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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Protein Crystals and their Growth

Recent results on binding between protein molecules in crystal lattice, crystal-solution surface energy, elastic properties and strength and spontaneous crystal cracking are reviewed and discussed in the first half of this paper (Sea 2-4). In the second par&, some basic approaches to solubility of proteins are followed by overview on crystal nucleation and growth (Sec 5). It is argued that variability of mixing in batch crystallization may be a source for scattering of crystal number ultimately appearing in the batch. Frequency at which new molecules join crystal lattice is measured by kinetic coefficient and related to the observable crystal growth rate. Numerical criteria to discriminate diffusion and kinetic limited growth are discussed on this basis in Sec 7. In Sec 8, creation of defects is discussed with the emphasis on the role of impurities and convection on macromolecular crystal I;erfection.

Chernov, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Biospheric effects of a large extraterrestrial impact: Case study of the cretaceous/tertiary boundary crater

The Chicxulub impact crater, buried in the Yucatan carbonate platform in Mexico, is the site of the impact purported to have caused mass extinctions at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary. A recently discovered Chicxulub ejecta deposit in Belize contains evidence of carbonate vaporization and precipitation from the vapor plume. Sulfate clasts are almost absent in the Belize ejecta, but are abundant in the coarse ejecta near the crater rim, hwich may reflect the greater abundance of sulfates deep in the target section. The absence of sulfate precipitates in Belize may indicate that most of the vaporized sulfur was deposited in the upper atmosphere. Hydrocode modeling of the impact indicates that between 0.4 to 7.0 x 10(exp 17) g of sulfur were vaporized by the impact in sulfates. Laser experiments indicate that SO2, SO3, and SO4 are produced, and that complex chemical reactions between plume constituents occur during condensation. The sulfur released as SO3 or SO4 converted rapidly into H2HO4 aerosol. A radiative transfer model coupled with a model of coagulation predicts that the aerosol prolonged the initial blackout period caused by impact dust only if it contained impurities. The sulfur released as SO2 converted to aerosol slowly due to the rate limiting oxidation of SO2. Radiative transfer calculations combined with rates of acid production, coagulation, and diffusion indicate that solar transmission was reduced to 10-20 percent of normal for a period of 8-13 years. This reduction produced a climate forcing (cooling) of -300 Wm(exp -2), which far exceeded the +8 Wm(exp -2) greenhouse warming caused by the CO2 released through the vaporization of carbonates, and therefore produced a decade of freezing and near-freezing temperatures. Several decades of moderate warming followed the decade of severe cooling due to the long residence time of CO2. The prolonged impact winter may have been a major cause of the K/T extinctions.

Pope, Kevin O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Stable palladium alloys for diffusion of hydrogen

Literature search on hydrogen absorption effect on palladium alloys revealed existence of alloy compositions in which alpha--beta transition does not take place. Survey conclusions: 40 percent gold alloy of palladium should be used in place of palladium; alloy must be free of interstitial impurities; and metallic surfaces of tube must be clean.

Patapoff, M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Heavily doped transparent-emitter regions in junction solar cells, diodes, and transistors

The paper presents an analytical treatment of transparent-emitter devices, particularly solar cells, that is more complete than previously available treatments. The proposed approach includes the effects of bandgap narrowing, Fermi-Dirac statistics, built-in field due to impurity profile, and a finite surface recombination velocity at the emitter surface. It is demonstrated that the transparent-emitter model can predict experimental values of Voc observed on n(plus)-p thin diffused junction silicon solar cells made on low-resistivity (0.1 ohm-cm) substrates. A test is included for the self-consistent validity of the transparent-emitter model. This test compares the calculated transit time of minority carriers across the emitter with the Auger-impact minority-carrier lifetime within the emitter region.

Shibib, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Preliminary evaluation of a liquid belt radiator for space applications

The liquid belt radiator (LBR) is discussed. The LBR system operates either in the sensible heat mode or in the latent heat mode. Parametric analysis shows that the LBR may reduce the mass of heat pipe radiators by 70 to 90% when the LBR surface has a total emissivity in excess of 0.3. It is indicated that the diffusion pump oils easily meet this criteria with emissivities greater than 0.8. Measurements on gallium indicate that its emissivity is probably in excess of 0.3 in the solid state when small amounts of impurities are on the surface. The point design exhibits a characteristic mass of 3.1 kg/kW of power dissipation, a mass per unit prime radiating area of approximately 0.9 kg/sq ms and a total package volume of approximately 2.50 cubic m. This compares favorably with conventional technologies which have weights on the order of 4 kg/sq m.

Teagan, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Impact winter and the Cretaceous/Tertiary extinctions: Results of a Chicxulub asteroid impact model

The Chicxulub impact crater in Mexico is the site of the impact purported to have caused mass extinctions at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary. 2-D hydrocode modeling of the impact, coupled with studies of the impact site geology, indiate that between 0.4 and 7.0 x 10(exp 17) g of sulfur were vaporized by the impact into anhydrite target rocks. A small portion of the sulfur was released as SO3 or SO4, which converted rapidly into H2SO4 aerosol and fell as acid rain. A radiative transfer model, coupled with a model of coagulation indicates that the aerosol prolonged the initial blackout period caused by impact dust only if the aerosol contained impurities. A larger portion of sulfur was released as SO2, which converted to aerosol slowly, due to the rate-limiting oxidation of SO2. Our radiative transfer calculations, combined with rates of acid production, coagulation, and diffusion indicate that solar transmission was reduced to 10-20% of normal for a period of 8-13 yr. This reduction produced a climate forcing (cooling) of -300 W/sq.m, which far exceeded the +8 W/sq.m greenhouse warming, caused by the CO2 released through the vaporization of carbonates, and therefore produced a decade of freezing and near-freezing temperatures. Several decades of moderate warming followed the decade of severe cooling due to the long residence time of CO2. The prolonged impact winter may have been a major cause of the K/T extinctions.

Pope, Kevin O.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The effects of titanium impurities in N/+//P silicon solar cells

Microscopic and electrical measurements were performed to explain the degradation mechanisms associated with the presence of titanium impurities in silicon. The measurements included X-ray topography, transmission electron microscopy, and deep level transient spectroscopy, before and after processing. The results indicated the presence of TiO2 precipitates, the density of which increased after phosphorus diffusion. A majority carrier trapping level was observed in the wafers before processing. It was concluded that 10% of the Ti in the N(+)/P silicon solar cells formed electrically active centers which caused degradation of the cell junction. 14% of the remaining Ti precipitated out as TiO2, forming electrically active defects, which also caused junction degradation.

Salama, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Surface Area, and Oxidation Effects on Nitridation Kinetics of Silicon Powder Compacts

Commercially available silicon powders were wet-attrition-milled from 2 to 48 hr to achieve surface areas (SA's) ranging from 1.3 to 70 sq m/g. The surface area effects on the nitridation kinetics of silicon powder compacts were determined at 1250 or 1350 C for 4 hr. In addition, the influence of nitridation environment, and preoxidation on nitridation kinetics of a silicon powder of high surface area (approximately equals 63 sq m/g) was investigated. As the surface area increased, so did the percentage nitridation after 4 hr in N2 at 1250 or 1350 C. Silicon powders of high surface area (greater than 40 sq m/g) can be nitrided to greater than 70% at 1250 C in 4 hr. The nitridation kinetics of the high-surface-area powder compacts were significantly delayed by preoxidation treatment. Conversely, the nitridation environment had no significant influence on the nitridation kinetics of the same powder. Impurities present in the starting powder, and those accumulated during attrition milling, appeared to react with the silica layer on the surface of silicon particles to form a molten silicate layer, which provided a path for rapid diffusion of nitrogen and enhanced the nitridation kinetics of high surface area silicon powder.

Bhatt, R. T.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Alternative Explanation for the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE): Weathering of Rocks Containing Minerals With Peroxy Bonds

During the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) 2.42.35 Gyrsago, Earth experienced a notable shift in its oxidation state. This has been widely attributed to cyanobacteria having “invented” oxygenic photosynthesis. We present a very different view based on the fact thatoxygen is released from rocks during weathering. If so, the GOE must have been caused by an influx of abiogenicO2 into Earth’s surface environment. Minerals forming Earth’s crust contain impurity hydroxyls such as O3SiOH. Pairs of those are known to undergo a common redox conversion, ubiquitously forming peroxydefects plus H 2 : O 3 SiOH-HOSiO 3 ⇌O 3 Si/ OO \SiO 3 + H 2 Being diffusively mobile, most H 2 will be lost, leaving behind bound O as peroxy. The peroxy defects release O 2 during weathering: O 3 Si/ OO \SiO 3 + H 2 O → O 3 SiOH-HOSiO 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 O 2 We suggest that this abiogenically generated O 2 was responsible for the progressive oxidation of the early Earth and that this abiotic process drove the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE).

Great Oxygenation Event↗
NASA NTRS1985

Radiation effects induced in pin photodiodes by 40- and 85-MeV protons

PIN photodiodes were bombarded with 40- and 85-MeV protons to a fluence of 1.5 x 10 to the 11th power p/sq cm, and the resulting change in spectral response in the near infrared was determined. The photocurrent, dark current and pulse amplitude were measured as a function of proton fluence. Changes in these three measured properties are discussed in terms of changes in the diode's spectral response, minority carrier diffusion length and depletion width. A simple model of induced radiation effects is presented which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The model assumes that incident protons produce charged defects within the depletion region simulating donor type impurities.

Becher, J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

PIN photodiodes irradiated with 40- and 85-MeV protons

PIN photodiodes were bombarded with 40- and 85-MeV protons to a fluence of 1.5 x 10 to the 11th p/sq cm, and the resulting change in spectral response in the near infrared was determined. The photocurrent, dark current, and pulse amplitude were measured as a function of proton fluence. Changes in these three measured properties are discussed in terms of changes in the diode's spectral response, minority carrier diffusion length, and depletion width. A simple model of induced radiation effects is presented which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The model assumes that incident protons produce charged defects within the depletion region simulating donor type impurities.

Reft, C. S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Moessbauer spectroscopic studies of iron-doped rutile.

Moessbauer spectra were obtained of single crystal and powdered samples of rutile (TiO2) doped to about one percent by weight in isotopically enriched iron. It is shown that the oxidation state may be reversibly altered in situ. After reduction, the oxygen neighbors of the dopant ion are apparently shifted to accomodate the larger ferrous ion. The agreement of calculated quadrupole splittings with experimental results suggests that impurities and oxygen vacancies are uniformly distributed in powdered samples, giving the dopant ions an 'ideal lattice' local environment. The differences between the single crystal and powder sample hyperfine parameters are attributed to variations in stoichiometry, charge compensation mechanisms, or other diffusion related parameters.

Stampfl, P. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Effect of copper impurity on polycrystalline silicon solar cells

The presence of copper impurity, up to 10 to the 15th atoms/cc, in single crystal silicon has been shown to have no deleterious effect on the p-n junction solar cell performance. However, in polycrystalline silicon, copper atoms tend to migrate to the defect sites because of the structural sensitive properties of copper. This study was undertaken to investigate the influence of this behavior of copper impurity on the performance of p-n junction solar cells fabricated from structurally imperfect silicon. Two sets of polycrystalline silicon substrates containing copper were examined. In one set of samples, copper was incorporated during growth, whereas in the other, copper was diffused. Solar cells were fabricated on both the sets of substrates by a standard process. Dark and light I-V and spectral response characteristics of the cells were measured and compared with copper-free polycrystalline silicon solar cells. The results and the model are discussed.

Daud, T.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Mechanical behavior of polycrystalline ceramics: Brittle fracture of SiC-Si3N4 materials

Various properties of ceramic materials were investigated. Magnesium oxide and the role of anion impurities were investigated together with the slow crack growth in silicon nitride-silicon carbide ceramics. The oxide program involved development of fabrication techniques for anion doped materials and evaluation of the role of these anions in the hot pressing response, grain boundary diffusion of nickel doped material, grain boundary microhardness, and grain growth. The carbide-nitride work employed commercial materials and the research involved evaluation of a recently reported technique for study of slow crack growth and the development of data for these commercial materials.

Leipold, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Time-dependent outgassing and impurities in the NASA Lewis Bumpy Torus

In the investigation about 1000 mass spectra were taken with the aid of a quadrupole mass filter. Attention was given to the determination of the densities of impurities as functions of time during operation. Studies of (almost) steady-state spectra were conducted. Analyses of the gas released when cold surfaces were allowed to warm up were also carried out. The results of the investigation suggest that the outgassing is diffusion-controlled.

Persson, H.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Formation of Residual Gases from Source Materials in Closed Crystal Growth Systems

Different, non-constituent cases are present in crystal growth systems and may affect processes like growth rate in PVT or voids formation and detached solidification in melt growth systems. The presence of the gas may be detrimental or advantageous depending on its amount and composition, and on the process in question. The presence of the cases, their amount and composition, can be caused and changed by diffusion through and desorption from the growth container material. We have investigated these phenomena for silica glass ampoules. We also found, that residual cases can be generated by the source materials: even very high purity commercial elements and compounds may contain trace amounts of impurities, particularly oxides. The oxides may have low volatilities themselves but their reaction with other species, particularly carbon and hydrogen, may produce volatile compounds like water or carbon oxides. The amount of the gas and its composition is dependent on the original purity of the material (oxide contaminants) and the heat treatment of the source prior to sealing. In many cases. particularly at temperatures below about 900 C and in well-outgassed ampoules, this mechanism dominates. The problem is of a particular importance in sealed systems where the amount and composition of the gas cannot be directly controlled. Therefore, a reasonable knowledge and understanding of the origin, composition, magnitude, and change with time of gases present in sealed ampoules may be important for a meaningful control and interpretation of crystal growth processes. We have investigated this phenomenon in more details for a number of elements and compounds, primarily for II-VI and IV-VI materials. Different source pre-treatment and annealing procedures were applied, and subsequent consecutive annealings and measurements were done to determine the origin and development of the gas in the systems.

Palosz, W.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Rates and mechanisms of the atomic oxygen reaction with nickel at elevated temperatures

The oxidation of nickel by atomic oxygen at pressure from 1 to 45 N/sq m between 1050 and 1250 K was investigated. In these ranges, the oxidation was found to follow the parobolic rate law, viz., K sub p = 0.0000114 exp(-13410/T) g squared/cm4/sec for films of greater than 1 micron thickness and was pressure independent. The activation enthalpy for the oxidation reaction was 112 + or - 11 kj/mole (27 + or - 3 kcal/mole). Of a number of possible mechanisms and defect structures considered, it was shown that the most likely was a saturated surface defect model for atomic oxidation, based on reaction activation enthalpies, impurity effects, pressure independence, and magnitudes of rates. A model judged somewhat less likely was one having doubly ionized cationic defects rate controlling in both atomic and molecular oxygen. From comparisons of the appropriate processes, the following enthalpy values were derived: enthalpy of activation (Ni diffusion in Ni0) = 110 + or - 30 kj/mole and standard enthalpy change for reaction formation (doubly ionized cation vacancies in Ni0 from atomic oxygen)= -9 + or - 25 kj/mole.

Christian, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Mechanical behavior of polycrystalline ceramics: Brittle fracture of SiC-Si3N4 materials

The first study area involved magnesium oxide and the role of anion impurities, while the second area was directed toward slow crack growth in silicon nitride-silicon carbide ceramics. The oxide program involved development of fabrication techniques for anion doped materials and evaluation of the role of these anions in the hot pressing response, grain boundary diffusion of nickel doped material, grain boundary microhardness, and grain growth.

Leipold, M. H.↗