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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 1,495 records · Page 83

Microstructural study of the nickel-base alloy WAZ-20 using qualitative and quantitative electron optical techniques

The NASA nickel-base alloy WAZ-20 was analyzed by advanced metallographic techniques to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize its phases and stability. The as-cast alloy contained primary gamma-prime, a coarse gamma-gamma prime eutectic, a gamma-fine gamma prime matrix, and MC carbides. A specimen aged at 870 C for 1000 hours contained these same constituents and a few widely scattered high W particles. No detrimental phases (such as sigma or mu) were observed. Scanning electron microscope, light metallography, and replica electron microscope methods are compared. The value of quantitative electron microprobe techniques such as spot and area analysis is demonstrated.

Young, S. G.↗

Formation and Decomposition Process of the Filled Skutterudite Sm{sub y}(Fe{sub x}Ni{sub 1−x}){sub 4}Sb{sub 12} (0.40 ≤ x ≤ 1) as Revealed by Differential Thermal Analysis

Filled skutterudites are among the most promising thermoelectric materials, and the obtainment of monophasic samples is crucial for the study of their transport properties. In this work, a differential thermal analysis study was performed on samples belonging to the Sm{sub y}(Fe{sub x}Ni{sub 1-x}){sub 4}Sb{sub 12} system with the aim to determine the most proper annealing temperature to possibly obtain skutterudite monophasic samples, and to study the effect of Sm addition on the thermodynamics of the Fe-Ni-Sb system. Samples were prepared through the traditional procedure consisting in melting–quenching–annealing the starting elements. DTA analyses were carried out on annealed samples, and results were interpreted using the Fe{sub 25}Sb{sub 75}-Ni{sub 25}Sb{sub 75} pseudobinary phase diagram taken from the literature as a starting point. They reveal that 870 K is the best annealing temperature, being the formation of a liquid phase just above this point; moreover, the Sm introduction results in widening the one-phase skutterudite stability region toward both higher temperatures and higher Fe concentrations compared with the Sm-free system.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Angular dependence of the spin textures in two-dimensional chiral magnets

The angular dependence of spin textures in thin helimagnetic films is investigated by a Monte Carlo simulation. When an external field is applied at an angle relative to the film normal, we find that the skyrmion states with broken axis-symmetric structure are able to persist over a wide range of angles by changing the spin orientation. In addition, the uniaxial anisotropy is able to stabilize the distorted skyrmions. This behavior reflects the robust topological stability of skyrmion states in helimagnets and favors their application in spintronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Phase Diagram and Structure Map of Binary Nanoparticle Superlattices from a Lennard-Jones Model

A first-principles prediction of the binary nanoparticle phase diagram assembled by solvent evaporation has eluded theoretical approaches. In this paper, we show that a binary system interacting through the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential contains all experimental phases in which nanoparticles are effectively described as quasi hard spheres. We report a phase diagram consisting of 53 equilibrium phases, whose stability is quite insensitive to the microscopic details of the potentials, thus giving rise to some type of universality. Furthermore, we show that binary lattices may be understood as consisting of certain particle clusters, i.e., motifs, that provide a generalization of the four conventional Frank–Kasper polyhedral units. Our results show that metastable phases share the very same motifs as equilibrium phases. Finally, we discuss the connection with packing models, phase diagrams with repulsive potentials, and the prediction of likely experimental superlattices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Gas-phase formation of the resonantly stabilized 1-indenyl (C 9 H 7 • ) radical in the interstellar medium

The 1-indenyl (C 9 H 7 • ) radical, a prototype aromatic and resonantly stabilized free radical carrying a six- and a five-membered ring, has emerged as a fundamental molecular building block of nonplanar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and carbonaceous nanostructures in deep space and combustion systems. However, the underlying formation mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, we reveal an unconventional low-temperature gas-phase formation of 1-indenyl via barrierless ring annulation involving reactions of atomic carbon [C( 3 P)] with styrene (C 6 H 5 C 2 H 3 ) and propargyl (C 3 H 3 • ) with phenyl (C 6 H 5 • ). Macroscopic environments like molecular clouds act as natural low-temperature laboratories, where rapid molecular mass growth to 1-indenyl and subsequently complex PAHs involving vinyl side-chained aromatics and aryl radicals can occur. These reactions may account for the formation of PAHs and their derivatives in the interstellar medium and carbonaceous chondrites and could close the gap of timescales of their production and destruction in our carbonaceous universe.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Properties of the thermally stable Al{sub 95}Cr{sub 3.1}Fe{sub 1.1}Ti{sub 0.8} alloy prepared by cold-compression at ultra-high pressure and by hot-extrusion

An Al{sub 95}Cr{sub 3.1}Fe{sub 1.1}Ti{sub 0.8} (in at.%) alloy was made into rapidly solidified powder by melt atomization. The powder was compacted by two processes: 1) uni-axial cold compression at an ultra-high pressure of 6 GPa and 2) hot extrusion at 480 Degree-Sign C. The structures, mechanical properties and thermal stability of both materials were compared with the commercial AlSi{sub 12}Cu{sub 1}Mg{sub 1}Ni{sub 1} (in wt.%) casting alloy, which is generally considered to be thermally stable. It was found that cold compression at ultra-high pressure created a compact and porosity-free material, which was similar to the material that was prepared with the commonly used hot extrusion method. The Vickers hardness, compressive strength and compressive yield strength of the cold-compressed alloy were 161 HV, 680 MPa and 547 MPa, respectively, which were higher than the values obtained for the hot-extruded and casting alloys. The thermal stability of the hot-extruded Al{sub 95}Cr{sub 3.1}Fe{sub 1.1}Ti{sub 0.8} alloy was excellent because its mechanical properties did not change significantly, even after 100 h of annealing at 500 Degree-Sign C. The mechanical properties and thermal stability of the investigated materials were discussed in relation to their structures and diffusivities of the alloying elements. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Al{sub 95}Cr{sub 3.1}Fe{sub 1.1}Ti{sub 0.8} alloy was prepared by compression at an ultra-high pressure of 6 GPa. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The resulting material was dense and porosity-free. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The material had high hardness of 161 HV and a compressive strength of 680 MPa. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The material had excellent thermal stability at 500 Degree-Sign C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Silicon nanocrystals with high boron and phosphorus concentration hydrophilic shell—Raman scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies

Boron (B) and phosphorus (P) codoped silicon (Si) nanocrystals, which exhibit very wide range tunable luminescence due to the donor to acceptor transitions and can be dispersed in polar liquids without organic ligands, are studied by Raman scattering and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. Codoped Si nanocrystals exhibit a Raman spectrum significantly different from those of intrinsic ones. First, the Raman peak energy is almost insensitive to the size and is very close to that of bulk Si crystal in the diameter range of 2.7 to 14 nm. Second, the peak is much broader than that of intrinsic ones. Furthermore, an additional broad peak, the intensity of which is about 20% of the main peak, appears around 650 cm{sup −1}. The peak can be assigned to local vibrational modes of substitutional B and B-P pairs, B clusters, B-interstitial clusters, etc. in Si crystal. The Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies suggest that a crystalline shell heavily doped with these species is formed at the surface of a codoped Si nanocrystal and it induces the specific properties, i.e., hydrophilicity, high-stability in water, high resistance to hydrofluoric acid, etc.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effect of surfactant excess on the stability of low-polarity ferrofluids probed by small-angle neutron scattering

The structures of ferrofluids (FFs) based on nonpolar solvent decahydronaphthalene, stabilized by saturated monocarboxylic acids with hydrocarbon chains of different lengths, C16 (palmitic acid) and ?12 (lauric acid), with an excess of acid molecules, have been studied by small-angle neutron scattering. It is found that the addition of acid to an initially stable system with optimal composition leads to more significant structural changes (related to aggregation) than those observed previously for this class of FFs. A comparison of the influence of monocarboxylic acids on the stability of nonpolar FFs suggests that the enhancement of aggregation is much more pronounced in the case of palmitic acid excess. This fact confirms the conclusion of previous studies, according to which an increase in the hydrocarbon chain length in a saturated acid reduces the efficiency of the corresponding FF stabilization.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Cationic coordination compound Cs{sub 2}Hg{sub 3}I{sub 8} for IR NLO material: Synthesis, crystal growth and characterizations

Single crystals Cs{sub 2}Hg{sub 3}I{sub 8} of dimensions 5 × 3 × 4 mm{sup 3} were grown by solution growth method at room temperature and structurally characterized by single crystal X – ray diffraction. Cs{sub 2}Hg{sub 3}I{sub 8} compound crystallizes in a noncentrosymmetric space group Cm with the crystal data of a = 7.4415 Å, b = 21.6629 Å, c = 7.6726 Å, α, β = 90°, γ = 108.05° and Z = 2. The grown crystals were characterized by powder X – ray diffraction analysis and the various diffraction planes are indexed. The presence of functional groups was identified qualitatively by Fourier transform infrared and FT – Raman spectral analyses. Ultraviolet – visible spectral analyses shows that the crystal has low UV cut off at 388 nm combined with very good transparency of 98 % in a wide range. The optical band gap was estimated to be 3 eV. Mechanical hardness of the grown crystal Cs{sub 2}Hg{sub 3}I{sub 8} was determined. The dielectric response of the crystal with varying frequencies was studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis shows that the grown crystal has very good thermal stability up to 97.5°C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Exploring Ramsey-coherent population trapping atomic clock realized with pulsed microwave modulated laser

A scheme for a Ramsey-coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clock that eliminates the acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is proposed and experimentally studied. Driven by a periodically microwave modulated current, the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser emits a continuous beam that switches between monochromatic and multichromatic modes. Ramsey-CPT interference has been studied with this mode-switching beam. In eliminating the AOM, which is used to generate pulsed laser in conventional Ramsey-CPT atomic clock, the physics package of the proposed scheme is virtually the same as that of a conventional compact CPT atomic clock, although the resource budget for the electronics will slightly increase as a microwave switch should be added. By evaluating and comparing experimentally recorded signals from the two Ramsey-CPT schemes, the short-term frequency stability of the proposed scheme was found to be 46% better than the scheme with AOM. The experimental results suggest that the implementation of a compact Ramsey-CPT atomic clock promises better frequency stability.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles incorporated into silica nanoparticles by inelastic collision via ultrasonic field: Role of colloidal stability

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION)/Silica composite nanoparticles were prepared by ultrasonically irradiating colloidal suspension of silica and SPION mixture. Both silica and SPION were synthesized independently via co-precipitation and sol-gel method, respectively. Their mixtures were sonicated at different pH between 3 and 5. Electrophoresis measurement and other physicochemical analyses of the products demonstrate that at lower pH SPION was found incorporated into the silica. However, at pH greater than 4, SPION was unstable and unable to withstand the turbulence flow and shock wave from the ultrasonic field. Results suggest that the formation of the SPION/silica composite nanoparticles is strongly related to the inelastic collision induced by ultrasonic irradiation. More so, the formation the composite nanoparticles via the ultrasonic field are dependent on the zeta potential and colloidal stability of the particles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Investigation of negative bias temperature instability dependence on fin width of silicon-on-insulator-fin-based field effect transistors

The fin width dependence of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) of double-gate, fin-based p-type Field Effect Transistors (FinFETs) fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers was investigated. The NBTI degradation increased as the fin width narrowed. To investigate this phenomenon, simulations of pre-stress conditions were employed to determine any differences in gate oxide field, fin band bending, and electric field profile as a function of the fin width. The simulation results were similar at a given gate stress bias, regardless of the fin width, although the threshold voltage was found to increase with decreasing fin width. Thus, the NBTI fin width dependence could not be explained from the pre-stress conditions. Different physics-based degradation models were evaluated using specific fin-based device structures with different biasing schemes to ascertain an appropriate model that best explains the measured NBTI dependence. A plausible cause is an accumulation of electrons that tunnel from the gate during stress into the floating SOI fin body. As the fin narrows, the sidewall device channel moves in closer proximity to the stored electrons, thereby inducing more band bending at the fin/dielectric interface, resulting in a higher electric field and hole concentration in this region during stress, which leads to more degradation. The data obtained in this work provide direct experimental proof of the effect of electron accumulation on the threshold voltage stability in FinFETs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Polyvinylpyrrolidone adsorption effects on the morphologies of synthesized platinum particles and its catalytic activity

Flower-like Platinum micro-structures were synthesized from different concentration of the PVP using solvothermal method. At 5.0×10{sup −3} mmol of PVP, well-defined flower-like pattern consists of triangular petals radiating from the centre were produced whereas larger flower network developed at higher PVP concentration. High degree of crystallinity was obtained upon each increment of PVP. The well defined flower like pattern synthesized using 5.0×10{sup −3} mmol PVP exhibit the highest catalytic activity and stability towards electro-oxidation of formic acid.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The structural properties of InGaN alloys and the interdependence on the thermoelectric behavior

The III-Nitrides are promising candidate for high efficiency thermoelectric (TE) materials and devices due to their unique features which includes high thermal stability. A systematic study of the room temperature TE properties of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition grown In{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}N were investigated for x = 0.07 to 0.24. This paper investigated the role of indium composition on the TE properties of InGaN alloys in particular the structural properties for homogenous material that did not show significant phase separation. The highest Seebeck and power factor values of 507 μV K{sup −1} and 21.84 × 10{sup −4} Wm{sup −1}K{sup −1} were observed, respectively for In{sub 0.07}Ga{sub 0.93}N at room temperature. The highest value of figure-of-merit (ZT) was calculated to be 0.072 for In{sub 0.20}Ga{sub 0.80}N alloy at room temperature.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Observations of two-dimensional monolayer zinc oxide

Highlights: • Synthesis of planer ZnO nanostructure. • Observation of multilayered and monolayer ZnO. • DFT calculation of (10-10), (11-20) and (0 0 0 1) planes of ZnO. • Stability of non-polar (10-10) and (11-20) planes of ZnO. - Abstract: This letter reports the observations of planar two-dimensional ZnO synthesized using the hydrothermal growth technique. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice and aggregated structures of layered ZnO. The nonpolar (10-10) and (11-20) planes were present in the X-ray diffraction patterns, but the characteristic (0 0 0 1) peak of bulk ZnO was absent. The study found that nonpolar freestanding ZnO structures composed of a single or few layers may be more stable and may have a higher probability of formation than their polar counterparts. The stability of the nonpolar two-dimensional hexagonal ZnO slabs is supported by density functional theory studies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ultra-thin L1{sub 0}-FePt for perpendicular anisotropy L1{sub 0}-FePt/Ag/[Co/Pd]{sub 30} pseudo spin valves

Perpendicular anisotropy L1{sub 0}-FePt/Ag/[Co/Pd]{sub 30} pseudo spin valves (PSVs) with ultra-thin L1{sub 0}-FePt alloy free layer possessing high anisotropy and thermal stability have been fabricated and studied. The thickness of the L1{sub 0}-FePt layer was varied between 2 and 4 nm. The PSV became increasingly decoupled with reduced L1{sub 0}-FePt thickness due to the larger difference between the coercivity of the L1{sub 0}-FePt and [Co/Pd]{sub 30} films. The PSV with an ultra-thin L1{sub 0}-FePt free layer of 2 nm displayed a high K{sub u} of 2.21 × 10{sup 7} ergs/cm{sup 3}, high thermal stability of 84 and a largest giant magnetoresistance of 0.54%.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗