Aluminum-based one- and two-dimensional micro fin array structures: high-throughput fabrication and heat transfer testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Primeaux, Philip A.; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Xiaoman; Miller, Jacob; Meng, W. J.; KC, Pratik; Moore, Arden L.

2017-02-01

Microscale fin array structures were replicated onto surfaces of aluminum 1100 and aluminum 6061 alloy (Al1100/Al6061) sheet metals through room-temperature instrumented roll molding. Aluminum-based micro fin arrays were replicated at room temperature, and the fabrication process is one with high throughput and low cost. One-dimensional (1D) micro fin arrays were made through one-pass rolling, while two-dimensional (2D) micro fin arrays were made by sequential 90° cross rolling with the same roller sleeve. For roll molding of 1D micro fins, fin heights greater than 600 µm were achieved and were shown to be proportional to the normal load force per feature width. At a given normal load force, the fin height was further shown to scale inversely with the hardness of the sheet metal. For sequential 90° cross rolling, morphologies of roll molded 2D micro fin arrays were examined, which provided clues to understand how plastic deformation occurred under cross rolling conditions. A series of pool boiling experiments on low profile Al micro fin array structures were performed within Novec 7100, a widely used commercial dielectric coolant. Results for both horizontal and vertical surface orientations show that roll molded Al micro fin arrays can increase heat flux at fixed surface temperature as compared to un-patterned Al sheet. The present results further suggest that many factors beyond just increased surface area can influence heat transfer performance, including surface finish and the important multiphase transport mechanisms in and around the fin geometry. These factors must also be considered when designing and optimizing micro fin array structures for heat transfer applications.

Fabrication of Aluminum-Based Thermal Radiation Plate for Thermoelectric Module Using Aluminum Anodic Oxidization and Copper Electroplating.

PubMed

Choi, Yi Taek; Bae, Sung Hwa; Son, Injoon; Sohn, Ho Sang; Kim, Kyung Tae; Ju, Young-Wan

2018-09-01

In this study, electrolytic etching, anodic oxidation, and copper electroplating were applied to aluminum to produce a plate on which a copper circuit for a thermoelectric module was formed. An oxide film insulating layer was formed on the aluminum through anodic oxidation, and platinum was coated by sputtering to produce conductivity. Finally, copper electroplating was performed directly on the substrate. In this structure, the copper plating layer on the insulating layer served as a conductive layer in the circuit. The adhesion of the copper plating layer was improved by electrolytic etching. As a result, the thermoelectric module fabricated in this study showed excellent adhesion and good insulation characteristics. It is expected that our findings can contribute to the manufacture of plates applicable to thermoelectric modules with high dissipation performance.

Nanocrystalline Aluminum Truss Cores for Lightweight Sandwich Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaedler, Tobias A.; Chan, Lisa J.; Clough, Eric C.; Stilke, Morgan A.; Hundley, Jacob M.; Masur, Lawrence J.

2017-12-01

Substitution of conventional honeycomb composite sandwich structures with lighter alternatives has the potential to reduce the mass of future vehicles. Here we demonstrate nanocrystalline aluminum-manganese truss cores that achieve 2-4 times higher strength than aluminum alloy 5056 honeycombs of the same density. The scalable fabrication approach starts with additive manufacturing of polymer templates, followed by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy, removal of the polymer, and facesheet integration. This facilitates curved and net-shaped sandwich structures, as well as co-curing of the facesheets, which eliminates the need for extra adhesive. The nanocrystalline Al-Mn alloy thin-film material exhibits high strength and ductility and can be converted into a three-dimensional hollow truss structure with this approach. Ultra-lightweight sandwich structures are of interest for a range of applications in aerospace, such as fairings, wings, and flaps, as well as for the automotive and sports industries.

75 FR 70689 - Kaiser Aluminum Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum-Greenwood Forge Division; Currently...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... Fabricated Products, LLC; Kaiser Aluminum- Greenwood Forge Division; Currently Known As Contech Forgings, LLC..., South Carolina; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply or Worker Adjustment Assistance In... Labor issued a Certification of Eligibility to Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance on October 2, 2009...

Superhydrophilicity of a nanofiber-covered aluminum surface fabricated via pyrophosphoric acid anodizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Daiki; Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Natsui, Shungo; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2016-12-01

A superhydrophilic aluminum surface covered by numerous alumina nanofibers was fabricated via pyrophosphoric acid anodizing. High-density anodic alumina nanofibers grow on the bottom of a honeycomb oxide via anodizing in concentrated pyrophosphoric acid. The water contact angle on the nanofiber-covered aluminum surface decreased with time after a 4 μL droplet was placed on the surface, and a superhydrophilic behavior with a contact angle measuring 2.2° was observed within 2 s; this contact angle is considerably lower than those observed for electropolished and porous alumina-covered aluminum surfaces. There was no dependence of the superhydrophilicity on the density of alumina nanofibers fabricated via different constant voltage anodizing conditions. The superhydrophilic property of the surface covered by anodic alumina nanofibers was maintained during an exposure test for 359 h. The quick-drying and snow-sliding behaviors of the superhydrophilic aluminum covered with anodic alumina nanofibers were demonstrated.

In-space fabrication of thin-film structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lippman, M. E.

1972-01-01

A conceptual study of physical vapor-deposition processes for in-space fabrication of thin-film structures is presented. Potential advantages of in-space fabrication are improved structural integrity and surface reflectivity of free-standing ultra-thin films and coatings. Free-standing thin-film structures can find use as photon propulsion devices (solar sails). Other applications of the concept involve free-standing shadow shields, or thermal control coatings of spacecraft surfaces. Use of expendables (such as booster and interstage structures) as source material for the physical vapor deposition process is considered. The practicability of producing thin, textured, aluminum films by physical vapor deposition and subsequent separation from a revolving substrate is demonstrated by laboratory experiments. Heating power requirement for the evaporation process is estimated for a specific mission.

Fabrication of polymeric nano-batteries array using anodic aluminum oxide templates.

PubMed

Zhao, Qiang; Cui, Xiaoli; Chen, Ling; Liu, Ling; Sun, Zhenkun; Jiang, Zhiyu

2009-02-01

Rechargeable nano-batteries were fabricated in the array pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template, combining template method and electrochemical method. The battery consisted of electropolymerized PPy electrode, porous TiO2 separator, and chemically polymerized PAn electrode was fabricated in the array pores of two-step anodizing aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane, based on three-step assembling method. It performs typical electrochemical battery behavior with good charge-discharge ability, and presents a capacity of 25 nAs. AFM results show the hexagonal array of nano-batteries' top side. The nano-battery may be a promising device for the development of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), and Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems (NEMS).

Fabrication of Aluminum Tubes Filled with Aluminum Alloy Foam by Friction Welding.

PubMed

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Nakano, Yukiko; Koyama, Shinji; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Kitahara, Soichiro; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2015-10-23

Aluminum foam is usually used as the core of composite materials by combining it with dense materials, such as in Al foam core sandwich panels and Al-foam-filled tubes, owing to its low tensile and bending strengths. In this study, all-Al foam-filled tubes consisting of ADC12 Al-Si-Cu die-cast aluminum alloy foam and a dense A1050 commercially pure Al tube with metal bonding were fabricated by friction welding. First, it was found that the ADC12 precursor was firmly bonded throughout the inner wall of the A1050 tube without a gap between the precursor and the tube by friction welding. No deformation of the tube or foaming of the precursor was observed during the friction welding. Next, it was shown that by heat treatment of an ADC12-precursor-bonded A1050 tube, gases generated by the decomposition of the blowing agent expand the softened ADC12 to produce the ADC12 foam interior of the dense A1050 tube. A holding time during the foaming process of approximately t H = 8.5 min with a holding temperature of 948 K was found to be suitable for obtaining a sound ADC12-foam-filled A1050 tube with sufficient foaming, almost uniform pore structures over the entire specimen, and no deformation or reduction in the thickness of the tube.

Fabrication of Aluminum Tubes Filled with Aluminum Alloy Foam by Friction Welding

PubMed Central

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Nakano, Yukiko; Koyama, Shinji; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Kitahara, Soichiro; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2015-01-01

Aluminum foam is usually used as the core of composite materials by combining it with dense materials, such as in Al foam core sandwich panels and Al-foam-filled tubes, owing to its low tensile and bending strengths. In this study, all-Al foam-filled tubes consisting of ADC12 Al-Si-Cu die-cast aluminum alloy foam and a dense A1050 commercially pure Al tube with metal bonding were fabricated by friction welding. First, it was found that the ADC12 precursor was firmly bonded throughout the inner wall of the A1050 tube without a gap between the precursor and the tube by friction welding. No deformation of the tube or foaming of the precursor was observed during the friction welding. Next, it was shown that by heat treatment of an ADC12-precursor-bonded A1050 tube, gases generated by the decomposition of the blowing agent expand the softened ADC12 to produce the ADC12 foam interior of the dense A1050 tube. A holding time during the foaming process of approximately tH = 8.5 min with a holding temperature of 948 K was found to be suitable for obtaining a sound ADC12-foam-filled A1050 tube with sufficient foaming, almost uniform pore structures over the entire specimen, and no deformation and minimum reduction in the thickness of the tube. PMID:28793629

Fabrication and Characterization of Plasma-Sprayed Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Aluminum Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Jiang-tao; Zhang, Hao; Peng, Yu; Li, Jing-long; Zhang, Fu-sheng

2018-04-01

Carbon fiber ( C f)/Al specimens were fabricated by plasma-spraying aluminum powder on unidirectional carbon fiber bundles (CFBs) layer by layer, followed by a densification heat treatment process. The microstructure and chemical composition of the C f/Al composites were examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. The CFBs were completely enveloped by aluminum matrix, and the peripheral regions of the CFBs were wetted by aluminum. In the wetted region, no significant Al4C3 reaction layer was found at the interface between the carbon fibers and aluminum matrix. The mechanical properties of the C f/Al specimens were evaluated. When the carbon fiber volume fraction (CFVF) was 9.2%, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the C f/Al composites reached 138.3 MPa with elongation of 4.7%, 2.2 times the UTS of the Al matrix (i.e., 63 MPa). This strength ratio (between the UTS of C f/Al and the Al matrix) is higher than for most C f/Al composites fabricated by the commonly used method of liquid-based processing at the same CFVF level.

Evaluation of low-cost aluminum composites for aircraft engine structural applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdanels, D. L.; Signorelli, R. A.

1983-01-01

Panels of discontinuous SiC composites, with several aluminum matrices, were fabricated and evaluated. Modulus, yield strength and tensile strength results indicated that the properties of composites containing SiC whisker, nodule or particulate reinforcements were similar. The modulus of the composites was controlled by the volume percentage of the SiC reinforcement content, while the strength and ductility were controlled by both the reinforcement content and the matrix alloy. The feasibility of fabricating structural shapes by both wire performs and direct casting was demonstrated for Al2O3/Al composites. The feasibility of fabricating high performance composites into structural shapes by low pressure hot molding was demonstrated for B4C-coated B/Al composites.

Space Spider - A concept for fabrication of large structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britton, W. R.; Johnston, J. D.

1978-01-01

The Space Spider concept for the automated fabrication of large space structures involves a specialized machine which roll-forms thin gauge material such as aluminum and develops continuous spiral structures with radial struts to sizes of 600-1,000 feet in diameter by 15 feet deep. This concept allows the machine and raw material to be integrated using the Orbiter capabilities, then boosting the rigid system to geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) without high sensitivity to acceleration forces. As a teleoperator controlled device having repetitive operations, the fabrication process can be monitored and verified from a ground-based station without astronaut involvement in GEO. The resultant structure will be useful as an intermediate size platform or as a structural element to be used with other elements such as the space-fabricated beams or composite nested tubes.

Fabrication of a Ni nano-imprint stamp for an anti-reflective layer using an anodic aluminum oxide template.

PubMed

Park, Eun-Mi; Lim, Seung-Kyu; Ra, Senug-Hyun; Suh, Su-Jung

2013-11-01

Aluminum anodizing can alter pore diameter, density distribution, periodicity and layer thickness in a controlled way. Because of this property, porous type anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) was used as a template for nano-structure fabrication. The alumina layer generated at a constant voltage increased the pore size from 120 nm to 205 nm according to an increasing process time from 60 min to 150 min. The resulting fabricated AAO templates had pore diameters at or less than 200 nm. Ni was sputtered as a conductive layer onto this AAO template and electroplated using DC and pulse power. Comparing these Ni stamps, those generated from electroplating using on/reverse/off pulsing had an ordered pillar array and maintained the AAO template morphology. This stamp was used for nano-imprinting on UV curable resin coated glass wafer. Surface observations via electron microscopy showed that the nano-imprinted patterned had the same shape as the AAO template. A soft mold was subsequently fabricated and nano-imprinted to form a moth-eye structure on the glass wafer. An analysis of the substrate transmittance using UV-VIS/NIR spectroscopy showed that the transmittance of the substrate with the moth-eye structure was 5% greater that the non-patterned substrate.

Fabrication of nano-structured super-hydrophobic film on aluminum by controllable immersing method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ruomei; Liang, Shuquan; Pan, Anqiang; Yuan, Zhiqing; Tang, Yan; Tan, Xiaoping; Guan, Dikai; Yu, Ya

2012-06-01

Aluminum alloy surface can be etched easily in acid environment, but the microstructure of alloy surface hardly meets the customers' demand. In this work, a facile acidic-assistant surface oxidation technique has been employed to form reproducible super-hydrophobic surfaces on aluminum alloy plates. The samples immersed in three different acid solutions at ambient temperatures are studied and the results demonstrated that the aqueous mixture solution of oxalic acid and hydrochloric is easier to produce better faces and better stability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurement are used to investigate the morphologies, microstructures, chemical compositions and hydrophobicity of the produced films on aluminum substrates. The surfaces, configured of a labyrinth structure with convexity and concavity, are in different roughness and gloss because of the different recipe acid solutions used. Better roughness of the surface can be obtained by adjusting the concentration of Clˉ and oxalate ions in acid solutions. The present research work provides a new strategy for the controllable preparation super-hydrophobic films of general materials on aluminum alloy for practical industrial applications.

Enhanced structural color generation in aluminum metamaterials coated with a thin polymer layer

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Fei; Yang, Xiaodong; Rosenmann, Daniel; ...

2015-09-18

A high-resolution and angle-insensitive structural color generation platform is demonstrated based on triple-layer aluminum-silica-aluminum metamaterials supporting surface plasmon resonances tunable across the entire visible spectrum. The color performances of the fabricated aluminum metamaterials can be strongly enhanced by coating a thin transparent polymer layer on top. The results show that the presence of the polymer layer induces a better impedance matching for the plasmonic resonances to the free space so that strong light absorption can be obtained, leading to the generation of pure colors in cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) with high color saturation.

Fabrication of micro-patterned aluminum surfaces for low ice adhesion strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Jaehyeon; Jang, Hanmin; Chang, Jinho; Lee, Kwan-Soo; Kim, Dong Rip

2018-05-01

We report a fabrication method to obtain a low-ice-adhesion aluminum surface by surface texturing using solution etching and subsequent thin-film coating. Specifically, the textured surface has microstructures of a low aspect ratio, that is, with a much smaller height than width. Such microstructures can effectively reduce ice-adhesion strengths by sliding the ice during detachment. Because our method is based on solution etching, it can be applied to curved surfaces with complex shapes for uniformly constructing the morphology of a low-ice-adhesion aluminum surface. Finally, the low-ice-adhesion aluminum surface reduces the ice-adhesion strengths by up to 95%.

Evolution and Control of 2219 Aluminum Microstructural Features through Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taminger, Karen M.; Hafley, Robert A.; Domack, Marcia S.

2006-01-01

Electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) is a new layer-additive process that has been developed for near-net shape fabrication of complex structures. EBF3 uses an electron beam to create a molten pool on the surface of a substrate. Wire is fed into the molten pool and the part translated with respect to the beam to build up a 3-dimensional structure one layer at a time. Unlike many other freeform fabrication processes, the energy coupling of the electron beam is extremely well suited to processing of aluminum alloys. The layer-additive nature of the EBF3 process results in a tortuous thermal path producing complex microstructures including: small homogeneous equiaxed grains; dendritic growth contained within larger grains; and/or pervasive dendritic formation in the interpass regions of the deposits. Several process control variables contribute to the formation of these different microstructures, including translation speed, wire feed rate, beam current and accelerating voltage. In electron beam processing, higher accelerating voltages embed the energy deeper below the surface of the substrate. Two EBF3 systems have been established at NASA Langley, one with a low-voltage (10-30kV) and the other a high-voltage (30-60 kV) electron beam gun. Aluminum alloy 2219 was processed over a range of different variables to explore the design space and correlate the resultant microstructures with the processing parameters. This report is specifically exploring the impact of accelerating voltage. Of particular interest is correlating energy to the resultant material characteristics to determine the potential of achieving microstructural control through precise management of the heat flux and cooling rates during deposition.

Aluminum structural applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lucas, G.

Extensive research by aluminum producers and automakers in the 1980s resulted in the development of technologies that enable building of aluminum cars that meet and exceed all the expectations of today`s drivers and passengers, yet weigh several hundred pounds less than their steel counterparts. The Acura NSX sports car, the Audi A8, and the Jaguar XJ220 have all been introduced. Ford has built 40 aluminum-intensive automobiles based on the Taurus/Sable for test purposes, and General Motors recently announced an aluminum-structured electric vehicle. The design flexibility that aluminum allows is shown by these examples. Each uses a somewhat different technology thatmore » is particularly suited to the vehicle and its market.« less

Fabrication and characterization of lithographically patterned and optically transparent anodic aluminum Oxide (AAO) nanostructure thin film.

PubMed

He, Yuan; Li, Xiang; Que, Long

2012-10-01

Optically transparent anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanostructure thin film has been successfully fabricated from lithographically patterned aluminum on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates for the first time, indicating the feasibility to integrate the AAO nanostructures with microdevices or microfluidics for a variety of applications. Both one-step and two-step anodization processes using sulfuric acid and oxalic acid have been utilized for fabricating the AAO nanostructure thin film. The optical properties of the fabricated AAO nanostructure thin film have been evaluated and analyzed.

Hybrid pulse anodization for the fabrication of porous anodic alumina films from commercial purity (99%) aluminum at room temperature.

PubMed

Chung, C K; Zhou, R X; Liu, T Y; Chang, W T

2009-02-04

Most porous anodic alumina (PAA) or anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films are fabricated using the potentiostatic method from high-purity (99.999%) aluminum films at a low temperature of approximately 0-10 degrees C to avoid dissolution effects at room temperature (RT). In this study, we have demonstrated the fabrication of PAA film from commercial purity (99%) aluminum at RT using a hybrid pulse technique which combines pulse reverse and pulse voltages for the two-step anodization. The reaction mechanism is investigated by the real-time monitoring of current. A possible mechanism of hybrid pulse anodization is proposed for the formation of pronounced nanoporous film at RT. The structure and morphology of the anodic films were greatly influenced by the duration of anodization and the type of voltage. The best result was obtained by first applying pulse reverse voltage and then pulse voltage. The first pulse reverse anodization step was used to form new small cells and pre-texture concave aluminum as a self-assembled mask while the second pulse anodization step was for the resulting PAA film. The diameter of the nanopores in the arrays could reach 30-60 nm.

Metallurgical Mechanisms Controlling Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy 2219 Produced by Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Domack, Marcia S.; Tainger, Karen M.

2006-01-01

The electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) layer-additive manufacturing process has been developed to directly fabricate complex geometry components. EBF3 introduces metal wire into a molten pool created on the surface of a substrate by a focused electron beam. Part geometry is achieved by translating the substrate with respect to the beam to build the part one layer at a time. Tensile properties demonstrated for electron beam deposited aluminum and titanium alloys are comparable to wrought products, although the microstructures of the deposits exhibit cast features. Understanding the metallurgical mechanisms controlling mechanical properties is essential to maximizing application of the EBF3 process. Tensile mechanical properties and microstructures were examined for aluminum alloy 2219 fabricated over a range of EBF3 process variables. Unique microstructures were observed within the deposited layers and at interlayer boundaries, which varied within the deposit height due to microstructural evolution associated with the complex thermal history experienced during subsequent layer deposition. Microstructures exhibited irregularly shaped grains with interior dendritic structures, described based on overall grain size, morphology, distribution, and dendrite spacing, and were correlated with deposition parameters. Fracture features were compared with microstructural elements to define fracture paths and aid in definition of basic processing-microstructure-property correlations.

A Highly Controllable Electrochemical Anodization Process to Fabricate Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yuanjing; Lin, Qingfeng; Liu, Xue; Gao, Yuan; He, Jin; Wang, Wenli; Fan, Zhiyong

2015-12-01

Due to the broad applications of porous alumina nanostructures, research on fabrication of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) with nanoporous structure has triggered enormous attention. While fabrication of highly ordered nanoporous AAO with tunable geometric features has been widely reported, it is known that its growth rate can be easily affected by the fluctuation of process conditions such as acid concentration and temperature during electrochemical anodization process. To fabricate AAO with various geometric parameters, particularly, to realize precise control over pore depth for scientific research and commercial applications, a controllable fabrication process is essential. In this work, we revealed a linear correlation between the integrated electric charge flow throughout the circuit in the stable anodization process and the growth thickness of AAO membranes. With this understanding, we developed a facile approach to precisely control the growth process of the membranes. It was found that this approach is applicable in a large voltage range, and it may be extended to anodization of other metal materials such as Ti as well.

A Highly Controllable Electrochemical Anodization Process to Fabricate Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membranes.

PubMed

Lin, Yuanjing; Lin, Qingfeng; Liu, Xue; Gao, Yuan; He, Jin; Wang, Wenli; Fan, Zhiyong

2015-12-01

Due to the broad applications of porous alumina nanostructures, research on fabrication of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) with nanoporous structure has triggered enormous attention. While fabrication of highly ordered nanoporous AAO with tunable geometric features has been widely reported, it is known that its growth rate can be easily affected by the fluctuation of process conditions such as acid concentration and temperature during electrochemical anodization process. To fabricate AAO with various geometric parameters, particularly, to realize precise control over pore depth for scientific research and commercial applications, a controllable fabrication process is essential. In this work, we revealed a linear correlation between the integrated electric charge flow throughout the circuit in the stable anodization process and the growth thickness of AAO membranes. With this understanding, we developed a facile approach to precisely control the growth process of the membranes. It was found that this approach is applicable in a large voltage range, and it may be extended to anodization of other metal materials such as Ti as well.

The thermomechanical stability of micro-solid oxide fuel cells fabricated on anodized aluminum oxide membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Chang-Woo; Lee, Jae-Il; Kim, Ki-Bum; Lee, Hae-Weon; Lee, Jong-Ho; Son, Ji-Won

2012-07-01

The thermomechanical stability of micro-solid oxide fuel cells (micro-SOFCs) fabricated on an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane template is investigated. The full structure consists of the following layers: AAO membrane (600 nm)/Pt anode/YSZ electrolyte (900 nm)/porous Pt cathode. The utilization of a 600-nm-thick AAO membrane significantly improves the thermomechanical stability due to its well-known honeycomb-shaped nanopore structure. Moreover, the Pt anode layer deposited in between the AAO membrane and the YSZ electrolyte preserves its integrity in terms of maintaining the triple-phase boundary (TPB) and electrical conductivity during high-temperature operation. Both of these results guarantee thermomechanical stability of the micro-SOFC and extend the cell lifetime, which is one of the most critical issues in the fabrication of freestanding membrane-type micro-SOFCs.

Chemically stable and mechanically durable superamphiphobic aluminum surface with a micro/nanoscale binary structure.

PubMed

Peng, Shan; Yang, Xiaojun; Tian, Dong; Deng, Wenli

2014-09-10

We developed a simple fabrication method to prepare a superamphiphobic aluminum surface. On the basis of a low-energy surface and the combination of micro- and nanoscale roughness, the resultant surface became super-repellent toward a wide range of liquids with surface tensions of 25.3-72.1 mN m(-1). The applied approach involved (1) the formation of an irregular microplateau structure on an aluminum surface, (2) the fabrication of a nanoplatelet structure, and (3) fluorination treatment. The chemical stability and mechanical durability of the superamphiphobic surface were evaluated in detail. The results demonstrated that the surface presented an excellent chemical stability toward cool corrosive liquids (HCl/NaOH solutions, 25 °C) and 98% concentrated sulfuric acid, hot liquids (water, HCl/NaOH solutions, 30-100 °C), solvent immersion, high temperature, and a long-term period. More importantly, the surface also exhibited robust mechanical durability and could withstand multiple-fold, finger-touch, intensive scratching by a sharp blade, ultrasonication treatment, boiling treatment in water and coffee, repeated peeling by adhesive tape, and even multiple abrasion tests under 500 g of force without losing superamphiphobicity. The as-prepared superamphiphobic surface was also demonstrated to have excellent corrosion resistance. This work provides a simple, cost-effective, and highly efficient method to fabricate a chemically stable and mechanically robust superamphiphobic aluminum surface, which can find important outdoor applications.

Functionally Graded Aluminum Foam Fabricated by Friction Powder Sintering Process with Traversing Tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Morita, Tomoaki; Koyama, Shinji; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2016-09-01

Functionally graded aluminum foam (FG Al foam) is a new class of Al foam in which the pore structure varies over the foam, resulting in corresponding variations in the mechanical properties of the foam. In this study, FG Al foam plates were fabricated by a friction powder sintering (FPS) process with a traversing tool that is based on a previously developed sintering and dissolution process. The variation of the mechanical properties was realized by setting the volume fraction φ of NaCl in the mixture to 60, 70, and 80%. Long FG Al foam plates were fabricated with a length equal to the tool traversing length with φ varying in the tool traversing direction. From x-ray computed tomography observation, it was shown that the density of the Al foam decreased with increasing φ. In contrast, almost uniform pore structures were obtained in each area. According to the results of compression tests on each area, the plateau stress and energy absorption tended to decrease with increasing φ. Therefore, it was shown that FG Al foam plates with varying mechanical properties can be fabricated by the FPS process with the traversing tool.

Fabrication of an Aluminum Based Hot Electron Mixer for Terahertz Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Echternach, P. M.; LeDuc, H. G.; Skalare, A.; McGrath, W. R.

2000-01-01

Aluminum based diffusion cooled hot electron bolometers (HEB) mixers, predicted to have better noise, bandwidth and to require less LO power than Nb based diffusion cooled HEBs, have been fabricated. Preliminary DC tests were performed. The bolometer elements consisted of short (0.1 to 0.3 micron), narrow (0.08 to 0. 15 micron) and thin (11 nm) aluminum wires connected to large contact pads consisting of a novel trilayer Al/Ti/Au. The patterns were defined by electron beam lithography and the metal deposition involved a double angle process, the Aluminum wires being deposited straight on and the pads being deposited at a 45 degree angle without breaking vacuum. The Al/Ti/Au trilayer was developed to provide a way of making contact between the aluminum wire and the gold antenna. The Titanium layer acts as a diffusion barrier to avoid damage of the Aluminum contact and bolometer wire and to lower the transition temperature of the pads to below that of the bolometer wire. The Au layer avoids the formation of an oxide on the Ti layer and provides good electrical contact to the IF/antenna structure. The resistance of the bolometers as a function of temperature was measured. It is clear that below the transition temperature of the wire (1.8K) but above the transition temperature of the contact pads (0.6K), the proximity effect drives most of the bolometer wire normal, causing a very broad transition. This effect should not affect the performance of the bolometers since they will be operated at a temperature below the TC of the pads. This is evident from the IV characteristics measured at 0.3K. RF characterization tests will begin shortly.

Fabrication of the superhydrophobic surface on aluminum alloy by anodizing and polymeric coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wenyong; Luo, Yuting; Sun, Linyu; Wu, Ruomei; Jiang, Haiyun; Liu, Yuejun

2013-01-01

We reported the preparation of the superhydrophobic surface on aluminum alloy via anodizing and polymeric coating. Both the different anodizing processes and different polymeric coatings of aluminum alloy were investigated. The effects of different anodizing conditions, such as electrolyte concentration, anodization time and current on the superhydrophobic surface were discussed. The results showed that a good superhydrophobic surface was facilely fabricated by polypropylene (PP) coating after anodizing. The optimum conditions for anodizing were determined by orthogonal experiments. When the concentration of oxalic acid was 10 g/L, the concentration of NaCl was 1.25 g/L, anodization time was 40 min, and anodization current was 0.4 A, the best superhydrophobic surface on aluminum alloy with the contact angle (CA) of 162° and the sliding angle of 2° was obtained. On the other hand, the different polymeric coatings, such as polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP) and polypropylene grafting maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) were used to coat the aluminum alloy surface after anodizing. The results showed that the superhydrophobicity was most excellent by coating PP, while the duration of the hydrophobic surface was poor. By modifying the surface with the silane coupling agent before PP coating, the duration of the superhydrophobic surface was improved. The morphologies of the superhydrophobic surface were further confirmed by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Combined with the material of PP with the low surface free energy, the micro/nano-structures of the surface resulted in the superhydrophobicity of the aluminum alloy surface.

Fabrication of Aluminum Foams with Small Pore Size by Melt Foaming Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ying; Li, Yanxiang; Chen, Xiang; Shi, Tong; Liu, Zhiyong; Wang, Ningzhen

2017-04-01

This article introduces an improvement to the fabrication of aluminum foams with small pore size by melt foaming method. Before added to the melt, the foaming agent (titanium hydride) was pretreated in two steps. It firstly went through the traditional pre-oxidation treatment, which delayed the decomposition of titanium hydride and made sure the dispersion stage was controllable. Then such pre-oxidized titanium hydride powder was mixed with copper powder in a planetary ball mill. This treatment can not only increase the number of foaming agent particles and make them easier to disperse in the melt, which helps to increase the number of pores, but also reduce the amount of hydrogen released in the foaming stage. Therefore, the pore size could be decreased. Using such a ball-milled foaming agent in melt foaming method, aluminum foams with small pore size (average size of 1.6 mm) were successfully fabricated.

Metallurgical Mechanisms Controlling Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy 2219 Produced By Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Domack, Marcia S.; Taminger, Karen M. B.; Begley, Matthew

2006-01-01

The electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) layer-additive manufacturing process has been developed to directly fabricate complex geometry components. EBF3 introduces metal wire into a molten pool created on the surface of a substrate by a focused electron beam. Part geometry is achieved by translating the substrate with respect to the beam to build the part one layer at a time. Tensile properties have been demonstrated for electron beam deposited aluminum and titanium alloys that are comparable to wrought products, although the microstructures of the deposits exhibit features more typical of cast material. Understanding the metallurgical mechanisms controlling mechanical properties is essential to maximizing application of the EBF3 process. In the current study, mechanical properties and resulting microstructures were examined for aluminum alloy 2219 fabricated over a range of EBF3 process variables. Material performance was evaluated based on tensile properties and results were compared with properties of Al 2219 wrought products. Unique microstructures were observed within the deposited layers and at interlayer boundaries, which varied within the deposit height due to microstructural evolution associated with the complex thermal history experienced during subsequent layer deposition. Microstructures exhibited irregularly shaped grains, typically with interior dendritic structures, which were described based on overall grain size, morphology, distribution, and dendrite spacing, and were correlated with deposition parameters. Fracture features were compared with microstructural elements to define fracture paths and aid in definition of basic processing-microstructure-property correlations.

Improvement of the mechanical properties of reinforced aluminum foam samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formisano, A.; Barone, A.; Carrino, L.; De Fazio, D.; Langella, A.; Viscusi, A.; Durante, M.

2018-05-01

Closed-cell aluminum foam has attracted increasing attention due to its very interesting properties, thanks to which it is expected to be used as both structural and functional material. A research challenge is the improvement of the mechanical properties of foam-based structures adopting a reinforced approach that does not compromise their lightness. Consequently, the aim of this research is the fabrication of enhanced aluminum foam samples without significantly increasing their original weight. In this regard, cylindrical samples with a core of closed-cell aluminum foam and a skin of fabrics and grids of different materials were fabricated in a one step process and were mechanically characterized, in order to investigate their behaviour and to compare their mechanical properties to the ones of the traditional foam.

YF-12 Lockalloy ventral fin program, volume 1. [design analysis, fabrication, and manufacturing of aircraft structures using aluminum and beryllium alloys for the lockheed YF-12 aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duba, R. J.; Haramis, A. C.; Marks, R. F.; Payne, L.; Sessing, R. C.

1976-01-01

Results are presented of the YF-12 Lockalloy Ventral Fin Program which was carried out by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation - Advanced Development Projects for the joint NASA/USAF YF-12 Project. The primary purpose of the program was to redesign and fabricate the ventral fin of the YF-12 research airplane (to reduce flutter) using Lockalloy, and alloy of beryllium and aluminum, as a major structural material. A secondary purpose, was to make a material characterization study (thermodynamic properties, corrosion; fatigue tests, mechanical properties) of Lockalloy to validate the design of the ventral fin and expand the existing data base on this material. All significant information pertinent to the design and fabrication of the ventral fin is covered. Emphasis throughout is given to Lockalloy fabrication and machining techniques and attendant personnel safety precautions. Costs are also examined. Photographs of tested alloy specimens are shown along with the test equipment used.

Fabrication of Polymeric Antireflection Film Manufactured by Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template on Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

PubMed

Tsai, Jenn-Kai; Tu, Yu-Shin

2017-03-15

In this study, high energy conversion efficient dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were successfully fabricated by attaching a double anti-reflection (AR) layer, which is composed of a subwavelength moth-eye structured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film. An efficiency of up to 6.79% was achieved. The moth-eye structured PMMA film was fabricated by using an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template which is simple, low-cost and scalable. The nano-pattern of the AAO template was precisely reproduced onto the PMMA film. The photoanode was composed of Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) with a diameter of 25 nm deposited on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate and the sensitizer N3. The double AR layer was proved to effectively improve the short-circuit current density (JSC) and conversion efficiency from 14.77 to 15.79 mA/cm² and from 6.26% to 6.79%, respectively.

Quench-age method for the fabrication of niobium-aluminum superconductors

DOEpatents

Pickus, Milton R.; Ciardella, Robert L.

1978-01-01

A flexible Nb.sub.3 Al superconducting wire is fabricated from a niobium-aluminum composite wire by heating to form a solid solution which is retained at room temperature as a metastable solid solution by quenching. The metastable solid solution is then transformed to the stable superconducting A-15 phase by low temperature aging. The transformation induced by aging can be controlled to yield either a multifilamentary or a solid A-15 core surrounded by ductile niobium.

Design, fracture control, fabrication, and testing of pressurized space-vehicle structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Babel, H. W.; Christensen, R. H.; Dixon, H. H.

1974-01-01

The relationship between analysis, design, fabrication, and testing of thin shells is illustrated by Saturn S-IVB, Thor, Delta, and other single-use and reusable large-size cryogenic aluminum tankage. The analyses and design to meet the design requirements are reviewed and include consideration of fracture control, general instability, and other failure modes. The effect of research and development testing on the structure is indicated. It is shown how fabrication and nondestructive and acceptance testing constrain the design. Finally, qualification testing is reviewed to illustrate the extent of testing used to develop the Saturn S-IVB.

Conductive aluminum line formation on aluminum nitride surface by infrared nanosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozioł, Paweł E.; Antończak, Arkadiusz J.; Szymczyk, Patrycja; Stępak, Bogusz; Abramski, Krzysztof M.

2013-12-01

In this paper the fabrication of conductive aluminum paths on AlN ceramic's surface due to the interaction of laser radiation Nd:YAG (1.064 μm) is presented. The metallization process produces an appropriate power value on the ceramics surface to ensure the correct temperature (2200 °C) for which aluminum and nitrogen bonds are broken. Studies have been undertaken on creating low-ohmic structures depending on the parameters such as radiation power, scanning speed, the coverage of subsequent pulses and the environmental impact of the process (air, nitrogen, argon). Furthermore, with regards to the application of this method, it was significant to determine the thickness of the functional layer. A structure of the resistivity of ρ = 0.64 × 10-6 Ω m and aluminum layer thickness of 10 μm was achieved for the process carried out on the inert gas, argon. In addition, a quantitative analysis of nitrogen and aluminum for laser-treated structures was conducted. The performed tests confirmed that the highest amount of aluminum was produced on the surface treated by laser radiation in the environment of the process gas, argon.

Fabrication and evaluation of brazed titanium-clad borsic/aluminum skin-stringer panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bales, T. T.; Royster, D. M.; Mcwithey, R. R.

1980-01-01

A successful brazing process was developed and evaluated for fabricating full-scale titanium-clad Borsic/aluminum skin-stringer panels. A panel design was developed consisting of a hybrid composite skin reinforced with capped honeycomb-core stringers. Six panels were fabricated for inclusion in the program which included laboratory testing of panels at ambient temperatures and 533 K (500 F) and flight service evaluation on the NASA Mach 3 YF-12 airplane. All panels tested met or exceeded stringent design requirements and no deleterious effects on panel properties were detected followng flight service evaluation on the YF-12 airplane.

Fabrication of a novel aluminum surface covered by numerous high-aspect-ratio anodic alumina nanofibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Daiki; Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Natsui, Shungo; Sakaguchi, Norihito; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2015-11-01

The formation behavior of anodic alumina nanofibers via anodizing in a concentrated pyrophosphoric acid under various conditions was investigated using electrochemical measurements and SEM/TEM observations. Pyrophosphoric acid anodizing at 293 K resulted in the formation of numerous anodic alumina nanofibers on an aluminum substrate through a thin barrier oxide and honeycomb oxide with narrow walls. However, long-term anodizing led to the chemical dissolution of the alumina nanofibers. The density of the anodic alumina nanofibers decreased as the applied voltage increased in the 10-75 V range. However, active electrochemical dissolution of the aluminum substrate occurred at a higher voltage of 90 V. Low temperature anodizing at 273 K resulted in the formation of long alumina nanofibers measuring several micrometers in length, even though a long processing time was required due to the low current density during the low temperature anodizing. In contrast, high temperature anodizing easily resulted in the formation and chemical dissolution of alumina nanofibers. The structural nanofeatures of the anodic alumina nanofibers were controlled by choosing of the appropriate electrochemical conditions, and numerous high-aspect-ratio alumina nanofibers (>100) can be successfully fabricated. The anodic alumina nanofibers consisted of a pure amorphous aluminum oxide without anions from the employed electrolyte.

Optimization of Aluminum Anodization Conditions for the Fabrication of Nanowires by Electrodeposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fucsko, Viola

2005-01-01

Anodized alumina nanotemplates have a variety of potential applications in the development of nanotechnology. Alumina nanotemplates are formed by oxidizing aluminum film in an electrolyte solution.During anodization, aluminum oxidizes, and, under the proper conditions, nanometer-sized pores develop. A series of experiments was conducted to determine the optimal conditions for anodization. Three-micrometer thick aluminum films on silicon and silicon oxide substrates were anodized using constant voltages of 13-25 V. 0.1-0.3M oxalic acid was used as the electrolyte. The anodization time was found to increase and the overshooting current decreased as both the voltage and the electrolyte concentrations were decreased. The samples were observed under a scanning electron microscope. Anodizing with 25V in 0.3M oxalic acid appears to be the best process conditions. The alumina nanotemplates are being used to fabricate nanowires by electrodeposition. The current-voltage characteristics of copper nanowires have also been studied.

Superplastic Forming/Adhesive Bonding of Aluminum (SPF/AB) Multi-Sheet Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, John A. (Technical Monitor); Will, Jeff D.; Cotton, James D.

2003-01-01

A significant fraction of airframe structure consists of stiffened panels that are costly and difficult to fabricate. This program explored a potentially lower-cost processing route for producing such panels. The alternative process sought to apply concurrent superplastic forming and adhesive bonding of aluminum alloy sheets. Processing conditions were chosen to balance adequate superplasticity of the alloy with thermal stability of the adhesive. As a first objective, an air-quenchable, superplastic aluminum-lithium alloy and a low-volatile content, low-viscosity adhesive with compatible forming/curing cycles were identified. A four-sheet forming pack was assembled which consisted of a welded two-sheet core separated from the face sheets by a layer of adhesive. Despite some preliminary success, of over 30 forming trials none was completely successful. The main problem was inadequate superplasticity in the heat-affected zones of the rib welds, which generally fractured prior to completion of the forming cycle. The welds are a necessary component in producing internal ribs by the 'four-sheet' process. Other challenges, such as surface preparation and adhesive bonding, were adequately solved. But without the larger issue of tearing at the weld locations, complex panel fabrication by SPF/AB does not appear viable.

Fabrication of orderly nanostructured PLGA scaffolds using anodic aluminum oxide templates.

PubMed

Wang, Gou-Jen; Lin, Yan-Cheng; Li, Ching-Wen; Hsueh, Cheng-Chih; Hsu, Shan-Hui; Hung, Huey-Shan

2009-08-01

In this research, two simple fabrication methods to fabricate orderly nanostructured PLGA scaffolds using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template were conducted. In the vacuum air-extraction approach, the PLGA solution was cast on an AAO template first. The vacuum air-extraction process was then applied to suck the semi-congealed PLGA into the nanopores of the AAO template to form a bamboo sprouts array of PLGA. The surface roughness of the nanostructured scaffolds, ranging from 20 nm to 76 nm, can be controlled by the sucking time of the vacuum air-extraction process. In the replica molding approach, the PLGA solution was cast on the orderly scraggy barrier-layer surface of an AAO membrane to fabricate a PLGA scaffold of concave nanostructure. Cell culture experiments using the bovine endothelial cells (BEC) demonstrated that the nanostructured PLGA membrane can increase the cell growing rate, especially for the bamboo sprouts array scaffolds with smaller surface roughness.

Aluminum powder metallurgy processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flumerfelt, Joel Fredrick

In recent years, the aluminum powder industry has expanded into non-aerospace applications. However, the alumina and aluminum hydroxide in the surface oxide film on aluminum powder require high cost powder processing routes. A driving force for this research is to broaden the knowledge base about aluminum powder metallurgy to provide ideas for fabricating low cost aluminum powder components. The objective of this dissertation is to explore the hypothesis that there is a strong linkage between gas atomization processing conditions, as-atomized aluminum powder characteristics, and the consolidation methodology required to make components from aluminum powder. The hypothesis was tested with pure aluminum powders produced by commercial air atomization commercial inert gas atomization and gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS). The commercial atomization methods are bench marks of current aluminum powder technology. The GARS process is a laboratory scale inert gas atomization facility. A benefit of using pure aluminum powders is an unambiguous interpretation of the results without considering the effects of alloy elements. A comparison of the GARS aluminum powders with the commercial aluminum powders showed the former to exhibit superior powder characteristics. The powders were compared in terms of size and shape, bulk chemistry, surface oxide chemistry and structure, and oxide film thickness. Minimum explosive concentration measurements assessed the dependence of explosibility hazard on surface area, oxide film thickness, and gas atomization processing conditions. The GARS aluminum powders were exposed to different relative humidity levels, demonstrating the effect of atmospheric conditions on post-atomization oxidation of aluminum powder. An Al-Ti-Y GARS alloy exposed in ambient air at different temperatures revealed the effect of reactive alloy elements on post-atomization powder oxidation. The pure aluminum powders were consolidated by two different routes, a

Characterization of Electron Beam Free-Form Fabricated 2219 Aluminum and 316 Stainless Steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ekrami, Yasamin; Forth, Scott C.; Waid, Michael C.

2011-01-01

Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center have developed an additive manufacturing technology for ground and future space based applications. The electron beam free form fabrication (EBF3) is a rapid metal fabrication process that utilizes an electron beam gun in a vacuum environment to replicate a CAD drawing of a part. The electron beam gun creates a molten pool on a metal substrate, and translates with respect to the substrate to deposit metal in designated regions through a layer additive process. Prior to demonstration and certification of a final EBF3 part for space flight, it is imperative to conduct a series of materials validation and verification tests on the ground in order to evaluate mechanical and microstructural properties of the EBF3 manufactured parts. Part geometries of EBF3 2219 aluminum and 316 stainless steel specimens were metallographically inspected, and tested for strength, fatigue crack growth, and fracture toughness. Upon comparing the results to conventionally welded material, 2219 aluminum in the as fabricated condition demonstrated a 30% and 16% decrease in fracture toughness and ductility, respectively. The strength properties of the 316 stainless steel material in the as deposited condition were comparable to annealed stainless steel alloys. Future fatigue crack growth tests will integrate various stress ranges and maximum to minimum stress ratios needed to fully characterize EBF3 manufactured specimens.

Orbital fabrication of aluminum foam and apparatus therefore

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Dennis S. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A process for producing foamed aluminum in space comprising the steps of: heating aluminum until it is molten; applying the force of gravity to the molten aluminum; injecting gas into the molten aluminum to produce molten foamed aluminum; and allowing the molten foamed aluminum to cool to below melting temperature. The apparatus for carrying out this invention comprises: a furnace which rotates to simulate the force of gravity and heats the aluminum until it is molten; a door on the furnace, which is opened for charging the aluminum into the furnace, closed for processing and opened again for removal of the foamed aluminum; a gas injection apparatus for injecting gas into the molten aluminum within the furnace; and an extraction apparatus adjacent the door for removing the foamed aluminum from the furnace.

FABRICATION OF URANIUM-ALUMINUM ALLOYS

DOEpatents

Saller, H.A.

1959-12-15

A process is presented for producing a workable article of a uranium- aluminum alloy in which the uranium content is between 14 and 70% by weight; aluminum powder and powdered UAl/sub 2/, UAl/sub 3/, UAl/sub 5/, or UBe/sub 9/ are mixed, and the mixture is compressed into the shape desired and sintered at between 450 and 600 deg C.

Application of a Meso-scale Based Ballistic Fabric Model to the Development of Advanced Lightweight Engine Fan Blade-Out Containment Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

composed of a basic metallic shell structure with a dry Kevlar wrap around it is considered. The fan blade is made of titanium alloy modeled by a Johnson...material. A multilayered Kevlar woven dry fabric structure is wrapped around the thin aluminum shell to form a soft hybrid fan case. A woven fabric material...debris protection fan case composed of a basic metallic shell structure with a dry Kevlar wrap around it is considered. The fan blade is made of titanium

Design and fabrication of Rene 41 advanced structural panels. [their performance under axial compression, shear, and bending loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, B. E.; Northrup, R. F.

1975-01-01

The efficiency was investigated of curved elements in the design of lightweight structural panels under combined loads of axial compression, inplane shear, and bending. The application is described of technology generated in the initial aluminum program to the design and fabrication of Rene 41 panels for subsequent performance tests at elevated temperature. Optimum designs for two panel configurations are presented. The designs are applicable to hypersonic airplane wing structure, and are designed specifically for testing at elevated temperature in the hypersonic wing test structure located at the NASA Flight Research Center. Fabrication methods developed to produce the Rene panels are described, and test results of smaller structural element specimens are presented to verify the design and fabrication methods used. Predicted strengths of the panels under several proposed elevated temperature test load conditions are presented.

Deformation and Plateau Region of Functionally Graded Aluminum Foam by Amount Combinations of Added Blowing Agent.

PubMed

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Kitahara, Soichiro; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2015-10-21

Recently, to further improve the performance of aluminum foam, functionally graded (FG) aluminum foams, whose pore structure varies with their position, have been developed. In this study, three types of FG aluminum foam of aluminum alloy die casting ADC12 with combinations of two different amounts of added blowing agent titanium(II) hydride (TiH₂) powder were fabricated by a friction stir welding (FSW) route precursor foaming method. The combinations of 1.0-0 mass %, 0.4-0 mass %, and 0.2-0 mass % TiH₂ were selected as the amounts of TiH₂ relative to the mass of the volume stirred by FSW. The static compression tests of the fabricated FG aluminum foams were carried out. The deformation and fracture of FG aluminum foams fundamentally started in the high-porosity (with TiH₂ addition) layer and shifted to the low-porosity (without TiH₂ addition) layer. The first and second plateau regions in the relationship between compressive stress and strain independently appeared with the occurrence of deformations and fractures in the high- and low-porosity layers. It was shown that FG aluminum foams, whose plateau region varies in steps by the combination of amounts of added TiH₂ ( i.e. , the combination of pore structures), can be fabricated.

Superhydrophobic surface prepared by micro-milling and WEDM on aluminum alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanling, Wan; Jian, Yang; Huadong, Yu

2018-06-01

To simulate the hydrophobic microstructure of rice leaf surface, high-speed precision micro-milling machine was used to fabricate micro groove array structure on the surface of aluminum alloy. The micro-and nanostructure was constructed on the surface of the grooved convex platform by Wire Cut Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM). The surface morphology and hydrophobic properties of the aluminum alloy microstructures fabricated by two processing methods were observed respectively, and the hydrophobic mechanism was analyzed. The results show that the contact angle was effectively improved from 49° up to 158.4° in the vertical direction, and 146.7° in the parallel direction. The change of surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic was realized. By comparison, the micro-and nanostructure fabricated by WEDM had improved the hydrophobic stability of the aluminum alloy surface while enlarging the contact Angle, and the micro-milling groove structure further amplified the contact angle and greatly reduced the contact area of the water droplet, it was also observed that the drop took longer to completely spread on the sample after WEDM.

Development of gallium aluminum phosphide electroluminescent diodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chicotka, R. J.; Lorenz, M. R.; Nethercot, A. H.; Pettit, G. D.

1972-01-01

Work done on the development of gallium aluminum phosphide alloys for electroluminescent light sources is described. The preparation of this wide band gap semiconductor alloy, its physical properties (particularly the band structure, the electrical characteristics, and the light emitting properties) and work done on the fabrication of diode structures from these alloys are broadly covered.

Fabrication methods for YF-12 wing panels for the Supersonic Cruise Aircraft Research Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, E. L.; Payne, L.; Carter, A. L.

1975-01-01

Advanced fabrication and joining processes for titanium and composite materials are being investigated by NASA to develop technology for the Supersonic Cruise Aircraft Research (SCAR) Program. With Lockheed-ADP as the prime contractor, full-scale structural panels are being designed and fabricated to replace an existing integrally stiffened shear panel on the upper wing surface of the NASA YF-12 aircraft. The program involves ground testing and Mach 3 flight testing of full-scale structural panels and laboratory testing of representative structural element specimens. Fabrication methods and test results for weldbrazed and Rohrbond titanium panels are discussed. The fabrication methods being developed for boron/aluminum, Borsic/aluminum, and graphite/polyimide panels are also presented.

Fabrication of Si(111) crystalline thin film on graphene by aluminum-induced crystallization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Høiaas, I. M.; Kim, D. C., E-mail: dc.kim@crayonano.com, E-mail: helge.weman@ntnu.no; Weman, H., E-mail: dc.kim@crayonano.com, E-mail: helge.weman@ntnu.no

2016-04-18

We report the fabrication of a Si(111) crystalline thin film on graphene by the aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) process. The AIC process of Si(111) on graphene is shown to be enhanced compared to that on an amorphous SiO{sub 2} substrate, resulting in a more homogeneous Si(111) thin film structure as revealed by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy measurements. Raman measurements confirm that the graphene is intact throughout the process, retaining its characteristic phonon spectrum without any appearance of the D peak. A red-shift of Raman peaks, which is more pronounced for the 2D peak, is observed in graphene after themore » crystallization process. It is found to correlate with the red-shift of the Si Raman peak, suggesting an epitaxial relationship between graphene and the adsorbed AIC Si(111) film with both the graphene and Si under tensile strain.« less

Superconducting structure with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride

DOEpatents

Murduck, James M.; Lepetre, Yves J.; Schuller, Ivan K.; Ketterson, John B.

1989-01-01

A superconducting structure is formed by depositing alternate layers of aluminum nitride and niobium nitride on a substrate. Deposition methods include dc magnetron reactive sputtering, rf magnetron reactive sputtering, thin-film diffusion, chemical vapor deposition, and ion-beam deposition. Structures have been built with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride having thicknesses in a range of 20 to 350 Angstroms. Best results have been achieved with films of niobium nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 70 Angstroms and aluminum nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 20 Angstroms. Such films of niobium nitride separated by a single layer of aluminum nitride are useful in forming Josephson junctions. Structures of 30 or more alternating layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride are useful when deposited on fixed substrates or flexible strips to form bulk superconductors for carrying electric current. They are also adaptable as voltage-controlled microwave energy sources.

Degradation Mechanisms in Aluminum Matrix Composites: Alumina/Aluminum and Boron/Aluminum. Ph.D. Thesis - North Carolina State Univ. at Raleigh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, G. C.

1981-01-01

The effects of fabrication and long term thermal exposure (up to 10,000 hours at 590 K) on two types of aluminum matrix composites were examined. An alumina/aluminum composite, was made of continuous alpha Al2O3 fibers in a matrix of commercially pure aluminum alloyed with 2.8% lithium. The mechanical properties of the material, the effect of isothermal exposure, cyclic thermal exposure, and fatigue are presented. Two degradation mechanisms are identified. One was caused by formation of a nonstoichiometric alumina during fabrication, the other by a loss of lithium to a surface reaction during long term thermal exposure. The other composite, boron/aluminum, made of boron fibers in an aluminum matrix, was investigated using five different aluminum alloys for the matrices. The mechanical properties of each material and the effect of isothermal and cyclic thermal exposure are presented. The effects of each alloy constituent on the degradation mechanisms are discussed. The effects of several reactions between alloy constituents and boron fibers on the composite properties are discussed.

Deformation and Plateau Region of Functionally Graded Aluminum Foam by Amount Combinations of Added Blowing Agent

PubMed Central

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Utsunomiya, Takao; Kuwazuru, Osamu; Kitahara, Soichiro; Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro

2015-01-01

Recently, to further improve the performance of aluminum foam, functionally graded (FG) aluminum foams, whose pore structure varies with their position, have been developed. In this study, three types of FG aluminum foam of aluminum alloy die casting ADC12 with combinations of two different amounts of added blowing agent titanium(II) hydride (TiH2) powder were fabricated by a friction stir welding (FSW) route precursor foaming method. The combinations of 1.0–0 mass %, 0.4–0 mass %, and 0.2–0 mass % TiH2 were selected as the amounts of TiH2 relative to the mass of the volume stirred by FSW. The static compression tests of the fabricated FG aluminum foams were carried out. The deformation and fracture of FG aluminum foams fundamentally started in the high-porosity (with TiH2 addition) layer and shifted to the low-porosity (without TiH2 addition) layer. The first and second plateau regions in the relationship between compressive stress and strain independently appeared with the occurrence of deformations and fractures in the high- and low-porosity layers. It was shown that FG aluminum foams, whose plateau region varies in steps by the combination of amounts of added TiH2 (i.e., the combination of pore structures), can be fabricated. PMID:28793626

Superconducting structure with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride

DOEpatents

Murduck, J.M.; Lepetre, Y.J.; Schuller, I.K.; Ketterson, J.B.

1989-07-04

A superconducting structure is formed by depositing alternate layers of aluminum nitride and niobium nitride on a substrate. Deposition methods include dc magnetron reactive sputtering, rf magnetron reactive sputtering, thin-film diffusion, chemical vapor deposition, and ion-beam deposition. Structures have been built with layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride having thicknesses in a range of 20 to 350 Angstroms. Best results have been achieved with films of niobium nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 70 Angstroms and aluminum nitride deposited to a thickness of approximately 20 Angstroms. Such films of niobium nitride separated by a single layer of aluminum nitride are useful in forming Josephson junctions. Structures of 30 or more alternating layers of niobium nitride and aluminum nitride are useful when deposited on fixed substrates or flexible strips to form bulk superconductors for carrying electric current. They are also adaptable as voltage-controlled microwave energy sources. 8 figs.

Process for the fabrication of aluminum metallized pyrolytic graphite sputtering targets

DOEpatents

Makowiecki, Daniel M.; Ramsey, Philip B.; Juntz, Robert S.

1995-01-01

An improved method for fabricating pyrolytic graphite sputtering targets with superior heat transfer ability, longer life, and maximum energy transmission. Anisotropic pyrolytic graphite is contoured and/or segmented to match the erosion profile of the sputter target and then oriented such that the graphite's high thermal conductivity planes are in maximum contact with a thermally conductive metal backing. The graphite contact surface is metallized, using high rate physical vapor deposition (HRPVD), with an aluminum coating and the thermally conductive metal backing is joined to the metallized graphite target by one of four low-temperature bonding methods; liquid-metal casting, powder metallurgy compaction, eutectic brazing, and laser welding.

Realizing structural color generation with aluminum plasmonic V-groove metasurfaces

DOE PAGES

Wang, Wei; Rosenmann, Daniel; Czaplewski, David A.; ...

2017-08-14

The structural color printing based on all-aluminum plasmonic V-groove metasurfaces is demonstrated under both bright field and dark field illumination conditions. A broad visible color range is realized with the plasmonic V-groove arrays etched on aluminum surface by simply varying the groove depth while keeping the groove period as a constant. Polarization dependent structural color printing is further achieved with interlaced V-groove arrays along both the horizontal and vertical directions. Furthermore, these results pave the way towards the use of all-aluminum structural color printing platform for many practical applications such as security marking and information storage.

Realizing structural color generation with aluminum plasmonic V-groove metasurfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Wei; Rosenmann, Daniel; Czaplewski, David A.

The structural color printing based on all-aluminum plasmonic V-groove metasurfaces is demonstrated under both bright field and dark field illumination conditions. A broad visible color range is realized with the plasmonic V-groove arrays etched on aluminum surface by simply varying the groove depth while keeping the groove period as a constant. Polarization dependent structural color printing is further achieved with interlaced V-groove arrays along both the horizontal and vertical directions. Furthermore, these results pave the way towards the use of all-aluminum structural color printing platform for many practical applications such as security marking and information storage.

Single-step direct fabrication of pillar-on-pore hybrid nanostructures in anodizing aluminum for superior superhydrophobic efficiency.

PubMed

Jeong, Chanyoung; Choi, Chang-Hwan

2012-02-01

Conventional electrochemical anodizing processes of metals such as aluminum typically produce planar and homogeneous nanopore structures. If hydrophobically treated, such 2D planar and interconnected pore structures typically result in lower contact angle and larger contact angle hysteresis than 3D disconnected pillar structures and, hence, exhibit inferior superhydrophobic efficiency. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that the anodizing parameters can be engineered to design novel pillar-on-pore (POP) hybrid nanostructures directly in a simple one-step fabrication process so that superior surface superhydrophobicity can also be realized effectively from the electrochemical anodization process. On the basis of the characteristic of forming a self-ordered porous morphology in a hexagonal array, the modulation of anodizing voltage and duration enabled the formulation of the hybrid-type nanostructures having controlled pillar morphology on top of a porous layer in both mild and hard anodization modes. The hybrid nanostructures of the anodized metal oxide layer initially enhanced the surface hydrophilicity significantly (i.e., superhydrophilic). However, after a hydrophobic monolayer coating, such hybrid nanostructures then showed superior superhydrophobic nonwetting properties not attainable by the plain nanoporous surfaces produced by conventional anodization conditions. The well-regulated anodization process suggests that electrochemical anodizing can expand its usefulness and efficacy to render various metallic substrates with great superhydrophilicity or -hydrophobicity by directly realizing pillar-like structures on top of a self-ordered nanoporous array through a simple one-step fabrication procedure.

The feasibility of producing aluminum-lithium structures for cryogenic tankage applications by laser beam welding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martukanitz, R. P.; Lysher, K. G.

1993-01-01

Aluminum-lithium alloys exhibit high strength, high elastic modulus, and low density as well as excellent cryogenic mechanical properties making them ideal material candidates for cryogenic tanks. NASA has proposed the use of 'built-up' structure for panels fabricated into cryogenic tanks replacing current conventional machining. Superplastically formed stiffeners would be joined to sheet (tank skin) that had been roll formed to the radius of the tank in order to produce panels. Aluminum-lithium alloys of interest for producing the built-up structure include alloy 2095-T6 stiffeners to 2095-T8 sheet and alloy 8090-T6 stiffeners to 2090-T83 sheet. Laser welding, with comparable joint properties, offers the following advantages over conventional welding: higher production rates, minimal degradation within the heat affected zones, and full process automation. This study established process parameters for laser beam welding, mechanical property determinations, metallographic characterization, and fabrication of prototype panels. Tensile tests representing partial penetration of the skin alloys provided joint efficiencies between 65 and 77 percent, depending upon alloy and degree of penetration. Results of tension shear tests of lap welds indicated that the combination of 2095-T6 to 2090-T8 exhibited significantly higher weld shear strength at the interface in comparison to welds of 8090-T6 to 2090-T83. The increased shear strength associated with 2095 is believed to be due to the alloy's ability to precipitation strengthening (naturally age) after welding.

Oxide-cladding aluminum nitride photonic crystal slab: Design and investigation of material dispersion and fabrication induced disorder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Melo, E. G., E-mail: emerdemelo@usp.br; Alvarado, M. A.; Carreño, M. N. P.

2016-01-14

Photonic crystal slabs with a lower-index material surrounding the core layer are an attractive choice to circumvent the drawbacks in the fabrication of membranes suspended in air. In this work we propose a photonic crystal (PhC) slab structure composed of a triangular pattern of air holes in a multilayer thin film of aluminum nitride embedded in silicon dioxide layers designed for operating around 450 nm wavelengths. We show the design of an ideal structure and analyze the effects of material dispersion based on a first-order correction perturbation theory approach using dielectric functions obtained by experimental measurements of the thin film materials.more » Numerical methods were used to investigate the effects of fabrication induced disorder of typical nanofabrication processes on the bandgap size and spectral response of the proposed device. Deviation in holes radii and positions were introduced in the proposed PhC slab model with a Gaussian distribution profile. Impacts of slope in holes sidewalls that might result from the dry etching of AlN were also evaluated. The results show that for operation at the midgap frequency, slope in holes sidewalls is more critical than displacements in holes sizes and positions.« less

Process for the fabrication of aluminum metallized pyrolytic graphite sputtering targets

DOEpatents

Makowiecki, D.M.; Ramsey, P.B.; Juntz, R.S.

1995-07-04

An improved method is disclosed for fabricating pyrolytic graphite sputtering targets with superior heat transfer ability, longer life, and maximum energy transmission. Anisotropic pyrolytic graphite is contoured and/or segmented to match the erosion profile of the sputter target and then oriented such that the graphite`s high thermal conductivity planes are in maximum contact with a thermally conductive metal backing. The graphite contact surface is metallized, using high rate physical vapor deposition (HRPVD), with an aluminum coating and the thermally conductive metal backing is joined to the metallized graphite target by one of four low-temperature bonding methods; liquid-metal casting, powder metallurgy compaction, eutectic brazing, and laser welding. 11 figs.

Preparing nano-hole arrays by using porous anodic aluminum oxide nano-structural masks for the enhanced emission from InGaN/GaN blue light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Hoang-Duy; Nguyen, Hieu Pham Trung; Lee, Jae-jin; Mho, Sun-Il

2012-12-01

We report on the achievement of the enhanced cathodoluminescence (CL) from InGaN/GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by using roughening surface. Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) mask was utilized to form nano-hole arrays on the surface of InGaN/GaN LEDs. AAO membranes with ordered hexagonal structures were fabricated from aluminum foils by a two-step anodization method. The average pore densities of ˜1.0 × 1010 cm-2 and 3.0 × 1010 cm-2 were fabricated with the constant anodization voltages of 25 and 40 V, respectively. Anodic porous alumina film with a thickness of ˜600 nm has been used as a mask for the induced couple plasma etching process to fabricate nano-hole arrays on the LED surface. Diameter and depth of nano-holes can be controlled by varying the etching duration and/or the diameter of AAO membranes. Due to the reduction of total internal reflection obtained in the patterned samples, we have observed that the cathodoluminescence intensity of LEDs with nanoporous structures is increased up to eight times compared to that of samples without using nanoporous structure.

Potassium-argon (argon-argon), structural fabrics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cosca, Michael A.; Rink, W. Jack; Thompson, Jereon

2014-01-01

Definition: 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of structural fabrics: The application of 40Ar/39Ar methods to date development of structural fabrics in geologic samples. Introduction: Structural fabrics develop during rock deformation at variable pressures (P), temperatures (T), fluid compositions (X), and time (t). Structural fabrics are represented in rocks by features such as foliations and shear zones developed at the mm to km scale. In ideal cases, the P-T-X history of a given structural fabric can be constrained using stable isotope, cation exchange, and/or mineral equilibria thermobarometry (Essene 1989). The timing of structural fabric development can be assessed qualitatively using geologic field observations or quantitatively using isotope-based geochronology. High-precision geochronology of the thermal and fluid flow histories associated with structural fabric development can answer fundamental geologic questions including (1) when hydrothermal fluids transported and deposited ore minerals, ...

Polymer nanoimprinting using an anodized aluminum mold for structural coloration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Nishinaga, Osamu; Natsui, Shungo; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2015-06-01

Polymer nanoimprinting of submicrometer-scale dimple arrays with structural coloration was demonstrated. Highly ordered aluminum dimple arrays measuring 530-670 nm in diameter were formed on an aluminum substrate via etidronic acid anodizing at 210-270 V and subsequent anodic oxide dissolution. The nanostructured aluminum surface led to bright structural coloration with a rainbow spectrum, and the reflected wavelength strongly depends on the angle of the specimen and the period of the dimple array. The reflection peak shifts gradually with the dimple diameter toward longer wavelength, reaching 800 nm in wavelength at 670 nm in diameter. The shape of the aluminum dimple arrays were successfully transferred to a mercapto-ester ultra-violet curable polymer via self-assembled monolayer coating and polymer replications using a nanoimprinting technique. The nanostructured polymer surfaces with positively and negatively shaped dimple arrays also exhibited structural coloration based on the periodic nanostructure, and reflected light mostly in the visible region, 400-800 nm. This nanostructuring with structural coloration can be easily realized by simple techniques such as anodizing, SAM coating, and nanoimprinting.

Process development and fabrication of space station type aluminum-clad graphite epoxy struts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ring, L. R.

1990-01-01

The manufacture of aluminum-clad graphite epoxy struts, designed for application to the Space Station truss structure, is described. The strut requirements are identified, and the strut material selection rationale is discussed. The manufacturing procedure is described, and shop documents describing the details are included. Dry graphite fiber, Pitch-75, is pulled between two concentric aluminum tubes. Epoxy resin is then injected and cured. After reduction of the aluminum wall thickness by chemical milling the end fittings are bonded on the tubes. A discussion of the characteristics of the manufactured struts, i.e., geometry, weight, and any anomalies of the individual struts is included.

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-02-01

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials.

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes

PubMed Central

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-01-01

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials. PMID:26831759

Preparation of Aluminum Nanomesh Thin Films from an Anodic Aluminum Oxide Template as Transparent Conductive Electrodes.

PubMed

Li, Yiwen; Chen, Yulong; Qiu, Mingxia; Yu, Hongyu; Zhang, Xinhai; Sun, Xiao Wei; Chen, Rui

2016-02-02

We have employed anodic aluminum oxide as a template to prepare ultrathin, transparent, and conducting Al films with a unique nanomesh structure for transparent conductive electrodes. The anodic aluminum oxide template is obtained through direct anodization of a sputtered Al layer on a glass substrate, and subsequent wet etching creates the nanomesh metallic film. The optical and conductive properties are greatly influenced by experimental conditions. By tuning the anodizing time, transparent electrodes with appropriate optical transmittance and sheet resistance have been obtained. The results demonstrate that our proposed strategy can serve as a potential method to fabricate low-cost TCEs to replace conventional indium tin oxide materials.

Atomic-scale epitaxial aluminum film on GaAs substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yen-Ting; Lo, Ming-Cheng; Wu, Chu-Chun; Chen, Peng-Yu; Wu, Jenq-Shinn; Liang, Chi-Te; Lin, Sheng-Di

2017-07-01

Atomic-scale metal films exhibit intriguing size-dependent film stability, electrical conductivity, superconductivity, and chemical reactivity. With advancing methods for preparing ultra-thin and atomically smooth metal films, clear evidences of the quantum size effect have been experimentally collected in the past two decades. However, with the problems of small-area fabrication, film oxidation in air, and highly-sensitive interfaces between the metal, substrate, and capping layer, the uses of the quantized metallic films for further ex-situ investigations and applications have been seriously limited. To this end, we develop a large-area fabrication method for continuous atomic-scale aluminum film. The self-limited oxidation of aluminum protects and quantizes the metallic film and enables ex-situ characterizations and device processing in air. Structure analysis and electrical measurements on the prepared films imply the quantum size effect in the atomic-scale aluminum film. Our work opens the way for further physics studies and device applications using the quantized electronic states in metals.

The structure-directed effect of Al-based metal–organic frameworks on fabrication of alumina by thermal treatment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Dandan, E-mail: liudandan_upc@126.com; Dai, Fangna, E-mail: fndai@upc.edu.cn; Collage of Science, China University of Petroleum

2015-05-15

Highlights: • We use Al-MOFs as precursor in the fabrication process of mesoporous alumina by thermal treatment. • The obtained mesoporous alumina has dual pore system and five-fold aluminum. • The aluminum building units in the precursor show structure-directed effect on the formation of alumina. - Abstract: In this work, the block-shaped Al-based metal–organic frameworks (Al-MOFs) MIL-53 have been synthesized by hydrothermal method. To detect the correlation between the structure of Al-MOFs and the formation of alumina, the ligands are eliminated by thermal treatment. MIL-53 and the calcination products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR),more » scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption–desorption and solid-state {sup 27}Al nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 27}Al NMR). It was found that after calcination, the block-shaped Al-MOFs precursor turns into high-crystallinity mesoporous alumina nanosheets, and the thermal treatment product γ-alumina possesses a dual pore system and a large surface area (146 m{sup 2}/g), with five-fold aluminum. During the thermal treatment process, the structure of MIL-53 and its secondary building units have structure-directed effect in the formation of alumina.« less

Rigorous calculations and fabrication by self-assembly techniques of 2D subwavelength structures of gold for photonic applications.

PubMed

Pullini, Daniele; Repetto, Piermario; Bernard, Stefano; Doskolovich, Leonid; Perlo, Pietro

2005-08-20

The use of metal 2D subwavelength structures (SWSs) is a promising solution for all those applications where a selective emission from a thermal source is desirable, e.g., photovoltaic and blackbody emission. The investigation of the SWS's photonic bandgap properties is challenging, especially for the infrared and visible spectra, where the fabrication difficulties have always represented an obstacle. In this paper, the anodization of aluminum films as a self-assembly method for the SWS fabrication is proposed. A rigorous calculation of 2D SWSs of gold having high absorptivity in the visible and low absorptivity in the NIR, their fabrication by DC-sputtering deposition through anodic porous alumina templates, and their optical and topographic characterization are presented.

Hybrid Aluminum and Natural Fiber Composite Structure for Crash Safety Improvement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helaili, S.; Chafra, M.; Chevalier, Y.

There is a growing interest on pedestrian's protection in automotive safety standards. Pedestrians head impact is one of the most important tests. In this paper, a hybrid composite structure made from natural fiber and aluminum, which improve the head protection when impact is taken place, is presented. The structure is made from a honeycomb composite made from unidirectional and woven composites and a thin aluminum layer. A head impact model is developed. The number of hexagonal layers is fixed and the thickness of the aluminum layer of the honeycomb structure is varied. The specific absorption energy is then calculated.

Fabrication of sub-diffraction-limit molecular structures by scanning near-field photolithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducker, Robert E.; Montague, Matthew T.; Sun, Shuqing; Leggett, Graham J.

2007-09-01

Using a scanning near-field optical microscope coupled to a UV laser, an approach we term scanning near-field photolithography (SNP), structures as small as 9 nm (ca. λ/30) may be fabricated in self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold surfaces. Selective exposure of the adsorbate molecules in the near field leads to photoconversion of the alkylthiolate to a weakly bound alkylsulfonate which may be displaced readily be a contrasting thiol, leading to a chemical pattern, or used as a resist for the selective etching of the underlying metal. A novel ultra-mild etch for gold is reported, and used to etch structures as small as 9 nm. Photopatterning of oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) terminated selfassembled monolayers facilitates the fabrication of biomolecular nanostructures. Selective removal of the protein-resistant OEG terminated adsorbates created regions that may be functionalized with a second thiol and derivatized with a biomolecule. Finally, the application of SNP to nanopatterning on oxide surfaces is demonstrated. Selective exposure of monolayers of phosphonic acids adsorbed onto aluminum oxide leads to cleavage of the P-C bond and desorption of the adsorbate molecule. Subsequent etching, using aqueous based, yields structures as small as 100 nm.

Fabrication of High Strength Lightweight Metals for Armor and Structural Applications: Large Scale Equal Channel Angular Extrusion Processing of Aluminum 5083 Alloy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

ARL-TR-8047 ● JUNE 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Fabrication of High -Strength Lightweight Metals for Armor and Structural...to the originator. ARL-TR-8047 ● JUNE 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Fabrication of High -Strength Lightweight Metals for...Fabrication of High -Strength Lightweight Metals for Armor and Structural Applications: Large-Scale Equal Channel Angular Extrusion Processing of

Controllable superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with tunable adhesion fabricated by femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuxin; Wang, Cong; Dong, Xinran; Yin, Kai; Zhang, Fan; Xie, Zheng; Chu, Dongkai; Duan, Ji'an

2018-06-01

In this study, a facile and detailed strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with controllable adhesion by femtosecond laser ablation is presented. The influences of key femtosecond laser processing parameters including the scanning speed, laser power and interval on the wetting properties of the laser-ablated surfaces are investigated. It is demonstrated that the adhesion between water and superhydrophobic surface can be effectively tuned from extremely low adhesion to high adhesion by adjusting laser processing parameters. At the same time, the mechanism is discussed for the changes of the wetting behaviors of the laser-ablated surfaces. These superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable adhesion have many potential applications, such as self-cleaning surface, oil-water separation, anti-icing surface and liquid transportation.

The effect of aluminum nanoparticles on the structure, mechanical properties and failure of aluminum processed by accumulative roll bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, K. V.; Fortuna, S. V.; Kalashnikova, T. A.; Rodkevich, N. G.

2017-12-01

The microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture type of aluminum with and without aluminum nanoparticles processed by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) have been studied using transmission and scanning electron microscopy, microhardness measurements, and tensile tests. It is shown that the injection of aluminum nanoparticles increases the structure refinement rate during ARB due to the increasing tendency for dynamic recrystallization. It has a different effect on different mechanical characteristics. The different effect of nanoparticles on different structural features is the reason for the different effect on different mechanical properties related with these features. The fracture mechanism is shown to change from ductile in aluminum to mixed ductile-brittle in the composite with a 1.5-fold decrease in ductility as a result of nanoparticle injection.

Fabrication of Pd Micro-Membrane Supported on Nano-Porous Anodized Aluminum Oxide for Hydrogen Separation.

PubMed

Kim, Taegyu

2015-08-01

In the present study, nano-porous anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) was used as a support of the Pd membrane. The AAO fabrication process consists of an electrochemical polishing, first/second anodizing, barrier layer dissolving and pores widening. The Pd membrane was deposited on the AAO support using an electroless plating with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a plating agent. The AAO had the regular pore structure with the maximum pore diameter of ~100 nm so it had a large opening area but a small free standing area. The 2 µm-thick Pd layer was obtained by the electroless plating for 3 hours. The Pd layer thickness increased with increasing the plating time. However, the thickness was limited to ~5 µm in maximum. The H2 permeation flux was 0.454 mol/m2-s when the pressure difference of 66.36 kPa0.5 was applied at the Pd membrane under 400 °C.

Strengthening of Aluminum Wires Treated with A206/Alumina Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Florián-Algarín, David; Marrero, Raúl; Li, Xiaochun; Choi, Hongseok; Suárez, Oscar Marcelo

2018-03-10

This study sought to characterize aluminum nanocomposite wires that were fabricated through a cold-rolling process, having potential applications in TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding of aluminum. A206 (Al-4.5Cu-0.25Mg) master nanocomposites with 5 wt % γAl₂O₃ nanoparticles were first manufactured through a hybrid process combining semi-solid mixing and ultrasonic processing. A206/1 wt % γAl₂O₃ nanocomposites were fabricated by diluting the prepared master nanocomposites with a monolithic A206 alloy, which was then added to a pure aluminum melt. The fabricated Al-γAl₂O₃ nanocomposite billet was cold-rolled to produce an Al nanocomposite wire with a 1 mm diameter and a transverse area reduction of 96%. Containing different levels of nanocomposites, the fabricated samples were mechanically and electrically characterized. The results demonstrate a significantly higher strength of the aluminum wires with the nanocomposite addition. Further, the addition of alumina nanoparticles affected the wires' electrical conductivity compared with that of pure aluminum and aluminum-copper alloys. The overall properties of the new material demonstrate that these wires could be an appealing alternative for fillers intended for aluminum welding.

Aluminum alloy material structure impact localization by using FBG sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiubin

2014-12-01

The aluminum alloy structure impact localization system by using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors and impact localization algorithm was investigated. A four-FBG sensing network was established. And the power intensity demodulation method was initialized employing the narrow-band tunable laser. The wavelet transform was used to weaken the impact signal noise. And the impact signal time difference was extracted to build the time difference localization algorithm. At last, a fiber Bragg grating impact localization system was established and experimentally verified. The experimental results showed that in the aluminum alloy plate with the 500 mm*500 mm*2 mm test area, the maximum and average impact abscissa localization errors were 11 mm and 6.25 mm, and the maximum and average impact ordinate localization errors were 9 mm and 4.25 mm, respectively. The fiber Bragg grating sensors and demodulation system are feasible to realize the aviation aluminum alloy material structure impact localization. The research results provide a reliable method for the aluminum alloy material structure impact localization.

Microstructure and orientation effects on properties of discontinuous silicon carbide/aluminum composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdanels, D. L.; Hoffman, C. A.

1984-01-01

Composite panels containing up to 40 vol % discontinuous silicon carbide SiC whisker, nodule, or particulate reinforcement in several aluminum matrices are commercially fabricated and the mechanical properties and microstructual characteristics are evaluated. The yield and tensile strengths and the ductility are controlled primarily by the matrix alloy, the temper condition, and the reinforcement content. Particulate and nodule reinforcements are as effective as whisker reinforcement. Increased ductility is attributed to purer, more uniform starting materials and to more mechanical working during fabrication. Comparing mechanical properties with those of other aluminum alloys shows that these low cost, lightweight composites demonstrate very good potential for application to aerospace structures.

Horn-coupled, commercially-fabricated aluminum lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors for millimeter wavelengths

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCarrick, H., E-mail: hlm2124@columbia.edu; Flanigan, D.; Jones, G.

We discuss the design, fabrication, and testing of prototype horn-coupled, lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKIDs) designed for cosmic microwave background studies. The LEKIDs are made from a thin aluminum film deposited on a silicon wafer and patterned using standard photolithographic techniques at STAR Cryoelectronics, a commercial device foundry. We fabricated 20-element arrays, optimized for a spectral band centered on 150 GHz, to test the sensitivity and yield of the devices as well as the multiplexing scheme. We characterized the detectors in two configurations. First, the detectors were tested in a dark environment with the horn apertures covered, and second, themore » horn apertures were pointed towards a beam-filling cryogenic blackbody load. These tests show that the multiplexing scheme is robust and scalable, the yield across multiple LEKID arrays is 91%, and the measured noise-equivalent temperatures for a 4 K optical load are in the range 26±6 μK√(s)« less

Cylindrical fabric-confined soil structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Richard A.

A cylindrical fabric-soil structural concept for implementation on the moon and Mars which provides many advantages is proposed. The most efficient use of fabric is to fashion it into cylindrical tubes, creating cylindrical fabric-confined soil structures. The length, diameter, and curvature of the tubes will depend on the intended application. The cylindrical hoop forces provide radial confinement while end caps provide axial confinement. One of the ends is designed to allow passage of the soil into the fabric tube before sealing. Transportation requirements are reduced due to the low mass and volume of the fabric. Construction requirements are reduced due to the self-erection capability via the pneumatic exoskeleton. Maintenance requirements are reduced due to the passive nature of the concept. The structure's natural ductility is well suited for any seismic activity.

Carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum based nanocomposite fabricated by thermal spray forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laha, Tapas

The present research concentrates on the fabrication of bulk aluminum matrix nanocomposite structures with carbon nanotube reinforcement. The objective of the work was to fabricate and characterize multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced hypereutectic Al-Si (23 wt% Si, 2 wt% Ni, 1 wt% Cu, rest Al) nanocomposite bulk structure with nanocrystalline matrix through thermal spray forming techniques viz. plasma spray forming (PSF) and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray forming. This is the first research study, which has shown that thermal spray forming can be successfully used to synthesize carbon nanotube reinforced nanocomposites. Microstructural characterization based on quantitative microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and X ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms (i) retention and macro/sub-macro level homogenous distribution of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the Al-Si matrix and (ii) evolution of nanostructured grains in the matrix. Formation of ultrathin beta-SiC layer on MWCNT surface, due to chemical reaction of Si atoms diffusing from Al-Si alloy and C atoms from the outer walls of MWCNTs has been confirmed theoretically and experimentally. The presence of SiC layer at the interface improves the wettability and the interfacial adhesion between the MWCNT reinforcement and the Al-Si matrix. Sintering of the as-sprayed nanocomposites was carried out in an inert environment for further densification. As-sprayed PSF nanocomposite showed lower microhardness compared to HVOF, due to the higher porosity content and lower residual stress. The hardness of the nanocomposites increased with sintering time due to effective pore removal. Uniaxial tensile test on CNT-bulk nanocomposite was carried out, which is the first ever study of such nature. The tensile test results showed inconsistency in the data attributed to inhomogeneous

Effects of thermal cycling on graphie-fiber-reinforced 6061 aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dries, G. A.; Tompkins, S. S.

1986-01-01

Graphite-reinforced aluminum alloy metal-matrix composites are among materials being considered for structural components in dimensionally stable space structures. This application requires materials with low values of thermal expansions and high specific stiffnesses. They must remain stable during exposures to the space environment for periods extending to 20 years. The effects of thermal cycling on the thermal expansion behavior and mechanical properties of Thornel P100 graphite 6061 aluminum composites, as fabricated and after thermal processing to eliminate thermal strain hysteresis, have been investigated. Two groups of composites were studied: one was fabricated by hot roll bonding and the other by diffusion bonding. Processing significantly reduced strain hysteresis during thermal cycling in both groups and improved the ultimate tensile strength and modulus in the diffusion-bonded composites. Thermal cycling stabilized the as-fabricated composites by reducing the residual fabrication stress and increased the matrix strength by metallurgical aging. Thermal expansion behavior of both groups after processing was insensitive to thermal cycling. Data scatter was too large to determine effects of thermal cycling on the mechanical properties. The primary effects of processing and thermal cycling can be attributed to changes in the metallurgical condition and stress state of the matrix.

Structure-composition-property relationships in 5xxx series aluminum alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unocic, Kinga A.

Al-Mg alloys are well suited for marine applications due to their low density, ease of fabrication, structural durability, and most notably resistance to corrosion. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of alloying additions, mechanical processing and heat treatments on the development of grain boundary phases that have an effect on intergranular corrosion (IGC). Cu, Zn, and Si modified compositions of AA5083 were produced that were subjected to a low and high degree of cold work and various heat treatments. ASTM G67 (NAMLT) intergranular corrosion testing and detailed microstructural characterization for various alloys was carried out. An optimal composition and processing condition that yielded the best intergranular corrosion resistant material was identified based on the ASTM G67 test screening. Further, the outstanding modified AA5083 was selected for further microstructural analysis. This particular alloy with has a magnesium level high enough to make it susceptible to intergranular corrosion is very resistant to IGC. It was found that development of the appropriate sub-structure with some Cu, Si and Zn resulted in a material very resistant to IGC. Formation of many sinks, provided by sub-boundaries, within microstructure is very beneficial since it produces a relatively uniform distribution of Mg in the grain interiors, and this can suppress sensitization of this alloy very successfully. This is a very promising rote for the production of high-strength, and corrosion resistant aluminum alloys. Additionally in this study, TEM sample preparation become very crucial step in grain boundary phase investigation. Focus Ion Beam (FIB) milling was used as a primary TEM sample preparation technique because it enables to extract the samples from desired and very specific locations without dissolving grain boundary phases as it was in conventional electropolishing method. However, other issues specifically relevant to FIB milling of aluminum alloys

Design, fabrication, and evaluation of charge-coupled devices with aluminum-anodized-aluminum gates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gassaway, J. D.; Causey, W. H., Jr.

1977-01-01

A 4-phase, 49 1/2 bit CCD shift register was designed and fabricated using two levels of aluminum metallization with anodic Al2O3 insulation separating the layers. Test circuitry was also designed and constructed. A numerical analysis of an MOS-RC transmission line was made and results are given to characterize performance for various conductivities. The electrical design of the CCD included a low-noise dual-gate input and a balanced floating diffusion output circuit. Metallization was accomplished both by low voltage DC sputtering and thermal evaporation. The audization was according to published procedures using a buffered tartaric acid bath. Approximately 20 wafers were processed with 50 complete chips per wafer. All devices failed by shorting between the metal levels at some point. Experimental procedures eliminated temperature effects from sintering and drying, anodic oxide thickness, edge effects, photoresist stripping procedures, and metallization techniques as the primary causes of failure. It was believed from a study of SEM images that protuberances (hillocks) grow up from the first level metal through the oxide either causing a direct short or producing a weak, highly stressed insulation point which fails at low voltage. The cause of these hillocks is unknown; however, they have been observed to grow during temperature excursions to 470 C.

The improvement of surface roughness for OAP aluminum mirrors: from terahertz to ultraviolet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Jilong; Yu, Qian; Shao, Yajun; Wang, Dong; Yi, Zhong; Wang, Shanshan

2018-01-01

Aluminum reflector, especially OAP (Off-Axis Parabolic) reflector, has been widely used in terahertz and infrared systems for its low cost, lightweight, good machinability, small size, simple structure, and having the same thermal expansion and contraction with the system structure which makes it have a wide temperature adaptability. Thorlabs, Daheng and other large optical components companies even have Aluminum OAP sold on shelf. Most of the precision Aluminum OAP is fabricated by SPDT (single point diamond turing). Affected by intermittent shock, the roughness of aluminum OAP mirrors through conventional single-point diamond lathes is around 7 nm which limits the scope of application for aluminum mirrors, like in the high power density terahertz/infrared systems and visible/UV optical systems. In this paper, a continuous process frock is proposed, which effectively reduces the influence of turning impact on the mirror roughness. Using this process, an off-axis parabolic aluminum reflector with an effective diameter of 50 mm, off-axis angle of 90 degree is fabricated, and the performances are validated. Measurement by VEECO NT1100 optical profiler with 20× objects, the surface roughness achieves 2.3 nm, and the surface figure error is within λ/7 RMS (λ= 632.8 nm) tested by FISB Aμ Phase laser interferometer with the help of a standard flat mirror. All these technical specifications are close to the traditional glass-based reflectors, and make it possible for using Aluminum reflectors in the higher LIDT (laser induced damage threshold) systems and even for the micro sensor of ionospheric for vacuum ultraviolet micro nano satellites.

Thin films of aluminum nitride and aluminum gallium nitride for cold cathode applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sowers, A.T.; Christman, J.A.; Bremser, M.D.

1997-10-01

Cold cathode structures have been fabricated using AlN and graded AlGaN structures (deposited on n-type 6H-SiC) as the thin film emitting layer. The cathodes consist of an aluminum grid layer separated from the nitride layer by a SiO{sub 2} layer and etched to form arrays of either 1, 3, or 5 {mu}m holes through which the emitting nitride surface is exposed. After fabrication, a hydrogen plasma exposure was employed to activate the cathodes. Cathode devices with 5 {mu}m holes displayed emission for up to 30 min before failing. Maximum emission currents ranged from 10{endash}100 nA and required grid voltages rangingmore » from 20{endash}110 V. The grid currents were typically 1 to 10{sup 4} times the collector currents. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Strengthening of Aluminum Wires Treated with A206/Alumina Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Marrero, Raúl; Li, Xiaochun; Choi, Hongseok

2018-01-01

This study sought to characterize aluminum nanocomposite wires that were fabricated through a cold-rolling process, having potential applications in TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding of aluminum. A206 (Al-4.5Cu-0.25Mg) master nanocomposites with 5 wt % γAl2O3 nanoparticles were first manufactured through a hybrid process combining semi-solid mixing and ultrasonic processing. A206/1 wt % γAl2O3 nanocomposites were fabricated by diluting the prepared master nanocomposites with a monolithic A206 alloy, which was then added to a pure aluminum melt. The fabricated Al–γAl2O3 nanocomposite billet was cold-rolled to produce an Al nanocomposite wire with a 1 mm diameter and a transverse area reduction of 96%. Containing different levels of nanocomposites, the fabricated samples were mechanically and electrically characterized. The results demonstrate a significantly higher strength of the aluminum wires with the nanocomposite addition. Further, the addition of alumina nanoparticles affected the wires’ electrical conductivity compared with that of pure aluminum and aluminum–copper alloys. The overall properties of the new material demonstrate that these wires could be an appealing alternative for fillers intended for aluminum welding. PMID:29534441

Nano-Material and Structural Engineering for Thermal Highways

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-14

which are covered with a porous anodized aluminum oxide ( AAO ) membrane that is compatible to most if not all semiconductor electronics chips and has... aluminum oxide ( AAO ) templates as hard masks for fabrication of nanomesh thermoelectric structures. Both USPI’s and KPI’s laboratories have accumulated...T. Bigioni, M. Moskovits, and J. M. Xu, “Electrochemical fabrication of CdS nano-wire arrays in porous anodic aluminum oxide templates”, J. Phys

Electrical characterization of anodic alumina substrate with via-in-pad structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Moonjung

2013-10-01

An anodic alumina substrate has been developed as a package substrate for dynamic random access memory devices. Unlike the conventional package substrates commonly made by laminating an epoxy-based core and cladding with copper, this substrate is fabricated using aluminum anodization technology. The anodization process produces a thick aluminum oxide layer on the aluminum substrate to be used as a dielectric layer. Placing copper patterns on the anodic aluminum oxide layer forms a new substrate structure that consists of a layered structure of aluminum, anodic aluminum oxide, and copper. Using selective anodization in the fabrication process, a via structure connecting the top copper layer and bottom aluminum layer is demonstrated. Additionally, by putting vias directly in the bond and ball pads in the substrate design, the via-in-pad structure is applied in this work. These two-layer metal structures and via-in-pad arrangements make routing easier and thus provide more design flexibility. Additionally, this new package substrate has improved the power distribution network impedance given the characteristics of these structures.

Structure and yarn sensor for fabric

DOEpatents

Mee, David K.; Allgood, Glenn O.; Mooney, Larry R.; Duncan, Michael G.; Turner, John C.; Treece, Dale A.

1998-01-01

A structure and yarn sensor for fabric directly determines pick density in a fabric thereby allowing fabric length and velocity to be calculated from a count of the picks made by the sensor over known time intervals. The structure and yarn sensor is also capable of detecting full length woven defects and fabric. As a result, an inexpensive on-line pick (or course) density measurement can be performed which allows a loom or knitting machine to be adjusted by either manual or automatic means to maintain closer fiber density tolerances. Such a sensor apparatus dramatically reduces fabric production costs and significantly improves fabric consistency and quality for woven or knitted fabric.

Effect of Aluminum Doping on the Nanocrystalline ZnS:Al3+ Films Fabricated on Heavily-Doped p-type Si(100) Substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, He-Jie; Liang, Yan; Gao, Xiao-Yong; Guo, Rui-Fang; Ji, Qiang-Min

2015-06-01

Intrinsic ZnS and aluminum-doped nanocrystalline ZnS (ZnS:Al3+) films with zinc-blende structure were fabricated on heavily-doped p-type Si(100) substrates by chemical bath deposition method. Influence of aluminum doping on the microstructure, and photoluminescent and electrical properties of the films, were intensively investigated. The average crystallite size of the films varying in the range of about 9.0 ˜ 35.0 nm initially increases and then decreases with aluminum doping contents, indicating that the crystallization of the films are initially enhanced and then weakened. The incorporation of Al3+ was confirmed from energy dispersive spectrometry and the induced microstrain in the films. Strong and stable visible emission band resulting from the defect-related light emission were observed for the intrinsic ZnS and ZnS:Al3+ films at room temperature. The photoluminescence related to the aluminum can annihilate due to the self-absorption of ZnS:Al3+ when the Al3+ content surpasses certain value. The variation of the resistivity of the films that initially reduces and then increases is mainly caused by the partial substitute for Zn2+ by Al3+ as well as the enhanced crystallization, and by the enhanced crystal boundary scattering, respectively.

Fabrication of high aspect ratio nanopillars and micro/nano combined structures with hydrophobic surface characteristics by injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Mingyong; Xiong, Xiang; Jiang, Bingyan; Weng, Can

2018-01-01

Polymer products with micro/nano-structures have excellent mechanical and optical properties, chemical resistance, and other advantages. Injection molding is one of the most potential techniques to fabricate polymer products with micro/nano-structures artificially in large numbers. In this study, a surface approach to fabricate high aspect ratio nanopillars and micro/nano combined structures was presented. Mold insert with micropillar arrays and nanopillars on its surface was prepared by combing anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and etched plate. Anti-sticking modification was done on the template to realize a better demolding quality. The influences of mold temperature and polymer material on the final replication quality were investigated. The results showed that the final replication quality of high aspect ratio nanopillars was greatly improved as compared with the unprocessed template. Polymer with low elongation at break was not suitable to fabricate structures with high aspect ratio via injection molding. For polypropylene surface, the experimental results of static contact angles were almost consistent with Cassie-Baxter equation. When the mold temperature reached 178 °C, hair-like polycarbonate nanopillars were observed, resulting in an excellent hydrophobic characteristic.

Effect of processing on structural features of anodic aluminum oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdogan, Pembe; Birol, Yucel

2012-09-01

Morphological features of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates fabricated by electrochemical oxidation under different processing conditions were investigated. The selection of the polishing parameters does not appear to be critical as long as the aluminum substrate is polished adequately prior to the anodization process. AAO layers with a highly ordered pore distribution are obtained after anodizing in 0.6 M oxalic acid at 20 °C under 40 V for 5 minutes suggesting that the desired pore features are attained once an oxide layer develops on the surface. While the pore features are not affected much, the thickness of the AAO template increases with increasing anodization treatment time. Pore features are better and the AAO growth rate is higher at 20 °C than at 5 °C; higher under 45 V than under 40 V; higher with 0.6 M than with 0.3 M oxalic acid.

Young's modulus measurement of aluminum thin film with cantilever structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, ByoungChan; Lee, SangHun; Lee, Hwasu; Shin, Hyungjae

2001-09-01

Micromachined cantilever structures are commonly used for measuring mechanical properties of thin film materials in MEMS. The application of conventional cantilever theory in experiment raises severe problem. The deformation of the supporting post and flange is produced by the applied electrostatic force and lead to more reduced measurement value than real Young's modulus of thin film materials. In order to determine Young's modulus of aluminum thin film robustly and reproducibly, the modified cantilever structure is proposed. Two measurement methods, which are cantilever tip deflection measurement and resonant frequency measurement, are used for confirming the reliability of the proposed cantilever structure as well. Measured results indicate that the proposed measurement scheme provides useful and credible Young's modulus value for thin film materials with sub-micron thickness. The proved validation of the proposed scheme makes sure that in addition to Young's modulus of aluminum thin film, that of other thin film materials which are aluminum alloy, metal, and so forth, can be extracted easily and clearly.

Multi-electrolyte-step anodic aluminum oxide method for the fabrication of self-organized nanochannel arrays

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Nanochannel arrays were fabricated by the self-organized multi-electrolyte-step anodic aluminum oxide [AAO] method in this study. The anodization conditions used in the multi-electrolyte-step AAO method included a phosphoric acid solution as the electrolyte and an applied high voltage. There was a change in the phosphoric acid by the oxalic acid solution as the electrolyte and the applied low voltage. This method was used to produce self-organized nanochannel arrays with good regularity and circularity, meaning less power loss and processing time than with the multi-step AAO method. PMID:22333268

Reproducibility of Aluminum Foam by Combining Sintering and Dissolution Process with Precursor Foaming Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hangai, Yoshihiko; Matsushita, Hayato; Koyama, Shinji; Suzuki, Ryosuke; Matsubara, Masaaki

2017-07-01

A preliminary study of the reproducibility of aluminum foam was performed. Aluminum foam was fabricated by a sintering and dissolution process. It was found that aluminum foam containing a blowing agent can be fabricated without the decomposition of the blowing agent, namely, the densified aluminum foam can be used as a foamable precursor for refoaming. By heat treatment of the densified aluminum foam containing the blowing agent, pores were reproduced in the aluminum.

Structure and yarn sensor for fabric

DOEpatents

Mee, D.K.; Allgood, G.O.; Mooney, L.R.; Duncan, M.G.; Turner, J.C.; Treece, D.A.

1998-10-20

A structure and yarn sensor for fabric directly determines pick density in a fabric thereby allowing fabric length and velocity to be calculated from a count of the picks made by the sensor over known time intervals. The structure and yarn sensor is also capable of detecting full length woven defects and fabric. As a result, an inexpensive on-line pick (or course) density measurement can be performed which allows a loom or knitting machine to be adjusted by either manual or automatic means to maintain closer fiber density tolerances. Such a sensor apparatus dramatically reduces fabric production costs and significantly improves fabric consistency and quality for woven or knitted fabric. 13 figs.

Fabrication, structural characterization and sensing properties of polydiacetylene nanofibers templated from anodized aluminum oxide

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Polydiacetylene (PDA), a unique conjugated polymer, has shown its potential in the application of chem/bio-sensors and optoelectronics. In this work, we first infiltrated PDA monomer (10, 12-pentacosadiynoic acid, PCDA) melted into the anodized aluminum oxide template, and then illuminated the infil...

Fabrication and microstructure of cerium doped lutetium aluminum garnet (Ce:LuAG) transparent ceramics by solid-state reaction method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Junlang, E-mail: lijunlangx@163.com; Xu, Jian, E-mail: xu.jian.57z@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp; Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Division of Materials Function, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501

2014-07-01

Highlights: • We fabricate Ce doped lutetium aluminum garnet ceramics by solid-state method. • The raw materials include Lu{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanopowders synthesized by co-precipitation method. • The density of the transparent ceramics reach 99.7% of the theoretical value. • The optical transmittance of the bulk ceramic at 550 nm was 57.48%. • Some scattering centers decrease the optical characteristic of the ceramic. - Abstract: Polycrystalline Ce{sup 3+} doped lutetium aluminum garnet (Ce:LuAG) transparent ceramics fabricated by one step solid-state reaction method using synthetic nano-sized Lu{sub 2}O{sub 3}, commercial α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and CeO{sub 2} powders were investigated in thismore » paper. The green compacts shaped by the mixed powders were successfully densified into Ce:LuAG transparent ceramics after vacuum sintering at 1750 °C for 10 h. The in-line optical transmittance of the Ce:LuAG ceramic made by home-made Lu{sub 2}O{sub 3} powders could reach 57.48% at 550 nm, which was higher than that of the ceramic made by commercial Lu{sub 2}O{sub 3} powders (22.96%). The microstructure observation showed that light scattering centers caused by micro-pores, aluminum segregation and refraction index inhomogeneities induced the decrease of optical transparency of the Ce:LuAG ceramics, which should be removed and optimized in the future work.« less

Structural attachments for large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pruett, E. C.; Loughead, T. E.; Robertson, K. B., III

1980-01-01

The feasibility of fabricating beams in space and using them as components of a large, crew assembled structure, was investigated. Two projects were undertaken: (1) design and development of a ground version of an automated beam builder capable of producing triangular cross section aluminum beams; and (2) design and fabrication of lap joints to connect the beams orthogonally and centroidal end caps to connect beams end to end at any desired angle. The first project produced a beam building machine which fabricates aluminum beams suitable for neutral buoyancy evaluation. The second project produced concepts for the lap joint and end cap. However, neither of these joint concepts was suitable for use by a pressure suited crew member in a zero gravity environment. It is concluded that before the beams can be evaluated the joint designs need to be completed and sufficient joints produced to allow assembly of a complex structure.

Process for the synthesis of nanophase dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy

DOEpatents

Barbour, John C.; Knapp, James Arthur; Follstaedt, David Martin; Myers, Samuel Maxwell

1998-12-15

A process for fabricating dispersion-strengthened ceramic-metal composites is claimed. The process comprises in-situ interaction and chemical reaction of a metal in gaseous form with a ceramic producer in plasma form. Such composites can be fabricated with macroscopic dimensions. Special emphasis is placed on fabrication of dispersion-strengthened aluminum oxide-aluminum composites, which can exhibit flow stresses more characteristic of high strength steel.

Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Spot Welded Aluminum Alloy AA2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babu, S.; Sankar, V. S.; Janaki Ram, G. D.; Venkitakrishnan, P. V.; Madhusudhan Reddy, G.; Prasad Rao, K.

2013-01-01

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) is a relatively recent development, which can provide a superior alternative to resistance spot welding and riveting for fabrication of aluminum sheet metal structures. In the current work, FSSW experiments were conducted in 3-mm thick sheets of aluminum alloy 2014 in T4 and T6 conditions, with and without Alclad layers. The effects of tool geometry and welding process parameters on joint formation were investigated. A good correlation between process parameters, bond width, hook height, joint strength, and fracture mode was observed. The presence of Alclad layers and the base metal temper condition were found to have no major effect on joint formation and joint strength. Friction stir spot welds produced under optimum conditions were found to be superior to riveted joints in lap-shear and cross-tension tests. The prospects of FSSW in aluminum sheet metal fabrication are discussed.

Mineral of the month: aluminum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plunkert, Patricia A.

2005-01-01

Aluminum is the second most abundant metallic element in Earth’s crust after silicon. Even so, it is a comparatively new industrial metal that has been produced in commercial quantities for little more than 100 years. Aluminum is lightweight, ductile, malleable and corrosion resistant, and is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Weighing about one-third as much as steel or copper per unit of volume, aluminum is used more than any other metal except iron. Aluminum can be fabricated into desired forms and shapes by every major metalworking technique to add to its versatility.

Controlled porous pattern of anodic aluminum oxide by foils laminate approach.

PubMed

Wang, Gou-Jen; Peng, Chi-Sheng

2006-04-01

A novel, much simpler, and low-cost method to fabricate the porous pattern of the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) based on the aluminum foils laminate approach was carried out. During our experiments, it was found that the pores of the AAO on the upper foil grew bi-directionally from both the top and the bottom surfaces. Experimental results further indicate that the upward porous pattern of the upper foil is determined by the surface structure of the bottom surface of the upper foil. The porous pattern of AAO can be controlled by a pre-made pattern on the bottom surface. Furthermore, no Aluminum (Al) layer removing process is required in this novel laminate method.

Space Fabrication Demonstration System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Progress on fabrication facility (beam builder) support structure control, clamp/weld block, and welding and truss cut off is discussed. The brace attachment design was changed and the design of the weld mechanism was modified which achieved the following system benefits: (1) simplified weld electrode life; (2) reduced weld power requirements; and (3) simplified brace attachment mechanisms. Static and fatigue characteristics of spot welded 2024T3 aluminum joints are evaluated.

Effect of Processing Parameters on Pore Structure and Thickness of Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) Tubular Membranes.

PubMed

Belwalkar, A; Grasing, E; Van Geertruyden, W; Huang, Z; Misiolek, W Z

2008-07-01

Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) tubular membranes were fabricated from aluminum alloy tubes in sulfuric and oxalic acid electrolytes using a two-step anodization process. The membranes were investigated for characteristics such as pore size, interpore distance and thickness by varying applied voltage and electrolyte concentration. Morphology of the membranes was examined using light optical and scanning electron microscopy and characterized using ImageJ software. Results showed that membranes having narrow pore size and uniform pore distribution with parallel channel arrays were obtained. The pore sizes were ranging from 14 to 24 nm and the wall thicknesses as high as 76 microm. It was found that the pore size increased in direct proportion with the applied voltage and inversely with the electrolyte concentration while the interpore distance increased linearly with the applied voltage. It was also observed that increase in acid concentration increased tubular membrane wall thickness that improved mechanical handling. By using anodic alumina technology, robust ceramic tubes with uniformly distributed pore-structure and parallel nano-channels of lengths and sizes practical for industrial applications were reliably produced in quantity.

Effect of Processing Parameters on Pore Structure and Thickness of Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) Tubular Membranes

PubMed Central

Belwalkar, A.; Grasing, E.; Huang, Z.; Misiolek, W.Z.

2008-01-01

Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) tubular membranes were fabricated from aluminum alloy tubes in sulfuric and oxalic acid electrolytes using a two-step anodization process. The membranes were investigated for characteristics such as pore size, interpore distance and thickness by varying applied voltage and electrolyte concentration. Morphology of the membranes was examined using light optical and scanning electron microscopy and characterized using ImageJ software. Results showed that membranes having narrow pore size and uniform pore distribution with parallel channel arrays were obtained. The pore sizes were ranging from 14 to 24 nm and the wall thicknesses as high as 76 µm. It was found that the pore size increased in direct proportion with the applied voltage and inversely with the electrolyte concentration while the interpore distance increased linearly with the applied voltage. It was also observed that increase in acid concentration increased tubular membrane wall thickness that improved mechanical handling. By using anodic alumina technology, robust ceramic tubes with uniformly distributed pore-structure and parallel nano-channels of lengths and sizes practical for industrial applications were reliably produced in quantity. PMID:19578471

Fabrication and Compressive Properties of Low to Medium Porosity Closed-Cell Porous Aluminum Using PMMA Space Holder Technique

PubMed Central

Jamal, Nur Ayuni; Tan, Ai Wen; Yusof, Farazila; Katsuyoshi, Kondoh; Hisashi, Imai; Singh, S.; Anuar, Hazleen

2016-01-01

In recent years, closed-cell porous Aluminum (Al) has drawn increasing attention, particularly in the applications requiring reduced weight and energy absorption capability such as in the automotive and aerospace industries. In the present work, porous Al with closed-cell structure was successfully fabricated by powder metallurgy technique using PMMA as a space holder. The effects of the amount of PMMA powder on the porosity, density, microstructure and compressive behaviors of the porous specimens were systematically evaluated. The results showed that closed-cell porous Al having different porosities (12%–32%) and densities (1.6478 g/cm3, 1.5125 g/cm3 and 1.305 g/cm3) could be produced by varying the amount of PMMA (20–30 wt %). Meanwhile, the compressive behavior results demonstrated that the plateau stress decreased and the energy absorption capacity increased with increasing amount of PMMA. However, the maximum energy absorption capacity was achieved in the closed-cell porous Al with the addition of 25 wt % PMMA. Therefore, fabrication of closed-cell porous Al using 25 wt % PMMA is considered as the optimal condition in the present study since the resultant closed-cell porous Al possessed good combinations of porosity, density and plateau stress, as well as energy absorption capacity. PMID:28773377

Application of superplastically formed and diffusion bonded aluminum to a laminar flow control leading edge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodyear, M. D.

1987-01-01

NASA sponsored the Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) program in 1976 to develop technologies to improve fuel efficiency. Laminar flow control was one such technology. Two approaches for achieving laminar flow were designed and manufactured under NASA sponsored programs: the perforated skin concept used at McDonnell Douglas and the slotted design used at Lockheed-Georgia. Both achieved laminar flow, with the slotted design to a lesser degree (JetStar flight test program). The latter design had several fabrication problems concerning springback and adhesive flow clogging the air flow passages. The Lockheed-Georgia Company accomplishments is documented in designing and fabricating a small section of a leading edge article addressing a simpler fabrication method to overcome the previous program's manufacturing problems, i.e., design and fabrication using advanced technologies such as diffusion bonding of aluminum, which has not been used on aerospace structures to date, and the superplastic forming of aluminum.

Photoemission study of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum/aluminum oxide/tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum interface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding Huanjun; Zorba, Serkan; Gao Yongli

2006-12-01

The evolution of the interface electronic structure of a sandwich structure involving aluminum oxide and tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq), i.e. (Alq/AlO{sub x}/Alq), has been investigated with photoemission spectroscopy. Strong chemical reactions have been observed due to aluminum deposition onto the Alq substrate. The subsequent oxygen exposure releases some of the Alq molecules from the interaction with aluminum. Finally, the deposition of the top Alq layer leads to an asymmetry in the electronic energy level alignment with respect to the AlO{sub x} interlayer.

Friction Stir Weld Failure Mechanisms in Aluminum-Armor Structures Under Ballistic Impact Loading Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

REPORT Friction Stir Weld Failure Mechanisms in Aluminum -Armor Structures Under Ballistic Impact Loading Conditions 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY...Stir Weld Failure Mechanisms in Aluminum -Armor Structures Under Ballistic Impact Loading Conditions M. Grujicic, B. Pandurangan, A. Arakere, C-F. Yen...K.O. Pedersen, Fracture Mechanisms of Aluminum Alloy AA7075-T651 Under Various Loading Conditions , Int. J. Impact Eng., 2010, 37, p 537–551 24. T

Characterization of Aluminum-Based-Surface Matrix Composites with Iron and Iron Oxide Fabricated by Friction Stir Processing.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Essam R I; Tash, Mahmoud M

2016-06-23

Surface composite layers were successfully fabricated on an A 1050-H24 aluminum plate by dispersed iron (Fe) and magnetite (Fe₃O₄) particles through friction stir processing (FSP). Fe and Fe₃O₄ powders were packed into a groove of 3 mm in width and 1.5 mm in depth, cut on the aluminum plate, and covered with an aluminum sheet that was 2-mm thick. A friction stir processing (FSP) tool of square probe shape, rotated at a rate of 1000-2000 rpm, was plunged into the plate through the cover sheet and the groove, and moved along the groove at a travelling speed of 1.66 mm/s. Double and triple passes were applied. As a result, it is found that the Fe particles were homogenously distributed in the whole nugget zone at a rotation speed of 1000 rpm after triple FSP passes. Limited interfacial reactions occurred between the Fe particles and the aluminum matrix. On the other hand, the lower rotation speed (1000 rpm) was not enough to form a sound nugget when the dispersed particles were changed to the larger Fe₃O₄. The Fe₃O₄ particles were dispersed homogenously in a sound nugget zone when the rotation speed was increased to 1500 rpm. No reaction products could be detected between the Fe₃O₄ particles and the aluminum matrix. The saturation magnetization (Ms) of the Fe-dispersed nugget zone was higher than that of the Fe₃O₄-dispersed nugget zone. Moreover, there were good agreement between the obtained saturation magnetization values relative to that of pure Fe and Fe₃O₄ materials and the volume content of the dispersed particles in the nugget zone.

Aluminum-catalyzed silicon nanowires: Growth methods, properties, and applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hainey, Mel F.; Redwing, Joan M.

Metal-mediated vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth is a promising approach for the fabrication of silicon nanowires, although residual metal incorporation into the nanowires during growth can adversely impact electronic properties particularly when metals such as gold and copper are utilized. Aluminum, which acts as a shallow acceptor in silicon, is therefore of significant interest for the growth of p-type silicon nanowires but has presented challenges due to its propensity for oxidation. This paper summarizes the key aspects of aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth along with wire properties and device results. In the first section, aluminum-catalyzed nanowire growth is discussed with a specific emphasis onmore » methods to mitigate aluminum oxide formation. Next, the influence of growth parameters such as growth temperature, precursor partial pressure, and hydrogen partial pressure on nanowire morphology is discussed, followed by a brief review of the growth of templated and patterned arrays of nanowires. Aluminum incorporation into the nanowires is then discussed in detail, including measurements of the aluminum concentration within wires using atom probe tomography and assessment of electrical properties by four point resistance measurements. Finally, the use of aluminum-catalyzed VLS growth for device fabrication is reviewed including results on single-wire radial p-n junction solar cells and planar solar cells fabricated with nanowire/nanopyramid texturing.« less

Test Structures For Bumpy Integrated Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buehler, Martin G.; Sayah, Hoshyar R.

1989-01-01

Cross-bridge resistors added to comb and serpentine patterns. Improved combination of test structures built into integrated circuit used to evaluate design rules, fabrication processes, and quality of interconnections. Consist of meshing serpentines and combs, and cross bridge. Structures used to make electrical measurements revealing defects in design or fabrication. Combination of test structures includes three comb arrays, two serpentine arrays, and cross bridge. Made of aluminum or polycrystalline silicon, depending on material in integrated-circuit layers evaluated. Aluminum combs and serpentine arrays deposited over steps made by polycrystalline silicon and diffusion layers, while polycrystalline silicon versions of these structures used to cross over steps made by thick oxide layer.

Facile design of ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide membranes for the fabrication of plasmonic nanoarrays.

PubMed

Hao, Qi; Huang, Hao; Fan, Xingce; Hou, Xiangyu; Yin, Yin; Li, Wan; Si, Lifang; Nan, Haiyan; Wang, Huaiyu; Mei, Yongfeng; Qiu, Teng; Chu, Paul K

2017-03-10

Ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are efficient templates for the fabrication of patterned nanostructures. Herein, a three-step etching method to control the morphology of AAO is described. The morphological evolution of the AAO during phosphoric acid etching is systematically investigated and a nonlinear growth mechanism during unsteady-state anodization is revealed. The thickness of the AAO can be quantitatively controlled from ∼100 nm to several micrometers while maintaining the tunablity of the pore diameter. The AAO membranes are robust and readily transferable to different types of substrates to prepare patterned plasmonic nanoarrays such as nanoislands, nanoclusters, ultra-small nanodots, and core-satellite superstructures. The localized surface plasmon resonance from these nanostructures can be easily tuned by adjusting the morphology of the AAO template. The custom AAO template provides a platform for the fabrication of low-cost and large-scale functional nanoarrays suitable for fundamental studies as well as applications including biochemical sensing, imaging, photocatalysis, and photovoltaics.

Facile design of ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide membranes for the fabrication of plasmonic nanoarrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Qi; Huang, Hao; Fan, Xingce; Hou, Xiangyu; Yin, Yin; Li, Wan; Si, Lifang; Nan, Haiyan; Wang, Huaiyu; Mei, Yongfeng; Qiu, Teng; Chu, Paul K.

2017-03-01

Ultra-thin anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes are efficient templates for the fabrication of patterned nanostructures. Herein, a three-step etching method to control the morphology of AAO is described. The morphological evolution of the AAO during phosphoric acid etching is systematically investigated and a nonlinear growth mechanism during unsteady-state anodization is revealed. The thickness of the AAO can be quantitatively controlled from ˜100 nm to several micrometers while maintaining the tunablity of the pore diameter. The AAO membranes are robust and readily transferable to different types of substrates to prepare patterned plasmonic nanoarrays such as nanoislands, nanoclusters, ultra-small nanodots, and core-satellite superstructures. The localized surface plasmon resonance from these nanostructures can be easily tuned by adjusting the morphology of the AAO template. The custom AAO template provides a platform for the fabrication of low-cost and large-scale functional nanoarrays suitable for fundamental studies as well as applications including biochemical sensing, imaging, photocatalysis, and photovoltaics.

Special Features of the Structure of Laser-Welded Joints of Dissimilar Alloys Based on Titanium and Aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikulina, A. A.; Smirnov, A. I.; Turichin, G. A.; Klimova-Korsmik, O. G.; Babkin, K. D.

2017-11-01

The structure of laser-welded joints of parts having different thicknesses fabricated from alloys based on aluminum and titanium has been studied. Results of transmission and scanning electron microscopy measurements and x-ray diffraction analysis show that the diffusion interaction of microvolumes of two alloys in the weld leads to the formation of two interlayers: (i) a continuous intermetallic TiAl layer with thickness below 1 μm adjacent to the titanium alloy and (ii) a layer consisting of TiAl3 intermetallic dendrites with thickness of 2 - 6 μm adjacent to the TiAl layer. The average microhardness of the intermetallic layer is about 490 HV.

Fabrication of a highly oriented line structure on an aluminum surface and the nanoscale patterning on the nanoscale structure using highly functional molecules

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watanabe, Y.; Kato, H.; Takemura, S.

2009-07-15

The surface of an Al plate was treated with a combination of chemical and electrochemical processes for fabrication of surface nanoscale structures on Al plates. Chemical treatments by using acetone and pure water under supersonic waves were conducted on an Al surface. Additional electrochemical process in H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} solution created a finer and oriented nanoscale structure on the Al surface. Dynamic force microscopy (DFM) measurement clarified that the nanoscale highly oriented line structure was successfully created on the Al surface. The line distance was estimated approximately 30-40 nm. At the next stage, molecular patterning on the highly oriented linemore » structure by functional molecules such as copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and fullerene C{sub 60} was also conducted. CuPc or C{sub 60} molecules were deposited on the highly oriented line structure on Al. A toluene droplet containing CuPc molecules was cast on the nanostructured Al plate and was extended on the surface. CuPc or C{sub 60} deposition on the nanostructured Al surface proceeded by evaporation of toluene. DFM and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that a unique molecular pattern was fabricated so that the highly oriented groove channels were filled with the functional molecules.« less

Development of lightweight aluminum hollowcore solar cell array technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, J. A.

1971-01-01

A baseline configuration for a three section folding array, with retraction capability, was developed which would utilize electroformed aluminum hollowcore substrates and beryllium frames. The three section array was not fabricated because of difficulties with impurities in the aluminum electroforming bath. A procedure was developed for etching the copper mandrel from virtually any size of aluminum hollowcore panel in approximately one hour. Procedures were developed for analyzing the content of peroxide, water, total aluminum, and lithium-aluminum-hydride in an aluminum electroforming solution.

Development of topologically structured membranes of aluminum oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bankova, A.; Videkov, V.; Tzaneva, B.

2014-05-01

In recent years, nanomembranes have become one of the most widely used construction material for ultrasensitive and ultrathin applications in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and other sensor structures due to their remarkable mechanical properties. Among these, the mechanical stability is of particular importance. We present an approach to the analysis of the stability of nanostructured anodic aluminum oxide free membranes subjected to mechanical bending. The membranes tested were with a thickness of 500 nm to 15 urn in various topological shapes; we describe the technological schemes of their preparation. Bends were applied to membranes prepared by using a selective process of etching and anodizing. The results of the preparation of the membranes are discussed, together with the influence of the angle of deflection, and the number of bendings. The results obtained can be used in designing MEMS structures and sensors which use nanostructured anodic aluminum oxide.

Laboratory Powder Metallurgy Makes Tough Aluminum Sheet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Royster, D. M.; Thomas, J. R.; Singleton, O. R.

1993-01-01

Aluminum alloy sheet exhibits high tensile and Kahn tear strengths. Rapid solidification of aluminum alloys in powder form and subsequent consolidation and fabrication processes used to tailor parts made of these alloys to satisfy such specific aerospace design requirements as high strength and toughness.

Shell structures in aluminum nanocontacts at elevated temperatures

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Aluminum nanocontact conductance histograms are studied experimentally from room temperature up to near the bulk melting point. The dominant stable configurations for this metal show a very early crossover from shell structures at low wire diameters to ionic subshell structures at larger diameters. At these larger radii, the favorable structures are temperature-independent and consistent with those expected for ionic subshell (faceted) formations in face-centered cubic geometries. When approaching the bulk melting temperature, these local stability structures become less pronounced as shown by the vanishing conductance histogram peak structure. PMID:22325572

Boron/aluminum skins for the DC-10 aft pylon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliott, S. Y.

1975-01-01

Boron/aluminum pylon boat tail skins were designed and fabricated and installed on the DC-10 aircraft for a 5-year flight service demonstration test. Inspection and tests of the exposed skins will establish the ability of the boron/aluminum composite to withstand long time flight service conditions, which include exposure to high temperatures, sonic fatigue, and flutter. The results of a preliminary testing program yield room temperature and elevated temperature data on the tension, compression, in-plane shear, interlaminar shear, bolt bearing, and tension fatigue properties of the boron/aluminum laminates. Present technology was used in the fabrication of the skins. Although maximum weight saving was not sought, weight of the constant thickness boron/aluminum skin is 26% less than the chemically milled titanium skin.

Nanopatterning of Crystalline Silicon Using Anodized Aluminum Oxide Templates for Photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Tsu-An

A novel thin film anodized aluminum oxide templating process was developed and applied to make nanopatterns on crystalline silicon to enhance the optical properties of silicon. The thin film anodized aluminum oxide was created to improve the conventional thick aluminum templating method with the aim for potential large scale fabrication. A unique two-step anodizing method was introduced to create high quality nanopatterns and it was demonstrated that this process is superior over the original one-step approach. Optical characterization of the nanopatterned silicon showed up to 10% reduction in reflection in the short wavelength range. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to analyze the nanopatterned surface structure and it was found that interpore spacing and pore density can be tuned by changing the anodizing potential.

Other Fabric Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

There are two kinds of fabric structures - tension, supported by cables and pylons, and those supported by air pressure within an enclosed fabric envelope. They are becoming increasingly popular with architects, engineers, etc., because of their aesthetic appeal, low cost and maintenance, energy efficiency and good space utilization. The Structo-Fab roof weighs only 1/30 as much as a conventional roof of that size. Giant fans are used to blow air into the envelope between the roof's outer membrane and its inner liner automatically maintaining the pressure differential necessary for roof rigidity.

Superplastic forming of Al-Li alloys for lightweight, low-cost structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hales, Stephen J.; Wagner, John A.

1991-01-01

Superplastic forming of advanced aluminum alloys is being evaluated as an approach for fabricating low-cost, light-weight, cryogenic propellant tanks. Built-up structure concepts (with inherent reduced scrap rate) are under investigation to offset the additional raw material expenses incurred by using aluminum lithium alloys. This approach to fabrication offers the potential for significant improvements in both structural efficiency and overall manufacturing costs. Superplasticity is the ability of specially processed material to sustain very large forming strains without failure at elevated temperatures under controlled deformation conditions. It was demonstrated that superplastic forming technology can be used to fabricate complex structural components in a single operation and increase structural efficiency by as much as 60 percent compared to conventional configurations in skin-stiffened structures. Details involved in the application of this technology to commercial grade superplastic aluminum lithium material are presented. Included are identification of optimum forming parameters, development of forming procedures, and assessment of final part quality in terms of cavitation volume and thickness variation.

Characterization of Aluminum-Based-Surface Matrix Composites with Iron and Iron Oxide Fabricated by Friction Stir Processing

PubMed Central

Mahmoud, Essam R. I.; Tash, Mahmoud M.

2016-01-01

Surface composite layers were successfully fabricated on an A 1050-H24 aluminum plate by dispersed iron (Fe) and magnetite (Fe3O4) particles through friction stir processing (FSP). Fe and Fe3O4 powders were packed into a groove of 3 mm in width and 1.5 mm in depth, cut on the aluminum plate, and covered with an aluminum sheet that was 2-mm thick. A friction stir processing (FSP) tool of square probe shape, rotated at a rate of 1000–2000 rpm, was plunged into the plate through the cover sheet and the groove, and moved along the groove at a travelling speed of 1.66 mm/s. Double and triple passes were applied. As a result, it is found that the Fe particles were homogenously distributed in the whole nugget zone at a rotation speed of 1000 rpm after triple FSP passes. Limited interfacial reactions occurred between the Fe particles and the aluminum matrix. On the other hand, the lower rotation speed (1000 rpm) was not enough to form a sound nugget when the dispersed particles were changed to the larger Fe3O4. The Fe3O4 particles were dispersed homogenously in a sound nugget zone when the rotation speed was increased to 1500 rpm. No reaction products could be detected between the Fe3O4 particles and the aluminum matrix. The saturation magnetization (Ms) of the Fe-dispersed nugget zone was higher than that of the Fe3O4-dispersed nugget zone. Moreover, there were good agreement between the obtained saturation magnetization values relative to that of pure Fe and Fe3O4 materials and the volume content of the dispersed particles in the nugget zone. PMID:28773629

Aluminum: New challenges in downstream activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Miklos N.

1999-11-01

During its history, aluminum’s attractive features, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, good electrical mass conductivity, and unique corrosion behavior, have led to a spectacular expansion in its use. The role of aluminum in non-aluminum-based materials is also very important; its contribution to the improvement of magnesium and titanium alloys and to highly complex packaging materials are some of the noteworthy examples. Significant cost reductions on the basic metal production level, near-to-shape fabricating methods, and the well-functioning recycling system are also major contributors to aluminum success. Imminent challenges for the industry are the need for products with very close tolerances on a mass fabricating repetitive basis and just-in-time delivery to original-equipment manufacturers and small users through distributors. A significant part of the challenges remains in the applications area, particularly automotive and aerospace.

Aluminum-stabilized NB3SN superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, Ronald M.

1988-01-01

An aluminum-stabilized Nb.sub.3 Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb.sub.3 Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials.

Gas Release Behavior of Cu-TiH2 Composite Powder and Its Application as a Blowing Agent to Fabricate Aluminum Foams with Low Porosity and Small Pore Size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Ying; Li, Yanxiang; Chen, Xiang; Liu, Zhiyong; Zhou, Xu; Wang, Ningzhen

2018-06-01

Compared to traditional pore structure with high porosity (≥ 80 pct) and large pore size (≥ 3 mm), aluminum foams with low porosity (60 to 70 pct) and small pore size (≤ 2 mm) possess higher compressive property and formability. In order to achieve the goal of reducing pore size, Cu-TiH2 composite powder prepared by ball milling preoxidized TiH2 with Cu powder was used as a blowing agent. Its gas release behavior was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that the ball milling treatment can advance the gas release process and slow the gas release rate at the same time. All these changes are favorable to the reduction of porosity and pore size. Such Cu-TiH2 composite powder provides an alternative way to fabricate aluminum foams with low porosity and small pore size.

Evolution of the Busbar Structure in Large-Scale Aluminum Reduction Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongliang; Liang, Jinding; Li, Jie; Sun, Kena; Xiao, Jin

2017-02-01

Studies of magnetic field and magneto-hydro-dynamics are regarded as the foundation for the development of large-scale aluminum reduction cells, while due to the direct relationship between the busbar configuration and magnetic compensation, the actual key content is the configuration of the busbar. As the line current has been increased from 160 kA to 600 kA, the configuration of the busbar was becoming more complex. To summarize and explore the evolution of busbar configuration in aluminum reduction cells, this paper has reviewed various representative large-scale pre-baked aluminum reduction cell busbar structures, such as end-to-end potlines, side-by-side potlines and external compensation current. The advantages and disadvantages in the magnetic distribution or technical specifications have also been introduced separately, especially for the configurations of the mainstream 400-kA potlines. In the end, the development trends of the bus structure configuration were prospected, based on the recent successful applications of super-scale cell busbar structures in China (500-600 kA).

Reliable aluminum contact formation by electrostatic bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kárpáti, T.; Pap, A. E.; Radnóczi, Gy; Beke, B.; Bársony, I.; Fürjes, P.

2015-07-01

The paper presents a detailed study of a reliable method developed for aluminum fusion wafer bonding assisted by the electrostatic force evolving during the anodic bonding process. The IC-compatible procedure described allows the parallel formation of electrical and mechanical contacts, facilitating a reliable packaging of electromechanical systems with backside electrical contacts. This fusion bonding method supports the fabrication of complex microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and micro-opto-electromechanical systems (MOEMS) structures with enhanced temperature stability, which is crucial in mechanical sensor applications such as pressure or force sensors. Due to the applied electrical potential of  -1000 V the Al metal layers are compressed by electrostatic force, and at the bonding temperature of 450 °C intermetallic diffusion causes aluminum ions to migrate between metal layers.

The fabrication of Ag nanoflake arrays via self-assembly on the surface of an anodic aluminum oxide template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xueming; Dong, Kun; Tang, Libin; Wu, Yongjun; Yang, Peizhi; Zhang, Pengxiang

2010-02-01

Vertical-aligned Ag nanoflake arrays are fabricated on the surface of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template under a hydrothermal condition for the first time. The porous surface of AAO templates and the precursor solution may play key roles in the process of fabricating Ag nanoflakes. The rim of pores can provide many active sites for nucleation and growth, and then nanoflake arrays gradually form through self-assembly of Ag on the surface of AAO membranes. The product is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a growth mechanism of nanoflake is deduced. This work demonstrates that it is possible to make ordered nanoarrays without dissolving templates using the hydrothermal method, and this interesting Ag nanoflake arrays may provide a wider range of nanoscale applications.

Particulate and gaseous emissions when welding aluminum alloys.

PubMed

Cole, Homer; Epstein, Seymour; Peace, Jon

2007-09-01

Fabrication and repair of aluminum components and structures commonly involves the use of electric arc welding. The interaction of the arc and the metal being welded generates ultraviolet radiation, metallic oxides, fumes, and gases. Aluminum is seldom used as the pure metal but is often alloyed with other metals to improve strength and other physical properties. Therefore, the exact composition of any emissions will depend on the welding process and the particular aluminum alloy being welded. To quantify such emissions, The Aluminum Association sponsored several studies to characterize arc welding emissions by the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) processes for various combinations of base and filler alloys. In all cases, the tests were conducted under conditions that could be found in a production weld shop without forced ventilation. The concentrations of each analyte that a welder could be exposed to were greatly affected by the welding process, the composition of the base and filler alloys, the position of the welder, and the welding helmet. The results obtained can be used by employers to identify and control potential hazards associated with the welding of aluminum alloys and can provide the basis for hazard communication to employees involved in the welding of these alloys.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electronbeam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Investigation of Methods for Selectively Reinforcing Aluminum and Aluminum-Lithium Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bird, R. Keith; Alexa, Joel A.; Messick, Peter L.; Domack, Marcia S.; Wagner, John A.

2013-01-01

Several studies have indicated that selective reinforcement offers the potential to significantly improve the performance of metallic structures for aerospace applications. Applying high-strength, high-stiffness fibers to the high-stress regions of aluminum-based structures can increase the structural load-carrying capability and inhibit fatigue crack initiation and growth. This paper discusses an investigation into potential methods for applying reinforcing fibers onto the surface of aluminum and aluminum-lithium plate. Commercially-available alumina-fiber reinforced aluminum alloy tapes were used as the reinforcing material. Vacuum hot pressing was used to bond the reinforcing tape to aluminum alloy 2219 and aluminum-lithium alloy 2195 base plates. Static and cyclic three-point bend testing and metallurgical analysis were used to evaluate the enhancement of mechanical performance and the integrity of the bond between the tape and the base plate. The tests demonstrated an increase in specific bending stiffness. In addition, no issues with debonding of the reinforcing tape from the base plate during bend testing were observed. The increase in specific stiffness indicates that selectively-reinforced structures could be designed with the same performance capabilities as a conventional unreinforced structure but with lower mass.

Synthesis of oxide-free aluminum nanoparticles for application to conductive film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jong Lee, Yung; Lee, Changsoo; Lee, Hyuck Mo

2018-02-01

Aluminum nanoparticles are considered promising as alternatives to conventional ink materials, replacing silver and copper nanoparticles, due to their extremely low cost and low melting temperature. However, a serious obstacle to realizing their use as conductive ink materials is the oxidation of aluminum. In this research, we synthesized the oxide-free aluminum nanoparticles using catalytic decomposition and an oleic acid coating method, and these materials were applied to conductive ink for the first time. The injection time of oleic acid determines the size of the aluminum nanoparticles by forming a self-assembled monolayer on the nanoparticles instead of allowing the formation of an oxide phase. Fabricated nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to verify their structural and chemical composition. In addition, conductive inks made of these nanoparticles exhibit electrical properties when they are sintered at over 300 °C in a reducing atmosphere. This result shows that aluminum nanoparticles can be used as an alternative conductive material in printed electronics and can solve the cost issues associated with noble metals.

Heat treatment stabilizes welded aluminum jigs and tool structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehnert, R. S.

1966-01-01

Heat treatment processes, applied after welding but before machining, imparts above normal stability to welded aluminum jigs and tool structures. Weight saving will not be realized in these tools if rigidity equal to that of a comparable steel tool is required.

Fabrication and characterization of conductive anodic aluminum oxide substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altuntas, Sevde; Buyukserin, Fatih

2014-11-01

Biomaterials that allow the utilization of electrical, chemical and topographic cues for improved neuron-material interaction and neural regeneration hold great promise for nerve tissue engineering applications. The nature of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes intrinsically provides delicate control over topographic and chemical cues for enhanced cell interaction; however their use in nerve regeneration is still very limited. Herein, we report the fabrication and characterization of conductive AAO (CAAO) surfaces for the ultimate goal of integrating electrical cues for improved nerve tissue behavior on the nanoporous substrate material. Parafilm was used as a protecting polymer film, for the first time, in order to obtain large area (50 cm2) free-standing AAO membranes. Carbon (C) was then deposited on the AAO surface via sputtering. Morphological characterization of the CAAO surfaces revealed that the pores remain open after the deposition process. The presence of C on the material surface and inside the nanopores was confirmed by XPS and EDX studies. Furthermore, I-V curves of the surface were used to extract surface resistance values and conductive AFM demonstrated that current signals can only be achieved where conductive C layer is present. Finally, novel nanoporous C films with controllable pore diameters and one dimensional (1-D) C nanostructures were obtained by the dissolution of the template AAO substrate.

Aluminum-stabilized Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, R.M.

1984-02-10

This patent discloses an aluminum-stabilized Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials.

Aluminum-stabilized Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, R.M.

1988-05-10

Disclosed are an aluminum-stabilized Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials. 4 figs.

Intermetallic alloy welding wires and method for fabricating the same

DOEpatents

Santella, M.L.; Sikka, V.K.

1996-06-11

Welding wires for welding together intermetallic alloys of nickel aluminides, nickel-iron aluminides, iron aluminides, or titanium aluminides, and preferably including additional alloying constituents are fabricated as two-component, clad structures in which one component contains the primary alloying constituent(s) except for aluminum and the other component contains the aluminum constituent. This two-component approach for fabricating the welding wire overcomes the difficulties associated with mechanically forming welding wires from intermetallic alloys which possess high strength and limited ductilities at elevated temperatures normally employed in conventional metal working processes. The composition of the clad welding wires is readily tailored so that the welding wire composition when melted will form an alloy defined by the weld deposit which substantially corresponds to the composition of the intermetallic alloy being joined. 4 figs.

Intermetallic alloy welding wires and method for fabricating the same

DOEpatents

Santella, Michael L.; Sikka, Vinod K.

1996-01-01

Welding wires for welding together intermetallic alloys of nickel aluminides, nickel-iron aluminides, iron aluminides, or titanium aluminides, and preferably including additional alloying constituents are fabricated as two-component, clad structures in which one component contains the primary alloying constituent(s) except for aluminum and the other component contains the aluminum constituent. This two-component approach for fabricating the welding wire overcomes the difficulties associated with mechanically forming welding wires from intermetallic alloys which possess high strength and limited ductilities at elevated temperatures normally employed in conventional metal working processes. The composition of the clad welding wires is readily tailored so that the welding wire composition when melted will form an alloy defined by the weld deposit which substantially corresponds to the composition of the intermetallic alloy being joined.

Aluminum Nanoholes for Optical Biosensing.

PubMed

Barrios, Carlos Angulo; Canalejas-Tejero, Víctor; Herranz, Sonia; Urraca, Javier; Moreno-Bondi, María Cruz; Avella-Oliver, Miquel; Maquieira, Ángel; Puchades, Rosa

2015-07-09

Sub-wavelength diameter holes in thin metal layers can exhibit remarkable optical features that make them highly suitable for (bio)sensing applications. Either as efficient light scattering centers for surface plasmon excitation or metal-clad optical waveguides, they are able to form strongly localized optical fields that can effectively interact with biomolecules and/or nanoparticles on the nanoscale. As the metal of choice, aluminum exhibits good optical and electrical properties, is easy to manufacture and process and, unlike gold and silver, its low cost makes it very promising for commercial applications. However, aluminum has been scarcely used for biosensing purposes due to corrosion and pitting issues. In this short review, we show our recent achievements on aluminum nanohole platforms for (bio)sensing. These include a method to circumvent aluminum degradation--which has been successfully applied to the demonstration of aluminum nanohole array (NHA) immunosensors based on both, glass and polycarbonate compact discs supports--the use of aluminum nanoholes operating as optical waveguides for synthesizing submicron-sized molecularly imprinted polymers by local photopolymerization, and a technique for fabricating transferable aluminum NHAs onto flexible pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, which could facilitate the development of a wearable technology based on aluminum NHAs.

A study of mechanical properties for aluminum GMA weldments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kluken, A.O.; Bjoerneklett, B.

1997-02-01

Medium- to high-strength aluminum alloys represent an attractive alternative to steel as a material for critical structural members. One area of great interest for their use is the transportation industry due to the increasing demands for less environmental impact through improved fuel efficiency, weight reductions, and increased load capacity. Fabrication of structural bodies involves, in most instances, the application of a joining process. Load-carrying members must be joined together or nonload-carrying parts attached to the primary structure. Although adhesive bonding, laser beam welding and friction stir welding are attractive processes for joining of aluminum, gas metal arc welding (GMAW) ismore » by far the most widely used process at present. Fusion welding of a heat-treatable aluminum alloy represents an additional local heat treatment of material that previously has been processed through tight temperature control to obtain the desired mechanical properties. Hence, great attention must be given to selection of alloy and temper condition, welding parameters, and postweld aging procedures for a given application. The objective of this investigation was to establish mechanical property data, i.e., tensile strength and impact toughness, for Al-Mg-Si and Al-Zn-Mg gas metal arc weldments applicable to the automotive and shipbuilding industries.« less

[Concentrations of fluorine, aluminum and magnesium in some structures of the central nervous system of rats exposed to aluminum and fluorine in drinking water].

PubMed

Lubkowska, Anna; Chlubek, Dariusz; Machoy-Mokrzyńska, Anna; Noceń, Iwona; Zyluk, Beata; Nowacki, Przemysław

2004-01-01

Fluorine and aluminum are able to pass through the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the central nervous system (CNS) of exposed animals. Chronic intoxication is accompanied by behavioral disorders, degenerative changes, and abnormalities of aerobic metabolism of the neurons. Awareness of the role of aluminum in Alzheimer's disease stems from epidemiological studies demonstrating increased prevalence of this condition in areas with relatively high content of aluminum in drinking water. The uptake of aluminum in the gastrointestinal tract is decreased in the presence of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, or fluoride. Many magnesium-containing enzymes are affected by aluminum, which is able to replace magnesium and thus reduce their activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of fluorine, aluminum, and magnesium in some structures of the CNS of rats exposed to fluorine and aluminum in water. Our material consisted of 64 Wistar rats divided into eight equal groups. Groups I, II and III were female rats exposed, respectively, to 100 ppm fluorine ions, 300 ppm aluminum ions or both at same doses alternating every second day. Groups IA, IIA and IIIA consisted of male rats exposed like the respective female groups. Control groups K1--females and K2--males received distilled water ad libitum. Exposure lasted 31 days whereupon the animals were anesthetized with ketamine and sacrificed. The brain was collected and the cerebellum, brain cortex, and hippocampus were isolated. Concentrations of fluorine, aluminum, and magnesium were measured with prior mineralization of wet tissues in a microwave oven. Fluorine concentrations were determined with a potentiometric method and ion-selective electrode. Aluminum was measured with ICP (inductively coupled plasma) and magnesium with ASA (atomic absorption spectrometry). The highest concentrations of fluorine were observed in rats exposed to fluorine only. The same pattern was true for aluminum. Groups

Fabrication of boron sputter targets

DOEpatents

Makowiecki, Daniel M.; McKernan, Mark A.

1995-01-01

A process for fabricating high density boron sputtering targets with sufficient mechanical strength to function reliably at typical magnetron sputtering power densities and at normal process parameters. The process involves the fabrication of a high density boron monolithe by hot isostatically compacting high purity (99.9%) boron powder, machining the boron monolithe into the final dimensions, and brazing the finished boron piece to a matching boron carbide (B.sub.4 C) piece, by placing aluminum foil there between and applying pressure and heat in a vacuum. An alternative is the application of aluminum metallization to the back of the boron monolithe by vacuum deposition. Also, a titanium based vacuum braze alloy can be used in place of the aluminum foil.

Fabrication of boron sputter targets

DOEpatents

Makowiecki, D.M.; McKernan, M.A.

1995-02-28

A process is disclosed for fabricating high density boron sputtering targets with sufficient mechanical strength to function reliably at typical magnetron sputtering power densities and at normal process parameters. The process involves the fabrication of a high density boron monolithe by hot isostatically compacting high purity (99.9%) boron powder, machining the boron monolithe into the final dimensions, and brazing the finished boron piece to a matching boron carbide (B{sub 4}C) piece, by placing aluminum foil there between and applying pressure and heat in a vacuum. An alternative is the application of aluminum metallization to the back of the boron monolithe by vacuum deposition. Also, a titanium based vacuum braze alloy can be used in place of the aluminum foil. 7 figs.

Structure formation and properties of a copper-aluminum joint produced by ultrasound-assisted explosive welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuz'min, E. V.; Peev, A. P.; Kuz'min, S. V.; Lysak, V. I.

2017-08-01

The effect of ultrasound-assisted explosive welding on the structure formation and the properties of copper-aluminum joints is studied. Ultrasound-assisted explosive welding improves the quality of formed copper-aluminum joints, i.e., enhances their strength and significantly reduces the amount of fused metal over the entire weldability range. It is shown that ultrasound-assisted explosive welding can noticeably extend the weldability range of the copper-aluminum pair to obtain equal-in-strength joints with minimum structural heterogeneity in the wide welding range.

Synthesis of Aluminum-Aluminum Nitride Nanocomposites by a Gas-Liquid Reaction II. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgonovo, Cecilia; Makhlouf, Makhlouf M.

2016-04-01

In situ fabrication of the reinforcing particles in the metal matrix is an answer to many of the challenges encountered in manufacturing aluminum matrix nanocomposites. In this method, the nanoparticles are formed directly within the melt by means of a chemical reaction between a specially designed aluminum alloy and a gas. In this publication, we describe a process for synthesizing aluminum-aluminum nitride nanocomposites by reacting a nitrogen-containing gas with a molten aluminum-lithium alloy. We quantify the effect of the process parameters on the average particle size and particle distribution, as well as on the tendency of the particles to cluster in the alloy matrix, is quantified. Also in this publication, we present the measured room temperature and elevated temperature tensile properties of the nanocomposite material as well as its measured room temperature impact toughness.

Multiscale structural changes of atomic order in severely deformed industrial aluminum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samoilenko, Z. A.; Ivakhnenko, N. N.; Pushenko, E. I.; Pashinskaya, E. G.; Varyukhin, V. N.

2016-02-01

The regularities of multiscale structural changes in the atomic order of the aluminum alloy AD-1 after a severe cold plastic deformation by conventional rolling in smooth rolls or in rolls with relief recesses favorable for shear deformation have been investigated. It has been found that there are four types of structural fractions that differ in scale and perfection of atomic order: crystallographic planes with a long-range order; nanoscale fragments of the planes ( D = 100-300 Å) with an incipient long-range order; smaller groups of atoms ( D = 20-30 Å) of amorphized structure; and the least ordered structural fraction of intercluster medium, keeping only a short-range atomic order (2-3 interatomic distances, 10 Å). The presence of diffuse halo bands in the region of intense Debye lines indicates phase transitions of the order → disorder type with the formation of one to three groups of amorphous clusters with the dominance, in the nanometer scale, of the atomic order characteristic of the family of planes (111), (220), and (311) of crystalline aluminum. We have found a dynamic phase transition with the changing crystallographic order of aluminum, with the matrix structure of a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, in the form of nanosized local groups of atoms, that is, the deformation clusters of aluminum with a simple cubic K6 lattice. In the case of conventional rolling, the development of large clusters 50-500 Å in size is observed; however, in the use of rolls with relief recesses, the difference in the sizes of the clusters is one half as much: 50-250 Å. Based on the analysis of the integrated intensity of incoherent X-ray scattering by the samples, we have elucidated the nature of the lowest measured density for the sample subjected to conventional rolling, which consists in the volume concentration of disorderly arranged atoms, the highest of the compared structures, which indicates the formation therein of the greatest amount of fluctuation "voids."

Study on combined polishing process of aspherical aluminum mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Jinqiu; Peng, Xiaoqiang; Hu, Hao; Ge, Kunpeng

2017-10-01

The aluminum mirrors are widely used as important optical components in some vital fields such as astronomical instruments or military installations due to the unique advantages of aluminum alloy. In order to simplify the structure of optical system and improve the performance at the same time, it's a tendency that the optics will be designed to aspherical or other freeform shapes. However, the traditional techniques are falling to have adequate abilities to deal with the increasing demands of aluminum optics. For example, the tool marks leaved on the surface from single point diamond turning (SPDT) has obvious adverse effects to optical system. The deterministic and sub-aperture polishing process has showed the potential to fabricate complex shapes over the few years. But it's still recognized as a problem to polish bare aluminum directly because of its soft surface and active chemical characteristics. Therefore, a combination of magnetorheological finishing (MRF) and small tool polishing (STP) is applied to obtain high performance aluminum optics in this paper. A paraboloid aluminum mirror was polished with this proposed method, and the results showed that the surface texture of the sample is restrained from rms 0.409λ (λ=632.8nm) to rms 0.025λ, and the surface roughness is improved from average Ra 6 7nm to Ra 3 4nm.

CCD research. [design, fabrication, and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gassaway, J. D.

1976-01-01

The fundamental problems encountered in designing, fabricating, and applying CCD's are reviewed. Investigations are described and results and conclusions are given for the following: (1) the development of design analyses employing computer aided techniques and their application to the design of a grapped structure; (2) the role of CCD's in applications to electronic functions, in particular, signal processing; (3) extending the CCD to silicon films on sapphire (SOS); and (4) all aluminum transfer structure with low noise input-output circuits. Related work on CCD imaging devices is summarized.

Analysis of stress-strain, fracture and ductility behavior of aluminum matrix composites containing discontinuous silicon carbide reinforcement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdanels, D. L.

1984-01-01

Mechanical properties and stress-strain behavior for several types of commercially fabricated aluminum matrix composites, containing up to 40 vol % discontinuous SiC whisker, nodule, or particulate reinforcement were evaluated. It was found that the elastic modulus of the composites was isotropic, to be independent of type of reinforcement, and to be controlled solely by the volume percentage of SiC reinforcement present. The yield/tensile strengths and ductility were controlled primarily by the matrix alloy and temper condition. Ductility decreased with increasing reinforcement content, however, the fracture strains observed were higher than those reported in the literature for this type of composite. This increase in fracture strain is attributed to cleaner matrix powder and increased mechanical working during fabrication. Conventional aluminum and titanium structural alloys were compared and have shown that the properties of these low cost, lightweight composites have good potential for application to aerospace structures.

Mechanically durable superoleophobic aluminum surfaces with microstep and nanoreticula hierarchical structure for self-cleaning and anti-smudge properties.

PubMed

Peng, Shan; Bhushan, Bharat

2016-01-01

Superoleophobic aluminum surfaces are of interest for self-cleaning, anti-smudge (fingerprint resistance), anti-fouling, and corrosion resistance applications. In the published literature on superoleophobic aluminum surfaces, mechanical durability, self-cleaning, and anti-smudge properties data are lacking. Microstep structure has often been used to prepare superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces which produce the microstructure. The nanoreticula structure has also been used, and is reported to be able to trap air-pockets, which are desirable for a high contact angle. In this work, the microstep and nanoreticula structures were produced on aluminum surfaces to form a hierarchical micro/nanostructure by a simple two-step chemical etching process. The hierarchical structure, when modified with fluorosilane, made the surface superoleophobic. The effect of nanostructure, microstructure, and hierarchical structure on wettability and durability were studied and compared. The superoleophobic aluminum surfaces were found to be wear resistant, self-cleaning, and have anti-smudge and corrosion resistance properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimization of Anodic Porous Alumina Fabricated from Commercial Aluminum Food Foils: A Statistical Approach

PubMed Central

Riccomagno, Eva; Shayganpour, Amirreza; Salerno, Marco

2017-01-01

Anodic porous alumina is a known material based on an old industry, yet with emerging applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology. This is promising, but the nanostructured alumina should be fabricated from inexpensive raw material. We fabricated porous alumina from commercial aluminum food plate in 0.4 M aqueous phosphoric acid, aiming to design an effective manufacturing protocol for the material used as nanoporous filler in dental restorative composites, an application demonstrated previously by our group. We identified the critical input parameters of anodization voltage, bath temperature and anodization time, and the main output parameters of pore diameter, pore spacing and oxide thickness. Scanning electron microscopy and grain analysis allowed us to assess the nanostructured material, and the statistical design of experiments was used to optimize its fabrication. We analyzed a preliminary dataset, designed a second dataset aimed at clarifying the correlations between input and output parameters, and ran a confirmation dataset. Anodization conditions close to 125 V, 20 °C, and 7 h were identified as the best for obtaining, in the shortest possible time, pore diameters and spacing of 100–150 nm and 150–275 nm respectively, and thickness of 6–8 µm, which are desirable for the selected application according to previously published results. Our analysis confirmed the linear dependence of pore size on anodization voltage and of thickness on anodization time. The importance of proper control on the experiment was highlighted, since batch effects emerge when the experimental conditions are not exactly reproduced. PMID:28772776

Impact resistant boron/aluminum composites for large fan blades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oller, T. L.; Salemme, C. T.; Bowden, J. H.; Doble, G. S.; Melnyk, P.

1977-01-01

Blade-like specimens were subjected to static ballistic impact testing to determine their relative FOD impact resistance levels. It was determined that a plus or minus 15 deg layup exhibited good impact resistance. The design of a large solid boron/aluminum fan blade was conducted based on the FOD test results. The CF6 fan blade was used as a baseline for these design studies. The solid boron/aluminum fan blade design was used to fabricate two blades. This effort enabled the assessment of the scale up of existing blade manufacturing details for the fabrication of a large B/Al fan blade. Existing CF6 fan blade tooling was modified for use in fabricating these blades.

Aluminum Nanoholes for Optical Biosensing

PubMed Central

Barrios, Carlos Angulo; Canalejas-Tejero, Víctor; Herranz, Sonia; Urraca, Javier; Moreno-Bondi, María Cruz; Avella-Oliver, Miquel; Maquieira, Ángel; Puchades, Rosa

2015-01-01

Sub-wavelength diameter holes in thin metal layers can exhibit remarkable optical features that make them highly suitable for (bio)sensing applications. Either as efficient light scattering centers for surface plasmon excitation or metal-clad optical waveguides, they are able to form strongly localized optical fields that can effectively interact with biomolecules and/or nanoparticles on the nanoscale. As the metal of choice, aluminum exhibits good optical and electrical properties, is easy to manufacture and process and, unlike gold and silver, its low cost makes it very promising for commercial applications. However, aluminum has been scarcely used for biosensing purposes due to corrosion and pitting issues. In this short review, we show our recent achievements on aluminum nanohole platforms for (bio)sensing. These include a method to circumvent aluminum degradation—which has been successfully applied to the demonstration of aluminum nanohole array (NHA) immunosensors based on both, glass and polycarbonate compact discs supports—the use of aluminum nanoholes operating as optical waveguides for synthesizing submicron-sized molecularly imprinted polymers by local photopolymerization, and a technique for fabricating transferable aluminum NHAs onto flexible pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, which could facilitate the development of a wearable technology based on aluminum NHAs. PMID:26184330

Densely packed aluminum-silver nanohelices as an ultra-thin perfect light absorber

PubMed Central

Jen, Yi-Jun; Huang, Yu-Jie; Liu, Wei-Chih; Lin, Yueh Weng

2017-01-01

Metals have been formed into nanostructures to absorb light with high efficiency through surface plasmon resonances. An ultra-thin plasmonic structure that exhibits strong absorption over wide ranges of wavelengths and angles of incidence is sought. In this work, a nearly perfect plasmonic nanostructure is fabricated using glancing angle deposition. The difference between the morphologies of obliquely deposited aluminum and silver nanohelices is exploited to form a novel three-dimensional structure, which is an aluminum-silver nanohelix array on a pattern-free substrate. With a thickness of only 470 nm, densely distributed nanohelices support rod-to-rod localized surface plasmons for broadband and polarization-independent light extinction. The extinctance remains high over wavelengths from 400 nm to 2000 nm and angles of incidence from 0° to 70°. PMID:28045135

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Using Continuous Press Forming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost. moderate-to-high production rate. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a net-shape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates. resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

Test of superplastically formed corrugated aluminum compression specimens with beaded webs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Randall C.; Royster, Dick M.; Bales, Thomas T.; James, William F.; Shinn, Joseph M., Jr.

1991-01-01

Corrugated wall sections provide a highly efficient structure for carrying compressive loads in aircraft and spacecraft fuselages. The superplastic forming (SPF) process offers a means to produce complex shells and panels with corrugated wall shapes. A study was made to investigate the feasibility of superplastically forming 7475-T6 aluminum sheet into a corrugated wall configuration and to demonstrate the structural integrity of the construction by testing. The corrugated configuration selected has beaded web segments separating curved-cap segments. Eight test specimens were fabricated. Two specimens were simply a single sheet of aluminum superplastically formed to a beaded-web, curved-cap corrugation configuration. Six specimens were single-sheet corrugations modified by adhesive bonding additional sheet material to selectively reinforce the curved-cap portion of the corrugation. The specimens were tested to failure by crippling in end compression at room temperature.

Air-Impregnated Nanoporous Anodic Aluminum Oxide Layers for Enhancing the Corrosion Resistance of Aluminum.

PubMed

Jeong, Chanyoung; Lee, Junghoon; Sheppard, Keith; Choi, Chang-Hwan

2015-10-13

Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide layers were fabricated on aluminum substrates with systematically varied pore diameters (20-80 nm) and oxide thicknesses (150-500 nm) by controlling the anodizing voltage and time and subsequent pore-widening process conditions. The porous nanostructures were then coated with a thin (only a couple of nanometers thick) Teflon film to make the surface hydrophobic and trap air in the pores. The corrosion resistance of the aluminum substrate was evaluated by a potentiodynamic polarization measurement in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution (saltwater). Results showed that the hydrophobic nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide layer significantly enhanced the corrosion resistance of the aluminum substrate compared to a hydrophilic oxide layer of the same nanostructures, to bare (nonanodized) aluminum with only a natural oxide layer on top, and to the latter coated with a thin Teflon film. The hydrophobic nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide layer with the largest pore diameter and the thickest oxide layer (i.e., the maximized air fraction) resulted in the best corrosion resistance with a corrosion inhibition efficiency of up to 99% for up to 7 days. The results demonstrate that the air impregnating the hydrophobic nanopores can effectively inhibit the penetration of corrosive media into the pores, leading to a significant improvement in corrosion resistance.

Using Aluminum Foil to Record Structures in Sedimentary Rock.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metz, Robert

1982-01-01

Aluminum foil can be used to make impressions of structures preserved in sedimentary rock. The impressions can be projected onto a screen, photographed, or a Plaster of Paris model can be made from them. Impressions of ripple marks, mudcracks, and raindrop impressions are provided in photographs illustrating the technique. (Author/JN)

Fabrication of submicron proteinaceous structures by direct laser writing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serien, Daniela; Takeuchi, Shoji, E-mail: takeuchi@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp; ERATO Takeuchi Biohybrid Innovation Project, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, 153-8505 Tokyo

In this paper, we provide a characterization of truly free-standing proteinaceous structures with submicron feature sizes depending on the fabrication conditions by model-based analysis. Protein cross-linking of bovine serum albumin is performed by direct laser writing and two-photon excitation of flavin adenine dinucleotide. We analyze the obtainable fabrication resolution and required threshold energy for polymerization. The applied polymerization model allows prediction of fabrication conditions and resulting fabrication size, alleviating the application of proteinaceous structure fabrication.

Rapid Fabrication of Silver Nanowires through Photoreduction of Silver Nitrate from an Anodic-Aluminum-Oxide Template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Chen, Kun-Tso; Ho, Jeng-Rong

2011-06-01

A method for rapidly fabricating dense and high-aspect-ratio silver nanowires, with wire diameter of 200 nm and wire length more than 30 µm, is reported. The fabrication process simply involves filling the silver nitrate solution into the pores of an anodic-aluminum-oxide (AAO) membrane through capillary attraction and irradiating the dried template AAO membrane using a pulsed ArF excimer laser. Through varying the thickness and pore diameter of the employed AAO membrane, the primary dimensions of the targeted silver nanowires can be plainly specified; and, by amending the initial concentration of the silver nitrate solution and adjusting the laser operation parameters, laser fluence and number of laser pulses, the surface morphology and size of the resulting nanowires can be finely regulated. The wire formation mechanism is considered through two stages: the period of precipitation of silver particles from the dried silver nitrate film through the laser-induced photoreduction; and, the phase of clustering, merging and fusing of the reduced particles to form nanowires in the template pores by the thermal energy owing to photothermal effect. This approach is straightforward and takes the advantage that all the fabrication processes can be executed in an ambient environment and at room temperature. In addition, by the excellence in local processing that the laser possesses, this method is suitable for precisely growing nanowires.

Development of New Front Side Metallization Method of Aluminum Electroplating for Silicon Solar Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, Megan D.

In this thesis, the methods of aluminum electroplating in an ionic liquid for silicon solar cell front side metallization were studied. It focused on replacing the current silver screen printing with an alternative metallization technology using a low-cost Earth-abundant metal for mass production, due to the high cost and limited availability of silver. A conventional aluminum electroplating method was employed for silicon solar cells fabrication on both p-type and n-type substrates. The highest efficiency of 17.9% was achieved in the n-type solar cell with a rear junction, which is comparable to that of the same structure cell with screen printed silver electrodes from industrial production lines. It also showed better spiking resistant performance than the common structure p-type solar cell. Further efforts were put on the development of a novel light-induced plating of aluminum technique. The aluminum was deposited directly on a silicon substrate without the assistance of a conductive seed layer, thus simplified and reduced the process cost. The plated aluminum has good adhesion to the silicon surface with the resistivity as low as 4x10-6 Ω-cm. A new demo tool was designed and set up for the light-induced plating experiment, aiming to utilize this technique in large-size solar cells fabrication and mass production. Besides the metallization methods, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis for the efficiency dispersion in the production of crystalline-Si solar cells was presented based on numerical simulations. Temperature variation in the diffusion furnace was the most significant cause of the efficiency dispersion. It was concluded that a narrow efficiency range of +/-0.5% absolute is achievable if the emitter diffusion temperature is confined to a 13°C window, while other cell parameters vary within their normal windows. Possible methods to minimize temperature variation in emitter diffusion were proposed.

Synthesizing Aluminum alloys by double mechanical alloying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froyen, L.; Delaey, L.; Niu, X. P.; Le Brun, P.; Peytour, C.

1995-03-01

A new synthesis technique, namely double mechanical alloying (dMA), has been developed to fabricate aluminum alloys containing the finely distributed intermetallic compounds and inert dispersoids Al4C3 and Al2O3 The technique consists mainly of three steps: a primary milling stage of elemental powders (MAI) followed by a heat treatment to promote the formation of intermetallic phases, a secondary milling stage (MA2) to refine the microstructure, and consolidation of the produced powders. The results of mechanical and tribological properties of the resulting materials indicate that the dMA is a promising technique for the fabrication of aluminum alloys for applications requiring wear resistance and high-temperature performance.

Boron/aluminum fan blades for SCAR engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stabrylla, R. G.; Carlson, R. G.

1977-01-01

Processing procedures were developed to enhance boron/aluminum bond behavior and foreign object damage (FOD) tolerance. Design and analysis indicated that the J101 Stage 1 fan blade meets the required frequencies without a midspan shroud. The fabricability of full size J101 blades was assessed, while six blades were fabricated and finished machined.

The fabrication of PLGA microvessel scaffolds with nano-patterned inner walls.

PubMed

Wang, Gou-Jen; Lin, Yan-Cheng; Hsu, Shan-Hui

2010-10-01

Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is one of the most commonly used biodegradable, biocompatible materials. Nanostructured PLGA has immense potential for application in tissue engineering. In this article we discuss a novel approach for the fabrication of PLGA microvessel scaffolds with nanostructured inner walls. In this novel nano-patterning approach, the thermal reflow technique is first adapted to fabricate a semi-cylindrical photoresist master mold. A thin film of titanium and a thin film of aluminum are sputtered in sequence on the semi-cylindrical microvessel network. Aluminum foil anodization is then executed to transform the aluminum thin film into a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) film. During the casting process a PLGA solution is cast on the AAO film to build up semi-cylindrical PLGA microstructures with nanostructured inner walls after which inductive coupled plasma (ICP) is implemented to assist bonding of the two PLGA structures. The result is the building of a network of microchannels with nano-patterned inner walls. Bovine endothelial cells (BECs) are carefully cultured in the scaffold via semi-dynamic seeding for 7 days. Observations show that the BECs grew more separately in a nano-patterned microvessel scaffold than they did in a smooth surface scaffold.

Methods and devices for fabricating three-dimensional nanoscale structures

DOEpatents

Rogers, John A.; Jeon, Seokwoo; Park, Jangung

2010-04-27

The present invention provides methods and devices for fabricating 3D structures and patterns of 3D structures on substrate surfaces, including symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns of 3D structures. Methods of the present invention provide a means of fabricating 3D structures having accurately selected physical dimensions, including lateral and vertical dimensions ranging from 10s of nanometers to 1000s of nanometers. In one aspect, methods are provided using a mask element comprising a conformable, elastomeric phase mask capable of establishing conformal contact with a radiation sensitive material undergoing photoprocessing. In another aspect, the temporal and/or spatial coherence of electromagnetic radiation using for photoprocessing is selected to fabricate complex structures having nanoscale features that do not extend entirely through the thickness of the structure fabricated.

Facile Route to Rare Heterobimetallic Aluminum-Copper and Aluminum-Zinc Selenide Clusters.

PubMed

Li, Bin; Li, Jiancheng; Liu, Rui; Zhu, Hongping; Roesky, Herbert W

2017-03-20

Heterobimetallic aluminum-copper and aluminum-zinc clusters were prepared from the reaction of LAl(SeH) 2 [1; L = HC(CMeNAr) 2 and Ar = 2,6-iPr 2 C 6 H 3 ] with (MesCu) 4 and ZnEt 2 , respectively. The resulting clusters with the core structures of Al 2 Se 4 Cu 4 and Al 2 Se 4 Zn 3 exhibit unique metal-organic frameworks. This is a novel pathway for the synthesis of aluminum-copper and aluminum-zinc selenides. The products have been characterized by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray structural characterization.

Tactile Fabric Panel in an Eight Zones Structure

PubMed Central

Alsina, Maria; Escudero, Francesc; Margalef, Jordi; Luengo, Sonia

2007-01-01

By introducing a percentage of conductive material during the manufacture of sewing thread, it is possible to obtain a fabric which is able to detect variations in pressure in certain areas. In previous experiments the existence of resistance variations has been demonstrated, although some constrains of cause and effect were found in the fabric. The research has been concentrated in obtaining a fabric that allows electronic detection of its shape changes. Additionally, and because a causal behavior is needed, it is necessary that the fabric recovers its original shape when the external forces cease. The structure of the fabric varies with the type of deformation applied. Two kinds of deformation are described: those caused by stretching and those caused by pressure. This last type of deformation gives different responses depending on the conductivity of the object used to cause the pressure. This effect is related to the type of thread used to manufacture the fabric. So, if the pressure is caused by a finger the response is different compared to the response caused by a conductive object. Another fact that has to be mentioned is that a pressure in a specific point of the fabric can affect other detection points depending on the force applied. This effect is related to the fabric structure. The goals of this article are validating the structure of the fabric used, as well as the study of the two types of deformation mentioned before. PMID:28903272

Structure of complexes between aluminum chloride and other chlorides, 2: Alkali-(chloroaluminates). Gaseous complexes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hargittai, M.

1980-01-01

The structural chemistry of complexes between aluminum chloride and other metal chlorides is important both for practice and theory. Condensed-phase as well as vapor-phase complexes are of interest. Structural information on such complexes is reviewed. The first emphasis is given to the molten state because of its practical importance. Aluminum chloride forms volatile complexes with other metal chlorides and these vapor-phase complexes are dealt with in the second part. Finally, the variations in molecular shape and geometrical parameters are summarized.

Experimental Characterization of Aluminum-Based Hybrid Composites Obtained Through Powder Metallurgy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcu, D. F.; Buzatu, M.; Ghica, V. G.; Petrescu, M. I.; Popescu, G.; Niculescu, F.; Iacob, G.

2018-06-01

The paper presents some experimental results concerning fabrication through powder metallurgy (P/M) of aluminum-based hybrid composites - Al/Al2O3/Gr. In order to understand the mechanisms that occur during the P/M processes of obtaining Al/Al2O3/Gr composite, we correlated the physical characteristics with their micro-structural characteristics. The characterization was performed using analysis techniques specific for P/M process, SEM-EDS and XRD analyses. Micro-structural characterization of the composites has revealed fairly uniform distribution this resulting in good properties of the final composite material.

Development of a method for fabricating metallic matrix composite shapes by a continuous mechanical process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divecha, A. P.

1974-01-01

Attempts made to develop processes capable of producing metal composites in structural shapes and sizes suitable for space applications are described. The processes must be continuous and promise to lower fabrication costs. Special attention was given to the aluminum boride (Al/b) composite system. Results show that despite adequate temperature control, the consolidation characteristics did not improve as expected. Inadequate binder removal was identified as the cause responsible. An Al/c (aluminum-graphite) composite was also examined.

Fabrication and properties of aluminum silicate fibrous materials with in situ synthesized K2Ti6O13 whiskers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hao; Wei, Nan; Wang, Zhou-fu; Wang, Xi-tang; Ma, Yan

2017-11-01

To improve their mechanical and thermal insulation properties, aluminum silicate fibrous materials with in situ synthesized K2Ti6O13 whiskers were prepared by firing a mixture of short aluminum silicate fibers and gel powders obtained from a sol-gel process. During the preparation process, the fiber surface was coated with K2Ti6O13 whiskers after the fibers were subjected to a heat treatment carried out at various temperatures. The effects of process parameters on the microstructure, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity were analyzed systematically. The results show that higher treatment temperatures and longer treatment durations promoted the development of K2Ti6O13 whiskers on the surface of aluminum silicate fibers; in addition, the intersection structure between whiskers modulated the morphology and volume of the multi-aperture structure among fibers, substantially increasing the fibers' compressive strength and reducing their heat conduction and convective heat transfer at high temperatures.

Low reflection and field localization over surface plasmon device with subwavelength patterned aluminum film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Ying; Peng, Sha; Long, Huabao; Liu, Runhan; Wei, Dong; Zhang, Xinyu; Wang, Haiwei; Xie, Changsheng

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose a new device composed of patterned sub-wavelength arrays to investigate surface plasmons (SPs) over sub-wavelength metal nano-structures. The device consists of silicon substrate and sub-wavelength patterns fabricated on a layer of aluminum film with nanometer thickness. Each sub-wavelength pattern formed in aluminum film is composed of a basic nano-square and twelve triangles for shaping single nano-pattern, which are uniformly distributed on the four sides of each square. Reflectance spectra and electric field distribution in infrared region are simulated. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that the device can efficiently lower its reflectance in infrared spectrum, and the response frequency can be controlled by only changing the device parameters such as square side length and then triangle vertex angle. Besides, the simulated electric field distribution of the device shows obviously field localization effect at the edges of aluminum film nano-structure. The electric filed around the tips of aluminum triangles is localized into sub-wavelength scale, so as to be beyond the common diffraction limitation. Our work will help to reveal the interesting properties of SPs device, and also bring new prospect of photonic device.

The design, fabrication and installation of cable routing mockups in support of Spacelab 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

From flight and mockup drawings of Spacelab 2 (SL 2) experiments and hardware, shop ready mockup drawings were produced. Floor panels were the first items considered for fabrication. Cold plate and orthogrid mockups were designed and fabricated. Experiment and other hardware mockups were fabricated of aluminum or plywood, depending on size and configuration. Eighty-three cable routing bracket mockups were fabricated of aluminum and delivered for painting.

Self-Ordered Nanoporous Alumina Templates Formed by Anodization of Aluminum in Oxalic Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vida-Simiti, Ioan; Nemes, Dorel; Jumate, Nicolaie; Thalmaier, Gyorgy; Sechel, Niculina

2012-10-01

Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with highly ordered nanopores serve as ideal templates for the formation of various nanostructured materials. The procedure of the template preparation is based on a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum. In the current study, AAO templates were fabricated in 0.3 M oxalic acid under the anodizing potential range of 30-60 V at an electrolyte temperature of ~5°C. The AAO templates were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential thermal analysis. The as obtained layers are amorphous; the mean pore size is between 40 nm and 75 nm and increases with the increase of the anodization potential. Well-defined pores across the whole aluminum template, a pore density of ~1010 pores/cm2, and a tendency to form a porous structure with hexagonal symmetry were observed.

Passivated aluminum nanohole arrays for label-free biosensing applications.

PubMed

Canalejas-Tejero, Víctor; Herranz, Sonia; Bellingham, Alyssa; Moreno-Bondi, María Cruz; Barrios, Carlos Angulo

2014-01-22

We report the fabrication and performance of a surface plasmon resonance aluminum nanohole array refractometric biosensor. An aluminum surface passivation treatment based on oxygen plasma is developed in order to circumvent the undesired effects of oxidation and corrosion usually found in aluminum-based biosensors. Immersion tests in deionized water and device simulations are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the passivation process. A label-free bioassay based on biotin analysis through biotin-functionalized dextran-lipase conjugates immobilized on the biosensor-passivated surface in aqueous media is performed as a proof of concept to demonstrate the suitability of these nanostructured aluminum films for biosensing.

Facile Fabrication of Ordered Anodized Aluminum Oxide Membranes with Controlled Pore Size by Improved Hard Anodization.

PubMed

Fan, Jiangxia; Zhu, Xinxin; Wang, Kunzhou; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Xinqing; Yan, Minhao; Ren, Yong

2018-05-01

We have fabricated highly ordered anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with different diameter through improved hard anodization (HA) at high temperature. This process can generate thick AAO membranes (30 μm) in a short anodizing time with high growth rate 20-60 μm h-1 which is much faster than that in traditional mild two-step anodization. We enlarged the AAO pore diameter by adjusting the voltage rise rate at the same time, which has a great influence on current density and temperature. The AAO pore diameter varies from 60-110 nm to 160-190 nm. The pore diameter (Dp) of the AAO prepared by this improved process is much larger than that prepared by HA (40-60 nm) when H2C2O4 as electrolyte. It can expand potential use of the AAO membranes such as for the template-based synthesis of nanowires or nanotubes with modulated diameters and also for practical separation technology. We also has used the AAO with different diameters prepared by this improved HA to fabricate Co nanowires and γ-Fe2O3 superparamagnetic nanorods.

Elevated temperature properties of boron/aluminum composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, P. G.

1978-01-01

The high temperature properties of boron/aluminum composites, fabricated by an air diffusion bonding technique utilizing vacuum-bonded monolayer tape are reported. Seventeen different combinations of matrix alloy, reinforcement diameter, reinforcement volume percent, angle-ply and matrix enhancement (i.e. titanium cladding and interleaves) were fabricated, inspected, and tested. It is shown that good to excellent mechanical properties could be obtained for air-bonded boron/aluminum composites and that these properties did not decrease significantly up to a test temperature of at least 260 C. Composites made with 8 mil B/W fiber show a much greater longitudinal strength dependence on volume percent fiber than composites made with 5.6 mil fiber. The addition of titanium caused difficulties in composite bonding and yielded composites with reduced strength.

System integration and demonstration of adhesive bonded high temperature aluminum alloys for aerospace structure, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falcone, Anthony; Laakso, John H.

1993-01-01

Adhesive bonding materials and processes were evaluated for assembly of future high-temperature aluminum alloy structural components such as may be used in high-speed civil transport aircraft and space launch vehicles. A number of candidate high-temperature adhesives were selected and screening tests were conducted using single lap shear specimens. The selected adhesives were then used to bond sandwich (titanium core) test specimens, adhesive toughness test specimens, and isothermally aged lap shear specimens. Moderate-to-high lap shear strengths were obtained from bonded high-temperature aluminum and silicon carbide particulate-reinforced (SiC(sub p)) aluminum specimens. Shear strengths typically exceeded 3500 to 4000 lb/in(sup 2) and flatwise tensile strengths exceeded 750 lb/in(sup 2) even at elevated temperatures (300 F) using a bismaleimide adhesive. All faceskin-to-core bonds displayed excellent tear strength. The existing production phosphoric acid anodize surface preparation process developed at Boeing was used, and gave good performance with all of the aluminum and silicon carbide particulate-reinforced aluminum alloys investigated. The results of this program support using bonded assemblies of high-temperature aluminum components in applications where bonding is often used (e.g., secondary structures and tear stoppers).

Evaluation of laminated aluminum plate for shuttle applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, M. J.

1973-01-01

Flaw growth behavior in roll diffusion bonded and adhesive bonded 2219-T87 aluminum alloy was compared to that in monolothic 2219-T87. Based on tests at 40 KSI cyclic stress, for equivalent cyclic life, a .004 interlayer laminate can tolerate a surface flaw twice as wide as in monolithic material, or provide an 8% weight saving by operating at higher stress for the same initial flaw. Roll diffusion bonded material with three structural plies of 2219-T87 and two interlayers of 1100 aluminum was prepared with interlayer thicknesses of .004, .007 and .010 in. Total laminate thickness was .130 in. The .004 interlayer laminate was most effective and gave better results than monolithic material at 40 and 48 ksi. Adhesive bonded specimens were fabricated of three sheets of 2219-T87 aluminum alloy bonded with METLBOND 329 adhesive. Adhesive bonded specimens gave longer lives to failure than diffusion bonded specimens at 40 ksi the diffusion bonded material was superior. Flaws initiated in one ply of the laminate grew to the edges of the specimen in that ply but did not propagate into adjacent plies.

Study of structure defect interactions in aluminum by the acoustic method. [internal friction in pure aluminum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicolaescu, I. I.

1974-01-01

Using echo pulse and resonance rod methods, internal friction in pure aluminum was studied as a function of frequency, hardening temperature, time (internal friction relaxation) and impurity content. These studies led to the conclusion that internal friction in these materials depends strongly on dislocation structure and on elastic interactions between structure defects. It was found experimentally that internal friction relaxation depends on the cooling rate and on the impurity content. Some parameters of the dislocation structure and of the diffusion process were determined. It is shown that the dislocated dependence of internal friction can be used as a method of nondestructive testing of the impurity content of high-purity materials.

Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication: A Rapid Metal Deposition Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taminger, Karen M. B.; Hafley, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Manufacturing of structural metal parts directly from computer aided design (CAD) data has been investigated by numerous researchers over the past decade. Researchers at NASA Langley REsearch Center are developing a new solid freeform fabrication process, electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF), as a rapid metal deposition process that works efficiently with a variety of weldable alloys. The EBF process introduces metal wire feedstock into a molten pool that is created and sustained using a focused electron beam in a vacuum environment. Thus far, this technique has been demonstrated on aluminum and titanium alloys of interest for aerospace structural applications nickel and ferrous based alloys are also planned. Deposits resulting from 2219 aluminum demonstrations have exhibited a range of grain morphologies depending upon the deposition parameters. These materials ave exhibited excellent tensile properties comparable to typical handbook data for wrought plate product after post-processing heat treatments. The EBF process is capable of bulk metal deposition at deposition rated in excess of 2500 cubic centimeters per hour (150 cubic inches per our) or finer detail at lower deposition rates, depending upon the desired application. This process offers the potential for rapidly adding structural details to simpler cast or forged structures rather than the conventional approach of machining large volumes of chips to produce a monolithic metallic structure. Selective addition of metal onto simpler blanks of material can have a significant effect on lead time reduction and lower material and machining costs.

Laser target fabrication, structure and method for its fabrication

DOEpatents

Farnum, Eugene H.; Fries, R. Jay

1985-01-01

The disclosure is directed to a laser target structure and its method of fabrication. The target structure comprises a target plate containing an orifice across which a pair of crosshairs are affixed. A microsphere is affixed to the crosshairs and enclosed by at least one hollow shell comprising two hemispheres attached together and to the crosshairs so that the microsphere is juxtapositioned at the center of the shell.

The effect of fabrication on corrosion in aluminum 2195: Environmental and microstructural considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, Daniel W.

1994-01-01

Aluminum alloys containing lithium are particularly attractive to the aerospace structural designer. Lithium's density is only 0.53 g/cc, thus an addition of one weight percent lithium not only increases yield strength, but decreases the density by almost three percent while increasing the modulus by over six percent. The fact that lithium improves these physical properties simultaneously has led to intense study and development of the alloy system. Heretofore, problems in large scale alloy production have retarded commercial development. During the last fifteen years, advances in production technology have rekindled interest in Al-Li alloys, and aluminum suppliers have developed many candidate aerospace materials. However, if these alloys are to be employed successfully, a more complete understanding of their nonequilibrium metallurgy is required. Peel and Starke have each pointed out that an understanding of the weldability of these alloys is a critical step in their implementation. This study addresses the critical lack of information on the environmental compatibility of welded Al 2195 components. Corrosion data for these systems is incomplete, particularly for welded materials exposed to sea water or sea water condensate.

Evolution and Control of 2219 Aluminum Microstructural Features Through Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taminger, Karen M.; Hafley, Robert A.; Domack, Marcia S.

2006-01-01

The layer-additive nature of the electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) process results in a tortuous thermal path producing complex microstructures including: small homogeneous equiaxed grains; dendritic growth contained within larger grains; and/or pervasive dendritic formation in the interpass regions of the deposits. Several process control variables contribute to the formation of these different microstructures, including translation speed, wire feed rate, beam current and accelerating voltage. In electron beam processing, higher accelerating voltages embed the energy deeper below the surface of the substrate. Two EBF3 systems have been established at NASA Langley, one with a low-voltage (10-30kV) and the other a high-voltage (30-60 kV) electron beam gun. Aluminum alloy 2219 was processed over a range of different variables to explore the design space and correlate the resultant microstructures with the processing parameters. This report is specifically exploring the impact of accelerating voltage. Of particular interest is correlating energy to the resultant material characteristics to determine the potential of achieving microstructural control through precise management of the heat flux and cooling rates during deposition.

Fabricating Composite-Material Structures Containing SMA Ribbons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Travis L.; Cano, Roberto J.; Lach, Cynthia L.

2003-01-01

An improved method of designing and fabricating laminated composite-material (matrix/fiber) structures containing embedded shape-memory-alloy (SMA) actuators has been devised. Structures made by this method have repeatable, predictable properties, and fabrication processes can readily be automated. Such structures, denoted as shape-memory-alloy hybrid composite (SMAHC) structures, have been investigated for their potential to satisfy requirements to control the shapes or thermoelastic responses of themselves or of other structures into which they might be incorporated, or to control noise and vibrations. Much of the prior work on SMAHC structures has involved the use SMA wires embedded within matrices or within sleeves through parent structures. The disadvantages of using SMA wires as the embedded actuators include (1) complexity of fabrication procedures because of the relatively large numbers of actuators usually needed; (2) sensitivity to actuator/ matrix interface flaws because voids can be of significant size, relative to wires; (3) relatively high rates of breakage of actuators during curing of matrix materials because of sensitivity to stress concentrations at mechanical restraints; and (4) difficulty of achieving desirable overall volume fractions of SMA wires when trying to optimize the integration of the wires by placing them in selected layers only.

Bio-inspired Fabrication of Complex Hierarchical Structure in Silicon.

PubMed

Gao, Yang; Peng, Zhengchun; Shi, Tielin; Tan, Xianhua; Zhang, Deqin; Huang, Qiang; Zou, Chuanping; Liao, Guanglan

2015-08-01

In this paper, we developed a top-down method to fabricate complex three dimensional silicon structure, which was inspired by the hierarchical micro/nanostructure of the Morpho butterfly scales. The fabrication procedure includes photolithography, metal masking, and both dry and wet etching techniques. First, microscale photoresist grating pattern was formed on the silicon (111) wafer. Trenches with controllable rippled structures on the sidewalls were etched by inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching Bosch process. Then, Cr film was angled deposited on the bottom of the ripples by electron beam evaporation, followed by anisotropic wet etching of the silicon. The simple fabrication method results in large scale hierarchical structure on a silicon wafer. The fabricated Si structure has multiple layers with uniform thickness of hundreds nanometers. We conducted both light reflection and heat transfer experiments on this structure. They exhibited excellent antireflection performance for polarized ultraviolet, visible and near infrared wavelengths. And the heat flux of the structure was significantly enhanced. As such, we believe that these bio-inspired hierarchical silicon structure will have promising applications in photovoltaics, sensor technology and photonic crystal devices.

Design and fabrication of Si-HDPE hybrid Fresnel lenses for infrared imaging systems.

PubMed

Manaf, Ahmad Rosli Abdul; Sugiyama, Tsunetoshi; Yan, Jiwang

2017-01-23

In this work, novel hybrid Fresnel lenses for infrared (IR) optical applications were designed and fabricated. The Fresnel structures were replicated from an ultraprecision diamond-turned aluminum mold to an extremely thin layer (tens of microns) of high-density polyethylene polymer, which was directly bonded onto a flat single-crystal silicon wafer by press molding without using adhesives. Night mode imaging results showed that the fabricated lenses were able to visualize objects in dark fields with acceptable image quality. The capability of the lenses for thermography imaging was also demonstrated. This research provides a cost-effective method for fabricating ultrathin IR optical components.

A thermodynamics model for morphology prediction of aluminum nano crystals fabricated by the inert gas condensation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Yu; Xia, Dehong

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study is to provide scientific guidance for the morphological control of nanoparticle synthesis using the gas phase method. A universal thermodynamics model is developed to predict the morphology of nanoparticles fabricated using the inert gas condensation method. By using this model, the morphologies of aluminum nanocrystals are predicted under various preparation conditions. There are two types of energy that jointly determine the formation of nanoparticle morphology—Gibbs free energy for nanoparticles and energy variation during the process. The results show that energy variation dominates morphology formation when the cooling rate is less than 2 × 1011 K s-1 in the aluminum nanocrystal production process. At the beginning of the nanoparticle growth, the most stable morphology is predicted to be spherical, but the energetically preferred morphology becomes cubic as the particle grows. The turning point in the particle size at which spherical morphology is no longer the most stable morphology is exhibited as a function of pressure in a condensation chamber for different cooling rates. In this paper, we focus on the need for morphology prediction based on preparation conditions. It is concluded that nanoparticles with various morphologies could be obtained by adjusting the cooling rate and pressure in the condensation chamber.

Multifunctional CNT-polymer composites for ultra-tough structural supercapacitors and desalination devices.

PubMed

Benson, Jim; Kovalenko, Igor; Boukhalfa, Sofiane; Lashmore, David; Sanghadasa, Mohan; Yushin, Gleb

2013-12-03

Pulsed electrodeposition of polyaniline (PANI) allows the fabrication of flexible, electrically conductive, nonwoven PANI-carbon nanotube (PANI-CNT) composite fabrics. They possess specific tensile strength and a modulus of toughness higher than that of aluminum matrix composites, titanium and aluminum alloys, steels, and many other structural materials. Electrochemical tests show that these nanocomposites additionally offer excellent cycle stability and ion electro-sorption and storage properties. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structures Technology Program: Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starke, E. A., Jr. (Editor)

1996-01-01

This report is concerned with 'Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft' which was initiated to identify the technology needs associated with advanced, low-cost aluminum base materials for use as primary structural materials. Using a reference baseline aircraft, these materials concept will be further developed and evaluated both technically and economically to determine the most attractive combinations of designs, materials, and manufacturing techniques for major structural sections of an HSCT. Once this has been accomplished, the baseline aircraft will be resized, if applicable, and performance objectives and economic evaluations made to determine aircraft operating costs. The two primary objectives of this study are: (1) to identify the most promising aluminum-based materials with respect to major structural use on the HSCT and to further develop those materials, and (2) to assess these materials through detailed trade and evaluation studies with respect to their structural efficiency on the HSCT.

LDHs/graphene film on aluminum alloys for active protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, You; Yu, Peihang; Wang, Juping; Li, Yingdong; Chen, Fei; Wei, Kai; Zuo, You

2018-03-01

A layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nanocontainer film modified with graphene was fabricated on aluminum alloy via a facile two-step process. The structure, morphology and composition of LDHs/graphene film were investigated. Graphene layers were able to seal the pores of nest-like LDHs film. After the modification of graphene, the LDHs film presented hydrophobic (CA 127.8°) and enhanced anticorrosion properties. The active anticorrosion property of the composite film was attributed to the double functions of the impermeable and inert graphene layer and the active inhibitor-loaded LDHs underling film.

Analysis of stress-strain, fracture, and ductility behavior of aluminum maxtrix composites containing discontinuous silicon carbide reinforcement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdanels, D. L.

1985-01-01

Mechanical properties and stress-strain behavior were evaluated for several types of commercially fabricated aluminum matrix composites, containing up to 40 vol pct discontinuous SiC whisker, nodule, or particulate reinforcement. The elastic modulus of the composites was found to be isotropic, to be independent of type of reinforcement, and to be controlled solely by the volume percentage of SiC reinforcement present. The yield/tensile strengths and ductility were controlled primarily by the matrix alloy and temper condition. Type and orientation of reinforcement had some effect on the strengths of composites, but only for those in which the whisker reinforcement was highly oriented. Ductility decreased with increasing reinforcement content; however, the fracture strains observed were higher than those reported in the literature for this type of composite. This increase in fracture strain was probably attributable to cleaner matrix powder, better mixing, and increased mechanical working during fabrication. Comparison of properties with conventional aluminum and titanium structural alloys showed that the properties of the low-cost, lightweight composites demonstrated very good potential for application to aerospace structures.

Observation of extraordinary transmission in deep UV region from aluminum film coated two dimensional photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesh, A.; Piragash Kumar, R. M.; Moorthy, V. H. S.

2018-05-01

We report the first observation of extraordinary transmission of deep-UV light (λ = 289nm) through 20nm aluminum film coated two-dimensional photonic crystals. The two-dimensional photonic crystals are made of self-assembled hexagonally arranged monolayer of 200 nm polystyrene spheres fabricated using drop casting method. The high quality photonic crystal exhibits a well-defined photonic band gap of 4.59 eV (λ = 270nm) and the aluminum coated two-dimensional photonic crystal displays extraordinary transmission in the deep-UV region at λ = 289 nm. The fabricated aluminum nanostructure produces a sensitivity of 42nm/RIU and 57nm/RIU when the refractive index of the surrounding medium is changed from 1 (= air) to 1.36 (= ethanol) and 1.49 (=toluene), respectively. Therefore, the aluminum film coated two-dimensional photonic crystals could be utilized to fabricate cost-effective and ultrasensitive chemical sensors.

Optimal condition for fabricating superhydrophobic Aluminum surfaces with controlled anodizing processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saffari, Hamid; Sohrabi, Beheshteh; Noori, Mohammad Reza; Bahrami, Hamid Reza Talesh

2018-03-01

A single step anodizing process is used to produce micro-nano structures on Aluminum (1050) substrates with sulfuric acid as electrolyte. Therefore, surface energy of the anodized layer is reduced using stearic acid modification. Undoubtedly, effects of different parameters including anodizing time, electrical current, and type and concentration of electrolyte on the final contact angle are systemically studied and optimized. Results show that anodizing current of 0.41 A, electrolyte (sulfuric acid) concentration of 15 wt.% and anodizing time of 90 min are optimal conditions which give contact angle as high as 159.2° and sliding angle lower than 5°. Moreover, the study reveals that adding oxalic acid to the sulfuric acid cannot enhance superhydrophobicity of the samples. Also, scanning electron microscopy images of samples show that irregular (bird's nest) structures present on the surface instead of high-ordered honeycomb structures expecting from normal anodizing process. Additionally, X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples shows that only amorphous structures present on the surface. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area of the anodized layer is 2.55 m2 g-1 in optimal condition. Ultimately, the surface keeps its hydrophobicity in air and deionized water (DIW) after one week and 12 weeks, respectively.

Service evaluation of aluminum-brazed titanium (ABTi). [aircraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elrod, S. D.

1981-01-01

Long term creep-rupture, flight service and jet engine exhaust tests on aluminum-brazed titanium (ABTi), originally initiated under the DOT/SST follow-on program, were completed. These tests included exposure to natural airline service environments for up to 6 years. The results showed that ABTi has adequate corrosion resistance for long time commercial airplane structural applications. Special precautions are required for those sandwich structures designed for sound attenuation that utilize perforated skins. ABTi was also shown to have usable creep-rupture strength and to be metallurgically stable at temperatures up to 425 C (800 F).

Intercalated graphite fiber composites as EMI shields in aerospace structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, James R.

1990-01-01

The requirements for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in aerospace structures are complicated over that of ground structures by their weight limitations. As a result, the best EMI shielding materials must blend low density, high strength, and high elastic modulus with high shielding ability. In addition, fabrication considerations including penetrations and joints play a major role. The EMI shielding properties are calculated for shields formed from pristine and intercalated graphite fiber/epoxy composites and compared to preliminary experimental results and to shields made from aluminum. Calculations indicate that EMI shields could be fabricated from intercalated graphite composites which would have less than 12 percent of the mass of conventional aluminum shields, based on mechanical properties and shielding properties alone.

Fabrication methods for mesoscopic flying vehicle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yih-Lin

2001-10-01

Small-scale flying vehicles are attractive tools for atmospheric science research. A centimeter-size mesoscopic electric helicopter, the mesicopter, has been developed at Stanford University for these applications. The mesoscopic scale implies a design with critical features between tens of microns and several millimeters. Three major parts in the mesicopter are challenging to manufacture. Rotors require smooth 3D surfaces and a blade thickness of less than 100 mum. Components in the DC micro-motor must be made of engineering materials, which is difficult on the mesoscopic scale. Airframe fabrication has to integrate complex 3D geometry into one single structure at this scale. In this research, material selection and manufacturing approaches have been investigated and implemented. In rotor fabrication, high-strength polymers manufactured by the Shape Deposition Manufacturing (SDM) technique were the top choice. Aluminum alloys were only considered as the second choice because the fabrication process is more involved. Lift tests showed that the 4-blade polymer and aluminum rotors could deliver about 90% of the expected lift (4g). To explain the rotor performance, structural analyses of spinning rotors were performed and the fabricated geometry was investigated. The bending deflections and the torsional twists were found to be too small to degrade aerodynamic performance. The rotor geometry was verified by laser scanning and by cross-section observations. Commercially available motors are used in the prototypes but a smaller DC micro-motor was designed for future use. Components of the DC micro-motors were fabricated by the Mesoscopic Additive/Subtractive Material Processing technique, which is capable of shaping engineering materials on the mesoscopic scale. The approaches are described in this thesis. The airframe was manufactured using the SDM process, which is capable of building complex parts without assembly. Castable polymers were chosen and mixed with glass

In Situ Fabrication Technologies: Meeting the Challenge for Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Richard W.

2005-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on Lunar and Martian in situ fabrication technologies meeting the challenges for exploration is shown. The topics include: 1) Exploration Vision; 2) Vision Requirements Early in the Program; 3) Vision Requirements Today; 4) Why is ISFR Technology Needed? 5) ISFR and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU); 6) Fabrication Feedstock Considerations; 7) Planetary Resource Primer; 8) Average Chemical Element Abundances in Lunar Soil; 9) Chemical Elements in Aerospace Engineering Materials; 10) Schematic of Raw Regolith Processing into Constituent Components; 11) Iron, Aluminum, and Basalt Processing from Separated Elements and Compounds; 12) Space Power Systems; 13) Power Source Applicability; 14) Fabrication Systems Technologies; 15) Repair and Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE); and 16) Habitat Structures. A development overview of Lunar and Martian repair and nondestructive evaluation is also presented.

Advances in transient (pulsed) eddy current for inspection of multi-layer aluminum structures in the presence of ferrous fasteners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desjardins, D. R.; Vallières, G.; Whalen, P. P.; Krause, T. W.

2012-05-01

An experimental investigation of the electromagnetic processes underlying transient (pulsed) eddy current inspection of aircraft wing structures in the vicinity of ferrous fasteners is performed. The separate effects of transient excitation of ferrous fastener and eddy currents induced in the surrounding aluminum structure are explored using a transmit-receive configuration with transient excitation of a steel rod, an aluminum plate with a bore hole and a steel rod through the bore hole. Observations are used to interpret results from a coupled driving and differential coil sensing unit applied to detect fatigue cracks emanating from bolt holes in aluminum structures with ferrous fasteners present. In particular, it is noted that abrupt magnetization of the fastener, by the probe's central driving unit, can transfer flux and consequently, induce strong eddy current responses deep within the aluminum structure in the vicinity of the bore hole. Rotation of the probe, centered over the fastener, permits detection of subsurface discontinuities, such as cracks, by the pair of differentially connected pickup coils.

Materials data handbook: Aluminum alloy 6061

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muraca, R. F.; Whittick, J. S.

1972-01-01

A summary of the materials property information for aluminum alloy 6061 is presented. The scope of the information includes physical and mechanical properties of the alloy at cryogenic, ambient, and elevated temperatures. Information on material procurement, metallurgy, corrosion, environmental effects, fabrication, and joining techniques is developed.

Materials data handbook: Aluminum alloy 2219

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muraca, R. F.; Whittick, J. S.

1972-01-01

A summary of the materials property information for aluminum 2219 alloy is presented. The scope of the information includes physical and mechanical properties at cryogenic, ambient, and elevated temperatures. Information on material procurement, metallurgy of the alloy, corrosion, environmental effects, fabrication, and joining techniques is developed.

Materials data handbook: Aluminum alloy 7075

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muraca, R. F.; Whittick, J. S.

1972-01-01

A summary of the materials property information on aluminum alloy 7075 is presented. The scope of the information includes physical and mechanical properties of the alloy at cryogenic, ambient, and elevated temperatures. Information on material procurement, metallurgy, corrosion, environmental effects, fabrication, and joining techniques is developed.

Materials data handbook: Aluminum alloy 5456

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muraca, R. F.; Whittick, J. S.

1972-01-01

A summary of the materials property information for aluminum alloy 5456 is presented. The scope of the information includes physical and mechanical property data at cryogenic, ambient, and elevated temperatures. Information on material procurement, metallurgy of the alloy, corrosion, environmental effects, fabrication, and joining techniques is developed.

Hypervelocity impact response of aluminum multi-wall structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schonberg, William P.; Bean, Alan J.

1991-01-01

The results of an investigation in which the perforation resistance of aluminum multiwall structures is analyzed under a variety of hypervelocity impact loading conditions are presented. A comparative analysis of the impact damage in structural systems with two or more bumpers and the damage in single-bumper systems of similar weight is performed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of employing more than one bumper in structural wall systems for long-duration spacecraft. A significant increase in protection against perforation by hypervelocity projectiles can be achieved if a single bumper is replaced by two bumpers of similar weight while the total wall spacing is kept constant. It is found that increasing the number of bumpers beyond two while keeping the total stand-off distance constant does not result in a substantial increase in protection over that offered by two bumpers of similar weight.

Manufacturing processes for fabricating graphite/PMR 15 polyimide structural elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheppard, C. H.; Hoggatt, J. T.; Symonds, W. A.

1979-01-01

Investigations were conducted to obtain commercially available graphite/PMR-15 polyimide prepreg, develop an autoclave manufacturing process, and demonstrate the process by manufacturing structural elements. Controls were established on polymer, prepreg, composite fabrication, and quality assurance, Successful material quality control and processes were demonstrated by fabricating major structural elements including flat laminates, hat sections, I beam sections, honeycomb sandwich structures, and molded graphite reinforced fittings. Successful fabrication of structural elements and simulated section of the space shuttle aft body flap shows that the graphite/PMR-15 polyimide system and the developed processes are ready for further evaluation in flight test hardware.

Characteristics of aluminum alloy microplastic deformation in different structural states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seregin, G.V.; Efimenko, L.L.; Leonov, M.V.

The solution to the problem of improving the mechanical properties (including cyclic strength) of structural materials is largely dependent on our knowledge of the laws governing the development of microplastic deformations in them. The effect of heat and mechanical treatment on the elastoplastic properties and fatigue resistance of the commercial aluminum alloys AK4-1 and D16 is analyzed.

Aluminum automotive space frames

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-08-01

Design of aluminum structures is to a new topic. Aircraft makers have successfully solved difficult structural problems with a high degree of understanding and reliability. Other transportation modes such as trucks, trailers, and railcars have faced structural problems with some emphasis on high- and low-cycle fatigue of welded aluminum structures. However, the automotive market places stringent engineering demands on materials and superimposes demanding cost constraints. A project was instituted at Reynolds Metals Co. to investigate the opportunities for the cost-effective application of aluminum to automotive spaceframes. Several areas were recognized as key to the success of this application. They were:more » equivalent or superior structural stiffness of the assembly to existing steel unibody and/or steel spaceframe vehicles; effective joining of spaceframe members; equivalent or superior crashworthiness of the assembly; weight savings; flexibility; and low-cost approach aimed at effective manufacturing. To gain experience with the key aspects in a practical environment, the experience of current builders of steel tube frame chassis was explored. These chassis are typically used in low-volume vehicles requiring torsional stiffness, excellent crashworthiness, and exterior body-style flexibility. A model was developed using finite element methods that accurately predicts mass and stiffness of frames. An effective aluminum space frame was generated which was 7.5% stiffer and more than 20% lighter than the steel frame, with stresses kept below the fatigue limit for aluminum welds.« less

Fabrication of biomimetic dry-adhesion structures through nanosphere lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, P. C.; Chang, N. W.; Suen, Y.; Yang, S. Y.

2018-03-01

Components with surface nanostructures suitable for biomimetic dry adhesion have a great potential in applications such as gecko tape, climbing robots, and skin patches. In this study, a nanosphere lithography technique with self-assembly nanospheres was developed to achieve effective and efficient fabrication of dry-adhesion structures. Self-assembled monolayer nanospheres with high regularity were obtained through tilted dip-coating. Reactive-ion etching of the self-assembled nanospheres was used to fabricate nanostructures of different shapes and aspect ratios by varying the etching time. Thereafter, nickel molds with inverse nanostructures were replicated using the electroforming process. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanostructures were fabricated through a gas-assisted hot-embossing method. The pulling test was performed to measure the shear adhesion on the glass substrate of a sample, and the static contact angle was measured to verify the hydrophobic property of the structure. The enhancement of the structure indicates that the adhesion force increased from 1.2 to 4.05 N/cm2 and the contact angle increased from 118.6° to 135.2°. This columnar structure can effectively enhance the adhesion ability of PDMS, demonstrating the potential of using nanosphere lithography for the fabrication of adhesive structures.

CMOS-Compatible Fabrication for Photonic Crystal-Based Nanofluidic Structure.

PubMed

Peng, Wang; Chen, Youping; Ai, Wu; Zhang, Dailin; Song, Han; Xiong, Hui; Huang, Pengcheng

2017-12-01

Photonic crystal (PC)-based devices have been widely used since 1990s, while PC has just stepped into the research area of nanofluidic. In this paper, photonic crystal had been used as a complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) compatible part to create a nanofluidic structure. A nanofluidic structure prototype had been fabricated with CMOS-compatible techniques. The nanofluidic channels were sealed by direct bonding polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the periodic gratings on photonic crystal structure. The PC was fabricated on a 4-in. Si wafer with Si 3 N 4 as the guided mode layer and SiO 2 film as substrate layer. The higher order mode resonance wavelength of PC-based nanofluidic structure had been selected, which can confine the enhanced electrical field located inside the nanochannel area. A design flow chart was used to guide the fabrication process. By optimizing the fabrication device parameters, the periodic grating of PC-based nanofluidic structure had a high-fidelity profile with fill factor at 0.5. The enhanced electric field was optimized and located within the channel area, and it can be used for PC-based nanofluidic applications with high performance.

Crash-Energy Absorbing Composite Structure and Method of Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellas, Sotiris (Inventor); Carden, Huey D. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

A stand-alone, crash-energy absorbing structure and fabrication method are provided. A plurality of adjoining rigid cells are each constructed of resin-cured fiber reinforcement and are arranged in a geometric configuration. The fiber reinforcement can be in the form of a fabric or braided fibers wrapped about a core that is either left in place or removed from the ultimate cured structure. The geometric configuration of cells is held together with more fiber reinforcement (in the form of fabric or braided fibers) in order to integrate the cells in the geometric configuration. The additional fiber reinforcement is resin-cured to the cells. Curing of the cells and ultimate structure can occur in a single step. In applications where post-crash integrity is necessary, ductile fibers can be used to integrate the cells in the geometric configuration. The novelty of the present invention is that simple fabrication techniques are used to create structures that can be formed in a variety of net stable shapes without additional reinforcement and can withstand combined loading while crushing in a desired direction.

Speckle lithography for fabricating Gaussian, quasi-random 2D structures and black silicon structures.

PubMed

Bingi, Jayachandra; Murukeshan, Vadakke Matham

2015-12-18

Laser speckle pattern is a granular structure formed due to random coherent wavelet interference and generally considered as noise in optical systems including photolithography. Contrary to this, in this paper, we use the speckle pattern to generate predictable and controlled Gaussian random structures and quasi-random structures photo-lithographically. The random structures made using this proposed speckle lithography technique are quantified based on speckle statistics, radial distribution function (RDF) and fast Fourier transform (FFT). The control over the speckle size, density and speckle clustering facilitates the successful fabrication of black silicon with different surface structures. The controllability and tunability of randomness makes this technique a robust method for fabricating predictable 2D Gaussian random structures and black silicon structures. These structures can enhance the light trapping significantly in solar cells and hence enable improved energy harvesting. Further, this technique can enable efficient fabrication of disordered photonic structures and random media based devices.

Speckle lithography for fabricating Gaussian, quasi-random 2D structures and black silicon structures

PubMed Central

Bingi, Jayachandra; Murukeshan, Vadakke Matham

2015-01-01

Laser speckle pattern is a granular structure formed due to random coherent wavelet interference and generally considered as noise in optical systems including photolithography. Contrary to this, in this paper, we use the speckle pattern to generate predictable and controlled Gaussian random structures and quasi-random structures photo-lithographically. The random structures made using this proposed speckle lithography technique are quantified based on speckle statistics, radial distribution function (RDF) and fast Fourier transform (FFT). The control over the speckle size, density and speckle clustering facilitates the successful fabrication of black silicon with different surface structures. The controllability and tunability of randomness makes this technique a robust method for fabricating predictable 2D Gaussian random structures and black silicon structures. These structures can enhance the light trapping significantly in solar cells and hence enable improved energy harvesting. Further, this technique can enable efficient fabrication of disordered photonic structures and random media based devices. PMID:26679513

Continuous unidirectional fiber reinforced composites: Fabrication and testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, M. D.; Spiegel, F. X.; West, Harvey A.

1994-01-01

The study of the anisotropic mechanical properties of an inexpensively fabricated composite with continuous unidirectional fibers and a clear matrix was investigated. A method has been developed to fabricate these composites with aluminum fibers and a polymer matrix. These composites clearly demonstrate the properties of unidirectional composites and cost less than five dollars each to fabricate.

Effects of Forged Stock and Pure Aluminum Coating on Cryogenic Performance of Heat Treated Aluminum Mirrors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toland, Ronald; Ohl, Raymond G.; Barthelmy, Michael P.; Zewari, S. Wahid; Greenhouse, Matthew A.; MacKenty, John W.

2003-01-01

In spite of its baseline mechanical stress relief, aluminum 6061-T651 harbors some residual stress that may relieve and distort mirror figure to unacceptable levels at cryogenic operating temperatures unless relieved during fabrication. Cryogenic instruments using aluminum mirrors for both ground-based and space IR astronomy have employed a variety of heat treatment formulae, with mixed results. We present the results of an on-going test program designed to empirically determine the effects of different stress relief procedures for aluminum mirrors. Earlier test results identified a preferred heat treatment for flat and spherical mirrors diamond turned from blanks cut out of Al6061-T651 plate stock. Further tests have been performed on mirrors from forged stock and one set from plate stock coated with Alumiplate(TM) aluminum coating to measure the effect of these variables on cryogenic performance. The mirrors are tested for figure error and radius of curvature at room temperature and at 80 K for three thermal cycles. We correlate the results of our optical testing with heat treatment and metallographic data.

Four Fabric Structures. A Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Peter

Photographs and descriptions of four projects using fabric to enclose large spaces are published so that administrators and designers looking for ways to build recreational facilities can consider these innovative shelters. Three of the four examples in this publication are air-supported structures: University of Santa Clara, Charles Wright…

Friction stir welding process to repair voids in aluminum alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, Charles D. (Inventor); Litwinski, Edward (Inventor); Valdez, Juan M. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

The present invention provides an in-process method to repair voids in an aluminum alloy, particularly a friction stir weld in an aluminum alloy. For repairing a circular void or an in-process exit hole in a weld, the method includes the steps of fabricating filler material of the same composition or compatible with the parent material into a plug form to be fitted into the void, positioning the plug in the void, and friction stir welding over and through the plug. For repairing a longitudinal void (30), the method includes machining the void area to provide a trough (34) that subsumes the void, fabricating filler metal into a strip form (36) to be fitted into the trough, positioning the strip in the trough, and rewelding the void area by traversing a friction stir welding tool longitudinally through the strip. The method is also applicable for repairing welds made by a fusing welding process or voids in aluminum alloy workpieces themselves.

Tapered microelectrode array system for dielectrophoretically filtration: fabrication, characterization, and simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buyong, Muhamad Ramdzan; Larki, Farhad; Takamura, Yuzuru; Majlis, Burhanuddin Yeop

2017-10-01

This paper presents the fabrication, characterization, and simulation of microelectrode arrays system with tapered profile having an aluminum surface for dielectrophoresis (DEP)-based manipulation of particles. The proposed structure demonstrates more effective electric field gradient compared with its counterpart with untapered profile. Therefore, according to the asymmetric distribution of the electric field in the active region of microelectrode, it produces more effective particle manipulation. The tapered aluminum microelectrode array (TAMA) fabrication process uses a state-of-the-art technique in the formation of the resist's taper profile. The performance of TAMA with various sidewall profile angles (5 deg to 90 deg) was analyzed through finite-element method numerical simulations to offer a better understanding of the origin of the sidewall profile effect. The ability of capturing and manipulating of the device was examined through modification of the Clausius-Mossotti factor and cross-over frequency (f). The fabricated system has been particularly implemented for filtration of particles with a desired diameter from a mixture of particles with three different diameters in an aqueous medium. The microelectrode system with tapered side wall profile offers a more efficient platform for particle manipulation and sensing applications compared with the conventional microelectrode systems.

Feasibility demonstration for electroplating ultra-thin polyimide film. [fabricating film for space erectable structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneier, R.; Braswell, T. V.; Vaughn, R. W.

1978-01-01

The effect of electrodeposition variables on film thickness was investigated using a dilute polyimide solution as a bath into which aluminum (as foil or as a vapor deposited coating) was immersed. The electrodeposited film was dried for 2 hours at 93 C (primarily to remove solvent) and cured for 18 hours at 186 C. Infrared studies indicate that imide formation (curing) occurs at 149 C under vacuum. From a conceptual viewpoint, satisfactory film metallized on one side can be obtained by this method. The cured ultra thin polyimide film exhibits properties equivalent to those of commercial film, and the surface appearance of the strippable polyimide film compares favorably with that of a sample of commercial film of thicker gauge. The feasibility of manufacturing approximately one million sq m of ultra thin film capable of being joined to fabricate an 800 m by 9 800 m square from starting material 0.5 to 1 m wide for space erectable structures was demonstrated.

Low-pressure Structural Modification of Aluminum Hydride

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

Acknowledgments Use of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), Brookhaven National Laboratory ( BNL ) was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy...National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) of Brookhaven National Laboratory ( BNL ). The spectral resolution of ±4 cm–1 was used for all IR measurements...12 List of Symbols, Abbreviations, and Acronyms Al aluminum AlH3 aluminum hydride BNL Brookhaven National Laboratory EOS equation of

Flexural Behavior of Aluminum Honeycomb Core Sandwich Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matta, Vidyasagar; Kumar, J. Suresh; Venkataraviteja, Duddu; Reddy, Guggulla Bharath Kumar

2017-05-01

This project is concerned with the fabrication and flexural testing of aluminium honey comb sandwich structure which is a special case of composite materials that is fabricated by attaching two thin but stiff skins to a light weight but thick core. The core material is normally low density material but its high thickness provide the sandwich composite with high bonding stiffness. Honeycomb core are classified into two types based on the materials and structures. Hexagonal shape has a unique properties i.e has more bonding strength and less formation time based on the cell size and sheet thickness. Sandwich structure exhibit different properties such as high load bearing capacity at low weight and has excellent thermal insulation. By considering the above properties it has tendency to minimize the structural problem. So honey comb sandwich structure is choosed. The core structure has a different applications such as aircraft, ship interiors, construction industries. As there is no proper research on strength characteristics of sandwich structure. So, we use light weight material to desire the strength. There are different parameters involved in this structure i.e cell size, sheet thickness and core height. In this project we considered 3 level of comparison among the 3 different parameters cell size of 4, 6 and 8 mm, sheet thickness of 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mm, and core height of 20,25 and 30 mm. In order to reduce the number of experiment we use taguchi design of experiment, and we select the L8 orthogonal array is the best array for this type of situation, which clearly identifies the parameters by independent of material weight to support this we add the minitab software, to identify the main effective plots and regression equation which involves the individual response and corresponding parameters. Aluminium material is used for the fabrication of Honeycomb sandwich structure among the various grades of aluminium we consider the AL6061 which is light weight material

Space structures concepts and materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowitzky, A. M.; Supan, E. C.

1988-01-01

An extension is preseted of the evaluation of graphite/aluminum metal matrix composites (MMC) for space structures application. A tubular DWG graphite/aluminum truss assembly was fabricated having the structural integrity and thermal stability needed for space application. DWG is a proprietary thin ply continuous graphite reinforced aluminum composite. The truss end fittings were constructed using the discontinuous ceramic particulate reinforced MMC DWAl 20 (trademark). Thermal stability was incorporated in the truss by utilizing high stiffness, negative coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) P100 graphite fibers in a 6061 aluminum matrix, crossplied to provide minimized CTE in the assembled truss. Tube CTE was designed to be slightly negative to offset the effects of the end fitting and sleeve, CTE values of which are approx. 1/2 that of aluminum. In the design of the truss configuration, the CTE contribution of each component was evaluated to establish the component dimension and layup configuration required to provide a net zero CTE in the subassemblies which would then translate to a zero CTE for the entire truss bay produced.

Fabrication of a superhydrophobic and high-glossy copper coating on aluminum substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hao; He, Yuantao; Wu, Zhongqiang; Miao, Jing; Yang, Fang; Lu, Zhong

2018-03-01

Superhydrophobic metal coatings have been extensively studied in recent years because of their significant potential applications. Unfortunately, most of them lost the original metallic luster due to the micro/nano binary structures. In this paper, a facile method was developed to prepare a superhydrophobic and high-glossy copper coating on aluminum substrates. The bionic lotus leaf surfaces were constructed by electroless plating method and further modified with octadecanethiol. The wettability and gloss could be tuned by the concentration of the precursor. With the increase of CuSO4 concentration, the surface roughness of the coating raised, thus resulting in increase of contact angle and decrease of glossiness. When the CuSO4 concentration was 30 mmol/L, the coating exhibited a sub-micro/nano binary structure, in which 20-30 nm protuberances were grown on 300-500 nm mastoids. Such special morphology endowed the coating with superhydrophobic and high-glossy properties, and the coating also showed ultra-low water adhesion and stable dynamic water repellence.

Investigation of rapidly solidified aluminum by using diamond turning and a magnetorheological finishing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yuan-Chieh; Hsu, Wei-Yao; Kuo, Ching-Hsiang; Abou-El-Hossein, Khaled; Otieno, Timothy

2015-08-01

The metal mirror has been widely used in optical application for a longtime. Especially the aluminum 6061 is often considered the preferred material for manufacturing optical components for ground-based astronomical applications. One reason for using this material is its high specific stiffness and excellent thermal properties. However, a large amount of data exists for this material and commercially available aluminum 6061 using single point diamond turning (SPDT) and polishing process can achieve surface roughness values of approximately 2 to 4 nm, which is adequate for applications that involve the infrared spectral range, but not for the shorter spectral range. A novel aluminum material, fabricated using a rapid solidification process that is equivalent to the conventional aluminum 6061 alloy grade has been used in optical applications in recent years because of its smaller grain size. In this study, the surface quality of the rapid solidification aluminum after single point diamond turning and followed by magnetorheological finish (MRF) process is investigated and compared with conventional aluminum 6061. Both the surface roughness Ra was evaluated using white light interferometers. Finally, indicators such as optimal fabrication parameter combination and optical performance are discussed.

REGENERATION OF CHROMATED ALUMINUM DEOXIDIZERS. IMPROVED DIAPHRAGM FABRICATION AND PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

In the metal finishing industry highly concentrated hexavalent chromium solutions are used extensively to deoxidize aluminum surfaces prior to anodizing, conversion coatings, prepaint preparation, welding and adhesive bonding. A regeneration process was conceived and tested to re...

Fabrication of experimental three-meter space telescope primary and secondary mirror support structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mishler, H. W.

1974-01-01

The fabrication of prototype titanium alloy primary and secondary mirror support structures for a proposed experimental three-meter space telescope is discussed. The structure was fabricated entirely of Ti-6Al-4V tubing and plate. Fabrication included the development of procedures including welding, forming, and machining. Most of the structures was fabricated by gas-shielding tungsten-arc (GTA) welding with several major components fabricated by high frequency resistance (HFR) welding.

Buried structure for increasing fabrication performance of micromaterial by electromigration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, Yasuhiro; Saka, Masumi

2016-06-01

The electromigration (EM) technique is a physical synthetic growth method for micro/nanomaterials. EM causes atomic diffusion in a metal line by high-density electron flows. The intentional control of accumulation and relaxation of atoms by EM can lead to the fabrication of a micro/nanomaterial. TiN passivation has been utilized as a component of sample in the EM technique. Although TiN passivation can simplify the cumbersome processes for preparing the sample, the leakage of current naturally occurs because of the conductivity of TiN as a side effect and decreases the performance of micro/nanomaterial fabrication. In the present work, we propose a buried structure, which contributes to significantly decreasing the current for fabricating an Al micromaterial by confining the current flow in the EM technique. The fabrication performance was evaluated based on the threshold current for fabricating an Al micromaterial using the buried structure and the previous structure with the leakage of current.

Fabrication and evaluation of advanced titanium structural panels for supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Payne, L.

1977-01-01

Flightworthy primary structural panels were designed, fabricated, and tested to investigate two advanced fabrication methods for titanium alloys. Skin-stringer panels fabricated using the weldbraze process, and honeycomb-core sandwich panels fabricated using a diffusion bonding process, were designed to replace an existing integrally stiffened shear panel on the upper wing surface of the NASA YF-12 research aircraft. The investigation included ground testing and Mach 3 flight testing of full-scale panels, and laboratory testing of representative structural element specimens. Test results obtained on full-scale panels and structural element specimens indicate that both of the fabrication methods investigated are suitable for primary structural applications on future civil and military supersonic cruise aircraft.

Higher Magnification Imaging of the Polished Aluminum Collector Returned from the Genesis Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriquez, Melissa C.; Burkett, P. J.; Allton, J. H.

2011-01-01

The polished aluminum collector (previously referred to as the polished aluminum kidney) was intended for noble gas analysis for the Gene-sis mission. The aluminum collector, fabricated from alloy 6061T, was polished for flight with alumina, then diamond paste. Final cleaning was performed by soak-ing and rinsing with hexane, then isopropanol, and last-ly megasonically energized ultrapure water prior to installation. It was mounted inside the collector canister on the thermal shield at JSC in 2000. The polished aluminum collector was not surveyed microscopically prior to flight.

Electrodeposition of gold particles on aluminum substrates containing copper.

PubMed

Olson, Tim S; Atanassov, Plamen; Brevnov, Dmitri A

2005-01-27

Electrodeposition of adhesive metal films on aluminum is traditionally preceded by the zincate process, which activates the aluminum surface. This paper presents an alternative approach for activation of aluminum by using films containing 99.5% aluminum and 0.5% copper. Aluminum/copper films are made amenable for subsequent electrodeposition by anodization followed by chemical etching of aluminum oxide. The electrodeposition of gold is monitored with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Analysis of EIS data suggests that electrodeposition of gold increases the interfacial capacitance from values typical for electrodes with thin oxide layers to values typical for metal electrodes. Scanning electron microscopy examination of aluminum/copper films following gold electrodeposition shows the presence of gold particles with densities of 10(5)-10(7) particles cm(-2). The relative standard deviation of mean particle diameters is approximately 25%. Evaluation of the micrographs suggests that the electrodeposition occurs by instantaneous nucleation followed by growth of three-dimensional semispherical particles. The gold particles, which are electrically connected to the conductive aluminum/copper film, support a reversible faradaic process for a soluble redox couple. The deposited gold particles are suitable for subsequent metallization of aluminum and fabrication of particle-type films with interesting catalytic, electrical, and optical properties.

Evaluation of Aluminum Alloy 2050-T84 Microstructure and Mechanical Properties at Ambient and Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hafley, Robert A.; Domack, Marcia S.; Hales, Stephen J.; Shenoy, Ravi N.

2011-01-01

Aluminum alloy 2050 is being considered for the fabrication of cryogenic propellant tanks to reduce the mass of future heavy-lift launch vehicles. The alloy is available in section thicknesses greater than that of the incumbent aluminum alloy, 2195, which will enable designs with greater structural efficiency. While ambient temperature design allowable properties are available for alloy 2050, cryogenic properties are not available. To determine its suitability for use in cryogenic propellant tanks, tensile, compression and fracture tests were conducted on 4 inch thick 2050-T84 plate at ambient temperature and at -320degF. Various metallurgical analyses were also performed in order to provide an understanding of the compositional homogeneity and microstructure of 2050.

Weld Development for Aluminum Fission Chamber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cross, Carl Edward; Martinez, Jesse Norris

2017-05-16

The Sigma welding team was approached to help fabricate a small fission chamber (roughly ½ inch dia. x ½ inch tall cylinder). These chambers are used as radiation sensors that contain small traces of radionuclides (Cf 252, U 235, and U 238) that serve to ionize gas atoms in addition to external radiation. When a voltage is applied within the chamber, the resulting ion flow can be calibrated and monitored. Aluminum has the advantage of not forming radioactive compounds when exposed to high external radiation (except from minor Na alloy content). Since aluminum has not been used before in thismore » application, this presented an unexplored challenge.« less

Fabrication of free-standing copper foils covered with highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaraska, Leszek; Sulka, Grzegorz D.; Jaskuła, Marian

2012-07-01

The through-hole nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with relatively large surface area (ca. 2 cm2) were employed for fabrication of free-standing and mechanically stable copper foils covered with close-packed and highly-ordered copper nanowire arrays. The home-made AAO membranes with different pore diameters and interpore distances were fabricated via a two-step self-organized anodization of aluminum performed in sulfuric acid, oxalic acid and phosphoric acid followed by the pore opening/widening procedure. The direct current (DC) electrodeposition of copper was performed efficiently on both sides of AAO templates. The bottom side of the AAO templates was not insulated and consequently Cu nanowire arrays on thick Cu layers were obtained. The proposed template-assisted fabrication of free-standing copper nanowire array electrodes is a promising method for synthesis of nanostructured current collectors. The composition of Cu nanowires was confirmed by energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The structural features of nanowires were evaluated from field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and compared with the characteristic parameters of anodic alumina membranes.

Method for Fabricating Composite Structures Including Continuous Press Forming and Pultrusion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A method for fabricating composite structures at a low-cost, moderate-to-high production rate is disclosed. A first embodiment of the method includes employing a continuous press forming fabrication process. A second embodiment of the method includes employing a pultrusion process for obtaining composite structures. The methods include coating yarns with matrix material, weaving the yarn into fabric to produce a continuous fabric supply, and feeding multiple layers of net-shaped fabrics having optimally oriented fibers into a debulking tool to form an undebulked preform. The continuous press forming fabrication process includes partially debulking the preform, cutting the partially debulked preform, and debulking the partially debulked preform to form a netshape. An electron-beam or similar technique then cures the structure. The pultrusion fabric process includes feeding the undebulked preform into a heated die and gradually debulking the undebulked preform. The undebulked preform in the heated die changes dimension until a desired cross-sectional dimension is achieved. This process further includes obtaining a net-shaped infiltrated uncured preform, cutting the uncured preform to a desired length, and electron-beam curing (or similar technique) the uncured preform. These fabrication methods produce superior structures formed at higher production rates, resulting in lower cost and high structural performance.

A Virtual Aluminum Reduction Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongliang; Zhou, Chenn Q.; Wu, Bing; Li, Jie

2013-11-01

The most important component in the aluminum industry is the aluminum reduction cell; it has received considerable interests and resources to conduct research to improve its productivity and energy efficiency. The current study focused on the integration of numerical simulation data and virtual reality technology to create a scientifically and practically realistic virtual aluminum reduction cell by presenting complex cell structures and physical-chemical phenomena. The multiphysical field simulation models were first built and solved in ANSYS software (ANSYS Inc., Canonsburg, PA, USA). Then, the methodology of combining the simulation results with virtual reality was introduced, and a virtual aluminum reduction cell was created. The demonstration showed that a computer-based world could be created in which people who are not analysis experts can see the detailed cell structure in a context that they can understand easily. With the application of the virtual aluminum reduction cell, even people who are familiar with aluminum reduction cell operations can gain insights that make it possible to understand the root causes of observed problems and plan design changes in much less time.

Cryogenic Fracture Toughness Evaluation of an Investment Cast Aluminum-Beryllium Alloy for Structural Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gamwell, Wayne; McGill, Preston

2006-01-01

This document is a viewgraph presentation that details the fracture toughness of Aluminum-Beryllium Alloy for use in structures at cryogenic temperatures. Graphs and charts are presented in the presentation

Fabrication of Ordered Blue Nanostructure by Anodization of an Aluminum Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurashima, Yuichi; Yokota, Yoshihiko; Miyamoto, Iwao; Itatani, Taro

2007-03-01

Colors in organisms are created by chemical interactions of molecular pigments and by optical interactions of incident light with biological nanostructures. The latter classes are called structural colors and form an important component of the phenotypes of many animals and even some plants. In this paper, we report on the fabrication of an ordered blue nanostructure by the anodization of an Al plate. In the fabrication of such an ordered nanostructure by the anodization of an Al plate, ordered nanostructures with a pitch and an alumina thickness of approximately 100 nm were produced on the Al plate. The ordered nanostructures on the Al plate showed no colors. However, an ordered nanostructure deposited with a Pt thin film with a thickness of approximately 10 nm showed a blue reflection with a peak reflectivity of approximately 370 nm. We conclude that this blue nanostructure on the Al plate is caused by an interference between the Al surface and the Pt surface.

Drip bloodstain appearance on inclined apparel fabrics: Effect of prior-laundering, fibre content and fabric structure.

PubMed

de Castro, Therese C; Carr, Debra J; Taylor, Michael C; Kieser, Jules A; Duncan, Warwick

2016-09-01

and fabric structure for both impact angles investigated. It is therefore necessary to consider the age of the fabric (which is fabric specific), the fibre type (including blends) and the fabric structure, before interpreting bloodstain patterns. An understanding of this simplified inclined drip stain interaction has been investigated to generate a basis for more complex interactions, such as spatter bloodstains. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on numerical simulation of asymmetric structure aluminum profile extrusion based on ALE method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kun; Qu, Yuan; Ding, Siyi; Liu, Changhui; Yang, Fuyong

2018-05-01

Using the HyperXtrude module based on the Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) finite element method, the paper simulates the steady extrusion process of the asymmetric structure aluminum die successfully. A verification experiment is carried out to verify the simulation results. Having obtained and analyzed the stress-strain field, temperature field and extruded velocity of the metal, it confirms that the simulation prediction results and the experimental schemes are consistent. The scheme of the die correction and optimization are discussed at last. By adjusting the bearing length and core thickness, adopting the structure of feeder plate protection, short shunt bridge in the upper die and three-level bonding container in the lower die to control the metal flowing, the qualified aluminum profile can be obtained.

Superhydrophobic honeycomb-like cobalt stearate thin films on aluminum with excellent anti-corrosion properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Jiawei; Sarkar, D. K.; Chen, X.-Grant

2017-06-01

Superhydrophobic cobalt stearate thin films with excellent anti-corrosion properties were successfully fabricated on aluminum substrates via electrodeposition process. The water-repellent properties were attributed to the honeycomb-like micro-nano structure as well as low surface energy of cobalt stearate. The correlation between the surface morphology, composition as well as wetting properties and the molar ratio of inorganic cobalt salt (Co(NO3)2) and organic stearic acid (SA) abbreviated as Co/SA, in the electrolyte were studied carefully. The optimum superhydrophobic surface obtained on the electrodeposited cathodic aluminum substrate, in the mixed ethanolic solution with Co/SA molar ratio of 0.2, was found to have a maximum contact angle of 161°. The polarization resistance of superhydrophobic aluminum substrates was calculated as high as 1591 kΩ cm2, which is determined to be two orders of magnitude larger than that of the as-received aluminum substrate as 27 kΩ cm2. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also employed to evaluate the corrosion resistance properties of these samples. Furthermore, electrical equivalent circuits (EEC) have been suggested in order to better understand the corrosion phenomena on these surfaces based on the corresponding EIS data.

Enhanced thermal and structural properties of partially phosphorylated polyvinyl alcohol - Aluminum phosphate (PPVA-Alpo4) nanocomposites with aluminium nitrate source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saat, Asmalina Mohamed; Johan, Mohd Rafie

2017-12-01

Synthesis of AlPO4 nanocomposite depends on the ratio of aluminum to phosphate, method of synthesis and the source for aluminum and phosphate source used. Variation of phosphate and aluminum source used will form multiple equilibria reactions and affected by ions variability and concentration, stoichiometry, temperature during reaction process and especially the precipitation pH. Aluminum nitrate was used to produce a partially phosphorylated poly vinyl alcohol-aluminum phosphate (PPVA-AlPO4) nanocomposite with various nanoparticle shapes, structural and properties. Synthesis of PPVA-AlPO4 nanocomposite with aluminum nitrate shows enhancement of thermal and structural in comparison with pure PVA and modified PPVA. Thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis shows that the weight residue of PPVA-AlPO4 composite was higher than PPVA and PVA. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of PVA shows a single peak broadening after the addition of phosphoric acid. Meanwhile, XRD pattern of PPVA-AlPO4 demonstrates multiple phases of AlPO4 in the nanocomposite. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) confirmed the existence of multiple geometrical phases and nanosize of spherical particles.

Residual Strength Characterization of Unitized Structures Fabricated Using Different Manufacturing Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seshadri, B. R.; Smith, S. W.; Johnston, W. M.

2008-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes residual strength analysis of integral structures fabricated using different manufacturing procedures. The topics include: 1) Built-up and Integral Structures; 2) Development of Prediction Methodology for Integral Structures Fabricated using different Manufacturing Procedures; 3) Testing Facility; 4) Fracture Parameters Definition; 5) Crack Branching in Integral Structures; 6) Results and Discussion; and 7) Concluding Remarks.

Use of chemical-mechanical polishing for fabricating photonic bandgap structures

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G.; Lin, Shawn-Yu; Hetherington, Dale L.; Smith, Bradley K.

1999-01-01

A method is disclosed for fabricating a two- or three-dimensional photonic bandgap structure (also termed a photonic crystal, photonic lattice, or photonic dielectric structure). The method uses microelectronic integrated circuit (IC) processes to fabricate the photonic bandgap structure directly upon a silicon substrate. One or more layers of arrayed elements used to form the structure are deposited and patterned, with chemical-mechanical polishing being used to planarize each layer for uniformity and a precise vertical tolerancing of the layer. The use of chemical-mechanical planarization allows the photonic bandgap structure to be formed over a large area with a layer uniformity of about two-percent. Air-gap photonic bandgap structures can also be formed by removing a spacer material separating the arrayed elements by selective etching. The method is useful for fabricating photonic bandgap structures including Fabry-Perot resonators and optical filters for use at wavelengths in the range of about 0.2-20 .mu.m.

Innovative forming and fabrication technologies : new opportunities.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, B.; Hryn, J.; Energy Systems

2008-01-31

The advent of light metal alloys and advanced materials (polymer, composites, etc.) have brought the possibility of achieving important energy reductions into the full life cycle of these materials, especially in transportation applications. 1 These materials have gained acceptance in the aerospace industry but use of light metal alloys needs to gain wider acceptance in other commercial transportation areas. Among the main reasons for the relatively low use of these materials are the lack of manufacturability, insufficient mechanical properties, and increased material costs due to processing inefficiencies. Considering the enormous potential energy savings associated with the use of light metalmore » alloys and advanced materials in transportation, there is a need to identify R&D opportunities in the fields of materials fabrication and forming aimed at developing materials with high specific mechanical properties combined with energy efficient processes and good manufacturability. This report presents a literature review of the most recent developments in the areas of fabrication and metal forming focusing principally on aluminum alloys. In the first section of the document, the different sheet manufacturing technologies including direct chill (DC) casting and rolling, spray forming, spray rolling, thin slab, and strip casting are reviewed. The second section of the document presents recent research on advanced forming processes. The various forming processes reviewed are: superplastic forming, electromagnetic forming, age forming, warm forming, hydroforming, and incremental forming. Optimization of conventional forming processes is also discussed. Potentially interesting light metal alloys for high structural efficiency including aluminum-scandium, aluminum-lithium, magnesium, titanium, and amorphous metal alloys are also reviewed. This section concludes with a discussion on alloy development for manufacturability. The third section of the document reviews the

Simple and inexpensive micromachined aluminum microfluidic devices for acoustic focusing of particles and cells.

PubMed

Gautam, Gayatri P; Burger, Tobias; Wilcox, Andrew; Cumbo, Michael J; Graves, Steven W; Piyasena, Menake E

2018-05-01

We introduce a new method to construct microfluidic devices especially useful for bulk acoustic wave (BAW)-based manipulation of cells and microparticles. To obtain efficient acoustic focusing, BAW devices require materials that have high acoustic impedance mismatch relative to the medium in which the cells/microparticles are suspended and materials with a high-quality factor. To date, silicon and glass have been the materials of choice for BAW-based acoustofluidic channel fabrication. Silicon- and glass-based fabrication is typically performed in clean room facilities, generates hazardous waste, and can take several hours to complete the microfabrication. To address some of the drawbacks in fabricating conventional BAW devices, we explored a new approach by micromachining microfluidic channels in aluminum substrates. Additionally, we demonstrate plasma bonding of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) onto micromachined aluminum substrates. Our goal was to achieve an approach that is both low cost and effective in BAW applications. To this end, we micromachined aluminum 6061 plates and enclosed the systems with a thin PDMS cover layer. These aluminum/PDMS hybrid microfluidic devices use inexpensive materials and are simply constructed outside a clean room environment. Moreover, these devices demonstrate effectiveness in BAW applications as demonstrated by efficient acoustic focusing of polystyrene microspheres, bovine red blood cells, and Jurkat cells and the generation of multiple focused streams in flow-through systems. Graphical abstract The aluminum acoustofluidic device and the generation of multinode focusing of particles.

Aluminum 2219-T87 and 5456-H116 - A comparative study of spacecraft wall materials in dual-wall structures under hypervelocity impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schonberg, William P.

1992-11-01

All earth-orbiting spacecraft are susceptible to high-speed impacts by pieces of orbital debris. To prevent mission failure and possibly loss of life, protection against perforation by high-speed orbital debris particles must be included in the spacecraft design. Although any number of materials can be used to manufacture perforation-resistant structures, aluminum is often used in such systems because of its relatively high strength-to-weight ratio. This paper presents the results of a study in which the high speed impact response characteristics of dual-wall structures made from two different aluminum alloys were analyzed to determine which alloy would be more suitable for use in a perforation-resistant dual-wall structural system that is to be exposed to the orbital debris environment. Impact response characteristics were obtained numerically and experimentally. At impact speeds below 7 km/s, it was found that the two aluminum alloys considered contributed similar levels of perforation resistance; at speeds in excess of 7 km/s, aluminum 2219-T87 was superior to aluminum 5546-H116 in preventing perforation of dual-wall structural systems.

Aluminum 2219-T87 and 5456-H116 - A comparative study of spacecraft wall materials in dual-wall structures under hypervelocity impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schonberg, William P.

1992-01-01

All earth-orbiting spacecraft are susceptible to high-speed impacts by pieces of orbital debris. To prevent mission failure and possibly loss of life, protection against perforation by high-speed orbital debris particles must be included in the spacecraft design. Although any number of materials can be used to manufacture perforation-resistant structures, aluminum is often used in such systems because of its relatively high strength-to-weight ratio. This paper presents the results of a study in which the high speed impact response characteristics of dual-wall structures made from two different aluminum alloys were analyzed to determine which alloy would be more suitable for use in a perforation-resistant dual-wall structural system that is to be exposed to the orbital debris environment. Impact response characteristics were obtained numerically and experimentally. At impact speeds below 7 km/s, it was found that the two aluminum alloys considered contributed similar levels of perforation resistance; at speeds in excess of 7 km/s, aluminum 2219-T87 was superior to aluminum 5546-H116 in preventing perforation of dual-wall structural systems.

Method of fabricating composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sigur, W. A. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A method of fabricating structures formed from composite materials by positioning the structure about a high coefficient of thermal expansion material, wrapping a graphite fiber overwrap about the structure, and thereafter heating the assembly to expand the high coefficient of thermal expansion material to forcibly compress the composite structure against the restraint provided by the graphite overwrap. The high coefficient of thermal expansion material is disposed about a mandrel with a release system therebetween, and with a release system between the material having the high coefficient of thermal expansion and the composite material, and between the graphite fibers and the composite structure. The heating may occur by inducing heat into the assembly by a magnetic field created by coils disposed about the assembly through which alternating current flows. The method permits structures to be formed without the use of an autoclave.

Method of fabricating composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sigur, Wanda A. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A method of fabricating structures formed from composite materials by positioning the structure about a high coefficient of thermal expansion material, wrapping a graphite fiber overwrap about the structure, and thereafter heating the assembly to expand the high coefficient of thermal expansion material to forcibly compress the composite structure against the restraint provided by the graphite overwrap. The high coefficient of thermal expansion material is disposed about a mandrel with a release system therebetween, and with a release system between the material having the high coefficient of thermal expansion and the composite material, and between the graphite fibers and the composite structure. The heating may occur by inducing heat into the assembly by a magnetic field created by coils disposed about the assembly through which alternating current flows. The method permits structures to be formed without the use of an autoclave.

Treatments To Produce Stabilized Aluminum Mirrors for Cryogenic Uses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zewari, Wahid; Barthelmy, Michael; Ohl, Raymond

2005-01-01

Five metallurgical treatments have been tested as means of stabilizing mirrors that are made of aluminum alloy 6061 and are intended for use in cryogenic applications. Aluminum alloy 6061 is favored as a mirror material by many scientists and engineers. Like other alloys, it shrinks upon cool-down from room temperature to cryogenic temperature. This shrinkage degrades the optical quality of the mirror surfaces. Hence, the metallurgical treatments were tested to determine which one could be most effective in minimizing the adverse optical effects of cooldown to cryogenic temperatures. Each of the five metallurgical treatments comprises a multistep process, the steps of which are interspersed with the steps of the mirror-fabrication process. The five metallurgical-treatment/fabrication.- process combinations were compared with each other and with a benchmark fabrication process, in which a mirror is made from an alloy blank by (1) symmetrical rough machining, (2) finish machining to within 0.006 in. (. 0.15 mm) of final dimensions, and finally (3) diamond turning to a mirror finish.

Supercapacitors based on carbon nanotube fuzzy fabric structural composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alresheedi, Bakheet Awad

Supercapacitors used in conjunction with batteries offer a solution to energy storage and delivery problems in systems where high power output is required, such as in fully electric cars. This project aimed to enhance current supercapacitor technology by fabricating activated carbon on a substrate consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on a carbon fiber fabric (fuzzy fabric). The fuzzy surface of CNTs lowers electrical resistance and increases porosity, resulting in a flexible fabric with high specific capacitance. Experimental results confirm that the capacitance of activated carbon fabricated on the fuzzy fiber composite is significantly higher than when activated carbon is formed simply on a bare carbon fiber substrate, indicating the usefulness of CNTs in supercapacitor technology. The fabrication of the fuzzy fiber based carbon electrode was fairly complex. The processing steps included composite curing, stabilization, carbonization and activation. Ratios of the three basic ingredients for the supercapacitor (fiber, CNT and polymer matrix) were investigated through experimentation and Grey relational analysis. The aim of Grey relational analysis was to examine factors that affect the overall performance of the supercapacitor. It is based on finding relationships in both independent and interrelated data series (parameters). Using this approach, it was determined that the amount of CNTs on the fiber surface plays a major role in the capacitor properties. An increased amount of CNTs increases the surface area and electrical conductivity of the substrate, while also reducing the required time of activation. Technical advances in the field of Materials and Structures are usually focused on attaining superior performance while reducing weight and cost. To achieve such combinations, multi-functionality has become essential; namely, to reduce weight by imparting additional functions simultaneously to a single material. In this study, a structural composite with

Fabrication of micro/nano-structures by electrohydrodynamic jet technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dazhi; Zhao, Xiaojun; Lin, Yigao; Ren, Tongqun; Liang, Junsheng; Liu, Chong; Wang, Liding

2017-12-01

Electrohydrodynamic jet (E-Jet) is an approach to the fabrication of micro/nano-structures by the use of electrical forces. In this process, the liquid is subjected to electrical and mechanical forces to form a liquid jet, which is further disintegrated into droplets. The major advantage of the E-Jet technique is that the sizes of the jet formed can be at the nanoscale far smaller than the nozzle size, which can realize high printing resolution with less risk of nozzle blockage. The E-Jet technique, which mainly includes E-Jet deposition and E-Jet printing, has a wide range of applications in the fabrication of micro/nano-structures for micro/nano-electromechanical system devices. This technique is also considered a micro/nano-fabrication method with a great potential for commercial use. This study mainly reviews the E-Jet deposition/printing fundamentals, fabrication process, and applications.

Ultrafast laser induced periodic sub-wavelength aluminum surface structures and nanoparticles in air and liquids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuladeep, Rajamudili; Dar, Mudasir H.; Rao, D. Narayana, E-mail: dnrsp@uohyd.ac.in, E-mail: dnr-laserlab@yahoo.com

2014-09-21

In this communication, we demonstrate the generation of laser-induced periodic sub-wavelength surface structures (LIPSS) or ripples on a bulk aluminum (Al) and Al nanoparticles (NPs) by femtosecond (fs) laser direct writing technique. Laser irradiation was performed on Al surface at normal incidence in air and by immersing in ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and water (H₂O) using linearly polarized Ti:sapphire fs laser pulses of ~110 fs pulse duration and ~800 nm wavelength. Field emission scanning electron microscope is utilized for imaging surface morphology of laser written structures and it reveals that the spatial periodicity as well as the surface morphology of the LIPSSmore » depends on the surrounding dielectric medium and also on the various laser irradiation parameters. The observed LIPSS have been classified as low spatial frequency LIPSS which are perpendicularly oriented to the laser polarization with a periodicity from 460 to 620 nm and high spatial frequency LIPSS which spectacles a periodicity less than 100 nm with the orientation parallel to the polarization of the incident laser beam. Fabricated colloidal solutions, which contain the Al NPs, were characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM results reveal the formation of internal cavities in Al NPs both in ethanol and water. Formation mechanism of LIPSS and cavities inside the nanoparticles are discussed in detail.« less

Structural and Immunological Analysis of Anthrax Recombinant Protective Antigen Adsorbed to Aluminum Hydroxide Adjuvant

PubMed Central

Wagner, Leslie; Verma, Anita; Meade, Bruce D.; Reiter, Karine; Narum, David L.; Brady, Rebecca A.; Little, Stephen F.

2012-01-01

New anthrax vaccines currently under development are based on recombinant protective antigen (rPA) and formulated with aluminum adjuvant. Because long-term stability is a desired characteristic of these vaccines, an understanding of the effects of adsorption to aluminum adjuvants on the structure of rPA is important. Using both biophysical and immunological techniques, we compared the structure and immunogenicity of freshly prepared rPA-Alhydrogel formulations to that of formulations stored for 3 weeks at either room temperature or 37°C in order to assess the changes in rPA structure that might occur upon long-term storage on aluminum adjuvant. Intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra of tryptophan residues indicated that some tertiary structure alterations of rPA occurred during storage on Alhydrogel. Using anti-PA monoclonal antibodies to probe specific regions of the adsorbed rPA molecule, we found that two monoclonal antibodies that recognize epitopes located in domain 1 of PA exhibited greater reactivity to the stored formulations than to freshly prepared formulations. Immunogenicity of rPA-Alhydrogel formulations in mice was assessed by measuring the induction of toxin-neutralizing antibodies, as well as antibodies reactive to 12-mer peptides spanning the length of PA. Mice immunized with freshly prepared formulations developed significantly higher toxin-neutralizing antibody titers than mice immunized with the stored preparations. In contrast, sera from mice immunized with stored preparations exhibited increased reactivity to nine 12-mer peptides corresponding to sequences located throughout the rPA molecule. These results demonstrate that storage of rPA-Alhydrogel formulations can lead to structural alteration of the protein and loss of the ability to elicit toxin-neutralizing antibodies. PMID:22815152

Ultra-Lightweight Nanocomposite Foams and Sandwich Structures for Space Structure Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tan, Seng

2012-01-01

Microcellular nanocomposite foams and sandwich structures have been created to have excellent electrical conductivity and radiation-resistant properties using a new method that does not involve or release any toxicity. The nanocomposite structures have been scaled up in size to 12 X 12 in. (30 X 30 cm) for components fabrication. These sandwich materials were fabricated mainly from PE, CNF, and carbon fibers. Test results indicate that they have very good compression and compression-after-impact properties, excellent electrical conductivity, and superior space environment durability. Compression tests show that 1000 ESH (equivalent Sun hours) of UV exposure has no effect on the structural properties of the sandwich structures. The structures are considerably lighter than aluminum alloy (= 36 percent lighter), which translates to 36 percent weight savings of the electronic enclosure and its housing. The good mechanical properties of the materials may enable the electronic housing to be fabricated with a thinner structure that further reduces the weight. There was no difficulty in machining the sandwich specimens into electronic enclosure housing.

Superhydrophobic aluminum alloy surfaces by a novel one-step process.

PubMed

Saleema, N; Sarkar, D K; Paynter, R W; Chen, X-G

2010-09-01

A simple one-step process has been developed to render aluminum alloy surfaces superhydrophobic by immersing the aluminum alloy substrates in a solution containing NaOH and fluoroalkyl-silane (FAS-17) molecules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurements have been performed to characterize the morphological features, chemical composition and superhydrophobicity of the surfaces. The resulting surfaces provided a water contact angle as high as ∼162° and a contact angle hysteresis as low as ∼4°. The study indicates that it is possible to fabricate superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces easily and effectively without involving the traditional two-step processes.

Study on the fabrication of back surface reflectors in nano-crystalline silicon thin-film solar cells by using random texturing aluminum anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Kang Sik; Jang, Eunseok; Cho, Jun-Sik; Yoo, Jinsu; Park, Joo Hyung; Byungsung, O.

2015-09-01

In recent decades, researchers have improved the efficiency of amorphous silicon solar cells in many ways. One of the easiest and most practical methods to improve solar-cell efficiency is adopting a back surface reflector (BSR) as the bottom layer or as the substrate. The BSR reflects the incident light back to the absorber layer in a solar cell, thus elongating the light path and causing the so-called "light trapping effect". The elongation of the light path in certain wavelength ranges can be enhanced with the proper scale of BSR surface structure or morphology. An aluminum substrate with a surface modified by aluminum anodizing is used to improve the optical properties for applications in amorphous silicon solar cells as a BSR in this research due to the high reflectivity and the low material cost. The solar cells with a BSR were formed and analyzed by using the following procedures: First, the surface of the aluminum substrate was degreased by using acetone, ethanol and distilled water, and it was chemically polished in a dilute alkali solution. After the cleaning process, the aluminum surface's morphology was modified by using a controlled anodization in a dilute acid solution to form oxide on the surface. The oxidized film was etched off by using an alkali solution to leave an aluminum surface with randomly-ordered dimple-patterns of approximately one micrometer in size. The anodizing conditions and the anodized aluminum surfaces after the oxide layer had been removed were systematically investigated according to the applied voltage. Finally, amorphous silicon solar cells were deposited on a modified aluminum plate by using dc magnetron sputtering. The surfaces of the anodized aluminum were observed by using field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The total and the diffuse reflectances of the surface-modified aluminum sheets were measured by using UV spectroscopy. We observed that the diffuse reflectances increased with increasing anodizing voltage. The

Composite transport wing technology development: Design development tests and advanced structural concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Charles F.; Harvill, William E.

1988-01-01

Numerous design concepts, materials, and manufacturing methods were investigated for the covers and spars of a transport box wing. Cover panels and spar segments were fabricated and tested to verify the structural integrity of design concepts and fabrication techniques. Compression tests on stiffened panels demonstrated the ability of graphite/epoxy wing upper cover designs to achieve a 35 percent weight savings compared to the aluminum baseline. The impact damage tolerance of the designs and materials used for these panels limits the allowable compression strain and therefore the maximum achievable weight savings. Bending and shear tests on various spar designs verified an average weight savings of 37 percent compared to the aluminum baseline. Impact damage to spar webs did not significantly degrade structural performance. Predictions of spar web shear instability correlated well with measured performance. The structural integrity of spars manufactured by filament winding equalled or exceeded those fabricated by hand lay-up. The information obtained will be applied to the design, fabrication, and test of a full-scale section of a wing box. When completed, the tests on the technology integration box beam will demonstrate the structural integrity of an advanced composite wing design which is 25 percent lighter than the metal baseline.

Evaluation of bonded boron/epoxy doublers for commercial aircraft aluminum structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belason, Bruce; Rutherford, Paul; Miller, Matthew; Raj, Shreeram

1994-01-01

An 18 month laboratory test and stress analysis program was conducted to evaluate bonded boron/epoxy doublers for repairing cracks on aluminum aircraft structures. The objective was to obtain a core body of substantiating data which will support approval for use on commercial transports of a technology that is being widely used by the military. The data showed that the doublers had excellent performance.

New developments in aluminum for aircraft and automobiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petit, Jocelyn I.

1994-01-01

A common bond for the aircraft and automobile industry is the need for cost-efficient, lightweight structures such as provided by aluminum based materials. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and cover the following: new developments in aluminum for aircraft and automobiles; forces shaping future automotive materials needs; aluminum strength/weakness versus competitive materials; evolution of aluminum aerospace alloys; forces shaping future aircraft materials needs; fiber/metal structural laminates; and property requirements for jetliner and military transport applications.

The development of a center cell structure in bonded aluminum for the Ferrari 408 research vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seeds, A.; Nardini, D.; Cassese, F.

1989-01-01

In F408 research vehicle has enabled Ferrari Engineering to evaluate new forms of transmission, suspension, bodywork and structure for future production vehicles. As Alcan worked with Ferrari Engineering to adapt its Aluminum Structured Vehicle Technology (ASVT) to develop a bonded version of a central section of the structure (center cell). This paper begins with an outline of the major F408 project objectives and indicates the performance and manufacturing advantages for the features of interest, particularly the center cell structure. The paper describes the development stages of the bonded aluminum center cell. It shows that the performance and manufacturing objectives weremore » met with a substantial weight-saving and improvement in stiffness compared to laser-welded stainless steel. The paper concludes with a summary of the other technical innovations and developments in the F408 vehicle.« less

Aluminum-Alloy-Matrix/Alumina-Reinforcement Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kashalikar, Uday; Rozenoyer, Boris

2004-01-01

Isotropic composites of aluminum-alloy matrices reinforced with particulate alumina have been developed as lightweight, high-specific-strength, less-expensive alternatives to nickel-base and ferrous superalloys. These composites feature a specific gravity of about 3.45 grams per cubic centimeter and specific strengths of about 200 MPa/(grams per cubic centimeter). The room-temperature tensile strength is 100 ksi (689 MPa) and stiffness is 30 Msi (206 GPa). At 500 F (260 C), these composites have shown 80 percent retention in strength and 95 percent retention in stiffness. These materials also have excellent fatigue tolerance and tribological properties. They can be fabricated in net (or nearly net) sizes and shapes to make housings, pistons, valves, and ducts in turbomachinery, and to make structural components of such diverse systems as diesel engines, automotive brake systems, and power-generation, mining, and oil-drilling equipment. Separately, incorporation of these metal matrix composites within aluminum gravity castings for localized reinforcement has been demonstrated. A composite part of this type can be fabricated in a pressure infiltration casting process. The process begins with the placement of a mold with alumina particulate preform of net or nearly net size and shape in a crucible in a vacuum furnace. A charge of the alloy is placed in the crucible with the preform. The interior of the furnace is evacuated, then the furnace heaters are turned on to heat the alloy above its liquidus temperature. Next, the interior of the furnace is filled with argon gas at a pressure about 900 psi (approximately equal to 6.2 MPa) to force the molten alloy to infiltrate the preform. Once infiltrated, the entire contents of the crucible can be allowed to cool in place, and the composite part recovered from the mold.

Fabrication of complex nanoscale structures on various substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Kang-Soo; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Heon

2007-09-01

Polymer based complex nanoscale structures were fabricated and transferred to various substrates using reverse nanoimprint lithography. To facilitate the fabrication and transference of the large area of the nanostructured layer to the substrates, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol mold was used. After generation and transference of the nanostructured layer, the polyvinyl alcohol mold was removed by dissolving in water. A residue-free, UV-curable, glue layer was formulated and used to bond the nanostructured layer onto the substrates. As a result, nanometer scale patterned polymer layers were bonded to various substrates and three-dimensional nanostructures were also fabricated by stacking of the layers.

Gas-tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

DOEpatents

Frye, Lowell D.

1984-01-01

A gas-tungsten arc welding method for joining together structures formed of aluminum alloy with these structures disposed contiguously to a heat-damagable substrate of a metal dissimilar to the aluminum alloy. The method of the present invention is practiced by diamond machining the fay surfaces of the aluminum alloy structures to provide a mirror finish thereon having a surface roughness in the order of about one microinch. The fay surfaces are aligned and heated sufficiently by the tungsten electrode to fuse the aluminum alloy contiguous to the fay surfaces to effect the weld joint. The heat input used to provide an oxide-free weld is significantly less than that required if the fay surfaces were prepared by using conventional chemical and mechanical practices.

Lithium-aluminum-magnesium electrode composition

DOEpatents

Melendres, Carlos A.; Siegel, Stanley

1978-01-01

A negative electrode composition is presented for use in a secondary, high-temperature electrochemical cell. The cell also includes a molten salt electrolyte of alkali metal halides or alkaline earth metal halides and a positive electrode including a chalcogen or a metal chalcogenide as the active electrode material. The negative electrode composition includes up to 50 atom percent lithium as the active electrode constituent and a magnesium-aluminum alloy as a structural matrix. Various binary and ternary intermetallic phases of lithium, magnesium, and aluminum are formed but the electrode composition in both its charged and discharged state remains substantially free of the alpha lithium-aluminum phase and exhibits good structural integrity.

Surface Characterization of Carbon Fiber Polymer Composites and Aluminum Alloys After Laser Interference Structuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabau, Adrian S.; Greer, Clayton M.; Chen, Jian; Warren, Charles D.; Daniel, Claus

2016-07-01

The increasing use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites (CFPC) and aluminum alloys as lightweight materials in the automotive and aerospace industries demands enhanced surface preparation and control of surface morphology prior to joining. In this study, surfaces of both composite and aluminum were prepared for joining using an Nd:YAG laser in a two-beam interference setup, enabling the (1) structuring of the AL 5182 surface, (2) removal of the resin layer on top of carbon fibers, and (3) structuring of the carbon fibers. CFPC specimens of T700S carbon fiber, Prepreg—T83 epoxy, 5 ply thick, 0°/90° plaques were used. The effects of laser fluence, scanning speed, and number of shots-per-spot were investigated on the removal rate of the resin without an excessive damage of the fibers. Optical micrographs, 3D imaging, and scanning electron microscope imaging were used to study the effect of the laser processing on the surface morphology. It was found that an effective resin ablation and a low density of broken fibers for CFPC specimens was attained using laser fluences of 1-2 J/cm2 and number of 2-4 pulses per spot. A relatively large area of periodic line structures due to energy interference were formed on the aluminum surface at laser fluences of 12 J/cm2 and number of 4-6 pulses per spot.

Fabrication of large area woodpile structure in polymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Jaya Prakash; Dutta, Neilanjan; Yao, Peng; Sharkawy, Ahmed S.; Prather, Dennis W.

2009-02-01

A fabrication process of three-dimensional Woodpile photonic crystals based on multilayer photolithography from commercially available photo resist SU8 have been demonstrated. A 6-layer, 2 mm × 2mm woodpile has been fabricated. Different factors that influence the spin thickness on multiple resist application have been studied. The fabrication method used removes, the problem of intermixing, and is more repeatable and robust than the multilayer fabrication techniques for three dimensional photonic crystal structures that have been previously reported. Each layer is developed before next layer photo resist spin, instead of developing the whole structure in the final step as used in multilayer process. The desired thickness for each layer is achieved by the calibration of spin speed and use of different photo resist compositions. Deep UV exposure confinement has been the defining parameter in this process. Layer uniformity for every layer is independent of the previous developed layers and depends on the photo resist planarizing capability, spin parameters and baking conditions. The intermixing problem, which results from the previous layers left uncrossed linked photo resist, is completely removed in this process as the previous layers are fully developed, avoiding any intermixing between the newly spun and previous layers. Also this process gives the freedom to redo every spin any number of times without affecting the previously made structure, which is not possible in other multilayer process where intermediate developing is not performed.

Design and fabrication of planar structures with graded electromagnetic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Good, Brandon Lowell

Successfully integrating electromagnetic properties in planar structures offers numerous benefits to the microwave and optical communities. This work aims at formulating new analytic and optimized design methods, creating new fabrication techniques for achieving those methods, and matching appropriate implementation of methods to fabrication techniques. The analytic method consists of modifying an approach that realizes perfect antireflective properties from graded profiles. This method is shown for all-dielectric and magneto-dielectric grading profiles. The optimized design methods are applied to transformer (discrete) or taper (continuous) designs. From these methods, a subtractive and an additive manufacturing technique were established and are described. The additive method, dry powder dot deposition, enables three dimensional varying electromagnetic properties in a structural composite. Combining the methods and fabrication is shown in two applied methodologies. The first uses dry powder dot deposition to design one dimensionally graded electromagnetic profiles in a planar fiberglass composite. The second method simultaneously applies antireflective properties and adjusts directivity through a slab through the use of subwavelength structures to achieve a flat antireflective lens. The end result of this work is a complete set of methods, formulations, and fabrication techniques to achieve integrated electromagnetic properties in planar structures.

Development of a Fluid Structures Interaction Test Technique for Fabrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zilliac, Gregory G.; Heineck, James T.; Schairer, Edward T.; Mosher, Robert N.; Garbeff, Theodore Joseph

2012-01-01

Application of fluid structures interaction (FSI) computational techniques to configurations of interest to the entry, descent and landing (EDL) community is limited by two factors - limited characterization of the material properties for fabrics of interest and insufficient experimental data to validate the FSI codes. Recently ILC Dover Inc. performed standard tests to characterize the static stress-strain response of four candidate fabrics for use in EDL applications. The objective of the tests described here is to address the need for a FSI dataset for CFD validation purposes. To reach this objective, the structural response of fabrics was measured in a very simple aerodynamic environment with well controlled boundary conditions. Two test series were undertaken. The first series covered a range of tunnel conditions and the second focused on conditions that resulted in fabric panel buckling.

Method of fabricating a catalytic structure

DOEpatents

Rollins, Harry W [Idaho Falls, ID; Petkovic, Lucia M [Idaho Falls, ID; Ginosar, Daniel M [Idaho Falls, ID

2009-09-22

A precursor to a catalytic structure comprising zinc oxide and copper oxide. The zinc oxide has a sheet-like morphology or a spherical morphology and the copper oxide comprises particles of copper oxide. The copper oxide is reduced to copper, producing the catalytic structure. The catalytic structure is fabricated by a hydrothermal process. A reaction mixture comprising a zinc salt, a copper salt, a hydroxyl ion source, and a structure-directing agent is formed. The reaction mixture is heated under confined volume conditions to produce the precursor. The copper oxide in the precursor is reduced to copper. A method of hydrogenating a carbon oxide using the catalytic structure is also disclosed, as is a system that includes the catalytic structure.

Hydrodynamic fabrication of structurally gradient ZnO nanorods.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung Min; Youn, Jae Ryoun; Song, Young Seok

2016-02-26

We studied a new approach where structurally gradient nanostructures were fabricated by means of hydrodynamics. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were synthesized in a drag-driven rotational flow in a controlled manner. The structural characteristics of nanorods such as orientation and diameter were determined by momentum and mass transfer at the substrate surface. The nucleation of ZnO was induced by shear stress which plays a key role in determining the orientation of ZnO nanorods. The nucleation and growth of such nanostructures were modeled theoretically and analyzed numerically to understand the underlying physics of the fabrication of nanostructures controlled by hydrodynamics. The findings demonstrated that the precise control of momentum and mass transfer enabled the formation of ZnO nanorods with a structural gradient in diameter and orientation.

Effect of Aluminum on Characterization of ZnTe/n-Si Heterojunction Photo detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maki, Samir A.; Hassun, Hanan K.

2018-05-01

Aluminum doped zinc telluride ZnTenSi thin films of (400nm) thickness with (005 01 015 and 02) wt % were deposited on the glass substrate and nSi wafer to fabricate ZnTenSi heterojunction Photodetector by using thermal vacuum evaporation technique Structural optical electrical and photovoltaic properties are investigated for the samples XRD analysis shows that all the deposited ZnTenSi films show polycrystalline structure with cubic phases and highest sharp peak corresponding to (111) planes and from AFM images shows the surface roughness increase with increase Al percentage ratio The optical absorption measurement of the films was find from transmittance ranges in the variety of wavelength (400 1000) nm and the optical energy band gap decrease from 224 eV to 186 eV dependent upon the Aluminum ratio in the films moreover our studies contain the calculation of the electrical properties of hetero junction were obtained via IV (dark and light condition) and C V measurement The photoelectric properties indicated rise illumination current of heterojunctions through increasing both of incident lighting intensity and Aluminum dopant The values of specific detectivity and quantum efficiency are calculated for all samples also the best spectral response occurs when Al doping ratio 02% The high photo sensitivity and comparatively fast response haste are attributable to in height crystal quality of the [ZnTe ] thin films.

Gas-tungsten arc welding of aluminum alloys

DOEpatents

Frye, L.D.

1982-03-25

The present invention is directed to a gas-tungsten arc welding method for joining together structures formed of aluminum alloy with these structures disposed contiguously to a heat-damagable substrate of a metal dissimilar to the aluminum alloy. The method of the present invention is practiced by diamond machining the fay surfaces of the aluminum alloy structures to profice a mirror finish thereon having a surface roughness in the order of about one microinch. The fay surface are aligned and heated sufficiently by the tungsten electrode to fuse the aluminum alloy continguous to the fay surfaces to effect the weld joint. The heat input used to provide an oxide-free weld is significantly less than that required if the fay surfaces were prepared by using conventional chemical and mechanical practices.

Hollow spherical rotors fabricated by electroplating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avery, H. W.; Conroy, T. F.

1966-01-01

Equatorial bands are fabricated to provide a locating fit for the hemispheres of hollow spherical rotors which are then jointed by electroplating. Several nonmagnetic materials may be used to form the joint, such as aluminum, copper, iron, gold, plantinum, and zinc.

Fabrication of electrodeposited Co-Pt nano-arrays embedded in an anodic aluminum oxide/Ti/Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, S. K.; Jeong, G. H.; Park, I. S.; Na, S. M.; Suh, S. J.

An anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template, which is filled with the Co-Pt alloys, is a promising material for high-density magnetic recording media due to its high magnetic anisotropy and high coercivity. The porous AAO templates were fabricated by the two-step anodizing of 1-μm-thick Al thin film evaporated on top of the titanium layer with the thickness of 250 nm. The AAO template with pore size of approximately 60 nm and aspect ratio of 10 was obtained at voltage of 40 V, temperature of 5 °C, oxalic acid of 0.3 M and widening time of 55 min. Then the thickness of barrier is less than 20 nm. The Co-Pt alloy electrodeposited at pulsed current density, pH of 4 and room temperature was successfully filled in the AAO template with pore size of 80 nm and aspect ratio of 3. Then the Co-Pt alloy with Pt concentration of 45 at% was uniformly filled in the template and the coercivity of 1100 Oe was observed by VSM.

Wear properties of 10 vol.% silicon carbide particulate-reinforced aluminum composite fabricated by powder injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patcharawit, T.; Ngeekoh, A.; Chuankrekkul, N.

2017-09-01

Wear properties of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with silicon carbide particulate of 10 vol.% addition was investigated in as-sintered and heat-treated conditions under varying loads at -5, -25, -45 and -65N using a ball on flat type of wear test. The composite was fabricated by powder injection molding and sintering at 650 °C for 3 hours. Solution treatment was carried out at 550 °C for 2 hours followed by age-hardening at 160 °C for 6 hours. SEM and XRD results indicated Al and SiCp are present as matrix and reinforcement, while AlN, Al2Cu and Mg2Si were also detected. Further precipitation of Al2Cu and Mg2Si in heat-treated samples promoted maximum macro and micro Vickers hardness values, which were achieved at 161 and 157 Hv respectively. Wear weight loss increased with increasing minus load level. The coefficient of friction was found in the range of 0.042-0.048. Wear mechanisms were determined as the combination of abrasive, adhesion and oxidation.

Summary of Results of Tests Made by Aluminum Research Laboratories of Spot-welded Joints and Structural Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

HARTMANN E C; Stickley, G W

1942-01-01

Available information concerning spot welding as a means of joining aluminum-alloy parts has been summarized and comparisons have been made of the relative merits of spot-welded and riveted aluminum-alloy structural elements. The results indicated that spot welding was as satisfactory as riveting insofar as resistance to static loads is concerned. Spot welds showed slightly lower resistance to impact loads but definitely lower resistance to repeated loads than rivets.

Feasibility Assessment for Pressure Casting of Ceramic-Aluminum Composites for NASA's Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jonathan A.

2005-01-01

Feasibility assessment of pressure casting of ceramic-aluminum composites for NASA% propulsion applications is summarized. A combination of several demonstration projects to produce three unique components for liquid hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine% flanges, valves and turbo-pump housing are conducted. These components are made from boron carbide, silicon carbide and alumina powders fabricated into complex net shaped parts using dry green powder compaction, slip casting or a novel 3D ink-jet printing process, followed by sintering to produce performs that can be pressure cast by infiltration with molten aluminum. I n addition, joining techniques are also explored to insure that these components can be assembled into a structure without degrading their highly tailored properties. The feasibility assessment was made to determine if these new materials could provide a significant weight savings, thereby reducing vehicle launch costs, while being durable materials to increase safety and performance for propulsion system.

Self-Reacting Friction Stir Welding for Aluminum Alloy Circumferential Weld Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bjorkman, Gerry; Cantrell, Mark; Carter, Robert

2003-01-01

Friction stir welding is an innovative weld process that continues to grow in use, in the commercial, defense, and space sectors. It produces high quality and high strength welds in aluminum alloys. The process consists of a rotating weld pin tool that plasticizes material through friction. The plasticized material is welded by applying a high weld forge force through the weld pin tool against the material during pin tool rotation. The high weld forge force is reacted against an anvil and a stout tool structure. A variation of friction stir welding currently being evaluated is self-reacting friction stir welding. Self-reacting friction stir welding incorporates two opposing shoulders on the crown and root sides of the weld joint. In self-reacting friction stir welding, the weld forge force is reacted against the crown shoulder portion of the weld pin tool by the root shoulder. This eliminates the need for a stout tooling structure to react the high weld forge force required in the typical friction stir weld process. Therefore, the self-reacting feature reduces tooling requirements and, therefore, process implementation costs. This makes the process attractive for aluminum alloy circumferential weld applications. To evaluate the application of self-reacting friction stir welding for aluminum alloy circumferential welding, a feasibility study was performed. The study consisted of performing a fourteen-foot diameter aluminum alloy circumferential demonstration weld using typical fusion weld tooling. To accomplish the demonstration weld, weld and tack weld development were performed and fourteen-foot diameter rings were fabricated. Weld development consisted of weld pin tool selection and the generation of a process map and envelope. Tack weld development evaluated gas tungsten arc welding and friction stir welding for tack welding rings together for circumferential welding. As a result of the study, a successful circumferential demonstration weld was produced leading

Particle Size Distribution in Aluminum Manufacturing Facilities

PubMed Central

Liu, Sa; Noth, Elizabeth M.; Dixon-Ernst, Christine; Eisen, Ellen A.; Cullen, Mark R.; Hammond, S. Katharine

2015-01-01

As part of exposure assessment for an ongoing epidemiologic study of heart disease and fine particle exposures in aluminum industry, area particle samples were collected in production facilities to assess instrument reliability and particle size distribution at different process areas. Personal modular impactors (PMI) and Minimicro-orifice uniform deposition impactors (MiniMOUDI) were used. The coefficient of variation (CV) of co-located samples was used to evaluate the reproducibility of the samplers. PM2.5 measured by PMI was compared to PM2.5 calculated from MiniMOUDI data. Mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and concentrations of sub-micrometer (PM1.0) and quasi-ultrafine (PM0.56) particles were evaluated to characterize particle size distribution. Most of CVs were less than 30%. The slope of the linear regression of PMI_PM2.5 versus MiniMOUDI_PM2.5 was 1.03 mg/m3 per mg/m3 (± 0.05), with correlation coefficient of 0.97 (± 0.01). Particle size distribution varied substantively in smelters, whereas it was less variable in fabrication units with significantly smaller MMADs (arithmetic mean of MMADs: 2.59 μm in smelters vs. 1.31 μm in fabrication units, p = 0.001). Although the total particle concentration was more than two times higher in the smelters than in the fabrication units, the fraction of PM10 which was PM1.0 or PM0.56 was significantly lower in the smelters than in the fabrication units (p < 0.001). Consequently, the concentrations of sub-micrometer and quasi-ultrafine particles were similar in these two types of facilities. It would appear, studies evaluating ultrafine particle exposure in aluminum industry should focus on not only the smelters, but also the fabrication facilities. PMID:26478760

Particle Size Distribution in Aluminum Manufacturing Facilities.

PubMed

Liu, Sa; Noth, Elizabeth M; Dixon-Ernst, Christine; Eisen, Ellen A; Cullen, Mark R; Hammond, S Katharine

2014-10-01

As part of exposure assessment for an ongoing epidemiologic study of heart disease and fine particle exposures in aluminum industry, area particle samples were collected in production facilities to assess instrument reliability and particle size distribution at different process areas. Personal modular impactors (PMI) and Minimicro-orifice uniform deposition impactors (MiniMOUDI) were used. The coefficient of variation (CV) of co-located samples was used to evaluate the reproducibility of the samplers. PM 2.5 measured by PMI was compared to PM 2.5 calculated from MiniMOUDI data. Mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and concentrations of sub-micrometer (PM 1.0 ) and quasi-ultrafine (PM 0.56) particles were evaluated to characterize particle size distribution. Most of CVs were less than 30%. The slope of the linear regression of PMI_PM 2.5 versus MiniMOUDI_PM 2.5 was 1.03 mg/m 3 per mg/m 3 (± 0.05), with correlation coefficient of 0.97 (± 0.01). Particle size distribution varied substantively in smelters, whereas it was less variable in fabrication units with significantly smaller MMADs (arithmetic mean of MMADs: 2.59 μm in smelters vs. 1.31 μm in fabrication units, p = 0.001). Although the total particle concentration was more than two times higher in the smelters than in the fabrication units, the fraction of PM 10 which was PM 1.0 or PM 0.56 was significantly lower in the smelters than in the fabrication units (p < 0.001). Consequently, the concentrations of sub-micrometer and quasi-ultrafine particles were similar in these two types of facilities. It would appear, studies evaluating ultrafine particle exposure in aluminum industry should focus on not only the smelters, but also the fabrication facilities.

Study of nanodispersed aluminum and iron alcosols by photoacoustic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Vladimir; de Izarra, Charles; Saveliev, Gennady

2011-06-01

Nanodispersed aluminum and iron alcosols were prepared by ultrasonic dispersion of nanodispersed aluminum and iron powders in absolute ethanol. The photoacoustic signal (PAS) produced in modulated CO2 laser irradiation (1.026 and 1.096 kHz) of alcosols depends on the nature and method of nanoparticle fabrication and does not depend on their concentration in ethanol (within 1-5 g/l). Chemical interaction between metal nanoparticles and ethanol activated by laser irradiation or/and ultrasound is considered as the cause of the PAS.

Development and fabrication of structural components for a scramjet engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchmann, O. A.

1990-01-01

A program broadly directed toward design and development of long-life (100 hours and 1,000 cycles with a goal of 1,000 hours and 10,000 cycles) hydrogen-cooled structures for application to scramjets is presented. Previous phases of the program resulted in an overall engine design and analytical and experimental characterization of selected candidate materials and concepts. The latter efforts indicated that the basic life goals for the program can be reached with available means. The main objective of this effort was an integrated, experimental evaluation of the results of the previous program phases. The fuel injection strut was selected for this purpose, including fabrication development and fabrication of a full-scale strut. Testing of the completed strut was to be performed in a NASA-Langley wind tunnel. In addition, conceptual designs were formulated for a heat transfer test unit and a flat panel structural test unit. Tooling and fabrication procedures required to fabricate the strut were developed, and fabrication and delivery to NASA of all strut components, including major subassemblies, were completed.

A Model for Simulating the Response of Aluminum Honeycomb Structure to Transverse Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratcliffe, James G.; Czabaj, Michael W.; Jackson, Wade C.

2012-01-01

A 1-dimensional material model was developed for simulating the transverse (thickness-direction) loading and unloading response of aluminum honeycomb structure. The model was implemented as a user-defined material subroutine (UMAT) in the commercial finite element analysis code, ABAQUS(Registered TradeMark)/Standard. The UMAT has been applied to analyses for simulating quasi-static indentation tests on aluminum honeycomb-based sandwich plates. Comparison of analysis results with data from these experiments shows overall good agreement. Specifically, analyses of quasi-static indentation tests yielded accurate global specimen responses. Predicted residual indentation was also in reasonable agreement with measured values. Overall, this simple model does not involve a significant computational burden, which makes it more tractable to simulate other damage mechanisms in the same analysis.

Fabrication of complete titania nanoporous structures via electrochemical anodization of Ti

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

We present a novel method to fabricate complete and highly oriented anodic titanium oxide (ATO) nano-porous structures with uniform and parallel nanochannels. ATO nano-porous structures are fabricated by anodizing a Ti-foil in two different organic viscous electrolytes at room temperature using a two-step anodizing method. TiO2 nanotubes covered with a few nanometer thin nano-porous layer is produced when the first and the second anodization are carried out in the same electrolyte. However, a complete titania nano-porous (TNP) structures are obtained when the second anodization is conducted in a viscous electrolyte when compared to the first one. TNP structure was attributed to the suppression of F-rich layer dissolution between the cell boundaries in the viscous electrolyte. The structural morphologies were examined by field emission scanning electron microscope. The average pore diameter is approximately 70 nm, while the average inter-pore distance is approximately 130 nm. These TNP structures are useful to fabricate other nanostructure materials and nanodevices. PMID:21711844

Design and Fabrication of Electrostatically Actuated Silicon Microshutters Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oh, L.; Li, M.; Kim, K.; Kelly, D.; Kutyrev, A.; Moseley, S.

2017-01-01

We have developed a new fabrication process to actuate microshutter arrays (MSA) electrostatically at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The microshutters are fabricated on silicon with thin silicon nitride membranes. A pixel size of each microshutter is 100 x 200 micrometers 2. The microshutters rotate 90 degrees on torsion bars. The selected microshutters are actuated, held, and addressed electrostatically by applying voltages on the electrodes the front and back sides of the microshutters. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum oxide was used to insulate electrodes on the back side of walls; the insulation can withstand over 100 V. The ALD aluminum oxide is dry etched, and then the microshutters are released in vapor HF.

46 CFR 154.195 - Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.195 Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. (a) An aluminum cargo tank and its dome must be enclosed by the vessel's hull structure or a separate steel cover. (b) The steel cover for... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. 154.195 Section...

46 CFR 154.195 - Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.195 Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. (a) An aluminum cargo tank and its dome must be enclosed by the vessel's hull structure or a separate steel cover. (b) The steel cover for... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. 154.195 Section...

46 CFR 154.195 - Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.195 Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. (a) An aluminum cargo tank and its dome must be enclosed by the vessel's hull structure or a separate steel cover. (b) The steel cover for... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. 154.195 Section...

46 CFR 154.195 - Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.195 Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. (a) An aluminum cargo tank and its dome must be enclosed by the vessel's hull structure or a separate steel cover. (b) The steel cover for... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. 154.195 Section...

46 CFR 154.195 - Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.195 Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. (a) An aluminum cargo tank and its dome must be enclosed by the vessel's hull structure or a separate steel cover. (b) The steel cover for... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Aluminum cargo tank: Steel enclosure. 154.195 Section...

Lightweight Aluminum/Nano composites for Automotive Drive Train Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chelluri, Bhanumathi; Knoth, Edward A.; Schumaker, Edward J.

2012-12-14

During Phase I, we successfully processed air atomized aluminum powders via Dynamic Magnetic Compaction (DMC) pressing and subsequent sintering to produce parts with properties similar to wrought aluminum. We have also showed for the first time that aluminum powders can be processed without lubes via press and sintering to 100 % density. This will preclude a delube cycle in sintering and promote environmentally friendly P/M processing. Processing aluminum powders via press and sintering with minimum shrinkage will enable net shape fabrication. Aluminum powders processed via a conventional powder metallurgy process produce too large a shrinkage. Because of this, sinter partsmore » have to be machined into specific net shape. This results in increased scrap and cost. Fully sintered aluminum alloy under this Phase I project has shown good particle-to-particle bonding and mechanical properties. We have also shown the feasibility of preparing nano composite powders and processing via pressing and sintering. This was accomplished by dispersing nano silicon carbide (SiC) powders into aluminum matrix comprising micron-sized powders (<100 microns) using a proprietary process. These composite powders of Al with nano SiC were processed using DMC press and sinter process to sinter density of 85-90%. The process optimization along with sintering needs to be carried out to produce full density composites.« less

Plastic-aluminum composites in transportation infrastructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

This report presents an initial investigation of the mechanics of I-beams developed with plastic-aluminum composite technology. Plastic-aluminum composites in structural beam/frame/truss elements are a relatively new concept that has seen little, if ...

Aging Optimization of Aluminum-Lithium Alloy L277 for Application to Cryotank Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sova, B. J.; Sankaran, K. K.; Babel, H.; Farahmand, B.; Cho, A.

2003-01-01

Compared with aluminum alloys such as 2219, which is widely used in space vehicle for cryogenic tanks and unpressurized structures, aluminum-lithium alloys possess attractive combinations of lower density and higher modulus along with comparable mechanical properties and improved damage tolerance. These characteristics have resulted in the successful use of the aluminum-lithium alloy 2195 for the Space Shuttle External Tank, and the consideration of newer U.S. aluminum-lithium alloys such as L277 and C458 for future space vehicles. A design of experiments aging study was conducted for plate and a limited study on extrusions. To achieve the T8 temper, Alloy L277 is typically aged at 290 F for 40 hours. In the study for plate, a two-step aging treatment was developed through a design of experiments study and the one step aging used as a control. Based on the earlier NASA studies on 2195, the first step aging temperature was varied between 220 F and 260 F. The second step aging temperatures was varied between 290 F and 310 F, which is in the range of the single-step aging temperature. For extrusions, two, single-step, and one two-step aging condition were evaluated. The results of the design of experiments used for the T8 temper as well as a smaller set of experiments for the T6 temper for plate and the results for extrusions will be presented.

Fabrication of small-scale structures with non-planar features

DOEpatents

Burckel, David B.; Ten Eyck, Gregory A.

2015-11-19

The fabrication of small-scale structures is disclosed. A unit-cell of a small-scale structure with non-planar features is fabricated by forming a membrane on a suitable material. A pattern is formed in the membrane and a portion of the substrate underneath the membrane is removed to form a cavity. Resonators are then directionally deposited on the wall or sides of the cavity. The cavity may be rotated during deposition to form closed-loop resonators. The resonators may be non-planar. The unit-cells can be formed in a layer that includes an array of unit-cells.

Processing, structure, property and performance relationships for the thermal spray of the internal surface of aluminum cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, David James

The increased need for automotive weight reduction has necessitated the use of aluminum for engine blocks. Conventional aluminum alloys cannot survive the constant wear from a piston ring reciprocating on the surface. However, a wear resistant thermal spray coating can be applied on the internal surface of the cylinder bore, which has significant advantages over other available options. Thermal spray is a well-established process for depositing molten, semi-molten, or solid particles onto a substrate to form a protective coating. For this application, the two main challenges were obtaining good wear resistance, and achieving good adhesion. To design a system capable of producing a well-adhered, wear resistant coating for this high volume application it is necessary to identify the overall processing, structure, properties, and performance relationships. The results will demonstrate that very important relationships exist among particle characteristics, substrate conditions, and the properties of the final coating. However, it is the scientific studies to understand some of the process physics in these relationships that allow recognition of the critical processing conditions that need to be controlled to ensure a consistent, reliable thermal spray coating. In this investigation, it will be shown that the critical microstructural aspect of the coating that produced the required tribological properties was the presence of wuestite (FeO). It was found that by using a low carbon steel material with compressed air atomizing gas, it was possible to create an Fe/FeO structure that exhibited excellent tribological properties. This study will also show that traditional thermal spray surface preparation techniques were not ideal for this application, therefore a novel alternative approach was developed. The application of a flux to the aluminum surface prior to thermal spray promotes excellent bond strengths to non-roughened aluminum. Analysis will show that this flux strips

Physical and Electrical Characterization of Aluminum Polymer Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, David; Sampson, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Polymer aluminum capacitors from several manufacturers with various combinations of capacitance, rated voltage, and ESR values were physically examined and electrically characterized. The physical construction analysis of the capacitors revealed three different capacitor structures, i.e., traditional wound, stacked, and laminated. Electrical characterization results of polymer aluminum capacitors are reported for frequency-domain dielectric response at various temperatures, surge breakdown voltage, and other dielectric properties. The structure-property relations in polymer aluminum capacitors are discussed.

Physical and Electrical Characterization of Polymer Aluminum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, David; Sampson, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Polymer aluminum capacitors from several manufacturers with various combinations of capacitance, rated voltage, and ESR values were physically examined and electrically characterized. The physical construction analysis of the capacitors revealed three different capacitor structures, i.e., traditional wound, stacked, and laminated. Electrical characterization results of polymer aluminum capacitors are reported for frequency-domain dielectric response at various temperatures, surge breakdown voltage, and other dielectric properties. The structure-property relations in polymer aluminum capacitors are discussed.

Surface characterization of carbon fiber polymer composites and aluminum alloys after laser interference structuring

DOE PAGES

Sabau, Adrian S.; Greer, Clayton M.; Chen, Jian; ...

2016-05-03

Here, the increasing use of Carbon Fiber-reinforced Polymer matrix Composites (CFPC) and aluminum alloys as lightweight materials in the automotive and aerospace industries demands enhanced surface preparation and control of surface morphology prior to joining. In this study, surfaces of both composite and aluminum were prepared for joining using an Nd:YAG laser in a two-beam interference setup, enabling the (a) structuring of the AL 5182 surface, (b) removal of the resin layer on top of carbon fibers, and (c) structuring of the carbon fibers. CFPC specimens of T700S carbon fiber, Prepreg - T8 3 epoxy, 5 ply thick, 0/90o plaquesmore » were used. The effect of laser fluence, scanning speed, and number of shots-per-spot was investigated on the removal rate of the resin without an excessive damage of the fibers. Optical micrographs, 3D imaging, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging were used to study the effect of the laser processing on surface morphology.« less

Recycling of Aluminum Alloy with Dimox and Rheocasting Functionalize High Performance Structural Foam Composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabeeh, Bakr Mohamed

Great efforts aiming towards the synthesis and the development of structural composite materials. Direct metal oxidation, DIMOX introduced for hybrid composite processing. However, oxidation temperatures around 1100°C lead to the formation of porous ceramic materials. To utilize this porosity intentionally for foam production, a new approach based on synergetic effect of alloying elements, DIMOX and semisolid (rheocsting) processing is developed. A semisolid reaction, rheocasting is introduced to control porosity shape and size. Aluminum alloy 6xxx (automobile scrap pistons) is recycled for this objective and DIMOX at 1100°C for 30 min, then rheocasting, at 750°C for 30 minutes. The effect of α-Fe powder, Mg powder, and Boric acid powder established for the objective of a hybrid structural metal matrix composite in bulk foam matrix. The kinetic of formation of hybrid metal matrix foam composite is introduced. Microstructural and mechanical characterization established for high performance Aluminum foam hybrid composite materials.

Design, Fabrication, Characterization and Modeling of Integrated Functional Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

oxide ( AAO ) membranes were fabricated from high purity aluminum foil (99.999%) by electrochemical route using a controlled two-step anodization ...deposition of Fe and Co in anodized alumina templates. We used commercially prepared AAO templates which had pore diameters of 100 nm (300 nm), an...a thermal decomposition method. The final product was suspended in high-purity hexane to create a ferrofluid. Custom highly ordered anodic aluminum

Fabrication of 3D nano-structures using reverse imprint lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Kang-Soo; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Kang-In; Cho, Joong-Yeon; Choi, Kyung-woo; Lee, Heon

2013-02-01

In spite of the fact that the fabrication process of three-dimensional nano-structures is complicated and expensive, it can be applied to a range of devices to increase their efficiency and sensitivity. Simple and inexpensive fabrication of three-dimensional nano-structures is necessary. In this study, reverse imprint lithography (RIL) with UV-curable benzylmethacrylate, methacryloxypropyl terminated poly-dimethylsiloxane (M-PDMS) resin and ZnO-nano-particle-dispersed resin was used to fabricate three-dimensional nano-structures. UV-curable resins were placed between a silicon stamp and a PVA transfer template, followed by a UV curing process. Then, the silicon stamp was detached and a 2D pattern layer was transferred to the substrate using diluted UV-curable glue. Consequently, three-dimensional nano-structures were formed by stacking the two-dimensional nano-patterned layers. RIL was applied to a light-emitting diode (LED) to evaluate the optical effects of a nano-patterned layer. As a result, the light extraction of the patterned LED was increased by about 12% compared to an unpatterned LED.

Fabrication of 3D nano-structures using reverse imprint lithography.

PubMed

Han, Kang-Soo; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Kang-In; Cho, Joong-Yeon; Choi, Kyung-Woo; Lee, Heon

2013-02-01

In spite of the fact that the fabrication process of three-dimensional nano-structures is complicated and expensive, it can be applied to a range of devices to increase their efficiency and sensitivity. Simple and inexpensive fabrication of three-dimensional nano-structures is necessary. In this study, reverse imprint lithography (RIL) with UV-curable benzylmethacrylate, methacryloxypropyl terminated poly-dimethylsiloxane (M-PDMS) resin and ZnO-nano-particle-dispersed resin was used to fabricate three-dimensional nano-structures.UV-curable resins were placed between a silicon stamp and a PVA transfer template, followed by a UV curing process. Then, the silicon stamp was detached and a 2D pattern layer was transferred to the substrate using diluted UV-curable glue. Consequently, three-dimensional nano-structures were formed by stacking the two-dimensional nano-patterned layers. RIL was applied to a light-emitting diode (LED) to evaluate the optical effects of a nano-patterned layer. As a result, the light extraction of the patterned LED was increased by about 12% compared to an unpatterned LED.

Cold spraying of aluminum bronze on profiled submillimeter cermet structures formed by laser cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryashin, N. S.; Malikov, A. G.; Shikalov, V. S.; Gulyaev, I. P.; Kuchumov, B. M.; Klinkov, S. V.; Kosarev, V. F.; Orishich, A. M.

2017-10-01

The paper presents results of the cold spraying of aluminum bronze coatings on substrates profiled with WC/Ni tracks obtained by laser cladding. Reinforcing cermet frames shaped as grids with varied mesh sizes were clad on stainless steel substrates using a CO2 laser machine "Siberia" (ITAM SB RAS, Russia). As a result, surfaces/substrates with heterogeneous shape, composition, and mechanical properties were obtained. Aluminum bronze coatings were deposited from 5lF-NS powder (Oerlikon Metco, Switzerland) on those substrates using cold spraying equipment (ITAM SB RAS). Data of profiling, microstructure diagnostics, EDS analysis, and mechanical tests of obtained composites is reported. Surface relief of the sprayed coatings dependence on substrate structure has been demonstrated.

Aging Optimization of Aluminum-Lithium Alloy C458 for Application to Cryotank Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sova, B. J.; Sankaran, K. K.; Babel, H. W.; Farahmand, B.; Rioja, R.

2003-01-01

This viewgraph report presents an examination of the fracture toughness of aluminum-lithium alloy C458 for use in cryotank structures. Topics cover include: cryogenics, alloy composition, strengthing precipitates in C458, cryogenic fracture toughness improvements, design of experiments for measuring aging optimization of C458 plate and effects of aging of properties of C458 plate.

Fabrication and Characterization of Woodpile Structures for Direct Laser Acceleration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGuinness, C.; Colby, E.; England, R.J.

2010-08-26

An eight and nine layer three dimensional photonic crystal with a defect designed specifically for accelerator applications has been fabricated. The structures were fabricated using a combination of nanofabrication techniques, including low pressure chemical vapor deposition, optical lithography, and chemical mechanical polishing. Limits imposed by the optical lithography set the minimum feature size to 400 nm, corresponding to a structure with a bandgap centered at 4.26 {micro}m. Reflection spectroscopy reveal a peak in reflectivity about the predicted region, and good agreement with simulation is shown. The eight and nine layer structures will be aligned and bonded together to form themore » complete seventeen layer woodpile accelerator structure.« less

Unraveling Deformation Mechanisms in Gradient Structured Metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moering, Jordan Alexander

Gradient structures have demonstrated high strength and high ductility, introducing new mechanisms to challenge conventional mechanics. This work develops a method for characterizing the shear strain in gradient structured steel and presents evidence of a texture gradient that develops in Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment (SMAT). Mechanics underlying some theories of the strengthening mechanisms in gradient structured metals are introduced, followed by the fabrication and testing of gradient structured aluminum rod. The round geometry is intrinsically different from its flat counterparts, which leads to a multiaxial stress state evolving in tension. The aluminum exhibits strengthening beyond rule of mixtures, and texture evolution in the post-mortem sample indicates that out of plane stresses operate within the gradient. Finally, another gradient structured aluminum rod is shown to exhibit higher strength and higher elongation to failure in a variety of sample diameters and processing conditions. The GND density and microstructural evolution showed no significant changes during mechanical testing, and high resolution strain mapping was successfully completed within the core of the material. These discoveries and contributions to the field should help continue unraveling the deformation mechanisms of gradient structured metals.

Study to determine peening stress profile of rod peened aluminum structural alloys versus shot peened material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosas, R. E.; Calfin, B. G.

1976-01-01

The objective of this program was to determine the peening stress profiles of rod peened aluminum structural alloys versus shot peened material to define the effective depth of the compressed surface layer.

Fabrication and characterization of ordered arrays of nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Preston

2005-11-01

Nanostructures are currently of great interest because of their unique properties and potential applications in a wide range of areas such as opto-electronic and biomedical devices. Current research in nanotechnology involves fabrication and characterization of these structures, as well as theoretical and experimental studies to explore their unique and novel properties. Not only do nanostructures have the potential to be both evolutionary (state-of-the-art ICs have more and more features on the nanoscale) but revolutionary (quantum computing) as well. In this thesis, a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches is explored to fabricate ordered arrays of nanostrucutures. The bottom-up approach involves the growth of self-organized porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films. AAO films consist of a well ordered hexagonal array of close-packed pores with diameters and spacings ranging from around 5 to 500 nm. Via a top-down approach, these AAO films are then used as masks or templates to fabricate ordered arrays of nanostructures (i.e. dots, holes, meshes, pillars, rings, etc.) of various materials using conventional deposition and/or etching techniques. Using AAO films as masks allows a simple and economical method to fabricate arrays of structures with nano-scale dimensions. Furthermore, they allow the fabrication of large areas (many millimeters on a side) of highly uniform and well-ordered arrays of nanostructures, a crucial requirement for most characterization techniques and applications. Characterization of these nanostructures using various techniques (electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, capacitance-voltage measurements, magnetization hysteresis curves, etc.) will be presented. Finally, these structures provide a unique opportunity to determine the single and collective properties of nanostructure arrays and will have various future applications including but not limited to: data storage, light

A sodium–aluminum hybrid battery

DOE PAGES

Sun, Xiao-Guang; Zhang, Zhizhen; Guan, Hong Yu; ...

2017-03-07

We present novel hybrid batteries that are fabricated using an aluminum anode, a sodium intercalation cathode Na 3V 2(PO 4) 3 (NVP), and a sodium/aluminum dual salt electrolyte based on NaAlCl 4 and an eutectic mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMImC) and aluminum chloride. Cyclic voltammograms indicate that increasing the molar concentration of AlCl 3 in the electrolyte is beneficial to high coulombic efficiency of aluminum deposition/stripping, which, unfortunately, results in lower coulombic efficiency of sodium extraction/insertion in the cathode. Therefore, EMImC–AlCl 3 with a molar ratio of 1–1.1 is used for battery evaluation. The hybrid battery with 1.0 M NaAlClmore » 4 exhibits a discharge voltage of 1.25 V and a cathodic capacity of 99 mA h g -1 at a current rate of C/10. In addition, the hybrid battery exhibits good rate performance and long-term cycling stability while maintaining a high coulombic efficiency of 98%. It is also demonstrated that increasing salt concentration can further enhance the cycling performance of the hybrid battery. X-ray diffraction analysis of the NVP electrodes under different conditions confirms that the main cathode reaction is indeed Na extraction/insertion. Based on all earth-abundant elements, the new Na–Al hybrid battery is very attractive for stationary and grid energy storage applications.« less

A sodium–aluminum hybrid battery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Xiao-Guang; Zhang, Zhizhen; Guan, Hong Yu

We present novel hybrid batteries that are fabricated using an aluminum anode, a sodium intercalation cathode Na 3V 2(PO 4) 3 (NVP), and a sodium/aluminum dual salt electrolyte based on NaAlCl 4 and an eutectic mixture of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMImC) and aluminum chloride. Cyclic voltammograms indicate that increasing the molar concentration of AlCl 3 in the electrolyte is beneficial to high coulombic efficiency of aluminum deposition/stripping, which, unfortunately, results in lower coulombic efficiency of sodium extraction/insertion in the cathode. Therefore, EMImC–AlCl 3 with a molar ratio of 1–1.1 is used for battery evaluation. The hybrid battery with 1.0 M NaAlClmore » 4 exhibits a discharge voltage of 1.25 V and a cathodic capacity of 99 mA h g -1 at a current rate of C/10. In addition, the hybrid battery exhibits good rate performance and long-term cycling stability while maintaining a high coulombic efficiency of 98%. It is also demonstrated that increasing salt concentration can further enhance the cycling performance of the hybrid battery. X-ray diffraction analysis of the NVP electrodes under different conditions confirms that the main cathode reaction is indeed Na extraction/insertion. Based on all earth-abundant elements, the new Na–Al hybrid battery is very attractive for stationary and grid energy storage applications.« less

Impact response of graphite/epoxy fabric structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lagace, Paul A.; Kraft, Michael J.

1990-01-01

The impact damage resistance and damage tolerance of graphite/epoxy fabric plate (coupon) and cylinder structures were investigated and compared in an analytical and experimental study. Hercules A370-5H/3501-6 five-harness satin weave cloth in a quasi-isotropic (0,45)(sub s) laminate configuration was utilized. Specimens were impacted with 12.7 mm diameter steel spheres at velocities ranging from 10 m/s to 100 m/s. Damage resistance of the specimens was determined through the use of dye penetrant enhanced x-radiography, sectioning, epoxy burnoff, and visual methods. Damage tolerance of the flat plate structures was assessed in a residual tensile test while damage tolerance of the cylinder structures was assessed via pressurization tests. Impacted fabric laminates exhibited matrix crushing, fiber breakage, delamination, and fiber bundle disbonds; the latter being a unique damage mode for fabric laminates. Plate delamination and bundle disbonding was found to be more extensive around the central core area of fiber damage in the coupon specimens than in the cylinder specimens which showed a cleaner damage area due to impact. Damage resistance and damage tolerance were predicted by utilizing a five-step analysis approach previously utilized for coupon configurations. Two of the five steps were adapted to account for the effects of the structural configuration of the pressurized cylinder. The damage resistance analysis provided good correlation to the fiber damage region of both the coupon and cylinder specimens. There was little difference in the size of this region in the two specimen types. However, the analysis was not able to predict the distribution of damage through-the-thickness. This was important in assessing the damage tolerance of the cylinders. The damage tolerance analysis was able to predict the residual tensile strength of the coupons. A general methodology to predict the impact damage resistance and damage tolerance of composite structures utilizing

Pre-set extrusion bioprinting for multiscale heterogeneous tissue structure fabrication.

PubMed

Kang, Donggu; Ahn, Geunseon; Kim, Donghwan; Kang, Hyun-Wook; Yun, Seokhwan; Yun, Won-Soo; Shim, Jin-Hyung; Jin, Songwan

2018-06-06

Recent advances in three-dimensional bioprinting technology have led to various attempts in fabricating human tissue-like structures. However, current bioprinting technologies have limitations for creating native tissue-like structures. To resolve these issues, we developed a new pre-set extrusion bioprinting technique that can create heterogeneous, multicellular, and multimaterial structures simultaneously. The key to this ability lies in the use of a precursor cartridge that can stably preserve a multimaterial with a pre-defined configuration that can be simply embedded in a syringe-based printer head. The multimaterial can be printed and miniaturized through a micro-nozzle without conspicuous deformation according to the pre-defined configuration of the precursor cartridge. Using this system, we fabricated heterogeneous tissue-like structures such as spinal cords, hepatic lobule, blood vessels, and capillaries. We further obtained a heterogeneous patterned model that embeds HepG2 cells with endothelial cells in a hepatic lobule-like structure. In comparison with homogeneous and heterogeneous cell printing, the heterogeneous patterned model showed a well-organized hepatic lobule structure and higher enzyme activity of CYP3A4. Therefore, this pre-set extrusion bioprinting method could be widely used in the fabrication of a variety of artificial and functional tissues or organs.

Design and fabrication of a boron reinforced intertank skirt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henshaw, J.; Roy, P. A.; Pylypetz, P.

1974-01-01

Analytical and experimental studies were performed to evaluate the structural efficiency of a boron reinforced shell, where the medium of reinforcement consists of hollow aluminum extrusions infiltrated with boron epoxy. Studies were completed for the design of a one-half scale minimum weight shell using boron reinforced stringers and boron reinforced rings. Parametric and iterative studies were completed for the design of minimum weight stringers, rings, shells without rings and shells with rings. Computer studies were completed for the final evaluation of a minimum weight shell using highly buckled minimum gage skin. The detail design is described of a practical minimum weight test shell which demonstrates a weight savings of 30% as compared to an all aluminum longitudinal stiffened shell. Sub-element tests were conducted on representative segments of the compression surface at maximum stress and also on segments of the load transfer joint. A 10 foot long, 77 inch diameter shell was fabricated from the design and delivered for further testing.

Open-Section Composite Structural Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftin, T. A.; Smith, C. A.; Raheb, S. J.; Nowitzky, A. M.

1991-01-01

Report describes investigation of manufacture and mechanical properties of graphite-fiber/aluminum-matrix open-section structural elements; e.g., channels and angle bars. Conducted with view toward using such elements to build lightweight, thermally stable truss structures in outer space. Other applications transport to, and assembly at, remote or otherwise uninviting locations. Advantages include shapes permitting high packing density during shipment, convenient paths for routing tubes, hoses, and cables; accessibility of both inner and outer surfaces for repair; and ease of attachment of additional hardware. Easier and require less equipment to fabricate, and more amenable to automated fabrication and assembly at remote site. Disadvantages, not as resistant to some kinds of deformation under load.

Preparations, Properties, and Applications of Periodic Nano Arrays using Anodized Aluminum Oxide and Di-block Copolymer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noh, Kunbae

2011-12-01

Self-ordered arrangements observed in various materials systems such as anodic aluminum oxide, polystyrene nanoparticles, and block copolymer are of great interest in terms of providing new opportunities in nanofabrication field where lithographic techniques are broadly used in general. Investigations on self-assembled nano arrays to understand how to obtain periodic nano arrays in an efficient yet inexpensive way, and how to realize advanced material and device systems thereof, can lead to significant impacts on science and technology for many forefront device applications. In this thesis, various aspects of periodic nano-arrays have been discussed including novel preparations, properties and applications of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) and PS-b-P4VP (S4VP) di-block copolymer self-assembly. First, long-range ordered AAO arrays have been demonstrated. Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) process allowed a faithful pattern transfer of the imprint mold pattern onto Al thin film, and interesting self-healing and pattern tripling phenomena were observed, which could be applicable towards fabrication of the NIL master mold having highly dense pattern over large area, useful for fabrication of a large-area substrate for predictable positioning of arrayed devices. Second, S4VP diblock copolymer self-assembly and S4VP directed AAO self-assembly have been demonstrated in the Al thin film on Si substrate. Such a novel combination of two dissimilar self-assembly techniques demonstrated a potential as a versatile tool for nanopatterning formation on a Si substrate, capable of being integrated into Si process technology. As exemplary applications, vertically aligned Ni nanowires have been synthesized into an S4VP-guided AAO membrane on a Si substrate in addition to anti-dot structured [Co/Pd]n magnetic multilayer using S4VP self assembly. Third, a highly hexagonally ordered, vertically parallel aluminum oxide nanotube array was successfully fabricated via hard anodization technique

NASA-UVA Light Aerospace Alloy and Structure Technology Program Supplement: Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starke, E. A., Jr.

1997-01-01

This is the final report of the study "Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft" which had the objectives (1) to identify the most promising aluminum-based materials with respect to major structural use on the HSCT and to further develop those materials and (2) to assess the materials through detailed trade and evaluation studies with respect to their structural efficiency on the HSCT. The research team consisted of ALCOA, Allied-Signal, Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Reynolds Metals and the University of Virginia. Four classes of aluminum alloys were investigated: (1) I/M 2XXX containing Li and I/M 2XXX without Li, (2) I/M 6XXX, (3) two P/M 2XXX alloys, and (4) two different aluminum-based metal matrix composites (MMC). The I/M alloys were targeted for a Mach 2.0 aircraft and the P/M and MMC alloys were targeted for a Mach 2.4 aircraft. Design studies were conducted using several different concepts including skin/stiffener (baseline), honeycomb sandwich, integrally stiffened and hybrid adaptations (conventionally stiffened thin-sandwich skins). Alloy development included fundamental studies of coarsening behavior, the effect of stress on nucleation and growth of precipitates, and fracture toughness as a function of temperature were an integral part of this program. The details of all phases of the research are described in this final report.

Binder-Free V 2 O 5 Cathode for Greener Rechargeable Aluminum Battery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Huali; Bai, Ying; Chen, Shi

This letter reports on the investigation of a binder-free cathode material to be used in rechargeable aluminum batteries. This cathode is synthesized by directly depositing V2O5 on a Ni foam current collector. Rechargeable aluminum coin cells fabricated using the as-synthesized binder-free cathode delivered an initial discharge capacity of 239 mAh/g, which is much higher than that of batteries fabricated using a cathode composed of V2O5 nanowires and binder. An obvious discharge voltage plateau appeared at 0.6 V in the discharge curves of the Ni–V2O5 cathode, which is slightly higher than that of the V2O5 nanowire cathodes with common binders. Thismore » improvement is attributed to reduced electrochemical polarization.« less

Low-Cost and Rapid Fabrication of Metallic Nanostructures for Sensitive Biosensors Using Hot-Embossing and Dielectric-Heating Nanoimprint Methods.

PubMed

Lee, Kuang-Li; Wu, Tsung-Yeh; Hsu, Hsuan-Yeh; Yang, Sen-Yeu; Wei, Pei-Kuen

2017-07-02

We propose two approaches-hot-embossing and dielectric-heating nanoimprinting methods-for low-cost and rapid fabrication of periodic nanostructures. Each nanofabrication process for the imprinted plastic nanostructures is completed within several seconds without the use of release agents and epoxy. Low-cost, large-area, and highly sensitive aluminum nanostructures on A4 size plastic films are fabricated by evaporating aluminum film on hot-embossing nanostructures. The narrowest bandwidth of the Fano resonance is only 2.7 nm in the visible light region. The periodic aluminum nanostructure achieves a figure of merit of 150, and an intensity sensitivity of 29,345%/RIU (refractive index unit). The rapid fabrication is also achieved by using radio-frequency (RF) sensitive plastic films and a commercial RF welding machine. The dielectric-heating, using RF power, takes advantage of the rapid heating/cooling process and lower electric power consumption. The fabricated capped aluminum nanoslit array has a 5 nm Fano linewidth and 490.46 nm/RIU wavelength sensitivity. The biosensing capabilities of the metallic nanostructures are further verified by measuring antigen-antibody interactions using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA. These rapid and high-throughput fabrication methods can benefit low-cost, highly sensitive biosensors and other sensing applications.

Low-Cost and Rapid Fabrication of Metallic Nanostructures for Sensitive Biosensors Using Hot-Embossing and Dielectric-Heating Nanoimprint Methods

PubMed Central

Lee, Kuang-Li; Wu, Tsung-Yeh; Hsu, Hsuan-Yeh; Yang, Sen-Yeu; Wei, Pei-Kuen

2017-01-01

We propose two approaches—hot-embossing and dielectric-heating nanoimprinting methods—for low-cost and rapid fabrication of periodic nanostructures. Each nanofabrication process for the imprinted plastic nanostructures is completed within several seconds without the use of release agents and epoxy. Low-cost, large-area, and highly sensitive aluminum nanostructures on A4 size plastic films are fabricated by evaporating aluminum film on hot-embossing nanostructures. The narrowest bandwidth of the Fano resonance is only 2.7 nm in the visible light region. The periodic aluminum nanostructure achieves a figure of merit of 150, and an intensity sensitivity of 29,345%/RIU (refractive index unit). The rapid fabrication is also achieved by using radio-frequency (RF) sensitive plastic films and a commercial RF welding machine. The dielectric-heating, using RF power, takes advantage of the rapid heating/cooling process and lower electric power consumption. The fabricated capped aluminum nanoslit array has a 5 nm Fano linewidth and 490.46 nm/RIU wavelength sensitivity. The biosensing capabilities of the metallic nanostructures are further verified by measuring antigen–antibody interactions using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA. These rapid and high-throughput fabrication methods can benefit low-cost, highly sensitive biosensors and other sensing applications. PMID:28671600

Deposition behavior of residual aluminum in drinking water distribution system: Effect of aluminum speciation.

PubMed

Zhang, Yue; Shi, Baoyou; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Yan, Mingquan; Lytle, Darren A; Wang, Dongsheng

2016-04-01

Finished drinking water usually contains some residual aluminum. The deposition of residual aluminum in distribution systems and potential release back to the drinking water could significantly influence the water quality at consumer taps. A preliminary analysis of aluminum content in cast iron pipe corrosion scales and loose deposits demonstrated that aluminum deposition on distribution pipe surfaces could be excessive for water treated by aluminum coagulants including polyaluminum chloride (PACl). In this work, the deposition features of different aluminum species in PACl were investigated by simulated coil-pipe test, batch reactor test and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. The deposition amount of non-polymeric aluminum species was the least, and its deposition layer was soft and hydrated, which indicated the possible formation of amorphous Al(OH)3. Al13 had the highest deposition tendency, and the deposition layer was rigid and much less hydrated, which indicated that the deposited aluminum might possess regular structure and self-aggregation of Al13 could be the main deposition mechanism. While for Al30, its deposition was relatively slower and deposited aluminum amount was relatively less compared with Al13. However, the total deposited mass of Al30 was much higher than that of Al13, which was attributed to the deposition of particulate aluminum matters with much higher hydration state. Compared with stationary condition, stirring could significantly enhance the deposition process, while the effect of pH on deposition was relatively weak in the near neutral range of 6.7 to 8.7. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Study on the fabrication of composite photonic crystals with high structural stability by co-sedimentation self-assembly on fabric substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yichen; Zhou, Lan; Liu, Guojin; Chai, Liqin; Fan, Qinguo; Shao, Jianzhong

2018-06-01

The Silica/Poly(methylmethacrylate-butylacrylate)[SiO2/P(MMA-BA)] photonic crystals(PCs) with brilliant structural colors were fabricated on fabric substrates by co-sedimentation self-assembly, in which the relatively smaller P(MMA-BA) copolymer particles filled in the interstices among the larger SiO2 microspheres. The fabricated composite PCs were mechanically robust and strongly bonded to the substrate because of the cementing effect caused by the soft P(MMA-BA) copolymer particles filling in the interstices of the SiO2 microspheres like cement filling in the gap and tightly holding stones in a sturdy cement wall. The volume fraction and the size ratios of the two components significantly influenced the structural colors of the composite PCs, and the larger volume fraction could improve the structural stability of the composite PCs, while the smaller size ratios could enhance the brightness of the structural colors of the composite PCs. The composite PCs with both high structural stability and brilliant structural colors have great application prospect for structural coloration of textiles.

Nanocylindrical confinement imparts highest structural order in molecular self-assembly of organophosphonates on aluminum oxide.

PubMed

Pathak, Anshuma; Bora, Achyut; Braunschweig, Björn; Meltzer, Christian; Yan, Hongdan; Lemmens, Peter; Daum, Winfried; Schwartz, Jeffrey; Tornow, Marc

2017-05-18

We report the impact of geometrical constraint on intramolecular interactions in self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkylphosphonates grown on anodically oxidized aluminum (AAO). Molecular order in these films was determined by sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, a more sensitive measure of order than infrared absorption spectroscopy. Using SFG we show that films grown on AAO are, within detection limits, nearly perfectly ordered in an all-trans alkyl chain configuration. In marked contrast, films formed on planar, plasma-oxidized aluminum oxide or α-Al 2 O 3 (0001) are replete with gauche defects. We attribute these differences to the nanocylindrical structure of AAO, which enforces molecular confinement.

Hidden corrosion detection in aircraft aluminum structures using laser ultrasonics and wavelet transform signal analysis.

PubMed

Silva, M Z; Gouyon, R; Lepoutre, F

2003-06-01

Preliminary results of hidden corrosion detection in aircraft aluminum structures using a noncontact laser based ultrasonic technique are presented. A short laser pulse focused to a line spot is used as a broadband source of ultrasonic guided waves in an aluminum 2024 sample cut from an aircraft structure and prepared with artificially corroded circular areas on its back surface. The out of plane surface displacements produced by the propagating ultrasonic waves were detected with a heterodyne Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Time-frequency analysis of the signals using a continuous wavelet transform allowed the identification of the generated Lamb modes by comparison with the calculated dispersion curves. The presence of back surface corrosion was detected by noting the loss of the S(1) mode near its cutoff frequency. This method is applicable to fast scanning inspection techniques and it is particularly suited for early corrosion detection.

Fabrication and characteristics of high-performance and high-stability aluminum-doped zinc oxide thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Dongfang; Han, Dedong; Huang, Fuqing; Tian, Yu; Zhang, Suoming; Qi, Lin; Cong, Yingying; Zhang, Shengdong; Zhang, Xing; Wang, Yi

2014-01-01

Fully transparent aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were successfully fabricated on glass substrates at room temperature. Superior properties, such as a high saturation mobility of 59.3 cm2 V-1 s-1, a positive threshold voltage of 1.3 V, a steep subthreshold swing of 122.9 mV/dec, an off-state current on the order of 10-12 A, and an on/off ratio of 2.7 × 108, were obtained. The electrical properties of the AZO TFTs were successively studied within a period of six months. Small property degenerations could be observed from the test results obtained within the study period, which proved the high-performance and high-stability characteristics of AZO TFTs. Furthermore, hysteresis loop scanning of AZO TFTs was performed, and a small hysteresis could be detected in the scanning curves, which suggested the superior properties of a dielectric and a channel-insulator interface. Lastly, we succeeded in manufacturing an organic LED (OLED) flat panel display panel driven by AZO TFTs and obtained an excellent display effect from it. We believe that AZO TFTs are a promising candidate successor to Si-based TFTs in next-generation flat panel displays.

Fabrication of Highly Ordered Anodic Aluminium Oxide Templates on Silicon Substrates

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

highly ordered anodic aluminium oxide ( AAO ) templates of unprecedented pore uniformity directly on Si, enabled by new advances on two fronts – direct...field emitter, sensors, oscillators and photodetectors. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Anodic aluminum oxide , template-assisted nanofabrication, carbon nanotube...Fabrication of the aligned and patterned carbon nanotube field emitters using the anodic aluminum oxide nano-template on a Si wafer’, Synth. Met

Kaleidoscopic imaging patterns of complex structures fabricated by laser-induced deformation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Haoran; Yang, Fengyou; Dong, Jianjie; Du, Lena; Wang, Chuang; Zhang, Jianming; Guo, Chuan Fei; Liu, Qian

2016-01-01

Complex surface structures have stimulated a great deal of interests due to many potential applications in surface devices. However, in the fabrication of complex surface micro-/nanostructures, there are always great challenges in precise design, or good controllability, or low cost, or high throughput. Here, we present a route for the accurate design and highly controllable fabrication of surface quasi-three-dimensional (quasi-3D) structures based on a thermal deformation of simple two-dimensional laser-induced patterns. A complex quasi-3D structure, coaxially nested convex–concave microlens array, as an example, demonstrates our capability of design and fabrication of surface elements with this method. Moreover, by using only one relief mask with the convex–concave microlens structure, we have gotten hundreds of target patterns at different imaging planes, offering a cost-effective solution for mass production in lithography and imprinting, and portending a paradigm in quasi-3D manufacturing. PMID:27910852

Fabrication and spin tests of composite flywheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamamoto, A.; Inutake, T.; Kogai, K.

Energy storage flywheels consisting of carbon fiber epoxy composite rims and aluminum or carbon fabric cloth epoxy composite hubs were designed, fabricated and tested. The composite rims were 38O mm in outer diameter and 300 mm in inner diameter with a thickness of 25 mm. The test rotor with a aluminum hub was spun to maximum peripheral speed of 982 m/s on burst test. This corresponds to an energy density, based upon total rotor weight, of approximately 71 Wh/kg. Another rotor, made use of a four rims configuration, was tested to 800 m/s successfully with no damage and no dynamic problem. The energy stored in the rotor is more than 500 Wh and the energy density is about 55 Wh/kg at that speed. The rotor with a composite hub was tested to the peripheral speed of 820 m/s. It was restricted by rotor dynamic problems.

A new technique for the strengthening of aluminum tungsten inert gas weld metals: using carbon nanotube/aluminum composite as a filler metal.

PubMed

Fattahi, M; Nabhani, N; Rashidkhani, E; Fattahi, Y; Akhavan, S; Arabian, N

2013-01-01

The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) on the mechanical properties of aluminum multipass weld metal prepared by the tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process was investigated. High energy ball milling was used to disperse MWCNT in the aluminum powder. Carbon nanotube/aluminum composite filler metal was fabricated for the first time by hot extrusion of ball-milled powders. After welding, the tensile strength, microhardness and MWCNT distribution in the weld metal were investigated. The test results showed that the tensile strength and microhardness of weld metal was greatly increased when using the filler metal containing 1.5 wt.% MWCNT. Therefore, according to the results presented in this paper, it can be concluded that the filler metal containing MWCNT can serve as a super filler metal to improve the mechanical properties of TIG welds of Al and its alloys. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of super-hydrophobic duo-structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. Y.; Zhang, F.; Jiang, Y. J.; Wang, Y. Y.; Shi, Z. W.; Peng, C. S.

2015-04-01

Recently, super-hydrophobicity has attracted increasing attention due to its huge potential in the practical applications. In this paper, we have presented a duo-structure of the combination of micro-dot-matrix and nano-candle-soot. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as a combination layer between the dot-matrix and the soot particles. Firstly, a period of 9-μm dot-matrix was easily fabricated on the K9 glass using the most simple and mature photolithography process. Secondly, the dot-matrix surface was coated by a thin film of PDMS (elastomer: hardener=10:1) which was diluted by methylbenzene at the volume ratio of 1:8. Thirdly, we held the PDMS modified surface over a candle flame to deposit a soot layer and followed by a gentle water-risen to remove the non-adhered particles. At last, the samples were baked at 85°C for 2 hours and then the duo-structure surface with both micro-size dot-matrix and nano-size soot particles was obtained. The SEM indicated this novel surface morphology was quite like a lotus leaf of the well-know micro-nano-binary structures. As a result, the contact angle meter demonstrated such surface exhibited a perfect super-hydrophobicity with water contact angle of 153° and sliding angle of 3°. Besides, just listed as above, the fabrication process for our structure was quite more easy, smart and low-cost compared with the other production technique for super-hydrophobic surfaces such as the phase separation method, electrochemical deposition and chemical vapor deposition etc. Hence, this super-hydrophobic duo-structure reported in this letter was a great promising candidate for a wide and rapid commercialization in the future.

Methods for freeform fabrication of structures

DOEpatents

Kaufman, Stephen G.; Spletzer, Barry L.

2000-01-01

Rapid prototyping methods and apparatuses that produce structures made of continuous-fiber polymer-matrix composites without the use of molds. Instead of using molds, the composite structure is fabricated patch by patch in layers or wraps, using a two- or three-axis stage connected to a rapidly-reconfigurable forming surface, and a robot arm to position the evolving composite structure, which are both programmable devices. Because programmable devices are included, i.e., a robot and a two- or three-axis stage connected to the reconfigurable forming surface, the control program needed to produce a desired shape can be easily modified to automatically generate the desired shape from an electronic model (e.g., using a CAD/CAM system) of the desired (predetermined) shape.

Elevated Temperature Crack Growth Behavior in HSCT Structural Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saxena, Ashok

1998-01-01

Structures in super-sonic aircraft are subjected to conditions of high temperature and cyclic and sustained loading for extended periods of time. The durability of structures fabricated from aluminum and certain titanium alloys in such demanding conditions is of primary concern to the designers and manufacturers of futuristic transport aircraft. Accordingly, the major goal of this project was to evaluate the performance and durability of high temperature aluminum and titanium alloys for use in high speed civil transport (HSCT) structures. Additional goals were to develop time-dependent fracture mechanics methodology and test methods for characterizing and predicting elevated temperature crack growth behavior in creep-brittle materials such as ones being considered for use in HSCT structures and to explore accelerated methods of simulating microstructural degradation during service and measuring degraded properties in these materials.

Microreplication of laser-fabricated surface and three-dimensional structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koroleva, Anastasia; Schlie, Sabrina; Fadeeva, Elena; Gittard, Shaun D.; Miller, Philip; Ovsianikov, Aleksandr; Koch, Jürgen; Narayan, Roger J.; Chichkov, Boris N.

2010-12-01

The fabrication of defined surface topographies and three-dimensional structures is a challenging process for various applications, e.g. in photonics and biomedicine. Laser-based technologies provide a promising approach for the production of such structures. The advantages of femtosecond laser ablation and two-photon polymerization for microstructuring are well known. However, these methods cannot be applied to all materials and are limited by their high cost and long production time. In this study, biomedical applications of an indirect rapid prototyping, molding microreplication of laser-fabricated two- and three-dimensional structures are examined. We demonstrate that by this method any laser-generated surface topography as well as three-dimensional structures can be replicated in various materials without losing the original geometry. The replication into multiple copies enables fast and perfect reproducibility of original microstructures for investigations of cell-surface interactions. Compared to unstructured materials, we observe that microstructures have strong influence on morphology and localization of fibroblasts, whereas neuroblastoma cells are not negatively affected.

New weldable high strength aluminum alloy developed for cryogenic service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Wrought aluminum alloy has improved low temperature notch toughness and weldability. This alloy can be mill-fabricated to plate and sheet without difficulty. Post-weld aging improves weld ductility and strength properties. A typical treatment is 8 hours at 225 deg F plus 16 hours at 300 deg F.

Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication of Titanium Alloy Gradient Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brice, Craig A.; Newman, John A.; Bird, Richard Keith; Shenoy, Ravi N.; Baughman, James M.; Gupta, Vipul K.

2014-01-01

Historically, the structural optimization of aerospace components has been done through geometric methods. A monolithic material is chosen based on the best compromise between the competing design limiting criteria. Then the structure is geometrically optimized to give the best overall performance using the single material chosen. Functionally graded materials offer the potential to further improve structural efficiency by allowing the material composition and/or microstructural features to spatially vary within a single structure. Thus, local properties could be tailored to the local design limiting criteria. Additive manufacturing techniques enable the fabrication of such graded materials and structures. This paper presents the results of a graded material study using two titanium alloys processed using electron beam freeform fabrication, an additive manufacturing process. The results show that the two alloys uniformly mix at various ratios and the resultant static tensile properties of the mixed alloys behave according to rule-of-mixtures. Additionally, the crack growth behavior across an abrupt change from one alloy to the other shows no discontinuity and the crack smoothly transitions from one crack growth regime into another.

High heat flux actively cooled honeycomb sandwich structural panel for a hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koch, L. C.; Pagel, L. L.

1978-01-01

The results of a program to design and fabricate an unshielded actively cooled structural panel for a hypersonic aircraft are presented. The design is an all-aluminum honeycomb sandwich with embedded cooling passages soldered to the inside of the outer moldline skin. The overall finding is that an actively cooled structure appears feasible for application on a hypersonic aircraft, but the fabrication process is complex and some material and manufacturing technology developments are required. Results from the program are summarized and supporting details are presented.

First principle study of structural, electronic and fermi surface properties of aluminum praseodymium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shugani, Mani; Aynyas, Mahendra; Sanyal, S. P.

2018-05-01

We present a structural, Electronic and Fermi surface properties of Aluminum Praseodymium (AlPr) using First-principles density functional calculation by using full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The ground state properties along with electronic and Fermi surface properties are studied. It is found that AlPr is metallic and the bonding between Al and Pr is covalent.

Self-Reacting Friction Stir Welding for Aluminum Complex Curvature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Randy J.; Martin, W.; Schneider, J.; Hartley, P. J.; Russell, Carolyn; Lawless, Kirby; Jones, Chip

2003-01-01

This viewgraph representation provides an overview of sucessful research conducted by Lockheed Martin and NASA to develop an advanced self-reacting friction stir technology for complex curvature aluminum alloys. The research included weld process development for 0.320 inch Al 2219, sucessful transfer from the 'lab' scale to the production scale tool and weld quality exceeding strenght goals. This process will enable development and implementation of large scale complex geometry hardware fabrication. Topics covered include: weld process development, weld process transfer, and intermediate hardware fabrication.

Actively cooled plate fin sandwich structural panels for hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, L. M.; Beuyukian, C. S.

1979-01-01

An unshielded actively cooled structural panel was designed for application to a hypersonic aircraft. The design was an all aluminum stringer-stiffened platefin sandwich structure which used a 60/40 mixture of ethylene glycol/water as the coolant. Eight small test specimens of the basic platefin sandwich concept and three fatigue specimens from critical areas of the panel design was fabricated and tested (at room temperature). A test panel representative of all features of the panel design was fabricated and tested to determine the combined thermal/mechanical performance and structural integrity of the system. The overall findings are that; (1) the stringer-stiffened platefin sandwich actively cooling concept results in a low mass design that is an excellent contender for application to a hypersonic vehicle, and (2) the fabrication processes are state of the art but new or modified facilities are required to support full scale panel fabrication.

Loading Considerations for Implementing Friction STIR Welding for Large Diameter Tank Fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Glynn

1998-01-01

The main objectives of the research presented here are to determine the reaction loads associated with friction stir welding (FSW) and to determine the suitability of an existing welding fixture for implementing this welding process in the fabrication of large diameter tanks. Friction stir welding is a relatively new process which is being investigated as a method for joining aluminum alloys. The aluminum-lithium alloy, Al-Li 2195, which is being used to fabricate the super-light-weight shuttle external tank has proven difficult to join using fusion techniques. Therefore, FSW and its potential applicability to joining Al-Li 2195 are of particular interest to NASA.

Zero percolation threshold in electric conductivity of aluminum nanowire network fabricated by chemical etching using an electrospun nanofiber mask

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azuma, Keisuke; Sakajiri, Koichi; Okabe, Takashi; Matsumoto, Hidetoshi; Kang, Sungmin; Watanabe, Junji; Tokita, Masatoshi

2017-09-01

We investigated the sheet resistance (R s) and transmittance (T) of seamless two-dimensional networks of 50-nm-thick aluminum (Al) nanowires (NWs) with widths (W) ranging from 380 to 1410 nm. The Al NWs were fabricated by wet-etching of Al metalized polyester films with using polystyrene (PS) nanofibers as the mask. The PS nanofibers were deposited by the electrospinning of a PS solution and adhered to the film by annealing. W and the area coverage (φ) were increased with increasing PS solution concentration and deposition time, respectively. With increasing φ from 3 to 34%, T and R s decreased from 99 to 75% and from 800 to 10 Ω/sq, respectively, and the network with W = 878 nm at φ = 0.21 attained values of T = 91% and R s = 31 Ω/sq. The conductivity increases with φ with an exponent of 2, demonstrating that seamless NW networks are characterized by the zero percolation threshold.

Fabrication of Gold-coated 3-D Woodpile Structures for Mid-IR Thermal Emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shengkai; Moridani, Amir; Kothari, Rohit; Lee, Jae-Hwang; Watkins, James

3-D metallic woodpile nanostructures possess enhancements in thermal radiation that are both wavelength and polarization specific and are promising for thermal-optical devices for various applications including thermal photovoltaics, self-cooling devices, and chemical and bio-sensors. However, current fabrication techniques for such structures are limited by slow speed, small area capability, the need for expensive facilities and, in general, are not suitable for high-throughput mass production. Here we demonstrate a new strategy for the fabrication of 3D metallic woodpile structures. Well-defined TiO2 woodpile structures were fabricated using a layer-by-layer nanoimprint method using TiO2 nanoparticle ink dispersions. The TiO2 woodpile was then coated with a high purity, conformal gold film via reactive deposition in supercritical carbon dioxide. The final gold-coated woodpile structures exhibit strong spectral and polarization specific thermal emission enhancements. The fabrication method demonstrated here is promising for high-throughput, low-cost preparation of 3D metallic woodpile structures and other 3D nanostructures. Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing, NSF.

Design, fabrication, and test of lightweight shell structure, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A cylindrical shell skirt structure 4.57 m (180 in.) in diameter and 3.66 m (144 in.) high was subjected to a design and analysis study using a wide variety of structural materials and concepts. The design loading of 1225.8 N/cm (700 lb/in.) axial compression and 245.2 N/cm (140 lb/in.) torsion is representative of that expected on a typical space tug skirt section. Structural concepts evaluated included honeycomb sandwich, truss, isogrid, and skin/stringer/frame. The materials considered included a wide variety of structural metals as well as glass, graphite, and boron-reinforced composites. The most unique characteristic of the candidate designs is that they involve the use of very thin-gage material. Fabrication and structural test of small panels and components representative of many of the candidate designs served to demonstrate proposed fabrication techniques and to verify design and analysis methods.

Fabrication method for small-scale structures with non-planar features

DOEpatents

Burckel, David Bruce; Ten Eyck, Gregory A.

2016-09-20

The fabrication of small-scale structures is disclosed. A unit-cell of a small-scale structure with non-planar features is fabricated by forming a membrane on a suitable material. A pattern is formed in the membrane and a portion of the substrate underneath the membrane is removed to form a cavity. Resonators are then directionally deposited on the wall or sides of the cavity. The cavity may be rotated during deposition to form closed-loop resonators. The resonators may be non-planar. The unit-cells can be formed in a layer that includes an array of unit-cells.

Micromechanical Structures Fabrication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rajic, S

2001-05-08

Work in materials other than silicon for MEMS applications has typically been restricted to metals and metal oxides instead of more ''exotic'' semiconductors. However, group III-V and II-VI semiconductors form a very important and versatile collection of material and electronic parameters available to the MEMS and MOEMS designer. With these materials, not only are the traditional mechanical material variables (thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, Young's modulus, etc.) available, but also chemical constituents can be varied in ternary and quaternary materials. This flexibility can be extremely important for both friction and chemical compatibility issues for MEMS. In addition, the ability to continuallymore » vary the bandgap energy can be particularly useful for many electronics and infrared detection applications. However, there are two major obstacles associated with alternate semiconductor material MEMS. The first issue is the actual fabrication of non-silicon micro-devices and the second impediment is communicating with these novel devices. We have implemented an essentially material independent fabrication method that is amenable to most group III-V and II-VI semiconductors. This technique uses a combination of non-traditional direct write precision fabrication processes such as diamond turning, ion milling, laser ablation, etc. This type of deterministic fabrication approach lends itself to an almost trivial assembly process. We also implemented a mechanical, electrical, and optical self-aligning hybridization technique for these alternate-material MEMS substrates.« less

Rapid Fabrication of Cell-Laden Alginate Hydrogel 3D Structures by Micro Dip-Coating.

PubMed

Ghanizadeh Tabriz, Atabak; Mills, Christopher G; Mullins, John J; Davies, Jamie A; Shu, Wenmiao

2017-01-01

Development of a simple, straightforward 3D fabrication method to culture cells in 3D, without relying on any complex fabrication methods, remains a challenge. In this paper, we describe a new technique that allows fabrication of scalable 3D cell-laden hydrogel structures easily, without complex machinery: the technique can be done using only apparatus already available in a typical cell biology laboratory. The fabrication method involves micro dip-coating of cell-laden hydrogels covering the surface of a metal bar, into the cross-linking reagents calcium chloride or barium chloride to form hollow tubular structures. This method can be used to form single layers with thickness ranging from 126 to 220 µm or multilayered tubular structures. This fabrication method uses alginate hydrogel as the primary biomaterial and a secondary biomaterial can be added depending on the desired application. We demonstrate the feasibility of this method, with survival rate over 75% immediately after fabrication and normal responsiveness of cells within these tubular structures using mouse dermal embryonic fibroblast cells and human embryonic kidney 293 cells containing a tetracycline-responsive, red fluorescent protein (tHEK cells).

Thermoelectric Properties of Hot-Pressed and PECS-Sintered Magnesium-Doped Copper Aluminum Oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chang; Morelli, Donald T.

2011-05-01

Copper aluminum oxide (CuAlO2) is considered as a potential candidate for thermoelectric applications. Partially magnesium-doped CuAlO2 bulk pellets were fabricated using solid-state reactions, hot-pressing, and pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) techniques. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were adopted for structural analysis. High-temperature transport property measurements were performed on hot-pressed samples. Electrical conductivity increased with Mg doping before secondary phases became significant, while the Seebeck coefficient displayed the opposite trend. Thermal conductivity was consistently reduced as the Mg concentration increased. Effects of Mg doping, preparation conditions, and future modification on this material's properties are discussed.

Synthesis of silicon nanotubes with cobalt silicide ends using anodized aluminum oxide template.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Lifeng; Shimizu, Tomohiro; Senz, Stephan; Gösele, Ulrich

2010-02-05

Silicon nanotubes (SiNTs) are compatible with Si-based semiconductor technology. In particular, the small diameters and controllable structure of such nanotubes are remaining challenges. Here we describe a method to fabricate SiNTs intrinsically connected with cobalt silicide ends based on highly ordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. Size and growth direction of the SiNTs can be well controlled via the templates. The growth of SiNTs is catalyzed by the Co nanoparticles reduced on the pore walls of the AAO after annealing, with a controllable thickness at a given growth temperature and time. Simultaneously, cobalt silicide forms on the bottom side of the SiNTs.

Carbothermic Aluminum Production Using Scrap Aluminum As A Coolant

DOEpatents

LaCamera, Alfred F.

2002-11-05

A process for producing aluminum metal by carbothermic reduction of alumina ore. Alumina ore is heated in the presence of carbon at an elevated temperature to produce an aluminum metal body contaminated with about 10-30% by wt. aluminum carbide. Aluminum metal or aluminum alloy scrap then is added to bring the temperature to about 900-1000.degree. C. and precipitate out aluminum carbide. The precipitated aluminum carbide is filtered, decanted, or fluxed with salt to form a molten body having reduced aluminum carbide content.

Partial oxidation of dimethyl ether using the structured catalyst Rh/Al2O3/Al prepared through the anodic oxidation of aluminum.

PubMed

Yu, B Y; Lee, K H; Kim, K; Byun, D J; Ha, H P; Byun, J Y

2011-07-01

The partial oxidation of dimethyl ether (DME) was investigated using the structured catalyst Rh/Al2O3/Al. The porous Al2O3 layer was synthesized on the aluminum plate through anodic oxidation in an oxalic-acid solution. It was observed that about 20 nm nanopores were well developed in the Al2O3 layer. The thickness of Al2O3 layer can be adjusted by controlling the anodizing time and current density. After pore-widening and hot-water treatment, the Al2O3/Al plate was calcined at 500 degrees C for 3 h. The obtained delta-Al2O3 had a specific surface area of 160 m2/g, making it fit to be used as a catalyst support. A microchannel reactor was designed and fabricated to evaluate the catalytic activity of Rh/Al2O3/Al in the partial oxidation of DME. The structured catalyst showed an 86% maximum hydrogen yield at 450 degrees C. On the other hand, the maximum syngas yield by a pack-bed-type catalyst could be attained by using a more than fivefold Rh amount compared to that used in the structured Rh/Al2O3/Al catalyst.

Sound absorption characteristics of aluminum foam with spherical cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yunjie; Wang, Xinfu; Wang, Xingfu; Ren, Yuelu; Han, Fusheng; Wen, Cuie

2011-12-01

Aluminum foams were fabricated by an infiltration process. The foams possess spherical cells with a fixed porosity of 65% and varied pore sizes which ranged from 1.3 to 1.9 mm. The spherical cells are interconnected by small pores or pore openings on the cell walls that cause the foams show a characteristic of open cell structures. The sound absorption coefficient of the aluminum foams was measured by a standing wave tube and calculated by a transfer function method. It is shown that the sound absorption coefficient increases with an increase in the number of pore openings in the unit area or with a decrease of the diameter of the pore openings in the range of 0.3 to 0.4 mm. If backed with an air cavity, the resonant absorption peaks in the sound absorption coefficient versus frequency curves will be shifted toward lower frequencies as the cavity depth is increased. The samples with the same pore opening size but different pore size show almost the same absorption behavior, especially in the low frequency range. The present results are in good agreement with some theoretical predictions based on the acoustic impedance measurements of metal foams with circular apertures and cylindrical cavities and the principle of electroacoustic analogy.

Growth behavior of anodic oxide formed by aluminum anodizing in glutaric and its derivative acid electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Daiki; Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Natsui, Shungo; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2014-12-01

The growth behavior of anodic oxide films formed via anodizing in glutaric and its derivative acid solutions was investigated based on the acid dissociation constants of electrolytes. High-purity aluminum foils were anodized in glutaric, ketoglutaric, and acetonedicarboxylic acid solutions under various electrochemical conditions. A thin barrier anodic oxide film grew uniformly on the aluminum substrate by glutaric acid anodizing, and further anodizing caused the film to breakdown due to a high electric field. In contrast, an anodic porous alumina film with a submicrometer-scale cell diameter was successfully formed by ketoglutaric acid anodizing at 293 K. However, the increase and decrease in the temperature of the ketoglutaric acid resulted in non-uniform oxide growth and localized pitting corrosion of the aluminum substrate. An anodic porous alumina film could also be fabricated by acetonedicarboxylic acid anodizing due to the relatively low dissociation constants associated with the acid. Acid dissociation constants are an important factor for the fabrication of anodic porous alumina films.

Binary phase digital reflection holograms - Fabrication and potential applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, N. C., Jr.; Angus, J. C.; Coffield, F. E.; Edwards, R. V.; Mann, J. A., Jr.

1977-01-01

A novel technique for the fabrication of binary-phase computer-generated reflection holograms is described. By use of integrated circuit technology, the holographic pattern is etched into a silicon wafer and then aluminum coated to make a reflection hologram. Because these holograms reflect virtually all the incident radiation, they may find application in machining with high-power lasers. A number of possible modifications of the hologram fabrication procedure are discussed.

Durable and mass producible polymer surface structures with different combinations of micro-micro hierarchy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yu; Suvanto, Mika; Pakkanen, Tapani A.

2016-01-01

Extensive studies have been performed with the aim of fabricating hierarchical surface structures inspired by nature. However, synthetic hierarchical structures have to sacrifice mechanical resistance to functionality by introducing finer scaled structures. Therefore, surfaces are less durable. Surface micro-micro hierarchy has been proven to be effective in replacing micro-nano hierarchy in the sense of superhydrophobicity. However, less attention has been paid to the combined micro-micro hierarchies with surface pillars and pits incorporated together. The fabrication of this type of hierarchy may be less straightforward, with the possibility of being a complicated multi-step process. In this study, we present a simple yet mass producible fabrication method for hierarchical structures with different combinations of surface pillars and pits. The fabrication was based on only one aluminum (Al) mold with sequential mountings. The fabricated structures exhibit high mechanical durability and structural stabilities with a normal load up to 100 kg. In addition, the theoretical estimation of the wetting state shows a promising way of stabilizing a water droplet on the surface pit structures with a more stable Cassie-Baxter state.

Uniform Si nano-dot fabrication using reconstructed structure of Si(110)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yano, Masahiro; Uozumi, Yuki; Yasuda, Satoshi; Asaoka, Hidehito

2018-06-01

Si nano-dot (ND) formation on Si(110) is observed by means of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The initial Si-NDs are Si crystals that are continuous from the substrate and grow during the oxide layer desorption. The NDs fabricated on the flat surface of Si(110)-1 × 1 are surrounded by four types of facets with almost identical appearance probabilities. An increase in the size of the NDs increases the variety of its morphology. In contrast, most Si-NDs fabricated on straight-stepped surface of Si(110)-16 × 2 reconstructed structure are surrounded by only a single type of facet, namely the \\text{Si}(17,15,1)-2 × 1 plane. An appearance probability of the facet in which the base line is along the step of Si(110)-16 × 2 exceeds 75%. This finding provides a fabrication technique of uniformed structural Si-NDs by using the reconstructed structure of Si(110).

A novel design for a wearable thermoelectric generator based on 3D fabric structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qian; Hu, Jinlian

2017-04-01

A flexible and wearable thermoelectric generator (TEG) could enable the conversion of human body heat into electrical power, which would help to realize a self-powered wearable electronic system. To overcome the difficulty of wearing existing flexible film TEGs, a novel 3D fabric TEG structure is designed in this study. By using a 3D fabric as the substrate and yarns coated with thermoelectric materials as legs, a wearable and flexible TEG can be realized. The designed generator has a sandwich structure, similar to the classical inorganic generator, which allows the generation of a temperature difference in the fabric thickness direction, thus making it wearable and showing promising application in body heat conversion. To verify the effectiveness of the designed generator structure, a prototype was fabricated, using a locknit spacer fabric as the substrate and yarns coated with waterborne polyurethane/carbon nanotube thermoelectric composites as legs. The results suggest that the fabricated spacer fabric TEG prototype could work successfully, although the performance of this prototype is of a low level. To further improve the efficiency of the 3D fabric generator and apply it in wearable electronics in the future, highly efficient inorganic thermoelectric materials can be applied, and modifications on the conductive connections can be made.

Thermo-stoichiometric behavior of aluminum-nickel nanoheater particles fabricated by galvanic replacement reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, Jacqueline L.

2010-03-01

Al-Ni reactive nano-structures are gaining interest for various applications in aerospace, nano-manufacturing, and biomedical fields. However, nano-material behavior can vary from macro-scale. There has been no systematic study of Al-Ni exothermic reaction and intermetallic formation for nano-scale reactants. Therefore, this study aims to investigate deviations from the established Al-Ni phase diagram, with the premise that the intermetallic formation temperatures are expected to be lower for nano-reactants due to higher surface energy. Additionally, it is important to gain better understanding and control of the galvanic replacement reaction (GRR) fabrication method, which, in terms of producing Al-Ni bi-metallic nanoparticles, is a completely novel scheme. With an adapted phase diagram, intermetallic product and heat output of nanoparticles from any given stage of GRR process can be predicted. Al-Ni nanoparticles having ignitable Al-Ni ratios were fabricated via GRR method. Effects of composition and temperature on intermetallic formation were studied by in-situ XRD analysis. Effects of environment and heating rate on the Al-Ni exothermic reaction were also investigated.

Interferometric phase measurement of zerodur, aluminum and SXA mirrors at cryogenic temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magner, Thomas J.; Barney, Richard D.

1988-01-01

A research program was undertaken to determine the surface figure error of several different types of mirrors at cryogenic temperatures. Two-inch diameter parabolic, spherical and flat mirrors were fabricated from zerodur, aluminum and a metal matrix composite of silicon carbide reinforced aluminum (SXA). The ratio of silicon carbide to aluminum was selected so that the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the metal matrix matched electroless nickel. A liquuid helium dewar was modified to add an interferometric grade window, a cold electronic shutter and a strain-free copper mirror mount. Interferometric phase measurements on each mirror mounted in the dewar were made without the window, with the window, under vacuum, at around 80K and between 10K and 24K.

Improved Fabrication of Ceramic Matrix Composite/Foam Core Integrated Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurwitz, Frances I.

2009-01-01

The use of hybridized carbon/silicon carbide (C/SiC) fabric to reinforce ceramic matrix composite face sheets and the integration of such face sheets with a foam core creates a sandwich structure capable of withstanding high-heatflux environments (150 W/cm2) in which the core provides a temperature drop of 1,000 C between the surface and the back face without cracking or delamination of the structure. The composite face sheet exhibits a bilinear response, which results from the SiC matrix not being cracked on fabrication. In addition, the structure exhibits damage tolerance under impact with projectiles, showing no penetration to the back face sheet. These attributes make the composite ideal for leading edge structures and control surfaces in aerospace vehicles, as well as for acreage thermal protection systems and in high-temperature, lightweight stiffened structures. By tailoring the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of a carbon fiber containing ceramic matrix composite (CMC) face sheet to match that of a ceramic foam core, the face sheet and the core can be integrally fabricated without any delamination. Carbon and SiC are woven together in the reinforcing fabric. Integral densification of the CMC and the foam core is accomplished with chemical vapor deposition, eliminating the need for bond-line adhesive. This means there is no need to separately fabricate the core and the face sheet, or to bond the two elements together, risking edge delamination during use. Fibers of two or more types are woven together on a loom. The carbon and ceramic fibers are pulled into the same pick location during the weaving process. Tow spacing may be varied to accommodate the increased volume of the combined fiber tows while maintaining a target fiber volume fraction in the composite. Foam pore size, strut thickness, and ratio of face sheet to core thickness can be used to tailor thermal and mechanical properties. The anticipated CTE for the hybridized composite is managed by

Novel fabrication method for 3D microstructures using surface-activated bonding and its application to micro-mechanical parts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Takayuki; Takahashi, Mutsuya; Ozawa, Takashi; Tawara, Satoshi; Goto, Takayuki

2002-11-01

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate that a novel fabrication method for 3-D microstructures (FORMULA) is applicable to fabrication of micro mechanical parts with a large flexibility. This method is a kind of layer manufacturing method of thin films for metallic or dielectric microstructures using surface-activated bonding (SAB). The bonding interfaces of thin films are investigated by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Voids were observed at the interfaces of both pure aluminum films and Al-Cu alloy films. The ratio of void on the Al-Cu/Al-Cu interface is much larger than that of Al/Al interface, although the films have the same surface roughness of 3nm in Ra (average roughness). And approximately 10nm-thick amorphous intermediate layers were found at the interfaces. Furthermore, we have fabricated a micro gear of 900μm in diameter and 200μm in height, which is about ten times as large as our previous test pieces. Overhung structures such as a bridge structure and a cantilever were also fabricated without supporting layers beneath them.

Carbide coated fibers in graphites-aluminum composites. [(fabrication of metal matrix composites)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imprescia, R. J.; Levinson, L. S.; Reiswig, R. D.; Wallace, T. C.; Williams, J. M.

1976-01-01

Research activities are described for a NASA-supported program at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory to develop graphite fiber-aluminum matrix composites. A chemical vapor deposition apparatus was constructed for continuously coating graphite fibers with TiC. As much as 150 meters of continuously coated fibers were produced. Deposition temperatures were varied from 1365 K to about 1750 K, and deposition time from 6 to 150 seconds. The 6 sec deposition time corresponded to a fiber feed rate of 2.54 m/min through the coater. Thin, uniform, adherent TiC coats, with thicknesses up to approximately 0.1 micrometer were produced on the individual fibers of Thornel 50 graphite yarns without affecting fiber strength. Although coat properties were fairly uniform throughout a given batch, more work is needed to improve the batch-to-batch reproducibility. Samples of TiC-coated Thornel 50 fibers were infiltrated with an aluminum alloy and hot-pressed in vacuum to produce small composite bars for flexure testing. Strengths as high as 90% of the rule-of-mixtures strength were achieved. Results of the examination of the fracture surfaces indicate that the bonding between the aluminum and the TiC-coated fibers is better than that achieved in a similar, commercially infiltrated material made with fibers having no observable surface coats. Several samples of Al-infiltrated, TiC-coated Thornel 50 graphite yarns, together with samples of the commercially infiltrated, uncoated fibers, were heated for 100 hours at temperatures near the alloy solidus. The TiC-coated samples appear to undergo less reaction than do the uncoated samples. Photomicrographs are shown.

A new planetary structure fabrication process using phosphoric acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchner, Christoph; Pawelke, Roland H.; Schlauf, Thomas; Reissner, Alexander; Makaya, Advenit

2018-02-01

Minimising the launch mass is an important aspect of exploration mission planning. In-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) can improve this by reducing the amount of terrestrial materials needed for planetary exploration activities. We report on a recently concluded investigation into the requirements and available technologies for creating hardware on extra-terrestrial bodies, using the limited resources available on site. A trade-off of ISRU technologies for hardware manufacturing was conducted. A new additive manufacturing process suitable for fabricating structures on the Moon or Mars was developed. The process uses planetary regolith as the base material and concentrated phosphoric acid as the liquid binder. Mixing the reagents creates a sticky construction paste that slowly solidifies into a hard, rock-like material. Prior to solidification, the paste is extruded in layers, creating the desired structures in a 3D printing process. We used Martian regolith simulant JSC-Mars-1A, but the process is not selective towards regolith composition. Samples were exposed to thermal cycles and were mechanically characterised. Reduced-scale demonstrator structures were printed to demonstrate structure fabrication using the developed process.

Nanoprobe studies: Electrical transport in carbon nanotubes and crystal structure of aluminum nitride surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, Sujit Kumar

Nanoprobes are an extraordinary set of experimental tools that allow fabrication, manipulation, and measurement in nano-scale systems. The primary use of a nanoprobe for imaging tiny objects is supplemented by powerful electrical techniques, namely scanning surface potential microscopy and current sensing atomic force microscopy. They allow us to measure potential, and current in carbon nanotube circuits. Nanoprobes are superior to conventional two- or four-probe measurements because they can provide spatial information of local electronic properties. This makes them highly attractive in studying junctions and contacts with carbon nanotubes. We have studied single-walled carbon nanotube circuits, forming junctions to other nanotubes. The experimental results indicate that these junctions act like potential barriers of about 50 meV that can confine electrons with an effective mass of 0.003 me , within nanotube channels of length 0.5 mum lying in-between two such potential barriers. This leads to quantization of the channel, forming a resonant tunneling structure. We have also found that single-walled nanotubes have phase coherence lengths of the order of 1 mum. This leads to situations where the electron interference effects at scattering centers need to be considered. We have seen direct evidence of this, in the non-linear resistance increase within nanotubes with few defects. Ambipolar transistor behavior was measured in a p-type single-walled nanotube circuit that showed electron injection across the Schottky junction at high positive bias. We have also studied multi-walled carbon nanotube circuits using scanning potential microscopy, and found that a back gate potential can vary the resistance of the channel. Vertical nanotube arrays, suitable for interconnects, were also measured. These hollow multi-walled nanotube channels were about 45 nm in diameter, and 50 mum in length, fabricated in an anodized alumina template. We found that these structures could

Effect of substrate rotation speed and off-center deposition on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of AZO thin films fabricated by DC magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turkoglu, F.; Koseoglu, H.; Zeybek, S.; Ozdemir, M.; Aygun, G.; Ozyuzer, L.

2018-04-01

In this study, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The distance between the substrate and target axis, and substrate rotation speed were varied to get high quality AZO thin films. The influences of these deposition parameters on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of the fabricated films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, spectrophotometry, and four-point probe techniques. The overall analysis revealed that both sample position and substrate rotation speed are effective in changing the optical, structural, and electrical properties of the AZO thin films. We further observed that stress in the films can be significantly reduced by off-center deposition and rotating the sample holder during the deposition. An average transmittance above 85% in the visible range and a resistivity of 2.02 × 10-3 Ω cm were obtained for the AZO films.

Direct Integration of Dynamic Emissive Displays into Knitted Fabric Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellingham, Alyssa

Smart textiles are revolutionizing the textile industry by combining technology into fabric to give clothing new abilities including communication, transformation, and energy conduction. The advent of electroluminescent fibers, which emit light in response to an applied electric field, has opened the door for fabric-integrated emissive displays in textiles. This thesis focuses on the development of a flexible and scalable emissive fabric display with individually addressable pixels disposed within a fabric matrix. The pixels are formed in areas where a fiber supporting the dielectric and phosphor layers of an electroluminescent structure contacts a conductive surface. This conductive surface can be an external conductive fiber, yarn or wire, or a translucent conductive material layer deposited at set points along the electroluminescent fibers. Different contacting methods are introduced and the different ways the EL yarns can be incorporated into the knitted fabric are discussed. EL fibers were fabricated using a single yarn coating system with a custom, adjustable 3D printed slot die coater for even distribution of material onto the supporting fiber substrates. These fibers are mechanically characterized inside of and outside of a knitted fabric matrix to determine their potential for various applications, including wearables. A 4-pixel dynamic emissive display prototype is fabricated and characterized. This is the first demonstration of an all-knit emissive display with individually controllable pixels. The prototype is composed of a grid of fibers supporting the dielectric and phosphor layers of an electroluminescent (EL) device structure, called EL fibers, and conductive fibers acting as the top electrode. This grid is integrated into a biaxial weft knit structure where the EL fibers make up the rows and conductive fibers make up the columns of the reinforcement yarns inside the supporting weft knit. The pixels exist as individual segments of

First-principles surface interaction studies of aluminum-copper and aluminum-copper-magnesium secondary phases in aluminum alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Silva, Thiago H.; Nelson, Eric B.; Williamson, Izaak; Efaw, Corey M.; Sapper, Erik; Hurley, Michael F.; Li, Lan

2018-05-01

First-principles density functional theory-based calculations were performed to study θ-phase Al2Cu, S-phase Al2CuMg surface stability, as well as their interactions with water molecules and chloride (Cl-) ions. These secondary phases are commonly found in aluminum-based alloys and are initiation points for localized corrosion. Density functional theory (DFT)-based simulations provide insight into the origins of localized (pitting) corrosion processes of aluminum-based alloys. For both phases studied, Cl- ions cause atomic distortions on the surface layers. The nature of the distortions could be a factor to weaken the interlayer bonds in the Al2Cu and Al2CuMg secondary phases, facilitating the corrosion process. Electronic structure calculations revealed not only electron charge transfer from Cl- ions to alloy surface but also electron sharing, suggesting ionic and covalent bonding features, respectively. The S-phase Al2CuMg structure has a more active surface than the θ-phase Al2Cu. We also found a higher tendency of formation of new species, such as Al3+, Al(OH)2+, HCl, AlCl2+, Al(OH)Cl+, and Cl2 on the S-phase Al2CuMg surface. Surface chemical reactions and resultant species present contribute to establishment of local surface chemistry that influences the corrosion behavior of aluminum alloys.

Sonochemical fabrication of 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum (Alq3) nanoflowers with high electrogenerated chemiluminescence.

PubMed

Mao, Chang-Jie; Wang, Dan-Chen; Pan, Hong-Cheng; Zhu, Jun-Jie

2011-03-01

Well-defined Alq(3) nanoflowers were fabricated via a facile and fast sonochemical route. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and shape of the as-prepared product. The results showed that the resulting Alq(3) was composed of nanobelts with thickness about 50 nm, average widths of 200 nm, and length up to 10 μm. The Alq(3) nanoflowers exhibited good electrogenerated chemiluminescence behavior. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Directly polished lightweight aluminum mirror

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ter Horst, Rik; Tromp, Niels; de Haan, Menno; Navarro, Ramon; Venema, Lars; Pragt, Johan

2017-11-01

During the last ten years, Astron has been a major contractor for the design and manufacturing of astronomical instruments for Space- and Earth based observatories, such as VISIR, MIDI, SPIFFI, X-Shooter and MIRI. Driven by the need to reduce the weight of optically ultra-stiff structures, two promising techniques have been developed in the last years: ASTRON Extreme Lightweighting [1][2] for mechanical structures and an improved Polishing Technique for Aluminum Mirrors. Using one single material for both optical components and mechanical structure simplifies the design of a cryogenic instrument significantly, it is very beneficial during instrument test and verification, and makes the instrument insensitive to temperature changes. Aluminum has been the main material used for cryogenic optical instruments, and optical aluminum mirrors are generally diamond turned. The application of a polishable hard top coating like nickel removes excess stray light caused by the groove pattern, but limits the degree of lightweighting of the mirrors due to the bi-metal effect. By directly polishing the aluminum mirror surface, the recent developments at Astron allow for using a non-exotic material for light weighted yet accurate optical mirrors, with a lower surface roughness ( 1nm RMS), higher surface accuracy and reduced light scattering. This paper presents the techniques, obtained results and a global comparison with alternative lightweight mirror solutions. Recent discussions indicate possible extensions of the extreme light weight technology to alternative materials such as Zerodur or Silicon Carbide.

The investigation on the structure, fabrication and applications of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Donghe

By investigating the structure of graphene oxide (GO), the long-wavelength photoluminescence of GO is evidenced to be originated from the excimer formation between GO basal plane and oxidative debris (ODs) attached on the GO sheets. The thermally unstable ODs would induce micro-explosion of GO upon heating. A novel method is developed to supress the explosion and achieve simultaneous thermal reduction and nitrogen doping of graphene oxide in air. The high quality N-doped graphene demonstrate excellent electrocatalytic property in oxygen reduction reaction. Furthermore, an electronic textile material is fabricated by coating chemically reduced GO on a piece of non-woven fabric (GNWF). GNWF can be applied as wearable sensors to detect physiological signals of human body. This research work deepens the understanding on the structure and property of graphene based materials and provides a cost-effective fabrication method for large scale production of graphene, and hence facilitates the commercialization of graphene.

The influence of flame hardening process to aluminum 7075 series on the mechanical strength and micro structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koin, Sudibtia Titio; Triyono, Teguh; Surojo, Eko

2018-02-01

The 7075 series alloys are heat treatable wrought aluminum alloys based on the Al-Zn-Mg(-Cu) system. They are widely used in high-performance structural aerospace and transportation applications. Apart from compositional, casting and thermo-mechanical processing effects, the balance of properties is also significantly influenced by the way in which the materials are heat-treated. This paper describes the effect of flame hardening process to aluminum 7075 series on the increasing hardness, tensile strength, and evolution of microstructure. A test specimen had made by machining process and flame heating. Temperature of solution heat treatment is varied on 350 °C, 400 °C, 450 °C and 500 °C. After that process a test specimen would be quenched at nitrate-nitrite liquid during 45 minutes and artificial aging at 120°C until two days. The testing specimen consist of hardness and tensile strength according to ASTM. The result showed that specimen had precipitation on microstructure lead to an increase in aluminum properties. On the temperature 450°C solution heat treatment, the aluminum properties reached the highest value, namely, hardness of 129 HVN and tensile strength 570 MPa.

Design and analysis of the radiator structure for space power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dauterman, W. H.; Montgomery, L. D.

1973-01-01

The design, analysis, fabrication, and development of the 5-kWe radiator structure are shown. Thermal performance, meteoroid protection, structural capability during launch, development testing and space operation, material evaluation, and the configuration selection are described. The fin-tube development program depends on the relative values of the thermal coefficients of expansion. The initial selection of aluminum fins and Type 316 stainless-steel tubes was based on previous experience; however, the large differential in their expansion rates showed that an alternate, more compatible, combination was needed. Copper, stainless-steel-clad copper, boron-impregnated aluminum, and an independent radiator with a titanium structure were all considered as alternate materials. The final selection was Lockalloy fins with Type 304 stainless-steel D tubes.

Measurement of the surface charge accumulation using anodic aluminum oxide(AAO) structure in an inductively coupled plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Ji-Hwan; Oh, Seung-Ju; Lee, Hyo-Chang; Kim, Yu-Sin; Kim, Young-Cheol; Kim, June Young; Ha, Chang-Seoung; Kwon, Soon-Ho; Lee, Jung-Joong; Chung, Chin-Wook

2014-10-01

As the critical dimension of the nano-device shrinks, an undesired etch profile occurs during plasma etch process. One of the reasons is the local electric field due to the surface charge accumulation. To demonstrate the surface charge accumulation, an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane which has high aspect ratio is used. The potential difference between top electrode and bottom electrode in an anodic aluminum oxide contact structure is measured during inductively coupled plasma exposure. The voltage difference is changed with external discharge conditions, such as gas pressure, input power, and gas species and the result is analyzed with the measured plasma parameters.

Fabrication of Conductive Macroporous Structures Through Nano-phase Separation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Soohyun; Lee, Hyunjung

2018-03-01

Thermoelectric power generation performance is characterized on the basis of the figure of merit, which tends to be high in thermoelectric materials with high electrical conductivity and low thermal conductivity. Porous structures cause phonon scattering, which decreases thermal conductivity. In this study, we fabricated porous structures for thermoelectric devices via nano-phase separation of silica particles from a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix via a sol-gel process. The porosity was determined by control of silica particle size with various the mixing ratio of tetraethylorthosilicate as the precursor of silica particles to PAN. High electrical conductivity was maintained by subsequent carbonization of the PAN matrix in spited of a high porosity. As the results, the conductive porous structures having porosity from 13.9 to 83.3 (%) was successfully fabricated, keeping their electrical conductivities.

The Use of Additive Manufacturing for Fabrication of Multi-Function Small Satellite Structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horais, Brian J; Love, Lonnie J; Dehoff, Ryan R

2013-01-01

The use of small satellites in constellations is limited only by the growing functionality of smallsats themselves. Additive manufacturing provides exciting new design opportunities for development of multifunction CubeSat structures that integrate such functions as propulsion and thermal control into the satellite structures themselves. Manufacturing of these complex multifunction structures is now possible in lightweight, high strength, materials such as titanium by using existing electron beam melting additive manufacturing processes. However, the use of today's additive manufacturing capabilities is often cost-prohibitive for small companies due to the large capital investments required. To alleviate this impediment the U.S. Department of Energymore » has established a Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at their Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee that provides industry access to a broad range of energy-efficient additive manufacturing equipment for collaborative use by both small and large organizations. This paper presents a notional CubeSat multifunction design that integrates the propulsion system into a three-unit (3U) CubeSat structure. The full-scale structure has been designed and fabricated at the ORNL MDF. The use of additive manufacturing for spacecraft fabrication is opening up many new possibilities in design and fabrication capabilities for what had previously been impossible structures to fabricate.« less

Special Features of Structure Formation in an Explosion-Welded Magnesium-Aluminum Composite Under Deformation and Subsequent Heat Treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurevich, L. M.; Arisova, V. N.; Trykov, Yu. P.; Ponomareva, I. A.; Trudov, A. F.

2016-07-01

The effect of bending deformation and subsequent heat treatment on the variation of microhardness and structure of explosion-welded magnesium-aluminum layered composite material MA2-1 - AD1 is studied.

Local field enhancement and thermoplasmonics in multimodal aluminum structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiecha, Peter R.; Mennemanteuil, Marie-Maxime; Khlopin, Dmitry; Martin, Jérôme; Arbouet, Arnaud; Gérard, Davy; Bouhelier, Alexandre; Plain, Jérôme; Cuche, Aurélien

2017-07-01

Aluminum nanostructures have recently been at the focus of numerous studies due to their properties including oxidation stability and surface plasmon resonances covering the ultraviolet and visible spectral windows. In this article, we reveal a facet of this metal relevant for both plasmonic purposes and photothermal conversion. The field distribution of high-order plasmonic resonances existing in two-dimensional Al structures is studied by nonlinear photoluminescence microscopy in a spectral region where electronic interband transitions occur. The polarization sensitivity of the field intensity maps shows that the electric field concentration can be addressed and controlled on demand. We use a numerical tool based on the Green dyadic method to analyze our results and to simulate the absorbed energy that is locally converted into heat. The polarization-dependent temperature increase of the Al structures is experimentally quantitatively measured, and is in an excellent agreement with theoretical predictions. Our work highlights Al as a promising candidate for designing thermal nanosources integrated in coplanar geometries for thermally assisted nanomanipulation or biophysical applications.

Highly porous micro-roughened structures developed on aluminum surface using the jet of rotating arc discharges at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asadollahi, Siavash; Farzaneh, Masoud; Stafford, Luc

2018-02-01

Aluminum 6061 samples were exposed to the jet of an atmospheric pressure rotating arc discharge operated in either nitrogen or air. After multiple passes of treatment with an air-based plasma jet at very short source-to-substrate distances, scanning electron microscopy combined with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed a highly porous micro-roughened alumina-based structure on the surface of aluminum. Based on optical emission spectroscopy and high-speed optical imaging of the jet interacting with aluminum samples, it was found that the process is mainly driven by the energy transfer from the plasma source to the surface through transient plasma-transferred arcs. The occurrence of multiple arc discharges over very short time scales can induce rapid phase transformations of aluminum with characteristics similar to the ones usually observed during laser ablation of materials with femto- to nanosecond laser pulses or during the formation of cathode spots on the surface of metals.

Fabrication and Properties of Multilayer Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

according to both the high x-ray count and a Read camera pattern which showed only the 111 8 SiC reflection in a tight ± 30 distribution about the substrate...structural rearrangement. X-ray analysis of the deposited films at the composition of Pd2 Si using a Read camera indicated strong texturing. The...Phys. 35, 547 (1964). 11. C.A. Neubauer and J.R. Randen, Proc. IEEE 52, 1234 (1964). 12. W.A. Tiller, "Fabrication and Properties of Multilayer

A laboratory means to produce tough aluminum sheet from powder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singleton, O. R.; Royster, D. M.; Thomas, J. R.

1990-01-01

The rapid solidification of aluminum alloys as powder and the subsequent fabrication processes can be used to develop and tailor alloys to satisfy specific aerospace design requirements, including high strength and toughness. Laboratory procedures to produce aluminum powder-metallurgy (PM) materials are efficient but require evidence that the laboratory methods used can produce a product with superior properties. This paper describes laboratory equipment and procedures which can be used to produce tough aluminum PM sheet. The processing of a 2124 + 0.9 percent Zr aluminum alloy powder is used as an example. The fully hardened sheet product is evaluated in terms of properties and microstructure. The key features of the vacuum hot press pressing operation used to consolidate the powder are described. The 2124 + 0.9 percent Zr - T8 temper aluminum sheet produced was both strong (460-490 MPa yield strength) and tough (Kahn Tear unit-propagation- energy values over three times those typical for ingot metallurgy 2024-T81). Both the longitudinal and longitudinal-transverse directions of the sheet were tested. The microstructure was well refined with subgrains of one or two micrometers. Fine dispersoids of Al3Zr in the precipitate free regions adjacent to boundaries are believed to contribute to the improved toughness.

Design and Fabrication of nanowire-grid polarizer in near-infrared broadband

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Qiufeng; Liu, Quan; Wu, Jianhong; Cheng, Yu

2012-11-01

The infrared polarizers are widely used in the infrared imaging systems as the core components, such as infrared stealth, target acquisition and mine detection, automobile night-vision instrument and other systems. For the requirements of near-infrared imaging systems, a nanowire-grid is designed by Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method. Herein, considering the high reflection of metal aluminum in the manufacturing process, we propose a structure with aluminum-copper nanowire-grid. FDTD method is adapted to analyze the effects of the thickness of aluminumcopper in different combinations on the TM and TE polarization transmission efficiency as well as the extinction ratio when the grating's period is 300nm. Numerical results and theoretical analysis show that: the reflection on the substrate is suppressed with the optimal thickness of the Cu layer. Considering the resist-substrate reflectivity and the final performance of the polarizer, the structure with an 120nm Al layer, and a 50nm anti-reflection Cu layer is chosen; and the TM transmission efficiency is more than 71%, and the extinction ratio is more than 25dB. At last we used Holographic lithography and IBE to fabricate a prototype of the nanowire-grid.

Process for High-Rate Fabrication of Alumina Nanotemplates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myung, Nosang; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Yun, Minhee; West, William; Choi, Daniel

2007-01-01

An anodizing process, at an early stage of development at the time of reporting the information for this article, has shown promise as a means of fabricating alumina nanotemplates integrated with silicon wafers. Alumina nanotemplates are basically layers of alumina, typically several microns thick, in which are formed approximately regular hexagonal arrays of holes having typical diameters of the order of 10 to 100 nm. Interest in alumina nanotemplates has grown in recent years because they have been found to be useful as templates in the fabrication of nanoscale magnetic, electronic, optoelectronic, and other devices. The present anodizing process is attractive for the fabrication of alumina nanotemplates integrated with silicon wafers in two respects: (1) the process involves self-ordering of the holes; that is, the holes as formed by the process are spontaneously arranged in approximately regular hexagonal arrays; and (2) the rates of growth (that is, elongation) of the holes are high enough to make the process compatible with other processes used in the mass production of integrated circuits. In preparation for fabrication of alumina nanotemplates in this process, one first uses electron-beam evaporation to deposit thin films of titanium, followed by thin films of aluminum, on silicon wafers. Then the alumina nanotemplates are formed by anodizing the aluminum layers, as described below. In experiments in which the process was partially developed, the titanium films were 200 A thick and the aluminum films were 5 m thick. The aluminum films were oxidized to alumina, and the arrays of holes were formed by anodizing the aluminum in aqueous solutions of sulfuric and/or oxalic acid at room temperature (see figure). The diameters, spacings, and rates of growth of the holes were found to depend, variously, on the composition of the anodizing solution, the applied current, or the applied potential, as follows: In galvanostatically controlled anodizing, regardless of the

Aluminum Carbothermic Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bruno, Marshall J.

2005-03-31

This report documents the non-proprietary research and development conducted on the Aluminum Carbothermic Technology (ACT) project from contract inception on July 01, 2000 to termination on December 31, 2004. The objectives of the program were to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of a new carbothermic process for producing commercial grade aluminum, designated as the ''Advanced Reactor Process'' (ARP). The scope of the program ranged from fundamental research through small scale laboratory experiments (65 kW power input) to larger scale test modules at up to 1600 kW power input. The tasks included work on four components of the process, Stagesmore » 1 and 2 of the reactor, vapor recovery and metal alloy decarbonization; development of computer models; and economic analyses of capital and operating costs. Justification for developing a new, carbothermic route to aluminum production is defined by the potential benefits in reduced energy, lower costs and more favorable environmental characteristics than the conventional Hall-Heroult process presently used by the industry. The estimated metrics for these advantages include energy rates at approximately 10 kWh/kg Al (versus over 13 kWh/kg Al for Hall-Heroult), capital costs as low as $1250 per MTY (versus 4,000 per MTY for Hall-Heroult), operating cost reductions of over 10%, and up to 37% reduction in CO2 emissions for fossil-fuel power plants. Realization of these benefits would be critical to sustaining the US aluminum industries position as a global leader in primary aluminum production. One very attractive incentive for ARP is its perceived ability to cost effectively produce metal over a range of smelter sizes, not feasible for Hall-Heroult plants which must be large, 240,000 TPY or more, to be economical. Lower capacity stand alone carbothermic smelters could be utilized to supply molten metal at fabrication facilities similar to the mini-mill concept employed by the steel industry. Major

Characterization of Thermal and Mechanical Impact on Aluminum Honeycomb Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Christen M.

2013-01-01

This study supports NASA Kennedy Space Center's research in the area of intelligent thermal management systems and multifunctional thermal systems. This project addresses the evaluation of the mechanical and thermal properties of metallic cellular solid (MCS) materials; those that are lightweight; high strength, tunable, multifunctional and affordable. A portion of the work includes understanding the mechanical properties of honeycomb structured cellular solids upon impact testing under ambient, water-immersed, liquid nitrogen-cooled, and liquid nitrogen-immersed conditions. Additionally, this study will address characterization techniques of the aluminum honeycomb's ability to resist multiple high-rate loadings or impacts in varying environmental conditions, using various techniques for the quantitative and qualitative determination for commercial applicability.

High-Performance Aluminum-Ion Battery with CuS@C Microsphere Composite Cathode.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Jiao, Shuqiang; Wang, Junxiang; Chen, Hao-Sen; Tian, Donghua; Lei, Haiping; Fang, Dai-Ning

2017-01-24

On the basis of low-cost, rich resources, and safety performance, aluminum-ion batteries have been regarded as a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage batteries in large-scale energy applications. A rechargeable aluminum-ion battery has been fabricated based on a 3D hierarchical copper sulfide (CuS) microsphere composed of nanoflakes as cathode material and room-temperature ionic liquid containing AlCl 3 and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([EMIm]Cl) as electrolyte. The aluminum-ion battery with a microsphere electrode exhibits a high average discharge voltage of ∼1.0 V vs Al/AlCl 4 - , reversible specific capacity of about 90 mA h g -1 at 20 mA g -1 , and good cyclability of nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency after 100 cycles. Such remarkable electrochemical performance is attributed to the well-defined nanostructure of the cathode material facilitating the electron and ion transfer, especially for chloroaluminate ions with large size, which is desirable for aluminum-ion battery applications.

Spin Forming of an Aluminum 2219-T6 Aft Bulkhead for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle: Phase II Supplemental Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piascik, Robert S.; Squire, Michael D.; Domack, Marcia S.; Hoffman, Eric K.

2015-01-01

The principal focus of this project was to assist the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Program in developing a spin forming fabrication process for manufacture of the aft bulkhead of the pressure vessel. The spin forming process will enable a single piece aluminum (Al) 2219 aft bulkhead which will eliminate the current multiple piece welded construction, simplify fabrication, and lead to an enhanced design that will reduce vehicle weight by eliminating welds. Phase I of this assessment explored spin forming the single-piece forward pressure vessel bulkhead from aluminum-lithium 2195.

Ultra-High Density Single Nanometer-Scale Anodic Alumina Nanofibers Fabricated by Pyrophosphoric Acid Anodizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Nishinaga, Osamu; Nakajima, Daiki; Kawashima, Jun; Natsui, Shungo; Sakaguchi, Norihito; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2014-12-01

Anodic oxide fabricated by anodizing has been widely used for nanostructural engineering, but the nanomorphology is limited to only two oxides: anodic barrier and porous oxides. Therefore, the discovery of an additional anodic oxide with a unique nanofeature would expand the applicability of anodizing. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of a third-generation anodic oxide, specifically, anodic alumina nanofibers, by anodizing in a new electrolyte, pyrophosphoric acid. Ultra-high density single nanometer-scale anodic alumina nanofibers (1010 nanofibers/cm2) consisting of an amorphous, pure aluminum oxide were successfully fabricated via pyrophosphoric acid anodizing. The nanomorphologies of the anodic nanofibers can be controlled by the electrochemical conditions. Anodic tungsten oxide nanofibers can also be fabricated by pyrophosphoric acid anodizing. The aluminum surface covered by the anodic alumina nanofibers exhibited ultra-fast superhydrophilic behavior, with a contact angle of less than 1°, within 1 second. Such ultra-narrow nanofibers can be used for various nanoapplications including catalysts, wettability control, and electronic devices.

Ultra-High Density Single Nanometer-Scale Anodic Alumina Nanofibers Fabricated by Pyrophosphoric Acid Anodizing

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Nishinaga, Osamu; Nakajima, Daiki; Kawashima, Jun; Natsui, Shungo; Sakaguchi, Norihito; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2014-01-01

Anodic oxide fabricated by anodizing has been widely used for nanostructural engineering, but the nanomorphology is limited to only two oxides: anodic barrier and porous oxides. Therefore, the discovery of an additional anodic oxide with a unique nanofeature would expand the applicability of anodizing. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of a third-generation anodic oxide, specifically, anodic alumina nanofibers, by anodizing in a new electrolyte, pyrophosphoric acid. Ultra-high density single nanometer-scale anodic alumina nanofibers (1010 nanofibers/cm2) consisting of an amorphous, pure aluminum oxide were successfully fabricated via pyrophosphoric acid anodizing. The nanomorphologies of the anodic nanofibers can be controlled by the electrochemical conditions. Anodic tungsten oxide nanofibers can also be fabricated by pyrophosphoric acid anodizing. The aluminum surface covered by the anodic alumina nanofibers exhibited ultra-fast superhydrophilic behavior, with a contact angle of less than 1°, within 1 second. Such ultra-narrow nanofibers can be used for various nanoapplications including catalysts, wettability control, and electronic devices. PMID:25491282

Aluminum battery alloys

DOEpatents

Thompson, David S.; Scott, Darwin H.

1985-01-01

Aluminum alloys suitable for use as anode structures in electrochemical cs are disclosed. These alloys include iron levels higher than previously felt possible, due to the presence of controlled amounts of manganese, with possible additions of magnesium and controlled amounts of gallium.

Aluminum battery alloys

DOEpatents

Thompson, D.S.; Scott, D.H.

1984-09-28

Aluminum alloys suitable for use as anode structures in electrochemical cells are disclosed. These alloys include iron levels higher than previously felt possible, due to the presence of controlled amounts of manganese, with possible additions of magnesium and controlled amounts of gallium.

A Process for Producing Highly Wettable Aluminum 6061 Surfaces Compatible with Hydrazine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, N. R.; Ferraro, N. W.; Yue, A. F.; Estes, R. H.

2007-01-01

NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is an ongoing Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) project whose basic objective is to improve global precipitation measurements. The space-based portion of the mission architecture consists of a primary or core spacecraft and a constellation of NASA and contributed spacecrafts. The efforts described in this paper refer to the core spacecraft (hereafter referred to as simply GPM) which is to be fabricated at GSFC. It has been decided that the GPM spacecraft is to be a "design-for-demise-spacecraft." This requirement resulted in the need for a propellant tank that would also demise or ablate to an appropriate degree upon re-entry. Composite overwrapped aluminum lined propellant tanks with aluminum propellant management devices (PMD) were shown by analyses to demise and thus became the baseline configuration for GPM. As part of the GPM tank development effort, long term compatibility and wettability testing with hydrazine was performed on Al6061 and 2219 coupons fabricated and cleaned by conventional processes. Long term compatibility was confirmed. However, the wettability of the aluminum as measured by contact angle produced higher than desired angles (greater than 30 deg.) with excessive scatter. The availability of PMD materials exhibiting consistently low contact angles aids in the design of simple PMDs. Two efforts performed by Angeles Crest Engineering and funded by GSFC were undertaken to reduce the risk of using aluminum for the GPM PMD. The goal of the first effort was to develop a cleaning or treatment process to produce consistently low contact angles. The goal of the second effort was to prove via testing that the processed aluminum would retain compatibility with hydrazine and retain low contact angle after long term exposure to hydrazine. Both goals were achieved. This paper describes both efforts and the results achieved.

Plasmonic resonances in ordered and disordered aluminum nanocavities arrays.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campuzano, R. G.; Mendoza, D.

2017-01-01

Nanocavities arrays were synthesized by electrochemical anodization of aluminum using oxalic and phosphoric acids as electrolytes. The morphology and topography of these structures were evaluated by SEM and AFM. Plasmonic properties of Al cavities arrays with different ordering and dimensions were analysed based on specular reflectivity. Al cavities arrays fabricated with phosphoric acid dramatically reduced the optical reflectivity as compared with unstructured Al. At the same time pronounced reflectivity dips were detectable in the 300nm-400nm range, which were ascribed to (0,1) plasmonic mode, and also a colored appearance in the samples is noticeably depending on the observation angle. These changes are not observed in samples made with oxalic acid and this fact was explained, based on a theoretical model, in terms that the surface plasmons are excited far in the UV range.

Fabrication of porous anodic alumina using normal anodization and pulse anodization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chin, I. K.; Yam, F. K.; Hassan, Z.

2015-05-01

This article reports on the fabrication of porous anodic alumina (PAA) by two-step anodizing the low purity commercial aluminum sheets at room temperature. Different variations of the second-step anodization were conducted: normal anodization (NA) with direct current potential difference; pulse anodization (PA) alternate between potential differences of 10 V and 0 V; hybrid pulse anodization (HPA) alternate between potential differences of 10 V and -2 V. The method influenced the film homogeneity of the PAA and the most homogeneous structure was obtained via PA. The morphological properties are further elucidated using measured current-transient profiles. The absent of current rise profile in PA indicates the anodization temperature and dissolution of the PAA structure were greatly reduced by alternating potential differences.

Development of explosive welding procedures to fabricate channeled nozzle structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pattee, H. E.; Linse, V. D.

1976-01-01

Research was conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating a large contoured structure with complex internal channeling by explosive welding procedures. Structures or nozzles of this nature for wind tunnel applications were designed. Such nozzles vary widely in their complexity. However, in their simplest form, they consist of a grooved base section to which a cover sheet is attached to form a series of internal cooling passages. The cover sheet attachment can be accomplished in various ways: fusion welding, brazing, and diffusion welding. The cover sheet has also been electroformed in place. Of these fabrication methods, brazing has proved most successful in producing nozzles with complex contoured surfaces and a multiplicity of internal channels.

PRSEUS Structural Concept Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velicki, Alex; Jegley, Dawn

2014-01-01

A lighter, more robust airframe is one of the key technological advancements necessary for the successful launch of any large next-generation transport aircraft. Such a premise dictates that considerable improvements beyond current state-of-the-art aluminum structures is needed, and that improvements of this magnitude will require an extensive use of composite materials that are not only lightweight, but also economical to produce. To address this challenge, researchers at NASA and The Boeing Company are developing a novel structural concept called the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) under the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project. It is an integrally stiffened panel concept that is stitched together and designed to maintain residual load-carrying capabilities under a variety of damage scenarios. In addition to improved structural performance, an important facet of this unique arrangement of stitched carbon fibers is its innovative manufacturing method that has the potential to lower fabrication costs by eliminating fasteners and autoclave cures. The rationale and development status for this new approach forms the basis of the work described in this paper. The test specimens described herein were fabricated, or are currently being fabricated, by The Boeing Company, while the structural analyses and testing tasks are being performed by NASA and Boeing personnel.

Novel fabrication technique of hybrid structure lens array for 3D images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Junsik; Kim, Junoh; Kim, Cheoljoong; Shin, Dooseub; Koo, Gyohyun; Won, Yong Hyub

2016-03-01

Tunable liquid lens arrays can produce three dimensional images by using electrowetting principle that alters surface tensions by applying voltage. This method has advantages of fast response time and low power consumption. However, it is challenging to fabricate a high fill factor liquid lens array and operate three dimensional images which demand high diopter. This study describes a hybrid structure lens array which has not only a liquid lens array but a solid lens array. A concave-shape lens array is unavoidable when using only the liquid lens array and some voltages are needed to make the lens flat. By placing the solid lens array on the liquid lens array, initial diopter can be positive. To fabricate the hybrid structure lens array, a conventional lithographic process in semiconductor manufacturing is needed. A negative photoresist SU-8 was used as chamber master molds. PDMS and UV adhesive replica molding are done sequentially. Two immiscible liquids, DI water and dodecane, are injected in the fabricated chamber, followed by sealing. The fabricated structure has a 20 by 20 pattern of cylindrical shaped circle array and the aperture size of each lens is 1mm. The thickness of the overall hybrid structure is about 2.8mm. Hybrid structure lens array has many advantages. Solid lens array has almost 100% fill factor and allow high efficiency. Diopter can be increased by more than 200 and negative diopter can be shifted to the positive region. This experiment showed several properties of the hybrid structure and demonstrated its superiority.

Systematic investigation of drip stains on apparel fabrics: The effects of prior-laundering, fibre content and fabric structure on final stain appearance.

PubMed

de Castro, Therese C; Taylor, Michael C; Kieser, Jules A; Carr, Debra J; Duncan, W

2015-05-01

Bloodstain pattern analysis is the investigation of blood deposited at crime scenes and the interpretation of that pattern. The surface that the blood gets deposited onto could distort the appearance of the bloodstain. The interaction of blood and apparel fabrics is in its infancy, but the interaction of liquids and apparel fabrics has been well documented and investigated in the field of textile science (e.g. the processes of wetting and wicking of fluids on fibres, yarns and fabrics). A systematic study on the final appearance of drip stains on torso apparel fabrics (100% cotton plain woven, 100% polyester plain woven, blend of polyester and cotton plain woven and 100% cotton single jersey knit) that had been laundered for six, 26 and 52 cycles prior to testing was investigated in the paper. The relationship between drop velocity (1.66±0.50m/s, 4.07±0.03m/s, 5.34±0.18m/s) and the stain characteristics (parent stain area, axes 1 and 2 and number of satellite stains) for each fabric was examined using analysis of variance. The experimental design and effect of storing blood were investigated on a reference sample, which indicated that the day (up to five days) at which the drops were generated did not affect the bloodstain. The effect of prior-laundering (six, 26 and 52 laundering cycles), fibre content (cotton vs. polyester vs. blend) and fabric structure (plain woven vs. single jersey knit) on the final appearance of the bloodstain were investigated. Distortion in the bloodstains produced on non-laundered fabrics indicated the importance of laundering fabrics to remove finishing treatments before conducting bloodstain experiments. For laundered fabrics, both the cotton fabrics and the blend had a circular to oval stain appearance, while the polyester fabric had a circular appearance with evidence of spread along the warp and weft yarns, which resulted in square-like stains at the lowest drop velocity. A significant (p<0.001) increase in the stain size on

Energy absorption of composite material and structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farley, Gary L.

1987-01-01

Results are presented from a joint research program on helicopter crashworthiness conducted by the U.S. Army Aerostructures Directorate and NASA Langley. Through the ongoing research program an in-depth understanding has been developed on the cause/effect relationships between material and architectural variables and the energy-absorption capability of composite material and structure. Composite materials were found to be efficient energy absorbers. Graphite/epoxy subfloor structures were more efficient energy absorbers than comparable structures fabricated from Kevlar or aluminum. An accurate method of predicting the energy-absorption capability of beams was developed.

Porous Anodic Aluminum Oxide with Serrated Nanochannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Dongdong; Zhao, Liang; Lu, Jia G.

2010-03-01

Self-assembled nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane with straight channels has long been an important tool in synthesizing highly ordered and vertically aligned quasi-1D nanostructures for various applications. Recently shape-selective nanomaterials have been achieved using AAO as a template. It is envisioned that nanowires with multi-branches will significantly increase the active functional sites for applications as sensors, catalysts, chemical cells, etc. Here AAO membranes with serrated nanochannels have been successfully fabricated via a two-step annodization method. The serrated channels with periodic intervals are aligned at an angle of ˜25^circ along the stem channels. The formation of the serrated channels is attributed to the evolution of oxygen gas bubbles and the resulted plastic deformation in oxide membrane. In order to reveal the inside channel structure, Platinum are electrodeposited into the AAO template. The as-synthesized serrated Pt nanowires demonstrate a superior electrocatalytic activity. This is attributed to the enhanced electric field strength around serrated tips as shown in the electric field simulation by COMOSL. Moreover, hierarchical serrated/straight hybrid structures can be constructed using this simple and novel self assembly technique.

The structural characteristics of inflatable beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicker, William J.

1992-08-01

Two inflatable beams are designed and fabricated from polyethylene of ultrahigh molecular weight, and the structures are tested against similar composite and metal-alloy tubes. Specific attention is given to the choice of material that insures material stiffness, good strength-to-weight ratio, creep resistance, and durability. A cloth beam is built from a commercial extended-chain polyethylene fiber, and the inflated beams are tested by means of three- and four-point loading to measure bending and shear deformation. Comparing geometrically similar structures shows that the fabric beams can be about 35 percent as stiff as aluminum for small deflections. The inflatable beams have elastic stiffness coefficients five and two times higher than those for nylon and polyester tubes, respectively. Inflatable structures are concluded to hold promise for lightweight aerospace applications which demand small storage areas.

In situ fabrication of nickel aluminum-layered double hydroxide nanosheets/hollow carbon nanofibers composite as a novel electrode material for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Fang; Hu, Zhibiao; Liu, Kaiyu; Zhang, Shuirong; Liu, Hongtao; Sang, Shangbin

2014-12-01

This paper introduces a new design route to fabricate nickel aluminum-layered double hydroxide (NiAl-LDH) nanosheets/hollow carbon nanofibers (CNFs) composite through an in situ growth method. The NiAl-LDH thin layers which grow on hollow carbon nanofibers have an average thickness of 13.6 nm. The galvanostatic charge-discharge test of the NiAl-LDH/CNFs composite yields an impressive specific capacitance of 1613 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 in 6 M KOH solution, the composite shows a remarkable specific capacitance of 1110 F g-1 even at a high current density of 10 A g-1. Furthermore, the composite remains a specific capacitance of 1406 F g-1 after 1000 cycles at 2 A g-1, indicating the composite has excellent high-current capacitive behavior and good cycle stability in compared to pristine NiAl-LDH.

Multifunctional structural lithium ion batteries for electrical energy storage applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javaid, Atif; Zeshan Ali, Muhammad

2018-05-01

Multifunctional structural batteries based on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites are fabricated that can bear mechanical loads and act as electrochemical energy storage devices simultaneously. Structural batteries, containing woven carbon fabric anode; lithium cobalt oxide/graphene nanoplatelets coated aluminum cathode; filter paper separator and cross-linked polymer electrolyte, were fabricated through resin infusion under flexible tooling (RIFT) technique. Compression tests, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and impedance spectroscopy were done on the cross-linked polymer electrolytes while cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and in-plane shear tests were conducted on the fabricated structural batteries. A range of solid polymer electrolytes with increasing concentrations of lithium perchlorate salt in crosslinked polymer epoxies were formulated. Increased concentrations of electrolyte salt in cross-linked epoxy increased the ionic conductivity, although the compressive properties were compromised. A structural battery, exhibiting simultaneously a capacity of 0.16 mAh L‑1, an energy density of 0.32 Wh L‑1 and a shear modulus of 0.75 GPa have been reported.

NASA-UVa light aerospace alloy and structure technology program supplement: Aluminum-based materials for high speed aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starke, E. A., Jr.

1993-01-01

This report on the NASA-UVa Light Aerospace Alloy and Structure Technology Program Supplement: Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft covers the period from January 1, 1992 to June 30, 1992. The objective of the research is to develop aluminum alloys and aluminum matrix composites for the airframe which can efficiently perform in the HSCT environment for periods as long as 60,000 hours (certification for 120,000 hours) and, at the same time, meet the cost and weight requirements for an economically viable aircraft. Current industry baselines focus on flight at Mach 2.4. The research covers four major materials systems: (1) ingot metallurgy 2XXX, 6XXX, and 8XXX alloys, (2) powder metallurgy 2XXX alloys, (3) rapidly solidified, dispersion strengthened Al-Fe-X alloys, and (4) discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites. There are ten major tasks in the program which also include evaluation and trade-off studies by Boeing and Douglas aircraft companies.

NASA-UVa light aerospace alloy and structures technology program supplement: Aluminum-based materials for high speed aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starke, E. A., Jr. (Editor)

1995-01-01

This report on the NASA-UVa light aerospace alloy and structure technology program supplement: Aluminum-Based Materials for High Speed Aircraft covers the period from July 1, 1992. The objective of the research is to develop aluminum alloys and aluminum matrix composites for the airframe which can efficiently perform in the HSCT environment for periods as long as 60,000 hours (certification for 120,000 hours) and, at the same time, meet the cost and weight requirements for an economically viable aircraft. Current industry baselines focus on flight at Mach 2.4. The research covers four major materials systems: (1) Ingot metallurgy 2XXX, 6XXX, and 8XXX alloys, (2) Powder metallurgy 2XXX alloys, (3) Rapidly solidified, dispersion strengthened Al-Fe-X alloys, and (4) Discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites. There are ten major tasks in the program which also include evaluation and trade-off studies by Boeing and Douglas aircraft companies.