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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 19 records

Synthesis of Defect Perovskites (He 2– x ⟂ x )(CaZr)F 6 by Inserting Helium into the Negative Thermal Expansion Material CaZrF 6

Defect perovskites (He 2–x ⟂ x )(CaZr)F 6 can be prepared by inserting helium into CaZrF 6 at high pressure. They can be recovered to ambient pressure at low temperature. There are no prior examples of perovskites with noble gases on the A-sites. The insertion of helium gas into CaZrF 6 both elastically stiffens the material and reduces the magnitude of its negative thermal expansion. It also suppresses the onset of structural disorder, which is seen on compression in other media. Measurements of the gas released on warming to room temperature and Rietveld analyses of neutron diffraction data at low temperature indicate that exposure to helium gas at 500 MPa leads to a stoichiometry close to (He 1 ⟂ 1 )(CaZr)F 6 . Helium has a much higher solubility in CaZrF 6 than silica glass or crystobalite. An analogue with composition (H 2 ) 2 (CaZr)F 6 would have a volumetric hydrogen storage capacity greater than current US DOE targets. We anticipate that other hybrid perovskites with small neutral molecules on the A-site can also be prepared and that they will display a rich structural chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

The adsorption of helium atoms on coronene cations

We report the first experimental study of the attachment of multiple foreign atoms to a cationic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). The chosen PAH was coronene, C{sub 24}H{sub 12}, which was added to liquid helium nanodroplets and then subjected to electron bombardment. Using mass spectrometry, coronene cations decorated with helium atoms were clearly seen and the spectrum shows peaks with anomalously high intensities (“magic number” peaks), which represent ion-helium complexes with added stability. The data suggest the formation of a rigid helium layer consisting of 38 helium atoms that completely cover both faces of the coronene ion. Additional magic numbers can be seen for the further addition of 3 and 6 helium atoms, which are thought to attach to the edge of the coronene. The observation of magic numbers for the addition of 38 and 44 helium atoms is in good agreement with a recent path integral Monte Carlo prediction for helium atoms on neutral coronene. An understanding of how atoms and molecules attach to PAH ions is important for a number of reasons including the potential role such complexes might play in the chemistry of the interstellar medium.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Effect of kinetic energy on the doping efficiency of cesium cations into superfluid helium droplets

We present an experimental investigation of the effect of kinetic energy on the ion doping efficiency of superfluid helium droplets using cesium cations from a thermionic emission source. The kinetic energy of Cs{sup +} is controlled by the bias voltage of a collection grid collinearly arranged with the droplet beam. Efficient doping from ions with kinetic energies from 20 eV up to 480 V has been observed in different sized helium droplets. The relative ion doping efficiency is determined by both the kinetic energy of the ions and the average size of the droplet beam. At a fixed source temperature, the number of doped droplets increases with increasing grid voltage, while the relative ion doping efficiency decreases. This result implies that not all ions are captured upon encountering with a sufficiently large droplet, a deviation from the near unity doping efficiency for closed shell neutral molecules. We propose that this drop in ion doping efficiency with kinetic energy is related to the limited deceleration rate inside a helium droplet. When the source temperature changes from 14 K to 17 K, the relative ion doping efficiency decreases rapidly, perhaps due to the lack of viable sized droplets. The size distribution of the Cs{sup +}-doped droplet beam can be measured by deflection and by energy filtering. The observed doped droplet size is about 5 × 10{sup 6} helium atoms when the source temperature is between 14 K and 17 K.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Space tug propulsion system failure mode, effects and criticality analysis

For purposes of the study, the propulsion system was considered as consisting of the following: (1) main engine system, (2) auxiliary propulsion system, (3) pneumatic system, (4) hydrogen feed, fill, drain and vent system, (5) oxygen feed, fill, drain and vent system, and (6) helium reentry purge system. Each component was critically examined to identify possible failure modes and the subsequent effect on mission success. Each space tug mission consists of three phases: launch to separation from shuttle, separation to redocking, and redocking to landing. The analysis considered the results of failure of a component during each phase of the mission. After the failure modes of each component were tabulated, those components whose failure would result in possible or certain loss of mission or inability to return the Tug to ground were identified as critical components and a criticality number determined for each. The criticality number of a component denotes the number of mission failures in one million missions due to the loss of that component. A total of 68 components were identified as critical with criticality numbers ranging from 1 to 2990.

Boyd, J. W.↗

Cycle O(CY1991) NLS trade studies and analyses report. Book 2, part 2: Propulsion

This report documents the propulsion system tasks performed in support of the National Launch System (NLS) Cycle O preliminary design activities. The report includes trades and analyses covering the following subjects: (1) Maximum Tank Stretch Study; (2) No LOX Bleed Performance Analysis; (3) LOX Bleed Trade Study; (4) LO2 Tank Pressure Limits; (5) LOX Tank Pressurization System Using Helium; (6) Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) Heat Exchanger Performance; (7) LH2 Passive Recirculation Performance Analysis; (8) LH2 Bleed/Recirculation Study; (9) LH2 Tank Pressure Limits; and (10) LH2 Pressurization System. For each trade study an executive summary and a detailed trade study are provided. For the convenience of the reader, a separate section containing a compilation of only the executive summaries is also provided.

Cronin, R.↗

Solidification Dynamics of Silver Drops in a Free Fall Environment

Silver drops (99.9%, 4, 5, 7, and 9 mm diameter) were levitated, melted, and released to fall through Marshall Space Flight Center's 105m drop tube in helium - 6% hydrogen and pure argon atmospheres. By systematically varying the initial superheat condition of the drop the extent of solidification prior to impact ranged from complete to none during the approximately 4.6s of free fall time. Comparison of the experimental observations is made with numerical solutions to a model of the heat transfer and solidification kinetics associated with cooling of the drop during free fall, particularly with regard to the fraction of liquid transformed. Analysis reveals the relative importance of the initial parameters affecting the cooling and solidification rates within the drop. A discussion of the conditions under which the actual observations deviate from the assumptions used in the model is presented.

Grugel, Richard N.↗

Solidification Dynamics of Metal Drops in a Free Fall Environment

Comparison of experimental observations were made with numerical solutions to a model of the heat transfer and solidification kinetics associated with the cooling of a molten drop during free fall, particularly with regard to the fraction of liquid transformed. Experimentally, silver drops (99.9%, 4-9 mm diameter) were levitated, melted, and released to fall through Marshall Space Flight Center's 105m drop tube in helium - 6% hydrogen and argon atmospheres. By systematically varying the drops initial superheat the extent of solidification prior to impact ranged from complete to none during the approximately 4.6s of free fall time. Analysis reveals the relative importance of the initial parameters affecting the cooling and solidification rates within the drop. A discussion of the conditions under which the actual observations deviate from the assumptions used in the model is presented.

Grugel, R. N.↗

Solidification Dynamics of Spherical Drops in a Free Fall Environment

Silver drops (99.9%, 4, 5, 7, and 9 mm diameter) were levitated, melted, and released to fall through Marshall Space Flight Center's 105 meter drop tube in helium - 6% hydrogen and pure argon atmospheres. By varying a drop s initial superheat the extent of solidification prior to impact ranged from complete to none during the approx. 4.6s of free fall time. Comparison of the experimental observations is made with numerical solutions to a model of the heat transfer and solidification kinetics associated with cooling of the drop during free fall, particularly with regard to the fraction of liquid transformed. Analysis reveals the relative importance ,of the initial parameters affecting the cooling and solidification rates within the drop. A discussion of the conditions under which the actual observations deviate from the assumptions used in the model is presented.

Grugel, Richard N.↗

Sensitivity of cross sections for elastic nucleus-nucleus scattering to halo nucleus density distributions

In order to clear up the sensitivity of the nucleus-nucleus scattering to the nuclear matter distributions in exotic halo nuclei, we have calculated differential cross sections for elastic scattering of the {sup 6}He and {sup 11}Li nuclei on several nuclear targets at the energy of 0.8 GeV/nucleon with different assumed nuclear density distributions in {sup 6}He and {sup 11}Li.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Synthesis and Properties of the Helium Clathrate and Defect Perovskite [He 2– x $^\square$ x ][CaNb]F 6

The defect double perovskite [He 2– x $^\square$ x ][CaNb]F 6 , with helium on its A-site, can be prepared by the insertion of helium into ReO 3 -type CaNbF 6 at high pressure. Upon cooling from 300 to 100 K under 0.4 GPa helium, ~60% of the A-sites become occupied. Helium uptake was quantified by both neutron powder diffraction and gas insertion and release measurements. After the conversion of gauge pressure to fugacity, the uptake of helium by CaNbF 6 can be described by a Langmuir isotherm. The enthalpy of absorption for helium in [He 2– x $^\square$ x ][CaNb]F 6 is estimated to be ~+3(1) kJ mol –1 , implying that its formation is entropically favored. Helium is able to diffuse through the material on a time scale of minutes at temperatures down to ~150 K but is trapped at 100 K and below. The insertion of helium into CaNbF 6 reduces the magnitude of its negative thermal expansion, increases the bulk modulus, and modifies its phase behavior. On compressing pristine CaNbF 6 , at 50 and 100 K, a cubic (Fm$\overline{3}$m) to rhombohedral (R$\overline{3}$) phase transition was observed at <0.20 GPa. However, a helium-containing sample remained cubic at 0.4 GPa and 50 K. CaNbF 6 , compressed in helium at room temperature, remained cubic to >3.7 GPa, the limit of our X-ray diffraction measurements, in contrast to prior reports that upon compression in a nonpenetrating medium, a phase transition is detected at ~0.4 GPa.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Cosmic ray spectrum of protons plus helium nuclei between 6 and 158 TeV from HAWC data

Here, a measurement with high statistics of the differential energy spectrum of light elements in cosmic rays, in particular, of primary H plus He nuclei, is reported. The spectrum is presented in the energy range from 6 to 158 TeV per nucleus. Data was collected with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Observatory between June 2015 and June 2019. The analysis was based on a Bayesian unfolding procedure, which was applied on a subsample of vertical HAWC data that was enriched to 82% of events induced by light nuclei. To achieve the mass separation, a cut on the lateral age of air shower data was set guided by predictions of CORSIKA/QGSJET-II-04 simulations. The measured spectrum is consistent with a broken power-law spectrum and shows a kneelike feature at around E = 24.0$^{+3.6}_{-3.1}$ TeV , with a spectral index γ = -2.51 ± 0.02 before the break and with γ = -2.83 ± 0.02 above it. The feature has a statistical significance of 4.1σ. Within systematic uncertainties, the significance of the spectral break is 0.8σ.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Systematics of reactions with {sup 4,6}He: Static and dynamic halo effects and evidence for core-halo decoupling

Experimental reaction cross sections for {sup 6}He and {sup 4}He projectiles are reduced and are shown to follow well-defined trajectories that can be characterized by respective Wong-type curves. The strong enhancement observed for the {sup 6}He data is interpreted as caused by two separate halo effects: a size effect, which affects the whole energy region, and a dynamic effect, important only near and below the barrier. Evidence for a core-halo decoupling is presented for the {sup 6}He+{sup 64}Zn system, which further supports the hypothesis that the decoupling is a characteristic feature of true halo systems.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Microscopic Description of the Exotic Nuclei Reactions by Using Folding model Potentials

A microscopic folding approach based upon the effective M3Y nucleon-nucleon interaction and the nuclear matter densities of the interacting nuclei has been carried out to explain recently measured experimental data of the {sup 6}He+{sup 120}Sn elastic scattering reaction at four different laboratory energies near the Coulomb barrier. The corresponding reaction cross sections are also considered.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Fusion Cross Section in the {sup 4,6}He+{sup 64}Zn Collisions Around the Coulomb Barrier

New fusion data for the {sup 4}He+{sup 64}Zn system at sub-barrier energies are measured to cover the same energy region of previous measurements for {sup 6}He+{sup 64}Zn. Aim of the experiment was to compare the fusion excitation functions for the two system to investigate on the effects of the {sup 6}He neutron-halo structure on the fusion reaction mechanism at energies around the Coulomb barrier. The fusion cross section was measured by using an activation technique. Comparing the two systems, we observe an enhancement of the fusion cross section in the reaction induced by {sup 6}He, at and below the Coulomb barrier.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Sub-barrier Fusion and Breakup of Light Halo Nuclei

In this work we present new data for the sub-barrier fusion of the system {sup 6}He+{sup 206}Pb obtained in the Centre de Recherches du Cyclotron (UCL), in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. The preliminary results suggest the absence of fusion enhancement at sub-barrier energies.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Measurements of the {sup 6}He+p resonant scattering

Measurements of the p({sup 6}He,p) elastic scattering excitation function have been performed in the RIBRAS system using a {sup 6}He secondary beam and a CH{sub 2} polyethylene thick target. The motivation is to observe states of the compound nucleus {sup 7}Li in the excitation energy range of E{sub exc}{sup 7Li} = 10.8-11.8MeV, where the isobaric analog state of {sup 7}He ground state lies. Excitation functions have been obtained at three laboratory angles θ{sub lab} = 0°, 20°, and 25° which correspond to θ{sub c.m} = 180°, 140°, and 130°.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Folding model description of reactions with exotic nuclei

Microscopic folding calculations based upon the effective M3Y nucleon-nucleon interaction and the nuclearmatter densities of the interacting nuclei have been carried out to explain recently measured experimental data of the {sup 6}He+{sup 120}Sn elastic scattering cross section at four different laboratory energies near the Coulomb barrier. The extracted reaction cross sections are also considered.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗