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At least 901 records · Page 50

Plastic Waste Product Captures Carbon Dioxide in Nanometer Pores

We discuss, plastic waste (PW) and increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels are among the top environmental concerns presently facing humankind. With an ambitious 2050 zero-CO 2 emissions goal, there is a demand for economical CO 2 capture routes. Here we show that the thermal treatment of PW in the presence of potassium acetate yields an effective carbon sorbent with pores width of 0.7–1.4 nm for CO 2 capture. The PW to carbon sorbent process works with single or mixed streams of polyolefin plastics. The CO 2 capacity of the sorbent at 25 °C is 17.0 ± 1.1 wt % (3.80 ± 0.25 mmol g –1 ) at 1 bar and 5.0 ± 0.6 wt % (1.13 ± 0.13 mmol g –1 ) at 0.15 bar, and it regenerates upon reaching 75 ± 5 °C. The CO 2 capture cost from flue gas via this technology is estimated to be <$21 ton –1 CO 2 , much lower than competing CO 2 capture technologies. Hence, this PW-derived carbon material should find utility in the capture of CO 2 from point sources of high CO 2 emissions while providing a use for otherwise deleterious PW.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Architecting a Stable High-Energy Aqueous Al-Ion Battery

Aqueous Al-ion batteries (AAIBs) are the subject of great interest due to the inherent safety and high theoretical capacity of aluminum. The high abundancy and easy accessibility of aluminum raw materials further make AAIBs appealing for grid-scale energy storage. However, the passivating oxide film formation and hydrogen side reactions at the aluminum anode as well as limited availability of the cathode lead to low discharge voltage and poor cycling stability. Here, we proposed a new AAIB system consisting of an Al x MnO 2 cathode, a zinc substrate-supported Zn-Al alloy anode, and an Al(OTF) 3 aqueous electrolyte. Through the in situ electrochemical activation of MnO, the cathode was synthesized to incorporate a two-electron reaction, thus enabling its high theoretical capacity. The anode was realized by a simple deposition process of Al 3+ onto Zn foil substrate. The featured alloy interface layer can effectively alleviate the passivation and suppress the dendrite growth, ensuring ultralong-term stable aluminum stripping/plating. The architected cell delivers a record-high discharge voltage plateau near 1.6 V and specific capacity of 460 mAh g -1 for over 80 cycles. Finally, this work provides new opportunities for the development of high-performance and low-cost AAIBs for practical applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Metal–Organic Framework Based Hydrogen-Bonding Nanotrap for Efficient Acetylene Storage and Separation

The removal of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) is a critical industrial process for manufacturing high purity C 2 H 2 . However, it remains challenging to address the trade-off between adsorption capacity and selectivity, on account of their similar physical properties and molecular sizes. To overcome this difficulty, here we report a novel strategy involving the regulation of hydrogen-bonding nanotrap on the pore surface to promote the separation of C 2 H 2 /CO 2 mixtures, in three isostructural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, named as MIL-160, CAU-10H, and CAU-23, respectively). Among them, MIL-160, which has abundant hydrogen-bonding acceptors as nanotraps, can selectively capture acetylene molecules and demonstrates ultra-high C 2 H 2 storage capacity (191 cm 3 g –1 , or 213 cm 3 cm –3 ) but much less CO 2 uptake (90 cm 3 g –1 ) under ambient conditions. The C 2 H 2 adsorption amount of MIL-160 is remarkably higher than the other two isostructural MOFs (86 cm 3 g –1 and 119 cm 3 g –1 for CAU-10H and CAU-23 respectively) under the same conditions. More importantly, both simulation and experimental breakthrough results show that MIL-160 sets a new benchmark for equimolar C 2 H 2 /CO 2 separation in terms of the separation potential (Δq break = 5.02 mol/kg) and C 2 H 2 productivity (6.8 mol/kg). In addition, in-situ FT-IR experiments combined with computational modeling further reveal that the unique host-guest multiple hydrogen-bonding interactions between the nanotrap and C 2 H 2 is the key factor for achieving extraordinary acetylene storage capacity and superior C 2 H 2 /CO 2 selectivity. Furthermore, this work provides a novel and powerful approach to address the trade-off of this extremely challenging gas separation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

A Quasi-Ordered Mn-Rich Cathode with Highly Reversible Oxygen Anion Redox Chemistry

Anionic oxygen redox chemistry in Li-rich Mn-based layer oxide cathodes represents a transformative approach for boosting the energy density of next-generation lithium-ion batteries. However, conventional oxygen redox reactions often induce oxygen dimerization at high voltages, leading to irreversible lattice oxygen loss and a rapid voltage fade. Herein, we achieve highly reversible oxygen redox chemistry through a new quasi-ordered structural design that incorporates both intra- and interlayer cation disorder configurations. This unique structure significantly enhances lattice oxygen stability, effectively stabilizes oxidized oxygen, and inhibits the formation of peroxo- or superoxol-like species, thereby enabling anionic redox reactions to proceed reversibly even at deep delithiation states. The quasi-ordered design mitigates irreversible phase transitions and preserves the structural integrity throughout extended cycling. Consequently, the proposed cathode demonstrates exceptional cyclability with negligible capacity and voltage fade, retaining 99% capacity and 98% average voltage after long-term cycling. Finally this work provides fresh insights into addressing issues related to lattice oxygen instabilities and reforming strategies for developing long-life, high-energy-density anionic redox cathode materials for advanced batteries.

chemical structure↗

Lewis Acid–Base Interactions between Polysulfides and Metal Organic Framework in Lithium Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is one of the most promising energy storage systems because of its high specific capacity of 1675 mAh g –1 based on sulfur. However, the rapid capacity degradation, mainly caused by polysulfide dissolution, remains a significant challenge prior to practical applications. This work demonstrates that a novel Ni-based metal organic framework (Ni-MOF), Ni 6 (BTB) 4 (BP) 3 (BTB = benzene-1,3,5-tribenzoate and BP = 4,4'-bipyridyl), can remarkably immobilize polysulfides within the cathode structure through physical and chemical interactions at molecular level. The capacity retention achieves up to 89% after 100 cycles at 0.1 C. Finally, the excellent performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of the interwoven mesopores (~2.8 nm) and micropores (~1.4 nm) of Ni-MOF, which first provide an ideal matrix to confine polysulfides, and the strong interactions between Lewis acidic Ni(II) center and the polysulfide base, which significantly slow down the migration of soluble polysulfides out of the pores, leading to the excellent cycling performance of Ni-MOF/S composite.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

A photochargeable semiconductor for highly efficient dehydrogenative coupling of amines

The development of materials with high photocatalytic efficiency is essential for sustainable chemical transformations. Here, in this work, we introduce photochargeable zinc indium sulfide nanocrystals with notable charge storage capacity, enabling highly efficient photocatalytic dehydrogenative coupling of amines. Combined with a nickel cocatalyst, the nanocrystals deliver diamines and hydrogen at rates exceeding 120 mmol per gram of photocatalyst per hour, with > 95% selectivity and an apparent quantum efficiency of up to 39.4% under ambient conditions. The system exhibits excellent scalability, demonstrated by a reaction on a 20-g scale, and broad versatility in promoting amino acid ester coupling and polymerization reactions with concurrent hydrogen evolution. Mechanistic studies attribute the photocharging capability of zinc indium sulfide nanocrystals to in situ-generated trap states such as sulfur vacancies, which extend hydrogen production into the dark catalytic cycle and enhance the overall charge utilization efficiency. These findings position photochargeable semiconductors as promising platforms for a wide range of photocatalytic applications.

nanoscale devices↗

Optimizing nanoporous materials for gas storage

In this work, we address the question of which thermodynamic factors determine the deliverable capacity of methane in nanoporous materials. The deliverable capacity is one of the key factors that determines the performance of a material for methane storage in automotive fuel tanks. To obtain insights in how the molecular characteristics of a material are related to this deliverable capacity, we developed several statistical thermodynamic models. The predictions of these models are compared with the classical thermodynamics approach of Bhatia and Myers [Bhatia and Myers Langmuir, 2005, 22, 1688] and with the results of molecular simulations in which we screen the IZA zeolite structures and a hypothetical zeolite database of over 100,000 structures. Both the simulations and our models do not support the rule of thumb that, for methane storage, one should aim for an optimal heat of adsorption of 18.8 kJ/mol -1 . Instead, our models show that one can identify an optimal heat of adsorption, but that this optimal heat of adsorption depends on the structure of the material. The different models we have developed are aimed to provide guidelines on how this optimal heat of adsorption is related to the molecular structure of the material.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Response to 'Comment on 'Heat capacity, enthalpy fluctuations, and configurational entropy in broken ergodic systems'' [J. Chem. Phys. 134, 147101 (2011)]

We show that Johari's critique of our work is based on a misunderstanding of ergodic theory and a disregard for the broken ergodic nature of glass. His analysis is in contradiction with well established experimental results in specific heat spectroscopy, shear-mechanical spectroscopy, and the vanishing of heat capacity in the limit of zero temperature. Based on these misinterpretations, Johari arrives at the erroneous conclusion that the residual entropy of glass is real. However, we show that Johari's result is an artifact in direct contradiction with both rigorous theory and experimental measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Global vegetation biomass production efficiency constrained by models and observations

Typically, plants use only a fraction of their photosynthetically derived carbon for biomass production (BP). The biomass production efficiency (BPE), defined as the ratio of BP to photosynthesis, and its variation across and within vegetation types is poorly understood, which hinders our capacity to accurately estimate carbon turnover times and carbon sinks. In this work, we introduce a new global estimation of BPE obtained by combining field measurements from 113 sites with 14 carbon cycle models. Our best estimate of global BPE is 0.41 ± 0.05, excluding cropland. The largest BPE is found in boreal forests (0.48 ± 0.06) and the lowest in tropical forests (0.40 ± 0.04). Carbon cycle models overestimate BPE, although models with carbon–nitrogen interactions tend to be more realistic. Using observation-based estimates of global photosynthesis, we quantify the global BP of non-cropland ecosystems of 41 ± 6 Pg C/year. This flux is less than net primary production as it does not contain carbon allocated to symbionts, used for exudates or volatile carbon compound emissions to the atmosphere. Our study reveals a positive bias of 24 ± 11% in the model-estimated BP (10 of 14 models). When correcting models for this bias while leaving modeled carbon turnover times unchanged, we found that the global ecosystem carbon storage change during the last century is decreased by 67% (or 58 Pg C).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Multi-core and many-core shared-memory parallel raycasting volume rendering optimization and tuning

Given the computing industry trend of increasing processing capacity by adding more cores to a chip, the focus of this work is tuning the performance of a staple visualization algorithm, raycasting volume rendering, for shared-memory parallelism on multi-core CPUs and many-core GPUs. Our approach is to vary tunable algorithmic settings, along with known algorithmic optimizations and two different memory layouts, and measure performance in terms of absolute runtime and L2 memory cache misses. Our results indicate there is a wide variation in runtime performance on all platforms, as much as 254% for the tunable parameters we test on multi-core CPUs and 265% on many-core GPUs, and the optimal configurations vary across platforms, often in a non-obvious way. For example, our results indicate the optimal configurations on the GPU occur at a crossover point between those that maintain good cache utilization and those that saturate computational throughput. This result is likely to be extremely difficult to predict with an empirical performance model for this particular algorithm because it has an unstructured memory access pattern that varies locally for individual rays and globally for the selected viewpoint. Our results also show that optimal parameters on modern architectures are markedly different from those in previous studies run on older architectures. In addition, given the dramatic performance variation across platforms for both optimal algorithm settings and performance results, there is a clear benefit for production visualization and analysis codes to adopt a strategy for performance optimization through auto-tuning. These benefits will likely become more pronounced in the future as the number of cores per chip and the cost of moving data through the memory hierarchy both increase.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Effect of Thermal Processes on Copper‐Tin Alloys for Zinc Gettering

A contamination mitigation plan was initiated to address the discovery of radioactive zinc-65 in a glovebox. A near term solution was developed, installation of heated filters in the glovebox piping. This solution is effective at retaining the zinc in the currently contaminated area, but the gamma emitting contaminant is still present in a system designed for tritium beta. A project was initiated to develop a solution to contain the 65 Zn in the furnace module. Copper and bronze (a Cu/Sn alloy) were found to be candidate materials to combine with zinc-65 vapor, using thermodynamic calculations. A series of binary Cu/Sn alloys were developed (after determining that commercial alloys were unacceptable), that were found to be effective traps of zinc vapor. The task described in this report was undertaken to determine if the bronze substrates would retain their zinc gettering capability after being exposed to simulated extraction conditions with oxidizing and reducing gases. Pure copper and three bronze alloys were prepared, exposed to varying oxidation conditions from 250 to 450°C, then exposed to varying reduction conditions in He-H 2 from 250-450°C, and finally exposed to zinc vapor at 350°C for four hours. The samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, mass change, and visual observation. It was observed that the as fabricated samples and the reduced samples all retained their zinc gettering capacity while samples in the "as-oxidized" condition exhibited losses in zinc gettering capacity. Over the range of conditions tested, i.e., composition, oxidation temperature, and reduction temperature, no particular sample composition appeared better. Samples reduced at 350°C exhibited the greatest zinc capacity, although there were some testing anomalies associated with these samples. This work clearly demonstrated that the zinc gettering was not adversely affected by exposure to simulated process conditions and a full scale lithium and zinc trap should be fabricated for testing in the Tritium Extraction Facility.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Simulation model analysis of the most promising geological sequestration formation candidates in the Rocky Mountain region, USA, with focus on uncertainty assessment

The purpose of this report is to report results of reservoir model simulation analyses for forecasting subsurface CO 2 storage capacity estimation for the most promising formations in the Rocky Mountain region of the USA. A particular emphasis of this project was to assess uncertainty of the simulation-based forecasts. Results illustrate how local-scale data, including well information, number of wells, and location of wells, affect storage capacity estimates and what degree of well density (number of wells over a fixed area) may be required to estimate capacity within a specified degree of confidence. A major outcome of this work was development of a new workflow of simulation analysis, accommodating the addition of “random pseudo wells” to represent virtual characterization wells.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Enabling 10mol/kg Swing Capacity via Heat Integrated Sub-ambient Pressure Swing Adsorption

This project focused on the development of a post-combustion CO 2 capture technology for coal-fired power stations. The core concept of the technology was the combination of an adsorption-based separation with combustion flue gas cooling, compression followed by heat and power recovery. The key features of the adsorption unit (which captures and purifies the CO 2 ) are the use of high flow fiber-based adsorption systems that incorporate materials that manage the significant amounts of heat released during the adsorption separation. The adsorbent material utilized was a hybrid organic-inorganic material (a metal-organic framework) that had the proper combination of separation selectivity and CO 2 capture capacity. In this case, record-setting, process-relevant CO 2 capture capacities (approximately 8-10 mol of CO 2 per kg of adsorbent “swing capacities”) were observed in experimental measurements of the adsorptive separation. The experimental work was accompanied by detailed multi-level simulation works, which investigated the molecular mechanism for the high CO 2 capture efficiencies, the heat and mass transport dynamics within the separation system, and the process-level integration of the various systems associated with the technology. Overall, the analysis conducted in this work indicates that this technology can potentially reach CO 2 capture costs as low as 40-50 dollars/tonne with capital costs of 250M-400M dollars for the 550 MW e basecase established by the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

A Salt Repository Concept for CSNF in 21-PWR Size Canisters

The most straightforward concept for disposal of large, heavy packages containing commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) in a repository in bedded salt, would be to emplace them directly on the floor in emplacement tunnels. In-tunnel axially aligned horizontal emplacement would minimize excavated volume and avoid drilling of large-diameter emplacement boreholes. A similar concept was proposed in Germany for direct disposal of POLLUX ® canisters. The repository would be constructed at a depth of 500 to 1,000 m for isolation from the surface, and for sufficient overburden stress to ensure creep reconsolidation of repository openings. It could entail modular panels of emplacement tunnels arranged on headings oriented in cardinal directions from a central core, to accommodate the estimated 140,000 MTU total U.S. CSNF inventory. To do so, the overall area of the repository layout would be approximately 20 km 2 . Many layouts are possible, but the approach should be modular, excavation should be deferred for as long as possible to avoid maintenance, and the emplacement areas should share support facilities and shafts. Vertical shafts would be used in accordance with mining practice in sedimentary basins. Large diameter shafts would be needed for ventilation exhaust and waste transport, with smaller shafts for waste salt removal, men & materials, and ventilation intake. The spacing between disposal tunnels as estimated from thermal modeling, seeks to limit the maximum average areal thermal load in the panels to 11 W/m 2 to control long-term heat buildup in the host rock. Peak salt temperature would occur within a few years and would be dominated by each waste package locally, simplifying thermal management. There would be some flexibility to decrease the package spacing or increase the emplacement thermal power limit Backfilling emplaced waste packages immediately with mine-run crushed salt would provide shielding and expedite reconsolidation. This arrangement would isolate adjacent waste packages from one another by the intervening backfill, especially after it reconsolidates and its properties approach those of intact salt. After the repository is fully loaded and the performance confirmation program is complete, activities to permanently close the repository would be initiated. During closure operations all openings in the host salt would be backfilled, then shafts would be sealed, and boreholes plugged. Plans for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) show how sealing and plugging could be done. A monitoring program could continue for 50 years or longer after repository closure. With an emplacement thermal power limit of 10 kW per waste package, nearly all the CSNF that is projected to be produced by the current fleet of reactors in the U.S. could be emplaced over a period of approximately 50 years starting in calendar 2048. No barriers to implementation in a reasonable timeframe have been identified from this generic analysis. Engineering challenges include: 1) shaft construction; 2) a very-large capacity shaft hoist; 3) overpack design; 4) a transport-emplacement-vehicle (TEV) for transporting waste packages once they are underground and emplacing them remotely; and 5) remotely operated equipment for emplacing backfill. The method of shaft construction would depend on site-specific conditions, and could involve freezing the subsurface. A shaft hoist with payload capacity of 175 MT seems technically and economically feasible based on development work in Germany, and it would be the largest hoist of its kind. The function of disposal overpacks would be to provide reliable containment during repository operations, which could be accomplished using a corrosion allowance material such as a low-carbon steel. Development effort would be needed to determine overpack thickness (e.g., 7 to 20 cm) that can resist corrosion and loading from salt creep, to rovide containment throughout the repository operational period. The transport-emplacement vehicle (TEV) would be similar to previous concepts, particularly one option proposed for a Yucca Mountain repository. It would move over a rough salt floor on independently driven and steered wheels, and carry heavy shielding in addition to a waste package. By analogy to the safety case for the WIPP in New Mexico, human intrusion is likely to be the dominant mode of radionuclide release from the repository. Treatment of human intrusion for a CSNF repository in salt could depend on promulgation of site-specific changes in the regulations. Radionuclide release and migration would be quite limited for undisturbed conditions. There may be opportunities for improved understanding of salt performance with waste heating, based on future in situ testing in an underground salt research laboratory. This report also discusses a developing area of salt rock mechanics that involves low-stress, low strain-rate creep that might cause large, heavy waste packages to slowly sink. Site-specific sampling, testing, and modeling would be used to determine if the mechanism is important enough to merit consideration in design, or inclusion in performance assessment. Part of engineering design and postclosure safety assessment for a CSNF repository in salt would be to implement a methodology to show that the probability of a criticality event in the repository, when waste packages eventually breach and are flooded, is less than the probability screening threshold for performance assessment. In the methodology, a criticality analysis would be performed for waste packages in the repository, incorporating measures that could be introduced as needed to limit reactivity, for example using fuel selection and loading rules, and crediting the absorption of thermal neutrons by natural chlorine in the environment. A similar analysis has been underway for CSNF stored in dual-purpose canisters. Ideally the strategy would be developed prior to actually loading SNF assemblies into canisters used in waste packages for disposal.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

dynamics of organic-mineral interactions at the metal oxide-solution interface as studied via binding energetics (Final report)

This project focused on addressing longstanding fundamental and experimental uncertainties on how dissolved organic substances (DOS) interact with metal oxide surface under environmentally relevant conditions. By leveraging a custom-built real-time, in-tandem flow adsorption microcalorimetry-UV-Vis/fluorescence spectroscopy platform, we characterized the binding energetics, kinetics and mechanistic pathways driving DOS-metal oxide interactions at temporal resolution on the order of 1-5 seconds. We studied a diverse suite of model organic compounds/substances – including monocarboxylates (e.g. acetate and benzoate), di-carboxylates (oxalate and succinate), amino acids, amino-based nanparticles and natural organic matter – interacting at the mineral-water interface of structurally- and/or chemically distinct metal oxides (including SiO2, boehmite, ferrihydrite, and γ-Al2O3). Our results indicated that DOS-metal oxide interactions are governed by multi-step reaction pathways, often switching between distinct, resolvable enthalpy- and entropy-driven non-electrostatic or electrostatic configurations. To quantify these interactions, we developed and implemented an analytical workflow that integrates peak deconvolution and Monte-Carlo based error propagation to determine site-specific thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for individual binding/debinding events. In addition to resolving apparent first-order rate constants of each event, we were able to quantify associated apparent equilibrium constants as well as free energy, enthalpy and entropy contribution to the activation and subsequent progression of the binding/debinding process across compounds, compound class and metal oxide surfaces. The kinetic-thermodynamic data produced in this study captured how the interplay between oxide surface reactivity and DOS molecular structure jointly drives binding-debinding dynamics. Notably, that at pH below PZC of the oxide surface, neutral species were heavily involved in monocarboxylate binding, while anionic species drove dicarboxylate binding. Also, that among amino acids 1) positional isomers show distinctive binding characteristics to each other while enantiomers show no significant differences in binding characteristics, 2) molecules that bind via outer-sphere complexation show a larger entropic shift between binding and debinding with no impact on oxide surface while 3) inner-sphere interactions increased anion exchange capacity of the oxide surface. The new insights and data from this work has great potential for improving predictive modeling of carbon dynamics and specifically organic-mineral interactions in environmental and industrial systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Analysis of the Effects of Connected–Automated Vehicle Technologies on Travel Demand

Connected–automated vehicle (CAV) technologies are likely to have significant effects not only on how vehicles operate in the transportation system, but also on how individuals behave and use their vehicles. While many CAV technologies—such as connected adaptive cruise control and ecosignals—have the potential to increase network throughput and efficiency, many of these same technologies have a secondary effect of reducing driver burden, which can drive changes in travel behavior. Such changes in travel behavior—in effect, lowering the cost of driving—have the potential to increase greatly the utilization of the transportation system with concurrent negative externalities, such as congestion, energy use, and emissions, working against the positive effects on the transportation system resulting from increased capacity. To date, few studies have analyzed the potential effects on CAV technologies from a systems perspective; studies often focus on gains and losses to an individual vehicle, at a single intersection, or along a corridor. However, travel demand and traffic flow constitute a complex, adaptive, nonlinear system. Therefore, in this study, an advanced transportation systems simulation model—POLARIS—was used. POLARIS includes cosimulation of travel behavior and traffic flow to study the potential effects of several CAV technologies at the regional level. Various technology penetration levels and changes in travel time sensitivity have been analyzed to determine a potential range of effects on vehicle miles traveled from various CAV technologies.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Effect of LEO cycling on 125 Ah advanced design IPV nickel-hydrogen flight cells. An update

Validation testing of the NASA Lewis 125 Ah advanced design individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel-hydrogen flight cells was conducted. Work consisted of characterization, storage, and cycle life testing. There was no capacity degradation after 52 days of storage with the cells in the discharged state, an open circuit, 0 C, and a hydrogen pressure of 14.5 psia. The catalyzed wall wick cells were cycled for over 11,000 cycles with no cell failures in the continuing test. One of the noncatalyzed wall wick cells failed.

Smithrick, John J.↗

Space Communications and Data Systems Technologies for Next Generation Earth Science Measurements

The next generation of Earth observing satellites and sensor networks will face challenges in supporting robust high rate communications links from the increasingly sophisticated onboard instruments. Emerging applications will need data rates forecast to be in the 100's to 1000's of Mbps. As mission designers seek smaller spacecraft, challenges exist in reducing the size and power requirements while increasing the capacity of the spacecraft's communications technologies. To meet these challenges, this work looks at three areas of selected space communications and data services technologies, specifically in the development of reflectarray antennas, demonstration of space Internet concepts, and measurement of atmospheric propagation effects on Ka-band signal transmitted from LEO.

Bauer, Robert A.↗