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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Characterization of ZnO:SnO{sub 2} (50:50) thin film deposited by RF magnetron sputtering technique

Zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films have attracted significant interest recently for use in optoelectronic application such as solar cells, flat panel displays, photonic devices, laser diodes and gas sensors because of their desirable electrical and optical properties and wide band gap. In the present study, thin films of ZnO:SnO{sub 2} (50:50) were deposited on pre-cleaned microscopic glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering technique. The substrate temperature and RF power induced changes in structural, surface morphological, compositional and optical properties of the films have been studied.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Investigation of the Structure and Active Sites of TiO2 Nanorod Supported VOx Catalysts by High-Field and Fast-Spinning 51V MAS NMR

Supported VOx/TiO2-Rod catalysts were studied by 51V MAS NMR at high field using a sample spinning rate of 55 kHz. The superior spectral resolution allows for the observation of at least five vanadate species. The assignment of these vanadate species was carried out by quantum mechanical calculations of 51V NMR chemical shifts of model V-surface structures. Methanol oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) was used to establish the correlation between the reaction rate and the various surface V-sites. It is found that monomeric V-species dominated the catalyst at low vanadium loadings with two peaks observed at about -502 and -529 ppm. V-dimers with two bridged oxygen appeare at about -555 ppm. Vanadate dimers and polyvanadates connected by one bridged oxygen atom between two adjacent V atoms resonate at about -630 ppm. A positive correlation is found between the V-dimers related to the -555 ppm peak and the ODH rate while a better correlation is obtained by including monomeric contributions. This result indicates that surface V-dimers related to the -555 ppm peak are the major active sites for ODH reaction despite mono-V species are more catalytic active but their relative ratios are decreased dramatically at high V-loadings. Furthermore, a portion of the V-species is found invisible. In particular, the level of such invisibility increases with decreased level of V-loading, suggesting the existence of paramagnetic V-species at the surface.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2019

Voltage effects on the stability of Pd ensembles in Pd–Au/Au(111) surface alloys

The catalytic performance of multimetallic electrodes is often attributed to a beneficial combination of ligand, strain, and ensemble effects. Understanding the influence of the electrochemical environment on the stability of the alloy surface structure is thus a crucial component to the design of highly active and durable electrocatalysts. In this work, we study the effects of an applied voltage to electrocatalytic Pd–Au/Au(111) surface alloys in contact with a model continuum electrolyte. Using planewave density functional theory, two-dimensional cluster expansions are parameterized and used to simulate dilute Pd–Au surface alloys under electrochemical conditions via Metropolis Monte Carlo within an extended canonical ensemble. While Pd monomers are stable at all potentials considered, different extents of surface electrification are observed to promote the formation of Pd dimers and trimers, as well as clusters of Pd monomers. We find that the relative proportion of monomer, dimer, and trimer surface fractions is in good agreement with in situ scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The further development and refinement of the approaches described herein may serve as a useful aid in the development of next-generation electrocatalysts.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Determining the Role of Synthesis and Reaction Conditions on the Exposed Surface and Shape of ..beta..-Mo2C Catalysts

The production of drop-in quality biofuels typically can be achieved through catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of biomass, followed by hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the vapor-phase product to reduce the oxygen content and stabilize the bio-oil product. To favor selectivity toward desired deoxygenation products, bifunctional catalysts with both acidic and hydrogenation sites are often employed. Due to both its oxophilicity and its ability to promote hydrogenation reactions, molybdenum carbide catalysts have shown promise for promoting the HDO of CFP vapors. However, the surface structure and composition of carbide catalyst particles are not well understood, precluding the establishment of fundamental structure-function relationships needed for the rational development of molybdedum carbide for HDO, as well as other reactions. For orthorhombic ..beta..-Mo2C, the (100) facet is largely studied for computational surface-reaction analyses, possibly due to its similarities with the close-packed (111) facet of noble-metal catalysts. However, it has previously been postulated through ab initio thermodynamic studies that the (111), (110), and (011) facets are most stable, though there is no consensus. Furthermore, while a majority of previous surface stability analyses of ..beta..-Mo2C focus on bulk terminations, the highly carburizing synthesis conditions and the use of ..beta..-Mo2C in carbon-containing reaction applications could introduce non-stoichiometric coverages of surface carbon. As such, this study uses ab initio thermodynamics calculations to assess the relative surface stability of the low-index facets of ..beta..-Mo2C, including consideration of varying the coverage of surface carbon. From this information, Wulff constructions are utilized to predict the synthesis and reaction condition-dependent shape and surface carbon composition of ..beta..-Mo2C catalyst particles.

BIOMASS FUELS,INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND AN↗
DOE OSTI2017

Helium Ion Microscopy for Imaging and Quantifying Porosity at the Nanoscale

Nanoporous materials are essential components in a vast number of applications from energy to drug delivery and to agriculture. Yet, the number of ways to analytically quantify the salient features of these materials, for example: surface structure, pore shape, and size, remain limited. The most common approach is gas absorption, where volumetric gas absorption and desorption are measured. This technique has some fundamental drawbacks such as low sample throughput and a lack of direct surface visualization. In this work, we demonstrate Helium Ion Microscopy (HIM) as a tool for imaging and quantification of pores in industrially relevant SiO 2 catalyst supports. We start with the fundamental principles of ion-sample interaction, and build on this knowledge to experimentally observe and quantify surface pores by using the HIM and image data analytics. We contrast our experimental results to gas absorption and demonstrate full statistical agreement between two techniques. The principles surrounding the theoretical, experimental, and analytical framework presented herein offer an automated framework for visualization and quantification of pore structures in a wide variety of materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Sorption selectivity of birnessite particle edges: a d-PDF analysis of Cd( ii ) and Pb( ii ) sorption by δ-MnO 2 and ferrihydrite

Birnessite minerals (layer-type MnO2), which bear both internal (cation vacancies) and external (particle edges) metal sorption sites, are important sinks of contaminants in soils and sediments. Although the particle edges of birnessite minerals often dominate the total reactive surface area, especially in the case of nanoscale crystallites, the metal sorption reactivity of birnessite particle edges remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the sorption selectivity of birnessite particle edges by combining Cd(II) and Pb(II) adsorption isotherms at pH 5.5 with surface structural characterization by differential pair distribution function (d-PDF) analysis. We compared the sorption reactivity of δ-MnO2 to that of the nanomineral, 2-line ferrihydrite, which exhibits only external surface sites. Our results show that, whereas Cd(II) and Pb(II) both bind to birnessite layer vacancies, only Pb(II) binds extensively to birnessite particle edges. For ferrihydrite, significant Pb(II) adsorption to external sites was observed (roughly 20 mol%), whereas Cd(II) sorption was negligible. These results are supported by bond valence calculations that show comparable degrees of saturation of oxygen atoms on birnessite and ferrihydrite particle edges. Therefore, we propose that the sorption selectivity of birnessite edges follows the same order of that reported previously for ferrihydrite: Ca(II) < Cd(II) < Ni(II) < Zn(II) < Cu(II) < Pb(II).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Observing the three-dimensional dynamics of supported metal complexes

Dynamics are intricately linked with activity and selectivity when it comes to catalysis, as noted for instance in the enzymatic principles of induced fit and allostery, and yet the range of motions heterogeneous catalytic sites are able to undergo is poorly understood. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is perhaps the only tool capable of probing the rapid conformational dynamics found in heterogeneous catalysts but has historically been restricted by its low sensitivity, limiting the detail with which structures can be resolved. In this work, we apply solid-state NMR and dynamic nuclear polarization, in combination with density functional theory modeling, to reveal the high-resolution structure and motional freedom of a scandium supported complex in three dimensions. The results are contrasted with the study of the analogous homoleptic complex in the crystalline state, highlighting the impacts that surface structure may have on the dynamics of supported complexes.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Development of a Methodology to Assess the Impact of Non-Conventional Waste Streams Following a Radiological Incident - 18271

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Waste Estimation Support Tool (WEST) is a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based decision support tool for estimating waste generated from remediation and cleanup activities following a radiological incident. WEST uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) Hazus-MH software's infrastructure information combined with image classification capabilities to estimate the quantity of waste and debris that may result from a radiological incident. WEST can be used to create customized decontamination strategies that allow end-users to evaluate different means of decontamination and how those strategies may impact the resulting waste stream in each geographical locality. This capability can potentially reduce the response/recovery time frame and cost. One of the key observations from past applications of WEST is that planning scenarios are site-specific, especially when dealing with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) waste management issues. Furthermore, site-specific issues are not limited to resource limitations or response bottlenecks but should also account for differences in an area's geography and urban footprint, a phenomenon observed during the Fukushima response. For instance, a recent WEST case study found that the amount of waste generated per unit of affected area, for a given decontamination approach, is largely a function of the building surface area in the affected area (relative to the ground surfaces). However, differences in the geometry and density of contaminated objects in the landscape may impact the amount and characteristics of the waste stream. Although buildings typically constitute a large portion of the surface area in urban environments, other objects such as vehicles and trees can be just as prominent. For example, seasonal changes in the amount of foliage present can alter the non-structural surface area calculated for an area like New York City by 20-30%. Very little is known about the impact that these non-conventional waste streams have on overall remediation strategies, or to what extent differences in characteristics of urban versus rural environments, traffic activities, or seasonal variations may have on these factors. This paper will present the proposed methodology to incorporate into WEST the impacts that niche, nonconventional waste streams might have from rural and urban environments following a nuclear power plant incident or detonation of a radiological dispersal device or improvised nuclear device. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2020

Revealing the structure of a catalytic combustion active-site ensemble combining uniform nanocrystal catalysts and theory insights

Supported metal catalysts are extensively used in industrial and environmental applications. To improve their performance, it is crucial to identify the most active sites. This identification is, however, made challenging by the presence of a large number of potential surface structures that complicate such an assignment. Often, the active site is formed by an ensemble of atoms, thus introducing further complications in its identification. Being able to produce uniform structures and identify the ones that are responsible for the catalyst performance is a crucial goal. Here, we utilize a combination of uniform Pd/Pt nanocrystal catalysts and theory to reveal the catalytic active-site ensemble in highly active propene combustion materials. Using colloidal chemistry to exquisitely control nanoparticle size, we find that intrinsic rates for propene combustion in the presence of water increase monotonically with particle size on Pt-rich catalysts, suggesting that the reaction is structure dependent. We also reveal that water has a near-zero or mildly positive reaction rate order over Pd/Pt catalysts. Theory insights allow us to determine that the interaction of water with extended terraces present in large particles leads to the formation of step sites on metallic surfaces. These specific step-edge sites are responsible for the efficient combustion of propene at low temperature. This work reveals an elusive geometric ensemble, thus clearly identifying the active site in alkene combustion catalysts. These insights demonstrate how the combination of uniform catalysts and theory can provide a much deeper understanding of active-site geometry for many applications

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Adsorption of oxygen on low-index surfaces of the TiAl{sub 3} alloy

Method of the projector augmented waves in the plane-wave basis within the generalized-gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation functional has been used to study oxygen adsorption on (001), (100), and (110) low-index surfaces of the TiAl{sub 3} alloy. It has been established that the sites that are most energetically preferred for the adsorption of oxygen are hollow (H) positions on the (001) surface and bridge (B) positions on the (110) and (100) surfaces. Structural and electronic factors that define their energy preference have been discussed. Changes in the atomic and electronic structure of subsurface layers that occur as the oxygen concentration increases to three monolayers have been analyzed. It has been shown that the formation of chemical bonds of oxygen with both components of the alloy leads to the appearance of states that are split-off from the bottoms of their valence bands, which is accompanied by the formation of a forbidden gap at the Fermi level and by a weakening of the Ti–Al metallic bonds in the alloy. On the Al-terminated (001) and (110) surfaces, the oxidation of aluminum dominates over that of titanium. On the whole, the binding energy of oxygen on the low-index surfaces with a mixed termination is higher than that at the aluminum-terminated surface. The calculation of the diffusion of oxygen in the TiAl{sub 3} alloy has shown that the lowest barriers correspond to the diffusion between tetrahedral positions in the (001) plane; the diffusion of oxygen in the [001] direction occurs through octahedral and tetrahedral positions. An increase in the concentration of aluminum in the alloy favors a reduction in the height of the energy barriers as compared to the corresponding barriers in the γ-TiAl alloy.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Passivation and Degradation of Sulfur-Treated Silicon Surfaces for Photovoltaics

Sulfur-based passivation for silicon surfaces using H2S gas is an alternative passivation method to reduce the thermal budget for Si photovoltaics. To understand the impact of the high-quality passivation and an observed passivation efficiency decrease after air exposure, we have studied the chemical surface structure by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Auger electron spectroscopy (XAES), and S and Si L2,3 X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). On the S-passivated silicon surfaces, we find the formation of S–Si bonds, in addition to some Si–O bonds. Upon air exposure, sulfur partially desorbs from the Si surface and an increased presence of Si–O and S–O bonds is observed. We identify that well-defined S–Si bonds are crucial to maintain high-quality surface passivation for Si photovoltaics, which allows further optimization of the fabrication process for S-based passivation on silicon.

Hua, Amandee↗
DOE OSTI2018

Corrosion Resistance and Durability of Superhydrophobic Copper Surface in Corrosive NaCl Aqueous Solution

Artificial superhydrophobic copper surfaces play an important role in modern applications such as self-cleaning and dropwise condensation; however, corrosion resistance and durability often present as major concerns in such applications. In this study, the anti-corrosion properties and mechanical durability of superhydrophobic copper surface have been investigated. The superhydrophobic copper surfaces were achieved with wet chemical etching and an immersion method to reduce the complexity of the fabrication process. The surface structures and materials were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the superhydrophobic copper surface were characterized after immersing surfaces in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution. The chemical stability of the superhydrophobic copper surface in the NaCl solution for a short period of time was also evaluated. An abrasion test and an ultrasound oscillation were conducted to confirm that the copper surface contained durable superhydrophobic properties. In addition, an atomic force microscope was employed to study the surface mechanical property in the corrosion conditions. The present study shows that the resulting superhydrophobic copper surface exhibit enhanced corrosion resistance and durability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1971

Oxidation of boron nitride in an arc heated jet.

Two grades of hot pressed boron nitride and a boron nitride composite were subjected to oxidation tests in a 2.5 megawatt atmospheric arc jet. The results showed that fabrication and/or composition influenced thermal shock and oxidation resistance. Changes in surface structure and recession due to oxidation suggest correlation with specimen composition. The boron nitride composite reacted with the oxygen in the hot subsonic airstream to produce a glassy coating on the hot face surface.

Buckley, J. D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Scalable and Resilient Etched Metallic Micro- and Nanostructured Surfaces for Enhanced Flow Boiling

Flow boiling and evaporation in tubes and channels occur in a wide variety of energy systems, such as refrigeration, air conditioning, power generation, electronics cooling, distillation, and purification. In this work, we demonstrate remarkably increased heat transfer coefficients of 270% during refrigerant flow boiling in scalable microstructured (~40 µm), industrial-scale (~1 m long) aluminum (Al) tubes, when compared to smooth unstructured Al tubes. To achieve scalable nanomanufacturing, we create highly conformal and durable structured surfaces by relying on hydrochloric acid Al etching. Flow boiling tests were conducted in 6.35 mm diameter Al tubes using R134a refrigerant as the working fluid. To benchmark our approach and to elucidate the effect of the structure length scale, we also fabricated ultrascalable boehmite (AlO(OH)) nanostructured (~300 nm) Al tubes, showing that etched microscale features are necessary and key to enhancement. Durability tests conducted using a 28 day long continual flow boiling experiment demonstrated negligible degradation of the etched surfaces. The scalable and cost-effective techniques used to create these durable, etched-Al microstructures may significantly reduce manufacturing cost when contrasted with current enhancement approaches such as extrusion, drawing, and welding.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Facet Impact of CuMn 2 O 4 Spinel Nanocatalysts on Enhancement of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Media

Surface-structure engineering represents an attractive strategy to optimize the energy conversion performance of nanocatalysts using their deliberately controlled exposed facets. To further exploit the potential of non-PGM-based spinel catalysts for alkaline oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), a cathodic fuel cell reaction, we hereby report a strategy of ORR improvement by controlling the crystallographic facets of ultra-small CuMn 2 O 4 spinel nanocatalysts through a developed colloidal synthesis approach. The synthesis of CuMn 2 O 4 nanocrystals with morphological control relies on the design and selection of the Cu-/Mn-precursors with striking discrepancies in reaction kinetics. Following carbon loading and an annealing post-treatment of the as-synthesized nanocatalysts, the exclusively {101} facet-exposed CuMn 2 O 4 spinel nano-octahedra exhibit improved electrocatalytic activity toward ORR in 1 M KOH, when compared to their spherical counterparts, exhibiting a mass activity (MA) of 37.6 A/g at 0.85 V. After 10,000 cycles of ORR durability test, the nano-octahedra still retain an MA of 24.5 A/g, which is twice that of the CuMn 2 O 4 spinel nanospheres. Structural characterizations after durability testing indicate that the MA decay is likely associated with a decrease in the Mn 3+ fraction and the emergence of Cu + on CuMn 2 O 4 nano-octahedral surfaces. Finally, as a paradigm, this synthesis approach could be extended to other Mn-based spinel nanocatalysts with precise shape control, enabling us to understand and establish the relationship between the surface lattice/valence state and electrocatalytic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Wetting transition and fluid trapping in a microfluidic fracture

Immiscible fluid–fluid displacement in confined geometries is a fundamental process occurring in many natural phenomena and technological applications, from geological CO 2 sequestration to microfluidics. Due to the interactions between the fluids and the solid walls, fluid invasion undergoes a wetting transition from complete displacement at low displacement rates to leaving a film of the defending fluid on the confining surfaces at high displacement rates. While most real surfaces are rough, fundamental questions remain about the type of fluid–fluid displacement that can emerge in a confined, rough geometry. Here, we study immiscible displacement in a microfluidic device with a precisely controlled structured surface as an analogue for a rough fracture. We analyze the influence of the degree of surface roughness on the wetting transition and the formation of thin films of the defending liquid. We show experimentally, and rationalize theoretically, that roughness affects both the stability and dewetting dynamics of thin films, leading to distinct late-time morphologies of the undisplaced (trapped) fluid. Finally, we discuss the implications of our observations for geologic and technological applications.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Self-assembly of acetate adsorbates drives atomic rearrangement on the Au(110) surface

Weak inter-adsorbate interactions are shown to play a crucial role in determining surface structure, with major implications for its catalytic reactivity. This is exemplified here in the case of acetate bound to Au(110), where the small extra energy of the van der Waals interactions among the surface-bound groups drives massive restructuring of the underlying Au. Acetate is a key intermediate in electro-oxidation of CO 2 and a poison in partial oxidation reactions. Metal atom migration originates at surface defects and is likely facilitated by weakened Au–Au interactions due to bonding with the acetate. Even though the acetate is a relatively small molecule, weak intermolecular interaction provides the energy required for molecular self-assembly and reorganization of the metal surface.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Impact of environmental conditions on the chemical surface properties of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se){sub 2} thin-film solar cell absorbers

Environmentally driven aging effects play a crucial role in thin-film solar cells based on Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se){sub 2}, both for long-term stability and short air exposure during production. For a better understanding of such effects, Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se){sub 2} absorber surfaces were investigated by x-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy after exposure to different environmental conditions. Identical absorbers were stored in a nitrogen atmosphere, in damp heat, and under ambient conditions for up to 14 days. We find varying degrees of diffusion of sulfur, copper, and sodium towards the surface, with potential impact on the electronic surface structure (band gap) and the properties of the interface to a buffer layer in a solar cell device. Furthermore, we observe an oxidation (in decreasing order) of indium, copper, and selenium (but no oxidation of sulfur). And finally, varying amounts of carbon- and oxygen-containing adsorbates are found. In particular, the findings suggest that, for ambient air exposure, sodium carbonate is formed at the surface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗