Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Effective surface tension”

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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Hydrodynamics of countercurrent flows in a structured packed column: effects of initial wetting and dynamic contact angle

The structured packed column has gained considerable attention as a prospective technology to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions from thermal power plants. The computational flow investigation of such systems is a multiscale problem, and local hydrodynamics plays a key role in overall column efficiency. Accordingly, multiphase flow studies in the representative elementary unit (REU) of a packed column can offer insights into the local flow behavior such as flow pattern, interfacial area, etc. The interfacial area plays a key role in the overall interphase mass transfer and thereby in separation efficiency. The predicted effective area matches well with corresponding ones in experiments for Mellapak 250.Y packings. The contact angle (i.e., solid substrate behavior) is one of the critical factors that dictates wettings, and thereby the interfacial area. The dynamic contact angle (DCA) was considered in order to explore the effects of contact angle hysteresis on the interfacial area. DCA has more pronounced impact on the interfacial area for a solvent possessing a higher value of surface tension and equilibrium contact angle. The interfacial area shows temporal undulation and does not achieve a pseudo steady state due to the capillary force. In contrary, the interfacial area gets a net value for a solvent having low surface tension value. Further, specification of the static contact angle at the solid substrate shows the least value of the interfacial area. We also extensively studied the effect of the initial sheet condition (dry vs wet) on the interfacial area. The initially wetted sheets show slightly higher value of the interfacial area as compared to the initially dry sheets at a fixed flow rate for a solvent having high surface tension value. Wetting hysteresis decreases with increasing liquid loads. On the other hand, wetting hysteresis does not occur for a solvent having value of low surface tension and equilibrium contact angle.

structured packings, dynamic contact angle, interf↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nanoparticle-Induced Disorder at Complex Liquid–Liquid Interfaces: Effects of Curvature and Compositional Synergy on Functional Surfaces

The self-assembly of surfactant monolayers at interfaces plays a sweeping role in tasks ranging from household cleaning to the regulation of the respiratory system. The synergy between different nanoscale species at an interface can yield assemblies with exceptional properties, which enhance or modulate their function. However, understanding the mechanisms underlying coassembly, as well as the effects of intermolecular interactions at an interface, remains an emerging and challenging field of study. Herein, we study the interactions of gold nanoparticles striped with hydrophobic and hydrophilic ligands with phospholipids at a liquid–liquid interface and the resulting surface-bound complexes. We show that these nanoparticles, which are themselves minimally surface active, have a direct concentration-dependent effect on the rapid reduction of tension for assembling phospholipids at the interface, implying molecular coassembly. Through the use of sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy, we reveal that nanoparticles impart structural disorder to the lipid molecular layers, which is related to the increased volumes that amphiphiles can sample at the curved surface of a particle. The results strongly suggest that hydrophobic and electrostatic attractions imparted by nanoparticle functionalization drive lipid–nanoparticle complex assembly at the interface, which synergistically aids lipid adsorption even when lipids and nanoparticles approach the interface from opposite phases. The use of tensiometric and spectroscopic analyses reveals a physical picture of the system at the nanoscale, allowing for a quantitative analysis of the intermolecular behavior that can be extended to other systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of PCEs with different structures on hydration and properties of cementitious materials with low water-to-binder ratio

Polycarboxylate ethers (PCEs) with different structures and densities of anchor groups in the backbone were synthesized and characterized. The surface tension of their solutions, their adsorption on cementitious particles and zeta potential of cement-silica fume pastes with PCEs were measured. Their effects on hydration and properties of cement-silica fume paste with low water-to-binder ratio were examined. Results indicated that the adsorption kinetics of theses PCEs on cementitious particles are fitted the pseudo-second-order model. The introduction of long silane chain on PCE decreased its electrostatic adsorption, while PCE was adsorbed onto the surface of particles via both chemical and electrostatic adsorption, when silicon hydroxyl is directly connected to its backbone. In the presence of PCE with higher adsorbed amount, pastes exhibited lower yield stress and higher flowability, and higher strength at 7 d and 28 d. The low plastic viscosity, autogenous and drying shrinkage were related to the low surface tension of PCE solution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Evaporation from thin porous Coatings: Pore size effects and predictive equation for homogeneous coatings

Evaporation of small water droplets on solids is hindered because surface tension pulls the droplet into a spherical cap that has a small perimeter. Our solution is to coat a solid with a very thin, porous layer into which the droplet flows to create a large-area disk with concomitant high rate of evaporation. We investigate evaporation by varying factors that have not been previously considered: pore size and distribution, contact angle, temperature, and relative humidity (RH). A larger pore size resulted in faster evaporation, which we explain through faster transport within the coating. Even faster evaporation occurred for a bilayer structure with small particles on the air side and larger particles on the solid side. Further, the water advancing contact angle had an insignificant effect in the range from < 10° through to 60°. Our results for different pore sizes, temperature, humidity, and contact angle all collapse onto a single curve when appropriately normalized. This validates an equation that can be used for the evaporation from a homogeneous coating that depends only one empirical factor and the droplet volume. Since the volume is often user-controlled, we envisage that this equation can be used to predict evaporation and guide design of fast-drying coatings.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Surface Tension of Dielectric–Air Interfaces

Analytical and semianalytical expressions for the surface tension of dielectric–air interfaces are presented after considering local and nonlocal dielectric effects near interfaces. It is shown that the nonlocal effects of dielectrics are significant for highly polar dielectric fluids such as water. Far from the interface, nonlocal dielectric effects are shown to cause not only the oscillatory potential of the mean force but also a reversal of sign at intermediate distances.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Liquid Inclusion Distortion by Lens Shape Effect: In Situ Observation and Quantification on LCAK Steels Using HT-CSLM

Because of interfacial and surface tension, micron-sized liquid oxide droplets are expected to change from spherical (when fully immersed in liquid steel) to lens shape on top of steel. Inclusion sizes were measured by automated analysis of polished sections of calcium-treated aluminum-killed steel. A sample of the same steel was remelted and observed using confocal scanning laser microscopy. Droplets on the steel surface appear to have approximately twice the diameter of fully immersed spherical inclusions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effect of Aluminum Oxide on the Performance of Ionic Liquid-Based Aluminum–Air Battery

The aluminum–air (or oxygen) battery has received intense attention in the past because of its excellent benefits such as low cost and high energy density, but due to the challenging issues such as hydrogen evolution and inactive oxide film formation on the Al surface, it could not be fully applied. In this study, 1-Ethyl 3-Methyl Imidazolium Chloride ([EmIm]Cl) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3) are applied to resolve the aforementioned issues. Ex situ component-level and in situ cell-level open circuit voltage (OCV) tests combined with the physics-based model analyses were conducted to investigate the electrochemical reaction behaviors of the Al–air cell. Especially, the effect of aluminum oxide formation on the anode- and cathode-side reactions were analyzed in detail. The oxide film formed at the Al surface strongly was found to significantly impede the electrochemical reaction at the surface, and the film growth was controlled by decreasing the surface tension by aggressive anions. In the cathode side, the aluminum oxide precipitated in the porous cathode electrode was found to decrease the porous reaction area and block reactant access into the reaction sites. The effects of O2 solubility in the electrolyte, initial porosity and thickness of the porous electrode are compared in detailed, and optimal thickness is suggested.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Size effect in stainless steel thin wires under tension

Miniaturization of modern devices drives the exploration into how materials behave in small dimensions. However, the mechanical behaviors of micro-scale specimens under varied loading conditions are still challenging to characterize and predict. In this work, specimen size-dependent weakening effect was experimentally revealed in 316L stainless steel thin wires under tension with wire diameter decreasing from 200 μm down to 61 μm. The underlying mechanisms were primarily associated with surface grain softening and strain localization, which were largely dependent on the number of grains across wire diameter. Through an analog composite model with surface and interior grains that follows the Hall-Petch relation, the extent of surface grain softening was found to coincide with the flow stress reduction due to lack of boundary strengthening. Further using elasto-plastic self-consistent polycrystal modeling, the stress-strain behaviors of interior and surface grains were well described in analogy to those of bulk materials with similar-size grains and extremely large grains, respectively. Subsequently, the analog composite model well simulated the specimen size-dependent weakening effect under tension. This article provided more insights into the size effect exploration and proposed a practical model for describing size-dependent mechanical behaviors of small-scale materials to be applied to miniaturized devices.

316L stainless steel↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dynamics of the water-plasma interface in various discharge modes of atmospheric-pressure plasmas

This paper presents an experimental study of the dynamics of the water-plasma interface during the interaction high-voltage (HV) atmospheric pressure discharge with the water surface. Under the influence of the voltage applied to the pin type electrode, discharges are formed at the air layer between the sharp-tip HV electrode and deionized water. Three discharge regimes were identified from synchronized electrical waveforms and imaging: (i) a weak linear regime at 3–10.6 kV, (ii) a branching streamer regime at the maximum applied voltage of 12.6 kV, and (iii) a continuous arc-like regime occurring during the transition to lower voltage and higher current (e.g., U ≈ 3.2 kV, I ≈ 4.07 mA). High-speed shadowgraph images showed a symmetric interfacial cavity whose depth increased nonlinearly with voltage from h 0 ≈ 0.1 mm at 3 kV to h 0 ≈ 2.7 mm at 10.6 kV, reaching a maximum depth of h 0 ≈ 5.9 mm at 12.6 kV, while the cavity disappeared in the continuous-channel regime and was replaced by outward-propagating wave-like motion. The deformation of the water surface during the discharge-water interaction is governed by the balance between electric field forces, surface tension, gravitational forces, and electrohydrodynamic forces, whose relative contributions vary with the applied voltage. This effect was explained by quantitatively estimating the magnitudes of the acting forces and establishing the force balance. Optical emission spectroscopy in the continuous-channel regime indicated air plasma signatures and yielded a gas temperature of approximately 400 K, while prolonged operation (≈ 20 min) increased the water temperature to ~ 70 °C, reduced the water-layer thickness from 6 mm to 3 mm, and decreased pH from 7 to 4. These regime-resolved, quantitative results clarify how the dominant interfacial forcing shifts with discharge mode and provide a mechanistic basis for controlling plasma-water interactions in atmospheric-pressure applications.

atmospheric pressure plasma↗
DOE OSTI2019

Inertial Effects During the Process of Supercritical CO 2 Displacing Brine in a Sandstone: Lattice Boltzmann Simulations Based on the Continuum-Surface-Force and Geometrical Wetting Models

Inertial effects during the process of supercritical CO 2 displacing brine in porous media may not be negligible according to recent studies. Capturing the inertial effects of the physical CO 2 -brine system imposes a requirement on the grid resolution and viscosity to surface tension ratio for pore-scale simulations, which some commonly used simulators may not be able to meet. To fulfill the parameter requirement, we combine the continuum-surface-force based color-gradient lattice Boltzmann (LB) multiphase model and the geometrical wetting model and extend the model to 3D under the multiple-relaxation-time framework. We validate the model via simple benchmarks which show significant improvement over the traditional models. Furthermore, we perform 3D drainage simulations in a heterogeneous micromodel where the simulation result agrees well with experimental data, while our previous work fails to reproduce certain displacement patterns in the experiment due to the use of a traditional LB model that cannot fulfill the parameter requirement. Finally, we perform high-fidelity 3D drainage simulations to study the inertial effects in a Bentheimer sandstone sample. These findings show that stronger inertial effects generally help develop more CO 2 flow pathways for the same capillary number which results in higher CO 2 saturation, consistent with the micromodel results. The phenomena can be found in both low and high capillary number cases, indicating that the inertial effects are not dependent on the mean velocity. In addition, the change of the invasion patterns is not proportional to the change of inertial effects, thus exhibiting threshold behavior.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Surface enrichment dictates block copolymer orientation

Orientation of block copolymer (BCP) morphology in thin films is critical to applications as nanostructured coatings. Despite being well-studied, the ability to control BCP orientation across all possible block constituents remains challenging. Here, in this study, we deploy coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to study diblock copolymer ordering in thin films, focusing on chain makeup, substrate surface energy, and surface tension disparity between the two constituent blocks. We explore the multi-dimensional parameter space of ordering using a machine-learning approach, where an autonomous loop using a Gaussian process (GP) control algorithm iteratively selects high-value simulations to compute. The GP kernel was engineered to capture known symmetries. The trained GP model serves as both a complete map of system response, and a robust means of extracting material knowledge. We demonstrate that the vertical orientation of BCP phases depends on several counter-balancing energetic contributions, including entropic and enthalpic material enrichment at interfaces, distortion of morphological objects through the film depth, and of course interfacial energies. BCP lamellae are found more resistant to these effects, and thus more robustly form vertical orientations across a broad range of conditions; while BCP cylinders are found to be highly sensitive to surface tension disparity.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Surface Energy Modulated Self‐Assembly of Percolative Gallium Nanodroplet Films for Stretchable Electronics

Advancements in soft robotics and wearable technologies have led to an increased need for flexible and stretchable electronic systems. Liquid metals like Gallium (Ga) and its alloys offer high potential in the field of stretchable electronics and photonics due to their inherent high conductivity and malleability. However, their high surface tension and native oxide formation hinder uniform wetting and continuous film formation to get conducting films. Here, we report a fabrication strategy to realize electrically conductive Ga thin films with effective thicknesses around 100 nm on polymeric and elastomeric substrates. By enhancing the surface energy of the elastomer, we create uniform Ga nanodroplets capable of sustaining stretchability up to 200% strain. Our devices exhibit electronic conduction primarily through tunneling and display strain tunable piezoresistive characteristics, which are explained using Kirchhoff's resistive network and Simmon's analytical tunneling current model. To showcase the device's capability in fields of stretchable electronics, we demonstrate several functional prototypes, including flexible devices integrated with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), curvature and pressure sensors, and soft robotic grippers capable of sensing object curvature. The demonstrated devices highlight the potential of this approach for scalable integration of stretchable electronics in soft robotic and wearable platforms.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Extending the capillary wave model to include the effect of bending rigidity: X-ray reflectivity and diffuse scattering

The surface roughness of a thin film at a liquid interface exhibits contributions of thermally excited fluctuations. This thermal roughness depends on temperature (𝑇), surface tension (𝛾), and elastic material properties, specifically the bending modulus (𝜅) of the film. A nonzero 𝜅 suppresses the thermal roughness at small length scales compared to an interface with zero 𝜅, as expressed by the power spectral density of the thermal roughness. The description of the x-ray scattering of the standard capillary wave model (CWM), which is valid for zero 𝜅, is extended to include the effect of 𝜅. The extended CWM (eCWM) provides a single analytical form for both the specular x-ray reflectivity (XRR) and the diffuse scattering around the specular reflection, and recovers the expression of the CWM at its zero 𝜅 limit. This theoretical approach enables the use of single-shot grazing incidence x-ray off-specular scattering (GIXOS) measurements for characterizing the structure of thin films on a liquid surface. The eCWM analysis approach decouples the thermal roughness factor from the surface scattering signal, providing direct access to the intrinsic surface-normal structure of the film and its bending modulus. Moreover, the eCWM facilitates the calculation of reflectivity at any desired resolution (pseudo-XRR approach). The transformation into pseudo-XRR provides the benefit of using widely available XRR software to perform GIXOS analysis. The extended range of the vertical scattering vector (𝑄 𝑧 ) available with the GIXOS pseudo-XRR approach allows for a higher spatial resolution than with conventional XRR. Experimental results are presented for various lipid systems, showing strong agreement between conventional specular XRR and pseudo-XRR methods. This agreement validates the proposed approach and highlights its utility for analyzing soft, thin films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Effects of plasma on physical properties of water: nanocrystalline-to-amorphous phase transition and improving produce washing

Recently is was discovered in various applications that many physical and chemical properties of water change their temperature dependence between about 35 and 60 degrees Celsius. In particular, heat conductance, light absorption, and surface tension all change their temperature dependence. These drastic changes were associated with water gradually changing its mesoscopic structure: while at the higher temperatures water is a uniform media (amorphous state), at the temperatures below transition it consists of many nano-to-micro-scale clusters (crystalline state). This transition is similar to the second order phase transition. In the present paper we show that treating water with non-thermal plasma (adding plasma-created active compounds) can lower the temperature of the transition and thus cause a significant change in such physical quantities as surface tension, viscosity, freezing rate, and wettability and washability. We present analytical estimates of the transition temperature shift based on the Debye-Hückel theory. We discuss the produce-washing experiments that illustrate the predicted effects.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

A self-consistent electrostatic electrified shallow water model for charged liquid surface dynamics

The dynamics of an electrified liquid surface are investigated using a shallow water model that is self-consistently coupled with an electrostatic solver. To account for the spatiotemporal variation of a curved liquid surface, the electric field on curved surfaces is calculated by solving a two-dimensional electrostatic equation using the weighted least squares (WLSQ) interpolation method. First, the WLSQ implementation is verified with analytical theory obtained from a Laplace solution assuming a half-cylinder liquid surface profile. Then, the coupled electrified shallow water model is used to study the instability of liquid surface perturbation as a function of the potential drop between an electrode and conducting liquid, surface tension, and gravity. We present a linear dispersion theory of liquid surface instability for long-wavelength perturbations, including the effects of liquid viscosity. Furthermore, the effects of multiple sinusoidal surface perturbations on the electrified liquid surface instability are investigated.

Capillary waves↗
DOE OSTI2026

Toward Lithium Recovery Using Modular (and Membraneless) Phase Separation and Extraction (MPSE) Technology with Ionic Liquid (IL) Solvents: Effect of Coatings

In this work, a single-channel slope-plate Modular and Membrane-less Phase Separation and Extraction (MPSE) device was fabricated using 3D printing. The slope-plate was designed with an insertable glass slide to enable surface modification with coatings. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and perfluoropolyether (Zdol) coatings were applied to tailor surface wettability and enhance phase separation. Using a model biphasic system of water and hexadecane, both coatings significantly improved the separation efficiency compared to the uncoated device by promoting selective wetting. Building on these results, lithium extraction from a simulated saline solution was investigated using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf₂]) as the ionic liquid (IL) extractant. The IL effectively extracted Li⁺ from the aqueous phase in bulk extraction, demonstrating its potential for lithium recovery. However, the low interfacial tension between the IL and aqueous phases posed challenges for phase separation. The application of SAM and Zdol coatings effectively mitigated this issue. Overall, integrating tailored surface chemistry with the slope-plate MPSE design shows great promise as an efficient and scalable platform for studying liquid–liquid separation and optimizing ionic liquid–based extraction processes for lithium recovery from saline sources.

3D printing↗
DOE OSTI2020

ASSESSING FUEL PROPERTY EFFECTS ON CAVITATION AND EROSION PROPENSITY USING A COMPUTATIONAL FUEL SCREENING TOOL

To advance compression ignition combustion strategies, researchers have evaluated fuel property effects and their impact on achieving higher efficiencies and lower emissions levels relative to current capabilities. Within the Department of Energy's Co-Optima initiative, there has been a recent focus on understanding the influence of fuel properties on fuel injection performance. To help identify candidate fuels that can meet desired injector performance metrics, a computational fuel screening tool is under development that can link fuel properties with the tendency of a given fuel to cavitate and lead to cavitation-induced erosion. In the initial development of this tool, five liquid fuel properties were selected to represent candidate fuels, namely density, viscosity, vapor pressure, surface tension, and heat of vaporization. A design of experiments methodology was employed to generate a set of pseudo fuel cases, which can represent the main effects and interactions among the fuel properties and be related to cavitation erosion predictions. Large eddy simulations were performed using a mixture modeling approach to predict the cavitation and erosion propensity of these pseudo-fuels in terms of the mean fuel vapor mole fraction and stored impact energy from repeated cloud collapse events. The low order regression models generated from this study revealed the importance of liquid fuel density on cavitation formation, whereas liquid viscosity was found to have a strong negative correlation with erosion severity. The surrogate models were then used in the fuel screening tool to rank the cavitation and erosion tendency of four candidate single-component fuels: methyl decanoate, isooctane, ethanol and n-dodecane. While the fuel screening tool was not able to quantitatively predict the cavitation and erosion response metrics, the tool was able to accurately rank the relative cavitation and erosion propensity of the four fuels. Overall, ethanol and iso-octane were observed to produce the highest levels of cavitation and erosion, respectively.

cavitation-induced erosion↗
DOE OSTI2025

The mechanics of nucleation and growth and the surface tensions of active matter

Homogeneous nucleation, a textbook transition path for phase transitions, is typically understood on thermodynamic grounds through the prism of classical nucleation theory. However, recent studies have suggested the applicability of classical nucleation theory to systems far from equilibrium. Here, in this article, we formulate a purely mechanical perspective of homogeneous nucleation and growth, elucidating the criteria for the properties of a critical nucleus without appealing to equilibrium notions. Applying this theory to active fluids undergoing motility-induced phase separation, we find that nucleation proceeds in a qualitatively similar fashion to equilibrium systems, with concepts such as the Gibbs–Thomson effect and nucleation barriers remaining valid. We further demonstrate that the recovery of such concepts allows us to extend classical theories of nucleation rates and coarsening dynamics to active systems upon using the mechanically derived definitions of the nucleation barrier and surface tensions. Three distinct surface tensions—the mechanical, capillary, and Ostwald tensions—play a central role in our theory. While these three surface tensions are identical in equilibrium, our work highlights the distinctive role of each tension in the stability of active interfaces and the nucleation and growth of motility-induced phases.

Capillary waves↗