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At least 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures Studied on the Space Shuttle

Ostwald ripening, or coarsening, is a process in which large particles in a two-phase mixture grow at the expense of small particles. It is a ubiquitous natural phenomena occurring in the late stages of virtually all phase separation processes. In addition, a large number of commercially important alloys undergo coarsening because they are composed of particles embedded in a matrix. Many of them, such as high-temperature superalloys used for turbine blade materials and low-temperature aluminum alloys, coarsen in the solid state. In addition, many alloys, such as the tungsten-heavy metal systems, coarsen in the solid-liquid state during liquid phase sintering. Numerous theories have been proposed that predict the rate at which the coarsening process occurs and the shape of the particle size distribution. Unfortunately, these theories have never been tested using a system that satisfies all the assumptions of the theory. In an effort to test these theories, NASA studied the coarsening process in a solid-liquid mixture composed of solid tin particles in a liquid lead-tin matrix. On Earth, the solid tin particles float to the surface of the sample, like ice in water. In contrast, in a microgravity environment this does not occur. The microstructures in the ground- and space-processed samples (see the photos) show clearly the effects of gravity on the coarsening process. The STS-83-processed sample (right image) shows nearly spherical uniformly dispersed solid tin particles. In contrast, the identically processed, ground-based sample (left image) shows significant density-driven, nonspherical particles, and because of the higher effective solid volume fraction, a larger particle size after the same coarsening time. The "Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures" (CSLM) experiment was conducted in the Middeck Glovebox facility (MGBX) flown aboard the shuttle in the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1/1R) on STS-83/94. The primary objective of CSLM is to measure the temporal evolution of the solid particles during coarsening.

Caruso, John J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Distinctive Carbonates in Five Martian Meteorites: Search for Water on Mars

Recently published results from Mars orbital data strongly support both the idea that large bodies of water were present at the surface in the past and the possibility that significant amounts of water ice are currently present in the regolith just below the planet's surface. These new findings increase the significance of the evidence in martian meteorites that some low-temperature aqueous alteration and secondary mineral deposition occurred on Mars.

Wentworth, Susan J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Cryogenic Electronics Being Developed for Space Operation

Planetary exploration missions and deep space probes require electrical power management and control systems that can operate efficiently and reliably in very low temperature environments. Presently, spacecraft operating in the cold environment of deep space carry a large number of radioisotope heating units to maintain the surrounding temperature of the onboard electronics at approximately 20 C. Electronics capable of operation at cryogenic temperatures would not only tolerate the hostile environment of deep space but also reduce system size and weight by eliminating or reducing the radioisotope heating units and their associate structures. Thereby, such electronics would reduce system development as well as launch costs. In addition, power electronic circuits designed for operation at low temperatures are expected to result in more efficient systems than those at room temperature. This improvement results because semiconductor and dielectric materials have better behavior and tolerance in their electrical and thermal properties at low temperatures. The Low Temperature Electronics Program at the NASA Glenn Research Center is focusing on the research and development of electrical components, circuits, and systems suitable for applications in the aerospace environment and in deep space exploration missions. Research is being conducted on devices and systems for reliable use down to cryogenic temperatures. Some of the commercial off-the-shelf as well as developed components that are being characterized include semiconductor switching devices, resistors, magnetics, and capacitors. Semiconductor devices and integrated circuits including digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters, dc-dc converters, operational amplifiers, and oscillators are also being investigated for potential use in low-temperature applications. For example, the output response of an advanced oscillator at room temperature and at -190 C is shown. Most oscillators can operate at temperatures down to only -55 C. It can be seen that, for this oscillator, the low temperature of -196 C changed the leading and trailing edges of the oscillator pulses by producing overshoot. The research and development efforts performed under the Low Temperature Electronics Program at Glenn are being carried out through collaboration with other Government agencies, industrial and aerospace companies, and academia. The program supports missions as well as technology development efforts at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Langley Research Center, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Patterson, Richard L.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Rudder/Fin Seals Investigated for the X-38 Re-Entry Vehicle

NASA is developing the X-38 vehicle that will demonstrate the technologies required for a potential crew return vehicle for the International Space Station. This vehicle would serve both as an ambulance for medical emergencies and as an evacuation vehicle for the space station. Control surfaces on the X-38 (body flaps and rudder/fin assemblies) require high temperature seals to limit hot gas ingestion and the transfer of heat to underlying low temperature structures. Working with the NASA Johnson Space Center, the Seals Team at the NASA Glenn Research Center completed a series of tests to further characterize baseline seal designs for the rudder/fin interfaces of the X-38. The structures of the rudder/fin assembly and its associated seals are shown in the the preceding illustration. Tests performed at Glenn indicated that exposure of the seals in a compressed state at simulated seal re-entry temperatures resulted in a large permanent set and loss of seal resiliency. This could be of concern because the seals are required to maintain contact with the sealing surfaces while the vehicle goes through the maximum re-entry heating cycle to prevent hot gases from leaking past the seals and damaging interior low-temperature structures. To simulate conditions in which the seals may become unloaded during use, such as when they take on a large permanent set, Glenn researchers performed room temperature flow and compression tests to determine seal flow rates, resiliency, and unit loads under minimal loads. Flow rates through an unloaded (i.e., 0-percent compression) double seal arrangement were twice those of a double seal compressed to the 20-percent design compression level. These flow rates are being used in thermal analyses to predict the effect of flow through the seals on over-all seal temperatures. Compression test results showed that seal unit loads and contact pressures were below the limits that Johnson had set as goals for the seals. In the rudder/fin seal location, the seals are in contact with shuttle thermal tiles and are moved across the tiles as the rudder is rotated during re-entry. Low seal unit loads and contact pressures are required to limit the loads on these tiles and minimize any damage that the seals could cause. A series of tests were performed on these seals in NASA Ames Research Center's arc jet facility. The arc jet facility approximates relevant thermal environments that a seal or other structure would be subjected to during extreme heating conditions such as those experienced during space vehicle re-entry. Eleven tests were completed, including one test in which no seal was installed in the gap to examine the flow of heat down into the gap. The seal was compressed between stationary insulation tiles and a movable elevon that was rotated during the test to deflect the arc jet exhaust into the seal gap. Peak seal temperatures as high as 2000 F were reached during the 5-min tests. Results of these tests indicate satisfactory performance of the seal for single-use (e.g., X-38) applications. The results of these tests were shared with the NASA Johnson Space Center and are being used to validate aerothermostructural analysis codes that predict seal temperatures under these conditions. The tests performed at Glenn have provided valuable information to Johnson about the performance of the seals that they are considering using in the rudder/fin location of the X-38 vehicle. Glenn and Johnson are currently defining what additional work needs to be done to develop the final rudder/fin seal design for the X-38 vehicle.

Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Oxidation of Carbon Fibers in a Cracked Ceramic Matrix Composite Modeled as a Function of Temperature

The oxidation model simulates the oxidation of the reinforcing carbon fibers within a ceramic matrix composite material containing as-fabricated microcracks. The physics-based oxidation model uses theoretically and experimentally determined variables as input for the model. The model simulates the ingress of oxygen through microcracks into a two-dimensional plane within the composite material. Model input includes temperature, oxygen concentration, the reaction rate constant, the diffusion coefficient, and the crack opening width as a function of the mechanical and thermal loads. The model is run in an iterative process for a two-dimensional grid system in which oxygen diffuses through the porous and cracked regions of the material and reacts with carbon in short time steps. The model allows the local oxygen concentrations and carbon volumes from the edge to the interior of the composite to be determined over time. Oxidation damage predicted by the model was compared with that observed from microstructural analysis of experimentally tested composite material to validate the model for two temperatures of interest. When the model is run for low-temperature conditions, the kinetics are reaction controlled. Carbon and oxygen reactions occur relatively slowly. Therefore, oxygen can bypass the carbon near the outer edge and diffuse into the interior so that it saturates the entire composite at relatively high concentrations. The kinetics are limited by the reaction rate between carbon and oxygen. This results in an interior that has high local concentrations of oxygen and a similar amount of consumed carbon throughout the cross section. When the model is run for high-temperature conditions, the kinetics are diffusion controlled. Carbon and oxygen reactions occur very quickly. The carbon consumes oxygen as soon as it is supplied. The kinetics are limited by the relatively slow rate at which oxygen is supplied in comparison to the relatively fast rate at which carbon and oxygen reactions occur. This results in a sharp gradient in oxygen concentration from the edge where it is supplied to the nearest source of carbon, which is where the oxygen is quickly consumed. A moving reaction front is seen in which the outlaying carbon is consumed before the next inner layer of carbon begins to react.

Halbig, Michael C.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Control Surface Seals Investigated for Re- Entry Vehicles

Re-entry vehicles generally use control surfaces (e.g., rudders, body flaps, and elevons) to steer or guide them as they pass into and through the Earth s atmosphere. High temperature seals are required around control surfaces both along hinge lines and in areas where control surface edges seal against the vehicle body to limit hot gas ingestion and the transfer of heat to underlying low-temperature structures. Working with the NASA Johnson Space Center, the Seals Team at the NASA Glenn Research Center completed a series of tests on the baseline seal design for the rudder/fin control surface interfaces of the X-38 vehicle. This seal application was chosen as a case study to evaluate a currently available control surface seal design for applications in future re-entry vehicles. The structures of the rudder/fin assembly and its associated seals are shown in the following illustration.

Dunlap, Patrick H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2001

The topics include: 1) Application Briefs; 2) National Design Engineering Show Preview; 3) Marketing Inventions to Increase Income; 4) A Personal-Computer-Based Physiological Training System; 5) Reconfigurable Arrays of Transistors for Evolvable Hardware; 6) Active Tactile Display Device for Reading by a Blind Person; 7) Program Automates Management of IBM VM Computer Systems; 8) System for Monitoring the Environment of a Spacecraft Launch; 9) Measurement of Stresses and Strains in Muscles and Tendons; 10) Optical Measurement of Temperatures in Muscles and Tendons; 11) Small Low-Temperature Thermometer With Nanokelvin Resolution; 12) Heterodyne Interferometer With Phase-Modulated Carrier; 13) Rechargeable Batteries Based on Intercalation in Graphite; 14) Signal Processor for Doppler Measurements in Icing Research; 15) Model Optimizes Drying of Wet Sheets; 16) High-Performance POSS-Modified Polymeric Composites; 17) Model Simulates Semi-Solid Material Processing; 18) Modular Cryogenic Insulation; 19) Passive Venting for Alleviating Helicopter Tail-Boom Loads; 20) Computer Program Predicts Rocket Noise; 21) Process for Polishing Bare Aluminum to High Optical Quality; 22) External Adhesive Pressure-Wall Patch; 23) Java Implementation of Information-Sharing Protocol; 24) Electronic Bulletin Board Publishes Schedules in Real Time; 25) Apparatus Would Extract Water From the Martian Atmosphere; 26) Review of Research on Supercritical vs Subcritical Fluids; 27) Hybrid Regenerative Water-Recycling System; 28) Study of Fusion-Driven Plasma Thruster With Magnetic Nozzle; 29) Liquid/Vapor-Hydrazine Thruster Would Produce Small Impulses; and 30) Thruster Based on Sublimation of Solid Hydrazine

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2003

System for Testing Thermal Insulation of Pipes

An apparatus and method have been developed for measuring the rates of leakage of heat into pipes carrying liquids, the purpose of the measurements being to quantify the thermal performance of the insulation system. The apparatus is designed primarily for testing pipes used to carry cryogenic liquids, but can also be used for measuring the thermal performance of other insulated pipes or piping systems. The basic measurement principle is straightforward: The outer surface of the pipe insulation is maintained at a fixed warmer temperature. The interior of the pipe is maintained in a narrow fixed lower-temperature range by means of a regular liquid (e.g., water) that is pumped through the pipe at a known flow rate or a cryogenic liquid (e.g., nitrogen) that is saturated at atmospheric pressure and replenished until steady-state conditions are achieved. In the case of water or another liquid pumped through, the inlet and outlet temperatures are measured and heat-leak power is calculated as the mass flow rate of the liquid multiplied by the specific heat of the liquid multiplied by the inlet-to-outlet temperature rise of the liquid. In the case of liquid nitrogen or another low-temperature boiling liquid, the heat-leak power is calculated as the rate of boil-off multiplied by the latent heat of vaporization of the liquid. Then the thermal-insulation performance of the pipe system can be calculated as a function of the measured heat-leak power, the inner and outer boundary temperatures, and the dimensions of the pipe. The apparatus can test as many as three pipes simultaneously. The pipes can have inner diameters up to .15 cm and outer diameters up to .20 cm. The lengths of the pipes may vary; typical lengths are of the order of 18 m. Two thermal guard boxes . one for each end of the pipe(s) under test . are used to make the inlet and outlet fluid connections to the pipe(s) (see figure). The connections include bellows that accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the pipes. The guard boxes and pipe(s) are positioned so that the pipe(s) slope upward from the upstream to the downstream end at an angle of at least 2 . The upward slope allows vapor bubbles to accumulate at the downstream end. The thermal guard boxes keep the ends of the pipes at the lower interior temperature to prevent spurious lengthwise leakage of heat into the pipes. It is important to prevent this spurious heat leakage because, if it were allowed to occur, it could contribute a large error in the measured heat-leak power. The upstream thermal guard box includes a heat exchanger through which liquid flowing into the pipe(s) is subcooled to the saturation temperature corresponding to the ambient pressure. Conversely, this heat exchanger can also be used to warm the flowing liquid to a desired fixed temperature. The apparatus includes a temperature control device that is placed around each pipe under test. Each device is operated under thermostatic control to maintain the outer surface of the pipe insulation at the specified test temperature. All measurements are recorded on a portable data-acquisition system.

Fesmire, James E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2003

Topics covered include: Optoelectronic Tool Adds Scale Marks to Photographic Images; Compact Interconnection Networks Based on Quantum Dots; Laterally Coupled Quantum-Dot Distributed-Feedback Lasers; Bit-Serial Adder Based on Quantum Dots; Stabilized Fiber-Optic Distribution of Reference Frequency; Delay/Doppler-Mapping GPS-Reflection Remote-Sensing System; Ladar System Identifies Obstacles Partly Hidden by Grass; Survivable Failure Data Recorders for Spacecraft; Fiber-Optic Ammonia Sensors; Silicon Membrane Mirrors with Electrostatic Shape Actuators; Nanoscale Hot-Wire Probes for Boundary-Layer Flows; Theodolite with CCD Camera for Safe Measurement of Laser-Beam Pointing; Efficient Coupling of Lasers to Telescopes with Obscuration; Aligning Three Off-Axis Mirrors with Help of a DOE; Calibrating Laser Gas Measurements by Use of Natural CO2; Laser Ranging Simulation Program; Micro-Ball-Lens Optical Switch Driven by SMA Actuator; Evaluation of Charge Storage and Decay in Spacecraft Insulators; Alkaline Capacitors Based on Nitride Nanoparticles; Low-EC-Content Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells; Software for a GPS-Reflection Remote-Sensing System; Software for Building Models of 3D Objects via the Internet; "Virtual Cockpit Window" for a Windowless Aerospacecraft; CLARAty Functional-Layer Software; Java Library for Input and Output of Image Data and Metadata; Software for Estimating Costs of Testing Rocket Engines; Energy-Absorbing, Lightweight Wheels; Viscoelastic Vibration Dampers for Turbomachine Blades; Soft Landing of Spacecraft on Energy-Absorbing Self-Deployable Cushions; Pneumatically Actuated Miniature Peristaltic Vacuum Pumps; Miniature Gas-Turbine Power Generator; Pressure-Sensor Assembly Technique; Wafer-Level Membrane-Transfer Process for Fabricating MEMS; A Reactive-Ion Etch for Patterning Piezoelectric Thin Film; Wavelet-Based Real-Time Diagnosis of Complex Systems; Quantum Search in Hilbert Space; Analytic Method for Computing Instrument Pointing Jitter; and Semiselective Optoelectronic Sensors for Monitoring Microbes.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2000

Microgravity Platforms

The world's space agencies have been conducting microgravity research since the beginning of space flight. Initially driven by the need to understand the impact of less than- earth gravity physics on manned space flight, microgravity research has evolved into a broad class of scientific experimentation that utilizes extreme low acceleration environments. The U.S. NASA microgravity research program supports both basic and applied research in five key areas: biotechnology - focusing on macro-molecular crystal growth as well as the use of the unique space environment to assemble and grow mammalian tissue; combustion science - focusing on the process of ignition, flame propagation, and extinction of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels; fluid physics - including aspects of fluid dynamics and transport phenomena; fundamental physics - including the study of critical phenomena, low-temperature, atomic, and gravitational physics; and materials science - including electronic and photonic materials, glasses and ceramics, polymers, and metals and alloys. Similar activities prevail within the Chinese, European, Japanese, and Russian agencies with participation from additional international organizations as well. While scientific research remains the principal objective behind these program, all hope to drive toward commercialization to sustain a long range infrastructure which .benefits the national technology and economy. In the 1997 International Space Station Commercialization Study, conducted by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, some viable microgravity commercial ventures were identified, however, none appeared sufficiently robust to privately fund space access at that time. Thus, government funded micro gravity research continues on an evolutionary path with revolutionary potential.

Del Basso, Steve↗
NASA NTRS1960

A Solid Film Lubricant Composition for Use at High Sliding Velocities in Liquid Nitrogen

Solid-lubricant-containing compositions can be of value as films and solid bodies for bearing and seal surfaces in low-temperature liquefied gases. An experimental composition including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), an epoxy resin, and lithium-alumina-silicate was studied in friction, wear, and endurance experiments in liquid nitrogen (−320 F). This composition was formulated to approximate the thermal expansion of metals used in cryogenic systems. Hemisphere (3/6-in. radius) rider specimens were used and in most experiments the load was 1000 g. Films (0.005-in. thick) on disk specimens gave good endurance life, low rider wear, and desirable friction (f = 0.02 to 0.07). They functioned at a higher sliding velocity (no failure at 16, 000 ft/min) with copper rider specimens than with stainless steel riders (failure at 9000 ft/min). Solid rider material of the experimental composition had good friction and wear properties at sliding velocities above 4000 ft/min. It is important to use the experimental composition with mating materials having good thermal conductivity.

Wisander, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS2026

Molecular Inventory and Comparative Organic Profiling of A Homogenized Aggregate Sample From Asteroid (101955) Bennu

Evaluating the distribution and diversity of solvent-soluble organic molecules in extraterrestrial materials provide information about the physicochemical environments where prebiotic chemistry occurred and is essential for assessing the inventory of prebiotic compounds available to the early Earth. In this work, we conducted a comprehensive molecular characterization of solvent-soluble organic compounds in a homogenized aggregate sample (ID: OREX-800107-128) of unsorted regolith from asteroid (101955) Bennu returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. Using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-HRMS), we identified 87 organic compounds across several molecular classes, including alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-bearing species. Comparison with the organic inventory of CI (Orgueil), C2-ungrouped (Tagish Lake and Tarda), and CM2 (Murchison) carbonaceous chondrites revealed that Bennu sample OREX-800107-128 is most similar to Tagish Lake and Tarda yet compositionally distinct from all of these meteorites. This Bennu sample exhibits a relatively high abundance of low-molecular-weight aromatics (e.g., toluene), pyridine derivatives, and sulfur species such as dimethyl sulfite, consistent with episodic low-temperature aqueous alteration. The presence of these organic compounds suggests that this material experienced chemically diverse processes in the parent body conducive to complex organic synthesis, including aldol condensation reactions responsible for N- and O-bearing compounds. We also compared the molecular distributions of this Bennu sample and previously analyzed samples from (162173) Ryugu to assess potential common origins between these two carbonaceous asteroids. Bennu shows more chemically diverse and nitrogen-rich organic materials than Ryugu. While both asteroids share broadly similar primitive compositions, the observed chemical differences indicate distinct evolutionary histories within a likely common formation environment though whether Bennu and Ryugu derive from a single compositionally heterogeneous parent body or from multiple closely related progenitors remains unresolved. Further detailed comparative analyses of material from Bennu, Ryugu, and specific carbonaceous meteorites (e.g., Tagish Lake and Tarda) will provide new insights into how the N-rich molecular profile observed in Bennu samples was formed and evolved in the outer Solar System.

sample return↗
NASA NTRS2026

A Review of Superconducting Electric Machines with On-Board Cryocoolers

This paper reviews the evolution and emerging direction of superconducting electric machines that employ onboard cryocoolers integrated directly into the rotor, eliminating the need for cryogenic fluid coupling and, in some cases, rotary seals. Traditional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) machines relied on external cryogenic systems and liquid helium transfer couplers, which introduced excessive complexity, poor reliability, and significant parasitic energy losses. The advent of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) has enabled compact, closed-cycle cryocoolers that support self-contained, fluid-free refrigeration architectures suitable for rotating applications. This paper examines the key technological challenges associated with on-board cryocooler integration and reviews three representative efforts by KAIST, NASA, and Hinetics, each illustrating distinct strategies and milestones toward practical implementation. KAIST demonstrated early proof-of-concept for rotating machines with on-board cryocoolers, NASA developed a shaft-integrated Stirling-type pulse tube cryocooler for a 1.4 MW hybrid-electric motor, and Hinetics achieved full-scale validation of a self-contained HTS rotor incorporating a commercial Stirling cryocooler and spoke-suspension torque tube. Collectively, these achievements confirm the technical feasibility of on-board cryogenic refrigeration and highlight steady progress toward compact and efficient superconducting rotating systems across various applications. Embedding cryocoolers directly within the rotor enables practical, efficient, and commercially viable superconducting propulsion technologies.

Cryogenics↗
NASA NTRS2026

List of Commercial and Advanced Developmental Niobium-Based Alloys of the Space Age

This report compiles a list of commercial and developmental niobium-based alloys developed during the Space Age (late 1950s through mid-1970s) for extreme-temperature applications, including rocket engine thrust chambers, hypersonic re-entry thermal protection systems, and space fission reactor loops. Niobium (Nb) was widely pursued because it provided the lowest density (~8.6 g/cc) among the primary refractory metals, a high melting temperature (~2470°C), exceptional low-temperature ductility, good formability, and compatibility with liquid alkali metals. An evaluation of physical metallurgy mechanisms, focusing on solid-solution strengthening via heavy refractory solutes (W, Mo, Ta), dual-purpose reactive solutes (Hf, Zr, Ti), and dispersion strengthening using carbides, nitrides, and oxides is presented. Additionally, the report compares Western and Soviet Union metallurgical approaches, explaining how supply chain factors and manufacturing infrastructure influenced element selection, interstitial chemistry, and alloy identification/naming conventions. Cataloging these historical alloy chemical compositions serves as a foundational reference for modern alloy additive manufacturing, thermodynamic CALPHAD modeling, and machine-learning discovery pipelines for next-generation extreme-environment niobium-based alloys.

Physical Metallurgy↗
NASA NTRS2025

A Review of Direct Ink Writing of Polymer Derived Ceramics

With the growing demand for materials capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and pressures, ceramic components with exceptional corrosion resistance and reliable mechanical properties have experienced a significant surge in demand. However, traditional ceramic forming methods involve high-temperatures and energy-intensive processes that often struggle to produce complex parts or composites efficiently. Polymer-Derived Ceramics (PDCs) offer a transformative solution by using polymeric precursors that can be converted into a wide variety of silicon-based and non-silicon-based ceramics through heat treatment. The polymeric nature of PDC precursors enables the fabrication of geometrically intricate components using conventional polymer-forming techniques at significantly lower processing temperatures. Furthermore, PDCs are well-suited for additive manufacturing (AM), allowing the production of complex structural and functional components through cost-effective, low-temperature processes. By leveraging the diverse properties of PDC materials – each with unique advantages and limitations – manufacturers can optimise performance for specific applications. This review provides an overview of the types of PDCs developed to date and their broad range of applications. Specifically, it delves into the Direct Ink Writing (DIW) process, exploring its rheological requirements and the critical role of fillers in tailoring the rheological properties of polymeric precursors to meet the specific demands of DIW.

Victoria Bishop↗