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NASA NTRS1994

Lightning Protection

Kit-built airplanes are more affordable because they are assembled by the owner and do not require Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The Glasair III, is an advanced technology homebuilt, constructed of a fiberglass and graphite fiber composite material, and equipped with digital instruments. Both technologies make the airplane more susceptible to lightning effects. When Glasair manufacturer, Stoddard-Hamilton, decided that lightning protection would enable more extensive instrument flight and make the plane more marketable, they proposed a joint development program to NASA Langley Research Center (LAR). Under a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, Langley contractors designed and tested a lightning protection system, and the Glasair III-LP became the first kit-built composite aircraft to be lightning tested and protection-verified under FAA guidelines for general aviation aircraft.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1990

Scaling effects in the static and dynamic response of graphite-epoxy beam-columns

Scale model technology represents one method of investigating the behavior of advanced, weight-efficient composite structures under a variety of loading conditions. It is necessary, however, to understand the limitations involved in testing scale model structures before the technique can be fully utilized. These limitations, or scaling effects, are characterized. in the large deflection response and failure of composite beams. Scale model beams were loaded with an eccentric axial compressive load designed to produce large bending deflections and global failure. A dimensional analysis was performed on the composite beam-column loading configuration to determine a model law governing the system response. An experimental program was developed to validate the model law under both static and dynamic loading conditions. Laminate stacking sequences including unidirectional, angle ply, cross ply, and quasi-isotropic were tested to examine a diversity of composite response and failure modes. The model beams were loaded under scaled test conditions until catastrophic failure. A large deflection beam solution was developed to compare with the static experimental results and to analyze beam failure. Also, the finite element code DYCAST (DYnamic Crash Analysis of STructure) was used to model both the static and impulsive beam response. Static test results indicate that the unidirectional and cross ply beam responses scale as predicted by the model law, even under severe deformations. In general, failure modes were consistent between scale models within a laminate family; however, a significant scale effect was observed in strength. The scale effect in strength which was evident in the static tests was also observed in the dynamic tests. Scaling of load and strain time histories between the scale model beams and the prototypes was excellent for the unidirectional beams, but inconsistent results were obtained for the angle ply, cross ply, and quasi-isotropic beams. Results show that valuable information can be obtained from testing on scale model composite structures, especially in the linear elastic response region. However, due to scaling effects in the strength behavior of composite laminates, caution must be used in extrapolating data taken from a scale model test when that test involves failure of the structure.

Jackson, Karen E.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Construction assembly and overview

The graphite composite forming and welding technologies for the beam builder concept are discussed. Testing of the prototype truss segment and requirements for orbiter based construction equipment concepts are briefly addressed.

Jenkins, L. M.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Develop, demonstrate, and verify large area composite structural bonding with polyimide adhesives

The technology required to produce graphite-polyimide structural components with operational capability at 598 K (600 F) is considered. A series of polyimide adhesives was screened for mechanical and physical properties and processibility in fabricating large midplane bonded panels and honeycomb sandwich panels in an effort to fabricate a structural test component of the space shuttle aft body flap. From 41 formulations, LaRC-13, FM34B-18, and a modified LaRC-13 adhesive were selected for further evaluation. The LaRC-13 adhesive was rated as the best of the three adhesives in terms of availability, cost, processibility, properties, and ability to produce void fee large area (12" x 12") midplane bonds. Surface treatments and primers for the adhesives were evaluated and processes were developed for the fabrication of honeycomb sandwich panels of very good quality which was evidenced by rupture in the honeycomb core rather than in the facesheet bands on flatwise tensile strength testing. The fabrication of the adhesively bonded honeycomb sandwich cover panels, ribs, and leading edge covers of Celion graphite/LARC-160 polyimide laminates is described.

Bhombal, B. D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Antennas for spacecraft synthetic aperture radars

Future SAR missions will require light weight, multifrequency, multipolarization spacecraft antennas. NASA has conducted an investigation of possible antenna technologies, and has identified two promising technologies: interleaved open-ended waveguide antennas constructed from metallized graphite epoxy and distributed microstrip antennas. The investigation and candidate technologies are described in this paper.

Davidson, S. E.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Large Scale Reduction of Graphite Oxide Project

This project seeks to develop an optical method to reduce graphite oxide into graphene efficiently and in larger formats than currently available. Current reduction methods are expensive, time-consuming or restricted to small, limited formats. Graphene has potential uses in ultracapacitors, energy storage, solar cells, flexible and light-weight circuits, touch screens, and chemical sensors. In addition, graphite oxide is a sustainable material that can be produced from any form of carbon, making this method environmentally friendly and adaptable for in-situ reduction.

Technology Portfolio System↗

NASA NTRS2012

Small Fast Spectrum Reactor Designs Suitable for Direct Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Advancement of U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program requires high performance propulsion systems to support a variety of robotic and crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit. Past studies, in particular those in support of the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), have shown nuclear thermal propulsion systems provide superior performance for high mass high propulsive delta-V missions. The recent NASA Design Reference Architecture (DRA) 5.0 Study re-examined mission, payload, and transportation system requirements for a human Mars landing mission in the post-2030 timeframe. Nuclear thermal propulsion was again identified as the preferred in-space transportation system. A common nuclear thermal propulsion stage with three 25,000-lbf thrust engines was used for all primary mission maneuvers. Moderately lower thrust engines may also have important roles. In particular, lower thrust engine designs demonstrating the critical technologies that are directly extensible to other thrust levels are attractive from a ground testing perspective. An extensive nuclear thermal rocket technology development effort was conducted from 1955-1973 under the Rover/NERVA Program. Both graphite and refractory metal alloy fuel types were pursued. Reactors and engines employing graphite based fuels were designed, built and ground tested. A number of fast spectrum reactor and engine designs employing refractory metal alloy fuel types were proposed and designed, but none were built. The Small Nuclear Rocket Engine (SNRE) was the last engine design studied by the Los Alamos National Laboratory during the program. At the time, this engine was a state-of-the-art graphite based fuel design incorporating lessons learned from the very successful technology development program. The SNRE was a nominal 16,000-lbf thrust engine originally intended for unmanned applications with relatively short engine operations and the engine and stage design were constrained to fit within the payload volume of the then planned space shuttle. The SNRE core design utilized hexagonal fuel elements and hexagonal structural support elements. The total number of elements can be varied to achieve engine designs of higher or lower thrust levels. Some variation in the ratio of fuel elements to structural elements is also possible. Options for SNRE-based engine designs in the 25,000-lbf thrust range were described in a recent (2010) Joint Propulsion Conference paper. The reported designs met or exceeded the performance characteristics baselined in the DRA 5.0 Study. Lower thrust SNRE-based designs were also described in a recent (2011) Joint Propulsion Conference paper. Recent activities have included parallel evaluation and design efforts on fast spectrum engines employing refractory metal alloy fuels. These efforts include evaluation of both heritage designs from the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and General Electric Company GE-710 Programs as well as more recent designs. Results are presented for a number of not-yet optimized fast spectrum engine options.

Schnitzler, Bruce G.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Advanced composites: Environmental effects on selected resin matrix materials

The effects that expected space flight environment has upon the mechanical properties of epoxy and polyimide matrix composites were analyzed. Environmental phenomena covered water immersion, high temperature aging, humidity, lightning strike, galvanic action, electromagnetic interference, thermal shock, rain and sand erosion, and thermal/vacuum outgassing. The technology state-of-the-art for graphite and boron reinforced epoxy and polyimide matrix materials is summarized to determine the relative merit of using composites in the space shuttle program. Resin matrix composites generally are affected to some degree by natural environmental phenomena with polyimide resin matrix materials less affected than epoxies.

Welhart, E. K.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Design of a high precision microwave reflector

Development of a high accuracy spherical microwave reflector to support contour RMS and pointing requirements for a new series of space instruments is reported. The reflector system is composed of precision machined aluminum tile reflectors supported from a eutectic coated graphite epoxy structure by flexures. Several basic technologies have been integrated into a manufacturing process that accommodates fabrication techniques of both optical and composite constraints. The optical figure and its change due to thermal gradient was measured in a thermal vacuum environment with a Ronchi system. The radiometer system is in support of the Microwave Limb Sounder, an experiment to measure emissions from earth's atmospheric limb thus obtaining wind, temperature, pressure and chemical composition measurements.

Noller, E. W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Recent results concerning the stability of viscoelastic shear deformable plates under compressive edge loading

Some recent results obtained by the authors are summarized concerning the stability of transversely isotropic flat panels whose materials exhibit a viscoelastic behavior and whose edges are subjected to in-plane biaxial compressive loads. Two transversely isotropic type materials, largely used in advanced technology, are considered: (1) the pyrolytic-graphite type, used in the thermal protection of aerospace vehicles, and (2) the type corresponding to unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites. In the former case, the planes of isotropy are parallel at each point to the midplane of the plate. In the latter case, they are normal to the fiber directions. The micromechanical relations developed by Aboudi (1984, 1986, 1987) are considered in conjunction with the correspondence principle of linear viscoelastic theory in order to predict the macroscopic viscoelastic properties of a material composed of uniaxial elastic fibers embedded in a linear viscoelastic matrix.

Librescu, L.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Carbon-Based Wear Coatings: Properties and Applications

The technical function of numerous engineering systems - such as vehicles, machines, and instruments - depends on the processes of motion and on the surface systems. Many processes in nature and technology depend on the motion and dynamic behavior of solids, liquids, and gases. Smart surface systems are essential because of the recent technological push toward higher speeds, loads, and operating temperatures; longer life; lighter weight and smaller size (including nanotechnology); and harsh environments in mechanical, mechatronic, and biomechanical systems. If proper attention is not given to surface systems, then vehicles, machines, instruments, and other technical systems could have short lives, consume excessive energy, experience breakdowns, result in liabilities, and fail to accomplish their missions. Surface systems strongly affect our national economy and our lifestyles. At the NASA Glenn Research Center, we believe that proper attention to surface systems, especially in education, research, and application, could lead to economic savings of between 1.3 and 1.6 percent of the gross domestic product. Wear coatings and surface systems continue to experience rapid growth as new coating and surface engineering technologies are discovered, more cost-effective coating and surface engineering solutions are developed, and marketers aggressively pursue, uncover, and exploit new applications for engineered surface systems in cutting tools and wear components. Wear coatings and smart surface systems have been used widely in industrial, consumer, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical applications. This presentation expresses the author's views of and insights into smart surface systems in wear coatings. A revolution is taking place in carbon science and technology. Diamond, an allotrope of carbon, joins graphite, fullerenes, and nanotubes as its major pure carbon structures. It has a unique combination of extreme properties: hardness and abrasion resistance; adhesion and friction; thermal conductivity; chemical and thermal inertness; corrosion and wear resistance; radiation resistance and biocompatibility; electronic, acoustic, and electrochemical characteristics; and environmental compatibility. These properties make diamond attractive for a wide range of diverse applications. In particular, chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) diamond coatings offer a broad potential, since size and cost are not as limiting. The production of large, superhard diamond films or sheets at low cost make designer materials possible. This presentation is divided into two sections: properties and applications of hard coatings. The first section is concerned with the fundamental properties of the surfaces of CVD diamonds and related materials. The surface properties of hard coatings with favorable coefficients of friction (less than or equal to 0.1) and dimensional wear coefficients (less than or equal to 10(exp -6) cubic millimeters/N.m) in specific environments are discussed. The second section is devoted to applications. Examples of actual, successful applications and of potential challenging applications of the coatings.such as CVD diamond, diamondlike carbon, and cubic boron nitride-are described. Cutting tools coated with CVD diamond are of immediate commercial interest. Other applications, such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), valves, and bearings of CVD diamond, are being developed, but at a slow pace. There is a continually growing interest in commercializing diamondlike carbon for wear parts applications, such as biomedical parts and implants, forming dies, transport guides, magnetic tapes and disks, valves, and gears. Cubic boron nitride films are receiving attention because they can be used on tools to machine ferrous materials or on wear parts in sliding contact with ferrous materials.

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa↗

NASA NTRS2021

Random vibration, exported vibration, and passive isolation testing of the Ricor K508N cryocooler

The Ricor K508N is a rotary Stirling Cryocooler whose predecessor, the K508, has extensive flight heritage. The K508N has significant potential as a low-cost option for CubeSat infrared electro-optical payload applications. This paper will explore the work done by the ATA project on the exported vibration characterization of a set of standard K508N cryocoolers (35 atm) and the implementation and performance comparison of several passive vibration isolation and damping technologies to help mitigate the jitter effect of COTS cryocoolers. Kistler Force dynamometers and accelerometers were used to measure the K508N’s body and cold tip Multicomponent Exported Forces and Torques (EFT). Wire rope and Pyrolytic Graphite Sheet thermal straps are used as vibration isolation technologies. The K508N also underwent sine sweep resonant and peak profile testing as well as random vibration testing to GEVS launch loads in a NanoRacks soft stow configuration.

Mok, M↗

NASA NTRS1990

Eddy current inspection of graphite fiber components

The recognition of defects in materials properties still presents a number of problems for nondestructive testing in aerospace systems. This project attempts to utilize current capabilities in eddy current instrumentation, artificial intelligence, and robotics in order to provide insight into defining geometrical aspects of flaws in composite materials which are capable of being evaluated using eddy current inspection techniques. The unique capabilities of E-probes and horseshoe probes for inspecting probes for inspecting graphite fiber materials were evaluated and appear to hold great promise once the technology development matures. The initial results are described of modeling eddy current interactions with certain flaws in graphite fiber samples.

Workman, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Soft-Bake Purification of SWCNTs Produced by Pulsed Laser Vaporization

The "soft-bake" method is a simple and reliable initial purification step first proposed by researchers at Rice University for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) produced by high-pressure carbon mon oxide disproportionation (HiPco). Soft-baking consists of annealing as-produced (raw) SWCNT, at low temperatures in humid air, in order to degrade the heavy graphitic shells that surround metal particle impurities. Once these shells are cracked open by the expansion and slow oxidation of the metal particles, the metal impurities can be digested through treatment with hydrochloric acid. The soft-baking of SWCNT produced by pulsed-laser vaporization (PLV) is not straightforward, because the larger average SWCNT diameters (.1.4 nm) and heavier graphitic shells surrounding metal particles call for increased temperatures during soft-bake. A part of the technology development focused on optimizing the temperature so that effective cracking of the graphitic shells is balanced with maintaining a reasonable yield, which was a critical aspect of this study. Once the ideal temperature was determined, a number of samples of raw SWCNT were purified using the soft-bake method. An important benefit to this process is the reduced time and effort required for soft-bake versus the standard purification route for SWCNT. The total time spent purifying samples by soft-bake is one week per batch, which equates to a factor of three reduction in the time required for purification as compared to the standard acid purification method. Reduction of the number of steps also appears to be an important factor in improving reproducibility of yield and purity of SWCNT, as small deviations are likely to get amplified over the course of a complicated multi-step purification process.

Yowell, Leonard↗

NASA NTRS1994

The Rationale/Benefits of Nuclear Thermal Rocket Propulsion for NASA's Lunar Space Transportation System

The solid core nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) represents the next major evolutionary step in propulsion technology. With its attractive operating characteristics, which include high specific impulse (approximately 850-1000 s) and engine thrust-to-weight (approximately 4-20), the NTR can form the basis for an efficient lunar space transportation system (LTS) capable of supporting both piloted and cargo missions. Studies conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center indicate that an NTR-based LTS could transport a fully-fueled, cargo-laden, lunar excursion vehicle to the Moon, and return it to low Earth orbit (LEO) after mission completion, for less initial mass in LEO than an aerobraked chemical system of the type studied by NASA during its '90-Day Study.' The all-propulsive NTR-powered LTS would also be 'fully reusable' and would have a 'return payload' mass fraction of approximately 23 percent--twice that of the 'partially reusable' aerobraked chemical system. Two NTR technology options are examined--one derived from the graphite-moderated reactor concept developed by NASA and the AEC under the Rover/NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) programs, and a second concept, the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR). The paper also summarizes NASA's lunar outpost scenario, compares relative performance provided by different LTS concepts, and discusses important operational issues (e.g., reusability, engine 'end-of life' disposal, etc.) associated with using this important propulsion technology.

Borowski, Stanley K.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The rationale/benefits of nuclear thermal rocket propulsion for NASA's lunar space transportation system

Two nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) technology options are examined - one derived from the graphite-moderated reactor concept developed by NASA and the AEC under the Rover/NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application) programs, and a second concept, the Particle Bed Reactor. The paper also summarizes NASA's lunar outpost scenario, compares relative performance provided by different lunar space transportation system concepts, and discusses important operational issues (e.g., reusability, engine 'end-of-life' disposal, etc.) associated with using this important propulsion technology.

Borowski, Stanley K.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Advanced rotary engine components utilizing fiber reinforced Mg castings

Under a two-phase program sponsored by NASA, the technology for producing advanced rotary engine components utilizing graphite fiber-reinforced magnesium alloy casting is being developed. In Phase I, the successful casting of a simulated intermediate housing was demonstrated. In Phase II, the goal is to produce an operating rotor housing. The effort involves generation of a material property data base, optimization of parameters, and development of wear- and corrosion-resistant cast surfaces and surface coatings. Results to date are described.

Goddard, D.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Carbon and carbon-coated electrodes for multistage depressed collectors for electron-beam devices - A technology review

Various aspects of carbon and carbon-coated multistaged depressed collector (MDC) electrode technology are reviewed. The physical properties of untreated graphite electrodes, ion-textured graphite electrodes, and textured, carbon-coated copper electrodes, and surface treatment procedures for these electrodes are described. The secondary electron emissions of the three electrode types are analyzed. MDC fabrication methods are discussed. The performances of MDCs fabricated with untreated graphite electrodes, ion-textured graphite electrodes, and textured, carbon-coated copper electrodes are evaluated. MDC and TWT efficiency levels for tubes fabricated with the three materials are measured.

Curren, Arthur N.↗