Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “bulk density”

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 1,261 records · Page 70
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Carbon Nanotube Nanoelectrode Array for Ultrasensitive DNA Detection

A reliable nanoelectrode array based on vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) embedded in SiO2 is used for ultrasensitive DNA detection. Characteristic nanoelectrode behavior is observed using low-density MWNT arrays for measuring both bulk and surface immobilized redox species such as K4Fe(CN)6. The open-end of MWNTs present similar properties as graphite edge-plane electrodes with wide potential window, flexible chemical functionalities, and good biocompatibility. Oligonucleotide probes are selectively functionalized at the open ends cf the nanotube array and specifically hybridized with oligonucleotide targets. The guanine groups are employed as the signal moieties in the electrochemical measurements. Ru(bpy)3(2+) mediator is used to further amplify the guanine oxidation signal. The hybridization of subattomoles of PCR amplified DNA targets is detected electrochemically by combining the MWNT nanoelectrode array with the Ru(bpy)32' amplification mechanism. This system provides a general platform of molecular diagnostics for applications requiring ultrahigh sensitivity, high-degree of miniaturization, and simple sample preparations.

Li, Jun↗
NASA NTRS2003

Carbon Nanotube Nanoelectrode Array as an Electronic Chip for Ultrasensitive Label-free DNA Detection

A reliable nanoelectrode array based on vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) embedded in SiO2 is used for ultrasensitive DNA detection. Characteristic nanoelectrode behavior is observed using low-density MWNT arrays for measuring both bulk and surface immobilized redox species such as K4Fe(CN)6 and ferrocene derivatives. The open-end of MWNTs are found to present similar properties as graphite edge-plane electrodes with wide potential window, flexible chemical functionalities, and good biocompatibility. BRCA1 related oligonucleotide probes with 18 bp are selectively functionalized at the open ends of the nanotube array and specifically hybridized with oligonucleotide targets incorporated with a polyG tag. The guanine groups are employed as the signal moieties in the electrochemical measurements. R(bpy)(sup 2+, sub 3) mediator is used to further amplify the guanine oxidation signal. The hybridization of sub-attomoles of DNA targets is detected electrochemically by combining the MWNT nanoelectrode array with the R(bpy)(sup 2+, sub 3) amplification mechanism. This technique was employed for direct electrochemical detection of label-free PCR amplicon from a healthy donor through specific hybridization with the BRCA1 probe. The detection limit is estimated to be less than 1000 DNA molecules since abundant guanine bases in the PCR amplicon provides a large signal. This system provides a general platform for rapid molecular diagnostics in applications requiring ultrahigh sensitivity, high-degree of miniaturization, and simple sample preparation, and low-cost operation.

Li, Jun↗
NASA NTRS2011

Active Neutron and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for In Situ Planetary Science Applications

We describe the development of an instrument capable of detailed in situ bulk geochemical analysis of the surface of planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. This instrument technology uses a pulsed neutron generator to excite the solid materials of a planet and measures the resulting neutron and gamma-ray emission with its detector system. These time-resolved neutron and gamma-ray data provide detailed information about the bulk elemental composition, chemical context, and density distribution of the soil within 50 cm of the surface. While active neutron scattering and neutron-induced gamma-ray techniques have been used extensively for terrestrial nuclear well logging applications, our goal is to apply these techniques to surface instruments for use on any solid solar system body. As described, experiments at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center use a prototype neutron-induced gamma-ray instrument and the resulting data presented show the promise of this technique for becoming a versatile, robust, workhorse technology for planetary science, and exploration of any of the solid bodies in the solar system. The detection of neutrons at the surface also provides useful information about the material. This paper focuses on the data provided by the gamma-ray detector.

Parsons, A.↗
NASA NTRS2017

BAOBAB (Big And Outrageously Bold Asteroid Belt) Project

One of the intriguing results of NASA's Dawn mission is the composition and structure of the Main Asteroid Belt's only known dwarf planet, Ceres [1]. It has a top layer of dehydrated clays and salts [2] and an icy-rocky mantle [3,4]. It is widely known that the asteroid belt failed to accrete as a planet by resonances between the Sun and Jupiter. About 20-30 asteroids >100 km diameter are probably differentiated protoplanets [5]. 1) how many more and which ones are fragments of protoplanets? 2) How many and which ones are primordial rubble piles left over from condensation of the solar nebula? 3) How would we go about gaining better and more complete characterization of the mass, interior structure and composition of the Main Belt asteroid population? 4) What is the relationship between asteroids and ocean worlds? Bulk parameters such as the mass, density, and porosity, are important to characterize the structure of any celestial body, and for asteroids in particular, they can shed light on the conditions in the early solar system. Asteroid density estimates exist but currently they are often based on assumed properties of taxonomic classes, or through astronomical survey data where interactions with asteroids are weak at best resulting in large measurement uncertainty. We only have direct density estimates from spacecraft encounters for a few asteroids at this time. Knowledge of the asteroids is significant not only to understand their role in solar system workings, but also to assess their potential as space resources, as impact hazards on Earth, or even as harboring life forms. And for the distant future, we want to know if the idea put forth in a contest sponsored by Physics Today, to surface the asteroids into highly reflecting, polished surfaces and use them as a massively segmented mirror for astrophysical exploration [6], is feasible.

Asteroid Belt↗
DOE OSTI2012

The effect of native point defect thermodynamics on off-stoichiometry in beta-Mg17Al12

The mechanical strength of Mg-Al-Zn alloys can be affected by a fine spatial dispersion of {beta}-Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12} precipitates in the Mg matrix. In an effort to understand the phase stability and the unusual asymmetric off-stoichiometry observed in {beta}-Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12}, we have performed a series of first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations of bulk and defect properties of Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12}. Specifically, we consider native point defects (i.e. vacancies and anti-sites) in all four sublattices of Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12}, i.e. 2a, 8c, 24g (Mg) and 24g (Al). The T = 0 K static energies of defect Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12} supercells indicate that anti-site defects are energetically favored over vacancies, and the lowest anti-site defect formation energies are in 24g sites for both Al{sub Mg} and Mg{sub Al}. These Al-rich and Mg-rich anti-site defect formation energies are similar in magnitude, and thus do not explain the asymmetric off-stoichiometry of Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12}. We also investigate the effect of atomic vibrations via DFT phonon calculations on native point defect free energies of Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12} and combine these entropic contributions with the point defect formation energies to evaluate the thermodynamics of off-stoichiometry in this phase. We find that the formation of the Al{sub Mg} anti-site is not strongly stabilized by vibrational entropy. Thus, we conclude that the observed asymmetry in the off-stoichiometry of the {beta}-Mg{sub 17}Al{sub 12} phase in the Mg-Al phase diagram is not explained by simple native point defect thermodynamics, and must involve a more complicated defect formation mechanism, such as multi-defect clustering.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

PROBING THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF ATOMIC GAS AT HIGH REDSHIFT

A new method is used to measure the physical conditions of the gas in damped Lyα systems (DLAs). Using high-resolution absorption spectra of a sample of 80 DLAs, we are able to measure the ratio of the upper and lower fine-structure levels of the ground state of C{sup +} and Si{sup +}. These ratios are determined solely by the physical conditions of the gas. We explore the allowed physical parameter space using a Monte Carlo Markov chain method to constrain simultaneously the temperature, neutral hydrogen density, and electron density of each DLA. The results indicate that at least 5% of all DLAs have the bulk of their gas in a dense, cold phase with typical densities of ∼100 cm{sup –3} and temperatures below 500 K. We further find that the typical pressure of DLAs in our sample is log (P/k{sub B} ) = 3.4 (K cm{sup –3}), which is comparable to the pressure of the local interstellar medium (ISM), and that the components containing the bulk of the neutral gas can be quite small with absorption sizes as small as a few parsecs. We show that the majority of the systems are consistent with having densities significantly higher than expected for a purely canonical warm neutral medium, indicating that significant quantities of dense gas (i.e., n {sub H} > 0.1 cm{sup –3}) are required to match observations. Finally, we identify eight systems with positive detections of Si II*. These systems have pressures (P/k{sub B} ) in excess of 20,000 K cm{sup –3}, which suggest that these systems tag a highly turbulent ISM in young, star-forming galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Investigating shear flow through continuum gyrokinetic simulations of limiter biasing in the Texas Helimak

Previous limiter-biasing experiments on the Texas Helimak, a simple magnetized torus, have been inconclusive on the effect of flow shear on turbulence levels. To explore this, the first gyrokinetic simulations of limiter biasing in the Helimak using the plasma physics code Gkeyll have been carried out, and results are presented here. For the scenarios considered, turbulence is mostly driven by the interchange instability, which depends on gradients of steady state density profiles. An analysis of both experimental and simulation data demonstrates that shear rates are mostly less than than local linear growth rates, and not all requirements for shear stabilization are met. Yet, the mostly vertical shear flow has an important effect on bulk transport and experimental steady-state density profiles, and changes to the gradients correspond to changes in turbulence levels.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Application of the weighted-density approximation to the accurate description of electron-positron correlation effects in materials

Here, we discuss positron-annihilation lifetimes for a set of illustrative bulk materials within the framework of the weighted-density approximation (WDA). The WDA can correctly describe electron-positron correlations in strongly inhomogeneous systems, such as surfaces, where the applicability of (semi-)local approximations is limited. We analyze the WDA in detail and show that the electrons which cannot screen external charges efficiently, such as the core electrons, cannot be treated accurately via the pair correlation of the homogeneous electron gas. We discuss how this problem can be addressed by reducing the screening in the homogeneous electron gas by adding terms depending on the gradient of the electron density. Further improvements are obtained when core electrons are treated within the LDA and the valence electron using the WDA. Finally, we discuss a semiempirical WDA-based approach in which a sum rule is imposed to reproduce the experimental lifetimes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1988

The surface morphology of crystals melting under solutions of different densities

Examples of solids melting beneath liquids are described for cases where the bulk liquid volume is stabilized against convection by a positive vertical temperature gradient, either with, or without local density inversion at the melting interface. The examples include ice melting beneath brine or methanol solutions and tin or lead melting under molten Sn-20 wt pct Pb or Pb-20 wt pct Sn, respectively. Without density inversion the melting is slow, purely diffusion controlled and the interfaces are smooth; with convection assisted melting the rate increases by some two orders of magnitude and the interfaces develop a rough profile - in the case of ice both irregular and quasi-steady state features are observed. The observations are discussed in terms of prevailing temperature and concentration gradients.

Fang, Dacheng↗
DOE OSTI2013

Search for the First-Order Liquid-to-Liquid Phase Transition in Low-Temperature Confined Water by Neutron Scattering

It has been conjectured that a 1st order liquid-to-liquid (L-L) phase transition (LLPT) between high density liquid (HDL) and low density liquid (LDL) in supercooled water may exist, as a thermodynamic extension to the liquid phase of the 1st order transition established between the two bulk solid phases of amorphous ice, the high density amorphous ice (HDA) and the low density amorphous ice (LDA). In this paper, we first recall our previous attempts to establish the existence of the 1st order L-L phase transition through the use of two neutron scattering techniques: a constant Q elastic diffraction study of isobaric temperature scan of the D2O density, namely, the equation of state (EOS) measurements. A pronounced density hysteresis phenomenon in the temperature scan of the density above P = 1500 bar is observed which gives a plausible evidence of crossing the 1st order L-L phase transition line above this pressure; an incoherent quasi-elastic scattering measurements of temperature-dependence of the alpha-relaxation time of H2O at a series of pressures, namely, the study of the Fragile-to-Strong dynamic crossover (FSC) phenomenon as a function of pressure which we interpreted as the results of crossing the Widom line in the one-phase region. In this new experiment, we used incoherent inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to measure the density of states (DOS) of H atoms in H2O molecules in confined water as function of temperature and pressure, through which we may be able to follow the emergence of the LDL and HDL phases at supercooled temperature and high pressures. We here report for the first time the differences of librational and translational DOSs between the hypothetical HDL and LDL phases, which are similar to the corresponding differences between the well-established HDA and LDA ices. This is plausible evidence that the HDL and LDL phases are the thermodynamic extensions of the corresponding amorphous solid water HDA and LDA ices.

Chen, Shuo↗
DOE OSTI2022

Sheath formation around a dielectric droplet in a He atmospheric pressure plasma

Interactions at the interface between atmospheric pressure plasmas and liquids are being investigated to address applications ranging from nanoparticle synthesis to decontamination and fertilizer production. Furthermore, many of these applications involve activation of droplets wherein the droplet is fully immersed in the plasma and synergistically interacts with the plasma. To better understand these interactions, two-dimensional modeling of radio frequency (RF) glow discharges at atmospheric pressure operated in He with an embedded lossy dielectric droplet (tens of microns in size) was performed. The properties of the sheath that forms around the droplet were investigated over the RF cycle. The electric field in the bulk plasma polarizes the dielectric droplet while the electron drift in the external electric field is shadowed by the droplet. The interaction between the bulk and sheath electric fields produces a maximum in E/N (electric field/gas number density) at the equator on one side of the droplet where the bulk and sheath fields are aligned in the same direction and a minimum along the opposite equator. Due to resistive heating, the electron temperature T e is maximum 45° above and below the equator of the droplet where power deposition per electron is the highest. Although the droplet is, on the average, negatively charged, the charge density on the droplet is positive on the poles and negative on the equator, as the electron motion is primarily due to diffusion at the poles but due to drift at the equator.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Discovery of a Superconducting Cu-Bi Intermetallic Compound by High-Pressure Synthesis

A new intermetallic compound, the first to be structurally identified in the Cu–Bi binary system, is reported herein. This compound is accessed by high-pressure reaction of the elements. Its detailed characterization, physical property measurements, and ab initio calculations are described. The commensurate crystal structure of Cu 11 Bi 7 is a unique variation of the NiAs structure type. Temperature-dependent electrical resistivity and heat capacity measurements reveal a bulk superconducting transition at T c =1.36 K. Density functional theory calculations further demonstrate that Cu 11 Bi 7 can be stabilized (relative to decomposition into the elements) at high pressure and temperature. These results highlight the ability of high-pressure syntheses to allow for inroads into heretofore-undiscovered intermetallic systems for which no thermodynamically stable binaries are known.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Structure Evolution and Distributions of Grain-Boundary Misorientainons in Submicrocrystalline Molybdenum Irradiated with a Pulsed Electron Beam

Using the methods of electron backscatter diffraction, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, it is demonstrated that irradiation of the surface of a submicrocrystalline molybdenum specimen with a pulsed electron beam in a non-melt regime results in the formation of a gradient structure in its bulk. The irradiation temperature is shown to affect the density of defects, the value of stress, and the distributions of grain-boundary misorientations in the surface and bulk of the submicrocrystalline molybdenum specimens.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS2011

PING Gamma Ray and Neutron Measurements of a Meter-Sized Carbonaceous Asteroid Analog

Determining the elemental composition of carbonaceous (spectral type C) asteroids is still one of the basic problems when studying these objects. The only main source of elemental composition information for asteroids is from their optical, NIR and IR properties, which include their spectral reflectance characteristics, albedo, polarization, and the comparison of optical spectroscopy with meteorite groups corresponding to asteroids of every spectral type. Unfortunately, these sources reflect observations from widely contrasting spatial scales that presently yield a void in the continuum of microscopic and macroscopic evidence, a lack of in situ measurement confirmation, and require deeper sensing techniques to discern the nature of these asteroids. The Probing In situ with Neutrons and Gamma rays (PING) instrument is ideally suited to address this problem because it can be used to determine the bulk elemental composition, H and C content, the average atomic weight and density of the surface and subsurface layers of C-type asteroids, and can provide measurements used to determine the difference between and distinguish between different types of asteroids. We are currently developing the PING instrument that combines gamma ray and neutron detectors with a 14 Me V pulsed neutron generator to determine the in-situ bulk elemental abundances and geochemistry of C-type asteroids with a spatial resolution of 1 m down to depths of tens of cm to 1 m. One aspect of the current work includes experimentally testing and optimizing PING on a known meter-sized Columbia River basalt C-type asteroid analog sample that has a similar composition and the same neutron response as that of a C-type asteroid. An important part of this effort focuses on utilizing timing measurements to isolate gamma rays produced by neutron inelastic scattering, neutron capture and delayed activation processes. Separating the gamma ray spectra by nuclear processes results in higher precision and sensitivity elemental composition measurements. Using gated data acquisition techniques allows for the unambiguous identification of gamma ray lines from different isotopes and nuclear processes, especially in situations when limited detector resolution results in overlapping gamma ray lines that cannot be individually resolved. In this paper, we will present the PING basalt layering experimental data, taken at the test facility at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center using the time tagged event-by-event data analysis technique, compared to our MCNPX computer simulation results for the C-type asteroid and basalt layering simulant models. Comparison of these data will show the advantages, validity, and measurement sensitivity of PING's nuclear interrogation methods to obtain more precise and sensitive in situ bulk elemental composition and density measurements of the subsurface of asteroids.

Bodnarik, J.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Theoretical investigations of the physical properties of zircon-type YVO{sub 4}

The crystal structure, electronic properties, elastic properties, hardness and thermodynamic properties of the laser host material zircon-type YVO{sub 4} are studied using the pseudopotential plane wave method within the local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The calculated ground state values such as lattice parameter, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative, the band structure and densities of states were in favorable agreement with previous works and the existed experimental data. The elastic constants C{sub ij}, the aggregate elastic moduli (B, G, E), Poisson's ratio and elastic anisotropy have been investigated. In YVO{sub 4}, V-O bonds with shorter bond length and larger Mulliken population make great contribution to hardness than Y-O bonds. Using quasi-harmonic Debye model considering the phonon effects, bulk modulus, heat capacity and thermal expansion coefficient of YVO{sub 4} are calculated within a range of 0-6 GPa and 0-1200 K. - Graphical Abstract: (a) Directional dependence of Young's modulus in zircon-type YVO{sub 4} and (b) projections of the directional dependent Young's modulus in different planes for zircon-type YVO{sub 4}. The units are in GPa. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This paper systematically studied the physical properties of zircon-type YVO{sub 4} from first-principles calculations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zircon-type YVO{sub 4} is mechanically stable and it is ductile for B/G>1.75 and v>0.26. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Universal elastic anisotropy index A{sup U} for zircon-type YVO{sub 4} is 2.41, so YVO{sub 4} is anisotropic. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer V-O bonds with shorter bond length and larger Mulliken population make greater contribution to the hardness of YVO{sub 4}.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Ab initio study of pressure induced structural and electronic properties in TmPo

We report an ab initio calculation of pressure induced structural phase transition and electronic properties of Thulium Polonide (TmPo).The total energy as a function of volume is obtained by means of self-consistent tight binding linear muffin-tin-orbital (TB-LMTO) method within the local density approximation (LDA). It is found that TmPo is stable in NaCl-type (B{sub 1}-phase) structure to CsCl-type (B{sub 2}-phase) structure of this compound in the pressure range of 7.0 GPa. We also calculate the lattice parameter (a{sub 0}), bulk modulus (B{sub 0}), band structure and density of states. From energy diagram it is observed that TmPo exhibit metallic behavior. The calculated values of equilibrium lattice parameter and bulk modulus are in general good agreement.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Local corrugation and persistent charge density wave in ZrTe 3 with Ni intercalation

Here, the mechanism of emergent bulk superconductivity in transition-metal intercalated ZrTe 3 is investigated by studying the effect of Ni doping on the band structure and charge density wave (CDW). The study reports theoretical and experimental results in the range of Ni 0.01 ZrTe 3 to Ni 0.05 ZrTe 3 . In the highest doped samples, bulk superconductivity with T c < T CDW is observed, with a reduced T CDW compared with pure ZrTe 3 . Relativistic ab initio calculations reveal that Ni incorporation occurs preferentially through intercalation in the van der Waals gap. Analysis of the structural and electronic effects of intercalation indicate buckling of the Te sheets adjacent to the Ni site akin to a locally stabilized CDW-like lattice distortion. In contrast to the changes of T CDW observed in resistivity, experiments with low-temperature x-ray diffraction, angle-resolved-photoemission spectroscopy, as well as temperature-dependent resistivity reveal the nearly unchanged persistence of the CDW into the regime of bulk superconductivity. The CDW gap is found to be unchanged in its extent in momentum space, with the gap size also unchanged or possibly slightly reduced upon Ni intercalation. Both experimental observations suggest that superconductivity coexists with the CDW in Ni x ZrTe 3 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Topological and symmetry-enriched random quantum critical points

In this work, we study how symmetry can enrich strong-randomness quantum critical points and phases, and lead to robust topological edge modes coexisting with critical bulk fluctuations. These are the disordered analogs of gapless topological phases. Using real-space and density matrix renormalization group approaches, we analyze the boundary and bulk critical behavior of such symmetry-enriched random quantum spin chains. We uncover a new class of symmetry-enriched infinite randomness fixed points: while local bulk properties are indistinguishable from conventional random singlet phases, nonlocal observables, and boundary critical behavior are controlled by a different renormalization group fixed point. We also illustrate how such new quantum critical points emerge naturally in Floquet systems.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗