Study of passive temperature and humidity control systems for advanced space suits Final second phase report, 2 Sep. 1967 - 1 Sep. 1968
Passive temperature and humidity control systems developed for advanced space suits
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Passive temperature and humidity control systems developed for advanced space suits
Inversion symmetry breaking has become a vital research area in modern magnetism with phenomena including the Rashba effect, spin Hall effect, and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI)-a vector spin exchange. The latter one may stabilize chiral spin textures with topologically nontrivial properties, such as Skyrmions. So far, chiral spin textures have mainly been studied in helimagnets and thin ferromagnets with heavy-element capping. Here, the concept of chirality driven by interfacial DMI is generalized to complex multicomponent systems and demonstrated on the example of chiral ferrimagnetism in amorphous GdCo films. Utilizing Lorentz microscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, and tailoring thickness, capping, and rare-earth composition, reveal that 2 nm thick GdCo films preserve ferrimagnetism and stabilize chiral domain walls. Finally, the type of chiral domain walls depends on the rare-earth composition/saturation magnetization, enabling a possible temperature control of the intrinsic properties of ferrimagnetic domain walls.
Acting like thermal resistances, ferroelectric domain walls can be manipulated to realize dynamic modulation of thermal conductivity ( k ), which is essential for developing novel phononic circuits. Despite the interest, little attention has been paid to achieving room-temperature thermal modulation in bulk materials due to challenges in obtaining a high thermal conductivity switching ratio ( k high / k low ), particularly in commercially viable materials. Here, room-temperature thermal modulation in 2.5 mm-thick Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 – x PbTiO 3 (PMN– x PT) single crystals is demonstrated. With the use of advanced poling conditions, assisted by the systematic study on composition and orientation dependence of PMN– x PT, a range of thermal conductivity switching ratios with a maximum of ≈1.27 is observed. Further, simultaneous measurements of piezoelectric coefficient (d 33 ) to characterize the poling state, domain wall density using polarized light microscopy (PLM), and birefringence change using quantitative PLM reveal that compared to the unpoled state, the domain wall density at intermediate poling states (0< d 33 33,max ) is lower due to the enlargement in domain size. At optimized poling conditions (d 33,max ), the domain sizes show increased inhomogeneity that leads to enhancement in the domain wall density. This work highlights the potential of commercially available PMN– x PT single crystals among other relaxor-ferroelectrics for achieving temperature control in solid-state devices.
Deploying energy storage and carbon capture at scale is hindered by the substantial endothermic penalty of decomposing CaCO 3 to CaO and CO 2 , and the rapid loss of CO 2 absorption capacity by CaO sorbent particles due to sintering at the high requisite decomposition temperatures. The decomposition reaction mechanism underlying sorbent deactivation remains unclear at the atomic level and nanoscale due to past reliance on postmortem characterization methods with insufficient spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, elucidating the important CaCO 3 decomposition reaction pathway requires direct observation by time-resolved (sub-)nanoscale methods. Here, chemical and structural dynamics during the decomposition of CaCO 3 nanoparticles to nanoporous CaO particles comprising high-surface-area CaO nanocrystallites are examined. Comparing in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments gives key insights into the dynamics of nanoparticle calcination, involving anisotropic CaCO 3 thermal distortion before conversion to thermally dilated energetically stable CaO crystallites. Time-resolved TEM uncovered a novel CaO formation mechanism involving heterogeneous nucleation at extended CaCO 3 defects followed by sweeping reaction front motion across the initial CaCO 3 particle. These observations clarify longstanding, yet incomplete, reaction mechanisms and kinetic models lacking accurate information about (sub-)nanoscale dynamics, while also demonstrating calcination of CaCO 3 without sintering through rapid heating and precise temperature control.
Abstract Cangialosi, Alegría, and Colmenero have made a comment on a paper of ours [Polym. Eng. Sci. 2022:1–13], in which we discussed the concern that the enthalpy recovery data reported by Cangialosi and co‐workers [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2013;111(9):095701] for polystyrene aged up to 15 K below glass transition temperature was anomalous and contradicted existing experimental results from the literature over a similar range of aging conditions. Their response shifts the focus away from the raised questions about their experimental results and attempts to invalidate the data that we cited in support of our argument. Here we respond to the comment and add additional analysis that suggests the structural recovery response of glassy materials exhibits smooth behavior over the full range of measurements, up to 7 or 8 logarithmic decades. We do this by referring to the work on the intrinsic isotherm down‐jump and memory responses of poly(vinyl acetate) between 40°C and 15°C over six logarithmic decades by Kovacs [Fortsch. Hochpolym. Fo. 1963;3(1/2):394–508], the small‐strain tensile creep of poly(vinyl chloride) quenched from 90°C to 40°C (approximately 40°C below T g ) over seven logarithmic decades from Struik [Polym Eng. Sci., 1977;17:165–173], and the volume recovery behavior for aging times up to 3 months in a temperature range between 95°C and −50°C by Greiner and Schwarzl [Rheol. Acta. 1984;23(4):378–395]. We also add discussion that an isothermal aging procedure using a vacuum oven is highly vulnerable to temperature errors due to the problem of good temperature control when the heat transfer mechanism is primarily radiative.
This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on the melt memory effects observed in polymers, an area that has engendered considerable debate for over 50 years. Recent advances in experimental techniques have provided fresh insights into how a polymer's thermal history influences its recrystallization behavior. It has been observed that given other conditions unchanged, the crystallization temperature during recrystallization decreases with an increase in the melt temperature T s above the melting point T m until a critical melt temperature is attained. This phenomenon also extends to the half-time of crystallization and the secondary structures, such as lamellar thickness, of semi-crystalline polymers. Despite these findings, a comprehensive constitutive model that encapsulates polymer melt memory effects remains elusive. Cutting-edge instrumentation, including in situ small and wide-angle X-ray scattering, temperature-controlled Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and flash differential scanning calorimetry, have posed significant challenges to the traditional nucleation and growth models established in the 1970s. These models are foundational to our understanding of polymer crystallization, which is an integral part of polymer processing and production. In this review, the historical contours of this discourse are traced, with an examination of both the recent experimental breakthroughs and theoretical advancements pertinent to polymer melt memory effects. In conclusion, this paper delves into the prevailing theories of polymer nucleation and crystallization and engages with theoretical discussions and numerical simulations that attempt to elucidate and rationalize these melt memory phenomena.
Thick plate (=1”) butt joining of Al alloys is challenging due to high tool forces, uneven material flow, and heat distribution in the through-thickness direction. Tool design and welding parameters used for executing thick plate butt joining have remained mostly static over the past decade. Reported welding speeds that produce viable joint strength (mostly on 6xxx alloys) typically range below 100 mm/min (4inches /min). Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in association with Ground Vehicle Systems Center (US Army GVSC) have been working to demonstrate greater joining efficiency at higher welding speeds in a 1” thick AA2139-T8 plate. Using innovative tool features and effective force and temperature control a joint efficiency of 80% was demonstrated at a welding speed of 7 inches /min (178mm/min).
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has identified chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) of austenitic stainless steel dry cask storage systems (DCSS) as an area of great concern. Friction Stir Processing (FSP) was used to repair laboratory-generated stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in representative stainless steel 304 coupons. Results of this study show FSP is a viable method for repair and mitigation CISCC. This paper highlights lessons learned and developed techniques relative to FSP development for crack repair in sensitized thick section stainless steel 304. These include: development of process parameters, welding at low spindle speed, use of weld power and temperature control and optimization of these controls. NDE and destructive analysis are also presented to demonstrate effectiveness of the developed methods for SCC crack repair.
Relative humidity (PH2O, partial pressure of water)-dependent dehydration and accompanying phase transitions in NAT-topology zeolites (natrolite, scolecite, and mesolite) were studied under controlled temperature and known PH2O conditions by in situ diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and parallel X-ray powder diffraction. Dehydration was characterized by the disappearance of internal H2O vibrational modes. The loss of H2O molecules caused a sequence of structural transitions in which the host framework transformation path was coupled primarily via the thermal motion of guest Na?/Ca2? cations and H2O molecules. The observation of different interactions of H2O molecules and Na?/Ca2? cations with host aluminosilicate frameworks under highand low-PH2O conditions indicated the development of different local strain fields, arising from cation H2O interactions in NAT-type channels. These strain fields influence the Si O/Al O bond strength and tilting angles within and between tetrahedra as the dehydration temperature is approached. The newly observed infrared bands (at 2,139 cm-1 in natrolite, 2,276 cm-1 in scolecite, and 2,176 and 2,259 cm-1 in mesolite) result from strong cation H2O Al Si framework interactions in NAT-type channels, and these bands can be used to evaluate the energetic evolution of Na?/Ca2? cations before and after phase transitions, especially for scolecite and mesolite. The 2,176 and 2,259 cm-1 absorption bands in mesolite also appear to be related to Na?/Ca2? order disorder that occur when mesolite loses its Ow4 H2O molecules.
An optically active metallo-polymer assembly is demonstrated here via conjugation of a genetically engineered elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) and a ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complex. By taking advantage of the phase transition of ELPs in water, photophysical properties of the resultant conjugate are investigated for both phases, below and above the critical transition temperature. Upon coacervation, the luminescence of the metallo-ELP is greatly enhanced as a consequence of local effects on the metal–ligand luminophore. Finally, these findings open a possibility to harness the temperature control of stimuli-responsive properties of biopolymers.
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are the most popular devices for energy storage but still a lot of research needs to be done to improve their cycling and storage capacity. Silicon has been proposed as an anode material because of its large theoretical capacity of ~3600 mAh/g. Therefore, focus is needed on the lithiation process of silicon anodes where it is known that the anode increases its volume more than 300%, producing cracking and other damages. In this study, we performed molecular dynamics atomistic simulations to study the swelling, alloying, and amorphization of a silicon nanocrystal anode in a full nanobattery model during the first charging cycle. A dissolved salt of lithium hexafluorophosphate in ethylene carbonate was chosen as the electrolyte solution and lithium cobalt oxide as cathode. External electric fields are applied to emulate the charging, causing the migration of the Li-ions from the cathode to the anode, by drifting through the electrolyte solution, thus converting pristine Si gradually into Li 14 Si 5 when fully lithiated. When the electric field is applied to the nanobattery, the temperature never exceeds 360 K due to a temperature control imposed resembling a cooling mechanism. The volume of the anode increases with the amorphization of the silicon as the external field is applied by creating a layer of LiSi alloy between the electrolyte and the silicon nanocrystal and then, at the arrival of more Li-ions changing to an alloy, where the drift velocity of Li-ions is greater than the velocity in the initial nanocrystal structure. Charge neutrality is maintained by concerted complementary reduction-oxidation reactions at the anode and cathode, respectively. Also, the nanobattery model developed here can be used to study charge mobility, current density, conductance and resistivity, among several other properties of several candidate materials for rechargeable batteries and constitutes the initial point for further studies on the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase in the anode.
Recent research has studied the use of low transformation temperature (LTT) martensite steel as feedstock for wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and low tensile residual stresses or compressive residual stresses were detected in the printed walls. These residual stress states help to improve printed product properties such as fatigue strength and corrosion resistance. However, the thermal and mechanical properties of WAAM printed LTT martensite steel walls are largely unknown. In this work, a printed LTT martensite steel was characterized for its thermal, metallurgical, and mechanical behavior at room and elevated temperatures. The temperature-dependent specific heat capacity, thermal expansion, atomic lattice spacing, and tensile properties were measured during both heating and cooling and related to observed microstructural features and computational thermodynamics predictions. These results revealed a large hysteresis in the martensitic transformation, with a martensite start temperature of 240 °C and austenite start temperature of 680 °C. Additional thermal cycles and specimen orientation did not affect the printed specimen austenite and martensite transformations. However, it was observed that the printed metal may exhibit tempering embrittlement at about 350 °C but further studies are needed to confirm that. Further, these results suggest that a temperature control of 250 °C to 350 °C during WAAM is needed to maximize the stress reduction potential of the LTT250 martensite steel. Opportunities for future implementation of LTT martensite steels and optimization of additive manufacturing process conditions are identified.
The increasing demand for oil and gas has led to a hope of developing more efficient recovery methods. It is well known that nanoparticles adsorbed at the oil–water interface, but there is no consensus that has been reached on whether magnetic nanoparticles under electromagnetic waves affect the interfacial tension. In this paper, nickel/nickel oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using sol–gel auto combustion method. The product was characterized using x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The results show the Ni/NiO phases and the ferromagnetic nature of the sample. The Ni/NiO nanofluids were prepared to investigate the effect on oil–water interfacial tension in enhanced oil recovery under electromagnetic waves using an inverted pendant drop method. The results show a significant decrease in interfacial tension under electromagnetic waves of frequency 2.2 kHz at low wt.% of Ni/NiO and at room temperature. The decrease in the interfacial tension has been observed by increasing the temperature to 90 °C using temperature controller. The decrease in the interfacial tension could be due to the interaction of oscillating B-field of waves and magnetic domains of adsorbing nanoparticles at the oil–water interface which disturbed the oil–water interface.
Multi-objective optimization is proposed to address the problem of design optimality in the nuclear power plant design process. This is done via the creation/development of the Optimization and Preference Tool for the Improvement of Nuclear Systems (OPTIONS). This work details applications of multi-objective optimization methods (in Python 3) to two different nuclear system design problems: the flash-Rankine power conversion system (PCS) of the I 2 S-LWR and the Passive Endothermic Reaction Cooling System (PERCS) attached to a standard PWR primary system (in RELAP5). The PCS design problem is first solved for three configurations using a specific particle swarm optimization method, achieving a thermodynamic efficiency of 34.81%. A new method, the Mixed-Integer Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (MI-NSGA), is created and then used, solving a PCS superstructure of 22 configurations and achieving an efficiency of 35.63%. Finally, the OPTIONS tool is used to optimize the PERCS, improving cost, core temperature control, and cooling longevity.
While the number of publications in the PEM water electrolysis community increases each year, no common ground concerning reference hardware (test cells and test bench) and testing protocols has been yet established. This would, however, be necessary for the comparability of experimental results. First attempts for such reference hardware and procedures have been made in the framework of the Task 30 Electrolysis within the Technology Collaboration Programme on Advanced Fuel Cells (AFC TCP) of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Since then, improvements of both the test hardware (test cell and components) as well as the measurement protocol were identified, and a revised methodology and key results based on a comprehensive measurement series have been obtained. A detailed protocol for testing commercial reference components with a reference laboratory test cell developed in-house by Fraunhofer ISE is presented. For evaluation of the protocol and the hardware, it was tested at three different institutions at the same time. Impedance spectroscopic and polarization data was acquired and analyzed. The obtained differences in performance were calculated to give the community an expectation window to compare own data to. Finally, the importance of a thorough temperature control and the conditioning phase are demonstrated.
This study investigates the photothermal performance of gold nanorods engineered to exhibit longitudinal plasmon resonances at 695 nm, 780 nm, and 970 nm. The work combines synthesis, structural characterization, extinction measurements, numerical modeling, and controlled temperature experiments to quantify how nanorod geometry, resonance tuning, concentration, and chamber shape jointly influence heat generation. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that increasing nanorod aspect ratio systematically shifts the longitudinal plasmon peak toward the near-infrared region. Extinction measurements show strong agreement with theoretical predictions, validating the numerical model across two independent datasets. Three chamber geometries were tested under laser excitation at 640 nm, 808 nm, and 980 nm: an ascending stepped base, a flat base, and a descending stepped base. Without nanorods, the ascending geometry produced the highest efficiency due to enhanced natural convection. After introducing gold nanorods, all geometries exhibited substantial thermal enhancement, with total efficiencies exceeding 20%. The strongest improvement was obtained for nanorods resonant at 780 nm with a mass concentration of 4.6 mg/mL implemented on the descending stepped-base geometry. This performance resulted from the combined effect of spectral overlapping with the 808 nm laser, the highest nanorod concentration, and localized heat accumulation that intensified buoyancy-driven flow. The findings demonstrate that total efficiency is governed by a synergistic interplay between optical resonance, nanoparticle concentration, and macroscopic chamber design, revealing the system-level coupling between nanoscale plasmonic absorption and macroscale heat-transfer phenomena. The results provide a validated framework for tuning nanoscale plasmonic absorbers and optimizing thermal systems for applications requiring efficient light-to-heat conversion.
Formation of complex salts (oxychlorides) has been suspected for causing chemical degradation of concrete in cold regions. In this study, conditioned mode (controlled temperature and relative humidity) environmental scanning electron microscopy was specifically used to minimize changes in the crystal structures of oxychlorides phases and thus reliably capture their unaltered morphology and existence/effects on concrete exposed to different de-icing salts under two different environmental conditions (constant low temperature and wetting/drying (W/D) cycles). Formation of acicular flattened blades of 3- and 5-form magnesium oxychloride (MOX) and tiny fibrous crystals as well as subhedral pseudo-hexagonal calcium oxychloride plates (COX) were found in deteriorated concrete specimens, depending on the type of solution. The reversible formation of hydrous and anhydrous COX during W/D cycles had a significant effect on aggravating the kinetics of damage of concrete in this exposure. The combined salt (MgCl{sub 2} + CaCl{sub 2}), which simulates using a synergistic maintenance and protective strategy for concrete pavements in winter, was the most aggressive solution; thus, this practice should be cautiously reconsidered. The incorporation of 30% fly ash had a pronounced effect on improving the concrete resistance to damage as reflected by sound mechanical properties and longevity. Also, the performance of concrete was much enhanced when an innovative supplementary cementitious material, nanosilica, was incorporated in the cementitious system.
Recent characterization of radioactive particles indicate that a large percentage of the radioactivity observed during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown was insoluble 137 Cs bound within silica microparticles. Therefore, much of the decontamination research performed prior to the Fukushima incident that used either soluble radionuclides deposited onto wet surfaces or large (~100 μm) particles characteristic of nuclear weapons fallout do not accurately represent the characteristics of potential contamination. Thus, the common practice of extrapolating radioactive decontamination methods generically to all radioactive release events is, at best, suspect. In response, a method to produce chemically-inert, radiolabeled silica particles was developed. Binding 152 Eu within a sodium silicate coating required proper temperature control and ethanol was beneficial as a volatile dispersant to limit residues. In the end, a step-wise method, which first deposited 152 Eu or 241 Am as a nitrate salt, decomposed the salt to a sesquioxide, and finally coated the surface with sodium silicate led to dispersed particles of the desired 2 or 0.5 μm diameters. Dynamic light scattering and scanning election microscopy confirmed the particle size was unchanged. Leaching studies into several common decontaminants were performed to ensure particle inertness. In this paper, our approach allows for substitution of other radionuclides making it a robust, simple, and novel method to produce inert particle surrogates for a release event that allows direct comparison of decontamination techniques and contaminant fate studies, greatly aiding the development of response and recovery plans.