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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 73 records · Page 4

Influence of Containment on the Growth of Germanium-Silicon in Microgravity

This investigation involves the comparison of results achieved from three types of crystal growth of germanium and germanium-silicon alloys: Float zone growth, Bridgman growth, and Detached Bridgman growth. The fundamental goal of the proposed research is to determine the influence of containment on the processing-induced defects and impurity incorporation in germanium-silicon (GeSi) crystals (silicon concentration in the solid up to 5%) for three different growth configurations in order to quantitatively assess the improvements of crystal quality possible by detached growth.

Volz, M. P.↗

Control of CuPt Ordering in GaInP Grown by Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy

We investigate the degree of ordering present in GaInP layers grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE) as a function of various growth conditions. We assess order parameter from both transmission electron and x-ray diffraction and compare these trends to the order parameter estimated by the photoluminescence-determined band gap in the GaInP layers. The degree of ordering increases with deposition temperature and the ratio of gas-phase group V to group III precursors in the reactor. We also investigate the effect of growth rate, demonstrating the capability of HVPE to suppress order through rapid growth rates. Such ordering dependences are consistent with mechanisms established for ordering observed in GaInP grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE), but with weaker ordering than GaInP grown by that method.

growth↗

A Decade of Growth

This paper examines the Space Surveillance Network catalog's growth in low Earth orbit (LEO) and the geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) over the decade 1990-2000. During this time, innovative space utilization concepts, e.g. the Iridium and Globalstar commercial communication satellite constellations, have increased the public's consciousness of space. At the same time, however, these constellations have increased spatial density per 10 km altitude bin by factors of two and three respectively. While not displaying as spectacular a growth in spatial density, other regions of space have grown steadily in terms of number, mass, size, and operational lifetime. In this work we categorize launch traffic by type (e.g. payload, rocket body, operational debris, fragmentation debris, or anomalous debris), mass, and size so as to present the observed growth numerically, in terms of mass, and in terms of cross-sectional area. GEO traffic is further categorized by operational longitude. Because growth itself defines only the instantaneous environment, we also examine the higher-order derivatives of growth. In addition, we compare the last decade's growth with modeling results to illustrate the subtle effects of inclination, eccentricity, and size, in addition to spatial densities, on estimating the collision probability. We identify those regions of space most subject to accidental collision.

Johnson, Nicholas L.↗

Composite strengthening

The mechanical behavior of unidirectionally reinforced metals is examined, with particular attention to fabrication techniques for artificial composites and eutectic alloys and to principles of fiber reinforcement. The properties of artificial composites are discussed in terms of strength of fiber composites, strength of ribbon-reinforced composites, crack initiation, crack propagation, and creep behavior. The properties of eutectic composites are examined relative to tensile strength, compressive strength, fracture, high-temperature strength, and fatigue. In the case of artificial composites, parallelism of fibers, good bonding between fibers and matrix, and freedom of fibers from damage are all necessary to ensure superior performance. For many eutectic systems there are stringent boundary conditions relative to melt purity and superheat, atmosphere control, temperature gradient, and growth rate in order to provide near-perfect alignment of the reinforcements with a minimum of growth defects.

Stoloff, N. S.↗

Analysis of changes in relative elemental growth rate patterns in the elongation zone of Arabidopsis roots upon gravistimulation

Although Arabidopsis is an important system for studying root physiology, the localized growth patterns of its roots have not been well defined, particularly during tropic responses. In order to characterize growth rate profiles along the apex of primary roots of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh (ecotype Columbia) we applied small charcoal particles to the root surface and analyzed their displacement during growth using an automated video digitizer system with custom software for tracking the markers. When growing vertically, the maximum elongation rate occurred 481 +/- 50 microns back from the extreme tip of the root (tip of root cap), and the elongation zone extended back to 912 +/- 137 microns. The distal elongation zone (DEZ) has previously been described as the apical region of the elongation zone in which the relative elemental growth rate (REGR) is < or = 30% of the peak rate in the central elongation zone. By this definition, our data indicate that the basal limit of the DEZ was located 248 +/- 30 microns from the root tip. However, after gravistimulation, the growth patterns of the root changed. Within the first hour of graviresponse, the basal limit of the DEZ and the position of peak REGR shifted apically on the upper flank of the root. This was due to a combination of increased growth in the DEZ and growth inhibition in the central elongation zone. On the lower flank, the basal limit of the DEZ shifted basipetally as the REGR decreased. These factors set up the gradient of growth rate across the root, which drives curvature.

Non-NASA Center↗

An Agent-Based Model of New Venture Creation: Conceptual Design for Simulating Entrepreneurship

There is a growing debate over the means by which regions can foster the growth of entrepreneurial activity in order to stimulate recovery and growth of their economies. On one side, agglomeration theory suggests the regions grow because of strong clusters that foster knowledge spillover locally; on the other side, the entrepreneurial action camp argues that innovative business models are generated by entrepreneurs with unique market perspectives who draw on knowledge from more distant domains. We will show you the design for a novel agent-based model of new venture creation that will demonstrate the relationship between agglomeration and action. The primary focus of this model is information exchange as the medium for these agent interactions. Our modeling and simulation study proposes to reveal interesting relationships in these perspectives, offer a foundation on which these disparate theories from economics and sociology can find common ground, and expand the use of agent-based modeling into entrepreneurship research.

Provance, Mike↗

Growth Factors and Tension-Induced Skeletal Muscle Growth

The project investigated biochemical mechanisms to enhance skeletal muscle growth, and developed a computer based mechanical cell stimulator system. The biochemicals investigated in this study were insulin/(Insulin like Growth Factor) IGF-1 and Steroids. In order to analyze which growth factors are essential for stretch-induced muscle growth in vitro, we developed a defined, serum-free medium in which the differentiated, cultured avian muscle fibers could be maintained for extended periods of time. The defined medium (muscle maintenance medium, MM medium) maintains the nitrogen balance of the myofibers for 3 to 7 days, based on myofiber diameter measurements and myosin heavy chain content. Insulin and IGF-1, but not IGF-2, induced pronounced myofiber hypertrophy when added to this medium. In 5 to 7 days, muscle fiber diameters increase by 71 % to 98% compared to untreated controls. Mechanical stimulation of the avian muscle fibers in MM medium increased the sensitivity of the cells to insulin and IGF-1, based on a leftward shift of the insulin dose/response curve for protein synthesis rates. (54). We developed a ligand binding assay for IGF-1 binding proteins and found that the avian skeletal muscle cultures produced three major species of 31, 36 and 43 kD molecular weight (54) Stretch of the myofibers was found to have no significant effect on the efflux of IGF-1 binding proteins, but addition of exogenous collagen stimulated IGF-1 binding protein production 1.5 to 5 fold. Steroid hormones have a profound effect on muscle protein turnover rates in vivo, with the stress-related glucocorticoids inducing rapid skeletal muscle atrophy while androgenic steroids induce skeletal muscle growth. Exercise in humans and animals reduces the catabolic effects of glucocorticoids and may enhance the anabolic effects of androgenic steroids on skeletal muscle. In our continuing work on the involvement of exogenrus growth factors in stretch-induced avian skeletal muscle growth, we have performed experiments to determine whether mechanical stimulation of cultured avian muscle cells alters their response to anabolic steroids or glucocorticoids. In static cultures, testosterone had no effect on muscle cell growth, but 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone and the synthetic steroid stanozolol increased cell growth by up to 18% and 30%, respectively, after a three day exposure. We completed development of a new IBM-based mechanical cell stimulator system to provide greater flexibility in operating and monitoring our experiments. Our previous long term studies on myofiber growth were designed around a perfusion system of our own design. We have recently changed to performing these studies using a modified CELLCO cartridge bioreactor system Z since it has been certified as the ground-based model for the Shuttle's Space Tissue Loss (STL) F= Cell Culture Module. The current goals of this aspect of the project are three fold: 1) to design a Z cell culture system for studying avian skeletal myofiber atrophy on the Shuttle and Space Station; 0 2) to expand the use of bioreactors to cells which do not grow in either suspension or attached to the hollow fibers; and 3) to combine the bioreactor system with our computerized mechanical cell stimulator to have a better in vitro model to study tension/gravity/stretch regulation of skeletal muscle size. Preliminary studies also reported on involved : (1) how release of tension can induce rapid atrophy of tissues cultured avian skeletal muscle cells, and (2) a mechanism to transfer and maintain avian skeletal muscle organoids in modified cartridges in the Space Tissue Loss Module.

Vandenburgh, Herman H.↗

Magnetism in metastable and annealed compositionally complex alloys

Compositionally complex materials (CCMs) present a potential paradigm shift in the design of magnetic materials. These alloys exhibit long-range structural order coupled with limited or no chemical order. As a result, extreme local environments exist with a large variations in the magnetic energy terms, which can manifest large changes in the magnetic behavior. In the current work, the magnetic properties of (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni) alloys are presented. These materials were prepared by room-temperature combinatorial sputtering, resulting in a range of compositions with a single bcc structural phase and no chemical ordering. The combinatorial growth technique allows CCMs to be prepared outside of their thermodynamically stable phase, enabling the exploration of otherwise inaccessible order. The mixed ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions in these alloys causes frustrated magnetic behavior, which results in an extremely low coercivity (<1mT), which increases rapidly at 50 K. At low temperatures, the coercivity achieves values of nearly 500 mT, which is comparable to some high-anisotropy magnetic materials. Further, commensurate with the divergent coercivity is an atypical drop in the temperature dependent magnetization. These effects are explained by a mixed magnetic phase model, consisting of ferro-, antiferro-, and frustrated magnetic regions, and are rationalized by simulations. A machine-learning algorithm is employed to visualize the parameter space and inform the development of subsequent compositions. Annealing the samples at 600 °C orders the sample, more-than doubling the Curie temperature and increasing the saturation magnetization by as much as 5×. Simultaneously, the large coercivities are suppressed, resulting in magnetic behavior that is largely temperature independent over a range of 350 K. The ability to transform from a hard magnet to a soft magnet over a narrow temperature range makes these materials promising for heat-assisted recording technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Metastable–solid phase diagrams derived from polymorphic solidification kinetics

Nonequilibrium processes during solidification can lead to kinetic stabilization of metastable crystal phases. A general framework for predicting the solidification conditions that lead to metastable-phase growth is developed and applied to a model face-centered cubic (fcc) metal that undergoes phase transitions to the body-centered cubic (bcc) as well as the hexagonal close-packed phases at high temperatures and pressures. Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of ultrarapid freezing show that bcc nucleates and grows well outside of the region of its thermodynamic stability. An extensive study of crystal–liquid equilibria confirms that at any given pressure, there is a multitude of metastable solid phases that can coexist with the liquid phase. We define for every crystal phase, a solid cluster in liquid (SCL) basin, which contains all solid clusters of that phase coexisting with the liquid. Additionally, a rigorous methodology is developed that allows for practical calculations of nucleation rates into arbitrary SCL basins from the undercooled melt. It is demonstrated that at large undercoolings, phase selections made during the nucleation stage can be undone by kinetic instabilities amid the growth stage. On these bases, a solidification–kinetic phase diagram is drawn for the model fcc system that delimits the conditions for macroscopic grains of metastable bcc phase to grow from the melt. We conclude with a study of unconventional interfacial kinetics at special interfaces, which can bring about heterogeneous multiphase crystal growth. A first-order interfacial phase transformation accompanied by a growth-mode transition is examined.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Imaging System For Measuring Macromolecule Crystal Growth Rates in Microgravity

In order to determine how macromolecule crystal quality improvement in microgravity is related to crystal growth characteristics, a team of scientists and engineers at NASA's Marshal Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed flight hardware capable of measuring the crystal growth rates of a population of crystals growing under the same conditions. As crystal growth rate is defined as the change or delta in a defined dimension or length (L) of crystal over time, the hardware was named Delta-L. Delta-L consists of three sub assemblies: a fluid unit including a temperature-controlled growth cell, an imaging unit, and a control unit (consisting of a Data Acquisition and Control Unit (DACU), and a thermal control unit). Delta-L will be used in connection with the Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology (g-LIMIT) inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), onboard the International Space Station. This paper will describe the Delta-L imaging system. The Delta-L imaging system was designed to locate, resolve, and capture images of up to 10 individual crystals ranging in size from 10 to 500 microns with a point-to-point accuracy of +/- 2.0 microns within a quartz growth cell observation area of 20 mm x 10 mm x 1 mm. The optical imaging system is comprised of a video microscope camera mounted on computer controlled translation stages. The 3-axis translation stages and control units provide crewmembers the ability to search throughout the growth cell observation area for crystals forming in size of approximately 10 microns. Once the crewmember has selected ten crystals of interest, the growth of these crystals is tracked until the size reaches approximately 500 microns. In order to resolve these crystals an optical system with a magnification of 10X was designed. A black and white NTSC camera was utilized with a 20X microscope objective and a 0.5X custom designed relay lens with an inline light to meet the magnification requirement. The design allows a 500 pm crystal to be viewed in the vertical dimension on a standard NTSC monitor (4:3 aspect ratio). Images of the 10 crystals are collected periodically and stored in sets by the DACU.

Corder, Eric L.↗

In-Situ Crystallization of a Lithium Disilicate Glass--Effect of Pressure on Crystal Growth Rate

Crystallization of a Li2O.2SiO2 (LS2) glass subjected to a uniform hydrostatic pressure of 4.5 GPa and 6 GPa was investigated up to a temperature of 750 C. The density of the compressed glass is about 2% greater at 4.5 GPa than at 1 atm and, depending upon the processing temperature, up to 10% greater at 6 GPa. Crystal growth rates investigated as a function of temperature and pressure show that lithium disilicate crystal growth is an order of magnitude slower at 4.5 GPa than 1 atm resulting in a shift of +45 C (plus or minus 10 C) in the growth rate curve at high pressure compared to 1 atm condition. At 6 GPa lithium disilicate crystallization is suppressed entirely, while a new high pressure lithium metasilicate crystallizes at temperatures 95 C (plus or minus 10 C) higher than those reported for lithium disilicate crystallization at 1 atm. The decrease in crystal growth rate with increasing pressure for lithium disilicate glass up to 750 C is related to an increase in viscosity with pressure associated with fundamental changes in glass structure accommodating densification.

Fuss, T.↗

Growth Kinetics of the S Sub H Center on Magnesium Oxide Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the growth of S sub H centers on magnesium oxide powder which had hydrogen adsorbed on its surface. The centers were produced by ultraviolet radiation. The effects of both radiation intensity and hydrogen pressure were also studied. At constant hydrogen pressure and radiation dose, the initial S sub H center growth rate was found to be zero order. Beyond the initial region the growth rate deviated from zero order and finally approached saturation. The results are interpreted in terms of a model which assumes that the S sub H center is a hydrogen atom associated with a surface vacancy. Saturation appears to result from a limited supply of surface vacancies.

Jayne, J. P.↗

Magneto-Hydrodynamic Damping of Convection During Vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger Growth of HgCdTe

In order to quantify the effects of convection on segregation, Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te crystals were grown by the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger method in the presence of an applied axial magnetic field of 50 kG. The influence of convection, by magneto-hydrodynamic damping, on mass transfer in the melt and segregation at the solid-liquid interface was investigated by measuring the axial and radial compositional variations in the grown samples. The reduction of convective mixing in the melt through the application of the magnetic field is found to decrease radial segregation to the diffusion-limited regime. It was also found that the suppression of the convective cell near the solid-liquid interface results in an increase in the slope of the diffusion-controlled solute boundary layer, which can lead to constitutional supercooling.

Watring, D. A.↗

Delta L: An Apparatus for Measuring Macromolecular Crystal Growth Rates in Microgravity

In order to determine how macromolecule crystal quality improvement in microgravity is related to crystal growth characteristics, is was necessary to develop new hardware that could measure the crystal growth rates of a population of crystals growing under the same solution conditions. As crystal growth rate is defined as the change or delta in a defined dimension or length (L) of a crystal over time, the hardware was named Delta L. Delta L consists of fluids, optics, and data acquisition, sub-assemblies. Temperature control is provided for the crystal growth chamber. Delta L will be used in connection with the Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology (g-LIMIT) inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Delta L prototype hardware has been assembled. This paper will describe an overview of the design of Delta L and present preliminary crystal growth rate data.

Judge, Russell A.↗

Highly Non-Linear Optical (NLO) organic crystals

This research project involves the synthesis and characterization of organic materials having powerful nonlinear optical (NLO) properties and the growth of highly ordered crystals and monomolecular films of these materials. Research in four areas is discussed: theoretical design of new materials, characterization of NLO materials, synthesis of new materials and development of coupling procedures for forming layered films, and improvement of the techniques for vapor phase and solution phase growth of high quality organic crystals. Knowledge gained from these experiments will form the basis for experiments in the growth of these crystals.

Harris, J. Milton↗

Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of ZnGeN 2 films on GaN: effects of cation stoichiometry on surface morphology and crystallinity

Novel optoelectronic device designs based on the heterostructures of III-N and II-IV-N 2 are promising to advance device performance significantly. For example, by utilizing InGaN-ZnGeN 2 quantum well (QW) structures instead of pure InGaN, the band structure engineering in the QW active region can lead to improved electron-hole wavefunction overlap, and thus enhance the radiative efficiency for photon generation. These novel heterostructures have great potential to address the current challenge of low quantum efficiency in InGaN QW based light emitting diodes emitting in green and beyond. The materials development of ZnGeN 2 is still at an early stage as compared to the much matured GaN material system. In an ideal octet rule preserving ordered structure of ZnGeN 2 , every N atom is coordinated by exactly two Zn and two Ge atoms. However, local violation of octet rule can be caused by non-ideal coordination of N by the cations. The disordered structure is thermodynamically less favorable but can still be achieved, for example, in kinetics-limited growth regime. The ordered ZnGeN 2 has a bandgap very close to that of GaN (~3.4 eV) and a lattice mismatch of <0.1% with GaN. Interestingly, the valence band of ZnGeN 2 has been predicted to be ~1 eV above that of GaN, which has inspired novel designs for high efficiency light emitters. In this work, we investigated the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of ZnGeN 2 films on GaN/c-sapphire templates. Diethylzinc (DEZn), germane (GeH4) and ammonia were used as the precursors for Zn, Ge and N, respectively. A systematic study was conducted to investigate the cation stoichiometry as a function of growth temperature (TG), total reactor pressure (P) and DEZn/GeH 4 molar flow rate ratio (RII/IV). Under the investigated growth window, the Zn/(Zn+Ge) composition in the films, determined from energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, decreased monotonically with increase in TG but increased with increase in P and RII/IV. Atom probe tomography data did not indicate the presence of any secondary phases such as Zn 3 N 2 or Ge 3 N 4 . The surface morphology and crystallinity of the grown films had strong correlation with the Zn/(Zn+Ge) composition. The scanning electron microscopy images showed that the near-stoichiometric films have planar surfaces whereas Zn-rich films had crystallites on their surface and the Zn-poor films had faceted surface. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging revealed that the Zn-rich and Zn-poor films have columnar and filament-like morphology, respectively, whereas the near-stoichiometric films have continuous film-like cross-sectional morphology. TEM nano-diffraction patterns as well as X-ray diffraction 2θ-ω scan profiles indicate that the near stoichiometric films are single crystalline. Nano-diffraction pattern of the stoichiometric films resembled that of a disordered ZnGeN 2 structure. Room temperature Raman spectra of near-stoichiometric films showed only the phonon density of states like features of a cation disordered ZnGeN 2 . Cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence spectra measured at different temperatures had similar features with peak emission wavelength at ~ 2 eV. In conclusion, the stoichiometry of ZnGeN 2 films can be widely tuned by tuning the MOCVD growth parameters. The surface morphology and the crystallinity of the films were found to have strong correlation with the Zn/(Zn+Ge) composition. The stoichiometric ZnGeN 2 films grown on GaN were demonstrated with uniform surface morphology and high crystalline quality. The results from this work will provide pathway to implement ZnGeN 2 in device structures.

Karim, Md Rezaul↗

Crystal-growth-dominated fabrication of metal-organic frameworks with orderly distributed hierarchical porosity

Constructing architectures with hierarchical porosity has been widely considered as the most efficient way to bypass the problems related to slow mass transfer and inaccessibility of internal space in MOFs. Now, a crystal-growth-dominated strategy is proposed to fabricate hierarchically porous MOFs (HP-MOFs). When the crystal growth is dominated by the monomer attachment, the aggregation of nonionic surfactant or polymer can be easily captured and released during the crystal growth process, resulting in the formation and ordering hierarchical pores along the radial direction. Furthermore, owing to the accelerated mass diffusion and more exposed active sites of this design, HP-MOFs exhibited an enhanced catalytic efficiency in styrene oxidation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Flows over wings with leading-edge vortex separation

The unsteady cross flow analogy reduces the steady three dimensional separation flow problem into an unsteady two dimensional flow problem in which the section shape changes with time. The two dimensional VORSEP code is extended to the case of arbitrary body growth rates in order to generate the initial vortex structures for the three dimensional free vortex sheet (FVS) code. Automatic procedures to reduce the wing geometry definition to a set of cross flow plane sections corresponding to the locations of the time step solutions and to generate the effective source distribution on each cross flow section to represent the section normal growth across the following steps are incorporated in the VORSEP code. Also, the wake shedding model is improved by adopting a redistribution scheme which improves the stability of the free sheet development with time. The improved wake shedding model combined with the redistribution scheme alleviated the numerical instabilities associated with the vortex rollup.

Rao, B. M.↗