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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 NTRS1997

High Pressure Gas Permeation and Liquid Diffusion Studies of Coflon and Tefzel Thermoplastics

The life of fluid-carrying flexible or umbilical pipes during service at elevated temperatures and pressures depends inter alia on their resistance to attack by the fluids present and the rate at which these fluids are absorbed by the pipe lining materials. The consequences of fluid ingress into the thermoplastic lining could mean a) a reduction in its mechanical strength, to increase chances of crack formation and growth and thus a loss of integrity, b) the occurrence of permeation right through the lining material, with pressure build- up in the outer pipe wall construction (of flexible pipes) or chemical attack (from a hostile permeant) on outer layers of reinforcements. Therefore it is important within this project to have relevant permeation data for Coflon and Tefzel thermoplastics: the former is plasticised, the latter is not. A previous report (CAPP/M.2) described experimental equipment and techniques used by MERL when measuring high pressure (up to 5000 psi) gas permeation and liquid diffusion through thermoplastic samples cut from extruded bar or pipe, and provided the basic theory involved. Norsk Hydro are also performing gas permeation tests on pipe sections, at up to 100 bars (1450 psi) pressure or so, and reporting separately. Some comparisons between data from Norsk Hydro and MERL have been made herein. The tests should be considered as complementary, as the Norsk Hydro test has the obvious benefit of using complete pipe sections, whilst MERL can test at much higher pressures, up to 1000 bar if necessary. The sophisticated analytical measuring equipment of Norsk Hydro can distinguish the individual components of mixed gases and hence the various permeation-linked coefficients whereas MERL, in using pressure increase at constant volume to determine permeation rate, is limited to obtaining single gas data, or apparent (or representative) coefficients for a mixed gas as a whole. Except for the initial fluid diffusion data for Tefzel described in CAPP/M.2, the present report covers all aspects of fluid permeation and diffusion for Coflon and Tefzel, including all the pen-neation data accumulated in the project to date. Test gases have mainly been methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). More high pressure (HP) gas permeation tests have been performed since the last issue of this report, most being concerned with changes in permeation characteristics brought about by ageing in various relevant fluids. This revision supersedes previous issues.

Morgan, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

A New Approach to Joining of Silicon Carbide-Based Materials for High Temperature Applications

Ceramic joining is recognized as one of the enabling technologies for the application of silicon carbide-based materials in a number of high temperature applications. An affordable, robust technique for the joining of silicon carbide-based ceramics has been developed. This technique is capable of producing joints with tailorable thickness and composition. Microstructure and mechanical properties of reaction formed joints in a reaction bonded silicon carbide have been reported. These joints maintain their mechanical strengths at high temperatures (up to 1350 C) in air. This technique is capable of joining large and complex shaped ceramic components.

Singh, Mrityunjay↗
NASA NTRS1998

Affordable, Robust Ceramic Joining Technology (ARCJoinT)

Joining is recognized as one of the enabling technologies for the application of silicon carbide-based ceramic and composite components in a number of demanding and high temperature applications in aerospace and ground-based systems. An affordable, robust ceramic joining technology (ARCJoinT) for joining of silicon carbide-based ceramics and fiber reinforced composites has been developed. This technique is capable of producing joints with tailorable thickness and composition. A wide variety of silicon carbide-based ceramics and composites, in different shapes and sizes, have been joined using this technique. These joints maintain their mechanical strength up to 1350 C in air. This technology is suitable for the joining of large and complex shaped ceramic and composite components and with certain modifications, can be applied to repair ceramic components damaged in service.

Singh, M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Joining of Silicon Carbide-Based Ceramic Materials for High Temperature Applications

Joining of high temperature silicon carbide-based ceramics has been a critical issue for their successful application. An affordable, robust technique for joining silicon carbide-based ceramics has been developed and is capable of producing joints that can be tailored for thickness and composition. These joints maintain their mechanical strength up to 1350 C (2462 F) in air. This technique is suitable for the joining of large and complex shaped ceramic components and can be extended to the repair of these materials.

Singh, Mrityunjay↗
NASA NTRS1999

Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of High Temperature Joints in Ceramic Composites

Ceramic joining has been recognized as one of the enabling technologies for the successful utilization of ceramic components in a number of demanding, high temperature applications. Various joint design philosophies and design issues have been discussed along with an affordable, robust ceramic joining technology (ARCJoinT). A wide variety of silicon carbide-based composite materials, in different shapes and sizes, have been joined using this technology. This technique is capable of producing joints with tailorable thickness and composition. The room and high temperature mechanical properties and fractography of ceramic joints have been reported. These joints maintain their mechanical strength up to 1200C in air. This technology is suitable for the joining of large and complex shaped ceramic composite components and with certain modifications, can be applied to repair of ceramic components damaged in service.

Singh, M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Design, Fabrication and Characterization of High Temperature Joints in Ceramic Composites

Ceramic joining has been recognized as one of the enabling technologies for the successful utilization of ceramic components in a number of demanding, high temperature applications. Various joint design philosophies and design issues have been discussed along with an affordable, robust ceramic joining technology (ARCJoinT). A wide variety of silicon carbide-based composite materials, in different shapes and sizes, have been joined using this technology. This technique is capable of producing joints with tailorable thickness and composition. The room and high temperature mechanical properties and fractography of ceramic joints have been reported. These joints maintain their mechanical strength up to 1200 C in air. This technology is suitable for the joining of large and complex shaped ceramic composite components and with certain modifications, can be applied to repair of ceramic components damaged in service.

Singh, M.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Flightweight Electro-Magnet Systems

NASA has a need for lightweight high performance magnets to be used in propulsion systems involving plasmas. We report the design, construction, and testing of a six inch diameter by twelve inch long solenoid using high purity aluminum wire operating at a temperature of 77 Kelvin (K) for the current carrying element. High purity aluminum is the material of choice because of three properties that make it optimal for magnetic construction. At 77 K high purity aluminum has one of the lowest resistivities at 77 K of any metal (p = 0.254 muOMEGA-cm), thus reducing the power requirements for creating magnetic fields. Aluminum is a low-density (2.6989 g/cc) material and the end product magnet will be of low total mass compared to similar designs involving copper or other elements. The magneto-resistance of aluminum saturates at low magnetic fields and does not increase indefinitely as is the case in copper. The magnet consists of four layers of closely wound wire and is approximately 150 mm in diameter by 300 mm long. A cylinder made from G - 10 was machined with a spiral groove to hold the high purity Al wire and the wire wound on it. Following the winding, each layer was potted in STYCAST high thermal conductivity epoxy to provide insulation between the turns of the coil and mechanical strength. The magneto-resistance of the coil has been measured at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), Tallahassee, FL in externally applied fields to 10 tesla. Following these tests it was energized to the full 2 tesla field it can produce using the facilities of the NHMFL at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The results of all of these tests will be presented.

Goodrich, Roy G.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Carbon Nanotube Scanning Probe for Surface Profiling of DUV and 193 nm Photoresist Pattern

The continual scaling down of semiconductors to 100 nm and below necessitates a characterization technique to resolve high aspect ratio features in the nanoscale regime. This paper reports the use of atomic force microscope coupled with high aspect ratio multi-walled carbon nanotube scanning probe tip for the purpose of imaging surface profile of photoresists. Multi-walled carbon nanotube tips used in this work are 5-10 nm in diameter and about a micron long. Their exceptional mechanical strength and ability to reversibly buckle enable to resolve steep, deep nanometer-scale features. Images of photoresist patterns generated by 257 nm interference lithography as well as 193 nm lithography are presented to demonstrate multi-walled carbon nanotube scanning probe tip for applications in metrology.

Nguyen, Cattien V.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Effect of Feeding Purified versus Chow Diet on Bone Changes Produced by Hindlimb Suspension of Female Rats

Spaceflight simulation studies use chow diets while spaceflight studies use a semi-purified &et. To determine whether the differences in these diets would affect the changes in unweighted bone, we compared the effects of purified vs chow diet on bone parameters, urinary calcium, plasma estradiol, and urinary corticosterone (CORT) in sexually mature female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats fed purified AIN-93G or chow diet were kept ambulatory (AMB) or subjected to a spaceflight simulation model of unweighted hindlimbs (HLS) for 38 days. Body mass of treatment groups was similar although food intake and caloric density of the diets differed. Both HLS diet groups showed similar decreases in bone mineral content and mechanical strength in unweighted femurs compared to AMB (p<0.05). However, femur length was lower (p<0.05) in the chow-fed than AIN-93G fed groups. Urinary calcium excretion was greater in chow than AIN-93G fed rats, consistent with the higher level of calcium in the diet. Plasma estradiol was lower in HLS than in AMB fed AIN-93G, but similar in HLS and AMB chow fed groups. Femur mineral content was related to plasma estradiol (r(sup 2) =0.91, p<0.00l). Urinary CORT excretion was increased during initial HLS and elevated in HLS/chow-fed rats. Diets did not appear to affect the osteopenia induced by unweighting, but effects on bone growth, calcium excretion, plasma estradiol and urinary CORT do not support the view that these diets can by used interchangeably in bone studies.

Tou, Janet↗
NASA NTRS1997

Molecularly Oriented Polymeric Thin Films for Space Applications

The increased commitment from NASA and private industry to the exploration of outer space and the use of orbital instrumentation to monitor the earth has focused attention on organic polymeric materials for a variety of applications in space. Some polymeric materials have exhibited short-term (3-5 yr) space environmental durability; however, future spacecraft are being designed with lifetimes projected to be 10-30 years. This gives rise to concern that material property change brought about during operation may result in unpredicted spacecraft performance. Because of their inherent toughness and flexibility, low density, thermal stability, radiation resistance and mechanical strength, aromatic polyimides have excellent potential use as advanced materials on large space structures. Also, there exists a need for high temperature (200-300 C) stable, flexible polymeric films that have high optical transparency in the 300-600nm range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Polymers suitable for these space applications were fabricated and characterized. Additionally, these polymers were molecularly oriented to further enhance their dimensional stability, stiffness, elongation and strength. Both unoriented and oriented polymeric thin films were also cryogenically treated to temperatures below -184 C to show their stability in cold environments and determine any changes in material properties.

Fay, Catharine C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Effects of spaceflight on rat humerus geometry, biomechanics, and biochemistry

The effects of a 12.5-day spaceflight (Cosmos 1887 biosatellite) on the geometric, biomechanical, and biochemical characteristics of humeri of male specific pathogen-free rats were examined. Humeri of age-matched basal control, synchronous control, and vivarium control rats were contrasted with the flight bones to examine the influence of growth and space environment on bone development. Lack of humerus longitudinal growth occurred during the 12.5 days in spaceflight. In addition, the normal mid-diaphysial periosteal appositional growth was affected; compared with their controls, the spaceflight humeri had less cortical cross-sectional area, smaller periosteal circumferences, smaller anterior-posterior periosteal diameters, and smaller second moments of area with respect to the bending and nonbending axes. The flexural rigidity of the flight humeri was comparable to that of the younger basal control rats and significantly less than that of the synchronous and vivarium controls; the elastic moduli of all four groups, nonetheless, were not significantly different. Generally, the matrix biochemistry of the mid-diaphysial cross sections showed no differences among groups. Thus, the spaceflight differences in humeral mechanical strength and flexural rigidity were probably a result of the differences in humeral geometry rather than material properties.

NASA Discipline Number 26-10↗
NASA NTRS1946

The Further Development of Heat-Resistant Materials for Aircraft Engines

The present report deals with the problems involved in the greater utilization and development of aircraft engine materials, and specifically; piston materials, cylinder heads, exhaust valves, and exhaust gas turbine blading. The blades of the exhaust gas turbine are likely to be the highest stressed components of modern power plants from a thermal-mechanical and chemical standpoint, even though the requirements on exhaust valves of engines with gasoline injection are in general no less stringent. For the fire plate in Diesel engines the specifications for mechanical strength and design are not so stringent, and the question of heat resistance, which under these circumstances is easier obtainable, predominates.

Bollenrath, Franz↗
NASA NTRS2005

Thin Films and Inflatable Applications in Exploration Habitat Structures

NASA's vision to return to the Moon and then extend human exploration to Mars will benefit from human habitat technology development using new and creative applications of polymer materials and concepts. Thin Film and Inflatable (TFVI) materials are particularly interesting for exploration applications due to their light weight and low volume. Whereas TF/I materials can be launched and carried from Earth to multiple and distant exploration sites without the constraints of upmass limitations, eventually, with recycling and reclamation efforts, these materials may be developed using in-situ resources. These materials can be useful for fabricating, patching and repairing vehicles, replacement parts and even habitat structures, as well as for developing stand-alone habitat structure technologies and for nested and integrated applications. TF/Is can also be ideal environmental containment vessels within lunar or Martian regolith walls or as liners inside caves or raw regolith exterior structures for the provisions of atmosphere containment, debris protection and cleanliness. Further, TFOs can be specialized and matured for various and diverse applications. The desired range of applications will require materials specification for such properties as transparency, elasticity, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, heat capacity, chemical resistance, and permeability. This paper will discuss Marshall Space Flight Center's plans to analyze and prioritize TF/I materials properties and classifications and to develop applications for these highly desirable materials in human habitat construction projects on the Moon and Mars.

Frazier, Donald O.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Simulated Space Environment Effects on Tether Materials with Protective Coatings

Atomic oxygen (AO) erodes most organic materials. and ultraviolet radiation embrittles polymers. A previous study indicated untreated polymers such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are severely degraded when exposed to AO. This test series was performed to determine the effect of AO and UV on the mechanical integrity of tether materials that were treated with AO-protective coatings. Three coating systems were evaluated for their ability to protect the underlying material from AO erosion. The first coating system is the Photosil surface modification process which incorporates silicon-containing functional groups into the top micron of an organic material. The Photosil process has had favorable results with polyurethane- and epoxy-based thermal control coatings . The second coating system is metallization, in this case nickel. The third coating system is silsesquioxane. The Marshall Space Flight Center Atomic Oxygen Beam Facility (AOBF) was used to simulate low Earth orbit AO of 5 eV energy. In addition, some tether samples were exposed to ultraviolet radiation then evaluated for any changes in mechanical strength. Tether missions, such as a momentum-exchange/electrodynamic reboost (MXER) tether, may benefit from this research.

Finckenor, Miria M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

New Theoretical Technique Developed for Predicting the Stability of Alloys

When alloys are being designed for aeronautical and other applications, a substantial experimental effort is necessary to make incremental changes in the desired alloy properties. A scheme to narrow the field to the most promising candidates would substantially reduce the high cost of this experimental screening. Such a method for determining alloy properties, called the BFS (Bozzolo, Ferrante, and Smith) method, has been developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center. This method was used to calculate the thermal stability and mechanical strength of 200 alloys of Ni3Al, with Cu and Au impurities forming ternary and quaternary compounds. With recent advances in the method, almost any metallic impurity and crystal structure can be addressed. In addition, thermal effects can be addressed with Monte Carlo techniques. At present, an experimental program is in progress to verify these results. The method identified a small number of the most promising candidates from the 200 alloys with the largest negative heat of formation and the highest bulk modulus. This calculation required only 5 min of CPU time on a VAX computer. It is clear that semi-empirical methods have achieved the level of development and reliability to warrant examining this new approach to the problem of alloy design. The present work was meant to demonstrate, perhaps in a rather simple way, this power. This type of application of atomistic simulation methods can narrow the gap and improve the feedback between theoretical predictions and laboratory experimentation.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2005

Atmospheric Fragmentation of the Gold Basin Meteoroid as Constrained from Cosmogenic Nuclides

Since the discovery of the Gold Basin L4 chondrite shower almost ten years ago in the northwestern corner of Arizona, many thousands of L-chondrite specimens have been recovered from an area of approx.22 km long and approx.10 km wide. Concentrations of cosmogenic 14C and 10Be in a number of these samples indicated a terrestrial age of approx.15,000 years and a large pre-atmospheric size [1]. Additional measurements of cosmogenic Be-10, Al-26, Cl-36, and Ca-41 in the metal and stone fractions of fifteen Gold Basin samples constrained the pre-atmospheric radius to 3-5 m [2]. This implies that Gold Basin is by far the largest stone meteorite in the present meteorite collection, providing us with an opportunity to study the fragmentation process of a large chondritic object during atmospheric entry. Knowledge about the fragmentation process provides information about the mechanical strength of large meteoroids, which is important for the evaluation of future hazards of small asteroid impacts on Earth and possible defensive scenarios to avoid those impacts.

Welten, K. C.↗
NASA NTRS2003

New Method Developed To Purify Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes for Aerospace Applications

Single wall carbon nanotubes have attracted considerable attention because of their remarkable mechanical properties and electrical and thermal conductivities. Use of these materials as primary or secondary reinforcements in polymers or ceramics could lead to new materials with significantly enhanced mechanical strength and electrical and thermal conductivity. Use of carbon-nanotube-reinforced materials in aerospace components will enable substantial reductions in component weight and improvements in durability and safety. Potential applications for single wall carbon nanotubes include lightweight components for vehicle structures and propulsion systems, fuel cell components (bipolar plates and electrodes) and battery electrodes, and ultra-lightweight materials for use in solar sails. A major barrier to the successful use of carbon nanotubes in these components is the need for methods to economically produce pure carbon nanotubes in large enough quantities to not only evaluate their suitability for certain applications but also produce actual components. Most carbon nanotube synthesis methods, including the HiPCO (high pressure carbon monoxide) method developed by Smalley and others, employ metal catalysts that remain trapped in the final product. These catalyst impurities can affect nanotube properties and accelerate their decomposition. The development of techniques to remove most, if not all, of these impurities is essential to their successful use in practical applications. A new method has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center to purify gram-scale quantities of single wall carbon nanotubes. This method, a modification of a gas phase purification technique previously reported by Smalley and others, uses a combination of high-temperature oxidations and repeated extractions with nitric and hydrochloric acid. This improved procedure significantly reduces the amount of impurities (catalyst and nonnanotube forms of carbon) within the nanotubes, increasing their stability significantly. The onset of decomposition of the purified nanotubes (determined by thermal gravimetric analysis in air) is more than 300 C higher than that of the crude nanotubes. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of nanotubes purified by this method reveals near complete removal of iron catalyst particles. Analysis of the nanotubes using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy revealed that the iron content of the nanotubes was reduced from 22.7 wt% in the crude nanotubes to less than 0.02 wt%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a decrease in iron content after purification as well as an increase in oxygen content due to the formation of carboxylic acid groups on the surface of the nanotubes. Nanotubes purified by this improved method can be readily dispersed in common organic solvents, in particular N,N-dimethylformamide, using prolonged ultrasonic treatment. These dispersions can then be used to incorporate single wall carbon nanotubes into polymer films.

Lebron, Marisabel↗
NASA NTRS2003

Silicon Carbide Nanotube Synthesized

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have generated a great deal of scientific and commercial interest because of the countless envisioned applications that stem from their extraordinary materials properties. Included among these properties are high mechanical strength (tensile and modulus), high thermal conductivity, and electrical properties that make different forms of single-walled CNTs either conducting or semiconducting, and therefore, suitable for making ultraminiature, high-performance CNT-based electronics, sensors, and actuators. Among the limitations for CNTs is their inability to survive in high-temperature, harsh-environment applications. Silicon carbon nanotubes (SiCNTs) are being developed for their superior material properties under such conditions. For example, SiC is stable in regards to oxidation in air to temperatures exceeding 1000 C, whereas carbon-based materials are limited to 600 C. The high-temperature stability of SiCNTs is envisioned to enable high-temperature, harsh-environment nanofiber- and nanotube-reinforced ceramics. In addition, single-crystal SiC-based semiconductors are being developed for hightemperature, high-power electronics, and by analogy to CNTs with silicon semiconductors, SiCNTs with single-crystal SiC-based semiconductors may allow high-temperature harsh-environment nanoelectronics, nanosensors, and nanoactuators to be realized. Another challenge in CNT development is the difficulty of chemically modifying the tube walls, which are composed of chemically stable graphene sheets. The chemical substitution of the CNTs walls will be necessary for nanotube self-assembly and biological- and chemical-sensing applications. SiCNTs are expected to have a different multiple-bilayer wall structure, allowing the surface Si atoms to be functionalized readily with molecules that will allow SiCNTs to undergo self-assembly and be compatible with a variety of materials (for biotechnology applications and high-performance fiber-reinforced ceramics).

Lienhard, Michael A.↗