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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Utilizing ink composition to tune bulk-electrode gas transport, performance, and operational robustness for a Fe-N-C catalyst in polymer electrolyte fuel cell

With lower site density and turnover frequency, platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts based electrodes are often greater than 50 mu m thick in order to increase performance across the fuel cell operating range. Consequently, PGM-free electrodes have an additional bulk electrode transport resistance beyond the local or aggregate level transport in thin platinum-based electrodes. In parallel to the development of more active and durable PGM-free catalysts, advancements in understanding the interplay between PGM-free electrode fabrication, bulk-electrode transport, proton conductivity and performance are needed. Here, the relationship between ionic and gas phase transport through the electrode thickness is modified by adjusting electrocatalyst and ionomer flocculation/interaction at the ink level. The influence of the ink composition (water/n-propanol content) is examined via various in-situ electrochemical and ex-situ characterization techniques and the resulting electrode structure/performance relationship contrasted with electrode performance robustness across a range of relative humidity (RH). For the electrocatalyst examined here, a water-rich (82 wt% H2O) ink formulation was favorable for operation at high RH due to improved molecular diffusion through larger electrode pores. In contrast, the improved interactions between ionomer and electrocatalyst enabled a more robust electrode and higher performance during low RH operation for the 50 wt% H2O content ink.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2019

Determination of CO 2 capture during accelerated carbonation of engineered cementitious composite pastes by thermogravimetry

The concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have triggered investigations among the scientific community. The accelerated carbonation curing has been used as a tool to capture CO 2 at early stages of cement-based material fabrication. In a previous study, the authors quantified the amount of CO 2 captured in portland cement pastes by thermal analysis, at high relative humidity precure conditions. In the present work, the authors quantified the amount of CO 2 captured in binary pastes derived from engineered cementitious composites (ECC), a family of composites worldwide used, whose one of their features is the precure at low relative humidity conditions. Two types of ECC pastes (1.2 and 2.2) were submitted to 4 h and 24 h of accelerated carbonation after 24 h of initial hydration. Using thermogravimetry and derivative thermogravimetry, the amounts of captured CO 2 and respective carbonation degrees were quantified. Furthermore, the results showed that ECC paste 1.2 presented the highest values of captured CO 2 and carbonation degree, considering all reactive components. In contrast, ECC paste 2.2 presented the highest values of these two parameters, when considering only portland cement as reactive component. For both pastes, the hydration degrees of the carbonated samples were higher than those of the non-carbonated references, indicating that in the used operating conditions, carbonation enhances ECC paste hydration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

Compositional and Thermal Characterization of Potential Nano-Carbon Copper Composite

Covetic materials have been claimed to be new types of metal matrix nano-composite materials. These materials are formed from face-centered-cubic metals which are alleged to be super-saturated with up to ~ 10 wt pct of activated nano-carbon. The focus of this study was to characterize the chemical composition of copper covetic materials of varying nano-carbon concentrations, and characterize the thermal properties of these materials in order to determine if these materials exhibit enhanced material properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Platelet composite coatings for tin whisker mitigation

In this study, reliable methods for tin whisker mitigation are needed for applications that utilize tin-plated commercial components. Tin can grow whiskers that can lead to electrical shorting, possibly causing critical systems to fail catastrophically. The mechanisms of tin whisker growth are unclear and this makes prediction of the lifetimes of critical components uncertain. The development of robust methods for tin whisker mitigation is currently the best approach to eliminating the risk of shorting. Current mitigation methods are based on unfilled polymer coatings that are not impenetrable to tin whiskers. In this paper we report tin whisker mitigation results for several filled polymer coatings. The whisker-penetration resistance of the coatings was evaluated at elevated temperature and high humidity and under temperature cycling conditions. The composite coatings comprised Ni and MgF 2 -coated Al/Ni/Al platelets in epoxy resin or silicone rubber. In addition to improved whisker mitigation, these platelet composites have enhanced thermal conductivity and dielectric constant compared with unfilled polymers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Material processing, microstructure, and composite properties of low carbon Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)

Traditional PVA fiber-reinforced Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) show high tensile ductility and superior durability with tight crack width, but the high cost and embodied carbon can hinder its wider application in infrastructures. The objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the fresh and hardened properties of an ECC that employs a lower embodied-carbon binder, Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3), and lower-cost PP fiber that is widely available. Specifically, the interrelations between material processing, microstructure, and composite properties were studied experimentally. The results showed that ECC with high tensile ductility up to 9% tensile strain and tight crack width with 50 μm at 2% tensile strain can be achieved. It was found that a matrix paste with higher viscosity generally enhanced fiber dispersion uniformity and robustness in tensile strain-hardening. The paste viscosity is increased when OPC is replaced by LC3 and can be tuned with superplasticizer content. Larger maximum flaw size leads to lower first crack strength, beneficial for microcrack initiation and multiple cracking. This study generates fundamental knowledge linking processing-microstructure-performance of PP-LC3-ECC. This class of low embodied carbon ECC with tight crack width is expected to contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Improving microstructure of silicon/carbon nanofiber composites as a Li battery anode

We report the interfacial study of a silicon/carbon nanofiber (Si/CNF) nanocomposite material as a potentially high performance anode for rechargeable lithium ion batteries. The carbon nanofiber is hollow, with a graphitic interior and turbostratic exterior. Amorphous silicon layers were uniformly coated via chemical vapor deposition on both the exterior and interior surfaces of the CNF. The resulting Si/CNF composites were tested as anodes for Li ion batteries and exhibited capacities near 800 mAh g1 for 100 cycles. After cycling, we found that more Si had fallen off from the outer wall than from the innerwall of CNF. Theoretical calculations confirmed that this is due to a higher interfacial strength at the Si/Cedge interface at the inner wall than that of the Si/C-basal interface at the outer wall. Based upon the experimental analysis and theoretical calculation, we have proposed several interfacial engineering approaches to improve the performance of the electrodes by optimizing the microstructure of this nanocomposite.

Howe, Jane Y↗
DOE OSTI2012

Effect of sintering in ball-milled K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13} thermoelectric nano-composites

K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13} has many attractive features for thermoelectric applications. Recently, K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}-based nanocomposite materials, consisting of nano-crystalline, micro-crystalline and amorphous phases, have been fabricated based on powder technology techniques. The Seebeck coefficient has been enhanced while the thermal conductivity has been decreased presenting, thus, interesting behavior. The behavior of the materials under heat treatment conditions is now of interest, as the application of sintering process is necessary for the development of thermoelectric modules. In this work, the crystallization of the K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}-based nano-composites is studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The results show that crystallization follows a multiple-step process with different activation energies. The thermoelectric properties are also discussed in the range that crystallization occurs. - Graphical Abstract: {beta}-K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}-based nanocomposites follow a multiple-step crystallization process. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer K{sub 2}Bi{sub 8}Se{sub 13}-based composites consisting of nanocrystalline and amorphous phases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sintering results multiple-step crystallization with variable activation energies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermoelectric properties follow a step-like behavior during sintering. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Properties are attributed to the strain relaxation, nucleation and grain growth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mild chemical recycling of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites in aqueous buffers and development of hydrothermally recyclable vitrimer composites from recyclates

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites have gained widespread adoption across diverse industries. However, their inherent stability, stemming from the crosslinked structure of the matrix resin, poses a significant challenge in managing the growing volume of CFRP waste. Consequently, there is a pressing need for an eco-friendly upcycling method that effectively recovers and reuses both the valuable carbon fibers and the polymer matrix from CFRP waste. This study presents a novel approach for upcycling CFRP waste under environmentally friendly conditions. Firstly, CFRP waste with an amine-cured epoxy matrix was completely decomposed in aqueous buffer solutions under mild conditions (≤ 220 °C, pH = 4.8). Further, decomposed matrix polymer (DMP) was employed to transform conventional epoxy resins into recyclable vitrimers. Lastly, new composites that can be hydrothermally recycled were fabricated using both DMP and recovered carbon fibers. As a result, this work proposes a novel strategy for achieving a circular economy within the CFRP industry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Nanophotonic Atomic Force Microscope Transducers Enable Chemical Composition and Thermal Conductivity Measurements at the Nanoscale [Nanophotonic AFM Transducers Enable Chemical Composition and Thermal Conductivity Measurements at the Nanoscale]

The atomic force microscope (AFM) offers a rich observation window on the nanoscale, yet many dynamic phenomena are too fast and too weak for direct AFM detection. Integrated cavity-optomechanics is revolutionizing micromechanical sensing; however, it has not yet impacted AFM. Here, we make a groundbreaking advance by fabricating picogram-scale probes integrated with photonic resonators to realize functional AFM detection that achieve high temporal resolution (<10 ns) and picometer vertical displacement uncertainty simultaneously. The ability to capture fast events with high precision is leveraged to measure the thermal conductivity (η), for the first time, concurrently with chemical composition at the nanoscale in photothermal induced resonance experiments. The intrinsic η of metal–organic-framework individual microcrystals, not measurable by macroscale techniques, is obtained with a small measurement uncertainty (8%). The improved sensitivity (50×) increases the measurement throughput 2500-fold and enables chemical composition measurement of molecular monolayer-thin samples. In conclusion, our paradigm-shifting photonic readout for small probes breaks the common trade-off between AFM measurement precision and ability to capture transient events, thus transforming the ability to observe nanoscale dynamics in materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

How Microstructure and Pore Moisture Affect Strength Gain in Portlandite-Enriched Composites That Mineralize CO 2

Binders containing portlandite (Ca(OH) 2 ) can take up carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from dilute flue gas streams (<15% CO 2 , v/v), thereby forming carbonate compounds with binding attributes. While the carbonation of portlandite particulates is straightforward, it remains unclear how CO 2 transport into monoliths is affected by microstructure and pore moisture content. Therefore, this study elucidates the influences of pore saturation and CO 2 diffusivity on the carbonation kinetics and strength evolution of portlanditeenriched composites (“mortars”). To assess the influences of microstructure, composites hydrated to different extents and conditioned to different pore saturation levels (S w ) were exposed to dilute CO 2 . First, reducing saturation increases the gas diffusivity and carbonation kinetics so long as saturation exceeds a critical value (S w,c ≈ 0.10) independent of microstructural attributes. Second, careful analysis reveals that both traditional cement hydration and carbonation offer similar levels of strengthening, the magnitude of which can be estimated from the extent of each reaction. As a result, portlandite-enriched binders offer cementation performance that is similar to traditional materials while offering an embodied CO 2 footprint that is more than 50 % smaller. Furthermore, these insights are foundational to create new “low-CO 2 ” cementation agents via in situ CO 2 mineralization (utilization) using dilute CO 2 waste streams.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗