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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 1,711 records · Page 95
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of mechanical stresses on the charge state of the interface in the LaAlO{sub 3}/(001)SrTiO{sub 3} heterostructures with a distorted stoichiometry

The medium-energy ion scattering (MEIS) spectroscopy was used to obtain the data on the structure and stoichiometry of interfaces in LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} (LAO/STO) heterostructures. The coverage of the LAO/STO heterostructure with a LAO film increased by a factor of almost two as the lanthanum aluminate layer thickness increased from 1 to 6 unit cells. It is shown that the formation of the heterostructure is accompanied by the interchange with Sr ions of the substrate and La ions of the firm. The influence of the oxygen pressure on the formation of the heterostructure has been studied. The conditions required to form nanodimentional interlayer of a quasi-two-dimensional electron gas with high mobility of electrons in the interface region are analyzed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Energy Materials Center at Cornell: Final Report

The mission of the Energy Materials Center at Cornell (emc 2 ) was to achieve a detailed understanding, via a combination of synthesis of new materials, experimental and computational approaches, of how the nature, structure, and dynamics of nanostructured interfaces affect energy conversion and storage with emphasis on fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors. Our research on these systems was organized around a full system strategy for; the development and improved performance of materials for both electrodes at which storage or conversion occurs; understanding their internal interfaces, such as SEI layers in batteries and electrocatalyst supports in fuel cells, and methods for structuring them to enable high mass transport as well as high ionic and electronic conductivity; development of ion-conducting electrolytes for batteries and fuel cells (separately) and other separator components, as needed; and development of methods for the characterization of these systems under operating conditions (operando methods) Generally, our work took industry and DOE report findings of current materials as a point of departure to focus on novel material sets for improved performance. In addition, some of our work focused on studying existing materials, for example observing battery solvent degradation, fuel cell catalyst coarsening or monitoring lithium dendrite growth, employing in operando methods developed within the center.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1974

On the flame spreading over a polymer surface

The characteristics of flame propagation along the interface between a solid fuel and a gaseous oxidizer are considered. It is found that difficulties in a study of this problem are related to the eigenvalue character of the relative velocity of the flame with respect to the oxidizer flow. In the proposed model of flame spreading the difficulties are overcome by retaining the ellipticity of the governing equations and by taking the surface pyrolysis into account. The solution procedure makes use of a sink-source approach and the Fourier-transform method. Flame propagation velocity data computed on the basis of the described approach are compared with experimental results.

Ohki, Y.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space station resistojet system requirements and interface definition study

A conceptual design study of the resistojet orbital replacement unit (ORU) was conducted. The ORU consists of four 500-W multipropellant resistojets, fluid components downstream of the waste fluid storage subsystem, a power controller, structure, and micrometeorite shielding. The fluid components include latch valves, a water vaporizer, two pressure regulators or flow control valves, filters, check valves, fluid tubing, and interface couplings. Separate fluid components are provided for oxidizing fluids, reducing fluids and water. Different flow and power control methods were studied. The most promising methods consist of a constant pressure/on-off power control and a constant power/variable pressure control. The closed-loop power control incorporates a feedback signal which is proportional to resistojet heater temperature.

Finden, L. E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Ultrasonic Guided-Wave Scan System Used to Characterize Microstructure and Defects in Ceramic Composites

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are being developed for advanced aerospace propulsion applications to save weight, improve reuse capability, and increase performance. However, mechanical and environmental loads applied to CMCs can cause discrete flaws and distributed microdamage, significantly reducing desirable physical properties. Such microdamage includes fiber/matrix debonding (interface failure), matrix microcracking, fiber fracture and buckling, oxidation, and second phase formation. A recent study (ref. 1) of the durability of a C/SiC CMC discussed the requirement for improved nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods for monitoring degradation in these materials. Distributed microdamage in CMCs has proven difficult to characterize nondestructively because of the complex microstructure and macrostructure of these materials. This year, an ultrasonic guided-wave scan system developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center was used to characterize various microstructural and flaw conditions in SiC/SiC (silicon carbide fiber in silicon carbide matrix) and C/SiC (carbon fiber in silicon carbide matrix) CMC samples.

Roth, Don J.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Ultrasonic Guided-Wave-Scan System Used to Characterize C-Enhanced Silicon Carbide Composite During Creep- Rupture Tests

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are being developed for advanced aerospace propulsion applications in order to save weight, improve reuse capability, and increase performance. However, mechanical and environmental loads applied to CMCs can cause degradation in the form of discrete flaws and distributed microdamage that can play a significant role in reducing desirable physical properties. Categories of microdamage include fiber/matrix debonding (interface failure), matrix microcracking, fiber fracture and buckling, oxidation, and second-phase formation. Distributed microdamage in CMCs has proven difficult to characterize nondestructively because of the complex microstructure and macrostructure of these materials, and a recent study regarding the durability of a ceramic matrix composite discussed the requirement for improved nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods for monitoring degradation in these materials.

Roth, Don J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

NASA Tech Briefs, June 2006

Topics covered include: Magnetic-Field-Response Measurement-Acquisition System; Platform for Testing Robotic Vehicles on Simulated Terrain; Interferometer for Low-Uncertainty Vector Metrology; Rayleigh Scattering for Measuring Flow in a Nozzle Testing Facility; "Virtual Feel" Capaciflectors; FETs Based on Doped Polyaniline/Polyethylene Oxide Fibers; Miniature Housings for Electronics With Standard Interfaces; Integrated Modeling Environment; Modified Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation of Data; Sizing Structures and Predicting Weight of a Spacecraft; Stress Testing of Data-Communication Networks; Framework for Flexible Security in Group Communications; Software for Collaborative Use of Large Interactive Displays; Microsphere Insulation Panels; Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Anodes for Lithium Cells; Tantalum-Based Ceramics for Refractory Composites; Integral Flexure Mounts for Metal Mirrors for Cryogenic Use; Templates for Fabricating Nanowire/Nanoconduit- Based Devices; Measuring Vapors To Monitor the State of Cure of a Resin; Partial-Vacuum-Gasketed Electrochemical Corrosion Cell; Theodolite Ring Lights; Integrating Terrain Maps Into a Reactive Navigation Strategy; Reducing Centroid Error Through Model-Based Noise Reduction; Adaptive Modeling Language and Its Derivatives; Stable Satellite Orbits for Global Coverage of the Moon; and Low-Cost Propellant Launch From a Tethered Balloon

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2020

Chemistry of Ionic Silver and Implications for Design of Potable Water Systems

Ionic silver (Ag+) at approximately 400 µg/L is proposed as an ingestible biocide for potable water systems in future human spacecraft. This paper investigates the underlying chemistry of the silver ion at potable concentrations and its interactions with other solutes and surfaces. This chemistry evaluation will elucidate ionic silver behavior in potable water systems and enable design optimization to minimize ionic silver depletion during long duration crewed and uncrewed segments of missions. Ionic silver can be lost from the water phase to the water-solid interface via adsorption as the cation and oxidation-reduction reactions with passivation defects. The adsorption and oxidation-reduction reactions of heritage piping materials used on spacecraft – stainless steel 316L, titanium, Inconel 718, and Teflon flex hoses – are considered. Conceptual models of adsorption isotherms and pH adsorption edges are applied to understand the role of pH and the surface-to-volume ratio of pipes and tanks on the partitioning of ionic silver between the aqueous and the solid phase during aging. The effect of repeated exposure-aging to an Ag+ containing solution of two passivated alloys (316L and Inconel 718) is evaluated to determine if an equilibrium concentration of ionic silver in the potable range is attainable for a given alloy and surface-to-volume ratio. Aging unpassivated and passivated 316L reduced the ionic silver depletion rate relative to first time exposures, but the same beneficial effect was not observed for Inconel 718.

Water↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetism in nanoparticle LaCoO3

Neutron scattering and magnetometry measurements have been used to study phase transitions in LaCoO3 (LCO). For H <= 100 Oe, evidence for a ferromagnetic (FM) transition is observed at T-c approximate to 87 K. For 1 kOe <= H <= 60 kOe, no transition is apparent. For all H, Curie-Weiss analysis shows predominantly antiferromagnetic (AFM) interactions for T > T-c, but the lack of long-range AFM order indicates magnetic frustration. We argue that the weak ferromagnetism in bulk LCO is induced by lattice strain, as is the case with thin films and nanoparticles. The lattice strain is present at the bulk surfaces and at the interfaces between the LCO and a trace cobalt oxide phase. The ferromagnetic ordering in the LCO bulk is strongly affected by the Co-O-Co angle (gamma), in agreement with recent band calculations which predict that ferromagnetic long-range order can only take place above a critical value, gamma C. Consistent with recent thin film estimations, we find gamma C = 162.8 degrees. For gamma > gamma C, we observe power-law behavior in the structural parameters. gamma decreases with T until the critical temperature, T-o approximate to 37 K; below T-o the rate of change becomes very small. For T < T-o, FM order appears to be confined to regions close to the surfaces, likely due to the lattice strain keeping the local Co-O-Co angle above gamma C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Monovalent ion–graphene oxide interactions are controlled by carboxylic acid groups: Sum frequency generation spectroscopy studies

Graphene oxide (GO) is a two-dimensional, mechanically strong, and chemically tunable material for separations. Elucidating GO–ion–water interactions at the molecular scale is highly important for predictive understanding of separation systems. However, direct observations of the nanometer region by GO surfaces under operando conditions are not trivial. Therefore, thin films of GO at the air/water interface can be used as model systems. With this approach, we study the effects of alkali metal ions on water organization near graphene oxide films at the air/water interface using vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. Here, we also use an arachidic acid Langmuir monolayer as a benchmark for a pure carboxylic acid surface. Theoretical modeling of the concentration-dependent sum frequency signal from graphene oxide and arachidic acid surfaces reveals that the adsorption of monovalent ions is mainly controlled by the carboxylic acid groups on graphene oxide. An in-depth analysis of sum frequency spectra reveals at least three distinct water populations with different hydrogen bonding strengths. The origin of each population can be identified from concentration dependent variations of their SFG signal. Interestingly, an interfacial water structure seemed mostly insensitive to the character of the alkali cation, in contrast to similar studies conducted at the silica/water interface. However, we observed an ion-specific effect with lithium, whose strong hydration prevented direct interactions with the graphene oxide film.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Scanning tunneling microscopic and spectroscopic studies on a crystalline silica monolayer epitaxially formed on hexagonal SiC(0001{sup ¯}) surfaces

An epitaxial silicon-oxide monolayer of chemical composition of Si{sub 2}O{sub 3} (the Si{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer) formed on hexagonal SiC(0001{sup ¯}) surfaces has been observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Filled- and empty-state STM images with atomic resolution support the previously reported model. Typical structural defects in the Si{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer are found to be missing SiO{sub n} (n = 1, 2, 3) molecules. The band gap of the Si{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer obtained by point tunneling spectroscopy is 5.5±0.5 eV, exhibiting considerable narrowing from that of bulk SiO{sub 2}, 8.9 eV. It is proposed that the Si{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer is suitable as a relevant interface material for formation of SiC-based metal-oxide-semiconductor devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

CuAl{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} thin films for photovoltaic applications: Optical and compositional analysis

Highlights: ► Wide band gap CAGS thin films have been obtained by selenization of evaporated metallic precursors. ► Direct nonlinear dependence of the band gap energy with the Al/(Al + Ga) ratio is found. ► The bowing parameter decreases when the CAGS film thickness increases. ► The Cu at% remains constant in depth, together with some Al, Ga and Se gradients. ► Surface is strongly oxidized but the oxidation is relatively low in bulk. - Abstract: Wide-band gap chalcopyrite semiconductors have a great interest due to their potential application in multi-junction thin film solar cells or as window layers. Polycrystalline CuAl{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} (CAGS) thin films have been prepared by selenization of evaporated metallic precursor layers on bare and Mo-coated soda lime glass substrates. The optical properties of CAGS films of 2 thicknesses have been analyzed by spectrophotometry in the visible-infrared (VIS-IR) and the compositional characteristics have been studied by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optical transmission increases and the band gap energy shifts toward higher values as the Al content increases, which indicates the partial substitution of Ga by Al. The dependence of the band gap with the composition has resulted to be nonlinear and a bowing parameter of b = 0.62 and b = 0.54 for 0.6 μm and 1.1 μm-CAGS samples, respectively, has been obtained. XPS data have shown an Al, Ga and Se composition gradient in depth and a surface strongly oxidized. However, XPS reveals that the Cu composition remains constant in depth and the oxidation is relatively low in bulk increasing slightly in the interface with Mo/SLG. Moreover, samples with high Al content reveal a higher contribution of CuO in depth.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2017

Unusual Oxidative Limitations for Al-MAX Phases

Alumina-forming MAX phases are well-known for their excellent oxidation resistance, rivaling many metallic NiAl, NiCrAl, and FeCrAl counterparts and with upper temperature capability possible to approximately1400C. However a number of limitations have been emerging that need to be acknowledged to permit robust performance in demanding applications. Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC2 possess excellent scale adhesion, cyclic oxidation/moisture/volatility resistance, and TBC compatibility. However they are very sensitive to Al content and flux in order to maintain an exclusive Al2O3 scale without runaway oxidation of ubiquitous TiO2 transient scales. Accelerated oxidation has been shown to occur for Al-depleted, damaged, or roughened surfaces at temperatures less than 1200C. Conversely, Cr2AlC is less sensitive to transients, but exhibits volatile losses at 1200C or above if common Cr7C3 impurity phases are present. Poor scale adhesion is exhibited after oxidation at 1150C or above, where spallation occurs at the Cr7C3 (depletion zone) interface. Delayed spallation is significant and suggests a moisture-induced phenomenon similar to non-adherent metallic systems. Re-oxidation of this surface does not reproduce the initial pure Al2O3 behavior, but initiates a less-protective scale. Cr2AlC has also been shown to have good long term bonding with superalloys at 800C, but exhibits significant Beta-NiAl + Cr7C3 diffusion zones at 1100C and above. This may set limits on Cr2AlC as a high temperature TBC bond coat on Ni-based superalloys, while improving corrosion resistance in lower temperature applications.

oxidation resistance↗
DOE OSTI2016

Direct Visualization of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase and Its Effects on Silicon Electrochemical Performance

Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) as an electrolyte additive can considerably improve the cycling performance of silicon (Si) electrodes in Li‐ion batteries. However, the fundamental mechanism for how FEC contributes to solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) morphological changes and chemical composition is not well understood. Here, scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy gives a comprehensive insight as to how FEC affects the SEI evolution in terms of composition and morphology throughout electrochemical cycling. In the first lithiation cycle, the electrode cycled in ethylene carbonate (EC): diethylene carbonate (DEC) forms a porous uneven SEI composed of mostly Li 2 CO 3 . However, the electrode cycled in EC/DEC/FEC is covered in a dense and uniform SEI containing mostly LiF. Interestingly, the intrinsic oxide layer (Li x SiO y ) is not observed at the interface of electrode cycled in EC/DEC/FEC after 1 cycle. This is consistent with fluoride anion formation from the reduction of FEC, which leads to the chemical attack of any silicon‐oxide surface passivation layer. Furthermore, surface sensitive helium ion microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques give further insights to the SEI composition and morphology in both electrodes cycled with different electrolytes.

Sina, Mahsa↗
DOE OSTI2015

Direct In-situ TEM Observation Of Modification Of Oxidation By The Injected Vacancies For Ni-4Al Alloy Using A Microfabricated Nanopost

Vacancy injection and selective oxidation of one specie in bimetallic alloy at high temperature is a well-known phenomenon. However, detailed understanding of the behavior of the injected vacancies and consequently their behavior and effect on oxidation remains elusive. The current research examines the oxidation of high-purity Ni doped with 4.1 at% Al using in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Experiments are performed on nanoposts fabricated from solution-annealed bulk material that are essentially single crystal samples. Initial oxidation is observed to occur by multi-site oxide nucleation, formation of an oxide shell followed by cavity nucleation and growth at the metal/oxide interface. One of the most interesting in-situ TEM observations is the formation of a cavity that leads to the faceting of the metal on (111) surface and subsequent oxidation occurring by an atomic ledge migration mechanism on the faceted metal surface. Further, it is directly observed that metal atoms diffuse through the oxide layer to combine with oxygen at the outer surface of the oxide. The present work indicates that injection of vacancies and formation of cavity will lead to a situation where the oxidation rate is essentially controlled by the low surface energy plane of the metal, rather than by the initial terminating plane at the metal surface exposed to the oxidizing environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2021

Development and Characterization of Lightweight Durable Composite Conductor for Cables

Sustainable aviation in the form of electrified propulsion is likely to lead to an increase in the electrical assets contained within a single aircraft. As a result, it is desirable to design light weight conductor materials, thus reducing the payload of components like motor windings, low voltage signal cables, and transmission cables for data and power. One approach involves replacing pure Cu wiring with metalized CNT composites. This paper evaluates a framework for modeling overall conductivity and current sharing within such composites. Processing methods and parameters were refined. Select electroplated samples outperformed pure Cu in conductivity and had comparable ultimate tensile strengths. Tensile strengths are expected to improve with an additional densification step during processing. Acoustic emission data was used to predict the failure mechanism of the composite. Theories explaining improved intrinsic conductivity are discussed, with a focus on chemical and mechanical interactions at the Cu-CNT interface. These include Cu infiltration of CNT crevices, CNT oxidation, activity at defects in CNT walls, and the release of carbide-forming metals from CNT walls. Validating any or all these theories will require further work replicating data, collecting electron micrographs and conducting chemical analyses.

Metalized CNT↗