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At least 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Nickel-rich, volatile depleted iron meteorites: Relationships and formation processes

Ungrouped iron meteorites Tishomingo, Willow Grove, and Chinga, and group IVB iron meteorites, are Ni-rich. Similarities include enrichments of 10–100 × CI for some refractory siderophile elements, and equivalent depletions in more volatile siderophile elements. Superimposed on the overall enrichment/depletion trend, certain siderophile elements (P, W, Fe, Mo) are depleted relative to elements of similar volatility. All three ungrouped irons derive from parent bodies formed in the early Solar System. Willow Grove and Chinga are characterized by cosmic ray exposure corrected 182 W/ 184 W consistent with metal-silicate segregation on their parent bodies within 1–3 Myr of Solar System formation, within the age range determined for segregation of magmatic iron meteorite parent bodies, including group IVB irons. Tishomingo is characterized by a younger model age 4–5 Myr subsequent to Solar System formation, reflecting either late stage melting resulting from 26 Al decay, or an impact resetting. The discovery of stishovite in Tishomingo, indicating exposure to a minimum shock pressure of 8–9 GPa, is consistent with the latter. Stishovite in Tishomingo and chromite included in troilite-daubréelite in IVB irons allows oxygen isotopic composition comparison between these meteorites. Different mass independent oxygen isotopic compositions of IVB irons and Tishomingo indicate genetically distinct parent bodies. By contrast, mass independent Mo isotopic compositions overlap within analytical uncertainties, indicating a similar, carbonaceous chondrite (CC) type genetic heritage. Molybdenum and 183 W isotopic data for Chinga and Willow Grove indicate derivation from CC type parent bodies. Willow Grove shares Mo and 183 W isotopic compositions with the Ni-rich South Byron Trio (SBT) grouplet and the Milton pallasite. These Ni-rich meteorites likely formed in the same general nebular environment as other CC planetesimals, likely the outer Solar System. Highly siderophile element (HSE) abundances of Willow Grove and Tishomingo are similar to some IVB meteorites, consistent with formation by moderate degrees of fractional crystallization from initial metallic melts with low S and P, and modestly fractionated HSE. The comparable HSE abundances of Tishomingo and Willow Grove to some IVB irons, yet substantially higher Ni concentrations, indicate formation on parent bodies with lower bulk HSE abundances or HSE concentration in proportionally smaller volumes of metal. HSE abundances in Chinga are considerably lower than in IVB irons, highly fractionated, and processes responsible for these remain elusive. For IVB irons and these ungrouped irons, high temperature condensation likely dominated the enrichment and depletion of the refractory and volatile siderophile elements, respectively. Parent body degassing may have also played a role. Relative depletion of volatile siderophile elements is not, however, a universal feature of high-Ni meteorites. The SBT and Milton pallasite are Ni-rich, but less depleted in the more volatile siderophile elements. Nickel enrichment was likely driven by oxidation of Fe metal during parent body accretion or core segregation. Oxidation of the Tishomingo and Willow Grove parent bodies may have occurred at ~ IW + 1, indicated by relative Mo and W depletions due to metal/water reaction during differentiation. Late-stage reduction, indicated by the presence of Cr-bearing sulfides in Tishomingo and IVB irons, may have resulted from exhaustion of the oxidant.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Experimental study of the partitioning of some platinum group elements (Pd and Ir) between orthopyroxene and silicate melt

Past experiments and observations on natural samples have largely focused on the roles of olivine and chromite in controlling the behaviour of the platinum-group elements (PGE) during melting and solidification, whereas other phases, such as pyroxene, have gone largely uncharacterized. Here, to address this, experiments have been done to measure the partitioning of Pd (with a subset of results for Ir), between orthopyroxene and silicate melt at 1340 °C, 0.1 MPa and log fO 2 of FMQ - 1 to FMQ + 6 (FMQ = Fayalite-Magnetite-Quartz). The X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES) was measured in a subset of experiment glasses. Glass concentrations of Pd (corrected to unit Pd activity) increase from ~6 to ~650 ug/g over the fO 2 range of experiments. The slope of the solubility-fO 2 relation is consistent with Pd 1+ as the dominant oxidation state, with evidence for Pd 0 and Pd 2+ at the lowest and highest experiment fO 2 , respectively. Consistent with this result, the XANES reveal spectral features similar to Pd 0 and Pd 2+ spectral reference materials (specRM) at the most reduced and oxidized synthesis conditions, respectively. Other lines of evidence require the presence of a third melt species, here interpreted to be Pd 1+ . Values of orthopyroxene/melt partition coefficients for Pd (D Pd Opx/melt ) are 0.0051 (+/-0.006) at log fO 2 < ΔFMQ + 3, increasing with fO 2 to a maximum of 0.013 at ~FMQ + 6. Sodium partition coefficients, expected to be similar to Pd, range from 0.0061 (+/-0.00061) at FMQ + 3, increase to 0.007–0.009 at higher fO 2 , but with no clear systematic trend. A value for D Ir Opx-melt of ~0.6 was measured at ~FMQ + 4, indicating significantly more compatible behaviour for Ir relative to Pd. Partitioning results are interpreted in the context of the Blundy-Wood elastic strain model in which the variation in partitioning is related to ionic radius mismatch to an optimal crystallographic site size. Based on the trend in ionic radius with oxidation state, the estimated ionic radius of Pd 1+ in octahedral coordination is similar to Na 1+ , and comparison to previous orthopyroxene-melt partitioning experiments suggests D Pd1+ opx/melt and DNaopx/melt should be nearly identical, consistent with the results of this study. The ionic radius of VI-fold Pd 2+ is close to the optimal M2 site size, so an increased proportion of this species with fO 2 accounts for the larger values of D Pd opx/melt at the highest fO 2 investigated. The much larger partition coefficient for Ir is consistent with the presence of Ir 2+ , whose estimated ionic radius is close to Fe 2+ and Mg 2+ , as well as predictions for the optimal M1 site size. With the assumption that D Pd opx/melt = D Na opx/melt , combined with a revised value for the Pd content of the primitive mantle, a melting model is presented that better reproduces the Pd concentration of high degree melts from sulfide-free mantle sources.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Reductive removal of pertechnetate and chromate by zero valent iron under variable ionic strength conditions

Radioactive technetium-99 (Tc) present in waste streams and subsurface plumes at legacy nuclear reprocessing sites worldwide poses potential risks to human health and the environment. This research comparatively evaluated efficiency of zero valent iron (ZVI) toward reductive removal of Tc(VII) in presence of Cr(VI) from NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 electrolyte solutions under aerobic conditions. In both electrolytes, anticorrosive Cr(VI) suppressed oxidation of ZVI at elevated concentrations resulting in the delay of initiation of Tc(VII) reduction to Tc(IV)). In the absence of Cr(VI), no such delay was observed in the analogous systems. At low ionic strength, retarded ZVI oxidation inhibited Tc(VII) reduction in part due to the competing thermodynamically more favorable reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III); this effect was particularly pronounced in the chloride medium at the ionic strength ? 0.1. Higher ionic strength favored reduction of both Tc(VII) and Cr(VI), which followed a second-order reaction rate in both electrolytes attributed to the more efficient iron oxidation as evident from x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy measurements. Magnetite was the primary iron oxide phase, and its higher fraction in the SO 4 2- solutions facilitated reductive removal of Tc(VII) and Cr(VI). In the Cl- matrix, Cr(VI) promoted further oxidation of magnetite as well as formation of chromite diminishing overall reductive capacity of this system and resulting in less effective removal of Tc(VII) compared to the SO 4 2- solutions.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Chromium speciation and mobility in contaminated coastal urban soils affected by water salinity and redox conditions

Chromium (Cr) is a redox-sensitive element in contaminated coastal urban soils. Sea level rise (SLR) with subsequent soil inundation may facilitate Cr transformation and mobilization through alterations in local redox conditions and porewater ion composition. Here, we investigated the impact of water salinity and redox conditions on Cr chemistry in these environments. Synchrotron-based X-ray spectroscopy and wet chemical analyses revealed that the soils contained very high levels of Cr (up to 4320 mg kg -1 ) and that chromite (~52%) and Fe-Cr hydroxide coprecipitates (~44%) were the predominant Cr species. The abundance of these two components resulted in low Cr mobility under non-flooded conditions. Chromium(II) was identified in the soils, potentially derived from the waste parent material. Seawater and anoxic conditions resulted in lower Cr release compared to freshwater and aerobic conditions. Up to three to eight times more Cr was released under aerobic conditions versus anaerobic conditions in the freshwater versus saltwater, respectively, with total dissolved Cr values remaining below 0.02 mg L -1 . The decrease in Cr release was likely due to Cr reduction by Fe(II) and sulfide. This work provides important information on how salinity and redox fluctuations impact Cr cycling which is likely to occur during SLR.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Magnetization reversal in TmCrO{sub 3}

Highlights: ► We observed two magnetization reversals in TmCrO{sub 3}. ► The reversal at 28 K is attributed to antiparallel coupling between Cr{sup 3+} and Tm{sup 3+}. ► The other reversal originates from spin reorientation. ► Magnetocaloric effect is observed at the spin reorientation temperature. ► Characteristic magnetization switching is demonstrated. -- Abstract: The perovskite chromite TmCrO{sub 3} shows magnetization reversal at two temperatures. The reversal at ∼28 K is attributed to the antiparallel coupling between Tm{sup 3+} and Cr{sup 3+} moments, while that at the lower temperature (∼6–7 K) is rooted in a rotation of the magnetic moments. Magnetocaloric measurements offer a relatively large entropy change (∼4–5 J kg{sup −1} K{sup −1}) at the lower temperature. The reversal at ∼28 K is accompanied by a sign change of an exchange-bias-like field. The absence of the training effect suggests that this behavior is rooted in unidirectional magnetic anisotropy. The existence of the two magnetization reversals offers the characteristic switching of magnetization. For example, the magnetization is flipped without changing the direction of the applied magnetic field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Doping Effects on Multivalence States, Electronic Structure, and Optical Band Gap in LaCrO 3 under Varied Atmospheres: An Integrated Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study

Doping effects on the valence state, electronic structure, and optical band and the effects on electrical conductivity were studied on the doped lanthanum chromite (LaCrO 3 ) system. The specific compositions studied were La 1–x Ca x CrO 3 (LCCx), La 1–x Sr x CrO 3 (LSCx), and La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Cr 1–x Mn x O 3 (LSCMx) (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.4). The powders were synthesized using a modified Pechini sol–gel method, and the ceramic samples were densified using a reactive sintering method resulting in densities >96% theoretical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was completed to characterize the defect states and cationic valence compensation as a result of divalent (Ca 2+ or Sr 2+ ) and trivalent (Mn 3+ ) substitutions. XPS was completed for samples tested in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres (up to 1500 °C), which provided insights into the oxidation state transitions induced by the Ca 2+ and Sr 2+ dopants. The work notably demonstrated, for the first time, the oxidation/reduction transitions of Cr 4+ to Cr 3+ in Sr 2+ /Mn 3+ co-doped samples under reducing atmospheres. Reflectance UV–vis spectrophotometry optical band gap measurements were also completed for the same materials; a decrease in the optical band gap (2.81–3.12 eV) was shown with increased substitution, suggesting electronic structure modifications in the LaCrO 3 perovskite. Density functional theory calculations validated experimental trends, predicting a diminishing band gap with a rising dopant concentration. The transition in Cr oxidation states was attributed to the presence of divalent/trivalent cations. These findings contribute some insights into methods to tune the LaCrO 3 electrical properties for various low- and high-temperature applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Selective and Efficient Production of Biomass-Derived Vinylfurans

We describe a two-step catalytic process for the selective and rapid conversion of biomass-derived acetylfurans into vinylfurans. This is accomplished by nearly quantitatively reducing acetylfurans into furyl alcohols using a copper chromite catalyst and exploiting the promoter-like properties of ethanol, the solvent. Subsequently, furyl alcohol is dehydrated using solid-acid catalysts. Catalyst deactivation due to oligomeric species is a major issue, but the activity can be partially recovered by calcination. Optimization of reaction conditions showed that the selectivity could be increased by using nitrobenzene, a polar aprotic solvent. Here, the high-boiling point solvent allows the formation of vinylfurans with a selectivity of up to 85%; the product can be isolated in high purity by distillation.

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

Reversible nano-structuring of SrCrO3-δ through oxidization and reduction at low temperatures

Oxygen vacancies are often present in complex oxides as point defects and their effect on the electronic properties of the oxides is typically uniform and isotropic. Exploiting oxygen deficiency in order to generate controllably, novel structures and functional properties remains a challenging goal. We show that epitaxial strontium chromite films can be transformed, reversibly and at low temperature, from the cubic metallic perovskite SrCrO3-δ to the rhombohedral semiconducting SrCrO2.8. Oxygen vacancies aggregate and give rise to ordered arrays of {111}-oriented SrO2 planes interleaved between layers of tetrahedrally-coordinated Cr4+ and separated by ~1 nm. First-principle calculations provide insight into the origin of the stability of such nanostructures and, consistent with the experimental data, predict that the barrier for oxide ion diffusion along these quasi-2D nanostructures is ~5 times lower than that in the cubic SrCrO3-δ – a property of considerable importance in, for example, solid oxide fuel cells.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2013

Heavy mineral distribution in stream sediment of Tapah area, Perak, Malaysia

This paper aims to provide the overview of occurrence, distribution and origin of the heavy minerals in the study area. A total of 45 selected stream sediment heavy mineral concentrate samples were panned using standard dulangs, dried and separated from other light minerals using bromoform. The heavy minerals were separated into different fractions at different amperes using Frantz Isodynamic magnetic separator. Mineral identification was done using binocular microscope augmented by X-ray diffraction analyses. Mineral abundance data were analysed graphically using triangular diagrams to show their origin. Dominant minerals present in the heavy mineral samples collected are ilmenite, cassiterite, tourmaline, zircon, topaz, and magnetite. The less common minerals, present in trace amounts are hematite, xenotime, allanite, monazite, rutile, anatase, leucoxene, chromite, garnet and olivine. Examination of the heavy mineral assemblage shows that they originated from granite batholiths of the Main Range, Changkat Rembian as well as from the metasedimentary rock in the area. The gold flakes present are found together with cassiterite and topaz indicating that gold originates from the mineralized veins contact-metamorphosed metasedimentary rocks. Almost all samples collected contain cassiterite grains in various amounts. From the mineral assemblage, the source of cassiterite originates from the mineralized quartz veins that cut granitic rocks of Main Range, Changkat Rembian as well as the metasedimentary rock in the area. Greisenized veins containing quartz, mica and tourmaline with the presence of wolframite and arsenopyrite also contribute to the presence of cassiterite in this study area.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Study of Chelyabinsk LL5 meteorite fragment with a light lithology and its fusion crust using Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution

Study of Chelyabinsk LL5 ordinary chondrite fragment with a light lithology and its fusion crust, fallen on February 15, 2013, in Russian Federation, was carried out using Mössbauer spectroscopy with a high velocity resolution. The Mössbauer spectra of the internal matter and fusion crust were fitted and all components were related to iron-bearing phases such as olivine, pyroxene, troilite, Fe-Ni-Co alloy, and chromite in the internal matter and olivine, pyroxene, troilite, Fe-Ni-Co alloy, and magnesioferrite in the fusion crust. A comparison of the content of different phases in the internal matter and in the fusion crust of this fragment showed that ferric compounds resulted from olivine, pyroxene, and troilite combustion in the atmosphere.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Composition-dependent structural and Raman spectroscopic studies on Y{sub 1-x}Ho{sub x}CrO{sub 3} (0≤x≤0.1)

In this paper we report the synthesis and structural characterization of polycrystalline holmium doped YCrO{sub 3} samples prepared by solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction studies confirm the formation of single phase pure materials. Increasing Holmium substitution in Y{sub 1-x}Ho{sub x}CrO{sub 3} (0≤x≤0.1) allows a quasi-continuous tuning of the lattice in this multiferroic chromite without any magnetic interference effects of rare-earth ions. The composition dependent Raman scattering studies at room temperature reveal decreasing Raman mode frequencies with increasing holmium content consistent with the X-ray data. Decreasing phonon frequency shifts with increasing holmium content occurs, depending on the average rare-earth ion radius determined by the concentration of Y{sup +3} and Ho{sup +3}.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of Gd substitution on the structural, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties of HoCrO 3

Rare-earth chromites are a novel type of magnetoelectric multiferroics. Here, a Ho 0.33 Gd 0.67 CrO 3 powder sample was synthesized via a citrate route, and the structural properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and the Raman technique. The UV-Visible optical absorbance spectra were also measured in the wavelength range of 200–800 nm. The valence state of Cr was found to be purely 3+ according to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The temperature-dependent dielectric constant and loss tangent data measured between the frequencies of 1 kHz and 1 MHz show no anomalies around the magnetic transition temperature of the material. The dc magnetization measurements show that the ordering temperature of Cr 3+ ( T N C r ) is 155 K for Ho 0.33 Gd 0.67 CrO 3 , which is larger than 140 K for HoCrO 3 . The positive slope of the Arrott plots from 0 T to 7 T reveals that the antiferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition is second-order in nature. At a field of 7 T, the Ho 0.33 Gd 0.67 CrO 3 sample showed a giant magnetocaloric entropy change, -ΔS, of ~23.3 J/kg K at 5 K, and a refrigeration capacity of ~481.2 J/kg, which are much higher than those of pure bulk HoCrO 3 . This renders this material prospective for magnetic refrigeration in the low temperature (<30 K) range.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of HoCr O 3 tuned by selective rare-earth doping

Rare-earth chromites ( R Cr O 3 ) are an important subclass of functional materials with interesting magnetic, electrical, and catalytic properties that make them promising for various applications. In this paper, we report comparisons on the structural and magnetic properties of HoCr O 3 with those of H o 0.67 T m 0.33 Cr O 3 and H o 0.67 G d 0.33 Cr O 3 powder samples, which were doped by T m 3 + (or G d 3 + ) ions at the A -site with ionic radius smaller (or larger) than that of H o 3 + ion. The structural properties of the samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy carried out at ambient. The band gaps of the three samples were determined by analyzing their ultraviolet Vis spectra. Magnetic studies carried out from 5 K to 300 K show that the Néel temperature ( T N Cr , where C r 3 + ions order) increases with an increase in the average A -site ( R -site) ionic radius, tolerance factor, and Cr1-O1-Cr1 bond angle but decreases with an increase in the orthorhombic strain factor. In addition, the application of external hydrostatic pressure was found to enhance T N Cr of HoCr O 3 , similar to the effect observed by doping HoCr O 3 with G d 3 + ions. These changes in T N Cr with A -site doping and hydrostatic pressure are related to changes in C r 3 + - C r 3 + exchange coupling resulting from changes in the Cr1-O1-Cr1 bond angle and Cr1-O1 bond lengths, respectively. Temperature dependent paramagnetic susceptibility data of the samples was fitted to the modified Curie-Weiss law that included the Dzyloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Isothermal magnetization data showed that the magnetic behavior of the samples changes from canted antiferromagnetic at low temperatures to paramagnetic at higher temperatures. The large magnetocaloric entropy change was observed in HoCr O 3 , which was enhanced by Gd doping but lowered by Tm doping, showing its tunability by A -site doping. Correlation between magnetoelectric properties and magnetization is discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

The Distant Morphological and Petrological Features of Shock Melt Veins in the Suizhou L6 Condrite

The morphology and petrology of distinct melt veins in the Suizhou L6 chondrite have been investigated using scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe analyses, and Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron energy-dispersive diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the melt veins in the Suizhou meteorite morphologically are the simplest, straightest, and thinnest among all shock veins known from meteorites. At first glance, these veins look like fine fractures, but petrologically they are solid melt veins of chondritic composition and consist of fully crystalline materials of two distinct lithological assemblages, with no glassy material remaining. The Suizhou melt veins contain the most abundant high-pressure mineral species when compared with all other veins known in chondrites. Thus, these veins in Suizhou are classified as shock veins. All rock-forming and almost all accessory minerals in the Suizhou shock veins have been transformed to their high-pressure polymorphs, and no fragments of the precursor minerals remain in the veins. Among the 11 high-pressure mineral phases identified in the Suizhou veins, three are new high-pressure minerals, namely, tuite after whitlockite, xieite, and the CF phase after chromite. On the basis of transformation of plagioclase into maskelynite, it is estimated that the Suizhou meteorite experienced shock pressures and shock temperatures up to 22 GPa and 1000 C, respectively. Shearing and friction along shock veins raised the temperature up to 1900-2000 C and the pressure up to 24 GPa within the veins. Hence, phase transition and crystallization of high-pressure minerals took place only in the Suizhou shock veins. Fast cooling of the extremely thin shock veins is regarded as the main reason that up to 11 shock-induced high-pressure mineral phases could be preserved in these veins.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mineralogy and petrology of fine‐grained samples recovered from the asteroid (162173) Ryugu

Abstract Samples returned from the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission revealed that Ryugu is composed of materials consistent with CI chondrites and some types of space weathering. We report detailed mineralogy of the fine‐grained Ryugu samples allocated to our “Sand” team and report additional space weathering features found on the grains. The dominant mineralogy is composed of a fine‐grained mixture of Mg‐rich saponite and serpentine, magnetite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, dolomite, and Fe‐bearing magnesite. These grains have mineralogy comparable to that of CI chondrites, showing severe aqueous alteration but lacking ferrihydrite and sulfate. These results are similar to previous works on large Ryugu grains. In addition to the major minerals, we also find many minerals that are rare or have not been reported among CI chondrites. Accessory minerals identified are hydroxyapatite, Mg‐Na phosphate, olivine, low‐Ca pyroxene, Mg‐Al spinel, chromite, manganochromite, eskolaite, ilmenite, cubanite, polydymite, transjordanite, schreibersite, calcite, moissanite, and poorly crystalline phyllosilicate. We also show scanning transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope compositional maps and images of some space‐weathered grains and severely heated and melted grains. Although our mineralogical results are consistent with that of millimeter‐sized grains, the fine‐grained fraction is best suited to investigate impact‐induced space weathering.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗
DOE OSTI2017

Editors' Choice—Field Trials Testing of Mixed Potential Electrochemical Hydrogen Safety Sensors at Commercial California Hydrogen Filling Stations

Hydrogen safety sensors must meet specific performance requirements, mandated by the U.S. Department of Energy, for hydrogen fueling station monitoring. Here, we describe the long-term performance of two zirconia-based mixed potential electrochemical hydrogen gas sensors, developed specifically with a high sensitivity to hydrogen, low cross-sensitivity, and fast response time. Over a two-year period, sensors with tin-doped indium oxide and strontium doped lanthanum chromite electrodes were deployed at two stations in four field trials tests conducted in Los Angeles. The sensors documented the existence of hydrogen plumes ranging in concentration from 100 to as high as 2700 ppm in the area surrounding the dispenser, consistent with depressurization from 700 bar following vehicle refueling. As expected, the hydrogen concentration reported by the mixed potential sensors was influenced by wind direction. Baseline stability testing at a Chino, CA station showed no measureable baseline drift throughout 206 days of uninterrupted data acquisition. In conclusion, the high baseline stability, excellent correlation with logged fueling/depressurization events, and absence of false alarms suggest that the zirconia-based mixed potential sensor platform is a good candidate for protecting hydrogen infrastructure where frequent calibrations or sensor replacement to reduce the false alarm frequency have been shown to be cost prohibitive.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2016

Advanced Sensor Arrays and Packaging

Novel sensor packaging elements were designed, fabricated, and tested in order to facilitate the transition of electrochemical mixed-potential sensors toward commercialization. Of the two designs completed, the first is currently undergoing field trials, taking direct measurements within vehicle exhaust streams, while the second is undergoing preliminary laboratory testing. The sensors’ optimal operating conditions, sensitivity to hydrogen, and long-­term baseline stability were also investigated. The sensing capabilities of lanthanum chromite (La 0.8 Sr 0.2 CrO 3 ) and indium-­doped tin oxide (ITO) working electrodes were compared, and the ITO devices were selected for pre-­commercial field trials testing at a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fueling station in California. Previous data from that fueling station were also analyzed, and the causes of anomalous baseline drift were identified.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗