Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ELONGATION”

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 325 records · Page 18

Microstructure and strengthening of Al-6Ce-3Ni-0.7Fe (wt%) alloy manufactured by laser powder-bed fusion

In this study, an Al-6Ce-3Ni-0.7Fe (wt%) alloy was fabricated via laser powder-bed fusion and its microstructure, thermal stability, tensile properties, and creep properties are investigated for two rapid-solidification rates with different eutectic spacings. For both faster- and slower-cooled states, the as-fabricated alloy mostly shows elongated grains with very fine eutectic networks (~40 nm lamellar width) comprising a high-volume fraction (~18 %) of intermetallic phases. Faster-cooled samples, however, display a less continuous eutectic network with finer spacing (~100 nm), leading to higher Orowan strengthening and therefore superior microhardness and yield stress up to ~350 °C. Upon aging (300 - 450 °C), micron-size Al 9 (Ni,Fe) 2 needle-like precipitates form within grains, and the Al 11 Ce 3 eutectic network spheroidizes, while retaining a submicron width and spacing, resulting in 33–37 % drop in microhardness after 144 h aging at 400 °C. Limited tensile ductility (~6 %) and creep ductility (~1-2 %) are measured for both faster- and slower-cooled alloys due to an inhomogeneous microstructure, where cavitation preferentially initiates at melt-pool boundaries, precipitate-free zones, and/or denuded zones, eventually leading to local fracture. Denuded zones, induced by stress, form due to diffusional flow with stress-dependent orientations, and are identified as microstructurally weak regions leading to strain localization. The present alloy does not show a significant difference in 300 °C creep resistance between: (i) tensile and compressive loading, (ii) faster- and slower-cooled samples, and (iii) continuous and spheroidized eutectics. Creep resistance at 300 °C is comparable to that of a Ce-richer Al-10.5Ce-3.1Ni-1.2Mn (wt%) alloy, despite the formation of denuded zones and needle-like Al 9 (Ni,Fe) 2 precipitates.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Extreme hardness at high temperature with a lightweight additively manufactured multi-principal element superalloy

Materials are needed that can tolerate increasingly harsh environments, especially ones that retain high strength at extreme temperatures. Higher melting temperature alloys, like those consisting primarily of refractory elements, can greatly increase the efficiency of turbomachinery used in grid electricity production worldwide. Existing alloys, including Ni- and Co-based superalloys, used in components like turbine blades, bearings, and seals, remain a performance limiting factor due to their propensity, despite extensive optimization efforts, for softening and diffusion-driven elongation at temperatures often well above half their melting point. To address this critical materials challenge, we present results from integrating additive manufacturing and alloy design to guide significant improvements in performance via traditionally difficult-to-manufacture refractory alloys. We present an example of a multi-principal element alloy (MPEA), consisting of five refractory elements and aluminum, that exhibited high hardness and specific strength surpassing other known alloys, including superalloys. The alloy shows negligible softening up to 800°C and consists of four compositionally distinct phases, in distinction to previous work on MPEAs. Density functional theory calculations reveal a thermodynamic explanation for the observed temperature-independent hardness and favorability for the formation of this multiplicity of phases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Intramedullary Unicortical Button and All-Suture Anchors Provide Similar Maximum Strength for Onlay Distal Biceps Tendon Repair

To evaluate the biomechanical profile of onlay distal biceps repair with an intramedullary unicortical button versus all-suture anchors under cyclic loading and maximal load to failure. Twenty paired fresh-frozen human cadaveric elbows were randomized to onlay distal biceps repair with either a single intramedullary button or with two 1.35-mm all-suture anchors. A 1.3-mm high tensile strength tape was used in a Krackow stitch to suture the tendons in both groups. Specimens and repair constructs were loaded for 3,000 cycles and then loaded to failure. Maximum load to failure, mode of failure, and construct elongation were recorded. Mean (± standard deviation) maximum load to failure for the unicortical intramedullary button and all-suture anchor repairs were 503.23 ± 141.77 N and 537.33 ± 262.13 N (P = .696), respectively. Mean maximum displacement after 3,000 cycles (± standard deviation) was 4.17 ± 2.05 mm in the button group and 2.06 ± 1.05 mm in the suture anchor group (P = .014). Mode of failure in the button group was suture tape rupture in 7 specimens, failure at the tendon–suture interface in 2 specimens, and button pullout in 1 specimen. Anchor pullout was the mode of failure in all suture anchor specimens. There were no tendon ruptures or radial tuberosity fractures in either group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that onlay distal biceps repair with 2 all-suture anchors has similar maximum strength to repair with an intramedullary button and that both are viable options for fixation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Mechanically graded granular scaffolds for osteochondral tissue engineering

Engineered scaffolds designed to approximate the mechanical microenvironment of the osteochondral unit often address this complexity using discrete, two-phase architectures that introduce mechanical discontinuities and interfacial stress concentrations rather than a contiguous stiffness transition. To address this challenge, we created a photoannealed polyethylene glycol (PEG) granular scaffold with a spatially controlled stiffness gradient within a cell-permissive, macroporous architecture. Stiffness was dictated by photoannealing microgels using a photomask. We tuned void volume and available surface area by varying microgel diameter and tested how mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) interpret local mechanical environments. MSCs exhibited position-dependent differences in morphology, cytoskeletal structure, matrix deposition, and lineage-specific gene expression within the gradient scaffolds. Softer regions supported rounded cell morphology and deposition of a glycosaminoglycan-rich matrix, whereas stiffer regions promoted cell elongation, increased cytoskeletal tension, and expression of mineral-associated markers. Gradients formed from smaller microgels magnified these spatial responses by increasing cellular confinement and adhesion site availability. Disruption of actomyosin contractility eliminated these regional differences, demonstrating that MSCs rely on tension-dependent mechanotransduction to interpret the gradient. These findings reveal that coupling microgel architecture with continuous stiffness transitions provides a tractable platform to study multiscale mechanobiologic regulation and spatially guide osteochondral tissue formation.

Biological and medical sciences↗

Direct non-oxidative methane coupling on vitreous silica supported iron catalysts

Direct non-oxidative methane coupling (NMC) is one of the promising pathways for methane upgrading into value-added olefin and aromatic hydrocarbons. The silica-supported iron (i.e., Fe/SiO 2 ) catalyst has been reported effective for NMC, but the effects of silica support on the catalyst property and NMC performance have rarely been explored. Here, in this work, we prepared a vitreous silica-supported iron (Fe/SiO 2 -V) catalyst by flame fusion of a mixture of quartz silica and fayalite. The physicochemical properties and NMC performance of the as-prepared catalysts were measured. Compared to crystalline cristobalite support in Fe/SiO 2 catalyst that has been studied previously, vitreous silica support has disordered Si-O bonds and structural defects, enabling better iron dispersion and more vital metal-support interaction. The as-prepared Fe/SiO 2 -V catalyst had a shorter induction period in methane activation and lower coke yield in NMC. The increase in iron concentration in Fe/SiO 2 -V catalysts elongated the catalyst induction period and promoted aromatics and coke formation. The coke type of the spent Fe/SiO 2 -V catalyst is more uniform than the cristobalite-supported iron catalyst.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Accurate hydrodynamic force and torque correlations for prolate spheroids from Stokes regime to high Reynolds numbers

Detailed simulations of flow around various prolate spheroids are performed using multi-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The simulations are performed in the Reynolds numbers range 0.1 ≤ Re ≤ 2000 at different incident angles 0°≤ φ ≤ 90° for various prolate spheroids of aspect ratios 1 ≤ λ ≤ 8. The Re is based on the volume equivalent sphere diameter. From the simulations, accurate correlations for average drag, lift and torque coefficients (C D , C L , and C T respectively) are proposed. The mean deviations between the correlations and the simulation data for C D , C L , and C T are 2%, 6.5%, and 4.7% respectively. Furthermore, the correlations are fitted with the physics in mind such that they can be extrapolated beyond the regimes simulated. The fits are designed such that correlations reduce to analytical (C D and C L ) solutions available for prolate spheroids in the limit Re ≈ 0. At high Re, the correlations mimic the asymptotic flattening of C D as for spheres and therefore, we expect the correlations to be valid until the critical Re (≈ 10 5 ). Furthermore, extensive comparison of our correlations with other high-fidelity simulations from literature demonstrate the accuracy of our work compared to other correlations from literature. This work enables researchers to perform accurate unresolved Euler-Lagrangian simulations for a wide range of elongated particles.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Promoting reversibility of layered potassium cathode through interstitial doping

With the increasing needs for large-scale and low-cost energy storage devices, Mn-based layered oxide cathodes have achieved considerable researching interests for potassium-ion batteries owing to their high energy density, abundant resource and low toxicity. However, their developments are challenged by the absence of suitable cathode materials to tolerate large-sized K-ion insertion/extraction and the presence of Jahn-Teller distortion of Mn 3+ . To address this issue, here we present a strategy of embedding boron into interstitial tetrahedral sites to obtain a P3-K 0.5 Mn 0.8 Co 0.2 B 0.1 O 2 cathode. Strong B-O covalent bonds facilitate the construction of robust orthorhombic framework and alleviate the undesired elongation of Mn-O bonds, contributing to excellent electrochemical performance. In addition, boron ions are verified to promote the formation of a homogeneous cathode electrolyte interphase layer, improving interfacial stability and realizing highly reversible cycling in a wide voltage range (1.4-4.3 V). This strategy provides a new pathway towards the development of high-performance cathode materials for potassium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Circadian clock control of ribosome composition promotes rhythmic translation and termination fidelity

Ribosome composition is dynamic, shifting with cell state and stress, but whether it varies with circadian time is unknown. Here, we uncover circadian clock-driven changes in ribosome composition in Neurospora crassa . Mass spectrometry of ribosomes across circadian time identified six ribosomal proteins and one associated factor under clock control. Rhythms in eL31 abundance were validated in purified ribosomes, and deletion of el31 disrupted translation rhythms in nearly half of rhythmically translated mRNAs. N. crassa eL31 promotes circadian control of translation termination and impacts elongation fidelity while maintaining Mg homeostasis, a key determinant of translational accuracy. These findings reveal that the circadian clock reprograms ribosome composition to orchestrate rhythmic translation and fidelity, temporally expanding the proteome beyond the static genome to align cellular function with time of day.

circadian clock↗

Synthesis and characterisation of alites from reduced basic oxygen furnace slags

Basic oxygen furnace slags (BOFS) are by-products of the steelmaking process. Several researchers have studied the production of Portland cement clinker and metallic iron from BOFS via a reductive treatment. }In this study, we applied a carbothermal reduction of BOFS in a technical-scale electric arc furnace and characterised the clinker-like products. Those clinker-like non-metallic products (NMPs) had a chemical and mineralogical composition comparable to clinker for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and contained large elongated alite crystals as major component. The pure NMPs reacted more slowly and achieved a lower degree of hydration compared with commercial OPC. }If the reactivity of the products can be further increased by employing specific adaptations, it can be used as a full clinker substitute for OPC. Nevertheless, it is also an option to use the material without further modifications as a cement component or concrete addition, which contributes to the strength development in both cases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Additive manufacturing of mullite ceramic by digital light processing

Mullite material was successfully additively manufactured using digital light processing (DLP). The printed geometry involves a one-step process of pyrolysis, de-binding, and sintering under a plain atmosphere to achieve an average of 76 % ceramic yield and linear shrinkage of 12 %. Furthermore, the thermal profile was carefully controlled to obtain consistent phases in which the XRD shows a mullite phase. Here, in addition, the Weibull analysis was conducted on the sintered flexural specimens, showing a Weibull modulus (m) of 13.05 with a characteristic strength (σ 0 ) of 94.96 MPa. Synchrotron microtomography was performed on the sintered specimens, which showed two distinct porosity distributions (small and large). Large porosity (non-spherical elongated) is the primary cause of decreased material strength, while small porosity (spherical) is the sintering product. The measured thermal conductivity of the specimens was in the range of 2.7–3.1 W/m∙k and decreased with an increase in temperature. Lastly, large-scale prototypes were printed concurrently with a fine resolution of 25 μm without any compromise on the predetermined design and structure.

Additive manufacturing↗

Plastic-waste hydrogenolysis over two-dimensional MXene-supported ruthenium catalysts with tunable interlayer spacing

The hydrogenolysis of plastics is limited by active-site inaccessibility and inefficient mass transport of bulky polymer chains. To overcome these challenges, this work developed two-dimensional MXene-supported Ru (Ru@MXene) catalysts. Lyophilization of a solution containing dispersed MXene sheets and Ru precursors enabled the confinement of Ru species within the MXene interlayers, which act as pillars to expand the interlayer spacing. Building on this, a silica-pillared MXene-supported Ru (Ru@P-MXene) with even larger interlayer spacing exhibited a reaction rate of 914.9 g C5–C35 g Ru –1 h –1 for the hydrogenolysis of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) into valuable liquid chemicals (e.g., C 5 –C 35 ). A comparison of product yields between Ru@P-MXene and Ru@MXene suggests that elongated Ru particles confined within the MXene support expose their side facets for the reaction. In conclusion, this work demonstrates a new application of MXene in thermochemical catalysis, offering a solution to the challenges of active-site accessibility, mass transport, and reaction confinement in chemical plastic upcycling.

2D materials↗

Effect of various post-extrusion tempering on performance of AA2024 tubes fabricated by shear assisted processing and extrusion

In this report aluminum alloy 2024 (AA2024) tubes were extruded using the shear assisted processing and extrusion (ShAPE) method. As a ubiquitous aerospace alloy, AA2024 has reached a high degree of maturity with respect to manufacturing processes, alloy chemistry and heat treatment to maximize material strength. Therefore, over the eight decades since the introduction of this alloy, the mechanical properties have plateaued, and the extrusion speed has reached a 3.5 m/min ceiling using conventional extrusion. The ShAPE technique enabled an extrusion speed of AA2024 up to 7.4 m/min at 480 °C which is surpassing the extrudability chart of this alloy. Variation of the standard T3510 and T8510 post extrusion heat treatments were applied to improve the mechanical performance of the ShAPE extruded AA2024 tube. The ultimate tensile strength and yield strength of AA2024-T8510 ShAPE extruded tube are 522.0 ± 3.3 MPa and 510.7 ± 3.3 MPa, which are respectively 18% and 32% higher than ASM-typical and ASTM minimum values. The elongation at break of ShAPE extruded AA2024-T8510 tubes is two times higher than the ASM-typical and ASTM-minimum values. This improved ductility is attributed to the refinement of grain size and secondary phases as well as due to the uniform dispersion of sub-micron strengthening precipitates formed during the ShAPE process.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Density functional study of atomic arrangements in CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy and their impact on vacancy formation energy and segregation

Here, using the density functional theory-coupled Monte Carlo approach, we explored the chemical short-range order (SRO) and element segregation in equimolar CrMnFeCoNi alloy. We found that state-of-the-art approximation of random element distribution is only applicable at > 1100 K close to the melting temperature, while the Cr-Cr repulsion driving the system stabilization and accompanying the formation of cubic Cr sublattice, and mild Ni-Ni attraction are the most prominent pair interactions at lower temperatures. Chemical potential and vacancy formation energy calculations indicate that Cr is most sensitive to the local chemical environment, making Cr atoms most stabilized when the preferred SRO is introduced. While the vacancy formation is predicted equally probable among five constituting elements in the random solid solution, Cr and Ni atoms show the lowest vacancy formation energies in the structure with SRO. Furthermore, distinct element segregation was predicted in the vicinity of planar defects, including symmetric tilt grain boundary and stacking fault, which we correlated to the site- and chemistry-dependent atomic volume and bond lengths. It suggests that the local mechanical strain and bond energy induce the SRO development and element segregation: Namely, the system takes advantage of segregation of Ni atoms having large atomic volume or Cr-Cr pairs having elongated bond lengths to fill in the excess volume at defects that relaxes the mechanical strain field and optimizes bond energy distribution. The correlation between the SRO and properties of CrMnFeCoNi alloy needs further investigations, which is expected to greatly help understand and control the properties of high-entropy alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Simulation of axial tensile well deformation during reservoir compaction in offshore unconsolidated methane hydrate-bearing formation

Sand production encountered in the 2013 offshore field gas production tests at the Nankai Trough, Japan, could be attributed to well failure during reservoir compaction. In this study, well integrity under various reservoir compaction patterns for the Nankai Trough case is examined using a well-formation finite element model. Here, the modelling details include the inclusion of a cement sheath as well as the modelling of construction processes (such as cement shrinkage). Well elongation in the overburden layer becomes significant when the reservoir subsidence is localized near the wellbore under large depressurization. Results show that the maximum plastic deviatoric strain level in the cement could reach 0.7% when the maximum reservoir subsidence reaches 0.85 m and cement shrinkage is limited. When cement shrinkage rises to 0.75%, the maximum plastic deviatoric strain increases to 2.4% as the cement accumulates additional plastic strain during shrinkage due to its deformation being constrained by the casing. In order to prevent the cement from failure, it might be effective to hold the pressure drawdown at a low level (e.g., several MPa) until the hydrate dissociation front advances to a certain radius from the well (e.g., a couple of tens of metres).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

High temperature air oxidation behavior of Hastelloy X processed by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM)

The microstructure and oxidation behavior of Laser Beam Melted, Electron Beam Melted and wrought Hastelloy X were studied at 950 °C in dry air, 50 h cycles, up to 1000 h. The variability of processing parameters and powder compositions strongly impacted the oxidation and spallation behavior. Finally, the alloys with high Mn and Si were associated with higher oxidation rates, finer Cr 2 O 3 grain microstructure and increased spallation was observed for the alloys with large elongated grain microstructures (aspect ratio of 10 ± 3).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hydrogen-enhanced compatibility constraint for intergranular failure in FCC FeNiCoCrMn high-entropy alloy

The fundamental mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement was investigated in the high-entropy alloy FeNiCoCrMn using slow strain rate tensile tests with and without internal hydrogen. Hydrogen induced intergranular failure and reduced the average grain elongation parallel to the tensile axis, but also increased the local plasticity within grains. Here, the influence of hydrogen on plasticity establishes a compatibility constraint across grain boundaries, which results in failure along the hydrogen-weakened grain boundaries. This study is the first to directly confirm the presence of the hydrogen-enhanced compatibility constraint in a high-entropy alloy and highlights the importance of developing a physical understanding of grain-scale interactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Regulation of hair cell and stomatal size by a hair cell-specific peroxidase in the grass Brachypodium distachyon

The leaf epidermis is the outermost cell layer forming the interface between plants and the atmosphere that must both provide a robust barrier against (a)biotic stressors and facilitate carbon dioxide uptake and leaf transpiration. To achieve these opposing requirements, the plant epidermis developed a wide range of specialized cell types such as stomata and hair cells. While factors forming these individual cell types are known, it is poorly understood how their number and size is coordinated. Here, in this study, we identified a role for BdPRX76/BdPOX, a class III peroxidase, in regulating hair cell and stomatal size in the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. In bdpox mutants prickle hair cells were smaller and stomata were longer. Because stomatal density remained unchanged, the negative correlation between stomatal size and density was disrupted in bdpox and resulted in higher stomatal conductance and lower intrinsic water-use efficiency. BdPOX was exclusively expressed in hair cells suggesting that BdPOX cell autonomously promotes hair cell size and indirectly restricts stomatal length. Cell wall autofluorescence and lignin stainings indicated a role for BdPOX in lignification or crosslinking of related phenolic compounds at the hair cell base. Ectopic expression of BdPOX in the stomatal lineage increased phenolic autofluorescence in guard cell walls and restricted stomatal elongation in bdpox. Together, we highlight a developmental interplay between hair cells and stomata that optimizes epidermal functionality. We propose that cell-type-specific changes disrupt this interplay and lead to compensatory developmental defects in other epidermal cell types.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Micro-XRF mapping and quantitative assessment of Cd in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) roots

Understanding Cd uptake and distribution in rice roots is important for breeding varieties that do not accumulate Cd in the grain to any large extent. Here, we examined the physiological and molecular factors responsible for Cd uptake and transport differences between two japonica rice cultivars prescreened as high (zhefu7) or low (Xiangzaoxian45) accumulators of Cd in the grain. No significant differences in Cd uptake between the two cultivars were observed; however, Xiangzaoxian45 retained most of the absorbed Cd in the roots, whereas zhefu7 showed higher transport of Cd from the root to the shoot, regardless of the duration of exposure to Cd. The inability to sequester Cd into root vacuoles caused high accumulation of Cd in the grain in zhefu7, whereas inefficient transport of Cd from roots to shoots in Xiangzaoxian45 caused low accumulation of Cd in the grain. Cd sequestration in the roots and transport from the root to the shoot were greatly influenced by the expression patterns of transport-related genes OsHMA3 and OsHMA2, respectively. Further, micro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy mapping confirmed that more Cd was sequestered in the roots of Xiangzaoxian45 than in those of zhefu7, with a significant amount of Cd localized in the root hairs, as well as in the meristematic and elongation zones, and dermal and stele tissues. Finally, we propose that effective Cd sequestration in root vacuoles was the major determinant of divergent Cd-accumulation patterns in the two rice cultivars under study.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗