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At least 55 records · Page 3

Development of high temperature silicone adhesive formulations for thermal protection system applications

Trade-off studies and screening evaluations were made of commercial polymers and silicone foam sheet stock. A low modulus, low density 0.26 gm/cc modification was developed of the GE-RESD PD-200 system based upon GE RTV-560 silicone polymer. The bond system modification was initially characterized for mechanical and thermal properties, evaluated for application methods, and its capability demonstrated as a strain arrestor bond system.

Hockridge, R. R.↗

Boron-containing organosilane polymers and ceramic materials thereof

The present invention relates to organic silicon-boron polymers which upon pyrolysis produce high-temperature ceramic materials. More particularly, it relates to the polyorganoborosilanes containing -Si-B- bonds which generate high-temperature ceramic materials (e.g., SiC, SiB4, B4C) upon thermal degradation. The process for preparing these organic silicon-boron polymer precursors are also part of the invention.

Riccitiello, Salvatore R.↗

Boron-containing organosilane polymers and ceramic materials thereof

The present invention relates to a polyorgano borosilane ceramic precursor polymer comprising a plurality of repeating units of the formula: (R(sup 1) single bond B)(sub p) being linked together at B by second units of the formula: single bond (R sup 2) single bond (Si single bond R sup 3) single bond (sub q), where R(sup 1) is a lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl, or (R(sup 2)R(sup 3) single bond Si single bond B single bond)(sub n) and R(sup 2) and R(sup 3) are each independently selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, vinyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, n is an integer between 1 and 100; p is an integer between 1 and 100; and q is an integer between 1 and 100. These materials are prepared by combining an organo borohalide of the formula R(sup 4) single bond B single bond (X sup 1) (sub 2) where R(sup 4) is selected from halogen, lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, and an organo halosilane of the formula: R(sup 2)(R sup 3)Si(X sup 2)(sub 2) where R(sup 2) and R (sup 3) are each independently selected from lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl, and X(sup 1) and X(sup 2) are each independently selected from halogen, in an anhydrous aprotic solvent having a boiling point at ambient pressure of not greater than 160 C with in excess of four equivalents of an alkali metal, heating the reaction mixture and recovering the polyorgano borosilane. These silicon boron polymers are useful to generate high-temperature ceramic materials, such as SiC, SiB4, and B4C, upon thermal degradation above 600 C.

Riccitiello, Salvatore R.↗

Transparent and flame-retardant potting compounds

Potting compounds include series of modified silicone RTV polymers and series of coreacted epoxy urethanes. Special properties are obtained by including Br, P, and N in polymeric structure.

Lieberman, S. L.↗

Low cost solar array project 1: Silicon material

The low cost production of silicon by deposition of silicon from a hydrogen/chlorosilane mixture is described. Reactor design, reaction vessel support systems (physical support, power control and heaters, and temperature monitoring systems) and operation of the system are reviewed. Testing of four silicon deposition reactors is described, and test data and consequently derived data are given. An 18% conversion of trichlorosilane to silicon was achieved, but average conversion rates were lower than predicted due to incomplete removal of byproduct gases for recycling and silicon oxide/silicon polymer plugging of the gas outlet. Increasing the number of baffles inside the reaction vessel improved the conversion rate. Plans for further design and process improvements to correct the problems encountered are outlined.

Jewett, D. N.↗

Synthesis of aminosilane and aromatic diamine intermediates for polymerization

The preparation of monomers for use in a study to improve properties of epoxy polymers and silicone elastomers is described. Various approaches to the solution of the synthesis of aminosilane and diamine curing agents were examined. Ortho-, meta-, and para-substituted diamines where X is CH2, C(CH3)2, O, S, NH, or SO2 and n = 0, 1, 2, and 3 were investigated.

Mcmanus, S. P.↗

Polyphosphazene Icephobic Coating Materials

Coating materials consisting mostly of modified polyphosphazene (Class FZ) elastomers provide better protection against icing than fluorocarbon polymers and silicone elastomers. Reduces adhesive force between ice and surface. As consequence, increasing weight of ice, wind loading, or vibration of surface causes ice to be shed. New icephobic coats reduce accumulation of ice on aircraft, radomes, antennas, ships, and power-transmission lines.

Willis, Paul B.↗

NASA Space Engineering Research Center for utilization of local planetary resources

Because of a change in the NASA funding cycle, the present reporting period covers only the six months from March to September 1991. Nevertheless, remarkable progress was made in a number of areas, some of the most noteworthy of which are: (1) Engineering operation of a breadboard CO2 yields O2 demonstration plant that produced over 10 grams of oxygen per day during several runs of over 100 hours each with a single electrolytic cell. Complete automation of controls, monitoring of various inputs/outputs and critical internal variables, diagnostics, and emergency shutdown in an orderly manner were also included. Moreover, 4-cell and 16-cell units, capable of much higher rates of production, were assembled and tested. (2) Demonstration of a 200 percent increase in the carbothermal reduction of ilmenite through vapor deposition of carbon layers on particles of that material. (3) Demonstration of the deposition of strong iron films from carbonyl chemical vapor deposition, establishing the crucial role of additive gases in governing the process. (4) Discovery of an apparent 800 percent increase in the conversion rates of a modified ilmenite simulant in a plasma-augmented reactor, including direct enhancement by solar radiation absorption. (5) Proof that test specimens of lunar soil with small amounts of metallic additives, recrystallized at moderate temperatures, exhibit an improvement of several orders of magnitude in ductility/tensile strength. (6) Experiments establishing the feasibility of producing silicon-based polymers from indigenous lunar materials. (7) Application of CCD technology to the production of maps of TiO2 abundance, defining primary ilmenite deposits, on the disk of the full moon. (8) Attainment of a discovery rate of approximately 3 new near-Earth asteroids per month by Spacewatch, more than doubling the previous global rate. (9) Coordination of industry and university magma electrolysis investigations in a workshop designed to define remaining problem areas and propose critical experiments.

Ramohalli, Kumar↗

Replaceable Microfluidic Cartridges for a PCR Biosensor

The figure depicts a replaceable microfluidic cartridge that is a component of a miniature biosensor that detects target deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences. The biosensor utilizes (1) polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) to multiply the amount of DNA to be detected, (2) fluorogenic polynucleotide probe chemicals for labeling the target DNA sequences, and (3) a high-sensitivity epifluorescence-detection optoelectronic subsystem. Microfluidics is a relatively new field of device development in which one applies techniques for fabricating microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to miniature systems for containing and/or moving fluids. Typically, microfluidic devices are microfabricated, variously, from silicon or polymers. The development of microfluidic devices for applications that involve PCR and fluorescence-based detection of PCR products poses special challenges

Francis, Kevin↗

Devolatilization of polymer resins

Commercial silicon resin was devolatilized by vacuum distillation, cured at room temperature and tested favorably for outgassing criteria. Applications of the devolatilized resin are potting compounds and conformal coatings.

Seidenberg, B.↗

A Space Experiment to Measure the Atomic Oxygen Erosion of Polymers and Demonstrate a Technique to Identify Sources of Silicone Contamination

A low Earth orbital space experiment entitled, "Polymers Erosion And Contamination Experiment", (PEACE) has been designed as a Get-Away Special (GAS Can) experiment to be accommodated as a Shuttle in-bay environmental exposure experiment. The first objective is to measure the atomic oxygen erosion yields of approximately 40 different polymeric materials by mass loss and erosion measurements using atomic force microscopy. The second objective is to evaluate the capability of identifying sources of silicone contamination through the use of a pin-hole contamination camera which utilizes environmental atomic oxygen to produce a contaminant source image on an optical substrate.

Banks, Bruce A.↗

Studies in silazane chemistry

Chemistry of silazane compounds and application of data to synthesis of silicon-nitrogen linkage polymer compounds

ORGANIC SILICON COMPOUND↗

Atomic Oxygen Durability Evaluation of a UV Curable Ceramer Protective Coating

The exposure of most silicones to atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit (LEO) results in the oxidative loss of methyl groups with a gradual conversion to oxides of silicon. Typically there is surface shrinkage of oxidized silicone protective coatings which leads to cracking of the partially oxidized brittle surface. Such cracks widen and branch crack with continued atomic oxygen exposure ultimately allowing atomic oxygen to reach any hydrocarbon polymers under the silicone coating. A need exists for a paintable silicone coating that is free from such surface cracking and can be effectively used for protection of polymers and composites in LEO. A new type of silicone based protective coating holding such potential was evaluated for atomic oxygen durability in an RF atomic oxygen plasma exposure facility. The coating consisted of a UV curable inorganic/organic hybrid coating, known as a ceramer, which was fabricated using a methyl substituted polysiloxane binder and nanophase silicon-oxo-clusters derived from sol-gel precursors. The polysiloxane was functionalized with a cycloaliphatic epoxide in order to be cured at ambient temperature via a cationic UV induced curing mechanism. Alkoxy silane groups were also grafted onto the polysiloxane chain, through hydrosilation, in order to form a network with the incorporated silicon-oxo-clusters. The prepared polymer was characterized by H-1 and Si-29 NMR, FT-IR, and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. The paper will present the results of atomic oxygen protection ability of thin ceramer coatings on Kapton H as evaluated over a range of atomic oxygen fluence levels.

Banks, Bruce A.↗

Predictability of Gaseous Impact Ignition Sensitivity from Autoignition Temperature Data

An analysis of cumulative binomial probabilities for a quantal-type test like ASTM G74 indicates that for a probability of reaction in a single trial of 0.05, the probability of obtaining zero reactions in 20 trials is only approximately 36 percent, Because the lack of precision with the ASTM G74 test logic could be potentially misleading, an investigation was conducted to determine if pneumatic impact sensitivity could be predicted more reliably from other, more precise test methods. Pneumatic impact sensitivity tests were conducted following ASTM G74, but employing more rigorous test logics; autoignition temperature tests were conducted per ASTM G72. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Viton A, polyethylene, polyoxymethylene polyamide, and silicone were the polymers used. After a fixed number of pneumatic impact tests was performed at set pressures, a plot of reaction frequency over a 3.4 to 24.1 MPa impact pressure range indicated that PTFE, Viton A, and silicone would outperform other polymers. The 50 percent pneumatic impact reactivity level was determined with the Bruceton test method. The data obtained resulted in a strong correlation between the 50 percent reactivity level and the autoignition temperature of polymers, indicating similar ignition mechanisms.

Hirsh, David↗

Stability Enhancement of Polymeric Sensing Films Using Fillers

Experiments have shown the stability enhancement of polymeric sensing films on mixing the polymer with colloidal filler particles (submicron-sized) of carbon black, silver, titanium dioxide, and fumed silicon dioxide. The polymer films are candidates for potential use as sensing media in micro/nano chemical sensor devices. The need for stability enhancement of polymer sensing films arises because such films have been found to exhibit unpredictable changes in sensing activity over time, which could result in a possible failure of the sensor device. The changes in the physical properties of a polymer sensing film caused by the sorption of a target molecule can be measured by any of several established transduction techniques: electrochemical, optical, calorimetric, or piezoelectric, for example. The transduction technique used in the current polymer stability experiments is based on piezoelectric principles using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM). The surface of the QCM is coated with the polymer, and the mass uptake by the polymer film causes a change in the oscillating frequency of the quartz crystal. The polymer used for the current study is ethyl cellulose. The polymer/ polymer composite solutions were prepared in 1,3 dioxolane solvent. The filler concentration was fixed at 10 weight percent for the composites. The polymer or polymer composite solutions were cast on the quartz crystal having a fundamental frequency of about 6 MHz. The coated crystal was subjected to a multistage drying process to remove all measurable traces of the solvent. In each experiment, the frequency of oscillation was measured while the QCM was exposed to clean, dry, flowing air for about 30 minutes, then to air containing a known concentration of isopropanol for about 30 minutes, then again to clean dry air for about 30 minutes, and so forth. This cycle of measurements for varying isopropanol concentrations was repeated at intervals for several months. The figure depicts some of the sensing film stability results for ethyl cellulose polymer, ethyl cellulose-carbon black, and ethyl cellulose-silicon dioxide composite systems. An ethyl cellulose film exhibited a marked decline in response in the first few months of study and settled to a steady average response after about four months. However, response varied widely around the average response for ethyl cellulose film. In contrast, ethyl cellulose- carbon black and ethyl cellulose-silicon dioxide composites also declined in the early months, but showed more repeatable sensing film activity after the initial decline. Similar trends were observed in experiments for ethyl cellulose-titanium dioxide and ethyl cellulose-silver composites.

Lin, Brian↗