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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

Unitary structure having magnetic and non-magnetic phases

A magnetic component having a unitary structure, a transverse flux electric machine having the magnetic component, and a method of making the magnetic component are disclosed. The unitary structure of the magnetic component includes a magnetic region and a non-magnetic region. The magnetic region includes a magnetic phase and an electrically insulating phase. The non-magnetic region includes a non-magnetic phase. The magnetic phase includes a metallic material and the non-magnetic phase includes a nitrogenated metallic material formed by a controlled nitrogenation of the metallic material.

Johnson, Francis↗

Hybrid Porous Crystalline Materials from Metal Organic Frameworks and Covalent Organic Frameworks

Abstract Two frontier crystalline porous framework materials, namely, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), have been widely explored owing to their outstanding physicochemical properties. While each type of framework has its own intrinsic advantages and shortcomings for specific applications, combining the complementary properties of the two materials allows the engineering of new classes of hybrid porous crystalline materials with properties superior to the individual components. Since the first report of MOF/COF hybrid in 2016, it has rapidly evolved as a novel platform for diverse applications. The state‐of‐art advances in the various synthetic approaches of MOF/COF hybrids are hereby summarized, together with their applications in different areas. Perspectives on the main challenges and future opportunities are also offered in order to inspire a multidisciplinary effort toward the further development of chemically diverse, multi‐functional hybrid porous crystalline materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

3D printing of metal-based materials for renewable energy applications

Large-scale renewable energy must overcome conversion and storage challenges before it can replace fossil fuels due to its intermittent nature. However, current sustainable energy devices still suffer from high cost, low efficiency, and poor service life problems. Recently, porous metal-based materials have been widely used as desirable cross-functional platforms for electrochemical and photochemical energy systems for their unique electrical conductivity, catalytic activity, and chemical stability. To tailor the porosity length scale, ordering, and compositions, 3D printing has been applied as a disruptive manufacturing revolution to create complex architected components by directly joining sequential layers into designed structures. In conclusion, this article intends to summarize cutting-edge advances of metal-based materials for renewable energy devices (e.g., fuel cells, solar cells, supercapacitors, and batteries) over the past decade.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

System and method of making a crankshaft with alternate materials

A crankshaft for an internal combustion engine is provided. The crankshaft comprises at least four main journals aligned on a crankshaft axis of rotation defining a centerline. The crankshaft further comprises at least three pin journals. Each pin journal is disposed about a respective pin journal axis and positioned between the main journals. Each of the pin journals is joined to a pair of crank arms. Each pair of crank arms is joined to a respective main journal. Each of the main journals, pin journals, and crank arms is made of a first metallic material. Each crank arm has an over-molded counterweight metallurgically bonded thereto. Each counterweight is disposed opposite a respective pin journal relative to the centerline for balance and stability. Each counterweight is made of a second metallic material. The crankshaft has a weight ratio of the second metallic material to the first metallic material of between 0.20 to 0.50.

Klemstine, David C.↗

Nodal hybridization in a two-dimensional heavy-fermion material

Metals with partially filled core atomic shells can form quasiparticles at a low temperature arising from the hybridization of the core level and conduction electrons. The thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of these metals can be understood as those of a simple metal, but with a significant mass enhancement over the free electron mass—commonly referred to as heavy fermions. In most heavy-fermion materials, the hybridization is approximately isotropic in position and momentum space. However, a combination of low dimensionality and symmetry properties of the core-level wavefunctions can give rise to highly anisotropic electronic interactions with the conduction electrons. Here, in this study, we demonstrate anisotropic hybridization that vanishes along specific directions in momentum space—referred to as nodes—in a lanthanide-based two-dimensional van der Waals heavy-fermion compound, CeSiI. Quasiparticle interference measurements reveal a set of discrete hotspots with high spectral intensity on the Fermi surface. Theoretical modelling and comparison with the quasiparticle interference pattern of the non-heavy-fermion isostructural analogue LaSiI suggest that these features arise from an unconventional electron interaction involving hybridization nodes unique to CeSiI. As a result, the effective mass of the quasiparticles varies by orders of magnitude depending on their direction in momentum space.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Assessment of Different Approaches for Measuring Shear Fracture Appearance in Charpy Tests

In this work, different approaches for establishing shear fracture appearance (SFA) on tested Charpy specimens were assessed and compared, namely (in order of increasing expected accuracy) estimates based on characteristic forces from instrumented Charpy tests, optical measurements using image analysis software, and measurements performed with the aid of a scanning electron microscope. Comparisons between different SFA values for 129 instrumented Charpy tests currently included in the National Institute of Standards and Technology database allowed us to establish the relationships between the different available approaches and formulate recommendations for the revision of the standards ASTM E2298-18, Standard Test Method for Instrumented Impact Testing of Metallic Materials, and ISO 14556:2015, Metallic Materials — Charpy V-Notch Pendulum Impact Test — Instrumented Test Method, which currently provide four empirical correlations that can be used to estimate SFA.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Energy Exchange in Dynamic DNA-Metal Hybrid Materials (Final Technical Report)

This report details research results from the 1 year renewal of DE-SC0017270, Energy Exchange in Dynamic DNA-Metal Hybrid Materials, including the primary findings associated with this research. This work investigated interactions between dynamic DNA origami energy harvesting materials and inorganic materials responsive to electromagnetic fields with two primary areas of inquiry: cyclic energy conversion and mechanical energy storage and transfer. This work resulted in 5 publications, including 1 in revision, and 1 issued patent.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Removable smart sequestration coatings for hazardous metals

Materials are disclosed for the safe sequestration and removal of hazardous contaminants from a surface. The materials can be sprayed, rolled, painted, brushed or dip coated onto any surface and allowed to dry and/or cure at room temperature or drying/curing can be accelerated by the application of heat to form a coating that entraps the contaminant therein. The coating and the entrapped contaminant can then peeled from the surface and safely disposed of to minimize hazardous waste. The coating includes a colorimetric additive that is specific to the contaminant, the coating and the contaminant producing a visual indication of contamination.

Sampathkumaran, Uma↗

Removable smart sequestration coatings for hazardous metals

Materials are disclosed for the safe sequestration and removal of hazardous contaminants from a surface. The materials can be sprayed, rolled, painted, brushed or dip coated onto any surface and allowed to dry and/or cure at room temperature or drying/curing can be accelerated by the application of heat to form a coating that entraps the contaminant therein. The coating and the entrapped contaminant can then peeled from the surface and safely disposed of to minimize hazardous waste. The coating includes a colorimetric additive that is specific to the contaminant, the coating and the contaminant producing a visual indication of contamination.

Sampathkumaran, Uma↗

Catalysts by pyrolysis: Direct observation of chemical and morphological transformations leading to transition metal-nitrogen-carbon materials

Transition metal-nitrogen-carbon materials (M-N-C catalysts) are promising electrocatalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) and electrolyzer applications. High temperature treatment in inert atmosphere (pyrolysis) is the essential, most common method for the synthesis of M-N-C catalysts and critical to achieve high electrocatalytic activity and electronic conductivity. To this day, despite many uses and successful implementations in materials manufacturing, pyrolysis has been an entirely empirical technology, with process control and optimization relying exclusively on “Edisonian” approach. The knowledge gap in the mechanism about how the precursor is being transformed into catalysts hinders further development of the M-N-C catalysts regardless of the precursor class and processing protocols. In this work, we probed the morphological evolution and chemical transformation of a nitrogen-containing charge transfer organic salt, mixed with transition metal (iron) salt and amorphous silica powder (precursor) during the pyrolysis process via a combination of in situ synchrotron and laboratory-based diagnostic techniques. The pyrolysis process is found to be divided into three stages. During a controlled temperature ramp, the selected organic N-C precursor (nicarbazin) began melting and decomposing just below 400 °C, forming a certain number of micrometer-scale pores and pathways. With increase in temperature from 400 °C to 900 °C, amorphous carbon domains started forming, and reduced (metallic) iron nanoclusters appeared, being dispersed uniformly throughout the carbonaceous matrix. When temperature advanced above 900 °C, graphitization of carbon commenced, associated with appearance and evolution of atomically dispersed metal-nitrogen moieties in the carbonaceous matrix. As the graphitization advanced further, a secondary process of agglomeration of metal nanoparticles occurred. Multi-analytical technique observations conducted here provide a base for rational design and optimization of M-N-C electrocatalysts via pyrolysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Optical Memory, Switching, and Neuromorphic Functionality in Metal Halide Perovskite Materials and Devices

Metal halide perovskite-based materials have emerged over the past few decades as remarkable solution-processable opto-electronic materials with many intriguing properties and potential applications. Notably, these emerging materials have recently been considered for their promise in low-energy memory and information processing applications. In particular, their large optical cross-sections, high photoconductance contrast, large carrier diffusion lengths, and mixed electronic/ionic transport mechanisms are attractive for enabling memory elements and neuromorphic devices that are written and/or read in the optical domain. Here, we review recent progress towards memory and neuromorphic functionality in metal halide perovskite materials and devices where photons are used as a critical degree of freedom for switching, memory, and neuromorphic functionality.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Adsorption and Growth of Organic Materials on Metal Surfaces

This work investigated extensively the role of van der Waals (vdWs) interactions, when incorporated self-consistently into density functional theory (DFT). The investigations follow two avenues: 1) screening of several vdWs schemes at the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), using adsorption of small and large organic molecules on a variety of metal surfaces; and 2) simulating the adsorption of 2D materials such as silicene and phosphorene on metal surfaces. This second avenue is done in connection were subject of experimental investigations. These investigations led us to the conclusion that, if the inclusion of the vdWs interactions improved the nature of the adsorption and brought some excellent agreements with the experimental observations of the adsorption geometries, there is still a lot to do when it comes to the changes to the electronic structure upon adsorption.

2D materials.↗

Tuning Electronic Properties of 2D Materials Using Metal Adsorbates: Cu at WTe 2 Edges

Two-dimensional materials exhibit properties promising for novel applications. Topologically protected states at their edges can be harnessed for use in quantum devices. We use ab initio simulations to examine properties of edges in 1T'-WTe 2 monolayers, known to exhibit topological order, and their interactions with Cu atoms. Comparison of (010)-oriented edges that have the same composition but different terminations shows that, as the number of Cu atoms increases, their thermodynamically-preferred arrangement depends on the details of the edge structure. Cu atoms aggregate into a cluster at the most stable edge; while the cluster is non-magnetic, it spin-polarizes the W atoms along the edge, which removes the topological protection. At the metastable edge, Cu atoms form a chain incorporated into the WTe 2 lattice; the topological state is preserved in spite of the dramatic edge restructuring. This suggests that exploiting interactions of metal species with metastable edge terminations can provide a path towards non-invasive interfaces.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Nanostructured layer for graded index freeform optics

The present disclosure relates to a method for creating an optical component having a spatially controlled refractive index. The method may involve applying a thin metal material layer to a substrate. The thin metal material layer may then be heated to create a mask having a spatially varying nano-particle distribution. The substrate may then be etched, using the mask, to imprint a spatially patterned nanostructure pattern on a surface the substrate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Radiative Heat Transfer and 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Materials

Here we study the radiative heat transfer power in the family of transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers in their H- and T-symmetries. For this purpose, the electronic and optical properties computed from first-principles are used in effective models to understand the emerging scaling laws for metals and semiconductors as well as specific material signatures as control knobs for radiative heat transfer. Our combined approach of analytical modeling with properties from ab initio simulations can be used for other materials families to build a materials database for radiative heat transfer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electrochemical generation of hexacyanoferrate and hexacyanoruthanate electroactive films at nickel electrode surfaces: A promising synthetic approach for new electrode materials in metal ion batteries and supercapacitors

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have been recently investigated as promising electrode materials for battery and supercapacitor applications. While most explorations have focused on PBA nanoparticles, very little attention has been focused on PBA films deposited on a metallic support. In this work, we have examined electrogenerating hexacyanoferrate (HCF) and hexacyanoruthenate (HCR) films on nickel surfaces via cyclic voltammetry. We found that the total material deposited was influenced by the metal cation present in the electrolyte solution and that, on average, the rate of deposition of the surface adsorbed/immobilized species was dependent on the species in solution. In particular, films electrogenerated in the presence of Na + and K + had the highest deposition rates. The cyclic voltammetric profiles exhibited dramatic differences depending on the cation present in the electrolyte solution. In addition, we found that all films were electrochemically irreversible in the presence of Li + and Mg 2+ containing electrolyte solutions. Further, and as a proof of concept, we modified high surface area nickel electrodes with HCF in sodium-based electrolytes, finding that these electrodes could operate reversibly at equivalent C-rates as high as 1667C.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Convenient Syntheses of Trivalent Uranium Halide Starting Materials without Uranium Metal

Low-valent uranium coordination chemistry continues to rely heavily on access to trivalent starting materials, but these reagents are typically prepared from uranium turnings, which are becoming increasingly difficult to acquire. Here we report convenient syntheses of UI 3 (THF) 4 (THF = tetrahydrofuran) and UBr 3 (THF) 4 from UCl 4 , a more accessible uranium starting material that can be prepared from commercially available uranium oxides. UCl 3 (THF) 2 (1), UBr 3 (THF) 4 (2), and UI 3 (THF) 4 (3) were prepared by single-pot reductions from UCl 4 using KH and KC 8 and converted to 2 or 3 by halide exchange with the corresponding Me 3 SiX (where X = Br or I). Reduction of UI 4 (Et 2 O) 2 (4; Et 2 O = diethyl ether) and UI 4 (1,4-dioxane) 2 (5) was also shown to cleanly yield 3. Complex 1 was also synthesized separately by the addition of anhydrous HCl to U(BH 4 ) 3 (THF) 2 , which was prepared by thermal reduction of U(BH 4 ) 4 . All three trivalent uranium halide complexes were isolated in high crystalline yields (typically 85–99%) and their formulations were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and 1 H NMR and IR spectroscopy. Elemental analysis conducted on triplicate samples of 1–3 exposed to vacuum for different time intervals revealed significant THF loss for all three complexes in as little as 15 min. Altogether, these results offer expedient entry into low-valent uranium chemistry for researchers lacking access to uranium turnings.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Insights into Plastic Localization by Crystallographic Slip from Emerging Experimental and Numerical Approaches

Advanced experimental and numerical approaches are being developed to capture the localization of plasticity at the nanometer scale as a function of the multiscale and heterogeneous microstructure present in metallic materials. These innovative approaches promise new avenues to understand microstructural effects on mechanical properties, accelerate alloy design, and enable more accurate mechanical property prediction. This article provides an overview of emerging approaches with a focus on the localization of plasticity by crystallographic slip. New insights into the mechanisms and mechanics of strain localization are addressed. The consequences of the localization of plasticity by deformation slip for mechanical properties of metallic materials are also detailed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗