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

Nanostructured ceria based thin films ({<=}1 {mu}m) As cathode/electrolyte interfaces

Gadolinium doped cerium oxide (CGO: Ce{sub 0,9}Gd{sub 0,1}O{sub 2-{delta}}) films were used as an oxygen anion diffusion layer at the cathode/electrolyte interface of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), between LSCF (lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite) and YSZ (yttria-stabilized zirconia). Thin ({approx}100 nm) and thick ({approx}700 nm) mesoporous CGO layers were synthesized through a sol-gel process including organic template coupled with the dip-coating method. Structural and microstructural characterizations were performed, highlighting a well-bonded crystalline CGO nanoparticles network which delineates a 3-D inter-connected mesoporous network. Their electrical behaviors were investigated by impedance spectroscopy analysis of YSZ/mesoporous-CGO/LSCF half-cell. Anode-supported SOFCs, operating at 800 Degree-Sign C, with either dense or mesoporous CGO dip-coated interlayers were also fabricated [NiO-YSZ anode/YSZ/CGO/LSCF cathode]. The impact of the mesoporous CGO interlayers on SOFCs performances was investigated by galvanostatic analysis and compared to the behavior of a dense CGO interlayer. The polarization curves revealed an enhancement in the electrical performance of the cell, which is assigned to a decrease of the polarization resistance at the cathode/electrolyte interface. The integrity and connectivity of the CGO nanoparticles bonded network facilitates O{sup 2-} transport across the interface. - Graphical abstract: Thin and thick CGO films have been prepared through a sol-gel process and their potential application as SOFC cathode/electrolyte interlayer in SOFC has been investigated. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mesoporous ceria based thin films exhibit interesting performances for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mesoporous films were synthesized through the sol-gel process combined with the dip-coating. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Integrity and connectivity of the nanoparticles facilitates O{sup 2-} transport across the interface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Enhanced organic photovoltaic properties via structural modifications in PEDOT:PSS due to graphene oxide doping

Highlights: • Graphene oxide(GO) blended with PEDOT:PSS is used as HTL for PTB7:PCBM BHJ solar cells. • Increase in conductivity due to structural alterations in PEDOT:PSS by GO addition. • The structural alterations are reaveled under Raman spectroscopy, XPS and AFM. • PEDOT:PSS changed to extended coil due to addition of GO to PEDOT:PSS. • Enhanced conductivity after GO addition to PEDOT:PSS resulted in enhanced PCE. - Abstract: Poly(3,4-thylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate), PEDOT:PSS is a well-known conductive polymer for hole transport in organic devices, the properties of which can be enhanced by doping. Common dopants are metal oxides and nanoparticles. In this study, addition of graphene oxide (GO) to PEDOT:PSS as a dopant is addressed in organic photovoltaics (OPVs). With GO doping, electrical conductivity and transport properties of PEDOT:PSS increases due to structural alterations in the presence of −COOH and −OH functional groups in GO. These structural alterations have been revealed under detailed study of Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, Topographical and conductive Atom force microscopy (AFM/C-AFM) mapping. OPVs fabricated using PEDOT:PSS: GO (5:1) as a hole transport layer (HTL) exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.68%, which was higher than the 7.01% that was obtained for the OPVs using pristine PEDOT:PSS.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Advancing biological processing for valorization of plastic wastes

We report the useful applications of plastics are as significant as the problems associated with their disposal. Current waste management strategies are ineffective at preventing the flow of plastics into landfills, wastewater treatment, and the environment. Despite the importance of recycling technologies, most plastics are used for consumables and are discarded after limited usage. Moreover, only certain plastics are recycled, and those that are generally yield lower value products. Discovering alternative routes for valorizing plastic wastes is essential. Emerging research involves the use of biocatalysts (i.e., enzymes and microorganisms) to produce valuable products like specialty polymers, biosurfactants, and drug precursors from these feedstocks. These bioprocesses commonly integrate physio-chemical pretreatments (to generate biologically reactive intermediates) and biological upgrading (to convert intermediates to products). Herein, publications that explore plastic deconstruction technologies and bioprocesses are reviewed with an emphasis on plastic waste valorization. Understanding how microorganisms metabolize the intermediates of plastic degradation and manage their inhibitory effects is a prerequisite for engineering bioprocesses. For these heterogeneous wastes, a paradigm shift from axenic cultivation of microorganisms to cultivation of microbial consortia may benefit conversion efficiency and stress resilience. Thus, a summary is provided for metabolic pathways and constituent enzymes required to synthesize biofuels, biomaterials, and chemicals from biologically reactive intermediates. Colossal challenges associated with the use of plastics as feedstocks for direct biological processing highlight the need for integrating physical, chemical, and biological technologies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamics of asymmetric binary glass formers. I. A dielectric and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

Dielectric spectroscopy as well as {sup 2}H and {sup 31}P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) are applied to probe the component dynamics of the binary glass former tripropyl phosphate (TPP)/polystyrene (PS/PS-d{sub 3}) in the full concentration (c{sub TPP}) range. In addition, depolarized light scattering and differential scanning calorimetry experiments are performed. Two glass transition temperatures are found: T{sub g1}(c{sub TPP}) reflects PS dynamics and shows a monotonic plasticizer effect, while the lower T{sub g2}(c{sub TPP}) exhibits a maximum and is attributed to (faster) TPP dynamics, occurring in a slowly moving or immobilized PS matrix. Dielectric spectroscopy probing solely TPP identifies two different time scales, which are attributed to two sub-ensembles. One of them, again, shows fast TPP dynamics (α{sub 2}-process), the other (α{sub 1}-process) displays time constants identical with those of the slow PS matrix. Upon heating the α{sub 1}-fraction of TPP decreases until above some temperature T{sub c} only a single α{sub 2}-population exists. Inversely, below T{sub c} a fraction of the TPP molecules is trapped by the PS matrix. At low c{sub TPP} the α{sub 2}-relaxation does not follow frequency-temperature superposition (FTS), instead it is governed by a temperature independent distribution of activation energies leading to correlation times which follow Arrhenius laws, i.e., the α{sub 2}-relaxation resembles a secondary process. Yet, {sup 31}P NMR demonstrates that it involves isotropic reorientations of TPP molecules within a slowly moving or rigid matrix of PS. At high c{sub TPP} the super-Arrhenius temperature dependence of τ{sub 2}(T), as well as FTS are recovered, known as typical of the glass transition in neat systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Chemical post-treatment and thermoelectric properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) thin films

We report on the modification of the thermoelectric properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxylthiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) thin films by means of a simple post treatment of the solid thin films realized by drop-coating. We show that the organic polar solvents, dimethyl sulfoxide and ethylene glycol as secondary dopants for PEDOT:PSS, only affect the film morphology for which a high electrical conductivity is observed. In contrast, ethanolamine (MEA) and ammonia solutions are reduction agents that improve the density of PEDOT chains in the reduced forms (polaron and neutral states), resulting in the trade-off between Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. Furthermore, we show that the nature of amines determines the reduction degree: the nitrogen lone pair electrons in MEA are easier to be donated than those in ammonia solution and will therefore neutralize the PEDOT chains.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamics of asymmetric binary glass formers. II. Results from nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Various {sup 2}H and {sup 31}P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques are applied to probe the component dynamics of the binary glass former tripropyl phosphate (TPP)/polystyrene-d{sub 3} (PS) over the full concentration range. The results are quantitatively compared to those of a dielectric spectroscopy (DS) study on the same system previously published [R. Kahlau, D. Bock, B. Schmidtke, and E. A. Rössler, J. Chem. Phys. 140, 044509 (2014)]. While the PS dynamics does not significantly change in the mixtures compared to that of neat PS, two fractions of TPP molecules are identified, one joining the glass transition of PS in the mixture (α{sub 1}-process), the second reorienting isotropically (α{sub 2}-process) even in the rigid matrix of PS, although at low concentration resembling a secondary process regarding its manifestation in the DS spectra. Pronounced dynamical heterogeneities are found for the TPP α{sub 2}-process, showing up in extremely stretched, quasi-logarithmic stimulated echo decays. While the time window of NMR is insufficient for recording the full correlation functions, DS results, covering a larger dynamical range, provide a satisfactory interpolation of the NMR data. Two-dimensional {sup 31}P NMR spectra prove exchange within the broadly distributed α{sub 2}-process. As demonstrated by {sup 2}H NMR, the PS matrix reflects the faster α{sub 2}-process of TPP by performing a spatially highly hindered motion on the same timescale.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Ordering of self-assembled 5-nm-diameter poly(dimethylsiloxane) nanodots with sub-10 nm pitch using ultra-narrow electron-beam-drawn guide lines and three-dimensional control

We demonstrate the possibility of forming long-range ordered self-assembled arrays of 5-nm-diameter nanodots with pitch of 10 × 7.5 nm{sup 2} using guide line templates and low molecular weight (MW) (4700–1200 g/mol) poly(styrene)-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PS-PDMS) for application in ultrahigh density patterned magnetic recording media. We propose a three-dimensional control which involves control of the height of the guide lines, the thickness of the PS-PDMS films, and the gap between the guide lines in order to produce 5-nm-diameter, sub-10 nm pitched nanodots with long-range order along the guide lines. Adopting a 13-nm-thick PS-PDMS film and 14-nm-high resist guide lines, the 5-nm-diameter and 10 × 7.5 nm{sup 2}-pitched self-assembled nanodots were ordered in 4–7 dot arrays with long-range order. The experimental results demonstrate that the method is suitable for the production of patterned media with magnetic recording densities of 8.6 Tbit/in.{sup 2} using low MW PS-PDMS and slim guide lines.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

A molecular dynamics study of polymer/graphene interfacial systems

Graphene based polymer nanocomposites are hybrid materials with a very broad range of technological applications. In this work, we study three hybrid polymer/graphene interfacial systems (polystyrene/graphene, poly(methyl methacrylate)/graphene and polyethylene/graphene) through detailed atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Density profiles, structural characteristics and mobility aspects are being examined at the molecular level for all model systems. In addition, we compare the properties of the hybrid systems to the properties of the corresponding bulk ones, as well as to theoretical predictions.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Coarse-grained simulations of polyelectrolyte complexes: MARTINI models for poly(styrene sulfonate) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium)

We present simulations of aqueous polyelectrolyte complexes with new MARTINI models for the charged polymers poly(styrene sulfonate) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium). Our coarse-grained polyelectrolyte models allow us to study large length and long time scales with regard to chemical details and thermodynamic properties. The results are compared to the outcomes of previous atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and verify that electrostatic properties are reproduced by our MARTINI coarse-grained approach with reasonable accuracy. Structural similarity between the atomistic and the coarse-grained results is indicated by a comparison between the pair radial distribution functions and the cumulative number of surrounding particles. Our coarse-grained models are able to quantitatively reproduce previous findings like the correct charge compensation mechanism and a reduced dielectric constant of water. These results can be interpreted as the underlying reason for the stability of polyelectrolyte multilayers and complexes and validate the robustness of the proposed models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Preparation of graphene oxide/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxytriophene): Poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electrospun nanofibers

Graphene oxide (GO)/Poly (3,4-Ethylenedioxytriophene):Poly (styrene Sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) nanofibers have been successfully fabricated by a simple electrospinning technique to develop conductive nanofibers with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) act as a carrier solution. Graphene oxide has been synthesized by Hummer’s method and has been confirmed by Raman Spectroscopy, FTIR and UV-Vis Spectroscopy. GO/PEDOT:PSS composite nanofibers. The structural and morphological properties were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The result of SEM show that GO/PEDOT:PSS nanofibers has a relatively uniform morphology nanofiber with diameter between 180 nm - 340 nm with smooth nanofiber surface. The produced nanofibers from this study can be utilized for various applications such as flexible, conductive and transparent electrode.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Cold Moderator For Sub-Thermal Neutron Flux Enhancement at the RPI-LINAC

The importance of high-quality thermal neutron scattering kernels coupled with a lack of accurate sub-thermal total cross section data prompted researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to design a cold moderation system to enhance sub-thermal neutron flux (defined as flux below 5 meV), for nuclear data measurements at the RPI Gaerttner LINAC facility. Using a series of neutronic and heat transfer simulations obtained with MCNP and COMSOL, an optimized final design was produced. The final design exceeded current target sub-thermal neutron producing capabilities by a factor of 8 in the sub-thermal region and is easily configurable with existing neutron producing targets.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Polymer Brushes under High Load

Polymer coatings are frequently used to provide repulsive forces between surfaces in solution. After 25 years of design and study, a quantitative model to explain and predict repulsion under strong compression is still lacking. Here, we combine experiments, simulations, and theory to study polymer coatings under high loads and demonstrate a validated model for the repulsive forces, proposing that this universal behavior can be predicted from the polymer solution properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Head Impact from Falling Payload of a Small Balloon

Despite the increasing number of small scientific balloon missions with payloads in the gram-to- kilogram mass range, little is known about the injury risk they pose to humans on the ground. We investigated the risk of head injury using the head injury criterion (HIC) from impact with a 1.54 kg (3.40 pound) payload. Study parameters were impact speeds of 670, 1341, and 2012 cm s -1 (15, 30, and 45 mph) and protective padding wall thicknesses between zero and 10 cm (3.9 inch). Padding provided meaningful reductions of injury risk outcomes at all speeds. The maximum risk of AIS 3+ injury was approximately 3.6% (HIC 249) for the 670 cm s -1 (15 mph) case with 0.5 cm (0.2 inch) of padding, 34% (HIC 801) for the 1341 cm s -1 (30 mph) case with 3.0 cm (1.2 inch) of padding, and 67% (HIC 1147) for the 2012 cm s -1 (45 mph) case with 7.0 cm (2.8 inch) of padding. Adding 1.0 cm (0.39 inch) of padding to these two latter cases reduced AIS 3+ injury risk to approximately 13% (HIC 498) and 37% (HIC 835), respectively. Public safety can be increased when balloon operators use padded payload enclosures as adjuncts to parachutes.

42 ENGINEERING↗