grain growth, whereas the Mo and W systems caused grain size reduction at all concentrations. Changes in the UO2 lattice parameter as a function of composition were detected exclusively for Ni up to 500 ppm, indicating that the Ni solid solution was the main factor for the observed grain growth. Insoluble (Mo and W) or supersaturated (Ni > 500 ppm) conditions produced grain size reduction. The Ni-doped pellets in the solution range resulted in a final microstructure within fuel specifications, demonstrating its potential benefits of employing complex dopant systems for potential nuclear forensic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Reverse β-oxidation pathways for efficient chemical production

Abstract Microbial production of fuels, chemicals, and materials has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy. While synthetic biology allows readjusting of native metabolic pathways for the synthesis of desired products, often these native pathways do not support maximum efficiency and are affected by complex regulatory mechanisms. A synthetic or engineered pathway that allows modular synthesis of versatile bioproducts with minimal enzyme requirement and regulation while achieving high carbon and energy efficiency could be an alternative solution to address these issues. The reverse β-oxidation (rBOX) pathways enable iterative non-decarboxylative elongation of carbon molecules of varying chain lengths and functional groups with only four core enzymes and no ATP requirement. Here, we describe recent developments in rBOX pathway engineering to produce alcohols and carboxylic acids with diverse functional groups, along with other commercially important molecules such as polyketides. We discuss the application of rBOX beyond the pathway itself by its interfacing with various carbon-utilization pathways and deployment in different organisms, which allows feedstock diversification from sugars to glycerol, carbon dioxide, methane, and other substrates.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2002

Length Scale and Gravity Effects on Microgravity Boiling Heat Transfer

Boiling is a complex phenomenon where hydrodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and interfacial phenomena are tightly interwoven. An understanding of boiling and critical heat flux in microgravity environments is of importance to space based hardware and processes such as heat exchange, cryogenic fuel storage and transportation, electronic cooling, and material processing due to the large amounts of heat that can be removed with relatively little increase in temperature. Although research in this area has been performed in the past four decades, the mechanisms by which heat is removed from surfaces in microgravity are still unclear. In earth gravity, buoyancy is an important parameter that affects boiling heat transfer through the rate at which bubbles are removed from the surface. A simple model describing the bubble departure size based on a quasistatic force balance between buoyancy and surface tension is given by the Fritz [I] relation: Bo(exp 1/2) = 0.0208 theta where Bo is the ratio between buoyancy and surface tension forces. For small, rapidly growing bubbles, inertia associated with the induced liquid motion can also cause bubble departure. In microgravity, the magnitude of effects related to natural convection and buoyancy are small and physical mechanisms normally masked by natural convection in earth gravity such as Marangoni convection can substantially influence the boiling and vapor bubble dynamics. CHF (critical heat transfer) is also substantially affected by microgravity. In 1 g environments, Bo has been used as a correlating parameter for CHF. Zuber's CHF model for an infinite horizontal surface assumes that vapor columns formed by the merger of bubbles become unstable due to a Helmholtz instability blocking the supply of liquid to the surface. The jets are spaced lambda(sub D) apart, where lambda(sub D) = 2pi square root of 3[(sigma)/(g(rho(sub l) - rho(sub v)](exp 1/2) = 2pi square root of 3 L Bo(exp -1/2) = square root of 3 lambda(sub c) and is the wavelength that amplifies most rapidly. The critical wavelength, lambda(sub c), is the wavelength below which a vapor layer underneath a liquid layer is stable. For heaters with Bo smaller than about 3 (heaters smaller than lambda(sub D)), the above model is not applicable, and surface tension effects dominate. Bubble coalescence is thought to be the mechanism for CHF under these conditions. Small Bo can result by decreasing the size of a heater in earth gravity, or by operating a large heater in a lower gravity environment. In the microgravity of space, even large heaters can have low Bo, and models based on Helmholtz instability should not be applicable. The macrolayer model of Haramura and Katto is dimensionally equivalent to Zuber's model and has the same dependence on gravity, so it should not be applicable as well. The goal of this work is to determine how boiling heat transfer mechanisms in a low-g environment are altered from those at higher gravity levels. Boiling data using a microheater array was obtained under gravity environments ranging from 1.8 g to 0.02 g with heater sizes ranging from 2.7 mm to 1 mm. The boiling behavior for 2.7 mm at 0.02 g looked quite similar to boiling on the 1 mm heater at 1 g-the formation of a large primary bubble surrounded by smaller satellite bubbles was observed under both conditions. The similarity suggests that for heaters smaller than some fraction of I(sub c), coalescence and surface tension dominate boiling heat transfer. It also suggests that microgravity boiling can be studied by studying boiling on very small heaters.

Kim, Jungho↗

NASA NTRS2004

Boiling Heat Transfer Mechanisms in Earth and Low Gravity: Boundary Condition and Heater Aspect Ratio Effects

Boiling is a complex phenomenon where hydrodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, and interfacial phenomena are tightly interwoven. An understanding of boiling and critical heat flux in microgravity environments is of importance to space based hardware and processes such as heat exchange, cryogenic fuel storage and transportation, electronic cooling, and material processing due to the large amounts of heat that can be removed with relatively little increase in temperature. Although research in this area has been performed in the past four decades, the mechanisms by which heat is removed from surfaces in microgravity are still unclear. Recently, time and space resolved heat transfer data were obtained in both earth and low gravity environments using an array of microheaters varying in size between 100 microns to 700 microns. These heaters were operated in both constant temperature as well as constant heat flux mode. Heat transfer under nucleating bubbles in earth gravity were directly measured using a microheater array with 100 m resolution operated in constant temperature mode with low and high subcooled bulk liquid along with images from below and from the side. The individual bubble departure diameter and energy transfer were larger with low subcooling but the departure frequency increased at high subcooling, resulting in higher overall heat transfer. The bubble growth for both subcoolings was primarily due to energy transfer from the superheated liquid layer relatively little was due to wall heat transfer during the bubble growth process. Oscillating bubbles and sliding bubbles were also observed in highly subcooled boiling. Transient conduction and/or microconvection was the dominant heat transfer mechanism in the above cases. A transient conduction model was developed and compared with the experimental data with good agreement. Data was also obtained with the heater array operated in a constant heat flux mode and measuring the temperature distribution across the array during boiling. The instantaneous heat transfer into the substrate was numerically determined and subtracted from the supplied heat to obtain the wall to liquid heat flux.

Kim, Jungho↗

DOE OSTI2023

Metal complexes and methods of making the same

Disclosed herein are embodiments of metal complexes and methods of making the same. The disclosed method embodiments provide a one-step approach to making metal complexes, such as complexes comprising lanthanide metals, rare earth metals, transition metals, main group metals, and/or actinide metals that can be used various applications, such as in separations technology, catalysis (e.g., catalysts for pharmaceutical synthesis and/or catalysts for biomass conversion), nuclear chemistry, LED phosphors, scintillator materials, magnetic materials, and nuclear fuels.

Kiplinger, Jaqueline↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Novel Manufacturing Process of Lightweight Automotive Seats (Integration of Additive Manufacturing and Reinforced Polymer Composite)

Lightweight automotive seats offer multiple benefits to original equipment manufacturers in terms of cost savings from various aspects, including less material usage, more integrated processes, and compliance with Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. Original equipment manufacturers have been focusing on innovative ways to produce light weight automotive seats. The commercially available automotive seats are currently made of multiple metal components combined through welding and fasteners. The use of additive manufacturing and composite structures is particularly useful for light weighting the automotive components. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers multiple advantages over traditional manufacturing processes such as freedom of design thereby enabling complex structural geometries, mass customization and waste minimization, and control over the fiber alignment through deposition in a predetermined pattern. Combining metal inserts with polymer composites through a novel manufacturing process allows design of lightweight and high-performance materials for automotive components. However, fabricating these metal polymer composite structures through traditional manufacturing processes limits their mechanical properties due to limited design freedom, lack of control over fiber orientation in composite parts, and poor interfacial bonding between the constituent materials. It is essential to develop a novel manufacturing process to enable high throughput production of lightweight automotive seats using metal and polymer composites. As such it is important to design the automotive seat suitable for manufacturing via this process and perform mechanical characterization on various subcomponents of the seat to ensure that the design and performance requirements provided by the auto manufacturer are met. The aim of this project is to develop a novel manufacturing technique to produce lightweight automotive seat by combining AM with conventional manufacturing processes. The car seat back panel will be designed via topology optimization and numerical simulations to minimize the overall weight while ensuring it meets all the performance requirements. The optimization of the seat back structure will be based on computational stress analysis to maximize the stiffness and minimize the weight. Materials currently used by Ford Motor Company will be adopted for a few subcomponents while the in-house composite materials will be used for the rest of the seat back. The composite and metallic materials will be tested to determine their mechanical properties as these are necessary for simulations. A novel manufacturing process will be developed to integrate AM metal inserts with discontinuous reinforced composite through large scale additive manufacturing and compression overmolding processes. The developed manufacturing technique will be used to fabricated various subcomponents suitable for the seat back design and mechanically tested to determine their properties. The manufacturing of the lightweight seat back design through this process involves integrated AM metal inserts with the composite structure for recliner connection. The manufacturing of the entire seat back which is lightweight through the novel manufacturing process will be discussed. The performance of the designed seat back will be investigated through numerical simulations and shown to meet all the requirements provided by the auto manufacturer. The final goal of developing a novel manufacturing process for lightweight automotive seats is met through design optimization of seat back, manufacturing of subcomponents, mechanical characterization, and validation through numerical simulations. The routes to achieve the final goal of the project and the depth in which they were investigated changed throughout the project due to personnel changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The project resulted in the development of a novel manufacturing process to integrate metal inserts with tailored polymer composite preforms through overmolding. Leveraging this proven manufacturing process, a lightweight seat back was designed through topology optimization and numerical simulations. The designed seat back uses AM metal inserts and compression overmolding of tailored polymer composite preforms obtained via large scale additive manufacturing. The metal polymer composite structures fabricated through this process exhibited enhancement in stiffness and improved ductility upon testing. Overall, the project provided an alternative design and manufacturing technique for automotive seat back that enables weight saving while meeting the safety and performance requirements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2021

Implementation of an Experimental Setup Based on the Three-Omega Method for Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Molten Salts

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are one of the most promising next-generation nuclear reactor designs which use molten salts as the fuel and coolant. To design, model, predict, license, and operate MSRs, the behavior of the fuel and coolant must be understood as a function of temperature and irradiation, i.e., burnup. Of particular importance and complexity is the reliable and reproducible measurement of thermal conductivity of molten salts at high temperatures (> 500 °C). Thermal conductivity provides information on the rate at which heat passes through a specified material and is dependent on chemical composition. Currently, in the national laboratory complex, several methods for measuring thermal conductivity on molten salt systems are under development, however, to date, consistent data have not been produced. Typically, thermal conductivity measurements of high-temperature melts have been conducted by using the Transient Hot Wire (THW) method where thermal conductivity is determined by the change in temperature over time at a certain distance from a heating wire. Another time-dependent technique is the laser flash method, commonly used for solid samples. Laser flash requires prior measurements of density and heat capacity to calculate the thermal conductivity of the sample, introducing additional measurement errors. Steady state and time-dependent measurements such as THW and laser flash have errors from convection and ambient temperature fluctuations (heat radiation). In order to produce high fidelity thermal conductivity data, a measurement technique needs to be developed that will reduce the effect of convection at high temperatures by measuring in a very fast time window. In addition, to measure on actinide and irradiated salts the sample size should be small. Therefore, this project aims to develop a frequency-domain technique based on the three-omega (3?) method, previously proven to work on solids, nanofluids and low temperature solar salts (25 to 250 °C). If the 3?-device can be designed with materials that can withstand high temperatures (>500 °C) and can be configured to reduce errors due to convection, then it would prove to be a valuable technique for ensuring thermal conductivity on molten salt systems needed for MSR development. For this proposal, the 3? instrument will be designed, assembled, and tested on non-radioactive salts before being used on actinide bearing salts. In addition, a thermal model will be developed to determine the thermal conductivity of the sample from the measured thermal oscillation of the sensor. Because 3? is a direct method that requires a small volume of sample and works in a very fast time window, it will aid in suppressing the interference due to convection which is ideal when working with high temperature liquid samples.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS1986

Fuel Manifold Resists Embrittlement by Hydrogen

Completely-cast hydrogen-compatible alloy preferable to protective plating. Complexity of plating, welding, and brazing unnecessary if hydrogen-compatible alloy used for entire casting instead of protective overlay. Parts exposed to high-pressure hydrogen made immune to hydrogen embrittlement if fabricated from new alloy, Incoly 903 (or equivalent). Material strong and compatible with hydrogen at all temperatures and adapted for outlet manifold of Space Shuttle main combustion chamber.

Adams, T.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Intermediate Temperature Single Component Electrolysis Cell

This project aims at demonstrating a fundamentally new approach towards electrochemical hydrogen production using a single component cell design. Conventional electrolyzer cells consist of a stack of layers (oxygen and fuel electrodes, electrolyte layer) that require multiple processing steps and add to the fabrication cost and complexity. Here we explore the viability of a single-layer electrolyzer device based on the single-layer SOFC concepts described in literature (Asghar et al, 2020). The single layer material is a composite of ionic conductor and catalytic material consisting of ceria doped with Gd and Sm co-processed with CuFe 2 O 4 .

08 HYDROGEN↗

NASA NTRS1976

Space and energy

Potential contributions of space to energy-related activities are discussed. Advanced concepts presented include worldwide energy distribution to substation-sized users using low-altitude space reflectors; powering large numbers of large aircraft worldwide using laser beams reflected from space mirror complexes; providing night illumination via sunlight-reflecting space mirrors; fine-scale power programming and monitoring in transmission networks by monitoring millions of network points from space; prevention of undetected hijacking of nuclear reactor fuels by space tracking of signals from tagging transmitters on all such materials; and disposal of nuclear power plant radioactive wastes in space.

Bekey, I.↗

NASA NTRS2014

Advanced Compatibility Characterization Of AF-M315E With Spacecraft Propulsion System Materials Project

All spacecraft require propulsion systems for thrust and maneuvering. Propulsion systems can be chemical, nuclear, electrical, cold gas or combinations thereof. Chemical propulsion has proven to be the most reliable technology since the deployment of launch vehicles. Performance, storability, and handling are three important aspects of liquid chemical propulsion. Bipropellant systems require a fuel and an oxidizer for propulsion, but monopropellants only require a fuel and a catalyst for propulsion and are therefore simpler and lighter. Hydrazine is the state of the art propellant for monopropellant systems, but has drawbacks because it is highly hazardous to human health, which requires extensive care in handling, complex ground ops due to safety and environmental considerations, and lengthy turnaround times for reusable spacecraft. All users of hydrazine monopropellant must contend with these issues and their associated costs. The development of a new monopropellant, intended to replace hydrazine, has been in progress for years. This project will apply advanced techniques to characterize the engineering properties of materials used in AF-M315E propulsion systems after propellant exposure. AF-M315E monopropellant has been selected HQ's Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) to replace toxic hydrazine for improved performance and reduce safety and health issues that will shorten reusable spacecraft turn-around time. In addition, this project will fundamentally strengthen JSC's core competency to evaluate, use and infuse liquid propellant systems.

McClure, Mark B.↗