Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “INORGANIC COMPOUND”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Facile Oxidation of Ce(III) to Ce(IV) Using Cu(I) Salts

The synthesis, luminescence, and electrochemical properties of the Ce(III) compound, [(C 5 Me 5 )2(2,6- i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 O)Ce(THF)], 1, were investigated. Based on the electrochemical data, treatment of 1 with CuX (X = Cl, Br, I) results in the formation of the corresponding Ce(IV) complexes, [(C 5 Me 5 ) 2 (2,6- i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 O)Ce(X)]. Each complex has been characterized using NMR, IR, and UV−vis spectroscopy as well as structurally determined using X-ray crystallography. Additionally, the treatment of [(C 5 Me 5 ) 2 (2,6- i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 O)Ce(Br)] with AgF results in the formation of the putative [(C 5 Me 5 ) 2 (2,6- i Pr 2 C 6 H 3 O)Ce(F)]. Furthermore, the electronic structure of these Ce(IV)−X complexes was investigated by bond analyses and the Ce(IV)−F moiety using quantum chemistry NMR calculations.

Aromatic compounds↗
NASA NTRS1985

Isotope effects associated with the anaerobic oxidation of sulfite and thiosulfate by the photosynthetic bacterium, Chromatium vinosum

The purple photosynthetic bacterium Chromatium vinosum, strain D, catalyzes several oxidations of reduced sulfur compounds under anaerobic conditions in the light: e.g., sulfide --> sulfur --> sulfate, sulfite --> sulfate, and thiosulfate --> sulfur + sulfate. Here it is shown that no sulfur isotope effect is associated with the last of these processes; isotopic compositions of the sulfur and sulfate produced can differ, however, if the sulfane and sulfonate positions within the thiosulfate have different isotopic compositions. In the second process, an observed change from an inverse to a normal isotope effect during oxidation of sulfite may indicate the operation of 2 enzymatic pathways. In contrast to heterotrophic anaerobic reduction of oxidized sulfur compounds, anaerobic oxidations of inorganic sulfur compounds by photosynthetic bacteria are characterized by relatively small isotope effects.

Non-NASA Center↗
DOE OSTI2023

Luminescent group 1A copper halides and uses thereof

High photoluminescence, high stability, inorganic perovskite compounds comprising an alkali metal selected from potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), and cesium (Cs); copper (Cu); and at least one halogen selected from chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I). The perovskites may be free of lead (Pb). The inorganic perovskite compound may be used in an optoelectronic device. The optoelectronic device optionally contains a phosphor such as a blue-emitting phosphor. The inorganic perovskite compound may be used as an anti-counterfeiting nanotaggant applied on or within an object that susceptible to counterfeiting to enable confirmation of an authentic object.

Saparov, Bayram↗
DOE OSTI2025

Precise Synthesis of Complex Si–Si Molecular Frameworks

In this Perspective, we highlight the emergence of target-oriented syntheses of complex molecules composed of Si–Si (oligosilanes) rather than C–C bonds. Saturated oligosilanes structurally resemble alkanes with respect to a tetrahedral geometry, a preference for a staggered conformation in linear chains, the ability to form stable small rings, and tetrahedral stereochemistry at asymmetrically functionalized Si centers. There are also critical differences, for example, differences in multiple bonding and the ability to form penta- and hexacoordinated structures, that mean that chemical reactivity and, in particular, rules for stereoselective synthesis do not cleanly translate from carbon to silicon. This Perspective will discuss recent achievements in the precise, controlled synthesis of complex molecules comprised mainly of Si–Si bonds and highlight the mechanistic insights enabling increased molecular complexity. New tools, such as electrochemical and catalytic reactions, will be discussed as well as the problem of controlling relative configuration in molecules containing multiple stereogenic-at-silicon centers. Furthermore, these synthetic achievements facilitate the discovery of new properties, including insight into light absorption, conformation, and mechanical properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigating Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Glovebox and Support Components Compared to Custom Curatorial Laboratories

There is a need envisioned to investigate the application of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems as tools that could be used within commercial preliminary curation as the expected space economy is supported and begins to take flight. NASA is involved with supporting and developing the space economy [1] and therefore it’s feasible that at some point, a commercial space company would bring back materials and either store initially, or permanently, within COTS equipment as a stand-in for custom curation laboratories. While utilizing opportunities to explore this capability at NASA-Johnson Space Center (JSC) during the establishment of other laboratories [2] it was realized that cleanliness and/or other properties could be evaluated for these COTS systems during their installation in advanced research facilities that are not ISO-class rated clean rooms. Several aspects of a COTS-Curation system were explored including various gloves for curation manipulation within a negative pressure glovebox (Fig.1), Balazs organic and inorganic contaminant levels testing prior to glovebox ever being used, mode swapping comparison of recirculation vs. single pass, constant monitoring of oxygen (O2) and moisture (H2O) levels in various conditions, etc. To acquire inorganic and organic compound loads inside the glovebox, Balazs wafer testing and gas sampling were implemented. These are standardized analytical tests provided by Balazs™ NanoAnalysis, a division of Air Liquide USA. Deployment of 8-inch silicon wafer witness plates for 24-hours in an undisturbed environment capture the organic compound load and inorganic trace metal contents which can be obtained by Vapor Phase Decomposition Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (VPD ICP-MS). Balazs gas sample analysis was also performed for better measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in glovebox air analyzed by Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (TD GC-MS). These analytical testings were carried out in a controlled ultra high pure (UHP) gaseous nitrogen (N2)-purged environment where oxygen and moisture contents were continuously monitored at certain temperature and pressure. The preliminary outcomes of these testings are promising. The COTS systems appear to maintain the steady-state controlled environment for days, if not weeks, with uninterrupted gaseous N2-supply which was operated from a standard medium pressure LN2 250L 230L dewar, exchanged as needed. The outgassing load can be maintained by selecting the glove materials that have the least outgassing and particle shedding performances. Further experiments will be considered to validate the preliminary findings. While this project is exploratory, it is not intended as an endorsement by NASA Curation for approved materials or usage for advanced curatorial activities. NASA does not endorse nor promote any one particular product or company. References: [1] McCubbin F. M. et al. (2019) Space Science Reviews 215:A48. [2] Lewis, E.K. et. al (2024) LPSC LV, Abstract #2457.

Curation↗
DOE OSTI2023

Lithium metal negative electrode and method of manufacturing the same

A negative electrode for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium metal battery is manufactured by a method in which a precursor solution is applied to a major surface of a lithium metal substrate to form a precursor coating thereon. The precursor solution includes an organophosphate, a nonpolar organic solvent, and a lithium-containing inorganic ionic compound dissolved therein. At least a portion of the nonpolar organic solvent is removed from the precursor coating to form a protective interfacial layer on the major surface of the lithium metal substrate. The protective interfacial layer exhibits a composite structure including a carbon-based matrix component and a lithium-containing dispersed component. The lithium-containing dispersed component is embedded in the carbon-based matrix component and includes a plurality of lithium-containing inorganic ionic compounds, e.g., lithium phosphate (Li3PO4) and lithium nitrate (LiNO3).

Xiao, Xingcheng↗
NASA NTRS2000

Laser pyrolysis fabrication of ferromagnetic gamma'-Fe4N and FeC nanoparticles

Using the laser pyrolysis method, single phase gamma'-Fe4N nanoparticles were prepared by a two step method involving preparation of nanoscale iron oxide and a subsequent gas-solid nitridation reaction. Single phase Fe3C and Fe7C3 could be prepared by laser pyrolysis from Fe(CO)5 and 3C2H4 directly. Characterization techniques such as XRD, TEM and vibrating sample magnetometer were used to measure phase structure, particle size and magnetic properties of these nanoscale nitride and carbide particles. c2000 American Journal of Physics.

NASA Discipline Life Sciences Technologies↗
DOE OSTI2025

Burn severity and vegetation type control phosphorus concentration, molecular composition, and mobilization

Shifting phosphorus (P) dynamics after wildfires can have cascading impacts from terrestrial to aquatic environments. However, it is unclear whether shifts in P composition or P concentration are responsible for changes in P dynamics post-fire. We used laboratory leaching experiments of Douglas fir forest and sagebrush shrubland chars to examine how the potential mobility of P compounds is influenced by different burn severities. Burning produced a 6.9- and 29-fold increase in particulate P mobilization but a 3.8- and 30.5-fold decrease in aqueous P released for Douglas fir forest and sagebrush shrubland, respectively. The mechanisms driving particulate- and dissolved-phase P compound mobilization were contrasting. Phosphorus compound mobilization in the particulate phase was controlled by solid char total P concentrations, while the aqueous phase was driven by solubility changes of molecular species. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) on the solid chars indicated that organic orthophosphate monoester and diester species were thermally mineralized to inorganic P moieties with burning in both vegetation types, which decreases P solubility. This coincided with the production of calcium- and magnesium-bound inorganic P compounds. With increasing burn severity there were systematic shifts in P concentration and composition – higher-severity chars mobilized P compounds in the particulate phase, although the magnitude of change was vegetation-specific. Our results indicate a post-fire transformation to both the composition of the solid charred material and how P compounds are mobilized, which may influence its environmental cycling and fate.

31P solution-state NMR↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effect of inorganic-to-organic mass ratio on the heterogeneous OH reaction rates of erythritol: implications for atmospheric chemical stability of 2-methyltetrols

The 2-methyltetrols have been widely chosen as chemical tracers for isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosols. While they are often assumed to be relatively unreactive, a laboratory study reported that pure erythritol particles (an analog of 2-methyltetrols) can be heterogeneously oxidized by gas-phase OH radicals at a significant rate. This might question the efficacy of these compounds as tracers in aerosol source-apportionment studies. Additional uncertainty could arise as organic compounds and inorganic salts often coexist in atmospheric particles. To gain more insights into the chemical stability of 2-methyltetrols in atmospheric particles, this study investigates the heterogeneous OH oxidation of pure erythritol particles and particles containing erythritol and ammonium sulfate (AS) at different dry inorganic-to-organic mass ratios (IOR) in an aerosol flow tube reactor at a high relative humidity of 85 %. The same reaction products are formed upon heterogenous OH oxidation of erythritol and erythritol–AS particles, suggesting that the reaction pathways are not strongly affected by the presence and amount of AS. On the other hand, the effective OH uptake coefficient, $γ_{eff}$, is found to decrease by about a factor of ~20 from 0.45±0.025 to 0.02±0.001 when the relative abundance of AS increases and the IOR increases from 0.0 to 5.0. One likely explanation is the presence of dissolved ions slows down the reaction rates by decreasing the surface concentration of erythritol and reducing the frequency of collision between erythritol and gas-phase OH radicals at the particle surface. Hence, the heterogeneous OH reactivity of erythritol and likely 2-methyltetrols in atmospheric particles would be slower than previously thought when the salts are present. Given 2-methyltetrols often coexist with a significant amount of AS in many environments, where ambient IOR can vary from ~1.89 to ~250, our kinetic data would suggest that 2-methyltetrols in atmospheric particles are likely chemically stable against heterogeneous OH oxidation under humid conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hybrid Layered Double Perovskite Halides of Transition Metals

Hybrid layered double perovskite (HLDP) halides comprise hexacoordinated 1+ and 3+ metals in the octahedral sites within a perovskite layer and organic amine cations between the layers. Here, progress on such materials has hitherto been limited to compounds containing main group 3+ ions isoelectronic with Pb II (such as Sb III and Bi III ). Furthermore, we report eight HLDP halides from the A 2 M I M III X 8 family, where A = para-phenylenediammonium (PPDA), 1,4-butanediammonium (1,4-BDA), or 1,3-propanediammonium (1,3-PDA); M I = Cu or Ag; M III = Ru or Mo; X = Cl or Br. The optical band gaps, which lie in the range 1.55 to 2.05 eV, are tunable according to the layer composition, but are largely independent of the spacer. Magnetic measurements carried out for (PPDA) 2 Ag I Ru III Cl 8 and (PPDA) 2 Ag I Mo III Cl 8 show no obvious evidence of a magnetic ordering transition. While the t 2g 3 Mo III compound displays Curie–Weiss behavior for a spin-only d 3 ion, the t 2g 5 Ru III compound displays marked deviations from the Kotani theory.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Wurtzite materials in alloys of rock salt compounds

Materials with crystal structures containing tetrahedral motifs are preferable for optoelectronic applications because they often have direct band gaps and low electron effective masses. However, crystal structures of manganese chalcogenides typically contain octahedral motifs, such as in rocksalt (RS) MnS and MnSe materials. Here we experimentally show that MnS 1-x Se x alloys with tetrahedrally-bonded wurtzite (WZ) structure can form between MnSe and MnS parent compounds with octahedral RS structures, at S-rich compositions (x<0.4) and low synthesis temperatures (~300°C). The calculated mixing enthalpies of MnS1-xSex alloys in RS and WZ structures cannot explain this experimental observation, so we hypothesize that WZ stabilization may be related to smaller structure density and lower surface energy compared to RS. The resulting WZ MnS 1-x Se x alloys have 3.0-3.2 eV optical absorption onset and lower electrical conductivity (<0.0001 S/cm) compared to the parent RS compounds. These experimental measurement result are consistent with computationally predicted band gaps and effective masses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extraterrestrial Molecular Indicators of Life Investigation (EMILI)

Future missions to Enceladus, Europa, Mars, and beyond may seek the molecular signs of extraterrestrial life through chemical analysis of acquired samples. Particularly on ocean worlds such as Enceladus and Europa, samples may contain trace ocean-borne molecular biosignatures of extant life that may or may not share similarities to those of terrestrial life. In situ analyses must be prepared to detect and characterize a wide range of possible molecular species, structures, and patterns, typically with exquisite sensitivity and within a complex, poorly-characterized planetary environment. The Extraterrestrial Molecular Indicators of Life Investigation (EMILI) is designed to meet or exceed the requirements of such missions for organic molecular analysis through a powerful combination of dual chemical separation and both optical and mass spectrometry detection techniques, realized in an integrated, compact instrument package fully compatible with anticipated flight resources and conditions. The full EMILI instrument combines two sample analysis subsystems to provide wide-ranging and complementary detection of organic compounds and inorganic salts. The Gas Analysis Processing System (GAPS) uses a chemical derivatization protocol with gas chromatography (GC) separation prior to detection in an ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS) to enable full characterization of lower-polarity, volatile and semi-volatile molecules such as fatty acids and hydrocarbons. The Organic Capillary Electrophoresis ANalysis System (OCEANS) uses a liquid-based extraction protocol with CE separation to enable precise analysis of more water-soluble/polar compounds. OCEANS features a laser-induced fluorescence detection mode to perform ultra-sensitive quantitative analysis of chiral amino acids. In EMILI, OCEANS is additionally coupled to the same ITMS through a novel electrospray ionization interface. The common ITMS allows EMILI to identify and cross-correlate molecular species and patterns, detected through either or both protocols, of molecular weights to over 1000 u, potentially even revealing complex biosignatures such as alien oligopeptides and informational polymers.

Europa↗
NASA NTRS1977

No Organic Compounds on Mars? Understanding the Structure of Spiral Galaxies

A prime goal of the Viking missions to Mars is to search for life on that planet. Each of the two landers incorporate three specific life-detection experiments, and all have operated successfully. However, as any newspaper reader knows, the results are ambiguous, in that some experiments suggest a highly active martian biology while others appear to indicate that the samples are sterile. It would be premature to conclude from the results of the biological experiments that martian life forms have definitely been detected. In addition, the picture is clouded by unexpected results from another Viking experiment, which is designed to detect organic and inorganic chemical compounds in the martian soil. In Science for 1 October 1976, K. Biemann of MIT and ten of his colleagues report the first results from the Viking 1 Gas-Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) experiment.

Morrison, Nancy D.↗