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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

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NASA NTRS1976

Potential biomedical applications of ion beam technology

Electron bombardment ion thrusters used as ion sources have demonstrated a unique capability to vary the surface morphology of surgical implant materials. The microscopically rough surface texture produced by ion beam sputtering of these materials may result in improvements in the biological response and/or performance of implanted devices. Control of surface roughness may result in improved attachment of the implant to soft tissue, hard tissue, bone cement, or components deposited from blood. Potential biomedical applications of ion beam texturing discussed include: vascular prostheses, artificial heart pump diaphragms, pacemaker fixation, percutaneous connectors, orthopedic pros-thesis fixtion, and dental implants.

Banks, B. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Potential biomedical applications of ion beam technology

Banks, B. A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Chemical reactivity of the Martian soil

The Viking life sciences experimental packages detected extraordinary chemical activity in the martian soil, probably the result of soil-surface chemistry. At least one very strong oxidant may exist in the martian soil. The electrochemical nature of the martian soil has figured prominently in discussions of future life sciences research on Mars. Putative oxidants in the martian soil may be responsible for the destruction of organic material to considerable depth, precluding the recovery of reducing material that may be relic of early biological forms. Also, there have been serious expressions of concern regarding the effect that soil oxidants may have on human health and safety. The concern here has centered on the possible irritation of the respiratory system due to dust carried into the martian habitat through the air locks.

Zent, A. P.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Modelling intelligent behavior

An introductory discussion of the related concepts of intelligence and consciousness suggests criteria to be met in the modeling of intelligence and the development of intelligent materials. Methods for the modeling of actual structure and activity of the animal cortex have been found, based on present knowledge of the ionic and cellular constitution of the nervous system. These have led to the development of a realistic neural network model, which has been used to study the formation of memory and the process of learning. An account is given of experiments with simple materials which exhibit almost all properties of biological synapses and suggest the possibility of a new type of computer architecture to implement an advanced type of artificial intelligence.

Green, H. S.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Relating space radiation environments to risk estimates

A number of considerations must go into the process of determining the risk of deleterious effects of space radiation to travelers. Among them are (1) determination of the components of the radiation environment (particle species, fluxes and energy spectra) which will encounter, (2) determination of the effects of shielding provided by the spacecraft and the bodies of the travelers which modify the incident particle spectra and mix of particles, and (3) determination of relevant biological effects of the radiation in the organs of interest. The latter can then lead to an estimation of risk from a given space scenario. Clearly, the process spans many scientific disciplines from solar and cosmic ray physics to radiation transport theeory to the multistage problem of the induction by radiation of initial lesions in living material and their evolution via physical, chemical, and biological processes at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels to produce the end point of importance.

Curtis, Stanley B.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The NASA Materials Science Research Program: It's New Strategic Goals and Opportunities

In the past year, the NASA s Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR) has formulated a long term plan to perform strategical and fundamental research bringing together physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering to solve problems needed for current and future agency mission goals. Materials Science is one of basic disciplines within the Enterprise s Division of Physical Sciences Research. The Materials Science Program participates to utilize effective use of International Space Station (ISS) and various world class ground laboratory facilities to solve new scientific and technology questions and transfer these results for public and agency benefits. The program has recently targeted new investigative research in strategic areas necessary to expand NASA knowledge base for exploration of the universe and some of these experiments will need access to the microgravity of space. The program is implementing a wide variety of traditional ground and flight based research related types of fundamental science related to materials crystallization, fundamental processing, and properties characterization in order to obtain basic understanding of various phenomena effects and relationships to the structures, processing, and properties of materials. , In addition new initiatives in radiation protection, materials for propulsion and In-space fabrication and repair focus on research helping the agency solve problems needed for future transportation into the solar system. A summary of the types and sources for this research is presented including those experiments planned for a low gravity environment. Areas to help expand the science basis for NASA future missions are described. An overview of the program is given including the scope of the current and future NASA Research Announcements with emphasis on new materials science initiatives. A description of the planned flight experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station program along with the planned facility class Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) and Microgravity Glovebox (MSG) type investigations. Some initial results from the first three materials experiments are given.

Schlagheck, Ronald A.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Process for Making Single-Domain Magnetite Crystals

A process for making chemically pure, single-domain magnetite crystals substantially free of structural defects has been invented as a byproduct of research into the origin of globules in a meteorite found in Antarctica and believed to have originated on Mars. The globules in the meteorite comprise layers of mixed (Mg, Fe, and Ca) carbonates, magnetite, and iron sulfides. Since the discovery of the meteorite was announced in August 1996, scientists have debated whether the globules are of biological origin or were formed from inorganic materials by processes that could have taken place on Mars. While the research that led to the present invention has not provided a definitive conclusion concerning the origin of the globules, it has shown that globules of a different but related chemically layered structure can be grown from inorganic ingredients in a multistep precipitation process. As described in more detail below, the present invention comprises the multistep precipitation process plus a subsequent heat treatment. The multistep precipitation process was demonstrated in a laboratory experiment on the growth of submicron ankerite crystals, overgrown by submicron siderite and pyrite crystals, overgrown by submicron magnesite crystals, overgrown by submicron siderite and pyrite. In each step, chloride salts of appropriate cations (Ca, Fe, and Mg) were dissolved in deoxygenated, CO2- saturated water. NaHCO3 was added as a pH buffer while CO2 was passed continuously through the solution. A 15-mL aliquot of the resulting solution was transferred into each of several 20 mL, poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-lined hydrothermal pressure vessels. The vessels were closed in a CO2 atmosphere, then transferred into an oven at a temperature of 150 C. After a predetermined time, the hydrothermal vessels were removed from the oven and quenched in a freezer. Supernatant solutions were decanted, and carbonate precipitates were washed free of soluble salts by repeated decantations with deionized water.

Golden, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Development of an Indexing Media Filtration System for Long Duration Space Missions

The effective maintenance of air quality aboard spacecraft cabins will be vital to future human exploration missions. A key component will be the air cleaning filtration system which will need to remove a broad size range of particles including skin flakes, hair and clothing fibers, other biological matter, and particulate matter derived from material and equipment wear. In addition, during surface missions any extraterrestrial planetary dust, including dust generated by near-by ISRU equipment, which is tracked into the habitat will also need to be managed by the filtration system inside the pressurized habitat compartments. An indexing media filter system is being developed to meet the demand for long-duration missions that will result in dramatic increases in filter service life and loading capacity, and will require minimal crew involvement. These features may also benefit other closed systems, such as submarines, and remote location terrestrial installations where servicing and replacement of filter units is not practical. The filtration system consists of three stages: an inertial impactor stage, an indexing media stage, and a high-efficiency filter stage, packaged in a stacked modular cartridge configuration. Each stage will target a specific range of particle sizes that optimize the filtration and regeneration performance of the system. An 1/8th scale and full-scale prototype of the filter system have been fabricated and have been tested in the laboratory and reduced gravity environments that simulate conditions on spacecrafts, landers and habitats. Results from recent laboratory and reducegravity flight tests data will be presented.

Filtration↗

NASA NTRS2009

Electroactive Polymer (EAP) Actuators for Future Humanlike Robots

Human-like robots are increasingly becoming an engineering reality thanks to recent technology advances. These robots, which are inspired greatly by science fiction, were originated from the desire to reproduce the human appearance, functions and intelligence and they may become our household appliance or even companion. The development of such robots is greatly supported by emerging biologically inspired technologies. Potentially, electroactive polymer (EAP) materials are offering actuation capabilities that allow emulating the action of our natural muscles for making such machines perform lifelike. There are many technical issues related to making such robots including the need for EAP materials that can operate as effective actuators. Beside the technology challenges these robots also raise concerns that need to be addressed prior to forming super capable robots. These include the need to prevent accidents, deliberate harm, or their use in crimes. In this paper, the potential EAP actuators and the challenges that these robots may pose will be reviewed.

biomimetics↗

NASA NTRS2015

Characterization of a Regenerable Impactor Filter for Spacecraft Cabin Applications

Regenerable filters will play an important role in human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. Life Support Systems aboard crewed spacecrafts will have to operate reliably and with little maintenance over periods of more than a year, even multiple years. Air filters are a key component of spacecraft life support systems, but they often require frequent routine maintenance. Bacterial filters aboard the International Space Station require almost weekly cleaning of the pre-filter screen to remove large lint debris captured in the microgravity environment. The source of the airborne matter which is collected on the filter screen is typically from clothing fibers, biological matter (hair, skin, nails, etc.) and material wear. Clearly a need for low maintenance filters requiring little to no crew intervention will be vital to the success of the mission. An impactor filter is being developed and tested to address this need. This filter captures large particle matter through inertial separation and impaction methods on collection surfaces, which can be automatically cleaned after they become heavily loaded. The impactor filter can serve as a pre-filter to augment the life of higher efficiency filters that capture fine and ultrafine particles. A prototype of the filter is being tested at the Particulate Filtration Laboratory at NASA Glenn Research Center to determine performance characteristics, including particle cut size and overall efficiency. Model results are presented for the flow characteristics near the orifice plate through which the particle-laden flow is accelerated as well as around the collection bands.

air filters↗

DOE OSTI2025

Non-traditional stable isotope measurements using laser desorption Orbitrap mass spectrometry: Implications for planetary missions.

Isotopic fractionation recorded in planetary materials provides insights into physical, chemical, and/or potential biological processes occurring on Solar System bodies. As we enter into the next decades of planetary exploration, the crucial information revealed by isotopic compositions of rocky and icy samples mandates that next generation spaceflight instrumentation possess the capability to measure isotope ratios in situ with sufficient precision/accuracy to distinguish between such processes. Here, in addition to identifying and fingerprinting complex organic materials with high accuracy and ultrahigh mass resolutions, laser desorption Orbitrap™ mass spectrometry (LD-O-MS) has the capability to determine the elemental and isotopic composition of solid planetary materials such as rock, regolith, organics, ice, etc. Here, we use a space-qualified LD-O-MS instrument comprising a 266 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser and Orbitrap mass analyzer ruggedized for planetary applications to investigate the stable isotopic composition of Ti and Zn metal plates. Based on the isotopic analyses, we constrain the performance of the CORALS instrument to sub per mille (‰) level accuracy and precision for Ti and at the per mille (‰) level for Zn. An LD-O-MS instrument is a versatile instrument capable of measuring isotopic composition of a variety of planetary samples and would constitute a critical instrument in the exploration of various planetary bodies including but not limited to Moon, Mars, Enceladus and other ocean or icy worlds, Ceres and other asteroids, and comets, thereby answering several high-priority questions pertaining to the formation and evolution of our Solar System.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

When x-rays alter the course of your experiments

The continuing increase in the brilliance of synchrotron radiation beamlines allows for many new and exciting experiments that were impossible before the present generation of synchrotron radiation sources came on line. However, the exposure to such intense beams also tests the limits of what samples can endure. Whilst the effects of radiation induced damage in a static experiment often can easily be recognized by changes in the diffraction or spectroscopy curves, the influence of radiation on chemical or physical processes, where one expects curves to change, is less often recognized and can be misinterpreted as a 'real' result instead of as a 'radiation influenced result'. This is especially a concern in time-resolved materials science experiments using techniques as powder diffraction, small angle scattering and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. In this work, the effects of radiation (5–50 keV) on some time-resolved processes in different types of materials and in different physical states are discussed. We show that such effects are not limited to soft matter and biology but rather can be found across the whole spectrum of materials research, over a large range of radiation doses and is not limited to very high brilliance beamlines.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2025

Advanced silicone materials for soft actuator applications

Soft actuators are at the forefront of the innovation tide in medicine, manufacturing, and aerospace because they are able to mimic the behavior of biological tissue and adapt to complex, unstructured environments. Of all the materials used, silicone-based elastomers have drawn enormous attention since they offer a superb combination of mechanical flexibility, biocompatibility, thermal stability, and long-term durability. In the past few years, there has also been a rapid pace of material evolution, additive manufacturing, and biointegration that has enhanced the performance and applications of silicone-based soft actuators. However, there is no focused and timely review compiling these advances. This review seeks to address that need by critically discussing recent advancements in advanced silicone materials, exploring new fabrication methodologies, and discussing emerging applications that range from wearable devices to implantable robotics. We also present suggestions for directions and the problems which must be addressed in order to further develop the performance and potential of silicone-based soft actuators, justifying the relevance and urgency of this effort.

biocompatibility↗

DOE OSTI2022

Selective bacterial separation of critical metals: towards a sustainable method for recycling lithium ion batteries

The large scale recycling of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is essential to satisfy global demands for the raw materials required to implement this technology as part of a clean energy strategy. However, despite what is rapidly becoming a critical need, an efficient and sustainable recycling process for LIBs has yet to be developed. Biological reactions occur with great selectivity under mild conditions, offering new avenues for the implementation of more environmentally sustainable processes. Here, we demonstrate a sequential process employing two bacterial species to recover Mn, Co and Ni, from vehicular LIBs through the biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles, whilst Li remains within the leachate. Moreover the feasibility of Mn recovery from polymetallic solutions was demonstrated at semi-pilot scale in a 30 L bioreactor. Additionally, to provide insight into the biological process occurring, we investigated selectivity between Co and Ni using proteomics to identify the biological response and confirm the potential of a bio-based method to separate these two essential metals. Our approach determines the principles and first steps of a practical bio-separation and recovery system, underlining the relevance of harnessing biological specificity for recycling and up-cycling critical materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2021

Omics-Driven Biotechnology for Industrial Applications

Biomanufacturing is a key component of biotechnology that uses biological systems to produce bioproducts of commercial relevance, which are of great interest to the energy, material, pharmaceutical, food, and agriculture industries. Biotechnology-based approaches, such as synthetic biology and metabolic engineering are heavily reliant on “omics” driven systems biology to characterize and understand metabolic networks. Knowledge gained from systems biology experiments aid the development of synthetic biology tools and the advancement of metabolic engineering studies toward establishing robust industrial biomanufacturing platforms. In this review, we discuss recent advances in “omics” technologies, compare the pros and cons of the different “omics” technologies, and discuss the necessary requirements for carrying out multi-omics experiments. We highlight the influence of “omics” technologies on the production of biofuels and bioproducts by metabolic engineering. Finally, we discuss the application of “omics” technologies to agricultural and food biotechnology, and review the impact of “omics” on current COVID-19 research.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2015

biOrigami: A New Approach to Reduce the Cost of Space Missions

Space exploration lies at the inquisitive core of human nature, yet high costs hinder the advancement of this frontier. We are harnessing the replicative properties of biology to create biOrigamibiological, self-folding origamito reduce the mass, volume, and assembly time of materials needed for space missions. biOrigami consists of two main components: manufacturing substrates biologically and bioengineering folding mechanisms. For substrates, we are developing new BioBricks to synthesize two thermoplastics: polystyrene and polyhydroxyalkanoates. For folding mechanisms, we are using heat-induced contraction of thermoplastics and the contractile properties of bacterial spores. After consulting with experts, we believe that biOrigami could be incorporated into rovers, solar sails, and more. In addition to biOrigami, we are creating a novel method to efficiently transform bacteria by using the CRISPRCas9 system, benefitting the broader synthetic biology community. Our project integrates and improves manufacturing processes for space exploration on both the micro and macro levels.

Space Exploration↗

DOE OSTI2020

Greigite (Fe 3 S 4 ) is thermodynamically stable: Implications for its terrestrial and planetary occurrence

Significance The new experimental thermodynamic studies of bulk, nanophase, and monoclinic high-pressure forms of greigite (Fe 3 S 4 ) confirm its stability in the Fe–S system and explain its common occurrence in sediments, magnetotactic bacteria, and other ambient temperature environments under anoxic conditions. The data disprove the commonly held hypothesis that greigite is a metastable phase. The low surface energy of greigite provides insight not only into the stability of greigite nanoparticles but also into their role in prebiotic, biological, and planetary processes. Our experimental data for the stability of the three forms of Fe 3 S 4 confirm that it could be stable on Mercury, thus contributing to Mercury’s weak magnetic field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2003

The NASA Materials Science Research Program - It's New Strategic Goals and Plans

In 2001, the NASA created a separate science enterprise, the Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR), to perform strategical and fundamental research bringing together physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering to solve problems needed for future agency mission goals. The Materials Science Program is one of basic research disciplines within this new Enterprise's Division of Physical Sciences Research. The Materials Science Program participates to utilize effective use of International Space Station (ISS) experimental facilities, target new scientific and technology questions, and transfer results for Earth benefits. The program has recently pursued new investigative research in areas necessary to expand NASA knowledge base for exploration of the universe, some of which will need access to the microgravity of space. The program has a wide variety of traditional ground and flight based research related types of basic science related to materials crystallization, fundamental processing, and properties characterization in order to obtain basic understanding of various phenomena effects and relationships to the structures, processing, and properties of materials. A summary of the types and sources for this research is presented and those experiments planned for the space. Areas to help expand the science basis for NASA future missions are described. An overview of the program is given including the scope of the current and future NASA Research Announcements with emphasis on new materials science initiatives. A description of the planned flight experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station program along with the planned facility class Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR) and Microgravity Glovebox (MSG) type investigations.

Schlagheck, Ronald A.↗