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At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Observation of an Aligned Gas - Solid "Eutectic" during Controlled Directional Solidification Aboard the International Space Station - Comparison with Ground-based Studies

Direct observation of the controlled melting and solidification of succinonitrile was conducted in the glovebox facility of the International Space Station (ISS). The experimental samples were prepared on ground by filling glass tubes, 1 cm ID and approximately 30 cm in length, with pure succinonitrile (SCN) in an atmosphere of nitrogen at 450 millibar pressure for eventual processing in the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI) apparatus in the glovebox facility (GBX) on board the ISS. Real time visualization during controlled directional melt back of the sample showed nitrogen bubbles emerging from the interface and moving through the liquid up the imposed temperature gradient. Over a period of time these bubbles disappear by dissolving into the melt. Translation is stopped after melting back of about 9 cm of the sample, with an equilibrium solid-liquid interface established. During controlled re-solidification, aligned tubes of gas were seen growing perpendicular to the planar solid/liquid interface, inferring that the nitrogen previously dissolved into the liquid SCN was now coming out at the solid/liquid interface and forming the little studied liquid = solid + gas eutectic-type reaction. The observed structure is evaluated in terms of spacing dimensions, interface undercooling, and mechanisms for spacing adjustments. Finally, the significance of processing in a microgravity environment is ascertained in view of ground-based results.

Grugel, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Asteroidal agglutinate formation and implications for asteroidal surfaces

The possible role of spallation on the free surfaces of target bodies in asteroid surface evolution in the presence of colliding bodies is considered. The ease of impact melt formation is discussed based on the results of shock recovery experiments, and a difference between collisions with dense, nonporous targets and with porous, particulate powders is demonstrated. It is shown that agglutinate-type glasses can be produced at impact velocities of 5 km/sec, but only in highly comminuted, porous targets and not in dense rocks. The apparent lack of agglutinate-type glasses on asteroid surfaces is explained in terms of coarse-grained asteroidal surfaces acting as dense, nonporous bedrock. It is argued that a possible mechanism inhibiting asteroidal surface comminution so as to inhibit melt formation and the effects of micrometeoroid impacts can be represented by collision processes with finite-sized targets rather than with a semi-infinite half-space as in the case of the moon, which give rise to spallation products rather than crater ejecta.

Horz, F.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Assimilation by Lunar Mare Basalts: Melting of Crustal Material and Dissolution of Anorthite

We discuss techniques for calculating the amount of crustal assimilation possible in lunar magma chambers and dikes based on thermal energy balances, kinetic rates, and simple fluid mechanical constraints. Assuming parent magmas of picritic compositions, we demonstrate the limits on the capacity of such magmas to melt and dissolve wall rock of anorthitic, troctolitic, noritic, and KREEP (quartz monzodiorite) compositions. Significant melting of the plagioclase-rich crustal lithologies requires turbulent convection in the assimilating magma and an efficient method of mixing in the relatively buoyant and viscous new melt. Even when this occurs, the major element chemistry of the picritic magmas will change by less than 1-2 wt %. Diffusion coefficients measured for Al2O3 from an iron-free basalt and an orange glass composition are 10(exp -12) m(exp 2) s(exp -1) at 1340 C and 10(exp -11) m(exp 2) s(exp -1) at 1390 C. These rates are too slow to allow dissolution of plagioclase to significantly affect magma compositions. Picritic magmas can melt significant quantities of KREEP, which suggests that their trace element chemistry may still be affected by assimilation processes; however, mixing viscous melts of KREEP composition with the fluid picritic magmas could be prohibitively difficult. We conclude that only a small part of the total major element chemical variation in the mare basalt and volcanic glass collection is due to assimilation/fractional crystallization processes near the lunar surface. Instead, most of the chemical variation in the lunar basalts and volcanic glasses must result from assimilation at deeper levels or from having distinct source regions in a heterogeneous lunar mantle.

Finnila, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Mineralogical comparison and cooling history of lunar and chondritic vesicular melt breccias

Lunar sample 77135, an impact melt breccia full of vesicles, has been reinvestigated by electron microprobe and X-ray diffraction techniques and compared with a vesicular melt LL chondrite, Yamato 790964, in an attempt to understand their impact heating processes and subsequent cooling history. Notable similarities between the lunar and chondritic melt breccias include: abundant vesicles, similar pyroxene chemical zoning trends, the presence of variable amounts of clastic material, and similar chemical compositions except for K and Na contents of glass and mesostasis. Some constraints on the cooling history are estimated from Mg-Fe diffusion profiles in olivine and pyroxene. The burial depth of lunar sample 77135 during cooling was 0.2-100 m; the depth for the chondrite was probably smaller. Impact melts were probably produced and a layer of regolith retained on the parent body sufficiently thick to allow the olivines to homogenize during slow cooling.

Miyamoto, M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Anharmonic and screening corrections to the melting of a two-dimensional charged colloidal crystal

The Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young theory of melting is applied to a two-dimensional charged colloidal crystal. The renormalization of elastic constants due to anharmonic and dislocation pair-screening effects is calculated. For colloidal spheres ('polyballs') suspended in a thin film of water confined between two glass plates whose surfaces are highly charged, as in recent experimental configurations, the corrections to the harmonic results simply require an altered effective polyball charge to reproduce virtually the identical melting curve of the harmonic approximation (which agrees well with experiment). The effect on the melting curve of added salt is also calculated; the corresponding experiments have yet to be performed. For a film between uncharged surfaces the anharmonic correction again softens the lattice significantly. Dislocation pair screening causes an additional but minor reduction of the elastic constants. Neither correction eliminates a nonmelting behavior characteristic of the two-dimensional screened Coulomb system in this configuration.

Chang, Enson↗
NASA NTRS1980

Luna 24 ferrobasalt as a low-Mg primary melt

The fractional crystallization model for the petrogenesis of the Luna-24 very-low-titanium ferrobasalt is critically evaluated. Arguments are presented that show there is no real evidence favoring either surface of shallow subsurface differentiation of an Mg-rich primary magma; instead there is ample evidence suggesting such is not the case. It is therefore concluded that surface or near-surface fractionation of olivine from a primary vitrophyre/green glass magma did not produce the ferrobasalt composition. The ferrobasalt did not exist as a residual liquid within a differentiated flow, but rather was extruded as a melt in its own right.

Norman, M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Low density bismaleimide-carbon microballoon composites

A process is described for constructing for a composite laminate structure which exhibits a high resistance to heat and flame provides safer interior structures for aircraft and submarine compartments. Composite laminate structures are prepared by the bismaleimide resin preimpregnation of a fiberglass cloth to form a face sheet which is bonded with a bismaleimide hot melt adhesive to a porous core structure selected from the group consisting of polyamide paper and bismaleimide-glass fabric which is filled with carbon microballoons. The carbon microballoons are prepared by pyrolyzing phenolic micro-balloons in the presence of nitrogen. A slurry of the carbon microballoons is prepared to fill the porous core structure. The porous core structure and face sheet are bonded to provide panel structures exhibiting increased mechanical capacities and lower oxygen limit values and smoke density values.

Kourtides, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Aromatic Polyimides With Group VI Linkages

New polymer system combines thermal and solvent resistant properties of aromatic polyimides with processability of PPX polymers. PPX polymers include polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyphenylene sulfone classes. Generally more processable by hot melt or thermoplastic techniques than aromatic polyimides. PPX systems more susceptible to attack by solvents and have lower glass transition temperatures than PI group.

St. Clair, T. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Hf, Zr, and REE partition coefficients between ilmenite and liquid - Implications for lunar petrogenesis

Partition coefficients (D) between ilmenite and coexisting liquid were determined under near-lunar conditions for Hf, Zr, and REE. Through isotope dilution analysis, ilmenite D values of 0.41 and 0.33 were obtained for Hf and Zr respectively, values significantly lower than those of ilmenite from a kimberlite megacryst. Partition coefficients of REE for the synthesized ilmenite are slightly smaller than those of ilmenite from the kimberlite megacryst, and the lunar (Lu) partition coefficient is 0.056. These results suggest that ilmenite was significant in the lunar-Hf evolution of lunar mare basalts. Using lunar and Hf D values for ilmenite, the Lu-Hf evolution of lunar cumulates and the coexisting magma was examined for various crystallization sequences. The Lu-Hf variation trend of most high-Ti mare basalts is explained by a small degree of partial cumulate melting, though a higher degree is required to explain the variation of very low-Ti basalts, green glass, and Apollo 12 low-Ti basalts. Apollo 15 low-Ti basalts may require chromite crystallization as well.

Nakamura, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Bismaleimide resins for flame resistant honeycomb sandwich panels

Bismaleimide resins are prime candidates for nonflammable aircraft interior panels. Three resin types with different structures and processing characteristics were formulated. Resin M 751 was used to fabricate 100 kg of glass fabric prepregs which were used for the preparation of face sheets for honeycomb sandwich panels. Prepreg characteristics and curing cycles for laminate fabrication are provided. In order to advance beyond the current solvent resin technology for fibre and fabric impregnation, a hot melt solvent-less resin system was prepared and characterized. Preliminary tests were performed to develop a wet bonding process for the fabrication of advanced sandwich honeycomb panels by use of polybismaleimide glass fabric face sheets and polybismaleimide Nomex honeycomb core. B-stage material was used for both the core and the face sheet, providing flatwise tensile properties equivalent to those obtained by the state-of-the-art 3-step process which includes an epoxy adhesive resin.

Stenzenberger, H. D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

LaRC TPI 1500 series polymers

The crystallization behavior and the melt flow properties of two batches of 1500 series LaRC-TPI polymers from Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals (MTC) were investigated. The characterization methods include Differential Scanning Calorimetry, the x ray diffractography and the melt rheology. The as-received materials possess initial crystalline melting peak temperatures of 295 and 305 C, respectively. These materials are less readily recrystallizable at elevated temperatures when compared to other semicrystalline thermoplastics. For the samples annealed at temperatures below 330 C, a semicrystalline polymer can be obtained. On the other hand, a purely amorphous structure is realized in the samples annealed at temperatures above 330 C. Isothermal crystallization kinetics were studied by means of the simple Avrami equation. The viscoelastic properties at elevated temperatures below and above glass transition temperature of the polymers were measured. Information with regard to the molecule sizes and distributions in these polymers were also extracted from melt rheology.

Hou, Tan-Hung↗
NASA NTRS2004

Direct Observation of Pore Formation and Bubble Mobility during Controlled Melting and Resolidification in Microgravity

Detailed studies on the controlled melting and subsequent re-solidification of succinonitrile were conducted in the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) using the PFMI apparatus (Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation) located in the ISS glovebox facility (GBX). Samples were initially prepared on ground by filling glass tubes, 1 cm ID and approximately 30 cm in length, with pure succinonitrile (SCN) under 450 millibar of nitrogen. During Space processing, experimental parameters like temperature gradient and translation speed, for melting and solidification, were remotely monitored and controlled from the ground Telescience Center (TSC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Real time visualization during controlled melting revealed bubbles of different sizes initiating at the solid/liquid interface, and traveling up the temperature gradient ahead of them. Subsequent controlled re-solidification of the SCN revealed the details of porosity formation and evolution. A preliminary analysis of the melt back and re- solidification and its implications to future microgravity materials processing is presented and discussed.

Grugel, Richard N.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Impact History on Vesta: Petrographic, Compositional and Future Chronological Studies of Melt Clasts in Howardites

Howardite meteorites are polymict breccias composed mainly of eucritic and diogenitic material that likely originate from the surface of the Asteroid 4 Vesta. They can be separated into two subtypes: Regolithic, which represent the lithified remains of the active vestan regolith; Fragmental, which represent simpler polymict breccias. Amongst the regolithic features observed in the former, melt clasts are particularly striking for their appearance and compositional variability. They range from glassy spherules to finely crystalline (i.e., devitrified) clasts, and clasts containing only relict mineral grains to those containing only phenocrysts. Glasses can be separated into compositional sub-types including those with low FeO/MgO ratios (less than 5) -low alkali glasses, K-rich (K2O greater than 0.2 wt.%), Na-rich (Na2O greater than 0.6 wt.%) and CaO-rich, and those with high FeO/MgO ratios (greater than 10). There is also a distinction to be made between primary volcanic melt clasts and those produced by impacts. While suggested that a lack of chemical homogeneity among their studied melt clasts ruled out a primary volcanic origin, the low siderophile element contents observed in such clasts suggest less compositional influence from impactors than commonly assumed. Studying the chronology of the impact melt clasts in howardites can help us to better determine the timing of impact events on Vesta and the asteroid belt. In this research, we are launching an investigation into the petrology, composition (major/trace element and noble gas) and chronology of melt clasts in howardites. We have selected a set of howardites known to contain large quantities of melt clasts, and have begun the petrological and compositional studies of these materials. Once the melt clasts have been fully classified, we aim to perform chronological studies of individual clasts using both the Ar-40/Ar-39 and Pb-Pb chronometers, as well as determine the noble gas components present. Of particular note, the study will take advantage of the laser ablation techniques associated with the noble gas facilities at ASU, which will allow high-resolution, in-situ analysis of individual clasts. The broader aim of this work is to ascertain whether the impact flux in the region of the asteroid belt was similar to that on the Moon. Our understanding of impact events in the inner Solar System relies heavily on our analyses of lunar meteorites and returned samples, and there is currently some debate regarding whether there was a "Lunar Cataclysm" event around approx. 3.9 Ga, or the end of an epoch of "Late Heavy Bombardment" (LHB) at this time. New and more comprehensive constraints on howardite melt clast ages may help determine whether the asteroid belt experienced such a cataclysm or LHB.

Cartwright, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Water Content of the Oceanic Lithosphere at Hawaii from FTIR Analysis of Peridotite Xenoliths

Although water in the mantle is mostly present as trace H dissolved in minerals, it has a large influence on its melting and rheological properties. The water content of the mantle lithosphere beneath continents is better constrained by abundant mantle xenolith data than beneath oceans where it is mainly inferred from MORB glass analysis. Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, we determined the water content of olivine (Ol), clinopyroxene (Cpx) and orthopyroxene (Opx) in spinel peridotite xenoliths from Salt Lake Crater, Oahu, Hawaii, which are thought to represent fragments of the Pacific oceanic lithosphere that was refertilized by alkalic Hawaiian melts. Only Ol exhibits H diffusion profiles, evidence of limited H loss during xenolith transport to the surface. Water concentrations (Ol: 9-28 ppm H2O, Cpx: 246-566 ppm H2O, Opx: 116-224 ppm H2O) are within the range of those from continental settings but higher than those from Gakkel ridge abyssal peridotites. The Opx H2O contents are similar to those of abyssal peridotites from Atlantic ridge Leg 153 (170-230 ppm) but higher than those from Leg 209 (10- 14 ppm). The calculated bulk peridotite water contents (94 to 144 ppm H2O) are in agreement with MORB mantle source water estimates and lower than estimates for the source of Hawaiian rejuvenated volcanism (approx 540 ppm H2O) . The water content of Cpx and most Opx correlates negatively with spinel Cr#, and positively with pyroxene Al and HREE contents. This is qualitatively consistent with the partitioning of H into the melt during partial melting, but the water contents are too high for the degree of melting these peridotites experienced. Melts in equilibrium with xenolith minerals have H2O/Ce ratios similar to those of OIB

Peslier, Anne H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Direct Observation of Controlled Melting and Resolidification of Succinonitrile Mixtures in a Microgravity Environment

In support of the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI) direct observation of experiments on the controlled melting and subsequent resolidification of succinonitrile were conducted in the glovebox facility (GBX) of the International Space Station (ISS). Samples were prepared on ground by filling glass tubes, 1 cm ID and approximately 30 cm in length, with pure succinonitrile (SCN) and SCN-Water mixtures under 450 millibar of nitrogen. Experimental processing parameters of temperature gradient and translation speed, as well as camera settings, were remotely monitored and manipulated from the ground Telescience Center (TSC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Sample temperatures are monitored by six in situ thermocouples. Real time visualization during melt back revealed bubbles of different sizes initiating at the solid/liquid interface, their release, interactions, and movement into the temperature field ahead of them. Subsequent re-solidification examined planar interface breakdown and the transition to steady-state dendritic growth. A preliminary analysis of the observed phenomena and its implication to future microgravity experiments is presented and discussed.

Grugel, R. N.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Development of a low void polyimide resin for autoclave processing of glass and graphite reinforced composites.

Experimental studies are described in which new A-type polyimide prepolymer chemical modifications were investigated with the aim of increasing the melt phase duration and temperature range permitting autoclave processing, yet retaining the addition-type cure mechanism required for low-void content composites. Several modification candidates were examined, and one specific formulation was selected for detailed investigation. This A-type polyimide prepolymer formulation is shown to possess the desired characteristics.

Vaughan, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Assimilation in lunar basalts and volcanic glasses: Implications for a heterogenous mantle source region

Several scientists have called on assimilation of anorthositic crustal material or KREEP compositions to explain various lunar lithologies. In order to address the practicality of such processes, some techniques for calculating how much assimilation is possible in magma chambers and dikes based on thermal energy balances and simple fluid mechanical constraints are outlined. In a previous effort, it was demonstrated that dissolution of plagioclase in an iron-free basalt was too slow to contaminate magmas, and that the energy cost of melting plagioclase-rich crustal material was prohibitive both in magma chambers and in dike conduits. This analysis was extended to include dissolution rates in an orange glass composition and to quantitatively predict the maximum contamination possible due to assimilation of both lunar crustal material and KREEP.

Finnila, A. B.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Mare basalt petrogenesis

Melting experiments in vacuum at Fe-saturation for high-Ti lunar basalt compositions 70215 and 15318 Red Glass, and low-Ti basalt composition 15555-15016, have defined equilibrium crystallization sequences and the liquid lines of descent, and show that much of the chemical variety in the samples is due to near-surface fractionation processes. The various groups within the high-Ti suite, however, cannot be interrelated by such processes, nor can the high-Ti suite be a near-surface derivative of a low-Ti parent magma.

Kesson, S. E.↗