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At least 1,279 records · Page 71

Modified Phenylethynyl Containing Imides for Secondary Bonding: Non-Autoclave, Low Temperature Processable Adhesives

As part of a program to develop structural adhesives for high performance aerospace applications, research continued on the development of modified phenylethynyl containing imides, LaRC(trademark)MPEIs. In previous reports, the polymer properties were controlled by varying the molecular weight, the amount of branching, and the phenylethynyl content and by blending with low molecular weight materials. This research involves changing the flexibility in the copolyimide backbone of the branched, phenylethynyl terminated adhesives. These adhesives exhibit excellent processability at pressures as low as 15 psi and temperatures as low as 288 C. The Ti/Ti lap shear specimens are processable in an autoclave or a temperature programmable oven under a vacuum bag at 288-300 C without external pressure. The cured polymers exhibit high mechanical properties and excellent solvent resistance. The chemistry and properties of these adhesives are presented.

Dezern, James F.↗

Layered double hydroxide stability. 2. Formation of Cr(III)-containing layered double hydroxides directly from solution

Solutions containing divalent metal [M(II) = Mg2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+] chlorides and CrCl3 6H2O were titrated with NaOH to yield, for M(II) = Zn, Co, and Ni, hydrotalcite-like layered double hydroxides (LDHs), [[M(II)]1-z[Cr(III)]z(OH)2][Cl]z yH2O, in a single step, without intermediate formation of chromium hydroxide. Analysis of the resultant titration curves yields solubility constants for these compounds. These are in the order Zn < Ni approximately Co, with a clear preference for formation of the phase with z = 1/3. With Mg2+ as chloride, titration gives a mixture of Cr(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2, but the metal sulfates give Mg2Cr(OH)6 1/2(SO4) by a two-step process. Titrimetric and spectroscopic evidence suggests short-range cation order in the one-step LDH systems.

Non-NASA Center↗

The statolith compartment in Chara rhizoids contains carbohydrate and protein

In contrast to higher plants, the alga Chara has rhizoids with single membrane-bound compartments that function as statoliths in gravity perception. Previous work has demonstrated that these statoliths contain barium sulfate crystals. In this study, we show that statoliths in Chara rhizoids react with a Coomassie Brilliant Blue cytochemical stain for proteins. While statoliths did not react with silver methenamine carbohydrate cytochemistry, the monoclonal antibody CCRC-M2, which is against a carbohydrate (sycamore-maple rhamnogalacturonan I), labeled the statolith compartment. These results demonstrate that in addition to barium sulfate, statoliths in Chara rhizoids have an organic matrix that consists of protein and carbohydrate moieties. Since the statoliths were silver methenamine negative, the carbohydrate in this compartment could be a 3-linked polysaccharide. CCRC-M2 also labeled Golgi cisternae, Golgi-associated vesicles, apical vesicles, and cell walls in the rhizoids. The specificity of CCRC-M2 immunolabeling was verified by several control experiments, including the demonstration that labeling was abolished when the antibody was preabsorbed with its antigen. Since in this and a previous study (John Z. Kiss and L. Andrew Staehelin, American Journal of Botany 80: 273-282, 1993) antibodies against higher plant carbohydrates crossreacted with cell walls of Chara in a specific manner, Characean algae may be a useful model system in biochemical and molecular studies of cell walls.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

Self-Contained Automated Methodology for Optimal Flow Control

This paper describes a self-contained, automated methodology for active flow control which couples the time-dependent Navier-Stokes system with an adjoint Navier-Stokes system and optimality conditions from which optimal states, i.e., unsteady flow fields and controls (e.g., actuators), may be determined. The problem of boundary layer instability suppression through wave cancellation is used as the initial validation case to test the methodology. Here, the objective of control is to match the stress vector along a portion of the boundary to a given vector; instability suppression is achieved by choosing the given vector to be that of a steady base flow. Control is effected through the injection or suction of fluid through a single orifice on the boundary. The results demonstrate that instability suppression can be achieved without any a priori knowledge of the disturbance, which is significant because other control techniques have required some knowledge of the flow unsteadiness such as frequencies, instability type, etc. The present methodology has been extended to three dimensions and may potentially be applied to separation control, re-laminarization, and turbulence control applications using one to many sensors and actuators.

Joslin, Ronald D.↗

Adhesive Properties of Cured Phenylethynyl Containing Imides

Considerable attention has been directed towards acetylene terminated oligomers over the last 20 years' and recent work has focused on phenylethynyl terminated imide (PETI) oligomers. These reactive oligomers possess several features which make them attractive candidates for use as composite matrices and adhesives. The phenylethynyl group can be readily incorporated into many different functionalized oligomers. The reactive oligomers possess relatively low melt viscosities and thermally cure without the evolution of volatile by-products. Once cured, they typically display high glass transition temperatures (Tgs), excellent solvent resistance and high mechanical properties. new modified phenylethynyl-terminated imide (LaRC MPEI) oligomers were synthesized at various molecular weights utilizing a small amount of trifunctional amine. As long as the amount of triamine is relatively small, this approach produces a mixture of linear, star-shaped and branched polymer chains that has lower melt and solution viscosity than an equivalent molecular weight linear phenylethynyl terminated imide oligomers. The work reported herein involves the synthesis and characterization of a copolymer using this approach and the preparation of blends utilizing a phenylethynyl containing reactive plasticizer of lower molecular weight called LaRC LV-121. The chemistry and properties of this new MPEI as well as some blends of MPEI with LV-121, are presented and compared to the linear version, LARC-PETI-5.

Jensen, Brian J.↗

Polyimides Containing Fluorine and Phosphorus for Potential Space Applications

As part of an effort to develop low color, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and atomic oxygen resistant polyimides for potential space applications, a novel diamine containing fluorine and phosphorus was synthesized and used to prepare polyimides. The approach was to combine attributes from colorless, UV resistant polyimides and atomic oxygen (AO) resistant polymers into a single material. Preparation of colorless polyimides has focused on minimization of charge transfer complex formation by incorporation of bulky substituents and disrupting conjugation by using meta-catenated monomers. AO resistant polymer technology development has focused on placing phenylphosphine oxide groups into the backbone of aromatic polymers. However, polyimides prepared utilizing this approach thus far have all exhibited significant color. Thus in an attempt to combine these features in a polyimide a new diamine, bis(3-aminophenyl)-3,5-di(trifluoromethyl)phenylphosphine oxide (TFMDA) was synthesized and used to prepare polyimides. The polyimides were cast into films and characterized for physical and mechanical properties, optical transmission and AO and UV resistance.

Connell, John W.↗

A calmodulin binding protein from Arabidopsis is induced by ethylene and contains a DNA-binding motif

Calmodulin (CaM), a key calcium sensor in all eukaryotes, regulates diverse cellular processes by interacting with other proteins. To isolate CaM binding proteins involved in ethylene signal transduction, we screened an expression library prepared from ethylene-treated Arabidopsis seedlings with 35S-labeled CaM. A cDNA clone, EICBP (Ethylene-Induced CaM Binding Protein), encoding a protein that interacts with activated CaM was isolated in this screening. The CaM binding domain in EICBP was mapped to the C-terminus of the protein. These results indicate that calcium, through CaM, could regulate the activity of EICBP. The EICBP is expressed in different tissues and its expression in seedlings is induced by ethylene. The EICBP contains, in addition to a CaM binding domain, several features that are typical of transcription factors. These include a DNA-binding domain at the N terminus, an acidic region at the C terminus, and nuclear localization signals. In database searches a partial cDNA (CG-1) encoding a DNA-binding motif from parsley and an ethylene up-regulated partial cDNA from tomato (ER66) showed significant similarity to EICBP. In addition, five hypothetical proteins in the Arabidopsis genome also showed a very high sequence similarity with EICBP, indicating that there are several EICBP-related proteins in Arabidopsis. The structural features of EICBP are conserved in all EICBP-related proteins in Arabidopsis, suggesting that they may constitute a new family of DNA binding proteins and are likely to be involved in modulating gene expression in the presence of ethylene.

Non-NASA Center↗

Plant nuclei can contain extensive grooves and invaginations

Plant cells can exhibit highly complex nuclear organization. Through dye-labeling experiments in untransformed onion epidermal and tobacco culture cells and through the expression of green fluorescent protein targeted to either the nucleus or the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum/nuclear envelope in these cells, we have visualized deep grooves and invaginations into the large nuclei of these cells. In onion, these structures, which are similar to invaginations seen in some animal cells, form tubular or planelike infoldings of the nuclear envelope. Both grooves and invaginations are stable structures, and both have cytoplasmic cores containing actin bundles that can support cytoplasmic streaming. In dividing tobacco cells, invaginations seem to form during cell division, possibly from strands of the endoplasmic reticulum trapped in the reforming nucleus. The substantial increase in nuclear surface area resulting from these grooves and invaginations, their apparent preference for association with nucleoli, and the presence in them of actin bundles that support vesicle motility suggest that the structures might function both in mRNA export from the nucleus and in protein import from the cytoplasm to the nucleus.

Non-NASA Center↗

Peptide-formation on cysteine-containing peptide scaffolds

Monomeric cysteine residues attached to cysteine-containing peptides by disulfide bonds can be activated by carbonyldiimidazole. If two monomeric cysteine residues, attached to a 'scaffold' peptide Gly-Cys-Glyn-Cys-Glu10, (n = 0, 1, 2, 3) are activated, they react to form the dipeptide Cys-Cys. in 25-65% yield. Similarly, the activation of a cysteine residue attached to the 'scaffold' peptide Gly-Cys-Gly-Glu10 in the presence of Arg5 leads to the formation of Cys-Arg5 in 50% yield. The significance of these results for prebiotic chemistry is discussed.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Oligomerization of activated D- and L-guanosine mononucleotides on templates containing D- and L-deoxycytidylate residues

The oligomerization of activated D- and L- and racemic guanosine-5'-phosphoro-2-methylimidazole on short templates containing D- and L-deoxycytidylate has been studied. Results obtained with D-oligo(dC)s as templates are similar to those previously reported for experiments with a poly(C) template. When one L-dC or two consecutive L-dCs are introduced into a D-template, regiospecific synthesis of 3'-5' oligo(G)s proceeds to the end of the template, but three consecutive L-dCs block synthesis. Alternating D-,L-oligomers do not facilitate oligomerization of the D-, L-, and racemic 2-guanosine-5'-phosphoro-2-methylimidazole. We suggest that once a "predominately D-metabolism" existed, occasional L-residues in a template would not have led to the termination of self-replication.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Observation and Simulations of the Backsplash Effects in High-Energy Gamma-Ray Telescopes Containing a Massive Calorimeter

Beam test and simulation results are presented for a study of the backsplash effects produced in a high-energy gamma-ray detector containing a massive calorimeter. An empirical formula is developed to estimate the probability (per unit area) of backsplash for different calorimeter materials and thicknesses, different incident particle energies, and at different distances from the calorimeter. The results obtained are applied to the design of Anti-Coincidence Detector (ACD) for the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST).

Moiseev, Alexander A.↗

Transient Finite Element Analyses Developed to Model Fan Containment Impact Events

Research is underway to establish an increased level of confidence in existing numerical techniques for predicting transient behavior when the fan of a jet engine is released and impacts the fan containment system. To evaluate the predictive accuracy that can currently be obtained, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center used the DYNA 3D computer code to simulate large-scale subcomponent impact tests that were conducted at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) Impact Physics Lab. In these tests, 20- by 40-in. flat metal panels, contoured to the shape of a typical fan case, were impacted by the root section of a fan blade. The panels were oriented at an angle to the path of the projectile that would simulate the conditions in an actual blade-out event. The metal panels were modeled in DYNA 3D using a kinematic hardening model with the strain rate dependence of the yield stress governed by the Cowper-Simons rule. Failure was governed by the effective plastic strain criterion. The model of the fan blade and case just after impact is shown. By varying the maximum effective plastic strain, we obtained good qualitative agreement between the model and the experiments. Both the velocity required to penetrate the case and the deflection during impact compared well. This indicates that the failure criterion and constitutive model may be appropriate, but for DYNA 3D to be useful as a predictive tool, methods to determine accurate model parameters must be established. Simple methods for measuring model parameters are currently being developed. In addition, alternative constitutive models and failure criteria are being investigated.

Pereira, J. Michael↗

Dissolution kinetics of iron-, manganese-, and copper-containing synthetic hydroxyapatites

Micronutrient-substituted synthetic hydroxyapatite (SHA) is being evaluated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Advanced Life Support (ALS) Program for crop production on long-duration human missions to the International Space Station or for future Lunar or Martian outposts. The stirred-flow technique was utilized to characterize Ca, P, Fe, Mn, and Cu release characteristics from Fe-, Mn-, and Cu-containing SHA in deionized (DI) water, citric acid, and diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic acid (DTPA). Initially, Ca and P release rates decreased rapidly with time and were controlled by a non-SHA calcium phosphate phase(s) with low Ca/P solution molar ratios (0.91-1.51) relative to solid SHA ratios (1.56-1.64). At later times, Ca/P solution molar ratios (1.47-1.79) were near solid SHA ratios and release rates decreased slowly indicating that SHA controlled Ca and P release. Substituted SHA materials had faster dissolution rates relative to unsubstituted SHA. The initial metal release rate order was Mn >> Cu > Fe which followed metal-oxide/phosphate solubility suggesting that poorly crystalline metal-oxides/phosphates were dominating metal release. Similar metal release rates for all substituted SHA (approximately 0.01 cmol kg-1 min-1) at the end of the DTPA experiment indicated that SHA dissolution was supplying the metals into solution and that poorly crystalline metal-oxide/phosphates were not controlling metal release. Results indicate that non-SHA Ca-phosphate phases and poorly crystalline metal-oxide/phosphates will contribute Ca, P, and metals. After these phases have dissolved, substituted SHA will be the source of Ca, P, and metals for plants.

NASA Discipline Life Support Systems↗

Flammability of Epoxy Resins Containing Phosphorus

As part of a program to develop fire-resistant exterior composite structures for future subsonic commercial and general aviation aircraft, flame-retardant epoxy resins are under investigation. Epoxies and their curing agents (aromatic diamines) containing phosphorus were synthesized and used to prepare epoxy formulations. Phosphorus was incorporated within the backbone of the epoxy resin and not used as an additive. The resulting cured neat epoxy formulations were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, propane torch test, elemental analysis, microscale combustion calorimetry, and fire calorimetry. Several formulations showed excellent flame retardation with phosphorous contents as low as 1.5% by weight. The fracture toughness and compressive strength of several cured formulations showed no detrimental effect due to phosphorus content. The chemistry and properties of these new epoxy formulations are discussed.

Flammability studies↗

Self Contained Encrypted Telnet

A self contained encrypted telnet (ETN) is presented that provides a secure method of communication between two hosts talking over a potentially insecure network.

encryption Diffie-Hellman encrypted telnet↗

Micro-Inspector Avionics Module (MAM): A Self-Contained Low Power, Reconfigurable Avionics Platform for Small Spacecrafts and Instruments

This paper describes development of a radiation tolerant, low power, reconfigurable avionics module aimed at meeting the avionics needs of the JPL Micro-Inspector spacecraft. This module represents a complete avionics system, consisting of two PowerPC 405 CPUs embedded within a reconfigurable FPGA fabric of over 8 Million logic gates, 64MB of EDAC protected Flash storage and 128MB of EDAC protected DDR SDRAM or SDRAM memories, along with FPGA SEU mitigation logic, and all necessary power conversion. Processor SEU mitigation is achieved by running the two processors in a lock-step and compare configuration. All of these building blocks are integrated into a double sided circuit board that takes as little as 6 square inches of board space. This module can be embedded into a user system as part of a bigger circuit assembly or as a self contained module. This module is being developed as part of a JPL led Micro-Inspector Program, funded by NASA ESMD aimed at producing a 10Kg micro spacecraft.

configurable↗