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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 1,333 records · Page 74
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Specific methodology for capacitance imaging by atomic force microscopy: A breakthrough towards an elimination of parasitic effects

On the basis of a home-made nanoscale impedance measurement device associated with a commercial atomic force microscope, a specific operating process is proposed in order to improve absolute (in sense of “nonrelative”) capacitance imaging by drastically reducing the parasitic effects due to stray capacitance, surface topography, and sample tilt. The method, combining a two-pass image acquisition with the exploitation of approach curves, has been validated on sets of calibration samples consisting in square parallel plate capacitors for which theoretical capacitance values were numerically calculated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Determining the ion temperature and energy distribution in a lithium-plasma interaction test stand with a retarding field energy analyzer

The ThermoElectric-driven Liquid-metal plasma-facing Structures (TELS) experiment at the University of Illinois is a gas-puff driven, theta-pinch plasma source that is used as a test stand for off-normal plasma events incident on materials in the edge and divertor regions of a tokamak. The ion temperatures and resulting energy distributions are crucial for understanding how well a TELS pulse can simulate an extreme event in a larger, magnetic confinement device. A retarding field energy analyzer (RFEA) has been constructed for use with such a transient plasma due to its inexpensive and robust nature. The innovation surrounding the use of a control analyzer in conjunction with an actively sampling analyzer is presented and the conditions of RFEA operation are discussed, with results presented demonstrating successful performance under extreme conditions. Such extreme conditions are defined by heat fluxes on the order of 0.8 GW m -2 and on time scales of nearly 200 μs. Measurements from the RFEA indicate two primary features for a typical TELS discharge, following closely with the pre-ionizing coaxial gun discharge characteristics. For the case using the pre-ionization pulse (PiP) and the theta pinch, the measured ion signal showed an ion temperature of 23.3 ± 6.6 eV for the first peak and 17.6 ± 1.9 eV for the second peak. For the case using only the PiP, the measured signal showed an ion temperature of 7.9 ± 1.1 eV for the first peak and 6.6 ± 0.8 eV for the second peak. These differences illustrate the effectiveness of the theta pinch for imparting energy on the ions. This information also highlights the importance of TELS as being one of the few linear pulsed plasma sources whereby moderately energetic ions will strike targets without the need for sample biasing.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2015

Tunability of exchange bias in Ni@NiO core-shell nanoparticles obtained by sequential layer deposition

Films of magnetic Ni@NiO core-shell nanoparticles (NPs, core diameter d congruent to 12 nm, nominal shell thickness variable between 0 and 6.5 nm) obtained with sequential layer deposition were investigated, to gain insight into the relationships between shell thickness/morphology, core-shell interface, and magnetic properties. Different values of NiO shell thickness t(s) could be obtained while keeping the Ni core size fixed, at variance with conventional oxidation procedures where the oxide shell is grown at the expense of the core. Chemical composition, morphology of the as-produced samples and structural features of the Ni/NiO interface were investigated with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and microscopy (scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy) techniques, and related with results from magnetic measurements obtained with a superconducting quantum interference device. The effect of the shell thickness on the magnetic properties could be studied. The exchange bias (EB) field H-bias is small and almost constant for t(s) up to 1.6 nm; then it rapidly grows, with no sign of saturation. This behavior is clearly related to the morphology of the top NiO layer, and is mostly due to the thickness dependence of the NiO anisotropy constant. The ability to tune the EB effect by varying the thickness of the last NiO layer represents a step towards the rational design and synthesis of core-shell NPs with desired magnetic properties.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Property Variations in Modern REBCO Coated Conductors from Multiple Manufacturers

The complex, multilayer structure of REBCO Coated Conductor (CC) poses significant challenges in the fabrication of high magnetic field devices where large stresses may initiate various forms of damage. Our goal is to peer below the cartoon representations of CC so that, amongst other things, we might better understand whether a CC from one manufacturer is interchangeable with that from another. This involves knowledge of a broad range of electromagnetic, geometric, microstructural, and J c (θ,B,T) properties, and their variations that collectively pose challenges for the fault tolerance of REBCO CC devices. Accordingly, comparative measurements of J c , visualization of flux penetration with Magneto-Optical Imaging (MOI), tape geometry from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of polished cross-sections, and extensive optical microscopy was performed on recently purchased samples from multiple manufacturers. Our analyses reveal many deviations from or characteristics absent from manufacturers’ specifications, while a comparison of different manufacturers’ mechanically and laser slit tapes shows a diverse array of slitting characteristics amongst the manufacturers and variation in properties those made to the same specification. Laser slit tapes from several manufacturers reveal ablated edges with damaged regions extending up to 50 μm, comparable to the damaged region found in the mechanically slit CC of this study. Overall, the aim of this study is to flesh out appropriate ways to understand the real conductor below the manufacturers’ cartoons to avoid surprises in our REBCO CC coil development program. The goal of this work was to perform a broad array of characterizations of the type needed for validation of purpose for making high field magnets: to our surprise we found a wide range of properties which greatly impact the mechanical strength and electromagnetic performance of solenoids composed of these conductors and reinforced the need for a broad characterization program for each conductor prior to its implementation.

Bradford, G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Extending quantum probabilistic error cancellation by noise scaling

Here, we propose a general framework for quantum error mitigation that combines and generalizes two techniques: probabilistic error cancellation (PEC) and zero-noise extrapolation (ZNE). Similar to PEC, the proposed method represents ideal operations as linear combinations of noisy operations that are implementable on hardware. However, instead of assuming a fixed level of hardware noise, we extend the set of implementable operations by noise scaling. By construction, this method encompasses both PEC and ZNE as particular cases and allows us to investigate a larger set of hybrid techniques. For example, gate extrapolation can be used to implement PEC without requiring knowledge of the device’s noise model, e.g., avoiding gate-set tomography. Alternatively, probabilistic error reduction can be used to estimate expectation values at intermediate virtual noise strengths (below the hardware level), leading to partially mitigated results at a lower sampling cost. Moreover, multiple results obtained with different noise-reduction factors can be further postprocessed with ZNE to better approximate the zero-noise limit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Advanced modeling of field enhanced thermionic emission

Shaped emitters are of interest to a broad range of applications in vacuum electronic devices. In particular, thermionic energy converters (TECs) take advantage of shaped emitters to increase the local surface field, thereby extracting more current for a given cathode temperature and applied voltage. However, modeling these devices is challenging; Warp [J.-L. Vay, D. P. Grote, R. H. Cohen, and A. Friedman, Comput. Sci. Discov. 5, 014019 (2012)] is a fully 3D particle-in-cell code capable of handling a wide range of physics problems and is well suited to modeling TECs. Additionally, recent improvements to Warp have enabled the accurate modeling of emitters with arbitrary curved surfaces. Specifically, the inclusion of subgrid resolution for computing the electrostatic potential and the ability to apply mesh refinement for specific areas of interest allow for a more accurate solution to the fields on these surfaces. These improvements coupled with Warp’s ability to handle variable particle weights make it an ideal candidate for simulating these complex devices. In this paper, the authors study the applicability of different subgrid configurations for simulating shaped emission surfaces and field convergence for different mesh-refinement techniques. They then implement a custom weighting algorithm that allows for uniform sampling of emission surfaces with a large variation in the surface electric field. They then use this algorithm to study emission for curved emitters in both the field-enhancement regime and the space-charge regime.

Edelen, Jonathan P. (ORCID:0000000215180652)↗
DOE OSTI2012

Electrothermal Phenomena in Zinc Oxide Nanowires and Contacts

Heat generation along nanowires and near their electrical contacts influences the feasibility of energy conversion devices. This work presents ZnO nanowire electrical resistivity data and models electrothermal transport accounting for heat generation at metal-semiconductor contacts, axial thermal conduction, and substrate heat losses. The current-voltage relationships and electron microscopy indicate sample degradation is caused by the interplay of heat generation at contacts and within the nanowire volume. The model is used to interpret literature data for Si, GaN, and ZnO nanowires. This work assists with electrothermal nanowire measurements and highlights practical implications of utilizing solution-synthesized nanowires. The work was conducted at Stanford University from 2010-2 through a Sandia Campus Executive Fellowship awarded to PhD candidate Saniya LeBlanc.

LeBlanc, Saniya A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multispectral impedance determination under dynamic load conditions

Impedance testing devices, circuits, systems, and related methods are disclosed. A Device Under Test (DUT) is excited with a multispectral excitation signal for an excitation time period while the DUT is under a load condition from a load operably coupled to the DUT. A response of the DUT is sampled over a sample time period. The sample time period is configured such that it includes an in-band interval during the excitation time period and one or more out-of-band intervals outside of the in-band interval. A response of the DUT to the load condition during the in-band interval is estimated by analyzing samples of the response from the one or more out-of-band intervals. Adjusted samples are computed by subtracting the estimated load response during the in-band interval from the samples from the in-band interval. An impedance of the DUT is estimated by analyzing the adjusted samples.

Christophersen, Jon P.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pressure-induced excimer formation and fluorescence enhancement of an anthracene derivative

Excimer materials have been widely studied and have generated significant interest for their applications in many optoelectronic devices. However, a thorough investigation of the entire process involved in excimer formation, enhancement, and annihilation in solid materials is still lacking. Here we designed a crystal based on an anthracene derivative with dissociative, molecular-ordered dimer assembly, and studied the formation and evolution of an anthracene excimer as a function of pressure. During the initial stage of pressurization, the fluorescence intensity arising from anthracene monomers gradually decreases. Therefore, with continued compression, the two anthracene units become increasingly closer allowing strong intermolecular π–π interactions to develop that lead to excimer formation at 3.5 GPa, accompanied with a phase transition. The fluorescence intensity then keeps increasing with pressure and reaches its maximum at 5.6 GPa due to the strengthening of the excimer and the increased structural defects. Meanwhile the fluorescence color shows a continuous redshift, which initially results from conformation planarization and then excimer evolution. After releasing pressure back to ambient conditions, the structural changes in the sample are reversible, while the fluorescence signal preserves some high-pressure features due to the partial retention of the π–π interactions between the anthracene dimers. This study reveals the evolution of an excimer and its intrinsic photophysical properties, and provides guidance for future research on pressure-sensitive fluorescent devices.

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

Millimeter-Thick Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators Prepared by-Surface-Enforced Alignment

Here, liquid crystalline elastomers (LCE) are thermally cyclable, compliant actuators with compelling mechanical properties. The large and programmable deformation of LCE has led to numerous functional examinations spanning optics, medical devices, and robotics. A well-established method to prepare complex LCE actuators is to utilize surface-enforced photoalignment. Herein, a facile and scalable approach is reported to circumvent the physical limits of surface-enforced alignment (e.g., samples that are 50 µm or less) to amplify the achievable force output in LCE. Applying an approach termed direct layering, the thermomechanical response of LCE elements prepared with +1 disclination patterns in a range of compositions and thicknesses is contrasted. The design and preparation of +1 disclination patterns and arrays is explored to assess the contribution of sample geometry and overlap to deformation and force output. The methodology detailed in this contribution allows for the preparation of elements ≈1 mm in thickness that are capable of actuating large objects. Furthermore, the fabrication of these elements uniquely enables the realization of mechanical instabilities to hasten the actuation rate in response to thermal change and to enable leaping.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Enhanced red luminescence quantum yield from Gd3+/Eu3+: CaLa2ZnO5 phosphor spheres for photonic applications

Highlights: • Ravishing red emission is observed from Gd{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+}: CaLa{sub 2}ZnO{sub 5} phosphor spheres. • Red emission of Eu{sup 3+} was significantly enhanced by co-doping with Gd{sup 3+}. • Effective sensitization of Gd{sup 3+} ions and enhanced quantum yield have been elucidated. • Energy transfer from Gd{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 3+} was demonstrated by several fluorescence dynamics. • CIE coordinates are very close to National Television Standard Committee (NTSC). - Abstract: Novel bright red emission was obtained from co-doped Gd{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+}: CaLa{sub 2}ZnO{sub 5} (CLZO) phosphor spheres. We have successfully synthesized co-doped Gd{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+}: CLZO phosphor spheres by citrate sol-gel method. Structural and morphological analysis was carried out by XRD and FE-SEM. EDS and XPS studies were employed to analyze the presence of elements and their ionic states respectively. The complex formation studies were carried out by the FTIR spectral study. The photoluminescence spectral profiles confirm the dazzling red emission has been observed at 626 nm ({sup 5}D{sub 0} → {sup 7}F{sub 2}) from the Eu{sup 3+}: CLZO phosphors under the excitation of 467 nm. Upon increasing the Eu{sup 3+} concentration, the photoluminescence performance has also increased remarkably. The optimized concentration of the Eu{sup 3+} was noticed at 12 mol%. Upon co-doping with Gd{sup 3+} ions to Eu{sup 3+}: CLZO phosphors, the red emission pertaining to Eu{sup 3+} was appreciably enhanced through energy transfer from Gd{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 3+} ions. The energy transfer mechanism was substantiated by several fluorescent methods such as lifetime decay dynamics and quantum efficiencies. Commission International de I’Echairage (CIE) 1931 chromaticity coordinates (x–y) calculated for singly doped and co-doped CLZO samples. The CIE coordinates were found to be (0.6644, 0.3355) and (0.6688, 0.3311) respectively, which were good consistent with the standard values of NTSC surprisingly. Correlated color temperature (CCT) value was evaluated for optimised co-doped sample and it was found to be between 2000–5000 K which could be more preferable red component for warm white light applications. The lifetime and quantum efficiency of the optimized co-doped sample have been evaluated as 1.102 ms and 69% respectively. The ravishing red emission of the Gd{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+}: CLZO phosphor spheres which suggests that these phosphor materials could be promising candidates for red luminescent optical devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

X-ray tomography system to investigate granular materials during mechanical loading

We integrate a small and portable medical x-ray device with mechanical testing equipment to enable in situ, non-invasive measurements of a granular material's response to mechanical loading. We employ an orthopedic C-arm as the x-ray source and detector to image samples mounted in the materials tester. We discuss the design of a custom rotation stage, which allows for sample rotation and tomographic reconstruction under applied compressive stress. We then discuss the calibration of the system for 3D computed tomography, as well as the subsequent image reconstruction process. Using this system to reconstruct packings of 3D-printed particles, we resolve packing features with 0.52 mm resolution in a (60 mm){sup 3} field of view. By analyzing the performance bounds of the system, we demonstrate that the reconstructions exhibit only moderate noise.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

X-ray microtomographic scanners

The article studies the operating procedures of an X-ray microtomographic scanner and the module of reconstruction and analysis 3D-image of a test sample in particular. An algorithm for 3D-image reconstruction based on image shadow projections and mathematical methods of the processing are described. Chapter 1 describes the basic principles of X-ray tomography and general procedures of the device developed. Chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to the problem of resources saving by the system during the X-ray tomography procedure, which is achieved by preprocessing of the initial shadow projections. Preprocessing includes background noise removing from the images, which reduces the amount of shadow projections in general and increases the efficiency of the group shadow projections compression. In conclusion, the main applications of X-ray tomography are presented.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

“Green” Fabrication of High-performance Transparent Conducting Electrodes by Blade Coating and Photonic Curing on PET for Perovskite Solar Cells

This study presents an innovative material processing approach to fabricate transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using blade coating and photonic curing. The hybrid TCEs consist of a multiscale Ag network, combining silver metal bus lines and nanowires, overcoated by an indium zinc oxide layer, and then photonically cured. Blade coating ensures film uniformity and thickness control over large areas. Photonic curing, a non-thermal processing method with significantly lower carbon emissions, enhances the conductivity and transparency of the coated layers. Our hybrid TCEs achieve an average transmittance of (81 ± 0.4)% referenced to air ((90 ± 0.4)% referenced to the PET substrate) in the visible range, an average sheet resistance of (11 ± 0.5) Ω sq−1, and an average surface roughness of (4.3 ± 0.4) nm. We benchmark these values against commercial PET/TCE substrates. Mechanical durability tests demonstrate <3% change in resistance after 2000 bending cycles at a 1 in radius. The scalable potential of the hybrid TCE fabrication method is demonstrated by high uniformity and excellent properties in 7 in × 8 in large-area samples and by performing the photonic curing process at 11 m min−1. Furthermore, halide perovskite solar cells fabricated on these hybrid TCEs achieve average and champion power conversion efficiencies of (10.5 ± 1.0) % and 12.2%, respectively, and significantly outperform devices made on commercial PET/TCEs. This work showcases our approach as a viable pathway for high-speed “green” manufacturing of high-performance TCEs on PET substrates for flexible optoelectronic devices.

Bonner, Justin C↗
DOE OSTI2013

High temperature flow-through device for rapid solubilization and analysis

Devices and methods for thermally lysing of biological material, for example vegetative bacterial cells and bacterial spores, are provided. Hot solution methods for solubilizing bacterial spores are described. Systems for direct analysis are disclosed including thermal lysers coupled to sample preparation stations. Integrated systems capable of performing sample lysis, labeling and protein fingerprint analysis of biological material, for example, vegetative bacterial cells, bacterial spores and viruses are provided.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Method of controlling a vehicle to adjust perception system energy usage

A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining a current operating situation of the vehicle, and identifying a subset of a plurality of sensors of the vehicle needed to provide data to enable a vehicle control function for the current operating situation of the vehicle. A remainder of the plurality of sensors is disengaged to reduce electric energy usage by the vehicle while the vehicle is operating in the current operating situation of the vehicle. A sampling rate for the selected subset of sensors may be reduced to further reduce energy usage of the vehicle. Additionally, an energy reduction processing strategy may be implemented to reduce a processor frequency or a voltage of a computing device used to provide the vehicle control function to further reduce energy usage of the vehicle.

Hu, Yuxiao↗
DOE OSTI2013

Prototype Development of Remote Operated Hot Uniaxial Press (ROHUP) to Fabricate Advanced Tc-99 Bearing Ceramic Waste Forms - 13381

The objective of this senior student project is to design and build a prototype construction of a machine that simultaneously provides the proper pressure and temperature parameters to sinter ceramic powders in-situ to create pellets of rather high densities of above 90% (theoretical). This ROHUP (Remote Operated Hot Uniaxial Press) device is designed specifically to fabricate advanced ceramic Tc-99 bearing waste forms and therefore radiological barriers have been included in the system. The HUP features electronic control and feedback systems to set and monitor pressure, load, and temperature parameters. This device operates wirelessly via portable computer using Bluetooth{sup R} technology. The HUP device is designed to fit in a standard atmosphere controlled glove box to further allow sintering under inert conditions (e.g. under Ar, He, N{sub 2}). This will further allow utilizing this HUP for other potential applications, including radioactive samples, novel ceramic waste forms, advanced oxide fuels, air-sensitive samples, metallic systems, advanced powder metallurgy, diffusion experiments and more. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

A new set-up for in-situ probing of radiation effects in materials and electronic devices

The micro-probe facility installed at the Van de Graff accelerator at CTN/IST permits simultaneous measurements of Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Iono-Luminescence (IL). Here we present a recent up-grade of the measurement chamber allowing improved optical sensitivity in IL measurements and opening the possibility to perform simultaneously electrical measurements. Combinations of all these characterization techniques make this setup a powerful tool to characterize and modify different materials with spatial resolution. In particular, it can be used to study radiation effects in different materials and electronic devices in-situ. IL is a luminescence technique that uses the ion beam as the excitation source. Compared with other luminescence techniques with spatial resolution like Cathodoluminescence, this technique has the advantage to probe deeper regions of the sample, several microns below the surface. The same ion beam used to produce luminescence, can create a high density of defects, in a controllable way and the new set-up allows monitoring optical and electrical properties in realtime. In this work we combine IL with I-V curve measurements to assess the response of Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and GaN to proton irradiation. Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and GaN are emerging materials for applications in high power electronics and are considered for radiation resistant electronics. We will present a systematic study of the changes in IL and conductivity in Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and GaN samples with the energy of the ion beam and with the time of exposure. In particular, it was observed that during the irradiation some luminescence bands related with intrinsic point defects decrease while other new bands appear. Simulations using the SRIM code were used to determine the depth profiles of ionization and displacement events, helping to correlate the optical and electrical response of the materials with certain radiation effects. These studies show the potentialities of measuring simultaneously IL and electrical conductivity and how these two characterization techniques can work as a sensitive tool to detect and quantify radiation effects. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗