Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ESTERS”

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.

At least 91 records · Page 5

Ethynyl-Terminated Ester Oligomers and Polymers

Polyesters of various molecular weights terminated with ethynyl groups. As ethynyl-terminated polyesters are exposed to elevated temperatures, thermally induced reaction of ethynyl groups occurs to provide cross-linking and chain extension. Reaction raises use temperature of polymer and greatly improves resistance to solvents. New materials produced by this process potentially useful as adhesives, composite matrices, solvent-resistant coatings, membranes, and films.

Hergenrother, P. M.↗

Ethynyl terminated ester oligomers and polymers therefrom

A new class of ethynyl-terminated oligomers and the process for preparing same are disclosed. Upon the application of heat, with or without a catalyst, the ethynyl groups react to provide crosslinking and chain extension to increase the polymer use temperature and improve the polymer solvent resistance. These improved polyesters are potentially useful in packaging, magnetic tapes, capacitors, industrial belting, protective coatings, structural adhesives and composite matrices.

Hergenrother, Paul M.↗

Ethynyl-terminated ester oligomers and polymers therefrom

A class of ethynyl terminated oligomers and the process for preparing the same are disclosed. Upon the application of heat, with or without a catalyst, the ethynyl groups react to provide crosslinking and chain extension to increase the polymer use temperature and improve the polymer solvent resistance. These polyesters are potentially useful in packaging, magnetic tapes, capacitors, industrial belting, protective coatings, structural adhesives and composite matrices.

Hergenrother, Paul M.↗

Suppressed PHA Activation of T Lymphocytes in Simulated Microgravity Is Restored by Direct Activation of Protein Kinase C with Phorbol Ester

Various aspects of spaceflight, including microgravity, cosmic radiation, and physiological stress, may perturb immune function. We sought to understand the impact of microgravity alone on the cellular mechanisms critical to immunity. We utilized clinostatic RWV bioreactors that simulate aspects of microgravity to analyze the response of human PBMC to polyclonal activation. PHA responsiveness in the RWV was almost completely diminished. IL-2 and IFN-gamma secretion was reduced whereas IL- 1 beta and IL-6 secretion was increased, suggesting that monocytes may not be as adversely affected by simulated microgravity as T cells. Activation marker expression (CD25, CD69, CD71) was significantly reduced in RWV cultures. Furthermore, addition of exogenous IL-2 to these cultures did not restore proliferation. Reduced cell-cell and cell-substratum interactions may play a role in the loss of PHA responsiveness. However, PHA activation in Teflon culture bags that limit cell-substratum interactions did not suppress PHA activation. Furthermore, increasing cell density and, therefore, cell-cell interactions in the RWV cultures did not help restore PHA activation. However, placing PBMC within small collagen beads did partially restore PHA responsiveness. Activation of both PBMC and purified T cells with PMA and ionomycin was unaffected by RWV culture, indicating that signaling mechanisms downstream of PKC activation and calcium flux are not sensitive to simulated microgravity. Furthermore, submitogenic doses of PMA alone but not ionomycin alone restored PHA responsiveness of PBMC in RWV culture. Thus, our data indicate that during polyclonal activation the signaling pathways upstream of PKC activation are sensitive to simulated microgravity.

Cooper, David↗

Hydroxyapatite fiber reinforced poly(alpha-hydroxy ester) foams for bone regeneration

A process has been developed to manufacture biodegradable composite foams of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite short fibers for use in bone regeneration. The processing technique allows the manufacture of three-dimensional foam scaffolds and involves the formation of a composite material consisting of a porogen material (either gelatin microspheres or salt particles) and hydroxyapatite short fibers embedded in a PLGA matrix. After the porogen is leached out, an open-cell composite foam remains which has a pore size and morphology defined by the porogen. By changing the weight fraction of the leachable component it was possible to produce composite foams with controlled porosities ranging from 0.47 +/- 0.02 to 0.85 +/- 0.01 (n = 3). Up to a polymer:fiber ratio of 7:6, short hydroxyapatite fibers served to reinforce low-porosity PLGA foams manufactured using gelatin microspheres as a porogen. Foams with a compressive yield strength up to 2.82 +/- 0.63 MPa (n = 3) and a porosity of 0.47 +/- 0.02 (n = 3) were manufactured using a polymer:fiber weight ratio of 7:6. In contrast, high-porosity composite foams (up to 0.81 +/- 0.02, n = 3) suitable for cell seeding were not reinforced by the introduction of increasing quantities of hydroxyapatite short fibers. We were therefore able to manufacture high-porosity foams which may be seeded with cells but which have minimal compressive yield strength, or low porosity foams with enhanced osteoconductivity and compressive yield strength.

NASA Discipline Cell Biology↗

Diels-Alder Trapping of Photochemically Generated Dienes with Acrylic Esters: A Novel Approach to Photocured Polymer Film Development

Diels-Alder cycloadditions have often been utilized in polymer synthesis as an alternative to condensation reactions. In our earlier efforts, we developed a new method for the preparation of linear aromatic polyimides, which employs o-quionodimethanes (o-QDMs), generated by a well-known photochemical reaction: the photoenolization of o-methylphenyl ketones. Photolysis of o-methylbenzophenone 1 produces hydroxy-o-quino- diemthane 2, which can be trapped with dienophiles, such as dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate, to efficiently yield the corresponding cycloadduct (Scheme 1). Here we extend this approach to a novel photocuring process for development of polymer films. We synthesized a series of molecules with multi o-mehtylphenyl ketone functionalities. We further investigated these molecules as photoreactive monomers to obtain polyester films through Diels-Alder cycloadditions.

Ilhan, Faysal↗

Ester-Based Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells

Electrolytes comprising LiPF6 dissolved at a concentration of 1.0 M in five different solvent mixtures of alkyl carbonates have been found to afford improved performance in rechargeable lithium-ion electrochemical cells at temperatures as low as -70 C. These and other electrolytes have been investigated in continuing research directed toward extending the lower limit of practical operating temperatures of Li-ion cells. This research at earlier stages, and the underlying physical and chemical principles, were reported in numerous previous NASA Tech Briefs articles, the most recent being Low-EC-Content Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Li-Ion Cells (NPO-30226), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 27, No. 1 (January 2003), page 46. The ingredients of the present solvent mixtures are ethylene carbonate (EC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC), methyl butyrate (MB), methyl propionate (MP), ethyl propionate (EP), ethyl butyrate (EB), and ethyl valerate (EV). In terms of volume proportions of these ingredients, the present solvent mixtures are 1EC + 1EMC + 8MB, 1EC + 1EMC + 8EB, 1EC + 1EMC + 8MP, 1EC + 1EMC + 8EV, and 1EC + 9EMC. These electrolytes were placed in Liion cells containing carbon anodes and LiNi0.8Co0.2O2 cathodes, and the low-temperature electrical performances of the cells were measured. The cells containing the MB and MP mixtures performed best.

Smart, Marshall↗

Ames Infusion Stories for NASA Annual Technology Report: Development of an Ablative 3D Quartz / Cyanate Ester Composite Multi-Functional Material for the Orion Spacecraft Compression Pad

Vehicles re-entering Earth's atmosphere require protection from the heat of atmospheric friction. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) has more demanding thermal protection system (TPS) requirements than the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions, especially in regions where the structural load passes through. The use of 2-dimensional laminate materials along with a metal insert, used in EFT1 flight test for the compression pad region, are deemed adequate but cannot be extended for Lunar return missions.

Smith, Brandon↗

Separator for alkaline batteries and method of making same

The preparation of membranes suitable for use as separators in concentrated alkaline battery cells by selective solvolysis of copolymers of methacrylate esters with acrylate esters followed by addition of a base and to the resultant products is described. The method of making copolymers by first copolymerizing a methacrylate ester (or esters) with a more readily hydrolyzable ester, followed by a selective saponification whereby the methacrylate ester moieties remain essentially intact and the readily hydrolyzable ester moiety is suponified and to the partial or complete neutralization of the relatively brittle copolymer acid with a base to make membranes which are sufficiently flexible in the dry state so that they may be wrapped around electrodes without damage by handling is described.

Hoyt, H. E.↗

Mixed anhydrides (phosphoric-carboxyl) are also formed in the esterification of 5'-amp with n-acetylaminoacyl imidazolides - Implications regarding the origin of protein synthesis

Procedure for the formation of aminoacyl esters of monoribonucleotides with aminoacyl imidazolides were first reported by Gottikh et al. (1970) and summarized in 1970. This reaction has been widely used by us and numbers of other workers as a convenient means of preparing aminoacyl esters of nucleotides. We have previously reported that, under conditions of excess imidazolide, large amounts of bis 2', 3' esters are formed in addition to the monoesters. However, to our knowledge, no one has reported that in addition to the esters, relatively large amounts of the mixed anhydride, with the amino acid carboxyl attached to the phosphate, are also formed at short reaction times. We report here on the relative amounts of anhydride and esters formed in this reaction of racemic mixtures of eleven N-acetyl amino acid imidazolides with 5'-AMP and discuss the relevance of the findings to the origin of protein synthesis.

Wickramasinghe, Nalinie S. M. D.↗

Long Focal Length Large Mirror Fabrication System

The goals of this ambitious program are (1) to develop systems to make large superpolished optical mirrors, (2) to develop low scatter polishing techniques using centrifugal elutriation, (3) to develop a means of measuring scatter at any point on the mirror, (4) to polish a Hindle sphere to measure the optical figure of a one meter diameter convex mandrel, and (5) to fabricate low scatter, large adaptive optic graphite filled, cyanate ester replica transfer mirrors using these mandrels. Deliverables are a 30 cm diameter superpolished composite AO mirror. We fabricated a 1/3rd meter superpolished zerodur flat mandrel and with the support of our major subcontractor, Composite Mirror Applications Inc (CMA) we have demonstrated a 30 cm lightweight cyanate ester mirror with an rms microroughness between 0.6 and 0.8 nm and 8 faceplate influence function of 5 cm. The influence function was chosen to be comparable to the atmospheric correlation coefficient r(sub 0) which is about 5 cm at sea level. There was no print-thru of the graphite fibers in the cyanate ester surface (the bane of many previous efforts to use cyanate ester mirrors). Our subcontractor has devised a means for developing a 30-50 nm thick layer of graphite free pure ester resin on the surface of the mirrors. This graphite fiber filled material has a thermal expansion coefficient in the 10(exp -8) centimeter per Kelvin range (the same range of expansion coefficient as Zerodur and ULE glasses) and does not take up water and swell, so it is a nearly ideal mirror material in these areas. Unfortunately for these 0.8mm thick faceplates, the number of plies is not enough to result in isometric coverage. Isolated figure irregularities can appear, making it necessary to go to thicker faceplates. The influence function will then only approximate the length of r(sub 0), at higher altitudes or longer wavelengths. The influence function goes as the cube of the thickness, so we are now making a faceplate optimized for an infrared wavelength, possibly that used for the AO system of the Keck telescope, instead of 0.63 microns. We have polished a 55 cm diameter mandrel to better than 1/20th wave optical figure in the visible using centrifugal elutriation. CMA has just told us that it needs to retool to get optimum mirror faceplate quality in this size, so implementing the 55 cm AO mirror may be delayed somewhat. We expect to complete our 1/3 rd meter AO mirror on time using novel piezoelectric actuators with a throw of one micrometer per volt, as compared to 0.005 micrometers per volt for conventional piezoelectric actuators. We will then demonstrate its AO performance interferometrically.

Bennett, H. E.↗