The kinetics of oxygen adsorption on the /112/ and /110/ planes of tungsten.
Low energy electron diffraction oxygen adsorption kinetics on planes of tungsten at coverages below monolayer and work function measurements
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Low energy electron diffraction oxygen adsorption kinetics on planes of tungsten at coverages below monolayer and work function measurements
Oxygen 18 adsorption on silicon activation analysis measurements used to obtain kinetic curve for chemisorption from monolayers
Monolayer submicron self supporting particle film samples preparation for sintering by transmission electron microscopy
The self-contamination of a spacecraft, defined as the return and deposition of outgassed molecules on its critical surfaces, was investigaed. Theoretical relations for the flux, density, and pressure of the emitted gas as a function of altitude, radius, and distance from the spacecraft surface were developed. The flux of these outgassed molecules which return to the emitting surface was also obtained and shown to be dependent on altitude, dimensions, and on the magnitude of outgassing. The rate of condensation and the time for the formation of a monolayer of the returning molecules can be calculated. The self-contamination of a spacecraft undergoing vacuum chamber test was also analyzed and compared to the equivalent parameters for the orbital conditions.
The self-contamination of spacecraft (defined as the return and deposition of outgassed molecules on its critical surfaces, either in orbit or while undergoing vacuum) is considered. Theoretical relations for the flux, density, and pressure of the emitted gas as a function of altitude, radius, and distance from the spacecraft surface are developed. The flux of the outgassed molecules that return to the emitting surface is also obtained and shown to be dependent on altitude, spacecraft dimensions, and the magnitude of outgassing. The rate of condensation and the time for the formation of a monolayer of the returning molecules can be calculated. The self-contamination of spacecraft undergoing vacuum chamber test is also theoretically examined and compared with the equivalent parameters for orbit conditions. It is concluded that, depending on the dimensions of the spacecraft relative to those of the chamber and the wall capture coefficient, ground tests conducted in the more usual space simulation chambers can provide returning fluxes and self-contamination comparable to those occurring in space up to an altitude of about 400 km. For higher altitudes and return fluxes less than 0.001 of those emitted, the chamber test can produce a greater contamination. In this case, the ground results can be related to those obtained in space, provided that the wall capture coefficient is known or if the ratio of returned to emitted flux at the spacecraft surface is measured.
Quantitative evidence of gas flows in the far upstream region of small nozzles with large boundary layer flow are discussed. Gas mass fluxes were measured using quartz crystal microbalances. Both nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases were used as test gases. Gas deposition rates on the order of 100 monolayers per minute were detected 13 inches upstream of the nozzle exit plane. It is significant to note that the crystals detected gases considerably beyond the Prandtl-Meyer turning angle. The data from these tests will be essential in the formulation of scaling laws and analytical prediction methods for viscous plume behavior.
The physical adsorption of nitrogen on the chemically cleaned surfaces of Pyrex, 347 stainless steel and polycrystalline nickel was investigated over the pressure range 1 x 10 to the minus 12th power to 3 x 10 to the minus 7th power torr and for temperatures 77.4 and 87.4 K. The adsorption data were linearized by the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation. The metal surfaces were cleaned by electron impact desorption (EID) and the desorbed gases analyzed by mass spectrometry. Work function measurements were also used to indicate changes in the surface condition following an EID dose. At least a monolayer of gas was observed to desorb from the metal surfaces. The isotherms revealed that the metal surfaces were very heterogeneous and that the Pyrex surface had been leached. The calculated isosteric heats of adsorption indicated that the relative order of the physical binding of nitrogen to the solids was 347 stainless steel Pyrex nickel. A relationship was observed to exist in the dynamic technique between the equilibration time and the pressure above the absorbed layer. The slope of the log-log plot of these parameters was found to be sensitive to the surface heterogeneity and may be related to the activation energy for surface diffusion of physically absorbed molecules.
If solar arrays on solar-electric spacecraft protrude into the exhaust hemisphere of the electric thrusters, they will receive fluxes (usually small) of both propellant and accelerator grid atoms. Unlike propellants, grid materials have low vapor pressures and will not reevaporate. An analysis is presented of degradation in the optical, thermal, and electrical performance of solar cells resulting from thin deposits of grid material (aluminum and molybdenum) on various array surfaces. The classical optical theory of thin films, heat balance equations, and a typical relationship for solar cell efficiency vs temperature are used to compute curves showing optical properties, temperature, and power output as functions of film thickness. The results compare favorably with available experimental data. It is shown that a few monolayers of metal deposition on the illuminated surface will seriously degrade cell performance. A means of estimating the arrival rate of these materials is provided.
The field of surface science has undergone intense revitalization with the introduction of low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and other surface analytical techniques which have been sophisticated within the last decade. These developments have permitted submono- and monolayer structure analysis as well as chemical identification and quantitative analysis. The application of a number of these techniques to the solution of problems in the fields of friction, lubrication, and wear are examined in detail for the particular case of iron; and in general to illustrate how the accumulation of pure data will contribute toward the establishment of physiochemical concepts which are required to understand the mechanisms that are operational in friction systems. In the case of iron, LEED, Auger and microcontact studies have established that hydrogen and light-saturated organic vapors do not establish interfaces which prevent iron from welding, whereas oxygen and some oxygen and sulfur compounds do reduce welding as well as the coefficient of friction. Interpretation of these data suggests a mechanism of sulfur interaction in lubricating systems.
Adsorption of carbon monoxide and hydrogen was investigated on three graphites: a high-density pyrolytic graphite, a small-grain extruded graphite, and a processed pyrolytic graphite tape. The sticking probability of CO was found to decrease rapidly as the average surface coverage approached 0.01 monolayer. Lower sticking probabilities were observed on the highly oriented pyrolytic graphite which indicated that adsorption occurs principally on the edge atoms. There is negligible adsorption of molecular hydrogen on graphite that has been heated to 2400 K in vacuo.
Auger electron spectroscopy was used to examine surface segregation in the binary alloys copper-1 at. % indium, copper-2 at. % tin and iron-6.55 at. % silicon. The copper-tin and copper-indium alloys were single crystals oriented with the /111/ direction normal to the surface. An iron-6.5 at. % silicon alloy was studied (a single crystal oriented in the /100/ direction for study of a (100) surface). It was found that surface segregation occurred following sputtering in all cases. Only the iron-silicon single crystal alloy exhibited equilibrium segregation (i.e., reversibility of surface concentration with temperature) for which at present we have no explanation. McLean's analysis for equilibrium segregation at grain boundaries did not apply to the present results, despite the successful application to dilute copper-aluminum alloys. The relation of solute atomic size and solubility to surface segregation is discussed. Estimates of the depth of segregation in the copper-tin alloy indicate that it is of the order of a monolayer surface film.
Gas adsorption measurements on an Apollo 12 ultrahigh vacuum-stored sample and Apollo 14 and 15 N2-stored samples, show that the cosmic ray track and solar wind damaged surface of lunar soil is very reactive. Room temperature monolayer adsorption of N2 by the Apollo 12 sample at 0.0001 atm was observed. Gas evolution of Apollo 14 lunar soil at liquid nitrogen temperature during adsorption/desorption cycling is probably due to cosmic ray track stored energy release accompanied by solar gas release from depths of 100-200 nm.
The sticking coefficient and thermal desorption spectra of Cs from the (110) plane of W was investigated. A sticking coefficient of unity for the monolayer region was measured for T 250 K. Several distinct binding states were observed in the thermal desorption spectrum. Work function and electron reflection measurements were made on the (110) and (100) crystal faces of Mo. Both LEED and Auger were used to determine the orientation and cleanliness of the crystal surfaces. The work function values obtained for the (110) and (100) planes of Mo were 4.92 and 4.18 eV respectively.
The feasibility of monitoring volatile contaminants in a large space simulation chamber using techniques of internal reflection spectroscopy was demonstrated analytically and experimentally. The infrared spectral region was selected as the operational spectral range in order to provide unique identification of the contaminants along with sufficient sensitivity to detect trace contaminant concentrations. It was determined theoretically that a monolayer of the contaminants could be detected and identified using optimized experimental procedures. This ability was verified experimentally. Procedures were developed to correct the attenuated total reflectance spectra for thick sample distortion. However, by using two different element designs the need for such correction can be avoided.
The application of advanced composite materials to high performance structure frequently results in the desire to fabricate a structure from more than one composite system in order to tailor the composite material capabilities to the design requirements. The bi-composite transition provides a means of joining two different composite structural systems without the weight and complexity of mechanical attachments. The monolayer plies or combinations of plies of one composite system are interleaved with and bonded to the plies of the adjacent composite system, thereby providing a direct load transfer between the two composite structures.
In studies of fracture mechanics the adhesive fracture energy is regarded as a fundamental property of the adhesive system. It is pointed out that the value of the adhesive fracture energy depends on surface preparation, curing conditions, and absorbed monolayers. A test method reported makes use of a disk whose peripheral part is bonded to a substrate material. Pressure is injected into the unbonded central part of the disk. At a certain critical pressure value adhesive failure can be observed. A numerical stress analysis involving arbitrary geometries is conducted.
In a two-chamber system designed for physical adsorption studies, a titanium film was deposited and exposed to nitrogen. Oxygen was then admitted into the system. However, the presence of oxygen could not be detected by the mass spectrometer during the first 300 seconds of oxygen admission. On the basis of the data it is assumed that the capture probability of the nitrogen-saturated titanium film for oxygen is very nearly 1. Based on this assumption, the titanium film adsorbed approximately 3 monolayers of oxygen.
Eutectic bonding is a diffusion brazing process developed for fabricating boron-aluminum components from composite monolayer. This process relies on the diffusion of a thin surface film of copper into the aluminum matrix to form a liquid phase when heated above the copper-aluminum eutectic temperature of 1018 F. This type of fabrication offers design flexibility in that skin thickness may be varied, the stiffness geometry and orientation can be varied, and local reinforcement can be added. In addition, this type of boron-aluminum structure offers high efficiency. Also, this method of construction can be cost-comparative with complex titanium shapes; simple tooling permits easy layup, bonding is a one-step operation, and little finish machining is required.