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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 1,279 records · Page 71
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

4-Electron Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) with Iron Phthalocyanine (FePc) Functionalized Nanowire Templated-3D Fuzzy Graphene (NT-3DFG)

Iron phthalocyanine (FePc) is a promising alternative to platinum-based catalysts for sustainable energy devices; however, the plane-symmetry of Fe-N 4 sites, random aggregation, and poor conductivity of FePc present major barriers for their application as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts. Here, we report the synergistic effects of FePc electrocatalysts supported by a nanowire-templated three-dimensional fuzzy graphene (FePc@NT-3DFG) substrate. The in situ functionalized oxygen groups (iFOGs) at the edge of NT-3DFG localize Fe active sites in FePc under alkaline ORR conditions. With a uniform FePc distribution through many single layers of graphene, the NT-3DFG substrates improve O 2 adsorption and catalytic activity while stabilizing the electrochemical activity during reactions. The FePc@NT-3DFG catalyst exhibits fast ORR kinetics with an extremely low Tafel slope of 28.3 ± 2.7 mV dec −1 , a higher half-wave potential of 0.911 ± 0.004 V (vs RHE), and notable long-term stability at 0.5 V (vs RHE) of 96.0 ± 0.4% retention after 30 h. Surface chemistry spectra validate electronic configuration modification of Fe at the iFOGs. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the extra layers of graphene improve oxygen adsorption. Moreover, additional exploration of other transition metal phthalocyanines supports the effects of iFOGs through the transition toward 4e − ORR. This work offers an expanded strategy for active site modification through edge-based graphene substrates for 4e − ORR.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimizing Material Selection and Operational Conditions for XHV Systems: Lessons from AISI 1020 and 316L Comparative Studies

In this study, AISI 1020 low-carbon steel is investigated as a cost-effective alternative to SS316 stainless steel for reaching extreme high vacuum (XHV) conditions. After being baked at 400°C, a vacuum chamber made of the low-carbon steel material exhibited an outgassing rate approximately 2000 times smaller than a similar chamber made of stainless steel. Its activation energy for hydrogen diffusion (27 kJ/mol) is less than half that of stainless steel (60.3 kJ/mol), indicating more efficient hydrogen removal during bakeout. MolFlow+ simulations supported the experimental data and demonstrated the importance of system geometry optimization and minimizing stainless steel content for achieving optimal vacuum performance. AISI 1020's magnetic properties, typically considered disadvantageous for accelerator applications, could benefit spin-polarized electron sources by shielding photocathodes from stray fields while simultaneously providing improved vacuum through reduced outgassing. To optimize AISI 1020's performance in XHV systems, practical considerations include pre-baking protocols and careful system design to minimize stainless steel components.

Al-Allaq, Aiman H.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Sequestering Rare Earth Elements and Precious Metals from Seawater Using a Highly Efficient Polymer Adsorbent Derived from Acrylic Fiber

An amidoxime and carboxylate containing polymer adsorbent derived from acrylic fiber has shown extremely high efficiencies for extracting critical materials and precious metals from seawater. Among 50 extractable elements, the lanthanides, cobalt, and palladium were ranked near the top with KD values in the order of 107, about an order of magnitude higher than that of uranium. The KD value of the lanthanides increased linearly with the atomic number indicating charge density is a factor controlling trivalent lanthanide extractability in seawater. The data given in this report provides crucial information regarding the strategies of ocean mining of critical materials and precious metals.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Chalcogenide Glass-Capped Fiber-Optic Sensor for Real-Time Temperature Monitoring in Extreme Environments

We demonstrate a novel chalcogenide glass (ChG)-capped optical fiber temperature sensor capable of operating within harsh environment. The sensor architecture utilizes the heat-induced phase change (amorphous-to-crystalline) property of ChGs, which rapidly (80–100 ns) changes the optical properties of the material. The sensor response to temperature variation around the phase change of the ChG cap at the tip of the fiber provides abrupt changes in the reflected power intensity. This temperature is indicative of the temperature at the sensing node. We present the sensing performance of six different compositions of ChGs and a method to interpret the temperature profile between 440 °C and 600 °C in real-time using an array structure. The unique radiation-hardness property of ChGs makes the devices compatible with high-temperature and high-radiation environments, such as monitoring the cladding temperature of Light Water (LWR) or Sodium-cooled Fast (SFR) reactors.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1975

On-line mass spectrometric monitoring of the polymerization of a phenolic-resin-based material

Polymerization of phenolic-resin-based materials requires elevated temperatures. The low thermal conductivity of these materials has led to the use of dielectric heating techniques in lieu of standard convection oven heating to obtain a satisfactory cure. The curing rate and therefore the quality of the cured material depends on the heating rate and maximum temperature attained, parameters which are extremely difficult to measure in dielectric heating units. The dielectric curing of these materials was monitored by using a mass spectrometer to measure the partial pressure of phenol in the gas evolved during polymerization. The resulting plots of phenol partial pressure as a function of time have a characteristic shape, and these may be used to indicate the attainment of complete curing. The validity of the mass spectrometric technique was confirmed by chemical analysis of the polymerized samples.

Aikens, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Atmospheric effects on inlets for supersonic cruise aircraft

Mixed-compression inlet dynamic behavior in the vicinity of unstart, was simulated and analyzed to investigate time response of an inlet's normal shock to independent disturbances in ambient temperature and pressure and relative velocity (longitudinal gust), with and without inlet controls active. The results indicate that atmospheric disturbances may be more important than internal disturbances in setting inlet controls requirements because they are usually not anticipated and because normal shock response to rapid atmospheric disturbances is not attenuated by the inlet, as it is for engine induced disturbances. However, before inlet control requirements can be fully assessed, more statistics on extreme atmospheric disturbances are needed.

Cole, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Linear ruby scale and one megabar

The accuracy and validity of certain techniques used in studying high-pressure transitions have been investigated. Experiments which place upper limits of about 20 GPa and about 50 GPa on pressures practically attainable using uniaxial supported opposed anvil devices with tungsten carbide pistons and uniaxial opposed flat anvil diamond devices, respectively, are reported. Direct static determinations of the transition pressures of GaP by two different methods are described. The values obtained indicate that the linear ruby scale increasingly overestimates the transition pressure as the pressure rises above 10 GPa. It is further shown that the use of shock-based marker materials, such as silver, as the basis of pressure measurement in X-ray diffraction studies leads to bulk moduli of cubic carbides which are in extreme disagreement with expected values.

Ruoff, A. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

On prediction and discovery of lunar ores

Sampling of lunar material and remote geochemical, mineralogical, and photogeologic sensing of the lunar surface, while meager, provide first-cut information about lunar composition and geochemical separation processes. Knowledge of elemental abundances in known lunar materials indicates which common lunar materials might serve as ores if there is economic demand and if economical extraction processes can be developed, remote sensing can be used to extend the understanding of the Moon's major geochemical separations and to locate potential ore bodies. Observed geochemical processes might lead to ores of less abundant elements under extreme local conditions.

Haskin, Larry A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Statistical Approach for Determining the Onsets/Durations of ENSO Cycle Extremes

During the interval of 1950-mid 1998, some 16 El Nino and 10 La Nina have been identified on the basis of sea surface temperature in the Nino 3.4 region, these 26 events representing the extremes of the quasi-periodic ENSO cycle. Statistical aspects of these events are examined. Surprisingly, the durations of El Nino and La Nina appear to be strongly bifurcated into shorter and longer duration classes, as do the recurrence periods of El Nino. Moreover, the duration of an El Nino appears to provide a statistically meaningful indication as to when to expect the next onset of El Nino. Because the last El Nino had its onset in April 1997 and was of longer duration, onset of the next El Nino, probably, will not occur until after February 2000.

Wilson, Robert M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Effect of age and gender on sudomotor and cardiovagal function and blood pressure response to tilt in normal subjects

Normative data are limited on autonomic function tests, especially beyond age 60 years. We therefore evaluated these tests in a total of 557 normal subjects evenly distributed by age and gender from 10 to 83 years. Heart rate (HR) response to deep breathing fell with increasing age. Valsalva ratio varied with both age and gender. QSART (quantitative sudomotor axon-reflex test) volume was consistently greater in men (approximately double) and progressively declined with age for all three lower extremity sites but not the forearm site. Orthostatic blood pressure reduction was greater with increasing age. HR at rest was significantly higher in women, and the increment with head-up tilt fell with increasing age. For no tests did we find a regression to zero, and some tests seem to level off with increasing age, indicating that diagnosis of autonomic failure was possible to over 80 years of age.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2004

Thermionic Emission of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Measured

Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center, in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology, have investigated the thermionic properties of high-purity, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for use as electron-emitting electrodes. Carbon nanotubes are a recently discovered material made from carbon atoms bonded into nanometer-scale hollow tubes. Such nanotubes have remarkable properties. An extremely high aspect ratio, as well as unique mechanical and electronic properties, make single-wall nanotubes ideal for use in a vast array of applications. Carbon nanotubes typically have diameters on the order of 1 to 2 nm. As a result, the ends have a small radius of curvature. It is these characteristics, therefore, that indicate they might be excellent potential candidates for both thermionic and field emission.

Landis, Geoffrey A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Hubble Space Telescope Degradation Data Used for Ground-Based Durability Projection of Insulation on the International Space Station

Ground-based environmental durability tests have indicated that exposing materials in accelerated tests to known spacecraft mission degradation sources predicted by an environmental model does not simulate the extent of damage that occurs in the space environment. The reasons for this may include the complex nature of the space environment, which is not simulated completely in any ground-based facility, the extreme differences in exposure rates in space and in ground tests, and inaccuracies in environmental models. One approach to overcoming the difficulties in simulating the space environment using ground-based testing is to calibrate the facility using data from actual space-exposed materials to determine exposure levels required to replicate degraded properties observed in space. Research was conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center to develop a ground-to-space correlation method that determines the durability of Teflon-based insulation for the International Space Station (ISS) by using data obtained in a ground facility and degraded Teflon thermal insulation retrieved from the Hubble Space Telescope.

deGroh, Kim K.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Simulation Study of Flap Effects on a Commercial Transport Airplane in Upset Conditions

As part of NASA's Aviation Safety and Security Program, a simulation study of a twinjet transport airplane crew training simulation was conducted to address fidelity for upset or loss of control conditions and to study the effect of flap configuration in those regimes. Piloted and desktop simulations were used to compare the baseline crew training simulation model with an enhanced aerodynamic model that was developed for high-angle-of-attack conditions. These studies were conducted with various flap configurations and addressed the approach-to-stall, stall, and post-stall flight regimes. The enhanced simulation model showed that flap configuration had a significant effect on the character of departures that occurred during post-stall flight. Preliminary comparisons with flight test data indicate that the enhanced model is a significant improvement over the baseline. Some of the unrepresentative characteristics that are predicted by the baseline crew training simulation for flight in the post-stall regime have been identified. This paper presents preliminary results of this simulation study and discusses key issues regarding predicted flight dynamics characteristics during extreme upset and loss-of-control flight conditions with different flap configurations.

Cunningham, Kevin↗
NASA NTRS2015

The Safe Removal of Frozen Air from the Annulus of an LH2 Storage Tank

Large Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) storage tanks are vital infrastructure for NASA. Eventually, air may leak into the evacuated and perlite filled annular region of these tanks. Although the vacuum level is monitored in this region, the extremely cold temperature causes all but the helium and neon constituents of air to freeze. A small, often unnoticeable pressure rise is the result. As the leak persists, the quantity of frozen air increases, as does the thermal conductivity of the insulation system. Consequently, a notable increase in commodity boil-off is often the first indicator of an air leak. Severe damage can result from normal draining of the tank. The warming air will sublimate which will cause a pressure rise in the annulus. When the pressure increases above the triple point, the frozen air will begin to melt and migrate downward. Collection of liquid air on the carbon steel outer shell may chill it below its ductility range, resulting in fracture. In order to avoid a structural failure, as described above, a method for the safe removal of frozen air is needed. A thermal model of the storage tank has been created using SINDA/FLUINT modeling software. Experimental work is progressing in an attempt to characterize the thermal conductivity of a perlite/frozen nitrogen mixture. A statistical mechanics model is being developed in parallel for comparison to experimental work. The thermal model will be updated using the experimental/statistical mechanical data, and used to simulate potential removal scenarios. This paper will address methodologies and analysis techniques for evaluation of two proposed air removal methods.

cryogenic insulation↗
NASA NTRS2015

Extreme Oxidative Durability of TBCs on Ti2AlC MAX Phases

APS and PS-PVD YSZ thermal barrier coatings, applied directly to oxidation resistant Ti2AlC substrates, were oxidized in interrupted furnace tests. Temperature was advanced in 50C intervals from 1100 to 1300C, each 500 h long with eleven cooling cycles. Damage only initiated on the APS coating at 1300C after 15 h, with complete delamination after 500 h. The PS-PVD coating survived all testing. Weight change and metallographic analyses indicate that the YSZ-Ti2AlC systems sustained alumina scale growth of 30-40 m. In comparison, widely used Pt-aluminide bondcoats on single crystal superalloy turbine blades exhibit TBC lives equivalent to alumina scale growth up to 7 m, equivalent to just 200 h at 1200C. It is demonstrated that 25x TBC life improvement (or 180C temperature increase) resulted from the close CTE match of Ti2AlC with those of alumina and YSZ.

protective coating↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Sensitivity Study of Dust-Laden Flows in the DLR GBK Facility using the DUST-US3D Framework

An unstructured integrated simulation framework DUST-US3D has been used to study particle-laden flows in the German Aerospace Center (DLR) GBK facility. Air/particle inflow conditions and the overall simulation methodology has been adjusted to ensure consonance with recent experimental work. The resulting particle dynamics are found to be extremely sensitive to the configuration of the particle injection process. However, owing to relatively low particle mass flow rates incorporating 2-way coupling (particles-gas exchange momentum/energy) or particle-particle collisions has no significant impact on predictions. Numerical estimates for particle velocity magnitude are consistently lower than those observed during experiments which could be indicative of particles coalescing into larger, possibly non-spherical aggregates.

Dusty Flows↗
DOE OSTI2022

Bilayer hybrid graphite anodes via freeze tape casting for extreme fast charging applications

Extreme fast charging (XFC) of lithium-ion batteries is critical for continuous market adoption of electric vehicles. However, mass transport limitations and sluggish kinetics lead to lithium plating in graphite anodes under fast charging conditions. One approach to address the mass transport limitation in graphite is to design low-tortuosity electrodes to enhance ionic transport. In this study, a bilayer hybrid structured electrode with directionally aligned channels was developed via freeze tape casting, which enables faster lithium ion diffusion through the graphite electrode. A scalable roll-to-roll process was designed in which slurry can be cast on any substrates for simple processing. Additionally, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated that the bilayer hybrid coating had both low tortuosity and short diffusion pathways, enabling XFC charging. Rate testing for the bilayer hybrid electrode indicated superior performance over the other coatings, exhibiting a ~20% improvement in the charge capacity compared with the conventional coating at 5C and 10 min total charging time. The bilayer hybrid electrode also demonstrated a 10% improvement in capacity retention compared with the conventional electrode after 1000 cycles at XFC conditions. This study demonstrates freeze tape casting as a scalable way to fabricate low-tortuosity electrodes for XFC applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1994

Molecular clouds in the extreme outer galaxy

We present observation of 11 molecular clouds with kinematic Galactocentric distances of 18-28 kpc. The most distant is approximately 10 kpc farther from the Galactic center than any previously known and apparently lies beyond the edge of the optical disk. All are associated with much larger H I concentrations, with typical offsets of approximately 40 pc from the H I peaks. CO observations with the CfA 1.2 m and National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) 12 m telescopes indicate typical sizes of 20-40 pc, velocity widths of 1-3 km/s, and kinetic temperatures of 10-25 K. They apparently have lower CO luminosities than clouds near the solar circle with similar properties. Some may have associated infrared sources, but owing to the great distances of the clouds, the only general conclusion that can be made about star formation is that stars earlier than B1 are absent. The apparent scarcity of clouds like these indicates that their contribution to the mass of the ISM beyond R = 18 kpc is not significant.

Digel, S.↗