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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 883 records · Page 49

Growth and Survival of Perchlorate-Reducing Bacteria in Media Containing Elevated Perchlorate Concentrations and UV-C Conditions

Introduction: The identification of perchlorate (ClO4(-)) on Mars has led to the possibility that complete redox couples are available for microbial metabolism in contemporary surface environments. Perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) utilize ClO4(-) and chlorate (ClO3(-)) as terminal electron acceptors due to the high reduction potential. Additionally, ClO4(-) salts have been suggested as a possible source of brines on Mars and spectral evidence indicates that the hydration of ClO4(-) salts in the regolith of Martian is linked to the surface recurring slope lineae (RSL). For these reasons PRB may serve as analog organisms for possible life on Mars. However, there is very little information on the viability of PRB in aqueous environments that contain high levels of perchlorate Microorganisms on or near the surface of Mars, such as in the RSL, would potentially be exposed to high-salinity and high ultraviolet radiation environments. Under these extreme conditions, microorganisms must possess mechanisms for maintaining continued high genome fidelity. To assess possible microbial viability in contemporary Mars analog environments we are investigating the tolerance of two PRB strains in aqueous conditions under high UV-C conditions and high ClO4(-) concentrations.

Bywaters, K. F.↗

Anisotropic Copoly(Imide Oxetane) Coatings and Articles of Manufacture, Copoly(Imide Oxetane)s Containing Pendant Fluorocarbon Moieties, Oligomers and Processes Therefor

Copoly(imide oxetane) materials are disclosed that can exhibit a low surface energy while possessing the mechanical, thermal, chemical and optical properties associated with polyimides. The copoly(imide oxetane)s are prepared using a minor amount of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer with sufficient fluorine-containing segments of the copoly(imide oxetane)s that migrate to the exterior surface of the polymeric material to yield low surface energies. Thus the coatings and articles of manufacture made with the copoly(imide oxetane)s of this invention are characterized as having an anisotropic fluorine composition. The low surface energies can be achieved with very low content of fluorinated oxetane-derived oligomer. The copolymers of this invention can enhance the viability of polyimides for many applications and may be acceptable where homopolyimide materials have been unacceptable.

Wohl, Christopher J.↗

Dissolution Rates of Allophane, FE-Containing Allophane, and Hisingerite and Implications for Gale Crater, Mars

Investigations with the CheMin Xray Diffractometer (XRD) onboard the Curiosity rover in Gale Crater demonstrate that all rock and soil samples measured to date contain approximately 15-70 weight percentage X-ray amorphous materials. The diffuse scattering hump from the X-ray amorphous materials in CheMin XRD patterns can be fit with a combination of allophane, ferrihydrite, and rhyolitic and basaltic glass. Because of the iron-rich nature of Mars' surface, Fe-rich poorly-crystalline phases, such as hisingerite, may be present in addition to allophane.

Ralston, S. J.↗

Low Friction Reaction Wheel System and Containment Structure with Integrated Electromagnets

The disclosed subject matter relates to a reaction wheel system for controlling and stabilizing a satellite or other spacecraft. The reaction wheel system includes a reaction wheel rotor and a containment structure stator including a plurality of contactor assemblies for securing the reaction wheel rotor when not in rotation and for electromagnetically inducing substantially frictionless rotation of the reaction wheel rotor.

Yew, Alvin G.↗

Dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) Source Assessment and Mitigation on ISS: Estimated Contributions from Personal Hygiene Products Containing Volatile Methyl Siloxanes (VMS)

Dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) is a small organosilicon compound present in humidity condensate on the International Space Station. Aqueous DMSD originates from volatile methyl siloxane (VMS) compounds in the ISS cabin atmosphere. DMSD is not effectively removed by the WPA (Water Processor Assembly), requiring removal and replacement of both WPA Multifiltration (MF) Beds for an estimated resupply penalty of approximately 70 kg/year. Analyses indicate that WPA can handle DMSD if the concentration in the condensate can by reduced by fifty percent. Personal Hygiene Products (PHPs) used by crew are suspected to be a significant source of VMS. Source removal of VMS will be required to achieve a measurable impact to the DMSD concentration in the condensate. The inventory of total crew provisions for ISS was analyzed to identify silicon containing materials and products used for personal hygiene that emit VMS. Accounting for the wide range in mass of hygiene product applied to skin or hair, the frequency of application, the product selection, the number of crew using a given product, the range in silicon mass fraction of different products, and the potential vaporization of the product, the potential total VMS emissions from personal hygiene products for a crew of six on ISS were estimated. The total daily VMS emissions from PHPs estimate ranges from 261 to 1145 mg-Si per day, compared to total estimated VMS generation rates on ISS of 800 to 1500 mg-Si per day. The main sources of VMS were determined to be antiperspirants (173 to 696 mg-Si per day), skin lotions (63 to 248 mg-Si per day), wipes (25 to 124 mg-Si per day) and hair conditioner (0 to 69 mg-Si per day). Several siloxanes-free options are available for deodorants, wet wipes, lotions, and leave-in conditioners. These products are now being assessed for crew member use in future increments.

Muirhead, Dean L.↗

Integrated Circuit (IC) Chip with a Self-Contained Fluid Sensor and Method of Making the Chip

An integrated circuit (IC) chip with a self-contained fluid sensor and method of making the chip. The sensor is in a conduit formed between a semiconductor substrate and a non-conductive cap with fluid entry and exit points through the cap. The conduit may be entirely in the cap, in the substrate or in both. The conduit includes encased temperature sensors at both ends and a central encased heater. The temperature sensors may each include multiple encased diodes and the heater may include multiple encased resistors.

Manos, George↗

Chromium Brine Containment Membrane Demister for the CapiBRiC

The development of a microgravity air-evaporation urine brine dryer (CapiBRiC - Capillary Brine Residual in Containment) that releases its effluent gas into the cabin of the International Space Station will require some form of a demister to guarantee that no acid, chromium, or other hazardous materials are released within the effluent gas stream. A hydrophobic membrane demister can be used for this application, and can be compatible with the proposed high flow rates of the effluent gas stream. This paper will describe the construction and sizing of such a membrane demister.

CapiBRiC↗

Surface Tension Containment Experiment (STCE) - Increasing Science Throughput on ISS

The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) on the International Space Station (ISS) is used for fluid transfer in many types of experiments. Reagents are handled in the MSG to prevent their accidental release into the cabin. However, the MSG is currently over-subscribed, creating a backlog of users in flight. As a recourse, current experiments are underway to assess the possibility of moving certain science operations from the MSG into the open cabin of the ISS. The experiments are designed to assess the efficacy of exploiting surface tension as a control to prevent the unwanted release of liquids. Dyed water currently serves as an ersatz for potentially more hazardous liquids. Common wet-lab operations such as de/mating wetted Luer-Lok fittings, liquid-bearing container lid removal, and pipetting between well plates are performed illustrating the facility and challenges imposed by the microgravity environment. Concerning the latter, various pipette cannula sizes are deployed at various injection, withdrawal, and translations rates to map the existence, size, velocity, and trajectory of satellite droplets expected to form when breaking contact between the water surface and the pipette tip. Though such drops frequently form in terrestrial operations, they are nearly imperceptible and inconsequential—due in part to their speed and because gravity quickly returns them to the well plate from which they came. The use of airflow to capture and collect such satellite droplets is demonstrated. The dynamic stability of the liquid-filled well plates is quantified in response to a variety of crew-imparted disturbances. From a safety perspective, the results from the STCE are of immediate practical value. If such routine low-gravity capillary fluidic operations can be established as mundane, their performance may be moved out of the MSG and into the cabin, significantly increasing the efficiency of experiments performed on ISS.

Ungar, Eugene K.↗

Effects of Surface Treatments on Stainless Steel 316 Exposed to Potable Water Containing Silver Disinfectant

Silver has been selected as the forward disinfectant candidate for potable water systems in future space exploration missions. To develop a reliable antibacterial system that requires minimal maintenance, it is necessary to address relevant challenges to preclude problems for future missions. One such challenge is silver depletion in potable water systems. When in contact with various materials, silver ions can be easily reduced to silver metal or form insoluble compounds. The same chemical properties that make ionic silver a powerful antimicrobial agent also result in its quick inactivation or depletion in various environments. Different metal surface treatments, such as thermal oxidation and electropolishing, have been investigated for their effectiveness in reducing silver disinfectant depletion in potable water. However, their effects on the metal surface microstructure and chemical resistance have not often been included in the studies. This paper reports the effects of surface treatments on stainless steel 316 (SS316) exposed to potable water containing silver ion as a disinfectant. Early experimental results showed that thermal oxidation, when compared with electropolishing, resulted in a thicker oxide layer but compromised the corrosion resistance of SS316.

Li, Wenyan↗

Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of Urethane Co-Oligomers Containing Pendant Fluoroalkyl Ether Groups

Coatings with the ability to minimize adhesion of insect residue and other debris are of great interest for future aircraft. These aircraft will exhibit increased fuel efficiency by maintaining natural laminar flow over greater wing chord distances. Successful coatings will mitigate the adhesion of debris on laminar flow surfaces that could cause a premature transition to turbulent flow. The use of surface modifying agents (SMA) that thermodynamically orient towards the air side of a coating can provide specific surface chemistry that may lead to a reduction of contaminate adhesion. Aluminum surfaces coated with urethane co-oligomers containing various amounts of pendant fluoroalkyl ether groups were prepared, characterized and tested for their abhesive properties. The coated surfaces were subjected to controlled impacts with wingless fruit flies (drosophila melanogaster) using both a benchtop wind tunnel and a larger-scale wind tunnel test facility. Insect impacts were recorded and analyzed using high-speed digital photography and the remaining residues characterized using optical surface profilometry and compared to that of an aluminum control. It was determined that using fluorinated oligomers to chemically modify coating surfaces altered the adhesion properties relative to the adhesion of insect residues to the surface.

Jereme R Doss↗

Multiscale Failure Analysis of a 3D Woven Unit Cell Containing Defects

Multiscale failure simulations have been performed for a Three-dimensional woven composite unit cell considering five, or more, length scales spanning the woven composite mesoscale to the sub-microscale voids. The multiscale recursive micromechanics approach, which enables recursive integration of general micromechanics theories over an arbitrary number of length scales, has been employed within the NASA Multiscale Analysis Tool. The multiscale model uses both the generalized method of cells and Mori-Tanaka micromechanics theories, and considers failure in the constituent materials using a simple damage model. Baseline results, containing distributed voids, are compared to uniaxial experimental data for an AS4 carbon fiber/ RTM6 epoxy matrix 3D orthogonal woven composite with good agreement in terms of global stiffness and global failure stress. The simulations demonstrate that the 3D woven composite exhibits damage tolerance through sustaining increasing axial load far beyond the first initiation of damage. The multiscale model is used to examine the nonlinear response of the material to other loading conditions. Case studies, motivated by X-ray computed tomography data, are presented on the effects of manufacturing induced voids and cracks.

3D woven↗

Re-Computation of Numerical Results Contained in NACA Report No. 741

This paper presents recomputed theoretical results and compares those results with original results contained in NACA Report No. 741 (NACA 741), “Flutter Calculations in Three Degrees of Freedom,” by Theodore Theodorsen and I.E. Garrick. The recomputations were performed employing the solution method described in NACA 741 but using modern computational tools. With some exceptions, the magnitudes and trends of the original results were in good-to-excellent agreement with the recomputed results, a surprising but gratifying result considering that the NACA 741 results were computed “by hand” using pencil, paper, slide rules, and mechanical calculators called comptometers. Checks on the recomputations (about 25% to 30% were checked) were performed using the so-called k-method of flutter solution. In all cases, including those where the original and recomputed results differed significantly, the checks were in excellent agreement with the recomputed results.

Numerical results↗

An Alternative Explanation for the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE): Weathering of Rocks Containing Minerals With Peroxy Bonds

During the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) 2.42.35 Gyrsago, Earth experienced a notable shift in its oxidation state. This has been widely attributed to cyanobacteria having “invented” oxygenic photosynthesis. We present a very different view based on the fact thatoxygen is released from rocks during weathering. If so, the GOE must have been caused by an influx of abiogenicO2 into Earth’s surface environment. Minerals forming Earth’s crust contain impurity hydroxyls such as O3SiOH. Pairs of those are known to undergo a common redox conversion, ubiquitously forming peroxydefects plus H 2 : O 3 SiOH-HOSiO 3 ⇌O 3 Si/ OO \SiO 3 + H 2 Being diffusively mobile, most H 2 will be lost, leaving behind bound O as peroxy. The peroxy defects release O 2 during weathering: O 3 Si/ OO \SiO 3 + H 2 O → O 3 SiOH-HOSiO 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 O 2 We suggest that this abiogenically generated O 2 was responsible for the progressive oxidation of the early Earth and that this abiotic process drove the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE).

Great Oxygenation Event↗

Materials-Compliant Containers in Preparation for OSIRIS-REx Sample Return

The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is a spacecraft that collected samples from near-Earth asteroid Bennu in 2020. NASA is expecting OSIRIS-REx to return about 250 grams of Bennu dust particles and rocky material (regolith) in the Sample Return Capsule landing on September 24, 2023.This carbonaceous material is predicted to be rich in water and organic compounds that will provide key information on the solar system's genesis. The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) curation team is preparing to process the returned regolith and flight hardware to support critical scientific investigations worldwide.

Curation↗