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At least 253 records · Page 14

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NASA NTRS1974

Effects of low-pressure air on oxygen contamination and lithium corrosion of a tantalum alloy, T-111, at 980 and 1260 C

The effects were studied of low-pressure air on contamination and corrosion in the tantalum alloy T-111/lithium system at 980 and 1260 C. Capsules of T-111 containing lithium were exposed to six vacuum levels between 1 x 10 to the 8th power and 0.0003 torr by controlled air leakage into a vacuum system. Capsules exposed at 980 C and 0.0002 torr failed from intragranular oxidation. The remainder of the capsules completed the 96-hour tests. The depth of oxygen contamination was greater at 980 C than at 1260 C. Tests made at 0.0001 and 0.00001 torr levels caused large increases in the oxygen content of the T-111. Tests at 0.000001 torr or less produced no significant contamination. No lithium corrosion of the T-111 was observed under any of the conditions.

Gahn, R. F.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Lithium hydride - A space age shielding material

Men and materials performing in the environment of an operating nuclear reactor require shielding from the escaping neutron particles and gamma rays. For efficient shielding from gamma rays, dense, high atomic number elements such as iron, lead, or tungsten are required, whereas light, low atomic number elements such as hydrogen, lithium, or beryllium are required for efficient neutron shielding. The use of lithium hydride (LiH) as a highly efficient neutron-shielding material is considered. It contains, combined into a single, stable compound, two of the elements most effective in attenuating and absorbing neutrons.

Welch, F. H.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Proton irradiation of conventional and lithium solar cells - 11-37 MeV

Conventional n/p and lithium solar cells were irradiated with 11- to 37-MeV protons. The energy dependence of the solar cell degradation, calculated from electrical parameters and lifetime measurements, is shown to be very slight. Damage coefficients for the n/p cells are calculated. Annealing characteristics of both the lithium cells and the n/p cells are presented.

Anspaugh, B. E.↗

NASA NTRS1974

The drift field model applied to the lithium-containing silicon solar cell

The drift field model used by Wolf (1963) to calculate the short-circuit current was extended to permit calculations of the open-circuit voltage and the maximum power under conditions of illumination of either tungsten (2800 C) source or air mass zero sunlight. Voltages were calculated using an expression for the drift field diode saturation current. The model, applied to the oxygen-rich (C-13 group) lithium solar cells, was used to calculate the pre- and post-electron bombardment trends of the open-circuit voltage, maximum power, and short-circuit current for lithium gradients in the range from 10 to the 18th power to 10 to the 19th power Li/cm to the 4th power. Diffusion length degradation and carrier removal effects were sufficient to predict the cell performance up to 3 x 10 to the 14th electrons per sq cm. Beyond this fluence it was necessary to include drift field removal effects.

Godlewski, M. P.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Isotopic composition of lithium, potassium, rubidium, and strontium in lunar surface material

The isotopic composition of alkali and alkaline earth elements in the Luna 16 regolith was investigated by the method of thermionic emission, without chemical separation. The isotopic composition of the lithium in two regolith samples did not differ (within the limits 0.5 percent) from the mean of the terrestrial reference standard. At the same time, the observed difference (1 percent) in the isotopic composition of lithium between the samples requires further investigation and confirmation. The isotopic compositions of K and Rb did not differ within the limits of experimental error from the isotopic composition of the reference standard.

Zaslavskiy, V. G.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Lithium-doped solar cell pilot line fabrication and test programs

An investigation was conducted to determine the technology readiness of lithium-doped silicon solar cells with respect to use in space programs. A pilot line fabrication program was established, in which the pilot line cells were evaluated after being exposed to environments ordinarily imposed on nonlithium-doped silicon solar cells. Results indicate that further process improvements are required, particularly with respect to the P/N junction diffusion and the electrical contacting technique (including solder coating). It is concluded that lithium-doped cells can be fabricated to exhibit (1) high efficiencies, (2) uniform cell-to-cell recovery characteristics after exposure to 1-MeV electrons; and (3) good stability in most environments investigated (the only exception being the thermal shock environment).

Berman, P. A.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Read-write holographic memory with iron-doped lithium niobate

The response of iron doped lithium niobate under conditions corresponding to hologram storage and retrieval is described, and the material's characteristics are discussed. The optical sensitivity can be improved by heavy chemical reduction of lightly doped crystals such that most of the iron is in the divalent state, the remaining part being trivalent. The best reduction process found to be reproducible so far is the anneal of the doped crystal in the presence of a salt such as lithium carbonate. It is shown by analysis and simulation that a page-oriented read-write holographic memory with 1,000 bits per page would have a cycle time of about 60 ms and a signal-to-noise ratio of 27 db. This cycle time, although still too long for a practical system, represents an improvement of two orders of magnitude over that of previous laboratory prototypes using different storage media.

Alphonse, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Study of multiple hologram recording in lithium niobate

The results of a number of theoretical and experimental studies relating to multiple hologram recording in lithium niobate are reported. The analysis of holographic gratings stored in lithium niobate has been extended to cover a more realistic range of physical situations. A new successful dynamic (feedback) theory for describing recording, nondestructive reading, erasure, enhancement, and angular sensitivity has been developed. In addition, the possible architectures of mass data storage systems have been studied.

Gaylord, T. K.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Iron-doped lithium niobate as a read-write holographic storage medium

The response of iron-doped lithium niobate under conditions corresponding to hologram storage and retrieval is described, and the material characteristics are discussed. The optical sensitivity can be improved by heavy chemical reduction of lightly doped crystals such that most of the iron is in the divalent state, the remaining part being trivalent. The best reduction process found to be reproducible so far is the anneal of the doped crystal in the presence of a salt such as lithium carbonate. It is shown by analysis and simulation that a page-oriented read-write holographic memory with 1000 bits per page would have a cycle time of about 60 msec and a signal-to-noise ratio of 27 dB. This cycle time, although still too long for a practical memory, represents an improvement of two orders of magnitude over that of previous laboratory prototypes using a thermoplastic storage medium

Alphonse, G. A.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Optical and holographic storage properties of F3, Cu, and Mg-doped lithium niobate

Several samples of iron, copper, and magnesium doped lithium niobate were tested to determine their storage properties which would be applicable to an optical data storage system and an integrated optics data preprocessor which makes use of holographic storage techniques. The parameters of interest were the diffraction efficiency, write power, write time, erase time, erase energy, and write sensitivity. Results of these parameters are presented. It was found that iron doped lithium niobate samples yielded the best results in all parameters except for a few percent higher diffraction efficiency in copper doped samples. The magnesium doped samples were extremely insensitive and are not recommended for use in holographic optical data storage and processing systems.

Beatty, M. E., III↗

NASA NTRS1977

Lithium cell tests at Langley Research Center

The long duration exposure facility mission places temperature requirements of from -30 F to +150 F on the batteries to be used. A hermetically sealed lithium sulfur dioxide cell was tested to predict what the temperature of the battery would be over a given spectrum of temperatures of operation. Near the end of cell discharge, as the voltage started collapsing, a very high heat output rise due to chemical reaction took place. However, if the cells were thermally insulated, they vented, ignited, and burned if an attempt was made to discharge them all the way. The cells do not go into reversal. It was determined that the root of the problem was probably the chemical reaction between the lithium and the acetonitrite solvent. A redesigned cell is discussed as well as some alternates.

Bene, J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

NASA lithium cell applications

The advantages of lithium systems are described and a general summary of their application in present and future NASA programs is presented. Benefits of the lithium systems include an increased payload weight and an increased cost effectiveness to the customer. This also allows for more flexibility in the design of future space transportation systems.

Juvinall, G. L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

US Navy lithium cell applications

Applications of lithium systems that are already in the fleet are discussed. The approach that the Navy is taking in the control of the introduction of lithium batteries into the fleet is also discussed.

Bowers, F. M.↗

NASA NTRS1978

US Army lithium cell applications

The how, why and where the Army is applying lithium batteries are addressed. The Army is committing its efforts to the utilization of lithium batteries in new equipment that will be going into the field possibly from FY-80 and thereafter. The Army's philosophy is to guide their users and the equipment designers, to use battery packs are opposed to singel cells. After a detailed description of the battery types that are being considered, a discussion is presented in which questions and comments are exchanged among the Workshop participants.

Legath, A. J.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Hazards of lithium thionyl chloride batteries

Two different topics which only relate in that they are pertinent to lithium thionyl chloride battery safety are discussed. The first topic is a hazards analysis of a system (risk assessment), a formal approach that is used in nuclear engineering, predicting oil spills, etc. It is a formalized approach for obtaining assessment of the degree of risk associated with the use of any particular system. The second topic is a small piece of chemistry related to the explosions that can occur with lithium thionyl chloride systems. After the two topics are presented, a discussion is generated among the Workshop participants.

Parry, J. M.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Orbital configuration assignment of 4S/e/ doubly excited states of lithium isoelectronic sequence

Results of Hartree-Fock and multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock calculations using only two configurations (degenerate in zero order within the context of the nuclear-charge-expansion perturbation method) for 4S(e) doubly excited states of lithium isoelectronic sequence are used to propose an orbital configuration classification of these states extending the similar classification by Holoien and Geltman for 4S(e) states of lithium only.

Ali, M. A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Evaluation of high-energy lithium thionyl chloride primary cells

An advanced commercial primary lithium cell (LiSoCl2) was evaluated in order to establish baseline data for improved lithium batteries for aerospace applications. The cell tested had nominal capacity of 6 Ah. Maximum energy density at low rates (less than C/30, where C is the cell capacity in amp-hrs and 30 corresponds to a 30 hr discharge time) was found to be near 300 Wh/kg. An equation which predicts the operating voltage of these cells as a function of current and state of charge is presented. Heat generation rates of these cells were determined as a function of current in a calorimeter. It was found that heat rates could be theoretically predicted with some degree of accuracy at currents less than 1 amp or the C/6 rate. No explosions were observed in the cells during the condition of overdischarge or reversal nor during high rate discharge. It was found, however, that the cells can vent when overdischarge currents are greater than C/30 and when discharge rates are greater than 1.5C.

Frank, H. A.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Characterization of prototype secondary lithium battery

The performance characteristics of ambient temperature secondary lithium batteries were determined through continuous cycle tests with periodic current and voltage measurements. Cycle life of the lithium anode was found to be an important problem area as was the formation of dentrite breakage and subsequent shorting. Energy density was increased by using more efficient cathode structures.

Somoano, R.↗