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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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Bench testing of experimental jet pump using high energy compressed air and capable of boundary control in short takeoff and landing aircraft
In this study, a simple yet versatile method is proposed for identifying the number of exfoliated graphene layers transferred on an oxide substrate from optical images, utilizing a limited number of input images for training, paired with a more traditional number of a few thousand well-published Github images for testing and predicting. Two thresholding approaches, namely the standard deviation-based approach and the linear regression-based approach, were employed in this study. The method specifically leverages the red, green, and blue color channels of image pixels and creates a correlation between the green channel of the background and the green channel of the various layers of graphene. This method proves to be a feasible alternative to deep learning-based graphene recognition and traditional microscopic analysis. The proposed methodology performs well under conditions where the effect of surrounding light on the graphene-on-oxide sample is minimum and allows rapid identification of the various graphene layers. Here, the study additionally addresses the functionality of the proposed methodology with nonhomogeneous lighting conditions, showcasing successful prediction of graphene layers from images that are lower in quality compared to typically published in literature. In all, the proposed methodology opens up the possibility for the non-destructive identification of graphene layers from optical images by utilizing a new and versatile method that is quick, inexpensive, and works well with fewer images that are not necessarily of high quality.
Oxide−water interfaces underpin ion separations, catalysis, and electrochemical energy technologies, where the electrical double layer (EDL) controls adsorption, transport, and reactivity. However, the molecular-scale links between pHdependent surface protonation, hydration-layer structure, and counterion adsorption remain poorly defined. Here, we combine in situ crystal truncation rod (CTR) and resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity (RAXR) with streaming potential measurements and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to resolve the chemical and structural evolution of the EDL at the single-crystal alumina (012)−water interface in 10 mM Rb + over pH 3−12. CTR measurements reveal two distinct adsorbed water layers at ∼2.2 and ∼3.5 Å above the surface. Each water layer shifts toward the substrate at transition pHs near 6.5 and 10.6, respectively, reflecting changes in primary hydration layer structure in response to the deprotonation of bridging and terminal aluminol groups. RAXR shows a 10-fold increase in Rb + coverage and a decrease in mean adsorption height from ∼3.5 to ∼2.7 Å with increasing pH, indicating enhanced counterion binding accompanied by Stern layer contraction. Streaming potential measurements demonstrate that the zeta potential, i.e., the potential at the hydrodynamic shear plane, is positive at pH 3 and becomes negative at pH ≥ 3.5. The negative charge magnitude increases with increasing pH, consistent with progressive surface deprotonation at higher pH. AIMD identifies inner- and outer-sphere Rb+ complexes whose adsorption heights and coordination geometries depend sensitively on the protonation state of surface oxygens, providing atomistic support for the experimentally inferred trends. These measurements establish two discrete, site-specific pH transitions in hydration-layer structure that track aluminol (de)protonation and quantitatively link them to a pH-driven contraction of the Stern layer (increasing Rb + coverage and decreasing adsorption height). This provides a direct structural basis for connecting surface acid−base chemistry to ion binding distances at an oxide−water interface.
A system and method is disclosed for forming a graded index (GRIN) on a substrate. In one implementation the method may involve applying a metal layer to the substrate. A fluence profile of optical energy applied to the metal layer may be controlled to substantially ablate the metal layer to create a vaporized metal layer. The fluence profile may be further controlled to control a size of metal nanoparticles created from the vaporized metal layer as the vaporized metal layer condenses and forms metal nanoparticles, the metal nanoparticles being deposited back on the substrate to form a GRIN surface on the substrate.
Effective delay of turbulent boundary layer separation could be achieved via closed-loop control. Constructing such a system requires that sensor data be processed, real-time, and fed into the controller to determine the output. Current methods for detection of turbulent boundary layer separation are lacking the capability of localized, fast and reliable identification of the boundary layer state. A method is proposed for short-time FFT processing of time series, measured by hot-film sensors, with the purpose of identifying the alternation of the balance between small and large scales as the boundary layer separates, favoring the large scales. The method has been validated by comparison to other criteria of separation detection and over a range of baseline and controlled flow conditions on a simplified high-lift system, incorporating active flow control.
We reported the growth of (AlGa) 2 O 3 layers on ($10\overline{10}$) α-Al 2 O 3 substrates using cold-wall metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, and the electrical characterization of Si-doped (AlGa) 2 O 3 layers. In the Ga 2 O 3 growth, the α phase was dominant at low growth temperature, achieving the growth rate of 2.4 μm h –1 at 650 °C. Sheet resistance and electrical conductivity of the Ga 2 O 3 layers with a Si concentration of 3 × 10 20 cm –3 were 1 × 10 4 Ω/square and 8.3 S cm –1 , respectively, at the measurement temperature of 500 °C. The Al composition in the (AlGa) 2 O 3 layers was controlled from 0% to 74%. In our initial attempts, we obtained electrically conductive α-(AlGa) 2 O 3 layers by Si doping (2 × 10 –9 S cm –1 in the sample with an Al composition of 56%). Finally, hybrid functional calculations suggest the conductivities are limited by compensation of Si through cation vacancy complexes, and not by the significant amounts of co-incorporated C and N that are predicted to be electrically passivated by hydrogen.
In this DOE Early Career project “Nanoscale Ferroelectric Control of Novel Electronic States in Layered Two-Dimensional Materials,” the PI’s group has combined ferroelectric field effect with nanoscale domain imaging and writing to design the electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals materials, including graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides MoS2 and ReS2. The van der Waals materials have been prepared into field effect transistor (FET) devices with ferroelectric gates. Through domain patterning in a ferroelectric polymer PVDF-TrEF top-gate via conductive atomic force microscopy, the team has created programmable Schottky junctions in monolayer MoS 2 , where both barrier height and I-V rectifying polarity can be reconfigured. The transport anisotropy of monolayer to few-layer ReS 2 has been mapped out by defining the entire channel into an insulating state and creating nanoscale conducting paths along different directions through domain writing in the ferroelectric top-gate. The result shows that the conductivity along and perpendicular to the Re-chain can differ by >5.5x10 4 . Theoretical modeling points to the band origin of the transport anomaly and reveals the emergence of a flat band in few-layer ReS 2 . The interfacial epitaxial relation between ReS 2 and PVDF-TrFE further promotes the formation of close-packed, highly ordered PVDF-TrFE nanowires with width of 35 nm and 10 nm. Nonvolatile modulation of quantum Hall effect has been achieved in graphene FETs with a ferroelectric oxide Ba 0.4 Sr 0.6 TiO 3 back-gate. Scattering from the remote surface optical phonon in Ba 0.4 Sr 0.6 TiO 3 limits the room temperature mobility of graphene to be about 3x10 4 cm 2 /Vs. Steep-slope switching has been achieved in MoS 2 FETs back-gated by polycrystalline Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , which signals a static-state negative capacitance mode without involving an additional dielectric layer. Piezoresponse force microscopy studies show that the sub-threshold swing can be well correlated with the domain wall density in Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 . The team also observes an unconventional filtering effect of the second harmonic generation response at the MoS 2 /Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 heterointerface, which can be accounted for by the alignment between one of the polar axes of MoS 2 and the chiral dipole rotation at the surface of domain wall in Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 . The research supported by this DOE grant has significantly advanced the fundamental understanding and functional design of ferroelectric/2D van der Waals heterostructures for their implementation towards energy applications.
Oxide-water interfaces underpin ion separation, catalysis, and electrochemical energy technologies, where the electrical double layer (EDL) controls adsorption, transport, and reactivity. Yet, the molecular-scale link between pH-dependent surface protonation, hydration-layer structure, and counter-ion adsorption remains poorly defined. Here, we combine in situ crystal truncation rod (CTR) and resonant anomalous X-ray reflectivity (RAXR) with streaming potential measurements and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to resolve the chemical and structural evolution of the EDL at the single-crystal alumina (012)-water interface in 10 mM Rb+ over pH 3-12. CTR measurements reveal two distinct adsorbed water layers at ~2.2 and ~3.5 Å above the surface that each shift toward the substrate at transition pHs near 6.5 and 10.6, respectively, directly reflecting changes in primary hydration layer structure in response to the deprotonation of bridging and terminal aluminol groups. RAXR shows a 10-fold increase in Rb+ coverage and a decrease in mean adsorption height from ~3.5 to ~2.7 Å with increasing pH, indicating enhanced counter-ion binding accompanied by Stern layer contraction. Streaming potential measurements demonstrate that the zeta potential, i.e., potential at the hydrodynamic shear plane, is positive at pH 3 and becomes negative at pH ≥3.5. This negative charge magnitude increases with increasing pH, consistent with progressive surface deprotonation at higher pH. AIMD identifies inner- and outer-sphere Rb+ complexes whose adsorption heights and coordination geometries depend sensitively on the protonation state of surface oxygens, providing atomistic support for the experimentally inferred trends. These measurements establish two discrete, site-specific pH transitions in hydration-layer structure that track aluminol (de)protonation and quantitatively link them to a pH-driven contraction of the Stern layer (increasing Rb+ coverage and decreasing adsorption height). This provides a direct structural basis for connecting surface acid-base chemistry to ion binding distances at an oxide-water interface.
A new porous condition has been implemented in the PAB3D solver for simulating the flow over porous surfaces. The newly-added boundary condition is utilized to compute the flow field of a non-axisymmetric, convergent-divergent nozzle incorporating porous cavities for shock-boundary layer interaction control. The nozzle has an expansion ratio (exit area/throat area) of 1.797 and a design nozzle pressure ratio of 8.78. The flow fields for a baseline nozzle (no porosity) and for a nozzle with porous surfaces (10% porosity ratio) are computed for NPR varying from 2.01 to 9.54. Computational model results indicate that the over-expanded nozzle flow was dominated by shock-induced boundary-layer separation. Porous configurations were capable of controlling off-design separation in the nozzle by encouraging stable separation of the exhaust flow. Computational simulation results, wall centerline pressure, mach contours, and thrust efficiency ratio are presented and discussed. Computed results are in excellent agreement with experimental data.
A new porous condition has been implemented in the PAB3D solver for simulating the flow over porous surfaces. The newly-added boundary condition is utilized to compute the flow field of a non-axisymmetric, convergent-divergent nozzle incorporating porous cavities for shock-boundary layer interaction control. The nozzle has an expansion ratio (exit area/throat area) of 1.797 and a design nozzle pressure ratio of 8.78. The flow fields for a baseline nozzle (no porosity) and for a nozzle with porous surfaces (10% porosity ratio) are computed for NPR varying from 2.01 to 9.54. Computational model results indicate that the over-expanded nozzle flow is dominated by shock-induced boundary-layer separation. Porous configurations are capable of controlling off-design separation in the nozzle by encouraging stable separation of the exhaust flow. Computational simulation results, wall centerline pressure, mach contours, and thrust efficiency ratio are presented and discussed. Computed results are in excellent agreement with experimental data.
Microbial fermentation provides a sustainable method of producing valuable chemicals. Adding dynamic control to fermentations can significantly improve titers, but most systems rely on transcriptional controls of metabolic enzymes, leaving existing intracellular enzymes unregulated. This limits the ability of transcriptional controls to switch off metabolic pathways, especially when metabolic enzymes have long half-lives. We developed a two-layer transcriptional/post-translational control system for yeast fermentations. Specifically, the system uses blue light to transcriptionally activate the major pyruvate decarboxylase PDC1, required for cell growth and concomitant ethanol production. Switching to darkness transcriptionally inactivates PDC1 and instead activates the anti-Pdc1p nanobody, NbJRI, to act as a genetically encoded inhibitor of Pdc1p accumulated during the growth phase. This dual transcriptional/post-translational control improves the production of 2,3-BDO and citramalate by up to 100 and 92% compared to using transcriptional controls alone in dynamic two-phase fermentations. Furthermore, this study establishes the NbJRI nanobody as an effective genetically encoded inhibitor of Pdc1p that can enhance the production of pyruvate-derived chemicals.
Microbial fermentation provides a sustainable method of producing valuable chemicals. Adding dynamic control to fermentations can significantly improve titers, but most systems rely on transcriptional controls of metabolic enzymes, leaving existing intracellular enzymes unregulated. This limits the ability of transcriptional controls to switch off metabolic pathways, especially when metabolic enzymes have long half-lives. We developed a two-layer transcriptional/post-translational control system for yeast fermentations. Specifically, the system uses blue light to transcriptionally activate the major pyruvate decarboxylase PDC1 , required for cell growth and concomitant ethanol production. Switching to darkness transcriptionally inactivates PDC1 and instead activates the anti-Pdc1p nanobody, NbJRI, to act as a genetically encoded inhibitor of Pdc1p accumulated during the growth phase. This dual transcriptional/post-translational control improves the production of 2,3-BDO and citramalate by up to 100 and 92% compared to using transcriptional controls alone in dynamic two-phase fermentations. This study establishes the NbJRI nanobody as an effective genetically encoded inhibitor of Pdc1p that can enhance the production of pyruvate-derived chemicals.
A pilot study was conducted on a flapped semi-span model to investigate the concept and viability of near-wake vortex management by means of boundary layer separation control. Passive control was achieved using a simple fairing and active control was achieved via zero mass-flux blowing slots. Vortex sheet strength, estimated by integrating surface pressures, was used to predict vortex characteristics based on inviscid rollup relations and vortices trailing the flaps were mapped using a seven-hole probe. Separation control was found to have a marked effect on vortex location, strength, tangential velocity, axial velocity and size over a wide range of angles of attack and control conditions. In general, the vortex trends were well predicted by the inviscid rollup relations. Manipulation of the separated flow near the flap edges exerted significant control over either outboard or inboard edge vortices while producing small lift and moment excursions. Unsteady surface pressures indicated that dynamic separation and attachment control can be exploited to perturb vortices at wavelengths shorter than a typical wingspan. In summary, separation control has the potential for application to time-independent or time-dependent wake alleviation schemes, where the latter can be deployed to minimize adverse effects on ride-quality and dynamic structural loading.
Sodium layered oxides show great promise as affordable alternatives to lithium layered oxides, but their poor cycle life and air stability limit their practical potential. Micron-scale single crystals with greater packing density and lower surface area can overcome these challenges and improve performance compared to the traditional polycrystalline morphology. Herein, the authors present the synthesis of layered O 3 -type Na(Ni 0.3 Fe 0.4 Mn 0.3 )O 2 single-crystals with greatly improved cycle life and air stability. A molten-salt synthesis technique is adopted with excess sodium hydroxide to obtain platelet-like single crystals. Because the main mechanisms of both capacity fade and air degradation occur as a result of surface reactions at the opening of the sodium diffusion channels, particle morphology is found to be a critical metric for materials performance. More important than particle size or total surface area, the smaller proportion of exposed edge planes in the platelet morphology greatly reduces the amount of harmful surface reactions. Furthermore, the molten-salt method is found to eliminate the need for coprecipitated precursors and even form better morphology, starting from metal oxides instead of coprecipitated hydroxides.
Creating tissue and organ equivalents with intricate architectures and multiscale functional feature sizes is the first step toward the reconstruction of transplantable human tissues and organs. Existing embedded ink writing approaches are limited by achievable feature sizes ranging from hundreds of microns to tens of millimeters, which hinders their ability to accurately duplicate structures found in various human tissues and organs. In this study, a multiscale embedded printing (MSEP) strategy is developed, in which a stimuli-responsive yield-stress fluid is applied to facilitate the printing process. A dynamic layer height control method is developed to print the cornea with a smooth surface on the order of microns, which can effectively overcome the layered morphology in conventional extrusion-based three-dimensional bioprinting methods. Since the support bath is sensitive to temperature change, it can be easily removed after printing by tuning the ambient temperature, which facilitates the fabrication of human eyeballs with optic nerves and aortic heart valves with overhanging leaflets on the order of a few millimeters. The thermosensitivity of the support bath also enables the reconstruction of the full-scale human heart on the order of tens of centimeters by on-demand adding support bath materials during printing. Here, the proposed MSEP demonstrates broader printable functional feature sizes ranging from microns to centimeters, providing a viable and reliable technical solution for tissue and organ printing in the future.
Boundary layer ingestion (BLI) is explored as means to improve overall system performance for Blended Wing Body configuration. The benefits of BLI for vehicle system performance benefit are assessed with a process derived from first principles suitable for highly-integrated propulsion systems. This performance evaluation process provides framework within which to assess the benefits of an integrated BLI inlet and lays the groundwork for higher-fidelity systems studies. The results of the system study show that BLI provides a significant improvement in vehicle performance if the inlet distortion can be controlled, thus encouraging the pursuit of active flow control (AFC) as a BLI enabling technology. The effectiveness of active flow control in reducing engine inlet distortion was assessed using a 6% scale model of a 30% BLI offset, diffusing inlet. The experiment was conducted in the NASA Langley Basic Aerodynamics Research Tunnel with a model inlet designed specifically for this type of testing. High mass flow pulsing actuators provided the active flow control. Measurements were made of the onset boundary layer, the duct surface static pressures, and the mass flow through the duct and the actuators. The distortion was determined by 120 total pressure measurements located at the aerodynamic interface plane. The test matrix was limited to a maximum freestream Mach number of 0.15 with scaled mass flows through the inlet for that condition. The data show that the pulsed actuation can reduce distortion from 29% to 4.6% as measured by the circumferential distortion descriptor DC60 using less than 1% of inlet mass flow. Closed loop control of the actuation was also demonstrated using a sidewall surface static pressure as the response sensor.
The effects of thermospheric winds and electric fields on the ionospheric F2-layer are controlled by the geometry of the magnetic field, and so vary with latitude and longitude. A simple model of the daytime F2-layer is adopted and the effects at midlatitudes (25-65 deg geographic) of three processes that accompany geomagnetic storms: (1) thermospheric changes due to auroral heating; (2) equatorward winds that tend to cancel the quiet-day poleward winds; and (3) the penetration of magnetospheric electric fields are studied. At +/- 65 deg, the effects of heating and electric fields are strongest in the longitudes toward which the geomagnetic dipole is tilted, i.e., the North American and the South Indian Ocean sectors. Because of the proximity of the geomagnetic equator to the East Asian and South American sectors, the reverse is true at +/- 25 deg.
Hybrid flow control, a combination of micro-ramps and micro-jets, was experimentally investigated in the 15x15 cm Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Full factorial, a design of experiments (DOE) method, was used to develop a test matrix with variables such as inter-ramp spacing, ramp height and chord length, and micro-jet injection flow ratio. A total of 17 configurations were tested with various parameters to meet the DOE criteria. In addition to boundary-layer measurements, oil flow visualization was used to qualitatively understand shock induced flow separation characteristics. The flow visualization showed the normal shock location, size of the separation, path of the downstream moving counter-rotating vortices, and corner flow effects. The results show that hybrid flow control demonstrates promise in reducing the size of shock boundary-layer interactions and resulting flow separation by means of energizing the boundary layer.