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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 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

A Cast Net Thrown onto an Interface: Wrapping 3D Objects with an Interfacially Jammed Amphiphilic Sheet

Wrapping a 3D object with a 2D sheet is not uncommon, but the wrapping behavior becomes complex and interesting when the sheet is bestowed with strong interfacial activities. Amphiphilic lignin macromolecules, isolated from biomass, form a scalable thin surfactant sheet at an oil/water interface through the interfacial jamming process. The process marks three distinct stages of interfacial behavior: a) diffusive assembly, b) viscous assembly with retarded mobility, and c) flexible yet irreversibly jammed rigid sheets. The surfactant sheet wraps, traps, and promptly stabilizes both oil and water droplets in nonequilibrium morphologies upon environmental stimulus. Finally, beyond preserving exotic morphologies, the highly interfacially active surfactant sheet also participates in morphology evolution by creating a vanishing interfacial tension and driving interfacial instability around the wrapped content, leading to novel morphologies as well as many potential applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

In Situ Analysis of Solvent and Additive Effects on Film Morphology Evolution in Spin-Cast Small-Molecule and Polymer Photovoltaic Materials

To elucidate the details of film morphology/order evolution during spin-coating, solvent and additive effects are systematically investigated for three representative organic solar cell (OSC) active layer materials using combined in situ grazing incidence wide angle x-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and optical reflectance. Two archetypical semiconducting donor (p-type) polymers, P3HT and PTB7, and semiconducting donor small-molecule, p-DTS(FBTTh 2 ) 2 are studied using three neat solvents (chloroform, chlorobenzene, 1,2-dichlorobenzene) and four processing additives (1-chloronaphthalene, diphenyl ether, 1,8-diiodooctane, and 1,6-diiodohexane). In situ GIWAXS identifies several trends: 1) for neat solvents, rapid crystallization occurs that risks kinetically locking the material into multiple crystal structures or crystalline orientations; and 2) for solvent + additive processed films, morphology evolution involves sequential transformations on timescales ranging from seconds to hours, with key divergences dependent on additive/semiconductor molecular interactions. When π-planes dominate the additive/semiconductor interactions, both polymers and small molecule films follow similar evolutions, completing in 1–5 min. When side chains dominate the additive/semiconductor interactions, polymer film maturation times are up to 9 h, while initial crystallization times <10 s are observed for small-molecule films. In conclusion, this study offers guiding information on OSC donor intermediate morphologies, evolution timescales, and divergent evolutions that can inform OSC manufacture.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Observational Study of Clogging Specimens from the Tundish Well Showing Origin and Growth of a Clog in an Al-Killed Ti-Alloyed Steel Cast

Post-mortem tundish skull samples of Ti-alloyed, Al-killed IF steel have been studied regarding the formation of clogging. By using modern characterization equipment and applied methods, we performed a detailed characterization of microstructures found in the tundish well. Aside from the primary metallographic examination, newly developed methods of particle size distribution analysis based on population density functions (PDF) and newly developed electron microscope EDS template mapping have been applied, allowing differentiation of complex particles according to phases and interphase contact relationships. Furthermore, detailed EDS analyses of individual inclusions with complex substructure regarding minor and trace elements within the alumina networks have been performed. These composite data on carefully selected clog microstructures allowed us to observe the presence of layering microstructures throughout the clog: “Coarse” layers (abundant microbubbles and internally complex alumina aggregates) and “Fine” layers (no microbubbles and complex alumina aggregates). Two populations of particles: Population I (2 to 5 µm) and a Population II (5 to 20 µm) build up the layers, both having lognormal PDF, in contrast to power-law PDF of secondary metallurgy inclusions. Coarse layers are further distinguished by selective concentrations of spinel with lognormal PDF as well as the occurrence of complex alumina particles with metal sub-inclusions often with elevated Cr, V, and Si content. Based on these observations, we derive a model for the origin and accumulation of the inclusions making up the clog, which suggests that the NMI of the two dominant populations do not come from the bulk steel, although secondary metallurgy-derived inclusions can be traced in the clog. Overall, microstructures show that the clog behaves as a coherent solid, and is able to displace and fracture.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Deformation Mechanisms and Formability Window for As-Cast Mg-6Al-2Ca-1Sn-0.3Sr Alloy (MRI 230D)

The hot deformation characteristics of MRI 230D alloy have been evaluated in the temperature range 260-500 °C and strain rate range 0.0003-10 s{sup −1}, on the basis of processing map. The processing map exhibited two domains in the ranges: (1) 300-370 °C and 0.0003-0.001 s{sup −1} and (2) 370-480 °C and 0.0003-0.1 s{sup −1}. Dynamic recrystallization occurs in the both domains with basal slip dominating in the first domain along with climb as recovery process and second-order pyramidal slip dominating in the second with the recovery by cross-slip. In Domains (1) and (2), the apparent activation energy values estimated using the kinetic rate equation are 143 and 206 kJ/mole, respectively, the first one being close to that for lattice self-diffusion confirming climb. It is recommended that the alloy is best processed at 450 °C and strain rates less than 0.1 s{sup −1}, where non-basal slip and cross-slip occur extensively to impart excellent workability. The alloy exhibits flow instability in the form of adiabatic shear band formation and flow localization at lower temperatures and higher strain rates. Forging of a cup-shaped component was performed under various conditions, and the results validated the predictions of the processing map on the workability domains as well as the instability regimes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Thermal Analysis of Cerium-Treated Chill-Cast Al-23 Si Alloy

The influence of elemental cerium addition on the cooling curve parameters and microstructure of hypereutectic Al-23Si alloy was investigated in this work. The cooling rate of the treated and untreated alloy samples was varied by solidifying the melt against chills of different materials in a stainless-steel tube. The cooling curve was recorded and nucleation temperatures of various phases in the alloy were measured. The results show that the chilling improves the effectiveness of the modifier. The two main phases of the alloy, primary silicon and eutectic silicon, were nucleated at temperatures of about 661.2 and 571.6 °C, respectively. The addition of Ce to slowly cooled alloys resulted in an increase in undercooling temperature of both the phases, with a decrease in its nucleation temperature, whereas the same additions increased the nucleation temperatures in chilled alloys. Based on the thermal analysis results, a relation between thermal analysis parameter (ΔT{sub G}) and silicon particle size of the alloy was proposed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Processing, As-Cast Microstructure and Wear Characteristics of a Monotectic Al-Bi-Cu Alloy

Ternary Al-based monotectic alloys have a good combination of wear resistance and mechanical strength. While self-lubricating soft elements guarantee an adequate wear resistance, the modification with third elements can increase the ability to support load. In the present investigation, a collection of microstructures is generated through transient directional solidification of the Al-3.2wt.%Bi-3.0wt.%Cu alloy. Samples with different Bi spacing have been subjected to micro-adhesive wear ball tests. A relationship linking the wear volume, V, the microstructural spacing and the test time is proposed for Bi spacing higher than 16 μm, according to which V decreases with the decrease in Bi spacing. It is observed that wider and deeper grooves emerged on the surface of the samples related to more refined Bi and Al{sub 2}Cu phases, that is, associated with Bi spacing and Bi diameter lower than 16 and 2.4 μm, respectively. A reverse trend is noted for these finer microstructures, for which V increases with further decrease in Bi spacing. This can be caused by the detachment of the very fine and less cohesive Al{sub 2}Cu lamellas as the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} oxide breaks up forming debris, with the presence of these lamellas as loose debris at the interface acting as third-body abrasives.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of As-Cast γ-TiAl Alloys with Different Cooling Rates

γ-TiAl alloys composed of Ti-45Al-5Nb-1W-1B (at.%) solidified at three different cooling rates by vacuum electromagnetic induction melting under a controlled degree of vacuum of under 2 Pa. The influence of the cooling rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the γ-TiAl alloy samples was investigated. A relatively large temperature gradient at the beginning of solidification led to a thin fine-grained layer around the graphite mold, and undercooling had two main effects: (a) promoting nucleation in the grain-refining surface layer and (b) promoting the growth of columnar crystals beneath the surface. Moreover, all prepared ingots of this alloy could be clearly divided into Regions S, M and C from the surface to the core. The colony size of Region M was larger than those of the other two regions due to composition segregation and the growth of columnar grains. The existence of tungsten led to micro-inhomogeneity, and the mechanical properties of the alloy changed according to concentration fluctuations. The degrees of homogeneity were expressed as H{sub 0.1} and H{sub 0.2}. The alloy with the highest values, which possesses the best mechanical properties, solidified at a relatively low cooling rate. The deformation mechanism is also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗