Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “network diameter”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2014

Regional Characteristics of the Relationship Between Columnar AOD and Surface PM2.5: Application of Lidar Aerosol Extinction Profiles over Baltimore-Washington Corridor During DISCOVER-AQ

The first field campaign of DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from COlumn and VERtically resolved observations relevant to Air Quality) took place in July 2011 over Baltimore-Washington Corridor (BWC). A suite of airborne remote sensing and in-situ sensors was deployed along with ground networks for mapping vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols. Previous researches were based on a single lidar station because of the lack of regional coverage. This study uses the unique airborne HSRL (High Spectral Resolution Lidar) data to baseline PM2.5 (particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) estimates and applies to regional air quality with satellite AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth) retrievals over BWC (∼6500 sq. km). The linear approximation takes into account aerosols aloft above AML (Aerosol Mixing Layer) by normalizing AOD with haze layer height (i.e., AOD/HLH). The estimated PM2.5 mass concentrations by HSRL AOD/HLH are shown within 2 RMSE (Root Mean Square Error ∼9.6 μg/cu. m) with correlation ∼0.88 with the observed over BWC. Similar statistics are shown when applying HLH data from a single location over the distance of 100 km. In other words, a single lidar is feasible to cover the range of 100 km with expected uncertainties. The employment of MPLNET-AERONET (MicroPulse Lidar NETwork - AErosol RObotic NETwork) measurements at NASA GSFC produces similar statistics of PM2.5 estimates as those derived by HSRL. The synergy of active and passive remote sensing aerosol measurements provides the foundation for satellite application of air quality on a daily basis. For the optimal range of 10 km, the MODIS-estimated PM2.5 values are found satisfactory at 27 (out of 36) sunphotometer locations with mean RMSE of 1.6-3.3 μg/cu. m relative to PM2.5 estimated by sunphotometers. The remaining 6 of 8 marginal sites are found in the coastal zone, for which associated large RMSE values ∼4.5-7.8 μg/cu. m are most likely due to overestimated AOD because of water-contaminated pixels.

DISCOVER-AQ↗
NASA NTRS2012

Compliance with High-Intensity Radiated Fields Regulations - Emitter's Perspective

NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) uses high-power transmitters on its large antennas to communicate with spacecraft of NASA and its partner agencies. The prime reflectors of the DSN antennas are parabolic, at 34m and 70m in diameter. The DSN transmitters radiate Continuous Wave (CW) signals at 20 kW - 500 kW at X-band and S-band frequencies. The combination of antenna reflector size and high frequency results in a very narrow beam with extensive oscillating near-field pattern. Another unique feature of the DSN antennas is that they (and the radiated beam) move mostly at very slow sidereal rate, essentially identical in magnitude and at the opposite direction of Earth rotation.The DSN is in the process of revamping its documentation to provide analysis of the High Intensity Radiation Fields (HIRF) environment resulting from radio frequency radiation from DSN antennas for comparison to FAA regulations regarding certification of HIRF protection as outlined in the FAA regulations on HIRF protection for aircraft electrical and electronic systems (Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) [section sign][section sign] 23.1308, 25.1317, 27.1317, and 29.1317).This paper presents work done at JPL, in consultation with the FAA. The work includes analysis of the radiated field structure created by the unique DSN emitters (combination of transmitters and antennas) and comparing it to the fields defined in the environments in the FAA regulations. The paper identifies areas that required special attention, including the implications of the very narrow beam of the DSN emitters and the sidereal rate motion. The paper derives the maximum emitter power allowed without mitigation and the mitigation zones, where required.Finally, the paper presents summary of the results of the analyses of the DSN emitters and the resulting DSN process documentation.

DSN emitters↗
NASA NTRS2011

Evidence for Two Separate but Interlaced Components of the Chromospheric Magnetic Field

Chromospheric fibrils are generally thought to trace out low-lying, mainly horizontal magnetic elds that fan out from flux concentrations in the photosphere. A high-resolution (approximately 0.1" per pixel) image, taken in the core of the Ca II 854.2 nm line and covering an unusually large area, shows the dark brils within an active region remnant as fine, looplike features that are aligned parallel to each other and have lengths comparable to a supergranular diameter. Comparison with simultaneous line-of-sight magnetograms confirms that the fibrils are centered above intranetwork areas (supergranular cell interiors), with one end rooted just inside the neighboring plage or strong unipolar network but the other endpoint less clearly defined. Focusing on a particular arcade-like structure lying entirely on one side of a lament channel (large-scale polarity inversion), we find that the total amount of positive-polarity flux underlying this "fibril arcade" is approximately 50 times greater than the total amount of negative-polarity flux. Thus, if the brils represent closed loops, they must consist of very weak fields (in terms of total magnetic flux), which are interpenetrated by a more vertical field that contains most of the flux. This surprising result suggests that the fibrils in unipolar regions connect the network to the nearby intranetwork flux, while the bulk of the network flux links to remote regions of the opposite polarity, forming a second, higher canopy above the fibril canopy. The chromospheric field near the edge of the network thus has an interlaced structure resembling that in sunspot penumbrae.

Reardom, K. P.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultrathin, ternary alloy PtRuFe nanowires, and methods of making same

The present invention provides a method of producing ternary metal-based nanowire networks. The method comprises combining an aqueous mixture of a platinum hydrate, a ruthenium hydrate, and an iron hydrate with a solution of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide in chloroform to form an inverse micellar network; adding a reducing agent to reduce metal ions within the inverse micellar network; and isolating the nanowires. The relative amounts of the platinum, ruthenium and iron in the mixture correlate to the atomic ratio of the platinum, ruthenium and iron in the ternary nanowires. The diameters of the ternary nanowires are from about 0.5 nm to about 5 nm.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Changes in pore structure of coal caused by coal-to-gas bioconversion

Microbial enhanced coalbed methane (ME-CBM) recovery is critically examined as a viable technology for natural gas recovery from coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs. Since the majority of gas-in-place (GIP) is stored as an adsorbed phase in fine pores of coal matrix, the nano-pore structure directly influences gas storage and transport properties. Only limited studies have quantified the alteration of the nano-pore structure due to ME-CBM treatment. This study examines the evolution of the pore structure using a combination of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), low-pressure N 2 and CO 2 adsorption (LPGA) and high-pressure methane adsorption methods. The results show that the surface fractal dimension decreases for the two bioconverted coals compared to the untreated coal. After bio-treatment, the mesopore surface area and pore volume decrease with the average pore diameter increases, while the micropore surface area increases with pore volume decreases. Both inaccessible meso-/micropore size distributions decrease after bioconversion, while the accessible micropore size distribution increases, making a portion of closed micropore network accessible. In addition, the methane adsorption capacities increase after bio-treatment, which is confirmed by the increase of micropore surface area. A conceptual physical model of methanogenesis is proposed based on the evolution of the pore structure.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2026

AMAROK: A Radio Frequency Development Platform for High-Power, Full-Scale Positive Ion Sources for DIII-D Neutral Beam Injectors

Next-generation neutral beam injection (NBI) systems demand RF ion sources capable of efficiently coupling >120 kW at 2–4-MHz frequencies, yet existing designs face voltage standoff and impedance-matching challenges. To address this, the advanced multicoil antenna for RF operations at kilowatts (AMAROK) was developed as a high-power RF inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source delivering up to 200 kW in the 2–4-MHz range via four phase-controlled generators for flexible power sharing. Two antenna designs—a single-strap multiturn (MT) and a multistrap single-turn (ST) design—were evaluated to optimize resonance, impedance matching, and power coupling across plasma loads. Here, a semi-analytical self-resonant frequency (SRF) model, validated experimentally, predicts resonance trends for arbitrary turn counts and tubing diameters, enabling rapid antenna optimization. Strap-to-strap mutual inductance in the ST configuration showed strong spatial dependence, guiding generator operation and total load inductance. These insights informed a custom π -topology matching network, achieving stable impedance matching over a wide range of plasma-driven loads. Collectively, these results position AMAROK as a versatile testbed for advancing high-power RF source technology in fusion NBI applications.

DIII-D↗
DOE OSTI2022

Reduced diffusion and enhanced retention of multiple radionuclides from pore structure characterization of barrier materials for enhanced repository performance

Fluid flow and chemical transport in porous media are the macroscopic consequences of pore structure, which integrates geometry (e.g., pore size and surface area, pore-size distribution) and topology (e.g., pore connectivity). Low-permeability geological media whose pores are poorly interconnected will exhibit the characteristics of anomalous diffusion and sample size-dependent effective porosity, which will strongly impact long-term net diffusion and retention of radionuclides in geological repository settings involving different host rocks and barrier materials. A suite of innovative and complementary experimental approaches is utilized to study the microscopic pore structure and macroscopic fluid flow & chemical transport for a range of host rocks and barrier materials, in addition to standard clay minerals and reference rocks. With a particular focus on quantifying the presence and magnitude of “isolated” pores for a reduced effective porosity in low-permeability geomedia, the integrated methodologies for basic properties and pore structure characterization of these geomedia include X-ray diffraction, thin section petrography, grain size distribution, water immersion porosimetry after vacuum-pulling for full saturation, mercury intrusion porosimetry, nitrogen physisorption, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray computed tomography, and (ultra-)small angle neutron (X-ray) scattering. In addition, custom-designed gas diffusion, tracer recipe involving a range of anionic and cationic chemicals with subsequent analyses by laser ablation and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, along with batch sorption, column transport, and imbibition tests were conducted for coupled effects of pore structure and chemical retention/transport. From the perspectives of pore structure in conjunction with multiple and complementary approaches to examining a range of sample sizes under different observational scales, we find that the poor pore connectivity is prevalent in low-permeability media (mudstone and crystalline rock) that is related to geological processes (e.g., compaction, diagenesis and thermal maturation). For example, the deep and organic matter-rich mudstones have a much smaller effective porosity than the total porosity (as a result of poor pore connectivity) and associated diffusion coefficient, and the effective porosity & diffusion coefficients are also dependent upon the sample sizes used in the measurement. Similarly, most of the pore space in the shallow mudstone is also controlled by pore-throat diameters in the 5-50 nm range of intergranular pore types from its fine-grained nature, but with an overall good pore connectivity. However, the nm-sized pore space (physically pore-network architecture) and strong sorption capacities (chemical retention from clay minerals) of both shallow and deep mudstones lead to the synergistic retention of cationic radionuclides and their utilities as effective host rocks and barrier materials. Our unique approaches of studying how the micro-scale pore structure affect macro-scale fluid flow, diffusion & retention, and chemical transport produce improved mechanistic understanding, and realistic quantification, of diffusion and retention of typical radionuclides in a range of generic host rocks and barrier materials (clay/shale, salt, crystalline rock, and tuff), with the overall results leading to scientifically-based understanding of enhanced isolation (from both diffusion and retention) of radionuclides and improved confidence on the long-term performance of geological repository to store high-level radioactive wastes. In addition to the training of 25 undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs of UTA, the scientists (organizations) involved in performing this work (e.g., discussion, sample sharing, and operation of SANS and SAXS instruments) include Ed Matteo, Yifeng Wang, and Kristopher Kuhlman (Sandia National Laboratories), Jens Birkholzer, Liange Zheng, Tim Kneafsey, and Sharon Borglin (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), Mavrik Zavarin (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), Yukio Tachi and Yuta Fukatsu (Japan Atomic Energy Agency), Mieke de Craen (Euridice, Belgium), Markus Bleuel (NIST), Wei-Ren Chen, Gergely Nagy, Changwoo Do, William Heller, Larry Anovitz, and Kenneth Littrell (ORNL), as well as Jan Illvsky, Ivan Kuzmenko, Ju-Sang Park and Jon Almers (ANL). Key deliverables include a total of 13 peer-reviewed journal articles (nine published and three under review), 23 presentations at scientific conferences (AAPG, AAPG Southwest Section, AGU, Asian Clay Conference, GSA, GSA South-Central Section, IHLRWM, InterPore, International Conference on Chemistry and Migration Behavior of Actinides and Fission Products in the Geosphere, International Conference on Coupled Processes in Fractured Geological Media: Observation, Modeling and Application), and academic institutions (UTA, New Mexico State University; University of Poitiers, France; University of Helsinki, Finland; Uppsala University, Sweden; Istanbul Technical University, Turkey) and other organizations (Andra, France; Posiva Oy, Finland).

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2002

Osteoblast Differentiation Decreases Hypergravity-Stimulated Release of PGE(sub 2)

We determined if progressive differentiation of osteoblasts influences their sensitivity to gravitational loading. Osteoblasts were cultured for 4 days (confluent monolayer), 6 days (prenodules), 9 days (nodules) and 19 days (mineralized nodules), then centrifuged at 10 times gravity (g) or 50-g for 3 hours using the NASA Ames 1-ft. Diameter Centrifuge. Stationary controls were placed in an adjacent incubator. Following centrifugation, conditioned media were collected and analyzed for PGE, by ELISA. Microtubules were fluorescently labeled and analyzed by confocal microscopy to determine microtubule network morphology and height. Centrifugation at 10-g reduced microtubule network height by 15% on d4 and 10% on d6, with variable changes in more mature cultures. No major changes in microtubule morphology were observed. PGE(sub 2) release by d4 cultures increased in a dose-dependent fashion (3-fold at 10-g and 6-fold at 50-g relative to controls). D6 cultures produced a 5-fold increase for both 10-g and 50-g. PGE(sub 2) increased only 1.5-fold by d9, and by d19, PGE(sub 2) was not delectable in either the control or hypergravity-stimulated cells. Thus, as osteoblasts differentiate in culture, responsiveness of the microtubule cytoskeleton and the PGE(sub 2) pathway to hypergravity declines.

Searby, Nancy D.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Madrid space station

The Madrid space station, operated under bilateral agreements between the governments of the United States and Spain, is described in both Spanish and English. The space station utilizes two tracking and data acquisition networks: the Deep Space Network (DSN) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (STDN) operated under the direction of the Goddard Space Flight Center. The station, which is staffed by Spanish employees, comprises four facilities: Robledo 1, Cebreros, and Fresnedillas-Navalagamella, all with 26-meter-diameter antennas, and Robledo 2, with a 64-meter antenna.

Fahnestock, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Shallow Lunar Seismic Activity and the Current Stress State of the Moon

A vast, global network of more than 3200 lobate thrust fault scarps has been revealed in high resolution Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) images. The fault scarps are very young, less than 50 Ma, based on their small scale and crisp appearance, crosscutting relations with small-diameter impact craters, and rates of infilling of associated small, shallow graben and may be actively forming today. The population of young thrust fault scarps provides a window into the recent stress state of the Moon and offers insight into the origin of global lunar stresses. The distribution of orientations of the fault scarps is non-random, inconsistent with isotropic stresses from late-stage global contraction as the sole source of stress. Modeling shows that tidal stresses contribute significantly to the current stress state of the lunar crust. Tidal stresses (orbital recession and diurnal tides) superimposed on stresses from global contraction result in non-isotropic compressional stress and may produce thrust faults consistent with lobate scarp orientations. At any particular point on the lunar surface, peak compressive stress will be reached at a certain time in the diurnal cycle. Coseismic slip events on currently active thrust faults are expected to be triggered when peak stresses are reached. Analysis of the timing of the 28 the shallow moonquakes recorded by the Apollo seismic network shows that 19 indeed occur when the Moon is closer to apogee, while only 9 shallow events occur when the Moon is closer to perigee. Here we report efforts to refine the model for the current stress state of the Moon by investigating the contribution of polar wander. Progress on relocating the epicentral locations of the shallow moonquakes using an algorithm designed for sparse networks is also reported.

structure↗
NASA NTRS1999

Deep Space Network Revitalization: Operations for the 21st Century

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) supports unmanned space missions through a Deep Space Network (DSN) that is developed and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL and its subcontractors. The DSN capabilities have been incrementally upgraded since its establishment in the late '50s and are delivered from three Deep Space Communications Complexes (DSCC's) near Goldstone, California, Madrid, Spain, and Canberra, Australia. At present each DSCC includes large antennas with diameters from 11 meters to 70 meters, that operate largely in S-band and X-band frequencies. In addition each DSCC includes all the associated electronics to receive and process the low-level telemetry signals, and radiate the necessary command with high-power transmitters. To accommodate support of the rapidly increasing number of missions by NASA and other space agencies, and to facilitate maintaining and increasing the level of service in a shrinking budget environment, JPL has initiated a bold road map with three key components: 1. A Network Simplification Project (NSP) to upgrade aging electronics, replacing them with modem commercially based components. NSP and related replacement tasks are projected to reduce the cost of operating the DSN by 50% relative to the 1997 levels. 2. Upgrade of all 34-m and 70-m antennas to provision of Ka-Band telemetry downlink capability, complemented by an existing X-band uplink capability. This will increase the effective telemetry downlink capacity by a factor of 4, without building any new antennas. 3. Establishment of an optical communications network to support for high data rate unmanned missions that cannot be accommodated with radiofrequency (RF) communications, as well as establish a path toward support of manned missions at Mars. In this paper we present the mission loading projected for 1998-2008 and the elements of the JPL road map that will enable supporting it with a reduced budget. Particular emphasis will be on streamlining the architecture and to reduce the DSN cost for operations, maintenance and sustaining engineering while at the same time also simplifying and reducing the operations cost for the flight missions.

Statman, Joseph I.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Shallow Lunar Seismic Activity and the Current Stress State of the Moon

A vast, global network of more than 3200 lobate thrust fault scarps has been revealed in high resolution Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) images. The fault scarps very young, less than 50 Ma, based on their small scale and crisp appearance, crosscutting relations with small-diameter impact craters, and rates of infilling of associated small, shallow graben and may be actively forming today. The population of young thrust fault scarps provides a window into the recent stress state of the Moon and offers insight into the origin of global lunar stresses. The distribution of orientations of the fault scarps is non-random, inconsistent with isotropic stresses from late-stage global contraction as the sole source of stress Modeling shows that tidal stresses contribute significantly to the current stress state of the lunar crust. Tidal stresses (orbital recession and diurnal tides) superimposed on stresses from global contraction result in non-isotropic compressional stress and thrust faults consistent with lobate scarp orientations. Stresses due to orbital recession do not change with orbital position, thus it is with the addition of diurnal stresses that peak stresses are reached. At apogee, diurnal and recession stresses are most compressive near the tidal axis, while at perigee they are most compressive 90 degrees away from the tidal axis. Coseismic slip events on currently active thrust faults are expected to be triggered when peak stresses are reached. Analysis of the timing of the 28 the shallow moonquakes recorded by the Apollo seismic network shows that 19 indeed occur when the Moon is closer to apogee, while only 9 shallow events occur when the Moon is closer to perigee. Here we show the results of relocating the shallow moonquake using an algorithm designed for sparse networks to better constrain their epicentral locations in order to compare them with stress models. The model for the current stress state of the Moon is refined by investigating the contribution of polar wander.

siesmology↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Nickel-Decorated Carbon Flower/Sulfur Cathode for Lean-Electrolyte Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries involve a reversible conversion reaction between sulfur and lithium sulfide (Li 2 S) via a series of soluble lithium polysulfide intermediates (LiPSs), enabling a high theoretical specific capacity of 1675 mAh g –1 . However, this process exhibits large polarization and low sulfur utilization and suffers critical capacity fade. The primary approach to tackle the problem has so far been to infiltrate sulfur into nanostructured carbon. Furthermore, most studies using porous carbon as host materials have tested with high electrolyte to sulfur ratios (E/S) (generally > 15 µL mg –1 ) that compromise the cell-level energy density. Here, a flower-shaped porous carbon structure with nickel nanoparticles that can address the problems discussed above is designed. First, the 3D flower-shaped carbon structure enables short ionic transport lengths. Second, the small pore diameters <10 nm and high specific surface areas > 3300 m 2 g –1 with sufficient pore volume are ideal for charging performance for low E/S ratios. Finally, Ni nanoparticles are employed onto the flower-shaped network to improve the reaction kinetics. Collectively, it is successfully demonstrated that the batteries with a high mass loading of 5 mg cm –2 and a 5 µL mg –1 E/S ratio can retain cycle retention of 70% after 150 cycles.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1986

Status of the very long baseline interferometry demonstration using the tracking and data relay satellite system

Very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) has been developed to the point where angular resolution at any given wavelength is limited by the dimensions of the earth. This limitation can be removed by placing a VLBI radio telescope in orbit. A demonstration of the feasibility of this approach was arranged. The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System was used as an orbiting observatory in conjunction with the NASA Deep Space Network 64-m telescope in Tidbinbilla, Australia, and the Institute for Space and Astronautical Science 64-m antenna in Usuda, Japan. Interferometric fringes were successfully obtained from three quasars. The longest projected baseline was 1.4 earth diameters.

Levy, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Radar Cross Section of Orbital Debris Objects

This discussion is concerned with the radar-data analysis and usage involved in the building of model orbital debris (OD) populations in the near-Earth environment, focusing on radar cross section (RCS). While varying with radar wavelength, physical dimension, material composition, overall shape and structure, the RCS of an irregular object is also strongly dependent on its spatial orientation. The historical records of observed RCSs for cataloged OD objects in the Space Surveillance Network are usually distributed over an RCS range, forming respective characteristic patterns. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Size Estimation Model provides an empirical probability-density function of RCS as a function of “effective diameter” (or “characteristic length”), which makes it feasible to predict possible RCS distributions for a given model OD population and to link data with model from a statistical perspective. The discussion also includes application of the widely used method of moments (MoM) and the Generalized Multi-particle Mie-solution (GMM) in the prediction of the RCS of arbitrarily shaped objects. Theoretical calculation results for an aluminum cube are compared with corresponding experimental measurements.

Xu, Yu-Lin↗
DOE OSTI2022

Feature Extraction for Pipeline Defects Inspection Based Upon Distributed Acoustic Fiber Optic Sensing Data

Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is becoming an increasingly important tool for real-time monitoring of energy and civil infrastructure structural health such as pipelines. We present a systematic theoretical study of the potential for DAS to be directly coupled with guided ultrasonic waves typically used in conventional acoustic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods for real-time pipeline health monitoring. We are referring to this innovative new NDE technique as ultrasonic guided wave and optical fiber sensor fusion. In the practical application of DAS coupled with guided ultrasonic waves, the structural design of (1) the specific guided waves excited, (2) the physical installation of the acoustic transducers and the fiber optic sensors, and (3) the functional performance specifications (gauge length, sensitivity, Etc.) of fiber optic DAS have an important influence on overall capabilities of the monitoring system. Meanwhile, physics-based analysis of acoustic waves is still a challenge due to the complex nature of the Lamb wave when it propagates, scatters, and disperses in the presence of structural defects. In this work, we simulate carbon steel pipes relevant for oil and gas pipeline applications with diameters of approximately 6-12” and wall thickness of 0.5” as the objects to be monitored. By establishing and implementing these capabilities, we seek to pursue an in-depth study on structural parameter optimization of DAS network, measurement range, and signal processing with an ultimate goal of increasing the sensitivity and efficacy of DAS to defect identification for various modes of corrosion expected in practice. To study the characteristics of scattered acoustic waves and performance of DAS for defect identification, we simulated the response of DAS for multiple pipe structures, defect types, and DAS sensor network configuration using finite element software Ansys, then the properties of signal response are extracted to construct defect-sensitive features. The raw data simulated, and the associated features extracted can ultimately be utilized as annotated training data to benchmark various designs for DAS applications, guided acoustic excitation sources, and learning model parameters to enhance early detection of potentially problematic defects.

Pipeline Defects Inspection, Fiber-optic sensors, ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Biopolymer-supramolecular polymer hybrids for photocatalytic hydrogen production

Solar generation of H 2 is a promising strategy for dense energy storage. Supramolecular polymers composed of chromophore amphiphile monomers containing perylene monoimide (PMI) have been reported as crystalline light-harvesting assemblies for aqueous H 2 -evolving catalysts. Gelation of these supramolecular polymers with multivalent ions creates hydrogels with high diffusivity but insufficient mechanical stability and catalyst retention for reusability. We report here on using sodium alginate (SA) biopolymer to both induce supramolecular polymerization of PMI and co-immobilize them with catalysts in a robust hydrogel with high diffusivity that can also be 3D-printed. Faster mass transfer was achieved by controlling the material macrostructure by reducing gel diameter and microstructure by reducing biopolymer loading. Optimized gels produce H 2 at rates rivaling solution-based PMI and generate H 2 for up to 6 days. The PMI assemblies in the SA matrix create a percolation network capable of bulk-electron transfer under illumination. These PMI–SA materials were then 3D-printed on conductive substrates to create 3D hydrogel photoelectrodes with optimized porosity. The design of these versatile hybrid materials was bioinspired by the soft matter environment of natural photosynthetic systems and opens the opportunity to carry out light-to-fuel conversion within soft matter with arbitrary shapes and particular local environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗