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At least 955 records · Page 53

Phase imaging of irradiated foils at the OMEGA EP facility using phase-stepping X-ray Talbot–Lau deflectometry

Abstract Diagnosing the evolution of laser-generated high energy density (HED) systems is fundamental to develop a correct understanding of the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. Talbot–Lau interferometry constitutes a promising tool, since it permits simultaneous single-shot X-ray radiography and phase-contrast imaging of dense plasmas. We present the results of an experiment at OMEGA EP that aims to probe the ablation front of a laser-irradiated foil using a Talbot–Lau X-ray interferometer. A polystyrene (CH) foil was irradiated by a laser of 133 J, 1 ns and probed with 8 keV laser-produced backlighter radiation from Cu foils driven by a short-pulse laser (153 J, 11 ps). The ablation front interferograms were processed in combination with a set of reference images obtained ex situ using phase-stepping. We managed to obtain attenuation and phase-shift images of a laser-irradiated foil for electron densities above ${10}^{22}\;{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ . These results showcase the capabilities of Talbot–Lau X-ray diagnostic methods to diagnose HED laser-generated plasmas through high-resolution imaging.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Identifying and tracking bubbles and drops in simulations: A toolbox for obtaining sizes, lineages, and breakup and coalescence statistics

Knowledge of bubble and drop size distributions in two-phase flows is important for characterizing a wide range of phenomena, including combustor ignition, sonar communication, and cloud formation. The physical mechanisms driving the background flow also drive the time evolution of these distributions. Accurate and robust identification and tracking algorithms for the dispersed phase are necessary to reliably measure this evolution and thereby quantify the underlying mechanisms in interface-resolving flow simulations. The identification of individual bubbles and drops traditionally relies on an algorithm used to identify connected regions. This traditional algorithm can be sensitive to the presence of spurious structures. A cost-effective refinement is proposed to maximize volume accuracy while minimizing the identification of spurious bubbles and drops. An accurate identification scheme is crucial for distinguishing bubble and drop pairs with large size ratios. The identified bubbles and drops need to be tracked in time to obtain breakup and coalescence statistics that characterize the evolution of the size distribution, including breakup and coalescence frequencies, and the probability distributions of parent and child bubble and drop sizes. An algorithm based on mass conservation is proposed to construct bubble and drop lineages using simulation snapshots that are not necessarily from consecutive time steps. These lineages are then used to detect breakup and coalescence events, and obtain the desired statistics. Accurate identification of large-size-ratio bubble and drop pairs enables accurate detection of breakup and coalescence events over a large size range. Accurate detection of successive breakup and coalescence events requires that the snapshot interval be an order of magnitude smaller than the characteristic breakup and coalescence times to capture these successive events while minimizing the identification of repeated confounding events. Together, these algorithms serve as a toolbox for detailed analysis of two-phase simulations, and enable insights into the mechanisms behind bubble and drop formation and evolution in flows of practical importance.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Implementation and testing of physics-based pulverization model in BISON

This report summarizes lower length scale computational research conducted to improve the pulverization criterion for high-burnup UO 2 fuel in the BISON fuel performance code. This research was sponsored by the NEAMS program during FY22. Efforts to improve the model primarily focus on calculating the current pressure of bubbles in the high-burnup structure (HBS) region, as well as the critical bubble pressure at which pulverization occurs in the HBS. The phase-field model for predicting initial bubble pressure in the HBS was improved by implementing a more realistic model for defect production, and by coupling the phase-field model for inter-granular bubble evolution with the spatially-resolved cluster dynamics code Xolotl to simulate intra-granular fission gas evolution. An evolution equation for current bubble pressure was added to BISON, an improvement over the previous model that assumed that bubble pressure was static following HBS formation. To improve calculations of critical bubble pressure for pulverization, 3-D phase-field fracture simulations were performed, and a function for critical bubble pressure was fit—based on the simulation results—to replace the previous function, which had been determined using 2-D simulations. The impacts of these modifications to the existing pulverization assessment cases will be reported in the forthcoming engineering scale milestone on high-burnup UO 2 pulverization. A poromechanics-based approach was used to include the effect of bubble over pressurization on the stress state of the pellet at the engineering scale, and the initial strategy for integration of the pulverization criterion with pellet-scale mechanical degradation using a smeared cracking model was developed. This report also describes the initial research that was conducted to inform a forthcoming transient fission gas release (tFGR) model in BISON. Focusing on the fission gas release caused by pulverization of the outer pellet rim, a model for the amount of fission gas release was developed as a function of fuel porosity, bubble size, and fragment size. Implementation of this model in BISON and its impact of engineering-scale predictions will also be described in the aforementioned engineering-scale milestone on high-burnup UO 2 pulverization.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

New Opportunity for Carbon-Supported Ni-based Electrocatalysts: Gas-Phase CO 2 Methanation

The cost-effectiveness and excellent performance of conductive-carbon-supported Ni-based electrocatalysts make them attractive materials for hydrogen oxidation and evolution reactions. However, they were previously unused in gas-phase hydrogenation reactions. In this work, we have expanded the applicability of commercially available advanced Ni/C, NiMo/C and NiRe/C materials from electrocatalysis to heterogeneous catalysis of CO 2 methanation. Our catalytic testing efforts indicate that the monometallic Ni/C material demonstrates the best CO 2 methanation properties, achieving an excellent CO 2 conversion of 83 % at 400 °C with nearly complete selectivity to CH 4 of 99.7 %, plus exhibiting intact performance during 90 h of time-on-stream testing. Such catalytic properties are among the highest reported to date among carbon-supported Ni-based methanation catalysts. Finally, excellent performance of Ni/C stems from the good dispersion of the Ni nanoparticles over N-containing carbon support material.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Oxidation of TaSi2-Containing ZrB2-SiC Ultra-High Temperature Materials

Hot pressed coupons of composition ZrB2-20 v% SiC-5 v% TaSi2 and ZrB2-20 v% SiC-20 v% TaSi2 were oxidized in stagnant air at temperatures of 1627 and 1927C for one, five and ten 10-minute cycles. The oxidation reactions were characterized by weight change kinetics, x-ray diffraction, and SEM/EDS. Detailed WDS/microprobe quantitative analyses of the oxidation products were conducted for the ZrB2-20 v% SiC-20 v% TaSi2 sample oxidized for five 10-minute cycles at 1927C. Oxidation kinetics and product formation were compared to ZrB2-20 v% SiC with no TaSi2 additions. It was found that the 20 v% TaSi2 composition exhibited improved oxidation resistance relative to the material with no TaSi2 additions at 1627C. However, for exposures at 1927C less oxidation resistance and extensive liquid phase formation were observed compared to the material with no TaSi2 additions. Attempts to limit the liquid phase formation by reducing the TaSi2 content to 5 v% were unsuccessful. In addition, the enhanced oxidation resistance at 1627C due to 20 v% TaSi2 additions was not achieved at the 5 v% addition level. The observed oxidation product evolution is discussed in terms of thermodynamics and phase equilibria for the TaSi2-containing ZrB2-SiC material system. TaSi2-additions to ZrB2-SiC at any level are not recommended for ultra-high temperature (>1900C) applications due to excessive liquid phase formation.

Opila, Elizabeth J.↗

Forced free-shear layer measurements

Detailed three-dimensional three-component phase averaged measurements of the spanwise and streamwise vorticity formation and evolution in acoustically forced plane free-shear flows have been obtained. For the first time, phase-averaged measurements of all three velocity components have been obtained in both a mixing layer and a wake on three-dimensional grids, yielding the spanwise and streamwise vorticity distributions without invoking Taylor's hypothesis. Initially, two-frequency forcing was used to phase-lock the roll-up and first pairing of the spanwise vortical structures in a plane mixing layer. The objective of this study was to measure the near-field vortical structure morphology in a mixing layer with 'natural' laminar initial boundary layers. For the second experiment the second and third subharmonics of the fundamental roll-up frequency were added to the previous two-frequency forcing in order to phase-lock the roll-up and first three pairings of the spanwise rollers in the mixing layer. The objective of this study was to determine the details of spanwise scale changes observed in previous time-averaged measurements and flow visualization of unforced mixing layers. For the final experiment, single-frequency forcing was used to phase-lock the Karman vortex street in a plane wake developing from nominally two-dimensional laminar initial boundary layers. The objective of this study was to compare measurements of the three-dimensional structure in a wake developing from 'natural' initial boundary layers to existing models of wake vortical structure.

Leboeuf, Richard L.↗

Luminous blue variables at quiescence: The zone of avoidance in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

Two phases of dynamical instability are theoretically predicted to exist during the evolution of supergiants of normal metallicity that are initially more massive than approximately 60 solar mass. One phase occurs briefly in the yellow or red region of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for stars in the early stages of core helium burning, and the other phase occurs for a longer time in the blue or blue-white region for stars exhausting their core helium. Probably only the second phase exists in the case of supergiants with initial masses between approximately 60 solar mass and approximately 30 solar mass or with low metallicities The cause of instability is the partial ionization of hydrogen and helium in a quasi-isolated outer region of the stellar envelope, above the layer where the iron opacity attains a large local maximum. Predicted luminosities, effective temperatures, ejected nebular masses, remnant masses, eruption recurrence times, and lifetimes, though very approximate, are generally consistent with available observational data for the important class of unstable supergiants known as luminous blue variables.

Stothers, Richard B.↗

Impact of fragment formation on shear viscosity in the nuclear liquid-gas phase transition region

Within the improved quantum molecular dynamics (ImQMD) model we follow the evolution of nuclear matter for planar Couette flow in a periodic box. We focus on the region of liquid-gas phase transition and extract the shear viscosity coefficient from the local stress tensor, directly following the viscosity definition. Here, by switching on and off the mean field and thus inducing the phase transition, we are able to observe the impact of clumping in the phase transition region on the viscosity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

A Quenched Disorder in the Quantum-Critical Superconductor CeCoIn 5

Emergent inhomogeneous electronic phases in metallic quantum systems are crucial for understanding high- T c superconductivity and other novel quantum states. In particular, spin droplets introduced by nonmagnetic dopants in quantum-critical superconductors (QCSs) can lead to a novel magnetic state in superconducting phases. However, the role of disorders caused by nonmagnetic dopants in quantum-critical regimes and their precise relation with superconductivity remain unclear. Here, the systematic evolution of a strong correlation between superconductive intertwined electronic phases and antiferromagnetism in Cd-doped CeCoIn 5 is presented by measuring current–voltage characteristics under an external pressure. In the low-pressure coexisting regime where antiferromagnetic (AFM) and superconducting (SC) orders coexist, the critical current ( I c ) is gradually suppressed by the increasing magnetic field, as in conventional type-II superconductors. At pressures higher than the critical pressure where the AFM order disappears, I c remarkably shows a sudden spike near the irreversible magnetic field. In addition, at high pressures far from the critical pressure point, the peak effect is not suppressed, but remains robust over the whole superconducting region. These results indicate that magnetic islands are protected around dopant sites despite being suppressed by the increasingly correlated effects under pressure, providing a new perspective on the role of quenched disorders in QCSs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Origin of age softening in the refractory high-entropy alloys

Refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) are emerging materials with potential for use under extreme conditions. As a newly developed material system, a comprehensive understanding of their long-term stability under potential service temperatures remains to be established. This study examined a titanium-vanadium-niobium-tantalum alloy, a promising RHEA known for its superior high-temperature strength and room-temperature ductility. Using a combination of advanced analytical microscopies, Calculation of Phase Diagrams (CALPHAD) software, and nanoindentation, we investigated the evolution of its microstructure and mechanical properties upon aging at 700°C. Trace interstitials such as oxygen and nitrogen, initially contributing to solid solution strengthening, promote phase segregation during thermal aging. As a result of the depletion of solute interstitials within the metal matrix, a progressive softening is observed in the alloy as a function of aging time. This study, therefore, underscores the need for a better control of impurities in future development and application of RHEAs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Lattice Parameter Evolution during the β-to-α and β-to-ω Transformations of Iron- and Aluminum-Modified Ti-11Cr(at.%)

β-titanium (β-Ti) alloys are useful in diverse industries because their mechanical properties can be tuned by transforming the metastable β phase into other metastable and stable phases. Relationships between lattice parameter and β-Ti alloy concentrations have been explored, but the lattice parameter evolution during β-phase transformations is not well understood. In this work, the β-Ti alloys, Ti-11Cr, Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe, Ti-11Cr-5.3Al, and Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe-5.3Al (all in at.%), underwent a 400 °C aging treatment for up to 12 h to induce the β-to-ω and β-to-α phase transformations. Phase identification and lattice parameters were measured in situ using high-temperature X-ray diffraction. Phase compositions were measured ex situ using atom probe tomography. During the phase transformations, Cr and Fe diffused from the ω and α phases into the β matrix, and the β-phase lattice parameter exhibited a corresponding decrease. The decrease in β-phase lattice parameter affected the α- and ω-phase lattice parameters. The α phase in the Fe-free alloys exhibited α-phase c/a ratios close to those of pure Ti. A larger β-phase composition change in Ti-11Cr resulted in larger ω-phase lattice parameter changes than that for Ti-11Cr-0.85Fe. This work illuminates the complex relationship between diffusion, composition, and structure for these diffusive/displacive transformations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Integral boundary conditions in phase field models

Modeling the chemical, electric and thermal transport as well as phase transitions and the accompanying mesoscale microstructure evolution within a material in an electronic device setting involves the solution of partial differential equations often with integral boundary conditions. Employing the familiar Poisson equation describing the electric potential evolution in a material exhibiting insulator to metal transitions, we exploit a special property of such an integral boundary condition, and we properly formulate the variational problem and establish its well-posedness. Next, we compare our method with the commonly-used Lagrange multiplier method that can also handle such boundary conditions. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our new method achieves optimal convergence rate in contrast to the conventional Lagrange multiplier method. Furthermore, the linear system derived from our method is symmetric positive definite, and can be efficiently solved by Conjugate Gradient method with algebraic multigrid preconditioning.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Observation of critical scaling in spin glasses below T c using thermoremanent magnetization

Time-dependent thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) studies have been instrumental in probing energy dynamics within the spin glass phase. In this paper, we review the evolution of the TRM experiment over the last half century and discuss some aspects related to how it has been used in the understanding of spin glasses. We also report on recent experiments using high-resolution DC SQUID magnetometry to probe the TRM at temperatures less than but near to the transition temperature T c . These experiments have been performed as a function of waiting time, temperature, and five different magnetic fields. We find that as the transition temperature is approached from below, the characteristic time scale of TRM is suppressed up to several orders of magnitude in time. In the highest-temperature region, we find that the waiting time effect subsides, and a waiting time-independent crossover line is reached. We also find that increasing the magnetic field further suppresses the crossover line. Using a first-principles energy argument across the crossover line, we derive an equation that is an excellent fit to the crossover lines for all magnetic fields probed. The data show strong evidence for critical slowing down and an H = 0 Oe phase transition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development and Application of High-Fidelity Models for Heterogeneous CO2 Frost Formation

Carbon America has developed a cryogenic carbon capture technology ("FrostCC") that separates CO2 from point source emissions by solidifying it at cold temperatures through preferential desublimation. Cooling is achieved through a series of interlinked compression, heat exchange, and expansion operations. In the current system, frosting of CO2 happens in heat exchangers, followed by CO2 recovery in a separate extraction step. In this work, multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models are developed and validated for compressible and low Mach flows to simulate the formation of solid CO2 in flue gas flowing in a heat exchanger geometry. The models track the mass transfer rate of CO2 from gas phase to solid phase, heat released from desublimation, and the evolution of the solid CO2 layer. Simulations are used to answer scientific questions related to the angle of heat exchanger pipes, where buoyancy effects from flow velocity and pipe orientation influence CO2 frosting. Results show that upwardly angled pipes produce notably different flow structures compared to horizontal or vertical configurations, and that carbon capture efficiency correlates with buoyancy effects for pipe angles within plus or minus 23 degrees of horizontal.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Post-explosion Evolution of Core-collapse Supernovae

Here we investigate the post-explosion phase in core-collapse supernovae with 2D hydrodynamical simulations and a simple neutrino treatment. The latter allows us to perform 46 simulations and follow the evolution of the 32 explosion models during several seconds. We present a broad study based on three progenitors (11.2, 15, and 27 M ⊙ ), different neutrino heating efficiencies, and various rotation rates. We show that the first seconds after shock revival determine the final explosion energy, remnant mass, and properties of ejected matter. Our results suggest that a continued mass accretion increases the explosion energy even at late times. We link the late-time mass accretion to initial conditions such as rotation strength and shock deformation at explosion time. Only some of our simulations develop a neutrino-driven wind (NDW) that survives for several seconds. This indicates that NDWs are not a standard feature expected after every successful explosion. Even if our neutrino treatment is simple, we estimate the nucleosynthesis of the exploding models for the 15 M ⊙ progenitor after correcting the neutrino energies and luminosities to get a more realistic electron fraction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Aspects of the synthesis of thin film superconducting infinite-layer nickelates

The recent observation of superconductivity in Nd 0.8 Sr 0.2 NiO 2 calls for further investigation and optimization of the synthesis of this infinite-layer nickelate structure. Here, we present our current understanding of important aspects of the growth of the parent perovskite compound via pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO 3 (001) substrates and the subsequent topotactic reduction. We find that to achieve single-crystalline, single-phase superconducting Nd 0.8 Sr 0.2 NiO 2 , it is essential that the precursor perovskite Nd 0.8 Sr 0.2 NiO 3 thin film is stabilized with no visible impurity phases; in particular, a Ruddlesden–Popper-type secondary phase is often observed. We have further investigated the evolution of the soft-chemistry topotactic reduction conditions to realize full transformation to the infinite-layer structure with no film decomposition or formation of other phases. We find that capping the nickelate film with a subsequent SrTiO 3 layer provides an epitaxial template to the top region of the nickelate film, much like the substrate. Thus, for currently optimized growth conditions, we can stabilize superconducting single-phase Nd 0.8 Sr 0.2 NiO 2 (001) epitaxial thin films up to ~10 nm.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Directional locking and the influence of obstacle density on skyrmion dynamics in triangular and honeycomb arrays

In this work, we numerically examine the dynamics of a single skyrmion driven over triangular and honeycomb obstacle arrays at zero temperature. The skyrmion Hall angle θ sk , defined as the angle between the applied external drive and the direction of the skyrmion motion, increases in quantized steps or continuously as a function of the applied drive. For the obstacle arrays studied in this work, the skyrmion exhibits two main directional locking angles of θ sk = –30° and –60°. We show that these directions are privileged due to the obstacle landscape symmetry, and coincide with channels along which the skyrmion may move with few or no obstacle collisions. Here we investigate how changes in the obstacle density can modify the skyrmion Hall angles and cause some dynamic phases to appear or grow while other phases vanish. This interesting behavior can be used to guide skyrmions along designated trajectories via regions with different obstacle densities. For fixed obstacle densities, we investigate the evolution of the locked θ sk = –30° and –60° phases as a function of the Magnus force, and discuss possibilities for switching between these phases using topological selection.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Characteristics of Ultralow Aspect Ratio Toroidal Plasmas and Non-Solenoidal Startup and Edge Stability Studies at Near-Unity Aspect Ratio (Final Report)

This grant supported a long-term research and development program to explore the physics and technology of spherical tokamak (ST) plasma behavior at near-unity aspect ratio ( A ). The PEGASUS Toroidal Experiment is a university-scale ( R ) ~ 0.40 m, α ~ .35 m, I p ≤ 0.3 MA, B T ≤ 0.15 T) experiment that accesses A → 1, to provide large values of the normalized plasma current, I N = I p /α B T , or equivalently the toroidal field utilization factor I p / I TF . The research activities focused on: 1) developing the technique of Local Helicity Injection (LHI) as a viable means of initiating and growing an ST plasma without the use of a central solenoid; 2) exploring the equilibrium and stability properties of spherical tokamak plasmas at extremely low aspect ratio; and 3) obtaining new insights in the properties of the enhanced confinement H-mode regime at A ~ 1. The initial (Phase I) facility employed a unique high-stress central solenoid Ohmic for current drive and heating with simple magnet current waveforms. A subsequent major upgrade (Phase II) offered more flexible control of the plasma evolution along with a powerful LHI system for plasma initiation, heating and sustainment. The LHI technique consists of injection of high-density current streams into vacuum toroidal and vertical magnetic fields. These streams become unstable and support magnetic reconnection to allow the system to relax into a tokamak-like magnetic configuration. This program focused on: 1) development of electron current sources that provide sufficiently high injection currents in the challenging edge plasma region; 2) validation of theoretical limits to achievable I p arising from magnetic helicity and energy conservation plus absolute limits arising from relaxation to a minimal energy states; 3) tests of a power balance model to describe the evolution of the plasma current I p (t); and 4) study of magnetic fluctuations and their role in the I p evolution. This culminated in the production of toroidal currents of I p ≥ 0.2 MA with only ~8 kA of injected current. Operation with Ohmic induction alone in Phase I created plasmas with soft limits on the achievable I p and field utilization ( I p / I TF ~ 1) due to the onset of large low-order (2/1 or 3/2) internal resonant tearing modes. With the expanded capabilities in Phase II operation, methods employed to mitigate those modes and achieve I p / I TF > 1 were: 1) I TF ramp-downs; 2) non-solenoidal startup via LHI; and 3) extremely low I TF Ohmic operations assisted by LHI current injector pre-ionization. Extensive use of LHI-driven startup and drive for non-solenoidal operation produced favorable current profiles to stably operate tokamak plasmas with unprecedentedly high I N = I p / aB T ~ 15 and I p / I TF > 2. With strong reconnection-driven anomalous ion heating, this in turn provided access to tokamak plasmas with B t up to 100%, a world record 2 times higher than that previously achieved in advanced or spherical tokamaks. This high B t regime had a large fraction (~50%) of the plasma volume in a region of an absolute minimum- B configuration. The MHD stability limit in this regime was the ideal external kink mode without a stabilizing wall. These results provided the first demonstration of access to tokamak plasmas with very high B t , high i N , high elongation κ, and low internal inductance ℓ i , and as such served as a proof-ofprinciple for access to this long-sought ST regime. The naturally low B T needed for stability at A ≤ 1.2 reduces the L-H mode power threshold, P LH , so that H-mode plasmas were achieved with Ohmic heating alone. The power threshold for the transition to the H-mode regime was found to be 10× the accepted values from the ITER international scaling, confirming initial trends indicated by experiments on MAST and NSTX, and suggesting that the physics behind this transition is not yet fully understood. The density dependence of the transition and the observed insensitivity to whether the plasma is bounded by a limiter or magnetic divertor are consistent with the recent FM 3 model. Multiple unstable toroidal magnetic modes were measured during ELM (Edge Localized Mode) crashes, with generally lower toroidal mode numbers than seen at higher A , which was attributed to the larger peeling mode instability drive at low A . First-ever edge current profile measurements through an ELM crash showed current-carrying filaments were generated, as seen in ELM simulations and in electromagnetic blob transport theory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗