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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Plastic additives in the ocean: Use of a comprehensive dataset for meta-analysis and method development

In excess of 13,000 chemicals are added to plastics (‘additives’) to improve performance, durability, and production of plastic products. They are categorized into numerous chemical classes including flame retardants, light stabilizers, antioxidants, and plasticizers. While research on plastic additives in the marine environment has increased over the past decade, there is a lack of methodological standardization. To direct future measurement of plastic additives, we compiled a first-of-its-kind dataset of literature assessing plastic additives in marine environments, delineated by sample type (plastic debris, seawater, sediment, biota). Using this dataset, we performed a meta-analysis to summarize the state of the science. Currently, our dataset includes 217 publications published between 1978 and May 2023. The majority of publications analyzed plastic additives in biota collected from Europe and Asia. Analyses concentrated on plasticizers, brominated flame retardants, and bisphenols. Common sample preparation techniques included Solvent - Agitation extraction for plastic, sediment, and biota samples, and Solid Phase Extraction for seawater samples with dichloromethane and solvent mixtures including dichloromethane as the organic extraction solvent. Finally, most analyses were performed utilizing gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. There are a variety of data gaps illuminated by this meta-analysis, most notably the small number of compounds that have been targeted for detection compared to the large number of additives used in plastic production. The provided dataset facilitates future investigation of trends in plastic additive concentration data in the marine environment (allowing for comparison to toxicity thresholds) and acts as a starting point for optimizing and harmonizing plastic additive analytical methods.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Antibiotic Resistance in Plastisphere

Microbial life on plastic debris, called plastisphere, has invoked special attention on aquatic ecosystems as emerging habitats for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). There is scarce information concerning how properties of plastics influence ARGs and ARB, the effect of biofilms on enrichment of ARGs and ARB, and, especially, the influence of plastic transformation on ARGs and ARB. Limited research has shown that microplastic (MP) surfaces influence proliferation of antibiotic resistance (AR), aged MPs exhibit increased toxicity due to more adsorption-desorption of AR, and MP transformation is correlated with disseminating AR. Prevention measures of AR include minimizing MP releasing into aquatic environments and sewage treatment plants. The future research should aim to identify the interface mechanisms of transformed MNPs and antibiotics alone, or mixed with other contaminants, property changes of MNPs, and associated toxicity evaluation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Atmospheric emission of nanoplastics from sewer pipe repairs

Nanoplastic particles are inadequately characterized environmental pollutants with significant adverse effects on aquatic and atmospheric systems, causing drastic impacts on human health through inhalation, ingestion, and skin penetration. At present, it is explicitly assumed that environmental nanoplastics (EnvNP) are weathering fragments of microplastic or larger plastic debris discharged into terrestrial and aquatic environments, while atmospheric occurrence of EnvNP is solely attributed to aerosolization by wind and other mechanical forces. However, sources and emissions of unintended EnvNP are poorly understood and are therefore largely unaccounted for in various risk assessments. In this work, we show that large quantities of EnvNP may be directly emitted into the atmosphere as steam laden waste components discharged from a commonly used technology to repair sewer pipes in urban areas. Comprehensive chemical analysis of the discharged waste condensate reveals abundant presence of insoluble colloids, which after drying form solid organic particles with composition and viscosity consistent with EnvNP. We suggest that airborne emissions of EnvNP from these globally used sewer repair practices may be prevalent in highly populated urban areas. Airborne emissions of these EnvNP particles may have important implications on air quality and toxicological levels in large urban areas that need to be mitigated.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

3D-Bioprinted Marine Bacteria for the Degradation of Polyhydroxybutyrate Bioplastics

The severe, long-lasting harm caused by plastic pollution to marine ecosystems and coastal economies has led to the development of biodegradable plastics; however, their limited decomposition in marine environments remains a challenge. Here, technologies are presented for creating 3D-bioprinted living materials as a proof of concept for bioplastic degradation, with specific use in marine environments. The approach developed here integrates the halotolerant bioplastic-degrading bacterium Bacillus sp. NRRL B- 14911 into alginate-based bio-ink to print an engineered living material (ELM) termed a “bio-sticker.” Quantification of bacteria viability reveals that bioprinted marine bacteria survive within biostickers for more than 3 weeks. The rate at which the biostickers degrade the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) can be tuned by altering biosticker biomass concentration, bioplastic concentration, or incubation temperature. Biostickers that are transferred to a different PHB sample still retain high biodegradation activity, demonstrating their reusability. Strain sweep oscillatory tests demonstrate that the biostickers display predominantly viscoelastic behavior. Monotonic tensile tests indicate that the elastic modulus and the adhesion of the biostickers are not negatively impacted by bacteria growth or incubation temperature. This work paves the way for the development of ELMs to facilitate the inclusion of bioplastics within the blue economy, promoting the emergence of more sustainable and ecofriendly materials.

3D bioprinting↗
NASA NTRS2003

Analytical and Experimental Study of Near-Threshold Interactions Between Crack Closure Mechanisms

The results of an analytical closure model that considers contributions and interactions between plasticity-, roughness-, and oxide-induced crack closure mechanisms are presented and compared with experimental data. The analytical model is shown to provide a good description of the combined influences of crack roughness, oxide debris, and plasticity in the near-threshold regime. Furthermore, analytical results indicate that closure mechanisms interact in a non-linear manner such that the total amount of closure is not the sum of closure contributions for each mechanism.

Newman, John A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Evaluation of Ti-48Al-2Nb Under Fretting Conditions

An investigation was conducted to examine the fretting behavior of lambda-TiAl (Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb) in contact with a nickel-base superalloy (Inconel 718) in air at temperatures from 23 to 550 C. Fretting wear experiments were conducted with 9.4-mm-diameter hemispherical Inconel (IN) 718 pins in contact with Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb flats (and the reverse) at loads from 1 to 40 N and fretting frequencies from 50 to 160 Hz with slip amplitudes from 50 to 200 microns for 1 to 20 million fretting cycles. The results were similar for both combinations of pin and flat. Reference fretting wear experiments were also conducted with 9.4-mm-diameter hemispherical Ti-6Al-4V pins in contact with IN718 flats. The interfacial adhesive bonds between Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb and IN718 in contact were generally stronger than the cohesive bonds in the cohesively weaker Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb. The failed Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb subsequently transferred to the IN718 surface at any fretting condition. The wear scars produced on Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb contained metallic and oxide wear debris, scratches, plastically deformed asperities, cracks, and fracture pits. Oxide layers readily formed on the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb surface at 550 C, but cracks easily occurred in the oxide layers. Factors including fretting frequency, temperature, slip amplitude, and load influenced the fretting behavior of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb in contact with IN718. The wear volume loss of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb generally decreased with increasing fretting frequency. The increasing rate of oxidation at elevated temperatures up to 200 C led to a drop in wear volume loss at 200 C. However, the fretting wear increased as the temperature was increased from 200 to 550 C. The highest temperatures of 450 and 550 C resulted in oxide film disruption with generation of cracks, loose wear debris, and pits on the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb wear surface. The wear volume loss generally increased as the slip amplitude increased. The wear volume loss also generally increased as the load increased. Increasing slip amplitude and increasing load both tended to produce more metallic wear debris, causing severe abrasive wear in the contacting metals.

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fretting Wear of Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb

An investigation was conducted to examine the wear behavior of gamma titanium aluminide (Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb in atomic percent) in contact with a typical nickel-base superalloy under repeated microscopic vibratory motion in air at temperatures from 296-823 K. The surface damage observed on the interacting surfaces of both Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb and superalloy consisted of fracture pits, oxides, metallic debris, scratches, craters, plastic deformation, and cracks. The Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb transferred to the superalloy at all fretting conditions and caused scuffing or galling. The increasing rate of oxidation at elevated temperatures led to a drop in Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb wear at 473 K. Mild oxidative wear was observed at 473 K. However, fretting wear increased as the temperature was increased from 473-823 K. At 723 and 823 K, oxide disruption generated cracks, loose wear debris, and pits on the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb wear surface. Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb wear generally decreased with increasing fretting frequency. Both increasing slip amplitude and increasing load tended to produce more metallic wear debris, causing severe abrasive wear in the contacting metals. Keywords

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa↗
NASA NTRS1974

A rheological mechanism of penetrative wear

A model is proposed which explains the penetrative wear of a soft material by a harder one. Three distinct modes of penetration are present depending on the applied load. During the most severe penetration plate-like wear debris is ejected at the leading edge of the slider. A series of slip line fields is presented to approximate this debris formation process. Plastic constraint is seen to be an important factor in wear particle formation.

Bates, T. R., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Riverine Plastic Pollution: Field Sampling Protocol and Implementation in U.S. Rivers

Riverine plastic pollution is increasingly being recognized as a serious environmental concern. The flux of plastic from U.S. rivers into the oceans is estimated to be on the order of hundreds of tons per year. Plastic pollution has been detected in all major U.S. rivers but the observations did not measure metrics that could be used for mass flux calculations. The Department of Energy is addressing the problem of riverine plastic pollution with the Waterborne Plastics Resource Assessment and Debris Characterization (WaterPACT) project. Phase one of the WaterPACT project includes the development of a sampling protocol, field sampling events that implement the protocol, and numerical modeling studies. The field sampling will quantify and characterize the plastic pollution and the numerical modeling studies will analyze the movement of the plastic pollution by rivers. This report details the WaterPACT sampling protocol and its implementation in four major U.S. rivers. The WaterPACT sampling protocol was implemented in the Mississippi, Columbia, Delaware, and Los Angeles rivers with at least three sampling events in each river. The rivers represent four types ranging from the large Mississippi with its vast agricultural watershed to the small Los Angeles with its highly engineered urban waterway. The three sampling events covered a variety of discharge conditions from low drought flow to extreme storm events. The data obtained by the WaterPACT sampling of the four rivers will be combined to provide an invaluable dataset to researchers studying the source and chemical composition of plastic pollution and modelers estimating the flux of plastic being transported to and released into the oceans.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Merging of Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics Concepts: A Historical Perspective

The seventh Jerry L. Swedlow Memorial Lecture presents a review of some of the technical developments, that have occurred during the past 40 years, which have led to the merger of fatigue and fracture mechanics concepts. This review is made from the viewpoint of 'crack propagation.' As methods to observe the 'fatigue' process have improved, the formation of fatigue micro-cracks have been observed earlier in life and the measured crack sizes have become smaller. These observations suggest that fatigue damage can now be characterized by 'crack size.' In parallel, the crack-growth analysis methods, using stress-intensity factors, have also improved. But the effects of material inhomogeneities, crack-fracture mechanisms, and nonlinear behavior must now be included in these analyses. The discovery of crack-closure mechanisms, such as plasticity, roughness, and oxide/corrosion/fretting product debris, and the use of the effective stress-intensity factor range, has provided an engineering tool to predict small- and large-crack-growth rate behavior under service loading, conditions. These mechanisms have also provided a rationale for developing, new, damage-tolerant materials. This review suggests that small-crack growth behavior should be viewed as typical behavior, whereas large-crack threshold behavior should be viewed as the anomaly. Small-crack theory has unified 'fatigue' and 'fracture mechanics' concepts; and has bridged the cap between safe-life and durability/damage-tolerance design concepts.

Newman, James C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Determine ISS Soyuz Orbital Module Ballistic Limits for Steel Projectiles Hypervelocity Impact Testing

A new orbital debris environment model (ORDEM 3.0) defines the density distribution of the debris environment in terms of the fraction of debris that are low-density (plastic), medium-density (aluminum) or high-density (steel) particles. This hypervelocity impact (HVI) program focused on assessing ballistic limits (BLs) for steel projectiles impacting the enhanced Soyuz Orbital Module (OM) micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shield configuration. The ballistic limit was defined as the projectile size on the threshold of failure of the OM pressure shell as a function of impact speeds and angle. The enhanced OM shield configuration was first introduced with Soyuz 30S (launched in May 2012) to improve the MMOD protection of Soyuz vehicles docked to the International Space Station (ISS). This test program provides HVI data on U.S. materials similar in composition and density to the Russian materials for the enhanced Soyuz OM shield configuration of the vehicle. Data from this test program was used to update ballistic limit equations used in Soyuz OM penetration risk assessments. The objective of this hypervelocity impact test program was to determine the ballistic limit particle size for 440C stainless steel spherical projectiles on the Soyuz OM shielding at several impact conditions (velocity and angle combinations). This test report was prepared by NASA-JSC/ HVIT, upon completion of tests.

Lyons, Frankel↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Characterizing Char Rate and Extent in Fiber-Reinforced Plastics Using X-ray Computed Tomography

Orbital debris is a growing problem for the space industry and the world in general, and an important component of the problem is what happens when that debris reenters the Earth’s atmosphere. With more spacecraft opting for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) components, we need to understand the thermal destruction process of these materials during an atmospheric reentry and how much of the material can survive to impact the ground. The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) has developed a new charring model for FRP components to be integrated into the latest version of the Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool (ORSAT). To validate this new model, the ODPO performed several test series using the Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Torch facility at UT Austin. To measure the extent of charred material at different conditions, some of the test samples were scanned using x-ray computed tomography (CT) by the Astromaterials Curation Lab at Johnson Space Center. 3D image analysis was then used to calculate the volume and density of the char in each test sample. This paper presents the image analysis methodology, an assessment of the accuracy of the data analysis, and a comparison with calculations using the ORSAT charring model.

Benton Greene↗
NASA NTRS2019

Orbital Debris Quarterly News

Inside - NASA Technical Standard Process for Limiting Orbital Debris Revision Ratified - Testing and Modeling the Demisability of Fiber-Reinforced Plastics - An Extended Parametric Study of the Effects of Large Constellations on the Future Debris Environment - Meeting Reports - Abstracts from the NASA HVIT - Abstracts from the NASA ODPO - ODQN Vol. 23, Issue 1&2 Errata - Orbital Debris Analyst - Space Missions/Satellite Box Score

Phillip Anz-Meador↗
NASA NTRS1994

Design of orbital debris shields for oblique hypervelocity impact

A new impact debris propagation code was written to link CTH simulations of space debris shield perforation to the Lagrangian finite element code DYNA3D, for space structure wall impact simulations. This software (DC3D) simulates debris cloud evolution using a nonlinear elastic-plastic deformable particle dynamics model, and renders computationally tractable the supercomputer simulation of oblique impacts on Whipple shield protected structures. Comparison of three dimensional, oblique impact simulations with experimental data shows good agreement over a range of velocities of interest in the design of orbital debris shielding. Source code developed during this research is provided on the enclosed floppy disk. An abstract based on the work described was submitted to the 1994 Hypervelocity Impact Symposium.

Fahrenthold, Eric P.↗
DOE OSTI2022

MSW Variability Mapping and Conversion to Biofuel

MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) is a form of biomass which consists of categorized components of waste/trash. The general categories are paper, yard trash, construction & debris, appliances, tires, glass, metals, aluminum & steel cans, plastics, organics, inorganics, and HHW (Household Hazardous Waste). This project focuses on the factors within a region or population that contribute to variability in the composition of MSW and in turn MSW’s convertibility to biofuel. A list of contributors was determined (Social Vulnerability Index, Access to Public Transportation, Racial Distribution, GDP, Personal Income) and then JMP was used to perform a Multivariate analysis to determine correlations and a Partial Least-Squares regression to determine Variable Importance Plots for each MSW category. In addition to data analysis, the convertibility of MSW to biofuel was studied via microwave pyrolysis system in order to separate and characterize the various gaseous and bio-oil products.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2021

Pyrolysis Rate and Yield Strength Reduction Incarbon Fiber and Glass Fiber Composites Underreentry Heating Conditions

The behavior of composite materials, specifically carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), under reentry conditions poses a problem for space debris reentry risk modeling. Since these materials pyrolyze rather than melt and their different components demise at different rates, modeling their destruction to determine ground impact risk is complex. Modern spacecraft are using these materials in ever-greater quantities owing to their superior strength-to-weight characteristics, and this has required that the orbital debris community improve its understanding of how these materials demise on reentry. The NASA Orbital Debris Program Office undertook an extensive test campaign to better understand the rate at which several types of GFRP and CFRP materials pyrolyze under reentry heating conditions and how that pyrolysis affects the ultimate strength of the material. GFRP with a polyester resin (G10/FR-4) and CFRP with epoxy, cyanate ester, vinyl ester, and phenolic resins were tested. The test campaign was carried out at the Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Torch Facility at the University of Texas at Austin. Because the ICP facility operates in a shirt-sleeve environment, test samples can be changed within seconds or minutes, allowing many samples to be tested in a short period. Two heat flux rates, 20 W/m2 and 30W/m2, and two oxygen concentration conditions, 0% and 2% of atmospheric, were applied to all five types of material. To measure both the char rate and the effect of pyrolysis on the ultimate material strength, two types of test were carried out for each material: a char rate test on a ~10 mm thick sample of material and an in-situ bending stress test of a ~2 mm thick sample of material. Measurements of the char rate showed very similar average pyrolysis front velocity in epoxy resin CFRP as in G10 at 3.6 mm/min and 3.4 mm/min, respectively. However, the total mass loss rate in theG10 was nearly double that of the CFRP at 3.8 g/min and 2.2 g/min, respectively. This result represented a slow ablation rate of carbon fibers in the CFRP at the temperatures encountered in low Earth orbit reentry and a comparatively rapid removal of the glass fibers in G10 due to melting and spallation. Pyrolysis front velocity was more significantly affected by the type of plastic than the type of fiber, with the cyanate ester CFRP samples displaying an average pyrolysis front velocity of only 1.9 mm/min. Similarly, the effect of thermal exposure on the ultimate strength of the material depended heavily on the type of plastic and very little on the type of fiber in the material. Epoxy, vinyl ester, and polyester resins all behaved very similarly, with complete structural failure at between 400 J/g and 600 J/g of specific absorbed heat. Phenolic and cyanate ester resins, on the other hand, displayed a change in structural properties that was only barely measurable with the current apparatus even after the maximum exposure time tested. These data are being incorporated into a numerical model of the ablation and demise of composite materials that will be used to more accurately calculate the ground casualty risk of future spacecraft.

Benton R. Greene↗
NASA NTRS1992

Analysis of LDEF experiment AO187-2: Chemically and isotopic measurements of micrometeoroids by secondary ion mass spectrometry

Numerous 'extended impacts' found in both leading and trailing edge capture cells have been successfully analyzed for the chemical composition of projectile residues by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Most data have been obtained from the trailing edge cells where 45 of 58 impacts have been classified as 'probably natural' and the remainder as 'possibly man-made debris.' This is in striking contrast to leading edge cells where 9 of 11 impacts so far measured are definitely classified as orbital debris. Although all the leading edge cells had lost their plastic entrance foils during flight, the rate of foil failure was similar to that of the trailing edge cells, 10 percent of which were recovered intact. Ultra-violet embrittlement is suspected as the major cause of failure on both leading and trailing edges. The major impediment to the accurate determination of projectile chemistry is the fractionation of volatile and refractory elements in the hypervelocity impact and redeposition processes. This effect had been noticed in simulation experiment but is more pronounced in the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) capture cells, probably due to the higher average velocities of the space impacts. Surface contamination of the pure Ge surfaces with a substance rich in Si but also containing Mg and Al provides an additional problem for the accurate determination of impactor chemistry. The effect is variable, being much larger on surfaces that were exposed to space than in those cells that remained intact. Future work will concentrate on the analyses of more leading edge impacts and the development of new SIMS techniques for the measurement of elemental abundances in extended impacts.

Source record↗