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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

Impingement-Current-Erosion Characteristics of Accelerator Grids on Two-Grid Ion Thrusters

Accelerator grid sputter erosion resulting from charge-exchange-ion impingement is considered to be a primary cause of failure for electrostatic ion thrusters. An experimental method was developed and implemented to measure erosion characteristics of ion-thruster accel-grids for two-grid systems as a function of beam current, accel-grid potential, and facility background pressure. Intricate accelerator grid erosion patterns, that are typically produced in a short time (a few hours), are shown. Accelerator grid volumetric and depth-erosion rates are calculated from these erosion patterns and reported for each of the parameters investigated. A simple theoretical volumetric erosion model yields results that are compared to experimental findings. Results from the model and experiments agree to within 10%, thereby verifying the testing technique. In general, the local distribution of erosion is concentrated in pits between three adjacent holes and trenches that join pits. The shapes of the pits and trenches are shown to be dependent upon operating conditions. Increases in beam current and the accel-grid voltage magnitude lead to deeper pits and trenches. Competing effects cause complex changes in depth-erosion rates as background pressure is increased. Shape factors that describe pits and trenches (i.e. ratio of the average erosion width to the maximum possible width) are also affected in relatively complex ways by changes in beam current, ac tel-grid voltage magnitude, and background pressure. In all cases, however, gross volumetric erosion rates agree with theoretical predictions.

Barker, Timothy↗
DOE OSTI2025

Understanding the impact of SPMAK and PEGPEA in crosslinked PEGDA membranes: Methanol-carboxylate co-transport behavior and correlating structure-physicochemical-transport properties

Investigating multicomponent transport in dense, hydrated polymer membranes is necessary in applications such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, and desalination systems. Of particular interest are photoelectrochemical CO 2 reduction cells (PEC-CRC) which produce liquid products such as alcohols (methanol) and carboxylates (formate, acetate). Flux coupling and competitive sorption behavior of these products (solutes) have been found to affect permselectivity, thereby motivating us to investigate fundamental membrane structure-physicochemical-transport relationships. Past research has shown that systematic tuning of crosslinked cation exchange membranes (CEMs) with charge-neutral monoacrylate monomers containing alkyl and phenyl groups (i.e., poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), and poly(ethylene glycol) phenyl ether acrylate (PEGPEA)) can suppress acetate transport (permeability) in co-permeation with methanol. To further investigate this transport behavior and to enhance membrane ionic conductivities, 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium (SPMAK), a sulfonated monoacrylate monomer is incorporated here. SPMAK content is varied with neutral PEGPEA and diacrylate crosslinker, poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) of two different chain lengths (n = 10 and 13) to prepare membranes of various compositions. Electrochemical and physicochemical properties including ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity, and water uptake increase with increasing charged SPMAK content. Different states of water within hydrated membranes are probed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), where increasing intermediate (loosely bound) water is observed with increasing hydrophilic SPMAK content. The transport behavior of methanol and carboxylates (formate, acetate, propionate) are investigated, where permeabilities vary as methanol > formate > acetate ≈ propionate. Interestingly, permeabilities decrease with increasing PEGPEA content and are more dependent on solute diffusion than sorption. Permeabilities and diffusivities decrease while permselectivities increase with decreasing PEGDA chain length.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrochemistry in the Large Tunnels of Lithium Postspinel Compounds

Lithium spinels (Li MM 'O 4 ) are an important class of mixed-cation materials that have found uses in batteries, catalysis, and optics. Postspinels are a series of related framework structures with the AMM 'O 4 host composition that are formed with larger A -site cations, typically under high pressure. Postspinels have one-dimensional tunnel structures with pores that are larger than those in spinel and triangular in cross-section, but they are relatively unexplored as intercalation electrodes. While lithium postspinels have been previously found to be thermodynamically stable only at high pressures, we have identified a synthetic pathway that produces the lithium-containing materials at ambient pressure using an ion-exchange process from the corresponding sodium postspinels. Here, in this work, we report the synthesis and a survey of the electrochemical properties of 10 new lithium CaFe 2 O 4 -type postspinel compounds where M = Mn 3+ , V 3+ , Cr 3+ , Rh 3+ , Fe 2+ , Mg 2+ , Co 2+ and M ' = Ti 4+ and/or Sn 4+ . Although complete delithiation is not achieved during electrochemical cycling, many of the lithium postspinels have substantial charge storage capacity in Li battery cells owing to the ability of the large framework tunnels to accommodate more than one lithium ion per formula unit. Multiple redox couples are accessed for LiMnSnO 4 , Li 0.96 Mn 0.96 Sn 1.04-x Ti x O 4 , Li 0.96 V 0.96 Ti 1.04 O 4 , Li 0.96 Cr 0.96 Ti 1.04 O 4 , and LiFe 0.5 Ti 1.5 O 4 . Compositions with moderate or poor lithium cyclability are also discussed for comparison. Redox mechanisms and trends are identified by comparing this new redox-active framework to related spinels, ramsdellites, and 'Na 0.44 MnO 2 ' structures, and from density functional theory (DFT) electronic structures. Operando diffraction shows complex structural responses to lithium insertion and extraction in this postspinel framework. A DFT framework was proposed to identify promising lithium postspinel phases that could be accessed metastably under ambient pressure conditions and to assess their stability to lithium insertion and extraction. This work suggests that CaFe 2 O 4 -type hosts are a promising new class of lithium-ion energy storage materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Metal-organic-framework and walnut shell biochar composites for lead and hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous environments

Extensive research in recent years has explored the realm of porous carbon composites for various applications, including electrochemistry, structural materials, environmental remediation, and more. In particular, the fabrication of porous carbon composites using a metal-organic framework (MOF) and biochar (BC) for aqueous remediation is a fairly new avenue of research. In this study, a MOF-BC composite was synthesized with unmodified and chemically modified BCs using solvothermal synthesis. The composites were used as adsorbents to remediate heavy metals, such as lead (II) and chromium (VI), from aqueous environments. Here, it was verified that the MOF was homogeneously deposited onto the BC's surface using various material characterization techniques. Lead and chromium adsorption studies revealed a high adsorption capacity with greater than 99% removal for lead and ∼65% for chromium, respectively. Impressively, for lead, the highest observed experimental adsorption capacity of the MOF-chemically modified BC composite was 535 mg/g, compared to 240 mg/g for pristine BC. Meanwhile, the adsorption capacity of the same MOF-BC composite for chromium ions was low at 18 mg/g, compared to 80 mg/g for the chemically modified BC. The MOF-BC had a rapid adsorption rate, achieving equilibrium at only 150 min of reaction time for lead ions. MOF-BCs have higher adsorption for cationic lead through physisorption and ion-exchange mechanisms, whereas, for anionic chromium, removal is dominated only by physisorption mechanisms. The outcomes and methodological developments attained in this study offer a novel and compelling approach for synthesizing MOF-BC composites for aqueous remediation applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

When van der Waals Met Kagome: A 2D Antimonide with a Vanadium-Kagome Network

2D materials showcase unconventional properties emerging from quantum confinement effects. In this work, a “soft chemical” route allows for the deintercalation of K + from the layered antimonide KV 6 Sb 6 , resulting in the discovery of a new metastable 2D-Kagome antimonide K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 with a van der Waals gap of 3.2 Å. The structure of K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 was determined via the synergistic techniques, including X-ray pair distribution function analysis, advanced transmission electron microscopy, and density functional theory calculations. The K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m (a = 9.57(2) Å, b = 5.502(8) Å, c = 10.23(2) Å, β = 97.6(2)°, Z = 2). The [V 6 Sb 6 ] layers in K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 are retained upon deintercalation and closely resemble the layers in the parent compound, yet deintercalation results in a relative shift of the adjacent [V 6 Sb 6 ] layers. The magnetic properties of the K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 phase in the 2–300 K range are comparable to those of KV 6 Sb 6 and another Kagome antimonide KV 3 Sb 5 , consistent with nearly temperature-independent paramagnetism. Electronic band structure calculation suggests a nontrivial band topology with flat bands and opening of band crossing afforded by deintercalation. Transport property measurements reveal a metallic nature for K 0.1(1) V 6 Sb 6 and a low thermal conductivity of 0.6 W K –1 m –1 at 300 K. Additionally, ion exchange in KV 6 Sb 6 via a solvothermal route leads to a successful partial exchange of K + with A + (A = Na, Rb, and Cs). Here, this study highlights the tunability of the layered structure of the KV 6 Sb 6 compound, providing a rich playground for the realization of new 2D materials.

2D↗
DOE OSTI2025

Understanding and controlling the fundamental photochemistry of protonic solar energy conversion (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The selectivity and activity of most fuel-forming reactions are tunable by the concentration of electrons, holes, protons, and/or hydroxides. That is one reason why traditional solar energy conversion processes are used to drive these reactions, where light directly increases the concentration of electrons and holes. We, instead, took a different approach, using light to increase the concentration of protons and/or hydroxides. For this, we leveraged photophysical and solid-state physics theories, techniques, and design strategies previously developed for the study of traditional solar energy conversion processes. We designed and fabricated several materials platforms based on molecular photoacid and photobase dyes coupled with ion-exchange polymer membranes and assessed their fundamental photoelectrochemistry. We demonstrated control over built-in electric potentials, photovoltages, proton-transfer kinetics, and efficiency limits to our approach. Understanding the basic science of these dye-sensitized protonic membranes and their photochemical mechanisms is of use to the DOE-relevant processes of solar photochemical fuel formation, solar photodialytic desalination, and solar cells. Moreover, functional materials that we developed from this project may be of use to several broad-reaching fields and may provide the foundation for a completely new, inexpensive, and robust solar energy conversion technology.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhanced pozzolanic reactivity in hydrogen-form zeolites as supplementary cementitious materials

Pozzolans rich in silica and alumina react with lime to form cementing compounds and are incorporated into portland cement as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). However, pozzolanic reactions progress slower than portland cement hydration, limiting their use in modern construction due to insufficient early-age strength. Hence, alternative SCMs that enable faster pozzolanic reactions are necessary including synthetic zeolites, which have high surface areas and compositional purity that indicate the possibility of rapid pozzolanic reactivity. Synthetic zeolites with varying cation composition (Na-zeolite, H-zeolite), SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 ratio, and framework type were evaluated for pozzolanic reactivity via Ca(OH) 2 consumption using ion exchange and in-situ X-ray diffraction experiments. Na-zeolites exhibited limited exchange reactions with KOH and Ca(OH) 2 due to the occupancy of acid sites by Na + and hydroxyl groups. Meanwhile, H-zeolites readily adsorbed K + and Ca 2+ from a hydroxide solution by exchanging cations with H + at Brønsted acid sites or cation adsorption at vacant acid sites. By adsorbing cations, the H-zeolite reduced the pH and increased Ca 2+ solubility to promote pozzolanic reactions in a system where Ca(OH) 2 dissolution/diffusion was a rate limiting factor. High H-zeolite reactivity resulted in 0.8 g of Ca(OH) 2 consumed per 1 g of zeolites after 16 h of reaction versus 0.4 g of Ca(OH) 2 consumed per 1 g of Na-zeolite. The H-zeolite modulated the pore fluid alkalinity and created a low-density amorphous silicate phase via mechanisms analogous to two-step C-S-H nucleation experiments. Finally, controlling these reaction mechanisms is key to developing next generation pozzolanic cementitious systems with comparable hydration rates to portland cement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

The simultaneous removal of technetium and iodine from Hanford tank waste

The simultaneous removal of radionuclides technetium-99 and iodine-129 from an actual decontaminated Hanford tank waste sample (a mixture of decontaminated waste from tanks 241-AP-105 and 241-AP-107) was demonstrated for the first time in this work. A series of commercially available ion exchange resins were evaluated in batch contact tests in the tank waste, and all showed removal of both Tc and I. The highest Tc removal was observed for Purolite A530e while the highest iodine removal was observed for ResinTech SIR-110-MP. Batch tests in simulated tank waste with these two resins showed that the SIR-110-HP-MP had consistently higher K d for both pertechnetate and iodide and much higher K d than previous works on Tc removal from Hanford waste. As such, the SIR-110-MP was evaluated in a dual -column (lead/lag) test processing 5.2L of the tank waste mixture showing 60% breakthrough of Tc on the lead column and no significant breakthrough on the lag after 625 bed volumes (BV, 6 mL size) while significant iodine breakthrough (>50%) occurred after 28 BV. The limited iodine uptake was attributed to the column conditions generating mass transfer limitations. A fraction of the Tc and I was not captured by the resin (<10%) in either the batch tests or column tests. The iodine fraction was identified to be an iodide, likely organo-iodide. The fraction of the Tc was identified as a non-pertechnetate species, which is the first time non-pertechnetate has been identified in AP-105 and AP-107 tanks, although the exact species is still unknown.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Hybrid Doping Strategy with High‐Entropy Cu/Fe Surface Modification and Zr Bulk Incorporation for Ni‐Rich Cathodes

A hybrid doping strategy combining Zr 4+ bulk doping with high-entropy Cu 2+ /Fe 3+ surface doping is developed to enhance the structural and interfacial stability of Ni-rich layered oxide cathodes. Cu and Fe are selectively introduced at the particle surface via a surface-selective ion-exchange process, forming a ≈15 nm Fe-rich layer while preserving the layered framework. Compared to the pristine cathode, the hybrid sample exhibits significantly improved electrochemical performance in both half-cell and full-cell configurations. In half-cells, the hybrid retains 88.5% and 90.2% after 100 cycles at 1C under 4.6 and 4.5 V, respectively. During high-voltage full-cell cycling, the hybrid cathode maintains over 80% capacity retention, whereas the pristine counterpart retains less than 10% under identical conditions over the same cycling period. XPS, EELS, and DEMS analyses confirm improved oxygen retention, suppressed gas evolution, and stable surface chemistry, while DFT calculations indicate enhanced Me–O bonding in the selected Fe 0.75 Cu 0.25 (Mn 1/16 Co 2/16 Ni 13/16 )O 2 surface composition, which is identified through DFT-calculated mixing energy reaching a minimum at this ratio, indicating the most thermodynamically favorable configuration. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the effectiveness of this hybrid doping strategy in mitigating coupled degradation pathways in Ni-rich cathodes.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1979

Evaluation of particle transport for the P80-1 spacecraft

Charged and neutral particle transport from an 8-cm mercury ion thruster to the surfaces of the P80-1 spacecraft, the Teal Ruby sensor and the ECOM-501 sensor was examined. Evaluation of particle transport modes utilized both laboratory measurements and analysis. Line-of-sight particle transport considered deposition of Group II (high energy-high angle mercury charge exchange) ions and neutral mercury on solar array surfaces. Nonline-of-sight transport modes studied were recirculation/reinterception of mercury ions in magnetic fields and refraction of low energy mercury charge exchange (Group IV) ions by local electric fields.

Sellen, J. M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Additional extensions to the NASCAP computer code, volume 3

The ION computer code is designed to calculate charge exchange ion densities, electric potentials, plasma temperatures, and current densities external to a neutralized ion engine in R-Z geometry. The present version assumes the beam ion current and density to be known and specified, and the neutralizing electrons to originate from a hot-wire ring surrounding the beam orifice. The plasma is treated as being resistive, with an electron relaxation time comparable to the plasma frequency. Together with the thermal and electrical boundary conditions described below and other straightforward engine parameters, these assumptions suffice to determine the required quantities. The ION code, written in ASCII FORTRAN for UNIVAC 1100 series computers, is designed to be run interactively, although it can also be run in batch mode. The input is free-format, and the output is mainly graphical, using the machine-independent graphics developed for the NASCAP code. The executive routine calls the code's major subroutines in user-specified order, and the code allows great latitude for restart and parameter change.

Mandell, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

High temperature sorbents for oxygen

A sorbent capable of removing trace amounts of oxygen (ppt) from a gas stream at a high temperature above 200 C comprising a porous alumina silicate support, such as zeolite, containing from 1 to 10 percent by weight of ion exchanged transition metal, such as copper or cobalt ions, and 0.05 to 1.0 percent by weight of an activator selected from a platinum group metal such as platinum is described. The activation temperature, oxygen sorption, and reducibility are all improved by the presence of the platinum activator.

Sharma, Pramod K.↗
NASA NTRS1996

High Temperature Sorbents for Oxygen

A sorbent capable of removing trace amounts of oxygen (ppt) from a gas stream at a high temperature above 200 C is introduced. The sorbent comprises a porous alumina silicate support such as zeolite containing from 1 to 10 percent by weight of ion exchanged transition metal such as copper or cobalt ions and 0.05 to 1.0 percent by weight of an activator selected from a platinum group metal such as platinum. The activation temperature, oxygen sorption and reducibility are all improved by the presence of the platinum activator.

Sharma, Pramod K.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Silver Ion Biocide Delivery System for Water Disinfection

U.S. space exploration missions have long considered returning to the Moon and exploration of Mars that challenge life support systems. For these long duration missions, there is interest in replacing the iodine water treatment system with ionic silver, a proven biocide. For long duration exploration missions, it is imperative that an effective biocide be used that prevents microbial growth, biofilm formation, and microbially induced corrosion in the water storage and distribution systems while minimizing logistical supply requirements associated with the biocide delivery system. Two biocide delivery systems have been developed that electrochemically produce silver ions for disinfecting water throughout the water storage and distribution system. One system uses a newly developed hybrid micro-filtration and ion-exchange membrane to produce an abundance of silver ions at the 1000 ppb level upstream in the water distribution system to prevent biofilm growth. This is followed by a downstream collection module that electrochemically removes these silver ions before the water is discharged. Another approach uses a membraneless reactor to produce a 1000 ppb silver ion concentration level that also has a mechanically driven electrode cleaning mechanism that removes oxide films ensuring long life operation. By maintaining a sufficiently high level of silver ions throughout the water storage and distribution system, biofilm formation is suppressed. This approach overcomes present concerns where spurious silver deposition occurs on the container and flow line surfaces thus lowering the silver ion concentration to unsatisfactory disinfection levels.

Slote, Benjamin M.↗
DOE OSTI2024

N-type molecular doping of a semicrystalline conjugated polymer through cation exchange

Control of electrical doping is indispensable in any semiconductor device, and both efficient hole and electron doping are required for many devices. In organic semiconductors, however, electron doping has been essentially more problematic compared to hole doping because in general organic semiconductors have low electron affinities and require dopants with low ionization potentials that are often air-sensitive. Here, we adapt an efficient molecular doping method, so-called ion-exchange doping, to dope electrons in a polymeric semiconductor. We initially reduce the polymeric semiconductor using one electron transfer from molecular dopants, and then the ionized dopants in the resulting air-unstable films are replaced with secondary ions via cation exchange. Improved ambient stability and crystallinity of the doped polymeric semiconductors are achieved when a specific bulky molecular cation was chosen as the secondary ion, compared to conventional methods. The presented strategy can overcome the trade-off relationship between reducing capability and ambient stability in molecular dopants, and a wider selection of dopant ions will help to realize ambient-stable electron conductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1996

High-Power Ion Thruster Technology

Performance data are presented for the NASA/Hughes 30-cm-diam 'common' thruster operated over the power range from 600 W to 4.6 kW. At the 4.6-kW power level, the thruster produces 172 mN of thrust at a specific impulse of just under 4000 s. Xenon pressure and temperature measurements are presented for a 6.4-mm-diam hollow cathode operated at emission currents ranging from 5 to 30 A and flow rates of 4 sccm and 8 sccm. Highly reproducible results show that the cathode temperature is a linear function of emission current, ranging from approx. 1000 C to 1150 C over this same current range. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements obtained from a 30-cm-diam thruster are presented, suggesting that LIF could be a valuable diagnostic for real-time assessment of accelerator-arid erosion. Calibration results of laminar-thin-film (LTF) erosion badges with bulk molybdenum are presented for 300-eV xenon, krypton, and argon sputtering ions. Facility-pressure effects on the charge-exchange ion current collected by 8-cm-diam and 30-cm-diam thrusters operated on xenon propellant are presented to show that accel current is nearly independent of facility pressure at low pressures, but increases rapidly under high-background-pressure conditions.

Beattie, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Test-to-Failure of a Two-Grid, 30-cm-dia. Ion Accelerator System

To determine the failure mechanism and erosion characteristics of an ion accelerator system due to erosion by charge-exchange ions a test was performed in which a 30-cm-diameter, 2-grid ion accelerator system was tested to failure. The erosion charcteristics observed in this test, however, imply significantly shorter accelerator grid life times than typically stated in the literature. Finally, the test suggests that structural failure is probably not the most likely first failure mechanism for the accelerator grid.

distortion↗