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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

Estimation of ZnSe Slow-Crack-Growth Properties for Design of the Flow Enclosure Accommodating Novel Investigations in Combustion of Solids (FEANICS) Windows

This report reviews some of the literature on the fracture strength, fracture toughness, and crack growth properties of chemical-vapor-deposited ZnSe. The literature was reviewed to determine if the existing data on ZnSe is adequate to design windows for the Flow Enclosure Accommodating Novel Investigations in Combustion of Solids (FEANICS) project. Unfortunately, most of the published reports do not give all of the necessary design parameters despite having measured the data to do so. Further, the original data is not available. The data tabulated herein was determined by digitizing plots in original reprints of the publications. Based on the published data, an estimate of the slow-crack-growth parameters for small cracks in 100 percent humidity was made. For 100 percent humidity, the slow-crack-growth parameters n and A for small crack (or single crystal) failure were estimated. Weibull moduli estimated from bending of beams and circular plates ranged from 4 to 9, while fracture strengths ranged from 29 MPa in water to 72 MPa in dry nitrogen. Fracture toughness measurements yielded ranges, with the lower values representing failure from small flaws within grains and the larger values representing macroscopic cracks. Much of the data analyzed exhibited significant scatter, and the standard deviations were very large.

Salem, Jonathan A.↗

STS-26/Discovery Preparations for Launch

This NASA Kennedy Space Center two-part video release is comprised of footage covering STS-26 launch preparations from the arrival of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) at the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) to the lift and mate of the external tanks. The STS-26 flight crew include: Frederick H. (Rick) Hauck, mission commander; Richard O. Covey, pilot; John M. (Mike) Lounge, mission specialist; David C. Hilmers, mission specialist; and George D. (Pinky) Nelson, mission specialist. The primary payload of STS-26 is the TDRS while the secondary payloads include the Physical Vapor Transport of Organic Solids (PVTOS); Protein Crystal Growth (PCG); Infrared Communications Flight Experiment (IRCFE); Aggregation of Red Blood Cells (ARC); Isoelectric Focusing Experiment (IFE); Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE); Phase Partitioning Experiment (PPE); Earth-Limb Radiance Experiment (ELRAD); Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (ADSF) and two Shuttle Student Involvement Program (SSIP) experiments. Launch preparation footage includes flight crew arrival at KSC, rollout of Discovery to Pad B, OV-103 Discovery power-up, main engine unpacking and installation, solid rocket boosters' arrival prep and stacking, and aft skirt to aft segment mating.

Source record↗

Undercooling of acoustically levitated molten drops

It was observed that the acoustically levitated molten SCN (succinonitrile) drops can generally be undercooled to a degree where the impurities in the drop are responsible for the nucleation of the solid phase. However, it was also observed that ultrasound occasionally terminates undercooling of the levitated drops by initiating the nucleation of the solid at an undercooling level which is lower than that found for the nucleation catalyzed by the impurities in the drop. This premature nucleation can be explained by thermodynamic considerations which predict an increase in effective undercooling of the liquid upon the collapse of cavities. Pre-existing gas microbubbles which grow under the influence of ultrasound are suggested as the source of cavitation. The highly undercooled SCN drops can be utilized to measure the growth velocity of the solid in the deeply undercooled region including the hypercooled region.

Ohsaka, K.↗

Thermal Stresses in Silicon-Web Growth

Mathematical model represents thermomechanical behavior of solid web of rectangular cross section as pulled from melt of same material. Intended for application to growth of silicon webs or ribbons, model general enough to be applicable to other materials as well. Shows suitable temperature distribution results in stress-free ribbon. Conceptual ribbon of rectangular cross section pulled from melt. Simplified configuration used to calculate thermal conditions for stress-free ribbon.

Wade, Ben K.↗

Crystal Growth of II-VI Semiconducting Alloys by Directional Solidification

This research study is investigating the effects of a microgravity environment during the crystal growth of selected II-VI semiconducting alloys on their compositional, metallurgical, electrical and optical properties. The on-going work includes both Bridgman-Stockbarger and solvent growth methods, as well as growth in a magnetic field. The materials investigated are II-VI, Hg(1-x)Zn(x)Te, and Hg(1-x)Zn(x)Se, where x is between 0 and 1 inclusive, with particular emphasis on x-values appropriate for infrared detection and imaging in the 5 to 30 micron wavelength region. Wide separation between the liquidus and solidus of the phase diagrams with consequent segregation during solidification and problems associated with the high volatility of one of the components (Hg), make the preparation of homogeneous, high-quality, bulk crystals of the alloys an extremely difficult nearly an impossible task in a gravitational environment. The three-fold objectives of the on-going investigation are as follows: (1) To determine the relative contributions of gravitationally-driven fluid flows to the compositional redistribution observed during the unidirectional crystal growth of selected semiconducting solid solution alloys having large separation between the liquidus and solidus of the constitutional phase diagram; (2) To ascertain the potential role of irregular fluid flows and hydrostatic pressure effects in generation of extended crystal defects and second-phase inclusions in the crystals; and, (3) To obtain a limited amount of "high quality" materials needed for bulk crystal property characterizations and for the fabrication of various device structures needed to establish ultimate material performance limits. The flight portion of the study was to be accomplished by performing growth experiments using the Crystal Growth Furnace (CGF) manifested to fly on various Spacelab missions.

Lehoczky, Sandor L.↗

Radial and directional solidification of metallic systems in space

Investigation of the solidification behavior of spherical specimens of Ni-12 wt % Sn and Ni-1 wt % Ag that froze radially from the surface toward the center and cylindrical specimens of Al-33 wt % Cu eutectic that froze directionally under appropriately selected conditions of thermal gradient at the solid-liquid interface and growth rate. Possible effects of vacuum and low gravity conditions, under which the spherical specimens were processed, on observed nucleation and growth phenomena are discussed. A genetic explanation is given of observed microstructures, and the distributions of alloying elements is discussed. In directionally solidified eutectic specimens a comparison is made between statistically evaluated growth defects in Skylab and in ground specimens.

Katamis, T. Z.↗

The history of an atmosphere of impact origin

Most of the masses accreting onto the earth and terrestrial planets impacted at sufficiently high velocities to release their volatiles into the atmosphere by impact-heating. However, based on models of planetary growth by accumulation from solid bodies, the time-scale for accretion was sufficiently long that the average surface temperatures could not have risen above 320 K. Using measured reaction rates, the released volatiles should have been re-incorporated into the planet by hydrating the surface minerals and were subsequently buried during accretion. Rapid hydration of impact products precludes the formation of a thick atmosphere as the planet accreted. Thus, only the subsequent differentiation and evolution of the terrestrial planets determined the size and composition of each planet's atmosphere.

Jakosky, B. M.↗

Low-cost solar array project task 1: Silicon material. Gaseous melt replenishment system

The operation of a silicon production technique was demonstrated. The essentials of the method comprise chemical vapor deposition of silicon, by hydrogen reduction of chlorosilanes, on the inside of a quartz reaction vessel having large internal surface area. The system was designed to allow successive deposition-melting cycles, with silicon removal being accomplished by discharging the molten silicon. The liquid product would be suitable for transfer to a crystal growth process, casting into solid form, or production of shots. A scaled-down prototype reactor demonstrated single pass conversion efficiency of 20 percent and deposition rates and energy consumption better than conventional Siemens reactors, via deposition rates of 365 microns/hr. and electrical consumption of 35 Kwhr/kg of silicon produced.

Jewett, D. N.↗

Kinetics of thermal donor generation in silicon

The generation kinetics of thermal donors at 450 C in Czochralski-grown silicon was found to be altered by high-temperature preannealing (e.g., 1100 C for 30 min). Thus, when compared with as-grown Si, high-temperature preannealed material exhibits a smaller concentration of generated thermal donors and a faster thermal donor saturation. A unified mechanism of nucleation and oxygen diffusion-controlled growth (based on solid-state plate transformation theory) is proposed to account for generation kinetics of thermal donors at 450 C, in as-grown and high-temperature preannealed Czochralski silicon crystals. This mechanism is consistent with the main features of the models which have been proposed to explain the formation of oxygen thermal donors in silicon.

Mao, B.-Y.↗

Tunable solid state lasers for remote sensing; Proceedings of the Conference, Stanford University, CA, October 1-3, 1984

Papers are presented on solid-state lasers for remote sensing, diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers, and tunable solid-state-laser systems. Topics discussed include titanium-sapphire tunable laser systems, the performance of slab geometry, and the development of slab lasers. Consideration is given to garnet host solid-state lasers, the growth of lasers and nonlinear materials, and nonlinear frequency conversion and tunable sources.

Byer, R. L.↗

Space Station Photovoltaic power modules

Silicon cell Photovoltaic (PV) power modules are key components of the Space Station Electrical Power System (EPS) scheduled to begin deployment in 1994. Four PV power modules, providing 75 KWe of user ac power, form the cornerstone of the EPS; which is comprised of Photovoltaic (PV) power modules, Solar Dynamic (SD) power modules, and the Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) system. The PV modules are located on rotating outboard sections of the Space Station (SS) structure and each module incorporates its own nickel-hydrogen energy storage batteries, its own thermal control system, and some autonomous control features. The PV modules are a cost-effective and technologically mature approach for providing reliable SS electrical power and are a solid base for EPS growth, which is expected to reach 300 KWe by the end of the Space Station's 30-year design lifetime.

Tatro, Charles A.↗

Kinetics in a turbulent nebular cloud

Model calculations, which include the effects of turbulence during subsequent solar nebula evolution after the collapse of a cool interstellar cloud, can reconcile some of the apparent differences between physical parameters obtained from theory and the cosmochemical record. Two important aspects of turbulence in a protoplanetary cloud include the growth and transport of solid grains. While the physical effects of the process can be calculated and compared with the probable remains of the nebula formulation period, the more subtle effects on primitive grains and their survival in the cosmochemical record cannot be readily evaluated. The environment offered by the Space Station (or Space Shuttle) experimental facility can provide the vacuum and low gravity conditions for sufficiently long time periods required for experimental verification of these cosmochemical models.

Mackinnon, Ian D. R.↗

Observation of alloy solidification using high-speed video

A high-speed video instrumentation system was used to observe solidification of undercooled Ti-51 at. pct Al. The camera system developed by Battelle is capable of operation at rates up to 12,000 frames per second. The system digitizes and stores video images acquired by a 64 x 64 pixel silicon photodiode array. In a joint effort with Vanderbilt University the camera was used to observe three transformations of the undercooled alloys, using containerless processing by electromagnetic levitation. The first was solidification where nucleation was induced at an undercooling of 9 percent Tl, where Tl is the liquidus temperature of the alloy, and the second was solidification where nucleation was spontaneous at an undercooling of 15 percent Tl. The third event was a solid-state nucleation and growth transformation following the solidification at an undercooling of 15 percent Tl.

Bassler, B. T.↗

Biologically Pre-Treated Habitation Waste Water as a Sustainable Green Urine Pre-Treat Solution

The ability to recover water from urine and flush water is a critical process to allow long term sustainable human habitation in space or bases on the moon or mars. Organic N present as urea or similar compounds can hydrolyze producing free ammonia. This reaction results in an increase in the pH converting ammonium to ammonia which is volatile and not removed by distillation. The increase in pH will also cause precipitation reactions to occur. In order to prevent this, urine on ISS is combined with a pretreat solution. While use of a pretreatment solution has been successful, there are numerous draw backs including: storage and use of highly hazardous solutions, limitations on water recovery (less than 85%), and production of brine with pore dewatering characteristics. We evaluated the use of biologically treated habitation wastewaters (ISS and early planetary base) to replace the current pretreat solution. We evaluated both amended and un-amended bioreactor effluent. For the amended effluent, we evaluated "green" pretreat chemicals including citric acid and citric acid amended with benzoic acid. We used a mock urine/air separator modeled after the urine collection assembly on ISS. The urine/air separator was challenged continually for >6 months. Depending on the test point, the separator was challenged daily with donated urine and flushed with amended or un-amended reactor effluent. We monitored the pH of the urine, flush solution and residual pH in the urine/air separator after each urine event. We also evaluated solids production and biological growth. Our results support the use of both un-amended and amended bioreactor effluent to maintain the operability of the urine /air separator. The ability to use bioreactor effluent could decrease consumable cost, reduce hazards associated with current pre-treat chemicals, allow other membrane based desalination processes to be utilized, and improve brine characteristics.

Jackson, W. Andrew↗

The THS Experiment: Simulating Titans Atmospheric Chemistry at Low Temperature (200K)

In Titan's atmosphere, composed mainly of N2 (95-98%) and CH4 (2-5%), a complex chemistry occurs at low temperature, and leads to the production of heavy organic molecules and subsequently solid aerosols. Here, we used the Titan Haze Simulation (THS) experiment, an experimental setup developed at the NASA Ames COSmIC simulation facility to study Titan's atmospheric chemistry at low temperature. In the THS, the chemistry is simulated by plasma in the stream of a supersonic expansion. With this unique design, the gas is cooled to Titan-like temperature ( approximately 150K) before inducing the chemistry by plasma, and remains at low temperature in the plasma discharge (approximately 200K). Different N2-CH4-based gas mixtures can be injected in the plasma, with or without the addition of heavier precursors present as trace elements on Titan, in order to monitor the evolution of the chemical growth. Both the gas- and solid phase products resulting from the plasma-induced chemistry can be monitored and analyzed using a combination of complementary in situ and ex situ diagnostics. A recent mass spectrometry[1] study of the gas phase has demonstrated that the THS is a unique tool to probe the first and intermediate steps of Titan's atmospheric chemistry at Titan-like temperature. In particular, the mass spectra obtained in a N2-CH4-C2H2-C6H6 mixture are relevant for comparison to Cassini's CAPS-IBS instrument. The results of a complementary study of the solid phase are consistent with the chemical growth evolution observed in the gas phase. Grains and aggregates form in the gas phase and can be jet deposited on various substrates for ex situ analysis. Scanning Electron Microscopy images show that more complex mixtures produce larger aggregates. A mass spectrometry analysis of the solid phase has detected the presence of aminoacetonitrile, a precursor of glycine, in the THS aerosols. X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) measurements also show the presence of imine and nitrile functional groups, showing evidence of nitrogen chemistry. These complementary studies show the high potential of THS to better understand Titan's chemistry and the origin of aerosol formation.

Laboratory↗

The breakdown of fibrous structures in directionally grown monotectic alloys

The breakdown of aligned steady-state metallic growth products from the reversible monotectic reaction liquid (L1) yields solid (S1) + liquid (L2) is analyzed experimentally. Consideration is given to the temperatures of the monotectic horizontal, to upper consolute temperature of the liquid miscibility gap which through the relative liquid and solid surface energies determines whether the reaction is capable of steady-state growth; the growth characteristics of the solid (faceted or nonfaceted); and the relative whetting characteristics of parent and product phases with the glass cell walls. Schematic drawings and composite photographs are provided which illustrate the development of steady-state growth and the related changes in phase sickness of the reaction product.

Grugel, R. N.↗

Single crystals of metal solid solutions: A study

Report describes growth of silver-alloy crystals under widely varying conditions of growth rate, temperature gradient, and magnetic field. Role of gravitation and convection on crystal substructure is analyzed, as well as influence of magnetic fields applied during crystallization.

Miller, J. F.↗

Modeling of thin-film GaAs growth

A model of crystal growth is discussed that takes into account the processes of nucleation on the growing surface and also considers the processes of surface migration and desorption of adatoms. The solid on solid (SOS) model of crystal growth is represented by a rectangular array of integers where each integer represents the number of adatoms in a column perpendicular to some reference frame. The adatoms can represent atoms or molecules that are being stacked. This SOS method is used to simulate epitaxial growth of crystals. Output of the computer program developed can be graphic or quantitative.

Heinbockel, J. H.↗