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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 163 records · Page 9

Increase in the effective viscosity of polyethylene under extreme nanoconfinement

Understanding polymer transport in nanopores is crucial for optimizing heterogeneously catalyzed processes in polymer upcycling and fabricating high-performance nanocomposite films and membranes. Although confined polymer dynamics have been extensively studied, the behavior of polyethylene (PE)—the most widely used commodity polymer—in pores smaller than 20 nm remains largely unexplored. We investigate the effects of extreme nanoconfinement on PE transport using capillary rise infiltration in silica nanoparticle packings with average pore radii ranging from ~1 to ~9 nm. Using in situ ellipsometry and the Lucas–Washburn model, we discover a previously unknown inverse relationship between effective viscosity (η eff ) and average pore radius (R pore ). Additonally, we determine that PE transport under these extreme conditions is primarily governed by physical confinement, rather than pore surface chemistry. We refine an existing theory to provide a generalized formalism to describe the polymer transport dynamics over a wide range of pore radii (from 1 nm and larger). Our results offer valuable insights for optimizing catalyst supports in polymer upcycling and improving infiltration processes for nanocomposite fabrication.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

H-GCN: A Graph Convolutional Network Accelerator on Versal ACAP Architecture

Recently Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have drawn tremendous attentions due to their unique capability to extend the Machine Learning (ML) approaches to broadly defined applications with unstructured data, especially graphs. Comparing with other ML modalities, the acceleration of GNNs is as critical but even more challenging due to the irregularity and heterogeneity from graph typologies that together limit the performance. Existing efforts mainly focus on handling graphs’ irregularity, however, have not studied the heterogeneity. To this end, in this work, we propose H-GCN, a PL-AIE-based hybrid accelerator that leverages the emerging heterogeneity of Xilinx Versal ACAPs to achieve high-performance GNN inference. In particular, H-GCN partitions each graph into three subgraphs based on its inherent heterogeneity and processes them using PL and the newly emerged AIE respectively. To further improve the performance, we explore the sparsity support of AIE and develop an efficient density-aware method to map tiles of SpMM onto the systolic tensor array automatically. Compared with the current state-of-the-art GCN accelerator, HGCN achieves on average 1.5× speedups.

Zhang, Chengming↗

Effects of temperature inversion on densification in chemical vapor infiltration

In a classical chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process, the competing effects of chemical kinetics and reagent gas transport lead to non–uniform depositions such that outer layers of a preform densify faster leaving the core highly porous. Currently, CVI must be performed at a sufficiently low temperature to achieve good densification quality which leads to high processing time and cost. Volumetric heating of the preform, especially through microwaves, can create temperature inversion such that the core is hotter than the outer surface and potentially, overcome the challenges associated with isothermal CVI. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of densification under various such temperature distributions indicate that microwave heating in CVI processing can lead to better (uniform) densification of porous preforms. Here the role of key parameters describing the temperature distributions on the densification behavior is investigated. Strategic temporal control of the temperature distribution shows that processing times can be reduced by almost half while maintaining a good densification quality similar to that of low–temperature isothermal processing. Inside–out densification due to the inverted temperature profile is a key distinguishing characteristic of microwave assisted CVI.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

New Architecture to Support Integration and Processing of Seismic Data from Heterogeneous Sources

The Geophysical Monitoring Program (GMP) at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) maintains a database and supporting infrastructure for geophysical data used in support of the Nuclear Detonation Detection mission. This database includes data from multiple sources, many of which do not distribute data to the public or for which there is no automated means of access. For example, Figure 1 shows (left) the distribution of waveform data in our database by source. The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center (IRISDMC) is our major source of waveform data and those data may be retrieved at will using the Federated Digital Seismograph Networks FDSN web Application Programming Interface (API). However, the next 6 most important sources of waveform data have no or only limited automated access to waveforms. As Figure 1 (right) shows, it is very common for waveform records associate with an event in our database to come from two or more sources, and in some cases data come from 10 sources. This diversity of data sources drives our need for efficient and correct integration of metadata, parametric data, and waveform data.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Developing in-situ capabilities for synchrotron light source relevant to PNNL mission research areas

The main objective of the proposed research is to engage synchrotron light source capabilities to address the critical mission areas at PNNL. We have carried out Multi-model chemical analysis and imaging to unravel the role of surface chemistry during realistic heterogeneous interfacial processes - through a close collaboration that will help BES and BER research projects. In particular, we performed the following activities to understand role of surface chemistry on metal and oxide reactivity and metal ion transfer across oxide surface and aqueous solutions: 1) Perform light source experiments utilizing samples generated at PNNL; 2) Develop early career PNNL scientists utilizing light sources; 3) Build collaborations with ALS scientists in developing new in-situ capabilities; 4) Complete AMBER capabilities in collaboration with ALS scientists and make those available to the scientific community including PNNL scientists.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Examining the Ice-Nucleating Particles from the North Slope of Alaska (ExINP-NSA) (Final Campaign Report)

The Examining the Ice-Nucleating Particles from the North Slope of Alaska (ExINP-NSA) campaign was conducted at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory (71.3230° N, 156.6114° W, “BRW” hereafter), next to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility NSA site and ~ 6 km northeast of the town of Utqiaġvik. The location of the NSA site is shown in Figure 1. Our observing period began in October 2021 and continued until May 2024. This campaign was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science Early Career Research Program through grant number DE-SC001879. This grant contains funding for three ARM field campaigns. The previous field campaigns were performed at ARM’s Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory in Oklahoma (SGP; 36.6073° N, 97.4876° W) and the ARM’s Eastern North Atlantic atmospheric observatory on Graciosa Island, Azores (ENA; 39.0916° N, 28.0257° W). The ExINP-NSA campaign aims included: • Determining the number concentration of ice-nucleating particles (n INPs ) active at temperatures spanning the range of heterogeneous freezing processes (from ≈−30 °C to 0 °C) using a combination of online and offline measurements, • Determining whether local meteorological conditions and/or synoptic scale air mass transport impact INP abundance and/or ice nucleation efficiency, • Examining if the physicochemical properties of INPs relate to aerosol chemistry, and • Assessing if there is a similarity in INP properties across three ARM sites Multi-seasonal datasets of INP abundance in the NSA region were delivered from this campaign. This campaign also allowed researchers to perform a comprehensive analysis of atmospheric INPs based on long- term ground-based measurements in the Alaskan Arctic. Our data and results from the ExINP-NSA campaign will help refine current earth system models. One of the stated goals of ARM is to advance aerosol-cloud ice interaction, which will be a direct result of this campaign. Current earth system models poorly represent INPs, and the 15-minute time resolution data over several seasons generated during this campaign will provide an invaluable resource, especially combined with the datasets generated during two previous ARM ExINP campaigns. These datasets will allow for a greater understanding of ice nucleation processes as they may (or may not) relate to local meteorological processes and aerosol chemistry and will eventually help further the understanding of the Earth’s atmospheric processes and energy balance.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Laboratory measurements

A compilation of chemical and photochemical data that are relevant to stratospheric modeling is presented. There are three broad categories of data: (1) rate constants for chemical reactions, including temperature and pressure dependencies along with product distributions; (2) absorption cross sections, photodissociation quantum yield, and photolysis; (3) heterogeneous chemical processes.

Source record↗

Theory of molecular rate processes in the presence of intense laser radiation

The present paper deals with the influence of intense laser radiation on gas-phase molecular rate processes. Representations of the radiation field, the particle system, and the interaction involving these two entities are discussed from a general rather than abstract point of view. The theoretical methods applied are outlined, and the formalism employed is illustrated by application to a variety of specific processes. Quantum mechanical and semiclassical treatments of representative atom-atom and atom-diatom collision processes in the presence of a field are examined, and examples of bound-continuum processes and heterogeneous catalysis are discussed within the framework of both quantum-mechanical and semiclassical theories.

George, T. F.↗

Onset of condensation effects in cryogenic wind tunnels

The onset of condensation effects in cryogenic wind tunnels which limits their minimum operating temperatures is examined. If this onset of effects occurs below saturation temperature, then the tunnels may be operated at the lower temperatures and additional benefits to cryogenic tunnel operation resulting in increased Reynolds number capability and reduced operating costs. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation processes are discussed as they pertain to continuous flow cryogenic wind tunnels. Examples from condensation experiments in the 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel are also reviewed.

Hall, R. M.↗

Effect of particle size on the chemisorption and decomposition of carbon monoxide by palladium and nickel clusters

The chemisorption of gases on well-defined, supported metal particles is a model for basic processes in heterogeneous catalysis. In this study, the chemisorption and decomposition of carbon monoxide on palladium and nickel particles was examined as a function of particle size. Particulate films with average particle sizes ranging from 1 to 10 nm were grown by vapor deposition on UHV-cleaved mica. Successive CO adsorption-desorption cycles resulted in the accumulation of carbon on the particles, which suppressed CO adsorption. The rate of carbon accumulation was strongly dependent on particle size and was higher for Ni than for Pd over the same size range. Carbon was removed from both metals by oxygen treatments at elevated temperatures. However, a mixture of CO and O2 was effective for monitoring the removal of carbon from palladium.

Doering, D. L.↗

Heterogeneous-nucleation and glass-formation studies of 56Ga2O3-44CaO

Glass formation and heterogeneous crystallization are described for the reluctant-glass-forming 56Ga2O3-44CaO eutectic composition. The times and temperatures for nucleation at various cooling rates and experimental conditions were measured and empirical continuous-cooling-crystallization boundaries were constructed for various heterogeneous nucleation processes. A definition for an empirical critical cooling rate to form a glass from reluctant borderline glass formers is proposed, i.e., the cooling rate that results in glass formation in 95 percent of the quenching experiments.

Ethridge, Edwin C.↗

SAGE II observations of polar stratospheric clouds near 50 deg N January 31 - February 2, 1989

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) form at very cold temperatures which typically occur only at high latitudes during local winter. However, meteorological circumstances in the Arctic during late January 1989 led to PSC formation unusually far to the south, at latitudes (near 50 deg N) being sampled during the period by the orbiting SAGE II instrument. These unusual PSC sightings and the evolution of meteorological conditions which produced the episode are described. Profiles of SAGE II extinction measurements at 0.525 and 1.02 microns show clear signatures of PSCs and indicate that the cloud particles were considerably larger than the background aerosol. It is most important to note that the clouds were sighted at a latitude where there was extensive sunlight, thus increasing the likelihood of ozone loss both locally and downstream due to enhancements in reactive chlorine expected from heterogeneous chemical processing within the PSCs.

Pitts, M. C.↗

The global distribution of ozone destruction rates obtained from 13 years of Nimbus/TOMS data (1979-1991)

Long-term ozone trends (percentage change) have been computed from 13 years of Nimbus/TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) data as a function of latitude, longitude, and month for the period January 1, 1979 to December 31, 1991. In both hemispheres, the ozone column content has decreased at latitudes above 30 deg by amounts that are larger than predicted by homogeneous chemistry models for the 13-year time period. The largest rates of ozone decrease occur in the Southern Hemisphere during winter and spring, with recovery during the summer and autumn. The large winter ozone loss rates are consistent with observed low stratospheric temperatures, ice-cloud formation, and heterogeneous chemistry at middle and high latitudes. There are similar, but smaller changes observed in the Northern Hemisphere. At midlatitudes, (40 deg N to 50 deg N) there are increased zonal average ozone depletion rates that correspond to 5 geographically localized regions of increased ozone depletion rates. Only the equatorial band between plus or minus 20 deg shows little or no long-term ozone change since January, 1979. The long-term winter ozone depletion rate data for both hemispheres suggests that heterogeneous chemistry processes may operate over a wide range of latitudes during half of the year.

Herman, Jay R.↗

NO2 column changes induced by volcanic eruptions

Nitrogen dioxide slant column amounts measured by ground-based remote sensing from Lauder, New Zealand (45 deg S) and Campbell Island (53 deg S) during the second half of 1991 and early 1992 show anomalously low values that are attributed to the effects of volcanic eruptions. It is believed that the eruptions of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in June 1991 and possibly Mount Hudson in Chile in August 1991 are responsible for the stratospheric changes, which first became apparent in July 1991. The effects in the spring of 1991 are manifested as a reduction in the retrieved NO2 column amounts from normal levels by 35 to 45 percent, and an accompanying increase in the overnight decay of NO2. The existence of an accurate long-term record of column NO2 from the Lauder site enables us to quantify departures from the normal seasonal behavior with some confidence. Simultaneous retrievals of column ozone agree well with Dobson measurements, confirming that only part of the NO2 changes can be attributed to a modification of the scattering geometry by volcanic aerosols. Other reasons for the observed behavior are explored, including the effects of stratospheric temperature increases resulting from the aerosol loading and the possible involvement of heterogeneous chemical processes.

Johnston, Paul V.↗

An investigation of the effect of surface impurities on the adsorption kinetics of hydrogen chemisorbed onto iron

The goal of this program has been to develop an understanding of heterogeneous kinetic processes for those molecular species which produce gaseous hydrogen degradation of the mechanical properties of metallic structural materials. During the present program, the interaction of hydrogen with the surfaces of alpha-2 (Ti3Al) titanium aluminide, gamma (TiAl) titanium aluminide, and beryllium were studied. The interaction of low pressure hydrogen with gamma titanium aluminide and beryllium was found to be relatively weak. Weak in the sense that adsorption leads to a low surface concentration of dissociated hydrogen, i.e., the chemisorption process is reversible at room temperature (300 K) for gamma titanium aluminide and the sticking coefficient for chemisorption is extremely small for beryllium. Hydrogen was found to interact readily with alpha-2 titanium aluminide to form a stable surface hydride at 300 K. These results correlate well with other recent studies which show that the mechanical properties for alpha-2 titanium aluminide are readily degraded in hydrogen while gamma titanium aluminide exhibits less degradation and beryllium essentially no degradation. The interaction of oxygen with the surface of several of these materials was studied. More recently, preliminary hydrogen permeation studies were completed for three high temperature alloys, Incoloy 909, Mo-47.5Re (wt. %), and this past year, Haynes 188.

Shanabarger, Mickey R.↗

Ozone loss in the lower stratosphere over the United States in 1992-1993: Evidence for heterogeneous chemistry on the Pinatubo aerosol

Ozone profiles obtained at Boulder, Colorado and Wallops Island, Virginia indicate that ozone was about 25% below normal during the winter and spring of 1992-93 in the 12-22 km region. This large ozone reduction in the lower stratosphere, though sometimes partially compensated by higher than normal ozone above 24 km, was responsible for the low total column ozone values observed across the United States during this period. Normal temperatures throughout the low ozone region suggest that transport-related effects are probably not the most important cause of the ozone deficits. This region of low ozone at Boulder corresponds closely with the location of the enhanced H2SO4/H2O aerosol from the Pinatubo eruption of 1991 as measured near Boulder and at Laramie, Wyoming. Trajectory analyses suggest that except at low altitudes in spring, air parcels on the days of the ozone measurements generally arrived at Boulder from higher latitude, although seldom higher than 60 deg N, and hence may have been subjected to heterogeneous chemical processing on the surface of Pinatubo aerosol droplets resulting in chlorine-catalyzed ozone destruction, a process which is believed to be more effective under the lower winter temperatures and sunlight levels of higher latitudes.

Hofmann, D. J.↗

An Investigation of the Effect of Surface Impurities on the Adsorption Kinetics of Hydrogen Chemisorbed onto Iron

The original goal of this program was to investigate the effect surface impurities have on the heterogeneous kinetic processes of those molecular species which produce gaseous hydrogen degradation of the mechanical properties of metallic structural materials. However, shortly after the initiation of the original program, the program's NASA Technical Monitor, Dr. Howard Nelson, requested that the effort supported by this Co-operative Agreement be redirected to study more pressing materials issues associated to the development of the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP). The results of these efforts are outlined in this report. Detailed discussions of specific work, including experimental techniques and procedures, will be found in the publications listed with the subsection discussing that specific work as well and in Section 5. No inventions were generated or disclosed within this Agreement.

Shanabarger, M. R.↗