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At least 1,171 records · Page 65
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Synthesis and acoustic properties study of castor‐oil‐based polyurethane foams with the addition of graphene‐oxide‐modified straw fibers

Abstract Polyurethane foam (PUF) can absorb sound by air friction and structural vibrations of cell walls. It is widely used as acoustic material in the automotive industry. According to existing studies, graphene oxide (GO) can improve the acoustic properties of PUF. However, GO tends to coalesce inside PUF. In this paper, straw fibers were modified with different concentrations of GO solution to embed GO on the surface of plant fibers. The GO was dispersed in the PUF using straw fibers. In addition, some studies show that the wrinkled morphology of the GO surface is believed to play a mechanical interlocking role in improving interfacial bonding, thus enhancing the stress transfer between the plant fibers and the polyurethane (PU) matrix and improving the mechanical properties of the PU composites. The acoustic and mechanical properties of the modified PU materials were observed by treating plant fibers with appropriate amounts of GO solution. The experimental study shows that the sample modified with 1 g L −1 GO solution reaches a maximum average sound absorption coefficient of 0.5838 when the straw fiber content reaches 0.5 g, and the sample modified with 2 g L −1 GO solution reaches a maximum transmission loss of 10.5333 when the straw fiber content reaches 1 g. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.

Yang, Keyao↗
NASA NTRS1972

Stress Corrosion Cracking and Fatigue Crack Growth Studies Pertinent to Spacecraft and Booster Pressure Vessels

This experimental program was divided into two parts. The first part evaluated stress corrosion cracking in 2219-T87 aluminum and 5Al-2.5Sn (ELI) titanium alloy plate and weld metal. Both uniform height double cantilever beam and surface flawed specimens were tested in environments normally encountered during the fabrication and operation of pressure vessels in spacecraft and booster systems. The second part studied compatibility of material-environment combinations suitable for high energy upper stage propulsion systems. Surface flawed specimens having thicknesses representative of minimum gage fuel and oxidizer tanks were tested. Titanium alloys 5Al-2.5Sn (ELI), 6Al-4V annealed, and 6Al-4V STA were tested in both liquid and gaseous methane. Aluminum alloy 2219 in the T87 and T6E46 condition was tested in fluorine, a fluorine-oxygen mixture, and methane. Results were evaluated using modified linear elastic fracture mechanics parameters.

Hall, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Elevated temperature compressive steady state deformation and failure in the oxide dispersion strengthened alloy MA 6000E

The compressive flow strength-strain rate behavior of the oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloy MA 6000E has been studied in the temperature range 1144-1366 K, with strain rates ranging from 2.1 x 10 to the -5th to 2.1 x 10 to the -7th per s. It is found that the inherent strength of the alloy is essentially the same in all test directions and that the low strength observed in tensile tests results from the inability of grain boundaries to support high tensile stresses. The failure of MA 6000E under high-temperature, slow plastic flow conditions is shown to be the result of concentrated slip. Slow plastic deformation in MA 6000E can be described by a threshold stress model of creep where threshold stresses are calculated from relatively fast testing procedures and the effective stress exponent for creep is assumed to be 3.5.

Whittenberger, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Microstructural aspects of zirconia thermal barrier coatings

Various combination of plasma-sprayed bond coatings and zirconia ceramic coatings on a nickel-based superalloy substrate were tested by static thermal exposure at 1200 C and cyclic thermal exposure to 1000 C. The bond coats were based on Ni-Cr-Al alloys with additions of rare earth elements and Si. The ceramic coats were various ZrO2-Y2O3 compositions, of which the optimum was found to be ZrO2-8.9 wt percent Y2O3. Microstructural analysis showed that resistance to cracking during thermal exposure is strongly related to deleterious phase changes. Zones depleted of Al formed at the bond coat/ceramic coat interface due to oxidation and at the bond coat/substrate interface due to interdiffusion, leading eventually to breakdown of the bond coat. The 8.9 percent Y2O3 coating performed best because the as-sprayed metastable tetragonal phase converted slowly into the low-Y2O3 tetragonal plus high-Y2O3 cubic-phase mixture, so that the deleterious monoclinic phase was inhibited from forming. Failure appeared to start with the formation of circumferential cracks in the zirconia, probably due to compressive stresses during cooling, followed by the formation of radial cracks due to tensile stresses during heating. Cracks appeared to initiate at the Al2O3 scale/bond coat interface and propagate through the zirconia coating. Comparisons were made with the behavior of bulk ZrO2-Y2O3 and the relationship between the microstructure of the tetragonal phase and the phase diagram. A separate investigation was also made of the ZrO2-Al2O3 interface.

Mitchell, T. E.↗
NASA NTRS2018

An Abrupt Transition to an Intergranular Failure Mode in the Near-Threshold FCG Regime in Ni-Based Superalloys

Cyclic near-threshold FCG behavior of two disk superalloys was evaluated, and was shown to exhibit an unexpected sudden failure mode transition from a mostly transgranular failure mode at higher stress intensities to an almost completely intergranular failure mode in the threshold regime. The change in failure modes was associated with a crossover effect in which the conditions that produced higher FCG rates in the Paris regime resulted in lower FCG rates and increased ΔKth values in the threshold region. High resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy was used to carefully characterize the crack tips at these near-threshold conditions. Formation of stable Al-oxide followed by Cr and Ti oxides was found to occur at the crack tip prior to formation of unstable oxides. To contrast with the threshold failure mode regime, a quantitative assessment of the role that the intergranular failure mode has on cyclic FCG behavior in the Paris regime was also performed. It was demonstrated that the even a very limited intergranular failure content dominates the FCG response under mixed mode failure conditions.

fatigue crack growth↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enhancing mobility and interface state engineering via UV-ozone treatment in BEOL-compatible ultrathin TiO 2 transistors

It has emerged as a potential candidate to improve the performance of monolithic-three-dimensional (M3D) integration of fused logic and memories through low-temperature in situ synthesis of high-performance metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) transistors. Here, we report the demonstration of the BEOL-compatible low thermal budget (350 °C) fabrication process of ultrathin-TiO2 transistors by the combination of RTA and UV-ozone treatment (RTA-UVOz). UV–ozone (UVOz) treatment of TiO2 anatase films significantly enhances stability, boosting ION current and field effect mobility (μ FE ) by two times of magnitude in TiO2 TFTs. UV ozone treatment helps to eliminate pre-existing oxygen vacancies and carbon contamination on TiO2 channels even at low temperature (100 °C), resulting in high-quality channel/dielectric interfaces with low interface states (D it ). During UVOz treatment, oxygen species (O x ) passivate the oxygen vacancies ($V$$^{2+}_{o}$), and hence low concentration of $V$$^{2+}_{o}$ would be left for ionization/de-ionization under PBS/NBS, leading to improved bias stress stability. Furthermore, the TiO 2 TFTs with thin ZrO 2 gate dielectric exhibited excellent performance including a lower subthreshold swing (SS) of 98 mV/dec with high drive I ON current ∼ 4.5 μA/μm, a high I ON /I OFF > 10 9 , and mobility μFE of 7 cm 2 /V-s under a battery powered voltage of 1 V. UV–ozone treatment enables high-performance, CMOS-compatible TiO 2 transistors with a low thermal budget, ideal for next-generation flexible, energy-efficient electronics.

BEOL↗
DOE OSTI2024

The human plasma lipidome response to exertional heat tolerance testing

The year of 2023 displayed the highest average global temperatures recorded in history— the duration and severity of extreme heat are projected to increase. Rising global temperatures represent a major public health threat, especially to occupations exposed to hot environments, such as construction and agricultural workers, and first responders. Despite efforts of the scientific community, there is still a need to characterize the pathophysiological processes leading to heat related illness and develop biomarkers that can predict its onset. Here, we performed a plasma lipidomic analysis on male and female subjects who underwent heat tolerance testing (HTT), consisting of a 2-h treadmill walk at 5 km/h with 2% inclination at a controlled temperature of 40oC. We identified 995 lipids from 27 classes, with nearly half of all detected lipids being responsive to HTT. Lipid classes related to substrate utilization were predominantly affected by HTT, with a downregulation of triacylglycerols and upregulation of free fatty acids and acyl-carnitines. We additionally examined correlations between changes in plasma lipids by using the even chain acyl-carnitines is physiological strain index (PSI). Here, even chain acyl-carnitines, bi-products of incomplete beta oxidation, and diacylglycerols displayed the highest correlation to PSI. PSI did not correlate with plasma lactate levels, which suggests that correlations with related to metabolic efficiency versus physical exertion. Overall, our results show that HTT has a strong impact on the plasma lipidome and that incomplete beta oxidation may underlie heat intolerance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2020

Tensile Creep Behavior of SiC(f)/SiC Ceramic Matrix Minicomposites

Single fiber-tow minicomposites represent the major load-bearing element of woven and laminate ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). To understand the effects of fiber type, fiber content, and matrix cracking on tensile creep in SiCf/SiC CMCs, single-tow SiCf/SiC minicomposites with different fiber types and contents were investigated. The minicomposites studied contained either Hi-Nicalon™ or Hi-Nicalon™ Type S SiC fibers with a boron nitride (BN) interphase and a chemical-vapor-infiltrated-silicon-carbide (CVI-SiC) matrix. Tensile creep was performed at 1200 °C in air. A bottom-up creep modeling approach was applied where creep parameters of the fibers and matrix were obtained separately at 1200 °C. Next, a theoretical model based on the rule of mixtures was derived to model the fiber and matrix creep-time-dependent stress redistribution. Fiber and matrix creep parameters, load transfer model results, and numerical modeling were used to construct a creep strain model to predict creep damage evolution of minicomposites with different fiber types and contents.

SiC/SiC Minicomposites Creep↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of graphene surface functionalities towards controlled reinforcement of a lignin based renewable thermoplastic rubber

In this report, we describe methods to enhance mechanical properties of a renewable thermoplastic rubber by incorporating functional graphene platelets into an equal-mass mixture of lignin, a feedstock from plant biomass, and a nitrile-butadiene rubber having 41 mol % acrylonitrile content (NBR41) that form a nanocomposite. Not all lignins yield mechanically strong material when they are combined with NBR41, and thus, limit its use for such rubbery products. Here, we evaluate different graphene oxides (GO) and reduced graphene oxides (rGO) dry-powders with different surface areas, functionality, and wettability in the synthesis of performance-enhanced nanocomposites of soft lignin/NBR41 matrix via a solvent-free, high shear reactive process. High surface area GO (HSGO) platelets with strong hydrophilicity exhibit good dispersion in the multiphase lignin/NBR41 composites with lignin dispersion varying from 200 to 2000 nm, resulting in superior reinforcement over other graphene derivatives. The addition of 1–4 wt % HSGO increased the tensile stress of the lignin/NBR41 thermoplastic rubber matrix by 60–160% (15–24 MPa) and the modulus by 200–700% (60–140 MPa). Scanning electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering results show that the well-dispersed HSGO platelets effectively disrupt the lignin-rich aggregates in NBR41 matrix, resulting in both strength and stiffness enhancements in the formed nanocomposites. This report on performance enhancement of lignin-based renewable polymers via the production of nanocomposite would increase potential for ‘finding the value of lignin’—a grand challenge associated with modern biorefineries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improving Ni-Based SOFC Anode Resilience and Durability through Secondary Phase Formation

The project used a multi-disciplinary approach to test test if 2° materials, added to traditional cermet components, enhanced SOFC mechanical strength, anode resilience and durability when subjected to electrochemical and environmental redox cycling. Findings from fracture testing, electrochemical studies and operando Raman spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that aluminum titanate (Al 2 TiO 5 or ALT) mechanically mixed with NiO-YSZ cermets confers superior mechanical strength and slower degradation rates under polarization. No deleterious effects from ALT in conversion efficiency were observed. Specific accomplishments included the following: (1) Refined methods used to fabricate ALT enhanced anodes into bi-layer anode supports to achieve high power densities; (2) Compared the effects of adding ALT mechanically to Ni-YSZ powders prior to anode fabrication with adding ALT through infiltration and co-infiltration of YSZ scaffolds; (3) Tested the resilience of these novel materials to electrochemical and environmental redox cycling and thermal stresses commonly encountered in functioning SOFCs; and (4) Characterized the ability of ALT to improve the carbon tolerance of Ni-YSZ anodes operating with dry methane.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2023

Isolation of Methane Enriched Bacterial Communities and Application as Wheat Biofertilizer under Drought Conditions: An Environmental Contribution

The search for methanotrophs as plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) presents an important contribution to mitigating the impact of global warming by restoring the natural soil potential for consuming methane while benefiting plants during droughts. Our in silico simulations suggest that water, produced as a byproduct of methane oxidation, can satisfy the cell growth requirement. In addition to water, methanotrophs can produce metabolites that stimulate plant growth. Considering this, we proposed that applying methanotrophs as PGPR can alleviate the effect of droughts on crops, while stimulating atmospheric methane consumption. In this work, we isolated a series of methanotrophic communities from the rhizospheres of different crops, including Italian sweet pepper and zucchini, using an atmosphere enriched with pure methane gas, to determine their potential for alleviating drought stress in wheat plants. Subsequently, 23 strains of nonmethanotrophic bacteria present in the methanotrophic communities were isolated and characterized. We then analyzed the contribution of the methane-consuming consortia to the improvement of plant growth under drought conditions, showing that some communities contributed to increases in the wheat plants’ lengths and weights, with statistically significant differences according to ANOVA models. Furthermore, we found that the presence of methane gas can further stimulate the plant–microbe interactions, resulting in larger plants and higher drought tolerance.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1986

Orientation and temperature dependence of some mechanical properties of the single-crystal nickel-base superalloy Rene N4. II - Low cycle fatigue behavior

The low cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of a single-crystal nickel-base superalloy Rene N4, have been examined at 760 and 980 C in air. Specimens having crystallographic orientations near the 001, 011, -111, 023, -236, and -145 lines were tested in fully reversed, total-strain-controlled LCF tests at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. At 760 C, this alloy exhibited orientation dependent tension-compression anisotropies of yielding which continued to failure. Also at 760 C, orientations exhibiting predominately single slip exhibited serrated yielding for many cycles. At 980 C, orientation dependencies of yielding behavior were smaller. In spite of the tension-compression anisotropies, cyclic stress range-strain range behavior was not strongly orientation dependent for either test temperature. Fatigue life on a total strain range basis was highly orientation dependent at 760 and 980 C and was related chiefly to elastic modulus, low modulus orientations having longer lives. Stage I crack growth on 111 planes was dominant at 760 C, while Stage II crack growth occurred at 980 C. Crack initiation generally occurred at near-surface micropores, but occasionally at oxidation spikes in the 980 C tests.

Gabb, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Effects of High-Temperature Annealing in Air on Hi-Nicalon Fiber-Reinforced Celsian Matrix Composites

BN/SiC-coated Hi-Nicalon fiber-reinforced celsian matrix composites (CMC) were annealed for 100 h in air at various temperatures to 1200 C, followed by flexural strength measurements at room temperature. Values of yield stress and strain, ultimate strength, and composite modulus remain almost unchanged for samples annealed up to 1100 C. A thin porous layer formed on the surface of the 1100 C annealed sample and its density decreased from 3.09 to 2.90 g/cu cm. The specimen annealed at 1200 C gained 0.43 wt%, was severely deformed, and was covered with a porous layer of thick shiny glaze which could be easily peeled off. Some gas bubbles were also present on the surface. This surface layer consisted of elongated crystals of monoclinic celsian and some amorphous phase(s). The fibers in this surface ply of the CMC had broken into small pieces. The fiber-matrix interface strength was characterized through fiber push-in technique. Values of debond stress, alpha(sub d), and frictional sliding stress, tau(sub f), for the as-fabricated CMC were 0.31+/-0.14 GPa and 10.4+/-3.1 MPa, respectively. These values compared with 0.53+/-0.47 GPa and 8.33+/-1.72 MPa for the fibers in the interior of the 1200 C annealed sample, indicating hardly any change in fiber-matrix interface strength. The effects of thermal aging on microstructure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Only the surface ply of the 1200 C annealed specimens had degraded from oxidation whereas the bulk interior part of the CMC was unaffected. A mechanism is proposed explaining the various steps involved during the degradation of the CMC on annealing in air at 1200 C.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Finite Element Modeling of the Phase Change in Thermally-Grown SiO 2 in SiC Systems for Gas Turbines

The operating lifetimes of SiC-based components in combustion environments are directly linked to the adhesion of the protective environmental barrier coating (EBC) layer. One of the major known failure modes for EBCs is the formation of a thick SiO 2 thermally grown oxide (TGO), which decreases coating adhesion and encourages eventual coating spallation. The effect of the TGO thickness under Yb 2 Si 2 O 7 EBCs on silicon carbide was investigated using finite element models (FEMs) with various interfacial architectures and SiO 2 TGO thicknesses. Further, the FEMs incorporated a user-defined material to simulate the volume contraction of the TGO during the silica phase transformation from β-cristobalite to α-cristobalite upon cooling from the stress-free state at 1350°C to room temperature. Systems with and without a silicon bond coating intermediary layer were assessed. It was shown that the TGO phase transformation stress (1.6–1.7 GPa) dominated the increase in stress in the TGO and EBC layers. Furthermore, it was found that stress increase in the TGO was independent of TGO thickness and interface geometry. These results indicate that stabilization of the TGO to mitigate the phase transformation could dramatically improve the performance of SiC-base components with EBCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Phosphonic-Acid-Reinforced Polymer Hole Transport Layers for Deployable p-i-n Perovskite Photovoltaics

The long-term durability prospects of halide perovskite solar cells are rapidly improving; however, the interface between the hole transport layer (HTL) and the perovskite remains a source of degradation. Alone, polymer- or carbazole-based HTLs suffer from incomplete coverage of the underlying indium tin oxide glass, leading to degradation and compromised performance. Here, we show a multi-HTL approach whereby a polymer HTL is reinforced using a phosphonic acid modification leading to better protection of the buried perovskite interface and more columnar growth of perovskite film, resulting in an ~40-mV open-circuit voltage (VOC) improvement indicative of suppressed interfacial recombination across multiple p-i-n device architectures. Solar cells with this reinforced HTL show higher tolerance to several accelerated stress tests. We report, among the best durabilities for unencapsulated cells, a T90 ~3,000 h (T80 ~5,900 h) at 65 degrees C under continuous 1.2 sun AM 1.5G illumination and maximum power point tracking, representing a nearly 4-fold increase compared with [2-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)ethyl]phosphonic acid (2PACz)-only devices. Furthermore, we deployed a device with this reinforced HTL on a cube satellite, with long-duration operational space testing results exceeding T80 for the complete mission duration of ~100 days in low Earth orbit.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of edge damage induced on REBCO superconducting tape by mechanical slitting

Abstract Rare-earth barium-copper-oxide (REBCO) superconductors are high-field superconductors fabricated in a tape geometry that can be utilized in magnet applications well in excess of 20 T. Due to the multilayer architecture of the tape, delamination is one cause of mechanical failure in REBCO tapes. During a mechanical slitting step in the manufacturing process, edge cracks can be introduced into the tape. These cracks are thought to be potential initiation sites for crack propagation in the tapes when subjected to stresses in the fabrication and operation of magnet systems. We sought to understand which layers were the mechanically weakest by locating the crack initiation layer and identifying the geometrical conditions of the slitter that promoted or suppressed crack formation. The described cracking was investigated by selectively etching and characterizing each layer with scanning electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and digital image analysis. Our analysis showed that the average crack lengths in the REBCO, LaMnO 3 (LMO) and Al 2 O 3 layers were 34 μ m, 28 μ m, and 15 μ m, respectively. The total number of cracks measured in 30 mm of wire length was between 3000 and 5700 depending on the layer and their crack densities were 102 cracks mm −1 for REBCO, 108 cracks mm −1 for LMO, and 183 cracks mm −1 for Al 2 O 3 . These results indicated that there are separate crack initiation mechanisms for the REBCO and the LMO layers, as detailed in the paper. With a better understanding of the crack growth behavior exhibited by REBCO tapes, the fabrication process can be improved to provide a more mechanically stable and cost-effective superconductor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2026

From photosynthetic electron flow to gene regulation: redox signal transduction in cyanobacteria

In cyanobacteria, the free-living ancestors of chloroplasts, photosynthesis simultaneously sustains growth and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage proteins, lipids, and DNA when light capture outpaces carbon fixation. Maintaining redox balance, therefore, requires cells to read photosynthetic electron flow as a signal that continuously tunes gene expression and protein activity. This review traces how these redox signals are transduced to transcription machinery through three routes: membrane-localized sensors, cytoplasmic redox sensors downstream of photosystem I, and ROS generated when electron sinks are saturated. Membrane-bound histidine kinases (two-component systems) relay the redox state of the plastoquinone pool to control photosystem remodeling, pigment biosynthesis, and circadian timing. Cytoplasmic one-component regulators, by contrast, sense redox directly through thiol-disulfide switches, glutathionylation, iron-sulfur clusters, and metal-catalyzed oxidation to control photosystem-cofactor, electron-carrier, and transition-metal homeostasis. Because many of these regulators persist in algal and plant chloroplasts, cyanobacteria illuminate principles of redox control across photosynthetic eukaryotes. Post-transcriptional and translational control further shapes redox-dependent gene expression programs through transcript stability, ribosome assembly, and translation initiation, extending redox regulation beyond transcription to every step of protein synthesis and even activity modulation. Finally, we connect redox regulation to photosynthetic physiology, stress resilience, and the rational engineering of cyanobacteria for sustainable bioproduction.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2000

Systematic Sensitivity Analysis of Metabolic Controllers During Reductions in Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow

An acute reduction in oxygen delivery to skeletal muscle is generally associated with profound derangements in substrate metabolism. Given the complexity of the human bioenergetic system and its components, it is difficult to quantify the interaction of cellular metabolic processes to maintain ATP homeostasis during stress (e.g., hypoxia, ischemia, and exercise). Of special interest is the determination of mechanisms relating tissue oxygenation to observed metabolic responses at the tissue, organ, and whole body levels and the quantification of how changes in oxygen availability affect the pathways of ATP synthesis and their regulation. In this study, we apply a previously developed mathematical model of human bioenergetics to study effects of ischemia during periods of increased ATP turnover (e.g., exercise). By using systematic sensitivity analysis the oxidative phosphorylation rate was found to be the most important rate parameter affecting lactate production during ischemia under resting conditions. Here we examine whether mild exercise under ischemic conditions alters the relative importance of pathways and parameters previously obtained.

Radhakrishnan, Krishnan↗