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NASA NTRS1997

SiC Recession Due to SiO2 Scale Volatility Under Combustor Conditions

One of today's most important and challenging technological problems is the development of advanced materials and processes required to design and build a fleet of supersonic High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) airliners, a follow-up to the Concorde SST. The innovative combustor designs required for HSCT engines will need high-temperature materials with long-term environmental stability. Higher combustor liner temperatures than today's engines and the need for lightweight materials will require the use of advanced ceramic-matrix composites (CMC's) in hot-section components. The HSCT is just one example being used to demonstrate the need for such materials. This thesis evaluates silicon carbide (SiC) as a potential base material for HSCT and other similar applications. Key issues are the environmental durability for the materials of interest. One of the leading combustor design schemes leads to an environment which will contain both oxidizing and reducing gas mixtures. The concern is that these environments may affect the stability of the silica (SiO2) scale on which SiC depends for environmental protection. A unique High Pressure Burner Rig (HPBR) was developed to simulate the combustor conditions of future gas turbine engines, and a series of tests were conducted on commercially available SiC material. These tests are intended as a feasibility study for the use of these materials in applications such as the HSCT. Linear weight loss and surface recession of the SiC is observed as a result of SiO2 volatility for both fuel-lean and fuel-rich gas mixtures. These observations are compared and agree well with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments. A strong Arrhenius-type temperature dependence exists. In addition, the secondary dependencies of pressure and gas velocity are defined. As a result, a model is developed to enable extrapolation to points outside the experimental space of the burner rig, and in particular, to potential gas turbine engine conditions.

Robinson, Raymond Craig↗
NASA NTRS1997

Surface Catalysis and Characterization of Proposed Candidate TPS for Access-to-Space Vehicles

Surface properties have been obtained on several classes of thermal protection systems (TPS) using data from both side-arm-reactor and arc-jet facilities. Thermochemical stability, optical properties, and coefficients for atom recombination were determined for candidate TPS proposed for single-stage-to-orbit vehicles. The systems included rigid fibrous insulations, blankets, reinforced carbon carbon, and metals. Test techniques, theories used to define arc-jet and side-arm-reactor flow, and material surface properties are described. Total hemispherical emittance and atom recombination coefficients for each candidate TPS are summarized in the form of polynomial and Arrhenius expressions.

Stewart, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics of the Reaction of O((sup 3)P) with CF3NO

A laser flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the reaction of O((sup 3)P) with CF3NO (k(2)) as a function of temperature. Our results are described by the Arrhenius expression k(2)(T) = (4.54 +/- 0.70) x 10(exp -l2)exp[(-560 +/- 46)/T] cu cm/molecule.s (243 K is less than or equal to T is less than or equal to 424 K); errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only. The O((sup 3)P) + CF3NO reaction is sufficiently rapid that CF3NO cannot be employed as a selective quencher for O2(alpha(1) Delta-g) in laboratory systems where O((sup 3)P) and O2(alpha 1 Delta g) coexist, and where O((sup 3)P) kinetics are being investigated.

Thorn, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Laser Flash Photolysis Studies of Radical-Radical Reaction Kinetics: The O((sup 3)P(sub J)) + BrO Reaction

A novel dual laser flash photolysis-long path absorption-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the important stratospheric reaction 0((sup 3)P(sub j)) + Br yields(k1) BrO((sup 2)P(sub J)) + O2 as a function of temperature (231-328 K) and pressure (25-150 Torr) in N2 buffer gas. The experimental approach preserves the principal advantages of the flash photolysis method, i.e., complete absence of surface reactions and a wide range of accessible pressures, but also employs techniques which are characteristic of the discharge flow method, namely chemical titration as a means for deducing the absolute concentration of a radical reactant and use of multiple detection axes. We find that k1 is independent of pressure, and that the temperature dependence of k1 is adequately described by the Arrhenius expression k1(T) = 1.91 x 10(exp -11)(230/J) cu cm/ molecule.s; the absolute accuracy of measured values for k1 is estimated to vary from +/- 20 percent at at T approximately 230 K to +/- 30 percent at T approximately 330 K. Our results demonstrate that the O((sup 3)P(sub j)) + BrO rate coefficient is significantly faster than previously 'guesstimated,' and suggest that the catalytic cycle with the O((sup 3)P(sub j)) + BrO reaction as its rate-limiting step is the dominant stratospheric BrO(x), odd-oxygen destruction cycle at altitudes above 24 km.

Thorn, R. P.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Temperature-Dependent Kinetics Studies of the Reactions Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + CH3SCH3 reversible reaction CH3SCH2 + HBr. Heat of Formation of the CH3SCH2 Radical

Time-resolved resonance fluorescence detection of Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) atom disappearance or appearance 266 nm laser flash photolysis of CF2Br2/CH3SCH3/H2/N2 and Cl2CO/CH2SCH3/HBr/H2/N2 mixtures has been employed to study the kinetics of the reactions Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + CH3SCH3 reversible reaction HBr + CH3SCH2 (1,-1) as a function of temperature over the range 386-604 K. Arrhenius expressions in units of cu cm/molecule which describe the results are k3= (9.0 +/- 2.9) x 10 (exp -11) exp[(-2386 +/- 151)/T]; errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only. To our knowledge, these are the first kinetic data reported for each of the two reactions studied. Second and third law analyses of the equilibrium data for reactions 1 and -1 have been employed to obtain the following enthalpies of reaction in units of kcal/mol: Delta-H(298) = 6.11 +/- 1.37 and Delta-H(0) = 5.37 +/- 1.38. Combining the above enthalpies of reaction with the well-known heats of formation of Br, HBr, CH3SCH3 gives the following heats of formation of the CH3SCH2 radical in units of kcal/mol: Delta-H(sub(f,298)) = 32.7 +/- 1.4 and Delta-H(sub (f,0)) = 35.3 +/- 1.4; errors are 2 sigma and represent estimates of absolute accuracy. The C-H bond dissociation energy in CH3SCH3 obtained from our data, 93.7 +/- 1.4 kcal/mol at 298 K and 92.0 +/- 1.4 kcal at 0 k, agrees well with a recent molecular beam photofragmentaion study but is 3 kcal/mol lower than the value obtained from an iodination kinetics study.

Jefferson, A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Temperature-Dependent Kinetics Studies of the Reactions Br((sup 2)P3/2) + H2S yields SH + HBr and Br((sup 2)P3/2) + CH3SH yields CH3S + HBr. Heats of Formation of SH and CH3S Radicals

Time resolved resonance fluorescence detection of Br(sup 2)P3/2) atom disappearance or appearance following 266-nm laser flash photolysis of CF2Br2/H2S/H2/N2, CF2Br2/CH3SH/H2/N2, Cl2CO/H2S/HBr/N2, and CH3SSCH3/HBr/H2/N2 mixtures has been employed to study the kinetics of the reactions Br((sup 2)P3/2) + H2S = SH + HBr (1,-1) and Br((sup2)P3/2) + CH3SH = CH3S + HBr (2, -2) as a function of temperature over the range 273-431K. Arrhenius expressions in units of 10(exp -12) cu cm/molecule/s which describe the results are k1 = (14.2 +/- 3.4) exp[(-2752 +/- 90)/T],(k-1) = (4.40 +/- 0.92) exp[(-971 +/- 73)/T],k(2) = (9.24 +/- 1.15) exp[(-386 +/- 41)/T], and k(-2) = (1.46 +/-0.21) exp[(-399 +/-41)/T; errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only. By examining Br((sup 2)P3/2) equilibrium kinetics following 355nm laser flash photolysis of Br2/CH3SH/H2/N2 mixtures, a 298 K rate coefficient of (1.7 +/- 0.5) x 10(exp -10) cu cm/molecule/s has been obtained for the reaction CH3S + Br2 yields CH3SBr + Br. To our knowledge, these are the first kinetic data reported for each of the reactions studied. Measured rate coefficients, along with known rate coefficients for similar radical + H2S, CH3SH, HBr,Br2 reactions are considered in terms of possible correlations of reactivity with reaction thermochemistry and with IP - EA, the difference between the ionization potential of the electron donor and the electron affinity of the electron acceptor. Both thermochemical and charge-transfer effects appear to be important in controlling observed reactivities. Second and third law analyses of the equilibrium data for reactions 1 and 2 have been employed to obtain the following enthalpies of reaction in units of kcal/mol: for reaction 1, Delta-H(298) = 3.64 +/- 0.43 and Delta-H(0) = 3.26 +/-0.45; for reaction 2, Delta-H(298) = -0.14 +/- 0.28 and Delta-H(0) = -0.65 +/- 0.36. Combining the above enthalpies of reaction with the well-known heats of formation of Br, HBr, H2S, and CH3SH gives the following heats of formation for the RS radicals in units of kcal/mol: Delta-H(sub f)(sub 0)(SH) = 34.07 +/- 0.72, Delta-H(sub f)(sub 298)(SH) = 34.18 +/- 0.68, Delta-H(sub f)(sub 0)(CH3S) = 31.44 +/- 0.54, Delta-H(sub f)(sub 298)(CH3S) = 29.78 +/- 0.44; errors are 2 sigma and represent estimates of absolute accuracy. The SH heat of formation determined from our data agrees well with literature values but has reduced error limits compared to other available values. The CH3S heat of formation determined from our date is near the low end of the range of previous estimates and is 3-4 kcal/mol lower than values derived from recent molecular beam photofragmentation studies.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Reaction of Hydoxyl Radicals with Acetonitrile under Atmospheric Conditions

The pulsed laser photolysis-pulsed laser induced fluorescence technique has been employed to determine absolute rate coefficients for the reaction OH + CH3CN (1) and its isotopic variants, OH + CD3CN (2), OD + CH3CN (3), and OD + CD3CN (4). Reactions 1 and 2 were studied as a function of pressure and temperature in N2, N2/O2, and He buffer gases. In the absence of O2 all four reactions displayed well-behaved kinetics with exponential OH decays and pseudo-first rate constants which were proportional to substrate concentration. Data obtained in N2 over the range 50-700 Torr at 298 K are consistent with k(sub 1), showing a small pressure dependence. The Arrhenius expression obtained by averaging data at all pressures in k(sub 1)(T) = (1.1(sup +0.5)/(sub -0.3)) x 10(exp -12) exp[(-1130 +/- 90)/T] cu cm /(molecule s). The kinetics of reaction 2 are found to be pressure dependent with k(sub 2) (298 K) increasing from (1.21 +/- 0.12) x 10(exp -14) to (2.16 +/- 0.11) x 10(exp -14) cm(exp 3)/ (molecule s) over the pressure range 50-700 Torr of N2 at 298 K. Data at pressures greater than 600 Torr give k(sub 2)(T) = (9.4((sup +13.4)(sub -5.0))) x 10(exp -13) exp[(-1180 +/- 250)/T] cu cm/(molecule s). The rates of reactions 3 and 4 are found to be independent of pressure over the range 50-700 Torr of N2 with 298 K rate coefficient given by k(sub 3) =(3.18 +/- 0.40) x 10(exp -14) cu cm/(molecule s) and k(sub 4) = (2.25 +/-0.28) x 10(exp -14) cu cm/(molecule s). In the presence of O2 each reaction shows complex (non-pseudo-first-order) kinetic behavior and/or an apparent decrease in the observed rate constant with increasing [O2], indicating the presence of significant OH or OD regeneration. Observation of regeneration of OH in (2) and OD in (3) is indicative of a reaction channel which proceeds via addition followed by reaction of the adduct, or one of its decomposition products, with O2. The observed OH and OD decay profiles have been modeled by using a simple mechanistic scheme to extract kinetic information about the adduct reations with O2 and branching ratios for OH regeneration. A plausible mechanism for OH regeneration in (2) involves OH addition to the nitrogen atom followed by O2 addition to the cyano carbon atom, isomeriazation and decomposition to D2CO + DOCN + OH. Our results suggest that the OH + CH3CN reaction occurs via a complex mechanism involving both bimolecular and termolecular pathways, analogous to the mechanisms for the the important atmospheric reactions of OH with CO and HNO3.

Hynes, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics of the Reactions of O((sup 3)P) and Cl((sup 2)P) with HBr and Br2

A laser flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of reactions (1)-(4) as a function of temperature. (1) O((sup 3)P) + Br2 yields BrO + Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) at 255-350 K; (2) Cl((sup 2)P) + Br2 yields BrCl + Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) at 298-401 K; (3) O((sup 3)P) + HBr yields OH + Br((sup 2)P(sub J)) at 250-402 K; (4) Cl((sup 2)P) + HBr yields HCl + Br((sup 2)P(sub J)) at 257-404 K. In all cases, the concentration of the excess reagent, i.e, HBr or Br2, was measured in situ in the slow flow system by UV-visible photometry. Heterogeneous dark reactions between XBr (X equals H or Br) and the photolytic precursors for Cl((sup 2)P) and O((sup 3)P) (Cl2 and O3, respectively) were avoided by injecting minimal amounts of precursor into the reaction mixture immediately upstream from the reaction zone. The following Arrhenius expressions summarize our results (errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only, units are cu cm/(molecule.s): k(sub 1) = (1.76 +/- 0.80) x 10(exp -11 exp[(40 +/- 100)/T]; k(sub 2) = (2.40 +/- 1.25) x 12(exp -10) exp[-(144 +/- 176)/T]; k(sub 3) = (5.11 +/- 2.82) x 10(exp -12) exp[-(1450 +/- 160)/T]; k(sub 4) = (2.25 +/- 0.56) x 10(exp -11) exp[-(400 +/- 80)/T]. The consistency (or lack thereof) of our results with those reported in previous kinetics and dynamics studies of reactions (1)-(4) is discussed.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics and Thermochemistry of ClCO Formation from the Cl + CO Association Reaction

Laser flash photolysis of Cl2/CO/M mixtures (M = N2, CO, Ar, CO2) has been employed in conjunction with Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) detection by time-resolved resonance fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate equilibration kinetics in the reactions Cl((sup 2)P(sub J)) + CO ClCO as a function of temperature (185-260 K) and pressure (14-200 Torr). The association and dissociation reactions are found to be in the low-pressure limit over the range of experimental conditions investigated. In N2 and/or CO buffer gases, the temperature dependences of the ClCO formation and dissociation reaction rate constants are described by the Arrhenius expressions k(sub 1) = (1.05 +/- 0.36) x 10(exp -34) exp[(810 +/- 70)/T] cm(exp 6)/molecules(exp 2).s and k(sub -1) = (4.1 +/- 3.1) x 10(exp -10) exp[(-2960 +/- 60)/T]cu cm/(molecule.s) (errors are 2 sigma). Second- and third-law analyses of the temperature dependence of the equilbrium constant (k/k-1) lead to the following thermodynamic parameters for the association reaction: Delta-H(sub 298) = -7.7 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol, Delta-H(sub 0) = -6.9 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol, Delta-S(sub 298) = -23.8 +/- 2.0 cal/mole.K, Delta-H(sub f,298)(ClCO) = 5.2 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol (errors are 2 sigma). The results repported in this study significantly reduce the uncertainties in all reported kinetic and thermodynamic parameters.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics of the Br2-CH3CHO Photochemical Chain Reaction

Time-resolved resonance fluorescence spectroscopy was employed in conjunction with laser flash photolysis of Br2 to study the kinetics of the two elementary steps in the photochemical chain reaction nBr2 + nCH3CHO + hv yields nCH3CBrO + nHBr. In the temperature range 255-400 K, the rate coefficient for the reaction Br((sup 2)P(sub 3/2)) + CH3CHO yields CH3CO + HBr is given by the Arrhenius expression k(sub 6)(T) = (1.51 +/- 0.20) x 10(exp -11) exp(-(364 +/- 41)/T)cu cm/(molecule.s). At 298 K, the reaction CH3CO + Br2 yields CH3CBrO + Br proceeds at a near gas kinetic rate, k(sub 7)(298 K) = (1.08 +/- 0.38) x 10(exp -10)cu cm/(molecule.s).

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Kinetics of the Reactions of F((sup 2)P) and Cl((sup 2)P) with HNO3

The kinetics of the reactions of HNO3 with fluorine (k(sub 1)) and Chlorine (k(sub 2)) atoms have been studied by using a time-resolved long-path laser absorption technique to monitor the appearance of product NO3 radicals following 351-nm pulsed laser photolysis of X2/HNO3/He mixtures (X = F,Cl). Absolute rate coefficients for the F((sup 2)P) + HNO reaction have been determined over the temperature range 260-373 K. Between 260 and 320 K, the data are adequately represented by the Arrhenius expression k(sub 1)(T) = (6.0 +/- 2.6) x 10(exp -12) exp[(40 +/- 120)/T]cu cm/(molecule.s). Between 335 and 373 K, the rate coefficient is found to be (2.0 +/- 0.3) x 10(exp -11)cu cm/(molecule.s) independent of temperature. The observed temperature dependence suggests that reaction proceeds via competing direct abstraction and complex pathways. No NO3 production was observed in the experiments with X equals Cl, thus establishing that k(sub 2)(298 K) is less than 2 x 10(exp -16) cu cm/(molecule.s). The Cl((sup 2)P) + HNO reaction was also investigated by using a pulsed laser photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique to monitor the decay of Cl((sup 2)P). Upper limit values for k(sub 2) obtained from these experiments, in units of 10(exp -16)cu cm/(molecule.s), are 13 at 298 K and 10 at 400 K.

Wine, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Temperature Dependence of the O + HO2 Rate Coefficient

A pulsed laser photolysis technique has been employed to investigate the kinetics of the radical-radical reaction O((sup 3)P) + HO2 OH + O2 over the temperature range 266-391 K in 80 Torr of N2 diluent gas. O((sup 3)P) was produced by 248.5-nm KrF laser photolysis of O3 followed by rapid quenching of O(1D) to O((sup 3)P) while HO2 was produced by simultaneous photolysis of H2O2 to create OH radicals which, in turn, reacted with H2O2 to yield HO2. The O((sup 3)P) temporal profile was monitored by using time-resolved resonance fluorescence spectroscopy. The HO2 concentration was calculated based on experimentally measured parameters. The following Arrhenius expression describes our experimental results: k(sub 1)(T) equals (2.91 +/- 0.70) x 10(exp -11) exp[(228 +/- 75)/T] where the errors are 2 sigma and represent precision only. The absolute uncertainty in k, at any temperature within the range 266-391 K is estimated to be +/- 22 percent. Our results are in excellent agreement with a discharge flow study of the temperature dependence of k(sub 1) in 1 Torr of He diluent reported by Keyser, and significantly reduce the uncertainty in the rate of this important stratospheric reaction at subambient temperatures.

Nicovich, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Check-Up of Planet Earth at the Turn of the Millennium: Anticipated New Phase in Earth Sciences

Langley's remarkable solar and lunar spectra collected from Mt. Whitney inspired Arrhenius to develop the first quantitative climate model in 1896. In 1999, NASA's Earth Observing AM Satellite (EOS-AM) will repeat Langley's experiment, but for the entire planet, thus pioneering calibrated spectral observations from space. Conceived in response to real environmental problems, EOS-AM, in conjunction with other international satellite efforts, will fill a major gap in current efforts by providing quantitative global data sets with a resolution of few kilometers on the physical, chemical and biological elements of the earth system. Thus, like Langley's data, EOS-AM can revolutionize climate research by inspiring a new generation of climate system models and enable us to assess the human impact on the environment.

Kaufman, Y. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Low-Temperature Oxidation Reactions and Cool Flames at Earth and Reduced Gravity

Non-isothermal studies of cool flames and low temperature oxidation reactions in unstirred closed vessels are complicated by the perturbing effects of natural convection at earth gravity. Buoyant convection due to self-heating during the course of slow reaction produces spatio-temporal variations in the thermal and thus specie concentration fields due to the Arrhenius temperature dependence of the reaction rates. Such complexities have never been quantitatively modeled and were the primary impetus for the development of CSTR's (continuously stirred tank reactors) 30 years ago. While CSTR's have been widely adopted since they offer the advantage of spatial uniformity in temperature and concentration, all gradients are necessarily destroyed along with any structure that may otherwise develop. Microgravity offers a unique environment where buoyant convection can be effectively minimized and the need for stirring eliminated. Moreover, eliminating buoyancy and the need for stirring eliminates complications associated with the induced hydrodynamic field whose influence on heat transport and hot spot formation, hence explosion limits, is not fully realized. The objective of this research is to quantitatively determine and understand the fundamental mechanisms that control the onset and evolution of low temperature reactions and cool flames in both static and flow reactors. Microgravity experiments will be conducted to obtain benchmark data on the structure (spatio-temporal temperature, concentration, flow fields), the dynamics of the chemical fronts, and the ignition diagrams (pressure vs. temperature). Ground-based experiments will be conducted to ascertain the role of buoyancy. Numerical simulations including detailed kinetics will be conducted and compared to experiment.

Pearlman, Howard↗
NASA NTRS1999

Check-Up of Planet Earth at the Turn of the Millennium Anticipated New Phase in Earth Sciences

Langley's remarkable solar and lunar spectra collected from mt. Whitney inspired Arrhenius to develop the first quantitative climate model in 1896. In 1999, NASA's Earth Observing AM Satellite named recently "Terra" (by Ms. Sasha Jones, a 17 year old student in St. Louis, MO) will repeat Langley's experiment, but for the entire planet, thus pioneering calibrated spectral observations from space. Conceived in response to real environmental problems, EOS-AM, in conjunction with other international satellite efforts, will fill a major gap in current efforts by providing quantitative global data sets with a resolution of few kilometers on the physical, chemical and biological elements of the earth system. Thus, like Langley's data, EOS-AM can revolutionize climate research by inspiring a new generation of climate system models and enable us to assess the human impact on the environment. In this talk I shall a give a historical perspective for the need for this expensive mission, give examples of the science that we anticipate to achieve using Terra measurements and describe this exciting mission.

Kaufman, Yoram↗
NASA NTRS1999

Rate Coefficient Measurements of the Reaction CH3 + O2 = CH3O + O

Rate coefficients for the reaction CH3 + O2 = CH3O + O were measured behind reflected shock waves in a series of lean CH4-O2-Ar mixtures using hydroxyl and methyl radical diagnostics. The rate coefficients are well represented by an Arrhenius expression given as k = (1.60(sup +0.67, sub -0.47 ) x 10(exp 13) e(-15813 +/- 587 K/T)/cubic cm.mol.s. This expression, which is valid in the temperature range 1575-1822 K, supports the downward trend in the rate coefficients that has been reported in recent determinations. All measurements to date, including the present study, have been to some extent affected by secondary reactions. The complications due to secondary reactions, choice of thermochemical data, and shock-boundary layer interactions that affect the determination of the rate coefficients are examined.

Hwang, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Check-Up of Planet Earth at the Turn of the Millennium: Contribution of EOS-Terra to a New Phase in Earth Sciences

Langley's remarkable solar and lunar spectra collected from Mt. Whitney inspired Arrhenius to develop the first quantitative climate model in 1896. In 1999, NASA's Earth Observing AM Satellite (EOS-Terra) will repeat Langley's experiment, but for the entire planet, thus pioneering a wide array of calibrated spectral observations from space of the Earth System. Conceived in response to real environmental problems, EOS-Terra, in conjunction with other international satellite efforts, will fill a major gap in current efforts by providing quantitative global data sets with a resolution of few kilometers on the physical, chemical and biological elements of the earth system. Thus, like Langley's data, EOS-Terra can revolutionize climate research by inspiring a new generation of climate system models and enable us to assess the human impact on the environment. In the talk I shall review the historical developments that brought to the Terra mission, its objectives and example of application to biomass burning.

Kaufman, Yoram↗
NASA NTRS1999

Use of Several Thermal Analysis Techniques to Study the Cracking of a Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Insulator on the Booster Separation Motor (BSM) of the Space Shuttle

Two different vendor rubber formulations have been used to produce the silica-filled NBR insulators for the BSM of each of the two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) on the Space Shuttle. Each cured insulator is bonded to the BSM aluminum aft closure with an epoxy adhesive, and some of the curved areas in the rubber may have significant residual stresses. A number of recently bonded NBR insulators have shown fine surface cracks, and stressed insulator areas may be aging at a faster rate than unstressed areas, thus hastening the surface cracking. Thermal analysis data on both vendor insulators by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) through a temperature/frequency sweep from 24 to 74 C have shown a higher flexural storage modulus and Arrhenius activation energy for the stressed area than for the unstressed area. Other thermal analysis techniques are being used to study the insulator surface vs. bulk interior for better understanding this anomaly.

Wingard, Charles D.↗