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NASA NTRS2002

Insertional Mutagenesis for Genes involved in Otic/Vestibular Development and Function in Xenopus Tropicalis

Sensitivity to gravity is essential for spatial orientation. Consequently, the gravity receptor system is one of the phylogenetically oldest sensory systems, and the special adaptations that enhance sensitivity to gravity are highly conserved. The main goal of this project is to use Xenopus (frog) to identify genes expressed during vestibular and auditory development. These studies will lead a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in vestibular and auditory development and function. We are using a gene-trap approach in Xenopus tropicalis with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene as the transgene reporter. GFP expression occurs only when the GFP gene is correctly integrated in actively transcribed genes. Using the GFP as a tag we can easily identify and clone the mutated gene. In addition, we can study the function of the mutated gene by analyzing the defects generated by insertion of the GFP transgene. To date we have tissue specific GFP expression in X. tropicalis including expression in ear, neural tube, kidney, muscle, eyes and nose. Our transgenic animals will soon reach maturity so that we can outcross them and analyze their progeny. Our next goal is to isolate RNA from our transgenics and clone the tagged genes using RACE-PCR. Currently we are optimizing the RACE-PCR method using transgenics with crystallin GFP expression.

Torrejon, Marcela↗

DOE OSTI2026

Hot-Carrier Injection and Millisecond Charge Separation from a Robust Heteroleptic Iron(II) Chromophore Immobilized on TiO 2

The synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, computational analysis, and photoelectrochemical behavior of a new iron-based chromophore, [(Cpy) 2 Fe- (deeb)](PF 6 ) 2 (Fe(Cpy) 2 (deeb)), where Cpy is 1-methyl-3-(2-pyridyl)imidazole and deeb is 4,4’-(CO 2 CH 2 CH 3 ) 2 -2,2’-bipyridine, is reported. Electrochemically reversible waves assigned to a metal-centered E o (Fe III/II ) = +0.48 and a ligand-centered E o (Fe 2+/+ ) = −1.47 V vs Fc +/0 reduction were evident in cyclic voltammetry measurements. The combination of a strong σ-donor and a π-acceptor lowered the energy of the metal-toligand charge-transfer (MLCT) excited state relative to the metal-centered state. Two MLCT transitions appear in the visible region at 424 and 580 nm. TDDFT calculations revealed that the lower-energy band was well formulated as Fe(II)→deeb, and the higher-energy transition was charge transfer to both the deeb and Cpy ligands. Resonance Raman spectroscopy supports these findings showing enhanced deeb vibrational modes with 532 nm excitation, both deeb and Cpy modes with 473 nm excitation, and exclusively Cpy with 405 nm excitation. Ultrafast spectroscopy reveals a short-lived (∼2 ps) MLCT excited state and a longer-lived (∼20 ps) metal-centered state. Efficient methods to deprotect the ester groups and anchor the complex to mesoporous TiO 2 (anatase) thin films in high surface coverages, Fe(Cpy) 2 (dcb)|TiO 2 σ = 3 × 10 −8 mol/cm 2 , were established. Pulsed light excitation of Fe(Cpy) 2 (dcb)|TiO 2 resulted in rapid excited state injection (k inj > 10 8 s −1 ) and formation of a charge-separated state, Fe III (Cpy) 2 (dcb)|TiO 2 (e), which persists on the millisecond time scale before returning cleanly to the ground state with secondorder kinetics. Injection yields measured 50 ns after light excitation were found to double from Φ = 0.15 with green (532 nm) light to 0.30 with blue (457 nm) light excitation. Incident photon-to-current efficiency (% IPCE) measurements as a function of excitation wavelength in a 0.5 M LiI/I 2 /CH 3 CN electrolyte provide clear evidence for band-selective “hot carrier” injection from the remote Cpy-localized excited state. Collectively, the spectroscopic and photoelectrochemical data indicate that a semiconductor can intercept hot electrons from iron chromophores even when the excited-state dipole is oriented away from the surface-anchoring ligand.

Charge transfer↗

DOE OSTI2016

SU-G-IeP2-12: The Effect of Iterative Reconstruction and CT Tube Voltage On Hounsfield Unit Values of Iodinated Contrast

Purpose: To investigate the effects of changing iterative reconstruction strength and tube voltage on Hounsfield Unit (HU) values of varying concentrations of Iodinated contrast medium in a phantom. Method: Iodinated contrast (Omnipaque 300, GE Healthcare, Princeton NJ) was diluted with distilled water to concentrations of 0.6, 0.9, 1.8, 3.6, 7.2, and 10.8 mg/mL of Iodine. The solutions were scanned in a patient equivalent water phantom on two MDCT scanners: VCT 64 slice (GE Medical Systems, Waukesha, WI) and an Aquilion One 320 slice scanner (Toshiba America Medical Systems, Tustin CA). The phantom was scanned at 80, 100, 120, 140 kV using 400, 255, 180, and 130 mAs, respectively, for the VCT scanner, and 80, 100, 120, and 135 kV using 400, 250, 200, and 150 mAs, respectively, on the Aquilion One. Images were reconstructed at 2.5 mm (VCT) and 0.5 mm (Aquilion One). The VCT images were reconstructed using Advanced Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) at 6 different strengths: 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. Aquilion One images were reconstructed using Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction (AIDR) at 4 strengths: no AIDR, Weak AIDR, Standard AIDR, and Strong AIDR. Regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the images to measure the HU values and standard deviations of the diluted contrast. Second order polynomials were used to fit the HU values as a function of Iodine concentration. Results: For both scanners, there was no significant effect of changing the iterative reconstruction strength. The polynomial fits yielded goodness-of-fit (R2) values averaging 0.997. Conclusion: Changing the strength of the iterative reconstruction has no significant effect on the HU values of Iodinated contrast in a tissue-equivalent phantom. Fit values of HU vs Iodine concentration are useful in quantitative imaging protocols such as the determination of cardiac output from time-density curves in the main pulmonary artery.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Updated Gadolinium Validation in SCALE 6.3.0 using ENDF/B-VIII.0 Data [Slides]

This presentation provides a brief recap of the ANS Summer meeting in 2018 with a discussion of the results. The presentation also provides an overview of new models and states that all new models have been checked but have not yet been added to the VALID library. It also states that the models were originally created as part of a master's thesis or summer internships. Additionally, all models have been rerun in SCALE 6.3.0 using CE ENDF/B-VIII.0 library. In conclusion, this project has facilitated a significant expansion of validation set containing gadolinium, including 13 cases previously in VALID plus 99 new cases. The completion of IPPE HST experiments confirm no clear trend as a function of concentration or spectrum. Solid absorber cases also show no clear trends and LANL HMT experiments have significant discrepancies in Gd alloy cases. While almost half of the total gadolinium-bearing cases from the ICSBEP Handbook are considered here, the presentation recognizes that there is more work to be done.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS1991

Theoretical studies of important processes in planetary and comet atmospheres

This is the fifth semi-annual progress report describing research on dissociative recombination reactions in planetary and comet atmospheres. The Appendix has two papers that describe NASA supported research. Both papers have been recently accepted for publication. The first paper, 'The Generation of O(S-1) from the Dissociative Recombination of O2(+)', describes in detail the Multichannel Quantum Defect (MQDT) theory used for the calculation of dissociative recombination (DR) cross sections and rates. The application to the generation of the upper state of the atomic oxygen green line emission is of great importance to the modelling of planetary atmospheres. The second paper in the Appendix, 'Dissociative Recombination of the Ground State of N2(+)', applies the methods described in the first paper to N2(+). We find remarkable agreement with the prior microwave afterglow experiments for both the total recombination rate and for its electron temperature dependence. However, the results disagree with recent merged beams results which gave cross sections that are a factor of five below the microwave afterglow experiments and the current results. DR of N2(+) is an important mechanism for generating energetic N atoms which can escape the atmosphere of Mars. Currently we are also continuing additional work on the DR of O2(+) which is aimed at calculating both the total DR rate as a function of ion vibrational level and the rate for production of O(D-1).

Guberman, Steven L.↗

DOE OSTI2015

Synthesis and utilization of a novel carbon nanotubes supported nanocables for the adsorption of dyes from aqueous solutions

Using multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) as mechanical support and glucose as carbon resource, a hydrothermal carbonization route was designed for the synthesis of MWCNTs@carbon nanocables with tunable diameter and length. MWCNTs are firstly used as templates for the formation of carbon-rich composite nanocables, and the diameter of the nanocables could be tailored through adjusting the hydrothermal time or the ratio of MWCNTs and glucose. Owing to abundant superficial oxygen-containing functional groups, porous surface and remarkable reactivity, the as-synthesized nanocables are capable of efficiently adsorbing cationic dye methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV). Furthermore, the optimum adsorption conditions, kinetics, adsorption isotherms and adsorption thermodynamics of dyes were studied systematically. Additionally, the maximum adsorption capacities calculated from data analysis (298.5 mg/g for MB and 228.3 mg/g for CV) are significant higher than those of raw MWCNTs and some other adsorbents reported previously, which provides strong evidence for using MWCNTs@carbon nanocables as adsorbent to remove dyes from aqueous solutions. - Graphical abstract: MWCNTs@carbon nanocables has been successfully fabricated by a hydrothermal carbonization method. The as-synthesized novel samples were used as adsorbents and exhibited high adsorption capacity on MB and CV. - Highlights: • A simple, cost-effective and “green” method for the synthesis of the material. • The diameter and length of the material are relatively easy to control. • The surface has large oxygen-containing groups and preferable chemical reactivity. • Compared with raw MWCNTs and some other adsorbents, the adsorption capacity is much high.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Additive Manufacture of Ultra-Fine Lattice Structures of Green Propulsion Catalysts

Traditional mono-propulsion catalysts consist of coated ceramic or graphite foams that possess anisotropic mechanical and fluid properties limiting design, cost, availability, and operational use. Ultra-fine lattice structures are repeating unit cells with ligament thickness as small as 100 μm produced via Additive manufacture (AM). These lattice structures have the potential to replace coated foams used in a mono-propellant system catalysts. AM ultrafine lattice structures are designed to mimic the operational intent of coated foams but with improved design flexibility, compressive strength, and flow behavior printed from into a single part directly from the preferred platinum metal alloy. The investigation objective was to conduct feasibility studies of AM ultra-fine lattice structures capable of replacing coated foams with superior functionality. NASA MSFC identified desired lattice characteristics and created designs while EOS developed optimized laser powder bed fusion AM parameters to manufacture Ti6Al4V and tungsten specimens. Optimized designs, computational tools, AM parameters, and post-process methods were developed. Specimens underwent x-ray microfocus CT, metallographic inspection, compression testing, and flow testing. Results demonstrate that AM ultra-fine lattices improved geometric and performance repeatability with the potential for significantly increased availability while decreasing cost and lead time.

Omar Mireles↗

DOE OSTI2020

High-throughput screening for discovery of benchtop separations systems for selected rare earth elements

Abstract Rare earth (RE) elements (scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanides) are critical for their role in sustainable energy technologies. Problems with their supply chain have motivated research to improve separations methods to recycle these elements from end of life technology. Toward this goal, we report the synthesis and characterization of the ligand tris[(1-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamido)ethyl]amine, H 3 1·TFA (TFA = trifluoroacetic acid), and complexes 1·RE (RE = La, Nd, Dy). A high-throughput experimentation (HTE) screen was developed to quantitatively determine the precipitation of 1·RE as a function of pH as well as equivalents of H 3 1·TFA. This method rapidly determines optimal conditions for the separation of RE mixtures, while minimizing materials consumption. The HTE-predicted conditions are used to achieve the lab-scale separation of Nd/Dy ( SF Nd/Dy = 213 ± 34) and La/Nd ( SF La/Nd = 16.2 ± 0.2) mixtures in acidic aqueous media.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2026

Development of Ternary Transition Metal Oxide Catalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Electrochemical water splitting, a promising method for green hydrogen production, is currently hindered by the high cost of precious-group metal (PGM)-based catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This study addresses this challenge by advancing the development of catalysts for OER, focusing on the development of high-performance PGM-free catalysts using nickel-iron-cobalt (NiFeCo)-based aerogels. The catalysts were synthesized via a sol-gel method and critical point drying to achieve a highly porous structure with an exceptionally high surface area. The designed catalyst structure provides an ideal platform for maximizing catalytic active sites and enhancing mass transport kinetics. Co has been systematically incorporated into the current PGM-free state-of-the-art, NiFeOx catalyst, and the metal ratios have been optimized. In addition to the experimental studies, density functional theory calculations were performed to study the material’s properties of this ternary catalyst and the effect of Co addition on enhancing OER catalysis.

Mizrahi, Michal [Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, I↗

DOE OSTI2014

Mathematical modelling for the drying method and smoothing drying rate using cubic spline for seaweed Kappaphycus Striatum variety Durian in a solar dryer

The solar drying experiment of seaweed using Green V-Roof Hybrid Solar Drier (GVRHSD) was conducted in Semporna, Sabah under the metrological condition in Malaysia. Drying of sample seaweed in GVRHSD reduced the moisture content from about 93.4% to 8.2% in 4 days at average solar radiation of about 600W/m{sup 2} and mass flow rate about 0.5 kg/s. Generally the plots of drying rate need more smoothing compared moisture content data. Special cares is needed at low drying rates and moisture contents. It is shown the cubic spline (CS) have been found to be effective for moisture-time curves. The idea of this method consists of an approximation of data by a CS regression having first and second derivatives. The analytical differentiation of the spline regression permits the determination of instantaneous rate. The method of minimization of the functional of average risk was used successfully to solve the problem. This method permits to obtain the instantaneous rate to be obtained directly from the experimental data. The drying kinetics was fitted with six published exponential thin layer drying models. The models were fitted using the coefficient of determination (R{sup 2}), and root mean square error (RMSE). The modeling of models using raw data tested with the possible of exponential drying method. The result showed that the model from Two Term was found to be the best models describe the drying behavior. Besides that, the drying rate smoothed using CS shows to be effective method for moisture-time curves good estimators as well as for the missing moisture content data of seaweed Kappaphycus Striatum Variety Durian in Solar Dryer under the condition tested.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2013

Spatially resolved assessment of hepatic function using 99mTc-IDA SPECT

Purpose: 99mTc-iminodiacetic acid (IDA) hepatobiliary imaging is usually quantified for hepatic function on the entire liver or regions of interest (ROIs) in the liver. The authors presented a method to estimate the hepatic extraction fraction (HEF) voxel-by-voxel from single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with a 99mTc-labeled IDA agent of mebrofenin and evaluated the spatially resolved HEF measurements with an independent physiological measurement.Methods: Fourteen patients with intrahepatic cancers were treated with radiation therapy (RT) and imaged by 99mTc-mebrofenin SPECT before and 1 month after RT. The dynamic SPECT volumes were with a resolution of 3.9 × 3.9 × 2.5 mm{sup 3}. Throughout the whole liver with approximate 50 000 voxels, voxelwise HEF quantifications were estimated and compared between using arterial input function (AIF) from the heart and using vascular input function (VIF) from the spleen. The correlation between mean of the HEFs over the nontumor liver tissue and the overall liver function measured by Indocyanine green clearance half-time (T1/2) was assessed. Variation of the voxelwise estimation was evaluated in ROIs drawn in relatively homogeneous regions of the livers. The authors also examined effects of the time range parameter on the voxelwise HEF quantification.Results: Mean of the HEFs over the liver estimated using AIF significantly correlated with the physiological measurement T1/2 (r= 0.52, p= 0.0004), and the correlation was greatly improved by using VIF (r= 0.79, p < 0.0001). The parameter of time range for the retention phase did not lead to a significant difference in the means of the HEFs in the ROIs. Using VIF and a retention phase time range of 7–30 min, the relative variation of the voxelwise HEF in the ROIs was 10%± 6% of respective mean HEF.Conclusions: The voxelwise HEF derived from 99mTc-IDA SPECT by the deconvolution analysis is feasible to assess the spatial distribution of hepatic function in the liver.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Integrated radio continuum spectra of galaxies

We investigate the spectral shape of the total continuum radiation, between 74 MHz and 5 GHz (400-6 cm in wavelength), for a large sample of bright galaxies. We take advantage of the overlapping survey coverage of the VLA Low-Frequency Sky Survey, the Westerbork Northern Sky Survey, the NRAO VLA Sky Survey, and the Green Bank 6 cm Survey to achieve significantly better resolution, sensitivity, and sample size compared to prior efforts of this nature. For our sample of 250 bright galaxies we measure a mean spectral index, α, of –0.69 between 1.4 and 4.85 GHz, –0.55 between 325 MHz and 1.4 GHz, and –0.45 between 74 and 325 MHz, which amounts to a detection of curvature in the mean spectrum. The magnitude of this curvature is approximately Δα = –0.2 per logarithmic frequency decade when fit with a generalized function having constant curvature. No trend in low-frequency spectral flattening versus galaxy inclination is evident in our data, suggesting that free-free absorption is not a satisfying explanation for the observed curvature. The ratio of thermal to non-thermal emission is estimated through two independent methods: (1) using the IRAS far-IR fluxes and (2) with the value of the total spectral index. Method (1) results in a distribution of 1.4 GHz thermal fractions of 9% ± 3%, which is consistent with previous studies, while method (2) produces a mean 1.4 GHz thermal fraction of 51% with dispersion 26%. The highly implausible values produced by method (2) indicate that the sum of typical power-law thermal and non-thermal components is not a viable model for the total spectral index between 325 and 1.4 GHz. An investigation into relationships between spectral index, infrared-derived quantities, and additional source properties reveals that galaxies with high radio luminosity in our sample are found to have, on average, a flatter radio spectral index, and early types tend to have excess radio emission when compared to the radio-infrared ratio of later types. Early types also have radio emission that is more compact than later type galaxies, as compared to the optical size of the galaxy. Despite these differences, no relation between spectral index and galaxy type is detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

Atomistic modeling of the metallic-to-semiconducting phase boundaries in monolayer MoS{sub 2}

Recent experimental demonstration on the coexistence of metallic and semiconducting phases in the same monolayer MoS{sub 2} crystal has attracted much attention for its use in ultra-low contact resistance-MoS{sub 2} transistors. However, the electronic structures of the metallic-to-semiconducting phase boundaries, which appear to dictate the carrier injection in such transistors, are not yet well understood. In this letter, interfacing the 2H and 1T′ polytypes appropriately, we first model the “beta” (β) and the “gamma” (γ) phase boundaries, and demonstrate good agreement with experiential results. We then apply first-principles based density functional theory to calculate the electronic structures for those optimized geometries. We further employ non equilibrium Green's function formalism to evaluate the transmission spectra and the local density of states (LDOS) in order to assess the Schottky barrier nature of the phase boundaries. Our study reveals that while the γ boundary yields p-type Schottky barrier, the β boundary leads to the distinct symmetric Schottky barrier with an atomically sharp transition region. This understanding could be useful for designing high performance transistors using phase-engineered MoS{sub 2} crystals.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2019

Structure and enhanced antimicrobial activity of mechanically activated nano TiO2

Titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst, known not only for its ability to oxidize organic contaminants, but also for its antimicrobial properties. In this article, significant enhancement of the antimicrobial activity of TiO2 (up to 32 times) was demonstrated after its activation by ball milling. The antimicrobial activity was analyzed for one fungal and 13 bacterial ATCC strains using the microdilution method and recording the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. In order to further investigate the correlation between the mechanical activation of TiO2 and its antimicrobial activity, the structure, morphology and phase composition of the material were studied by means of Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded and the Kubelka-Munk function was applied to convert reflectance into the equivalent band gap energy (Eg) and, consequently, to investigate changes in the Eg value. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the influence of mechanical activation on the Ti 2p and O 1s spectra. The presented results are expected to enable the development of more sustainable and effective advanced TiO2-based materials with antimicrobial properties that could be used in numerous green technology applications.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Use of Vegetation For Estimating Broken-Cloud Optical Properties From Surface Measurements

It is known that because of complex three-dimensional (3D) radiative effects of broken clouds, the retrieval of cloud optical properties from upward measurements based on a one-dimensional (1D) inversion technique almost surely fails. To remove radiative effects of 3D cloud structure, we have developed a new technique that retrieves cloud optical thickness for broken clouds above green vegetation from simultaneous surface measurements in the VIS and Near Infrared (NIR) spectral regions. The theoretical basis of the method is the very different spectral behavior of cloud liquid water drops and green vegetation. For example, cloud optical properties, and hence cloud reflectivities, change little between 650 and 860 nm, while the vegetated surface albedo changes from 0.05 to 0.5 between the same two wavelengths. This spectral contrast in surface albedo suggests using ground measurements at both wavelengths not independently, but as an algebraic combination (a spectral index). For a spectral band in the NIR region, the green vegetation acts as a powerful reflector that "illuminates" horizontally inhomogeneous clouds from below. This provides the extra information needed to largely remove the 3D radiative effects, especially in the case of broken clouds; this in turn allows the retrieval of cloud optical depth using traditional 1D radiative transfer theory. This approach is similar to the so-called Green's function problem for radiative transfer where a laser beam illuminates clouds and the resulting "spot-size" of the reflected light around the beam characterizes cloud properties. We generalize Green's function theory to surf ace-cloud interaction and develop new spectral indices from which broken-cloud optical depth can be retrieved.

Marshak, A.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Assessment of Mixer-Ejector Nozzle with Thermal Acoustic Shield for Jet Noise Reduction

A tendency for excessive exhaust jet mixing noise from low bypass ratio turbofan engines is recognized as a key challenge in the design of commercial supersonic aircraft. In this work we investigate a unique combination of two noise mitigation methods as a novel strategy to reduce jet mixing noise. First, a thermal acoustic shield (TAS) is used to reflect high frequency acoustic waves at small angles to the jet axis; second, a mixer-ejector (ME) nozzle is used to mechanically shield noise propagating at large angles to the axis. The ME shroud also provides a convenient location for a TAS nozzle and improves TAS effectiveness by limiting the downstream extent of high frequency noise generation. In an additional benefit for a velocity-matched TAS stream, the ME allows a reduction in strength of the TAS outer shear layer which could serve as a secondary noise source. The present work provides a quantitative assessment of the ME-TAS concept, using a combination of RANS CFD simulations, acoustic analogy calculations for the farfield Green's function, and surrogate-based modeling and parameter space exploration. We first evaluate a subscale configuration, then use scaling arguments to apply subscale results to the systems-level analysis of a flight configuration; the latter configuration includes a generic low bypass ratio turbofan engine with an engine-driven electric generator for supplementary heating of the TAS stream. Additional RANS CFD calculations are performed for a notional ME-TAS geometry based on the full scale configuration, and various modeling assumptions and operational characteristics are evaluated. The ME-TAS concept is shown to provide effective shielding for high frequency jet noise, and should enable comparable noise suppression to a stand-alone ME of considerably greater length, weight and drag. In addition to investigating the integrated ME-TAS system, the present work differs from previous research into TAS and related fluidic shield concepts through the inclusion of modern numerical analysis tools and the systematic numerical examination of various design parameters.

thermal acoustic shield↗

DOE OSTI2021

An investigation of hard-disk drive circularity accounting for socio-technical dynamics and data uncertainty

The installed data storage capacity in the U.S. will reach 2.2 Zettabytes by 2025, generating about 50 million units of end-of-life (EOL) hard-disk drives (HDDs) per year. Due to data security concerns, most EOL HDDs are currently shredded (even when still functioning), representing an economic loss. Moreover, raw material extraction linked to the increased demand for storage causes environmental impacts. Besides mitigating the threat posed by sudden restrictions of raw materials, the circular economy (CE) offers to maximize value retention in the economy and reduce the environmental impacts of human activities. Common CE strategies are reusing and recycling products. However, the reuse of hard disk drives is currently burdened by the lack of trust HDD end-users have toward other non-physical means of data removal than shredding. Here, an agent-based modeling (ABM) approach is proposed to explore how techno-economic and social factors affect end-users' decisions to adopt EOL management practices other than shredding. The proposed method also accounts for data uncertainty by applying a semi-quantitative approach. Results demonstrate how increased green procurement and more robust standards could spur end-users' trust toward data-wiping technologies. Even when accounting for uncertainty, HDDs' reuse brings better environmental and economic benefits than HDD shredding followed by material recovery. The semi-quantitative approach proposed in this study could be more universally applied in future ABM, especially given the often-stochastic nature of such models. The developed ABM is also the first to represent several HDD industry stakeholders and demonstrate how the HDD shredding lock-in situation could be resolved.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Direct Reconstruction of Ablative Thermal Protection System Aeroheating Using A Green's Function Approach

A Green’s function inverse heat transfer (IHT) approach is used to reconstruct the surface heating conditions on ablative thermal protection system (TPS) materials from embedded heat flux sensor and temperature probe measurements. The approach models the temperature time-history at the measurement location as a discrete linear system, allowing for the heat flux boundary condition to be recovered directly without the need for time-marching schemes. The effects of material decomposition and pyrolysis gas transport are modeled using an energy source/sink analogue. The performance of the reconstruction approach is analyzed on a 1D test case representative of an atmospheric entry heating scenario. The approach can recover the TPS surface heat flux to within 4% of the input heating condition with a computation time of 2-3 seconds (>3 orders of magnitude faster than current time-marching IHT methods). As a byproduct of the surface heating reconstruction, the algorithm also captures the surface pyrolysis gas mass flux and solid decomposition at multiple through-thickness locations within the TPS.

Kenneth McAfee↗