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At least 37 records · Page 2

Method of intercalating large quantities of fibrous structures

A method of intercalating large quantities of fibrous structures uses a rotatable reaction chamber containing a liquid phase intercalate. The intercalate liquid phase is controlled by appropriately heating, cooling, or pressurizing the reaction. Rotation of the chamber containing the fiber sample enables total submergence of the fiber during intercalation. Intercalated graphite fibers having metal-like resistivities are achieved and are conceivably useful as electrical conductors.

Gaier, James R.↗

Durability of Intercalated Graphite Epoxy Composites in Low Earth Orbit

The electrical conductivity of graphite epoxy composites can be substantially increased by intercalating (inserting guest atoms or molecules between the graphene planes) the graphite fibers before composite formation. The resulting high strength, low density, electrically conducting composites have been proposed for EMI shielding in spacecraft. Questions have been raised, however, about their durability in the space environment, especially with respect to outgassing of the intercalates, which are corrosive species such as bromine. To answer those concerns, six samples of bromine intercalated graphite epoxy composites were included in the third Evaluation of Oxygen Interaction with Materials (EOIM-3) experiment flown on the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-46). Changes in electrical conductivity, optical reflectance, surface texture, and mass loss for SiO2 protected and unprotected samples were measured after being exposed to the LEO environment for 42 hours. SiO2 protected samples showed no degradation, verifying conventional protection strategies are applicable to bromine intercalated composites. The unprotected samples showed that bromine intercalation does not alter the degradation of graphite-epoxy composites. No bromine was detected to have been released by the fibers allaying fears that outgassing could be disruptive to the sensitive electronics the EMI shield is meant to protect.

Gaier, James R.↗

A micrographic and gravimetric study of intercalation and deintercalation of graphite fibers

Intercalation and deintercalation of Union Carbide P-100 graphite fibers with liquid and vaporous bromine was studied gravimetrically and microscopically. The mass of the bromine intercalated fibers was found to be 17 to 20 percent greater than their pristine counterpart. This variation decreased to 17 to 18 percent after heating in air for 3 days at 200 C and to 14.5 to 18 percent after 6 days of 260 C heating. The fiber length did not change throughout the experiment. The fiber diameter increased during intercalation and decreased slightly upon deintercalation but was not affected by heating to 260 C for 3 days in air. Comparing the mass and volume data to those with highly oriented pyrolitic graphite or natural single crystal graphite suggested the possibility that the intercalated P-100 fibers could be mostly stage 4.

Hung, C. C.↗

Density of intercalated graphite fibers

The density of Amoco P-55, P-75, P-100, and P-120 pitch-based graphite fibers and their intercalation compounds with bromine, iodine monochloride, and copper (II) chloride have been measured using a density gradient column. The distribution of densities within a fiber type is found to be a sensitive indicator of the quality of the intercalation reaction. In all cases the density was found to increase, indicating that the mass added to the graphite is dominant over fiber expansion. Density increases are small (less than 10 percent) giving credence to a model of the intercalated graphite fibers which have regions which are intercalated and regions which are not.

Gaier, James R.↗

Density of intercalated graphite fibers

The density of Amoco P-55, P-75, P-100, and P-120 pitch-based graphite fibers and their intercalation compounds with bromine, iodine monochloride, and copper (II) chloride have been measured using a density gradient column. The distribution of densities within a fiber type is found to be a sensitive indicator of the quality of the intercalation reaction. In all cases the density was found to increase, indicating that the mass added to the graphite is dominant over fiber expansion. Density increases are small (less than 10 percent) giving credence to a model of the intercalated graphite fibers which have regions which are intercalated and regions which are not.

Gaier, James R.↗

Intercalation of Lithium in Pitch-Based Graphitized Carbon Fibers Chemically Modified by Fluorine: Soft Carbon With or Without an Oxide Surface

The effects of carbon structure and surface oxygen on the carbon's performance as the anode in lithium-ion battery were studied. Two carbon materials were used for the electrochemical tests: soft carbon made from defluorination of graphite fluoride, and the carbon precursor from which the graphite fluoride was made. In this research the precursor was graphitized carbon fiber P-100. It was first fluorinated to form CF(0.68), then defluorinated slowly at 350 to 450 C in bromoform, and finally heated in 1000 C nitrogen before exposed to room temperature air, producing disordered soft carbon having basic surface oxides. This process caused very little carbon loss. The electrochemical test involved cycles of lithium intercalation and deintercalation using C/saturated LiI-50/50 (vol %) EC and DMC/Li half cell. The cycling test had four major results. (1) The presence of a basic oxide surface may prevent solvent from entering the carbon structure and therefore prolong the carbon's cycle life for lithium intercalation-deintercalation. (2) The disordered soft carbon can store lithium through two different mechanisms. One of them is lithium intercalation. which gives the disordered carbon an electrochemical behavior similar to its more ordered graphitic precursor. The other is unknown in its chemistry, but is responsible for the high-N,oltage portion (less than 0.3V) of the charge-discharge curve. (3) Under certain conditions, the disordered carbon can store more lithium than its precursor. (4) These sample and its precursor can intercalate at 200 mA/g. and deintercalate at a rate of 2000 mA/g without significant capacity loss.

Hung, Ching-Chen↗

Exfoliation of Hexagonal Boron Nitride via Ferric Chloride Intercalation

Sodium fluoride (NaF) was used as an activation agent to successfully intercalate ferric chloride (FeCl3) into hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). This reaction caused the hBN mass to increase by approx.100 percent, the lattice parameter c to decrease from 6.6585 to between 6.6565 and 6.6569 Ǻ, the x-ray diffraction (XRD) (002) peak to widen from 0.01deg to 0.05deg of the full width half maximum value, the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum's broad band (1277/cm peak) to change shape, and new FTIR bands to emerge at 3700 to 2700 and 1600/cm. This indicates hBN's structural and chemical properties are significantly changed. The intercalated product was hygroscopic and interacted with moisture in the air to cause further structural and chemical changes (from XRD and FTIR). During a 24-h hold at room temperature in air with 100 percent relative humidity, the mass increased another 141 percent. The intercalated product, hydrated or not, can be heated to 750 C in air to cause exfoliation. Exfoliation becomes significant after two intercalation-air heating cycles, when 20-nm nanosheets are commonly found. Structural and chemical changes indicated by XRD and FTIR data were nearly reversed after the product was placed in hydrochloric acid (HCl), resulting in purified, exfoliated, thin hBN products.

Hung, Ching-cheh↗

Methods for Intercalating and Exfoliating Hexagonal Boron Nitride

Methods that facilitate exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), exfoliated hBN, and associated intermediate products are disclosed. Such a method can include the acts of mixing a sample of hBN with an activation agent (e.g., NaF, etc.) and a selected set of chemicals (e.g., a metal chloride) and intercalating the set of chemicals into the hBN to obtain intercalated hBN. Additionally, such a method can include the acts of hydrating the set of chemicals (i.e., the intercalates), and converting the set of chemicals to a set of oxide nanoparticles when exfoliating the intercalated hBN. The exfoliated hBN can be washed (e.g., with HCl, etc.) to remove remaining nanoparticles.

Hung, Ching-cheh↗

Energetics of the lattice: packing elements in crystals of four-stranded intercalated cytosine-rich DNA molecules

Condensation of single molecules from solution into crystals represents a transition between distinct energetic states. In solution, the atomic interactions within the molecule dominate. In the crystalline state, however, a set of additional interactions are formed between molecules in close contact in the lattice--these are the packing interactions. The crystal structures of d(CCCT), d(TAACCC), d(CCCAAT), and d(AACCCC) have in common a four-stranded intercalated cytosine segment, built by stacked layers of cytosine.cytosine+ (C.C+) base pairs coming from two parallel duplexes that intercalate into each other with opposite polarity. The intercalated cytosine segments in these structures are similar in their geometry, even though the sequences crystallized in different space groups. In the crystals, adenine and thymine residues of the sequences are used to build the three-dimensional crystal lattice by elaborately interacting with symmetry-related molecules. The packing elements observed provide novel insight about the copious ways in which nucleic acid molecules can interact with each other--for example, when folded in more complicated higher order structures, such as mRNA and chromatin.

Non-NASA Center↗

Reversible Intercalation of Fluoride-Anion Receptor Complexes in Graphite

We have demonstrated a route to reversibly intercalate fluoride-anion receptor complexes in graphite via a nonaqueous electrochemical process. This approach may find application for a rechargeable lithium-fluoride dual-ion intercalating battery with high specific energy. The cell chemistry presented here uses graphite cathodes with LiF dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent through the aid of anion receptors. Cells have been demonstrated with reversible cathode specific capacity of approximately 80 mAh/g at discharge plateaus of upward of 4.8 V, with graphite staging of the intercalant observed via in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction during charging. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and B-11 nuclear magnetic resonance studies suggest that cointercalation of the anion receptor with the fluoride occurs during charging, which likely limits the cathode specific capacity. The anion receptor type dictates the extent of graphite fluorination, and must be further optimized to realize high theoretical fluorination levels. To find these optimal anion receptors, we have designed an ab initio calculations-based scheme aimed at identifying receptors with favorable fluoride binding and release properties.

electrolytes↗

Magnetic field effects on superconductivity in alkali metal intercalates of MoS2

The effects of a magnetic field on the superconducting transition in MoS2 intercalated with potassium and sodium were studied. It was found that the potassium intercalated MoS2 has better properties in a magnetic field. In zero magnetic field the transition to superconductivity begins near 6.4 K. Diagrams of the basic circuitry for superconducting transition studies, and charts showing critical magnetic field versus critical temperature for the intercalated MoS2 are included.

Woollam, J. A.↗

High field superconductivity in alkali metal intercalates of MoS2

In the search for better high temperature, high critical field superconductors, a class of materials was found which have layered structures and can be intercalated with various elements and compounds. Since a large number of compounds can be formed, intercalation provides a method of control of superconducting properties. They also provide the possible medium for excitonic superconductivity. Results of magnetic field studies are presented on alkali metal (Na, K, Rb, and Cs) intercalated MoS2 (2H polymorph).

Woollam, J. A.↗

Alkali metal intercalates of molybdenum disulfide.

Study of some of the physicochemical properties of compounds obtained by subjecting natural molybdenite and single crystals of molybdenum disulfide grown by chemical vapor transport to intercalation with the alkali group of metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) by means of the liquid ammonia technique. Reported data and results include: (1) the intercalation of the entire alkali metal group, (2) stoichiometries and X-ray data on all of the compounds, and (3) superconductivity data for all the intercalation compounds.

Somoano, R. B.↗

The alkaline earth intercalates of molybdenum disulfide

Molybdenum disulfide has been intercalated with calcium and strontium by means of the liquid ammonia technique. Chemical, X-ray, and superconductivity data are presented. The X-ray data reveal a lowering of crystal symmetry and increase of complexity of the structure upon intercalation with the alkaline earth metals. The Ca and Sr intercalates start to superconduct at 4 and 5.6 K, respectively, and show considerable anisotropy regarding the critical magnetic field.

Somoano, R. B.↗

Physics and chemistry of MoS2 intercalation compounds

An investigation is made of the physics and chemistry of MoS2 intercalation compounds. These compounds may be separated into two groups according to their stoichiometry, structure and superconducting properties. The first group consists of Na, Ca, and Sr intercalates, and the second group consists of K, Rb, and Cs intercalates. Particular attention is given to the structure of the electronic energy band and to the normal state and superconducting properties of these compounds.

Woollam, J. A.↗

Intercalated graphite electrical conductors

For years NASA has wanted to reduce the weight of spacecraft and aircraft. Experiments are conducted to find a lightweight synthetic metal to replace copper. The subject of this paper, intercalated graphite, is such a material. Intercalated graphite is made by heating petroleum or coal to remove the hydrogen and to form more covalent bonds, thus increasing the molecular weight. The coal or petroleum eventually turns to pitch, which can then be drawn into a fiber. With continued heating the pitch-based fiber releases hydrogen and forms a carbon fiber. The carbon fiber, if heated sufficiently, becomes more organized in parallel layers of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms in the form of graphite. A conductor of intercalated graphite is potentially useful for spacecraft or aircraft applications because of its low weight.

Banks, B. A.↗

Stability of Bromine Intercalated Graphite Fibers

Previous evidence suggested that bromine intercalation compounds of crystalline graphite spontaneously deintercalate when the bromine atmosphere is removed. However, results show that bromine intercalated P-100 graphite fibers are stable for long periods of time. They are stable under vacuum conditions, high humidity, and current densities up to 24,000 A/sq cm. They are thermally stable to 200 C, and at temperatures as high as 400 C still retain 80 percent of the conductivity gained by intercalation. At temperatures greater than 300 C, there is significant oxidative degradation of the fibers. The environmental stability shown by the bromine compound makes it a promising candidate for practical applications in aerospace technology.

Gaier, J. R.↗

H-1 NMR study of ternary ammonia-alkali metal-graphite intercalation compounds

For the first-stage ternary ammonia-alkali metal-graphite intercalation compounds M(NH3)(x)C24(x of about 4, M = K, Rb, Cs), three sets of triplet H-1 NMR spectral lines have been observed at various temperatures and orientations due to the H-1 - H-1 and N-14 - H-1 dipolar interactions. The structures of these compounds have been inferred as mobile (liquid-like) intercalant layers of planar M(NH3)4 ions in between the carbon layers. For the intercalated ammonia molecules, the potential barrier is about 0.2 eV and the molecular geometry is very close to the free NH3 in gas phase.

Tsang, T.↗