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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 1,153 records · Page 64

Time delay occultation data of the Helios spacecraft for probing the electron density distribution in the solar corona

S-band time delay measurements were collected from the spacecraft Helios A and B during three solar occultations in 1975/76 within heliocentric distances of about 3 and 215 earth radius in terms of range, Doppler frequency shift, and electron content. Characteristic features of measurement and data processing are described. Typical data sets are discussed to probe the electron density distribution near the sun (west and east limb as well) including the outer and extended corona. Steady-state and dynamical aspects of the solar corona are presented and compared with earth-bound-K-coronagraph measurements. Using a weighted least squares estimation, parameters of an average coronal electron density profile are derived in a preliminary analysis to yield electron densities at r = 3, 65, 215 earth radius. Transient phenomena are discussed and a velocity of propagation v is nearly equal to 900 km/s is determined for plasma ejecta from a solar flare observed during an extraordinary set of Helios B electron content measurements.

Edenhofer, P.↗

Whistler waves associated with the Uranian bow shock - Outbound observations

High-resolution magnetic field measurements from the first outbound crossing of the Uranian bowshock by the Voyager 2 spacecraft between January 27 and 30, 1986, are examined. Evidence is found of enhanced whistler wave activity in the vicinity of three shock crossings but little or no evidence of such activity elsewhere. Two wave events display two separate and simultaneous wave enhancements each. From an investigation of these events using high-resolution field data, it is concluded that they are analogous to those whistler waves upstream of the earth's bow shock that are driven by beams of electrons. An instability analysis is presented to show that a single electron beam with reasonable parameters can penetrate both of the upstream and downstream of a shock crossing. This event displays only one relatively broad spectral enhancement in the same frequency regime and is left-hand polarized in the spacecraft frame. It is argued that this event is the result of a gyrating proton distribution associated with the oblique shock.

Smith, Charles W.↗

Role of {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of cardiovascular implantable electronic device infections: A meta-analysis

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis evaluating the use of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections. Background: PET/CT may be helpful in the diagnosis of CIED infection, particularly in patients with the absence of localizing signs or definitive echocardiographic findings. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge, and www.clinicaltrials.gov from January 1990 to April 2017 were searched for studies evaluating the accuracy of PET/CT in the diagnosis of CIED infections. Results: Overall, 14 studies involving 492 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity of PET/CT for diagnosis of CIED infection was 83% (95% CI 78%-86%) and the pooled specificity was 89% (95% CI 84%-94%). PET/CT demonstrated a higher sensitivity of 96% (95% CI 86%-99%) and specificity of 97% (95% CI 86%-99%) for diagnosis of pocket infections. Diagnostic accuracy for lead infections or CIED-IE was lower with pooled sensitivity of 76% (95% CI 65%-85%) and specificity of 83% (95% CI 72%-90%). Conclusion: Use of PET/CT in the evaluation of CIED infection has both a high sensitivity (83%) and specificity (89%) and deserves consideration in the management of selected patients with suspected CIED infections.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties of additively manufactured AlSi10Mg alloy after exposure to elevated temperatures

Highlights: • Elevated temperatures above 120 °C brought changes to the AM AlSi10Mg alloy. • A maximum hardness state obtained at 160 °C/5 h was thoroughly tested. • Hardness increased by 15% and TYS by 5%, but elongation dropped by 60%. • Pure Si precipitates were responsible for the observed changes. - Abstract: The additive manufacture (AM) of the AlSi10Mg alloy has become the subject of considerable attention, especially for production of complex parts in engines. Because such parts can be exposed to elevated temperatures during operation, material stability is very important, but as yet little is known about it in relation to AM. Here, we studied changes of the AlSi10Mg alloy produced by selective laser melting (SLM) after its exposure to temperatures between 120 and 180 °C. At each temperature, hardness evolution was measured, with hardness increasing over time. The maximum hardness state obtained at 160 °C was selected for further studies comprising microstructural analysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, chemical composition analysis and mechanical properties assessment. Transmission microscopy revealed nano-scale acicular precipitates that caused a slight increase in the yield strength of the alloy together with a significant drop in elongation. Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the precipitates surprisingly consisted of pure Si. To provide a comparison, conventional regimes of heat treatment (stress-relief and T6) were applied. Despite a considerable loss in mechanical performance, thermal instability was no longer observed. Overall, our results indicate that operating temperatures are a key factor in ensuring the smooth operation of AM parts of the AlSi10Mg alloy. In respect to that, we offer recommendations for their industrial use.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Diffusion-driven growth of nanowires by low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy

With ZnTe as an example, we use two different methods to unravel the characteristics of the growth of nanowires (NWs) by gold-catalyzed molecular beam epitaxy at low temperature. In the first approach, CdTe insertions have been used as markers, and the nanowires have been characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy, including geometrical phase analysis and energy dispersive electron spectrometry; the second approach uses scanning electron microscopy and the statistics of the relationship between the length of the tapered nanowires and their base diameter. Axial and radial growth are quantified using a diffusion-limited model adapted to the growth conditions; analytical expressions describe well the relationship between the NW length and the total molecular flux (taking into account the orientation of the effusion cells), and the catalyst-nanowire contact area. A long incubation time is observed. This analysis allows us to assess the evolution of the diffusion lengths on the substrate and along the nanowire sidewalls, as a function of temperature and deviation from stoichiometric flux.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Electronically Controlled Mechanical Seal for Aerospace Applications -- Part 1: Design, Analysis, and Steady State Tests

An electronically-controlled mechanial seal, for use as the purge gas seal in a liquid oxygen turbopump, has been designed, analyzed, and built. The thickness of the lubricating film between the faces is controlled by adjusting the coning of the carbon face. This is done by applying a voltage across a piezoelectric element to which the carbon face is bound. Steady state tests have shown that the leakage rate (and film thickness) can be adjusted over a substantial range, utilizing the available range of voltage.

Salant, Richard F.↗

Tensile Behavior of Inconel X750 Sheets: Effect of Heat Treatment

X-750 is a nickel-chromium based super alloy of usefulness in a wide variety of applications. Its excellent relaxation resistance is useful for high-temperature springs and bolts; it is utilized in gas turbines, rocket engines, nuclear reactors, pressure vessels, tooling, and aircraft structures. Its performance is similar to that of Inconel alloy 600 but it is made precipitation-hardenable by additions of aluminum and titanium. It has good resistance to corrosion and oxidation along with high tensile and creep-rupture properties at temperatures up to 700 deg. C. In this study, the tensile flow behavior of the alloy was studied by performing uniaxial tensile tests under a range of temperatures and at different strain rates. To assess the microstructure-mechanical property relationships in the alloy, microstructure analysis (through the use of electron microscopy and XRD analysis) was utilized post-experiment. This paper will however focus on reporting the tensile properties and temperature and strain rate effects on the as-received alloy vs. the heat-treated alloy. (authors)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

On Electron-Positron Pair Production by a Spatially Inhomogeneous Electric Field

A detailed analysis of electron-positron pair creation induced by a spatially non-uniform and static electric field from vacuum is presented. A typical example is provided by the Sauter potential. For this potential, we derive the analytic expressions for vacuum decay and pair production rate accounted for the entire range of spatial variations. In the limit of a sharp step, we recover the divergent result due to the singular electric field at the origin. The limit of a constant field reproduces the classical result of Euler, Heisenberg and Schwinger, if the latter is properly averaged over the width of a spatial variation. The pair production by the Sauter potential is described for different regimes from weak to strong fields. For all these regimes, the locally constant-field rate is shown to be the upper limit.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Electron distribution functions associated with electrostatic emissions in the dayside magnetosphere

The analysis deals with electron distribution functions constructed from ISEE-1 dayside observations of low-energy magnetospheric electrons at low latitudes. The discussion covers some examples corresponding to three distinct types of odd half harmonic electrostatic emissions, observed in the plasma wave experiment on ISEE-1, which occur between the electron cyclotron frequency and the upper hybrid frequency.

Sentman, D. D.↗

The experimental study of the effect of microwave on the physical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Highlights: • We study the microwave effect on the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). • We examine the non uniform heating effect on the physical structure of MWCNTs. • We examine the purification of MWCNTs by microwave. • We analyze the thermal characteristics of microwave treated MWCNTs. - Abstract: This paper reports the effect of microwave on the physical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) where different power levels of microwave were applied on MWCNTs in order to apprehend the effect of microwave on MWCNTs distinctly. A low energy ball milling in aqueous circumstance was also applied on both MWCNTs and microwave treated MWCNTs. Temperature profile, morphological analysis by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), defect analysis by Raman spectroscopy, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity as well as heat transfer coefficient enhancement ratio were studied which expose some strong witnesses of the effect of microwave on the both purification and dispersion properties of MWCNTs in base fluid distilled water. The highest thermal conductivity enhancement (6.06% at 40 °C) of MWCNTs based nanofluid is achieved by five minutes microwave treatment as well as wet grinding at 500 rpm for two hours.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Sorption of divalent heavy metal ions onto functionalized biogenic hydroxyapatite with caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid

The sorption ability of biogenic hydroxyapatite (BHAP) towards heavy metal ions (Pb, Cu, Ni, Cd, and Zn) is compared with functionalized BHAP powders with caffeic acid (CA) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHBA). The functionalization of the BHAP with either CA or 3,4-DHBA is indicated by the appearance of the colored powders due to the formation of the interfacial charge transfer (ICT) complexes. The detailed characterization of as-prepared and functionalized BHAP samples was performed using transmission electron microscopy, reflection spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and determination of zeta potential. All three sorbents clearly displayed preferential sorption of Pb ions when the total concentration of multi-component equimolar solutions of heavy metal ions is high. It should be emphasized that the sorption capacity of functionalized BHAP with either CA or 3,4-BHAP was found to be higher, up to 60%, compared to as-prepared BHAP without the decrease of selectivity towards Pb ions. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Surface passivation of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} via atomic layer deposition in a rotating fluidized bed reactor

Iron(II,III) oxide (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles have shown great promise in many magnetic-related applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, hyperthermia treatment, and targeted drug delivery. Nevertheless, these nanoparticles are vulnerable to oxidation and magnetization loss under ambient conditions, and passivation is usually required for practical applications. In this work, a home-built rotating fluidized bed (RFB) atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor was employed to form dense and uniform nanoscale Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} passivation layers on Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. The RFB reactor facilitated the precursor diffusion in the particle bed and intensified the dynamic dismantling of soft agglomerates, exposing every surface reactive site to precursor gases. With the aid of in situ mass spectroscopy, it was found that a thicker fluidization bed formed by larger amount of particles increased the residence time of precursors. The prolonged residence time allowed more thorough interactions between the particle surfaces and the precursor gas, resulting in an improvement of the precursor utilization from 78% to nearly 100%, even under a high precursor feeding rate. Uniform passivation layers around the magnetic cores were demonstrated by both transmission electron microscopy and the statistical analysis of Al mass concentrations. Individual particles were coated instead of the soft agglomerates, as was validated by the specific surface area analysis and particle size distribution. The results of thermogravimetric analysis suggested that 5 nm-thick ultrathin Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} coatings could effectively protect the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles from oxidation. The x-ray diffraction patterns also showed that the magnetic core crystallinity of such passivated nanoparticles could be well preserved under accelerated oxidation conditions. The precise thickness control via ALD maintained the saturation magnetization at 66.7 emu/g with a 5 nm-thick Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} passivation layer. This good preservation of the magnetic properties with superior oxidation resistance will be beneficial for practical magnetic-based applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Definition of Beam Diameter for Electron Beam Welding

It is useful to characterize the dimensions of the electron beam during process development for electron beam welding applications. Analysis of the behavior of electron beam welds is simplest when a single number can be assigned to the beam properties that describes the size of the beam spot; this value we generically call the “beam diameter”. This approach has worked well for most applications and electron beam welding machines with the weld dimensions (width and depth) correlating well with the beam diameter. However, in recent weld development for a refractory alloy, Ta-10W, welded with a low voltage electron beam machine (LVEB), it was found that the weld dimensions (weld penetration and weld width) did not correlate well with the beam diameter and especially with the experimentally determined sharp focus point. These data suggest that the presently used definition of beam diameter may not be optimal for all applications. The possible reasons for this discrepancy and a suggested possible alternative diameter definition is the subject of this paper.

42 ENGINEERING↗

An ESCA study of lunar and terrestrial materials.

The technique of electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) is used to obtain rapid, nondestructive elemental analyses of selected lunar samples, and the chemical shift of the Fe(2p) line in lunar materials is found characteristic of iron in the Fe(2+) state. A difference in binding energy of approximately 0.5 eV is observed between the 0(1s) levels of the terrestrial minerals fayalite and quartz, and effects due to surface oxidation and absorption are also observed in terrestrial materials. The new ESCA technique is based on energy analysis at high resolution of electrons emitted from the surface of a sample on irradiation with X rays and is valuable for the study of the electronic structure of atoms and molecules.

Huntress, W. T., Jr.↗

Surface characterization and failure analysis of thermally aged, polyimide bonded titanium

This study of high temperature stable adhesive systems using 6Al-4V titanium adherends found that certain adhesive/adherends exhibit a change from cohesive to adhesive failure mode during long term 450 F thermal aging. Lap-shear specimens which exhibited adhesive failures were subjected to failure analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and surface analysis techniques. Data is presented which supports the conclusion of interfacial failures for these samples.

Peters, P. D.↗

Space Weathering Experiments on Spacecraft Materials

A project to investigate space environment effects on specific materials with interest to remote sensing was initiated in 2016. The goal of the project is to better characterize changes in the optical properties of polymers and Mylar, specifically those found in multi-layered spacecraft insulation, due to electron bombardment. Previous analysis shows that chemical bonds break and potentially reform when exposed to high energy electrons. Among other properties these chemical changes altered the optical reflectance as documented in laboratory analysis. This paper presents results of the initial experiment results focused on the exposure of materials to various fluences of high energy electrons, used to simulate a portion of the geosynchronous space environment. The paper illustrates how the spectral reflectance changes as a function of time on orbit with respect to GEO environmental factors and investigates the survivability of the material after multiple electron doses. These results provide a baseline for analysis of aging effects on satellite systems used for remote sensing. They also provide preliminary analysis on what materials are most likely to encompass the high area-to-mass population of space debris in the geosynchronous environment. Lastly, the paper provides the results of the initial experimentation as a proof of concept for space aging on polymers and Mylar for conducting more experiments with a larger subset of spacecraft materials.

Cooper, R.↗

A Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) for In-Situ Mars Surface Sample Analysis

The Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) project, funded by the NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), will build upon previous miniaturized SEM designs and recent advancements in variable pressure SEM's to design and build a SEM to complete analyses of samples on the surface of Mars using the atmosphere as an imaging medium. This project is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), electron gun and optics manufacturer Applied Physics Technologies, and small vacuum system manufacturer Creare. Dr. Ralph Harvery and environmental SEM (ESEM) inventor Dr. Gerry Danilatos serve as advisors to the team. Variable pressure SEMs allow for fine (nm-scale) resolution imaging and micron-scale chemical study of materials without sample preparation (e.g., carbon or gold coating). Charging of a sample is reduced or eliminated by the gas surrounding the sample. It is this property of ESEMs that make them ideal for locations where sample preparation is not yet feasible, such as the surface of Mars. In addition, the lack of sample preparation needed here will simplify the sample acquisition process and allow caching of the samples for future complementary payload use.

Microscope↗