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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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13 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Glass Artworks

Several NASA technologies have played part in growth and cost containment of studio glass art, among them a foam type insulation developed to meet a need for lightweight material that would reduce flame spread in aircraft fire. Foam comes in several forms and is widely used by glass artists, chiefly as an insulator for the various types of ovens used in glass working. Another Spinoff is alumina crucibles to contain molten glass. Before alumina crucibles were used, glass tanks were made of firebrick which tended to erode under high temperatures and cause impurities; this not only improved quality but made the process more cost effective. One more NASA technology that found its way into glass art working is a material known as graphite board, a special form of graphite originally developed for rocket motor applications. This graphite is used to exact compound angles and creates molds for poured glass artworks of dramatic design.

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NASA NTRS1993

Applications Of Graphite Fluoride Fibers In Outer Space

Report characterizes graphite fluoride fibers made from commercially available graphitized carbon fibers and discusses some potential applications of graphite fluoride fibers in outer space. Applications include heat-sinking printed-circuit boards, solar concentrators, and absorption of radar waves. Other applications based on exploitation of increased resistance to degradation by atomic oxygen, present in low orbits around Earth.

Hung, Ching-Cheng↗
NASA NTRS1989

Graphite Fluoride Fiber Composites For Heat Sinking

Graphite fluoride fiber/polymer composite materials consist of graphite fluoride fibers in epoxy, polytetrafluoroethylene, or polyimide resin. Combines high electrical resistivity with high thermal conductivity and solves heat-transfer problems of many electrical systems. Commercially available in powder form, for use as dry lubricant or cathode material in lithium batteries. Produced by direct fluorination of graphite powder at temperature of 400 to 650 degree C. Applications include printed-circuit boards for high-density power electronics, insulators for magnetic-field cores like those found in alternators and transformers, substrates for thin-film resistors, and electrical-protection layers in aircraft de-icers.

Hung, Ching-Cheh↗
NASA NTRS1992

Space environmental effects on LDEF low Earth orbit exposed graphite reinforced polymer matrix composites

The Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) was deployed on April 7, 1984 in low earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 482 kilometers. On board experiments experienced the harsh LEO environment including atomic oxygen (AO), ultraviolet radiation (UV), and thermal cycling. During the 5.8 year mission, the LDEF orbit decayed to 340 kilometers where significantly higher AO concentrations exist. LDEF was retrieved on January 12, 1990 from this orbit. One experiment on board LDEF was M0003, Space Effects on Spacecraft Materials. As a subset of M0003 nearly 500 samples of polymer, metal, and glass matrix composites were flown as the Advanced Composites Experiment M0003-10. The Advanced Composites Experiment is a joint effort between government and industry with the Aerospace Corporation serving as the experiment integrator. A portion of the graphite reinforced polymer matrix composites were furnished by the Boeing Defense and Space Group, Seattle, Washington. Test results and discussions for the Boeing portion of M0003-10 are presented. Experiment and specimen location on the LDEF are presented along with a quantitative summary of the pertinent exposure conditions. Matrix materials selected for the test were epoxy, polysulfone, and polyimide. These composite materials were selected due to their suitability for high performance structural capability in spacecraft applications. Graphite reinforced polymer matrix composites offer higher strength to weight ratios along with excellent dimensional stability. The Boeing space exposed and corresponding ground control composite specimens were subjected to post flight mechanical, chemical, and physical testing in order to determine any changes in critical properties and performance characteristics. Among the more significant findings are the erosive effect of atomic oxygen on leading edge exposed specimens and microcracking in non-unidirectionally reinforced flight specimens.

George, Pete↗
NASA NTRS1990

Graphite fluoride fibers and their applications in the space industry

Characterization and potential space applications of graphite fluoride fibers from commercially available graphitized carbon fibers are presented. Graphite fluoride fibers with fluorine to carbon ratios of 0.65 and 0.68 were found to have electrical resistivity values of 10(exp 4) and 10(exp 11) Ohms-cm, respectively, and thermal conductivity values of 24 and 5 W/m-K, respectively. At this fluorine content range, the fibers have tensile strength of 0.25 + or - 0.10 GPa (36 + or - 14 ksi), Young's modulus of 170 + or - 30 GPa (25 + or - 5 Msi). The coefficient of thermal expansion value of a sample with fluorine to carbon ratio of 0.61 was found to be 7 ppm/C. These properties change and approach the graphite value as the fluorine content approach 0. Electrically insulative graphite fluoride fiber is at least five times more thermally conductive than fiberglass. Therefore, it can be used as a heat sinking printed circuit board material for low temperature, long life power electronics in spacecraft. Also, partially fluorinated fiber with tailor-made physical properties to meet the requirements of certain engineering design can be produced. For example, a partially fluorinated fiber could have a predetermined CTE value in -1.5 to 7 ppm/C range and would be suitable for use in solar concentrators in solar dynamic power systems. It could also have a predetermined electrical resistivity value suitable for use as a low observable material. Experimental data indicate that slightly fluorinated graphite fibers are more durable in the atomic oxygen environment than pristine graphite. Therefore, fluorination of graphite used in the construction of spacecraft that would be exposed to the low Earth orbit atomic oxygen may protect defect sites in atomic oxygen protective coatings and therefore decrease the rate of degradation of graphite.

Hung, Ching-Chen↗
NASA NTRS1991

Industrial Applications of Graphite Fluoride Fibers

Based on fluorination technology developed during 1934 to 1959, and the fiber technology developed during the 1970s, a new process was developed to produce graphite fluoride fibers. In the process, pitch based graphitized carbon fibers are at first intercalated and deintercalated several times by bromine and iodine, followed by several cycles of nitrogen heating and fluorination at 350 to 370 C. Electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of this fiber depend on the fluorination process and the fluorine content of the graphite fluoride product. However, these properties are between those of graphite and those of PTFE (Teflon). Therefore, it is considered to be a semiplastic. The physical properties suggest that this new material may have many new and unexplored applications. For example, it can be a thermally conductive electrical insulator. Its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can be adjusted to match that of silicon, and therefore, it can be a heat sinking printed circuit board which is CTE compatible with silicon. Using these fibers in printed circuit boards may provide improved electrical performance and reliability of the electronics on the board over existing designs. Also, since it releases fluorine at 300 C or higher, it can be used as a material to store fluorine and to conduct fluorination. This application may simplify the fluorination process and reduce the risk of handling fluorine.

Hung, Ching-Cheh↗
NASA NTRS1990

Artificial intelligence in the materials processing laboratory

Materials science and engineering provides a vast arena for applications of artificial intelligence. Advanced materials research is an area in which challenging requirements confront the researcher, from the drawing board through production and into service. Advanced techniques results in the development of new materials for specialized applications. Hand-in-hand with these new materials are also requirements for state-of-the-art inspection methods to determine the integrity or fitness for service of structures fabricated from these materials. Two problems of current interest to the Materials Processing Laboratory at UAH are an expert system to assist in eddy current inspection of graphite epoxy components for aerospace and an expert system to assist in the design of superalloys for high temperature applications. Each project requires a different approach to reach the defined goals. Results to date are described for the eddy current analysis, but only the original concepts and approaches considered are given for the expert system to design superalloys.

Workman, Gary L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The vulnerability of commercial aircraft avionics to carbon fibers

Avionics components commonly used in commercial aircraft were tested for vulnerability to failure when operated in an environment with a high density of graphite fibers. The components were subjected to a series of exposures to graphite fibers of different lengths. Lengths used for the tests were (in order) 1 mm, 3 mm, and 10 mm. The test procedure included subjecting the equipment to characteristic noise and shock environments. Most of the equipment was invulnerable or did not fail until extremely high average exposures were reached. The single exception was an air traffic control transponder produced in the early 1960's. It had the largest case open area through which fibers could enter and it had no coated boards.

Meyers, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2001

The topics include: 1) Application Briefs; 2) National Design Engineering Show Preview; 3) Marketing Inventions to Increase Income; 4) A Personal-Computer-Based Physiological Training System; 5) Reconfigurable Arrays of Transistors for Evolvable Hardware; 6) Active Tactile Display Device for Reading by a Blind Person; 7) Program Automates Management of IBM VM Computer Systems; 8) System for Monitoring the Environment of a Spacecraft Launch; 9) Measurement of Stresses and Strains in Muscles and Tendons; 10) Optical Measurement of Temperatures in Muscles and Tendons; 11) Small Low-Temperature Thermometer With Nanokelvin Resolution; 12) Heterodyne Interferometer With Phase-Modulated Carrier; 13) Rechargeable Batteries Based on Intercalation in Graphite; 14) Signal Processor for Doppler Measurements in Icing Research; 15) Model Optimizes Drying of Wet Sheets; 16) High-Performance POSS-Modified Polymeric Composites; 17) Model Simulates Semi-Solid Material Processing; 18) Modular Cryogenic Insulation; 19) Passive Venting for Alleviating Helicopter Tail-Boom Loads; 20) Computer Program Predicts Rocket Noise; 21) Process for Polishing Bare Aluminum to High Optical Quality; 22) External Adhesive Pressure-Wall Patch; 23) Java Implementation of Information-Sharing Protocol; 24) Electronic Bulletin Board Publishes Schedules in Real Time; 25) Apparatus Would Extract Water From the Martian Atmosphere; 26) Review of Research on Supercritical vs Subcritical Fluids; 27) Hybrid Regenerative Water-Recycling System; 28) Study of Fusion-Driven Plasma Thruster With Magnetic Nozzle; 29) Liquid/Vapor-Hydrazine Thruster Would Produce Small Impulses; and 30) Thruster Based on Sublimation of Solid Hydrazine

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NASA NTRS2011

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2011

Topics covered include: 1) Method to Estimate the Dissolved Air Content in Hydraulic Fluid; 2) Method for Measuring Collimator-Pointing Sensitivity to Temperature Changes; 3) High-Temperature Thermometer Using Cr-Doped GdAlO3 Broadband Luminescence; 4)Metrology Arrangement for Measuring the Positions of Mirrors of a Submillimeter Telescope; 5) On-Wafer S-Parameter Measurements in the 325-508-GHz Band; 6) Reconfigurable Microwave Phase Delay Element for Frequency Reference and Phase-Shifter Applications; 7) High-Speed Isolation Board for Flight Hardware Testing; 8) High-Throughput, Adaptive FFT Architecture for FPGA-Based Spaceborne Data Processors; 9) 3D Orbit Visualization for Earth-Observing Missions; 10) MaROS: Web Visualization of Mars Orbiting and Landed Assets; 11) RAPID: Collaborative Commanding and Monitoring of Lunar Assets; 12) Image Segmentation, Registration, Compression, and Matching; 13) Image Calibration; 14) Rapid ISS Power Availability Simulator; 15) A Method of Strengthening Composite/Metal Joints; 16) Pre-Finishing of SiC for Optical Applications; 17) Optimization of Indium Bump Morphology for Improved Flip Chip Devices; 18) Measuring Moisture Levels in Graphite Epoxy Composite Sandwich Structures; 19) Marshall Convergent Spray Formulation Improvement for High Temperatures; 20) Real-Time Deposition Monitor for Ultrathin Conductive Films; 21) Optimized Li-Ion Electrolytes Containing Triphenyl Phosphate as a Flame-Retardant Additive; 22) Radiation-Resistant Hybrid Lotus Effect for Achieving Photoelectrocatalytic Self-Cleaning Anticontamination Coatings; 23) Improved, Low-Stress Economical Submerged Pipeline; 24) Optical Fiber Array Assemblies for Space Flight on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; 25) Local Leak Detection and Health Monitoring of Pressurized Tanks; 26) Dielectric Covered Planar Antennas at Submillimeter Wavelengths for Terahertz Imaging; 27) Automated Cryocooler Monitor and Control System; 28) Broadband Achromatic Phase Shifter for a Nulling Interferometer; 29) Super Dwarf Wheat for Growth in Confined Spaces; 30) Fine Guidance Sensing for Coronagraphic Observatories; 31) Single-Antenna Temperature- and Humidity-Sounding Microwave Receiver; 32) Multi-Wavelength, Multi-Beam, and Polarization-Sensitive Laser Transmitter for Surface Mapping; 33) Optical Communications Link to Airborne Transceiver; 34) Ascent Heating Thermal Analysis on Spacecraft Adaptor Fairings; 35) Entanglement in Self-Supervised Dynamics; 36) Prioritized LT Codes; 37) Fast Image Texture Classification Using Decision Trees; 38) Constraint Embedding Technique for Multibody System Dynamics; 39) Improved Systematic Pointing Error Model for the DSN Antennas; 40) Observability and Estimation of Distributed Space Systems via Local Information-Exchange Networks; 41) More-Accurate Model of Flows in Rocket Injectors; 42) In-Orbit Instrument-Pointing Calibration Using the Moon as a Target; 43) Reliability of Ceramic Column Grid Array Interconnect Packages Under Extreme Temperatures; 44) Six Degrees-of-Freedom Ascent Control for Small-Body Touch and Go; and 45) Optical-Path-Difference Linear Mechanism for the Panchromatic Fourier Transform Spectrometer.

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NASA NTRS2017

The Role of Carbon in Core Formation Under Highly Reducing Conditions With Implications for the Planet Mercury

Results from the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft have shown elevated abundances of carbon on the surface of Mercury. Furthermore, the X-Ray Spectrometer on board MESSENGER measured elevated abundances of sulfur and low abundances of iron, suggesting the planet's oxygen fugacity (fO2) is several log10 units below the Iron-Wüstite (IW) buffer. Similar to the role of other volatiles (e.g. sulfur) on highly reducing planetary bodies, carbon is expected to behave differently than it would under higher fO2. As discussed by Nittler et al. and Hauck et al., under such highly reducing conditions, the majority of the iron partitions into the core. On Mercury, this resulted in a relatively large core and a thin mantle. Using a composition similar to the largest volcanic field on the planet (the northern volcanic plains), Vander Kaaden and McCubbin conducted sink-float experiments to determine the density of melts and minerals on Mercury. They showed that graphite would be the only buoyant mineral in a mercurian magma ocean. Therefore, Vander Kaaden and McCubbin proposed a possible primary flotation crust on the planet composed of graphite. Concurrently, Peplowski et al. used GRS data from MESSENGER to show an average northern hemisphere abundance of C on the planet of 1.4 +/- 0.9 wt%. However, as this result was only at the one-sigma detection limit, possible carbon abundances at the three-sigma detection limit for Mercury range from 0 to 4.1 wt% carbon. Additionally, Murchie et al. investigated the possible darkening agent on Mercury and concluded that coarse-grained graphite could darken high reflectance plains to the low reflectance material. To further test the possibility of elevated abundances of carbon in Mercury's crust, Peplowski et al. used the low-altitude MESSENGER data to show that carbon is the only material consistent with both the visible to near-infrared spectra and the neutron measurements of low reflectance material on Mercury, confirming that C is the primary darkening agent on Mercury. Confirmation of carbon on the planet prompts many questions regarding the role of carbon during the differentiation and evolution of Mercury. Given the elevated abundances of both S and C on Mercury's surface, it begs the question, what is the core composition of the planet? This study seeks to understand the impact of C as a light element on potential core compositions on Mercury.

Vander Kaaden, Kathleen E..↗
NASA NTRS1995

High-Temperature Graphite/Phenolic Composite

Graphite-fiber/phenolic-resin composite material retains relatively high strength and modulus of elasticity at temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees F. Costs only 5 to 20 percent as much as refractory materials. Fabrication composite includes curing process in which application of full autoclave pressure delayed until after phenolic resin gels. Curing process allows moisture to escape, so when composite subsequently heated in service, much less expansion of absorbed moisture and much less tendency toward delamination. Developed for nose cone of external fuel tank of Space Shuttle. Other potential aerospace applications for material include leading edges, parts of nozzles, parts of aircraft engines, and heat shields. Terrestrial and aerospace applications include structural firewalls and secondary structures in aircraft, spacecraft, and ships. Modified curing process adapted to composites of phenolic with other fiber reinforcements like glass or quartz. Useful as high-temperature circuit boards and electrical insulators.

Seal, Ellis C.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Small rocket research and technology

Small chemical rockets are used on nearly all space missions. The small rocket program provides propulsion technology for civil and government space systems. Small rocket concepts are developed for systems which encompass reaction control for launch and orbit transfer systems, as well as on-board propulsion for large space systems and earth orbit and planetary spacecraft. Major roles for on-board propulsion include apogee kick, delta-V, de-orbit, drag makeup, final insertions, north-south stationkeeping, orbit change/trim, perigee kick, and reboost. The program encompasses efforts on earth-storable, space storable, and cryogenic propellants. The earth-storable propellants include nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) as an oxidizer with monomethylhydrazine (MMH) or anhydrous hydrazine (AH) as fuels. The space storable propellants include liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer with hydrazine or hydrocarbons such as liquid methane, ethane, and ethanol as fuels. Cryogenic propellants are LOX or gaseous oxygen (GOX) as oxidizers and liquid or gaseous hydrogen as fuels. Improved performance and lifetime for small chemical rockets are sought through the development of new predictive tools to understand the combustion and flow physics, the introduction of high temperature materials to eliminate fuel film cooling and its associated combustion inefficiency, and improved component designs to optimize performance. Improved predictive technology is sought through the comparison of both local and global predictions with experimental data. Results indicate that modeling of the injector and combustion process in small rockets needs improvement. High temperature materials require the development of fabrication processes, a durability data base in both laboratory and rocket environments, and basic engineering property data such as strength, creep, fatigue, and work hardening properties at both room and elevated temperature. Promising materials under development include iridium-coated rhenium and a ceramic composite of mixed hafnium carbide and tantalum carbide reinforced with graphite fibers.

Schneider, Steven↗