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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Giant Electrostriction via Nanodomain Engineering in Relaxor Ferroelectric Polymers

Relaxor ferroelectric (RFE) polymers hold great promise for artificial muscles due to their high actuation strain, high loading stress, and fast response. However, the structural origin underlying their large electrostrictive deformation remains elusive. In this study, we investigate poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)]-based RFE terpolymers, incorporating 1,1-chlorofluoroethylene (CFE) or chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) (the terpolymers are denoted as terP-CFE and terP-CTFE, respectively) as termonomers. Although both terpolymers show similar semicrystalline morphology, drastically different electrostrictive properties are observed. Specifically, the terP-CFE annealed at 100 °C achieves a record-high transverse strain of ∼10.6%, whereas 100 °C-annealed terP-CTFE only shows a much lower actuation strain of ∼4.2% at the same poling field of 190 MV/m. To elucidate the origin of this difference, time-resolved wide-angle X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, and Fourier transform infrared experiments are performed during in situ electric poling. An RFE-to-ferroelectric (FE) crystal phase transition is observed for terP-CFE but is absent for terP-CTFE. Beyond the contribution of the crystalline phase, the oriented amorphous fraction and crystalline defects (e.g., taut-tie molecules) also play significant roles in enhancing electrostriction. In conclusion, this mechanistic insight provides a valuable foundation for the rational design of next-generation RFE polymers with tunable properties through defect engineering of their semicrystalline structures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Selective sorption of oxygen and nitrous oxide by an electron donor-incorporated flexible coordination network

Incorporating strong electron donor functionality into flexible coordination networks is intriguing for sorption applications due to a built-in mechanism for electron-withdrawing guests. Here we report a 2D flexible porous coordination network, [Ni 2 (4,4'-bipyridine)(VTTF) 2 ]n(1) (where H 2 VTTF = 2,2;-[1,2-bis(4-benzoic acid)-1,2ethanediylidene]bis-1,3-benzodithiole), which exhibits large structural deformation from the as-synthesized or open phase (1α) into the closed phase (1β) after guest removal, as demonstrated by X-ray and electron diffraction. Interestingly, upon exposure to electron-withdrawing species, 1β reversibly undergoes guest accommodation transitions; 1α$\supset$O 2 (90 K) and 1α$\supset$N 2 O (185 K). Moreover, the 1β phase showed exclusive O 2 sorption over other gases (N 2 , Ar, and CO) at 120 K. The phase transformations between the 1α and 1β phases under these gases were carefully investigated by in-situ X-ray diffraction, in-situ spectroscopic studies, and DFT calculations, validating that the unusual sorption was attributed to the combination of flexible frameworks and VTTF (electron-donor) that induces strong interactions with electron-withdrawing species.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Calibration and validation of the foundation for a multiphase strength model for tin

In this work, the Common Model of Multi-phase Strength and Equation of State (CMMP) model was applied to tin. Specifically, calibrations of the strength-specific elements of the CMMP foundation were developed with a combination of experiments and theory, and then the model was validated experimentally. The first element of the foundation is a multi-phase analytic treatment of the melt temperature and the shear modulus for the solid phases. These models were parameterized for each phase based on ab initio calculations using the software VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulations Package) based on density functional theory. The shear modulus model for the ambient phase was validated with ultrasonic sound speed measurements as a function of pressure and temperature. The second element of the foundation is a viscoplastic strength model for the phase, upon which strength for inaccessible higher-pressure phases can be scaled as necessary. The stress–strain response of tin was measured at strain rates of 10 -3 to 3 x 10 3 s -1 and temperatures ranging from 87 to 373 K. The Preston–Tonks–Wallace (PTW) strength model was fit to that data using Bayesian model calibration. For validation, six forward and two reverse Taylor impact experiments were performed at different velocities to measure large plastic deformation of tin at strain rates up to ⁠10 5 s -1 . The PTW model accurately predicted the deformed shapes of the cylinders, with modest discrepancies attributed to the inability of PTW to capture the effects of twinning and dynamic recrystallization. Some material in the simulations of higher velocity Taylor cylinders reached the melting temperature, thus testing the multiphase model because of the presence of a second phase, the liquid. In simulations using a traditional modeling approach, the abrupt reduction of strength upon melt resulted in poor predictions of the deformed shape and non-physical temperatures. With CMMP, the most deformed material points evolved gradually to a mixed solid–liquid but never a fully liquid state, never fully lost strength, stayed at the melt temperature as the latent heat of fusion was absorbed, and predicted the deformed shape well.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Eulerian simulation of complex suspensions and biolocomotion in three dimensions

Significance Fluid–structure interactions are ubiquitous in many natural and man-made environments. They are difficult to study analytically, and therefore accurate and flexible computational methods are an indispensable tool in the field. Typically, fluids are simulated with a fixed background computational mesh, whereas a solid is simulated with a mesh that moves with it, making it challenging to couple the two. Here we develop a three-dimensional computational method where both fluid and solid can be represented on a fixed computational grid, which simplifies the coupling between the two phases considerably. Our method can simulate scenarios that are difficult to do with other methods, such as complex suspensions containing soft particles that are both heavier and lighter than the fluid.

3D fluid-structure interaction↗
DOE OSTI2023

Detectability of subsolar mass neutron stars through a template bank search

Here, we study the detectability of gravitational-wave signals from subsolar-mass binary neutron star systems by the current generation of ground-based gravitational-wave detectors. We find that finite size effects from large tidal deformabilities of the neutron stars and lower merger frequencies can significantly impact the sensitivity of the detectors to these sources. By simulating a matched-filter based search using injected binary neutron star signals with tidal deformabilities derived from physically motivated equations of state, we calculate the reduction in sensitivity of the detectors. We conclude that the loss in sensitive volume can be as high as 78.4% for an equal mass binary system of chirp mass 0.17M ⊙ , in a search conducted using binary black hole template banks. We use this loss in sensitive volume, in combination with the results from the search for subsolar-mass binaries conducted on data collected by the LIGO-Virgo observatories during their first three observing runs, to obtain a conservative upper limit on the merger rate of subsolar-mass binary neutron stars. Since the discovery of a low-mass neutron star would provide new insight into formation mechanisms of neutron stars and further constrain the equation of state of dense nuclear matter, our result merits a dedicated search for subsolar-mass binary neutron star signals.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Initial Simulations of Empty Room Collapse and Reconsolidation at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a geologic repository for defense-related nuclear waste. If left undisturbed, the virtually impermeable rock salt surrounding the repository will isolate the nuclear waste from the biosphere. If humans accidentally intrude into the repository in the future, then the likelihood of a radionuclide release to the biosphere will depend significantly on the porosity and permeability of the repository itself. Room ceilings and walls at the WIPP tend to collapse over time, causing rubble piles to form on floors of empty rooms. The surrounding rock formation will gradually compact these rubble piles until they eventually become solid salt, but the length of time for a rubble pile to reach a certain porosity and permeability is unknown. This report details the first efforts to build models to predict the porosity and permeability evolution of an empty room as it closes. Conventional geomechanical numerical methods would struggle to model empty room collapse and rubble pile consolidation, so three different meshless methods, the Immersed Isogeometric Analysis Meshfree, Reproducing Kernel Particle Method (RKPM), and the Conformal Reproducing Kernel method, were assessed. First, the meshless methods and the finite element method each simulated gradual room closure, without ceiling or wall collapse. All three methods produced equivalent room closure predictions with comparable computational speed. Second, the Immersed Isogeometric Analysis Meshfree method and RKPM simulated two-dimensional empty room collapse and rubble pile consolidation. Both methods successfully simulated large viscoplastic deformations, fracture, and rubble pile rearrangement to produce qualitatively realistic results. In addition to geomechanical simulations, the flow channels in damaged salt and crushed salt were measured using micro-computed tomography, and input into a computational fluid dynamics simulation to predict the salt's permeability. Although room for improvement exists, the current simulation approaches appear promising.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Enabling Particulate Materials Processing Science for High-Consequence, Small-Lot Precision Manufacturing

This Laboratory Directed Research and Development project developed and applied closely coupled experimental and computational tools to investigate powder compaction across multiple length scales. The primary motivation for this work is to provide connections between powder feedstock characteristics, processing conditions, and powder pellet properties in the context of powder-based energetic components manufacturing. We have focused our efforts on multicrystalline cellulose, a molecular crystalline surrogate material that is mechanically similar to several energetic materials of interest, but provides several advantages for fundamental investigations. We report extensive experimental characterization ranging in length scale from nanometers to macroscopic, bulk behavior. Experiments included nanoindentation of well-controlled, micron-scale pillar geometries milled into the surface of individual particles, single-particle crushing experiments, in-situ optical and computed tomography imaging of the compaction of multiple particles in different geometries, and bulk powder compaction. In order to capture the large plastic deformation and fracture of particles in computational models, we have advanced two distinct meshfree Lagrangian simulation techniques: 1.) bonded particle methods, which extend existing discrete element method capabilities in the Sandia-developed , open-source LAMMPS code to capture particle deformation and fracture and 2.) extensions of peridynamics for application to mesoscale powder compaction, including a novel material model that includes plasticity and creep. We have demonstrated both methods for simulations of single-particle crushing as well as mesoscale multi-particle compaction, with favorable comparisons to experimental data. We have used small-scale, mechanical characterization data to inform material models, and in-situ imaging of mesoscale particle structures to provide initial conditions for simulations. Both mesostructure porosity characteristics and overall stress-strain behavior were found to be in good agreement between simulations and experiments. We have thus demonstrated a novel multi-scale, closely coupled experimental and computational approach to the study of powder compaction. This enables a wide range of possible investigations into feedstock-process-structure relationships in powder-based materials, with immediate applications in energetic component manufacturing, as well as other particle-based components and processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

CHIPFoam Modification to Allow for Modelling SWIFT Foams

SWIFT (Silicon-water in Familiar Template) foams are silicone foams that have a continuous porosity without having any obvious spherical or ellipsoidal pore shapes. Like other foamed rubber, SWIFT foams can experience large reversible deformations. Because of their microstructure, SWIFT foams have a stiffering behavior in compression that is very abrupt compared to most other foamed rubbers. Work by Benedikt reported by Miller showed that fitting compressive test data with the CHIPFoam model in its current form is impractical and inaccurate. This report describes an extension made to CHIPFoam to allow the modeling of SWIFT foams. While the extension allows the modeling of SWIFT foams, it also extends the range of porosity of foams that can be modelled with CHIPFoam to include very high porosity (>99%) foamed rubber. The previous model was unstable for porosities greater than 70%. The changes made to CHIPFoam include the introduction of a critical porosity at which the compressible Danielsson strain energy function that couples volumetric and deviatoric mechanical behavior begins to increase with compression. This new feature also required the introduction of a third term in the multiplicative decomposition of the relative volume, J . The organization of this report is described here. The first section, SWIFT Foam Structure and Mechanical Behavior, describes the structure of SWIFT foams as contrasted to other foamed rubbers. It also contrasts the mechanical behavior of SWIFT foams to other more traditional foamed rubbers. The second section, CHIPFoam Modifications, describes the specific modifications done to be able to modify the delayed rapid compressive stiffening seen in SWIFT foams. The third section, Results, demonstrates the use of the modified model to fit compressive loading response data from a SWIFT foam sample. The fourth section, Conclusions and Further Work, puts the work in perspective and presents likely further work.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Liquid Crystal Orientation and Shape Optimization for the Active Response of Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are responsive materials that can undergo large reversible deformations upon exposure to external stimuli, such as electrical and thermal fields. Controlling the alignment of their liquid crystals mesogens to achieve desired shape changes unlocks a new design paradigm that is unavailable when using traditional materials. While experimental measurements can provide valuable insights into their behavior, computational analysis is essential to exploit their full potential. Accurate simulation is not, however, the end goal; rather, it is the means to achieve their optimal design. Such design optimization problems are best solved with algorithms that require gradients, i.e., sensitivities, of the cost and constraint functions with respect to the design parameters, to efficiently traverse the design space. In this work, a nonlinear LCE model and adjoint sensitivity analysis are implemented in a scalable and flexible finite element-based open source framework and integrated into a gradient-based design optimization tool. To display the versatility of the computational framework, LCE design problems that optimize both the material, i.e., liquid crystal orientation, and structural shape to reach a target actuated shapes or maximize energy absorption are solved. Multiple parameterizations, customized to address fabrication limitations, are investigated in both 2D and 3D. The case studies are followed by a discussion on the simulation and design optimization hurdles, as well as potential avenues for improving the robustness of similar computational frameworks for applications of interest.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1970

Discrete control of linear distributed systems with application to the deformable primary mirror of a large orbiting telescope

The results are presented of a detailed study of the discrete control of linear distributed systems with specific application to the design of a practical controller for a plant representative of a telescope primary mirror for an orbiting astronomical observatory. The problem of controlling the distributed plant is treated by employing modal techniques to represent variations in the optical figure. Distortion of the mirror surface, which arises primarily from thermal gradients, is countered by actuators working against a backing structure to apply a corrective force distribution to the controlled surface. Each displacement actuator is in series with a spring attached to the mirror by means of a pad intentionally introduced to restrict the excitation of high-order modes. Control is exerted over a finite number of the most significant modes.

Creedon, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Observations of limb flares with a soft X-ray telescope

The structure and evolution of 26 limb flares have been observed with a soft X-ray telescope flown on Skylab. The results are: (1) One or more well defined loops were the only structures of flare intensity observed during the rise phase and near flare maximum, except for knots which were close to the resolution of the telescope; (2) the flare core features were always sharply defined during rise phase; and (3) for the twenty events which contained loops, the geometry of the structure near maximum was that of a loop in ten cases, a loop with a spike at the top in four cases, a cusp or triangle in four cases, and a cusp combined with a spike in another two cases. Based on observation of the original film, it is suggested that flares which underwent large scale deformations had become unstable to MHD kinks. This implies that these flares occurred in magnetic flux tubes through which significant currents were flowing.

Gibson, E. G.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Variational theorems for superimposed motions in elasticity, with application to beams

Variational theorems are presented for a theory of small motions superimposed on large static deformations and governing equations for prestressed beams on the basis of 3-D theory of elastodynamics. First, the principle of virtual work is modified through Friedrichs's transformation so as to describe the initial stress problem of elastodynamics. Next, the modified principle together with a chosen displacement field is used to derive a set of 1-D macroscopic governing equations of prestressed beams. The resulting equations describe all the types of superimposed motions in elastic beams, and they include all the effects of transverse shear and normal strains, and the rotatory inertia. The instability of the governing equations is discussed briefly.

Doekmeci, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Observations of limb flares with a soft X-ray telescope

Photographs of 26 solar limb flares observed with a soft X-ray telescope flown on Skylab are analyzed. Large-scale deformations of flare loops that occurred in the course of several events and a small-scale short-lived pertubation of a flare loop, recorded immediately before a type III radio burst, are discussed. It is suggested that the deformations are caused by MHD kinks, implying that the flares occurred in magnetic flux tubes where significant currents were flowing. An account involving the electric field is proposed to explain the type III radio bursts accompanying the small short-lived loop perturbation.

Gibson, E. G.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Image degradation in Langley 0.3-meter transonic cryogenic tunnel

The optical quality of gas in a cryogenic wind tunnel was determined by observing Sayce targets through different pathlengths of the medium. The data were used to determine the square wave response of the test gas. At conditions corresponding to 15 times ambient density, considerable decrease in response to higher spatial frequencies was noted even in the absence of flow. Under flow conditions, vibrations further degraded the response. The results are interpreted in terms of possible photogrammetric approaches to measure model deformation in large cryogenic facilities such as the National Transonic Facility.

Snow, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Finite element analysis of wrinkling membranes

The finite element analysis of wrinkling membranes was investigated. The determination of stresses and deformations within large partly wrinkled membrane surfaces is a problem of significant technical interest in such areas as conceptual design and analysis of ultra lightweight spacecraft structures. A closed-form solution to an axisymmetric problem involving partial wrinkling of an inflated shallow membrane was obtained. In particular, a membrane in the shape of a sperical annulus was considered. The outer edge of the annulus was assumed to be fixed so that no displacements occur along the outer perimeter. The inner edge is assumed to be clamped to a rigid movable plug. Solutions for the complete stress, strain, and displacement fields under the assumption of inextensional material behavior are presented for the case of pure torsional loads applied to the plug, and for the case of pure axial loads applied to the plug.

Miller, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

International lithosphere program - Exploiting the geodynamics revolution

After presenting a development history of the application of spacecraft technology in the field of earth dynamics, which encompasses the measurement of the motion and the large scale deformation of the tectonic plates as well as the monitoring of earth's gravity and magnetic fields, attention is given to the International Lithosphere Program (ILP). ILP studies the dynamics and evolution of the lithosphere, with a view to earth resources identification and geological hazard reduction. Among the major problems being addressed is the mechanism by which magmas are generated, extruded, and intruded, at convergent and divergent plate boundaries and within plates. By contrast to current understanding of rifting, almost nothing is known about how the process of subduction begins. The methods used to measure tectonic plate phenomena are: laser ranging to both the moon and man-made satellites, and VLBI.

Flinn, E. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Development of a numerical procedure to map a general 3-d body onto a near-circle

Conformal mapping is a classical technique utilized for solving problems in aerodynamics and hydrodynamics. Conformal mapping is utilized in the construction of grids around airfoils, engine inlets and other aircraft configurations. These shapes are transformed onto a near-circle image for which the equations of fluid motion are discretized on the mapped plane and solved numerically by utilizing the appropriate techniques. In comparison to other grid-generation techniques such as algerbraic or differential type, conformal mapping offers an analytical and accurate form even if the grid deformation is large. One of the most appealing features is that the grid can be constrained to remain orthogonal to the body after the transformation. Hence, the grid is suitable for analyzing the supersonic flow past a blunt object. The associated shock as a coordinate surface adjusts its position in the course of computation until convergence is reached. The present work applied conformal mapping to 3-D bodies with no axis of symmetry such as the Aerobraking Flight Experiment (AFE) vehicle, transforming the AFE shape onto a near-circle image. A numerical procedure and code are used to generate grids around the AFE body.

Hommel, M. J.↗