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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 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

Charging characteristics of materials: Comparison of experimental results with simple analytical models

A one-dimensional model for charging of samples is used in conjunction with experimental data taken to develop material charging characteristics for silvered Teflon. These characteristics are then used in a one dimensional model for charging in space to examine expected response. Relative charging rates as well as relative charging levels for silvered Teflon and metal are discussed.

Purvis, C. K.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Characterization of Delayed-Particle Emission Signatures for Pyroprocessing, Part 1: Fuel Assembly

An initial study was conducted with nondestructive assay analysis using the MCNP6 Monte Carlo radiation-transport code to calculate delayed-neutron and delayed- gamma emission signature monitors to characterize burnup and isotopic composition for pyroprocessing. The study consists of five parts. In Part 1, a generic Westinghouse fuel assembly model was modified to create models with 3% and 5% 235 U enrichments, 20, 30, 40, and 50 GWd/MTU burnups, and 3-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year cooling times. MCNP6 was used to create detail-rich delayed-particle source terms for fuel assembly. Delayed-gamma activity ratios were then developed for conventional 134 Cs/ 137 Cs, 134 Cs/ 154 Eu, and 154 Eu/ 137 Cs markers as a function of burnup and of actinide mass for elemental uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium. In addition, data mining using photon tally data was employed to discover potential new delayed-gamma activity ratios. The data mining effort was streamlined by the creation and use of several utility codes to extract and process data. The study confirms behavior for burnup dependence of 134 Cs/ 137 Cs, 134 Cs/ 154 Eu, and 154 Eu/ 137 Cs markers. A process for the discovery of potential new delayed-gamma markers has been developed, and results are presented. The actinide and nonactinide inventories for the fuel assembly models are used as source materials for the electrorefining models. Parts 2–5 contain analysis of a pyrochemical separations model that includes an MCNP6 mockup of the INL Mark IV electrorefiner (see companion documents). Part 2 focuses on delayed-particle emissions from the electrorefiner with loaded fuel dissolution baskets before electrorefining. Part 3 investigates delayed-particle emissions from the electrorefiner following electrorefining. Part 4 presents delayed-particle emissions from other pyroprocessing units that contain material developed by the electrorefining process in Part 3. Part 5 parallels Part 4, except for a 10 wt% plutonium reduction.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
NASA NTRS1992

STS-46 Space Shuttle mission report

The STS-46 Space Shuttle Program Mission Report contains a summary of the Orbiter, External Tank (ET), Solid Rocket Booster/Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor (SRB/RSRM), and the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME) subsystem performance during the forty-ninth flight of the Space Shuttle Program, and the twelfth flight of the Orbiter vehicle Atlantis (OV-104). In addition to the Atlantis vehicle, the flight vehicle consisted of the following: an ET, designated ET-48 (LWT-41); three SSME's, which were serial numbers 2032, 2033, and 2027 in positions 1, 2, and 3, respectively; and two SRB's which were designated BI-052. The lightweight/redesigned SRM's that were installed in each SRB were designated 360W025A for the left RSRM and 360L025B for the right RSRM. The primary objective of this flight was to successfully deploy the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) payload and perform the operations of the Tethered Satellite System-1 (TSS-1) and the Evaluation of Oxygen Interaction with Material 3/Thermal Energy Management Processes 2A-3 (EOIM-3/TEMP 2A-3). The secondary objectives of this flight were to perform the operations of the IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC), Consortium for Material Development in Space Complex Autonomous Payload-2 and 3 (CONCAP-2 and CONCAP-3), Limited Duration Space Environment Candidate Materials Exposure (LDCE), Pituitary Growth Hormone Cell Function (PHCF), and Ultraviolet Plume Instrumentation (UVPI). In addition to summarizing subsystem performance, this report also discusses each Orbiter, ET, SSME, SRB, and RSRM in-flight anomaly in the applicable section of the report. Also included in the discussion is a reference to the assigned tracking number as published on the Problem Tracking List. All times are given in Greenwich mean time (G.m.t.) as well as mission elapsed time (MET).

Fricke, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Test Standard Developed for Determining the Slow Crack Growth of Advanced Ceramics at Ambient Temperature

The service life of structural ceramic components is often limited by the process of slow crack growth. Therefore, it is important to develop an appropriate testing methodology for accurately determining the slow crack growth design parameters necessary for component life prediction. In addition, an appropriate test methodology can be used to determine the influences of component processing variables and composition on the slow crack growth and strength behavior of newly developed materials, thus allowing the component process to be tailored and optimized to specific needs. At the NASA Lewis Research Center, work to develop a standard test method to determine the slow crack growth parameters of advanced ceramics was initiated by the authors in early 1994 in the C 28 (Advanced Ceramics) committee of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). After about 2 years of required balloting, the draft written by the authors was approved and established as a new ASTM test standard: ASTM C 1368-97, Standard Test Method for Determination of Slow Crack Growth Parameters of Advanced Ceramics by Constant Stress-Rate Flexural Testing at Ambient Temperature. Briefly, the test method uses constant stress-rate testing to determine strengths as a function of stress rate at ambient temperature. Strengths are measured in a routine manner at four or more stress rates by applying constant displacement or loading rates. The slow crack growth parameters required for design are then estimated from a relationship between strength and stress rate. This new standard will be published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 15.01, in 1998. Currently, a companion draft ASTM standard for determination of the slow crack growth parameters of advanced ceramics at elevated temperatures is being prepared by the authors and will be presented to the committee by the middle of 1998. Consequently, Lewis will maintain an active leadership role in advanced ceramics standardization within ASTM. In addition, the authors have been and are involved with several international standardization organizations including the Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The associated standardization activities involve fracture toughness, strength, elastic modulus, and the machining of advanced ceramics.

Choi, Sung R.↗
DOE OSTI2013

Superhydrophobics

A water repellent developed by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory outperforms nature at its best and could open a floodgate of commercial possibilities. The super-water repellent (superhydrophobic) material, developed by John Simpson, is easy to fabricate and uses inexpensive base materials. The process could lead to the creation of a new class of water repellant products, including windshields, eyewear, clothing, building materials, road surfaces, ship hulls and self-cleaning coatings. The list of likely applications is virtually endless.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Solar White Thermal Coating for Cryogenic Propulsion Systems

NASA is currently conducting research into the potential of storing cryogenic fluid in low Earth orbit (LEO). Having cryogenic propellant readily available for high-performance propulsion systems can be very beneficial for deep space missions in the near future. One of the key challenges to storing cryogenic fluid in LEO is minimizing boil-off. To address the challenge, NASA is evaluating new concepts in thermal insulation. One recent experimental study evaluated the feasibility of using Yttrium Oxide (Y2O3), formed into tiles or spray coating that can potentially be used as a thermal coating for cryogenic propellant storage applications in deep space. Due to its temperature and wavelength dependent optical properties, this “solar white” material can reflect a vast majority of the Sun’s radiative energy while having a very high infrared emissivity for rejecting heat to deep space. As a part of the material development and proof of concept testing, multiple tests have been run at KSC and GRC to demonstrate the performance of the material. At GRC, the tests were run using the Deep Space Solar Simulator (DS3) which contains a thermal vacuum chamber in which the solar white sample was exposed to a deep space environment (< 10 K, optically dense walls) while under full illumination via solar lamp. In order to improve the use of the test results and apply them to spacecraft, there is a need to be able to model the material properties within NASA’s standard thermal modeling tools. As such, it was set out to verify a thermal model of one of the experiments using Thermal Desktop with Sinda. The thermal model of the DS3 test setup includes the solar white sample along with a solar lamp simulator capable of outputting heat at varying wavelengths. The model was developed in order to validate the test results and also to help predict results that will be obtained in future tests. This paper will review the modeling methods and thermal analysis results for various test cases that were run within the DS3 facility.

Cryogenic↗
DOE OSTI2015

CURRENT APPLICATIONS OF THREE MILE ISLAND-2 CORE AND DEBRIS HANDLING AT THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY

Fuel recovery from severe accidents requires careful planning and execution. The Idaho National Laboratory played a key role in the Three Mile Island (TMI) fuel and core recovery. This involved technology development to locate and handle the damaged fuel; characterization of fuel and debris; analysis of fuel interaction with structural components and materials; development of fuel drying technology for long-term storage. However, one of the critical activities from the TMI project was the extensive effort document all the activities and archive the reports and photos. A historical review of the TMI project at the INL leads to the identification of current applications and considerations for facility designs, fuel handling, robotic applications, material characterization, etc.

Fukushima Recovery↗
DOE OSTI2020

SBV: Characterization of Highly Reflective EUV Coatings (CRADA AWD00002394)

The overall goals were to support the development of new high efficiency EUV coatings which would dramatically reduce the energy needed in the semiconductor manufacturing lithography process as well as dramatically reducing the cost of future EUV lithography tools. The project was successful in the characterization of numerous samples generating many hundreds of datasets and critical feedback for the partner’s internal material development program.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2006

Challenges and Progress in the Development of High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloys Based on NiTiX Compositions for High-Force Actuator Applications

Interest in high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMA) has been growing in the aerospace, automotive, process control, and energy industries. However, actual materials development has seriously lagged component design, with current commercial NiTi alloys severely limited in their temperature capability. Additions of Pd, Pt, Au, Hf, and Zr at levels greater than 10 at.% have been shown to increase the transformation temperature of NiTi alloys, but with few exceptions, the shape memory behavior (strain recovery) of these NiTiX systems has been determined only under stress free conditions. Given the limited amount of basic mechanical test data and general lack of information regarding the work attributes of these materials, a program to investigate the mechanical behavior of potential HTSMAs, with transformation temperatures between 100 and 500 C, was initiated. This paper summarizes the results of studies, focusing on both the practical temperature limitations for ternary TiNiPd and TiNiPt systems based on the work output of these alloys and the ability of these alloys to undergo repeated thermal cycling under load without significant permanent deformation or "walking". These issues are ultimately controlled by the detwinning stress of the martensite and resistance to dislocation slip of the individual martensite and austenite phases. Finally, general rules that govern the development of useful, high work output, next-generation HTSMA materials, based on the lessons learned in this work, will be provided

Padula, Santo, II↗
NASA NTRS1966

Non-metallic materials

Nonmetallic materials development - cryogenic insulation, adhesives research, and membrane diffusion theory

NONMETAL↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Advanced Materials for the Lunar Surface: Multiscale Computational Design of Refractory Alloys and Carbides

Emerging operational environments, such as the lunar surface, present novel challenges for NASA and drive the need for advanced materials in applications like fission surface power systems. To address these demands, computational materials science is rapidly evolving to augment or replace costly and hazardous empirical testing. Although materials selection at NASA remains predominantly experimentally driven, advanced simulation methodologies are being steadily integrated into the engineering lifecycle. This work details the application of multiscale simulation techniques—including first-principles calculations, CALPHAD, dislocation dynamics, and molecular dynamics—at NASA's Ames Research Center to evaluate advanced materials for extreme environments. First, we present contributions to the Space Nuclear Propulsion Project. Be-cause propellant channel coatings in nuclear thermal rockets must withstand high-pressure, high-temperature hydro-gen, optimizing these materials is critical. First-principles calculations were employed to establish a rigorous quantitative and qualitative understanding of the behavior of the refractory carbides ZrC, NbC, and their mixtures in high-enthalpy hydrogen environments. This necessitated the generation of high-fidelity thermodynamic models for both stoichiometric and carbon-depleted carbides, both with and without the presence of hydrogen. Furthermore, we highlight efforts under the Refractory Alloy Additive Manufacturing Build Optimization (RAAMBO) project, where existing and novel alloy compositions were assessed for additive manufacturing printability and subsequent performance in applications such as heat pipes and rocket nozzle extensions. This was accomplished through a comprehensive multiscale simulation framework that bridged the gap from the nanometer to the millimeter scale. Across both initiatives, rigorous validation against empirical data was prioritized. By systematically employing a verified and validated computational frame-work, we demonstrate how simulation effectively supports multidisciplinary engineering efforts, builds project-wide confidence, and drives critical materials development.

computational materials↗
DOE OSTI2017

“Wine-Dark Sea” in an Organic Flow Battery: Storing Negative Charge in 2,1,3-Benzothiadiazole Radicals Leads to Improved Cyclability

Redox-active organic materials (ROMs) have shown great promise for redox flow battery applications but generally encounter limited cycling efficiency and stability at relevant redox material concentrations in nonaqueous systems. Here we report a new heterocyclic organic anolyte molecule, 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, that has high solubility, a low redox potential, and fast electrochemical kinetics. Coupling it with a benchmark catholyte ROM, the nonaqueous organic flow battery demonstrated significant improvement in cyclable redox material concentrations and cell efficiencies compared to the state-of-the-art nonaqueous systems. Especially, this system produced exceeding cyclability with relatively stable efficiencies and capacities at high ROM concentrations (>0.5 M), which is ascribed to the highly delocalized charge densities in the radical anions of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, leading to good chemical stability. As a result, this material development represents significant progress toward promising next-generation energy storage.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Fusion Materials Research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Fiscal Year 2015

The realization of fusion energy is a formidable challenge with significant achievements resulting from close integration of the plasma physics and applied technology disciplines. Presently, the most significant technological challenge for the near-term experiments such as ITER, and next generation fusion power systems, is the inability of current materials and components to withstand the harsh fusion nuclear environment. The overarching goal of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) fusion materials program is to provide the applied materials science support and understanding to underpin the ongoing Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science fusion energy program while developing materials for fusion power systems. In doing so the program continues to be integrated both with the larger United States (US) and international fusion materials communities, and with the international fusion design and technology communities.This document provides a summary of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 activities supporting the Office of Science, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences Materials Research for Magnetic Fusion Energy (AT-60-20-10-0) carried out by ORNL. The organization of this report is mainly by material type, with sections on specific technical activities. Four projects selected in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicitation of late 2011 and funded in FY2012-FY2014 are identified by “FOA” in the titles. This report includes the final funded work of these projects, although ORNL plans to continue some of this work within the base program.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Report on the Installation and Preparedness of a Protochips Fusion in-situ Heating Holder for TEM

This brief report documents the procurement and installation of a Protochips Fusion (formerly Aduro) high-temperature, high stability transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen holder that allows for the high spatial resolution characterization of material specimens at high temperature in situ of an electron microscope. This specimen holder was specifically procured for use with The FEI Talos F200X Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL’s) Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) Laboratory. The Protochips Fusion holder will enable high-resolution structural and chemical analysis of irradiated materials at high temperature, becoming a unique capability worldwide, and would encourage high-quality in situ experiments to be conducted on irradiated materials.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

Preparation and Analysis of Austenitic Steel Samples Irradiated at Very High Damage Doses

This report describes the preliminary results of the visual inspection, cutting, preparation for IASCC (irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking) testing, and property evaluation of austenitic stainless steel specimens irradiated at very-high-damage doses (up to 125 dpa) in the BOR-60 fast reactor. Work was performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using the Irradiated Materials Examination and Testing (hot cell) Facility and the Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) laboratory. Report sections describe specific aspects of the research activity. Section 1 reviews the general background, material, and specimen origin, and provides detailed information on material composition and damage dose level. Section 2 describes operations performed with irradiated specimens at the hot cell facility and LAMDA laboratory. At the moment, tensile specimen preparation is complete, and the tensile bars are ready for shipment to the University of Michigan for stress corrosion cracking testing. Section 3 discusses the microstructure of archive alloys and post-irradiation material properties; because of the very limited timeframe, only selected results are given on the magnetic properties of the irradiated specimens. Section 4 summarizes the work performed, presents conclusions, and discusses future activities within the line of research.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS1992

An interim overview of LDEF materials findings

The flight and retrieval of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) provided an opportunity for the study of the low-Earth orbit (LEO) environment and long-duration space environmental effects (SEE) on materials that is unparalleled in the history of the U.S. Space Program. The remarkable flight attitude stability of LDEF enables specific analyses of various individual and combined effects of LEO environmental parameters on identical materials on the same space vehicle. This paper provides an overview of the interim LDEF materials findings of the Principal Investigators and the Materials Special Investigation Group. In general, the LDEF data is remarkably consistent; LDEF will provide a 'benchmark' for materials design data bases for satellites in low-Earth orbit. Some materials were identified to be encouragingly resistant to LEO SEE for 5.8 years; other 'space qualified' materials displayed significant environmental degradation. Molecular contamination was widespread; LDEF offers an unprecedented opportunity to provide a unified perspective of unmanned LEO spacecraft contamination mechanisms. New material development requirements for long-term LEO missions have been identified and current ground simulation testing methods/data for new, durable materials concepts can be validated with LDEF results. LDEF findings are already being integrated into the design of Space Station Freedom.

Stein, Brad A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Fire Signatures of Materials Used in Spacecraft Construction

The focus of my work this summer was fire safety, specifically determining fire signatures from the combustion of materials commonly found in the construction of spacecraft. This project was undertaken with the aim of addressing concerns for health and safety onboard spacecraft. Under certain conditions, burning electronics produce surprisingly large amounts of acrid smoke, release fine airborne particles and expel condensable aerosols. Similarly, some wire insulation and packing material evolves smoke when in contact with a hot surface. In the limited, enclosed space available on spacecraft, these combustion products may pose a nuisance at the very least - at worst, a hazard to health or equipment. There is also a concern for fire safety in early detection on spacecraft. Our goal for the summer was to determine the most effective methods to test the materials, develop a protocol for sampling, and generate samples for analysis. We restricted our testing to electronic components, packaging and insulation materials, and wire insulation materials.

Taylor, Christina↗