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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

High efficient radiation stable AlGaAs/GaAs solar cells with internal Bragg reflector

An investigation of solar cells based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures with an internal Bragg reflector as the back-surface reflector is presented. The Bragg reflector is grown by low pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition on n-GaAs substrates in a horizontal resistively heated reactor. The Bragg reflector with its maximum reflectance centered at a wavelength of 860 nm consists of 12 pairs of AlAs/GaAs layers. The resulting Bragg reflector has a thickness of 0.072 micrometers for AlAs and 0.059 micrometers for GaAs. The multi-layered quasi-dielectric stack selectively reflects weakly absorbed photons with energies near to the GaAs band gap for a second pass through the photoactive region, thus increasing the photocurrent. The use of the Bragg reflector allows the external quantum efficiency to be increased in the long wavelength of the spectrum. The use of the Bragg reflector and an antireflective coating and prismatic cover allowed an efficiency of 23.4 percent to be obtained.

Andreev, V. M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

High energy collimating fine grids

The objective of this project was to demonstrate the fabrication of extremely tight tolerance collimating grids using a high-Z material, specifically tungsten. The approach taken was to fabricate grids by a replication method involving the coating of a silicon grid substrate with tungsten by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A negative of the desired grid structure was fabricated in silicon using highly wafering techniques developed for the semiconductor industry and capable of producing the required tolerances. Using diamond wafering blades, a network of accurately spaced slots was machined into a single-crystal silicon surface. These slots were then filled with tungsten by CVD, via the hydrogen reduction of tungsten hexafluoride. Following tungsten deposition, the silicon negative was etched away to leave the tungsten collimating grid structure. The project was divided into five tasks: (1) identify materials of construction for the replica and final collimating grid structures; (2) identify and implement a micromachining technique for manufacturing the negative collimator replicas (performed by NASA/JPL); (3) develop a CVD technique and processing parameters suitable for the complete tungsten densification of the collimator replicas; (4) develop a chemical etching technique for the removal of the collimator replicas after the tungsten deposition process; and (5) fabricate and deliver tungsten collimating grid specimens.

Arrieta, Victor M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Two-dimensional electron beam charging model for polymer films

A two-dimensional model is developed to describe the charging of strips of thin polymer films above a grounded substrate exposed to a uniform mono-energetic electron beam. The study is motivated by the observed anomalous behavior of geosynchronous satellites, which has been attributed to differential charging of the satellite surfaces exposed to magnetospheric electrons. Surface and bulk electric fields are calcuated at steady state in order to identify regions of high electrical stress, with emphasis on behavior near the material's edge. The model is used to study the effects of some of the experimental parameters, notably beam energy, beam angle of incidence, beam current density, material thickness and material width. Also examined are the consequences of a central gap in the material and a discontinuity in the material thickness.

Reeves, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Oxide Scales Formed on NiTi and NiPtTi Shape Memory Alloys

Ni-49Ti and Ni-30Pt-50Ti (at.%) shape memory alloys were oxidized isothermally in air over the temperature range of 500 to 900 C. The microstructure, composition, and phase content of the scales were studied by SEM, EDS, XRD, and metallography. Extensive plan view SEM/EDS identified various features of intact or spalled scale surfaces. The outer surface of the scale was a relatively pure TiO2 rutile structure, typified by a distinct highly striated and faceted crystal morphology. Crystal size increased significantly with temperature. Spalled regions exhibited some porosity and less distinct features. More detailed information was obtained by correlation of SEM/EDS studies of 700 C/100 hr cross-sections with XRD analyses of serial or taper-polishing of plan surfaces. Overall, multiple layers exhibited graded mixtures of NiO, TiO2, NiTiO3, Ni(Ti) or Pt(Ni,Ti) metal dispersoids, Ni3Ti or Pt3Ti depletion zones, and substrate, in that order. The NiTi alloy contained a 3 at.% Fe impurity that appeared in embedded localized Fe-Ti-rich oxides, while the NiPtTi alloy contained a 2 v/o dispersion of TiC that appeared in lower layers. The oxidation kinetics of both alloys (in a previous report) indicated parabolic growth and an activation energy (250 kJ/mole) near those reported in other Ti and NiTi studies. This is generally consistent with TiO2 existing as the primary scale constituent, as described here.

Smialek, James L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Development of silicon nitride of improved toughness

The application of reaction sintered Si2N4 energy absorbing surface layers to hot-pressed Si3N4 was investigated. The surface layer was formed by in-place nitridation of silicon powder. It was found that reaction sintered Si3N4 layers of 1 mm thickness, fabricated from either -100, +200, -200, or -325 mesh Si powder and nitrided in 96% N2/4% H2 so that approximately 20-25 vol % unnitrided Si remained in the layer, resulted in a sevenfold increase in ballistic impact resistance of a 0.64 cm thick hot-pressed SI3N4 substrate from RT 1370 C. Both NC-132 SI3N4, with MgO additive, and NCX-34 Si3N4, with Y2O3 additive, were evaluated as substrate material. The finer grain size -200 and -325 mesh nitrided Si layers were for their smoothness and relatively high density. It was found that nitriding in N2/H2 mixtures, rather than pure N2, resulted in a microstructure that did not substantially degrade the strength of the hot-pressed Si3N4 substrate. Thermal cycling tests on the RSSN/HPSN combinations from 200 C to 1370 C for 75 cycles in air did not degrade the impact resistance nor the interfacial bonding, although a large amount of internal silica formation occurred within the RSSN layer. Mach 0.8, 5 hr, hot gas erosion tests showed no surface recession of RSSN layers at 1200 C and slight surface recession at 1370 C.

Brennan, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Catalytic Combustion of Propane/Air Mixtures on Platinum

A honeycomb catalyst of platinum (4.2 kg/cu m loading) over cordierite, with gamma-alumina washcoat, a cross section of 2.4 x 2.4 sq cm, a length of 7.6 cm, and a characteristic channel diameter of 1.4 mm is used as a steady flow reactor. Measurements are made with C3H8/air mixtures at 650 to 800 K inlet temperatures, 110 KPa pressure, 10 to 40 m/s inlet velocity, 0.19 to 0.32 equivalence ratios, and approximately 1.5 mole percent water content. The measured quantities are the substrate tempeature at ten axial locations, the exhaust gas temperature, the exhaust concentrations of CO, CO2, O2, and total hydrocarbons, and the pressure drop across the monolith. The measured quantities are compared with those computed with a two-dimensional steady-state model for axial and radial convection and diffusion of mass, momentum, energy and homogeneous (three overall reactions) and heterogeneous (infinitely fast) reactions. It is found that, under the tested conditions, most of the fuel is converted to CO2 and H2O at the surface. Gas-phase reactions tend rapidly to become more important as the temperature and equivalence ratio are increased and the flow velocity is decreased. Surface fuel conversion is much more rapid than fuel diffusion, resulting in diffusion-controlled oxidation.

Bruno, C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Thermal Characterization of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Formed from Poorly Crystalline Siderite

Increasing interest in environmental geochemistry has led to the recognition that crystals with sizes in the nanometer range (e.g., colloids and nanoscale precipitates) and poorly crystalline compounds (e.g., ferrihydrites) may comprise the majority of reactive mineral surface area near the Earth s surface. When the diameters of individual particles are in the range of 100 nm or less, the surface energy contribution to the free energy modifies phase stability. This results in stabilization of polymorphs not normally encountered in the macrocrystal domain. These phases potentially have very different surface-site geometries, adsorptive properties, and growth mechanisms, and exhibit size-dependent kinetic behavior. Thus nanophases dramatically modify the physical and chemical properties of soils and sediments. In a more general sense, the characteristics of nanocrystals are of intense technological interest because small particle size confers novel chemical, optical, and electronic properties. Thus, nanocrystalline materials are finding applications as catalytic substrates, gas phase separation materials, and even more importantly in the field of medicine. This is an opportune time for mineral physicists working on nanocrystalline materials to develop collaborative efforts with materials scientists, chemists, and others working on nanophase materials of technological interest (e.g., for magnetic memories). Our objective in this study was to synthesize submicron (<200 nm) magnetite and to study their thermal and particle size properties.

Lauer, H. V., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Effects of Surface Roughness on the NEAR XRS Elemental Results: Monte-Carlo Modeling

The objective of the NEAR-Shoemaker X-ray Gamma-Ray Spec1roscopy ("XGRS") investigation was to determine the elemental composition of the near-Earth asteroid 433 Eros. The X-ray Spectrometer (XRS) system measured the characteristic fluorescence of six major elements (Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Fe) in the 1-10 keV energy range excited by the interaction of solar X-rays with the upper 100 microns of the surface of 433 Eros. Various investigators, using both laboratory experiments and computer simulations have established that X-ray fluorescent line ratios can be influenced by small-scale surface roughness at high incidence or emission angles. The effect on the line ratio is specific to the geometry, excitation spectrum, and composition involved, In general, however, the effect is only substantial for ratios of lines with a significant energy difference between them: Fe/Si and Ca/Si are much more likely to be affected than AI/Si or Mg/Si. We apply a Monte-Carlo code to the specific geometry and spectrum of a major NEAR XRS solar flare observation, using an H chondrite composition as the substrate. The seventeen most abundant elements were included in the composition model, from oxygen to titanium.

Lin, Lucy F.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Electron Beam Exposure of Thermal Control Paints on Carbon-Carbon and Carbon-Polyimide Composites

Carbon-carbon and carbon-polyimide composites are being considered for use as radiator face sheets or fins for space radiator applications. Several traditional white thermal control paints are being considered for the surface of the composite face sheets or fins. One threat to radiator performance is high energy electrons. The durability of the thermal control paints applied to the carbon-carbon and carbon-polyimide composites was evaluated after extended exposure to 4.5 MeV electrons. Electron exposure was conducted under argon utilizing a Mylar(TradeMark) bag enclosure. Solar absorptance and infrared emittance was evaluated before and after exposure to identify optical properties degradation. Adhesion of the paints to the carbon-carbon and carbon-polyimide composite substrates was also of interest. Adhesion was evaluated on pristine and electron beam exposed coupons using a variation of the ASTM D-3359 tape test. Results of the optical properties evaluation and the adhesion tape tests are summarized.

Jaworske, Donald A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electrochemical Studies of Redox Systems for Energy Storage

Particular attention was paid to the Cr(II)/Cr(III) redox couple in aqueous solutions in the presence of Cl(-) ions. The aim of this research has been to unravel the electrode kinetics of this redox couple and the effect of Cl(1) and electrode substrate. Gold and silver were studied as electrodes and the results show distinctive differences; this is probably due to the role Cl(-) ion may play as a mediator in the reaction and the difference in state of electrical charge on these two metals (difference in the potential of zero charge, pzc). The competition of hydrogen evolution with CrCl3 reduction on these surfaces was studied by means of the rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE). The ring downstream measures the flux of chromous ions from the disk and therefore separation of both Cr(III) and H2 generation can be achieved by analyzing ring and disk currents. The conditions for the quantitative detection of Cr(2+) at the ring electrode were established. Underpotential deposition of Pb on Ag and its effect on the electrokinetics of Cr(II)/Cr(III) reaction was studied.

Wu, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Synthesis of ZnO:As Films Using Off-Axis Sputtering Deposition

As a novel oxide semiconductor material, ZnO is interesting for use in many applications. For fabricating electronic devices, it is important to have n- and p- type ZnO materials. Arsenic has been proven to be one of the p-type dopants for ZnO materials. However, information in studying the ZnAsO ternary compound films has been scarce. In order to investigate the morphology, structure and electrical properties of ZnAsO ternary compounds, ZnO:As films have been synthesized using off-axis sputtering deposition on various substrates including (100) Si and (0001) sapphire crystals. Films are grown under various growth conditions. ZnO:As targets with the atomic weight ratios of arsenic to zinc from 0.01 to 0.10 are used for film synthesis. The growth temperatures and pressures range from 350 to 550C and 5 to 150 mTorr, respectively. Argon to oxygen gas ratio for film growth is varied to examine the film quality as well. Film surface morphology, crystal structure, and compositions, are characterized using atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy, respectively. The compositions of target material and ZnO:As films grown under various conditions are then assessed. The electrical properties were also measured. The detail of these measurements will be discussed in the presentation.

Zhu, Shen↗
NASA NTRS2006

Coating MCPs with AlN and GaN

A development effort underway at the time of reporting the information for this article is devoted to increasing the sensitivity of microchannel plates (MCPs) as detectors of photons and ions by coating the MCPs with nitrides of elements in period III of the periodic table. Conventional MCPs are relatively insensitive to slowly moving, large-mass ions for example, ions of biomolecules under analysis in mass spectrometers. The idea underlying this development is to coat an MCP to reduce its work function (decrease its electron affinity) in order to increase both (1) the emission of electrons in response to impingement of low-energy, large-mass ions and (2) the multiplying effect of secondary electron emission. Of particular interest as coating materials having appropriately low or even negative electron affinities are gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, and ternary alloys of general composition Al(x)Ga(1-x)N (where 0<x<1). These materials exhibit attractively high degrees of chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability plus acceptably high resistance to sputtering. The electron-excitation cross sections of these materials are expected to exceed those of several other materials (including diamond) that are, variously, in use or under development for the same purpose. Moreover, by doping these materials with silicon, one can render them partly electrically conductive, thereby suppressing the undesired accumulation of electric charge that could otherwise occur during bombardment by ions. For experiments, thin films of AlN and GaN both undoped and doped with Si were deposited on commercial MCPs by radio-frequency molecular-beam epitaxy (also known as plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy) at temperatures <200 C. This deposition technique is particularly suitable because (1) MCPs cannot withstand the higher deposition-substrate temperatures used to decompose constituent compounds in some other deposition techniques and (2) in this technique, the constituent Al, Ga, and N are supplied in elemental form, so that there is no need for thermal decomposition at the substrate surface. The nitride films thus formed were, variously, amorphous or polycrystalline. The nitride films were coated with surface layers of gold <100 thick. The MCPs were tested in a standard configuration in which the output stage of a first MCP was coupled to the input stage of a second MCP. Each pair of MCPs was mounted in a standard holder that included front and back contact rings and an anode for collecting the output electrons of the second MCP. The MCP pairs were biased at potentials between 1.7 and 1.9 kV, and count rates measured after preamplification and discrimination. To enable a direct comparison, in one pair, the second MCP was uncoated while the first MCP was coated over half its surface. The coated and uncoated sides of the half-coated MCP were exposed to fluxes of argon ions at kinetic energies of 1.0 and 0.5 keV. At 1.0 keV, the count rate for the coated side was about 2.3 times greater than that for the uncoated side; at 0.5 keV, the count rate for the coated side was about 1.8 times greater than that for the uncoated side.

Bensaoula, Abdelhakim↗
NASA NTRS2007

Numerical Solution of Light Scattered from and Transmitted through a Rough Dielectric Surface with Applications to Periodic Roughness and Isolated Structures

Light scattering and transmission by rough surfaces are of considerable interest in a variety of applications including remote sensing and characterization of surfaces. In this work, the finite-difference time domain technique is applied to calculate the scattered and transmitted electromagnetic fields of an infinite periodic rough surface. The elements of Mueller matrix for scattered light are calculated by an integral of the near fields over a significant number of periods of the surface. The normalized Mueller matrix elements of the scattered light and the spatial distribution of the transmitted flux for a monolayer of micron-sized dielectric spheres on a silicon substrate are presented. The numerical results show that the nonzero Mueller matrix elements of the system of the monolayer of dielectric spheres on a silicon substrate have specific maxima at some scattering angles. These maxima may be used in characterization of the feature of the system. For light transmitted through the monolayer of spheres, our results show that the transmitted energy focuses around the ray passing through centers of the spheres. At other locations, the transmitted flux is very small. The technique also may be used to calculate the perturbance of the electromagnetic field due to the presence of an isolated structure on the substrate.

Sun, Wenbo↗
NASA NTRS1979

Physical processes in directed ion beam sputtering

The general operation of a discharge chamber for the production of ions is described. A model is presented for the magnetic containment of both primary and secondary or Maxwellian electrons in the discharge plasma. Cross sections were calculated for energy and momentum transfer in binary collisions between like pairs of Ar, Kr, and Xe atoms in the energy range from about 1 eV to 1000 eV. These calculations were made from available pair interaction potentials using a classical model. Experimental data from the literature were fit to a theoretical expression for the Ar resonance charge exchange cross section over the same energy range. A model was developed that describes the processes of conical texturing of a surface due to simultaneous directed ion beam etching and sputter deposition of an impurity material. This model accurately predicts both a minimum temperature for texturing to take place and the variation of cone density with temperature. It also provides the correct order of magnitude of cone separation. It was predicted from the model, and subsequently verified experimentally, that a high sputter yield material could serve as a seed for coning of a lower sputter yield substrate. Seeding geometries and seed deposition rates were studied to obtain an important input to the theoretical texturing model.

Robinson, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS2011

ASTRO-H Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT)

ASTRO-H is an astrophysics satellite dedicated for X-ray spectroscopic study non-dispersively and to carry out survey complementally, which will be borne out of US-Japanese collaborative effort. Among the onboard instruments there are four conically approximated Wolter-I X-ray mirrors, among which two of them are soft X-ray mirrors\ of which the energy range is from a few hundred eV to 15 keY, currently being fabricated in the X-ray Optics Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center. The focal point instruments will be a calorimeter (SXS) and a CCD camera (SXI), respectively. The reflectors of the mirror are made of heat-formed aluminum substrate of the thickness gauged of 152 micron, 229 micron, and 305 micron of the alloy 5052 H-19, followed by epoxy replication on gold-sputtered smooth Pyrex cylindrical mandrels to acquire the X-ray reflective surface. The epoxy layer is 10 micron nominal and surface gold layer of 0.2 micron. Improvements on angular response over the Astro-El/Suzaku mirrors come from error reduction on the figure, the roundness, and the grazing angle/radius mismatching of the reflecting surface, and tighter specs and mechanical strength on supporting structure to reduce the reflector positioning and the assembly errors. In this paper, we report the results of calibration of the engineering model of SXT (EM), and project the quality of the flight mirrors.

Soong, Yang↗
NASA NTRS1998

A Review of Recent Thermophotovoltaic Energy Conversion Technology Development at NASA Lewis Research Center

NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) has had an ongoing research program in TPV since the late 1980's. This effort has included both in-house research programs on critical components such as photovoltaic cells (PV) and emitter materials, as well as an active contracting effort directed toward system, and component development. Of particular note is the in-house development of thin film selective emitters fabricated from rare-earth yttrium aluminum garnets (YAG). Also developed at LeRC is a Monolithic Interconnect Module (MIM) consisting of many small InGaAs cells series interconnected on a single InP substrate. An infrared reflector placed on the rear surface of the substrate returns unabsorbed photons to the emitter for recycling. The current contracted efforts include two TPV system developments by Tecogen, Inc., a solar powered TPV system development, a GaInAsSb cell development and several emitter development efforts (plasma-sprayed selective emitters, flexible SiC and a selective emitting light pipe).

Wilt, David M.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Low-work-function surfaces produced by cesium carbonate decomposition

Cesium carbonate (Cs2CO3) was heated to the decomposition temperature of approximately 600 C. The nonvolatile decomposition products were condensed on a nickel substrate while the carbon dioxide was removed by pumping. The deposited material is characterized by an effective work function of between 1.05 and 1.15 eV at 450 K and by photoemission in the visible and near-infrared region of the spectrum. It is suggested that the deposited material consists of Cs2O, possibly Cs2O2, and adsorbed cesium. Silver, evaporated from a heated silver bead, produced the typical photoemissive and thermionic properties of a silver-oxygen-cesium (S-1) photocathode. The material may be of interest for thermionic energy converters and for the formation of silver-oxygen-cesium photocathodes.

Briere, T. R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Electric Propulsion Induced Secondary Mass Spectroscopy

A document highlights a means to complement remote spectroscopy while also providing in situ surface samples without a landed system. Historically, most compositional analysis of small body surfaces has been done remotely by analyzing reflection or nuclear spectra. However, neither provides direct measurement that can unambiguously constrain the global surface composition and most importantly, the nature of trace composition and second-phase impurities. Recently, missions such as Deep Space 1 and Dawn have utilized electric propulsion (EP) accelerated, high-energy collimated beam of Xe+ ions to propel deep space missions to their target bodies. The energies of the Xe+ are sufficient to cause sputtering interactions, which eject material from the top microns of a targeted surface. Using a mass spectrometer, the sputtered material can be determined. The sputtering properties of EP exhaust can be used to determine detailed surface composition of atmosphereless bodies by electric propulsion induced secondary mass spectroscopy (EPI-SMS). EPI-SMS operation has three high-level requirements: EP system, mass spectrometer, and altitude of about 10 km. Approximately 1 keV Xe+ has been studied and proven to generate high sputtering yields in metallic substrates. Using these yields, first-order calculations predict that EPI-SMS will yield high signal-to-noise at altitudes greater than 10 km with both electrostatic and Hall thrusters.

Amini, Rashied↗