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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Utilizing computer vision and artificial intelligence algorithms to predict and design the mechanical compression response of direct ink write 3D printed foam replacement structures

Additive Manufacturing (AM) of porous polymeric materials, such as foams, recently became a topic of intensive research due their unique combination of low density, impressive mechanical properties, and stress dissipation capabilities. Conventional methods for fabricating foams rely on complex and stochastic processes, making it challenging to achieve precise architectural control of structured porosity. In contrast, AM provides access to a wide range of printable materials, where precise spatial control over structured porosity can be modulated during the fabrication process enabling the production of foam replacement structures (FRS). Current approaches for designing FRS are based on intuitive understanding of their properties or an extensive number of finite element method (FEM) simulations. These approaches, however, are computationally expensive and time consuming. As such, in this work, we present a novel methodology for determining the mechanical compression response of direct ink write (DIW) 3D printed FRS using a simple cross-sectional image. By obtaining measurement data for a relatively small number of samples, an artificial neural network (ANN) was trained, and a computer vision algorithm was used to make inferences about foam compression characteristics from a single cross-sectional image. Finally, a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to solve the inverse design problem, generating the AM printing parameters that an engineer should use to achieve a desired compression response from a DIW printed FRS. The methods developed herein present an avenue for entirely autonomous design and analysis of additively manufactured structures using artificial intelligence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

MOF-Polymer Hybrid Materials: From Simple Composites to Tailored Architectures

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are inherently crystalline, brittle porous solids. Conversely, polymers are flexible, malleable, and processable solids that are used for a broad range of commonly used technologies. The stark differences between the nature of MOFs and polymers has motivated efforts to hybridize crystalline MOFs and flexible polymers to produce composites that retain the desired properties of these disparate materials. Importantly, studies have shown that MOFs can be used to influence polymer structure, and polymers can be used to modulate MOF growth and characteristics. In this Review, we highlight the development and recent advances in the synthesis of MOF-polymer mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) and applications of these MMMs in gas and liquid separations and purifications, including aqueous applications such as dye removal, toxic heavy metal sequestration, and desalination. Other elegant ways of synthesizing MOF-polymer hybrid materials, such as grafting polymers to and from MOFs, polymerization of polymers within MOFs, using polymers to template MOFs, and the bottom-up synthesis of polyMOFs and polyMOPs are also discussed. Furthermore, this review highlights recent papers in the advancement of MOF-polymer hybrid materials, as well as seminal reports that significantly advanced the field.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Experimental study of compaction localization in carbonate rock and constitutive modeling of mechanical anisotropy

Abstract Sedimentary rocks are inherently anisotropic and prone to strain localization. While the influence of rock anisotropy on the brittle/dilative regime has been studied extensively, its influence on the ductile/compactive regime is much less explored. This paper discusses the anisotropic behavior of a high‐porosity carbonate rock from central Europe (the Maastricht Tuffeau). A set of triaxial tests with concurrent x‐ray tomography has been performed at different confining pressures. The anisotropic characteristics of this rock have been investigated by testing samples cored at different inclinations of the bedding, thus revealing non‐negligible effects of the coring direction on yielding and compaction behavior. Specifically, samples cored perpendicular to bedding display higher strength and longer stages of post‐yielding deformation before manifesting re‐hardening. Despite such alterations of the inelastic response, Digital Image Correlation has revealed that the strain localization mode is independent of the coring direction, thus being primarily affected by the confinement level. To capture the observed interaction between material anisotropy and compaction behavior at the continuum‐scale, an elastoplastic constitutive law has been proposed. For this purpose, a set of tensorial bases has been introduced to replicate how the oriented rock fabric modulates the yielding and plastic flow characteristics of the material. The analyses show that the impact of the coring direction on yield function and plastic flow rule is fundamentally different, thus requiring the use of distinct projection strategies (a strategy here defined heterotopic mapping). The performance of the model, studied through parametric analyses and by calibrating the experimental results, illustrates the improved capability of the proposed constitutive approach when applied to strongly anisotropic porous rocks.

Shahin, Ghassan↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rational design of stable functional metal–organic frameworks

Functional porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been explored for a number of potential applications in catalysis, chemical sensing, water capture, gas storage, and separation. MOFs are among the most promising candidates to address challenges facing our society related to energy and environment, but the successful implementation of functional porous MOF materials are contingent on their stability; therefore, the rational design of stable MOFs plays an important role towards the development of functional porous MOFs. In this Focus article, we summarize progress in the rational design and synthesis of stable MOFs with controllable pores and functionalities. The implementation of reticular chemistry allows for the rational top-down design of stable porous MOFs with targeted topological networks and pore structures from the pre-selected building blocks. We highlight the reticular synthesis and applications of stable MOFs: (1) MOFs based on high valent metal ions (e.g., Al 3+ , Cr 3+ , Fe 3+ , Ti 4+ and Zr 4+ ) and carboxylate ligands; (2) MOFs based on low valent metal ions (e.g., Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , and Zn 2+ ) and azolate linkers. We envision that the synthetic strategies, including modulated synthesis and post-synthetic modification, can potentially be extended to other more complex systems like metal-phosphonate framework materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scalable Graphene Oxide Hollow Fiber Membranes for Dye Desalination Enabled by Multi‐Purpose Polyamine Functionalization

2D nanosheets such as graphene oxide (GO) can be stacked to construct membranes with fine-tuned nanochannels to achieve molecular sieving ability. These membranes are often thin to achieve high water permeance, but their fabrication with consistent nanostructures on a large scale presents an enormous challenge. Herein, GO-based hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) are developed for dye desalination by synergistically combining chemical etching to form in-plane nanopores (10–30 nm) to increase water permeance and polyamine functionalization to improve underwater stability and enable facile large-scale production using existing membrane manufacturing processes. HFM modules with areas of 88 cm 2 and GO layer thicknesses of ≈500 nm are fabricated, and they exhibited a stable dye water permeance of 75 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 , rejection of >99.5% for Direct red and Congo red, and Na 2 SO 4 /dye separation factor of 300–500, superior to state-of-the-art commercial membranes. Furthermore, the versatility of this approach is also demonstrated using different short polyamines and porous substrates. This study reveals a scalable way of designing 2D materials into high-performance robust membranes for practical applications.

amine functionalization↗
DOE OSTI2023

Metallic Cation-Mediated Entrapment of Nucleic Acids on Mesoporous Silica Surface: Application in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

The use of exogenous nucleic acid technologies to modulate aberrant protein expression resulting from genetic mutations is a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of diseases such as advanced prostate cancer (PC). The promise of nucleic-based therapeutics is dependent on the development of platforms that effectively protect nucleic acids from nuclease degradation and deliver the nucleic acids to the cytosol of target cells. In this work, we present the development of a divalent metal-mediated nucleic acid entrapment strategy with a porous silica matrix. This simple strategy results in efficient loading percentages of both siRNA (>60%) and mRNA (>80%) as well as their release within relevant biological environments (80%). Additionally, our data supports that the current method reduces endosomal entrapment and supports the lipid coating of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LC-MSNs). Finally, the metal-enhanced nanosystem is assessed for biocompatibility, stability, and circulation within in vitro, ex ovo, and in vivo models of PC.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2011

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2011

Topics covered include: Laser Truss Sensor for Segmented Telescope Phasing; Qualifications of Bonding Process of Temperature Sensors to Deep-Space Missions; Optical Sensors for Monitoring Gamma and Neutron Radiation; Compliant Tactile Sensors; Cytometer on a Chip; Measuring Input Thresholds on an Existing Board; Scanning and Defocusing Properties of Microstrip Reflectarray Antennas; Cable Tester Box; Programmable Oscillator; Fault-Tolerant, Radiation-Hard DSP; Sub-Shot Noise Power Source for Microelectronics; Asynchronous Message Service Reference Implementation; Zero-Copy Objects System; Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking MACHETE Model; Contact Graph Routing; Parallel Eclipse Project Checkout; Technique for Configuring an Actively Cooled Thermal Shield in a Flight System; Use of Additives to Improve Performance of Methyl Butyrate-Based Lithium-Ion Electrolytes; Li-Ion Cells Employing Electrolytes with Methyl Propionate and Ethyl Butyrate Co-Solvents; Improved Devices for Collecting Sweat for Chemical Analysis; Tissue Photolithography; Method for Impeding Degradation of Porous Silicon Structures; External Cooling Coupled to Reduced Extremity Pressure Device; A Zero-Gravity Cup for Drinking Beverages in Microgravity; Co-Flow Hollow Cathode Technology; Programmable Aperture with MEMS Microshutter Arrays; Polished Panel Optical Receiver for Simultaneous RF/Optical Telemetry with Large DSN Antennas; Adaptive System Modeling for Spacecraft Simulation; Lidar-Based Navigation Algorithm for Safe Lunar Landing; Tracking Object Existence From an Autonomous Patrol Vehicle; Rad-Hard, Miniaturized, Scalable, High-Voltage Switching Module for Power Applications; and Architecture for a 1-GHz Digital RADAR.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nanocluster Rearrangement Forms a Family of Ordered Cerium–Titanium Bimetallic Metal–Organic Frameworks with Three Different Nodes, Nanocavities, and Thermal Stabilities

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) provide a versatile platform for incorporating multiple metal ions within a single crystalline framework, yet achieving spatial and stoichiometric order in heterometallic nodes remains a synthetic challenge. Building on our previously reported, highly thermally stable Ce/Ti bimetallic MOF NU-3000, we identified and isolated two additional crystalline phases, NU-2998 and NU-2999, that arise from the same Ce/Ti nanocluster precursor under modified solvothermal conditions. Systematic variation of reaction temperature, time, solvent ratio, and modulator concentration directs the assembly of these distinct frameworks. Structural analysis and comprehensive characterization studies reveal that these MOFs each feature an unreported nodal geometry with nanocavities of different sizes. NU-2998 even adopts an unreported topology, denoted nui , that features an elongated pore spanning 4 nm. Together, these findings establish a synthesis route that starts with a nanocluster and ends with a set of bimetallic MOFs, offering a glimpse into the pathway-dependent assembly of multimetallic porous materials. Finally, we evaluated the thermal stability of each additional analogue and compared them to NU-3000, providing further insight into material stability. NU-3000 maintained the highest thermal stability and was evaluated as a catalyst for CO oxidation at elevated temperatures.

bimetallic MOFs↗
DOE OSTI2023

Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon Microbeads

We report a microfluidic-based droplet generation platform for synthesizing micron-sized porous carbon microspheres. The setup employs carbon materials such as graphite, carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerenes, and carbon black as starting materials. Custom composition, structure, and function are achieved through combinations of carbon materials, cross-linkers, and additives along with variations in process parameters. Carbon materials can be assembled into spheres with a mean diameter of units to hundreds of μm with relatively tight size distribution (<25% RSD). Pore structure and size (tens to hundreds of angstrom) can be modulated by incorporating porogen/coporogen dilutants during synthesis. The microbeads have excellent mechanical stability with an elastic modulus of hundreds of MPa. They can sustain high dynamic fluid flow pressures of up to 9000 psi. This work lays the foundation for synthesizing novel tailorable and customizable carbon microbeads. It opens avenues for applying these novel materials for composite and additive manufacturing, energy, life science, and biomedical applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2012

A Superfluid Pulse Tube Refrigerator Without Moving Parts for Sub-Kelvin Cooling

A report describes a pulse tube refrigerator that uses a mixture of He-3 and superfluid He-4 to cool to temperatures below 300 mK, while rejecting heat at temperatures up to 1.7 K. The refrigerator is driven by a novel thermodynamically reversible pump that is capable of pumping the He-3 He-4 mixture without the need for moving parts. The refrigerator consists of a reversible thermal magnetic pump module, two warm heat exchangers, a recuperative heat exchanger, two cold heat exchangers, two pulse tubes, and an orifice. It is two superfluid pulse tubes that run 180 out of phase. All components of this machine except the reversible thermal pump have been demonstrated at least as proof-of-concept physical models in previous superfluid Stirling cycle machines. The pump consists of two canisters packed with pieces of gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG). The canisters are connected by a superleak (a porous piece of VYCOR glass). A superconducting magnetic coil surrounds each of the canisters.

Miller, Franklin K.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Experimental investigation of a closed vapour box module for a divertor-like configuration in Magnum-PSI

Efficient management of extreme heat fluxes in the divertor region to extend the lifetime of the components remains a critical challenge for the realization of nuclear fusion-based power plants. Among the alternative concepts explored for the divertor region, the use of liquid metals, particularly lithium, is of interest due its ability to dissipate the incoming plasma heat flux through the vapour shielding effect (VS). In this work, we experimentally investigated a ‘closed’ configuration of a dedicated Vapour Box Module (VBM) in the linear plasma device Magnum-PSI. The goal of the experiments is to simulate the vapour box divertor environment conditions and assess its performance in terms of power mitigation and redistribution and lithium confinement. Initial testing without Li demonstrated the efficacy of a closed VBM structure in inducing detachment via neutral gas accumulation. Apertures which enabled non-condensing gas to be effectively pumped while ensuring lithium condensed on the inner surfaces were therefore added. With a lithium capillary porous structure target used, lithium is directly vaporized by the plasma, forming a dense lithium vapour cloud that interacts with the incoming plasma. This resulted in a significant reduction of the target temperature of at least 48%, together with a temperature locking effect, a phenomenon typically observed in the VS regime. Lithium vapour confinement within the VBM was strongly correlated with the wall temperature. Relatively cold walls promoted Li re-condensation and therefore improved Li confinement, although with the expected trade-off of increased hydrogenic retention on lithium-wetted surfaces. As the wall temperature increased, the confinement efficiency decreased, consistent with reduced Li re-condensation and thermally activated Li–H chemistry and remobilization at the walls. Diagnostic measurements through embedded thermocouples and calorimetry revealed that lithium vaporization and re-condensation processes also playedsignificant roles in plasma power dissipation. The results advance the case for a closed divertor chamber with direct lithium evaporation from the strike-points as a viable method to manage divertor heat fluxes in future fusion reactors.

Romano, Fabio [Dutch Institute for Fundamental Ene↗
NASA NTRS2014

NASA Tech Briefs, March 2014

Topics include: Data Fusion for Global Estimation of Forest Characteristics From Sparse Lidar Data; Debris and Ice Mapping Analysis Tool - Database; Data Acquisition and Processing Software - DAPS; Metal-Assisted Fabrication of Biodegradable Porous Silicon Nanostructures; Post-Growth, In Situ Adhesion of Carbon Nanotubes to a Substrate for Robust CNT Cathodes; Integrated PEMFC Flow Field Design for Gravity-Independent Passive Water Removal; Thermal Mechanical Preparation of Glass Spheres; Mechanistic-Based Multiaxial-Stochastic-Strength Model for Transversely-Isotropic Brittle Materials; Methods for Mitigating Space Radiation Effects, Fault Detection and Correction, and Processing Sensor Data; Compact Ka-Band Antenna Feed with Double Circularly Polarized Capability; Dual-Leadframe Transient Liquid Phase Bonded Power Semiconductor Module Assembly and Bonding Process; Quad First Stage Processor: A Four-Channel Digitizer and Digital Beam-Forming Processor; Protective Sleeve for a Pyrotechnic Reefing Line Cutter; Metabolic Heat Regenerated Temperature Swing Adsorption; CubeSat Deployable Log Periodic Dipole Array; Re-entry Vehicle Shape for Enhanced Performance; NanoRacks-Scale MEMS Gas Chromatograph System; Variable Camber Aerodynamic Control Surfaces and Active Wing Shaping Control; Spacecraft Line-of-Sight Stabilization Using LWIR Earth Signature; Technique for Finding Retro-Reflectors in Flash LIDAR Imagery; Novel Hemispherical Dynamic Camera for EVAs; 360 deg Visual Detection and Object Tracking on an Autonomous Surface Vehicle; Simulation of Charge Carrier Mobility in Conducting Polymers; Observational Data Formatter Using CMOR for CMIP5; Propellant Loading Physics Model for Fault Detection Isolation and Recovery; Probabilistic Guidance for Swarms of Autonomous Agents; Reducing Drift in Stereo Visual Odometry; Future Air-Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool; Examination and A Priori Analysis of a Direct Numerical Simulation Database for High-Pressure Turbulent Flows; and Resource-Constrained Application of Support Vector Machines to Imagery.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2022

Development of a MOOSE thermal model of the MPC-32 canister and HI-STORM overpack

Nuclear power is a significant source of electricity in the United States, but the average age of nuclear power plants is around 40 years old. Safe management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) is a key aspect of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, and SNF dry storage systems are becoming a popular, effective solution in this area, given the absence of a final disposal system. The spent fuel cask system (dry cask method) provides a feasible solution for maintaining SNF (~60 years) prior to final disposal. This project aims to develop a thermal model of the MPC-32 canister and HI-STORM overpack, using the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE). MOOSE is an open-source framework developed by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for multiscale, multiphysics simulations. This study will investigate and demonstrate the thermal-hydraulics capabilities of the MOOSE framework, including natural circulation, heat transfer, porous flows, etc. The ultimate goal of the project is to verify whether MOOSE tools (including Pronghorn) can be used to study the thermal performance of the SNF dry cask storage system. This study provides reliable and inclusive solving strategy for dry cask problems. The detailed information about the solving scheme and the governing equations related to the physics of the system is provided in the report. The results for thermal-hydraulic analysis of the HI-STORM system is produced with using open source modules of the MOOSE framework. This results highlights the flexibility and modularity of the MOOSE which makes it a unique candidate for the frameworks and code packages. Therefore, integration of the MOOSE to UNF ST&DARDS will improve the thermal-hydraulic capability of the system while providing distinctive features to users.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rational Design of Methylated Triazine‐Based Linear Conjugated Polymers for Efficient CO 2 Photoreduction with Water

The development of semiconducting conjugated polymers for photoredox catalysis holds great promise for sustainable utilization of solar energy. In this work, a new family of porous methylated triazine‐based linear conjugated polymers is reported that enable efficient photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) with water (H 2 O) vapor, in the absence of any additional photosensitizer, sacrificial agents or cocatalysts. It is demonstrated that the key lies in the generation of methylated triazine linkages through a facile condensation reaction between benzamidine and acetic anhydride, which impedes the formation of conventional triazine‐based frameworks. It is also shown that regulating conjugated linear backbones with different lengths of electron‐donated benzyl units provides a facile means to modulate their optical properties and the exciton dissociation, thereby affording more long‐lived photogenerated charge carriers and boosting charge separation and transfer. A high‐performance carbon monoxide (CO) production rate of 218.9 µmol g −1 h −1 is achieved with ≈ 100% CO selectivity, which is accompanied by exceptional H 2 O oxidation to oxygen (O 2 ). It anticipates this new study will advance synthetic approaches toward polymeric semiconductors and facilitate new possibilities for triazine‐based conjugated polymers with promising potential in artificial photocatalysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2018

Recent Developments to the Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) Software

The Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA) software is a suite of tools for the analysis of porous materials and generation of material microstructures. From microstructural data, often obtained through X-ray microtomography, PuMA can determine a number of effective material properties and perform material response simulations. Version 2.2 includes capabilities for computing volume fractions, porosity, specific surface area, effective thermal and electrical conductivities, and continuum and rarefied diffusive tortuosity. PuMA can also simulate competitive diffusion/reaction processes at the micro-scale, such as surface oxidation. In this poster, recent advancements to the PuMA software are detailed, including the full refactoring of PuMA into v3.0, a new module to compute heat conduction in anisotropic materials, a particle method for simulating molecular beam experiments, a new finite-volume Laplace solver, complex fibrous material generation, woven material generation, and a coupling of PuMA with the DAKOTA software for advanced statistics.

PuMA↗
DOE OSTI2024

Highly Permeable Rubbery Thin Film Composite Membranes for CO2 Capture from Steel Mills

For presentation at the 2024 AIChE Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA, October 27-31, 2024. High-permeance and CO2-selective membranes are needed to make membrane technology economically viable for large-scale deployment of carbon capture from various industrial point sources such as steel mills. Thin film composite (TFC) membranes are necessary for this practical implementation because they can provide high permeance by forming a thin selective layer on top of a porous support layer. This presentation reports the rational design and fabrication of National Energy Technology Laboratory’s highly permeable non-aging TFC membranes achieved by: (1) synthesizing a high-performance rubbery selective material; (2) developing a high-porosity membrane support; (3) optimizing coating methods to assemble the two materials into scalable membranes; and (4) scaling up membrane supports and TFCs via a roll-to-roll process. This talk will also cover the design, computational fluid dynamic simulation, 3D printing, construction, and permeation testing of plate-and-frame membrane modules for an upcoming field demonstration at U. S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, PA.

Zhu, Lingxiang↗