Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “manganese-rich”

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.

40 records · Page 3

Signs of Life in Meridiani Planum: What Might Opportunity See (Or Miss)?

The Meridiani Planum hematite deposit has been designated as the prime landing site for Opportunity, one of the two Mars Exploration Rover (MER) spacecraft. Iron oxide and hydroxide minerals, including hematite, can mineralize and preserve microfossils and physical biomarkers. Previous research by ourselves and others, summarized below, has demonstrated such mineralization in a variety of terrestrial hematite deposits. Our most recent study has focused on the mineralization of microorganisms in rock varnish, the iron- and manganese-rich layers that coat rocks in many arid environments.

Allen, C. C.↗

In-Situ Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Tagish Lake: An Ungrouped Type 2 Carbonaceous Chondrite

We have measured the oxygen isotopic composition of several components of Tagish Lake by ion microprobe. This meteorite constitutes the best preserved sample of C2 matter presently available for study. It presents two different lithologies (carbonate-poor and -rich) which have fairly comparable oxygen isotopic composition, with regard to both the primary or secondary minerals. For the olivine and pyroxene grains, their delta O-18 values range from - 10.5% to + 7.4% in the carbonate-poor lithology, with a mean Delta O-17 value of - 3.7 2.4%. In the carbonate-rich lithology, delta O-18 varies from - 7.9% to + 3.3%, and the mean Delta O-17 value is - 4.7 +/- 1.4%. Olivine inclusions (Fo(sub >99)) with extreme O-16-enrichment were found in both lithologies: delta O-18 = - 46.1 %, delta O-187= - 48.3% and delta O-18 = - 40.6%, delta O-17 = - 41.2% in the carbonate-rich lithology; delta O-18 = - 41.5%, delta O-17 = -43.4%0 in the carbonate-poor lithology. Anhydrous minerals in the carbonate-poor lithology are slightly more O-16-rich than in the carbonate-rich one. Four low-iron manganese-rich (LIME) olivine grains do not have an oxygen isotopic composition distinct from the other "normal" olivines. The phyllosilicate matrix presents the same range of oxygen isotopic compositions in both lithologies: delta O-18 from approximately 11 % to approximately 6%, with an average Delta. O-17 approximately 0%. Because the bulk Tagish Lake oxygen isotopic composition given by Brown et al. is on the high end of our matrix analyses, we assume that this "bulk Tagish Lake" composition probably only represents that of the carbonate-rich lithology. Calcium carbonates have delta O-18 values up to 35%, with Delta O-17 approximately 0.5%0. Magnetite grains present very high Delta O-17 values approximately + 3.4%0 +/- 1.2%. Given our analytical uncertainties and our limited carbonate data, the matrix and the carbonate seem to have formed in isotopic equilibrium. In that case, their large isotopic fractionation would argue for a low temperature (CM-like, T approximately 0 deg) formation. Magnetite probably formed during a separate event. Tagish Lake magnetite data is surprisingly compatible with that of R-chondrites and unequilibrated ordinary (LL3) chondrites. Our oxygen isotope data strongly supports the hypothesis of a single precursor for both lithologies. Drastic mineralogical changes between the two lithologies not being accompanied with isotopic fractionation seem compatible with the alteration model presented by Young et aI. Tagish Lake probably represents the first well preserved large sample of the C2 matter that dominates interplanetary matter since the formation of the solar system.

Zolensky, Michael E.↗

Alternate Synthesis Method for High-Performance Manganese Rich Cation Disordered Rocksalt Cathodes

Cation-disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathodes have recently emerged as a promising class of cobalt-free, high-capacity cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. To facilitate their commercialization, the development of scalable synthesis techniques providing control over composition and morphology is critical. To this end, a sol-gel synthesis route to prepare Mn-rich DRX cathodes with high capacities is presented here. Several compositions with varied Mn content and nominal F doping are successfully prepared using this technique. In-situ X-ray diffraction measurements demonstrate that DRX formation proceeds at moderate temperature (800 °C) through the sol-gel route, which enables intimate mixing among reactive intermediate phases that form at lower temperatures. All synthesized compositions possess cation short-range order, as evidenced by neutron pair distribution function and electron diffraction analysis. These DRX materials demonstrate promising electrochemical performance with reversible capacities up to 275 mAh g. Compared to the baseline oxide (Li 1.2 Mn 0.4 Ti 0.4 O 2 ), the Mn-rich compositions exhibit improved cycling stability, with some showing an increase in capacity upon cycling. Finally, this study demonstrates the feasibility of preparing high-capacity DRX cathodes through a sol-gel based synthesis route, which may be further optimized to provide better control over the product morphology compared to traditional synthesis methods.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Unveiling Morphology and Crystallinity Dynamics in Ni x Mn 1– x CO 3 Cathode Precursors through Batch-Mode Coprecipitation

This study delves into the synthesis and control of Ni x Mn 1–x CO 3 , a critical class of Mn-rich, Co-free precursors vital for cathode-oxide materials in energy storage and conversion technologies. Employing batch-mode coprecipitation, we systematically generated samples with varying Ni concentrations (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9) and conducted a comprehensive analysis of their compositions, crystallinities, transition-metal distributions, and particle morphologies through both experimental and computational methods. A significant variation in particle size and crystallinity was observed, contingent on the Ni content. Further, a pivotal transition emerged at Ni concentrations above x = ~0.5, transforming uniform morphologies, such as spherical, monodisperse, pseudo-single-crystalline particles, into bimodal, polycrystalline structures. Furthermore, the study highlights the role of Ni–ammonia complexes leading to Ni-deficient precipitates and underscores the importance of ammonia concentration in achieving precise Ni content control. This study unveils critical reaction conditions governing Mn-rich precursor properties that are vital for cathode-oxides, emphasizing the need for meticulous synthetic control and offering the potential for practical applications in advanced energy storage and conversion systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗