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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

Materials and techniques for spacecraft static charge control

An overview of the design, development, fabrication, and testing of transparent conductive coatings and conductive lattices deposited or formed on high resistivity spacecraft dielectric materials to obtain control static charge buildup on spacecraft external surfaces is presented. Fabrication techniques for the deposition of indium/tin oxide coatings and copper grid networks on Kapton and FEP Teflon films and special frit coatings for OSR and solar cell cover glasses are discussed. The techniques include sputtering, photoetching, silkscreening, and mechanical processes. A facility designed and built to simulate the electron plasma at geosynchronous altitudes is described along with test procedures. The results of material characterizations as well as electron irradiation aging effects in this facility for spacecraft polymers treated to control static charge are presented. The data presents results for electron beam energies up to 30 kV and electron current densities of 30 nA/cm squared. Parameters measured include secondary emission, surface leakage, and through the sample currents as a function of primary beam energy and voltage.

Amore, L. J.↗
NASA NTRS1961

A Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Bumpers as a Means of Reducing Projectile Penetration

The results of an investigation to determine the effect of bumpers on projectile penetration indicate that for impact velocities up to 12,500 feet per second, the penetration of 0.062-inch-diameter copper projectiles in to aluminum targets can be definitely reduced by using a properly selected bumper spaced a short distance in front of the main target surface. Bumpers and main targets were made of 2024-T4 aluminum alloy, and spherical projectiles made of 0.062-inch-diameter copper were used in all tests.

Funkhouser, John O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Detection of weldment lack of fusion using opaque additives

Problems in the production of aluminum weldments are caused by moisture absorbed by the aluminum oxide which forms on the surface before welding. Another problem is incomplete penetration of the weldment. The problems can be solved by coating the aluminum surfaces with an X-ray-opaque metal such as silver or copper. This will prevent the formation of moisture-absorbing aluminum oxide. Any protective coating remaining in an area of incomplete weld penetration can be seen in an inspection of the weldment conducted with the aid of an X-ray method. Details of copper deposition procedures are discussed along with a copper coating analysis and the testing of the weldments.

Cook, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Emerging applications of high temperature superconductors for space communications

Proposed space missions require longevity of communications system components, high input power levels, and high speed digital logic devices. The complexity of these missions calls for a high data bandwidth capacity. Incorporation of high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin films into some of these communications system components may provide a means of meeting these requirements. Space applications of superconducting technology has previously been limited by the requirement of cooling to near liquid helium temperatures. Development of HTS materials with transition temperatures above 77 K along with the natural cooling ability of space suggest that space applications may lead the way in the applications of high temperature superconductivity. In order for HTS materials to be incorporated into microwave and millimeter wave devices, the material properties such as electrical conductivity, current density, surface resistivity and others as a function of temperature and frequency must be well characterized and understood. The millimeter wave conductivity and surface resistivity were well characterized, and at 77 K are better than copper. Basic microwave circuits such as ring resonators were used to determine transmission line losses. Higher Q values than those of gold resonator circuits were observed below the transition temperature. Several key HTS circuits including filters, oscillators, phase shifters and phased array antenna feeds are feasible in the near future. For technology to improve further, good quality, large area films must be reproducibly grown on low dielectric constant, low loss microwave substrates.

Heinen, Vernon O.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Potential energy surfaces of MH2 (M = Co, Fe, and Cu)

In many important catalytic processes, the dissociation of the hydrogen molecule is a fundamental step, and the chemisorption of dihydrogen by metal surfaces has been studied. However, quantitative results from theoretical treatments are not very encouraging. Blomberg and Siegbahn (1983) have found that the negative binding energy for NiH2 obtained with the aid of the commonly used Hartree-Fock approximation differs greatly from the result found on the basis of a more sophisticated calculation, including electron correlation. Another study showed the great importance of d orbitals in the dissociation process. A study, similar to the one on NH2, has been conducted for three other metals, including cobalt, iron, and copper. The present investigation is concerned with the results of this study. The potential surfaces of CoH2, FeH2, and CuH2 are discussed, taking into account the lowest atomic states, the bent low spin complex, the bent high spin saddle points, and the linear states.

Siegbahn, P. E. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Thermal conductance of pressed metallic contacts augmented with Indium foil or Apiezon-N (tm) grease at liquid helium temperatures

The thermal conductance of pressed contacts which have been augmented with Indium foil or Apiezon-N (tm) grease was measured over the temperature range of 1.6 to 6.0 K, with applied forces from 22 N to 670 N. The sample pairs were fabricated from OFHC copper, 6061-T6 aluminum, free-machining brass, and 304 stainless steel. Although the thermal conductance was found to increase with increasing applied contact force, the force dependence was less than in earlier work. The addition of Indium foil or Apiezon-NT grease between the contact surfaces resulted in an improvement over uncoated surfaces ranging from a factor of approximately 3 for stainless steel to an order of magnitude for copper contacts.

Salerno, Louis J.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Extraction of Water from Martian Regolith Simulant via Open Reactor Concept

To demonstrate proof of concept water extraction from simulated Martian regolith, an open reactor design is presented along with experimental results. The open reactor concept avoids sealing surfaces and complex moving parts. In an abrasive environment like the Martian surface, those reactor elements would be difficult to maintain and present a high probability of failure. A general lunar geotechnical simulant was modified by adding borax decahydrate (Na2B4O7·10H2O) (BDH) to mimic the ~ 3 percent water content of hydrated salts in near surface soils on Mars. A rotating bucket wheel excavated the regolith from a source bin and deposited the material onto an inclined copper tray, which was fitted with heaters and a simple vibration system. The combination of vibration, tilt angle and heat was used to separate and expose as much regolith surface area as possible to liberate the water contained in the hydrated minerals, thereby increasing the efficiency of the system. The experiment was conducted in a vacuum system capable of maintaining a Martian like atmosphere. Evolved water vapor was directed to a condensing system using the ambient atmosphere as a sweep gas. The water vapor was condensed and measured. Processed simulant was captured in a collection bin and weighed in real time. The efficiency of the system was determined by comparing pre- and post-processing soil mass along with the volume of water captured.

Trunek, Andrew J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Thin film strain transducer

A strain transducer system and process for making same is disclosed wherein a beryllium-copper ring having four strain gages disposed thereon is electrically connected in Wheatstone bridge fashion to output instrumentation. Tabs are bonded to a balloon or like surface with strain on the surface causing bending of the ring and providing an electrical signal through the gages proportional to the surface strain. A figure is provided which illustrates a pattern of a one-half ring segment as placed on a sheet of beryllium-copper for chem-mill etch formation, prior to bending and welding of a pair of the segments to form a ring structure.

Rand, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Effect of strain hardening on friction behavior of iron lubricated with benzyl structures

Sliding friction experiments were conducted with iron, copper, and aluminum in contact with iron in various states of strain. The surfaces were examined in dry sliding and with various benzyl compounds applied as lubricants. Friction experiments were conducted with a hemispherical rider contacting a flat disk at loads of from 50 to 600 grams with a sliding speed of 0.15 cm/min. Results indicate that straining increases friction for dry sliding and for surfaces lubricated with certain benzyl structures such as dibenzyl disulfide. With other benzyl compounds (e.g., benzyl formate), friction coefficients are lower for strained than for annealed iron.

Buckley, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Mass spectra stimulated by O+ and Ar+ interacting with a surface.

Beams of O(+) and Ar(+) in the energy range from 100 to 300 eV were directed into an aperture in one face of a copper box. The mass spectrum from a similar aperture in an adjacent face was observed with the aid of a commercial RF quadrupole spectrometer. On the basis of the results obtained it is reported that O(+) beams at about 200 eV may be essentially lost after a few collisions with a surface, in agreement with similar conclusions about atomic oxygen at thermal energies.

Siegel, M. W.↗
NASA NTRS2005

A Materials Compatibility and Thermal Stability Analysis of Common Hydrocarbon Fuels

A materials compatibility and thermal stability investigation was conducted using five common liquid hydrocarbon fuels and two structural materials. The tests were performed at the NASA Glenn Research Center Heated Tube Facility under environmental conditions similar to those encountered in regeneratively cooled rocket engines. Scanning-electron microscopic analysis in conjunction with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was utilized to characterize the condition of the tube inner wall surface and any carbon deposition or corrosion that was formed during selected runs. Results show that the carbon deposition process in stainless steel tubes was relatively insensitive to fuel type or test condition. The deposition rates were comparable for all fuels and none of the stainless steel test pieces showed any signs of corrosion. For tests conducted with copper tubing, the sulfur content of the fuel had a significant impact on both the condition of the tube wall and carbon deposition rates. Carbon deposition rates for the lowest sulfur fuels (2 ppm) were slightly higher than those recorded in the stainless steel tubes with no corrosion observed on the inner wall surface. For slightly higher sulfur content (25 ppm) fuels, nodules that intruded into the flow area were observed to form on the inner wall surface. These nodules induced moderate tube pressure drop increases. The highest sulfur content fuels (400 ppm) produced extensive wall pitting and dendritic copper sulfide growth that was continuous along the entire tube wall surface. The result of this tube degradation was the inability to maintain flow rate due to rapidly increasing test section pressure drops. Accompanying this corrosion were carbon deposition rates an order of magnitude greater than those observed in comparable stainless steel tests. The results of this investigation indicate that trace impurities in fuels (i.e. sulfur) can significantly impact the carbon deposition process and produce unacceptable corrosion levels in copper based structural materials.

Meyer, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Process for the Production of Star Tracklng [Tracking] Reticles

A method for the production of reticles, particularly those for use in outer space, wherein the product is a quartz base coated with highly adherent layers of chromium, chromium-silver, and silver vacuum deposited through a mask, and then coated with an electrodeposit of copper from a copper sulfate solution followed by an electrodeposit of black chromium. The masks are produced by coating a beryllium-copper alloy substrate with a positive working photoresist, developing the photoresist according to a pattern to leave a positive mask, plating uncoated areas with gold, removing the photoresist, coating the substrate with a negative working photoresist, developing the negative working photoresist to expose the base metal of the pattern, and chemically etching the unplated side of the pattern to produce the mask. The mask produced is then used in the vacuum deposition of: (1) chromium metal on the surface of a quartz base to obtain a highly adherent quartz-chromium interface; (2) silver on the chromium deposit, during the final stage of chromium deposit, to produce a silver chromium alloy layer; and (3) silver onto the surface of the alloy layer. The coated quartz base is then coated by electroplating utilizing an acid copper deposit followed by a black chromium electrodeposit to produce the product of the present invention.

Smith, Wade O.↗
NASA NTRS1966

Copper-acrylic enamel serves as lubricant for cold drawing of refractory metals

Acrylic enamel spray containing metallic copper pigment lubricates refractory metal tubing during cold drawing operations so that the tubing surface remains free from scratches and nicks and does not seize in the die. Zirconium alloys, zirconium, tantalum alloys, niobium alloys, vanandium alloys and titanium alloys have been drawn using this lubricant.

Beane, C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preparation of thick molybdenum targets

Thick natural molybdenum deposits on nickel plated copper substrates were prepared by thermal decomposition of molybdenum hexacarbonyl vapors on a heated surface in an inert gas atmosphere. The molybdenum metal atoms are firmly bonded to the substrate atoms, thus providing an excellent thermal contact across the junction. Molybdenum targets thus prepared should be useful for internal bombardment in a cyclotron where thermal energy inputs can exceed 10 kW.

Singh, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Flat-plate /vapor-chamber/ heat pipes

This paper discusses the design, fabrication and testing of heat pipes constructed in the form of flat-plate panels. The test panels were constructed of copper with methyl alcohol as the working fluid. Capillary grooves etched on the internal surfaces provided evaporation and condensation heat-transfer coefficients on the order of 1600 Btu/hr-sq ft-deg F. Two panels were launched on board a sounding rocket; the payload reached an altitude of 140 miles, and zero gravity was achieved for almost six minutes. The panel with working fluid inside demonstrated a heat input flux of 2.5 watts/sq cm, with only a 3 to 5 C temperature difference throughout the entire panel.

Fleischman, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Charged particle activation studies on the surface of LDEF spacecraft

High energy proton induced nuclear reaction products are examined using seven elements, namely: aluminum, silicon, nickel, copper, zirconium, tantalum, and tungsten. We detected activities due to Na-22 from Al, Co-56 and Co-57 from Ni, Co-58 from Cu, and Y-88 from Zr targets. No induced activity was observed in Si, Ta, and W, most probably due to the long cooling times. Only the Zr sample contained a weak Be-7 peak, although Ta and W were also located at the leading edge of the spacecraft. Gamma-rays of individual isotopes were measured using a high-resolution Ge(Li) solid state detector coupled to a 4096-multichannel analyzer. Activities were calculated for Co-56 (846 keV) and Co-57 (122 and 136 keV's) at the time of the entry of the spacecraft and found to be 0.014 +/- 0.005 c/s-g, 0.018 +/- 0.002 c/s-g, and 0.0024 +/- 0.0007 c/s-g, respectively.

Olmez, Ilhan↗
NASA NTRS1993

Ultrasonic Polishing

The ultrasonic polishing process makes use of the high-frequency (ultrasonic) vibrations of an abradable tool which automatically conforms to the work piece and an abrasive slurry to finish surfaces and edges on complex, highly detailed, close tolerance cavities in materials from beryllium copper to carbide. Applications range from critical deburring of guidance system components to removing EDM recast layers from aircraft engine components to polishing molds for forming carbide cutting tool inserts or injection molding plastics. A variety of materials including tool steels, carbides, and even ceramics can be successfully processed. Since the abradable tool automatically conforms to the work piece geometry, the ultrasonic finishing method described offers a number of important benefits in finishing components with complex geometries.

Gilmore, Randy↗
NASA NTRS1993

Charged particle activation studies on the surface of LDEF spacecraft

High energy proton induced nuclear reaction products are examined using seven elements, namely, Aluminum, Silicon, Nickel, Copper, Zirconium, Tantalum, and Tungsten. The samples were in the form of plates, 2 x 2 x 1/8 inches. Activities due to Na-22 from Al, Co-56 and Co-57 from Ni, Co-58 from Cu, and Y-88 from Zr targets were detected. No induced activity was observed in Si, Ta, and W, most probably due to the long cooling times. Only the Zr sample contained a weak Be-7 peak, although Ta and W were also located at the leading edge of the spacecraft. Gamma-rays of individual isotopes were measured using high-resolution Ge(Li) solid state detector coupled to 4096-multichannel analyzer. Activities were calculated for Co-56 (846 keV) and Co-57 (122 and 136 keV's) at the time of the entry of the spacecraft and found to be 0.014 plus or minus 0.005 c/sec. g, 0.018 plus or minus 0.002 c/sec. g, and 0.0024 plus or minus 0.0007 c/sec. g, respectively.

Olmez, Ilhan↗