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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 487 records · Page 27

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2014

Scaling of the structural characteristics of nanoholes created by local droplet etching

We study the tuneability of nanoholes created by local droplet etching of AlGaAs surfaces with Al droplets at varied coverage θ of the deposited droplet material and process temperature T. For the contact angle of the as-grown droplets a mean value of 66° is determined, which depends neither on θ nor on T. The experimental results on the hole structural characteristics are interpreted in terms of scaling models yielding a general form f(θ,T)∝θ{sup q}exp(E/[k{sub B}T]), with constants q and E and Boltzmann's constant k{sub B}. In detail, the hole density varies from N = 4.0 × 10{sup 6} up to 1.5 × 10{sup 8} cm{sup −2}, and the scaling parameters are q = 0 and E = E{sub N} = 2.46 eV. The hole diameter varies from 50 up to 190 nm with scaling parameters q = 1/3 and E = −E{sub N}/3. Moreover, the hole depth varies from 9 up to 125 nm with q = 2/3 and E = −1.73 eV. Furthermore, a threshold coverage of at least 0.2 monolayers (ML) must be deposited before hole formation takes place. In situ electron diffraction indicates that these 0.2 ML are consumed for a surface reconstruction change from (3 × 1) to (2 × 1). For coverages above 2.0 ML holes with a bimodal depth distribution are observed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2014

Simple relations for wettability of a droplet on a low-surface-energy solid

A treatment of the contact angle is very difficult because it exhibits a hysteresis such as dynamic contact angle and does not necessarily take a constant value. For understanding such complicated behavior of droplet, simple but fundamental consideration is very important. In the present study, wettability of a binary mixture droplet on low surface energy solid is experimentally and theoretically investigated. A simple theoretical model is applied to the droplet behavior considering a situation before and after touching the solid surface from a view point of thermodynamic surface energy. The model can explain the relationships among the contact angle (θ), surface energy of liquid (σ{sub lg}) and the droplet radius (R)

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2014

Natural discharge after pulse and cooperative electrodes to enhance droplet velocity in digital microfluidics

Digital Microfluidics (DMF) is a promising technology for biological/chemical micro-reactions due to its distinct droplet manageability via electronic automation, but the limited velocity of droplet transportation has hindered DMF from utilization in high throughput applications. In this paper, by adaptively fitting the actuation voltages to the dynamic motions of droplet movement under real-time feedback monitoring, two control-engaged electrode-driving techniques: Natural Discharge after Pulse (NDAP) and Cooperative Electrodes (CE) are proposed. They together lead to, for the first time, enhanced droplet velocity with lower root mean square voltage value.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2014

Nucleation, transition, and maturing of the self-assembled Au droplets on various type-A GaAs substrates

In this study, the fabrication of self-assembled Au droplets is successfully demonstrated on various type-A GaAs substrates: (711)A, (511)A, (411)A, and (311)A. The nucleation of the self-assembled tiny Au clusters is observed at 300 °C. As an intermediate stage, corrugated Au nanostructures are clearly observed at 350 °C on various type-A GaAs surfaces, rarely witnessed on other substrates. Based on the Volmer-Weber growth mode, the dome-shaped Au droplets with excellent uniformities are successfully fabricated between 500 and 550 °C. As a function of annealing temperature, the self-assembled Au droplets show the increased dimensions including average height and diameter, compensated by the decreased average density. Depending on the substrate indices utilized, the size and density of Au droplets show clear differences throughout the whole temperature range. The results are symmetrically analyzed by using atomic force microscope images, cross-sectional line-profiles, size and density plots, height distribution histograms, and Fourier filter transform power spectra.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2022

Links between autophagy and lipid droplet dynamics

Abstract Autophagy is a catabolic process in which cytoplasmic components are delivered to vacuoles or lysosomes for degradation and nutrient recycling. Autophagy-mediated degradation of membrane lipids provides a source of fatty acids for the synthesis of energy-rich, storage lipid esters such as triacylglycerol (TAG). In eukaryotes, storage lipids are packaged into dynamic subcellular organelles, lipid droplets. In times of energy scarcity, lipid droplets can be degraded via autophagy in a process termed lipophagy to release fatty acids for energy production via fatty acid β-oxidation. On the other hand, emerging evidence suggests that lipid droplets are required for the efficient execution of autophagic processes. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of metabolic interactions between autophagy and TAG storage, and discuss mechanisms of lipophagy. Free fatty acids are cytotoxic due to their detergent-like properties and their incorporation into lipid intermediates that are toxic at high levels. Thus, we also discuss how cells manage lipotoxic stresses during autophagy-mediated mobilization of fatty acids from lipid droplets and organellar membranes for energy generation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2019

Quadrupole Radiation of an Uncharged Droplet That Oscillates in the Presence of Uniform Electric Field

Capillary oscillations of an uncharged spheroid droplet of nonviscous conducting uncompressible liquid in the presence of uniform electric field are analyzed in the first order of smallness with respect to the ratio of the oscillation amplitude to a linear size of the droplet and in the second order of smallness with respect to the squared ratio of the linear size to the radiation wavelength. It is shown that the electric quadrupole moment of the droplet is time-dependent due to surface oscillations, which lead to the emission of quadrupole electromagnetic waves. A mathematical model of the quadrupole electromagnetic radiation of an uncharged droplet that oscillates in the presence of electrostatic field is constructed, and the radiation intensity and frequency are estimated.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

NASA NTRS2019

Polarimetric Retrievals of Cloud Droplet Number Concentrations

Cloud droplet number concentration (Nd) is an important parameter of liquid clouds and is crucial to understanding aerosol-cloud interactions. It couples boundary layer aerosol composition, size and concentration with cloud reflectivity. It affects cloud evolution, precipitation, radiative forcing, global climate and, through observation, can be used to partially monitor the first indirect effect. With its unique combination of multi-wavelength, multi-angle, total and polarized reflectance measurements, the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) retrieves Nd with relatively few assumptions. The approach involves measuring cloud optical thickness, mean droplet extinction cross-section and cloud physical thickness. Polarimetric observations are capable of measuring the effective variance, or width, of the droplet size distribution. Estimating cloud geometrical thickness is also an important component of the polarimetric Nd retrieval, which is accomplished using polarimetric measurements in a water vapor absorption band to retrieve the amount of in-cloud water vapor and relating this to physical thickness. We highlight the unique abilities and quantify uncertainties of the polarimetric approach. We validate the approach using observational data from the North Atlantic and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES). NAAMES targets specific phases in the seasonal phytoplankton lifecycle and ocean-atmosphere linkages. This study provides an excellent opportunity for the RSP to evaluate its approach of sensing Nd over a range of concentrations and cloud types with in situ measurements from a Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP). The RSP and CDP, along with an array of other instruments, are flown on the NASA C-130 aircraft, which flies in situ and remote sensing legs in sequence. Cloud base heights retrieved by the RSP compare well with those derived in situ (R=0.83) and by a ceilometer aboard the R.V. Atlantis (R=0.79). Comparing geometric mean values from 12 science flights throughout the NAAMES-1 and NAAMES-2 campaigns, we find a strong correlation between Nd retrieved by the RSP and CDP (R=0.96). A linear least squares fit has a slope of 0.92 and an intercept of 0.3 cm−3. Uncertainty in this comparison can be attributed to cloud 3D effects, nonlinear liquid water profiles, multilayered clouds, measurement uncertainty, variation in spatial and temporal sampling, and assumptions used within the method. Radiometric uncertainties of the RSP measurements lead to biases on derived optical thickness and cloud physical thickness, but these biases largely cancel out when deriving Nd for most conditions and geometries. We find that a polarimetric approach to sensing Nd is viable and the RSP is capable of accurately retrieving Nd for a variety of cloud types and meteorological conditions.

Droplet concentration↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Pinned in Microgravity: How Colloidal Suspensions Inhibit Droplet Motion

Understanding the fundamental behavior of colloidal fluids in microgravity is critical for advancing material science, manufacturing, and biological processes. In this study we investigate the dynamics of a droplet containing colloidal suspension when ejected in short term microgravity. These conditions are generated using a 2.2 second drop tower. A custom droplet generator was designed to produce consistent size-controlled droplets containing passive colloidal particles. The particles are suspended in water and subsequently ejected out of a hydrophobic wedge under microgravity conditions, where the droplet ejection time can be predicted [Torres & Weislogel, 2021]. The ejection times will be compared with de-ionized water ejected from the same system to investigate the effects of change in density and surface tension caused by the colloids. Successful passive colloidal ejection will lay the foundation for active colloid research in the future.

colloids↗

DOE OSTI2016

Accelerated Chemical Reactions and Organic Synthesis in Leidenfrost Droplets

Abstract Leidenfrost levitated droplets can be used to accelerate chemical reactions in processes that appear similar to reaction acceleration in charged microdroplets produced by electrospray ionization. Reaction acceleration in Leidenfrost droplets is demonstrated for a base‐catalyzed Claisen–Schmidt condensation, hydrazone formation from precharged and neutral ketones, and for the Katritzky pyrylium into pyridinium conversion under various reaction conditions. Comparisons with bulk reactions gave intermediate acceleration factors (2–50). By keeping the volume of the Leidenfrost droplets constant, it was shown that interfacial effects contribute to acceleration; this was confirmed by decreased reaction rates in the presence of a surfactant. The ability to multiplex Leidenfrost microreactors, to extract product into an immiscible solvent during reaction, and to use Leidenfrost droplets as reaction vessels to synthesize milligram quantities of product is also demonstrated.

Bain, Ryan M.↗

DOE OSTI2016

Accelerated Chemical Reactions and Organic Synthesis in Leidenfrost Droplets

Bain, Ryan M.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Impact of droplet oxidation on mechanical properties of an Al-7Si-0.4Mg alloy fabricated with liquid metal jetting

Droplet-on-demand liquid metal jetting (DOD-LMJ) is a new method for additive manufacturing of bulk structural alloys. Here, we report on the microstructure, tensile, and fatigue properties of an Al-7Si-0.4Mg (A356) alloy fabricated with LMJ. Liquid metal droplets were shielded by high-purity Ar gas shroud during deposition. Atom probe tomography revealed that a few nanometers thick (Al-Mg-Si)-O oxide film formed on the droplets despite Ar gas shielding. Tensile tests on peak-aged LMJ A356 alloy showed that yield strength was isotropic (250 MPa), but ductility was lower in the build direction (6.1 ± 1.4 %) compared to the transverse direction (9.4 ± 1.0 %). Lower ductility in the build direction was attributed to delamination of metal-oxide interfaces at layer boundaries. The ductility and yield strength of LMJ A356 were similar to cast A356 and laser powder bed fused (LPBF) A357 alloys, indicating the limited impact of oxide film on tensile properties. The oxide film severely impacted the fatigue properties. Fatigue resistance of LMJ A356 was limited by fatigue crack initiation at lack-of-fusion defects and fatigue crack propagation along layer boundaries by delamination of the metal-oxide interface. The fatigue strength of LMJ A356 at 60 MPa was lower than cast A356 and LPBF A357 alloys in the peak-aged condition. This research underscores the need for managing droplet oxidation during LMJ additive manufacturing of structural alloys.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2013

A smoothed particle hydrodynamics model for droplet and film flow on smooth and rough fracture surfaces

Flow on fracture surfaces has been identified by many authors as an important flow process in unsaturated fractured rock formations. Given the complexity of flow dynamics on such small scales, robust numerical methods have to be employed in order to capture the highly dynamic interfaces and flow intermittency. In this work we present microscale free-surface flow simulations using a three-dimensional multiphase Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) code. Pairwise solid-fluid and fluid-fluid interaction forces are used to control the wetting behavior and cover a wide range of static and transient contact angles as well as Reynolds numbers encountered in droplet flow on rock surfaces. We validate our model via comparison with existing empirical and semi-analyical solutions for droplet flow. We use the model to investigate the occurence of adsorbed trailing films of droplets under various flow conditions and its importance for the flow dynamics when films and droplets coexist. We show that flow velocities are higher on prewetted surfaces covered by a thin film which is qualitatively attributed to the enhanced dynamic wetting and dewetting at the trailing and advancing contact line.

unsaturated flow, fractured rocks, smoothed partic↗

DOE OSTI2014

Technical Note: Analytical Solution for Transient Partitioning and Reaction of a Condensing Vapor Species in a Droplet

We present the exact analytical solution of the transient equation of gas-phase diffusion of a condensing vapor to, and diffusion and reaction in, an aqueous droplet. Droplet-phase reaction is represented by first-order chemistry. The solution facilitates study of the dynamic nature of the vapor uptake process as a function of droplet size, Henry’s law coefficient, and first-order reaction rate constant for conversion in the droplet phase.

Liu, Albert T.↗

DOE OSTI2019

Impact of secondary droplet activation on the contrasting cloud microphysical relationships during the wet and dry seasons in the Amazon

Cloud microphysical data obtained from aircraft measurements during the GoAmazon2014/5 campaign were analyzed to examine the differences in cloud microphysical properties and relationships between the wet and dry seasons and their implications on cloud microphysical processes. Basically, the distinct differences in cloud microphysical properties between the wet and dry seasons were considered to be due to higher concentration of aerosols and their larger sizes in the dry season, leading to higher droplet concentration. Analyses of cloud microphysical relationships and mixing diagrams strongly suggest homogeneous mixing for most cloud segments in both the wet and dry seasons: cloud parcels with higher concentration (N) and larger liquid water content (L) generally had larger cloud droplet mean volume (V). However, in the dry season some cloud segments included cloud parcels that had high N of small cloud droplets, which led to a low correlation between N and V and also between N and L. These features are speculated to be due to secondary activation of cloud droplets from the cloud condensation nuclei in the entrained air, which seemed more likely to occur in the dry season due to more favorable conditions for such a process, including larger sizes of entrained aerosols, higher fluctuation of vertical velocity and lager turbulent dissipation rate.

cloud microphysics, entrainment, mixing process, s↗

DOE OSTI2024

Characterization of partial wetting by CMAS droplets using multiphase many-body dissipative particle dynamics and data-driven discovery based on PINNs

The molten sand that is a mixture of calcia, magnesia, alumina and silicate, known as CMAS, is characterized by its high viscosity, density and surface tension. The unique properties of CMAS make it a challenging material to deal with in high-temperature applications, requiring innovative solutions and materials to prevent its buildup and damage to critical equipment. Here, we use multiphase many-body dissipative particle dynamics simulations to study the wetting dynamics of highly viscous molten CMAS droplets. The simulations are performed in three dimensions, with varying initial droplet sizes and equilibrium contact angles. We propose a parametric ordinary differential equation (ODE) that captures the spreading radius behaviour of the CMAS droplets. The ODE parameters are then identified based on the physics-informed neural network (PINN) framework. Subsequently, the closed-form dependency of parameter values found by the PINN on the initial radii and contact angles are given using symbolic regression. Finally, we employ Bayesian PINNs (B-PINNs) to assess and quantify the uncertainty associated with the discovered parameters. In brief, this study provides insight into spreading dynamics of CMAS droplets by fusing simple parametric ODE modelling and state-of-the-art machine-learning techniques.

Mechanics↗

DOE OSTI2015

Adsorption kinetics dictate monolayer self-assembly for both lipid-in and lipid-out approaches to droplet interface bilayer formation

The droplet interface bilayer (DIB) is a method to assemble planar lipid bilayer membranes between lipid-coated aqueous droplets and has gained popularity among researchers in many fields. Well-packed lipid monolayer on aqueous droplet–oil interfaces is a prerequisite for successfully assembling DIBs. Such monolayers can be achieved by two different techniques: “lipid-in”, in which phospholipids in the form of liposomes are placed in water, and “lipid-out”, in which phospholipids are placed in oil as inverse micelles. While both approaches are capable of monolayer assembly needed for bilayer formation, droplet pairs assembled with these two techniques require significantly different incubation periods and exhibit different success rates for bilayer formation. In our study, we combine experimental interfacial tension measurements with molecular dynamics simulations of phospholipids (DPhPC and DOPC) assembled from water and oil origins to understand the differences in kinetics of monolayer formation. With the results from simulations and by using a simplified model to analyze dynamic interfacial tensions, we conclude that, at high lipid concentrations common to DIBs, monolayer formation is simple adsorption controlled for lipid-in technique, whereas it is predominantly adsorption-barrier controlled for the lipid-out technique due to the interaction of interface-bound lipids with lipid structures in the subsurface. The adsorption barrier established in lipid-out technique leads to a prolonged incubation time and lower bilayer formation success rate, proving a good correlation between interfacial tension measurements and bilayer formation. Also, we clarify that advective flow expedites monolayer formation and improves bilayer formation success rate by disrupting lipid structures, rather than enhancing diffusion, in the subsurface and at the interface for lipid-out technique. Additionally, electrical properties of DIBs formed with varying lipid placement and type are characterized.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2020

Direct Observation of Liquid Crystal Droplet Configurational Transitions using Optical Tweezers

Liquid crystals (LCs) are easily influenced by external interactions, particularly at interfaces. When rod-like LC molecules are confined to spherical droplets, they experience a competition between interfacial tension and elastic deformations. The configuration of LCs inside a droplet can be controlled using surfactants that influence the interfacial orientation of the LC molecules in the oil-phase of an oil in water emulsion. Here, we used the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to manipulate the orientation of 5CB molecules in a polydisperse emulsion and examined the configuration of the droplets as a function of SDS concentration. We triggered pronounced morphological transitions by altering the SDS concentration while observing an individual LC droplet held in place using an optical tweezer. We compared the experimental configuration changes to predictions from simulations. Finally, we observed a hysteresis in the SDS concentration that induced the morphological transition from radial to bipolar and back as well as a fluctuations in the configuration during the transition.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2022

Mesoscale Polymer Surfactants: Photolithographic Production and Localization at Droplet Interfaces

Stabilization of fluid droplets, classically as oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsions, is typically conducted using molecular surfactants or small particulates that localize at oil-water interfaces. In this paper, we describe a method whereby thin polymer films are converted photolithographically to ribbon-like mesoscale objects, which in turn adsorb to fluid inter-faces where they extend as appendages, or arms, from the droplet surface. These “mesoscale polymer surfactants”, or MPSs, were prepared from thin polymer films containing reactive functional moieties, including coumarin for photo-crosslinking, triphenylsulfonium for photoacid generation, and tert-butyl ester for solubility switching. The resultant MPSs, prepared initially on Si substrates, were released into water to reveal an exquisite shape sensitivity (forming straight, bent, or helical structures) and affinity for droplet interfaces based on their preparation conditions and the properties of the surrounding liquid. Notably, the lithographic techniques employed were amenable to differentiating the wettability of MPS segments, affording access to diblock-like MPSs which adhered to dispersed droplets via their hydrophobic segments, allowing their hydrophilic segments to extend into the continuous phase.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗