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515 records · Page 23

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Recent Developments in Safe Lithium Ion Battery Design for Human Space Flight

This presentation provides an overview of EVA batteries and introduces the concept of designing lithium ion batteries that resist the propagation of a single cell catastrophic failure. Thermal runaway initiation methods are briefly discussed, and the safe performance of the resulting designs is summarized. Approached in an incremental fashion, each subsequent battery design is introduced, ending with a current development for the Exploration EVA spacesuit. Challenges in achieving safe design performance with limited internal volume are briefly discussed and forward work is identified. Video examples of both propagating and non-propagating designs are included.

lithium ion↗

DOE OSTI2024

Machine learning the electric field response of condensed phase systems using perturbed neural network potentials

Abstract The interaction of condensed phase systems with external electric fields is of major importance in a myriad of processes in nature and technology, ranging from the field-directed motion of cells (galvanotaxis), to geochemistry and the formation of ice phases on planets, to field-directed chemical catalysis and energy storage and conversion systems including supercapacitors, batteries and solar cells. Molecular simulation in the presence of electric fields would give important atomistic insight into these processes but applications of the most accurate methods such as ab-initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) are limited in scope by their computational expense. Here we introduce Perturbed Neural Network Potential Molecular Dynamics (PNNP MD) to push back the accessible time and length scales of such simulations. We demonstrate that important dielectric properties of liquid water including the field-induced relaxation dynamics, the dielectric constant and the field-dependent IR spectrum can be machine learned up to surprisingly high field strengths of about 0.2 V Å −1 without loss in accuracy when compared to ab-initio molecular dynamics. This is remarkable because, in contrast to most previous approaches, the two neural networks on which PNNP MD is based are exclusively trained on molecular configurations sampled from zero-field MD simulations, demonstrating that the networks not only interpolate but also reliably extrapolate the field response. PNNP MD is based on rigorous theory yet it is simple, general, modular, and systematically improvable allowing us to obtain atomistic insight into the interaction of a wide range of condensed phase systems with external electric fields.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

NASA NTRS2019

Safe, High Power / Voltage Battery Design Challenges

NASA seeks safe, high performing battery module designs that can deliver 3C discharge rates continuously, achieve 160 Wh/kg, and is passively propagation resistant to a single cell thermal runaway event. One solution is presented that uses a patented oscillating heat pipe technology for thermal management. Combined with light weight packaging and a new commercially available gas permeable vent port, all 5 preliminary safety tests results performed to date are showing ample margins.

High power↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Reductively Stable Electrolyte Realizes Deep Cycling Behavior in Anode‐free Sodium Batteries

For anode‐free sodium batteries to achieve practical consideration, highly reversible chemistries require exceptional ≥99.95% coulombic efficiencies that maintain over prolonged cycling periods. To do so, consumption of this severely limited sodium inventory must be restricted while metal nucleation processes that comprise the in situ formed metal anode are improved. Herein, we describe a fluorine‐free carborane electrolyte that satisfies these criteria by emphasizing reductive stability and weakly coordinating anion behavior as design principles. We find this approach promotes the development of a thin, robust SEI chemistry rich in both organic speciation and boron. The electrolyte described herein exhibits ideal metal nucleation behavior on one‐micron thin carbonaceous current collector surfaces and achieves a metal deposition/stripping efficiency near parity for 400 cycles. This novel anode chemistry is introduced to anode‐free full cell configurations where 87% of the initial discharge capacity is retained after 1000 cycles at 2.0 C. In conclusion, post‐test characterization of deep‐cycled anode‐free cells reveals suppressed capacity fade in these systems is attributed to the chemical stability of the carborane anion.

anode-free↗

DOE OSTI2025

Direct observation of distinct bulk and edge nonequilibrium spin accumulation in ultrathin MoTe 2

Low-symmetry two-dimensional (2D) topological materials such as MoTe 2 host efficient charge-to-spin conversion (CSC) mechanisms that can be harnessed for novel electronic and spintronic devices. However, the nature of the various CSC mechanisms and their correlation with underlying crystal symmetries remain unsettled. In this work, we use local spin-sensitive electrochemical potential measurements to directly probe the spatially dependent nonequilibrium spin accumulation in MoTe 2 flakes down to four atomic layers. We are able to clearly disentangle contributions originating from the spin Hall and Rashba-Edelstein effects and uncover an abundance of unconventional spin polarizations that develop uniquely in the sample bulk and edges with decreasing thickness. Using ab-initio calculations, we construct a unified understanding of all the observed CSC components in relation to the material dimensionality and stacking arrangement. Our findings not only illuminate previous CSC results on MoTe 2 but also have important ramifications for future devices that can exploit the local and layer-dependent spin properties of this 2D topological material.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

NASA NTRS1976

Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: Preliminary Science Report

This document summarizes the experimental concepts and preliminary analyses (as of December 1975) for each of the 28 scientific experiments conducted during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project from July 15 to 24, 1975. The scientific topics are X- ray and extreme ultraviolet astronomy, solar astronomy, gamma- ray detectors, Earth studies (including the upper atmosphere, meteorological phenomena, hydrology, oceanography, geology, desert studies, and gravity field studies), microbiology, heavy cosmic particle interaction with live cells, vestibular system studies, and materials processing (including high-temperature and ambient-temperature processing of industrial materials and electrophoretic processing of biological materials) .

Microbiology↗

NASA NTRS2023

Evaluation of Ultrasonic Battery Inspection Techniques

Lithium metal batteries are prone to subtle defects such as internal dendrites, which can cause internal short circuits and lead to catastrophic ignition. These defects are often undetectable by battery management systems, prompting the need to advance nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for battery applications. In this work, two ultrasonic approaches were compared to establish their relative merits for this application: local ultrasonic resonance spectroscopy, and guided wave ultrasound. Benchtop experiments on batteries seeded with lithium chips emulating plating were used to demonstrate the two techniques. The results show the ability to identify and map local changes in cell structure.

Ultrasound↗

DOE OSTI2026

Photovoltage behaviour of p-Sb 2 S 3 photocathodes for hydrogen evolution: effect of n-In 2 S 3 passivation layers

The 1.76 eV band gap of antimony(iii) sulphide (Sb 2 S 3 ) makes this semiconductor material a promising light absorber for photoelectrochemical water splitting, but scalable fabrication approaches to efficient devices are still lacking. Here we show that compact Sb 2 S 3 films on FTO can be obtained by electrochemical growth from aqueous colloidal sulphur and antimony trichloride solutions, followed by mild annealing. These films can be converted into hydrogen evolution photocathodes after coating with In 2 S 3 passivation layers and the addition of Pt proton reduction co-catalysts. For the first time, vibrating Kelvin probe surface photovoltage (VKP-SPV) spectroscopy is used to observe the carrier dynamics in such photoelectrodes. While the bare Sb 2 S 3 films suffer from high surface recombination rates and poor electron extraction, the In 2 S 3 overlayer is found to raise the photovoltage and cathodic photocurrent density, due to passivation of surface defects and formation of a p–n heterojunction. In thick In 2 S 3 films, these benefits are offset by shading and slow electron transfer. Also, we find that O 2 strongly affects the band bending in the Sb 2 S 3 –air and In 2 S 3 –air junctions and their photovoltage. The optimised devices evolve H 2 at 77.5% Faradaic efficiency and with 0.084% applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) at 0.12 V vs. RHE. The low ABPE value is attributed to Sb 2 S 3 sub-bandgap defects visible in SPV spectra, the random orientation of Sb 2 S 3 crystallites in the films, which inhibits charge transport, the absence of crystal facets of Sb 2 S 3 , and a detrimental Schottky junction at the FTO|Sb 2 S 3 interface.

de Araújo, Moisés A. [University of California, Da↗

NASA NTRS1983

The Galileo probe Li/SO2 battery: The safest battery on Jupiter

The unique power requirement of NASA's Galileo Jupiter Probe are most readily met by a Li/SO2 battery; however, because this battery system is not space flight proven, extensive effort was required to qualify this device from the stand point of performance and safety. Due to the rather checkered safety record of the Li/SO2 system, safety has been foremost among the design considerations and has been addressed at the cell, battery and system level. The mission requirements which led to the choice of the Li/SO2 battery and the safety engineering which went into the battery and power system design are described.

Marcoux, L. S.↗

NASA NTRS2023

Evaluation of Ultrasonic Battery Inspection Techniques

Ultrasound↗

NASA NTRS1994

Primary battery design and safety guidelines handbook

This handbook provides engineers and safety personnel with guidelines for the safe design or selection and use of primary batteries in spaceflight programs. Types of primary batteries described are silver oxide zinc alkaline, carbon-zinc, zinc-air alkaline, manganese dioxide-zionc alkaline, mercuric oxide-zinc alkaline, and lithium anode cells. Along with typical applications, the discussions of the individual battery types include electrochemistry, construction, capacities and configurations, and appropriate safety measures. A chapter on general battery safety covers hazard sources and controls applicable to all battery types. Guidelines are given for qualification and acceptance testing that should precede space applications. Permissible failure levels for NASA applications are discussed.

Bragg, Bobby J.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Data Base and Guidelines Document Developed for Lithium-Ion Battery

Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are fast becoming the battery chemistry of choice for aerospace applications requiring (rechargeable) power supplies. These batteries offer high-energy density and high-specific energy combined with excellent rate capability and cycle potential. The increased energy content and operational characteristics of this system require defined safety and handling procedures to ensure the safe implementation. Standardized approaches to defining, determining, and addressing safety, handling, and qualification for Li-Ion batteries have been developed and published as an NESC-sponsored Li-Ion Battery Guidelines Document. A data base was established cataloging cells and batteries that have been considered for aerospace applications.

Data Base and Guidelines↗

DOE OSTI2024

Uniaxial stress effect on the electronic structure of quantum materials

Uniaxial stress has proven to be a powerful experimental tuning parameter for effectively controlling lattice, charge, orbital, and spin degrees of freedom in quantum materials. In addition, its ability to manipulate the symmetry of materials has garnered significant attention. Recent technical progress to combine uniaxial stress cells with quantum oscillation and angle-resolved photoemission techniques allowed to study the electronic structure as function of uniaxial stress. This review provides an overview on experimental advancements in methods and examines studies on diverse quantum materials, encompassing the semimetal WTe2, the unconventional superconductor Sr2RuO4, Fe-based superconductors, and topological materials.

FOS: Physical sciences↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Dry Pressed, High Areal Loading Electrode Architectures Enabled by Holey Graphene

For future electric aviation, advanced battery cell chemistry beyond lithium ion batteries are required to meet mission requirements. High energy density battery concepts such as lithium-sulfur (Li-S) and lithiumoxygen (Li-O2) chemistries are being intensively investigated to realize their extraordinary theoretical promise in terms of energy density. Most fabrication methods of cathodes for these novel battery chemistries followed a conventional approach. In this approach, the active material is mixed with a polymer binder and a conductive carbon in a high-boiling organic solvent to form a slurry, followed by casting onto a current collector and solvent evaporation. The process is usually lengthy and poses environmental hazards due to the use of organic solvents.

Lin Yi↗

NASA NTRS1995

A review of nickel hydrogen battery technology

This paper on nickel hydrogen batteries is an overview of the various nickel hydrogen battery design options, technical accomplishments, validation test results and trends. There is more than one nickel hydrogen battery design, each having its advantage for specific applications. The major battery designs are individual pressure vessel (IPV), common pressure vessel (CPV), bipolar and low pressure metal hydride. State-of-the-art (SOA) nickel hydrogen batteries are replacing nickel cadmium batteries in almost all geosynchronous orbit (GEO) applications requiring power above 1 kW. However, for the more severe low earth orbit (LEO) applications (greater than 30,000 cycles), the current cycle life of 4000 to 10,000 cycles at 60 percent DOD should be improved. A NASA Lewis Research Center innovative advanced design IPV nickel hydrogen cell led to a breakthrough in cycle life enabling LEO applications at deep depths of discharge (DOD). A trend for some future satellites is to increase the power level to greater than 6 kW. Another trend is to decrease the power to less than 1 kW for small low cost satellites. Hence, the challenge is to reduce battery mass, volume and cost. A key is to develop a light weight nickel electrode and alternate battery designs. A common pressure vessel (CPV) nickel hydrogen battery is emerging as a viable alternative to the IPV design. It has the advantage of reduced mass, volume and manufacturing costs. A 10 Ah CPV battery has successfully provided power on the relatively short lived Clementine Spacecraft. A bipolar nickel hydrogen battery design has been demonstrated (15,000 LEO cycles, 40 percent DOD). The advantage is also a significant reduction in volume, a modest reduction in mass, and like most bipolar designs, features a high pulse power capability. A low pressure aerospace nickel metal hydride battery cell has been developed and is on the market. It is a prismatic design which has the advantage of a significant reduction in volume and a reduction in manufacturing cost.

Smithrick, John J.↗

NASA NTRS1999

DS-2 Mars Microprobe Battery

In January of 1999 the NM DS-2 Mars microprobe will be launched to impact on Mars in December. The technical objectives of the missions are to demonstrate: key technologies, a passive atmospheric entry, highly integrated microelectronics which can withstand both low temperatures and high decelerations, and the capability to conduct in-situ, surface and subsurface science data acquisition. The scientific objectives are to determine if ice is present below the Martian surface, measure the local atmospheric pressure, characterize the thermal properties of the martian subsurface soil, and to estimate the vertical temperature gradient of the Martian soil. The battery requirements are 2-4 cell batteries, with voltage of 6-14 volts, capacity of 550 mAh at 80C, and 2Ah at 25C, shelf life of 2.5 years, an operating temperature of 60C and below, and the ability to withstand shock impact of 80,000 g's. The technical challenges and the approach is reviewed. The Li-SOCL2 system is reviewed, and graphs showing the current and voltage is displayed, along with the voltage over discharge time. The problems encountered during the testing were: (1) impact sensitivity, (2) cracking of the seals, and (3) delay in voltage. A new design resulted in no problems in the impact testing phase. The corrective actions for the seal problems involved: (1) pre weld fill tube, (2) an improved heat sink during case to cover weld and (3) change the seal dimensions to reduce stress. To correct the voltage delay problem the solutions involved: (1) drying the electrodes to reduce contamination by water, (2) assemblage of the cells within a week of electrode manufacture, (3) ensure electrolyte purity, and (4) provide second depassivation pulse after landing. The conclusions on further testing were that the battery can: (1) withstand anticipated shock of up to 80,000 g, (2) meet the discharge profile post shock at Mars temperatures, (3) meet the required self discharge rate and (4) meet environmental requirements.

Frank, H.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Speciation of Transition Metal Dissolution in Electrolyte from Common Cathode Materials

Significant capacity loss has been observed across extended cycling of lithium-ion batteries cycled to high potential. One of the sources of capacity fade is transition metal dissolution from the cathode active material, ion migration through the electrolyte, and deposition on the solid-electrolyte interphase on the anode. While much research has been conducted on the oxidation state of the transition metal in the cathode active material or deposited on the anode, there have been limited investigations of the oxidation state of the transition metal ions dissolved in the electrolyte. Here, in this work, X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been performed on electrolytes extracted from cells built with four different cathode active materials (LiMn 2 O 4 (LMO), LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO), LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811), and (x Li 2 MnO 3 *(1-x) LiNi a Mn b Co c O 2 , with a+b+c=1) (LMRNMC)) that were cycled at either high or standard potentials to determine the oxidation state of Mn and Ni in solution. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has been performed on the anodes from these cells to determine the concentration of deposited transition metal ions. While transition metal ions were found dissolved in all electrolytes, the oxidation state(s) of Mn and Ni were determined to be dependent on the cathode material and independent of cycling potential.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS2026

A Modular Conjugate Heat Transfer Optimization Framework for Thermal Management of Electric Aircraft

Conjugate heat transfer (CHT) analysis and optimization is a powerful method for improving thermal management, as it simultaneously resolves the temperature distribution in both fluid and solid domains. This paper presents a modular, discrete adjoint-based CHT optimization capability integrated within the OpenMDAO/MPhys framework. A unique feature of the proposed framework is its flexibility to extend to multidisciplinary optimization, including aero-structural-thermal applications. The fluid domain is modeled using a finite-volume Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) solver, and the solid domain with a conduction heat transfer solver. A mixed Neumann-Dirichlet boundary condition is developed to enable full submersion of the solid geometry within the fluid domain, while ensuring consistent temperature and heat flux coupling at the CHT interface. Gradient-based optimization is performed; the gradients are efficiently computed using the discrete adjoint solvers implemented in DAFoam. To demonstrate the method, this paper considers two cases related to electric aircraft thermal management: a U-bend heat exchanger and an actively cooled battery pack. The U-bend case aims to minimize pressure loss while maximizing heat flux by changing the pipe geometry. The optimized design reduces pressure loss by 52.7% and increases total heat flux by 2.3%. In the battery pack case, a 3-by-3 cell configuration is cooled by ambient airflow, with constant heat generation prescribed in the cells. The battery casing shape serves as the design variable, and the objective function is a weighted sum of pressure loss and pack weight, subject to a maximum temperature constraint. The optimized design achieves a 44.6% reduction in pressure loss and a 1.5% reduction in weight, while satisfying the thermal constraint. To ensure the reliability of the optimized designs, this study validates coarse-mesh, steady-state predictions against fine-mesh unsteady simulations, demonstrating consistency within acceptable errors. This work demonstrates the potential of the developed framework to enable rapid, high-fidelity design of thermal management systems for electric aircraft.

heat transfer↗