SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “conductive composites”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 271 records · Page 15

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1989

Major element composition of stratospheric micrometeorites

Results are presented on an element-composition study conducted on 200 interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) collected with NASA's U2 and RB 47 aircraft at altitudes near 20 km. These IDPs could be classified into two major morphological types, i.e., the 'porous' and the 'smooth' particle types, which showed significant compositional differences. Namely, elemental abundances found in porous particles are closely matching those of the CI chondrites, while the smooth particle group displayed systematic Ca and Mg depletions and contained stoichiometric 'excess' oxygen, consistent with the presence of hydrous phases. This fact, together with the occurrence of carbonates, magnetite framboids, and layer silicates, provides evidence that at least a significant number of the smooth-type IDPs were processed by aqueous activity. It is hypothesized that extensive aqueous activity only occurs in asteroids (as opposed to comets) and that the smooth class of IDPs is of an asteroidal origin.

Schramm, L. S.↗

NASA NTRS2014

TPSAS-NF1676L-19165-DND

To fully leverage the advantages of composites in new aerospace vehicles and applications requires continuous investigation of novel technologies beyond the current state-of-the-art. An open circuit resonant sensor has been developed for the purpose of in-situ damage detection and diagnostics in non-conductive and conductive aerospace composite materials.

Kenneth L Dudley↗

NASA NTRS1982

Creep-fatigue of low cobalt superalloys

Testing for the low cycle fatigue and creep fatigue resistance of superalloys containing reduced amounts of cobalt is described. The test matrix employed involves a single high temperature appropriate for each alloy. A single total strain range, again appropriate to each alloy, is used in conducting strain controlled, low cycle, creep fatigue tests. The total strain range is based upon the level of straining that results in about 10,000 cycles to failure in a high frequency (0.5 Hz) continuous strain-cycling fatigue test. No creep is expected to occur in such a test. To bracket the influence of creep on the cyclic strain resistance, strain hold time tests with ore minute hold periods are introduced. One test per composition is conducted with the hold period in tension only, one in compression only, and one in both tension and compression. The test temperatures, alloys, and their cobalt compositions that are under study are given.

Halford, G. R.↗

DOE OSTI2021

High-throughput characterization of Lu-doped zirconia

Lu-doped zirconia (LuDZ) was reported in the 1960s to be a poor oxygen ion conductor. However, we identified this system as worthy of reexamination based on the results of a machine learning-based screen for promising oxygen ion conductors, further supported by a physical argument: because Lu is the heaviest and smallest of the lanthanides, it should offer the possibility of high conductivity due to its high polarizability and size compatibility with the zirconia structure. Here the relationship between dopant concentration and conductivity in the LuDZ system was determined using a high throughput experimental methodology in which spatially resolved conductivity was measured across a compositionally graded film, spanning from Zr 0.93 Lu 0.07 O 1.965 to Zr 0.82 Lu 0.18 O 1.91 . The conductivity broadly peaks with composition at 15 cation % Lu, coinciding with the approximate phase boundary of the fully stabilized cubic phase. The composition-dependent conductivity measurements reveal a surprising increase in activation energy for ion transport with increasing Lu content with no change in this trend at the composition of the conductivity maximum. The pre-exponential factor increases sharply with Lu content, but displays a distinct plateau once the conductivity maximum composition is attained. At 500 °C, the conductivity of Zr 0.85 Lu 0.15 O 1.925 is 2 × 10 –3 S cm –1 , approaching that of optimally doped Sc-stabilized zirconia, which has the highest reported conductivity among zirconia compounds. In comparison to other oxide ion conductors, Lu-stabilized zirconia offers the advantage over ceria of negligible electronic conductivity and is easier to process than (La,Sr)(Ga,Mg)O 3-δ .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Structure, electrical and thermal properties of single-crystal BaCuGdTe 3

Single crystals of the quaternary chalcogenide BaCuGdTe 3 were obtained by direct reaction of elements allowing for a complete investigation of the intrinsic electrical and thermal properties of this previously uninvestigated material. The structure was investigated by high-resolution single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction, revealing an orthorhombic crystal structure with the space group Cmcm. Although recently identified as a semiconductor suitable for thermoelectric applications from theoretical analyses, our electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements show metallic conduction, the latter revealing strong phonon-drag. Temperature dependent hole mobility reveals dominant acoustic phonon scattering. Heat capacity data reveal a Debye temperature of 183 K and a very high density of states at the Fermi level, the latter confirming the metallic nature of this composition. Thermal conductivity is relatively high with Umklapp processes dominating thermal transport above the Debye temperature. The findings in this work lay the foundation for a more detailed understanding of the physical properties of this and similar multinary chalcogenide materials, and is part of the continuing effort in investigating quaternary chalcogenide materials and their suitability for use in technological applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS1990

Evaluation of several micromechanics models for discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites

A systematic experimental evaluation of whisker and particulate reinforced aluminum matrix composites was conducted to assess the variation in tensile properties with reinforcement type, volume fraction, and specimen thickness. Each material was evaluated in three thicknesses, 1.8, 3.18, and 6.35 mm, to determine the size, distribution, and orientation of the reinforcements. This information was used to evaluate several micromechanical models that predict composite moduli. The longitudinal and transverse moduli were predicted for reinforced aluminum. The Paul model, the Cox model and the Halpin-Tsai model were evaluated. The Paul model gave a good upper bound prediction for the particulate reinforced composites but under predicted whisker reinforced composite moduli. The Cox model gave good moduli predictions for the whisker reinforcement, but was too low for the particulate. The Halpin-Tsai model gave good results for both whisker and particulate reinforced composites. An approach using a trigonometric projection of whisker length to predict the fiber contribution to the modulus in the longitudinal and transverse directions was compared to the more conventional lamination theory approach.

Johnson, W. Steven↗

NASA NTRS1991

Comparison of some micromechanics models for discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites

Johnson, W. S.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Design prediction for long term stress rupture service of composite pressure vessels

Extensive stress rupture studies on glass composites and Kevlar composites were conducted by the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory beginning in the late 1960's and extending to about 8 years in some cases. Some of the data from these studies published over the years were incomplete or were tainted by spurious failures, such as grip slippage. Updated data sets were defined for both fiberglass and Kevlar composite stand test specimens. These updated data are analyzed in this report by a convenient form of the bivariate Weibull distribution, to establish a consistent set of design prediction charts that may be used as a conservative basis for predicting the stress rupture life of composite pressure vessels. The updated glass composite data exhibit an invariant Weibull modulus with lifetime. The data are analyzed in terms of homologous service load (referenced to the observed median strength). The equations relating life, homologous load, and probability are given, and corresponding design prediction charts are presented. A similar approach is taken for Kevlar composites, where the updated stand data do show a turndown tendency at long life accompanied by a corresponding change (increase) of the Weibull modulus. The turndown characteristic is not present in stress rupture test data of Kevlar pressure vessels. A modification of the stress rupture equations is presented to incorporate a latent, but limited, strength drop, and design prediction charts are presented that incorporate such behavior. The methods presented utilize Cartesian plots of the probability distributions (which are a more natural display for the design engineer), based on median normalized data that are independent of statistical parameters and are readily defined for any set of test data.

Robinson, Ernest Y.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Compositionally complex carbide ceramics: A perspective on irradiation damage

Extensive experimental and computational studies have demonstrated outstanding physical and chemical properties of the novel materials of compositionally complex carbides (CCCs), enabling their promising applications in advanced fission and fusion energy systems. This perspective provides a comprehensive overview of radiation damage behavior reported in the literature to understand the fundamental mechanisms related to the impact of multi-principal metal components on phase stability, irradiation-induced defect clusters, irradiation hardening, and thermal conductivity of compositionally complex carbides. Several future research directions are recommended to critically evaluate the feasibility of designing and developing new ceramic materials for extreme environments using the transformative “multi-principal component” concept. Compared to the existing materials for nuclear applications including stainless steels, nickel alloys, ZrC, SiC, and potentially high-entropy alloys, as well as certain other compositionally complex ceramic families. CCCs appear to be more resistant to amorphization, growth of irradiation defect clusters, and void swelling.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Carbon Nanotube – Polysiloxane Nanocomposites for Ablative Thermal Protection Systems

Ultra-high temperature resins (UHTR) such as polysiloxane possess excellent characteristics for ablation including low thermal conductivity, lightweight composition, high thermal resistance, and the ability to form a durable char layer. To enhance its mechanical strength, the aerospace industry utilizes fiber reinforcement, such as carbon fiber reinforced polysiloxane (CF-polysiloxane), due to its high strength-to-weight ratio. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have advantages over microfibers including higher specific strength, lower density, and customizable thermal conductivity. Their nano-scale dimensions allow for a more homogenous material compared to traditional microfibers. Conventional methods of incorporating CNTs into resins often have structural defects such as voids, CNT agglomerations, and randomly dispersed CNTs, resulting in marginal improvements in properties. A novel approach known as bulk nanocomposite laminating (BNL) has been introduced involving CNT densification, resin polymer infiltration, and pressurized curing to achieve a high packing density exceeding 35% by volume. Characterization and testing to simulate re-entry conditions is performed with a sample of CNT-polysiloxane nanocomposite cured onto a CF-polysiloxane backing. These samples are subjected to ablation by an oxyacetylene flame while collecting temperature data to evaluate thermal protection properties.

Palak B Patel↗

NASA NTRS1964

The kinetics of the sintering of hot pressed molybdenum disulfide and molybdenum disulfide- silver compositions and the effect on the electrical conduction processes

Kinetics of hot pressed molybdenum disulfide and molybdenum disulfide-silver compositions with effect on electric conduction processes

HOT PRESSING↗

NASA NTRS1989

Thermal conductivity of metal-metal microlaminate composites

Microlaminate composites consisting of alternate layers of metal-metal, metal-ceramic and ceramic-ceramic exhibit anisotropy in thermal conductivity. Thermal conductivity in the direction perpendicular to the laminate plane is significantly lower than in the plane of the laminate. Results of the study on thermal conductivity of Ni-NiCoCrAlY and Ti-CoCrAlY microlaminate composites are presented. A semi-quantitative model explaining the thermal conductivity variation in the above systems as a function of number of layers is discussed. An expression correlating the experimental data with the calculated data for the above system is presented.

Radhakrishna, M. C.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Solution Blowing Synthesis of Li-Conductive Ceramic Nanofibers

Solid state electrolytes (SSEs) offer great potential to enable high-performance and safe lithium (Li) batteries. However, the scale-up synthesis and processing of SSEs is a major challenge. In this work, three-dimensional networks of lithium lanthanum titanite (LLTO) nanofibers are produced through a scale-up technique based on solution blowing. Compared with the conventional electrospinning method, the solution blowing technique enables high-speed fabrication of SSEs (e.g., 15 times faster) with superior productivity and quality. Additionally, the room-temperature ionic conductivity of composite polymer electrolytes (CPEs) formed from solution-blown LLTO fibers is 70% higher than the ones formed from electrospun fibers (1.9 x 10 -4 vs 1.1 x 10 -4 S cm -1 for 10 wt % LLTO fibers). Furthermore, the cyclability of the CPEs made from solution-blown fibers in the symmetric Li cell is more than 2.5 times that of the CPEs made from electrospun fibers. These comparisons here show that solution-blown ion-conductive fibers hold great promise for applications in Li metal batteries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Mutually Reinforced Polymer–Graphene Bilayer Membranes for Energy‐Efficient Acoustic Transduction

Abstract Graphene holds promise for thin, ultralightweight, and high‐performance nanoelectromechanical transducers. However, graphene‐only devices are limited in size due to fatigue and fracture of suspended graphene membranes. Here, a lightweight, flexible, transparent, and conductive bilayer composite of polyetherimide and single‐layer graphene is prepared and suspended on the centimeter scale with an unprecedentedly high aspect ratio of 10 5 . The coupling of the two components leads to mutual reinforcement and creates an ultrastrong membrane that supports 30 000 times its own weight. Upon electromechanical actuation, the membrane pushes a massive amount of air and generates high‐quality acoustic sound. The energy efficiency is ≈ 10–100 times better than state‐of‐the‐art electrodynamic speakers. The bilayer membrane's combined properties of electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, optical transparency, thermal stability, and chemical resistance will promote applications in electronics, mechanics, and optics.

Khan, Assad U.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Novel Superionic Na Conductors for Solid‐State Na batteries: Materials and Interface

This project aims to advance the fundamental understanding on how the cation or anion doping influence on the crystal structure, phase stability and ion transport of novel Na superionic conductors. Specifically, we focus on the Na 3-x A x SbS 4-y X y family solid electrolytes (A: cation dopant, X: anion dopant), a class of promising materials for all-solid-state sodium batteries owing to their high ionic conductivity and compositional tunability. By integrating materials synthesis, neutron scattering, and electrochemical characterization and theoretical simulations, this project sees to elucidate 1) how does the synthesis approaches (solid-state reaction, low-temperature reaction) on the phase purity and doping process; 2) how chemical doping (A: cation dopants such as Sn; X: anion dopants such as Se, F) modulate lattice dynamics and Na+ migration as well as interface stability toward Na metal. Specifically, this project’s proposed technology involves three objectives: (1) synthesize novel Na-ion conductors (anion or cation doped Na 3 SbS 4 ) with high phase purity and examine their structural features (e.g., phase stability); (2) understand Na-ion conductive properties of new Na-ion conductors through a combination of experimental characterizations and theoretical simulations; (3) investigate the interface stability of novel Na superionic conductors with electrode materials in solid-state Na batteries. These objectives will be achieved through combined experimental synthesis/characterizations and computational approaches. The obtained knowledge will provide a comprehensive synthesis-structure-property correlation, enabling the rational design of novel solid-state conductors with excellent conductivity and stability.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS2010

Multiscale Modeling of Thermal Conductivity of Polymer/Carbon Nanocomposites

Molecular dynamics simulation was used to estimate the interfacial thermal (Kapitza) resistance between nanoparticles and amorphous and crystalline polymer matrices. Bulk thermal conductivities of the nanocomposites were then estimated using an established effective medium approach. To study functionalization, oligomeric ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers were chemically bonded to a single wall carbon nanotube. The results, in a poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) matrix, are similar to those obtained previously for grafted linear hydrocarbon chains. To study the effect of noncovalent functionalization, two types of polyethylene matrices. -- aligned (extended-chain crystalline) vs. amorphous (random coils) were modeled. Both matrices produced the same interfacial thermal resistance values. Finally, functionalization of edges and faces of plate-like graphite nanoparticles was found to be only modestly effective in reducing the interfacial thermal resistance and improving the composite thermal conductivity

Clancy, Thomas C.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Morphological controls on flow conductivity and viscosity of bentonite–polymer composites

In this study, the authors investigate the morphological organisation of polymers in bentonite–polymer composites (BPCs) used in geosynthetic clay liners and controls on hydraulic conductivity and viscosity. A limited understanding of the relationship between the microstructure of BPCs and their macroscopic engineering behaviour motivates this study. The polymer resides in the inter-granular pores of bentonite based on synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, scanning electron microscopy imaging and pore size analyses. On wetting, the polymer swells to produce a swollen hydrogel residing in the inter-granular pores. Enhanced tortuosity arising from hydrogel formation reduces the hydraulic conductivity of BPCs. The higher viscosity of the BPC slurry is attributed to the higher shear resistance emerging from swelling of the polymer fraction on wetting. These findings link the morphological features of BPCs to the observed hydraulic conductivity and viscosity of these materials.

Engineering↗

NASA NTRS1986

Large Deformation Dynamic Bending of Composite Beams

Studies were conducted on the large deformation response of composite beams subjected to a dynamic axial load. The beams were loaded with a moderate eccentricity to promote bending. The study was primarily experimental but some finite element results were obtained. Both the deformation and the failure of the beams were of interest. The static response of the beams was also studied to determine potential differences between the static and dynamic failure. Twelve different laminate types were tested. The beams were loaded dynamically with a gravity driven impactor traveling at 19.6 ft/sec and quasi-static tests were conducted on identical beams in a displacement controlled manner. For laminates of practical interest, the failure modes under static and dynamic loadings were identical. Failure in most of the laminate types occurred in a single event involving 40% to 50% of the plies. However, failure in laminates with 30 deg or 15 deg off-axis plies occured in several events. All laminates exhibited bimodular elastic properties. Using empirically determined flexural properties, a finite element analysis was reasonably accurate in predicting the static and dynamic deformation response.

Derian, E. J.↗