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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Origin and development of ablator for Space Shuttle external tank

The Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) represents the largest element of the Space Shuttle transportation system. The ET is the fuel tank which contains cryogenic propellants, including liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. The task of providing a suitable Thermal Protection System (TPS) which is mass producible for the ET represented a challenge for the aerospace industry. The difficulties were compounded by stringent insulation and ablation requirements for the materials to maintain their integrity over a wide range of operating temperatures during prelaunch and ascent. Attention is given to the configuration of the Space Shuttle system, the configuration of the external tank, the initial ET TPS concept, TPS materials and processes concepts, design rationale, TPS materials structural considerations, material and processes development, development tests, material/process verification, and flight results.

Ronquillo, L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Interdisciplinary optimum design

Problems related to interdisciplinary interactions in the design of a complex engineering systems are examined with reference to aerospace applications. The interdisciplinary optimization problems examined include those dealing with controls and structures, materials and structures, control and stability, structure and aerodynamics, and structure and thermodynamics. The discussion is illustrated by the following specific applications: integrated aerodynamic/structural optimization of glider wing; optimization of an antenna parabolic dish structure for minimum weight and prescribed emitted signal gain; and a multilevel optimization study of a transport aircraft.

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, Jaroslaw↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of damage in MMC components using an internal state variable model

A metal-matrix composite (MMC) model was developed which includes the concept of damage evolution. The evolution of damage is assumed to be governed by a Kachanov-type equation. This viscoplastic damage model was implemented in the finite element code, MARC. Both uniaxial (creep) and multiaxial (an internally pressurized thick-walled cylinder) problems were analyzed using this implementation. Some preliminary results are presented which consider monotonic (constant) loadings. The creep curves including damage for four fiber orientations are presented. As expected, the minimum creep occurs when load is applied in a direction parallel to the fibers. The tangential strains at the inner radius of a thick-walled MMC-cylinder for four fiber orientations are shown with damage included. The cylinder exhibits the maximum creep resistance when the fibers are oriented in the circumferential direction, perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. Time-to-failure for the thick-walled cylinder for the same fiber orientation angles is also shown. As expected, the life of the cylinder can be increased by orientating the fibers in the circumferential direction, perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. The results, although qualitative, indicate that significant benefits in creep-resistance and service life can be achieved by using MMC materials as structural materials for high-temperature design.

Arya, V. K.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Material Variability Effects on Damage Development Within Composite Adhesively Bonded Joints

Use of composite adhesively bonded joints (ABJ) is of critical importance to the adoption of composite materials in the automotive industry, as ABJ enable lower stress concentrations as compared to conventional mechanically fastened joints. ABJ are better suited for joining composite materials as compared to fastened joints because fastened joints require drilling of holes which locally affect composite material structure. Composite materials and adhesives are subject to unavoidable stochastic local material variations which make different failure scenarios possible. An experimentally tested ABJ configuration is simulated using finite element analysis (FEA). Experimentally, under tension, the joints failed by three major failure modes, with peak loads ranging from 13.0-16.1 kips. Progressive failure analysis tools are used to simulate damage development within each material within the joint. The simulation agreed well with the average experimental peak load. Stochastically occurring adhesive porosity and matrix-fiber micro-disbonding were numerically simulated. The simulations revealed a similar trend as observed experimentally: joints which failed at higher peak loads had lower levels of damage within the face-sheets of the composite panels which were adhesively bonded; these joints which failed at higher peak loads also had greater damage in the doubler of the experimentally tested double lap joint configuration.

Richard Larson↗
DOE OSTI2024

Revealing the hidden structure of disordered materials by parameterizing their local structural manifold

Abstract Durable interest in developing a framework for the detailed structure of glassy materials has produced numerous structural descriptors that trade off between general applicability and interpretability. However, none approach the combination of simplicity and wide-ranging predictive power of the lattice-grain-defect framework for crystalline materials. Working from the hypothesis that the local atomic environments of a glassy material are constrained by enthalpy minimization to a low-dimensional manifold in atomic coordinate space, we develop a generalized distance function, the Gaussian Integral Inner Product (GIIP) distance, in connection with agglomerative clustering and diffusion maps, to parameterize that manifold. Applying this approach to a two-dimensional model crystal and a three-dimensional binary model metallic glass results in parameters interpretable as coordination number, composition, volumetric strain, and local symmetry. In particular, we show that a more slowly quenched glass has a higher degree of local tetrahedral symmetry at the expense of cyclic symmetry. While these descriptors require post-hoc interpretation, they minimize bias rooted in crystalline materials science and illuminate a range of structural trends that might otherwise be missed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Perspectives on three-dimensional printing of self-assembling materials and structures

Spiders, silks, and webs are marvels of nature that have inspired high-performance material design, resilient structural design, and innovative manufacturing in the materials science and engineering fields. In this article, we review the roles and mechanisms of self-assembly and spinning processes for making hierarchical structures of synthetic and natural fibers with multifunctionality. We discuss the ability of spider webs to maintain their functionality under construction while withstanding predator, human, and environmental threats, which comes from their self-assembled structures from nanoscales to macroscales. We conclude by exploring the future of novel mobile, autonomous, time- and cost-effective spider-inspired three-dimensional printing technology for making resilient biomaterials, structures, and synthetic silk materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fatigue Behavior and Mechanisms of High-Entropy Alloys

Fatigue failures of structural materials pose enormous risks to in-service structures, as well as human lives. The development of advanced durable structural materials with fatigue resistance has important social impact. The novel concept of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) has engendered considerable attention due to their exhibited unusual mechanical properties, and correspondingly opening a new road to design fatigue-resistant structural materials. Here, the present work discusses and reviews the current findings on fatigue behavior and mechanisms of HEAs. Based on the understanding of fatigue-resistant favorable deformation mechanisms in HEAs, the perspectives from the viewpoint of materials design are provided to advance the development of fatigue-resistant HEAs, and future works are also suggested.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1994

Workshop on Scaling Effects in Composite Materials and Structures

This document contains presentations and abstracts from the Workshop on Scaling Effects in Composite Materials and Structures jointly sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center, Virginia Tech, and the Institute for Mechanics and Materials at the University of California, San Diego, and held at NASA Langley on November 15-16, 1993. Workshop attendees represented NASA, other government research labs, the aircraft/rotorcraft industry, and academia. The workshop objectives were to assess the state-of-technology in scaling effects in composite materials and to provide guidelines for future research.

Karen E Jackson↗
NASA NTRS1987

Revolutionary opportunities for materials and structures study, addendum

This report is an addendum to the Revolutionary Opportunities for Materials and Structures Study (ROMS), modifying the original by the addition of two tasks. The primary purpose of these tasks was to conduct additional aircraft/engine sizing and mission analysis to obtain contributory aircraft performance data such as fuel burns and direct operating costs for both the subsonic and supersonic engines.

Feig, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Integrated Thermal Structures and Materials Overview

The accomplishments of the project this viewgraph presentation summarizes (integrated thermal structures and materials) include the following: (1) Langley Research Center prepared five resins with Tgs as high as 625 F, less than 1% volatiles, moderate toughness, and low melt viscosity and sent to Boeing or Lockheed Martin; (2) Glenn Research Center prepared four resins with Tgs as high as 700 F, less than 10% volatiles, and low melt viscosity and sent to Boeing; (3) Boeing successfully fabricated 2'x2'x36 ply composites by resin infusion of stitched preforms from all NASA supplied resins; and (4) Lockheed Martin successfully fabricated 13"x14"x16 ply composites by resin transfer molding from all NASA supplied resins.

Jensen, Brian↗
DOE OSTI2022

AMTS update for STTR

Advanced nuclear reactor systems currently in development include designs that utilize higher energy neutron spectrums, higher temperatures, and corrosive environments that are quite different from the current fleet of nuclear power plants in use today. As a result, new structural materials must be developed and qualified for use to support these advanced systems. For example, research is currently being conducted on a new class of materials known as multi-principle-element-alloys. These alloys show some promise to be able to meet the structural needs of these challenging reactor systems. However, due to the vast available compositional space, and the limited amount of research conducted thus far, Idaho National Laboratory (INL)sought a way to advanced mechanical testing capability for highly irradiated structural materials to increase both throughput and higher fidelity data analysis through incorporation of digital image correlation. The Automated Mechanical Testing System accomplishes these tasks by automating the testing and incorporating digital image correlation to provide higher fidelity data. INL has now received this system and is currently performing functional testing and training. INL is also performing some modifications to the system to allow for installation into a remote shielded enclosure where testing of irradiated structural materials can be performed. After testing, training, and modifications of the system are complete, INL will install the system into a shielded enclosure and begin using the system to test irradiated structural materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Laser ablation spectrometry for studies of uranium plasmas, reactor monitoring, and spent fuel safety

Nuclear security is one of the defining challenges of our time. Nuclear threats range from deliberate dispersal of radioactive material to contaminate the vital infrastructure to diversion and smuggling of special nuclear material for clandestine nuclear programs and nuclear terrorism, respectively. There is an associated need to develop and sustain the nuclear forensics capabilities, which requires the understanding of complex processes that occur in plasmas of nuclear materials. The area of nuclear safety has seen a resurgence of public interest, and there is a concomitant need to safely store used nuclear fuel and detect structural material failure in nuclear power systems, especially in innovative reactor designs envisioned for future adoption. Laser-produced plasmas are complicated extreme environments that can generate intense and rich, highly specific signatures of nuclear and radiological materials, which can then be explored in a wide range of applications. They include interdiction and rapid detection of nuclear materials, including their isotopic composition, detection over long distances, laboratory simulation of weapons effects, monitoring the condition of structural materials in dry cask storage containers, and novel instrumentation for nuclear power systems. We present a compilation of recent representative examples of the application of laser spectroscopy, and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in particular, to nuclear safety and security problems. A case is made that spectroscopic techniques based on laser-produced plasmas offer complementary, and sometimes unique, capabilities that motivate the continued exploration of their efficient production and understanding of the signatures they produce

(020.3260) Isotope shifts, (140.3440) Laser-induce↗
NASA NTRS1985

Structures and materials technology issues for reusable launch vehicles

Projected space missions for both civil and defense needs require significant improvements in structures and materials technology for reusable launch vehicles: reductions in structural weight compared to the Space Shuttle Orbiter of up to 25% or more, a possible factor of 5 or more increase in mission life, increases in maximum use temperature of the external surface, reusable containment of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen, significant reductions in operational costs, and possibly less lead time between technology readiness and initial operational capability. In addition, there is increasing interest in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion for launch and transmospheric vehicles, and such systems require regeneratively cooled structure. The technology issues are addressed, giving brief assessments of the state-of-the-art and proposed activities to meet the technology requirements in a timely manner.

Dixon, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Structures and materials technology issues for reusable launch vehicles

Projected space missions for both civil and defense needs require significant improvements in structures and materials technology for reusable launch vehicles: reductions in structural weight compared to the Space Shuttle Orbiter of up to 25 percent or more, a possible factor of 5 or more increase in mission life, increases in maximum use temperature of the external surface, reusable containment of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen, significant reductions in operational costs, and possibly less lead time between technology readiness and initial operational capability. In addition, there is increasing interest in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion for launch and transmospheric vehicles, and such systems require regeneratively cooled structure. The technology issues are addressed, giving brief assessments of the state-of-the-art and proposed activities to meet the technology requirements in a timely manner.

Dixon, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Composite material systems for hydrogen management

The task of managing hydrogen entry into elevated temperature structural materials employed in turbomachinery is a critical engineering area for propulsion systems employing hydrogen or decomposable hydrocarbons as fuel. Extant structural materials, such as the Inconel series, are embrittled by the ingress of hydrogen in service, leading to a loss of endurance and general deterioration of load-bearing dependability. Although the development of hydrogen-insensitive material systems is an obvious engineering option, to date insensitive systems cannot meet the time-temperature-loading service extremes encountered. A short-term approach that is both feasible and technologically sound is the development and employment of hydrogen barrier coatings. The present project is concerned with developing, analyzing, and physically testing laminate composite hydrogen barrier systems, employing Inconel 718 as the structural material to be protected. Barrier systems will include all metallic, metallic-to-ceramic, and, eventually, metallic/ceramic composites as the lamellae. Since space propulsion implies repetitive engine firings without earth-based inspection and repair, coating durability will be closely examined, and testing regimes will include repetitive thermal cycling to simulate damage accumulation. The target accomplishments include: generation of actual hydrogen permeation data for metallic, ceramic-metallic, and hybrid metallic/ceramic composition barrier systems, practically none of which is currently extant; definition of physical damage modes imported to barrier systems due to thermal cycling, both transient temperature profiles and steady-state thermal mismatch stress states being examined as sources of damage; and computational models that incorporate general laminate schemes as described above, including manufacturing realities such as porosity, and whatever defects are introduced through service and characterized during the experimental programs.

Pangborn, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1993

National Launch System: Structures and materials

The National Launch System provides an opportunity to realize the potential of Al-Li. Advanced structures can reduce weights by 5-40 percent as well as relax propulsion system performance specifications and reduce requirements for labor and materials. The effect on costs will be substantial. Advanced assembly and process control technologies also offer the potential for greatly reduced labor during the manufacturing and inspection processes. Current practices are very labor-intensive and, as a result, labor costs far outweigh material costs for operational space transportation systems. The technological readiness of new structural materials depends on their commercial availability, producibility and materials properties. Martin Marietta is vigorously pursuing the development of its Weldalite 049 Al-Li alloys in each of these areas. Martin Marietta is also preparing to test an automated work cell concept that it has developed using discrete event simulation.

Bunting, Jack O.↗