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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 739 records · Page 41

Phase-change materials handbook

Handbook describes relationship between phase-change materials and more conventional thermal control techniques and discusses materials' space and terrestrial applications. Material properties of most promising phase-change materials and purposes and uses of metallic filler materials in phase-change material composites are provided.

Hale, D. V.↗

Atomic Oxygen Exposure of Power System and other Spacecraft Materials: Results of the EOIM-3 Experiment

In order to test their reactivity with Atomic Oxygen, twenty five materials were flown on the EOIM-3 (Evaluation of Oxygen Interactions with Materials) portion of the STS-46 Mission. These materials include refractory metals, candidate insulation materials, candidate radiator coatings, and a selection of miscellaneous materials. This report documents the results of the pre- and post-flight analysis of these materials.

Morton, Thomas L.↗

A Winning Cast

Howmet Research Corporation was the first to commercialize an innovative cast metal technology developed at Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. With funding assistance from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Auburn University's Solidification Design Center (a NASA Commercial Space Center), developed accurate nickel-based superalloy data for casting molten metals. Through a contract agreement, Howmet used the data to develop computer model predictions of molten metals and molding materials in cast metal manufacturing. Howmet Metal Mold (HMM), part of Howmet Corporation Specialty Products, of Whitehall, Michigan, utilizes metal molds to manufacture net shape castings in various alloys and amorphous metal (metallic glass). By implementing the thermophysical property data from by Auburn researchers, Howmet employs its newly developed computer model predictions to offer customers high-quality, low-cost, products with significantly improved mechanical properties. Components fabricated with this new process replace components originally made from forgings or billet. Compared with products manufactured through traditional casting methods, Howmet's computer-modeled castings come out on top.

Source record↗

AsterAnts: A Concept for Large-Scale Meteoroid Return and Processing using the International Space Station

AsterAnts is a concept calling for a fleet of solar sail powered spacecraft to retrieve large numbers of small (1/2-1 meter diameter) Near Earth Objects (NEOs) for orbital processing. AsterAnts could use the International Space Station (ISS) for NEO processing, solar sail construction, and to test NEO capture hardware. Solar sails constructed on orbit are expected to have substantially better performance than their ground built counterparts [Wright 1992]. Furthermore, solar sails may be used to hold geosynchronous communication satellites out-of-plane [Forward 1981] increasing the total number of slots by at least a factor of three. potentially generating $2 billion worth of orbital real estate over North America alone. NEOs are believed to contain large quantities of water, carbon, other life-support materials and metals. Thus. with proper processing, NEO materials could in principle be used to resupply the ISS, produce rocket propellant, manufacture tools, and build additional ISS working space. Unlike proposals requiring massive facilities, such as lunar bases, before returning any extraterrestrial larger than a typical inter-planetary mission. Furthermore, AsterAnts could be scaled up to deliver large amounts of material by building many copies of the same spacecraft, thereby achieving manufacturing economies of scale. Because AsterAnts would capture NEOs whole, NEO composition details, which are generally poorly characterized, are relatively unimportant and no complex extraction equipment is necessary. In combination with a materials processing facility at the ISS, AsterAnts might inaugurate an era of large-scale orbital construction using extraterrestrial materials.

Globus, Al↗

A Review of LIBS for Real-Time Detection of Trace Silicone Contaminants on CFRP Surfaces

Laser ablation is the removal of material by laser pulses through photochemical, photothermal, or photophysical mechanisms, which is useful to prepare an adherend surface for adhesive bonding. Laser surface treatment is a method that has been under research for the past decade at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to prepare surfaces for adhesive joining of aerospace composite materials and metallic alloys. Laser ablation of composite materials increases surface area and removes the surface contaminants introduced during material handling and fabrication processes. By adjustment of laser parameters, it is possible to obtain repeatable surface conditions, and superficial contaminants can be selectively and efficiently removed without damaging the underlying carbon fibers or the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrate. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a surface characterization and inspection technique that can be seamlessly integrated into the laser surface treatment process. At NASA LaRC, a single laser system has been used for both laser surface treatment and LIBS, which enables in-situ monitoring of surface contaminants. This work focuses on the advancements at LaRC using LIBS to detect surface silicone contaminants on aerospace CFRP materials and to provide surface quality control in adhesive bonding.

Rodolfo I Ledesma↗

A Review of LIBS for Real-Time Detection of Trace Silicone Contaminants on CFRP Surfaces

Laser ablation is the removal of material by laser pulses through photochemical, photothermal, or photophysical mechanisms, which is useful to prepare an adherend surface for adhesive bonding. Laser surface treatment is a method that has been under research for the past decade at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) to prepare surfaces for adhesive joining of aerospace composite materials and metallic alloys. Laser ablation of composite materials increases surface area and removes the surface contaminants introduced during material handling and fabrication processes. By adjustment of laser parameters, it is possible to obtain repeatable surface conditions, and superficial contaminants can be selectively and efficiently removed without damaging the underlying carbon fibers or the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrate. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a surface characterization and inspection technique that can be seamlessly integrated into the laser surface treatment process. At NASA LaRC, a single laser system has been used for both laser surface treatment and LIBS, which enables in-situ monitoring of surface contaminants. This work focuses on the advancements at LaRC using LIBS to detect surface silicone contaminants on aerospace CFRP materials and to provide surface quality control in adhesive bonding.

Rodolfo I Ledesma↗

Misfit p-type transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, methods and applications

A p-type transparent conductive oxide (TCO) mixed metal oxide material layer formed upon a substrate has a formula M1xM2yOz generally, CaxCoyOz more specifically, and Ca3Co4O9 most specifically. Embodiments provide that the p-type TCO mixed metal oxide material may be formed absent an epitaxial crystalline relationship with respect to the substrate while using a sol-gel synthesis method that uses a chelating polymer material and not a block copolymer material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Advances in metal–organic framework-based hydrogel materials: preparation, properties and applications

Although metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with intriguing physiochemical properties have recently attracted increasing attention of researchers, MOFs have not adequately achieved various applications due to their instability and unsatisfactory processability. Hence, MOF-based composites as well as structurally novel MOFs have been established to solve this challenge. Recently, some efforts have been made for the development of MOF-based hydrogels. They exhibit excellent properties compared to initial MOFs in many ways (e.g., mechanical strength, absorption capacity and total pore volume). In this review, the up-to-date research progress of MOF-based hydrogels will be briefly summarized. Here, we mainly focus on expounding the classification of MOF-based hydrogels and their related synergistic effects. As to details, we will provide a conspectus of laconic and latest approaches for the synthesis of MOF-based hydrogels, focusing on composite systems, mechanism research, and stability. In addition, the applications of MOF-based hydrogels have been widely discussed, particularly in the environmental, energy and medical aspects. It is hoped that the detailed description of this review can help researchers working on MOF-based hydrogels to develop more novel composite materials and investigate their wider application.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Application of materials database (MAT.DB.) to materials education

Finding the right material for the job is an important aspect of engineering. Sometimes the choice is as fundamental as selecting between steel and aluminum. Other times, the choice may be between different compositions in an alloy. Discovering and compiling materials data is a demanding task, but it leads to accurate models for analysis and successful materials application. Mat. DB. is a database management system designed for maintaining information on the properties and processing of engineered materials, including metals, plastics, composites, and ceramics. It was developed by the Center for Materials Data of American Society for Metals (ASM) International. The ASM Center for Materials Data collects and reviews material property data for publication in books, reports, and electronic database. Mat. DB was developed to aid the data management and material applications.

Liu, Ping↗

Prussian blue analogues as platform materials for understanding and developing oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts

Transition metal based materials containing Fe have drawn great attention as oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. The nature of the electrocatalytic active species remains under debate due to the ambiguous physicochemical properties of the catalyst materials, such as the oxidation states and crystal structures. Here, in order to address this issue, transition metal Prussian blue analogues (TM-PBA, Na(TM)(Fe)(CN) 6 , TM = V, Fe, Co, and Ni) with an isomorphous structure are investigated for OER catalysis. Our combined experimental measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that TM-PBAs exhibit volcano-like OER activity with Ni-PBA located near the top of the volcano. Such a volcano-like activity profile can be attributed to the distinctive binding energy difference between *O and *OH on different TM-PBAs surfaces. This research demonstrates that TM-PBAs can be used as platform materials for understanding structure-property-activity relationships in OER catalysts.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Nickel-Tin Electrode Materials for Nonaqueous Li-Ion Cells

Experimental materials made from mixtures of nickel and tin powders have shown promise for use as the negative electrodes of rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical power cells. During charging (or discharging) of a lithium-ion cell, lithium ions are absorbed into (or desorbed from, respectively) the negative electrode, typically through an intercalation or alloying process. The negative electrodes (for this purpose, designated as anodes) in state-of-the-art Li-ion cells are made of graphite, in which intercalation occurs. Alternatively, the anodes can be made from metals, in which alloying can occur. For reasons having to do with the electrochemical potential of intercalated lithium, metallic anode materials (especially materials containing tin) are regarded as safer than graphite ones; in addition, such metallic anode materials have been investigated in the hope of obtaining reversible charge/discharge capacities greater than those of graphite anodes. However, until now, each of the tin-containing metallic anode formulations tested has been found to be inadequate in some respect.

Ehrlich, Grant M.↗

Lattice Reinforced Cermet Materials

This project developed ceramic-metal (cermet) composite materials reinforced with embedded metal lattices. The goal of the project was to develop materials that have a higher tensile and compressive strength as well as greater fracture toughness than conventional boron carbide-aluminum cermets. These materials have applications in structural applications as well as advanced vehicle and personnel armors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Alkali metal-sulfur secondary battery containing cathode material particulates

Provided is a rechargeable alkali metal-sulfur cell comprising an anode active material layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode active material layer comprising multiple particulates, wherein at least one of the particulates comprises one or a plurality of sulfur-containing material particles being embraced or encapsulated by a thin layer of a conductive sulfonated elastomer composite having from 0.01% to 50% by weight of a conductive reinforcement material dispersed in a sulfonated elastomeric matrix material, wherein the conductive reinforcement material is selected from graphene sheets, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, metal nanowires, conductive polymer fibers, or a combination thereof and the composite has a recoverable tensile strain from 2% to 500%, a lithium ion conductivity from 10−7 S/cm to 5×10−2 S/cm, and a thickness from 0.5 nm to 10 μm. This battery exhibits an excellent combination of high sulfur content, high sulfur utilization efficiency, high energy density, and long cycle life.

Zhamu, Aruna↗