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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

Open Circuit Resonant (SansEC) Sensor Technology for Lightning Mitigation and Damage Detection and Diagnosis for Composite Aircraft Applications

Traditional methods to protect composite aircraft from lightning strike damage rely on a conductive layer embedded on or within the surface of the aircraft composite skin. This method is effective at preventing major direct effect damage and minimizes indirect effects to aircraft systems from lightning strike attachment, but provides no additional benefit for the added parasitic weight from the conductive layer. When a known lightning strike occurs, the points of attachment and detachment on the aircraft surface are visually inspected and checked for damage by maintenance personnel to ensure continued safe flight operations. A new multi-functional lightning strike protection (LSP) method has been developed to provide aircraft lightning strike protection, damage detection and diagnosis for composite aircraft surfaces. The method incorporates a SansEC sensor array on the aircraft exterior surfaces forming a "Smart skin" surface for aircraft lightning zones certified to withstand strikes up to 100 kiloamperes peak current. SansEC sensors are open-circuit devices comprised of conductive trace spiral patterns sans (without) electrical connections. The SansEC sensor is an electromagnetic resonator having specific resonant parameters (frequency, amplitude, bandwidth & phase) which when electromagnetically coupled with a composite substrate will indicate the electrical impedance of the composite through a change in its resonant response. Any measureable shift in the resonant characteristics can be an indication of damage to the composite caused by a lightning strike or from other means. The SansEC sensor method is intended to diagnose damage for both in-situ health monitoring or ground inspections. In this paper, the theoretical mathematical framework is established for the use of open circuit sensors to perform damage detection and diagnosis on carbon fiber composites. Both computational and experimental analyses were conducted to validate this new method and system for aircraft composite damage detection and diagnosis. Experimental test results on seeded fault damage coupons and computational modeling simulation results are presented. This paper also presents the shielding effectiveness along with the lightning direct effect test results from several different SansEC LSP and baseline protected and unprotected carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) test panels struck at 40 and 100 kiloamperes following a universal common practice test procedure to enable damage comparisons between SansEC LSP configurations and common practice copper mesh LSP approaches. The SansEC test panels were mounted in a LSP test bed during the lightning test. Electrical, mechanical and thermal parameters were measured during lightning attachment and are presented with post test nondestructive inspection comparisons. The paper provides correlational results between the SansEC sensors computed electric field distribution and the location of the lightning attachment on the sensor trace and visual observations showing the SansEC sensor's affinity for dispersing the lightning attachment.

Szatkowski, George N.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Descriptor-Based Analysis of Atomic Layer Deposition Mechanisms on Spinel LiMn 2 O 4 Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes

Protective coatings have been shown to effectively suppress Mn ion dissolution from the spinel LiMn 2 O 4 lithium-ion battery cathode by stabilizing the surface against undesired side reactions with the electrolyte. In spite of extensive study, however, there remains a lack of atomic-scale understanding of how such coatings are deposited, and no molecular-level descriptor to predict trends in deposition mechanisms has been identified. We have recently shown that Al 2 O 3 coatings grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) with alternating trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water exposures exhibit submonolayer growth because of precursor decomposition on the lithium manganate spinel (LMO) surface during early ALD pulses. In the present work, we elucidate the underlying mechanisms of this Al 2 O 3 ALD process using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments, and we introduce a generalized descriptor-based framework to understand the resulting trends across a spectrum of surface structures and functionalities. We demonstrate that all decomposition products, including CH 3 -aluminum adducts and dissociated CH 3 groups, are Lewis bases and are coordinated to oxygen atoms on the LMO surface, leading to charge transfer to Lewis acidic Mn 3d states. Inert-transfer XPS supports these theoretical predictions, showing an increase in near-surface Mn 3+ content following TMA exposure and shifts in C is spectra consistent with C-O bond formation. We extend the DFT studies to various low- and high-index LMO surface facets, as a proxy for tuning the Lewis acid-base interactions between surface-bound CH 3 * and near-surface Mn ions. The thermochemistry for TMA reactions on these chemically distinct LMO surfaces demonstrates that ALD is structure-sensitive and that there is higher reactivity for TMA decomposition and Al 2 O 3 nucleation near LMO steps and defects. Motivated by the Lewis basic character of the decomposition products, we introduce the oxygen vacancy formation energy as a descriptor for decomposition energetics, and we demonstrate that all energetics are correlated to this quantity through the number of electrons that are transferred along the reaction coordinate. Finally, based on these findings, we hypothesize that improved electrochemical cycling with only 1-2 ALD cycles may be due to selective passivation of defect sites on the LMO surface that are more susceptible to Mn dissolution, and we suggest that similar descriptor-based analyses could be useful for the study of other ALD coatings on oxide substrates.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

In situ Diagnostics of Coupled Electrochemical-Mechanical Properties of Solid Electrolyte Interphases on Lithium Metal Rechargeable Batteries (Final Technical Report)

The fundamental understanding of the coupled mechanical/chemical degradation of the SEI layer during lithium cycling will enable the project to identify the desirable mechanical properties on SEI/lithium as a system and the specific transport properties that enable the homogenous lithium stripping/plating while avoiding the mossy structure. Furthermore, it will allow the project to develop a highly impactful strategy to protect lithium metal and achieve dendrite free high cycle efficiency, which can dramatically increase the energy density of lithium batteries for EV applications. During past three years, four coherent steps have been taken to solve the coupled mechanical and electrochemical degradation: (1) Developed a comprehensive set of in-situ diagnostic techniques to investigate the coupled mechanical/chemical properties of SEI layer and its impact on lithium striping/plating. (2) Identified failure mechanisms of SEI/Li as a whole electrode system using in-situ electrochemical tools. (3) Established a design strategy of protective coatings on Li metal to extend the cycle life Li meal electrode. (4) Developed novel surface coatings as the artificial SEI layer to protect Li metal and significantly extend cycle life. During past 3-year budget period, we have published over 16 peer-reviewed paper, filed 7 patents, and given over 30 invited talks. 5 graduated students and 2 postdocs were supported by this project.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Voltage Service Limits Smart Contract Using Distributed Ledger Technology for Electrical Utility Grid with Customer-Owned Generator

Modern electrical grids face growing stability risks from customer-owned generators, especially at points of common couplings (PCCs). Disruptive behavior from power-electronic sources can cause protective relays to isolate problematic generators, making measurement integrity critical. This article presents a distributed ledger technology (DLT) approach that uses smart contracts to evaluate PCC voltage measurements and trigger backup breaker operations. The approach is framed as a verifiable, multi-organization attestation and audit layer, not as a real-time control security mechanism. In the proposed architecture, voltage measurements from a hardware protective relay are anchored on a DLT through the Cyber Grid Guard (CGG) system for attestation by both the grid utility and customer-owned generator. A Voltage Service Limits (VSLs) smart contract evaluates the on-chain measurements against allowable phase-voltage limits derived from the ANSI C84.1 standard. The framework is validated in a hardware-relay-in-the-loop test bed under sustained-undervoltage, sustained-overvoltage, and transient line-to-line fault scenarios. The results show that the VSL smart contract can process these measurements and issue backup breaker actions consistent with the defined service-limit criteria, demonstrating the DLT potential as a verifiable audit layer at the PCC that complements primary protection.

cyber security↗
NASA NTRS1977

Pressure and heating-rate distributions on a corrugated surface in a supersonic turbulent boundary layer

Drag and heating rates on wavy surfaces typical of current corrugated plate designs for thermal protection systems were determined experimentally. Pressure-distribution, heating-rate, and oil-flow tests were conducted in the Langley Unitary Plan wind tunnel at Mach numbers of 2.4 and 4.5 with the corrugated surface exposed to both thick and thin turbulent boundary layers. Tests were conducted with the corrugations at cross-flow angles from 0 deg to 90 deg to the flow. Results show that for cross-flow angles of 30 deg or less, the pressure drag coefficients are less than the local flat-plate skin-friction coefficients and are not significantly affected by Mach number, Reynolds number, or boundary-layer thickness over the ranges investigated. For cross-flow angles greater than 30 deg, the drag coefficients increase significantly with cross-flow angle and moderately with Reynolds number. Increasing the Mach number causes a significant reduction in the pressure drag. The average and peak heating penalties due to the corrugated surface are small for cross-flow angles of 10 deg or less but are significantly higher for the larger cross-flow angles.

Sawyer, J. W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Investigation of Interlayer Dielectric in BaTiO 3 /III–Nitride Transistors

In this paper, the impact of varying the thickness of the Al 2 O 3 interlayer dielectric on the electrical characteristics of BaTiO 3 /III-nitride transistors is investigated. In the findings, it is revealed that a minimum thickness of 8 nm for the Al 2 O 3 layer is crucial to maintain high device performance and protect against sputtering-induced damage during BaTiO 3 deposition. The fabricated BaTiO 3 /Al 2 O 3 /AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors exhibit exceptional electrical properties, including a maximum current density of 700 mA mm –1 , an on-resistance of 5 Ω mm, an I ON /I OFF ratio of 10 7 , a subthreshold slope of 119 mV dec –1 , and significantly reduced gate leakage current. The devices with the optimal 8 nm Al 2 O 3 thickness demonstrates excellent agreement between theoretical and experimental values for effective mobility, achieving a value of 1188 cm 2 V –1 ·s at a 2D electron gas density of 10 13 cm –2 . Furthermore, in the study, it is confirmed that increasing the Al 2 O 3 thickness also improves the quality of interface charge density, as evidenced by the results obtained from capacitance–voltage measurements. In these findings, the critical role of controlling the Al 2 O 3 thickness in optimizing the electrical characteristics and overall performance of BaTiO 3 /III-nitride transistors are highlighted.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Encapsulation of Monolayer 2D Materials Using Kinetic Energy-Controlled Pulsed Laser Deposition

The integration of monolayer (ML) two-dimensional (2D) materials into next-generation microelectronics, optoelectronics, and sensors is hindered by their sensitivity to environmental exposure. Deposition of additional layers for encapsulation or growth on ML 2D materials by versatile but energetic plasma techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has not been considered at the monolayer level because of potential damage caused by hyperthermal species with kinetic energies (KEs) exceeding the threshold displacement energy (TDE) of the ML. Here, we describe a general strategy to understand and mitigate damage during PLD by reducing the incident KE of ablated species below the TDE of the 2D monolayer using background gas collisions. Ion flux diagnostics, combined with in situ Raman spectroscopy of monolayer graphene during PLD of amorphous boron nitride (a-BN) as a dielectric encapsulation layer, show that damage is primarily correlated with fast ions that penetrate the background gas in accordance with Beer’s Law and are often overlooked in ICCD imaging due to the dominance of the bright, delayed plasma luminescence. Significantly, if fast ions are eliminated and a ∼2 nm-thick a-BN layer is “soft landed”, the monolayer graphene is effectively protected from damage by high KE species in the boron nitride plasma plume. Deposited a-BN films display a characteristic dielectric constant of 3.6 at 100 kHz and tunable charge injection properties. Our results enable PLD as a viable option for encapsulation and thin film growth onto ML 2D materials, with implications for both fundamental research and device integration.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2023

Improving EV Charging Resilience under a Device Fault Condition

This paper presents a multi-layer control framework that can improve resilience of an electric vehicle (EV) charging system when a device fault occurs in an EV charger power converter. The multi-layer framework built in a hierarchical structure allows fast protection and device fault ride through (DFRT), active status monitoring, and control optimization to improve the charging resilience. The feasibility and the effectiveness of the DFRT response and the control optimization are verified through controller hardware-in-the-loop demonstration.

Kim, Namwon↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reports From The Frontier: Overcoming Limitations for Pure-water Anion-exchange-membrane Electrolysis

Anion-exchange-membrane electrolysis is positioned to play a key role in the predicted exponential growth of green hydrogen technology with essential R&D advances. We reveal key design parameters essential to commercialization. First, stable alkaline oxygen-evolution reaction catalysts with high electronic conductivity and minimal surface reconstruction during operation must be designed. Alkaline catalyst layers must also be applied to the membrane electrode assembly with scalable, industrially relevant techniques. Second, ionomer oxidation mitigation strategies must be developed. Furthermore, this approach could also target other creative catalyst layer design, such as phase-separation control to protect oxidation-prone organic components or catalyst engineering to direct selectivity for hydroxide over polymer oxidation. If competitive efficiency and durability can be achieved in pure water, AEM electrolysis has the potential to become a dominant electrolyzer technology.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1988

Standardization of the carbon-phenolic materials and processes. Vol. 1: Experimental studies

Carbon-phenolic composite materials are used as ablative material in the solid rocket motor nozzle of the Space Shuttle. The nozzle is lined with carbon cloth-phenolic resin composites. The nominal effects of the completely consumed solid propellant on the carbon-phenolic material are given. The extreme heat and erosion of the burning propellant are controlled by the carbon-phenolic composite by ablation, the heat and mass transfer process in which a large amount of heat is absorbed by sacrificially removing material from the nozzle surface. Phenolic materials ablate with the initial formation of a char. The depth of the char is a function of the heat conduction coefficient of the composite. The char layer is a very poor heat conductor so it protects the underlying phenolic composite from the high heat of the burning propellant. The nozzle component ablative liners (carbon cloth-phenolic composites) are tape wrapped, hydroclave and/or autoclave cured, machined, and assembled. The tape consists of a prepreg broadcloth. The materials flow sheet for the nozzle ablative liners is shown. The prepreg is a three component system: phenolic resin, carbon cloth, and carbon filler. This is Volume 1 of two, Experimental Studies.

Hall, William B.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Advanced meteoroid and debris shielding concepts

The results of the shielding screening and optimization work conducted at the NASA Johnson Space Center Hypervelocity Impact Research Laboratory (HIRL) are described. The impact tests to investigate and optimize certain aspects of the aluminum mesh double-bumper concept, which was considered the best performer in the screening test, are analyzed. Preliminary results indicate that the aluminum mesh double-bumper concept shows a 30 to 40 percent weight reduction compared to an aluminum Whipple shield in the velocity range study, besides such advantages as an increased resistance to penetration and the fact that the aluminum mesh does not produce damaging secondary ejecta particles. It is suggested that the ballistic protection can be improved even more if an intermediate layer of a high-strength cloth is attached near the rear wall.

Christiansen, Eric L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Enhanced softgoods structures for spacesuit micrometeoroid/debris protective systems

A lightweight, flexible thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) design for enhanced space suit micrometeoroid/debris (M/D) protection is described. It will consist of an outer layer comprised of orthofabric, multilayers of aluminized Mylar, and a layer of silicone rubber loaded with micron sized particles of tungsten. The shield layers would fragment and/or vaporize the M/D projectile while the backup sheet would stop the resultant debris cloud.

Remington, Brian↗
NASA NTRS1961

A Theoretical Analysis of Effects of Ablation on Heat Transfer to an Arbitrary Axisymmetric Body

An analysis has been performed t o determine the effect of mass injection on heat transfer to an arbitrary surface of revolution. effective heat of ablation is determined, and the downstream effects of injection are investigated. It is found that the linear relation between heat of ablation and difference between wall and free-stream enthalpy, previously verified at the stagnation point, provides a useful approximation at any point on a surface of revolution. From the investigation of the downstream effects of injection it is found that an appreciable rate of heating may be obtained, even at points considerably downstream from the point at which injection ends. However, the radiation equilibrium temperature is proportional to the fourth root of the heating rate; therefore, except in particular cases, it will be difficult to make use of this effect in the design of thermal protection systems. Effects of radiation from a hot gas layer to the ablating surface are investigated by an approximate procedure. The efficiency of ablation is found to approach a maximum value which depends on the ratio of radiant heating to aerodynamic heating and is independent of the enthalpy difference across the boundary layer.

Swann, Robert T.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Flexible Multi-Shock Shield

Flexible multi-shock shield system and method are disclosed for defending against hypervelocity particles. The flexible multi-shock shield system and method may include a number of flexible bumpers or shield layers spaced apart by one or more resilient support layers, all of which may be encapsulated in a protective cover. Fasteners associated with the protective cover allow the flexible multi-shock shield to be secured to the surface of a structure to be protected.

Christiansen, Eric L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

LSP Composite Susbtrate Manufacturing Processing Guide

This document is intended to define Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) test panel configurations that can be employed for the purposes of evaluating the protection capabilities of Lightning Strike Protection (LSP) materials developed by the Aerospace Industry. The configurations are intended to provide consistent behavior in their response to simulated lightning strikes at pre-defined levels when tested by a capable vendor according to a test procedure written to enable consistent results (ref section 2.1.2). In response to an attachment of a simulated lightning strike on a CFRP panel, one can expect to see various levels of ablation and delamination, both through the thickness of the panel and with respect to the amount of panel surface area that exhibits damage. Panel configurations defined in this document include: An "unprotected" configuration 128694-1 (ref section 4.1), consisting of a cured CFRP laminate stackup of tape and fabric prepregs, coated with a typical aerospace primer and paint finishing scheme, attached to aluminum grounding bars intended to draw electrical current from the lightning attachment point to the panel edges and thus to ground. A "protected" configuration 128694-2 (ref section 4.1), wherein a layer of an LSP material form often used in the Aerospace Industry is included in the laminate stackup prior to cure. The CFRP materials, finishes and grounding arrangement for ths configuration are the same as for the "unprotected" configuration.

Kovach, Daniel J.↗
NASA NTRS2015

High Kinetic Energy Penetrator Shielding and High Wear Resistance Materials Fabricated with Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNTS) and BNNT Polymer Composites

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), boron nitride nanoparticles (BNNPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphites, or combinations, are incorporated into matrices of polymer, ceramic or metals. Fibers, yarns, and woven or nonwoven mats of BNNTs are used as toughening layers in penetration resistant materials to maximize energy absorption and/or high hardness layers to rebound or deform penetrators. They can be also used as reinforcing inclusions combining with other polymer matrices to create composite layers like typical reinforcing fibers such as Kevlar.RTM., Spectra.RTM., ceramics and metals. Enhanced wear resistance and usage time are achieved by adding boron nitride nanomaterials, increasing hardness and toughness. Such materials can be used in high temperature environments since the oxidation temperature of BNNTs exceeds 800.degree. C. in air. Boron nitride based composites are useful as strong structural materials for anti-micrometeorite layers for spacecraft and space suits, ultra strong tethers, protective gear, vehicles, helmets, shields and safety suits/helmets for industry.

Kang, Jin Ho↗
NASA NTRS2017

Advanced Environmentally Resistant Lithium Fluoride Mirror Coatings for the Next Generation of Broadband Space Observatories

Recent advances in the physical vapor deposition (PVD) of protective fluoride films have raised the far-ultraviolet (FUV: 912-1600 A) reflectivity of aluminum-based mirrors closer to the theoretical limit. The greatest gains, at more than 20%, have come for lithium fluoride-protected aluminum, which has the shortest wavelength cutoff of any conventional overcoat. Despite the success of the NASA FUSE mission, the use of lithium fluoride (LiF)-based optics is rare, as LiF is hygroscopic and requires handling procedures that can drive risk. With NASA now studying two large mission concepts for astronomy, Large UV-Optical-IR Surveyor (LUVOIR) and the Habitable Exoplanet Imaging Mission (HabEx), which mandate throughput down to 1000 , the development of LiF-based coatings becomes crucial. This paper discusses steps that are being taken to qualify these new enhanced LiF-protected aluminum (eLiF) mirror coatings for flight. In addition to quantifying the hygroscopic degradation, we have developed a new method of protecting eLiF with an ultrathin (10-20 A) capping layer of a nonhygroscopic material to increase durability. We report on the performance of eLiF-based optics and assess the steps that need to be taken to qualify such coatings for LUVOIR, HabEx, and other FUV-sensitive space missions.

Fleming, Brian↗
NASA NTRS2018

High Kinetic Energy Penetrator Shielding and High Wear Resistance Materials Fabricated with Boron Nitride Nanotubes (BNNTS) and BNNT Polymer Composites

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), boron nitride nanoparticles (BNNPs), carbon nontubes (CNTs), graphites, or their combinations, are incorporated into matrices of polymer, ceramic or metals. Fibers, yarns, and woven or nonwoven mates of BNNTs are uses as toughening layers in penetration resistant materials to maximize energy absorption and/or high hardness layers to rebound or deform penetrators. They can be also uses as reinforcing inclusions combining with other polymer matrices to create composite layer like typical reinforcing fibers such as Kevlar (Registered Trademark), Spectra (Registered Trademark) ceramics and metals. Enhanced wear resistance and prolonged usage time, even under harsh conditions, are achieved by adding boron nitride nanomaterials because both hardness and toughness are increased. Such materials can be used in high temperature environments since the oxidation temperature of BNNTs exceeds 800 C in air. Boron nitride based composite materials are useful as strong structural materials for anti-micrometeorite layers for spacecraft and space suits, ultra strong tethers, protective gear for the human body as well as for vehicles, helmets, shields and safety suits/helmets for industry.

Kang, Jin Ho↗