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At least 325 records · Page 18

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NASA NTRS1992

Oxygen in the Martian atmosphere: Regulation of PO2 by the deposition of iron formations on Mars

During Earth's early history, and prior to the evolution of its present day oxygenated atmosphere, extensive iron rich siliceous sedimentary rocks were deposited, consisting of alternating layers of silica (chert) and iron oxide minerals (hematite and magnetite). The banding in iron formations recorded changes of atmosphere-hydrosphere interactions near sea level in the ancient ocean, which induced the oxidation of dissolved ferrous iron, precipitation of insoluble ferric oxides and silica, and regulation of oxygen in Earth's early atmosphere. Similarities between the Archean Earth and the composition of the present day atmosphere on Mars, together with the pervasive presence of ferric oxides in the Martian regolith suggest that iron formation might also have been deposited on Mars and influenced the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere. Such a possibility is discussed here with a view to assessing whether the oxygen content of the Martian atmosphere has been regulated by the chemical precipitation of iron formations on Mars.

Burns, Roger G.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A search for the iron absorption edge in the tail of an X-ray burst from X1636 - 53

Model atmosphere calculations of the spectrum of a neutron star cooling after an X-ray burst show that the photoelectric edge of iron should be prominent. No clear evidence for such a redshifted feature in the spectrum of a burst from X1636 - 53 is found, and it is concluded that the iron abundance there must be less than 0.3 solar. Unless the iron abundance of the surface matter on the neutron star is highly time-dependent, the present result argues against the 4.1-keV absorption line seen in some bursts from X1636 - 53 by Waki et al. (1984) being due to iron. The iron edge will be a powerful diagnostic of the surface redshift of the neutron star in burst sources where the iron abundance is more nearly solar.

Day, C. S. R.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Formation of iron metal and grain coagulation in the solar nebula

The interstellar grain population in the giant molecular cloud from which the sun formed contained little or no iron metal. However, thermal processing of individual interstellar silicates in the solar nebula is likely to result in the formation of a population of very small iron metal grains. If such grains are exposed to even transient magnetic fields, each will become a tiny dipole magnet capable of interacting with other such dipoles over spatial scale orders of magnitude larger than the radii of individual grains. Such interactions will greatly increase the coagulation cross-section for this grain population. Furthermore, the magnetic attraction between two iron dipoles will significantly increase both the collisional sticking coefficient and the strength of the interparticle binding energy for iron aggregates. Formation of iron metal may therefore be a key step in the aggregation of planetesimals in a protoplanetary nebula. Such aggregates may have already been observed in protoplanetary systems. The enhancement in the effective interaction distance between two magnetic dipoles is directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic dipoles and inversely proportional to the relative velocity. It is less sensitive to the reduced mass of the interacting particles (alpha M(exp -1/2)) and almost insensitive to the initial number density of magnetic dipoles (alpha n(sub o)(exp 1/6)). We are in the process of measuring the degree of coagulation in our condensation flow apparatus as a function of applied magnetic field and correlating these results by means of magnetic remanance acquisition measurements on our iron grains with the strength of the magnetic field to which the grains are exposed. Results of our magnetic remanance acquisition measurements and the magnetic-induced coagulation study will be presented as well as an estimate of the importance of such processes near the nebular midplane.

Nuth, Joseph A., III↗

NASA NTRS1966

Fully Deuterated Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Obtained From Iron Carbide Treated with DCl and D2O

According to Oparin, Mendeleev thought that the origin of petroleum was the result of the hydrolysis of iron carbides by superheated steam under pressure from the deep interior of the Earth through geological formations where the metal carbides exist. As early as 1877, Mendeleev described the reaction leading to the synthesis of hydrocarbons according to the general equation 3Fe(sub m)C(sub n) + mH2O yields mFe3O4 + C(sub 3n)H(sub 8m). Other experimental studies on the production of hydrocarbons from cast iron have been reported. Because of the possibility that hydrocarbons may have been trapped within the carbon matrix of the cast iron, which usually has a high content of carbon, we have studied the reaction of pure iron carbide with deuterium chloride and deuterated water. This was done in order to distinguish any newly formed deuterated hydrocarbons from any possible impurities of trapped hydrocarbons. The experiments were carried out by simply allowing iron carbide to react with concentrated deuterium chloride in D2O. The volatile hydrocarbon fraction examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), using a Finnigan 1020/OWA instrument. contained low molecular weight hydrocarbons in a range C3 to C7. Lower molecular weight hydrocarbons were not detected by GC/MS because the MS scanning mode was preset above mass 40 to exclude components of air. The identified hydrocarbons are similar to those obtained under prebiotic conditions using high frequency discharge. The hydrocarbons found in common were propane, butane, pentane, 3-methylpentane, hexane, and heptane. The percent yields decline with increasing carbon number (propane 11%, n-heptane 1%). Similar results have been obtained by the direct treatment of metal carbides by pulse laser vaporization mass spectrometry. These results show that the hydrolysis of iron carbides may have been a significant source of hydrocarbons on the primitive Earth. There appears to be a predominance of straight chain isomers, which may have been important in the prebiotic synthesis of membrane-forming compounds.

Marquez, C.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Iron Meteorites from Antarctica: More Specimens, Still 40% Ungrouped

I summarize the data obtained to date on independent Antarctic iron meteorites by our UCLA neutron-activation laboratory. With about 5 exceptions, the listed values are the means of duplicate determinations. We have now analyzed 40 independent iron meteorites; I list 8 other irons that proved to be paired with meteorites. Because of the close relationship between pallasites and iron meteorites, I also list our data for two Antarctic pallasites that were studied at UCLA. Our new results confirm the previously reached conclusion about the abundance of ungrouped irons. In fact, the ungrouped fraction has increased slightly; of the 40 irons 16 are ungrouped, a fraction of 0.40. The two meteorites with pallasite structures are both small (approx. 50 g); one is ungrouped, the other a high-Ir anomalous member of the main-group pallasites (PMG).

Wasson, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS2002

The IAB Iron-Meteorite Complex: A Group, Five Subgroups, Numerous Grouplets, Closely Related, Mainly Formed by Crystal Segregation in Rapidly Cooling Melts

We present new data or iron meteorites that are members of group IAB or are closely related to this large group, and we have also reevaluated some of our earlier data for these irons. In the past it was not possible to distinguish IAB and IIICD irons on the basis of their positions on element-Ni diagrams. We now find that plotting, the new and revised data yields six sets of compact fields on element-Au diagrams, each set corresponding to a compositional group. The largest set includes the majority (approximately equal to 70) of irons previously designated IA: We christened this set the IAB main group. The remaining five sets we designate subgroups within the IAB complex. Three of these subgroups have Au contents similar to the main group, and form parallel trends in most element-Ni diagrams. The groups originally designated IIIC and IIID are two of these subgroups: they are now well resolved from each other and from the main group. The other low-Au subgroup has Ni contents just above the main group. Two other IAB subgroups have appreciably higher Au contents than the main group and show weaker compositional links to it. We have named these five subgroups on the basis of their Au and Ni contents. The three subgroups having Au contents similar to the main group are the low-Au (L) subgroups the two others the high-Au (H) subgroups. The Ni contents are designated high (H), medium (M), or low (L). Thus the old group IIID is now the sLH subgroup. the old group IIIC is the sLM subgroup. In addition, eight irons assigned to two grouplets plot between sLL and sLM on most element-Au diagrams. A large number (27) of related irons plot outside these compact fields but nonetheless appear to be sufficiently related to also be included in the IAB complex.

Wasson, J. T.↗

NASA NTRS2003

The XMM-Newton Iron Line Profile of NGC 3783

We report on observations of the iron K line in the nearby Seyfert 1 galaxy, NGC 3783, obtained in a long, 2 orbit (approx. 240 ks) XMM-Newton observation. The line profile obtained exhibits two strong narrow peaks at 6.4 keV and at 7.0 keV, with measured line equivalent widths of 120 and 35 eV respectively. The 6.4 keV emission is the K(alpha) line from near neutral Fe, whilst the 7.0 keV feature probably originates from a blend of the neutral Fe K(beta) line and the Hydrogen-like line of Fe at 6.97 keV. The relatively narrow velocity width of the K(alpha) line (approx. less than 5000 km/s), its lack of response to the continuum emission on short timescales and the detection of a neutral Compton reflection component are all consistent with a distant origin in Compton-thick matter such as the putative molecular torus. A strong absorption line from highly ionized iron (at 6.67 keV) is detected in the time-averaged iron line profile, whilst the depth of the feature appears to vary with time, being strongest when the continuum flux is higher. The iron absorption line probably arises from the highest ionization component of the known warm absorber in NGC 3783, with an ionization of log xi approx 3 and column density of N(sub H) approx. 5 x 10(exp 22)/sq cm and may originate from within 0.1 pc of the nucleus. A weak red-wing to the iron K line profile is also detected below 6.4 keV. However when the effect of the highly ionized warm absorber on the underlying continuum is taken into account, the requirement for a relativistic iron line component from the inner disk is reduced.

Reeves, J. N.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Rate of Iron Transfer Through the Horse Spleen Ferritin Shell Determined by the Rate of Formation of Prussian Blue and Fe-desferrioxamine Within the Ferritin Cavity

Iron (2+ and 3+) is believed to transfer through the three-fold channels in the ferritin shell during iron deposition and release in animal ferritins. However, the rate of iron transit in and out through these channels has not been reported. The recent synthesis of [Fe(CN)(sub 6)](3-), Prussian Blue (PB) and desferrioxamine (DES) all trapped within the horse spleen ferritin (HoSF) interior makes these measurements feasible. We report the rate of Fe(2+) penetrating into the ferritin interior by adding external Fe(2+) to [Fe(CN)(sub 6)](3-) encapsulated in the HoSF interior and measuring the rate of formation of the resulting encapsulated PB. The rate at which Fe(2+) reacts with [Fe(CN)(sub 6)](3-) in the HoSF interior is much slower than the formation of free PB in solution and is proceeded by a lag period. We assume this lag period and the difference in rate represent the transfer of Fe(2+) through the HoSF protein shell. The calculated diffusion coefficient, D approx. 5.8 x 10(exp -20) square meters per second corresponds to the measured lag time of 10-20 s before PB forms within the HoSF interior. The activation energy for Fe(2+) transfer from the outside solution through the protein shell was determined to be 52.9 kJ/mol by conducting the reactions at 10 to approximately 40 C. The reaction of Fe(3+) with encapsulated [Fe(CN)6](4-) also readily forms PB in the HoSF interior, but the rate is faster than the corresponding Fe(2+) reaction. The rate for Fe(3+) transfer through the ferritin shell was confirmed by measuring the rate of the formation of Fe-DES inside HoSF and an activation energy of 58.4 kJ/mol was determined. An attempt was made to determine the rate of iron (2+ and 3+) transit out from the ferritin interior by adding excess bipyridine or DES to PB trapped within the HoSF interior. However, the reactions are slow and occur at almost identical rates for free and HoSF-encapsulated PB, indicating that the transfer of iron from the interior through the protein shell is faster than the rate-limiting step of PB dissociation. The method described in this work presents a novel way of determining the rate of transfer of iron and possibly other small molecules through the ferritin shell.

Zhang, Bo↗

NASA NTRS2006

Iron Tolerant Cyanobacteria as an Effective Tool to Study Early Evolution of Life and the Development of Biosignatures

We are currently conducting preliminary studies on the diversity of iron-tolerant cyanobacteria (CB) isolated from iron-depositing hot springs in and around Yellowstone National Park (WY, USA). In conclusion, there is no consensus on the divergence of cyanobacteria from a common ancestor for either anoxygenic or oxygenic phototrophs. Anoxygenic photosynthesis may have provided energy for the common ancestor, but it is unclear what environmental pressure induced the evolving of oxygenic phototrophs. It is supposed, however, that predecessors of contemporary CB were capable of oxidizing various substrates other than water , and it is likely that Fe2+ could be one of those substrates . If that were the case, the work of entire photosystems in Precambrian cyanobacteria and/or in their predecessors could follow three scenarios (at least): 1) ferrous iron may have been oxidized in PS II but without significant effects on oxygen evolution, and environmental iron could have been oxidized either enzymatically or chemically; 2) ferrous iron may have been oxidized only enzymatically by PS II, accompanied by the repression of O2 evolution; or 3) ferrous iron may have been oxidized by PS I upon the prevalence of anoxygenic photosynthesis or without any effect on PS II. All of these scenarios will be the subject of our future studies with the aim to understand which line-ages of CB could be typical for Precambrian time.

Brown, Igor↗

NASA NTRS2012

Lunar dust simulant containing nanophase iron and method for making the same

A lunar dust simulant containing nanophase iron and a method for making the same. Process (1) comprises a mixture of ferric chloride, fluorinated carbon powder, and glass beads, treating the mixture to produce nanophase iron, wherein the resulting lunar dust simulant contains .alpha.-iron nanoparticles, Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, and Fe.sub.3O.sub.4. Process (2) comprises a mixture of a material of mixed-metal oxides that contain iron and carbon black, treating the mixture to produce nanophase iron, wherein the resulting lunar dust simulant contains .alpha.-iron nanoparticles and Fe.sub.3O.sub.4.

Hung, Chin-cheh↗

NASA NTRS2013

ESD Test Apparatus for Soldering Irons

ESDA (Electrostatic Discharge Association) ESD STM 13.1-2000 requires frequent testing of the voltage leakage from the tip of a soldering iron and the resistance from the tip of the soldering iron to the common point ground. Without this test apparatus, the process is time-consuming and requires several wires, alligator clips, or test probes, as well as additional equipment. Soldering iron tips must be tested for electrostatic discharge risks frequently, and this typically takes a lot of time in setup and testing. This device enables the operator to execute the full test in one minute or less. This innovation is a simple apparatus that plugs into a digital multimeter (DMM) and the Common Point Ground (CPG) reference. It enables the user to perform two of the electrostatic discharge tests required in ESD STM 13.1-2000. The device consists of a small black box with two prongs sticking out of one end, two inputs on the opposite end (one of the inputs is used to connect the reference CPG to the DMM), and a metal tab on one side. Inside the box are wires, several washers of various materials, and assembly hardware (nuts and screws/bolts). The device is a passive electronic component that is plugged into a DMM. The operator sets the DMM to read voltage. The operator places the heated tip of the soldering iron onto the metal tab with a small amount of solder to ensure a complete connection. The voltage is read and recorded. The operator switches the DMM to read resistance. The operator places the heated tip of the soldering iron onto the metal tab with a small amount of solder to ensure a complete connection. The resistance is recorded. If the recorded voltage and resistance are below a number stated in ESDA ESD STM 13.1-2000, the test is considered to pass. The device includes all the necessary wiring internal to its body so the operator does not need to do any independent wiring, except for grounding. It uses a stack of high-thermal-resistance washers to minimize the heat transfer from the soldering iron to the wiring used to measure the resistance and voltages. This minimizes thermal error. The device allows very rapid execution of a test that is performed frequently.

Sancho, Jose↗

NASA NTRS2016

Implications for Metallographic Cooling Rates, Derived from Fine-Scale Analytical Traverses Across Kamacite, Taenite, and Tetrataenite in the Butler Iron Meteorite

The "M-shaped" Ni concentrations across Widmanstatten patterns in iron meteorites, mesosiderites, and ordinary chondrites are commonly used to calculate cooling rates. As Ni-poor kamacite exolves from Ni-rich taenite, Ni concentrations build up at the kamacite-taenite interface because of the sluggish diffusivity of Ni. Quantitative knowledge of experimentally-determined Ni diffusivities, coupled with the shape of the M-profile, have been used to allow calculation of cooling rates that pertained at low temperatures, less than or equal to 500 C. However, determining Ni metallographic cooling rates are challenging, due to the sluggish diffusivity of Ni at low temperatures. There are three potential difficulties in using Ni cooling rates at low temperatures: (i) Ni diffusivities are typically extrapolated from higher-temperature measurements; (ii) Phase changes occur at low temperatures that may be difficult to take into account; and (iii) It appears that Ge in kamacite and taenite has continued to equilibrate (or attempted to equilibrate) at temperatures below those that formed the M-shaped Ni profile. Combining Ni measurements with those of other elements has the potential to provide a way to confirm or challenge Ni-determined cooling rates, as well as provide insight into the partitioning behaviors of elements during the cooling of iron meteorites. Despite these benefits, studies that examine elemental profiles of Ni along with other elements in iron meteorites are limited, often due to the low concentration levels of the other elements and associated analytical challenges. The Butler iron meteorite provides a good opportunity to conduct a multi-element analytical study, due to the higher concentration levels of key elements in addition to Fe and Ni. In this work, we perform combined analysis for six elements in the Butler iron to determine the relative behaviors of these elements during the evolution of iron meteorites, with implications for metallographic cooling rates.

Jones, J. H.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Method of making iron nitride powder with anisotropic shape

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one a″-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Electrolytes for iron flow battery

A method of operating an iron redox flow battery system may comprise fluidly coupling a plating electrode of an iron redox flow battery cell to a plating electrolyte; fluidly coupling a redox electrode of the iron redox flow battery cell to a redox electrolyte; fluidly coupling a ductile plating additive to one or both of the plating electrolyte and the redox electrolyte; and increasing an amount of the ductile plating additive to the plating electrolyte in response to an increase in the plating stress at the plating electrode. In this way, ductile Fe can be plated on the negative electrode, and the performance, reliability and efficiency of the iron redox flow battery can be maintained. In addition, iron can be more rapidly produced and plated at the plating electrode, thereby achieving a higher charging rate for all iron flow batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Iron-based nanoparticles and grains

Example nanoparticles may include an iron-based core, and a shell. The shell may include a non-magnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic material. Example alloy compositions may include an iron-based grain, and a grain boundary. The grain boundary may include a non-magnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic material. Example techniques for forming iron-based core-shell nanoparticles may include depositing a shell on an iron-based core. The depositing may include immersing the iron-based core in a salt composition for a predetermined period of time. The depositing may include milling the iron-based core with a salt composition for a predetermined period of time. Example techniques for treating a composition comprising core-shell nanoparticles may include nitriding the composition.

Wang, Jian-Ping↗

DOE OSTI2022

Forming iron nitride hard magnetic materials using chemical vapor deposition or liquid phase epitaxy

The disclosure describes techniques for forming hard magnetic materials including α″-Fe16N2 using chemical vapor deposition or liquid phase epitaxy and hard materials formed according to these techniques. A method comprises heating an iron source to form a vapor comprising an iron-containing compound; depositing iron from the vapor comprising the iron-containing compound and nitrogen from a vapor comprising a nitrogen-containing compound on a substrate to form a layer comprising iron and nitrogen; and annealing the layer comprising iron and nitrogen to form at least some crystals comprising α″-Fe16N2.

Wang, Jian-Ping↗

DOE OSTI2022

Iron nitride powder with anisotropic shape

Techniques are disclosed for milling an iron-containing raw material in the presence of a nitrogen source to generate anisotropically shaped particles that include iron nitride and have an aspect ratio of at least 1.4. Techniques for nitridizing an anisotropic particle including iron, and annealing an anisotropic particle including iron nitride to form at least one α″-Fe16N2 phase domain within the anisotropic particle including iron nitride also are disclosed. In addition, techniques for aligning and joining anisotropic particles to form a bulk material including iron nitride, such as a bulk permanent magnet including at least one α″-Fe16N2 phase domain, are described. Milling apparatuses utilizing elongated bars, an electric field, and a magnetic field also are disclosed.

Wang, Jian-Ping↗

DOE OSTI2023

Iron-based nanoparticles and grains

Wang, Jian-Ping↗