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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
NASA NTRS1993

Powder metallurgy: Solid and liquid phase sintering of copper

Basic powder metallurgy (P/M) principles and techniques are presented in this laboratory experiment. A copper based system is used since it is relatively easy to work with and is commercially important. In addition to standard solid state sintering, small quantities of low melting metals such as tin, zinc, lead, and aluminum can be added to demonstrate liquid phase sintering and alloy formation. The Taguchi Method of experimental design was used to study the effect of particle size, pressing force, sintering temperature, and sintering time. These parameters can be easily changed to incorporate liquid phase sintering effects and some guidelines for such substitutions are presented. The experiment is typically carried out over a period of three weeks.

Sheldon, Rex↗
NASA NTRS1989

The low magnetic field properties of superconducting bulk yttrium barium copper oxide - Sintered versus partially melted material

A comparison of the low magnetic field properties of sintered (990 C) and partially melted samples (1050 C) has been performed. Changes in the microstructure produced by recrystallization from the melt result in a significant increase in flux pinning at 77 K. Low-frequency (10-100 Hz), low-ac magnetic-field (0.01-9.0 Oe) ac susceptibility data show that gross changes in the loss component accompany the observed changes in microstructure. The effects of applied dc magnetic fields (10-220 Oe) on the ac responses of these microstructures have also been probed.

Hein, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Efficient low static-volume water heater

Calrod heating element is surrounded by matrix of fused sintered copper or brass balls, and assembly is then installed in piping of water system. As water flows through matrix, sintered balls cause turbulent flow and heating. Applications include laundromats, laboratories, and photographic labs.

Brown, R. L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Process Recipes for Additively Printed Copper Ink Flexible Circuits using Direct Write Methods

In this paper, the process-recipes and process-performance relationships for additive-printing of copper circuits using direct-write methods have been studied. The process has been implemented on the direct write platform. Interest in the use of additive printing methods for the manufacture of micro-circuits has grown immensely in recent times. Direct write methods have been shown to have the ability to create circuits in a limited manner. However, the process recipes and the effect of process parameters on the manufactured properties are not well understood. Copper ink is a good and cost-effective alternative to silver ink but its use has lagged owing to an increased propensity for oxidation. In this paper, photonic curing has been used to sinter copper ink to make the traces conductive. The method flashes high energy light that sinter metal particles instantaneously and the temperature of the substrate remains low. The effect of the different photonic sintering profiles on the mechanical and electrical properties of the printed traces has been studied in this paper.The print process parameters also play an important role in the line width and height that has been studied to print with the desired line profile for the end application. An LC filter circuit is been printed with SMD components been attached using an electrically conductive adhesive (ECA). The manufactured flexible LC filter is been tested for its frequency sweep to compare with the commercially available LC filer with the help of the Bode plot.

Process control↗
NASA NTRS1990

Space-borne He-3 refrigerator

A space-compatible He-3 refrigerator is being developed for cooling the bolometric detectors of the Far Infrared Photometer (FIRP) in the Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS). The refrigerator is self-contained and compact, and can be recycled in zero gravity with low power dissipation (20 mW or less). A laboratory prototype that contains 2 STP cu dm of He-3 has been successfully cycled upside-down, i.e., against gravity, thus proving the feasibility of the cycle in zero gravity. Sintered copper confines the He-3 to the evaporator during the low temperature phase. Temperatures as low as 280 mK have been achieved with this configuration. Other types of porous material which have lower mass density are currently under investigation.

Duband, L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A rocket-borne He-3 refrigerator

A self-contained, recyclable He-3 refrigerator suitable for use in space has been developed. The refrigerator is compact, has no moving parts, and requires only electrical connections and thermal contact in order to operate from a 2 K cold stage. A charcoal adsorption pump is used to efficiently condense and cool the He-3. Sintered copper confines the He-3 to the evaporator in zero-gravity and, in fact, allows the refrigerator to operate upside-down in the laboratory. Mounted on a 2 K cold stage, the refrigerator provides 100 microwatts of cooling power at 346 mK, with a 7 hour hold time. On a 1.5 K cold stage, the lowest temperature achieved is 277 mK. The refrigerator has been vibration tested at 7.5 G amplitude from 30 to 400 Hz and 15 G amplitude from 400 to 2000 Hz.

Duband, L.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Upper critical field of copper molybdenum sulfide

The upper critical field of sintered and sputtered copper molybdenum sulfide Cu(x)Mo6S8 was measured and found to exceed the Werthamer, Helfand, and Hohenberg (1966) value for a type II superconductor characterized by dirty limit, weak isotropic electron phonon coupling, and no paramagnetic limiting. It is suggested that the enhancement results from anisotropy or clean limit or both. Other ternary molybdenum sulfides appear to show similar anomalies.

Alterovitz, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Fundamental study of transpiration cooling

Isothermal and non-isothermal pressure drop data and heat transfer data generated on porous 304L stainless steel wire forms, sintered spherical stainless steel powder, and sintered spherical OFHC copper powder are reported and correlated. Pressure drop data was collected over a temperature range from 500 R to 2000 R and heat transfer data collected over a heat flux range from 5 to 15 BTU/in2/sec. It was found that flow data could be correlated independently of transpirant temperature and type (i.e., H2, N2). It was also found that no simple relation between heat transfer coefficient and specimen porosity was obtainable.

Koh, J. C. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A YBCO RF-SQUID magnetometer and its applications

An applicable RF-superconducting quantum interference detector (SQUID) magnetometer was made using a bulk sintered yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO). The temperature range of the magnetometer is 77 to 300 K and the field range 0 to 0.1T. At 77 K, the equivalent flux noise of the SQUID is 5 x 10 to minus 4 power theta sub o/square root of Hz at the frequency range of 20 to 200 Hz. The experiments show that the SQUID noise at low-frequency end is mainly from 1/f noise. A coil test shows that the magnetic moment sensitivity delta m is 10 to the minus 6th power emu. The RF-SQUID is shielded in a YBCO cylinder with a shielding ability B sub in/B sub ex of about 10 to the minus 6th power when external dc magnetic field is about a few Oe. The magnetometer is successfully used in characterizing superconducting thin films.

Luwei, Zhou↗
NASA NTRS2018

Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Deposition and Selective Laser Melting Techniques Applied to Copper-Alloy Liquid Rocket Engine Combustion Chambers

Virgin Orbit and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center have partnered to fabricate a small, multi-metallic, regeneratively cooled thrust chamber by leveraging the strengths of two different types of additive manufacturing: Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) for the copper alloy liner and blown powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED) for the Inconel structural jacket. The DED is being developed using Virgin Orbit's DMG Mori Seiki hybrid additive/subtractive machining center to further enable unique processing and further cost savings. The materials chosen are preferred for high performance thrust chamber applications, representing a significant advancement from the compromises typically made in the production of metal 3D printed thrust chambers for rocket engines. The 1.2K-lbf thrust article is a 16" tall, 3" diameter design modified for this effort to be regeneratively cooled with water and hot fired using a RP-1/LOX pintle-style development injector from Virgin Orbit's NewtonFour upper stage engine. The thrust chamber was tested at Virgin Orbit's Necker test site in Mojave, California. Results from this test campaign are reported in addition to information characterizing the liner, jacket, and bimetallic diffusion layer materials. This paper will also highlight some of the future bimetallic thrust chamber developments that MSFC and Virgin Orbit will complete under a recently awarded NASA contract.

Zagorski, Kevin↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Print-Consistency and Process-Interaction for Inkjet-Printed Copper on Flexible Substrate

Printed electronics is a fastest growing and emerging technology that have shown much potential in several industries including automotive, wearables, healthcare, and aerospace. Its applications can be found not only in flexible but also in large area electronics. The technology provides an effective and convenient method to additively deposit conductive and insulating materials on any type of substrate. Comparing with traditional manufacturing processes, which involves chemical etching, this technology also comes to be relatively environmental friendly. Despite its status, it is not without its challenges. Starting from the material being compatible in the printer equipment to the point of achieving fine resolutions, and with excellent properties are some of the challenges that printed electronics face. Among the myriad of printing technologies such as Aerosol Jet, micro-dispensing, gravure printing, screen printing, Inkjet printing, Inkjet has gained much attention due to its low-cost, low material consumption, and roll-to-roll capability for mass manufacturing. The technology has been widely used in home and office, but recently gained interest in printed electronics in a research and development setting. Conductive materials used in Inkjet printing generally comprises of metal Nanoparticles that need to be thermally sintered for it to be conductive. The preferred metal of choice has been mostly silver due to its excellent electrical properties and ease in sintering. However, silver comes to be expensive than its counterpart copper. Since copper is prone to oxidation, much focus has been given towards photonic sintering that involves sudden burst of pulsed light at certain energy to sinter the copper Nanoparticles. With this technique, only the printed material gets sintered in a matter of seconds without having a great impact on its substrate, due to which it is also preferred in low temperature applications. With all the knowledge, there is still a large gap in the process side with copper where it is important to look how the print process affects the resolution of the print along with the effect of post-print processes on electrical and mechanical properties. In this paper, a copper Inkjet ink is utilized for understanding the effect of Inkjet print parameters on the ejected droplet and its resolution. Post-print process is also quantified using a photonic sintering equipment for excellent electrical and mechanical properties. To demonstrate the complete process, commercial-off-the-shelf components will also be mounted on the additively printed pads via Inkjet. Statistically, control charting technique will be utilized to understand the capability of the Inkjet process.

printed electronics↗
NASA NTRS1983

Electrodes for solid state devices

The invention relates to coated metal powders and to dispersions of such powders in liquid vehicles forming screenable, sinterable pastes for use in forming electrodes on photovoltaic devices. The primary nickel or copper metal particles are provided with a carrier of lower melting sintering metals such as 1-20% by weight, of a non-oxidizing metal such as lead or tin. The powdered metal systems operate on the basis of fusing together by way of eutectic alloying. As the paste is heated during firing the organic binder is first vaporized. An eutectic of the base metal (copper) and coating (tin) forms at the intersections of the base metal grains. This eutectic dissolves the grains and as the temperature is raised above the eutectic temperature, more of the base metal is dissolved. While the temperature is held at the higher value, the much smaller amount of sintering metal disappears as the eutectic dissolves and diffuses into the base metal until the composition of the eutectic is so enriched with base metal that it no longer has the eutectic properties and it solidifies. In this high temperature solidification, the base metal grains became thoroughly alloyed together and will not separate at the eutectic temperature (a lower temperature than their solidification by diffusion).

Bickler, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Preformed Superconductive Devices

Process forms high-temperature superconductors into electrical components as connectors, coils, and conductors. Brittleness no obstacle because material preformed before heated to turn it into ceramic. Substrates made of glass-fiber-reinforced circuit-board material, reduce leakage of heat into ceramic, unlike silver or copper substrates used in making sintered-in-place superconducting ceramics.

Haertling, Gene H.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Characterization of Low-Temperature, Co-Fired Ceramic-Manufactured Electrostatic Thruster-Closeout Report

The goal of the project was to evaluate prototypes of an experimental thruster developed by the University of Arkansas (UA), Fayetteville, AR. The design under evaluation is a radio frequency (RF) electrostatic thruster that was fabricated using the low-temperature, co-fired ceramic (LTCC) materials and fabrication process. This materials system is analogous to printed circuit board (PCB) technology with the most significant difference being that the laminate is replaced by a ceramic material and the copper layer is replaced by printed sinterable silver paste. LTCC designs are baked after fabrication and assembled to realize an entirely monolithic structure with internal conductors, vias, and cavities. In this process, the LTCC electrostatic thruster (LTCC-ET) that is the subject of the present work becomes a monolithic ceramic thruster capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 500 ºC. The UA and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) jointly performed prototype testing on the LTCC-ET under a NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) award. The LTCC-ET was tested at MSFC in May 2018 over a 1-week period. There were two goals for the test program: (1) Testing to determine the operating parameters required to create plasma ignition in the test articles. This was explored by setting a propellant flowrate and increasing RF power until plasma ignition was observed. Testing was conducted with both argon and krypton. (2) Investigate the thrust and specific impulse (Isp) performance of the thruster as a function of propellant flowrate and grid voltage. This goal was not met during the project as technical challenges in maintaining stable plasma ignition arose due to stress and heating of the RF power feed. In summary, a prototype thruster design (consisting of three packaged units) was fabricated by UA and tested for the first time under vacuum conditions at MSFC to experimentally determine basic performance metrics and functionality. It was found that the design was not sufficiently optimized or robust enough in its initial iteration to support a significant test campaign or characterization program. It was concluded that the propellant outlet channels must be reduced in size with the flowpaths adjusted to increase propellant residence time in the thruster, and that the RF connector must be replaced with a version capable of handling higher power throughput and heating. However, even in its unoptimized form, a plasma could be produced in the LTCCET, demonstrating the efficacy of the design approach. The design is especially compelling due to its low cost to manufacture and, more importantly, its scalability of size and power throughput. Low cost and scalability are also important in that additional functionalities, such as thrust vectoring and plume charge neutralization, can be integrated into future designs with minimal additional cost. This project has matured the LTCC-ET development Technology Readiness Level (TRL) from 1 to 2. The low-cost RF plasma source portion of the LTCC device was matured from TRL 2 to 4 through the demonstration of RF plasma ignition under vacuum conditions.

Huang, P.-H. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Screenable all-metal solar cell electrodes of nickel and copper

Screenable thick film solar cell electrodes are made using the all-metal electrode system, which eliminates the commonly used glass frit and substitutes an oxide scavenger such as silver fluoride. The low temperature firing copper metal systems give good results on solar cells obtaining cell efficiencies of 13% AM1, and adhering sintered structures are demonstrated with nickel systems. The potential effect of copper upon cell performance at elevated temperatures over long periods of time is determined, and it is found that the formation of a copper-silicon eutectic at 550 C produces needle-like structures with broad bases on the silicon, extending into and occasionally through the metallization layer.

Ross, B.↗
NASA NTRS1980

An all-plated, low cost contact system for silicon solar cells

The plating sequences Pd-Cr-Cu and Pd-Ni-Cu are demonstrated. The surface was sensitized with a 50 A-thick Pd layer obtained from an immersion bath. After 15 min heating at 400 C in N2, a thin barrier layer of either Cr or Ni was deposited from electroless baths operated at temperatures around 90 C. The sintering process was repeated, and a thin copper layer of 500 A was deposited by electroless means. An electrolytic copper bath was used to build the copper layer to 3-4 micron thicknesses. Cells with good I-V curves were obtained, and the all-plated contacts had good adhesion. Preliminary cost estimates show that the process costs approximately 12 cents per watt excluding the cost of the masking procedure.

Tanner, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Copper Chloride Cathode For Liquid-Sodium Cell

Rechargeable liquid-sodium cell with copper chloride cathode offers substantial increase in energy density over cells made with other cathode materials. Unit has theoretical maximum energy density of 1135 W.h/kg. Generates electricity by electrochemical reaction of molten sodium and solid copper chloride immersed in molten electrolyte, sodium tetrachloroaluminate at temperature of equal to or greater than 200 degrees C. Wall of alumina tube separates molten electrolyte from molten sodium anode. Copper chloride cathode embedded in pores of sintered nickel cylinder or directly sintered.

Bugga, Ratnakumar V.↗