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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 721 records · Page 40
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

CROSS-CORRELATING THE γ -RAY SKY WITH CATALOGS OF GALAXY CLUSTERS

In this article, we report the detection of a cross-correlation signal between Fermi Large Area Telescope diffuse γ-ray maps and catalogs of clusters. In our analysis, we considered three different catalogs: WHL12, redMaPPer, and PlanckSZ. They all show a positive correlation with different amplitudes, related to the average mass of the objects in each catalog, which also sets the catalog bias. The signal detection is confirmed by the results of a stacking analysis. The cross-correlation signal extends to rather large angular scales, around 1°, that correspond, at the typical redshift of the clusters in these catalogs, to a few to tens of megaparsecs, i.e., the typical scale-length of the large-scale structures in the universe. Most likely this signal is contributed by the cumulative emission from active galactic nuclei (AGNs) associated with the filamentary structures that converge toward the high peaks of the matter density field in which galaxy clusters reside. In addition, our analysis reveals the presence of a second component, more compact in size and compatible with a point-like emission from within individual clusters. At present, we cannot distinguish between the two most likely interpretations for such a signal, i.e., whether it is produced by AGNs inside clusters or if it is a diffuse γ-ray emission from the intracluster medium. Lastly, we argue that this latter, intriguing, hypothesis might be tested by applying this technique to a low-redshift large-mass cluster sample.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Textured Nanoporous Mo:BiVO4 Photoanodes with High Charge Transport and Charge Transfer Quantum Efficiencies for Oxygen Evolution

We have developed a simple spin coating method to make high-quality nanoporous photoelectrodes of monoclinic BiVO4 and studied the ability of these electrodes to transport photogenerated carriers to oxidize sulfite and water. Samples containing molybdenum and featuring [001] out-of-plane crystallographic texture show a photocurrent and external quantum efficiency (EQE) for sulfite oxidation as high as 3.1 mA cm-2 and 60%, respectively, at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. By using an optical model of the electrode stack to accurately determine the fraction of electrode absorptance due to the BiVO4 active layer, we estimate that on average 70 +/- 5% of all photogenerated carriers escape recombination. A comparison of internal quantum efficiency as a function of film processing, illumination direction, and film thickness shows that electron transport is efficient and hole transport limits the photocurrent (hole diffusion length <40 nm). We find that Mo addition primarily improves electron transport and texturing mostly improves hole transport. Mo enhances electron transport by thinning the surface depletion layer or passivating traps and recombination centers at grain boundaries and interfaces, while improved hole transport in textured films may result from more efficient lateral hole extraction due to the texturing itself or the reduced density of deep gap states observed in photoemission measurements. Photoemission data also reveal that the films have bismuth-rich, vanadium- and oxygen-deficient surface layers, while ion scattering spectroscopy indicates a Bi-V-O surface termination. Without added catalysts, the plain BiVO4 electrodes oxidized water with an initial photocurrent and peak EQE of 1.7 mA cm-2 and 30%, respectively, which equates to a hole transfer efficiency to water of >64% at 1.23 V. The electrodes quickly photocorrode during water oxidation but show good stability during sulfite oxidation and indefinite stability in the dark. By improving the hole transport efficiency and coating these nanoporous BiVO4 films with an appropriate protective layer and oxygen evolution catalyst, it should be possible to achieve highly efficient and stable water oxidation at a practical pH.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2007

Heat Transfer in High Temperature Multilayer Insulation

High temperature multilayer insulations have been investigated as an effective component of thermal-protection systems for atmospheric re-entry of reusable launch vehicles. Heat transfer in multilayer insulations consisting of thin, gold-coated, ceramic reflective foils and Saffil(TradeMark) fibrous insulation spacers was studied both numerically and experimentally. A finite volume numerical thermal model using combined conduction (gaseous and solid) and radiation in porous media was developed. A two-flux model with anisotropic scattering was used for radiation heat transfer in the fibrous insulation spacers between the reflective foils. The thermal model was validated by comparison with effective thermal conductivity measurements in an apparatus based on ASTM standard C201. Measurements were performed at environmental pressures in the range from 1x10(exp -4) to 760 torr over the temperature range from 300 to 1300 K. Four multilayer samples with nominal densities of 48 kg/cu m were tested. The first sample was 13.3 mm thick and had four evenly spaced reflective foils. The other three samples were 26.6 mm thick and utilized either one, two, or four reflective foils, located near the hot boundary with nominal foil spacing of 1.7 mm. The validated thermal model was then used to study relevant design parameters, such as reflective foil spacing and location in the stack-up and coating of one or both sides of foils.

Daryabeigi, Kamran↗
DOE OSTI2011

Characterization of a New Lead Slowing Down Spectrometer

There is considerable interest in developing direct measurement methods to determine the plutonium content of spent nuclear fuel within a fuel assembly. One technique that may prove successful is lead slowing-down spectroscopy. Lead Slowing Down Spectroscopy (LSDS) has been used for decades to make cross-section measurements on relatively small isotopic samples of well know masses. For spent fuel assembly measurements, LSDS will be applied in reverse; unknown masses will be determined using well-know cross-sections. In the LSDS, a pulse of neutrons (on the order of 10-100 MeV) is injected into a large lead stack (~ 1m3). The neutrons quickly down-scatter but exhibit little spread in energy about the average, continually-decreasing neutron energy making for a strong correlation between the elapsed time from the initial pulse and the average energy of the neutron. By measuring this elapsed time, it is possible to measure interactions of the neutrons with the fuel in the 0.1 to 1,000 eV range. Many of the actinides have strong resonances in this region, making it possible, through careful measurements and analysis, to extract isotopic masses from LSDS measurements. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is actively conducting research on both LSDS measurement and data analysis techniques. This paper will present results of the effort to construct and characterize a new lead slowing down spectrometer. The spectrometer was designed to begin testing both experimental measurement and data analysis techniques for determining the plutonium content of spent fuel. To characterize the spectrometer, a series of (n,γ) experiments were conducted to measure the correlation between the time after the neutrons enter the lead and the energy of the interaction. Results from these measurements as well as plans for future development of the spectrometer will be discussed.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Influence of length and conformation of saccharide head groups on the mechanics of glycolipid membranes: Unraveled by off-specular neutron scattering

The mechanical properties of multilayer stacks of Gb3 glycolipid that play key roles in metabolic disorders (Fabry disease) were determined quantitatively by using specular and off-specular neutron scattering. Because of the geometry of membrane stacks deposited on planar substrates, the scattered intensity profile was analyzed in a 2D reciprocal space map as a function of in-plane and out-of-plane scattering vector components. The two principal mechanical parameters of the membranes, namely, bending rigidity and compression modulus, can be quantified by full calculation of scattering functions with the aid of an effective cut-off radius that takes the finite sample size into consideration. The bulkier “bent” Gb3 trisaccharide group makes the membrane mechanics distinctly different from cylindrical disaccharide (lactose) head groups and shorter “bent” disaccharide (gentiobiose) head groups. The mechanical characterization of membranes enriched with complex glycolipids has high importance in understanding the mechanisms of diseases such as sphingolipidoses caused by the accumulation of non-degenerated glycosphingolipids in lysosomes or inhibition of protein synthesis triggered by the specific binding of Shiga toxin to Gb3.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Self-Assembly Behavior of an Oligothiophene-Based Conjugated Liquid Crystal and Its Implication for Ionic Conductivity Characteristics

Here, a joint experimental and computational study on the synthesis, selfassembly and ionic conduction characteristics of a new conjugated liquid crystal quaterthiophene/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO4) consisting of terminal tetraethyleneglycol monomethyl ether groups on both ends of a quaterthiophene core. In agreement with molecular dynamic simulations, temperature-dependent grazing-incidence wide angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction indicate that the molecule spontaneously forms a smectic phase at ambient temperature as characterized both in bulk and thin film configurations. Significantly, this smectic phase is maintained upon blending with bis(trifluoro-methanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) as ion source at a concentration ratio up to r = [Li + ]/[EO] = 0.05. Nanosegregation between oligothiophene and PEO moieties and π-π stacking of thiophene rings led to the formation of efficient 2D pathways for ion transport, resulting in thin film in-plane ionic conductivity as high as 5.2 x 10 -4 S/cm -1 at 70°C and r = 0.05 as measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Upon heating the samples above a transition temperature around 95 °C, a less ordered phase forms associated with a pronounced drop in ionic conductivity. Finally, upon cooling, partial and local reordering of the conducting smectic domains leads to an ionic conductivity decrease compared to the as-cast state.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Near-Surface Layer Perforations as Precursors to Fracture in Accumulative Roll Bonding of a Multilayered Metal Composite

We use micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) to characterize the sizes, shapes, and locations of layer perforation (LP) defects in laminates of copper (Cu) and tantalum (Ta) processed by accumulative roll bonding (ARB). One—termed Cu/Ta—was processed from an initial stacking of seven alternating Cu and Ta sheets, with the exterior sheets being Cu. In the other—termed Ta/Cu—the exterior sheets are Ta. Cu/Ta remained intact during processing and exhibits an approximately uniform spatial distribution of LPs. By contrast, Ta/Cu fractured by longitudinal splitting. LPs in this latter sample are concentrated near the sample surfaces. Moreover, their density increases with decreasing distance to the fracture surface. Furthermore, these findings show that materials undergoing ARB may remain intact, despite profuse formation of LPs, provided that the LPs are uniformly distributed. However, a non-uniform distribution of LPs is correlated with longitudinal splitting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

REVEALING A POPULATION OF HEAVILY OBSCURED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AT z {approx} 0.5-1 IN THE CHANDRA DEEP FIELD-SOUTH

Heavily obscured (N{sub H} {approx}> 3 x 10{sup 23} cm{sup -2}) active galactic nuclei (AGNs) not detected even in the deepest X-ray surveys are often considered to be comparably numerous to the unobscured and moderately obscured AGNs. Such sources are required to fit the cosmic X-ray background (XRB) emission in the 10-30 keV band. We identify a numerically significant population of heavily obscured AGNs at z {approx} 0.5-1 in the Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S) and Extended Chandra Deep Field-South by selecting 242 X-ray undetected objects with infrared-based star-formation rates (SFRs) substantially higher (a factor of 3.2 or more) than their SFRs determined from the UV after correcting for dust extinction. An X-ray stacking analysis of 23 candidates in the central CDF-S region using the 4 Ms Chandra data reveals a hard X-ray signal with an effective power-law photon index of {Gamma} = 0.6{sup +0.3}{sub -0.4}, indicating a significant contribution from obscured AGNs. Based on Monte Carlo simulations, we conclude that 74% {+-} 25% of the selected galaxies host obscured AGNs, within which {approx}95% are heavily obscured and {approx}80% are Compton-thick (CT; N{sub H} > 1.5 x 10{sup 24} cm{sup -2}). The heavily obscured objects in our sample are of moderate intrinsic X-ray luminosity ({approx}(0.9-4) x 10{sup 42} erg s{sup -1} in the 2-10 keV band). The space density of the CT AGNs is (1.6 {+-} 0.5) x 10{sup -4} Mpc{sup -3}. The z {approx} 0.5-1 CT objects studied here are expected to contribute {approx}1% of the total XRB flux in the 10-30 keV band, and they account for {approx}5%-15% of the emission in this energy band expected from all CT AGNs according to population-synthesis models. In the 6-8 keV band, the stacked signal of the 23 heavily obscured candidates accounts for <5% of the unresolved XRB flux, while the unresolved {approx}25% of the XRB in this band can probably be explained by a stacking analysis of the X-ray undetected optical galaxies in the CDF-S (a 2.5{sigma} stacked signal). We discuss prospects to identify such heavily obscured objects using future hard X-ray observatories.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

The eROSITA Final Equatorial-Depth Survey (eFEDS)

Here, we investigate the physical properties – such as the stellar mass (M * ), star-formation rate, infrared (IR) luminosity (L IR ), X-ray luminosity (L X ), and hydrogen column density (N H ) – of mid-IR (MIR) galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) at z < 4 in the 140 deg 2 field observed by eROSITA on SRG using the Performance-and-Verification-Phase program named the eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS). By cross-matching the WISE 22 μm (W4)-detected sample and the eFEDS X-ray point-source catalog, we find that 692 extragalactic objects are detected by eROSITA. We have compiled a multiwavelength dataset extending from X-ray to far-IR wavelengths. We have also performed (i) an X-ray spectral analysis, (ii) spectral-energy-distribution fitting using X-CIGALE, (iii) 2D image-decomposition analysis using Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam images, and (iv) optical spectral fitting with QSFit to investigate the AGN and host-galaxy properties. For 7088 WISE 22 μm objects that are undetected by eROSITA, we have performed an X-ray stacking analysis to examine the typical physical properties of these X-ray faint and probably obscured objects. We find that (i) 82% of the eFEDS–W4 sources are classified as X-ray AGN with log L X > 42 erg s –1 ; (ii) 67 and 24% of the objects have log(L IR /L ⊙ ) > 12 and 13, respectively; (iii) the relationship between L X and the 6 μm luminosity is consistent with that reported in previous works; and (iv) the relationship between the Eddington ratio and N H for the eFEDS–W4 sample and a comparison with a model prediction from a galaxy-merger simulation indicates that approximately 5.0% of the eFEDS–W4 sources in our sample are likely to be in an AGN-feedback phase, in which strong radiation pressure from the AGN blows out the surrounding material from the nuclear region. Thanks to the wide area coverage of eFEDS, we have been able to constrain the ranges of the physical properties of the WISE 22 μm-selected sample of AGNs at z < 4, providing a benchmark for forthcoming studies on a complete census of MIR galaxies selected from the full-depth eROSITA all-sky survey.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Large-Scale Image Analysis for Investigating Spatio-Temporal Changes in Nuclear DNA Damage Caused by Nitrogen Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets

The effective clinical application of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) treatments requires a well-founded methodology that can describe the interactions between the plasma jet and a treated sample and the temporal and spatial changes that result from the treatment. In this study, we developed a large-scale image analysis method to identify the cell-cycle stage and quantify damage to nuclear DNA in single cells. The method was then tested and used to examine spatio-temporal distributions of nuclear DNA damage in two cell lines from the same anatomic location, namely the oral cavity, after treatment with a nitrogen APPJ. One cell line was malignant, and the other, nonmalignant. The results showed that DNA damage in cancer cells was maximized at the plasma jet treatment region, where the APPJ directly contacted the sample, and declined radially outward. As incubation continued, DNA damage in cancer cells decreased slightly over the first 4 h before rapidly decreasing by approximately 60% at 8 h post-treatment. In nonmalignant cells, no damage was observed within 1 h after treatment, but damage was detected 2 h after treatment. Notably, the damage was 5-fold less than that detected in irradiated cancer cells. Moreover, examining damage with respect to the cell cycle showed that S phase cells were more susceptible to DNA damage than either G1 or G2 phase cells. The proposed methodology for large-scale image analysis is not limited to APPJ post-treatment applications and can be utilized to evaluate biological samples affected by any type of radiation, and, more so, the cell-cycle classification can be used on any cell type with any nuclear DNA staining.

cellular imaging↗
DOE OSTI2021

Self-field measurements of an HTS twisted stacked-tape cable conductor

For a twisted stacked-tape cable (TSTC) conductor composed of REBCO tapes, self-field measurements were conducted with Hall sensors. In the measurements, a 650 mm diameter single turn coil wound with the TSTC conductor, which was made with 48 REBCO tapes whose width was 6 mm, was utilized as a test sample. Based on the measurement results, the current distribution of the TSTC conductor was investigated with analytical models. The analytical results indicate the current distribution of the TSTC is uniform under the condition that the operating current is 10 kA and the sample temperature is approximately 30 K. On the other hand, the current distribution is not uniform at the excitation and the degauss of the TSTC conductor with the ramp rate of 50 A/s.

Obana, T.↗
DOE OSTI2024

When Machine Learning Meets 2D Materials: A Review

The availability of an ever-expanding portfolio of 2D materials with rich internal degrees of freedom (spin, excitonic, valley, sublattice, and layer pseudospin) together with the unique ability to tailor heterostructures made layer by layer in a precisely chosen stacking sequence and relative crystallographic alignments, offers an unprecedented platform for realizing materials by design. However, the breadth of multi-dimensional parameter space and massive data sets involved is emblematic of complex, resource-intensive experimentation, which not only challenges the current state of the art but also renders exhaustive sampling untenable. To this end, machine learning, a very powerful data-driven approach and subset of artificial intelligence, is a potential game-changer, enabling a cheaper – yet more efficient – alternative to traditional computational strategies. It is also a new paradigm for autonomous experimentation for accelerated discovery and machine-assisted design of functional 2D materials and heterostructures. Here, the study reviews the recent progress and challenges of such endeavors, and highlight various emerging opportunities in this frontier research area.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2015

Mean and extreme radio properties of quasars and the origin of radio emission

We investigate the evolution of both the radio-loud fraction (RLF) and (using stacking analysis) the mean radio loudness of quasars. We consider how these properties evolve as a function of redshift and luminosity, black hole (BH) mass and accretion rate, and parameters related to the dominance of a wind in the broad emission-line region. We match the FIRST source catalog to samples of luminous quasars (both spectroscopic and photometric), primarily from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. After accounting for catastrophic errors in BH mass estimates at high redshift, we find that both the RLF and the mean radio luminosity increase for increasing BH mass and decreasing accretion rate. Similarly, both the RLF and mean radio loudness increase for quasars that are argued to have weaker radiation line driven wind components of the broad emission-line region. In agreement with past work, we find that the RLF increases with increasing optical/UV luminosity and decreasing redshift, while the mean radio loudness evolves in the exact opposite manner. This difference in behavior between the mean radio loudness and the RLF in L−z may indicate selection effects that bias our understanding of the evolution of the RLF; deeper surveys in the optical and radio are needed to resolve this discrepancy. Finally, we argue that radio-loud (RL) and radio-quiet (RQ) quasars may be parallel sequences, but where only RQ quasars at one extreme of the distribution are likely to become RL, possibly through slight differences in spin and/or merger history.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SPECTROSCOPICALLY CONFIRMED GALAXIES AT z {>=} 6. II. MORPHOLOGY OF THE REST-FRAME UV CONTINUUM AND Ly{alpha} EMISSION

We present a detailed structural and morphological study of a large sample of spectroscopically confirmed galaxies at z {>=} 6 using deep Hubble Space Telescope (HST) near-IR broad-band images and Subaru Telescope optical narrow-band images. The galaxy sample consists of 51 Ly{alpha} emitters (LAEs) at z {approx_equal} 5.7, 6.5, and 7.0, and 16 Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at 5.9 {<=} z {<=} 6.5. These galaxies exhibit a wide range of rest-frame UV continuum morphology in the HST images, from compact features to multiple component systems. The fraction of merging/interacting galaxies reaches 40%-50% at the brightest end of M{sub 1500} {<=} -20.5 mag. The intrinsic half-light radii r{sub hl,in}, after correcting for point-spread function (PSF) broadening, are roughly between r{sub hl,in} {approx_equal} 0.''05 (0.3 kpc) and 0.''3 (1.7 kpc) at M{sub 1500} {<=} -19.5 mag. The median r{sub hl,in} value is 0.''16 ({approx}0.9 kpc). This is consistent with the sizes of bright LAEs and LBGs at z {>=} 6 found in previous studies. In addition, more luminous galaxies tend to be larger and exhibit a weak size-luminosity relation, r{sub hl,in}{proportional_to}L {sup 0.14} at M{sub 1500} {<=} -19.5 mag. The slope of 0.14 is significantly flatter than those in fainter LBG samples. We discuss the morphology of z {>=} 6 galaxies with nonparametric methods, including the concentration, asymmetry, and smoothness system and the Gini and M{sub 20} parameters, and demonstrate their validity through simulations. We search for extended Ly{alpha} emission halos around LAEs at z {approx_equal} 5.7 and 6.5 by stacking a number of narrow-band images. We do not find evidence of extended Ly{alpha} halos predicted by cosmological simulations. Such halos, if they exist, could be weaker than predicted. Finally, we investigate positional misalignment between the UV continuum and Ly{alpha} emissions in LAEs. While the two positions are generally consistent, several merging galaxies show significant positional differences. This is likely caused by a disturbed interstellar medium distribution due to merging activity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2023

Overview and Results From the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover's First Science Campaign on the Jezero Crater Floor

The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover landed in Jezero crater on 18 February 2021. After a 100-sol period of commissioning and the Ingenuity Helicopter technology demonstration, Perseverance began its first science campaign to explore the enigmatic Jezero crater floor, whose igneous or sedimentary origins have been much debated in the scientific community. This paper describes the campaign plan developed to explore the crater floor's Máaz and Séítah formations and summarizes the results of the campaign between sols 100–379. By the end of the campaign, Perseverance had traversed more than 5 km, created seven abrasion patches, and sealed nine samples and a witness tube. Analysis of remote and proximity science observations show that the Máaz and Séítah formations are igneous in origin and composed of five and two geologic members, respectively. The Séítah formation represents the olivine-rich cumulate formed from differentiation of a slowly cooling melt or magma body, and the Máaz formation likely represents a separate series of lava flows emplaced after Séítah. The Máaz and Séítah rocks also preserve evidence of multiple episodes of aqueous alteration in secondary minerals like carbonate, Fe/Mg phyllosilicates, sulfates, and perchlorate, and surficial coatings. Post-emplacement processes tilted the rocks near the Máaz-Séítah contact and substantial erosion modified the crater floor rocks to their present-day expressions. Results from this crater floor campaign, including those obtained upon return of the collected samples, will help to build the geologic history of events that occurred in Jezero crater and provide time constraints on the formation of the Jezero delta.

Mars 2020↗
DOE OSTI2022

Direct Fabrication of Vertically Stacked Double Barrier Tunnel Junctions Based on Graphene and h-BN

Direct manufacturing of two-dimensional material-based double barrier (DB) tunnel junctions, based on a lithography-free approach was developed. Graphene/h-BN/Graphene/h-BN/Graphene devices were deposited on Si/SiO2 substrates by employing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique in a sequential manner. DB tunneling junctions with varying barrier widths (by varying the thickness of the second graphene layer) were studied. Samples were characterized using Raman, Atomic Force Microscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The I–V characteristics of tunneling current showed resonant tunneling behavior at room temperature with a negative differential conductance. The behavior could be explained with quantum mechanical double barrier tunneling model in which analytic solutions to Schrödinger’s equation were obtained in each region of the system. Resonances in transmission probability coefficient for varying barrier widths were evaluated and compared with the experimental results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Geometry-Dependent Nonequilibrium Steady-State Diffusion and Adsorption of Lipid Vesicles in Micropillar Arrays

Micro-and nanofabricated sample environments are useful tools for characterizing diffusion in confined aqueous environments. The steady-state diffusion and adsorption of unilamellar lipid vesicles in arrays of hydrophilic micropillars is investigated. Gradients in the coverage of fluorescently labeled, pillar-supported lipid films, formed from vesicle fusion, are determined from 3D z-stack images using confocal microscopy. The gradients are the result of preferential adsorption of vesicles near the tops of the pillars, which progressively deplete them from solution as they diffuse toward the base of the array. However, the increased propensity for vesicle adsorption near the pillar tops compared to the confined spaces between pillars results in the formation of confluent supported lipid bilayers at the pillar tops that resist the adsorption of additional vesicles while leaving the pillar surfaces below available for binding. This results in a reduction in the numbers of depleted vesicles compared to what one would anticipate based on diffusive fluxes. The resulting inhomogeneous spatial profiles of lipid structures on the pillars are the result of the system being maintained in a dissipative, nonequilibrium steady state during incubation of the pillar arrays in the vesicle solution, which is ultimately quenched by rinsing away the unbound, freely diffusing vesicles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Development of Internal Fine Structure in Stretched Rubber Vulcanizates

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) pattern and tensile stress during relaxation of stretched rubber vulcanizates (synthetic polyisoprene) were measured simultaneously at room temperature and at 0 C. The samples were quickly stretched to the prefixed strain and then allowed to relax for 1 h. In every SAXS pattern, the intensity distribution was elongated along the equator, indicating the formation of structures elongated in the stretching direction. The so-called two-spots pattern corresponding to the long period of stacked lamellar crystals did not appear even when the critical strain to induce crystallization was exceeded. On the other hand, even below the critical strain, additional development of equatorial streaks was detected in the differential SAXS patterns. This result suggests the growth of the density fluctuation elongated in the stretching direction, which is not directly related to strain-induced crystallization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗