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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

Radiation defect dynamics in solids studied by pulsed ion beams

The buildup of radiation damage is often a dynamic phenomenon proceeding via migration and interaction of point defects ballistically generated in collision cascades. In this work, we describe how the dynamic aspects of damage formation via inter-cascade defect interaction can be studied by pulsed ion beam bombardment. We illustrate the pulsed beam method by an example for Si bombarded at 100°C with 1.35 MeV Xe ions and compare with previously reported data for 0.5 MeV Xe ion irradiation. Results reveal that the time constant of defect relaxation strongly depends on both ion energy and the depth from the sample surface. This observation cannot be entirely explained as an effect of the collision cascade density on defect interaction dynamics, based on depth dependencies of cascade densities calculated with a recently developed model that accounts for the fractal nature of cascades. There results call for future systematic studies to better understand ion energy and cascade density effects on defect relaxation dynamics in Si.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

XPS Studies of LSCF Interfaces after Cell Testing

The motivation of this investigation is to explore the possibility of using the depth profile capability of XPS to study interfaces after SOFC button cell testing. The literature uses XPS to study various cathode materials but has devoted little to the understanding of various cathode interfaces especially after testing. In this work, an SOFC button cell is first tested, and then, the LSCF cathode, barrier layer, and electrolyte are sputtered away to study the behavior of different interfaces. This work has shown that some elements have moved into other layers of the SOFC cell. It is argued that the migration of the elements is partly due to a redeposition mechanism after atoms are sputtered away, while the rest is due to interdiffusion between the SDC and YSZ layers. However, additional work is needed to better understand the mechanism by which atoms move around at different interfaces. In conclusion, the cell electrochemical performance is also discussed in some details but is not the focus.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Intrinsic Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors for Subsurface Detection of CO 2

Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc. has developed distributed intrinsic fiber optic sensors to directly quantify the concentration of dissolved or gas-phase CO 2 for leak detection or plume migration in carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). The capability of the sensor for highly sensitive detection of CO 2 in the pressure and temperature range of 15 to 2,000 psi and 25°C to 175°C was demonstrated, as was the capability of operating in highly corrosive and contaminated environments such as those often found in CO 2 injection sites. The novel sensor system was for the first time demonstrated deployed in a deep well, detecting multiple CO 2 releases, in real time, at varying depths. Early CO 2 release detection, by means of a sensor cable integrating multiple sensor segments, was demonstrated, as was the capability of quantifying the leak. The novel fiber optic sensor system exhibits capabilities not achieved by any other monitoring technology. This project represents a breakthrough in monitoring capabilities for CCS applications.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Mitigating Measurement Artifacts in TOF-SIMS Analysis of Perovskite Solar Cells

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can specifically distinguish between organic cations such as methylammonium and formamidinium. Distinguishing between these two species can lead to specific insight into the origins and evolution of compositional inhomogeneity and chemical gradients in halide perovskite solar cells, which appears to be a key to advancing the technology. TOF-SIMS can obtain chemical information from hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) in up to three dimensions, while not simply splitting the organic components into their molecular constituents (C, H, and N for both methylammonium and formamidinium), unlike other characterization methods. Here, we report on the apparently ubiquitous A-site organic cation gradient measured when doing TOF-SIMS depth-profiling of PSC films. Using thermomechanical methods to cleave perovskite samples at the buried glass/transparent conducting oxide interface enables depth profiling in a reverse direction from normal depth profiling (backside depth profiling). When comparing the backside depth profiles to the traditional front side profiled devices, an identical slight gradient in the A-site organic cation signal is observed in each case. This indicates that the apparent A-site cation gradient is a measurement artifact due to beam damage from the primary ion beam causing a continually decreasing ion yield for secondary ions of methylammonium and formamidinium. This is due to subsurface implantation and bond breaking from the 30 keV bismuth primary ion beam impact when profiling with too high of a data density. Here, we show that the beam-generated artifact associated with this damage can mostly be mitigated by altering the measurement conditions. We also report on a new method of depth profiling applied to PSC films that enables enhanced sensitivity to halide ions in positive measurement polarity, which can eliminate the need for a second measurement in negative polarity in most cases.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Phase transformation pathways of ultrafast-laser-irradiated Ln 2 O 3 ( Ln = Er – Lu )

Ultrafast laser irradiation causes intense electronic excitations in materials, leading to transient high temperatures and pressures. Here, we show that ultrafast laser irradiation drives an irreversible cubic-to-monoclinic phase transformation in Ln 2 O 3 ( Ln = Er – Lu ) , and explore the mechanism by which the phase transformation occurs. A combination of grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy are used to determine the magnitude and depth-dependence of the phase transformation, respectively. Although all compositions undergo the same transformation, their transformation mechanisms differ. The transformation is pressure-driven for Ln = Tm – Lu , consistent with the material's phase behavior under equilibrium conditions. However, the transformation is thermally driven for Ln = Er , revealing that the nonequilibrium conditions of ultrafast laser irradiation can lead to novel transformation pathways. Ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations are used to examine the atomic-scale effects of electronic excitation, showing the production of oxygen Frenkel pairs and the migration of interstitial oxygen to tetrahedrally coordinated constitutional vacancy sites, the first step in a defect-driven phase transformation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Experiments and Modeling of Proppant Embedment and Fracture Conductivity for the Caney Shale, Oklahoma, USA

ABSTRACT: The ultimate aim of hydraulic fracturing is to have a long and conductive flow path that extends from the wellbore into the formation. The effective fracture length is part of a hydraulically propped fracture which contributes to production. The difficulty in achieving economical production targets from shale reservoirs is at the forefront in many exploration companies. Fracture conductivity loss is related to; proppant embedment under depletion, proppant crushing, damage as a result of fracturing fluid, fines migration and proppant-pack permeability-damage are some of the factors that contribute to production decline after hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoirs. The Caney Shale is a calcareous organic-rich mudrock. Various studies have investigated the effect that clay on shale well productivity, however, there is currently no literature on the Caney shale in relation to horizontal wells; all available literature exists in vertical wells as well as on formations of the Caney that are shallow in comparison to an emerging play which is twice the depth. In this paper we investigate stress-dependent fracture conductivity of proppant-filled fractures and proppant embedment in Caney shale through laboratory and modeling studies. API fracture conductivity tests were conducted using 2% KCl on five locations within the Caney shale that consisted of selecting three brittle(reservoir) zones and two ductile zones. Confining pressures range from 1,000 psi to 12,000 psi at 210°F. Conductivity, permeability as well as embedment were measured during the test. Our experimental results have confirmed that improved fracture conductivity is attributed to; proppant size, the increase in porosity of the proppant pack, closure pressure changes and the reduction in fracture conductivity are a function of many factors such as fracture closure stress. The findings from this study could help the stimulation design by providing new insights into the critical factors that are to be determined to facilitate the choice of proppants as well as fracturing fluids for long term production and recovery from shale reservoirs. 1 INTRODUCTION The development of low permeability formations, like shales, has been aided by hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells (Radonjic et al., 2020). Hydraulic fracturing fluid is injected at a high pressure to induce tensile fractures that can link to and stimulate natural fractures (Katende et al., 2021a,b). Preserving adequate conductivity in hydraulic fractures over the life of the wells is required for economic production; nevertheless, conserving such conductivity can be difficult in some circumstances, particularly in soft, clay-rich formations (Wang et al., 2021). Proppant particles help to keep the fractures open when the pumping stops and the fracturing fluid returns to the wellbore, producing one or more propped hydraulic fractures of varying length, breadth, and height (Katende et al., 2021a). The proppant pack within the hydraulic fracture boosts well output by providing a greater permeability flowpath for hydrocarbons (Duenckel et al., 2016). Proppant in the fracture is under complicated stress conditions, and the interplay between the rock formation and the proppant pack has a significant impact on proppant-pack permeability (Karazincir et al., 2019). Proppant may be embedded (Katende et al., 2021a) in the rock or crushed into small pieces if the proppant size and strength characteristics are not specified appropriately, resulting in a loss in proppant-pack permeability and fracture aperture, and consequently a fall in well output.

Katende, A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Experiment K-6-17. Structural changes and cell turnover in the rats small intestine induced by spaceflight

The purpose of this project was to test the hypothesis that the generalized, whole body decrease in synthetic activity associated with microgravity conditions of space flight as evidenced by negative nitrogen balance and muscle atrophy (Nicogossian and Parker, 1982; Oganov, 1981), as well as inhibited lymphocyte proliferation (Bechler and Cogoli, 1986), would be evident in cells characterized by a rapid rate of turnover. As a model, researchers chose to study the turnover of mucosal cells lining the jejunum of the small intestine, since these cells are among the most rapidly proliferating in the body. Under normal conditions, epithelial cells that line the small intestine are continually produced in the crypts of Lieberkuhn. These cells migrate out of the crypts onto intestinal villi, are progressively pushed up the villus as new crypt cells are formed, and ultimately reach the tip of villi where they are then descquamated. In rats, the entire process, from initial proliferation in crypts to desquamation, takes approximately 2 days (Cairnie et al., 1965; Lipkin, 1973). In this study, researchers determined the mitotic index for mucosal cells lining the proximal, middle, and distal regions of the jejunum in rats from three treatment groups (synchronous control, vivarium control and flight), and measured the depth of the crypts of Lieberkuhn and the length of villi present in each of the three jejunal regions sampled.

Phillips, R. W.↗
DOE OSTI2015

The z<1.2 optical luminosity function from a sample of ∼410,000 galaxies in BOÖtes

Using a sample of ∼410,000 galaxies to a depth of I{sub AB}=24 over 8.26 deg{sup 2} in the Boötes field (∼10 times larger than the z∼1 luminosity function (LF) studies in the prior literature), we have accurately measured the evolving B-band LF of red galaxies at z<1.2 and blue galaxies at z<1.0. In addition to the large sample size, we utilize photometry that accounts for the varying angular sizes of galaxies, photometric redshifts verified with spectroscopy, and absolute magnitudes that should have very small random and systematic errors. Our results are consistent with the migration of galaxies from the blue cloud to the red sequence as they cease to form stars and with downsizing in which more massive and luminous blue galaxies cease star formation earlier than fainter less massive ones. Comparing the observed fading of red galaxies with that expected from passive evolution alone, we find that the stellar mass contained within the red galaxy population has increased by a factor of ∼3.6 from z∼1.1 to z∼0.1. The bright end of the red galaxy LF fades with decreasing redshift, with the rate of fading increasing from ∼0.2 mag per unit redshift at z = 1.0 to ∼0.8 at z = 0.2. The overall decrease in luminosity implies that the stellar mass in individual highly luminous red galaxies increased by a factor of ∼2.2 from z = 1.1 to z = 0.1.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Factors Controlling Short-Range Methane Migration of Gas Hydrate Accumulations in Thin Coarse-Grained Layers

Natural gas hydrate is often found in marine sediment in heterogeneous distributions in different sediment types. Diffusion may be a dominant mechanism for methane migration and affect hydrate distribution. We use a 1–D advection–diffusion–reaction model to understand hydrate distribution in and surrounding thin coarse–grained layers to examine the sensitivity of four controlling factors in a diffusion–dominant gas hydrate system. These factors are the particulate organic carbon content at seafloor, the microbial reaction rate constant, the sediment grading pattern, and the cementation factor of the coarse–grained layer. We use available data at Walker Ridge 313 in the northern Gulf of Mexico where two ~3–m–thick hydrate–bearing coarse–grained layers were observed at different depths. The results show that the hydrate volume and the total amount of methane within thin, coarse–grained layers are most sensitive to the particulate organic carbon of fine–grained sediments when deposited at the seafloor. The thickness of fine–grained hydrate free zones surrounding the coarse–grained layers is most sensitive to the microbial reaction rate constant. Furthermore, it may be possible to estimate microbial reaction rate constants at other locations by studying the thickness of the hydrate free zones using the Damköhler number. In addition, we note that sediment grading patterns have a strong influence on gas hydrate occurrence within coarse–grained layers.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Mid-Award Progress Report for Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research Program

The purpose of the work proposed for this study is to investigate the behavior and transport mechanisms for cesium-137 in soils collected from contaminated sites with distinct source release scenarios. More specifically, this study aims to determine with which elements and minerals cesium-137 associates in these various environments to more reliably predict its migration in the subsurface. This will be achieved using a state-of-the-art analysis technique available at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) known as NanoSIMS. Nano-scale secondary ion mass spectrometry, or NanoSIMS, is a destructive surface analysis technique in which positive secondary ions are generated from the surface of a sample and then quantified based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) using mass spectrometry. The data collected about the secondary ions can then be used to create isotope-specific spatial maps with a resolution of a few hundred nanometers and depth profiles that show the variation of the secondary ion intensity with sputtering time. This should be an ideal technique for locating cesium-137 in a sample, as cesium is an easily ionized element, meaning the yield of secondary cesium (Cs) ions produced should be high and making the identification of cesium-137 straight forward.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

First-principles study of hydrogen diffusion and self-clustering below tungsten surfaces

The diffusion and self-clustering nucleation behavior of hydrogen (H) without vacancies below tungsten (W) surfaces are important for understanding the retention of deuterium (D) in W crystals exposed to high-flux and low-energy D plasma. The H migration energy and binding energy of H to self-clusters near the W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces have been investigated by first-principles computer simulations using density functional theory. H diffusion from adsorption sites on the W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces into solute sites in the bulk requires energies of at least 1.21, 1.78, and 1.80 eV, respectively, while 0.27, 0.31, and 0.24 eV for the reverse process. In addition, the lateral diffusion of H between two subsurface layers below the W surfaces has been investigated. Two H atoms at a depth of 0.08 nm below the W(110) surface have the highest binding energy, followed by H atom pairs below the W(111) and W(110) surfaces. The nucleation and stability of H clusters depend on the surface orientation. A planar configuration between the first nearest neighbor {100} planes is energetically favorable for H self-clustering below the W(100), W(110), and W(111) surfaces. In conclusion, the thermal stability of a platelet containing 16 H atoms below the W surfaces at 300 and 600 K was also studied by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, which indicate that the H platelet below a W(111) surface is more stable than that below either the W(100) or the W(110) surface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2018

Ultralow Frequency Waves as an Intermediary for Solar Wind Energy Input Into the Radiation Belts

Enhancements of electron fluxes in the outer radiation belt have been closely linked to increases in solar wind speed and density as well as to prolonged intervals of southward interplanetary magnetic field. Periodic oscillations in the Earth's magnetic field with frequencies in the range of a few millihertz (ultralow frequency or ultralow frequency waves) may be an intermediary through which these solar wind drivers influence radiation belt dynamics due to their potential for resonant interactions with energetic electrons causing the radial migration of resonant electrons. Using data from more than 180 ground magnetometers contributing to the worldwide SuperMAG collaboration, we explore possible relationships between relativistic electron flux variations and the spatial and temporal profiles of ultralow frequency wave power contained in the Pc5 frequency band (2–7 mHz). During 19 geomagnetic storms marked by relativistic (1.5 MeV < E < 6 MeV) electron flux enhancements and 19 storms that led to prolonged electron flux depletions, Pc5 wave power is found penetrating to L shells as low as 2–3. The enhancement of Pc5 wave power starts almost simultaneously with the storm onset. The depth of wave activity penetration was found associated with the strength of geomagnetic activity (Spearman's ρ = 0.54), which is also related to the location of electron flux maximum observed in the recovery phase. Pc5 wave activity persists longer (for up to ≈62 hr) for those storms that produced relativistic electrons. We also investigate the combination of interplanetary conditions necessary to differentiate the response of relativistic electron fluxes to geomagnetic storms. A coupling function that captures the increased reconnection rate at the dayside magnetopause affecting magnetospheric processes which may produce Pc5 wave power offers an additional key to further understanding the outer belt dynamics.

Georgiou, M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Influence of near-surface oxide layers on TiFe hydrogenation: mechanistic insights and implications for hydrogen storage applications

The inevitable formation of passivating oxide films on the surface of the TiFe intermetallic compound limits its performance as a stationary hydrogen storage material. Extensive experimental efforts have been dedicated to the activation of TiFe, i.e. oxide layer removal prior to utilization for hydrogen storage. However, development of an efficient activation protocol necessitates a fundamental understanding of the composition and structure of the air-exposed surface and its interaction with hydrogen, which is currently absent. Therefore, in this study we explored the growth and nature of oxide films on the most exposed TiFe surface (110) in depth using static and dynamic first-principles methods. We identified the lowest energy structures for six oxygen coverages up to approximately 1.12 nm of thickness with a global optimization method and studied the temperature effects and structural evolution of the oxide phases in detail via ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD). Based on structural similarity and coordination analysis, motifs for TiO 2 and TiFeO 3 as well as Ti(FeO 2 ) x (x = 2, 3 or 5) phases were identified. On evaluating the interaction of the oxidized surface with hydrogen, a minimal energy barrier of 0.172 eV was predicted for H 2 dissociation while H migration from the top of the oxidized surface to the bulk TiFe was limited by several high-lying energy barriers above 1.4 eV. Our mechanistic insights will prove themselves valuable for informed designs towards new activation methods of TiFe and related systems as hydrogen storage materials.

08 HYDROGEN↗
NASA NTRS1989

Trends in environmentally induced spacecraft anomalies

The Spacecraft Anomaly Data Base was useful in identifying trends in anomaly occurrence. Trends alone do not provide quantitative testimony to a spacecraft's reliability, but they do indicate areas that command closer study. An in-depth analysis of a specific anomaly can be expensive and difficult without access to the spacecraft. Statistically verified anomaly trends can provide a good reference point to begin anomaly analysis. Many spacecraft experience an increase in anomalies during the period of several days centered on the solar equinox, a period that is also correlated with sun eclipse at geostationary altitude and an increase in major geomagnetic storms. Increase anomaly occurrence can also be seen during the local time interval between midnight and dawn. This local time interval represents a region in Earth's near space that experiences an enhancement in electron plasma density due to a migration from the magnetotail during or following a geomagnetic substorm.

Wilkinson, Daniel C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Association of a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototrophic bacterium inside bundles of Microcoleus chthonoplastes in hypersaline cyanobacterial mats

An unidentified filamentous purple bacterium, probably belonging to a new genus or even a new family, is found in close association with the filamentous, mat-forming cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes in a hypersaline pond at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and in Solar Lake, Sinai, Egypt. This organism is a gliding, segmented trichome, 0.8-0.9 micrometer wide. It contains intracytoplasmic stacked lamellae which are perpendicular and obliquely oriented to the cell wall, similar to those described for the purple sulfur bacteria Ectothiorhodospira. These bacteria are found inside the cyanobacterial bundle, enclosed by the cyanobacterial sheath. Detailed transmission electron microscopical analyses carried out in horizontal sections of the upper 1.5 mm of the cyanobacterial mat show this cyanobacterial-purple bacterial association at depths of 300-1200 micrometers, corresponding to the zone below that of maximal oxygenic photosynthesis. Sharp gradients of oxygen and sulfide are established during the day at this microzone in the two cyanobacterial mats studied. The close association, the distribution pattern of this association and preliminary physiological experiments suggest a co-metabolism of sulfur by the two-membered community. This probable new genus of purple bacteria may also grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by the cyanobacterium. Since the chemical gradients in the entire photic zone fluctuate widely in a diurnal cycle, both types of metabolism probably take place. During the morning and afternoon, sulfide migrates up to the photic zone allowing photoautotrophic metabolism with sulfide as the electron donor. During the day the photic zone is highly oxygenated and the purple bacteria may either use oxidized species of sulfur such as elemental sulfur and thiosulfate in the photoautotrophic mode or grow photoheterotrophically using organic carbon excreted by M. chthonoplastes. The new type of filamentous purple sulfur bacteria is not available yet in pure culture, and its taxonomical position cannot be fully established. This organism is suggested to be a new type of gliding, filamentous, purple phototroph.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
DOE OSTI2017

Linking basin-scale and pore-scale gas hydrate distribution patterns in diffusion-dominated marine hydrate systems: DIFFUSION-DRIVEN HYDRATE GROWTH IN SANDS

The goal of this study is to computationally determine the potential distribution patterns of diffusion-driven methane hydrate accumulations in coarse-grained marine sediments. Diffusion of dissolved methane in marine gas hydrate systems has been proposed as a potential transport mechanism through which large concentrations of hydrate can preferentially accumulate in coarse-grained sediments over geologic time. Using one-dimensional compositional reservoir simulations, we examine hydrate distribution patterns at the scale of individual sand layers (1 to 20 m thick) that are deposited between microbially active fine-grained material buried through the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). We then extrapolate to two- dimensional and basin-scale three-dimensional simulations, where we model dipping sands and multilayered systems. We find that properties of a sand layer including pore size distribution, layer thickness, dip, and proximity to other layers in multilayered systems all exert control on diffusive methane fluxes toward and within a sand, which in turn impact the distribution of hydrate throughout a sand unit. In all of these simulations, we incorporate data on physical properties and sand layer geometries from the Terrebonne Basin gas hydrate system in the Gulf of Mexico. We demonstrate that diffusion can generate high hydrate saturations (upward of 90%) at the edges of thin sands at shallow depths within the GHSZ, but that it is ineffective at producing high hydrate saturations throughout thick (greater than 10 m) sands buried deep within the GHSZ. As a result, we find that hydrate in fine-grained material can preserve high hydrate saturations in nearby thin sands with burial.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Assessment of shallow subsea hydrocarbons as a proxy for leakage at offshore geologic CO 2 storage sites

We report this study is part of a multi-phase effort to identify and characterize offshore geological carbon storage (GCS) potential along the Texas Gulf Coast. Previous efforts acquired a high-resolution 3D seismic dataset (P-cable™) and interpreted a seismically discontinuous zone as shallow gas pockets (<100 m below seafloor) associated with a vertical chimney structure. Our approach was to measure hydrocarbon concentrations and stable carbon isotopes near the seafloor to assess if gas migrated vertically from seismic anomalies. Deep-sourced thermogenic hydrocarbons would indicate that the structure is transmissive which could indicate an unacceptable risk for GCS at the site. Alternatively, hydrocarbons formed in-situ from biogenic processes would not preclude transmissivity of the structure but would add information to the risk assessment. Gases were extracted from 23 piston core samples recovered between 2.56 and 3.50 m subseafloor. Light hydrocarbons and stable carbon isotopes of methane were used for source attribution. The result was that geochemical signatures were consistent with typical background values observed within the first few meters of subsea sediment and therefore did not indicate leakage from depth. From our analysis, we offer insights into the use of hydrocarbon molecular and isotopic compositions at the seafloor for signal attribution as part of environmental assessments at geological CO 2 storage sites.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗