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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 55 records · Page 3

Rapid Model Import Tool (RMIT)

Our project is about developing a tool to implement conversion of 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) models produced with software such as Delmia, 3DS Max, or Maya, into a size and format compatible with the Unity 3D environment. RMIT will be used to aid KSC engineering personnel in the design, development, testing, operations, and training on spacecraft, launch vehicles, facilities, and ground support equipment. For our project, we are using Blender, a free/open-source 3D graphics software, with the goal of developing, testing, and deploying a 3D CAD model converter tool. I worked on using Blender to import 3D CAD models exported from CATIA software into Collada file format. The Collada file format has file extension DAE. Importing the Collada DAE file as is into Blender, generates dots and dashes. In 3DS Max, there is an existing OpenCollada plugin and with that plugin, 3DS Max can import the DAE file successfully. But, Blender does not seem to have an OpenCollada plugin, so I worked on writing a new OpenCollada plugin for Blender. Since 3DS Max was able to display the image, I looked into comparing differences between the original DAE file and the DAE file exported from 3DS Max using the OpenCollada plugin. As Collada documents describing digital assets are XML files with file extension DAE, Collada files contains XML tags, making them easily modifiable. After some research, it appears that Blender does not like primitive 2D tags like tristrips and trifans. Changing those tags to polygons slightly improved the image, but the pieces were exploded. I found after further research comparing differences between the original file and the file exported from 3DS Max that the values inside the translate tags in the original file are scaled down by a factor of 25.4 in the exported file from 3DS Max, representing the millimeters to inches conversion (1 inch = 25.4 millimeters). After scaling down values inside all of the translate tags by 25.4, the exploded pieces stuck back in, but the image needed further improvement. I have been able to create a new plugin in Blender that takes the original DAE file, replaces the primitive 2D tags tristrips and trifans with polygons, scales down the values inside the translate tags by a factor of 25.4, and saves the changes into a temporary DAE file. After the temporary DAE file is imported into Blender, the temp file is then deleted, keeping the original DAE file intact. Starting with a DAE file that is exported using the NASA Enterprise Visualization Application (NEVA), a Collada exporter, from CATIA gives better results. NEVA is a Design Visualization product that is used for exporting 3D models from CATIA. With NEVA, the up axis is defined in the top-level node if navigation gravity is enabled. With that file, just replacing the primitive tags tristrips and trifans with polygons in yields a much improved image in Blender. As we identify more differences between the original DAE file and the DAE file exported from 3DS Max, this plugin can be improved further. Our goal is to have a model that is formatted and sized for import into Unity, and we are trying out different 3D programs to see which will work best.

Ayyangar, Arjun↗

Titanium-in-Quartz Geothermometry of Impactites and Peak-Ring Lithologies from the Chicxulub Impact Crater

Since its development by Wark and Watson (2006), the Ti-in-quartz geothermometer (TitaniQ) has been continuously refined and applied to a variety of lithologies from different crustal settings. Assuming quartz crystallized and incorporated Ti under equilibrium conditions and providing TiO2 activity (alpha (sub TiO2)) is reasonably constrained, crystallization temperatures at typical crustal pressures can be calculated. In turn, when crystallization temperatures are independently constrained, Ti-in-quartz can be used as a geobarometer. Here we explore the application of this technique to impact lithologies. Quartz is ubiquitous in terrestrial impact structures in upper crustal settings and can also form as a post-impact hydrothermal mineral. Together with other geothermometers, such as Ti-in-zircon, Ti-in-quartz can potentially help constrain the temperature-pressure conditions during the formation of the pre-impact target rock at terrestrial impact structures, as well as impact-produced and hydrothermally-altered lithologies. This work presents the first systematic Ti-in-quartz study of impactites and granitoid target rocks from the approximately180-kilometer-diameter, end-Cretaceous Chicxulub crater on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, thereby placing new constraints on the emplacement of felsic plutons within the Maya Block in the Paleozoic, impact melt crystallization at approximately 66 Ma (million years ago), and post-impact hydrothermal overprint inside the Chicxulub crater.

Schmieder, Martin↗

Rapid Model Import Tool (RMIT) User Guide

The NASA Rapid Model Import Tool (RMIT) is designed to import 3D models built in commercially available Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Digital Content Creation (DCC) development software such as; Catia, Creo, 3DS Max, Maya, etc. Upon import, RMIT processes the models to reduce file size and exports the results in a format compatible with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) development software applications. RMIT intends to make CAD models directly accessible to engineers from local AR/VR compatible laptops and desktops.

Joseluis Chavez↗

The F-box protein gene exo-1 is a target for reverse engineering enzyme hypersecretion in filamentous fungi

Carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) are vital for the lignocellulose-based biorefinery. The development of hypersecreting fungal protein production hosts is therefore a major aim for both academia and industry. However, despite advances in our understanding of their regulation, the number of promising candidate genes for targeted strain engineering remains limited. Here, we resequenced the genome of the classical hypersecreting Neurospora crassa mutant exo-1 and identified the causative point of mutation to reside in the F-box protein–encoding gene, NCU09899. The corresponding deletion strain displayed amylase and invertase activities exceeding those of the carbon catabolite derepressed strain ?cre-1, while glucose repression was still mostly functional in ?exo-1. Surprisingly, RNA sequencing revealed that while plant cell wall degradation genes are broadly misexpressed in ?exo-1, only a small fraction of CAZyme genes and sugar transporters are up-regulated, indicating that EXO-1 affects specific regulatory factors. Aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanism of enzyme hypersecretion, we found the high secretion of amylases and invertase in ?exo-1 to be completely dependent on the transcriptional regulator COL-26. Furthermore, misregulation of COL-26, CRE-1, and cellular carbon and nitrogen metabolism was confirmed by proteomics. Finally, we successfully transferred the hypersecretion trait of the exo-1 disruption by reverse engineering into the industrially deployed fungus Myceliophthora thermophila using CRISPR-Cas9. Our identification of an important F-box protein demonstrates the strength of classical mutants combined with next-generation sequencing to uncover unanticipated candidates for engineering. These data contribute to a more complete understanding of CAZyme regulation and will facilitate targeted engineering of hypersecretion in further organisms of interest.

Gabriel, Raphael↗

Emissions and Energy Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act

If goals set under the Paris Agreement are met, the world may hold warming well below 2 degrees C (1); however, parties are not on track to deliver these commitments (2), increasing focus on policy implementation to close the gap between ambition and action. Recently, the US government passed its most prominent piece of climate legislation to date - the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) - designed to invest in a wide range of programs that, among other provisions, incentivize clean energy and carbon management, encourage electrification and efficiency measures, reduce methane emissions, promote domestic supply chains, and address environmental justice concerns (3). IRA's scope and complexity make modeling important to understand impacts on emissions and energy systems. We leverage results from nine independent, state-of-the-art models to examine potential implications of key IRA provisions, showing economy-wide emissions reductions between 43 and 48% below 2005 levels by 2035.

electricity↗

Integrated Framework of Vehicle Dynamics, Instabilities, Energy Models, and Sparse Flow Smoothing Controllers

This work presents an integrated framework of: vehicle dynamics models, with a particular attention to instabilities and traffic waves; vehicle energy models, with particular attention to accurate energy values for strongly unsteady driving profiles; and sparse Lagrangian controls via automated vehicles, with a focus on controls that can be executed via existing technology such as adaptive cruise control systems. This framework serves as a key building block in developing control strategies for human-in-the-loop traffic flow smoothing on real highways. In this contribution, we outline the fundamental merits of integrating vehicle dynamics and energy modeling into a single framework, and we demonstrate the energy impact of sparse flow smoothing controllers via simulation results.

Lee, Jonathan W.↗

Band Edge Control of Quasi–2D Metal Halide Perovskites for Blue Light–Emitting Diodes with Enhanced Performance

Perovskite light–emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have received great attention for their potential as next–generation display technology. While remarkable progress has been achieved in green, red, and near–infrared PeLEDs with external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) exceeding 20%, obtaining high performance blue PeLEDs remains a challenge. Poor charge balance due to large charge injection barriers in blue PeLEDs has been identified as one of the major roadblocks to achieve high efficiency. Here band edge control of perovskite emitting layers for blue PeLEDs with enhanced charge balance and device performance is reported. By using organic spacer cations with different dipole moments, that is, phenethyl ammonium (PEA), methoxy phenethyl ammonium (MePEA), and 4–fluoro phenethyl ammonium (4FPEA), the band edges of quasi–2D perovskites are tuned without affecting their band gaps. Furthermore, detailed characterization and computational studies have confirmed the effect of dipole moment modification to be mostly electrostatic, resulting in changes in the ionization energies of ≈0.45 eV for MePEA and ≈ –0.65 eV for 4FPEA based thin films relative to PEA–based thin films. With improved charge balance, blue PeLEDs based on MePEA quasi–2D perovskites show twofold increase of the EQE as compared to the control PEA based devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Exploring the Pb 1− x Sr x HfO 3 System and Potential for High Capacitive Energy Storage Density and Efficiency

Abstract The hafnate perovskites PbHfO 3 (antiferroelectric) and SrHfO 3 (“potential” ferroelectric) are studied as epitaxial thin films on SrTiO 3 (001) substrates with the added opportunity of observing a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in the Pb 1− x Sr x HfO 3 system. The resulting (240)‐oriented PbHfO 3 ( Pba 2) films exhibited antiferroelectric switching with a saturation polarization ≈53 µC cm −2 at 1.6 MV cm −1 , weak‐field dielectric constant ≈186 at 298 K, and an antiferroelectric‐to‐paraelectric phase transition at ≈518 K. (002)‐oriented SrHfO 3 films exhibited neither ferroelectric behavior nor evidence of a polar P 4 mm phase . Instead, the SrHfO 3 films exhibited a weak‐field dielectric constant ≈25 at 298 K and no signs of a structural transition to a polar phase as a function of temperature (77–623 K) and electric field (–3 to 3 MV cm −1 ). While the lack of ferroelectric order in SrHfO 3 removes the potential for MPB, structural and property evolution of the Pb 1− x Sr x HfO 3 (0 ≤ x < 1) system is explored. Strontium alloying increased the electric‐breakdown strength ( E B ) and decreased hysteresis loss, thus enhancing the capacitive energy storage density ( U r ) and efficiency (η). The composition, Pb 0.5 Sr 0.5 HfO 3 produced the best combination of E B = 5.12 ± 0.5 MV cm −1 , U r = 77 ± 5 J cm −3 , and η = 97 ± 2%, well out‐performing PbHfO 3 and other antiferroelectric oxides.

Acharya, Megha↗

Strain‐Driven Mixed‐Phase Domain Architectures and Topological Transitions in Pb 1− x Sr x TiO 3 Thin Films

Abstract The potential for creating hierarchical domain structures, or mixtures of energetically degenerate phases with distinct patterns that can be modified continually, in ferroelectric thin films offers a pathway to control their mesoscale structure beyond lattice‐mismatch strain with a substrate. Here, it is demonstrated that varying the strontium content provides deterministic strain‐driven control of hierarchical domain structures in Pb 1− x Sr x TiO 3 solid‐solution thin films wherein two types, c / a and a 1 / a 2 , of nanodomains can coexist. Combining phase‐field simulations, epitaxial thin‐film growth, detailed structural, domain, and physical‐property characterization, it is observed that the system undergoes a gradual transformation (with increasing strontium content) from droplet‐like a 1 / a 2 domains in a c / a domain matrix, to a connected‐labyrinth geometry of c / a domains, to a disconnected labyrinth structure of the same, and, finally, to droplet‐like c / a domains in an a 1 / a 2 domain matrix. A relationship between the different mixed‐phase modulation patterns and its topological nature is established. Annealing the connected‐labyrinth structure leads to domain coarsening forming distinctive regions of parallel c / a and a 1 / a 2 domain stripes, offering additional design flexibility. Finally, it is found that the connected‐labyrinth domain patterns exhibit the highest dielectric permittivity.

Kavle, Pravin↗

Designed Spin‐Texture‐Lattice to Control Anisotropic Magnon Transport in Antiferromagnets

Abstract Spin waves in magnetic materials are promising information carriers for future computing technologies due to their ultra‐low energy dissipation and long coherence length. Antiferromagnets are strong candidate materials due, in part, to their stability to external fields and larger group velocities. Multiferroic antiferromagnets, such as BiFeO 3 (BFO), have an additional degree of freedom stemming from magnetoelectric coupling, allowing for control of the magnetic structure, and thus spin waves, with the electric field. Unfortunately, spin‐wave propagation in BFO is not well understood due to the complexity of the magnetic structure. In this work, long‐range spin transport is explored within an epitaxially engineered, electrically tunable, 1D magnonic crystal. A striking anisotropy is discovered in the spin transport parallel and perpendicular to the 1D crystal axis. Multiscale theory and simulation suggest that this preferential magnon conduction emerges from a combination of a population imbalance in its dispersion, as well as anisotropic structural scattering. This work provides a pathway to electrically reconfigurable magnonic crystals in antiferromagnets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Asymmetry of the Ferroelectric Phase Transition in BaTiO 3

Symmetry changes during phase transformations fundamentally determine the behavior of thermodynamic systems, governing phenomena as diverse as water evaporation, fermion condensation, and epidemic spreading. Phase transitions are conventionally divided into two classes, and this classification is typically assumed to remain invariant upon reversing the transition. Here, an asymmetric phase transformation is uncovered in the ferroelectric–paraelectric transition of single-crystal BaTiO 3 , a model system for first-order transitions. Under slow temperature variation (≤0.1 °C min −1 ), thermodynamic, dielectric, and domain-structure measurements reveal that the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric transition exhibits latent heat, phase coexistence, and a discontinuous order parameter, while these signatures are absent upon cooling. Complementary phase-field simulations demonstrate similar behavior, attributing it to distinct elastic strain energy accumulation and release during heating and cooling. These findings reveal a first-order character upon heating but a second-order-like behavior upon cooling, challenging the conventional paradigm of symmetric phase-transition classification and suggesting new possibilities for ferroelectric-based energy storage.

Hershkovitz, Asaf [Technion-Israel Institute of Te↗

Ligand enhanced activity of in situ formed nanoparticles for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

One consistent challenge of both computational and empirical catalyst screening is ensuring that the variables chosen for the screen are driving the performance analyzed. Furthermore, we compare photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from in situ formed Au and Au/Cu nanoparticles to nanoparticles of the same composition synthesized prior to being used as catalysts, as well as compare them to in situ formed Au and Au/Cu nanoparticles in the presence of exogeneous ligand. For all experiments, we observed that ligand-terminated nanoparticles performed better than un-stabilized in situ formed nanoparticles. We tested the generality of this result by studying Co, Ni, and Pd in the same system and also observed that the introduction of nanoparticle ligand leads to enhanced catalytic activity. Taken together, these results suggest 1) nanoparticle ligands can be beneficial, and even necessary, to produce catalysts with sustained activity 2) For computational prediction of these catalysts, factors relating to particle formation and stability need to be considered when both generating predictions as well as interpreting experimental results based on those predictions

08 HYDROGEN↗