Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “CADMIUM”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

Analysis of 12 AH aerospace nickel-cadmium cells from the design variable program

The Design Variable Program of NASA/GSFC provided a systematic approach to evaluate the performance of 12 Ampere-Hour Nickel-Cadmium cells of different designs. Design Variables tested in this program included teflonated negative plates, silver treated negative plates, lightly loaded negative plates, positive plates with no cadmium treatment, plate design of 1968 utilizing old and new processing techniques and electrochemically impregnated positive plates. These cells were life cycled in a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) regime for 3 to 4 years. Representative cells taken from the Design Variable Program were examined via chemical, electrochemical and surface analyses. The results indicate the following: (1) positive swelling and carbonate content in the electrolyte increase as a function of number of cycles; (2) electrolyte distribution follows a general order NEG greater than POS greater than SEP; (3) control and No PQ groups outperformed the rest of the groups; and (4) the polyproylene group exhibited heavy cadmium migration and poor performance.

Vasanth, Kunigahalli L.↗

Method of epitaxially depositing cadmium sulfide

A single crystal layer of either cadmium sulfide or an alloy of cadmium sulfide and indium phosphide is epitaxially deposited on a substrate of cadmium sulfide by liquid phase epitaxy using indium as the solvent.

Hawrylo, Frank Z.↗

Cadmium Magnesium Telluride for Next Generation X-Ray Free Electron Laser, Synchrotron and Many Other Applications

We developed a picosecond photodetector based on our Bridgman grown and specially engineered Cadmium Magnesium Telluride (Cd 1-x Mg x Te) single crystal that is sensitive to both optical and x-ray pulses for coarse timing in Free Electron Laser applications. Cd 1-x Mg x Te is a wide bandgap semiconductor material with potential applications, not only in optoelectronics, but also in particle physics as an intense pulse radiation detector for bremsstrahlung, X-ray/gamma ray radiation, thermal neutrons, and medical imaging. However, for femtosecond optical and x-ray cross correlation, the material has to have very short lifetime, a condition that is opposite to that required for nuclear spectroscopy applications. At the same time, the material also needs to have very low bulk leakage current, in the 0.10 pA range. Hence the ability to tailor or engineer the material is very crucial. In this paper, picosecond response and the crystal growth of this specially engineered cadmium magnesium telluride material will be presented. Other material characterization and transient measurements will also be discussed along with room temperature semiconductor detector performance for other nuclear radiation detection applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Microstructural Analysis of Cadmium Whiskers on Long-Term-Used Hardware

A survey of cadmium plated field return hardware showed ubiquitous cadmium whisker growth. The most worn and debris-covered hardware showed the densest whisker growth. Whiskers were often found growing in agglomerates of nodules and whiskers. The hardware was rinsed with alcohol to transfer whiskers and debris from the hardware to a flat stub. Fifty whiskers were studied individually by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Most of the whiskers were single crystal, though three were found to contain grain boundaries at kinks. The whiskers ranged from 5 to 600 μm in length and 80 pct showed a $<\bar{1} 2 \bar{1} 0>$ type growth direction. This growth direction facilitates the development of low energy side faces of the whisker, (0001) and {1010}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of excess Te on flux inclusion formation in the growth of cadmium zinc telluride when forced melt convection is applied

The presence of second phase defects, particularly flux inclusions of tellurium rich composition, are of great concern for charge collection efficiency in cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and cadmium telluride (CT) material intended for applications such as radiation detection. These inclusions can distort applied electric field lines within the detector as well as act as trapping centers for charge carriers. Reduction and/or elimination of these inclusions is required to achieve appropriate charge collection efficiencies, especially in detectors of thicknesses greater than 5 mm. These so-called flux inclusions are understood to form as a consequence of constitutional undercooling at the crystal growth interface. In this study, a forced melt convection technique was applied in Vertical Bridgman (VB) melt growth of CZT without reducing imposed growth rates of ~2 mm/hr. Several rotation profiles were tested while adjusting the melt composition from 51.62 to 61.75 atomic percent (at%) Te where the Te concentration was initially increased to improve overall material purity. With forced melt convection, the best inclusion distributions were achieved with highly Te rich melt compositions, far beyond the stoichiometric composition range for the CZT system. Average inclusion diameters were reduced to 2 µm while inclusions greater than 5 µm were essentially eliminated. Composition analyses of these ingots revealed near equilibrium concentrations of Te, even with ingots grown from Te concentrations as high as 61.75 at% Te. In this paper, a recipe for the reduction of inclusions in CZT melt growth is put forward and the implications of this method on our understanding of inclusion formation are discussed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Thickness-independent transport in thin (001)-oriented cadmium arsenide films

The three-dimensional Dirac semimetal is a parent phase for a variety of topological phases that can be generated by tuning parameters in material growth or device operation. Notably, it has recently been found that cadmium arsenide, which is ordinarily a three-dimensional Dirac semimetal, can nevertheless realize a three-dimensional topological insulator in (001)-oriented films about 50-nm thick. In this work, we study the quantum Hall effect in thin (001)-oriented cadmium arsenide films, their thickness ranging from 12 to 24 nm. When the carrier density is kept approximately constant across the different films, quantum transport reveals an identical underlying picture. The result is shown to be consistent with the transport's origin in the surface states of a three-dimensional topological insulator, but problematic for a perspective in which the quantum Hall effect originates from the confined subbands of the bulk band structure. As a result, these thin-film results complement previous studies of the quantum Hall effect in 50-nm-thick films.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Cadmium Telluride Accelerator Consortium (CTAC)

The United States is the leader in cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, and CdTe is the second most-deployed solar technology in the world. The CdTe Accelerator Consortium (CTAC) was formed to enhance U.S. technology leadership and competitiveness in CdTe photovoltaics (PV) including increasing cell efficiencies, decreasing module costs, and maintaining or increasing domestic CdTe PV material and module production. Leadership for the 3-year consortium was selected by an NREL team through a competitive solicitation. CTAC was formally announced on August 1st by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur at an event held at University of Toledo. We will give an overview of CTAC research directions along with their goals and activities. We can also discuss how CTAC relates to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and to the U.S. Manufacturing of Advanced Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaics Consortium (US-MAC). Visit our poster to find out who leads CTAC and how you can get involved.

costs↗

Development of uniform and predictable battery materials for nickel-cadmium aerospace cells

Battery materials and manufacturing methods were analyzed with the aim of developing uniform and predictable battery plates for nickel cadmium aerospace cells. A study is presented for the high temperature electrochemical impregnation process for the preparation of nickel cadmium battery plates. This comparative study is set up as a factorially designed experiment to examine both manufacturing and operational variables and any interaction that might exist between them. The manufacturing variables in the factorial design include plaque preparative method, plaque porosity and thickness, impregnation method, and loading, The operational variables are type of duty cycle, charge and discharge rate, extent of overcharge, and depth of discharge.

Source record↗

Solid-gas phase equilibria and thermodynamic properties of cadmium selenide.

Accurate vapor pressures are determined through direct weight loss measurements using the Knudsen effusion technique. The experimental data are evaluated by establishing the mode of vaporization and determining the heat capacity of cadmium selenide at elevated temperatures. Additional information is obtained through a second- and third-law evaluation of data, namely, the heat of formation and the absolute entropy of cadmium selenide. A preferential loss of selenium during the initial heating of CdSe is observed, which leads to a deviation in stoichiometry.

Sigai, A. G.↗

Morphology and capacity of a cadmium electrode - Studies on a simulated pore.

Conditions in a single pore of a battery plate were simulated by using a cadmium chip of millimeter dimensions covered with an electrolyte film of micron thickness. In situ microscopy was applied to study changes in the electrode morphology during charge and discharge. Passivation and increases in particle sizes due to precipitation and electrodeposition of dissolved cadmium species were found to cause profound loss in electrode capacity on repeated charge and discharge.

Will, F. G.↗

Fabrication and testing of negative-limited sealed nickel-cadmium cells

Negative-limited sealed nickel-cadmium cells are a possible means toward increasing the life of nickel-cadmium cells to about a decade or more. The purpose of this program is to design, construct, and test 100, 20 Ah and 100, 30 Ah negative-limited sealed cells. The cell design was completed and hardware was ordered during the first quarter. Electrode fabrication was started in the first quarter and carried on through the second quarter. The fabrication and selection of the necessary electrodes has been completed during the third quarter. Cell construction has been completed and the preparatory cell cycling is underway. The preliminary testing to select the initial delivery cell has been started.

Gordy, D. J.↗

Controlled porosity and pore size substrates for nickel-cadmium cells

A novel process for the preparation of improved cadmium electrode plaques with precisely controlled pore size and porosity is described. The requirements for these plaques include far better uniformity, reproducibility, and life than is currently available with conventional materials. The key features of the work were preparation of plaques via a powder metallurgical technique which consisted of isostatically compacting a blend of a nickel powder with a fugitive pore-former and subsequently sintering the 'green' compact. Cadmium electrodes were prepared from these materials and were cycle tested in negative-limited cells using an accelerated, torturous test regime. Results were obtained which showed the new structures yielded electrodes that were superior to the conventional structures in mechanical properties and performance.

Gordy, D. J.↗

Stopping cross sections for 0.25-3.0-MeV He-4 ions in cadmium sulfide

Stopping cross sections of He-4 ions with energies between 0.25 and 3.0 MeV have been measured for cadmium sulfide with a probable error of plus or minus 7% to 8%. The experimental method utilized the Rutherford backscattering technique and measured the energy loss of elastically scattered He-4 ions from films of cadmium sulfide sputtered on carbon substrates. The experimental data are compared with recent experimental and theoretical results.

Miller, W. E.↗