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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 1,351 records · Page 75

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2022

Machine learning prediction of the mechanical properties of refractory multicomponent alloys based on a dataset of phase and first principles simulation

In this work, a dataset including structural and mechanical properties of refractory multicomponent alloys was developed by fusing computations of phase diagram (CALPHAD) and density functional theory (DFT). The refractory multicomponent alloys, also named refractory complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) which contain 2–5 types of refractory elements were constructed based on Special Quasi-random Structure (SQS). The phase of alloys was predicted using CALPHAD and the mechanical property of alloys with stable and single body-centered cubic (BCC) at high temperature (over 1,500°C) was investigated using DFT-based simulation. As a result, a dataset with 393 refractory alloys and 12 features, including volume, melting temperature, density, energy, elastic constants, mechanical moduli, and hardness, were produced. To test the capability of the dataset on supporting machine learning (ML) study to investigate the property of CCAs, CALPHAD, and DFT calculations were compared with principal components analysis (PCA) technique and rule of mixture (ROM), respectively. It is demonstrated that the CALPHAD and DFT results are more in line with experimental observations for the alloy phase, structural and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the data were utilized to train a verity of ML models to predict the performance of certain CCAs with advanced mechanical properties, highlighting the usefulness of the dataset for ML technique on CCA property prediction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2019

Study of Chemical Etching and Chemo-Mechanical Polishing on CdZnTe Nuclear Detectors

Cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) semiconductor has applications in the detection of Xrays and gamma-rays at room temperature without having to use a cooling system. Chemical etching and chemo-mechanical polishing are processes used to smoothen CdZnTe wafer during detector device fabrication. These processes reduce surface damages left after polishing the wafers. In this paper, we compare the effects of etching and chemo-mechanical polishing on CdZnTe nuclear detectors, using a solution of hydrogen bromide in hydrogen peroxide and ethylene glycol mixture. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to monitor TeO 2 on the wafer surfaces. Current-voltage and detector-response measurements were made to study the electrical properties and energy resolution. XPS results showed that the chemical etching process resulted in the formation of more TeO 2 on the detector surfaces compared to chemo-mechanical polishing. The electrical resistivity of the detector is of the order of 10 10 Ω-cm. The chemo-mechanical polishing process increased the leakage current more that chemical etching. For freshly treated surfaces, the etching process is more detrimental to the energy resolution more than chemo-mechanically polishing. The energy resolutions of the CdZnTe wafers are expected to improve as the surfaces stabilize and result in reduced surface currents.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2001

Skeletal adaptation to external loads optimizes mechanical properties: fact or fiction

The skeleton adapts to a changing mechanical environment but the widely held concept that bone cells are programmed to respond to local mechanical loads to produce an optimal mechanical structure is not consistent with the high frequency of bone fractures. Instead, the author suggests that other important functions of bone compete with mechanical adaptation to determine structure. As a consequence of competing demands, bone architecture never achieves an optimal mechanical structure. c2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Review, Tutorial↗

NASA NTRS1995

Mechanical stress regulation of plant growth and development

The authors introduce the chapter with a discussion of lessons from nature, agriculture, and landscapes; terms and definitions; and an historical perspective of mechanical stress regulation of plant growth and development. Topics include developmental responses to mechanical stress; mechanical stress-environment interactions; metabolic, productivity, and compositional changes; hormonal involvement; mechanoperception and early transduction mechanisms; applications in agriculture; and research implications. The discussion of hormonal involvement in mechanical stress physiology includes ethylene, auxin, gibberellins, and other phytohormones. The discussion of applications in agriculture examines windbreaks, nursery practices, height control and conditioning, and enhancement of growth and productivity. Implications for research are related to handling plant materials, space biology, and future research needs.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗

NASA NTRS1997

Demonstration of mechanical connections between integrins, cytoskeletal filaments, and nucleoplasm that stabilize nuclear structure

We report here that living cells and nuclei are hard-wired such that a mechanical tug on cell surface receptors can immediately change the organization of molecular assemblies in the cytoplasm and nucleus. When integrins were pulled by micromanipulating bound microbeads or micropipettes, cytoskeletal filaments reoriented, nuclei distorted, and nucleoli redistributed along the axis of the applied tension field. These effects were specific for integrins, independent of cortical membrane distortion, and were mediated by direct linkages between the cytoskeleton and nucleus. Actin microfilaments mediated force transfer to the nucleus at low strain; however, tearing of the actin gel resulted with greater distortion. In contrast, intermediate filaments effectively mediated force transfer to the nucleus under both conditions. These filament systems also acted as molecular guy wires to mechanically stiffen the nucleus and anchor it in place, whereas microtubules acted to hold open the intermediate filament lattice and to stabilize the nucleus against lateral compression. Molecular connections between integrins, cytoskeletal filaments, and nuclear scaffolds may therefore provide a discrete path for mechanical signal transfer through cells as well as a mechanism for producing integrated changes in cell and nuclear structure in response to changes in extracellular matrix adhesivity or mechanics.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗

NASA NTRS2011

ATHLETE : Double Auger Anchoring Mechanism

The All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) is a six-limbed robot designed to support surface explorations on Near Earth Objects, the Moon and Mars. ATHLETE can carry large payloads on its top deck and can carry a fully equipped pressurized habitat in low gravity. The robot has wheels on each of its six articulated limbs, allowing it to actively conform to terrain while driving and to walk when driving is impractical. With the use of a tool adapter, ATHLETE limbs can be equipped with end effectors to support various mission objectives. For work on Near Earth Objects and other microgravity environments, an anchoring mechanism is needed to keep the ATHLETE from floating off the surface. My goal for this spring session at JPL was to design and build a counter rotating, double auger, anchoring mechanism. The mechanism mates to the tool adapter and is driven off the wheel motor. The double auger anchoring mechanism will be tested in a regolith simulant that will determine the uplift capacity of the anchoring mechanism.

Human-Robot Systems (HRS) Project↗

NASA NTRS2015

Mechanical Properties of Graphene Nanoplatelet/Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Hybrid Composites: Multiscale Modeling and Experiments

Because of the relatively high specific mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composite materials, they are often used as structural components in aerospace applications. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) can be added to the epoxy matrix to improve the overall mechanical properties of the composite. The resulting GNP/carbon fiber/epoxy hybrid composites have been studied using multiscale modeling to determine the influence of GNP volume fraction, epoxy crosslink density, and GNP dispersion on the mechanical performance. The hierarchical multiscale modeling approach developed herein includes Molecular Dynamics (MD) and micromechanical modeling, and it is validated with experimental testing of the same hybrid composite material system. The results indicate that the multiscale modeling approach is accurate and provides physical insight into the composite mechanical behavior. Also, the results quantify the substantial impact of GNP volume fraction and dispersion on the transverse mechanical properties of the hybrid composite, while the effect on the axial properties is shown to be insignificant.

molecular dynamics↗

NASA NTRS2015

Mechanical Properties of Graphene Nanoplatelet Carbon Fiber Epoxy Hybrid Composites: Multiscale Modeling and Experiments

computational mechanics↗

NASA NTRS2015

Mechanical Properties of Graphene Nanoplatelet/Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Hybrid Composites: Multiscale Modeling and Experiments

Because of the relatively high specific mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composite materials, they are often used as structural components in aerospace applications. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) can be added to the epoxy matrix to improve the overall mechanical properties of the composite. The resulting GNP/carbon fiber/epoxy hybrid composites have been studied using multiscale modeling to determine the influence of GNP volume fraction, epoxy crosslink density, and GNP dispersion on the mechanical performance. The hierarchical multiscale modeling approach developed herein includes Molecular Dynamics (MD) and micromechanical modeling, and it is validated with experimental testing of the same hybrid composite material system. The results indicate that the multiscale modeling approach is accurate and provides physical insight into the composite mechanical behavior. Also, the results quantify the substantial impact of GNP volume fraction and dispersion on the transverse mechanical properties of the hybrid composite while the effect on the axial properties is shown to be insignificant.

nanocomposites↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Multi-Scale Analysis of Effective Mechanical Properties of Porous 3D Woven Composite Materials

This work aims to compute and analyze the mechanical properties of 3D woven composite materials that share the same yarn structure but differ in their matrix porosity and yarn's fiber volume fraction. Assuming linear elastic behavior, NASA's PuMA software was used to characterize the different composites from their constituents' data, averaging their elastic properties in three main directions to obtain their effective orthotropic mechanical properties. This was performed in three steps: firstly, the porous matrix phase was analyzed at the micro-scale; then, these results were used, along with the mechanical properties of the fibers, to model the yarns at the meso-scale; finally, results from the constituents were homogenized and used to model the mechanical behavior of the unit cell at the macro-scale. The 3D woven composite materials selected for this study are made of a mixture of phenolic resin with porosity values between 0 and 0.6, and infiltrated carbon fiber yarns with fiber volume fractions between 0.5 and 0.8. Results from this study show the effect of different matrix porosities and fiber volume fractions on the macro-scale mechanical properties, and were validated through theoretical and semi-empirical expressions found in the literature.

3D woven materials↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Twin nucleation and growth mechanism in Ni-based superalloys

While micro-twinning is the dominant creep deformation mechanism in Ni-based superalloys at temperatures above 700 C, many aspects of twin nucleation and growth remain unexplored. Kolbe mechanism for micro-twinning, based on thermally activated reordering, is probably the only concept currently widely accepted by the scientific community. We propose a qualitatively different mechanism for nucleation and growth of twins. The mechanism can be briefly described as follows. Penetration of a gamma prime precipitate by two 1/2(110) edge dislocations travelling on adjacent {111} glide planes triggers nucleation (at the interface of the precipitate and the matrix) and emission of Shockley partial of screw character on the glide plane of the edge dislocation, which entered the precipitate first (generating trailing high-energy anti-phase boundary (APB)). Propagation of this Shockley partial into the precipitate converts the APB into super intrinsic stacking fault (SISF). The recurring arrival of additional edge dislocations on the glide planes adjacent to the configuration described above leads to formation of super extrinsic stacking fault SESF, subsequent micro-twin formation, and growth of the twinned region. We demonstrate the proposed mechanism via molecular dynamics simulations.

Ni-superalloys↗

DOE OSTI2012

Characterization of High Temperature Mechanical Properties Using Laser Ultrasound

Mechanical properties are controlled to a large degree by defect structures such as dislocations and grain boundaries. These microstructural features involve a perturbation of the perfect crystal lattice (i.e. strain fields). Viewed in this context, high frequency strain waves (i.e. ultrasound) provide a natural choice to study microstructure mediated mechanical properties. In this presentation we use laser ultrasound to probe mechanical properties of materials. This approach utilizes lasers to excite and detect ultrasonic waves, and as a consequence has unique advantages over other methods—it is noncontacting, requires no couplant or invasive sample preparation (other than that used in metallurgical analysis), and has the demonstrated capability to probe microstructure on a micron scale. Laser techniques are highly reproducible enabling sophisticated, microstructurally informed data analysis. Since light is being used for generation and detection of the ultrasonic wave, the specimen being examined is not mechanically coupled to the transducer. As a result, laser ultrasound can be carried out remotely, an especially attractive characteristic for in situ measurements in severe environments. Several examples involving laser ultrasound to measure mechanical properties in high temperature environments will be presented. Emphasis will be place on understanding the role of grain microstructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2014

Understanding Irreversible Degradation of Nb3Sn Wires with Fundamental Fracture Mechanics

Irreversible performance degradation of advanced Nb3Sn superconducting wires subjected to transverse or axial mechanical loading is a critical issue for the design of large-scale fusion and accelerator magnets such as ITER and LHC. Recent SULTAN tests indicate that most cable-in-conduit conductors for ITER coils made of Nb3Sn wires processed by various fabrication techniques show similar performance degradation under cyclic loading. The irreversible degradation due to filament fracture and local strain accumulation in Nb3Sn wires cannot be described by the existing strand scaling law. Fracture mechanic modeling combined with X-ray diffraction imaging of filament micro-crack formation inside the wires under mechanical loading may reveal exciting insights to the wire degradation mechanisms. We apply fundamental fracture mechanics with a singularity approach to study influence of wire filament microstructure of initial void size and distribution to local stress concentration and potential crack propagation. We report impact of the scale and density of the void structure on stress concentration in the composite wire materials for crack initiation. These initial defects result in an irreversible degradation of the critical current beyond certain applied stress. We also discuss options to minimize stress concentration in the design of the material microstructure for enhanced wire performance for future applications.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Pellet Cladding Mechanical Interaction Modeling Using the Extended Finite Element Method

As a brittle material, the ceramic UO2 used as light water reactor fuel experiences significant fracturing throughout its life, beginning with the first rise to power of fresh fuel. This has multiple effects on the thermal and mechanical response of the fuel/cladding system. One such effect that is particularly important is that when there is mechanical contact between the fuel and cladding, cracks that extending from the outer surface of the fuel into the volume of the fuel cause elevated stresses in the adjacent cladding, which can potentially lead to cladding failure. Modeling the thermal and mechanical response of the cladding in the vicinity of these surface-breaking cracks in the fuel can provide important insights into this behavior to help avoid operating conditions that could lead to cladding failure. Such modeling has traditionally been done in the context of finite-element-based fuel performance analysis by modifying the fuel mesh to introduce discrete cracks. While this approach is effective in capturing the important behavior at the fuel/cladding interface, there are multiple drawbacks to explicitly incorporating the cracks in the finite element mesh. Because the cracks are incorporated in the original mesh, the mesh must be modified for cracks of specified location and depth, so it is difficult to account for crack propagation and the formation of new cracks at other locations. The extended finite element method (XFEM) has emerged in recent years as a powerful method to represent arbitrary, evolving, discrete discontinuities within the context of the finite element method. Development work is underway by the authors to implement XFEM in the BISON fuel performance code, and this capability has previously been demonstrated in simulations of fracture propagation in ceramic nuclear fuel. These preliminary demonstrations have included only the fuel, and excluded the cladding for simplicity. This paper presents initial results of efforts to apply XFEM to model stress concentrations induced by fuel fractures at the fuel/cladding interface during pellet cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). This is accomplished by enhancing the thermal and mechanical contact enforcement algorithms employed by BISON to permit their use in conjunction with XFEM. The results from this methodology are demonstrated to be equivalent to those from using meshed discrete cracks. While the results of the two methods are equivalent for the case of a stationary crack, it is demonstrated that XFEM provides the additional flexibility of allowing arbitrary crack initiation and propagation during the analysis, and minimizes model setup effort for cases with stationary cracks.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2017

Tungsten Foils and Composites for Fusion Applications - Mechanical Testing

Tokamak fusion reactors ultimately should deliver safe, clean, and abundant energy provided that materials and plasma challenges continue to be overcome. Materials that can withstand large heat fluxes and mechanical loads while undergoing intense irradiation are needed for the plasma-facing components of these reactors and are still undergoing development. Tungsten composites are candidates for this purpose; they have low sputtering yields, high melting points, and may be more ductile than pure tungsten. However, the mechanical properties of tungsten composites are not yet well characterized. Tungsten foils produced using severe plastic deformation, e.g. cold rolling, have shown considerable promise for these applications as they may be more ductile than tungsten produced using powder metallurgy alone. Changes to the mechanical properties of tungsten foils have been suggested to be correlated with ultra-fine grained or nanocrystalline microstructures created by severe plastic deformation. Tungsten foils with larger amounts of plastic deformation, i.e. thinner foils, have been shown to have smaller grain sizes and a more pronounced texture in (100) <011>. The grain size and structure of foils with differing degrees of plastic deformation are therefore likely to differ significantly and the foils will likely exhibit very different mechanical properties. To fabricate tungsten foils into a useful structural material for high temperature fusion applications, layered composites are currently being examined. These composites integrate the excellent functional characteristics of tungsten foils with an interlayer such as steel that may improve ductility and toughness. To engineer and optimize layered composites, the mechanical properties of tungsten foils with differing thicknesses and degrees of plastic deformation must be characterized, both pre- and post-irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2013

Canonical quantization of classical mechanics in curvilinear coordinates. Invariant quantization procedure

In the paper is presented an invariant quantization procedure of classical mechanics on the phase space over flat configuration space. Then, the passage to an operator representation of quantum mechanics in a Hilbert space over configuration space is derived. An explicit form of position and momentum operators as well as their appropriate ordering in arbitrary curvilinear coordinates is demonstrated. Finally, the extension of presented formalism onto non-flat case and related ambiguities of the process of quantization are discussed. -- Highlights: •An invariant quantization procedure of classical mechanics on the phase space over flat configuration space is presented. •The passage to an operator representation of quantum mechanics in a Hilbert space over configuration space is derived. •Explicit form of position and momentum operators and their appropriate ordering in curvilinear coordinates is shown. •The invariant form of Hamiltonian operators quadratic and cubic in momenta is derived. •The extension of presented formalism onto non-flat case and related ambiguities of the quantization process are discussed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2019

On the metric structure of time in classical and quantum mechanics

Highlights: •The discovery of a new role for time and its partner. •The discovery of a super-extension of time and its curvature. •The discovery that the curvature can be brought to zero in Classical Mechanics. -- Abstract: In this paper we show that, via an extension of time, some metric structures naturally appear in both classical and quantum mechanics when both are formulated via path integrals. We calculate the various Ricci scalar and curvatures associated to these metrics and prove that they can be chosen to be zero in classical mechanics while this is not possible in quantum mechanics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2017

Understanding the mechanisms of radiation belt dropouts observed by Van Allen Probes

To achieve a better understanding of the dominant loss mechanisms for the rapid dropouts of radiation belt electrons, three distinct radiation belt dropout events observed by Van Allen Probes are comprehensively investigated. For each event, observations of the pitch angle distribution of electron fluxes and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are analyzed to determine the effects of atmospheric precipitation loss due to pitch angle scattering induced by EMIC waves. Last closed drift shells (LCDS) and magnetopause standoff position are obtained to evaluate the effects of magnetopause shadowing loss. Evolution of electron phase space density (PSD) versus L* profiles and the μ and K (first and second adiabatic invariants) dependence of the electron PSD drops are calculated to further analyze the dominant loss mechanisms at different L*. Here, our findings suggest that these radiation belt dropouts can be classified into distinct classes in terms of dominant loss mechanisms: magnetopause shadowing dominant, EMIC wave scattering dominant, and combination of both mechanisms. Different from previous understanding, our results show that magnetopause shadowing can deplete electrons at L* < 4, while EMIC waves can efficiently scatter electrons at L* > 4. Compared to the magnetopause standoff position, it is more reliable to use LCDS to evaluate the impact of magnetopause shadowing. Finally, the evolution of electron PSD versus L* profile and the μ, K dependence of electron PSD drops can provide critical and credible clues regarding the mechanisms responsible for electron losses at different L* over the outer radiation belt.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗