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Hydride-forming cathodes for electrochemical experiments made of materials or combinations of materials cheaper and more abundant than pure palladium, according to proposal. Concept prompted by needs of experimenters in now-discredited concept of electrochemical nuclear fusion, cathodes useful in other electrochemical applications involving generation or storage of hydrogen, deuterium, or tritium.
A device implantable in Li-ion cells that can generate a hard internal short circuit on-demand by exposing the cell to 60C has been demonstrated to be valuable for expanding our understanding of cell responses. The device provides a negligible impact to cell performance and enables the instigation of the 4 general categories of cell internal shorts to determine relative severity and cell design susceptibility. Tests with a 18650 cell design indicates that the anode active material short to the aluminum cathode current collector tends to be more catastrophic than the 3 other types of internal shorts. Advanced safety features (such as shutdown separators) to prevent or mitigate the severity of cell internal shorts can be verified with this device. The hard short success rate achieved to date in 18650 cells is about 80%, which is sufficient for using these cells in battery assemblies for field-failure-relevant, cell-cell thermal runaway propagation verification tests
Filler materials proposed for use in the sputter fabrication regeneratively cooled thrust chambers were evaluated. Low melting castable alloys, CERROBEND. CERROCAST, and CERROTRU, slurry applied SERMETEL 481 and flame-sprayed aluminum were investigated as filler materials. Sputter deposition from a cylindrical cathode inverted magnestron was used to apply an OFHC copper closeout layer to filled OFHC copper ribbed-wall cylindrical substrates. The sputtered closeout layer structure was evaluated with respect to filler material contamination, predeposition machining and finishing operations, and deposition parameters. The application of aluminum by flame-spraying resulted in excessiver filler porosity. Though the outgassing from this porosity was found to be detrimental to the closeout layer structure, bond strengths in excess of 10,500 psi were achieved. Removal of the aluminum from the grooves was readily accomplished by leaching in a 7.0 molar solution of sodium hydroxide at 353 K. Of the other filler materials evaluated, CERROTRU was found to be the most suitable material with respect to completely filling the ribbed-wall cylinders and vacuum system compatibility. However, bond contamination resulted in low closeout layer bond strength with the CERROTRU filler. CERROBEND, CERROCAST, and SERMETEL 481 were found to be unacceptable as filler materials.
Four hollow cathode electron sources were analyzed via boroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x ray analysis, and x ray diffraction analysis. These techniques were used to develop a preliminary understanding of the chemistry of the devices that arise from contamination due to inadequate feed-system integrity and improper insert activation. Two hollow cathodes were operated in an ion thruster simulator at an emission current of 23.0 A for approximately 500 hrs. The two tests differed in propellant-feed systems, discharge power supplies, and activation procedures. Tungsten deposition and barium tungstate formation on the internal cathode surfaces occurred during the first test, which were believed to result from oxygen contamination of the propellant feed-system. Consequently, the test facility was upgraded to reduce contamination, and the test was repeated. The second hollow cathode was found to have experienced significantly less tungsten deposition. A second pair of cathodes examined were the discharge and the neutralizer hollow cathodes used in a life-test of a 30-cm ring-cusp ion thruster at a 5.5 kW power level. The cathodes' test history was documented and the post-test microanalyses are described. The most significant change resulting from the life-test was substantial tungsten deposition on the internal cathode surfaces, as well as removal of material from the insert surface. In addition, barium tungstate and molybdate were found on insert surfaces. As a result of the cathode examinations, procedures and approaches were proposed for improved discharge ignition and cathode longevity.
Destructive physical analysis of the discharge and neutralizer hollow cathode assemblies from the Deep Space 1 Flight Spare 30,000 Hr life test was performed to characterize physical and chemical evidence of operationally induced effects after 30,372 hours of operation with beam extraction. Post-test inspection of the discharge-cathode assembly was subdivided into detailed analyses at the subcomponent level. Detailed materials analysis and optical inspection of the insert, orifice plate, cathode tube, heater, keeper assembly, insulator, and low-voltage propellant isolator were performed. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEW analyses were used to determine the extent and composition of regions of net deposition and erosion of both the discharge and neutralizer inserts. A comparative approach with an un-operated 4:1:1 insert was used to determine the extent of impregnate material depletion as a function of depth from the ID surface and axial position from the orifice plate. Analysis results are compared and contrasted with those obtained from similar analyses on components from shorter term tests, and provide insight regarding the prospect for successful longer-term operation consistent with SOA ion engine program life objectives at NASA.
An improved plasma gun coaxially injects particles of ceramic materials having high melting temperatures into the central portion of a plasma jet. This results in a more uniform and higher temperature and velocity distribution of the sprayed particles. The position of the cathode is adjustable to facilitate optimization of the performance of the gun wherein grains of the ceramic material are melted at lower power input levels.
A source of hydrogen ions is disclosed and includes a chamber having at one end a cathode which provides electrons and through which hydrogen gas flows into the chamber. Screen and accelerator grids are provided at the other end of the chamber. A baffle plate is disposed between the cathode and the grids and a cylindrical baffle is disposed coaxially with the cathode at the one end of the chamber. The cylindrical baffle is of greater diameter than the baffle plate to provide discharge impedance and also to protect the cathode from ion flux. An anode electrode draws the electrons away from the cathode. The hollow cathode includes a tubular insert of tungsten impregnated with a low work function material to provide ample electrons. A heater is provided around the hollow cathode to initiate electron emission from the low work function material.
A pulsed metallic-plasma generator is described which utilizes a vacuum arc as the plasma source. The arc is initiated on the surface of a consumable cathode which can be any electrically conductive material. Ignition is accomplished by using a current pulse to vaporize a portion of a conductive film on the surface of an insulator separating the cathode from the ignition electrode. The film is regenerated during the ensuing arc. Over 100 million ignition cycles have been accomplished by using four 0.125-in. diameter zinc cathodes operating in parallel and high-density aluminum-oxide insulators. Among the applications being investigated for the generator are metal deposition, vacuum pumping, electric propulsion, and high-power dc arc interruption.
All-solid-state structural lithium ion batteries serve as both structural load-bearing components and as electrical energy storage devices to achieve system level weight savings in aerospace and other transportation applications. This multifunctional design goal is critical for the realization of next generation hybrid or all-electric propulsion systems. Additionally, transitioning to solid state technology improves upon battery safety from previous volatile architectures. This research established baseline solid state processing conditions and performance benchmarks for intercalation-type layered oxide materials for multifunctional application. Under consideration were lithium cobalt oxide and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide. Pertinent characteristics such as electrical conductivity, strength, chemical stability, and microstructure were characterized for future application in all-solid-state structural battery cathodes. The study includes characterization by XRD, ICP, SEM, ring-on-ring mechanical testing, and electrical impedance spectroscopy to elucidate optimal processing parameters, material characteristics, and multifunctional performance benchmarks. These findings provide initial conditions for implementing existing cathode materials in load bearing applications.
If ions are considered to be solid material which transport electric charges, polymer materials can then be considered as organic solid electrolytes. The role of these electrolytes is discussed for (1) ion concentration sensors; (2) batteries using lithium as the cathode and a charge complex of organic material and iodine in the anode; and (3) elements applying electrical double layer capability.
High current density ion sources have been used to heat plasmas in controlled thermonuclear reaction experiments. High beam currents imply relatively high emission currents from cathodes which have generally taken the form of tungsten filaments. This paper describes a hydrogen ion source which was primarily developed to assess the emission current capability and design requirements for hollow cathodes for application in neutral injection devices. The hydrogen source produced ions by electron bombardment via a single hollow cathode. Source design followed mercury ion thruster technology, using a weak magnetic field to enhance ionization efficiency. A 1.3-cm-diam hollow cathode using a low work function material dispenser performed satisfactorily over a discharge current range of 10-90 A. Cylindrical probe measurements taken without ion extraction indicate maximum ion number densities on the order of 10 trillion/cu cm. Discharge durations ranged from 30 sec to continuous operation. Tests with beam extraction at 2.5 keV and 30 A discharge current yield average ion beam current densities of 0.1 A/sq cm over a 5-cm extraction diameter. Results of this study can be used to supply the baseline information needed to scale hollow cathodes for operation at discharge currents of hundreds of amperes using distributed cathodes.
All electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) for urban air mobility (UAM) concepts face numerous challenging technical barriers before their introduction into the consumer marketplace. The most challenging of these technical barriers to overcome is developing an energy storage system capable of meeting the rigorous aerospace safety and performance criteria1. The performance metrics for eVTOL craft, such as specific energy, specific power, and safety, exceed those of electric automobiles by a factor of two to four. Current state-of-the-art (SOA) lithium-ion batteries are incapable of meeting the key performance criteria of energy and safety for eVTOL. Therefore, next generation advanced chemistries and designs must be developed to meet required performance metrics for electric aviation2. Beyond lithium-ion chemistries, such as lithium-sulfur, show promise in their high energy, while limitations exist in their power and cyclability due to low electrical conductivity and high intermediate solubility in organic liquid electrolytes. Several strategies to overcome the low electrical conductivity involve the use of selenium as a dopant in the active sulfur material, along with the incorporation of 2-dimensional electron-conducting holey-graphene to improve the composite cathodes electronic conductivity. Furthermore, combining this chemistry with a solid-electrolyte avoids the components’ dissolution issues3. However, the development of composite solid-state cathodes is non-trivial as several components must be intimately mixed so that the active component has sufficient access to both electrons and lithium ions to undergo full electrochemical conversion. Mathematical modeling of battery components can assist experimental design through a robust and rigorous combination of computational modeling techniques covering multiple length scales. The objective is to leverage modern computational materials methods combined with battery multiphysics tools to develop radically advanced compatible cathode and electrolyte materials, build and test solid state lithium-sulfur cells and packs. A NASA-based cross-organizational team of high-powered experts combined integrated computational predictive modeling, fundamental chemistry analysis, advanced material science, and battery cell development to tackle this very challenging, multidisciplinary problem. This presentation will show a multiscale computational modeling approach that has produced a novel particle dynamics method called Solid Electrolyte Sphere Approximation Model (SESAM). SESAM modeling targets the 1-10 µm scale structures and provides electromechanical and grain interactions for predictive design guidelines for the manufacturing of solid-state components. Parameters such as particle size and volume fraction of the constituent materials were modeled and experimentally fabricated to optimize electrochemical performance through improved microstructure design. Experimental feedback was provided through ionic and electronic conductivity assessment and structural analysis of developed materials and cell components.
Sealed nickel cadmium cells having undergone a large number of cycles were discharged using the Hg/HgO reference electrode. The negative electrode exhibited the second plateau. SEM of negative plates of such cells show clusters of large crystals of cadmium hydroxide. These large crystals on the negative plates disappear after continuous overcharging in flooded cells. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and standard wet chemical methods are being used to determine the cell materials viz: nickel, cadmium, cobalt, potassum and carbonate. The anodes and cathodes are analyzed after careful examination and the condition of the separator material is evaluated.
Crystalline ceramic materials are purified for use as high-temperature electrical insulators. Any impurities migrate to the cathode when a dc voltage is applied across the material while it is heated in an inert gas atmosphere.
A mercury-fed hollow cathode was tested for 12,979 hours in a bell jar at SERT 2 neutralizer operating conditions. The net electron current drawn to a collector was 0.25 ampere at average collector voltages between 21.8 and 36.7 volts. The mercury flow rate was varied from 5.6 to 30.8 equivalent milliamperes to give stable operation at the desired electrode voltages and currents. Variations with time in the neutralizer discharge characteristics were observed and hypothesized to be related to changes in the cathode orifice dimensions and the availability of electron emissive material. A facility failure caused abnormal test conditions for the last 876 hours and led to the cathode heater failure which concluded the test.
Description of new (III-V) photocathodes which show improvements in sensitivity of as much as ten to a hundred times over conventional cathodes in the near infrared and useful improvements at shorter wavelengths. The development stems from a combination of basic knowledge of the photoemission process, gained in the 1950s, and the advancing understanding of the technology of III-V materials, in the 1960s. The superior performance of these cathodes is due to the fact that the vacuum level at the surface lies below the bottom of the conduction band in the bulk of the material. Consequently, the threshold of response is set by the III-V bandgap. The bandgap (and the threshold of response) can be varied by alloying different III-V materials together. A reduction in thermionic emission is realized with these cathodes. At present no semitransparent III-V cathodes with comparably interesting performance are available. The problems hindering further improvements, as well as the problems of placing these cathodes in practical multipliers and image tubes, are discussed briefly.
Cathode design minimizes evaporation of electrode material which may deposit on associated optical surfaces. It also results in stable operation and precise positioning of arc relative to optical collector. Innovation applies to high power light sources and to arcs used in industrial furnaces.
Titanium disulfide and niobium triselenide are two well-studied candidate materials for positive electrodes in rechargeable lithium cells. A comparative study of the kinetics of intercalation of lithium in both the cathodes is made here based on various electrochemical techniques, i.e., linear polarization, potentiodynamic polarization, and ac impedance under different experimental conditions such as prismatic or disk configuration of fresh, partially discharged, or cycled electrode. Further, the diffusion coefficients of lithium ions in these cathodes are estimated under these conditions using conventional techniques, i.e., ac impedance, chronocoulometry, chronoamperometry, and current pulse relaxation. Based on the values of the diffusion coefficients, the applicability of these methods for the determination of diffusion coefficients is discussed.