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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 19 records

A Hydrogen-Evolving Ni(P2N2)2 Electrocatalyst Covalently Attached to a Glassy Carbon Electrode: Preparation, Characterization, and Catalysis. Comparisons With the Homogeneous Analog

A hydrogen-evolving homogeneous Ni(P2N2)2 electrocatalyst with peripheral ester groups has been covalently attached to a 1,2,3-triazolyllithium-terminated glassy carbon electrode. The surface-confined complex is an electroctalyst for hydrogen evolution, showing onset of catalytic current at the same potential as the soluble parent complex. X-ray photoemission spectra show excellent agreement between the coupled and homogeneous species. Coverage approaches a dense monolayer. This research was supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the US Department of Energy. The XPS measurements were performed at EMSL, a national scientific user facility sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

electrochemistry↗

Surface functionalization of metal-organic polyhedron for homogeneous cyclopropanation catalysis

A super-paddlewheel (comprised of two paddlewheels) metal-organic polyhedron (MOP) containing surface hydroxyl groups was synthesized and characterized. Condensation reactions with linear alkyl anhydrides lead to new MOPs with enhanced solubility. As a result, the surface-modified MOP 4 was demonstrated as a homogeneous Lewis-acid catalyst.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Application of Gold Electrodes for the Study of Nickel Based Homogeneous Catalysts for Hydrogen Oxidation

Gold and glassy carbon working electrode materials are compared as suitable substrates for the hydrogen oxidation reaction with Ni(PCy2Nt-Bu2)2(BF4)2 used as a catalyst. Voltammetric responses showing electrocatalytic hydrogen oxidation mediated by the homogeneous electrocatalyst Ni(PCy2Nt-Bu2)2(BF4)2 are identical at glassy carbon and gold electrodes, which shows that gold electrode can be used for hydrogen oxidation reaction. This work is supported as part of the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under FWP 56073.

"glassy carbon"↗

MO-F-CAMPUS-I-02: Accuracy in Converting the Average Breast Dose Into the Mean Glandular Dose (MGD) Using the F-Factor in Cone Beam Breast CT- a Monte Carlo Study Using Homogeneous and Quasi-Homogeneous Phantoms

Purpose: To investigate the accuracy in estimating the mean glandular dose (MGD) for homogeneous breast phantoms by converting from the average breast dose using the F-factor in cone beam breast CT. Methods: EGSnrc-based Monte Carlo codes were used to estimate the MGDs. 13-cm in diameter, 10-cm high hemi-ellipsoids were used to simulate pendant-geometry breasts. Two different types of hemi-ellipsoidal models were employed: voxels in quasi-homogeneous phantoms were designed as either adipose or glandular tissue while voxels in homogeneous phantoms were designed as the mixture of adipose and glandular tissues. Breast compositions of 25% and 50% volume glandular fractions (VGFs), defined as the ratio of glandular tissue voxels to entire breast voxels in the quasi-homogeneous phantoms, were studied. These VGFs were converted into glandular fractions by weight and used to construct the corresponding homogeneous phantoms. 80 kVp x-rays with a mean energy of 47 keV was used in the simulation. A total of 109 photons were used to image the phantoms and the energies deposited in the phantom voxels were tallied. Breast doses in homogeneous phantoms were averaged over all voxels and then used to calculate the MGDs using the F-factors evaluated at the mean energy of the x-rays. The MGDs for quasi-homogeneous phantoms were computed directly by averaging the doses over all glandular tissue voxels. The MGDs estimated for the two types of phantoms were normalized to the free-in-air dose at the iso-center and compared. Results: The normalized MGDs were 0.756 and 0.732 mGy/mGy for the 25% and 50% VGF homogeneous breasts and 0.761 and 0.733 mGy/mGy for the corresponding quasi-homogeneous breasts, respectively. The MGDs estimated for the two types of phantoms were similar within 1% in this study. Conclusion: MGDs for homogeneous breast models may be adequately estimated by converting from the average breast dose using the F-factor.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Exploring cosmic homogeneity with the BOSS DR12 galaxy sample

In this study, we probe the transition to cosmic homogeneity in the Large Scale Structure (LSS) of the Universe using the CMASS galaxy sample of BOSS spectroscopic survey which covers the largest effective volume to date, 3 h -3 Gpc 3 at 0.43 ≤ z ≤ 0.7. We study the scaled counts-in-spheres, N( 2 (r), to assess the homogeneity scale of the universe using a Landy & Szalay inspired estimator. Defining the scale of transition to homogeneity as the scale at which D 2 (r) reaches 3 within 1%, i.e. D 2 (r)>2.97 for r>R H , we find R H = (63.3±0.7) h -1 Mpc, in agreement at the percentage level with the predictions of the ΛCDM model R H =62.0 h -1 Mpc. Thanks to the large cosmic depth of the survey, we investigate the redshift evolution of the transition to homogeneity scale and find agreement with the ΛCDM prediction. Finally, we find that D 2 is compatible with 3 at scales larger than 300 h -1 Mpc in all redshift bins. These results consolidate the Cosmological Principle and represent a precise consistency test of the ΛCDM model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Effective properties of a fly ash geopolymer: Synergistic application of X-ray synchrotron tomography, nanoindentation, and homogenization models

Microstructural and micromechanical investigation of a fly ash-based geopolymer using: (i) synchrotron X-ray tomography (XRT) to determine the volume fraction and tortuosity of pores that are influential in fluid transport, (ii) mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) to capture the volume fraction of smaller pores, (iii) scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with multi-label thresholding to identify and characterize the solid phases in the microstructure, and (iv) nanoindentation to determine the component phase elastic properties using statistical deconvolution, is reported in this paper. The phase volume fractions and elastic properties are used in multi-step mean field homogenization (Mori–Tanaka and double inclusion) models to determine the homogenized macroscale elastic modulus of the composite. The homogenized elastic moduli are in good agreement with the flexural elastic modulus determined on macroscale paste beams. The combined use of microstructural and micromechanical characterization tools at multiple scales provides valuable information towards the material design of fly ash geopolymers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Surface vs Homogeneous Organo-Hafnium Catalyst Ion-Pairing and Ligand Effects on Ethylene Homo- and Copolymerizations

Heterogeneous catalysts have long dominated polyethylene and polypropylene production, but understanding their catalysis is challenged by uncertainties in active site structures and percentages. Surface-bound organometallic catalysts are an emerging strategy to combine successful homogeneous catalysts having well-understood structures, relatively high percentages of active sites, and exceptional control of selectivity, with the attractions of surface catalysts, to transition promising homogeneous systems to large-scale heterogeneous ones. Nevertheless, surface-bound olefin polymerization catalysts typically produce ultrahigh M w ’s but with low activity and comonomer selectivity. Here, we report the systematic synthesis and characterization of a series of pyridylamido–Hf complexes and their corresponding surface catalysts chemisorbed on sulfated alumina (AlS) and zirconia (ZrS). Comparative ethylene homo- and 1-octene copolymerizations reveal similar activity and 1-octene selectivity trends in the homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. For the surface pyridylamido–Hf catalyst series, large variations in activity (up to 10×) and 1-octene incorporation (up to 28×) are achieved by ligand and support manipulation. Interestingly, while the homogeneous catalysts exhibit positive comonomer effects in ethylene/1-octene copolymerization, the surface catalysts behave oppositely. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) reveals significantly elongated Hf···O bond distances vs typical Hf–O covalent bonds (2.06 vs 1.97 Å). Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) analysis of the heterolytic ion pair separation enthalpies, olefin insertion energetics, and NBO/Bader charges also suggest electrostatic Hf cation–anionic support binding and catalytic patterns, which are modulated by the ion-pairing energetics and ligand architecture.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Homogeneous Pt-bimetallic Electrocatalysts

Alloying has shown enormous potential for tailoring the atomic and electronic structures, and improving the performance of catalytic materials. Systematic studies of alloy catalysts are, however, often compromised by inhomogeneous distribution of alloying components. Here we introduce a general approach for the synthesis of monodispersed and highly homogeneous Pt-bimetallic alloy nanocatalysts. Pt{sub 3}M (where M = Fe, Ni, or Co) nanoparticles were prepared by an organic solvothermal method and then supported on high surface area carbon. These catalysts attained a homogeneous distribution of elements, as demonstrated by atomic-scale elemental analysis using scanning transmission electron microscopy. They also exhibited high catalytic activities for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with improvement factors of 2-3 versus conventional Pt/carbon catalysts. The measured ORR catalytic activities for Pt{sub 3}M nanocatalysts validated the volcano curve established on extended surfaces, with Pt{sub 3}Co being the most active alloy.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗