Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “SHIFT PROCESSES”

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 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Strain relaxation in graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition

The growth of single layer graphene by chemical vapor deposition on polycrystalline Cu substrates induces large internal biaxial compressive strain due to thermal expansion mismatch. Raman backscattering spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to study the strain relaxation during and after the transfer process from Cu foil to SiO{sub 2}. Interestingly, the growth of graphene results in a pronounced ripple structure on the Cu substrate that is indicative of strain relaxation of about 0.76% during the cooling from the growth temperature. Removing graphene from the Cu substrates and transferring it to SiO{sub 2} results in a shift of the 2D phonon line by 27 cm{sup −1} to lower frequencies. This translates into additional strain relaxation. The influence of the processing steps, used etching solution and solvents on strain, is investigated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2019

TPSAS-NF1676L-34013-DND

Currently, many experiments pursuing comprehensive characterization of the atmosphere include coordinated observations by both lidar and polarimeters in order to obtain important complimentary information about aerosol properties. The most advanced passive observations by space-based multi-angle polarimeters are sensitive to the properties of aerosol in total atmospheric column, but have very limited sensitivity to vertical structure of the atmosphere. Polarimeter observations can be used not only for retrieval of aerosol optical thickness, but also for deriving microphysical information about aerosol particle shape, size distribution, complex refractive index, and the properties of underlying surface (Dubovik et al., 2019). In a contrast, the lidar observations of atmospheric responses from different altitudes to laser pulses are designed to provide vertical profiles of atmospheric characteristics. Here we present the recent advancement in GRASP algorithm (Generalized Aerosol Retrieval of Atmospheric and Surface Properties) (Dubovik et al., 2011, 2014) that allows simultaneous inversion of co-incident lidar and polarimeter spaceborne observations and derives a united set of vertically resolved aerosol and surface parameters. Such synergetic retrieval is an extension to satellite data of the approach for synergetic processing of active and passive measurements developed earlier by (Lopatin et al., 2013) for ground-based observations. Another addition to these developments is the inclusion of Raman-shifted and volume depolarization backscattering observations that improve sensitivity to the vertical properties of aerosol, while polarimetric observations provide sufficient constraints on aerosol type and loading that generally are missing in lidar signals. The potential and limitations of such synergetic processing is illustrated by application to co-incident PARASOL and CALIPSO data.

Anton Lopatin↗
NASA NTRS2010

Experimental Investigation of Space Radiation Processing in Lunar Soil Ilmenite: Combining Perspectives from Surface Science and Transmission Electron Microscopy

Energetic ions mostly from the solar wind play a major role in lunar space weathering because they contribute structural and chemical changes to the space-exposed surfaces of lunar regolith grains. In mature mare soils, ilmenite (FeTiO3) grains in the finest size fraction have been shown in transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies to exhibit key differences in their response to space radiation processing relative to silicates [1,2,3]. In ilmenite, solar ion radiation alters host grain outer margins to produce 10-100 nm thick layers that are microstructurally complex, but dominantly crystalline compared to the amorphous radiation-processed rims on silicates [1,2,3]. Spatially well-resolved analytical TEM measurements also show nm-scale compositional and chemical state changes in these layers [1,3]. These include shifts in Fe/Ti ratio from strong surface Fe-enrichment (Fe/Ti >> 1), to Fe depletion (Fe/Ti < 1) at 40-50 nm below the grain surface [1,3]. These compositional changes are not observed in the radiation-processed rims on silicates [4]. Several mechanism(s) to explain the overall relations in the ilmenite grain rims by radiation processing and/or additional space weathering processes were proposed by [1], and remain under current consideration [3]. A key issue has concerned the ability of ion radiation processing alone to produce some of the deeper- penetrating compositional changes. In order to provide some experimental constraints on these questions, we have performed a combined X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field-emission scanning transmission electron (FE-STEM) study of experimentally ion-irradiated ilmenite. A key feature of this work is the combination of analytical techniques sensitive to changes in the irradiated samples at depth scales going from the immediate surface (approx.5 nm; XPS), to deeper in the grain interior (5-100 nm; FE-STEM).

Christoffersen, R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Powder spreading, densification, and part deformation in binder jetting additive manufacturing

Binder jetting additive manufacturing (AM) can print complex structures in economical and scalable manner. Binder jetting AM comprises of deposition and weak binding of particles, known as green part, at room temperature and subsequent binder removal and sintering densification at high temperatures. However, during the densification (i.e., sintering), the part significantly deforms due to volume shrinkage. The deformation during sintering is difficult to predict, which prevents the widespread application of this technology. In this research, powder spreading simulation using discrete element method (DEM) was performed first to capture local variations in powder bed configuration. Second, finite element method (FEM) with a phenomenological continuum constitutive model was used to predict part shrinkage during the sintering process. DEM simulation showed variations in packing density, particle segregation, formation of uneven powder bed surface, and shift in particle size distribution (PSD). The sintering simulation modeled part deformation with a reasonable accuracy of 3% for solid-state sintering and intermediate liquid phase sintering. A demonstration case with non-uniform initial packing density showed that inhomogeneous green part density and PSD should be accounted for prediction of part deformation in binder jetting AM.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Resveratrol stimulates mitochondrial fusion by a mechanism requiring mitofusin-2

Resveratrol (RES) is a plant-derived stilbene associated with a wide range of health benefits. Mitochondria are a key downstream target of RES, and in some cell types RES promotes mitochondrial biogenesis, altered cellular redox status, and a shift toward oxidative metabolism. Mitochondria exist as a dynamic network that continually remodels via fusion and fission processes, and the extent of fusion is related to cellular redox status and metabolism. We investigated RES's effects on mitochondrial network morphology in several cell lines using a quantitative approach to measure the extent of network fusion. 48 h continuous treatment with 10–20 μM RES stimulated mitochondrial fusion in C2C12 myoblasts, PC3 cancer cells, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts stimulated significant increases in fusion in all instances, resulting in larger and more highly branched mitochondrial networks. Mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) is a key protein facilitating mitochondrial fusion, and its expression was also stimulated by RES. Using Mfn2-null cells we demonstrated that RES's effects on mitochondrial fusion, cellular respiration rates, and cell growth are all dependent upon the presence of Mfn2. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Mfn2 and mitochondrial fusion are affected by RES in ways that appear to relate to RES's known effects on cellular metabolism and growth. - Highlights: • Resveratrol (RES) stimulated mitochondrial fusion in multiple cell types. • More networks and more branches per network in RES treated cells. • RES effect on mitochondrial fusion was absent in Mitofusin-2 KO cells. • RES effects on cell respiration and growth abolished in Mitofusin-2 KO cells. • Results indicate a key role for Mitofusin-2 in RES effects.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

The shifted boundary method for embedded domain computations. Part I: Poisson and Stokes problems

We propose a new finite element method for embedded domain computations, which falls in the category of surrogate/approximate boundary algorithms. The key feature of the proposed approach is the idea of shifting the location where boundary conditions are applied from the true to the surrogate boundary, and to appropriately modify the shifted boundary conditions, enforced weakly, in order to preserve optimal convergence rates of the numerical solution. This process yields a method which, in our view, is simple, efficient, and also robust, since it is not affected by the small-cut-cell problem. Although general in nature, here we apply this new concept to the Poisson and Stokes problems. We present in particular the full analysis of stability and convergence for the case of the Poisson operator, and numerical tests for both the Poisson and Stokes equations, for geometries of progressively higher complexity.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of sintering temperature on structural, magnetic and electrical transport properties of La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 ceramics prepared by Plasma Activated Sintering

Highlights: • La{sub 0.67}Ca{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} were prepared by using Plasma Activated Sintering technology. • Detailed studies of sintering temperature effect on structural, magnetic and electrical transport behaviors were investigated. • The observed behaviors have been explained by oxygen vacancy effect in combination with grain size effect. - Abstract: La{sub 0.67}Ca{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} (LCMO) ceramics were prepared by Plasma Activated Sintering (PAS). The effect of sintering temperature on structural, magnetic and electrical transport properties of the LCMO ceramics were investigated. XRD and SEM characterizations of the LCMO ceramics indicated that all samples exhibited single orthorhombic phase. Also, through PAS dense LCMO ceramics were obtained. Certain interesting phenomena were observed from the PAS sintering temperature effect on the magnetic and transport behaviors of LCMO ceramics, which were significantly different from traditional sintering methods The magnetization decreased and the resistivity increased as the sintering temperature increased, whereas the T{sub C} and T{sub IM} shifted towards the lower temperature side. The conduction mechanism of all samples was electron-magnon scattering process in the ferromagnetic low-temperature region, while the paramagnetic high-temperature region mechanism was explained with the variable range hopping (VRH) model. All these behaviors were explained through the oxygen vacancy effect in combination with the grain size effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopic analysis of PV deposited ZnS thin films

Highlights: • ZnS thin films grown by PVD technique have exhibited zinc blend structure. • Annealing resulted in blue shift in the band gap. • Shift in Raman peak on annealing is effect of crystallite size and strain. • PL spectra has characterized impurity states in mid-band gap region. - Abstract: Structural, optical and emission characteristics of the physical vapor deposited (PVD) ZnS films were investigated. Refined patterns of x-ray diffractogram (XRD) revealed that the grown films have zinc blende (ZB) structure with preferential orientation along (111) plane. Optical spectrograph was analyzed to derive various optical parameters, including optical band gap, which assess the device suitability of grown films. Raman spectra, fitted with Lorentzian peak, provided insight on frequency shift as an effect of elastic and thermal strains. Intensified peaks in photoluminescence spectra reflected observable recombination process due to larger band gap and assisted in study of defect-states in the grown films. In brief, the paper reports on influence of thickness and post deposition annealing on film characteristics analyzed through spectroscopic techniques.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dynamics of Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation in Submicrometer Aerosol

Nanoscale materials, when compared to their bulk components, possess unique properties. In particular, shifts in phase transitions can occur for submicron particles. For instance, small particles do not undergo the process of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). LLPS has applications in emulsions such as Janus particles, controllable morphology to create drug-rich phases during drug delivery, and is often observed in atmospheric aqueous aerosol particles. In atmospheric particles, LLPS is tracked as a function of particle water activity, which is equivalent to the relative humidity (RH) at equilibrium. We probed three organic/inorganic aerosol systems in the range of RH over which phase separation occurs (SRH). Our findings indicate that SRH for submicron aerosol particles is lower than for micron-sized droplets. These findings show that it may be necessary to update the representation of phase transitions in aerosol particles in climate models. The vast majority of organic/inorganic aerosol particles have submicron diameters, and a decrease in SRH for submicron particles indicates that the current estimation of phase separated aerosols may be overestimated. Furthermore, understanding the properties of LLPS at the nanoscale can provide key parameters to describe these systems and may lead to better control of phase separation in submicron particles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Pillars of Cloud-Based Earth Observation Science Education

Earth observation (EO) is undergoing a paradigm shift with the development of cloud-based analytical platforms supporting EO data collection and access, parallel processing, easier communication of results, and expanded accessibility. As the global community of users and the diversity of applications grow, there is a clear need for expanded educational capacity to leverage these developments and increase the impact of EO research and teaching. Drawing upon extensive conversations between educators, practitioners, and researchers, we propose three pillars that must be prioritized to prepare students, researchers, and professionals to take full advantage of the cloud-based EO paradigm and guide future growth.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ba +2 ion trapping using organic submonolayer for ultra-low background neutrinoless double beta detector

If neutrinos are their own antiparticles the otherwise-forbidden nuclear reaction known as neutrinoless double beta decay can occur. The very long lifetime expected for these exceptional events makes its detection a daunting task. In order to conduct an almost background-free experiment, the NEXT collaboration is investigating novel synthetic molecular sensors that may capture the Ba dication produced in the decay of certain Xe isotopes in a high-pressure gas experiment. The use of such molecular detectors immobilized on surfaces must be explored in the ultra-dry environment of a xenon gas chamber. Here, using a combination of highly sensitive surface science techniques in ultra-high vacuum, we demonstrate the possibility of employing the so-called Fluorescent Bicolor Indicator as the molecular component of the sensor. We unravel the ion capture process for these molecular indicators immobilized on a surface and explain the origin of the emission fluorescence shift associated to the ion trapping.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scalable 3D reconstruction for X-ray single particle imaging with online machine learning

X-ray free-electron lasers offer unique capabilities for measuring the structure and dynamics of biomolecules, helping us understand the basic building blocks of life. Notably, high-repetition-rate free-electron lasers enable single particle imaging, where individual, weakly scattering biomolecules are imaged under near-physiological conditions with the opportunity to access fleeting states that cannot be captured in cryogenic or crystallized conditions. Existing X-ray single particle reconstruction algorithms, which estimate the particle orientation for each image independently, are slow and memory-intensive when handling the massive datasets generated by emerging free-electron lasers. Here, we introduce X-RAI (X-Ray single particle imaging with Amortized Inference), an online reconstruction framework that estimates the structure of 3D macromolecules from large X-ray single particle datasets. X-RAI consists of a convolutional encoder, which amortizes pose estimation over large datasets, as well as a physics-based decoder, which employs an implicit neural representation to enable high-quality 3D reconstruction in an end-to-end, self-supervised manner. We demonstrate that X-RAI achieves state-of-the-art performance for small-scale datasets in simulation and challenging experimental settings and demonstrate its unprecedented ability to process large datasets containing millions of diffraction images in an online fashion. These abilities signify a paradigm shift in X-ray single particle imaging towards real-time reconstruction.

Computer science↗
DOE OSTI2025

Mechanochemical α to β phase transition of U 3 O 8

Recognized as the most stable phase of uranium oxide, α-U 3 O 8 is widely used throughout the nuclear fuel cycle for safe storage and transportation. There is, however, a lack of understanding of the thermodynamic relationship between α-U 3 O 8 and its polymorph, β-U 3 O 8 . This research contributes new knowledge regarding the kinetics and mechanism of a previously described mechanochemical phase transition between the α- and β-U 3 O 8 polymorphs to improve the understanding of their thermodynamic relationship. In this work, tumble milling of α-U 3 O 8 using different milling media shows an ingrowth of the β-phase over time, with an observed correlation between media density, percent conversion and lattice strain. Anisotropic peak broadening observed within collected X-ray diffraction powder patterns suggests the preservation of uranium polyhedral layered sheets throughout the milling process. Preservation of the sheets implies a shear-induced slip mechanism occurring through in-plane shifting of uranium polyhedra along lattice planes perpendicular to the polyhedral sheets.

Roach, Jordan M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (O↗
DOE OSTI2011

Early plume and shock wave dynamics in atmospheric-pressure ultraviolet-laser ablation of different matrix-assisted laser ablation matrices

Pulsed laser ablation of molecular solids is important for identification and quantification in (bio-)organic mass spectrometry, for example using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI). Recently, there has been a major shift to using MALDI and related laser ablation/post-ionization methods at atmospheric pressure. However, the underlying laser ablation processes, in particular early plume formation and expansion, are still poorly understood. Here, we present a study of the early ablation processes on the ns-time scale in atmospheric pressure UV-laser ablation of anthracene as well as of different common MALDI matrices such as 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHB), {alpha}-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and sinapinic acid. Material release as well as the formation and expansion of hemi-spherical shock waves were studied by shadowgraphy with high temporal resolution ({approx}5 ns). The applicability of the classical Taylor-Sedov model for expansion of strong shock waves ('point-blast model'), as well as the drag force model, were evaluated to mathematically describe the observed shock wave propagation. The time- and energy-dependent expansion of the shock waves could be described using a Taylor-Sedov scaling law of the form R {proportional_to} t{sup q}, when a q-exponent of {approx}0.5 instead of the theoretical value of q 0.4 was found, indicating a faster expansion than expected. The deviations from the ideal value of q were attributed to the non-negligible influence of ambient pressure, a weak versus strong shock regime, and additional acceleration processes present in laser ablation that surpass the limit of the point-blast model. The onset of shock wave formation at a fluence of {approx}15-30 mJ/cm{sup 2} for the compounds investigated coincides with the onset of bulk material release, whereas, pure desorption below this fluence threshold did not lead to features visible in shadowgraphy.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Broadband control of emission wavelength of InAs/GaAs quantum dots by GaAs capping temperature

We investigated the effects of the GaAs capping temperature on the morphological and photoluminescence (PL) properties of InAs quantum dots (QDs) on GaAs(001). The broadband tuning of the emission wavelength from 1.1 to 1.3 μm was achieved at room temperature by only adjusting the GaAs capping temperature. As the capping temperature was decreased, the QD shrinkage due to In desorption and In-Ga intermixing during the capping process was suppressed. This led to QDs with a high aspect ratio, and resultantly, the emission wavelength shifted toward the longer-wavelength side. In addition, the linearly polarized PL intensity elucidated anisotropic characteristics reflecting the shape anisotropy of the embedded QDs, in which a marked change in polarization anisotropy occurred at capping temperatures lower than 460 °C.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2010

Structural and optical changes induced by incorporation of antimony into InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots

We present experimental evidence of Sb incorporation inside InAs/GaAs(001) quantum dots exposed to an antimony flux immediately before capping with GaAs. The Sb composition profile inside the nanostructures as measured by cross-sectional scanning tunneling and electron transmission microscopies show two differentiated regions within the quantum dots, with an Sb rich alloy at the tip of the quantum dots. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy micrographs show increased quantum-dot height with Sb flux exposure. The evolution of the reflection high-energy electron-diffraction pattern suggests that the increased height is due to changes in the quantum-dot capping process related to the presence of segregated Sb atoms. These structural and compositional changes result in a shift of the room-temperature photoluminescence emission from 1.26 to 1.36 {mu}m accompanied by an order of magnitude increase in the room-temperature quantum-dot luminescence intensity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-T-599: Patient Safety Enhancements Through a Study of R&V System Override Data

Purpose: Record and verify (R&V) software systems include safety checks that compare actual machine parameters with prescribed values for a patient’s treatment, such as treatment couch position, linac, energy, and MUs. The therapist is warned of a mismatch with a pop-up and prompted to approve an override in order to continue without changes. Override approval is often legitimate, but the pop-up can also genuinely indicate a problem that would Result in the wrong treatment. When there are numerous pop-up warnings, human nature leads us to approve any override without careful reading, undermining the effectiveness of the safety mechanism. Methods: Override data was collected from our R&V system for all patients treated between October 8 and 29, 2012, on four linacs and entered into a spreadsheet. Additional data collected included treatment technique, disease site, immobilization, time, linac, and whether localization images were obtained. Data were analyzed using spreadsheet tools to reveal trends, patterns and associations that might suggest appropriate process changes that could decrease the total number of overrides. Results: 76 out of 113 patients had overrides. Out of the 944 treatments, 599 override items were generated. The majority were due to couch positions. 74 of the 84 overrides on a linac equipped with a 6D couch were due to the use of the rotational corrections and the fact that the 6D couch control does not communicate with the R&V system; translations required to rotate the couch appear to the R&V system as translations outside the tolerance range. Conclusion: Many findings were interesting but did not suggest a process change. Proposed process changes include creating site-specific instead of just technique-specific tolerance tables for couch shifts. Proposed improvements to the vendor are to facilitate direct communication between the 6D couch and the R&V system to eliminate those override warnings related to lack of communication.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Alkaline Zinc Passivation Mechanism is Controlled by Hydroxide Concentration

We studied Zn passivation and oxide growth in Zincate (Zn(OH) 4 2− ) in 4 and 8 M KOH solutions using an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), building on our initial work at 1 M KOH where passivation was kinetically controlled. A porous passivating oxide spontaneously forms on Zn electrodes when KOH is above 4 M and saturated with zincate. However, passivation does not occur when bulk zincate concentration is decreased, resulting in continual Zn dissolution. EQCM data suggests that the passivation mechanism is strongly affected by pOH. Mass transport and kinetic processes in the 4 M KOH electrolytes couple and govern Zn passivation. At 8 M, KOH concentration shifts passivation to mass transport control. We explain this by the increased solubility of Zn(OH) 3 − with increasing pOH. The variation in the mechanism of passivation implications for how passivation is handled in Zn-alkaline batteries. The importance of controlling the mass transport increases with increased pOH, suggesting that electrode design, additives, and potential flow should be optimized. At lower pOHs, kinetics and mass transport must be balanced to manage passivation effectively. Additionally, the changing nature of the native oxide layer on the surface has implications for the evenness of deposition and dissolution on the Zn electrode.

Wittman, Reed M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (O↗