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At least 1,711 records · Page 95
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Raman Microscopy Analysis of Wyoming CarbonSAFE Pilot Well Thin Sections for Mineralogy and Organic Matter Characterization

Scanning confocal Raman microspectroscopy (RMS) was used to analyze thin sections for inorganic mineral content and for evaluation of organic material (OM). Thin sections were selected from a stratigraphic test well core in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming under the Wyoming CarbonSAFE project. The well was analyzed with a variety of rock and fluid characterization techniques to determine the feasibility of a commercial-scale CO2 storage site. RMS complements other analyses, including traditional petrography, SEM, porosity and permeability, and XRD For this aspect of the study, RMS is especially important in the evaluation of OM in sealing lithologies. At prospective geologic CO2 storage sites, it is imperative to assess the unconventional oil and gas potential of seals to ensure that any future development would not compromise the integrity of the seals. Whole-slide mineralogical surveys were performed on thin sections from various shale and sandstone formations. Surveys were analyzed with Direct Classical Least Squares to identify and quantify minerals. The location and concentration of minerals was color-coded and overlaid on optical images for visualization of the distribution of minerals. Dense hyperspectral Raman mapping of OM was performed on five thin sections. Eleven spectral parameters diagnostic of organic type and thermal maturity were used to train a Partial Least Squares (PLS) calibration against a set of artificially matured samples spanning the pre- to mid-oil window. The PLS was applied to the study set and a post-mature set. Additionally, the PLS was applied to each point in hyperspectral maps for visualization of trends in maturity across sample sets and discrimination of organic matter types within a given map. In inorganic surveys on thin sections, a total of 14 unique inorganic minerals were identified in Raman spectra including quartz, dolomite, calcite, hematite and anhydrite. Shale thin sections tended to be dominated by organic material. OM was often observed mixed with inorganic minerals. Sand- and mudstones were dominated by inorganic minerals. The PLS extrapolated the post-mature set to reflectances >1.2%. The study set ranged from very immature to postmature in the median of map fit-peak parameters. However, point maturity maps indicate that matrix OM in all study samples is immature and that discreet organic particles selected for mapping, which may be inertinites, bias medians towards more-mature. The work demonstrates the capabilities of RMS to perform both whole-slide mineralogy and OM analysis with applications to formation evaluation in oil & gas, carbon sequestration and mining. Here, analysis of sealing formations in the well indicates high levels of immature organic matter that would not be a viable target for future oil production that could compromise the CO2 storage site. The work brings together diverse disciplines from geology and petrography to analytical chemistry, big data and microscopy.

Myers, Grant↗
NASA NTRS2004

Selection of an Alternate Biocide for the ISS Internal Thermal Control System Coolant, Phase 2

The ISS (International Space Station) ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) includes two internal coolant loops that utilize an aqueous based coolant for heat transfer. A silver salt biocide had previously been utilized as an additive in the coolant formulation to control the growth and proliferation of microorganisms within the coolant loops. Ground-based and in-flight testing demonstrated that the silver salt was rapidly depleted, and did not act as an effective long-term biocide. Efforts to select an optimal alternate biocide for the ITCS coolant application have been underway and are now in the final stages. An extensive evaluation of biocides was conducted to down-select to several candidates for test trials and was reported on previously. Criteria for that down-select included: the need for safe, non-intrusive implementation and operation in a functioning system; the ability to control existing planktonic and biofilm residing microorganisms; a negligible impact on system-wetted materials of construction; and a negligible reactivity with existing coolant additives. Candidate testing to provide data for the selection of an optimal alternate biocide is now in the final stages. That testing has included rapid biocide effectiveness screening using Biolog MT2 plates to determine minimum inhibitory concentration (amount that will inhibit visible growth of microorganisms), time kill studies to determine the exposure time required to completely eliminate organism growth, materials compatibility exposure evaluations, coolant compatibility studies, and bench-top simulated coolant testing. This paper reports the current status of the effort to select an alternate biocide for the ISS ITCS coolant. The results of various test results to select the optimal candidate are presented.

Wilson, Mark E.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960% then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California. The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a "National Asset" by the DoD. The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas grins, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Evans, Steve↗
NASA NTRS2008

Marshall Space Flight Center's Impact Testing Facility Capabilities

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Impact Testing Facility (ITF) serves as an important installation for space and missile related materials science research. The ITF was established and began its research in spacecraft debris shielding in the early 1960s, then played a major role in the International Space Station debris shield development. As NASA became more interested in launch debris and in-flight impact concerns, the ITF grew to include research in a variety of impact genres. Collaborative partnerships with the DoD led to a wider range of impact capabilities being relocated to MSFC as a result of the closure of Particle Impact Facilities in Santa Barbara, California, The Particle Impact Facility had a 30 year history in providing evaluations of aerospace materials and components during flights through rain, ice, and solid particle environments at subsonic through hypersonic velocities. The facility's unique capabilities were deemed a 'National Asset' by the DoD, The ITF now has capabilities including environmental, ballistic, and hypervelocity impact testing utilizing an array of air, powder, and two-stage light gas guns to accommodate a variety of projectile and target types and sizes. Relocated test equipment was dated and in need of upgrade. Numerous upgrades including new instrumentation, triggering circuitry, high speed photography, and optimized sabot designs have been implemented. Other recent research has included rain drop demise characterization tests to obtain data for inclusion in on-going model development. Future ITF improvements will be focused on continued instrumentation and performance enhancements. These enhancements will allow further, more in-depth, characterization of rain drop demise characterization and evaluation of ice crystal impact. Performance enhancements also include increasing the upper velocity limit of the current environmental guns to allow direct environmental simulation for missile components. The current and proposed ITF capabilities range from rain to micrometeoroids allowing the widest test parameter range possible for materials investigations in support of space, atmospheric, and ground environments. These test capabilities including hydrometeor, single/multi-particle, ballistic gas guns, exploding wire gun, and light gas guns combined with Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics Code (SPHC) simulations represent the widest range of impact test capabilities in the country.

Evans, Steve↗
DOE OSTI2018

Formation of nanogranular ZnO ultrathin films and estimation of their performance for photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin antibiotic

Highlights: • A modified sol–gel process with addition of ammonium acetate to form ZnO nanograins. • ZnO very thin layers with particular nano-granular morphology. • Opportunity to form mono-layers of separated nano-grains. • Correlated effects observed on morphology and dielectric function. • Efficient photo-degradation of amoxicillin antibiotic. - Abstract: Very thin nanogranular zinc oxide layers have been grown using sol–gel synthesis modified by incorporating ammonium acetate with varying content. Ammonium acetate has multiple correlated effects such as thickness reduction from 70 to 20 nm; grains size reduction from 50 nm to 25 nm; and morphology evolution from a dense stacking of grains to a single layer of grains. The potential application to photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical materials has been evaluated by carrying out the degradation of amoxicillin antibiotic under UV irradiation. The particular nanogranular morphology of the layers positively impacts the photodegradation efficiency.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2026

NASA JSC’s Simulant Development Lab Capabilities and Artemis Testing

The Simulant Development Lab (SDL) is a multifunctional collaborative workspace that supports the development, curation, analysis, testing, and distribution of planetary regolith simulants – including lunar, Martian, asteroidal, and other granular materials. The lab provides a multidisciplinary setting for scientific characterization of simulant physical properties and for engineering evaluations conducted with simulant test beds. To enable this work, the SDL curates and maintains a stock of more than 35 metric tons of simulant material. To evaluate these materials and support testing goals, the lab is equipped with a comprehensive suite of processing tools and analytical instruments. These capabilities enable the SDL’s mission at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to distribute, develop, process, characterize, and test regolith simulants for mission relevant applications. Through controlled and repeatable testing environments that replicate the physical and compositional properties of lunar regolith, the SDL supports Artemis hardware maturation, providing safe, Earth‑based analogs for evaluating systems that must withstand regolith dust interactions, physical wear and abrasion, and operational loads. The facility’s extensive simulant inventory and integrated geological and engineering test infrastructure accelerate technology readiness for Artemis and future exploration campaigns (e.g., future crewed or robotic missions to Mars).

Simulant Development Lab↗
DOE OSTI2022

Forum on Materials and Interfaces for Energy Storage and Conversion

This ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces forum on energy storage and conversion contains the topics of research discoveries to advance energy technology development. The topics are focused on the efficient and sustainable use of energy in the fields of fuel cells, CO 2 conversion, water splitting, batteries, and electrochemical capacitor. This forum highlights recent achievements in these emerging technologies through the design and evaluation of novel materials and devices and theoretical study. Additionally, this forum also showcases the technology at all stages of development from “embryonic” conception to industrial adaptation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1986

Optimal application of Morrison's iterative noise removal for deconvolution

Morrison's iterative method of noise removal can be applied for both noise removal alone and noise removal prior to deconvolution. This method is applied to noise of various noise levels added to determine the optimum use of the method. The phase shift method of migration and modeling is evaluated and the results are compared to Stolt's approach. A method is introduced by which the optimum iterative number for deconvolution can be found. Statistical computer simulation is used to describe the optimum use of two convergent iterative techniques for seismic data. The Always-Convergent deconvolution technique was applied to data recorded during the quantitative analysis of materials through NonDestructive Evaluation (NDE) in which ultrasonic signals were used to detect flaws in substances such as composites.

Ioup, George E.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Study on the Properties of Novel Soft Magnetic Composites of FeSiAl

In this paper, we compounded the FeSiAl powder with a novel amorphous inorganic insulation agent (AIIA). Silicone resin (3 wt.%) was used as organic insulating agent, and the inorganic insulating agent was Fe{sub 83.5}Si{sub 7.5}B{sub 5}Cr{sub 4} amorphous powder (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 wt.%). Amorphous powder was prepared by passivation pretreatment before compounding. The results showed that the addition of amorphous inorganic insulating agent will significantly affect the soft magnetic properties of FeSiAl powders. Compared with the pure FeSiAl powder having only silicone resin the saturation magnetization of composite powders slightly increased (by 0.1–4.9%). When AIIA content was 2 wt.%, the sample had the highest initial permeability, which increased by 14.6%. At the same time, the core loss was also reduced by 15.7% (B{sub m} = 5 mT, f = 1000 kHz) when AIIA content was also 2 wt.%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Microstructure and Interfacial Shear Strength in W/(Zr{sub 55}Cu{sub 30}Al{sub 10}Ni{sub 5}){sub 100−x}Nb{sub x} Composites

In the present study, (Zr{sub 55}Cu{sub 30}Al{sub 10}Ni{sub 5}){sub 100−x}Nb{sub (x=0,1,2,3)} bulk metallic glass matrix/tungsten wire composites were fabricated by a gas pressure infiltration process at temperature 950 °C for 5 min. Microstructural studies and mechanical behaviors of the materials have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and pullout tests. The mechanical results showed that the interface shear strength in the composite sample with X = 2 increased more than twice compared to the composite sample with X = 0. Based on the microstructural results, the addition of two atomic percent Nb in the matrix composite causes an increase in the diffusion band thickness during the melt infiltration and change in the interface fracture mode as a result of pullout test.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Controlled High Filler Loading of Functionalized Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Filled Epoxy Composites for LED Thermal Management

Thermal management in light-emitting diode (LED) has been extensively researched recently. This study is intended to develop an effective thermally conductive epoxy composite as thermal interface material (TIM) for headlamp LEDs. Silane-functionalized aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) powder of different average particle sizes (44 and 10 µm) was studied for its feasibility as filler at its maximum loading. A detailed comparison of three different methods of particle dispersions, hand-mix, speed-mix and calendaring process (3-roll mill), has been reported. The dispersion of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles, the thermal conductivity and thermal degradation characteristics of the composites were investigated and explained in detail. At 75 wt.% filler loading, 10 and 44 µm Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} achieved composite thermal conductivities of 1.13 and 2.08 W/mK, respectively, which is approximately 528 and 1055% of enhancement with respect to neat epoxy. The package-level thermal performance of the LED employing the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-filled TIMs was carried out using thermal transient analysis. The experimental junction-to-ambient thermal resistances (R{sub thJ-A}) achieved were 6.65, 7.24, and 8.63 K/W for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3-44µm}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3-10µm} and neat epoxy, respectively. The results revealed that the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3-44µm} fillers-filled composite performed better in both material-level and package-level thermal characteristics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Graphene Oxide-Incorporated Woven Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composite

This study investigates the synergistic effects of graphene oxide (GO) on the woven carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced epoxy composites. The GO nanofiller was incorporated into the epoxy resin with variations in the content, and the CF/epoxy composites were manufactured using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process and then cured at 70 and 120 °C. An analysis of the mechanical properties of the GO (0.2 wt.%)/CF/epoxy composites showed an improvement in the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, toughness, flexural strength and flexural modulus by ~ 34, 20, 83, 55 and 31%, respectively, when compared to the CF/epoxy composite. The dynamic mechanical analysis of the composites exhibited an enhancement of ~ 56, 114 and 22% in the storage modulus, loss modulus and damping capacity (tanδ), respectively, at its glass transition temperature. The fiber–matrix interaction was studied using a Cole–Cole plot analysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Electron Backscattered Diffraction Study of Pulse Electrodeposited Cu-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} Composite Coating

The current investigation is an effort of correlating the grain growth, crystallographic orientation and second-phase Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles to the mechanical properties of the electrodeposited pure copper (Cu) and Cu-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} coatings. Energy-dispersive spectrum and elemental mapping confirm the codeposition of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} in the composite coating matrix, which indeed justifies the composite (Cu-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) coating. Both pure Cu and Cu-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} coatings have (101) preferred orientation; however, the volume fraction is found comparatively lower in composite coating. Both microstructural and textural characterization through electron backscattered diffraction technique show significant grain refinement in case of Cu-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} composite coating compared to pure Cu coating, and prominent 〈011〉 fiber texture is observed in case of pure Cu coating compared to composite coating. By the addition of second-phase Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} in the matrix, the 〈011〉 fiber texture is disintegrated and concentrated at ϕ{sub 1} = 37°, ϕ = 45°, ϕ{sub 2} = 0°. Despite lower volume fraction of 〈011〉 fiber texture, better mechanical properties (hardness and wear resistance) of the composite coating compared to pure Cu coating can be attributed to finer grain size, higher misorientation angle and incorporation of second-phase Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Nano-modification to improve the ductility of cementitious composites

Effect of nano-sized mineral additions on ductility of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) containing high volumes of fly ash was investigated at different hydration degrees. Various properties of ECC mixtures with different mineral additions were compared in terms of microstructural properties of matrix, fiber-matrix interface, and fiber surface to assess improvements in ductility. Microstructural characterization was made by measuring pore size distributions through mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). Hydration characteristics were assessed using thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), and fiber-matrix interface and fiber surface characteristics were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) through a period of 90 days. Moreover, compressive and flexural strength developments were monitored for the same period. Test results confirmed that mineral additions could significantly improve both flexural strength and ductility of ECC, especially at early ages. Cheaper Nano-CaCO{sub 3} was more effective compared to nano-silica. However, the crystal structure of CaCO{sub 3} played a very important role in the range of expected improvements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Efficient H{sub 2} production over Au/graphene/TiO{sub 2} induced by surface plasmon resonance of Au and band-gap excitation of TiO{sub 2}

Highlights: • Both surface plasmon resonance and band-gap excitation were used for H{sub 2} production. • Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} exhibited enhancement of light absorption and charge separation. • H{sub 2} production rate of Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} was about 2 times as high as that of Au/TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: H{sub 2} production over Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} composite photocatalyst induced by surface plasmon resonance of Au and band-gap excitation of TiO{sub 2} using graphene (Gr) as an electron acceptor has been investigated. Electron paramagnetic resonance study indicated that, in this composite, Gr collected electrons not only from Au with surface plasmon resonance but also from TiO{sub 2} with band-gap excitation. Surface photovoltage and UV–vis absorption measurements revealed that compared with Au/TiO{sub 2}, Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} displayed more effective photogenerated charge separation and higher optical absorption. Benefiting from these advantages, the H{sub 2} production rate of Au/Gr/TiO{sub 2} composite with Gr content of 1.0 wt% and Au content of 2.0 wt% was about 2 times as high as that of Au/TiO{sub 2}. This work represents an important step toward the efficient application of both surface plasmon resonance and band-gap excitation on the way to converting solar light into chemical energy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

One-step synthesis of homogeneous BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}/Y{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} composite powders

Highlights: • A simple one-step sol–gel method was used to synthesize composite magnets. • The composite powders show good homogeneity and exchange coupling. • The M{sub r}/M{sub s} value increases with the BaM concentration. - Abstract: BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}/Y{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12} (BaM/YIG) composite powders were synthesized via a simple one-step sol–gel method. The phase composition and morphology of the as-synthesized composite powders were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer and a scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The magnetic properties of the composite powders were investigated by a vibrating sample magnetometer. Compared with the composite powders prepared by the conventional physical mixing method, the BaM/YIG composite powders show better homogeneity and exchange coupling.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica

Highlights: • The present article reports the effect of gamma irradiation on the dielectric relaxation characteristics of muscovite mica. • Dielectric and electrical relaxations have been analyzed in the framework of dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and Cole–Cole formalisms. • The frequency dependent electrical conductivity has been rationalized using Johnsher’s universal power law. • The experimentally measured electric modulus and conductivity data have been fitted using Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation function. - Abstract: In the present research, the dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica was studied in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz–10 MHz and temperature range of 653–853 K, using the dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and conductivity formalisms. The dielectric constants (ϵ′ and ϵ′′) are found to be high for gamma irradiated muscovite mica as compared to the pristine sample. The frequency dependence of the imaginary part of complex electric modulus (M′′) and dc conductivity data conforms Arrhenius law with single value of activation energy for pristine sample and two values of activation energy for gamma irradiated mica sample. The experimentally assessed electric modulus and conductivity information have been interpreted by the Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation explanation. Using the Cole–Cole framework, an analysis of real and imaginary characters of the electric modulus for pristine and gamma irradiated sample was executed which reflects the non-Debye relaxation mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Solar photocatalytic activities of porous Nb-doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres by coupling with tungsten oxide

Highlights: • Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3} was prepared by USP method combined impregnation method. • Nb-doping extend the spectral absorption of TiO{sub 2} into visible spectrum. • Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3} has a similar optical band gap as Nb-TiO{sub 2}. • PL spectra indicate WO{sub 3} can accept the photoexcited electrons from Nb-TiO{sub 2}. • Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3} shows higher activity than TiO{sub 2} and Nb-TiO{sub 2} under solar light. - Abstract: Nb doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres modified with WO{sub 3} (Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3}) was prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method combined with impregnation method. The microspheres were characterized with SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, photoluminescence and UV–vis absorption spectra. The Nb-doping was observed to extend the spectral absorption of TiO{sub 2} into visible spectrum, and the absorption onset was red-shifted for about 88 nm compared to pristine TiO{sub 2} microspheres. Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3} microspheres do not display a red-shifted absorption edge compared with Nb doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres. Under solar irradiation, Nb-TiO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3} microspheres showed higher photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation compared with that of pure TiO{sub 2} microspheres and Nb doped TiO{sub 2} microspheres, which could be ascribed to the extended light absorption range and the suppression of electron-hole pair recombination.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗