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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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A cascaded hydrogen sensors based on intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (IFPI) fabricated by femtosecond laser in single mode fibers is presented for monitoring the hydrogen gas at the room temperature. A detection limit of hydrogen of 0.25 % is achieved.
The laser-damage performance of HfO 2 /SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 mirrors was investigated at a laser wavelength of 351 nm with nanosecond pulse durations. A method was developed to quantify the laser-induced damage-growth threshold under conditions relevant to high-repetition-rate, large-aperture laser systems. The results suggest that the damage-growth performance cannot be inferred from the corresponding damage-initiation threshold that is commonly used to evaluate the performance of optical materials. Here, a systematic difference was also observed in the performance between these two groups of high-index materials, with the Al 2 O 3 /SiO 2 mirrors exhibiting about twofold improvement in the damage-growth threshold.
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Hydrogen and its isotopes play an important role in nuclear applications, but their permeation and radioactivity lead to degradation of materials. Therefore, hydrogen isotope permeation barriers are an important supporting technology. Unfortunately, most permeation barriers that perform well in the laboratory fail when placed in radiation environments. The goal of this work is to begin the development of next generation permeation barriers with materials known to have good stability under neutron irradiation, and then tailor their composition and structure to maximize their barrier properties. In particular MAX phase materials and their two-dimensional analogues (MXenes) have been chosen due their excellent stability under neutron irradiation.
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The ongoing global climate change crisis has brought attention to the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles by providing alternative zero-emission fueling technologies. Prevailing vehicles are dependent on fossil fuels and contribute to climate change by creating emissions of carbon dioxide. In 2019, transportation was the largest contributing economic sector to the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions total at 29% [1]. By converting vehicle fueling to an alternative method, major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved. Hydrogen fuel cells are one potential alternative capable of generating electricity from hydrogen while emitting only water. Several obstacles hinder the development of hydrogen fuel cells as a viable alternative, including the manufacturability of bipolar plates.
Detailed experimental studies of oxygen capture in the argon purification process using activated-copper on alumina and layered double hydroxide (LDH) were carried out, and the results were compared to the BASF commercial copper material Cu-0226 S performance. Here, we report the following main findings: i) the desired crystal structures for the studied materials were obtained after the synthesis process, ii) the use of the LDH structure promoted greater dispersion of the CuO phase when compared to BASF commercial catalyst, iii) alumina impregnated with copper demonstrated a similar result as the BASF sample for O 2 capture, and iv) among the three samples evaluated, the LHD sample demonstrated the best results regarding oxygen capturing performance becoming a promising structure for further studies.
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Abstract not provided.
Addressing the current health of the nation’s existing 3 million miles of pipeline infrastructure is key to preventing further climate change. In 2020, natural gas production exceeded 34 trillion cubic feet (Tcf). Roughly 75% of natural gas consists of methane (CH 4 ), which is up to 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at trapping heat within the atmosphere over a 100-year period, and studies from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) estimate approximately 2% of all the natural gas produced will be lost during normal operations due to unaddressed leaks. This does not even consider the risks of major disaster due to pipeline failure, or the losses and extra fuel costs incurred due to corrosion and scale deposits in under-maintained pipelines. The objective of the proposed research is to demonstrate the protection capabilities and economic benefits of Oceanit’s internal pipe surface treatment, known as DragX™. DragX™ is a chemically resistant, water-and-oil repellent nanocomposite system that can be readily applied in-situ on natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines with a minimum of surface preparation. This makes it an ideal candidate for in-place retrofitting and refurbishment of existing pipelines without the need for expensive extraction and replacement. DragX™ is also able to significantly reduce the surface roughness, and subsequently, the frictional drag forces within a pipeline, improving throughput, decreasing energy costs of pressurization and pumping, and allowing for longer pipeline operation without interruption, reducing the methane emitted during pipe isolation and venting. As part of this project, Oceanit has utilized the Department of Energy’s support to fully develop, de-risk and prove the DragX™ core technology is both economically viable and commercially desirable to pipeline operators and energy companies alike. DragX™ material properties were optimized in this effort both for ease of applicability, to provide value in certain key parameters, and was demonstrated on pilot applications exceeding 2 miles in length. Beyond the already field demonstrated applications, this innovative nanocomposite surface treatment has the potential to be the backbone for CO 2 and Hydrogen transporting pipeline infrastructure. The learnings from this project could accelerate the deployment of surface treatment technologies related to the energy transition infrastructure, thus benefitting the clean energy initiatives in the United States and all around the world.
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Thermal diffusivity measurements on Zirconium-based cladding materials have historically been a challenge due to the difficulty to measure on specimens with curved geometries, including nuclear grade Zircaloy cladding materials. In this work, we first used Laser Flash Analysis methods to measure the thermal diffusivity of Zircaloy tubes, which show good agreement with Zircaloy plates in this work, as well as previously published data. The consistent results proved the applicability of the Laser Flash Analysis setup for investigating thermal diffusivity of Zircaloy tubes. We further investigate the hydrogen effect on thermal diffusivity of Zircaloy tubes. Hydrogen plays significant roles in temperature dependent thermal diffusivity trends of Zircaloy tube. For low hydrogen concentration, where hydride dissolved into single phase α-Zr at higher temperature, thermal diffusivity is relatively unchanged at low temperature at two phase regions (α-Zr and δ-hydride), and it increases as a function of temperature at single phase α-Zr region. For high hydrogen concentration, where phase transformation (α-Zr + δ-hydride → α-Zr + β-Zr) occurs at 567 °C, thermal diffusivity decreases as a function of temperature below 567 °C before the transformation (α-Zr and δ-hydride), while increase at higher temperature after the transformation (α-Zr and β-Zr).
Abstract not provided.
This is the final report for the project on cold spray. The application of ball milling approach to prepare alloys of metal powder has been studied in this project.
Abstract not provided.