SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
A low cost strategy is developed for hydrophobization of hollow silica particles without compromising with their structural integrity.
Inchfab Inc. is developing an ultra-low cost suite of micro- and nanofabrication platforms which allows greater process flexibility and short development cycles. In traditional manufacturing environments, virtually all fabrication happens on 6-12” substrates–which requires prohibitively expensive fabrication facilities (“fabs”). By scaling the substrate size down to 1-2”, Inchfab reduces the capital cost and physical footprint of a fab by two to three orders of magnitude, while still retaining a similar level of performance. Additionally, the design of the Inchfab will allow users to develop fully-customizable fabrication processes, accommodating non-traditional materials and process diversity. Ultimately, the Inchfab platform will enable innovative device designs which currently have limited possibility of being realized. This CRADA project worked on preliminary research to test the feasibility of the Inchfab platform by utilizing equipment at Berkeley Lab to evaluate test samples and characterize equipment performance.
The aim of the project titled “Metal Complex Inks for Low-Cost Photovoltaic Material Metallization” was to develop new metal complex conductive inks and pastes for PV, invented and commercialized by Electroninks, Inc. (EI, Austin, TX USA, https://electroninks.com), the only global supplier and scaled-manufacturing company of these metal complex inks. These materials were developed in this work for photovoltaic applications to significantly lower the cost of metallization, improve the manufacturability, and greatly reduce metal usage, while maintaining or improving device efficiencies when compared to traditional nanoparticle-based inks. The new pastes will do so by: 1) lowering the finger resistivity and precious metals usage by printing much denser (and therefore thinner/less material) metal films than possible with traditional particle-based screen-printed pastes; 2) decreasing the firing temperature to help preserve passivation; and 3) enabling a path to move the TW-scale PV industry from Ag to other materials including Ni, Cu, and Ni/Cu alloy pastes while continuing to leverage capital investment and expertise in screen printing metallization.
NREL is sub to the Department of Energy (DOE) Photovoltaic Research & Development (PVRD) project, titled "New Approaches to Low-Cost Scalable Doping for Interdigitated Back Contact Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells", awarded to Colorado School of Mines. The goal of this project was to develop an industrially relevant dopant patterning technique that enable high performing, cost efficient Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) solar cells based on n-Cz silicon wafer. Several possibilities were explored at the beginning of the project and the masked plasma deposition was deselected as the most promising and industrially relevant. This method was thoroughly explored ion the course of the project, its limitations revealed and mitigated. NREL successfully the masked deposition integrated into the cell's process flow and produced the cells, alongside with numerous process development steps and application of in-house advanced characterization techniques. The report describes these developments by the task and in detail.
The mixed compounds of phosphates and pyrophosphates are attractive cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their robust open framework structure and superior diffusion dynamics. However, most reported mixed phosphate cathodes generally suffer from low operating potential. Herein, we develop a bimetallic Na 4 Fe 1.5 Mn 1.5 (PO 4 ) 2 (P 2 O 7 )/C-rGO (NFMPP/C-rGO) cathode, which possesses two working plateaus at 2.92 and 3.95 V. The obtained NFMPP/C-rGO demonstrates a stable high capacity of over 120 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C. In-situ XRD characterization discloses a solid solution reaction for the Fe 2+/3+ redox couple and a two-phase reaction for the Mn 2+/3+ redox couple. In conclusion, first-principles calculations reveal the migration of Na + in NFMPP has low barriers. This work provides a new, low-cost, earth-abundant, and stable cathode choice for practical SIBs.
Nanoliter liquid handling capabilities in bioanalytical workflows can reduce reagent costs and improve sample processing efficiency. Here we report the successful modification of a low-cost commercially available pipetting robot, the Opentrons 1 (OT1), using inexpensive 3D-printed parts to accommodate low-nanoliter volumes. The pipetting accuracy and precision of the modified OT1 for 50 nL volumes of water was 0.2% and 2%, respectively. The accuracy and precision at 20 nL was 1% and 3.8%, respectively. The platform was successfully applied to the preparation of low-nanogram proteomic samples for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The modified OT1 is thus an effective platform for nanoliter liquid handling and, at a total cost of less than $6000 including the commercial liquid handler and all modifications, is far less expensive and more versatile than other platforms with similar capabilities, placing this technology within reach of a far broader scientific community.
This aims of this project were to develop low-cost screen-printable Ag|Cu metallization, as alternative to Ag paste, for contacting PERC solar cells with transparent emitter for high performance and reliability. The intended goal was to achieve 81% fill factor with a screen-printable Ag|Cu paste alternative. This was attempted through a three strand approach including Ag|Cu formulation by SVMT, production using cavitation technology by ACI and contact formation through the understanding of (i) the liquid phase sintering of the nano/macro particles of Ag|Cu to achieve bulk metal with very low series resistance, (ii) optimization of contact firing to avoid penetration of Cu into the silicon bulk, and finally (iii) proper analysis to quantify the contributions of each resistance component and keep the total series resistance at 0.2 Ω-cm2, which would result in high fill factor of 81% by UNC Charlotte. The objectives also involved i) the implementation of glass frit with Cu metal that will etch through the ARC for low contact resistance and adhesion, ii) development of Ag|Cu pastes with the optimized glass frit, iii) investigation of the impact of Cu particle size, morphology and loading on the gridline resistance, iv) narrow gridline screen designs along with narrow gridline prints, v) development of fast belt speeds of up to 375 inches per minute (ipm) sintering, and vi) stability study on Ag|Cu contact to high performance and reliability.
ORNL Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and Perisense worked on a low-cost solution for machining process monitoring to enable a digital factory. Enabling machine connectivity for digital factors is expensive for many small to medium manufacturers. The hypothesis for the research project is that a lowcost sensor suite, which can be retrofitted to a legacy machine tool or a new machine tool, can effectively provide real-time, in-situ sensing for manufacturing processes, which can enable improvements in process performance and efficiency. The Perisense sensor node was installed on the Haas TM1 machine with a current sensor and an accelerometer. Cutting tests were performed at different process parameters and sensor data was recorded. Results show a correlation of the current sensor to the spindle load. The accelerometer, mounted on the machine base, showed a correlation to the spindle speed as well as the spindle load. The sensor data can be used to monitor the machining process and provide insights on the machine spindle load utilization.
A system and method for forming a low cost optical sensor array. The sensor includes an optical fiber; a first nanocomposite thin film along at least a portion of the optical fiber for interrogating a first parameter through a correlated signal having a first wavelength; and a second nanocomposite thin film along at least a portion of the optical fiber for interrogating a second parameter through a correlated signal having a second wavelength different from the wavelength of the first parameter.
In order to successfully sustain a fusion reaction, peak magnetic fields on the order of 12-13 Tesla will be required. Magnetic fields of this magnitude can only be accomplished by advanced superconductors such as Nb3Sn. However, the economic success of a fusion machine will depend on further improvements in the cost-performance of the Nb3Sn conductor. This project will develop a novel, low-cost, multiple-tin-tube process as a new manufacturing approach for large-scale Nb3Sn-conductor production. The process will be suitable for the efficient production of larger strands (0.83 mm), consistent with ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) specifications. In Phase I, Cu/Nb composites were manufactured and shaped into sub-elements. These sub-elements were tin-coated by electroplating, assembled into a precise-fit restack billet tube, and drawn to 0.83 mm diameter. In Phase II, the process will be scaled-up to full production levels. The improved Nb3Sn conductor should have an immediate benefit for high-field magnet applications. A prototype fusion machine, based on a cost effective Nb3Sn conductor, would have enormous economic and social benefits. In addition, the conductor should be applicable to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which has requirements for use in chemical research, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer science, petroleum research, agricultural chemistry, and medicine. Leszek Motowidlo, Principal Investigator, will be responsible for the overall coordination of the effort. He and others of SupraMagnetics staff will design and fabricate protoype PIT Nb3Sn conductors for evaluation at Fermilab. Emanuela Barzi will be responsible for the Fermilab subcontract and will coordinate and supervise critical current testing Nb3Sn strands and cable fabrication and evaluation.
Calabazas Creek Research, Inc. (CCR) and its collaborators are developing high efficiency, low cost RF sources. Phase and Amplitude Controlled Magnetrons: CCR, Fermilab, and Communications & Power Industries, LLC (CPI) recently developed a 100 kW, 1.3 GHz magnetron system with amplitude and phase control. The system operated at more than 80% efficiency and demonstrated rapid control of amplitude and phase. Multiple Beam Triodes: CCR, in collaboration with CPI and JP Accelerator Works, Inc., is developing 200 kW, pulsed and CW RF sources from 350 to 700 MHz with projected efficiencies exceeding 80% and cost of $0.50/Watt. Prototype tubes are scheduled for tests in spring 2021. High Efficiency Klystrons:CCR, CPI, and Leidos, Inc. are building a 1.3 GHz, 100 kW klystron operating at 80% efficiency. High power testing is scheduled for summer 2021. Multiple Beam IOTs: CCR and Georgia Tech Research Institute are developing MBIOTs with simplified input coupling and high efficiency. Simulations indicate that 3rd harmonic drive power can increase the efficiency 8-10 %. The program is developing a prototype tube to produce 200 kW peak, 100 kW average power at 704 MHz.
The high energy physics community has been asking for a strong push towards the energy frontier beyond the LHC. Unfortunately, large rings are very expensive and with the current state-of-the-art magnet technology(NbTi, Nb 3 Sn and Cuprates),the costs are prohibitive. An emerging technology that has a great potential to provide low-cost conductor with ultra-high-field performance(>20T)is based on a new class of HTS materials discovered in 2008:Iron-Based-Superconductors (IBSs or pnictides). In view of future High Field Magnet(HFM) applications, this project is intended to the development of inexpensive high-T c Iron-Based-Superconductor (IBS) wire with high critical current density(J c > 10 5 A/cm 2 at > 20T/4.2K).
Sandia National Laboratories has tested and evaluated the performance of the following five models of low-cost infrasound sensors and sensor packages: Camas microphone, Gem Infrasound Logger, InfraBSU sensor, Raspberry Boom, and the Samsung S10 smartphone utilizing the Redvox app. The purpose of this infrasound sensor evaluation is to measure the performance characteristics in such areas as power consumption, sensitivity, self-noise, dynamic range, response, passband, linearity, sensitivity variation due to changes in static pressure and temperature, and sensitivity to vertical acceleration. The infrasound monitoring community has leveraged such sensors and integrated packages in novel ways; better understanding the performance of these units serves the geophysical monitoring community.
The goal of this project is to develop low-cost and scalable polymer-based hole-transport materials that will lead to thin film perovskite solar cells (PSCs) (including tandem structures) with high efficiencies (>30%) and long lifetimes (>25 years).
Abstract. The use of wireless sensor networks to measure soil parameters eliminates the need to remove sensors for field operations, such as tillage, thus allowing long-term measurements without multiple disturbances to soil structure. Wireless sensors also reduce above-ground cables and the risk of undesired equipment damage and potential data loss. However, implementing wireless sensor networks in field studies usually requires advanced and costly engineering knowledge. This study presents a new underground, wireless, open-source, low-cost system for monitoring soil oxygen, temperature, and soil moisture. The process of system design, assembly, programming, deployment, and power management is presented. The system can be left underground for several years without the need to change the battery. Emphasis was given on modularity so that it can be easily duplicated or changed if needed and deployed without previous engineering knowledge. Data from this type of system have a wide range of applications, including precision agriculture and high-resolution modelling.
The objective of this project is to enable deliberate development of cost-effective, hydrogen resistant alloys by establishing detailed relationships specific to the effects of alloy composition, short-range order (SRO), and microsegregation in the presence of hydrogen on the transition between homogeneous deformation and localized plasticity in shear bands. In collaboration with the International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research, I2CNER, at Kyushu University in Japan, we conceptualized, designed, and manufactured four austenitic alloys that maintain corrosion resistance and ensure lower cost relative to baseline commercial alloys. The mechanical properties and deformation modes of the novel alloys (KU alloys) were assessed in the presence of hydrogen (H). Correlations between composition and performance revealed that two of the KU alloys are suitable replacements for 316 steel, while another is a viable replacement for 304 steel at room temperature. We found that, in the presence of other austenite stabilizing elements namely Mn and N, replacing Ni with Cu does not lead to martensite formation as has been previously reported.1–3 Furthermore, we found that the addition of Cu leads to an earlier onset of multiple slip resulting in an relative earlier onset of a higher work hardening rate (WHR). Greater understanding of the relationships between alloy composition and SRO required the development of a novel advanced electron diffraction methodology to characterize SRO in complex FCC alloys. This innovative approach, which combines fluctuation and correlation analyses of diffuse-scattering signals, successfully differentiated between SRO and long-range ordering (LRO). Further investigations into annealed austenitic stainless steels could provide insights into manipulating SRO and its effects on material properties. Atomistic simulations provided understanding of SRO behavior that was difficult to capture experimentally. This project created the first spin cluster expansion model that is able to capture and describe SRO effects in Fe-Ni-Cr FCC alloys, accounting for the non-negligible effects of magnetism. An automated computational workflow was established to provide reliable predictions of SRO in Fe-Ni-Cr austenitic alloys, both with and without the presence of H atoms. Analysis of the propensity for SRO in Fe-Ni-Cr alloys revealed that H tends to cluster with specific, well-defined SRO domains. The computational framework is general purpose and can be extended to realistic stainless steels across diverse composition ranges. With confidence that SRO is possible in austenitic stainless steels, we developed a discrete dislocation finite element code to understand the interaction of dislocations with SRO in the presence of H. By incorporating H effects on the dislocation emission and SRO stress field we show that the critical stress for the dislocation pileup to breakthrough the SRO domain decreases in the presence of H, which directly contributes localized deformation at the macroscale. Through the simulation of a uniaxial tension test, we demonstrated that H-induced weakening of SRO stress field and H-enhanced dislocation emission can lead to the onset of shear localization at lower macroscopic strains. As a whole, this project identified three novel alloys that show improvements in performance and cost efficiency for H-facing applications by studying correlations between alloy chemistry and deformation behavior. We also made significant advancements to experimental and computational methodologies necessary to study the chemistry and distribution of SRO across a range of alloys, which in turn allowed us to demonstrate how deformation mechanisms change due to the contributions of SRO in austenitic alloys in the presence of H. The combined advancements in fundamental understanding with novel alloy development in this project has increased the viability of next generation H-technologies for the broader public through accessible low-cost alloys and accelerated development towards future H-infrastructure.
Abstract In this Technical Note, we present a simple and low-cost production method for fluorescent particles perfectly suitable for velocimetry applications. We leverage the unique ability of Nile Red (NR) fluorophores to adsorb on the polymer surface and/or embed itself in between polymeric chains. The laboratory procedure to dye polyamide particles with NR and monetary advantages over commercially available fluorescent particles is outlined. Subsequently, the fluorescence behavior of the dyed particles is tested under a laser illumination source in polar and non-polar liquids. The distinct advantage of the emission spectrum of NR-dyed particles is demonstrated with sample test results.
This is a presentation for the Green Proving Ground (GPG) within GSA for a non-invasive low-cost strap on gas submeter.