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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 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Smart manufacturing approach to manufacture bulk nanocrystalline aluminum for lightweight applications

In this research, a smart manufacturing approach was used to enhance the mechanical properties of aluminum (Al) for lightweight applications. The smart manufacturing involved cryomilling of Al powders with and without 5 wt.% magnesium (Mg) powders for varying durations followed by a high-pressure cold spray (HPCS) additive manufacturing process to prepare bulk components. The morphological changes, crystallite size, and composition of the cryomilled powders and cold sprayed (CS’ed) components were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The results showed that the crystallite size reduces with an increase in cryomilling time and the addition of Mg dopant. To test the mechanical properties of the bulk CS’ed components, microhardness tests were performed using a Vickers microhardness tester. Uniaxial tensile tests were also carried out to ascertain the material’s tensile properties. The mechanical testing results showed great improvement in the hardness and tensile strength of CS’ed Al–Mg samples as compared to pure Al samples. Subsequently, fractography analysis of the tensile failed samples was carried out to determine the nature of the failure. Here, the research article also discusses the inherent mechanisms for the improvement in mechanical properties of smart manufactured components as a result of Mg doping and cryomilling.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2006

The Role of Materials Degradation and Analysis in the Space Shuttle Columbia Accident Investigation

The efforts following the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia included debris recovery, reconstruction, and analysis. The debris was subjected to myriad quantitative and semiquantitative chemical analysis techniques, ranging from examination via the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) to X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA). The results from the work with the debris helped the investigators determine the location where a breach likely occurred in the leading edge of the left wing during lift off of the Orbiter from the Kennedy Space Center. Likewise, the information evidenced by the debris was also crucial in ascertaining the path of impinging plasma flow once it had breached the wing. After the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) issued its findings, the major portion of the investigation was concluded. However, additional work remained to be done on many pieces of debris from portions of the Orbiter which were not directly related to the initial impact during ascent. This subsequent work was not only performed in the laboratory, but was also performed with portable equipment, including examination via portable X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Likewise, acetate and silicon-rubber replicas of various fracture surfaces were obtained for later macroscopic and fractographic examination. This paper will detail the efforts and findings from the initial investigation, as well as present results obtained by the later examination and analysis of debris from the Orbiter including its windows, bulkhead structures, and other components which had not been examined during the primary investigation.

McDanels, Steven J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Andreyivanovite: A Second New Phosphide from the Kaidun Meteorite

Andreyivanovite (ideally FeCrP) is another new phosphide species from the Kaidun meteorite, which fell in South Yemen in 1980. Kaidun is a unique breccia containing an unprecedented variety of fragments of different chondritic as well as achondritic lithologies. Andreyivanovite was found as individual grains and linear arrays of grains with a maximum dimension of 8 m within two masses of Fe-rich serpentine. In one sample it is associated with Fe-Ni-Cr sulfides and florenskyite (FeTiP). Andreyivanovite is creamy white in reflected light, and its luster is metallic. The average of nine electron microprobe analyses yielded the formula Fe(Cr0.587 Fe0.150 V0.109 Ti0.081 Ni0.060 Co0.002)P. Examination of single grains of andreyivanovite using Laue patterns collected by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), and by electron backscattered diffraction revealed that it is isostructural with florenskyite; we were unable to find single crystals of sufficient quality to perform a complete structure analysis. Andreyivanovite crystallizes in the space group Pnma, and has the anti-PbCl2 structure. Previously-determined cell constants of synthetic material [a = 5.833(1), b = 3.569(1), c = 6.658(1) A] were consistent with our XRD work. We used the XPOW program to calculate a powder XRD pattern; the 5 most intense reflections are d = 2.247 (I = 100), 2.074 (81), 2.258 (46), 1.785 (43), and 1.885 A (34). Andreyivanovite is the second new phosphide to be described from the Kaidun meteorite. Andreyivanovite could have formed as a result of cooling and crystallization of a melted precursor consisting mainly of Fe-Ni metal enriched in P, Ti, and Cr. Serpentine associated with andreyivanovite would then have formed during aqueous alteration on the parent asteroid. It is also possible that the andreyivanovite could have formed during aqueous alteration, however, artificial FeTiP has been synthesized only during melting experiments, at low oxygen fugacity, and there is no evidence that a hydrothermal genesis is reasonable.

Zolensky, Michael↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reentrant polar phase induced by the ferroionic coupling in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles

Using the model of four sublattices, the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire-Kittel phenomenological approach and the Stephenson-Highland ionic adsorption model for the description of coupled polar and antipolar long-range orders in ferroics, we analytically calculated the phase diagrams and polar properties of B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥⁢ Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles covered by surface ions with dependence on their size, surface ions density, samarium content 𝑥 , and temperature. The size effects and ferroionic coupling govern the appearance and stability conditions of the long-range ordered ferroelectric, reentrant ferrielectric, and antiferroelectric phases in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles. Calculated phase diagrams are in qualitative agreement with the x-ray diffraction phase analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and electrophysical measurements of B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanopowders sintered by the solution combustion method. The combined theoretical-experimental approach allows us to explain the influence of the ferroionic coupling and size effects in B⁢i 1−𝑥 ⁢S⁢m 𝑥 ⁢Fe⁢O 3 nanoparticles on their polar properties.

antiferroelectricity↗
DOE OSTI2026

Local Structural Coherence and Interfacial Charge Transfer in Cu 2 ⁢S/Mo⁢S 2 Heterostructure

Precise control over electronic coupling at nanoscale interfaces is critical for designing materials with tunable charge-transfer behavior and catalytic function. Heterostructures with locally coherent interfaces provide a platform for interrogating interfacial charge redistribution in coupled material systems. Here, we report Cu 2 ⁢S/Mo⁢S 2 heterostructures exhibiting nanoscale crystallographic alignment, which are synthesized through a rapid thermal transformation pathway. We employed electrochemical reduction reactions to probe interfacial charge transfer, revealing shifts in product distribution attributable to modified interfacial energetics, even in the absence of optimized catalytic performance. The observed formate Faradaic efficiency suggests that interfacial electronic modulation in the heterostructure shifts product selectivity towards formate, highlighting how interface-driven electronic modulation can direct reaction pathways and influence product selectivity. Optimizing catalyst loading, architecture, and reactor configuration will be critical for future improvement. Structural and compositional integrity were confirmed through powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Electron transfer between Cu 2 ⁢S and Mo⁢S 2 domains was further evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, while selected-area electron diffraction revealed local crystallographic alignment consistent with a local epitaxial relationship at the Cu 2 S/Mo⁢S 2 heterointerface. To illustrate the broader applicability of this approach, a Zn⁢S/Mo⁢S 2 heterostructure was also synthesized using the same microwave strategy, confirming the generalizability of interfacial engineering principles across metal sulfide-Mo⁢S 2 systems. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that controlled local epitaxial alignment serves as an effective design principle for tuning interfacial energetics and catalytic reactivity in complex heterostructure materials.

carbon capture & utilization↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spatial imaging of polarized deuterons at the Electron-Ion Collider

We study diffractive vector meson production at small-x in the collision of electrons and polarized deuterons e + d $\uparrow$ . We consider the polarization dependence of the nuclear wave function of the deuteron, which results in an azimuthal angular dependence of the produced vector meson when the deuteron is transversely polarized. The Fourier coefficients extracted from the azimuthal angular dependence of the vector meson differential cross-section exhibit notable differences between longitudinally and transversely polarized deuterons. The angular dependence of the extracted effective deuteron radius provides direct insight into the structure of the polarized deuteron wave function. Furthermore, we observe slightly increased gluon saturation effects when the deuteron is longitudinally polarized compared to the transversely polarized case. The small-x observables studied in this work will be accessible at the future Electron-Ion Collider.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Path integral molecular dynamics: A high-fidelity approach to quantum dynamics of electrons

We investigate electron transport in the uniform electron gas using ring-polymer molecular dynamics (RPMD). Working in the weakly coupled, non-degenerate regime, we use RPMD to probe how the onset of quantum diffraction effects at high temperature reshapes electron–electron collisions and leads to a classical-to-quantum crossover in macroscopic transport properties. Static thermodynamics obtained with RPMD are consistent with the weak-coupling equation of state, confirming correct quantum Boltzmann sampling. Real-time transport extracted from mean square displacements exhibits the expected ballistic-to-diffusive transition and a systematic reduction of the electronic self-diffusivity as quantum effects strengthen, due to quantum diffraction modifying electron–electron collisions. Direct ring-polymer scattering simulations reveal diffractive “softening” of binary deflections, providing a micro-to-macro link between collision physics and diffusion. The present study establishes RPMD as a quantitative, trajectory-based tool for electron transport across the classical–quantum crossover and furnishes benchmarks for improving Coulomb-log interpolation models. We outline extensions to multi-component plasmas and a path to incorporate Fermi–Dirac statistics within path-integral dynamics.

Electronic transport↗
NASA NTRS2015

Measurements of Shock Effects Recorded by Hayabusa Samples

We requested and have been approved for 5 Hayabusa samples in order definitively establish the degree of shock experienced by the regolith of asteroid Itokawa, and to devise a bridge between shock determinations by standard light optical petrography, crystal structures as determined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD), and degree of crystallinity as determined by electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) [1,2]. As of the writing of this abstract we are awaiting the approved samples. We propose measurements of astromaterial crystal structures and regolith processes. The proposed research work will improve our understanding of how small, primitive solar system bodies formed and evolved, and improve understanding of the processes that determine the history and future of habitability of environments on other solar system bodies. The results of the proposed research will directly enrich the ongoing asteroid and comet exploration missions by NASA, JAXA and ESA, and broaden our understanding of the origin and evolution of small bodies in the early solar system, and elucidate the nature of asteroid and comet regolith.

Zolensky, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2016

Measurements of Shock Effects Recorded by Itokawa Samples

We requested and have been approved for 5 Hayabusa samples in order definitively establish the degree of shock experienced by the regolith of asteroid Itokawa, and to devise a bridge between shock determinations by standard light optical petrography, crystal structures as determined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD), and degree of crystallinity as determined by electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD). As of the writing of this abstract we are awaiting the approved samples. We propose measurements of astromaterial crystal structures and regolith processes. The proposed research work will improve our understanding of how small, primitive solar system bodies formed and evolved, and improve understanding of the processes that determine the history and future of habitability of environments on other solar system bodies. The results of the proposed research will directly enrich the ongoing asteroid and comet exploration missions by NASA, JAXA and ESA, and broaden our understanding of the origin and evolution of small bodies in the early solar system, and elucidate the nature of asteroid and comet regolith.

Zolensky, Michael↗
NASA NTRS1971

Physical electronics and surface physics

Diffraction of helium atoms from tungsten (112) crystal surface and measurement of time of flight distribution of deuterium molecules desorbed from nickel surfaces

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2025

Correlated X‐Ray and Electron Microscopies of a Single Biphasic GaAs Nanowire

Engineering the properties of semiconductors by changing their crystalline phase is a technologically and economically relevant alternative to doping using foreign elements, with strong potential for photonic and electronic applications. Although major advances have been reported recently for crystal‐phase engineering of III‐V and group IV semiconductor nanowires, interfacing two mismatched crystalline phases in a nanostructure induces several deformation mechanisms, which remain largely unexplored. Here, using state‐of‐the‐art synchrotron X‐ray nanobeam diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, subtle twisting and bending is unveiled within an individual GaAs nanowire containing cubic and hexagonal segments. Their role is discussed in accommodating the inter‐reticular spacing fluctuations, and their variations are correlated to the nanoscale phase distribution and to the effect of the NW support. This study brings direct evidence of a complex combination of deformation mechanisms in biphasic nanowires, which opens a new path to tune the nanowire properties with appealing perspectives for device engineering in nanophotonics and nanomechanics.

III-V semiconductors↗
DOE OSTI2026

Demonstration of a diamond anvil cell platform at the Linac Coherent Light Source: capabilities and outlook

A novel X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) diffraction setup for use with diamond anvil cells (DACs) at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is described. The new diamond window at the Matter at Extreme Conditions (MEC) instrument allows hard X-ray experiments on DACs to be performed in air. The platform is described along with alignment and calibration procedures, and details of the X-ray beam and diagnostics. Example data are presented, including a reversible XFEL-induced phase transition in CsPbI 3 . The DAC setup was commissioned at MEC, but is applicable to most LCLS instruments where the unique pulse structures available at LCLS offer access to new ultrafast experimental techniques at high pressure.

Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for Magnetic Anisotropy due to Localized Structural Defects in Strained Yttrium Iron Garnet Thin Films

This dataset contains electron microscopy, magnetic, and X-ray diffraction characterization data for YIG/YSGG thin films associated with the manuscript "Magnetic anisotropy due to localized structural defects in strained yttrium iron garnet thin films". Characterizations include: scanning electron nano diffraction (SEND, or 4D-STEM), dark field transmission electron microscopy (DF-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ferrimagnetic resonance (FMR), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Electron microscopy↗
DOE OSTI2025

Beam dynamics in a storage ring with a free-electron laser

In this paper, we study the dynamics of the electron beam in a diffraction limited storage ring with a high-gain free-electron laser. We present in detail the design, including lattice, dynamic aperture, intrabeam scattering, and coherent synchrotron radiation. The simulation of the electron storage ring combined with the free-electron laser is carried out until the electron beam reaches its equilibrium. We find that the initial exponential radiation power is reduced approximately to linear with respect to the undulator length due to the large increase of the energy spread from the free-electron laser.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Sequentially evaporated thin Y-Ba-Co-O superconducting films on microwave substrates

The development of high T sub c superconducting thin films on various microwave substrates is of major interest in space electronic systems. Thin films of YBa2Cu3O(7-Delta) were formed on SrTiO3, MgO, ZrO2 coated Al2O3, and LaAlO3 substrates by multi-layer sequential evaporation and subsequent annealing in oxygen. The technique allows controlled deposition of Cu, BaF2 and Y layers, as well as the ZrO buffer layers, to achieve reproducibility for microwave circuit fabrication. The three layer structure of Cu/BaF2/Y is repeated a minimum of four times. The films were annealed in an ambient of oxygen bubbled through water at temperatures between 850 C and 900 C followed by slow cooling (-2 C/minute) to 450 C, a low temperature anneal, and slow cooling to room temperature. Annealing times ranged from 15 minutes to 5 hrs. at high temperature and 0 to 6 hr. at 450 C. Silver contacts for four probe electrical measurements were formed by evaporation followed with an anneal at 500 C. The films were characterized by resistance-temperature measurements, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Critical transition temperatures ranged from 30 K to 87 K as a function of the substrate, composition of the film, thicknesses of the layers, and annealing conditions. Microwave ring resonator circuits were also patterned on these MgO and LaAlO3 substrates.

Valco, G. J.↗
DOE OSTI2026

In-situ synchrotron X-ray investigation of phase evolution in gas atomized powder enabling manufacturing of nanoscale oxide-dispersion strengthened ferritic steels

Here, we present an investigation of Fe-14Cr-3W-0.4Y-0.4Zr-0.18Ti (wt.%) as a reduced-activation oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel, an alternative to the “14YWT” structural alloys designed for nuclear energy applications. Gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS) was used to produce these Zr-modified powders with a non-equilibrium (metastable) phase that enable a heat treatment (delayed) route for producing nanoscale oxide-dispersion strengthening. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze phase evolution as a function of temperature and time, revealing formation of highly dispersed oxide nanoprecipitate phases at temperatures above those needed for powder consolidation and shaping of components. This would allow fabrication of net-shape parts using conventional powder-processing methods prior to thermal activation of a reaction producing nanocrystalline Y-(Ti, Zr)-O particles, with a size of 20 ± 7 nm. These results can inform processing of tubes, cladding, sheets, and plates for use in advanced fission and fusion reactors.

In-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction↗
DOE OSTI2025

La 2 ⁢O 3 ⁢Mn 2 ⁢Se 2 : A correlated insulating layered d-wave altermagnet

Altermagnets represent a new class of magnetic phases without net magnetization, invariant under a combination of rotation and time reversal. Unlike conventional collinear antiferromagnets (AFM), altermagnets could lead to new correlated states and important material properties deriving from their nonrelativistic spin-split band structure. Indeed, they serve as the magnetic analogue of unconventional superconductors and can yield spin-polarized electrical currents in the absence of external magnetic fields, making them promising candidates for next-generation spintronics. Here, we report altermagnetism in the correlated insulator, magnetically ordered tetragonal oxychalcogenide, L⁢a 2 ⁢O 3⁢ M⁢n 2 ⁢S⁢e 2 . Symmetry analysis reveals a 𝑑 𝑥 2 −𝑦 2 -wave-like spin-momentum locking arising from the M⁢n 2 ⁢O Lieb lattice, supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Magnetic measurements confirm the AFM transition below ∼166K while neutron pair distribution function analysis reveals a 2D short-range magnetic order that persists above the Néel temperature. Single crystals are grown and characterized using x-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy to confirm the crystal structure, stoichiometry, and uniformity. Furthermore, our findings establish L⁢a 2⁢ O 3 ⁢M⁢n 2⁢ S⁢e 2 as a model altermagnetic system realized on a Lieb lattice.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗