Sample records for nickel foams three-dimensional

  1. Three-Dimensional Bi-Continuous Nanoporous Gold/Nickel Foam Supported MnO2 for High Performance Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jie; Zou, Xilai; Sun, Peng; Cui, Guofeng

    2017-12-19

    A three-dimensional bi-continuous nanoporous gold (NPG)/nickel foam is developed though the electrodeposition of a gold-tin alloy on Ni foam and subsequent chemical dealloying of tin. The newly-designed 3D metal structure is used to anchor MnO 2 nanosheets for high-performance supercapacitors. The formed ternary composite electrodes exhibit significantly-enhanced capacitance performance, rate capability, and excellent cycling stability. A specific capacitance of 442 Fg -1 is achieved at a scan rate of 5 mV s -1 and a relatively high mass loading of 865 μg cm -2 . After 2500 cycles, only a 1% decay is found at a scan rate of 50 mV s -1 . A high power density of 3513 W kg -1 and an energy density of 25.73 Wh kg -1 are realized for potential energy storage devices. The results demonstrate that the NPG/nickel foam hybrid structure significantly improves the dispersibility of MnO 2 and makes it promising for practical energy storage applications.

  2. Cobalt oxide nanosheets wrapped onto nickel foam for non-enzymatic detection of glucose

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meng, Shangjun; Wu, Meiyan; Wang, Qian; Dai, Ziyang; Si, Weili; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

    2016-08-01

    Ultra-sensitive and highly selective detection of glucose is essential for the clinical diagnosis of diabetes. In this paper, an ultra-sensitive glucose sensor was successfully fabricated based on cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanosheets directly grown on nickel foam through a simple hydrothermal method. Characterizations indicated that the Co3O4 nanosheets are completely and uniformly wrapped onto the surface of nickel foam to form a three-dimensional heterostructure. The resulting self-standing electrochemical electrode presents a high performance for the non-enzymatic detection of glucose, including short response time (<10 s), ultra-sensitivity (12.97 mA mM-1 cm-2), excellent selectivity and low detection limit (0.058 μM, S/N = 3). These results indicate that Co3O4 nanosheets wrapped onto nickel foam are a low-cost, practical, and high performance electrochemical electrode for bio sensing.

  3. Microwave synthesis of three-dimensional nickel cobalt sulfide nanosheets grown on nickel foam for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Fangping; Li, Guifang; Zheng, Jinfeng; Ma, Jing; Yang, Caixia; Wang, Qizhao

    2018-04-15

    A facile and cost-effective microwave method is developed to prepare ternary nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo 2 S 4 ) interconnected nanosheet arrays on nickel foam (NF). When acting as an electrochemical supercapacitor electrode material, the as-prepared NiCo 2 S 4 /NF shows a high specific capacitance of 1502 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 , and outstanding cycling stability of 91% capacitance retention after 8000 cycles. In addition, a asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is composed of NiCo 2 S 4 /NF as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode, which exhibits a high energy density of 34.7 W h kg -1 at a power density of 750 W kg -1 and long-term cyclic stability (83.7% capacity retention after 8000 cycles). Even at a high power density of 15 kW kg -1 , it still remains an energy density of 17.9 W h kg -1 , which is able to light up a light-emitting diode. These findings provide a new and facile approach to fabricate high-performance electrode for supercapacitors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. RGO/Au NPs/N-doped CNTs supported on nickel foam as an anode for enzymatic biofuel cells.

    PubMed

    Zhang, He; Zhang, Lingling; Han, Yujie; Yu, You; Xu, Miao; Zhang, Xueping; Huang, Liang; Dong, Shaojun

    2017-11-15

    In this study, three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide/Au NPs/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (RGO/Au NPs/N-doped CNTs) assembly supported on nickel foam was utilized as an anode for enzymatic biofuel cells (EBFCs). 3D RGO/Au NPs was obtained by electrodepositing reduced graphene oxide on nickel foam (Ni foam), while Au NPs were co-deposited during the process. Afterwards, nitrogen doped CNTs (N-CNTs) were allowed to grow seamlessly on the surfaces of 3D RGO/Au NPs via a simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. In this nanostructure, Au NPs co-deposition and nitrogen doping offer more active sites for bioelectrocatalysis. Additionally, N-CNTs were demonstrated providing high specific surface area for enzyme immobilization and facilitating the electron transfer between glucose oxidase (GOx) and electrode. The resulting bioanode achieved efficient glucose oxidation with high current densities of 7.02mAcm -2 (0.3V vs. Ag/AgCl). Coupling with a Pt cathode, the fabricated glucose/air biofuel cell exhibited an open-circuit potential of 0.32V and generated a maximum power density 235µWcm -2 at 0.15V. This novel electrode substrate achieved high performance in current density at bioelectrochemical systems and could be useful for further exploiting the application of three dimensional carbon-based nanomaterials in EBFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. High power density microbial fuel cell with flexible 3D graphene-nickel foam as anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Hanyu; Wang, Gongming; Ling, Yichuan; Qian, Fang; Song, Yang; Lu, Xihong; Chen, Shaowei; Tong, Yexiang; Li, Yat

    2013-10-01

    The structure and electrical conductivity of anode play a significant role in the power generation of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) reduced graphene oxide-nickel (denoted as rGO-Ni) foam as an anode for MFC through controlled deposition of rGO sheets onto the nickel foam substrate. The loading amount of rGO sheets and electrode surface area can be controlled by the number of rGO loading cycles. 3D rGO-Ni foam anode provides not only a large accessible surface area for microbial colonization and electron mediators, but also a uniform macro-porous scaffold for effective mass diffusion of the culture medium. Significantly, at a steady state of the power generation, the MFC device with flexible rGO-Ni electrodes produced an optimal volumetric power density of 661 W m-3 calculated based on the volume of anode material, or 27 W m-3 based on the volume of the anode chamber. These values are substantially higher than that of plain nickel foam, and other conventional carbon based electrodes (e.g., carbon cloth, carbon felt, and carbon paper) measured in the same conditions. To our knowledge, this is the highest volumetric power density reported for mL-scale MFC device with a pure strain of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. We also demonstrated that the MFC device can be operated effectively in a batch-mode at least for a week. These new 3D rGO-Ni electrodes show great promise for improving the power generation of MFC devices.The structure and electrical conductivity of anode play a significant role in the power generation of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) reduced graphene oxide-nickel (denoted as rGO-Ni) foam as an anode for MFC through controlled deposition of rGO sheets onto the nickel foam substrate. The loading amount of rGO sheets and electrode surface area can be controlled by the number of rGO loading cycles. 3D rGO-Ni foam anode provides not only a large accessible

  6. Enhanced hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cell with 3D self-assembly nickel foam-graphene cathode.

    PubMed

    Cai, Weiwei; Liu, Wenzong; Han, Jinglong; Wang, Aijie

    2016-06-15

    In comparison to precious metal catalyst especially Platinum (Pt), nickel foam (NF) owned cheap cost and unique three-dimensional (3D) structure, however, it was scarcely applied as cathode material in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) as the intrinsic laggard electrochemical activity for hydrogen recovery. In this study, a self-assembly 3D nickel foam-graphene (NF-G) cathode was fabricated by facile hydrothermal approach for hydrogen evolution in MECs. Electrochemical analysis (linear scan voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) revealed the improved electrochemical activity and effective mass diffusion after coating with graphene. NF-G as cathode in MEC showed a significant enhancement in hydrogen production rate compared with nickel foam at a variety of biases. Noticeably, NF-G showed a comparable averaged hydrogen production rate (1.31 ± 0.07 mL H2 mL(-1) reactor d(-1)) to Platinum/carbon (Pt/C) (1.32 ± 0.07 mL H2 mL(-1) reactor d(-1)) at 0.8 V. Profitable energy recovery could be achieved by NF-G cathode at higher applied voltage, which performed the best hydrogen yield of 3.27 ± 0.16 mol H2 mol(-1) acetate at 0.8 V and highest energy efficiency of 185.92 ± 6.48% at 0.6 V. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Structure and coarsening at the surface of a dry three-dimensional aqueous foam.

    PubMed

    Roth, A E; Chen, B G; Durian, D J

    2013-12-01

    We utilize total-internal reflection to isolate the two-dimensional surface foam formed at the planar boundary of a three-dimensional sample. The resulting images of surface Plateau borders are consistent with Plateau's laws for a truly two-dimensional foam. Samples are allowed to coarsen into a self-similar scaling state where statistical distributions appear independent of time, except for an overall scale factor. There we find that statistical measures of side number distributions, size-topology correlations, and bubble shapes are all very similar to those for two-dimensional foams. However, the size number distribution is slightly broader, and the shapes are slightly more elongated. A more obvious difference is that T2 processes now include the creation of surface bubbles, due to rearrangement in the bulk, and von Neumann's law is dramatically violated for individual bubbles. But nevertheless, our most striking finding is that von Neumann's law appears to holds on average, namely, the average rate of area change for surface bubbles appears to be proportional to the number of sides minus six, but with individual bubbles showing a wide distribution of deviations from this average behavior.

  8. Three-Dimensional Hierarchical NixCo1-xO/NiyCo2-yP@C Hybrids on Nickel Foam for Excellent Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Shao, Yubo; Zhao, Yongqing; Li, Hua; Xu, Cailing

    2016-12-28

    Active materials and special structures of the electrode have decisive influence on the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors. Herein, three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical Ni x Co 1-x O/Ni y Co 2-y P@C (denoted as NiCoOP@C) hybrids have been successfully prepared by a phosphorization treatment of hierarchical Ni x Co 1-x O@C grown on nickel foam. The resulting NiCoOP@C hybrids exhibit an outstanding specific capacitance and cycle performance because they couple the merits of the superior cycling stability of Ni x Co 1-x O, the high specific capacitance of Ni y Co 2-y P, the mechanical stability of carbon layer, and the 3D hierarchical structure. The specific capacitance of 2638 F g -1 can be obtained at the current density of 1 A g -1 , and even at the current density of 20 A g -1 , the NiCoOP@C electrode still possesses a specific capacitance of 1144 F g -1 . After 3000 cycles at 10 A g -1 , 84% of the initial specific capacitance is still remained. In addition, an asymmetric ultracapacitor (ASC) is assembled through using NiCoOP@C hybrids as anode and activated carbon as cathode. The as-prepared ASC obtains a maximum energy density of 39.4 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 394 W kg -1 and still holds 21 Wh kg -1 at 7500 W kg -1 .

  9. Graphene hydrogels deposited in nickel foams for high-rate electrochemical capacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ji; Sheng, Kaixuan; Luo, Peihui; Li, Chun; Shi, Gaoquan

    2012-08-28

    Graphene hydrogel/nickel foam composite electrodes for high-rate electrochemical capacitors are produced by reduction of an aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide in a nickel foam (upper half of figure). The micropores of the hydrogel are exposed to the electrolyte so that ions can enter and form electrochemical double-layers. The nickel framework shortens the distances of charge transfer. Therefore, the electrochemical capacitor exhibits highrate performance (see plots). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Three-dimensional graphene foam as a biocompatible and conductive scaffold for neural stem cells

    PubMed Central

    Li, Ning; Zhang, Qi; Gao, Song; Song, Qin; Huang, Rong; Wang, Long; Liu, Liwei; Dai, Jianwu; Tang, Mingliang; Cheng, Guosheng

    2013-01-01

    Neural stem cell (NSC) based therapy provides a promising approach for neural regeneration. For the success of NSC clinical application, a scaffold is required to provide three-dimensional (3D) cell growth microenvironments and appropriate synergistic cell guidance cues. Here, we report the first utilization of graphene foam, a 3D porous structure, as a novel scaffold for NSCs in vitro. It was found that three-dimensional graphene foams (3D-GFs) can not only support NSC growth, but also keep cell at an active proliferation state with upregulation of Ki67 expression than that of two-dimensional graphene films. Meanwhile, phenotypic analysis indicated that 3D-GFs can enhance the NSC differentiation towards astrocytes and especially neurons. Furthermore, a good electrical coupling of 3D-GFs with differentiated NSCs for efficient electrical stimulation was observed. Our findings implicate 3D-GFs could offer a powerful platform for NSC research, neural tissue engineering and neural prostheses. PMID:23549373

  11. High performance supercapacitors based on three-dimensional ultralight flexible manganese oxide nanosheets/carbon foam composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Shuijian; Chen, Wei

    2014-09-01

    The syntheses and capacitance performances of ultralight and flexible MnO2/carbon foam (MnO2/CF) hybrids are systematically studied. Flexible carbon foam with a low mass density of 6.2 mg cm-3 and high porosity of 99.66% is simply obtained by carbonization of commercially available and low-cost melamine resin foam. With the high porous carbon foam as framework, ultrathin MnO2 nanosheets are grown through in situ redox reaction between KMnO4 and carbon foam. The three-dimensional (3D) MnO2/CF networks exhibit highly ordered hierarchical pore structure. Attributed to the good flexibility and ultralight weight, the MnO2/CF nanomaterials can be directly fabricated into supercapacitor electrodes without any binder and conductive agents. Moreover, the pseudocapacitance of the MnO2 nanosheets is enhanced by the fast ion diffusion in the three-dimensional porous architecture and by the conductive carbon foam skeleton as well as good contact of carbon/oxide interfaces. Supercapacitor based on the MnO2/CF composite with 3.4% weight percent of MnO2 shows a high specific capacitance of 1270.5 F g-1 (92.7% of the theoretical specific capacitance of MnO2) and high energy density of 86.2 Wh kg-1. The excellent capacitance performance of the present 3D ultralight and flexible nanomaterials make them promising candidates as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

  12. Development and characterization of a rechargeable carbon foam electrode containing nickel oxyhydroxide active mass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chye, Matthew B.

    2011-12-01

    Batteries and asymmetric electrochemical capacitors using nickel-based positive electrodes can provide high currents due to their defect structure and low internal resistance. Nickel-based positive electrodes, therefore, are ideal for high current applications such as power tools and electric vehicles (EVs). The positive electrodes prepared in this research are monolithic graphitic foams electrochemically impregnated with nickel oxyhydroxide active mass and select additives that enhance electrode performance. Carbon foam is a good current collector due to its light-weight, porous, and graphitic nature, which give its good electrical properties and the ability to be used as a current collector. Replacing sintered nickel current collectors in nickel-based batteries with a low cost, readily available material, carbon foam, can reduce the mass of a rechargeable battery. The goal of this research has been to contribute to fundamental science through better understanding of optimizing the deposition and formation processes of the active mass onto carbon foams as well as investigating the active mass behavior under deposition, formation, and cycling conditions. Flooded cells and a PFA sealed asymmetric capacitor have been used. The effects of carbon foam surface pretreatments and how they affect the active material/carbon foam performance are demonstrated. Also the feasibility of this positive electrode as a component in nickel-based batteries, a Ni-Zn cells and an asymmetric capacitor pouch cell, is demonstrated.

  13. Facile synthesis of polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam with catalytic activity comparable to Pt for the poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Tiantian; Li, Kan; Shen, Zhemin; Sun, Tonghua; Wang, Yalin; Jia, Jinping

    2016-01-01

    Polypyrrole functionalized nickel foam is facilely prepared through the potentiostatic electrodeposition. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam functions as a hydrogen-evolution cathode in a rotating disk photocatalytic fuel cell, in which hydrogen energy and electric power are generated by consuming organic wastes. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam cathode exhibits stable catalytic activities after thirteen continuous runs. Compared with net or plate structure, the Ni foam with a unique three-dimensional reticulate structure is conducive to the electrodeposition of PPy. Compared with Pt-group electrode, PPy-coated Ni foam shows a satisfactory catalytic performance for the H2 evolution. The combination of PPy and Ni forms a synergistic effect for the rapid trapping and removal of proton from solution and the catalytic reduction of proton to hydrogen. The PPy-functionalized Ni foam could be applied in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical generation of H2. In all, we report a low cost, high efficient and earth abundant PPy-functionalized Ni foam with a satisfactory catalytic activities comparable to Pt for the practical application of poly-generation of hydrogen and electricity.

  14. High Sensitivity Gas Detection Using a Macroscopic Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam Network

    PubMed Central

    Yavari, Fazel; Chen, Zongping; Thomas, Abhay V.; Ren, Wencai; Cheng, Hui-Ming; Koratkar, Nikhil

    2011-01-01

    Nanostructures are known to be exquisitely sensitive to the chemical environment and offer ultra-high sensitivity for gas-sensing. However, the fabrication and operation of devices that use individual nanostructures for sensing is complex, expensive and suffers from poor reliability due to contamination and large variability from sample-to-sample. By contrast, conventional solid-state and conducting-polymer sensors offer excellent reliability but suffer from reduced sensitivity at room-temperature. Here we report a macro graphene foam-like three-dimensional network which combines the best of both worlds. The walls of the foam are comprised of few-layer graphene sheets resulting in high sensitivity; we demonstrate parts-per-million level detection of NH3 and NO2 in air at room-temperature. Further, the foam is a mechanically robust and flexible macro-scale network that is easy to contact (without Lithography) and can rival the durability and affordability of traditional sensors. Moreover, Joule-heating expels chemisorbed molecules from the foam's surface leading to fully-reversible and low-power operation. PMID:22355681

  15. Three-Dimensional Printed Graphene Foams.

    PubMed

    Sha, Junwei; Li, Yilun; Villegas Salvatierra, Rodrigo; Wang, Tuo; Dong, Pei; Ji, Yongsung; Lee, Seoung-Ki; Zhang, Chenhao; Zhang, Jibo; Smith, Robert H; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Lou, Jun; Zhao, Naiqin; Tour, James M

    2017-07-25

    An automated metal powder three-dimensional (3D) printing method for in situ synthesis of free-standing 3D graphene foams (GFs) was successfully modeled by manually placing a mixture of Ni and sucrose onto a platform and then using a commercial CO 2 laser to convert the Ni/sucrose mixture into 3D GFs. The sucrose acted as the solid carbon source for graphene, and the sintered Ni metal acted as the catalyst and template for graphene growth. This simple and efficient method combines powder metallurgy templating with 3D printing techniques and enables direct in situ 3D printing of GFs with no high-temperature furnace or lengthy growth process required. The 3D printed GFs show high-porosity (∼99.3%), low-density (∼0.015g cm -3 ), high-quality, and multilayered graphene features. The GFs have an electrical conductivity of ∼8.7 S cm -1 , a remarkable storage modulus of ∼11 kPa, and a high damping capacity of ∼0.06. These excellent physical properties of 3D printed GFs indicate potential applications in fields requiring rapid design and manufacturing of 3D carbon materials, for example, energy storage devices, damping materials, and sound absorption.

  16. Combination nickel foam expanded nickel screen electrical connection supports for solid oxide fuel cells

    DOEpatents

    Draper, Robert; Prevish, Thomas; Bronson, Angela; George, Raymond A.

    2007-01-02

    A solid oxide fuel assembly is made, wherein rows (14, 25) of fuel cells (17, 19, 21, 27, 29, 31), each having an outer interconnection (20) and an outer electrode (32), are disposed next to each other with corrugated, electrically conducting expanded metal mesh member (22) between each row of cells, the corrugated mesh (22) having top crown portions and bottom portions, where the top crown portion (40) have a top bonded open cell nickel foam (51) which contacts outer interconnections (20) of the fuel cells, said mesh and nickel foam electrically connecting each row of fuel cells, and where there are no more metal felt connections between any fuel cells.

  17. Nickel foam-supported polyaniline cathode prepared with electrophoresis for improvement of rechargeable Zn battery performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Yang; Zhu, Derong; Si, Shihui; Li, Degeng; Wu, Sen

    2015-06-01

    Porous nickel foam is used as a substrate for the development of rechargeable zinc//polyaniline battery, and the cathode electrophoresis of PANI microparticles in non-aqueous solution is applied to the fabrication of Ni foam supported PANI electrode, in which the corrosion of the nickel foam substrate is prohibited. The Ni foam supported PANI cathode with high loading is prepared by PANI electrophoretic deposition, and followed by PANI slurry casting under vacuum filtration. The electrochemical charge storage performance for PANI material is significantly improved by using nickel foam substrate via the electrophoretic interlayer. The specific capacity of the nickel foam-PANI electrode with the electrophoretic layer is higher than the composite electrode without the electrophoretic layer, and the specific capacity of PANI supported by Ni foam reaches up to 183.28 mAh g-1 at the working current of 2.5 mA cm-2. The present electrophoresis deposition method plays the facile procedure for the immobilization of PANI microparticles onto the surface of non-platinum metals, and it becomes feasible to the use of the Ni foam supported PANI composite cathode for the Zn/PANI battery in weak acidic electrolyte.

  18. Thermal transport in three-dimensional foam architectures of few-layer graphene and ultrathin graphite.

    PubMed

    Pettes, Michael Thompson; Ji, Hengxing; Ruoff, Rodney S; Shi, Li

    2012-06-13

    At a very low solid concentration of 0.45 ± 0.09 vol %, the room-temperature thermal conductivity (κ(GF)) of freestanding graphene-based foams (GF), comprised of few-layer graphene (FLG) and ultrathin graphite (UG) synthesized through the use of methane chemical vapor deposition on reticulated nickel foams, was increased from 0.26 to 1.7 W m(-1) K(-1) after the etchant for the sacrificial nickel support was changed from an aggressive hydrochloric acid solution to a slow ammonium persulfate etchant. In addition, κ(GF) showed a quadratic dependence on temperature between 11 and 75 K and peaked at about 150 K, where the solid thermal conductivity (κ(G)) of the FLG and UG constituents reached about 1600 W m(-1) K(-1), revealing the benefit of eliminating internal contact thermal resistance in the continuous GF structure.

  19. Design, synthesis and evaluation of three-dimensional Co3O4/Co3(VO4)2 hybrid nanorods on nickel foam as self-supported electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Wei-Bin; Kong, Ling-Bin; Ma, Xue-Jing; Luo, Yong-Chun; Kang, Long

    2014-12-01

    A novel self-supported electrode of three-dimensional Co3O4/Co3(VO4)2 hybrid nanorods on the conductive substrate of nickel foam have been designed and synthesized by the combination of hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent annealing treatment. Based on the morphology, a possible mechanism is proposed. The unique nanostructure has been served as an "ion reservoir" to infiltrate between the electrode surface area and the electrolyte, which can ensure the ion/electron transfer. And the powerful distribution of electric field on nanorods makes the surface in response the electrode reaction as completely as possible. The electrode manifests satisfying capacitance of 847.2 F g-1, outstanding rate capability and excellent cycling stability. Also, an asymmetric supercapacitor has been assembled, where Co3O4/Co3(VO4)2 and activated carbon acted as the positive and negative electrodes respectively, and the maximum specific capacitance of 105 F g-1 and the specific energy of 38 Wh kg-1 are demonstrated at a cell voltage between 0 and 1.6 V, exhibiting a high energy density and stable power characteristic.

  20. Effective Thermal Conductivity of High Porosity Open Cell Nickel Foam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sullins, Alan D.; Daryabeigi, Kamran

    2001-01-01

    The effective thermal conductivity of high-porosity open cell nickel foam samples was measured over a wide range of temperatures and pressures using a standard steady-state technique. The samples, measuring 23.8 mm, 18.7 mm, and 13.6 mm in thickness, were constructed with layers of 1.7 mm thick foam with a porosity of 0.968. Tests were conducted with the specimens subjected to temperature differences of 100 to 1000 K across the thickness and at environmental pressures of 10(exp -4) to 750 mm Hg. All test were conducted in a gaseous nitrogen environment. A one-dimensional finite volume numerical model was developed to model combined radiation/conduction heat transfer in the foam. The radiation heat transfer was modeled using the two-flux approximation. Solid and gas conduction were modeled using standard techniques for high porosity media. A parameter estimation technique was used in conjunction with the measured and predicted thermal conductivities at pressures of 10(exp -4) and 750 mm Hg to determine the extinction coefficient, albedo of scattering, and weighting factors for modeling the conduction thermal conductivity. The measured and predicted conductivities over the intermediate pressure values differed by 13%.

  1. Low-voltage Driven Graphene Foam Thermoacoustic Speaker.

    PubMed

    Fei, Wenwen; Zhou, Jianxin; Guo, Wanlin

    2015-05-20

    A low-voltage driven thermoacoustic speaker is fabricated based on three-dimensional graphene foams synthesized by a nickel-template assisted chemical vapor deposition method. The corresponding thermoacoustic performances are found to be related to its microstructure. Graphene foams exhibit low heat-leakage to substrates and feasible tunability in structures and thermoacoustic performances, having great promise for applications in flexible or ultrasonic acoustic devices. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Hierarchical Mesoporous Zinc-Nickel-Cobalt Ternary Oxide Nanowire Arrays on Nickel Foam as High-Performance Electrodes for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chun; Cai, Junjie; Zhang, Qiaobao; Zhou, Xiang; Zhu, Ying; Shen, Pei Kang; Zhang, Kaili

    2015-12-09

    Nickel foam supported hierarchical mesoporous Zn-Ni-Co ternary oxide (ZNCO) nanowire arrays are synthesized by a simple two-step approach including a hydrothermal method and subsequent calcination process and directly utilized for supercapacitive investigation for the first time. The nickel foam supported hierarchical mesoporous ZNCO nanowire arrays possess an ultrahigh specific capacitance value of 2481.8 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) and excellent rate capability of about 91.9% capacitance retention at 5 A g(-1). More importantly, an asymmetric supercapacitor with a high energy density (35.6 Wh kg(-1)) and remarkable cycle stability performance (94% capacitance retention over 3000 cycles) is assembled successfully by employing the ZNCO electrode as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode. The remarkable electrochemical behaviors demonstrate that the nickel foam supported hierarchical mesoporous ZNCO nanowire array electrodes are highly desirable for application as advanced supercapacitor electrodes.

  3. Microwave-assisted synthesis of simonkolleite nanoplatelets on nickel foam-graphene with enhanced surface area for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Khamlich, S; Mokrani, T; Dhlamini, M S; Mothudi, B M; Maaza, M

    2016-01-01

    Simonkolleite (Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O) nanoplatelets has been deposited on nickel foam-supported graphene by using an efficient microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The three-dimensional (3D) porous microstructure of the as-fabricated nickel foam-graphene/simonkolleite (NiF-G/SimonK) composite is beneficial to electrolyte penetration and ions exchange, whereas graphene provide improved electronic conductivity. Structural and morphological characterizations confirmed the presence of highly crystalline hexagonal-shaped nanoplatelets of simonkolleite. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) of the NiF-G/SimonK composite revealed that the SimonK nanoplatelets were evenly distributed on the surface of NiF-G and interlaced with each other, resulting in a higher specific surface area of 35.69 m(2) g(-1) compared to SimonK deposited directly on NiF 17.2 m(2) g(-1). Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the NiF-G/SimonK composite exhibit a high specific capacitance of 836 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and excellent rate capability and cycling stability with capacitance retention of 92% after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene as an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor for the detection of dopamine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Xiaomiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhou, Jinhua; Li, Yi; Chen, Shufen; Zhang, Lei; Ma, Yanwen; Wang, Lianhui; Yan, Xiaohong

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene (3D N-doped graphene) was prepared through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) by using porous nickel foam as a substrate. As a model, a dopamine biosensor was constructed based on the 3D N-doped graphene porous foam. Electrochemical experiments exhibited that this biosensor had a remarkable detection ability with a wide linear detection range from 3 × 10-6 M to 1 × 10-4 M and a low detection limit of 1 nM. Moreover, the fabricated biosensor also showed an excellent anti-interference ability, reproducibility, and stability.

  5. Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene as an ultrasensitive electrochemical sensor for the detection of dopamine.

    PubMed

    Feng, Xiaomiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhou, Jinhua; Li, Yi; Chen, Shufen; Zhang, Lei; Ma, Yanwen; Wang, Lianhui; Yan, Xiaohong

    2015-02-14

    Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graphene (3D N-doped graphene) was prepared through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) by using porous nickel foam as a substrate. As a model, a dopamine biosensor was constructed based on the 3D N-doped graphene porous foam. Electrochemical experiments exhibited that this biosensor had a remarkable detection ability with a wide linear detection range from 3 × 10(-6) M to 1 × 10(-4) M and a low detection limit of 1 nM. Moreover, the fabricated biosensor also showed an excellent anti-interference ability, reproducibility, and stability.

  6. Alginate foam-based three-dimensional culture to investigate drug sensitivity in primary leukaemia cells.

    PubMed

    Karimpoor, Mahroo; Yebra-Fernandez, Eva; Parhizkar, Maryam; Orlu, Mine; Craig, Duncan; Khorashad, Jamshid S; Edirisinghe, Mohan

    2018-04-01

    The development of assays for evaluating the sensitivity of leukaemia cells to anti-cancer agents is becoming an important aspect of personalized medicine. Conventional cell cultures lack the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the bone marrow (BM), the extracellular matrix and stromal components which are crucial for the growth and survival of leukaemia stem cells. To accurately predict the sensitivity of the leukaemia cells in an in vitro assay a culturing system containing the essential components of BM is required. In this study, we developed a porous calcium alginate foam-based scaffold to be used for 3D culture. The new 3D culture was shown to be cell compatible as it supported the proliferation of both normal haematopoietic and leukaemia cells. Our cell differential assay for myeloid markers showed that the porous foam-based 3D culture enhanced myeloid differentiation in both leukaemia and normal haematopoietic cells compared to two-dimensional culture. The foam-based scaffold reduced the sensitivity of the leukaemia cells to the tested antileukaemia agents in K562 and HL60 leukaemia cell line model and also primary myeloid leukaemia cells. This observation supports the application of calcium alginate foams as scaffold components of the 3D cultures for investigation of sensitivity to antileukaemia agents in primary myeloid cells. © 2018 The Author(s).

  7. The three dimensional distribution of chromium and nickel alloy welding fumes.

    PubMed

    Mori, T; Matsuda, A; Akashi, S; Ogata, M; Takeoka, K; Yoshinaka, M

    1991-08-01

    In the present study, the fumes generated from manual metal arc (MMA) and submerged metal arc (SMA) welding of low temperature service steel, and the chromium and nickel percentages in these fumes, were measured at various horizontal distances and vertical heights from the arc in order to obtain a three dimensional distribution. The MMA welding fume concentrations were significantly higher than the SMA welding fume concentrations. The highest fume concentration on the horizontal was shown in the fumes collected directly above the arc. The fume concentration vertically was highest at 50 cm height and reduced by half at 150 cm height. The fume concentration at 250 cm height was scarcely different from that at 150 cm height. The distribution of the chromium concentration vertically was analogous to the fume concentration, and a statistically significant difference in the chromium percentages was not found at the different heights. The nickel concentrations were not statistically significant within the welding processes, but the nickel percentages in the SMA welding fumes were statistically higher than in the MMA welding fumes. The highest nickel concentration on the horizontal was found in the fumes collected directly above the arc. The highest nickel concentration vertically showed in the fume samples collected at 50 cm height, but the greater the height the larger the nickel percentage in the fumes.

  8. Three dimensional carbon-bubble foams with hierarchical pores for ultra-long cycling life supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bowen; Zhang, Weigang; Wang, Lei; Wei, Jiake; Bai, Xuedong; Liu, Jingyue; Zhang, Guanhua; Duan, Huigao

    2018-07-06

    Design and synthesis of integrated, interconnected porous structures are critical to the development of high-performance supercapacitors. We develop a novel and facile synthesis technic to construct three-dimensional carbon-bubble foams with hierarchical pores geometry. The carbon-bubble foams are fabricated by conformally coating, via catalytic decomposition of ethanol, a layer of carbon coating onto the surfaces of pre-formed ZnO foams and then the removal of the ZnO template by a reduction-evaporation process. Both the wall thickness and the pore size can be well tuned by adjusting the catalytic decomposition time and temperature. The as-synthesized carbon-bubble foams electrode retains 90.3% of the initial capacitance even after 70 000 continuous cycles under a high current density of 20 A g -1 , demonstrating excellent long-time electrochemical and cycling stability. The symmetric device displays rate capability retention of 81.8% with the current density increasing from 0.4 to 20 A g -1 . These achieved electrochemical performances originate from the unique structural design of the carbon-bubble foams, which provide not only abundant transport channels for electron and ion but also high active surface area accessible by the electrolyte ions.

  9. Three dimensional carbon-bubble foams with hierarchical pores for ultra-long cycling life supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Bowen; Zhang, Weigang; Wang, Lei; Wei, Jiake; Bai, Xuedong; Liu, Jingyue; Zhang, Guanhua; Duan, Huigao

    2018-07-01

    Design and synthesis of integrated, interconnected porous structures are critical to the development of high-performance supercapacitors. We develop a novel and facile synthesis technic to construct three-dimensional carbon-bubble foams with hierarchical pores geometry. The carbon-bubble foams are fabricated by conformally coating, via catalytic decomposition of ethanol, a layer of carbon coating onto the surfaces of pre-formed ZnO foams and then the removal of the ZnO template by a reduction-evaporation process. Both the wall thickness and the pore size can be well tuned by adjusting the catalytic decomposition time and temperature. The as-synthesized carbon-bubble foams electrode retains 90.3% of the initial capacitance even after 70 000 continuous cycles under a high current density of 20 A g‑1, demonstrating excellent long-time electrochemical and cycling stability. The symmetric device displays rate capability retention of 81.8% with the current density increasing from 0.4 to 20 A g‑1. These achieved electrochemical performances originate from the unique structural design of the carbon-bubble foams, which provide not only abundant transport channels for electron and ion but also high active surface area accessible by the electrolyte ions.

  10. Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 core-shell spheres encapsulated in three-dimensional graphene foams for high performance supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Bo; Huang, Sheng-Yun; Wang, Tao; Zhang, Kai; Yuen, Matthew M. F.; Xu, Jian-Bin; Fu, Xian-Zhu; Sun, Rong; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2015-12-01

    Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are fabricated using 300 nm spherical SiO2 particles as template. Then three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are successfully obtained through self-assembly in hydrothermal process from graphene oxide nanosheets and metal oxide hollow spheres. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated architectures could greatly improve the capacity, cycling stability and rate capability of hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres electrodes due to the highly conductive networks and flexible buffering matrix. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries.

  11. Synthesis, Microstructure and Properties of Nickel Aluminide Foams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunand, David C.

    2003-01-01

    Two Ph.D. students were involved in the project: Mr. Christopher Schuh (part-time, graduated in Spring 2001) and Ms. Andrea Hodge (full-time, graduated Summer 2002). One post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Heeman Choe, worked full-time on the project from July to December 2002. A new process to aluminize and chromize nickel foams was created. A kinetic aluminization model was developed. Creep testing was conducted on the foams. A finite-element model and a simplified analytical model for foam creep were produced. Four articles were written: one is published, two are accepted for publication, and one is in preparation. Ms. Hodge spent four months at NASA Glenn Research Center (9-12/2001 and 2-3/2002) under the supervision of Dr. Nathal. She conducted research on NiAl foam fabrication, mechanical testing and numerical modeling. She gave a talk at the ASM annual conference in November 2001 and presented her results at NASA in December 2001.

  12. Fabrication of nickel-foam-supported layered zinc-cobalt hydroxide nanoflakes for high electrochemical performance in supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Peng; Zhang, Ning; Zhang, Dan; Liu, Tao; Chen, Limiao; Liu, Xiaohe; Ma, Renzhi; Qiu, Guanzhou

    2014-10-04

    Nickel foam supported Zn-Co hydroxide nanoflakes were fabricated by a facile solvothermal method. Benefited from the unique structure of Zn-Co hydroxide nanoflakes on a nickel foam substrate, the as prepared materials exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 901 F g(-1) at 5 A g(-1) and remarkable cycling stability as electrode materials in supercapacitors.

  13. A versatile fabrication strategy of three-dimensional foams for soft and hard tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Xu, Changlu; Bai, Yanjie; Yang, Shaofeng; Yang, Huilin; Stout, David A; Tran, Phong; Yang, Lei

    2017-12-15

    The fabrication strategies of three-dimensional porous biomaterials have been extensively studied and well established in the past decades, yet the biocompatibility and versatility in preparing porous architecture still lacks. Herewith, we present a novel and green fabrication technique of 3D porous foams for both soft and hard engineering. By utilizing the gelatinization and retrogradation property of starches, stabilized porous constructs made of various building blocks from living cells to ceramic particles were created for the first time. In soft tissue engineering applications, 3D cultured tissue foam (CTF) with controlled release property of cells was developed and the foams constituted by osteoblasts, fibroblasts and vascular endothelial cells all exhibited high mechanical stability and preservation of cell viability or functions. More importantly, the CTF achieved sustained self-release of cells controlled by serum (containing amylase) concentration and the released cells also maintained high viability and functions. In the context of hard tissue engineering applications, ceramic/bioglass (BG) foam scaffolds were developed by the similar starch-assisted foaming strategy where the resultant bone scaffolds of hydroxyapatite (HA)/BG and Si3N4/BG possessed>70% porosity with interconnected macropores (sizes 200~400μm) and fine pores (sizes1~10 μm) and superior mechanical properties despite the high porosity. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo evaluations on the biological properties revealed that porous HA/BG foam exhibited desired biocompatibility and osteogenesis. The in vivo study indicated new bone ingrowth after 1 week and significant increases in new bone volume after 2 weeks. In conclusion, the presented foaming strategy provides opportunities for biofabricating CTF with different cells for different target soft tissues and preparing porous ceramic/BG foams with different material components and high strengths-showing great versatility in soft and

  14. Self-Supported Ni(P, O)x·MoOx Nanowire Array on Nickel Foam as an Efficient and Durable Electrocatalyst for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution.

    PubMed

    Hua, Wei; Liu, Huanyan; Wang, Jian-Gan; Wei, Bingqing

    2017-12-06

    Earth-abundant and low-cost catalysts with excellent electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in alkaline solution play an important role in the sustainable production of hydrogen energy. In this work, a catalyst of Ni(P, O) x ·MoO x nanowire array on nickel foam has been prepared via a facile route for efficient alkaline HER. Benefiting from the collaborative advantages of Ni(P, O) x and amorphous MoO x , as well as three-dimensional porous conductive nickel scaffold, the hybrid electrocatalyst shows high catalytic activity in 1 M KOH aqueous solution, including a small overpotential of 59 mV at 10 mA cm -2 , a low Tafel slope of 54 mV dec -1 , and excellent cycling stability.

  15. Self-Supported Ni(P, O)x·MoOx Nanowire Array on Nickel Foam as an Efficient and Durable Electrocatalyst for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution

    PubMed Central

    Hua, Wei; Liu, Huanyan

    2017-01-01

    Earth-abundant and low-cost catalysts with excellent electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in alkaline solution play an important role in the sustainable production of hydrogen energy. In this work, a catalyst of Ni(P, O)x·MoOx nanowire array on nickel foam has been prepared via a facile route for efficient alkaline HER. Benefiting from the collaborative advantages of Ni(P, O)x and amorphous MoOx, as well as three-dimensional porous conductive nickel scaffold, the hybrid electrocatalyst shows high catalytic activity in 1 M KOH aqueous solution, including a small overpotential of 59 mV at 10 mA cm−2, a low Tafel slope of 54 mV dec-1, and excellent cycling stability. PMID:29210991

  16. Polyaniline-encapsulated silicon on three-dimensional carbon nanotubes foam with enhanced electrochemical performance for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Xiaoming; Liu, Yang; Du, Chunyu; Ren, Yang; Mu, Tiansheng; Zuo, Pengjian; Yin, Geping; Ma, Yulin; Cheng, Xinqun; Gao, Yunzhi

    2018-03-01

    Seeking free volume around nanostructures for silicon-based anodes has been a crucial strategy to improve cycling and rate performance in the next generation Li-ion batteries. Herein, through a simple pyrolysis and in-situ polymerization approach, the low cost commercially available melamine foam as a soft template converts carbon nanotubes into highly dispersed and three-dimensionally interconnected framework with encapsulated silicon/polyaniline hierarchical nanoarchitecture. This unique core-sheath structure based on carbon nanotubes foam integrates a large number of mesoporous, thus providing well-accessible space for electrolyte wetting, whereas the carbon nanotubes matrix serves as conductive thoroughfares for electron transport. Meanwhile, the outer polyaniline coated on silicon nanoparticles provides effective space for volume expansion of silicon, further inhibiting the active material escape from the current collector. As expected, the PANI-Si@CNTs foam exhibits a high initial specific capacity of 1954 mAh g-1 and retains 727 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g-1, which can be attributed to highly electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes and protective layer of polyaniline sheath, together with three-dimensionally interconnected porous skeleton. This facile structure can pave a way for large scale synthesis of high durable silicon-based anodes or other electrode materials with huge volume expansion.

  17. Effect of the three-dimensional microstructure on the sound absorption of foams: A parametric study.

    PubMed

    Chevillotte, Fabien; Perrot, Camille

    2017-08-01

    The purpose of this work is to systematically study the effect of the throat and the pore sizes on the sound absorbing properties of open-cell foams. The three-dimensional idealized unit cell used in this work enables to mimic the acoustical macro-behavior of a large class of cellular solid foams. This study is carried out for a normal incidence and also for a diffuse field excitation, with a relatively large range of sample thicknesses. The transport and sound absorbing properties are numerically studied as a function of the throat size, the pore size, and the sample thickness. The resulting diagrams show the ranges of the specific throat sizes and pore sizes where the sound absorption grading is maximized due to the pore morphology as a function of the sample thickness, and how it correlates with the corresponding transport parameters. These charts demonstrate, together with typical examples, how the morphological characteristics of foam could be modified in order to increase the visco-thermal dissipation effects.

  18. Direct formation of reduced graphene oxide and 3D lightweight nickel network composite foam by hydrohalic acids and its application for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Huang, Haifu; Tang, Yanmei; Xu, Lianqiang; Tang, Shaolong; Du, Youwei

    2014-07-09

    Here, a novel graphene composite foam with 3D lightweight continuous and interconnected nickel network was successfully synthesized by hydroiodic (HI) acid using nickel foam as substrate template. The graphene had closely coated on the backbone of the 3D nickel conductive network to form nickel network supported composite foam without any polymeric binder during the HI reduction of GO process, and the nickel conductive network can be maintained even in only a small amount of nickel with 1.1 mg/cm(2) and had replaced the traditional current collector nickel foam (35 mg/cm(2)). In the electrochemical measurement, a supercapacitor device based on the 3D nickel network and graphene composite foam exhibited high rate capability of 100 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 86.7 F/g at 62.5 A/g, good cycle stability with capacitance retention of 95% after 2000 cycles, low internal resistance (1.68 Ω), and excellent flexible properties. Furthermore, the gravimetric capacitance (calculated using the total mass of the electrode) was high up to 40.9 F/g. Our work not only demonstrates high-quality graphene/nickel composite foam, but also provides a universal route for the rational design of high performance of supercapacitors.

  19. Sensitive electrochemical nonenzymatic glucose sensing based on anodized CuO nanowires on three-dimensional porous copper foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Zhenzhen; Chen, Yan; Xin, Yanmei; Zhang, Zhonghai

    2015-11-01

    In this work, we proposed to utilize three-dimensional porous copper foam (CF) as conductive substrate and precursor of in-situ growth CuO nanowires (NWs) for fabricating electrochemical nonenzymatic glucose sensors. The CF supplied high surface area due to its unique three-dimensional porous foam structure, and thus resulted in high sensitivity for glucose detection. The CuO NWs/CF based nonenzymatic sensors presented reliable selectivity, good repeatability, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the CuO NWs/CF based nonenzymatic sensors have been employed for practical applications, and the glucose concentration in human serum was measured to be 4.96 ± 0.06 mM, agreed well with the value measured from the commercial available glucose sensor in hospital, and the glucose concentration in saliva was also estimated to be 0.91 ± 0.04 mM, which indicated that the CuO NWs/CF owned the possibility for noninvasive glucose detection. The rational design of CuO NWs/CF provided an efficient strategy for fabricating of electrochemical nonenzymatic biosensors.

  20. Sensitive electrochemical nonenzymatic glucose sensing based on anodized CuO nanowires on three-dimensional porous copper foam

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhenzhen; Chen, Yan; Xin, Yanmei; Zhang, Zhonghai

    2015-01-01

    In this work, we proposed to utilize three-dimensional porous copper foam (CF) as conductive substrate and precursor of in-situ growth CuO nanowires (NWs) for fabricating electrochemical nonenzymatic glucose sensors. The CF supplied high surface area due to its unique three-dimensional porous foam structure, and thus resulted in high sensitivity for glucose detection. The CuO NWs/CF based nonenzymatic sensors presented reliable selectivity, good repeatability, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the CuO NWs/CF based nonenzymatic sensors have been employed for practical applications, and the glucose concentration in human serum was measured to be 4.96 ± 0.06 mM, agreed well with the value measured from the commercial available glucose sensor in hospital, and the glucose concentration in saliva was also estimated to be 0.91 ± 0.04 mM, which indicated that the CuO NWs/CF owned the possibility for noninvasive glucose detection. The rational design of CuO NWs/CF provided an efficient strategy for fabricating of electrochemical nonenzymatic biosensors. PMID:26522446

  1. Three-dimensional N-doped graphene/polyaniline composite foam for high performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Jun; Kong, Lirong; Shen, Xiaoping; Chen, Quanrun; Ji, Zhenyuan; Wang, Jiheng; Xu, Keqiang; Zhu, Guoxing

    2018-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) graphene aerogel and its composite with interconnected pores have aroused continuous interests in energy storage field owning to its large surface area and hierarchical pore structure. Herein, we reported the preparation of 3D nitrogen-doped graphene/polyaniline (N-GE/PANI) composite foam for supercapacitive material with greatly improved electrochemical performance. The 3D porous structure can allow the penetration and diffusion of electrolyte, the incorporation of nitrogen doping can enhance the wettability of the active material and the number of active sites with electrolyte, and both the N-GE and PANI can ensure the high electrical conductivity of total electrode. Moreover, the synergistic effect between N-GE and PANI materials also play an important role on the electrochemical performance of electrode. Therefore, the as-prepared composite foam could deliver a high specific capacitance of 528 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and a high cyclic stability with 95.9% capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. This study provides a new idea on improving the energy storage capacity of supercapacitors by using 3D graphene-based psedocapacitive electrode materials.

  2. Fabrication of High-Temperature Heat Exchangers by Plasma Spraying Exterior Skins on Nickel Foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hafeez, P.; Yugeswaran, S.; Chandra, S.; Mostaghimi, J.; Coyle, T. W.

    2016-06-01

    Thermal-sprayed heat exchangers were tested at high temperatures (750 °C), and their performances were compared to the foam heat exchangers made by brazing Inconel sheets to their surface. Nickel foil was brazed to the exterior surface of 10-mm-thick layers of 10 and 40 PPI nickel foam. A plasma torch was used to spray an Inconel coating on the surface of the foil. A burner test rig was built to produce hot combustion gases that flowed over exposed face of the heat exchanger. Cooling air flowed through the foam heat exchanger at rates of up to 200 SLPM. Surface temperature and air inlet/exit temperature were measured. Heat transfer to air flowing through the foam was significantly higher for the thermally sprayed heat exchangers than for the brazed heat exchangers. On an average, thermally sprayed heat exchangers show 36% higher heat transfer than conventionally brazed foam heat exchangers. At low flow rates, the convective resistance is large (~4 × 10-2 m2 K/W), and the effect of thermal contact resistance is negligible. At higher flow rates, the convective resistance decreases (~2 × 10-3 m2 K/W), and the lower contact resistance of the thermally sprayed heat exchanger provides better performance than the brazed heat exchangers.

  3. Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam Induces Multifunctionality in Epoxy Nanocomposites by Simultaneous Improvement in Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Properties.

    PubMed

    Embrey, Leslie; Nautiyal, Pranjal; Loganathan, Archana; Idowu, Adeyinka; Boesl, Benjamin; Agarwal, Arvind

    2017-11-15

    Three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene foam based multifunctional epoxy composites are developed in this study. Facile dip-coating and mold-casting techniques are employed to engineer microstructures with tailorable thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. These processing techniques allow capillarity-induced equilibrium filling of graphene foam branches, creating epoxy/graphene interfaces with minimal separation. Addition of 2 wt % graphene foam enhances the glass transition temperature of epoxy from 106 to 162 °C, improving the thermal stability of the polymer composite. Graphene foam aids in load-bearing, increasing the ultimate tensile strength by 12% by merely 0.13 wt % graphene foam in an epoxy matrix. Digital image correlation (DIC) analysis revealed that the graphene foam cells restrict and confine the deformation of the polymer matrix, thereby enhancing the load-bearing capability of the composite. Addition of 0.6 wt % graphene foam also enhances the flexural strength of the pure epoxy by 10%. A 3D network of graphene branches is found to suppress and deflect the cracks, arresting mechanical failure. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the composites demonstrated their vibration damping capability, as the loss tangent (tan δ) jumps from 0.1 for the pure epoxy to 0.24 for ∼2 wt % graphene foam-epoxy composite. Graphene foam branches also provide seamless pathways for electron transfer, which induces electrical conductivity exceeding 450 S/m in an otherwise insulator epoxy matrix. The epoxy-graphene foam composite exhibits a gauge factor as high as 4.1, which is twice the typical gauge factor for the most common metals. Simultaneous improvement in thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of epoxy due to 3D graphene foam makes epoxy-graphene foam composite a promising lightweight and multifunctional material for aiding load-bearing, electrical transport, and motion sensing in aerospace, automotive, robotics, and smart device structures.

  4. The fabrication of graphene/polydopamine/nickel foam composite material with excellent electrochemical performance as supercapacitor electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Yu; Lu, Shixiang; Xu, Wenguo; He, Ge; Cheng, Yuanyuan; Yu, Tianlong; Zhang, Yan

    2018-02-01

    A three dimensional composite electrode consisted of reduced graphene oxide (rGO), polydopamine (PDA) and nickel foam (NF) (rGO/PDA/NF) was fabricated by immersing NF into PDA aqueous solution and then graphene oxide (GO) suspension solution respectively, and followed by annealing treatment. During the procedure, GO was coated on NF with assistance of cohesive effect of the PDA middle film, and the reduction of GO and nitrogen doping occurred simultaneously while annealing. Through XRD analyzing, the composites GO/PDA and rGO/PDA treated in experiment are amorphous. The resulted rGO/PDA/NF composite electrode was directly applied as a supercapacitor electrode and showed excellent electrochemical performance, with a high specific capacitance of 566.9 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, the maximum energy density of 172.7 W h kg-1 and a power density of 27.2 kW kg-1 in 1 mol L-1 Na2SO4 electrolyte.

  5. Highly conductive three-dimensional MnO2-carbon nanotube-graphene-Ni hybrid foam as a binder-free supercapacitor electrode.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Guoyin; He, Zhi; Chen, Jun; Zhao, Jin; Feng, Xiaomiao; Ma, Yanwen; Fan, Quli; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei

    2014-01-21

    Carbon nanotube (CNT)-graphene hybrids grown on porous Ni foam are used as substrates to immobilize MnO2 nanoflakes, thus forming three-dimensional (3D) MnO2-CNT-graphene-Ni hybrid foam. The as-prepared hybrid materials could be used as supercapacitor electrodes directly without any binder and conductive additives, and fully maintain the high conductivity and high surface-to-volume ratio of CNTs, large pseudocapacitance of MnO2 nanoflakes and high porosity provided by the framework of Ni foam. The conductivity of the 3D MnO2-CNT-graphene-Ni foam is as high as 117 S cm(-1) due to the seamless integration of MnO2 nanoflakes, CNTs, graphene and Ni foam among the 3D frameworks, which guarantee its low internal resistance (1.25 ohm) when compacted into supercapacitor devices. In aqueous electrolytes, the 3D MnO2-CNT-graphene-Ni based prototype supercapacitors show specific capacitances of ~251 F g(-1) with good cycling stability at a current density of 1.0 A g(-1). In addition, these 3D hybrids also demonstrate their potential in all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors.

  6. Electrical conductivity of quasi-two-dimensional foams.

    PubMed

    Yazhgur, Pavel; Honorez, Clément; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Langevin, Dominique; Salonen, Anniina

    2015-04-01

    Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) foams consist of monolayers of bubbles squeezed between two narrowly spaced plates. These simplified foams have served successfully in the past to shed light on numerous issues in foam physics. Here we consider the electrical conductivity of such model foams. We compare experiments to a model which we propose, and which successfully relates the structural and the conductive properties of the foam over the full range of the investigated liquid content. We show in particular that in the case of quasi-2D foams the liquid in the nodes needs to be taken into account even at low liquid content. We think that these results may provide different approaches for the characterization of foam properties and for the in situ characterization of the liquid content of foams in confining geometries, such as microfluidics.

  7. Microwave-aided synthesis and applications of gold and nickel nanoporous metal foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Zhifeng

    In the field of nanoscience, nanoporous metal foams are a representative type of nanostructured materials, representing the ultimate form factor of a metal. They possess the hybrid properties of metal and nanoarchitectures, including the following properties such as good electrical and thermal conductivity, catalytic activity and high surface area, ultralow density, high strength-to-weight ratio. The outstanding properties bring the nanoporous metal foams to a wide range of applications, especially in the field of sensor system, energy storage and chemical catalyst. A new method of synthesis developed recently is presented for nanoporous metal foams of gold and nickel. The goal of this study is for the synthesis process of NMFs of and some applications in research and realistic life. Gold NMFs were produced by mixing gold chloride with ethylene glycol, ethanol, and reducing agent, and heating at 150 °C for 5 min with a CEM microwave. Both hydrazine and sodium borohydride were applied as the reducing agent for this redox reaction. Nickel NMFs were produced through the similar procedure with a little difference in the heating condition of 50 W, instead of 150 °C, with either hydrazine or sodium borohydride as the reducing agent. Gold NMFs were applied in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a substrate. It is presented that with the presence of gold NMFs, the detection of the rhodamine 6G (R6G), a model analyte, can be enhanced significantly. The limit of detection for rhodamine 6G was found to be 5.2 x 10 -7 M in this research. Nickel NMFs was applied to degrade methyl orange (MO). An aqueous MO solution will turn nearly colorless after only 10 h of mixing with 0.025 g of nickel NMFs at room temperature under dark condition. In order to study the kinetics of the degradation reaction, MO solution with different initial concentration were used. This application of Ni NMFs is applicable as waste treatment of industrial water and to protect the environment.

  8. Highly cytocompatible and flexible three-dimensional graphene/polydimethylsiloxane composite for culture and electrochemical detection of L929 fibroblast cells.

    PubMed

    Waiwijit, Uraiwan; Maturos, Thitima; Pakapongpan, Saithip; Phokharatkul, Ditsayut; Wisitsoraat, Anurat; Tuantranont, Adisorn

    2016-08-01

    Recently, three-dimensional graphene interconnected network has attracted great interest as a scaffold structure for tissue engineering due to its high biocompatibility, high electrical conductivity, high specific surface area and high porosity. However, free-standing three-dimensional graphene exhibits poor flexibility and stability due to ease of disintegration during processing. In this work, three-dimensional graphene is composited with polydimethylsiloxane to improve the structural flexibility and stability by a new simple two-step process comprising dip coating of polydimethylsiloxane on chemical vapor deposited graphene/Ni foam and wet etching of nickel foam. Structural characterizations confirmed an interconnected three-dimensional multi-layer graphene structure with thin polydimethylsiloxane scaffold. The composite was employed as a substrate for culture of L929 fibroblast cells and its cytocompatibility was evaluated by cell viability (Alamar blue assay), reactive oxygen species production and vinculin immunofluorescence imaging. The result revealed that cell viability on three-dimensional graphene/polydimethylsiloxane composite increased with increasing culture time and was slightly different from a polystyrene substrate (control). Moreover, cells cultured on three-dimensional graphene/polydimethylsiloxane composite generated less ROS than the control at culture times of 3-6 h. The results of immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that fibroblast cells expressed adhesion protein (vinculin) and adhered well on three-dimensional graphene/polydimethylsiloxane surface. Good cell adhesion could be attributed to suitable surface properties of three-dimensional graphene/polydimethylsiloxane with moderate contact angle and small negative zeta potential in culture solution. The results of electrochemical study by cyclic voltammetry showed that an oxidation current signal with no apparent peak was induced by fibroblast cells and the oxidation current at an

  9. An innovative three-dimensional gelatin foam culture system for improved study of glioblastoma stem cell behavior.

    PubMed

    Yang, Meng-Yin; Chiao, Ming-Tsang; Lee, Hsu-Tung; Chen, Chien-Min; Yang, Yi-Chin; Shen, Chiung-Chyi; Ma, Hsin-I

    2015-04-01

    Three-dimensional (3-D) tissue engineered constructs provide a platform for examining how the local extracellular matrix contributes to the malignancy of various cancers, including human glioblastoma multiforme. Here, we describe a simple and innovative 3-D culture environment and assess its potential for use with glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) to examine the diversification inside the cell mass in the 3-D culture system. The dissociated human GSCs were cultured using gelatin foam. These cells were subsequently identified by immunohistochemical staining, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot assay. We demonstrate that the gelatin foam provides a suitable microenvironment, as a 3-D culture system, for GSCs to maintain their stemness. The gelatin foam culture system contributes a simplified assessment of cell blocks for immunohistochemistry assay. We show that the significant transcription activity of hypoxia and the protein expression of inflammatory responses are detected at the inside of the cell mass in vitro, while robust expression of PROM1/CD133 and hypoxia-induced factor-1 alpha are detected at the xenografted tumor in vivo. We also examine the common clinical trials under this culture platform and characterized a significant difference of drug resistance. The 3-D gelatin foam culture system can provide a more realistic microenvironment through which to study the in vivo behavior of GSCs to evaluate the role that biophysical factors play in the hypoxia, inflammatory responses and subsequent drug resistance. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Statistical mechanics of two-dimensional shuffled foams: prediction of the correlation between geometry and topology.

    PubMed

    Durand, Marc; Käfer, Jos; Quilliet, Catherine; Cox, Simon; Talebi, Shirin Ataei; Graner, François

    2011-10-14

    We propose an analytical model for the statistical mechanics of shuffled two-dimensional foams with moderate bubble size polydispersity. It predicts without any adjustable parameters the correlations between the number of sides n of the bubbles (topology) and their areas A (geometry) observed in experiments and numerical simulations of shuffled foams. Detailed statistics show that in shuffled cellular patterns n correlates better with √A (as claimed by Desch and Feltham) than with A (as claimed by Lewis and widely assumed in the literature). At the level of the whole foam, standard deviations Δn and ΔA are in proportion. Possible applications include correlations of the detailed distributions of n and A, three-dimensional foams, and biological tissues.

  11. Electrodeposition of palladium and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites on foam-nickel electrode for electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yong; Liu, Lan; Shan, Jun; Zhang, Jingdong

    2015-06-15

    A high-performance palladium (Pd) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite electrode was prepared on foam-nickel (foam-Ni) via two-step electrodeposition processes. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observation showed that the obtained Pd/RGO/foam-Ni composite electrode displayed a uniform and compact morphology. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis confirmed the successful deposition of Pd and RGO on nickel substrate. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) measurements indicated that the presence of RGO greatly enhanced the active surface area of Pd particles deposited on foam-Ni. The as-deposited Pd/RGO/foam-Ni electrode was applied to electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination (ECH) of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Various factors influencing the dechlorination of 4-CP such as dechlorination current, initial concentration of 4-CP, Na2SO4 concentration and initial pH were systematically investigated. The thermodynamic analysis showed that the dechlorination reaction of 4-CP at different temperatures followed the first-order kinetics and the activation energy for 4-CP dechlorination on Pd/RGO/foam-Ni electrode was calculated to be 51.96 kJ mol(-1). Under the optimum conditions, the dechlorination efficiency of 4-CP could reach 100% after 60-min ECH treatment. Moreover, the prepared Pd/RGO/foam-Ni composite electrode showed good stability for recycling utilization in ECH of 4-CP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. The continuum theory of shear localization in two-dimensional foam.

    PubMed

    Weaire, Denis; Barry, Joseph D; Hutzler, Stefan

    2010-05-19

    We review some recent advances in the rheology of two-dimensional liquid foams, which should have implications for three-dimensional foams, as well as other mechanical systems that have a yield stress. We focus primarily on shear localization under steady shear, an effect first highlighted in an experiment by Debrégeas et al. A continuum theory which incorporates wall drag has reproduced the effect. Its further refinements are successful in matching results of more extensive observations and making interesting predictions regarding experiments for low strain rates and non-steady shear. Despite these successes, puzzles remain, particularly in relation to quasistatic simulations. The continuum model is semi-empirical: the meaning of its parameters may be sought in comparison with more detailed simulations and other experiments. The question of the origin of the Herschel-Bulkley relation is particularly interesting.

  13. Construction of Hierarchical CNT/rGO-Supported MnMoO4 Nanosheets on Ni Foam for High-Performance Aqueous Hybrid Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Mu, Xuemei; Du, Jingwei; Zhang, Yaxiong; Liang, Zhilin; Wang, Huan; Huang, Baoyu; Zhou, Jinyuan; Pan, Xiaojun; Zhang, Zhenxing; Xie, Erqing

    2017-10-18

    Rationally designed conductive hierarchical nanostructures are highly desirable for supporting pseudocapacitive materials to achieve high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors. Herein, manganese molybdate nanosheets were hydrothermally grown with graphene oxide (GO) on three-dimensional nickel foam-supported carbon nanotube structures. Under the optimal graphene oxide concentration, the obtained carbon nanotubes/reduced graphene oxide/MnMoO 4 composites (CNT/rGO/MnMoO 4 ) as binder-free supercapacitor cathodes perform with a high specific capacitance of 2374.9 F g -1 at the scan rate of 2 mV s -1 and good long-term stability (97.1% of the initial specific capacitance can be maintained after 3000 charge/discharge cycles). The asymmetric device with CNT/rGO/MnMoO 4 as the cathode electrode and the carbon nanotubes/activated carbon on nickel foam (CNT-AC) as the anode electrode can deliver an energy density of 59.4 Wh kg -1 at the power density of 1367.9 W kg -1 . These superior performances can be attributed to the synergistic effects from each component of the composite electrodes: highly pseudocapacitive MnMoO 4 nanosheets and three-dimensional conductive Ni foam/CNTs/rGO networks. These results suggest that the fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor can be a promising candidate for energy storage devices.

  14. A Novel Role of Three Dimensional Graphene Foam to Prevent Heater Failure during Boiling

    PubMed Central

    Ahn, Ho Seon; Kim, Ji Min; Park, Chibeom; Jang, Ji-Wook; Lee, Jae Sung; Kim, Hyungdae; Kaviany, Massoud; Kim, Moo Hwan

    2013-01-01

    We report a novel boiling heat transfer (NBHT) in reduced graphene oxide (RGO) suspended in water (RGO colloid) near critical heat flux (CHF), which is traditionally the dangerous limitation of nucleate boiling heat transfer because of heater failure. When the heat flux reaches the maximum value (CHF) in RGO colloid pool boiling, the wall temperature increases gradually and slowly with an almost constant heat flux, contrary to the rapid wall temperature increase found during water pool boiling. The gained time by NBHT would provide the safer margin of the heat transfer and the amazing impact on the thermal system as the first report of graphene application. In addition, the CHF and boiling heat transfer performance also increase. This novel boiling phenomenon can effectively prevent heater failure because of the role played by the self-assembled three-dimensional foam-like graphene network (SFG). PMID:23743619

  15. Galvanic displacement assembly of ultrathin Co3O4 nanosheet arrays on nickel foam for a high-performance supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    You, Yuxiu; Zheng, Maojun; Ma, Liguo; Yuan, Xiaoliang; Zhang, Bin; Li, Qiang; Wang, Faze; Song, Jingnan; Jiang, Dongkai; Liu, Pengjie; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

    2017-03-01

    High-performance supercapacitors are very desirable for many portable electronic devices, electric vehicles and high-power electronic devices. Herein, a facile and binder-free synthesis method, galvanic displacement of the precursor followed by heat treatment, is used to fabricate ultrathin Co3O4 nanosheet arrays on nickel foam substrate. When used as a supercapacitor electrode the prepared Co3O4 on nickel foam exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 1095 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and good cycling stability of 71% retention after 2000 cycling tests. This excellent electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the high specific surface area of each Co3O4 nanosheet that comprises numerous nanoparticles.

  16. Facile template-free synthesis of vertically aligned polypyrrole nanosheets on nickel foams for flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Xiangwen; Lin, Zhixing; Zheng, Jingxu; Huang, Yingjuan; Chen, Bin; Mai, Yiyong; Feng, Xinliang

    2016-04-01

    This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window.This paper reports a novel and remarkably facile approach towards vertically aligned nanosheets on three-dimensional (3D) Ni foams. Conducting polypyrrole (PPy) sheets were grown on Ni foam through the volatilization of the environmentally friendly solvent from an ethanol-water solution of pyrrole (Py), followed by the polymerization of the coated Py in ammonium persulfate (APS) solution. The PPy-decorated Ni foams and commercial activated carbon (AC) modified Ni foams were employed as the two electrodes for the assembly of flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors. The sheet-like structure of PPy and the macroporous feature of the Ni foam, which render large electrode-electrolyte interfaces, resulted in good capacitive performance of the supercapacitors. Moreover, a high energy density of ca. 14 Wh kg-1 and a high power density of 6.2 kW kg-1 were achieved for the all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors due to the wide cell voltage window. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: ESI

  17. Layer-dependent supercapacitance of graphene films grown by chemical vapor deposition on nickel foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Wei; Fan, Zhongli; Zeng, Gaofeng; Lai, Zhiping

    2013-03-01

    High-quality, large-area graphene films with few layers are synthesized on commercial nickel foams under optimal chemical vapor deposition conditions. The number of graphene layers is adjusted by varying the rate of the cooling process. It is found that the capacitive properties of graphene films are related to the number of graphene layers. Owing to the close attachment of graphene films on the nickel substrate and the low charge-transfer resistance, the specific capacitance of thinner graphene films is almost twice that of the thicker ones and remains stable up to 1000 cycles. These results illustrate the potential for developing high-performance graphene-based electrical energy storage devices.

  18. High energy density asymmetric supercapacitors with a nickel oxide nanoflake cathode and a 3D reduced graphene oxide anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luan, Feng; Wang, Gongming; Ling, Yichuan; Lu, Xihong; Wang, Hanyu; Tong, Yexiang; Liu, Xiao-Xia; Li, Yat

    2013-08-01

    Here we demonstrate a high energy density asymmetric supercapacitor with nickel oxide nanoflake arrays as the cathode and reduced graphene oxide as the anode. Nickel oxide nanoflake arrays were synthesized on a flexible carbon cloth substrate using a seed-mediated hydrothermal method. The reduced graphene oxide sheets were deposited on three-dimensional (3D) nickel foam by hydrothermal treatment of nickel foam in graphene oxide solution. The nanostructured electrodes provide a large effective surface area. The asymmetric supercapacitor device operates with a voltage of 1.7 V and achieved a remarkable areal capacitance of 248 mF cm-2 (specific capacitance of 50 F g-1) at a charge/discharge current density of 1 mA cm-2 and a maximum energy density of 39.9 W h kg-1 (based on the total mass of active materials of 5.0 mg). Furthermore, the device showed an excellent charge/discharge cycling performance in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte at a current density of 5 mA cm-2, with a capacitance retention of 95% after 3000 cycles.

  19. High energy density asymmetric supercapacitors with a nickel oxide nanoflake cathode and a 3D reduced graphene oxide anode.

    PubMed

    Luan, Feng; Wang, Gongming; Ling, Yichuan; Lu, Xihong; Wang, Hanyu; Tong, Yexiang; Liu, Xiao-Xia; Li, Yat

    2013-09-07

    Here we demonstrate a high energy density asymmetric supercapacitor with nickel oxide nanoflake arrays as the cathode and reduced graphene oxide as the anode. Nickel oxide nanoflake arrays were synthesized on a flexible carbon cloth substrate using a seed-mediated hydrothermal method. The reduced graphene oxide sheets were deposited on three-dimensional (3D) nickel foam by hydrothermal treatment of nickel foam in graphene oxide solution. The nanostructured electrodes provide a large effective surface area. The asymmetric supercapacitor device operates with a voltage of 1.7 V and achieved a remarkable areal capacitance of 248 mF cm(-2) (specific capacitance of 50 F g(-1)) at a charge/discharge current density of 1 mA cm(-2) and a maximum energy density of 39.9 W h kg(-1) (based on the total mass of active materials of 5.0 mg). Furthermore, the device showed an excellent charge/discharge cycling performance in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte at a current density of 5 mA cm(-2), with a capacitance retention of 95% after 3000 cycles.

  20. Three-Dimensional Rebar Graphene.

    PubMed

    Sha, Junwei; Salvatierra, Rodrigo V; Dong, Pei; Li, Yilun; Lee, Seoung-Ki; Wang, Tuo; Zhang, Chenhao; Zhang, Jibo; Ji, Yongsung; Ajayan, Pulickel M; Lou, Jun; Zhao, Naiqin; Tour, James M

    2017-03-01

    Free-standing robust three-dimensional (3D) rebar graphene foams (GFs) were developed by a powder metallurgy template method with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a reinforcing bar, sintered Ni skeletons as a template and catalyst, and sucrose as a solid carbon source. As a reinforcement and bridge between different graphene sheets and carbon shells, MWCNTs improved the thermostability, storage modulus (290.1 kPa) and conductivity (21.82 S cm -1 ) of 3D GF resulting in a high porosity and structurally stable 3D rebar GF. The 3D rebar GF can support >3150× the foam's weight with no irreversible height change, and shows only a ∼25% irreversible height change after loading >8500× the foam's weight. The 3D rebar GF also shows stable performance as a highly porous electrode in lithium ion capacitors (LICs) with an energy density of 32 Wh kg -1 . After 500 cycles of testing at a high current density of 6.50 mA cm -2 , the LIC shows 78% energy density retention. These properties indicate promising applications with 3D rebar GFs in devices requiring stable mechanical and electrochemical properties.

  1. High-performance Cu nanoparticles/three-dimensional graphene/Ni foam hybrid for catalytic and sensing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Long; Guo, Xinli; Liu, Yuanyuan; Chen, Zhongtao; Zhang, Weijie; Yin, Kuibo; Li, Long; Zhang, Yao; Wang, Zengmei; Sun, Litao; Zhao, Yuhong

    2018-04-01

    A novel hybrid of Cu nanoparticles/three-dimensional graphene/Ni foam (Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF) was prepared by chemical vapor deposition, followed by a galvanic displacement reaction in Ni- and Cu-ion-containing salt solution through a one-step reaction. The as-prepared Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF hybrid is uniform, stable, recyclable and exhibits an extraordinarily high catalytic efficiency for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) with a reduction rate constant K = 0.056 15 s-1, required time ˜30 s and excellent sensing properties for the non-enzymatic amperometric hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with a linear range ˜50 μM-9.65 mM, response time ˜3 s, detection limit ˜1 μM. The results indicate that the as-prepared Cu NPs/3DGr/NiF hybrid can be used to replace expensive noble metals in catalysis and sensing applications.

  2. Layered manganese oxides-decorated and nickel foam-supported carbon nanotubes as advanced binder-free supercapacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Ming; Mi, Rui; Liu, Hao; Li, Fei; Zhao, Xiao Li; Zhang, Wei; He, Shi Xuan; Zhang, Yu Xin

    2014-12-01

    Three-dimensional carbon nanotubes@MnO2 core-shell nanostructures grown on Ni foam for binder-free capacitor electrodes have been fabricated by a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition process and a facile hydrothermal approach. Ultrathin layered MnO2 nanosheets are uniformly coated on the surface of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs), directly grown on Ni foam. This unique well-designed binder-free electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance (325.5 F g-1 at a current density of 0.3 A g-1), good rate capability (70.7% retention), and excellent cycling stability (90.5% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles), due to the high conductivity of the close contact between CNTs and Ni foam, as well as the moderate specific surface area of the CNTs@MnO2 core-shell nanostructures. The developed synthetic strategy may provide design guidelines for constructing advanced binder-free supercapacitors electrode.

  3. Facile preparation of three-dimensional Co1-xS/sulfur and nitrogen-codoped graphene/carbon foam for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Hui; Li, Chenwei; Chen, Tao; Cui, Liang; Han, Jingrui; Peng, Zhi; Liu, Jingquan

    2018-02-01

    Because of the urgent need for renewable resources, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been widely studied. Finding efficient and low cost non-precious metal catalyst is increasingly critical. In this study, melamine foam is used as template to obtain porous sulfur and nitrogen-codoped graphene/carbon foam with uniformly distributed cobalt sulfide nanoparticles (Co1-xS/SNG/CF) which is prepared by a simple infiltration-drying-sulfuration method. It is noteworthy that melamine foam not only works as a three-dimensional support skeleton, but also provides a nitrogen source without any environmental pollution. Such Co1-xS/SNG/CF catalyst shows excellent oxygen reduction catalytic performance with an onset potential of only 0.99 V, which is the same as that of Pt/C catalyst (Eonset = 0.99 V). Furthermore, the stability and methanol tolerance of Co1-xS/SNG/CF are more outstanding than those of Pt/C catalyst. Our work manifests a facile method to prepare S and N-codoped 3D graphene network decorated with Co1-xS nanoparticles, which may be utilized as potential alternative to the expensive Pt/C catalysts toward ORR.

  4. Metallized polymeric foam material

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Birnbaum, B. A.; Bilow, N.

    1974-01-01

    Open-celled polyurethane foams can be coated uniformly with thin film of metal by vapor deposition of aluminum or by sensitization of foam followed by electroless deposition of nickel or copper. Foam can be further processed to increase thickness of metal overcoat to impart rigidity or to provide inert surface with only modest increase in weight.

  5. The effect of urea on microstructures of Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} on nickel foam and its hydrogen evolution reaction

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

    Jinlong, Lv, E-mail: ljltsinghua@126.com; State Key Lab of New Ceramic and Fine Processing, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084; Tongxiang, Liang, E-mail: txliang@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn

    The effects of urea concentration on microstructures of Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2}formed on nickel foam and its hydrogen evolution reaction were investigated. The Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanosheets with porous structure were formed on nickel foam during hydrothermal process due to low urea concentration. While high urea concentration facilitated the forming of Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays. The resulting Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays exhibited higher catalytic activity than Ni3S2nanosheets for hydrogen evolution reaction. This was mainly attributed to a fact that Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays facilitated diffusion of electrolyte for hydrogen evolution reaction. - Graphical abstract: The resulting Ni{sub 3}S{submore » 2} nanotube arrays exhibited higher catalytic activity than Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanosheets for hydrogen evolution reaction. This was mainly attributed to a fact that Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays facilitated diffusion of electrolyte for hydrogen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution. - Highlights: • Urea promoted to forming more Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays on nickel foam. • Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays showed higher catalytic activity in alkaline solution. • Ni{sub 3}S{sub 2} nanotube arrays promoted electron transport and reaction during the HER.« less

  6. Nucleation and Growth of Porous MnO₂ Coatings Prepared on Nickel Foam and Evaluation of Their Electrochemical Performance.

    PubMed

    Huang, Wenxin; Li, Jun; Xu, Yunhe

    2018-05-02

    Porous MnO₂ was uniformly electrodeposited on nickel foam in MnSO₄ solution, which was applied as the electrode of supercapacitors. The nucleation/growth mechanisms of porous MnO₂ were investigated firstly. Then two kinds of electrochemical measuring technologies, corresponding to the cycle voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge, were adopted to assess the electrochemical performance of MnO₂ electrodes. The results demonstrated that the deposition of MnO₂ on nickel foam included four stages. Prior to the deposition, an extremely short incubation period of about 2 s was observed (the first stage). Then the exposed nickel foam was instantly covered by a large number of MnO₂ crystal nuclei and crystal nuclei connected with each other in a very short time of about 3 s (the second stage). Nucleation predominated in the second stage. The sharply rise of current was caused by the increase in substrate surface area which due to nucleation of MnO₂. Grain boundaries grew preferentially due to their high energy, accompanied with a honeycomb-like structure with the higher surface area was formed. However, accompanied with the electrochemical reactions gradually diffusion-controlled, the current presented the decline trend with increasing the time (the third stage). When the electrochemical reactions were completely diffusion-controlled, the porous MnO₂ coating with an approximately constant surface area was formed (the fourth stage). MnO₂ coatings deposited for different time (30, 60, 120, 300 s) exhibited a similar specific capacitance (CV: about 224 F/g; galvanostatic charge-discharge: about 264 F/g). Comparatively speaking, the value of MnO₂ deposited for 600 s was highest (CV: 270 F/g; galvanostatic charge-discharge: 400 F/g).

  7. Reduced graphene oxide hydrogels deposited in nickel foam for supercapacitor applications: Toward high volumetric capacitance

    DOE PAGES

    Pham, Viet Hung; Dickerson, James H.

    2016-02-21

    Graphene hydrogels have been considered as ideal materials for high-performance supercapacitors. However, their low volumetric capacitance significantly limits its real application. In this study, we report an environment-friendly and scalable method to prepare high packing density, electrochemically reduced graphene oxide hydrogels (ERGO) for supercapacitor application by the electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide onto nickel foam, followed by the electrochemical reduction and hydraulic compression of the deposited materials. The as-prepared ERGO on nickel foam was hydraulic compressed up to 20 tons, resulting in an increase of the packing density of ERGO from 0.0098 to 1.32 g cm –3. Consequently, the volumetricmore » capacitance and volumetric energy density of ERGOs greatly increased from 1.58 F cm –3 and 0.053 Wh cm –3 (as-prepared ERGO) to 176.5 F cm –3 and 6.02 Wh cm –3 (ERGO compressed at 20 tons), respectively. The ERGOs also exhibited long-term electrochemical stability with a capacitance retention in the range of approximately 79–90% after 10 000 cycles. Lastly, we believe that these high packing density ERGOs are promising for real-world energy storage devices for which scalable, cost-effective manufacturing is of significance and for which space constraints are paramount.« less

  8. Reduced graphene oxide hydrogels deposited in nickel foam for supercapacitor applications: Toward high volumetric capacitance

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

    Pham, Viet Hung; Dickerson, James H.

    Graphene hydrogels have been considered as ideal materials for high-performance supercapacitors. However, their low volumetric capacitance significantly limits its real application. In this study, we report an environment-friendly and scalable method to prepare high packing density, electrochemically reduced graphene oxide hydrogels (ERGO) for supercapacitor application by the electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide onto nickel foam, followed by the electrochemical reduction and hydraulic compression of the deposited materials. The as-prepared ERGO on nickel foam was hydraulic compressed up to 20 tons, resulting in an increase of the packing density of ERGO from 0.0098 to 1.32 g cm –3. Consequently, the volumetricmore » capacitance and volumetric energy density of ERGOs greatly increased from 1.58 F cm –3 and 0.053 Wh cm –3 (as-prepared ERGO) to 176.5 F cm –3 and 6.02 Wh cm –3 (ERGO compressed at 20 tons), respectively. The ERGOs also exhibited long-term electrochemical stability with a capacitance retention in the range of approximately 79–90% after 10 000 cycles. Lastly, we believe that these high packing density ERGOs are promising for real-world energy storage devices for which scalable, cost-effective manufacturing is of significance and for which space constraints are paramount.« less

  9. Three-dimensional quantification of pretorqued nickel-titanium wires in edgewise and prescription brackets.

    PubMed

    Mittal, Nitika; Xia, Zeyang; Chen, Jie; Stewart, Kelton T; Liu, Sean Shih-Yao

    2013-05-01

    To quantify the three-dimensional moments and forces produced by pretorqued nickel-titanium (NiTi) rectangular archwires fully engaged in 0.018- and 0.022-inch slots of central incisor and molar edgewise and prescription brackets. Ten identical acrylic dental models with retroclined maxillary incisors were fabricated for bonding with various bracket-wire combinations. Edgewise, Roth, and MBT brackets with 0.018- and 0.022-inch slots were bonded in a simulated 2 × 4 clinical scenario. The left central incisor and molar were sectioned and attached to load cells. Correspondingly sized straight and pretorqued NiTi archwires were ligated to the brackets using 0.010-inch ligatures. Each load cell simultaneously measured three force (Fx, Fy, Fz) and three moment (Mx, My, Mz) components. The faciolingual, mesiodistal, and inciso-occluso/apical axes of the teeth corresponded to the x, y, and z axes of the load cells, respectively. Each wire was removed and retested seven times. Three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) examined the effects of wire type, wire size, and bracket type on the measured orthodontic load systems. Interactions among the three effects were examined and pair-wise comparisons between significant combinations were performed. The force and moment components on each tooth were quantified according to their local coordinate axes. The three-way ANOVA interaction terms were significant for all force and moment measurements (P < .05), except for Fy (P > .05). The pretorqued wire generates a significantly larger incisor facial crown torquing moment in the MBT prescription compared to Roth, edgewise, and the straight NiTi wire.

  10. Nickel-Cobalt Oxide Decorated Three-Dimensional Graphene as an Enzyme Mimic for Glucose and Calcium Detection.

    PubMed

    Wu, Meiyan; Meng, Shangjun; Wang, Qian; Si, Weili; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

    2015-09-30

    Glucose and calcium ion play key roles in human bodies. The needlelike NiCo2O4 nanostructures are in situ deposited on three-dimensional graphene foam (3DGF) by a facile hydrothermal procedure. The structure and morphology of the hierarchical NiCo2O4/3DGF are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. With the self-standing NiCo2O4/3DGF as electrochemical electrode, it can realize the high-sensitivity detections for glucose and calcium ion. The limit of detection can reach 0.38 and 4.45 μM, respectively. In addition, the electrochemical electrode presents excellent selectivity for glucose and calcium ion. This study demonstrates that NiCo2O4/3DGF is a unique and promising material for practical application in both glucose and calcium ion sensing.

  11. Three-dimensional cotton-like nickel nanowire@Ni-Co hydroxide nanosheet arrays as binder-free electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Xu, Yang; Tan, Qiuyang; Liu, Xiang; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao

    2018-05-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) cotton-like Ni-Co layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays/nickel nanowires (3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw) were successfully fabricated through a facile chemical bath deposition method. The 3D nickel nanowires are used as a conductive substrate with robust adhesion for high-pseudocapacitance Ni-Co LDH. The 3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance of 14 F cm-2 at 5 mA cm-2 and quality specific capacitance of 466.6 F g-1 at 0.125 A g-1 with respect to the whole quality of the electrode. The fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a remarkable energy density of 0.387 mWh cm-2 using Ni-Co LDH/NiNw as the negative electrode. This high-performance composite electrode presents a new and affordable general approach for supercapacitors.

  12. Three-dimensional cotton-like nickel nanowire@Ni-Co hydroxide nanosheet arrays as binder-free electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor.

    PubMed

    Wan, Houzhao; Li, Lang; Xu, Yang; Tan, Qiuyang; Liu, Xiang; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Hanbin; Wang, Hao

    2018-05-11

    Three-dimensional (3D) cotton-like Ni-Co layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays/nickel nanowires (3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw) were successfully fabricated through a facile chemical bath deposition method. The 3D nickel nanowires are used as a conductive substrate with robust adhesion for high-pseudocapacitance Ni-Co LDH. The 3D Ni-Co LDH/NiNw electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance of 14 F cm -2 at 5 mA cm -2 and quality specific capacitance of 466.6 F g -1 at 0.125 A g -1 with respect to the whole quality of the electrode. The fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a remarkable energy density of 0.387 mWh cm -2 using Ni-Co LDH/NiNw as the negative electrode. This high-performance composite electrode presents a new and affordable general approach for supercapacitors.

  13. Flow of foams in two-dimensional disordered porous media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dollet, Benjamin; Geraud, Baudouin; Jones, Sian A.; Meheust, Yves; Cantat, Isabelle; Institut de Physique de Rennes Team; Geosciences Rennes Team

    2015-11-01

    Liquid foams are a yield stress fluid with elastic properties. When a foam flow is confined by solid walls, viscous dissipation arises from the contact zones between soap films and walls, giving very peculiar friction laws. In particular, foams potentially invade narrow pores much more efficiently than Newtonian fluids, which is of great importance for enhanced oil recovery. To quantify this effect, we study experimentally flows of foam in a model two-dimensional porous medium, consisting of an assembly of circular obstacles placed randomly in a Hele-Shaw cell, and use image analysis to quantify foam flow at the local scale. We show that bubbles split as they flow through the porous medium, by a mechanism of film pinching during contact with an obstacle, yielding two daughter bubbles per split bubble. We quantify the evolution of the bubble size distribution as a function of the distance along the porous medium, the splitting probability as a function of bubble size, and the probability distribution function of the daughter bubbles. We propose an evolution equation to model this splitting phenomenon and compare it successfully to the experiments, showing how at long distance, the porous medium itself dictates the size distribution of the foam.

  14. Casting of 3-dimensional footwear prints in snow with foam blocks.

    PubMed

    Petraco, Nicholas; Sherman, Hal; Dumitra, Aurora; Roberts, Marcel

    2016-06-01

    Commercially available foam blocks are presented as an alternative material for the casting and preservation of 3-dimensional footwear impressions located in snow. The method generates highly detailed foam casts of questioned footwear impressions. These casts can be compared to the known outsole standards made from the suspects' footwear. Modification of the commercially available foam casting blocks is simple and fast. The foam block is removed and a piece of cardboard is secured to one side of the block with painter's masking tape. The prepared foam block is then placed back into its original box, marked appropriately, closed and stored until needed. When required the foam block is carefully removed from its storage box and gently placed, foam side down, over the questioned footwear impression. Next, the crime scene technician's hands are placed on top of the cardboard and pressure is gently applied by firmly pressing down onto the impression. The foam cast is removed, dried and placed back into its original container and sealed. The resulting 3D impressions can be directly compared to the outsole of known suspected item(s) of footwear. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. A nickel-foam@carbon-shell with a pie-like architecture as an efficient polysulfide trap for high-energy Li–S batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; ...

    2017-07-06

    A high-loading sulfur cathode is critical for establishing rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries with the anticipated high energy density. However, its fabrication as well as realizing high electrochemical utilization and stability with high-loading sulfur cathodes is a daunting challenge. Here, we present a new pie-like electrode that consists of an electrocatalytic nickel-foam as a “filling” to adsorb and store polysulfide catholytes and an outer carbon shell as a “crust” for facilitating high-loading sulfur cathodes with superior electrochemical and structural stabilities. The inner electrocatalytic nickel-foam is configured to adsorb polysulfides and facilitate their redox reactions. The intertwined carbon shell assists to shieldmore » the polysulfides within the cathode region of the cell. Both the nickel-foam and the carbon shell have high conductivity and porous space, which serve simultaneously as interconnected current collectors to enhance the redox kinetics and as polysulfide reservoirs to confine the active material. The effectiveness of such a pie-like structure in improving the electrochemical efficiency enables the cathode to host an ultrahigh sulfur loading of 40 mg cm -2 and attain a high areal capacity of over 40 mA h cm -2 at a low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio of 7. The enhanced cyclability is reflected in a high reversible areal capacity approaching 30 mA h cm -2 at C/5 rate after 100 cycles and excellent rate capability up to 2C rate.« less

  16. A nickel-foam@carbon-shell with a pie-like architecture as an efficient polysulfide trap for high-energy Li–S batteries

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

    Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao

    A high-loading sulfur cathode is critical for establishing rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries with the anticipated high energy density. However, its fabrication as well as realizing high electrochemical utilization and stability with high-loading sulfur cathodes is a daunting challenge. Here, we present a new pie-like electrode that consists of an electrocatalytic nickel-foam as a “filling” to adsorb and store polysulfide catholytes and an outer carbon shell as a “crust” for facilitating high-loading sulfur cathodes with superior electrochemical and structural stabilities. The inner electrocatalytic nickel-foam is configured to adsorb polysulfides and facilitate their redox reactions. The intertwined carbon shell assists to shieldmore » the polysulfides within the cathode region of the cell. Both the nickel-foam and the carbon shell have high conductivity and porous space, which serve simultaneously as interconnected current collectors to enhance the redox kinetics and as polysulfide reservoirs to confine the active material. The effectiveness of such a pie-like structure in improving the electrochemical efficiency enables the cathode to host an ultrahigh sulfur loading of 40 mg cm -2 and attain a high areal capacity of over 40 mA h cm -2 at a low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio of 7. The enhanced cyclability is reflected in a high reversible areal capacity approaching 30 mA h cm -2 at C/5 rate after 100 cycles and excellent rate capability up to 2C rate.« less

  17. Preparation of Three-Dimensional Graphene Foams Using Powder Metallurgy Templates.

    PubMed

    Sha, Junwei; Gao, Caitian; Lee, Seoung-Ki; Li, Yilun; Zhao, Naiqin; Tour, James M

    2016-01-26

    A simple and scalable method which combines traditional powder metallurgy and chemical vapor deposition is developed for the synthesis of mesoporous free-standing 3D graphene foams. The powder metallurgy templates for 3D graphene foams (PMT-GFs) consist of particle-like carbon shells which are connected by multilayered graphene that shows high specific surface area (1080 m(2) g(-1)), good crystallization, good electrical conductivity (13.8 S cm(-1)), and a mechanically robust structure. The PMT-GFs did not break under direct flushing with DI water, and they were able to recover after being compressed. These properties indicate promising applications of PMT-GFs for fields requiring 3D carbon frameworks such as in energy-based electrodes and mechanical dampening.

  18. Cyclic deformation of bidisperse two-dimensional foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fátima Vaz, M.; Cox, S. J.; Teixeira, P. I. C.

    2011-12-01

    In-plane deformation of foams was studied experimentally by subjecting bidisperse foams to cycles of traction and compression at a prescribed rate. Each foam contained bubbles of two sizes with given area ratio and one of three initial arrangements: sorted perpendicular to the axis of deformation (iso-strain), sorted parallel to the axis of deformation (iso-stress), or randomly mixed. Image analysis was used to measure the characteristics of the foams, including the number of edges separating small from large bubbles N sl , the perimeter (surface energy), the distribution of the number of sides of the bubbles, and the topological disorder μ2(N). Foams that were initially mixed were found to remain mixed after the deformation. The response of sorted foams, however, depended on the initial geometry, including the area fraction of small bubbles and the total number of bubbles. For a given experiment we found that (i) the perimeter of a sorted foam varied little; (ii) each foam tended towards a mixed state, measured through the saturation of N sl ; and (iii) the topological disorder μ2(N) increased up to an "equilibrium" value. The results of different experiments showed that (i) the change in disorder, ? decreased with the area fraction of small bubbles under iso-strain, but was independent of it under iso-stress; and (ii) ? increased with ? under iso-strain, but was again independent of it under iso-stress. We offer explanations for these effects in terms of elementary topological processes induced by the deformations that occur at the bubble scale.

  19. Modeling of abnormal mechanical properties of nickel-based single crystal superalloy by three-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Hui; Li, Zhenhuan; Huang, Minsheng

    2014-12-01

    Unlike common single crystals, the nickel-based single crystal superalloy shows surprisingly anomalous flow strength (i.e. with the increase of temperature, the yield strength first increases to a peak value and then decreases) and tension-compression (TC) asymmetry. A comprehensive three-dimensional discrete dislocation dynamics (3D-DDD) procedure was developed to model these abnormal mechanical properties. For this purpose, a series of complicated dynamic evolution details of Kear-Wilsdorf (KW) locks, which are closely related to the flow strength anomaly and TC asymmetry, were incorporated into this 3D-DDD framework. Moreover, the activation of the cubic slip system, which is the origin of the decrease in yield strength with increasing temperature at relatively high temperatures, was especially taken into account by introducing a competition criterion between the unlocking of the KW locks and the activation of the cubic slip system. To test our framework, a series of 3D-DDD simulations were performed on a representative volume cell model with a cuboidal Ni3Al precipitate phase embedded in a nickel matrix. Results show that the present 3D-DDD procedure can successfully capture the dynamic evolution of KW locks, the flow strength anomaly and TC asymmetry. Then, the underlying dislocation mechanisms leading to these abnormal mechanical responses were investigated and discussed in detail. Finally, a cyclic deformation of the nickel-based single crystal superalloy was modeled by using the present DDD model, with a special focus on the influence of KW locks on the Bauschinger effect and cyclic softening.

  20. Nucleation and Growth of Porous MnO2 Coatings Prepared on Nickel Foam and Evaluation of Their Electrochemical Performance

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Wenxin; Li, Jun; Xu, Yunhe

    2018-01-01

    Porous MnO2 was uniformly electrodeposited on nickel foam in MnSO4 solution, which was applied as the electrode of supercapacitors. The nucleation/growth mechanisms of porous MnO2 were investigated firstly. Then two kinds of electrochemical measuring technologies, corresponding to the cycle voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge, were adopted to assess the electrochemical performance of MnO2 electrodes. The results demonstrated that the deposition of MnO2 on nickel foam included four stages. Prior to the deposition, an extremely short incubation period of about 2 s was observed (the first stage). Then the exposed nickel foam was instantly covered by a large number of MnO2 crystal nuclei and crystal nuclei connected with each other in a very short time of about 3 s (the second stage). Nucleation predominated in the second stage. The sharply rise of current was caused by the increase in substrate surface area which due to nucleation of MnO2. Grain boundaries grew preferentially due to their high energy, accompanied with a honeycomb-like structure with the higher surface area was formed. However, accompanied with the electrochemical reactions gradually diffusion-controlled, the current presented the decline trend with increasing the time (the third stage). When the electrochemical reactions were completely diffusion-controlled, the porous MnO2 coating with an approximately constant surface area was formed (the fourth stage). MnO2 coatings deposited for different time (30, 60, 120, 300 s) exhibited a similar specific capacitance (CV: about 224 F/g; galvanostatic charge-discharge: about 264 F/g). Comparatively speaking, the value of MnO2 deposited for 600 s was highest (CV: 270 F/g; galvanostatic charge-discharge: 400 F/g). PMID:29724063

  1. Co-production of hydrogen and carbon nanotubes on nickel foam via methane catalytic decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ping, Dan; Wang, Chaoxian; Dong, Xinfa; Dong, Yingchao

    2016-04-01

    The co-production of COx-free hydrogen and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was achieved on 3-dimensional (3D) macroporous nickel foam (NF) via methane catalytic decomposition (MCD) over nano-Ni catalysts using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. By a simple coating of a NiO-Al2O3 binary mixture sol followed by a drying-calcination-reduction treatment, NF supported composite catalysts (denoted as NiyAlOx/NF) with Al2O3 transition-layer incorporated with well-dispersed nano-Ni catalysts were successfully prepared. The effects of Ni loading, calcination temperature and reaction temperature on the performance for simultaneous production of COx-free hydrogen and CNTs were investigated in detail. Catalysts before and after MCD were characterized by XRD, TPR, SEM, TEM, TG and Raman spectroscopy technology. Results show that increasing Ni loading, lowering calcination temperature and optimizing MCD reaction temperature resulted in high production efficiency of COx-free H2 and carbon, but broader diameter distribution of CNTs. Through detailed parameter optimization, the catalyst with a Ni/Al molar ratio of 0.1, calcination temperature of 550 °C and MCD temperature of 650 °C was favorable to simultaneously produce COx-free hydrogen with a growth rate as high as 10.3% and CNTs with uniform size on NF.

  2. Synergetic Effect of Ultrasound, the Heterogeneous Fenton Reaction and Photocatalysis by TiO2 Loaded on Nickel Foam on the Degradation of Pollutants

    PubMed Central

    Qiu, Shan; Xu, Shanwen; Li, Guangming; Yang, Jixian

    2016-01-01

    The synergistic effect of ultrasound, the heterogeneous Fenton reaction and photocatalysis was studied using a nickel foam (NF)-supporting TiO2 system and rhodamine B (RhB) as a target. The NF-supporting TiO2 system was prepared by depositing TiO2 on the skeleton of NF repeatedly and then calcining it. To optimize the conditions and parameters, the catalytic activity was tested in four systems (ultrasound alone (US), nickel foam (NF), US/NF and NF/US/H2O2). The optimal conditions were fixed at 0.1 g/mL NF, initial 5.00 mg/L RhB, 300 W ultrasonic power, pH = 3 and 5.00 mg/L H2O2. The effects of the dissolution of nickel from NF and quenching of the Fenton reaction were studied on degradation efficiency. When the heterogeneous Fenton reaction is combined with TiO2-photocatalysis, the pollutant removal efficiency is enhanced significantly. Through this synergistic effect, 22% and 80% acetochlor was degraded within 10 min and 80 min, respectively. PMID:28773580

  3. Porous CoO nanostructures grown on three-dimension graphene foams for supercapacitors electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deng, Wei; Lan, Wei; Sun, Yaru; Su, Qing; Xie, Erqing

    2014-06-01

    Three-dimensional graphene foams with good conductivity, light weight and chemical stability were produced by chemical vapor deposition. Then porous CoO nanowalls were deposited on graphene foam by a simple hydrothermal process and subsequent thermal treatment. This hybrid structures possessing large surface area in which the CoO nanowalls are separated by graphene foam with robust adhesion can directly serve as supercapacitor electrode including current collector without the need of any other binder materials and conductive agents. Electrochemical tests manifest a high specific capacitance of 231.87 F/g scaled to the mass of CoO (139.47 F/g for total mass of electrodes) at 1 A/g current, good rate capability and excellent cycling performance of >98% capacitance retention over 1000 cycles at 7 A/g current. The high conductivity, light weight and rational architectures, which provide fast electron pathway and the low diffusion resistance of ions, are responsible for the high performance of the electrodes.

  4. Materials for foam type insulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hill, W. E.

    1971-01-01

    An internal foam fabrication is one of the concepts being considered for cryogenic insulation on the hydrogen tanks of the shuttle vehicle. The three-dimensional polyurethane used on the S-4 B tanks failed to meet the higher temperature requirements of the shuttle vehicle, however, and other foams under consideration include polyisocyanurates, polyphenylene oxides, polyimides, and polybenzimidazoles. Improved adhesive systems for attaching the foams to the interior tank wall are under study.

  5. Foam structure :from soap froth to solid foams.

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

    Kraynik, Andrew Michael

    2003-01-01

    The properties of solid foams depend on their structure, which usually evolves in the fluid state as gas bubbles expand to form polyhedral cells. The characteristic feature of foam structure-randomly packed cells of different sizes and shapes-is examined in this article by considering soap froth. This material can be modeled as a network of minimal surfaces that divide space into polyhedral cells. The cell-level geometry of random soap froth is calculated with Brakke's Surface Evolver software. The distribution of cell volumes ranges from monodisperse to highly polydisperse. Topological and geometric properties, such as surface area and edge length, of themore » entire foam and individual cells, are discussed. The shape of struts in solid foams is related to Plateau borders in liquid foams and calculated for different volume fractions of material. The models of soap froth are used as templates to produce finite element models of open-cell foams. Three-dimensional images of open-cell foams obtained with x-ray microtomography allow virtual reconstruction of skeletal structures that compare well with the Surface Evolver simulations of soap-froth geometry.« less

  6. Porous Ni-Mn oxide nanosheets in situ formed on nickel foam as 3D hierarchical monolith de-NOx catalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Sixiang; Zhang, Dengsong; Shi, Liyi; Xu, Jing; Zhang, Lei; Huang, Lei; Li, Hongrui; Zhang, Jianping

    2014-06-01

    In this work, we successfully in situ decorated nickel foam with porous Ni-Mn oxide nanosheets (3DH-NM/NF) as 3D hierarchical monolith de-NOx catalysts via a simple hydrothermal reaction and calcination process. The catalysts were carefully examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H2 temperature-programmed reduction and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption measurements. The results indicated that the nanosheets are composed of a Ni6Mn1O8 spinel and the metal species are uniformly dispersed in bi-metal oxides. As a result, the strong synergistic effects between the Mn and Ni species have been observed. The active oxygen species, reducible species and acidity are enhanced by the in situ formation of the nanosheets on the surface of nickel foam. These desirable features of 3DH-NM/NF catalysts bring about the excellent de-NOx performance. Moreover, the 3DH-NM/NF catalysts also present good stability and H2O resistance. Based on these favorable properties, 3DH-NM/NF could be considered as a promising candidate for the monolith de-NOx catalysts.In this work, we successfully in situ decorated nickel foam with porous Ni-Mn oxide nanosheets (3DH-NM/NF) as 3D hierarchical monolith de-NOx catalysts via a simple hydrothermal reaction and calcination process. The catalysts were carefully examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H2 temperature-programmed reduction and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption measurements. The results indicated that the nanosheets are composed of a Ni6Mn1O8 spinel and the metal species are uniformly dispersed in bi-metal oxides. As a result, the strong synergistic effects between the Mn and Ni species have been observed. The active oxygen species, reducible species and acidity are enhanced by the in situ formation of the nanosheets on the

  7. Three-dimensional graphene foam supported Fe₃O₄ lithium battery anodes with long cycle life and high rate capability.

    PubMed

    Luo, Jingshan; Liu, Jilei; Zeng, Zhiyuan; Ng, Chi Fan; Ma, Lingjie; Zhang, Hua; Lin, Jianyi; Shen, Zexiang; Fan, Hong Jin

    2013-01-01

    Fe3O4 has long been regarded as a promising anode material for lithium ion battery due to its high theoretical capacity, earth abundance, low cost, and nontoxic properties. However, up to now no effective and scalable method has been realized to overcome the bottleneck of poor cyclability and low rate capability. In this article, we report a bottom-up strategy assisted by atomic layer deposition to graft bicontinuous mesoporous nanostructure Fe3O4 onto three-dimensional graphene foams and directly use the composite as the lithium ion battery anode. This electrode exhibits high reversible capacity and fast charging and discharging capability. A high capacity of 785 mAh/g is achieved at 1C rate and is maintained without decay up to 500 cycles. Moreover, the rate of up to 60C is also demonstrated, rendering a fast discharge potential. To our knowledge, this is the best reported rate performance for Fe3O4 in lithium ion battery to date.

  8. Fluid Physics of Foam Evolution and Flow

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aref, H.; Thoroddsen, S. T.; Sullivan, J. M.

    2003-01-01

    The grant supported theoretical, numerical and experimental work focused on the elucidation of the fluid physics of foam structure, evolution and flow. The experimental work concentrated on these subject areas: (a) Measurements of the speed of reconnections within a foam; (b) statistics of bubble rearrangements; and (c) three-dimensional reconstruction of the foam structure. On the numerical simulation and theory side our efforts concentrated on the subjects: (a) simulation techniques for 2D and 3D foams; (b) phase transition in a compressible foam; and (c) TCP structures.

  9. An experimental study of a quasi-two dimensional rising foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennani, Nora; Fujiwara, Akiko; Takagi, Shu; Matsumoto, Yoichiro

    2006-11-01

    Motivated by the use of the flotation process to clean a non-homogeneous liquid, we here report on an experimental study of quasi-two dimensional flowing foam. Conditions are free-drainage which is driven by gravity and capillarity. The coarsening process, which is due to the aging of the foam, is also occurring, changing the general shape of this polydispersed foam cells. Tea seed saponin was used as surfactant, and Rhodamine-B fluorescent particles were tracked using the Particle Tracking Velocimetry technique. Experiments were performed in an acrylic tank filled with tap water (height H= 1m, width W= 0.15 m and Depth D= 8mm). The air was injected from its bottom part with a fixed flow rate, and went through a porous plate (size of the pores was 10μm), and created 3mm diameter non-spherical bubbles. The void fraction, in the liquid phase, was estimated to be around 1%. Fluorescent particles were beforehand added in the liquid phase in order to trace wastewater particle motion. The generated foam gas cells sizes were in the range of 0.5 to 5 cm, depending on the surfactant concentration and the coarsening process. The behaviours of these particle tracers and of the liquid, with these herein foaming conditions, are here presented and are compared to available data and theories.

  10. Close relationship between a dry-wet transition and a bubble rearrangement in two-dimensional foam

    PubMed Central

    Furuta, Yujiro; Oikawa, Noriko; Kurita, Rei

    2016-01-01

    Liquid foams are classified into a dry foam and a wet foam, empirically judging from the liquid fraction or the shape of the gas bubbles. It is known that physical properties such as elasticity and diffusion are different between the dry foam and the wet foam. Nevertheless, definitions of those states have been vague and the dry-wet transition of foams has not been clarified yet. Here we show that the dry-wet transition is closely related to rearrangement of the gas bubbles, by simultaneously analysing the shape change of the bubbles and that of the entire foam in two dimensional foam. In addition, we also find a new state in quite low liquid fraction, which is named “superdry foam”. Whereas the shape change of the bubbles strongly depends on the change of the liquid fraction in the superdry foam, the shape of the bubbles does not change with changing the liquid fraction in the dry foam. Our results elucidate the relationship between the transitions and the macroscopic mechanical properties. PMID:27874060

  11. A general patterning approach by manipulating the evolution of two-dimensional liquid foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Zhandong; Su, Meng; Yang, Qiang; Li, Zheng; Chen, Shuoran; Li, Yifan; Zhou, Xue; Li, Fengyu; Song, Yanlin

    2017-01-01

    The evolution of gas-liquid foams has been an attractive topic for more than half a century. However, it remains a challenge to manipulate the evolution of foams, which restricts the development of porous materials with excellent mechanical, thermal, catalytic, electrical or acoustic properties. Here we report a strategy to manipulate the evolution of two-dimensional (2D) liquid foams with a micropatterned surface. We demonstrate that 2D liquid foams can evolve beyond Ostwald ripening (large bubbles always consuming smaller ones). By varying the arrangement of pillars on the surface, we have prepared various patterns of foams in which the size, shape and position of the bubbles can be precisely controlled. Furthermore, these patterned bubbles can serve as a template for the assembly of functional materials, such as nanoparticles and conductive polymers, into desired 2D networks with nanoscale resolution. This methodology provides new insights in controlling curvature-driven evolution and opens a general route for the assembly of functional materials.

  12. A finite area scheme for shallow granular flows on three-dimensional surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rauter, Matthias

    2017-04-01

    Shallow granular flow models have become a popular tool for the estimation of natural hazards, such as landslides, debris flows and avalanches. The shallowness of the flow allows to reduce the three-dimensional governing equations to a quasi two-dimensional system. Three-dimensional flow fields are replaced by their depth-integrated two-dimensional counterparts, which yields a robust and fast method [1]. A solution for a simple shallow granular flow model, based on the so-called finite area method [3] is presented. The finite area method is an adaption of the finite volume method [4] to two-dimensional curved surfaces in three-dimensional space. This method handles the three dimensional basal topography in a simple way, making the model suitable for arbitrary (but mildly curved) topography, such as natural terrain. Furthermore, the implementation into the open source software OpenFOAM [4] is shown. OpenFOAM is a popular computational fluid dynamics application, designed so that the top-level code mimics the mathematical governing equations. This makes the code easy to read and extendable to more sophisticated models. Finally, some hints on how to get started with the code and how to extend the basic model will be given. I gratefully acknowledge the financial support by the OEAW project "beyond dense flow avalanches". Savage, S. B. & Hutter, K. 1989 The motion of a finite mass of granular material down a rough incline. Journal of Fluid Mechanics 199, 177-215. Ferziger, J. & Peric, M. 2002 Computational methods for fluid dynamics, 3rd edn. Springer. Tukovic, Z. & Jasak, H. 2012 A moving mesh finite volume interface tracking method for surface tension dominated interfacial fluid flow. Computers & fluids 55, 70-84. Weller, H. G., Tabor, G., Jasak, H. & Fureby, C. 1998 A tensorial approach to computational continuum mechanics using object-oriented techniques. Computers in physics 12(6), 620-631.

  13. Geometry and Topology of Two-Dimensional Dry Foams: Computer Simulation and Experimental Characterization.

    PubMed

    Tong, Mingming; Cole, Katie; Brito-Parada, Pablo R; Neethling, Stephen; Cilliers, Jan J

    2017-04-18

    Pseudo-two-dimensional (2D) foams are commonly used in foam studies as it is experimentally easier to measure the bubble size distribution and other geometric and topological properties of these foams than it is for a 3D foam. Despite the widespread use of 2D foams in both simulation and experimental studies, many important geometric and topological relationships are still not well understood. Film size, for example, is a key parameter in the stability of bubbles and the overall structure of foams. The relationship between the size distribution of the films in a foam and that of the bubbles themselves is thus a key relationship in the modeling and simulation of unstable foams. This work uses structural simulation from Surface Evolver to statistically analyze this relationship and to ultimately formulate a relationship for the film size in 2D foams that is shown to be valid across a wide range of different bubble polydispersities. These results and other topological features are then validated using digital image analysis of experimental pseudo-2D foams produced in a vertical Hele-Shaw cell, which contains a monolayer of bubbles between two plates. From both the experimental and computational results, it is shown that there is a distribution of sizes that a film can adopt and that this distribution is very strongly dependent on the sizes of the two bubbles to which the film is attached, especially the smaller one, but that it is virtually independent of the underlying polydispersity of the foam.

  14. Use of Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam in direct ethanol fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsang, Chi Him A.; Leung, D. Y. C.

    2018-01-01

    A size customized binder-free bimetallic Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel deposited on nickel foam plate (Pd-Pt/GA/NFP) was prepared and used as an electrode for an alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) under room temperature. The effect of fuel concentration and metal composition on the output power density of the DEFC was systematically investigated. Under the optimum fuel concentration, the cell could achieve a value of 3.6 mW cm-2 at room temperature for the graphene electrode with Pd/Pt ratio approaching 1:1. Such results demonstrated the possibility of producing a size customized metal loaded GA/NFP electrode for fuel cell with high performance.

  15. Damping of liquid sloshing by foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sauret, A.; Boulogne, F.; Cappello, J.; Dressaire, E.; Stone, H. A.

    2015-02-01

    When a container is set in motion, the free surface of the liquid starts to oscillate or slosh. Such effects can be observed when a glass of water is handled carelessly and the fluid sloshes or even spills over the rims of the container. However, beer does not slosh as readily as water, which suggests that foam could be used to damp sloshing. In this work, we study experimentally the effect on sloshing of a liquid foam placed on top of a liquid bath. We generate a monodisperse two-dimensional liquid foam in a rectangular container and track the motion of the foam. The influence of the foam on the sloshing dynamics is experimentally characterized: only a few layers of bubbles are sufficient to significantly damp the oscillations. We rationalize our experimental findings with a model that describes the foam contribution to the damping coefficient through viscous dissipation on the walls of the container. Then we extend our study to confined three-dimensional liquid foam and observe that the behavior of 2D and confined 3D systems are very similar. Thus, we conclude that only the bubbles close to the walls have a significant impact on the dissipation of energy. The possibility to damp liquid sloshing using foam is promising in numerous industrial applications such as the transport of liquefied gas in tankers or for propellants in rocket engines.

  16. Monopropellant engine investigation for space shuttle reaction control system. Volume 3: Improvement of metal foam for catalyst retention

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    The retention of granular catalyst in a metal foam matrix was demonstrated to greatly increase the life capability of hydrazine monopropellant reactors. Since nickel foam used in previous tests was found to become degraded after long-term exposure the cause of degradation was examined and metal foams of improved durability were developed. The most durable foam developed was a rhodium-coated nickel foam. An all-platinum foam was found to be incompatible in a hot ammonia (hydrazine) environment. It is recommended to scale up the manufacturing process for the improved foam to produce samples sufficiently large for space shuttle APU gas generator testing.

  17. One-step hydrothermal synthesis of 3D petal-like Co9S8/RGO/Ni3S2 composite on nickel foam for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhuomin; Wang, Qian; Zhao, Chongjun; Min, Shudi; Qian, Xiuzhen

    2015-03-04

    Co9S8, Ni3S2, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were combined to construct a graphene composite with two mixed metal sulfide components. Co9S8/RGO/Ni3S2 composite films were hydrothermal-assisted synthesized on nickel foam (NF) by using a modified "active metal substrate" route in which nickel foam acted as both a substrate and Ni source for composite films. It is found that the Co9S8/RGO/Ni3S2/NF electrode exhibits superior capacitive performance with high capability (13.53 F cm(-2) at 20 mA cm(-2), i.e., 2611.9 F g(-1) at 3.9 A g(-1)), excellent rate capability, and enhanced electrochemical stability, with 91.7% retention after 1000 continuous charge-discharge cycles even at a high current density of 80 mA cm(-2).

  18. Nonlinear geometric scaling of coercivity in a three-dimensional nanoscale analog of spin ice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shishkin, I. S.; Mistonov, A. A.; Dubitskiy, I. S.; Grigoryeva, N. A.; Menzel, D.; Grigoriev, S. V.

    2016-08-01

    Magnetization hysteresis loops of a three-dimensional nanoscale analog of spin ice based on the nickel inverse opal-like structure (IOLS) have been studied at room temperature. The samples are produced by filling nickel into the voids of artificial opal-like films. The spin ice behavior is induced by tetrahedral elements within the IOLS, which have the same arrangement of magnetic moments as a spin ice. The thickness of the films vary from a two-dimensional, i.e., single-layered, antidot array to a three-dimensional, i.e., multilayered, structure. The coercive force, the saturation, and the irreversibility field have been measured in dependence of the thickness of the IOLS for in-plane and out-of-plane applied fields. The irreversibility and saturation fields change abruptly from the antidot array to the three-dimensional IOLS and remain constant upon further increase of the number of layers n . The coercive force Hc seems to increase logarithmically with increasing n as Hc=Hc 0+α ln(n +1 ) . The logarithmic law implies the avalanchelike remagnetization of anisotropic structural elements connecting tetrahedral and cubic nodes in the IOLS. We conclude that the "ice rule" is the base of mechanism regulating this process.

  19. Bone formation by three-dimensional stromal osteoblast culture in biodegradable polymer scaffolds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ishaug, S. L.; Crane, G. M.; Miller, M. J.; Yasko, A. W.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Mikos, A. G.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)

    1997-01-01

    Bone formation was investigated in vitro by culturing stromal osteoblasts in three-dimensional (3-D), biodegradable poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) foams. Three polymer foam pore sizes, ranging from 150-300, 300-500, and 500-710 microns, and two different cell seeding densities, 6.83 x 10(5) cells/cm2 and 22.1 x 10(5) cells/cm2, were examined over a 56-day culture period. The polymer foams supported the proliferation of seeded osteoblasts as well as their differentiated function, as demonstrated by high alkaline phosphatase activity and deposition of a mineralized matrix by the cells. Cell number, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineral deposition increased significantly over time for all the polymer foams. Osteoblast foam constructs created by seeding 6.83 x 10(5) cells/cm2 on foams with 300-500 microns pores resulted in a cell density of 4.63 x 10(5) cells/cm2 after 1 day in culture; they had alkaline phosphatase activities of 4.28 x 10(-7) and 2.91 x 10(-6) mumol/cell/min on Days 7 and 28, respectively; and they had a cell density that increased to 18.7 x 10(5) cells/cm2 by Day 56. For the same constructs, the mineralized matrix reached a maximum penetration depth of 240 microns from the top surface of the foam and a value of 0.083 mm for mineralized tissue volume per unit of cross sectional area. Seeding density was an important parameter for the constructs, but pore size over the range tested did not affect cell proliferation or function. This study suggests the feasibility of using poly(alpha-hydroxy ester) foams as scaffolding materials for the transplantation of autogenous osteoblasts to regenerate bone tissue.

  20. Electrodeposition of hierarchically structured three-dimensional nickel–iron electrodes for efficient oxygen evolution at high current densities

    PubMed Central

    Lu, Xunyu; Zhao, Chuan

    2015-01-01

    Large-scale industrial application of electrolytic splitting of water has called for the development of oxygen evolution electrodes that are inexpensive, robust and can deliver large current density (>500 mA cm−2) at low applied potentials. Here we show that an efficient oxygen electrode can be developed by electrodepositing amorphous mesoporous nickel–iron composite nanosheets directly onto macroporous nickel foam substrates. The as-prepared oxygen electrode exhibits high catalytic activity towards water oxidation in alkaline solutions, which only requires an overpotential of 200 mV to initiate the reaction, and is capable of delivering current densities of 500 and 1,000 mA cm−2 at overpotentials of 240 and 270 mV, respectively. The electrode also shows prolonged stability against bulk water electrolysis at large current. Collectively, the as-prepared three-dimensional structured electrode is the most efficient oxygen evolution electrode in alkaline electrolytes reported to the best of our knowledge, and can potentially be applied for industrial scale water electrolysis. PMID:25776015

  1. Lightweight nickel electrode for nickel hydrogen cells and batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, D. L.

    1986-01-01

    The nickel electrode was identified as the heaviest component of the nickel hydrogen (NiH2) battery. The NASA Lewis Research Center is developing nickel electrodes for NiH2 battery devices which will be lighter in weight and have higher energy densities when cycled under a low Earth orbit regime at deep depths of discharge. Lightweight plaques are first exposed to 31 percent potassium hydroxide for 3 months to determine their suitability for use as electrode substrates from a chemical corrosion standpoint. Pore size distribution and porosity of the plaques are then measured. The lightweight plaques examined are nickel foam, nickel felt, nickel plastic and nickel plated graphite. Plaques are then electrochemically impregnated in an aqueous solution. Initial characterization tests of the impregnated plaques are performed at five discharge levels, C/2, 1.0 C, 1.37 C, 2.0C, and 2.74 C rates. Electrodes that passed the initial characterization screening test will be life cycle tested. Lightweight electrodes are approximately 30 to 50 percent lighter in weight than the sintered nickel electrode.

  2. Ultralight metal foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Bin; He, Chunnian; Zhao, Naiqin; Nash, Philip; Shi, Chunsheng; Wang, Zejun

    2015-09-01

    Ultralight (<10 mg/cm3) cellular materials are desirable for thermal insulation; battery electrodes; catalyst supports; and acoustic, vibration, or shock energy damping. However, most of these ultralight materials, especially ultralight metal foams, are fabricated using either expensive materials or complicated procedures, which greatly limit their large-scale production and practical applications. Here we report a simple and versatile method to obtain ultralight monolithic metal foams. These materials are fabricated with a low-cost polymeric template and the method is based on the traditional silver mirror reaction and electroless plating. We have produced ultralight monolithic metal foams, such as silver, nickel, cobalt, and copper via this method. The resultant ultralight monolithic metal foams have remarkably low densities down to 7.4 mg/cm3 or 99.9% porosity. The metal foams have a long flat stress-train curve in compression tests and the densification strain ɛD of the Ni/Ag foam with a porosity of 99.8% can reach 82%. The plateau stress σpl was measured and found to be in agreement with the value predicted by the cellular solids theory.

  3. Ultralight metal foams.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Bin; He, Chunnian; Zhao, Naiqin; Nash, Philip; Shi, Chunsheng; Wang, Zejun

    2015-09-08

    Ultralight (<10 mg/cm3) cellular materials are desirable for thermal insulation; battery electrodes; catalyst supports; and acoustic, vibration, or shock energy damping. However, most of these ultralight materials, especially ultralight metal foams, are fabricated using either expensive materials or complicated procedures, which greatly limit their large-scale production and practical applications. Here we report a simple and versatile method to obtain ultralight monolithic metal foams. These materials are fabricated with a low-cost polymeric template and the method is based on the traditional silver mirror reaction and electroless plating. We have produced ultralight monolithic metal foams, such as silver, nickel, cobalt, and copper via this method. The resultant ultralight monolithic metal foams have remarkably low densities down to 7.4 mg/cm3 or 99.9% porosity. The metal foams have a long flat stress-train curve in compression tests and the densification strain εD of the Ni/Ag foam with a porosity of 99.8% can reach 82%. The plateau stress σpl was measured and found to be in agreement with the value predicted by the cellular solids theory.

  4. Three dimensional graphene foam supported platinum-ruthenium bimetallic nanocatalysts for direct methanol and direct ethanol fuel cell applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kung, Chih-Chien; Lin, Po-Yuan; Xue, Yuhua; Akolkar, Rohan; Dai, Liming; Yu, Xiong; Liu, Chung-Chiun

    2014-06-01

    A novel composite material of hierarchically structured platinum-ruthenium (PtRu) nanoparticles grown on large surface area three dimensional graphene foam (3D GF) is reported. 3D GF was incorporated with PtRu bimetallic nanoparticles as an electrochemical nanocatalyst for methanol and ethanol oxidation. PtRu/3D GF nanocatalyst showed a higher tolerance to poisoning by CO and exhibited improved catalytic activity for both methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) results and long-term cycling stability tests demonstrated that GF provided a promising platform for the development of electrochemical nanocatalysts. Specifically, PtRu/3D GF nanocatalyst showed excellent catalytic activity toward MOR and EOR compared with PtRu/Graphene (Commercial graphene), PtRu/C (Vulcan XC-72R carbon), and PtRu alone. The crystal size of PtRu on 3D GF was reduced to 3.5 nm and its active surface area was enhanced to 186.2 m2 g-1. Consequently, the MOR and EOR rates were nearly doubled on PtRu/3D GF compared to those on PtRu/Graphene.

  5. Compressive Properties and Anti-Erosion Characteristics of Foam Concrete in Road Engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jinzhu; Huang, Hongxiang; Wang, Wenjun; Ding, Yifan

    2018-01-01

    To analyse the compression properties and anti-erosion characteristics of foam concrete, one dimensional compression tests were carried out using ring specimens of foam concrete, and unconfined compression tests were carried out using foam concrete specimens cured in different conditions. The results of one dimensional compression tests show that the compression curve of foam concrete has two critical points and three stages, which has significant difference with ordinary geotechnical materials such as soil. Based on the compression curve the compression modulus of each stage were determined. The results of erosion tests show that sea water has a slight influence on the long-term strength of foam concrete, while the sulphate solution has a significant influence on the long-term strength of foam concrete, which needs to pay more attention.

  6. Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure Analysis, a Non-Conventional Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howard, Philip M.

    2015-01-01

    The Space Shuttle Program made use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications de-bond, classical methods of failure analysis did not provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

  7. Border-crossing model for the diffusive coarsening of two-dimensional and quasi-two-dimensional wet foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schimming, C. D.; Durian, D. J.

    2017-09-01

    For dry foams, the transport of gas from small high-pressure bubbles to large low-pressure bubbles is dominated by diffusion across the thin soap films separating neighboring bubbles. For wetter foams, the film areas become smaller as the Plateau borders and vertices inflate with liquid. So-called "border-blocking" models can explain some features of wet-foam coarsening based on the presumption that the inflated borders totally block the gas flux; however, this approximation dramatically fails in the wet or unjamming limit where the bubbles become close-packed spheres and coarsening proceeds even though there are no films. Here, we account for the ever-present border-crossing flux by a new length scale defined by the average gradient of gas concentration inside the borders. We compute that it is proportional to the geometric average of film and border thicknesses, and we verify this scaling by numerical solution of the diffusion equation. We similarly consider transport across inflated vertices and surface Plateau borders in quasi-two-dimensional foams. And we show how the d A /d t =K0(n -6 ) von Neumann law is modified by the appearance of terms that depend on bubble size and shape as well as the concentration gradient length scales. Finally, we use the modified von Neumann law to compute the growth rate of the average bubble area, which is not constant.

  8. A one-dimensional nickel(II) coordination polymer containing 2,6-dipicolinate and dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yi; Zhang, Li-Tian; Wang, Xiao-Fang; He, Yong-Ke; Han, Zheng-Bo

    2007-12-01

    A new coordination polymer, catena-poly[[(dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine-kappa(2)N,N')nickel(II)]-mu-2,6-dipicolinato-kappa(4)O(2),N,O(6):O(2')], [Ni(C7H3NO4)(C18H10N4)]n, exhibits a one-dimensional structure in which 2,6-dipicolinate acts as a bridging ligand interconnecting adjacent nickel(II) centers to form a chain structure. The asymmetric unit contains one Ni(II) center, one dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine ligand and one 2,6-dipicolinate ligand. Each Ni(II) center is six-coordinated and surrounded by three N atoms and three O atoms from one dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine ligand and two different 2,6-dipicolinate ligands, leading to a distorted octahedral geometry. Adjacent chains are linked by pi-pi stacking interactions and weak interactions to form a three-dimensional supramolecular network.

  9. Preparation of Sandwich-like NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO Heterostructure on Nickel Foam for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Delong; Gong, Youning; Wang, Miaosheng; Pan, Chunxu

    2017-04-01

    A kind of sandwich-like NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO heterostructure composite has been successfully anchored on nickel foam substrate via a three-step hydrothermal method with successive annealing treatment. The smart combination of NiCo2O4, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and NiO nanostructure in the sandwich-like nano architecture shows a promising synergistic effect for supercapacitors with greatly enhanced electrochemical performance. For serving as supercapacitor electrode, the NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO heterostructure materials exhibit remarkable specific capacitance of 2644 mF cm-2 at current density of 1 mA cm-2, and excellent capacitance retentions of 97.5% after 3000 cycles. It is expected that the present heterostructure will be a promising electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

  10. Space Shuttle Stiffener Ring Foam Failure, a Non-Conventional Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Howard, Philip M.

    2007-01-01

    The Space Shuttle makes use of the excellent properties of rigid polyurethane foam for cryogenic tank insulation and as structural protection on the solid rocket boosters. When foam applications debond, classical methods of analysis do not always provide root cause of the failure of the foam. Realizing that foam is the ideal media to document and preserve its own mode of failure, thin sectioning was seen as a logical approach for foam failure analysis. Thin sectioning in two directions, both horizontal and vertical to the application, was chosen to observe the three dimensional morphology of the foam cells. The cell foam morphology provided a much greater understanding of the failure modes than previously achieved.

  11. Electro-oxidation and characterization of nickel foam electrode for removing boron.

    PubMed

    Kartikaningsih, Danis; Huang, Yao-Hui; Shih, Yu-Jen

    2017-01-01

    The electrocoagulation (EC) using metallic Ni foam as electrodes was studied for the removal of boron from solution. The electrolytic parameters were pH (4-12), current density (0.6-2.5 mA cm -2 ), and initial concentration of boron (10-100 mg L -1 ). Experimental results revealed that removal efficiency was maximized at pH 8-9, and decreased as the pH increased beyond that range. At particular onset potentials (0.5-0.8 V vs. Hg/HgO), the micro-granular nickel oxide that was created on the surface of the nickel metal substrate depended on pH, as determined by cyclic voltammetry. Most of the crystallites of the precipitates comprised a mixed phase of β-Ni(OH) 2 , a theophrastite phase, and NiOOH, as revealed by XRD and SEM analyses. A current density of 1.25 mA cm -2 was effective in the EC of boron, and increasing the concentration of boric acid from 10 to 100 mg L -1 did not greatly impair removal efficiency. A kinetic investigation revealed that the reaction followed a pseudo-second order rate model. The optimal conditions under which 99.2% of boron was removed from treated wastewater with 10 mg L -1 -B, leaving less than 0.1 mg L -1 -B in the electrolyte, were pH 8 and 1.25 mA cm -2 for 120 min. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of the bimetal ratio on the growth of nickel cobalt sulfide on the Ni foam for the battery-like electrode.

    PubMed

    Yu, Cheng-Fong; Lin, Lu-Yin

    2016-11-15

    The nickel cobalt sulfide is one of the most attractive electroactive materials for battery-like electrodes with multiple oxidation states for Faradaic reactions. Novel structures of the nickel cobalt sulfide with large surface areas and high conductivities have been proposed to improve the performance of the battery-like electrodes. The hydrothermal reaction is the most common used method for synthesizing nickel cobalt sulfide nanostructures due to the simple and cost-effective features, but the precursor concentration on the morphology and the resulting electrochemical performance is barely discussed. In this study, various Ni to Co ratios are used in the hydrothermal reaction to make nickel cobalt sulfides on the nickel foam, and the Ni to Co ratio is found to play great roles on the morphology and the electrocapacitive performance for the pertinent battery-like electrodes. The sheet-like structures are successfully obtained with large surface area for charge accumulation, and the optimized sample presents the largest nanosheets among all with several wrinkles on the surface. A high specific capacity of 258.2mAh/g measured at the current density of 5A/g and a high-rate charge/discharge capacity are also attended for the optimized battery-like electrodes. The excellent cycling stability of 94.5% retention after 2000 cycles repeated charge/discharge process is also obtained for this system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Influence of the rate of filtration of a complexly alloyed nickel melt through a foam-ceramic filter on the sulfur impurity content in the metal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sidorov, V. V.; Min, P. G.; Folomeikin, Yu. I.; Vadeev, V. E.

    2015-06-01

    The article discusses the possibility of additional refining of a complexly alloyed nickel melt from a sulfur impurity by decreasing the filtration rate during the passage of the melt through a foam-ceramic filter. The degree of sulfur removal from the melt is shown to depend on its content in the alloy and the melt filtration rate.

  14. On the coarsening of two-dimensional foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bossa, Benjamin; Duplat, Jérôme; Villermaux, Emmanuel

    2006-11-01

    Besides its common and esthetic character, foam coarsening is a paradigm for aging in a broad class of complex systems. Among the natural questions to characterize the process are that of the shape of the cell size distribution, its rate of deformation, the effect of initial conditions, the possible existence of an attractive self-similar regime, and the link with the microscopic rate of change of a cell area prescribed by von Neuman's law. We address these questions using a foam ``wind tunnel'' consisting in a long Hele-Shaw cell where we inject continuously CO2 bubbles at one extremity and follow the resulting 2D foam as it progresses towards the other end of the cell. Averaging on time at fixed locations along the cell, we thereby have access to several aspects of the foam structure at different successive instants of its life. We will focus on the cell size distribution and number of neighbors conditioned to cell size and will show in particular that these quantities are progressively insensitive to the way the foam has been initially prepared. These observations legitimate a mean-field representation of the aging process which successfully represents the overall foam evolution.

  15. Fracture Mechanical Analysis of Open Cell Ceramic Foams Under Thermal Shock Loading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Settgast, C.; Abendroth, M.; Kuna, M.

    2016-11-01

    Ceramic foams made by replica techniques containing sharp-edged cavities, which are potential crack initiators and therefore have to be analyzed using fracture mechanical methods. The ceramic foams made of novel carbon bonded alumina are used as filters in metal melt filtration applications, where the filters are exposed to a thermal shock. During the casting process the filters experience a complex thermo-mechanical loading, which is difficult to measure. Modern numerical methods allow the simulation of such complex processes. As a simplified foam structure an open Kelvin cell is used as a representative volume element. A three-dimensional finite element model containing realistic sharp-edged cavities and three-dimensional sub-models along these sharp edges are used to compute the transient temperature, stress and strain fields at the Kelvin foam. The sharp edges are evaluated using fracture mechanical methods like the J-integral technique. The results of this study describe the influence of the pore size, relative density of the ceramic foam, the heat transfer and selected material parameters on the fracture mechanical behaviour.

  16. Microstructure based model for sound absorption predictions of perforated closed-cell metallic foams.

    PubMed

    Chevillotte, Fabien; Perrot, Camille; Panneton, Raymond

    2010-10-01

    Closed-cell metallic foams are known for their rigidity, lightness, thermal conductivity as well as their low production cost compared to open-cell metallic foams. However, they are also poor sound absorbers. Similarly to a rigid solid, a method to enhance their sound absorption is to perforate them. This method has shown good preliminary results but has not yet been analyzed from a microstructure point of view. The objective of this work is to better understand how perforations interact with closed-cell foam microstructure and how it modifies the sound absorption of the foam. A simple two-dimensional microstructural model of the perforated closed-cell metallic foam is presented and numerically solved. A rough three-dimensional conversion of the two-dimensional results is proposed. The results obtained with the calculation method show that the perforated closed-cell foam behaves similarly to a perforated solid; however, its sound absorption is modulated by the foam microstructure, and most particularly by the diameters of both perforation and pore. A comparison with measurements demonstrates that the proposed calculation method yields realistic trends. Some design guides are also proposed.

  17. Ultrasonic measurements of the bulk flow field in foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nauber, Richard; Büttner, Lars; Eckert, Kerstin; Fröhlich, Jochen; Czarske, Jürgen; Heitkam, Sascha

    2018-01-01

    The flow field of moving foams is relevant for basic research and for the optimization of industrial processes such as froth flotation. However, no adequate measurement technique exists for the local velocity distribution inside the foam bulk. We have investigated the ultrasound Doppler velocimetry (UDV), providing the first two-dimensional, non-invasive velocity measurement technique with an adequate spatial (10 mm ) and temporal resolution (2.5 Hz ) that is applicable to medium scale foam flows. The measurement object is dry aqueous foam flowing upward in a rectangular channel. An array of ultrasound transducers is mounted within the channel, sending pulses along the main flow axis, and receiving echoes from the foam bulk. This results in a temporally and spatially resolved, planar velocity field up to a measurement depth of 200 mm , which is approximately one order of magnitude larger than those of optical techniques. A comparison with optical reference measurements of the surface velocity of the foam allows to validate the UDV results. At 2.5 Hz frame rate an uncertainty below 15 percent and an axial spatial resolution better than 10 mm is found. Therefore, UDV is a suitable tool for monitoring of industrial processes as well as the scientific investigation of three-dimensional foam flows on medium scales.

  18. Three dimensional characterization of nickel coarsening in solid oxide cells via ex-situ ptychographic nano-tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Angelis, Salvatore; Jørgensen, Peter Stanley; Tsai, Esther Hsiao Rho; Holler, Mirko; Kreka, Kosova; Bowen, Jacob R.

    2018-04-01

    Nickel coarsening is considered a significant cause of solid oxide cell (SOC) performance degradation. Therefore, understanding the morphological changes in the nickel-yttria stabilized zirconia (Ni-YSZ) fuel electrode is crucial for the wide spread usage of SOC technology. This paper reports a study of the initial 3D microstructure evolution of a SOC analyzed in the pristine state and after 3 and 8 h of annealing at 850 °C, in dry hydrogen. The analysis of the evolution of the same location of the electrode shows a substantial change of the nickel and pore network during the first 3 h of treatment, while only negligible changes are observed after 8 h. The nickel coarsening results in loss of connectivity in the nickel network, reduced nickel specific surface area and decreased total triple phase boundary density. For the condition of this experiment, nickel coarsening is shown to be predominantly curvature driven, and changes in the electrode microstructure parameters are discussed in terms of local microstructural evolution.

  19. Construction of three-dimensional graphene interfaces into carbon fiber textiles for increasing deposition of nickel nanoparticles: flexible hierarchical magnetic textile composites for strong electromagnetic shielding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bian, Xing-Ming; Liu, Lin; Li, Hai-Bing; Wang, Chan-Yuan; Xie, Qing; Zhao, Quan-Liang; Bi, Song; Hou, Zhi-Ling

    2017-01-01

    Since manipulating electromagnetic waves with electromagnetic active materials for environmental and electric engineering is a significant task, here a novel prototype is reported by introducing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) interfaces in carbon fiber (CF) networks for a hierarchical carbon fiber/reduced graphene oxide/nickel (CF-RGO-Ni) composite textile. Upon charaterizations of the microscopic morphologies, electrical and magnetic properties, the presence of three-dimensional RGO interfaces and bifunctional nickel nanoparticles substantially influences the related physical properties in the resulting hierarchical composite textiles. Eletromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance suggests that the hierarchical composite textiles hold a strong shielding effectiveness greater than 61 dB, showing greater advantages than conventional polymeric and foamy shielding composites. As a polymer-free lightweight structure, flexible CF-RGO-Ni composites of all electromagnetic active components offer unique understanding of the multi-scale and multiple mechanisms in electromagnetic energy consumption. Such a novel prototype of shielding structures along with convenient technology highlight a strategy to achieve high-performance EMI shielding, coupled with a universal approach for preparing advanced lightweight composites with graphene interfaces.

  20. Construction of three-dimensional graphene interfaces into carbon fiber textiles for increasing deposition of nickel nanoparticles: flexible hierarchical magnetic textile composites for strong electromagnetic shielding.

    PubMed

    Bian, Xing-Ming; Liu, Lin; Li, Hai-Bing; Wang, Chan-Yuan; Xie, Qing; Zhao, Quan-Liang; Bi, Song; Hou, Zhi-Ling

    2017-01-27

    Since manipulating electromagnetic waves with electromagnetic active materials for environmental and electric engineering is a significant task, here a novel prototype is reported by introducing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) interfaces in carbon fiber (CF) networks for a hierarchical carbon fiber/reduced graphene oxide/nickel (CF-RGO-Ni) composite textile. Upon charaterizations of the microscopic morphologies, electrical and magnetic properties, the presence of three-dimensional RGO interfaces and bifunctional nickel nanoparticles substantially influences the related physical properties in the resulting hierarchical composite textiles. Eletromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance suggests that the hierarchical composite textiles hold a strong shielding effectiveness greater than 61 dB, showing greater advantages than conventional polymeric and foamy shielding composites. As a polymer-free lightweight structure, flexible CF-RGO-Ni composites of all electromagnetic active components offer unique understanding of the multi-scale and multiple mechanisms in electromagnetic energy consumption. Such a novel prototype of shielding structures along with convenient technology highlight a strategy to achieve high-performance EMI shielding, coupled with a universal approach for preparing advanced lightweight composites with graphene interfaces.

  1. The Corrosion of Metals in Aqueous Film-Forming Foams.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    CORROSION), (*FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, STAINLESS STEEL), (*STAINLESS STEEL, (* FOAM , CORROSION), PH FACTOR, CHLORIDES, FLUORIDES, STEEL, NICKEL ALLOYS, COPPER ALLOYS, NAVAL EQUIPMENT, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, SEA WATER, COMPATIBILITY.

  2. plasmaFoam: An OpenFOAM framework for computational plasma physics and chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venkattraman, Ayyaswamy; Verma, Abhishek Kumar

    2016-09-01

    As emphasized in the 2012 Roadmap for low temperature plasmas (LTP), scientific computing has emerged as an essential tool for the investigation and prediction of the fundamental physical and chemical processes associated with these systems. While several in-house and commercial codes exist, with each having its own advantages and disadvantages, a common framework that can be developed by researchers from all over the world will likely accelerate the impact of computational studies on advances in low-temperature plasma physics and chemistry. In this regard, we present a finite volume computational toolbox to perform high-fidelity simulations of LTP systems. This framework, primarily based on the OpenFOAM solver suite, allows us to enhance our understanding of multiscale plasma phenomenon by performing massively parallel, three-dimensional simulations on unstructured meshes using well-established high performance computing tools that are widely used in the computational fluid dynamics community. In this talk, we will present preliminary results obtained using the OpenFOAM-based solver suite with benchmark three-dimensional simulations of microplasma devices including both dielectric and plasma regions. We will also discuss the future outlook for the solver suite.

  3. Thermal Expansion of Three Closed Cell Polymeric Foams at Cryogenic Temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stokes, Eric

    2006-01-01

    The Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) contains the liquid H2 fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer and supplies them under pressure to the three space shuttle main engines (SSME) in the orbiter during lift-off and ascent. The ET thermal protection system consists of sprayed-on foam insulation and pre-molded ablator materials. The closed-cell foams are the external coating on the ET and are responsible for minimizing the amount of moisture that condenses out and freezes on the tank from the humid air in Florida while it is on the pad with cryogenic propellant awaiting launch. This effort was part of the overall drive to understand the behavior of these materials under use-conditions. There are four specially-engineered closed-cell foams used on the tank. The thermal expansion (contraction) of three of the polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams were measured from -423 F (the temperature of liquid hydrogen) to 125 F under atmospheric conditions and under vacuum. One of them, NCFI 24-124, is a mechanically-applied material and covers the main acreage of the tank, accounting for 77 percent of the total foam used. Another, BX-265, is also a mechanically-applied and hand-sprayed material used on the tank's "closeout" areas. PDL 1034 is a hand-poured foam used for filling odd-shaped cavities in the tank, Measurements were made in triplicate in the three primary material directions in the case of the first two materials and the two primary material directions in the case of the last. Task 1 was developing the techniques for getting a uniform heating rate and minimizing axial and radial thermal gradients in the specimens. Temperature measurements were made at four locations in the specimens during this initial development phase of testing. Major challenges that were overcome include developing techniques for transferring the coolant, liquid helium (-452 F), from its storage container to the test facility with a minimal transfer of heat to the coolant and control of the heating

  4. Experimental study of 3-D structure and evolution of foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thoroddsen, S. T.; Tan, E.; Bauer, J. M.

    1998-11-01

    Liquid foam coarsens due to diffusion of gas between adjacent foam cells. This evolution process is slow, but leads to rapid topological changes taking place during localized rearrangements of Plateau borders or disappearance of small cells. We are developing a new imaging technique to construct the three-dimensional topology of real soap foam contained in a small glass container. The technique uses 3 video cameras equipped with lenses having narrow depth-of-field. These cameras are moved with respect to the container, in effect obtaining numerous slices through the foam. Preliminary experimental results showing typical rearrangement events will also be presented. These events involve for example disappearance of either triangular or rectangular cell faces.

  5. M553 sphere forming experiment: Pure nickel specimen evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, P. C.; Peters, E. T.

    1973-01-01

    A region or cap of very fine two-dimensional surface growth structure was observed at the top of three of the six pure nickel flight specimens. Such two-dimensional surface growth structures have been observed both on the ground-based specimens and on other surface areas of the flight specimens. However, the fine structures observed on the three flight samples are at least an order of magnitude finer than those previously observed, and resemble similar localized, fine, two-dimensional surface structures observed in both ground and flight specimens for the nickel alloys. The two-dimensional growth areas consist primarily of fine equiaxed grains, specimen SL-2.6, fine dendrites, specimen SL-2.5, or a core of fine equiaxed grains surrounded by a ring of fine dendrites, specimen SL-1.9.

  6. Efficient hydrogen evolution by ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Haiqing; Yu, Fang; Huang, Yufeng; Sun, Jingying; Zhu, Zhuan; Nielsen, Robert J.; He, Ran; Bao, Jiming; Goddard, William A., III; Chen, Shuo; Ren, Zhifeng

    2016-09-01

    With the massive consumption of fossil fuels and its detrimental impact on the environment, methods of generating clean power are urgent. Hydrogen is an ideal carrier for renewable energy; however, hydrogen generation is inefficient because of the lack of robust catalysts that are substantially cheaper than platinum. Therefore, robust and durable earth-abundant and cost-effective catalysts are desirable for hydrogen generation from water splitting via hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we report an active and durable earth-abundant transition metal dichalcogenide-based hybrid catalyst that exhibits high hydrogen evolution activity approaching the state-of-the-art platinum catalysts, and superior to those of most transition metal dichalcogenides (molybdenum sulfide, cobalt diselenide and so on). Our material is fabricated by growing ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam. This advance provides a different pathway to design cheap, efficient and sizable hydrogen-evolving electrode by simultaneously tuning the number of catalytic edge sites, porosity, heteroatom doping and electrical conductivity.

  7. Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam composite as binder-free anode for a direct glucose fuel cell unit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsang, Chi Him A.; Leung, D. Y. C.

    2017-09-01

    Fabrication of electrocatalyst for direct glucose fuel cell (DGFC) operation involves destructive preparation methods with the use of stabilizer like binder, which may cause activity depreciation. Binder-free electrocatalytic electrode becomes a possible solution to the above problem. Binder-free bimetallic Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam plates with different Pd/Pt ratios (1:2.32, 1:1.62, and 1:0.98) are successfully fabricated through a green one-step mild reduction process producing a Pd-Pt/GO/nickel form plate (NFP) composite. Anode with the binder-free electrocatalysts exhibit a strong activity in a batch type DGFC unit under room temperature. The effects of glucose and KOH concentrations, and the Pd/Pt ratios of the electrocatalyst on the DGFC performance are also studied. Maximum power density output of 1.25 mW cm-2 is recorded with 0.5 M glucose/3 M KOH as the anodic fuel, and Pd1Pt0.98/GA/NFP as catalyst, which is the highest obtained so far among other types of electrocatalyst.

  8. Towards a phase diagram for spin foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delcamp, Clement; Dittrich, Bianca

    2017-11-01

    One of the most pressing issues for loop quantum gravity and spin foams is the construction of the continuum limit. In this paper, we propose a systematic coarse-graining scheme for three-dimensional lattice gauge models including spin foams. This scheme is based on the concept of decorated tensor networks, which have been introduced recently. Here we develop an algorithm applicable to gauge theories with non-Abelian groups, which for the first time allows for the application of tensor network coarse-graining techniques to proper spin foams. The procedure deals efficiently with the large redundancy of degrees of freedom resulting from gauge invariance. The algorithm is applied to 3D spin foams defined on a cubical lattice which, in contrast to a proper triangulation, allows for non-trivial simplicity constraints. This mimics the construction of spin foams for 4D gravity. For lattice gauge models based on a finite group we use the algorithm to obtain phase diagrams, encoding the continuum limit of a wide range of these models. We find phase transitions for various families of models carrying non-trivial simplicity constraints.

  9. Microstructural Characterization of Metal Foams: An Examination of the Applicability of the Theoretical Models for Modeling Foams

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raj, S. V.

    2010-01-01

    Establishing the geometry of foam cells is useful in developing microstructure-based acoustic and structural models. Since experimental data on the geometry of the foam cells are limited, most modeling efforts use the three-dimensional, space-filling Kelvin tetrakaidecahedron. The validity of this assumption is investigated in the present paper. Several FeCrAlY foams with relative densities varying between 3 and 15 percent and cells per mm (c.p.mm.) varying between 0.2 and 3.9 c.p.mm. were microstructurally evaluated. The number of edges per face for each foam specimen was counted by approximating the cell faces by regular polygons, where the number of cell faces measured varied between 207 and 745. The present observations revealed that 50 to 57 percent of the cell faces were pentagonal while 24 to 28 percent were quadrilateral and 15 to 22 percent were hexagonal. The present measurements are shown to be in excellent agreement with literature data. It is demonstrated that the Kelvin model, as well as other proposed theoretical models, cannot accurately describe the FeCrAlY foam cell structure. Instead, it is suggested that the ideal foam cell geometry consists of 11 faces with 3 quadrilateral, 6 pentagonal faces and 2 hexagonal faces consistent with the 3-6-2 cell.

  10. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Hailong; Zhang, Deyang; Xu, Jinyou; Lu, Yang; Liu, Yunxin; Qiu, Kangwen; Zhang, Yihe; Luo, Yongsong

    2014-08-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g-1 at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g-1, respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands.

  11. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yan, Hailong; Zhang, Deyang; Xu, Jinyou; Lu, Yang; Liu, Yunxin; Qiu, Kangwen; Zhang, Yihe; Luo, Yongsong

    2014-01-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g(-1) at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g(-1), respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands.

  12. Three Dimensional Illustrating--Three-Dimensional Vision and Deception of Sensibility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Szállassy, Noémi; Gánóczy, Anita; Kriska, György

    2009-01-01

    The wide-spread digital photography and computer use gave the opportunity for everyone to make three-dimensional pictures and to make them public. The new opportunities with three-dimensional techniques give chance for the birth of new artistic photographs. We present in detail the biological roots of three-dimensional visualization, the phenomena…

  13. A Facile Method to In-Situ Synthesize Porous Ni₂GeO₄ Nano-Sheets on Nickel Foam as Advanced Anode Electrodes for Li-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Ma, Delong; Shi, Xiaomin; Hu, Anming

    2016-11-19

    A strategy for growth of porous Ni₂GeO₄ nanosheets on conductive nickel (Ni) foam with robust adhesion as a high-performance electrode for Li-ion batteries is proposed and realized, through a facile two-step method. It involves the low temperature hydro-thermal synthesis of bimetallic (Ni, Ge) hydroxide nanosheets precursor on Ni foam substrates and subsequent thermal transformation to porous Ni₂GeO₄ nanosheets. The as-prepared Ni₂GeO₄ nanosheets possess many interparticle mesopores with a size range from 5 to 15 nm. The hierarchical structure of porous Ni₂GeO₄ nanosheets supported by Ni foam promises fast electron and ion transport, large electroactive surface area, and excellent structural stability. The efficacy of the specially designed structure is demonstrated by the superior electrochemical performance of the generated Ni₂GeO₄ nanosheets including a high capacity of 1.8 mA·h·cm -2 at a current density of 50 μA·cm -2 , good cycle stability, and high power capability at room temperature. Because of simple conditions, this fabrication strategy may be easily extended to other mixed metal oxides (M x GeO y ).

  14. Three-dimensional hole transport in nickel oxide by alloying with MgO or ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alidoust, Nima; Carter, Emily A.

    2015-11-01

    It has been shown previously that the movement of a hole in nickel oxide is confined to two dimensions, along a single ferromagnetic plane. Such confinement may hamper hole transport when NiO is used as a p-type transparent conductor in various solar energy conversion technologies. Here, we use the small polaron model, along with unrestricted Hartree-Fock and complete active space self-consistent field calculations to show that forming substitutional MxNi1-xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn reduces the barrier for movement of a hole away from the ferromagnetic plane to which it is confined. Such reduction occurs for hole transfer alongside one or two M ions that have been substituted for Ni ions. Furthermore, the Mg and Zn ions do not trap holes on O sites in their vicinity, and NiO's transparency is preserved upon forming the alloys. Thus, forming MxNi1-xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn may enhance NiO's potential as a p-type transparent conducting oxide, by disrupting the two-dimensional confinement of holes in pure NiO.

  15. Formation of 3D graphene foams on soft templated metal monoliths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tynan, Michael K.; Johnson, David W.; Dobson, Ben P.; Coleman, Karl S.

    2016-07-01

    Graphene foams are leading contenders as frameworks for polymer thermosets, filtration/pollution control and for use as an electrode material in energy storage devices, taking advantage of graphene's high electrical conductivity and the porous structure of the foam. Here we demonstrate a simple synthesis of a macroporous 3D graphene material templated from a dextran/metal salt gel, where the metal was cobalt, nickel, copper, and iron. The gel was annealed to form a metal oxide foam prior to a methane chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Cobalt metal gels were shown to afford the highest quality material as determined by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and Raman spectroscopy.Graphene foams are leading contenders as frameworks for polymer thermosets, filtration/pollution control and for use as an electrode material in energy storage devices, taking advantage of graphene's high electrical conductivity and the porous structure of the foam. Here we demonstrate a simple synthesis of a macroporous 3D graphene material templated from a dextran/metal salt gel, where the metal was cobalt, nickel, copper, and iron. The gel was annealed to form a metal oxide foam prior to a methane chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Cobalt metal gels were shown to afford the highest quality material as determined by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Raman, EDX, PXRD, TGA, electrical conductivity data and SEM. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr02455f

  16. Polyurethane Foam Impact Experiments and Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kipp, M. E.; Chhabildas, L. C.; Reinhart, W. D.; Wong, M. K.

    1999-06-01

    Uniaxial strain impact experiments with a rigid polyurethane foam of nominal density 0.22g/cc are reported. A 6 mm thick foam impactor is mounted on the face of a projectile and impacts a thin (1 mm) target plate of aluminum or copper, on which the rear free surface velocity history is acquired with a VISAR. Impact velocities ranged from 300 to 1500 m/s. The velocity record monitors the initial shock from the foam transmitted through the target, followed by a reverberation within the target plate as the wave interacts with the compressed foam at the impact interface and the free recording surface. These one-dimensional uniaxial strain impact experiments were modeled using a traditional p-alpha porous material model for the distended polyurethane, which generally captured the motion imparted to the target by the foam. Some of the high frequency aspects of the data, reflecting the heterogeneous nature of the foam, can be recovered with computations of fully 3-dimensional explicit representations of this porous material.

  17. Low density microcellular foams

    DOEpatents

    Aubert, James H.; Clough, Roger L.; Curro, John G.; Quintana, Carlos A.; Russick, Edward M.; Shaw, Montgomery T.

    1987-01-01

    Low density, microporous polymer foams are provided by a process which comprises forming a solution of polymer and a suitable solvent followed by rapid cooling of the solution to form a phase-separated system and freeze the phase-separated system. The phase-separated system comprises a polymer phase and a solvent phase, each of which is substantially continuous within the other. The morphology of the polymer phase prior to and subsequent to freezing determine the morphology of the resultant foam. Both isotropic and anisotropic foams can be produced. If isotropic foams are produced, the polymer and solvent are tailored such that the solution spontaneously phase-separates prior to the point at which any component freezes. The morphology of the resultant polymer phase determines the morphology of the resultant foam and the morphology of the polymer phase is retained by cooling the system at a rate sufficient to freeze one or both components of the system before a change in morphology can occur. Anisotropic foams are produced by forming a solution of polymer and solvent that will not phase separate prior to freezing of one or both components of the solution. In such a process, the solvent typically freezes before phase separation occurs. The morphology of the resultant frozen two-phase system determines the morphology of the resultant foam. The process involves subjecting the solution to essentially one-dimensional cooling. Means for subjecting such a solvent to one-dimensional cooling are also provided. Foams having a density of less than 0.1 g/cc and a uniform cell size of less than 10 .mu.m and a volume such that the foams have a length greater than 1 cm are provided.

  18. A Study of the Stability Mechanism of the Dispersed Particle Gel Three-Phase Foam Using the Interfacial Dilational Rheology Method.

    PubMed

    Yao, Xue; Yi, Ping; Zhao, Guang; Sun, Xin; Dai, Caili

    2018-04-28

    The dispersed particle gel (DPG) three-phase foam is a novel profile control and flooding system. The stability mechanism of the DPG three-phase foam was studied using an interfacial dilational rheology method. The results show that the elastic modulus of the DPG three-phase foam is up to 14 mN/m, which is much higher than the traditional foam. The increase in interface elasticity produces significantly positive effects on foam stability. Emphasis is given to the influences of frequency, temperature, pressure, and concentration on the viscoelasticity and interfacial adsorption of DPG particles, which change the modules of the foam interface and have a significant effect on foam stability. In addition, the microstructure of the DPG three-phase foam was observed. A viscoelastic shell is formed by the aggregation of the DPG particles on the interface. The irreversible adsorption gives the interface high elasticity and mechanical strength. The electrostatic repulsion between particles increases the spacing between bubbles. The combined effects of these factors give the interface higher mechanical strength, slow down the film drainage, effectively prevent gas permeation, and significantly improve the foam stability.

  19. A Study of the Stability Mechanism of the Dispersed Particle Gel Three-Phase Foam Using the Interfacial Dilational Rheology Method

    PubMed Central

    Yi, Ping; Zhao, Guang; Sun, Xin; Dai, Caili

    2018-01-01

    The dispersed particle gel (DPG) three-phase foam is a novel profile control and flooding system. The stability mechanism of the DPG three-phase foam was studied using an interfacial dilational rheology method. The results show that the elastic modulus of the DPG three-phase foam is up to 14 mN/m, which is much higher than the traditional foam. The increase in interface elasticity produces significantly positive effects on foam stability. Emphasis is given to the influences of frequency, temperature, pressure, and concentration on the viscoelasticity and interfacial adsorption of DPG particles, which change the modules of the foam interface and have a significant effect on foam stability. In addition, the microstructure of the DPG three-phase foam was observed. A viscoelastic shell is formed by the aggregation of the DPG particles on the interface. The irreversible adsorption gives the interface high elasticity and mechanical strength. The electrostatic repulsion between particles increases the spacing between bubbles. The combined effects of these factors give the interface higher mechanical strength, slow down the film drainage, effectively prevent gas permeation, and significantly improve the foam stability. PMID:29710805

  20. Analysis of x-ray tomography data of an extruded low density styrenic foam: an image analysis study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Jui-Ching; Heeschen, William

    2016-10-01

    Extruded styrenic foams are low density foams that are widely used for thermal insulation. It is difficult to precisely characterize the structure of the cells in low density foams by traditional cross-section viewing due to the frailty of the walls of the cells. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a non-destructive, three dimensional structure characterization technique that has great potential for structure characterization of styrenic foams. Unfortunately the intrinsic artifacts of the data and the artifacts generated during image reconstruction are often comparable in size and shape to the thin walls of the foam, making robust and reliable analysis of cell sizes challenging. We explored three different image processing methods to clean up artifacts in the reconstructed images, thus allowing quantitative three dimensional determination of cell size in a low density styrenic foam. Three image processing approaches - an intensity based approach, an intensity variance based approach, and a machine learning based approach - are explored in this study, and the machine learning image feature classification method was shown to be the best. Individual cells are segmented within the images after the images were cleaned up using the three different methods and the cell sizes are measured and compared in the study. Although the collected data with the image analysis methods together did not yield enough measurements for a good statistic of the measurement of cell sizes, the problem can be resolved by measuring multiple samples or increasing imaging field of view.

  1. Three-dimensional graphene foams loaded with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells promote skin wound healing with reduced scarring.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhonghua; Wang, Haiqin; Yang, Bo; Sun, Yukai; Huo, Ran

    2015-12-01

    The regeneration of functional skin remains elusive, due to poor engraftment, deficient vascularization, and excessive scar formation. Aiming to overcome these issues, the present study proposed the combination of a three-dimensional graphene foam (GF) scaffold loaded with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to improve skin wound healing. The GFs demonstrated good biocompatibility and promoted the growth and proliferation of MSCs. Meanwhile, the GFs loaded with MSCs obviously facilitated wound closure in animal model. The dermis formed in the presence of the GF structure loaded with MSCs was thicker and possessed a more complex structure at day 14 post-surgery. The transplanted MSCs correlated with upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which may lead to neo-vascularization. Additionally, an anti-scarring effect was observed in the presence of the 3D-GF scaffold and MSCs, as evidenced by a downregulation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) together with an increase of TGF-β3. Altogether, the GF scaffold could guide the wound healing process with reduced scarring, and the MSCs were crucial to enhance vascularization and provided a better quality neo-skin. The GF scaffold loaded with MSCs possesses necessary bioactive cues to improve wound healing with reduced scarring, which may be of great clinical significance for skin wound healing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. New energy storage option: toward ZnCo2O4 nanorods/nickel foam architectures for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Liu, Bin; Liu, Boyang; Wang, Qiufan; Wang, Xianfu; Xiang, Qingyi; Chen, Di; Shen, Guozhen

    2013-10-23

    Hierarchical ZnCo2O4/nickel foam architectures were first fabricated from a simple scalable solution approach, exhibiting outstanding electrochemical performance in supercapacitors with high specific capacitance (∼1400 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1)), excellent rate capability (72.5% capacity retention at 20 A g(-1)), and good cycling stability (only 3% loss after 1000 cycles at 6 A g(-1)). All-solid-state supercapacitors were also fabricated by assembling two pieces of the ZnCo2O4-based electrodes, showing superior performance in terms of high specific capacitance and long cycling stability. Our work confirms that the as-prepared architectures can not only be applied in high energy density fields, but also be used in high power density applications, such as electric vehicles, flexible electronics, and energy storage devices.

  3. High performance symmetric supercapacitor based on zinc hydroxychloride nanosheets and 3D graphene-nickel foam composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khamlich, S.; Abdullaeva, Z.; Kennedy, J. V.; Maaza, M.

    2017-05-01

    In this work, zinc hydroxychloride nanosheets (ZHCNs) were deposited on 3d graphene-nickel foam (NiF-G) by employing a simple hydrothermal synthesis method to form NiF-G/ZHCNs composite electrode materials. The fabricated NiF-G/ZHCNs electrode revealed a well-developed pore structures with high specific surface area of 119 m2 g-1, and used as electrode materials for symmetric supercapacitor with aqueous alkaline electrolyte. The specific areal capacitance and electron charge transfer resistance (Rct) were 222 mF cm-2 (at current density of 1.0 mA cm-2) and 1.63 Ω, respectively, in a symmetric two-electrode system. After 5000 cycles with galvanostatic charge/discharge, the device can maintain 96% of its initial capacitance under 1.0 mA cm-2 and showed low Rct of about 9.84 Ω. These results indicate that NiF-G/ZHCNs composite is an excellent electrode material for electrochemical energy storage devices.

  4. Electrochemical properties of a lithium-impregnated metal foam anode for thermal batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choi, Yu-Song; Yu, Hye-Ryeon; Cheong, Hae-Won

    2015-02-01

    Lithium-impregnated metal foam anodes (LIMFAs) are fabricated and investigated. The LIMFAs are prepared by the impregnation of lithium into molten-salt-coated nickel metal foam. A single cell with the LIMFA exhibits a specific capacity of 3009 As g-1. For comparison, a single cell with a LiSi alloy anode is also discharged, demonstrating a specific capacity of 1050 As g-1. These significant improvements can be attributed to the large amount of lithium impregnated into the metal foam as well as the molten lithium holding capability of the foam. Due to their excellent electrochemical properties, LIMFAs are suitable for use in thermal batteries.

  5. A Ni-P@NiCo LDH core-shell nanorod-decorated nickel foam with enhanced areal specific capacitance for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Xing, Jiale; Du, Jing; Zhang, Xuan; Shao, Yubo; Zhang, Ting; Xu, Cailing

    2017-08-14

    Recently, transition metal-based nanomaterials have played a key role in the applications of supercapacitors. In this study, nickel phosphide (Ni-P) was simply combined with NiCo LDH via facile phosphorization of Ni foam and subsequent electrodeposition to form core-shell nanorod arrays on the Ni foam; the Ni-P@NiCo LDH was then directly used for a pseudocapacitive electrode. Owing to the splendid synergistic effect between Ni-P and NiCo LDH nanosheets as well as the hierarchical structure of 1D nanorods, 2D nanosheets, and 3D Ni foam, the hybrid electrode exhibited significantly enhanced electrochemical performances. The Ni-P@NiCo LDH electrode showed a high specific capacitance of 12.9 F cm -2 at 5 mA cm -2 (3470.5 F g -1 at a current density of 1.3 A g -1 ) that remained as high as 6.4 F cm -2 at a high current density of 100 mA cm -2 (1700 F g -1 at 27 A g -1 ) and excellent cycling stability (96% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles at 40 mA cm -2 ). Furthermore, the asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) were assembled using Ni-P@NiCo LDH as a positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as a negative electrode. The obtained ASCs delivered remarkable energy density and power density as well as good cycling performance. The enhanced electrochemical activities open a new avenue for the development of supercapacitors.

  6. Corrigendum to "Microstructural Characterization of Metal Foams: An Examination of the Applicability of the Theoretical Models for Modeling Foams"

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raj. Sai V.

    2011-01-01

    Establishing the geometry of foam cells is useful in developing microstructure-based acoustic and structural models. Since experimental data on the geometry of the foam cells are limited, most modeling efforts use an idealized three-dimensional, space-filling Kelvin tetrakaidecahedron. The validity of this assumption is investigated in the present paper. Several FeCrAlY foams with relative densities varying between 3 and 15% and cells per mm (c.p.mm.) varying between 0.2 and 3.9 c.p.mm. were microstructurally evaluated. The number of edges per face for each foam specimen was counted by approximating the cell faces by regular polygons, where the number of cell faces measured varied between 207 and 745. The present observations revealed that 50-57% of the cell faces were pentagonal while 24-28% were quadrilateral and 15-22% were hexagonal. The present measurements are shown to be in excellent agreement with literature data. It is demonstrated that the Kelvin model, as well as other proposed theoretical models, cannot accurately describe the FeCrAlY foam cell structure. Instead, it is suggested that the ideal foam cell geometry consists of 11 faces with 3 quadrilateral, 6 pentagonal faces and 2 hexagonal faces consistent with the 3-6-2 Matzke cell

  7. Efficient hydrogen evolution by ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam

    DOE PAGES

    Zhou, Haiqing; Yu, Fang; Huang, Yufeng; ...

    2016-09-16

    With the massive consumption of fossil fuels and its detrimental impact on the environment, methods of generating clean power are urgent. Hydrogen is an ideal carrier for renewable energy; however, hydrogen generation is inefficient because of the lack of robust catalysts that are substantially cheaper than platinum. Therefore, robust and durable earth-abundant and cost-effective catalysts are desirable for hydrogen generation from water splitting via hydrogen evolution reaction. In this paper, we report an active and durable earth-abundant transition metal dichalcogenide-based hybrid catalyst that exhibits high hydrogen evolution activity approaching the state-of-the-art platinum catalysts, and superior to those of most transitionmore » metal dichalcogenides (molybdenum sulfide, cobalt diselenide and so on). Our material is fabricated by growing ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam. This advance provides a different pathway to design cheap, efficient and sizable hydrogen-evolving electrode by simultaneously tuning the number of catalytic edge sites, porosity, heteroatom doping and electrical conductivity.« less

  8. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g-1 at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g-1, respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands. PMID:25276099

  9. Microstructural Characterization of Metal Foams: An Examination of the Applicability of the Theoretical Models for Modeling Foams. Revision 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raj, S. V.

    2011-01-01

    Establishing the geometry of foam cells is useful in developing microstructure-based acoustic and structural models. Since experimental data on the geometry of the foam cells are limited, most modeling efforts use an idealized three-dimensional, space-filling Kelvin tetrakaidecahedron. The validity of this assumption is investigated in the present paper. Several FeCrAlY foams with relative densities varying between 3 and 15 percent and cells per mm (c.p.mm.) varying between 0.2 and 3.9 c.p.mm. were microstructurally evaluated. The number of edges per face for each foam specimen was counted by approximating the cell faces by regular polygons, where the number of cell faces measured varied between 207 and 745. The present observations revealed that 50 to 57 percent of the cell faces were pentagonal while 24 to 28 percent were quadrilateral and 15 to 22 percent were hexagonal. The present measurements are shown to be in excellent agreement with literature data. It is demonstrated that the Kelvin model, as well as other proposed theoretical models, cannot accurately describe the FeCrAlY foam cell structure. Instead, it is suggested that the ideal foam cell geometry consists of 11 faces with three quadrilateral, six pentagonal faces and two hexagonal faces consistent with the 3-6-2 Matzke cell. A compilation of 90 years of experimental data reveals that the average number of cell faces decreases linearly with the increasing ratio of quadrilateral to pentagonal faces. It is concluded that the Kelvin model is not supported by these experimental data.

  10. Chaotic bubbling and nonstagnant foams.

    PubMed

    Tufaile, Alberto; Sartorelli, José Carlos; Jeandet, Philippe; Liger-Belair, Gerard

    2007-06-01

    We present an experimental investigation of the agglomeration of bubbles obtained from a nozzle working in different bubbling regimes. This experiment consists of a continuous production of bubbles from a nozzle at the bottom of a liquid column, and these bubbles create a two-dimensional (2D) foam (or a bubble raft) at the top of this column. The bubbles can assemble in various dynamically stable arrangement, forming different kinds of foams in a liquid mixture of water and glycerol, with the effect that the bubble formation regimes influence the foam obtained from this agglomeration of bubbles. The average number of bubbles in the foam is related to the bubble formation frequency and the bubble mean lifetime. The periodic bubbling can generate regular or irregular foam, while a chaotic bubbling only generates irregular foam.

  11. Insights on Flow Behavior of Foam in Unsaturated Porous Media during Soil Flushing.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yong S; Su, Yan; Lian, Jing R; Wang, He F; Li, Lu L; Qin, Chuan Y

    2016-11-01

      One-dimensional column and two-dimensional tank experiments were carried out to determine (1) the physics of foam flow and propagation of foaming gas, foaming liquid, and foam; (2) the pressure distribution along foam flow and the effect of media permeability, foam flow rate and foam quality on foam injection pressure; and (3) the migration and distribution property of foam flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous sediments. The results demonstrated that: (1) gas and liquid front were formed ahead of the foam flow front, the transport speed order is foaming gas > foaming liquid > foam flowing; (2) injection pressure mainly comes from the resistance to bubble migration. Effect of media permeability on foam injection pressure mainly depends on the physics and behavior of foam flow; (3) foam has a stronger capacity of lateral spreading, besides, foam flow was uniformly distributed across the foam-occupied region, regardless of the heterogeneity of porous media.

  12. Flow in linearly sheared two-dimensional foams: From bubble to bulk scale.

    PubMed

    Katgert, Gijs; Latka, Andrzej; Möbius, Matthias E; van Hecke, Martin

    2009-06-01

    We probe the flow of two-dimensional (2D) foams, consisting of a monolayer of bubbles sandwiched between a liquid bath and glass plate, as a function of driving rate, packing fraction, and degree of disorder. First, we find that bidisperse, disordered foams exhibit strongly rate-dependent and inhomogeneous (shear-banded) velocity profiles, while monodisperse ordered foams are also shear banded but essentially rate independent. Second, we adapt a simple model [E. Janiaud, D. Weaire, and S. Hutzler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 038302 (2006)] based on balancing the averaged drag forces between the bubbles and the top plate F[over ]_{bw} and the averaged bubble-bubble drag forces F[over ]_{bb} by assuming that F[over ]_{bw} approximately v;{2/3} and F[over ]_{bb} approximately ( partial differential_{y}v);{beta} , where v and ( partial differential_{y}v) denote average bubble velocities and gradients. This model captures the observed rate-dependent flows for beta approximately 0.36 , and the rate independent flows for beta approximately 0.67 . Third, we perform independent rheological measurements of F[over ]_{bw} and F[over ]_{bb} , both for ordered and disordered systems, and find these to be fully consistent with the forms assumed in the simple model. Disorder thus leads to a modified effective exponent beta . Fourth, we vary the packing fraction phi of the foam over a substantial range and find that the flow profiles become increasingly shear banded when the foam is made wetter. Surprisingly, the model describes flow profiles and rate dependence over the whole range of packing fractions with the same power-law exponents-only a dimensionless number k that measures the ratio of the prefactors of the viscous drag laws is seen to vary with packing fraction. We find that k approximately (phi-phi_{c});{-1} , where phi_{c} approximately 0.84 corresponds to the 2D jamming density, and suggest that this scaling follows from the geometry of the deformed facets between bubbles in

  13. SediFoam: A general-purpose, open-source CFD-DEM solver for particle-laden flow with emphasis on sediment transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Rui; Xiao, Heng

    2016-04-01

    With the growth of available computational resource, CFD-DEM (computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method) becomes an increasingly promising and feasible approach for the study of sediment transport. Several existing CFD-DEM solvers are applied in chemical engineering and mining industry. However, a robust CFD-DEM solver for the simulation of sediment transport is still desirable. In this work, the development of a three-dimensional, massively parallel, and open-source CFD-DEM solver SediFoam is detailed. This solver is built based on open-source solvers OpenFOAM and LAMMPS. OpenFOAM is a CFD toolbox that can perform three-dimensional fluid flow simulations on unstructured meshes; LAMMPS is a massively parallel DEM solver for molecular dynamics. Several validation tests of SediFoam are performed using cases of a wide range of complexities. The results obtained in the present simulations are consistent with those in the literature, which demonstrates the capability of SediFoam for sediment transport applications. In addition to the validation test, the parallel efficiency of SediFoam is studied to test the performance of the code for large-scale and complex simulations. The parallel efficiency tests show that the scalability of SediFoam is satisfactory in the simulations using up to O(107) particles.

  14. Design and fabrication of highly open nickel cobalt sulfide nanosheets on Ni foam for asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy density and long cycle-life

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zha, Daosong; Fu, Yongsheng; Zhang, Lili; Zhu, Junwu; Wang, Xin

    2018-02-01

    Nickel cobalt sulfides (NiCo-S) are promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors but normally show poor rate capability and unsatisfactory long-term endurance. To overcome these disadvantages, a properly constructed electrode architecture with abundant electron transport channels, excellent electronic conductivity and robust structural stability is required. Herein, considering that in situ transformation can mostly retain the specific structural advantages of the precursors, a two-step strategy is purposefully developed to construct a binder-free electrode composed of interconnected NiCo-S nanosheets on Ni foam (NiCo-S/NF), in which NiCo-S/NF is synthesized via the in situ sulfuration of networked acetate anion-intercalated nickel cobalt layered double hydroxide nanosheets loaded on Ni foam (A-NiCo-LDH/NF). Noticeably, the optimized Ni1Co1-S/NF exhibits an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 2553.9 F g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, excellent rate capability (1898.1 F g-1 at 50 A g-1) and superior cycling stability (nearly 90% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles). Furthermore, the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor based on Ni1Co1-S/NF demonstrates a high energy density of 58.1 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 796 W kg-1 and impressive long-term durability even after a repeated charge/discharge process as long as 70,000 cycles (∼92% capacitance retention). The attractive properties endow the Ni1Co1-S/NF electrode with significant potential for high-performance energy storage devices.

  15. Modifying the morphology and properties of aligned CNT foams through secondary CNT growth.

    PubMed

    Faraji, Shaghayegh; Stano, Kelly; Akyildiz, Halil; Yildiz, Ozkan; Jur, Jesse S; Bradford, Philip D

    2018-07-20

    In this work, we report for the first time, growth of secondary carbon nanotubes (CNTs) throughout a three-dimensional assembly of CNTs. The assembly of nanotubes was in the form of aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams. These low-density CNT foams were conformally coated with an alumina buffer layer using atomic layer deposition. Chemical vapor deposition was further used to grow new CNTs. The CNT foam's extremely high porosity allowed for growth of secondary CNTs inside the bulk of the foams. Due to the heavy growth of new nanotubes, density of the foams increased more than 2.5 times. Secondary nanotubes had the same graphitic quality as the primary CNTs. Microscopy and chemical analysis revealed that the thickness of the buffer layer affected the diameter, nucleation density as well as growth uniformity across the thickness of the foams. The effects of secondary nanotubes on the compressive mechanical properties of the foams was also investigated.

  16. Revealing the sub-nanometere three-dimensional microscture of a metallic meteorite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Einsle, J. F.; Harrison, R.; Blukis, R.; Eggeman, A.; Saghi, Z.; Martineau, B.; Bagot, P.; Collins, S. M.; Midgley, P. A.

    2017-12-01

    Coming from from the core of differentiated planetesimals, iron-nickel meteorites provide some of the only direct material artefacts from planetary cores. Iron - nickel meteorites contain a record of their thermal and magnetic history, written in the intergrowth of iron-rich and nickel-rich phases that formed during slow cooling over millions of years. Of intense interest for understanding the thermal and magnetic history is the `'cloudy zone''. This nanoscale intergrowth that has recently been used to provide a record of magnetic activity on the parent body of stony-iron meteorites. The cloudy zone consists of islands of tetrataenite surrounded by a matrix phase, Here we use a multi-scale and multidimensional comparative study using high-resolution electron diffraction, scanning transmission electron tomography with chemical mapping, atom probe tomography and micromagnetic simulations to reveal the three-dimensional architecture of the cloudy zone with sub-nanometre spatial resolution. Machine learning data deconvolution strategies enable the three microanalytical techniques to converge on a consistent microstructural description for the cloudy zone. Isolated islands of tetrataenite are found, embedded in a continuous matrix of an FCC-supercell of Fe27Ni5 structure, never before identified in nature. The tetrataenite islands are arranged in clusters of three crystallographic variants, which control how magnetic information is encoded into the nanostructure during slow cooling. The new compositional, crystallographic and micromagnetic data have profound implications for how the cloudy zone acquires magnetic remanence, and requires a revision of the low-temperature metastable phase diagram of the Fe-Ni system. This can lead to a refinement of core dynamics in small planetoids.

  17. Investigation of low-frequency-oscillating water flow in metal foam with 10 pores per inch

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bağcı, Ö.; Arbak, A.; De Paepe, M.; Dukhan, N.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, oscillating water flow in metal foam with open cells is investigated experimentally. The metal foam sample has a porosity of 88% and 10 pores. The water was oscillated in the test section with three frequencies between 0.116 Hz and 0.348 Hz, which are considered low for water oscillation, and three flow displacements ranging between 74.35 mm and 111.53 mm. The combinations of frequencies of displacements were studied for their impacts of dimensional and non-dimensional pressure loss quantities. To this purpose, friction factor was correlated as a function of kinetic Reynolds number. The same metal foam sample was studied by exposing it to steady-state water flow to investigate its permeability and drag coefficient in low-velocity flow regimes. The friction factor distribution for oscillating flow was found to be over that found for steady state. The outcomes of the study are important for studying heat transfer under the same flow conditions.

  18. Three-Dimensional Porous Nickel Frameworks Anchored with Cross-Linked Ni(OH)2 Nanosheets as a Highly Sensitive Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor.

    PubMed

    Mao, Weiwei; He, Haiping; Sun, Pengcheng; Ye, Zhizhen; Huang, Jingyun

    2018-05-02

    A facile and scalable in situ microelectrolysis nanofabrication technique is developed for preparing cross-linked Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets on a novel three-dimensional porous nickel template (Ni(OH) 2 @3DPN). For the constructed template, the porogen of NaCl particles not only induces a self-limiting surficial hot corrosion to claim the "start engine stop" mechanism but also serves as the primary battery electrolyte to greatly accelerate the growth of Ni(OH) 2 . As far as we know, the microelectrolysis nanofabrication is superior to the other reported Ni(OH) 2 synthesis methods due to the mild condition (60 °C, 6 h, NaCl solution, ambient environment) and without any post-treatment. The integrated Ni(OH) 2 @3DPN electrode with a highly suitable microstructure and a porous architecture implies a potential application in electrochemistry. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the electrode was employed for nonenzymatic glucose sensing, which exhibits an outstanding sensitivity of 2761.6 μA mM -1 cm -2 ranging from 0.46 to 2100 μM, a fast response, and a low detection limit. The microelectrolysis nanofabrication is a one-step, binder-free, entirely green, and therefore it has a distinct advantage to improve clean production and reduce energy consumption.

  19. SedFoam-2.0: a 3-D two-phase flow numerical model for sediment transport

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chauchat, Julien; Cheng, Zhen; Nagel, Tim; Bonamy, Cyrille; Hsu, Tian-Jian

    2017-11-01

    In this paper, a three-dimensional two-phase flow solver, SedFoam-2.0, is presented for sediment transport applications. The solver is extended from twoPhaseEulerFoam available in the 2.1.0 release of the open-source CFD (computational fluid dynamics) toolbox OpenFOAM. In this approach the sediment phase is modeled as a continuum, and constitutive laws have to be prescribed for the sediment stresses. In the proposed solver, two different intergranular stress models are implemented: the kinetic theory of granular flows and the dense granular flow rheology μ(I). For the fluid stress, laminar or turbulent flow regimes can be simulated and three different turbulence models are available for sediment transport: a simple mixing length model (one-dimensional configuration only), a k - ɛ, and a k - ω model. The numerical implementation is demonstrated on four test cases: sedimentation of suspended particles, laminar bed load, sheet flow, and scour at an apron. These test cases illustrate the capabilities of SedFoam-2.0 to deal with complex turbulent sediment transport problems with different combinations of intergranular stress and turbulence models.

  20. Physical and Mechanical Properties of W-Ni-Fe-Co Metal Foam Modified by Titanium Tungsten Carbide Alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishchenko, A. N.; Tabachenko, A. N.; Afanas'eva, S. A.; Belov, N. N.; Biryukov, Yu. A.; Burkin, V. V.; D'yachkovskii, A. S.; Rogaev, K. S.; Skosyrskii, A. B.; Yugov, N. T.

    2018-02-01

    The paper studies physical and mechanical properties of tungsten-nickel-iron-cobalt metal foam alloyed with titanium tungsten carbide. Test specimens are obtained by the liquid phase sintering of powder materials, including those containing tungsten nanopowders. High porosity metal foams are prepared through varying the porosity of powder specimens and the content of filling material. The penetration capability of cylinder projectiles made of new alloys is explored in this paper. It is shown that their penetration depth exceeds that of the prototype with relevant weight and size, made of tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, other factors being equal.

  1. Synthesis of three-dimensional mesoporous Cu-Al layered double hydroxide/g-C3N4 nanocomposites on Ni-foam for enhanced supercapacitors with excellent long-term cycling stability.

    PubMed

    Adhikari, Surya Prasad; Awasthi, Ganesh Prasad; Kim, Kyung-Suk; Park, Chan Hee; Kim, Cheol Sang

    2018-03-26

    In this study, a novel composite of Cu-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheets and g-C3N4-covered Ni-foam was fabricated via a simple and facile two-step process. First, g-C3N4 sheets were deposited on Ni-foam by via electrodeposition method on a three-electrode system (Ni-foam@g-C3N4) and then, Cu-Al LDH nanosheets were grown on the Ni-foam via in situ redox reaction using a hydrothermal process (Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4). The FE-SEM image confirmed that the Cu-Al LDH nanosheets arose vertically and were anchored on the surface of electrodeposited g-C3N4 sheets, thus generating unique 3D porous interconnected networks. The electrochemical capacitive performances of the as-prepared samples were evaluated by cyclic volatammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge/discharge tests, and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) Nyquist plots. The specific capacitances of the Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite measured from the CV curve (770.98 F g-1 at 50 mV s-1) and the galvanostatic charge/discharge curve (831.871 at 0.4 A g-1) were significantly higher than the others. Moreover, the Ni-foam@Cu-Al LDH/g-C3N4 nanocomposite revealed a remarkable high-current capacitive behavior and the capacitance retention could be maintained at 92.71% even after 5000 cycles of CV. Thus, the obtained results demonstrated that the as-prepared nanocomposite has great potential to be used as a novel supercapacitor electrode.

  2. Self-Assembly of Porous Boron Nitride Microfibers into Ultralight Multifunctional Foams of Large Sizes.

    PubMed

    Lin, Jing; Yuan, Xiaohai; Li, Gen; Huang, Yang; Wang, Weijia; He, Xin; Yu, Chao; Fang, Yi; Liu, Zhenya; Tang, Chengchun

    2017-12-27

    As a kind of macroscopic boron nitride (BN) architectures, ultralight BN cellular materials with high porosity and great resilience would have a broad range of applications in energy and environment areas. However, creating such BN cellular materials in large sizes has still been proven challenging. Here, we report on the unique self-assembly of one-dimensional porous BN microfibers into an integral three-dimensional BN foam with open-cell cellular architectures. An ultrasonic-assisted self-assembly, freeze-drying, and high-temperature pyrolysis process has been developed for the preparation of cellular BN foam with a large size and desired shape. The developed BN foam has low density, high porosity (∼99.3%), great resilience, and excellent hydrophobic-lipophilic nature. The foam also exhibits excellent absorption capacities for a wide range of organic solvents and oils (wt % of ∼5130-7820%), as well as a high recovery efficiency (∼94%). Moreover, the unique hierarchical porous structure enables the foam to demonstrate a very low thermal conductivity (∼0.035 W/K/m). The excellent thermal insulation performance, superior mechanical property, and superb chemical and thermal stability enable the developed BN foam as an integrating multifunctional material in a broad range of high-end applications.

  3. Gyroid Nickel Nanostructures from Diblock Copolymer Supramolecules

    PubMed Central

    Vukovic, Ivana; Punzhin, Sergey; Voet, Vincent S. D.; Vukovic, Zorica; de Hosson, Jeff Th. M.; ten Brinke, Gerrit; Loos, Katja

    2014-01-01

    Nanoporous metal foams possess a unique combination of properties - they are catalytically active, thermally and electrically conductive, and furthermore, have high porosity, high surface-to-volume and strength-to-weight ratio. Unfortunately, common approaches for preparation of metallic nanostructures render materials with highly disordered architecture, which might have an adverse effect on their mechanical properties. Block copolymers have the ability to self-assemble into ordered nanostructures and can be applied as templates for the preparation of well-ordered metal nanofoams. Here we describe the application of a block copolymer-based supramolecular complex - polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)(pentadecylphenol) PS-b-P4VP(PDP) - as a precursor for well-ordered nickel nanofoam. The supramolecular complexes exhibit a phase behavior similar to conventional block copolymers and can self-assemble into the bicontinuous gyroid morphology with two PS networks placed in a P4VP(PDP) matrix. PDP can be dissolved in ethanol leading to the formation of a porous structure that can be backfilled with metal. Using electroless plating technique, nickel can be inserted into the template's channels. Finally, the remaining polymer can be removed via pyrolysis from the polymer/inorganic nanohybrid resulting in nanoporous nickel foam with inverse gyroid morphology. PMID:24797367

  4. Gyroid nickel nanostructures from diblock copolymer supramolecules.

    PubMed

    Vukovic, Ivana; Punzhin, Sergey; Voet, Vincent S D; Vukovic, Zorica; de Hosson, Jeff Th M; ten Brinke, Gerrit; Loos, Katja

    2014-04-28

    Nanoporous metal foams possess a unique combination of properties - they are catalytically active, thermally and electrically conductive, and furthermore, have high porosity, high surface-to-volume and strength-to-weight ratio. Unfortunately, common approaches for preparation of metallic nanostructures render materials with highly disordered architecture, which might have an adverse effect on their mechanical properties. Block copolymers have the ability to self-assemble into ordered nanostructures and can be applied as templates for the preparation of well-ordered metal nanofoams. Here we describe the application of a block copolymer-based supramolecular complex - polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)(pentadecylphenol) PS-b-P4VP(PDP) - as a precursor for well-ordered nickel nanofoam. The supramolecular complexes exhibit a phase behavior similar to conventional block copolymers and can self-assemble into the bicontinuous gyroid morphology with two PS networks placed in a P4VP(PDP) matrix. PDP can be dissolved in ethanol leading to the formation of a porous structure that can be backfilled with metal. Using electroless plating technique, nickel can be inserted into the template's channels. Finally, the remaining polymer can be removed via pyrolysis from the polymer/inorganic nanohybrid resulting in nanoporous nickel foam with inverse gyroid morphology.

  5. Hierarchical honeycomb-like Co3O4 pores coating on CoMoO4 nanosheets as bifunctional efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pei, Zhihao; Xu, Li; Xu, Wei

    2018-03-01

    Efficient electrocatalytic water splitting is one of the most effective ways to solve the global energy crisis. In this paper, we report on a novel self-assembled hierarchical structure of Co3O4/CoMoO4 grown in situ on a bare nickel foam. The unique, three-dimensional honeycomb-like Co3O4 pores were constructed from one-dimensional nanowires and coated on two-dimensional CoMoO4 nanosheets structures grown on nickel foam. The synthesis involved a step-wise solvothermal method followed by an annealing treatment. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of the hierarchical nanostructures, the materials had more reaction active sites and a smaller electron transfer impedance, and they exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performances for the HER and OER of 143 and 244 mV, respectively, at 10 mA cm-2 in an alkaline solution. Furthermore, the materials remained stable during the long electrolysis period, over 10 h, presenting promising application prospects in the field of electrocatalytic water splitting.

  6. Quality Control of Laser-Beam-Melted Parts by a Correlation Between Their Mechanical Properties and a Three-Dimensional Surface Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grimm, T.; Wiora, G.; Witt, G.

    2017-03-01

    Good correlations between three-dimensional surface analyses of laser-beam-melted parts of nickel alloy HX and their mechanical properties were found. The surface analyses were performed with a confocal microscope, which offers a more profound surface data basis than a conventional, two-dimensional tactile profilometry. This new approach results in a wide range of three-dimensional surface parameters, which were each evaluated with respect to their feasibility for quality control in additive manufacturing. As a result of an automated surface analysis process by the confocal microscope and an industrial six-axis robot, the results are an innovative approach for quality control in additive manufacturing.

  7. Transient foam flow in porous media with CAT Scanner

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

    Liu, Dianbin; Brigham, W.E.

    1992-03-01

    Transient behavior is likely to dominate over most of the duration of a foam injection field project. Due to the lack of date, little is presently known about transient foam flow behavior. Foam flow does not follow established models such as the Buckley-Leverett theory, and no general predictive model has been derived. Therefore, both experimental data and a foam flow theory are needed. In this work, foam was injected at a constant mass rate into one-dimensional sandpacks of 1-in diameter and 24-in or 48-in length that had initially been saturate with distilled water. The system was placed in a catmore » Scanner. Data, obtained at room temperature and low pressure at various times, include both the pressure and saturation distributions. Pressure profiles showed that the pressure gradient is much greater behind the foam front than ahead of it. Moreover, the pressure gradients keep changing as the foam advances in the sandpack. This behavior differs from Buckley-Leverett theory. The CT scan results demonstrated gas channeling near the front, but eventually the foam block all these channels and sweeps the entire cross section after many pore volumes of injection. Three series of experiments were run: (1) surfactant adsorption measurements; (2) gas displacements of surfactant-laden solutions and (3) foam displacements. The first two series of experiments were made to provide the necessary parameters required to match the foam displacements. To this end, it was necessary to smooth the saturation history data, using a Langmuir-type formula. A theory was proposed based on the principles of the fractional flow curve construction method. This foam theory treats the foam as composed of infinitesimal slugs of gas of varying viscosities. The foam front has the lowest viscosity and foam at the injection end has the highest.« less

  8. Numerical study of two-dimensional wet foam over a range of shear rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kähärä, T.

    2017-09-01

    The shear rheology of two-dimensional foam is investigated over a range of shear rates with the numerical DySMaL model, which features dynamically deformable bubbles. It is found that at low shear rates, the rheological behavior of the system can be characterized by a yield stress power-law constitutive equation that is consistent with experimental findings and can be understood in terms of soft glassy rheology models. At low shear rates, the system rheology is also found to be subject to a scaling law involving the bubble size, the surface tension, and the viscosity of the carrier fluid. At high shear rates, the model produces a dynamic phase transition with a sudden change in the flow pattern, which is accompanied by a drop in the effective viscosity. This phase transition can be linked to rapid changes in the average bubble deformation and nematic order of the system. It is very likely that this phase transition is a result of the model dynamics and does not happen in actual foams.

  9. [Torque resistance of three different types of nickel-titanium rotary instruments].

    PubMed

    Sun, Wei; Hou, Ben-xiang

    2010-10-01

    To compare torsional fracture of three different types of nickel-titanium rotary instruments ProTaper, Hero642 and Mtwo by making a stimulate models in vitro. Through the establishment of model in vitro, compared the different time with 3 kinds of nickel titanium file in cutting-edge bound occurs, and to observe the section of fractured instruments by scanning electron microscope. The resistence to torque was different from three types of nickel titanium instruments. The time to fracture of Mtwo was significantly longer than ProTaper's and Hero642's, but ProTaper's and Hero642's had no significant difference. Three kinds cross-sectional design were different, a lot of toughness nests were seen in broken surface. Most of them were ductile fracture. Time to fracture was influenced by the quality disfigurement. The resistance to torque of Mtwo was better than ProTaper and Hero642. The lifespan was influenced by the design of cross-section. The quality disfigurement of the files reduced the resistance to flexual fatigue.

  10. Modifying the morphology and properties of aligned CNT foams through secondary CNT growth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faraji, Shaghayegh; Stano, Kelly; Akyildiz, Halil; Yildiz, Ozkan; Jur, Jesse S.; Bradford, Philip D.

    2018-07-01

    In this work, we report for the first time, growth of secondary carbon nanotubes (CNTs) throughout a three-dimensional assembly of CNTs. The assembly of nanotubes was in the form of aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams. These low-density CNT foams were conformally coated with an alumina buffer layer using atomic layer deposition. Chemical vapor deposition was further used to grow new CNTs. The CNT foam’s extremely high porosity allowed for growth of secondary CNTs inside the bulk of the foams. Due to the heavy growth of new nanotubes, density of the foams increased more than 2.5 times. Secondary nanotubes had the same graphitic quality as the primary CNTs. Microscopy and chemical analysis revealed that the thickness of the buffer layer affected the diameter, nucleation density as well as growth uniformity across the thickness of the foams. The effects of secondary nanotubes on the compressive mechanical properties of the foams was also investigated.

  11. PUFoam : A novel open-source CFD solver for the simulation of polyurethane foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karimi, M.; Droghetti, H.; Marchisio, D. L.

    2017-08-01

    In this work a transient three-dimensional mathematical model is formulated and validated for the simulation of polyurethane (PU) foams. The model is based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and is coupled with a population balance equation (PBE) to describe the evolution of the gas bubbles/cells within the PU foam. The front face of the expanding foam is monitored on the basis of the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method using a compressible solver available in OpenFOAM version 3.0.1. The solver is additionally supplemented to include the PBE, solved with the quadrature method of moments (QMOM), the polymerization kinetics, an adequate rheological model and a simple model for the foam thermal conductivity. The new solver is labelled as PUFoam and is, for the first time in this work, validated for 12 different mixing-cup experiments. Comparison of the time evolution of the predicted and experimentally measured density and temperature of the PU foam shows the potentials and limitations of the approach.

  12. Additive Manufacturing of Syntactic Foams: Part 2: Specimen Printing and Mechanical Property Characterization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Ashish Kumar; Saltonstall, Brooks; Patil, Balu; Hoffmann, Niklas; Doddamani, Mrityunjay; Gupta, Nikhil

    2018-03-01

    High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and its fly ash cenosphere-filled syntactic foam filaments have been recently developed. These filaments are used for three-dimensional (3D) printing using a commercial printer. The developed syntactic foam filament (HDPE40) contains 40 wt.% cenospheres in the HDPE matrix. Printing parameters for HDPE and HDPE40 were optimized for use in widely available commercial printers, and specimens were three-dimensionally (3D) printed for tensile testing at strain rate of 10-3 s-1. Process optimization resulted in smooth operation of the 3D printer without nozzle clogging or cenosphere fracture during the printing process. Characterization results revealed that the tensile modulus values of 3D-printed HDPE and HDPE40 specimens were higher than those of injection-molded specimens, while the tensile strength was comparable, but the fracture strain and density were lower.

  13. A metal-organic framework derived hierarchical nickel-cobalt sulfide nanosheet array on Ni foam with enhanced electrochemical performance for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Tao, Kai; Han, Xue; Ma, Qingxiang; Han, Lei

    2018-03-06

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a new platform for the construction of various functional materials for energy related applications. Here, a facile MOF templating method is developed to fabricate a hierarchical nickel-cobalt sulfide nanosheet array on conductive Ni foam (Ni-Co-S/NF) as a binder-free electrode for supercapacitors. A uniform 2D Co-MOF nanowall array is first grown in situ on Ni foam in aqueous solution at room temperature, and then the Co-MOF nanowalls are converted into hierarchical Ni-Co-S nanoarchitectures via an etching and ion-exchange reaction with Ni(NO 3 ) 2 , and a subsequent solvothermal sulfurization. Taking advantage of the compositional and structural merits of the hierarchical Ni-Co-S nanosheet array and conductive Ni foam, such as fast electron transportation, short ion diffusion path, abundant active sites and rich redox reactions, the obtained Ni-Co-S/NF electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical capacitive performance (1406.9 F g -1 at 0.5 A g -1 , 53.9% retention at 10 A g -1 and 88.6% retention over 1000 cycles), which is superior to control CoS/NF. An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) assembled by using the as-fabricated Ni-Co-S/NF as the positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode delivers a high energy density of 24.8 W h kg -1 at a high power density of 849.5 W kg -1 . Even when the power density is as high as 8.5 kW kg -1 , the ASC still exhibits a high energy density of 12.5 W h kg -1 . This facile synthetic strategy can also be extended to fabricate other hierarchical integrated electrodes for high-efficiency electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices.

  14. Processing and Characterization of Nickel-Manganese-Gallium Shape-Memory Fibers and Foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Peiqi-Paige

    Ferromagnetic Ni-Mn-Ga shape memory alloys with large magnetic field-induced strains are promising candidates for actuators. Magnetic shape memory alloys display magnetic-field-induced strain (MFIS) of up to 10%, as single crystals. Polycrystalline materials are much easier to create but display a near-zero MFIS because twinning of neighboring grains introduces strain incompatibility leading to high internal stresses. Pores reduce these incompatibilities between grains and thus increase the MFIS of polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga which after training (thermo-magneto-mechanical cycling) exhibits MFIS as high as 8.7%. In this thesis, a systematic study of the effect of porosity on the magneto-mechanical properties of polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga foams is presented. The MFIS increased with increasing porosity, demonstrating that removal of constraints by addition of porosity is responsible for the high MFIS in polycrystalline foams. Ni-Mn-Ga foams with 57 volume percent of 355-500 micrometers open pores, with and without directional solidification were cast replicated. One directional solidified foam specimen showed a maximum magnetic-field induced strain of 0.65%, which is twice the value displayed by other foam specimens without directional solidification. This improvement is consistent with a reduction of incompatibility stresses under magnetic field from the reduced crystallographic misorientation between neighboring grains. Polycrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga foam displays ˜1% MFIS after the hermo-magnetic training. To show this effect in this highly textured sample, neutron diffraction texture measurements were conducted with a magnetic field applied at various orientations to the sample, demonstrating that selection of martensite variants takes place during cooling. Oligocrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga foams with an open porosity of 63.5?0.7% were created by a sintering replication process using NaCl space-holders. The high surface/volume ratio and mechanical stability under cyclic strain

  15. Three-dimensional carbon architectures for electrochemical capacitors.

    PubMed

    Song, Yu; Liu, Tianyu; Qian, Fang; Zhu, Cheng; Yao, Bin; Duoss, Eric; Spadaccini, Christopher; Worsley, Marcus; Li, Yat

    2018-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) carbon-based materials are emerging as promising electrode candidates for energy storage devices. In comparison to the 1D and 2D structures, 3D morphology offers new opportunities in rational design and synthesis of novel architectures tailor-made for promoting electrochemical performance. The capability of building hierarchical porous structures with 3D configuration can significantly advance the performance of energy storage devices by simultaneously enhancing the ion-accessible surface area and ion diffusion. This feature article presents an overview of recent progress in design, synthesis and implementation of 3D carbon-based materials as electrodes for electrochemical capacitors. Synthesis methodologies of four types of 3D carbon-based electrodes: 3D exfoliated carbon structures, 3D graphene scaffolds, 3D hierarchical porous carbon foams, as well as 3D architectures with periodic pores derived from direct ink writing, are thoroughly discussed and highlighted with selected experimental works. Finally, key opportunities and challenges in which different 3D carbons can significantly impact the energy storage and conversion communities will be provided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The Modification of Polyurethane Foams Using New Boroorganic Polyols (II) Polyurethane Foams from Boron-Modified Hydroxypropyl Urea Derivatives

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    The work focuses on research related to determination of application possibility of new, ecofriendly boroorganic polyols in rigid polyurethane foams production. Polyols were obtained from hydroxypropyl urea derivatives esterified with boric acid and propylene carbonate. The influence of esterification type on properties of polyols and next on polyurethane foams properties was determined. Nitrogen and boron impacts on the foams' properties were discussed, for instance, on their physical, mechanical, and electric properties. Boron presence causes improvement of dimensional stability and thermal stability of polyurethane foams. They can be applied even at temperature 150°C. Unfortunately, introducing boron in polyurethanes foams affects deterioration of their water absorption, which increases as compared to the foams that do not contain boron. However, presence of both boron and nitrogen determines the decrease of the foams combustibility. Main impact on the decrease combustibility of the obtained foams has nitrogen presence, but in case of proper boron and nitrogen ratio their synergic activity on the combustibility decrease can be easily seen. PMID:24587721

  17. Three-dimensional culture of rat calvarial osteoblasts in porous biodegradable polymers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ishaug-Riley, S. L.; Crane-Kruger, G. M.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Mikos, A. G.

    1998-01-01

    Neonatal rat calvarial osteoblasts were cultured in 90% porous, 75:25 poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) foam scaffolds for up to 56 days to examine the effects of the cell seeding density, scaffold pore size, and foam thickness on the proliferation and function of the cells in this three-dimensional environment. Osteoblasts were seeded at either 11.1 x 10(5) or 22.1 x 10(5) cells per cm2 onto PLGA scaffolds having pore sizes in the range of 150-300 or 500-710 microm with a thickness of either 1.9 or 3.2 mm. After 1 day in culture, 75.6 and 68.6% of the seeded cells attached and proliferated on the 1.9 mm thick scaffolds of 150-300 microm pore size for the low and high seeding densities, respectively. The number of osteoblasts continued to increase throughout the study and eventually leveled off near 56 days, as indicated by a quantitative DNA assay. Osteoblast/foam constructs with a low cell seeding density achieved comparable DNA content and alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity after 14 days, and mineralization results after 56 days to those with a high cell seeding density. A maximum penetration depth of osseous tissue of 220+/-40 microm was reached after 56 days in the osteoblast/foam constructs of 150-300 microm pore size initially seeded with a high cell density. For constructs of 500-710 microm pore size, the penetration depth was 190+/-40 microm under the same conditions. Scaffold pore size and thickness did not significantly affect the proliferation or function of osteoblasts as demonstrated by DNA content, ALPase activity, and mineralized tissue formation. These data show that comparable bone-like tissues can be engineered in vitro over a 56 day period using different rat calvarial osteoblast seeding densities onto biodegradable polymer scaffolds with pore sizes in the range of 150-710 microm. When compared with the results of a previous study where similar polymer scaffolds were seeded and cultured with marrow stromal cells, this study

  18. Hydrothermally formed three-dimensional nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-film supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Li, Lei; Ruan, Gedeng; Fei, Huilong; Xiang, Changsheng; Fan, Xiujun; Tour, James M

    2014-09-23

    A three-dimensional nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-film was hydrothermally converted from an anodically formed porous layer of nickel fluoride/oxide. The nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-films can be used as additive-free electrodes for energy storage. The nanoporous layer delivers a high capacitance of 1765 F g(-1) under three electrode testing. After assembly with porous activated carbon in asymmetric supercapacitor configurations, the devices deliver superior supercapacitive performances with capacitance of 192 F g(-1), energy density of 68 Wh kg(-1), and power density of 44 kW kg(-1). The wide working potential window (up to 1.6 V in 6 M aq KOH) and stable cyclability (∼90% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles) make the thin-film ideal for practical supercapacitor devices.

  19. Three dimensional identification card and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Changhe; Wang, Shaoqing; Li, Chao; Li, Hao; Liu, Zhao

    2016-10-01

    Three dimensional Identification Card, with its three-dimensional personal image displayed and stored for personal identification, is supposed be the advanced version of the present two-dimensional identification card in the future [1]. Three dimensional Identification Card means that there are three-dimensional optical techniques are used, the personal image on ID card is displayed to be three-dimensional, so we can see three dimensional personal face. The ID card also stores the three-dimensional face information in its inside electronics chip, which might be recorded by using two-channel cameras, and it can be displayed in computer as three-dimensional images for personal identification. Three-dimensional ID card might be one interesting direction to update the present two-dimensional card in the future. Three-dimension ID card might be widely used in airport custom, entrance of hotel, school, university, as passport for on-line banking, registration of on-line game, etc...

  20. Three-dimensional numerical simulation during laser processing of CFRP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohkubo, Tomomasa; Sato, Yuji; Matsunaga, Ei-ichi; Tsukamoto, Masahiro

    2017-09-01

    We performed three-dimensional numerical simulation about laser processing of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) using OpenFOAM as libraries of finite volume method (FVM). Although a little theoretical or numerical studies about heat affected zone (HAZ) formation were performed, there is no research discussing how HAZ is generated considering time development about removal of each material. It is important to understand difference of removal speed of carbon fiber and resin in order to improve quality of cut surface of CFRP. We demonstrated how the carbon fiber and resin are removed by heat of ablation plume by our simulation. We found that carbon fiber is removed faster than resin at first stage because of the difference of thermal conductivity, and after that, the resin is removed faster because of its low combustion temperature. This result suggests the existence of optimal contacting time of the laser ablation and kerf of the target.

  1. Geometric modeling of Plateau borders using the orthographic projection method for closed cell rigid polyurethane foam thermal conductivity prediction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Jie; Wu, Tao; Peng, Chuang; Adegbite, Stephen

    2017-09-01

    The geometric Plateau border model for closed cell polyurethane foam was developed based on volume integrations of approximated 3D four-cusp hypocycloid structure. The tetrahedral structure of convex struts was orthogonally projected into 2D three-cusp deltoid with three central cylinders. The idealized single unit strut was modeled by superposition. The volume of each component was calculated by geometric analyses. The strut solid fraction f s and foam porosity coefficient δ were calculated based on representative elementary volume of Kelvin and Weaire-Phelan structures. The specific surface area Sv derived respectively from packing structures and deltoid approximation model were put into contrast against strut dimensional ratio ɛ. The characteristic foam parameters obtained from this semi-empirical model were further employed to predict foam thermal conductivity.

  2. Foamability and structure analysis of foams in Hele-Shaw cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Caps, H.; Vandewalle, N.; Broze, G.; Zocchi, G.

    2007-05-01

    The authors have generated two-dimensional foams by imposing an intermittent drainage in a Hele-Shaw cell partially filled with a detergent/water mixture. The foam generation associated with this process is reproducible and depends on the surfactant molecules composing the solution. A kinetic model can be proposed for the foam evolution. The structure of the foam is also investigated: the average bubble side number and correlation functions are measured. Distinguishable behaviors are observed for different surfactant molecules. This way of producing a foam is thus adequate for applied foam structure characterizations and fundamental studies.

  3. High Expansion Foam for Protecting Large Volume Mission Critical Shipboard Spaces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    aqueous film - forming foam ( AFFF ) sprinklers designed only to combat Class B two-dimensional pool fires.1 The...Validation Tests, Series 1 – An Evaluation of Aqueous Film Foaming Foam ( AFFF ) Suppression Systems for Protection of LHA(R) Well Deck and Vehicle... firefighting system design. NRL further recognized that employing a traditional high expansion foam generator would impact shipboard

  4. Fullerene-Like Nickel Oxysulfide Hollow Nanospheres as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting.

    PubMed

    Liu, Junli; Yang, Yong; Ni, Bing; Li, Haoyi; Wang, Xun

    2017-02-01

    Fullerene-like nickel oxysulfide hollow nanospheres with ≈50 nm are constructed by in situ growth on the surface of nickel foam by taking advantage of solvothermal reaction. The as-prepared composite exhibits exhilaratingly high HER and OER performance in 1 m KOH, which opens up a very promising aspect for non-noble metal chalcogenides as bifunctional electrocatalysts. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Nickel-iron battery system safety

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saltat, R. C.

    1984-01-01

    The generated flow rates of gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen from an electrical vehicle nickel-iron battery system were determined and used to evaluate the flame quenching capabilities of several candidate devices to prevent flame propagation within batteries having central watering/venting systems. The battery generated hydrogen and oxygen gases were measured for a complete charge and discharge cycle. The data correlates well with accepted theory during strong overcharge conditions indicating that the measurements are valid for other portions of the cycle. Tests confirm that the gas mixture in the cells is always flammable regardless of the battery status. The literature indicated that a conventional flame arrestor would not be effective over the broad spectrum of gassing conditions presented by a nickel-iron battery. Four different types of protective devices were evaluated. A foam-metal arrestor design was successful in quenching gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen flames, however; the application of this flame arrestor to individual cell or module protection in a battery is problematic. A possible rearrangement of the watering/venting system to accept the partial protection of simple one-way valves is presented which, in combination with the successful foam-metal arrestor as main vent protection, could result in a significant improvement in battery protection.

  6. Tooling Foam for Structural Composite Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DeLay, Tom; Smith, Brett H.; Ely, Kevin; MacArthur, Doug

    1998-01-01

    Tooling technology applications for composite structures fabrication have been expanded at MSFC's Productivity Enhancement Complex (PEC). Engineers from NASA/MSFC and Lockheed Martin Corporation have developed a tooling foam for use in composite materials processing and manufacturing that exhibits superior thermal and mechanical properties in comparison with other tooling foam materials. This tooling foam is also compatible with most preimpregnated composite resins such as epoxy, bismaleimide, phenolic and their associated cure cycles. MARCORE tooling foam has excellent processability for applications requiring either integral or removable tooling. It can also be tailored to meet the requirements for composite processing of parts with unlimited cross sectional area. A shelf life of at least six months is easily maintained when components are stored between 50F - 70F. The MARCORE tooling foam system is a two component urethane-modified polyisocyanurate, high density rigid foam with zero ozone depletion potential. This readily machineable, lightweight tooling foam is ideal for composite structures fabrication and is dimensionally stable at temperatures up to 350F and pressures of 100 psi.

  7. Mechanical Behavior of Three-Dimensional Braided Nickel-Based Superalloys Synthesized via Pack Cementation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lippitz, Nicolas; Erdeniz, Dinc; Sharp, Keith W.; Dunand, David C.

    2018-03-01

    Braided tubes of Ni-based superalloys are fabricated via three-dimensional (3-D) braiding of ductile Ni-20Cr (wt pct) wires followed by post-textile gas-phase alloying with Al and Ti to create, after homogenization and aging, γ/ γ' strengthened lightweight, porous structures. Tensile tests reveal an increase in strength by 100 MPa compared to as-braided Ni-20Cr (wt pct). An interrupted tensile test, combined with X-ray tomographic scans between each step, sheds light on the failure behavior of the braided superalloy tubes.

  8. Hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam anodes

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

    Chamoun, Mylad; Hertzberg, Benjamin J.; Gupta, Tanya

    The low cost, significant reducing potential, and relative safety of the zinc electrode is a common hope for a reductant in secondary batteries, but it is limited mainly to primary implementation due to shape change. In this work we exploit such shape change for the benefit of static electrodes through the electrodeposition of hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam. Electrodeposition of zinc foam resulted in nanoparticles formed on secondary dendrites in a three-dimensional network with a particle size distribution of 54.1 - 96.0 nm. The nanoporous zinc foam contributed to highly oriented crystals, high surface area and more rapid kinetics in contrastmore » to conventional zinc in alkaline mediums. The anode material presented had a utilization of ~ 88% at full depth-of-discharge at various rates indicating a superb rate-capability. The rechargeability of Zn⁰/Zn²⁺ showed significant capacity retention over 100 cycles at a 40% depth-of-discharge to ensure that the dendritic core structure was imperforated. The dendritic architecture was densified upon charge-discharge cycling and presented superior performance compared to bulk zinc electrodes.« less

  9. Hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam anodes

    DOE PAGES

    Chamoun, Mylad; Hertzberg, Benjamin J.; Gupta, Tanya; ...

    2015-04-24

    The low cost, significant reducing potential, and relative safety of the zinc electrode is a common hope for a reductant in secondary batteries, but it is limited mainly to primary implementation due to shape change. In this work we exploit such shape change for the benefit of static electrodes through the electrodeposition of hyper-dendritic nanoporous zinc foam. Electrodeposition of zinc foam resulted in nanoparticles formed on secondary dendrites in a three-dimensional network with a particle size distribution of 54.1 - 96.0 nm. The nanoporous zinc foam contributed to highly oriented crystals, high surface area and more rapid kinetics in contrastmore » to conventional zinc in alkaline mediums. The anode material presented had a utilization of ~ 88% at full depth-of-discharge at various rates indicating a superb rate-capability. The rechargeability of Zn⁰/Zn²⁺ showed significant capacity retention over 100 cycles at a 40% depth-of-discharge to ensure that the dendritic core structure was imperforated. The dendritic architecture was densified upon charge-discharge cycling and presented superior performance compared to bulk zinc electrodes.« less

  10. Hydroxyapatite fiber reinforced poly(alpha-hydroxy ester) foams for bone regeneration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomson, R. C.; Yaszemski, M. J.; Powers, J. M.; Mikos, A. G.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)

    1998-01-01

    A process has been developed to manufacture biodegradable composite foams of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and hydroxyapatite short fibers for use in bone regeneration. The processing technique allows the manufacture of three-dimensional foam scaffolds and involves the formation of a composite material consisting of a porogen material (either gelatin microspheres or salt particles) and hydroxyapatite short fibers embedded in a PLGA matrix. After the porogen is leached out, an open-cell composite foam remains which has a pore size and morphology defined by the porogen. By changing the weight fraction of the leachable component it was possible to produce composite foams with controlled porosities ranging from 0.47 +/- 0.02 to 0.85 +/- 0.01 (n = 3). Up to a polymer:fiber ratio of 7:6, short hydroxyapatite fibers served to reinforce low-porosity PLGA foams manufactured using gelatin microspheres as a porogen. Foams with a compressive yield strength up to 2.82 +/- 0.63 MPa (n = 3) and a porosity of 0.47 +/- 0.02 (n = 3) were manufactured using a polymer:fiber weight ratio of 7:6. In contrast, high-porosity composite foams (up to 0.81 +/- 0.02, n = 3) suitable for cell seeding were not reinforced by the introduction of increasing quantities of hydroxyapatite short fibers. We were therefore able to manufacture high-porosity foams which may be seeded with cells but which have minimal compressive yield strength, or low porosity foams with enhanced osteoconductivity and compressive yield strength.

  11. Low density microcellular foams

    DOEpatents

    Aubert, J.H.; Clough, R.L.; Curro, J.G.; Quintana, C.A.; Russick, E.M.; Shaw, M.T.

    1985-10-02

    Low density, microporous polymer foams are provided by a process which comprises forming a solution of polymer and a suitable solvent followed by rapid cooling of the solution to form a phase-separated system and freeze the phase-separated system. The phase-separated system comprises a polymer phase and a solvent phase, each of which is substantially continuous within the other. The morphology of the polymer phase prior to and subsequent to freezing determine the morphology of the resultant foam. Both isotropic and anisotropic foams can be produced. If isotropic foams are produced, the polymer and solvent are tailored such that the solution spontaneously phase-separates prior to the point at which any component freezes. The morphology of the resultant polymer phase determines the morphology of the reusltant foam and the morphology of the polymer phase is retained by cooling the system at a rate sufficient to freeze one or both components of the system before a change in morphology can occur. Anisotropic foams are produced by forming a solution of polymer and solvent that will not phase separate prior to freezing of one or both components of the solution. In such a process, the solvent typically freezes before phase separation occurs. The morphology of the resultant frozen two-phase system determines the morphology of the resultant foam. The process involves subjecting the solution to essentially one-dimensional cooling. Foams having a density of less than 0.1 g/cc and a uniform cell size of less than 10 ..mu..m and a volume such that the foams have a length greater than 1 cm are provided.

  12. Modeling Three-Dimensional Flow in Confined Aquifers by Superposition of Both Two- and Three-Dimensional Analytic Functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haitjema, Henk M.

    1985-10-01

    A technique is presented to incorporate three-dimensional flow in a Dupuit-Forchheimer model. The method is based on superposition of approximate analytic solutions to both two- and three-dimensional flow features in a confined aquifer of infinite extent. Three-dimensional solutions are used in the domain of interest, while farfield conditions are represented by two-dimensional solutions. Approximate three- dimensional solutions have been derived for a partially penetrating well and a shallow creek. Each of these solutions satisfies the condition that no flow occurs across the confining layers of the aquifer. Because of this condition, the flow at some distance of a three-dimensional feature becomes nearly horizontal. Consequently, remotely from a three-dimensional feature, its three-dimensional solution is replaced by a corresponding two-dimensional one. The latter solution is trivial as compared to its three-dimensional counterpart, and its use greatly enhances the computational efficiency of the model. As an example, the flow is modeled between a partially penetrating well and a shallow creek that occur in a regional aquifer system.

  13. Three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks with a supported nickel oxide nanonet for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wu, Mao-Sung; Zheng, Yo-Ru; Lin, Guan-Wei

    2014-08-04

    A three-dimensional porous carbon nanotube film with a supported NiO nanonet was prepared by simple electrophoretic deposition and hydrothermal synthesis, which could deliver a high specific capacitance of 1511 F g(-1) at a high discharge current of 50 A g(-1) due to the significantly improved transport of the electrolyte and electrons.

  14. Two-Dimensional Versus Three-Dimensional Conceptualization in Astronomy Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reynolds, Michael David

    Numerous science conceptual issues are naturally three-dimensional. Classroom presentations are often two -dimensional or at best multidimensional. Several astronomy topics are of this nature, e. g. mechanics of the phases of the moon. Textbooks present this three-dimensional topic in two-dimensions; such is often the case in the classroom. This study was conducted to examine conceptions exhibited by pairs of like-sex 11th grade standard physics students as they modeled the lunar phases. Student pairs, 13 male and 13 female, were randomly selected and assigned. Pairing comes closer to classroom emulation, minimizes needs for direct probes, and pair discussion is more likely to display variety and depth. Four hypotheses were addressed: (1) Participants who model three-dimensionally will more likely achieve a higher explanation score. (2) Students who experienced more earth or physical science exposure will more likely model three-dimensionally. (3) Pairs that exhibit a strong science or mathematics preference will more likely model three-dimensionally. (4) Males will model in three dimensions more than females. Students provided background information, including science course exposure and subject preference. Each pair laid out a 16-card set representing two complete lunar phase changes. The pair was asked to explain why the phases occur. Materials were provided for use, including disks, spheres, paper and pen, and flashlight. Activities were videotaped for later evaluation. Statistics of choice was a correlation determination between course preference and model type and ANOVA for the other hypotheses. It was determined that pairs who modeled three -dimensionally achieved a higher score on their phases mechanics explanation at p <.05 level. Pairs with earth science or physical science exposure, those who prefer science or mathematics, and male participants were not more likely to model three-dimensionally. Possible reasons for lack of significance was small sample

  15. Construction of horizontal stratum landform-like composite foams and their methyl orange adsorption capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jiajia; Shi, Xiaowen; Zhan, Yingfei; Qiu, Xiaodan; Du, Yumin; Deng, Hongbing

    2017-03-01

    Chitosan (CS)/rectorite (REC)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite foams with good mechanical properties were successfully fabricated by unidirectional freeze-casting technique. The morphology of the foam showed the well-ordered porous three-dimensional layers and horizontal stratum landform-like structure. The holes on the layers looked like the wings of butterfly. Additionally, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results indicated the successful addition of CNTs and REC. The intercalated REC with CS chains was confirmed by small-angle X-ray diffraction. The surface structure of the foams was also analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. The adsorption experiments showed that when the mass ratio of CS to REC was 10:1 and CNTs content was 20%, the composite foam performed best in adsorbing low concentration methyl orange, and the largest adsorption capacity was 41.65 mg/g.

  16. Improved electrochemical performances of binder-free CoMoO4 nanoplate arrays@Ni foam electrode using redox additive electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Veerasubramani, Ganesh Kumar; Krishnamoorthy, Karthikeyan; Kim, Sang Jae

    2016-02-01

    Herein, we are successfully prepared cobalt molybdate (CoMoO4) grown on nickel foam as a binder free electrode by hydrothermal approach for supercapacitors and improved their electrochemical performances using potassium ferricyanide (K3Fe(CN)6) as redox additive. The formation of CoMoO4 on Ni foam with high crystallinity is confirmed using XRD, Raman, and XPS measurements. The nanoplate arrays (NPAs) of CoMoO4 are uniformly grown on Ni foam which is confirmed by FE-SEM analysis. The prepared binder-free CoMoO4 NPAs achieved maximum areal capacity of 227 μAh cm-2 with KOH electrolyte at 2.5 mA cm-2. This achieved areal capacity is further improved about three times using the addition of K3Fe(CN)6 as redox additive. The increased electrochemical performances of CoMoO4 NPAs on Ni foam electrode via redox additive are discussed in detail and the mechanism has been explored. Moreover, the assembled CoMoO4 NPAs on Ni foam//activated carbon asymmetric supercapacitor device with an extended operating voltage window of 1.5 V exhibits an excellent performances such as high energy density and cyclic stability. The overall performances of binder-free CoMoO4 NPAs on Ni foam with redox additives suggesting their potential use as positive electrode material for high performance supercapacitors.

  17. Chemical characterization and ecotoxicity of three soil foaming agents used in mechanized tunneling.

    PubMed

    Baderna, Diego; Lomazzi, Eleonora; Passoni, Alice; Pogliaghi, Alberto; Petoumenou, Maria Ifigeneia; Bagnati, Renzo; Lodi, Marco; Viarengo, Aldo; Sforzini, Susanna; Benfenati, Emilio; Fanelli, Roberto

    2015-10-15

    The construction of tunnels and rocks with mechanized drills produces several tons of rocky debris that are today recycled as construction material or as soil replacement for covering rocky areas. The lack of accurate information about the environmental impact of these excavated rocks and foaming agents added during the excavation process has aroused increasing concern for ecosystems and human health. The present study proposes an integrated approach to the assessment of the potential environmental impact of three foaming agents containing different anionic surfactants and other polymers currently on the market and used in tunnel boring machines. The strategy includes chemical characterization with high resolution mass spectrometry techniques to identify the components of each product, the use of in silico tools to perform a similarity comparison among these compounds and some pollutants already listed in regulatory frameworks to identify possible threshold concentrations of contamination, and the application of a battery of ecotoxicological assays to investigate the impact of each foaming mixture on model organisms of soil (higher plants and Eisenia andrei) and water communities (Daphnia magna). The study identified eleven compounds not listed on the material safety data sheets for which we have identified possible concentrations of contamination based on existing regulatory references. The bioassays allowed us to determine the no effect concentrations (NOAECs) of the three mixtures, which were subsequently used as threshold concentration for the product in its entirety. The technical mixtures used in this study have a different degree of toxicity and the predicted environmental concentrations based on the conditions of use are lower than the NOAEC for soils but higher than the NOAEC for water, posing a potential risk to the waters due to the levels of foaming agents in the muck. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Orbital engineering of nickelates in three-component heterostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Disa, Ankit; Kumah, Divine; Malashevich, Andrei; Chen, Hanghui; Ismail-Beigi, Sohrab; Walker, Fred; Ahn, Charles; Specht, Eliot; Arena, Dario

    2015-03-01

    The orbital configuration of complex oxides dictates the emergence of a wide range of properties, including metal-insulator transitions, interfacial magnetism, and high-temperature superconductivity. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a novel method for achieving large and tunable orbital polarizations in nickelates. The technique is based on leveraging three-component, atomically layered superlattices to yield a combination of inversion symmetry breaking, charge transfer, and polar distortions. In the system we studied, composed of LaTiO3/LaNiO3/LaAlO3, we use synchrotron x-ray diffraction and spectroscopy to characterize these properties and show that they lead to fully broken orbital degeneracy in the nickelate layer consistent with a single-band Fermi surface. Furthermore, we show that this system is widely tunable and enables quasi-continuous orbital control unachievable by conventional strain and confinement-based approaches. This technique provides an experimentally realizable route for accessing and studying novel orbitally dependent quantum phenomena.

  19. Graphene Foam: Uniaxial Tension Behavior and Fracture Mode Based on a Mesoscopic Model.

    PubMed

    Pan, Douxing; Wang, Chao; Wang, Tzu-Chiang; Yao, Yugui

    2017-09-26

    Because of the combined advantages of both porous materials and two-dimensional (2D) graphene sheets, superior mechanical properties of three-dimensional (3D) graphene foams have received much attention from material scientists and energy engineers. Here, a 2D mesoscopic graphene model (Modell. Simul. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2011, 19, 054003), was expanded into a 3D bonded graphene foam system by utilizing physical cross-links and van der Waals forces acting among different mesoscopic graphene flakes by considering the debonding behavior, to evaluate the uniaxial tension behavior and fracture mode based on in situ SEM tensile testing (Carbon 2015, 85, 299). We reasonably reproduced a multipeak stress-strain relationship including its obvious yielding plateau and a ductile fracture mode near 45° plane from the tensile direction including the corresponding fracture morphology. Then, a power scaling law of tensile elastic modulus with mass density and an anisotropic strain-dependent Poisson's ratio were both deduced. The mesoscopic physical mechanism of tensile deformation was clearly revealed through the local stress state and evolution of mesostructure. The fracture feature of bonded graphene foam and its thermodynamic state were directly navigated to the tearing pattern of mesoscopic graphene flakes. This study provides an effective way to understand the mesoscopic physical nature of 3D graphene foams, and hence it may contribute to the multiscale computations of micro/meso/macromechanical performances and optimal design of advanced graphene-foam-based materials.

  20. Noncontact three-dimensional evaluation of surface alterations and wear in NiTi endodontic instruments.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Fabiano Guerra; Barbosa, Igor Bastos; Scelza, Pantaleo; Montagnana, Marcello Bulhões; Russano, Daniel; Neff, John; Scelza, Miriam Zaccaro

    2017-09-28

    The aim of this study was to undertake a qualitative and quantitative assessment of nanoscale alterations and wear on the surfaces of nickel-titanium (NiTi) endodontic instruments, before and after use, through a high-resolution, noncontact, three-dimensional optical profiler, and to verify the accuracy of the evaluation method. Cutting blade surfaces of two different brands of NiTi endodontic instruments, Reciproc R25 (n = 5) and WaveOne Primary (n = 5), were examined and compared before and after two uses in simulated root canals made in clear resin blocks. The analyses were performed on three-dimensional images which were obtained from surface areas measuring 211 × 211 µm, located 3 mm from their tips. The quantitative evaluation of the samples was conducted before and after the first and second usage, by the recordings of three amplitude parameters. The data were subjected to statistical analysis at a 5% level of significance. The results revealed statistically significant increases in the surface wear of both instruments groups after the second use. The presence of irregularities was found on the surface topography of all the instruments, before and after use. Regardless of the evaluation stage, most of the defects were observed in the WaveOne instruments. The three-dimensional technique was suitable and effective for the accurate investigation of the same surfaces of the instruments in different periods of time.

  1. Critical technology experiment results for lightweight space heat receiver

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schneider, Michael G.; Brege, Mark A.; Heidenreich, Gary R.

    1991-01-01

    Critical technology experiments have been performed on thermal energy storage modules in support of the NASA Advanced Solar Dynamic Brayton Heat Receiver Program. The modules, wedge-shaped canisters containing lithium fluoride (LiF), were designed to minimize the mechanical stresses that occur during the phase change of the LiF. Nickel foam inserts were placed in two of the test canisters to provide thermal conductivity enhancement and to distribute the void volume throughout the canister. A procedure was developed for reducing the nickel oxides on the nickel foam to enhance the wicking ability of the foam. The canisters were filled with LiF and closure-welded at the NASA Lewis Research Center. Two canisters, one with a nickel foam insert, the other without an insert, were thermally cycled in various orientations in a fluidized bed furnace. Computer-aided tomography was successfully used to nondestructively determine void locations in the canisters. Finally, canister dimensional stability was measured after thermal cycling with an inspection fixture.

  2. Preparation and Oxidation Performance of Y and Ce-Modified Cr Coating on open-cell Ni-Cr-Fe Alloy Foam by the Pack Cementation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pang, Q.; Hu, Z. L.; Wu, G. H.

    2016-12-01

    Metallic foams with a high fraction of porosity, low density and high-energy absorption capacity are a rapidly emerging class of novel ultralight weight materials for various engineering applications. In this study, Y-Cr and Ce-Cr-coated Ni-Cr-Fe alloy foams were prepared via the pack cementation method, and the effects of Y and Ce addition on the coating microstructure and oxidation performance were analyzed in order to improve the oxidation resistance of open-cell nickel-based alloy foams. The results show that the Ce-Cr coating is relatively more uniform and has a denser distribution on the surface of the nickel-based alloy foam. The surface grains of the Ce-Cr-coated alloy foam are finer compared to those of the Y-Cr-coated alloy foam. An obvious Ce peak appears on the interface between the coating and the alloy foam strut, which gives rise to a "site-blocking" effect for the short-circuit transport of the cation in the substrate. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the Y-Cr-coated alloy foam mainly consists of Cr, (Fe, Ni) and (Ni, Cr) phases in the surface layer. The Ce-Cr-coated alloy foam is mainly composed of Cr and (Ni, Cr) phases. Furthermore, the addition of Y and Ce clearly lead to an improvement in the oxidation resistance of the coated alloy foams in the temperature range of 900-1000 °C. The addition of Ce is especially effective in enhancing the diffusion of chromium to the oxidation front, thus, accelerating the formation of a Cr2O3 layer.

  3. Long-term three-dimensional perfusion culture of human adult bone marrow mononuclear cells in bioreactors.

    PubMed

    Schmelzer, Eva; Finoli, Anthony; Nettleship, Ian; Gerlach, Jörg C

    2015-04-01

    The construction and long-term maintenance of three-dimensional in vitro bone marrow models is of great interest but still quite challenging. Here we describe the use of a multi-compartment hollow-fiber membrane based three-dimensional perfusion bioreactor for long-term culture of whole human bone marrow mononuclear cells. We also investigated bioreactors with incorporated open-porous foamed hydroxyapatite scaffolds, mimicking the in vivo bone matrix. Cells in bioreactors with and without scaffolds were cultured to 6 weeks and compared to Petri dish controls. Cells were analyzed for gene expression, surface markers by flow cytometry, metabolic activity, hematopoietic potential, viability, and attachment by immunocytochemistry. Cells in bioreactors were metabolic active during long-term culture. The percentages of hematopoietic stem cell and mature endothelial cell fractions were maintained in bioreactors. The expression of most of the analyzed genes stabilized and increased after long-term culture of 6 weeks. Compared to Petri dish culture controls, bioreactor perfusion culture improved in both the short and long-term, the colony formation unit capacity of hematopoietic progenitors. Cells attached to the ample surface area provided by hydroxyapatite scaffolds. The implementation of a hydroxyapatite scaffold did not influence colony formation capacity, percentages of cell type specific fractions, gene expression, cell viability or metabolic turnover when compared to control cells cultured in bioreactors without scaffolds. In conclusion, three-dimensional perfusion bioreactor culture enables long-term maintenance of primary human bone marrow cells, with hydroxyapatite scaffolds providing an in vivo-like scaffold for three-dimensional culture. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Effect of silica nanoparticles on polyurethane foaming process and foam properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Francés, A. B.; Navarro Bañón, M. V.

    2014-08-01

    Flexible polyurethane foams (FPUF) are commonly used as cushioning material in upholstered products made on several industrial sectors: furniture, automotive seating, bedding, etc. Polyurethane is a high molecular weight polymer based on the reaction between a hydroxyl group (polyol) and isocyanate. The density, flowability, compressive, tensile or shearing strength, the thermal and dimensional stability, combustibility, and other properties can be adjusted by the addition of several additives. Nanomaterials offer a wide range of possibilities to obtain nanocomposites with specific properties. The combination of FPUF with silica nanoparticles could develop nanocomposite materials with unique properties: improved mechanical and thermal properties, gas permeability, and fire retardancy. However, as silica particles are at least partially surface-terminated with Si-OH groups, it was suspected that the silica could interfere in the reaction of poyurethane formation.The objective of this study was to investigate the enhancement of thermal and mechanical properties of FPUF by the incorporation of different types of silica and determining the influence thereof during the foaming process. Flexible polyurethane foams with different loading mass fraction of silica nanoparticles (0-1% wt) and different types of silica (non treated and modified silica) were synthesized. PU/SiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, and measurements of apparent density, resilience and determination of compression set. Addition of silica nanoparticles influences negatively in the density and compression set of the foams. However, resilience and thermal stability of the foams are improved. Silica nanoparticles do not affect to the chemical structure of the foams although they interfere in the blowing reaction.

  5. A combined NDE/FEA approach to evaluate the structural response of a metal foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosn, Louis J.; Abdul-Aziz, Ali; Raj, Sai V.; Rauser, Richard W.

    2007-04-01

    Metal foams are expected to find use in structural applications where weight is of particular concern, such as space vehicles, rotorcraft blades, car bodies or portable electronic devices. The obvious structural application of metal foam is for light weight sandwich panels, made up of thin solid face sheets and a metallic foam core. The stiffness of the sandwich structure is increased by separating the two face sheets by a light weight metal foam core. The resulting high-stiffness structure is lighter than that constructed only out of the solid metal material. Since the face sheets carry the applied in-plane and bending loads, the sandwich architecture is a viable engineering concept. However, the metal foam core must resist transverse shear loads and compressive loads while remaining integral with the face sheets. Challenges relating to the fabrication and testing of these metal foam panels remain due to some mechanical properties falling short of their theoretical potential. Theoretical mechanical properties are based on an idealized foam microstructure and assumed cell geometry. But the actual testing is performed on as fabricated foam microstructure. Hence in this study, a detailed three dimensional foam structure is generated using series of 2D Computer Tomography (CT) scans. The series of the 2D images are assembled to construct a high precision solid model capturing all the fine details within the metal foam as detected by the CT scanning technique. Moreover, a finite element analysis is then performed on as fabricated metal foam microstructures, to calculate the foam mechanical properties with the idealized theory. The metal foam material is an aerospace grade precipitation hardened 17-4 PH stainless steel with high strength and high toughness. Tensile and compressive mechanical properties are deduced from the FEA model and compared with the theoretical values for three different foam densities. The combined NDE/FEA provided insight in the variability of

  6. Two approaches for introduction of wheat straw lignin into rigid polyurethane foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arshanitsa, A.; Paberza, A.; Vevere, L.; Cabulis, U.; Telysheva, G.

    2014-05-01

    In present work the BIOLIGNIN{trade mark, serif} obtained in the result of wheat straw organosolv processing in CIMV pilot plant (France) was investigated as a component of rigid polyurethanes (PUR) foam systems. Different separate approaches of lignin introduction into PUR foam system were studied: as filler without chemical preprocessing and as liquid lignopolyol obtained by lignin oxypropylation in alkali conditions. The incorporation of increasing amount of lignin as filler into reference PUR foam systems on the basis of mixture of commercial polyethers Lupranol 3300 and Lupranol 3422 steadily decreased the compression characteristics of foams, their dimensional stability and hydrophobicity. The complete substitution of Lupranol 3300 by lignopolyol increases its cell structure uniformity and dimensional stability and does not reduce the physical-mechanical properties of foam. In both cases the incorporation of lignin into PUR foam leads to the decreasing of maximum values of thermodegradation rates. The lignin filler can be introduced into lignopolyol based PUR foam in higher quantity than in the reference Lupranol based PUR without reduction of compression characteristics of material. In this work the optimal lignin content in the end product - PUR foam as both polyol and filler is 16%.

  7. Foaming in simulated radioactive waste.

    PubMed

    Bindal, S K; Nikolov, A D; Wasan, D T; Lambert, D P; Koopman, D C

    2001-10-01

    Radioactive waste treatment process usually involves concentration of radionuclides before waste can be immobilized by storing it in stable solid form. Foaming is observed at various stages of waste processing like SRAT (sludge receipt and adjustment tank) and melter operations. This kind of foaming greatly limits the process efficiency. The foam encountered can be characterized as a three-phase foam that incorporates finely divided solids (colloidal particles). The solid particles stabilize foaminess in two ways: by adsorption of biphilic particles at the surfaces of foam lamella and by layering of particles trapped inside the foam lamella. During bubble generation and rise, solid particles organize themselves into a layered structure due to confinement inside the foam lamella, and this structure provides a barrier against the coalescence of the bubbles, thereby causing foaming. Our novel capillary force balance apparatus was used to examine the particle-particle interactions, which affect particle layer formation in the foam lamella. Moreover, foaminess shows a maximum with increasing solid particle concentration. To explain the maximum in foaminess, a study was carried out on the simulated sludge, a non-radioactive simulant of the radioactive waste sludge at SRS, to identify the parameters that affect the foaming in a system characterized by the absence of surface-active agents. This three-phase foam does not show any foam stability unlike surfactant-stabilized foam. The parameters investigated were solid particle concentration, heating flux, and electrolyte concentration. The maximum in foaminess was found to be a net result of two countereffects that arise due to particle-particle interactions: structural stabilization and depletion destabilization. It was found that higher electrolyte concentration causes a reduction in foaminess and leads to a smaller bubble size. Higher heating fluxes lead to greater foaminess due to an increased rate of foam lamella

  8. Three-dimensional carbon- and binder-free nickel nanowire arrays as a high-performance and low-cost anode for direct hydrogen peroxide fuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Ke; Guo, Fen; Gao, Yinyi; Zhang, Dongming; Cheng, Kui; Zhang, Wenping; Wang, Guiling; Cao, Dianxue

    2015-12-01

    A novel three-dimensional carbon- and binder-free nickel nanowire arrays (Ni NAs) electrode is successfully fabricated by a facile galvanostatic electrodeposition method using polycarbonate membrane as the template. The Ni NAs electrode achieves a oxidation current density (divided by the electroactive surface areas of Ni) of 25.1 mA cm-2 in 4 mol L-1 KOH and 0.9 mol L-1 H2O2 at 0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) accompanied with a desirable stability, which is significantly higher than the catalytic activity of H2O2 electro-oxidation achieved previously with precious metals as catalysts. The impressive electrocatalytic performance is largely attributed to the superior 3D open structure and high electronic conductivity, which ensures the high utilization of Ni surfaces and makes the electrode have higher electrochemical activity. The apparent activation energy of H2O2 electro-oxidation on the Ni NAs catalyst is 13.59 kJ mol-1. A direct peroxide-peroxide fuel cell using the Ni NAs as anode exhibits a peak power density of 48.7 mW cm-2 at 20 °C. The electrode displays a great promise as the anode of direct peroxide-peroxide fuel cell due to its low cost, high activity and stability.

  9. Lubricant Foaming and Aeration Study. Part 1

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-11-23

    referred the stability of foam lamellae to its influence. This property is the two-dimensional analog of ordinary viscosity and its coefficient is...dimensions •- MT-. Weakly foaming solutions have little surface viscosity , soap solutions a moderate amount, and some solutions of proteins , saponin, etc...changes might occur in the surface properties . All surface viscosities previously reported had been measured while the solutions had been exposed for

  10. Amorphous microcellular polytetrafluoroethylene foam film

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Chongzheng

    1991-11-01

    We report herein the preparation of novel low-density ultramicrocellular fluorocarbon foams and their application. These fluorocarbon foams are of interest for the biochemistry arena in numerous applications including foodstuff, pharmacy, wine making, beer brewery, fermentation medical laboratory, and other processing factories. All of those require good quality processing programs in which, after eliminating bacterium and virus, compressed air is needed. Ordinarily, compressed air contains bacterium and virus, its size is 0.01 - 2 micrometers fluorocarbon foam films. Having average porous diameter 0.04 - 0.1 micrometers , these are stable to high temperature (280 degree(s)C) and chemical environments, and generally have good engineering and mechanical properties (e.g., low coefficient of thermal expansion, high modulus, and good dimensional stability). Our new process for preparing low density fluorocarbon foams provides materials with unique properties. As such, they offer the possibility for being superior to earlier materials for a number of the filter applications mentioned.

  11. Nickel Ion Release from Three Types of Nickel-titanium-based Orthodontic Archwires in the As-received State and After Oral Simulation

    PubMed Central

    Ramazanzadeh, Barat Ali; Ahrari, Farzaneh; Sabzevari, Berahman; Habibi, Samaneh

    2014-01-01

    Background and aims. This study aimed to investigate release of nickel ion from three types of nickel-titanium-based wires in the as-received state and after immersion in a simulated oral environment. Materials and methods. Forty specimens from each of the single-strand NiTi (Rematitan "Lite"), multi-strand NiTi (SPEED Supercable) and Copper NiTi (Damon Copper NiTi) were selected. Twenty specimens from each type were used in the as-received state and the others were kept in deflected state at 37ºC for 2 months followed by autoclave sterilization. The as-received and recycled wire specimens were immersed in glass bottles containing 1.8 mL of artificial saliva for 28 days and the amount of nickel ion released into the electrolyte was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results. The single-strand NiTi released the highest quantity of nickel ion in the as-received state and the multi-strand NiTi showed the highest ion release after oral simulation. The quantity of nickelion released from Damon Copper NiTi was the lowest in both conditions. Oral simulation followed by sterilization did not have a significant influence on nickel ion release from multi-strand NiTi and Damon Copper NiTi wires, but single-strand NiTi released statistically lower quantities of nickel ion after oral simulation. Conclusion. The multi-strand nature of Supercable did not enhance the potential of corrosion after immersion in the simulated oral environment. In vitro use of nickel-titanium-based archwires followed by sterilization did not significantly increase the amount of nickel ion released from these wires. PMID:25093049

  12. Three-dimensional marginal separation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duck, Peter W.

    1988-01-01

    The three dimensional marginal separation of a boundary layer along a line of symmetry is considered. The key equation governing the displacement function is derived, and found to be a nonlinear integral equation in two space variables. This is solved iteratively using a pseudo-spectral approach, based partly in double Fourier space, and partly in physical space. Qualitatively, the results are similar to previously reported two dimensional results (which are also computed to test the accuracy of the numerical scheme); however quantitatively the three dimensional results are much different.

  13. Temper Foam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Fabricated by Expanded Rubber & Plastics Corporation, Temper Foam provides better impact protection for airplane passengers and enhances passenger comfort on long flights because it distributes body weight and pressure evenly over the entire contact area. Called a "memory foam" it matches the contour of the body pressing against it and returns to its original shape once the pressure is removed. As a shock absorber, a three-inch foam pad has the ability to absorb the impact of a 10-foot fall by an adult. Applications include seat cushioning for transportation vehicles, padding for furniture and a variety of athletic equipment medical applications including wheelchair padding, artificial limb socket lining, finger splint and hand padding for burn patients, special mattresses for the bedridden and dental stools. Production and sales rights are owned by Temper Foam, Inc. Material is manufactured under license by the Dewey and Almy Division of Grace Chemical Corporation. Distributors of the product are Kees Goebel Medical Specialties, Inc. and Alimed, Inc. They sell Temper Foam in bulk to the fabricators who trim it to shapes required by their customers.

  14. Preparation of graphene foam with high performance by modified self-assembly method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Wenhui; Sun, Youyi; Liu, Tantan; Li, Diansen; Hou, Chunlin; Gao, Li; Liu, Yaqing

    2016-03-01

    Recently, self-assembly method was applied for preparation of graphene foam. However, it is still a great challenge to obtain a three-dimensional graphene network with high performance (e.g., low density, high mechanical strength and high conductivity together) for the self-assembly method. Herein, a modified self-assembly method applied for preparation of graphene foam was investigated, in which, L-ascorbic acid and HI were firstly chosen as the reducing agent, and further reduced by hydrazine hydrate. The results demonstrated that the graphene foam showed high compressive strength (ca. 320 kPa), high electrical conductivity (20.6 S/m) and low density (14.7 mg/cm-1). Especially, the obtained compressive strength (ca. 320 kPa) is the highest value compared to the data of graphene foam reported in previous works. This phenomenon may be due to following three reasons: (1) the reaction between hydrazine hydrate and graphene brought some covalent bonds among graphene sheets; (2) graphene foam was achieved by high hydrophobicity and electrostatic repulsion which inhibit the restacking of graphene sheets; (3) the removal of the oxygen groups by hydrazine hydrate efficiently restores conjugation of sp2 regions and the π-π interaction in the cross-linking sites, which tightly bonds the sheets together. The obtained graphene foam not only had good porous structure and mechanical strength, but also showed excellent satisfactory double-layer capacitive behavior with good electrochemical cyclic stability and high specific capacitance of 171.0 F/g for application in electrode of supercapacitors and absorption capacities for the removal of various oils and dyes from water.

  15. Applications of Polymer Matrix Syntactic Foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, Nikhil; Zeltmann, Steven E.; Shunmugasamy, Vasanth Chakravarthy; Pinisetty, Dinesh

    2013-11-01

    A collection of applications of polymer matrix syntactic foams is presented in this article. Syntactic foams are lightweight porous composites that found their early applications in marine structures due to their naturally buoyant behavior and low moisture absorption. Their light weight has been beneficial in weight sensitive aerospace structures. Syntactic foams have pushed the performance boundaries for composites and have enabled the development of vehicles for traveling to the deepest parts of the ocean and to other planets. The high volume fraction of porosity in syntactic foams also enabled their applications in thermal insulation of pipelines in oil and gas industry. The possibility of tailoring the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams through a combination of material selection, hollow particle volume fraction, and hollow particle wall thickness has helped in rapidly growing these applications. The low coefficient of thermal expansion and dimensional stability at high temperatures are now leading their use in electronic packaging, composite tooling, and thermoforming plug assists. Methods have been developed to tailor the mechanical and thermal properties of syntactic foams independent of each other over a wide range, which is a significant advantage over other traditional particulate and fibrous composites.

  16. Hierarchical chestnut-like MnCo2O4 nanoneedles grown on nickel foam as binder-free electrode for high energy density asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hui, Kwun Nam; Hui, Kwan San; Tang, Zikang; Jadhav, V. V.; Xia, Qi Xun

    2016-10-01

    Hierarchical chestnut-like manganese cobalt oxide (MnCo2O4) nanoneedles (NNs) are successfully grown on nickel foam using a facile and cost-effective hydrothermal method. High resolution TEM image further verifies that the chestnut-like MnCo2O4 structure is assembled by numerous 1D MnCo2O4 nanoneedles, which are formed by numerous interconnected MnCo2O4 nanoparticles with grain diameter of ∼10 nm. The MnCo2O4 electrode exhibits high specific capacitance of 1535 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and good rate capability (950 F g-1 at 10 A g-1) in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. An asymmetric supercapacitor is fabricated using MnCo2O4 NNs on Ni foam (MnCo2O4 NNs/NF) as the positive electrode and graphene/NF as the negative electrode. The device shows an operation voltage of 1.5 V and delivers a high energy density of ∼60.4 Wh kg-1 at a power density of ∼375 W kg-1. Moreover, the device exhibits an excellent cycling stability of 94.3% capacitance retention after 12000 cycles at 30 A g-1. This work demonstrates that hierarchical chestnut-like MnCo2O4 NNs could be a promising electrode for the high performance energy storage devices.

  17. Liquid foam templating - A route to tailor-made polymer foams.

    PubMed

    Andrieux, Sébastien; Quell, Aggeliki; Stubenrauch, Cosima; Drenckhan, Wiebke

    2018-06-01

    Solid foams with pore sizes between a few micrometres and a few millimetres are heavily exploited in a wide range of established and emerging applications. While the optimisation of foam applications requires a fine control over their structural properties (pore size distribution, pore opening, foam density, …), the great complexity of most foaming processes still defies a sound scientific understanding and therefore explicit control and prediction of these parameters. We therefore need to improve our understanding of existing processes and also develop new fabrication routes which we understand and which we can exploit to tailor-make new porous materials. One of these new routes is liquid templating in general and liquid foam templating in particular, to which this review article is dedicated. While all solid foams are generated from an initially liquid(-like) state, the particular notion of liquid foam templating implies the specific condition that the liquid foam has time to find its "equilibrium structure" before it is solidified. In other words, the characteristic time scales of the liquid foam's stability and its solidification are well separated, allowing to build on the vast know-how on liquid foams established over the last 20 years. The dispersed phase of the liquid foam determines the final pore size and pore size distribution, while the continuous phase contains the precursors of the desired porous scaffold. We review here the three key challenges which need to be addressed by this approach: (1) the control of the structure of the liquid template, (2) the matching of the time scales between the stability of the liquid template and solidification, and (3) the preservation of the structure of the template throughout the process. Focusing on the field of polymer foams, this review gives an overview of recent research on the properties of liquid foam templates and summarises a key set of studies in the emerging field of liquid foam templating. It

  18. Noninvasive 3D Visualization of Defects and Crack Propagation in Layered Foam Structures by Phase Contrast Microimaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hu, Z. W.; DeCarlo, F.

    2006-01-01

    Applications of polymeric foams in our modern society continue to grow because of their light weight, high strength, excellent thermal and mechanical insulation, and the ease of engineering. Among others, closed-cell foam has been structurally used for thermally insulating the shuttle external tank. However, internal defects of the foams were difficult to observe non-invasively due to limited sensitivity to the low-density structures possessed by traditional imaging tools such as computed X-ray tomography By combining phase contrast X-ray imaging with pressure loading, we succeeded in precisely mapping intact cellular structure and defects inside the bulk of layered foam and visualizing its subsequent response to the pressure in three-dimensional space. The work demonstrated a powerfir1 approach for yielding insight into underlying problems in lightweight cellular materials otherwise unobtainable.

  19. Influence of CeO2 addition on the preparation of foamed glass-ceramics from high-titanium blast furnace slag

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Hong-ling; Feng, Ke-qin; Chen, Chang-hong; Yan, Zi-di

    2018-06-01

    Foamed glass-ceramics doped with cerium oxide (CeO2) were successfully prepared from high-titanium blast furnace slag by one-step sintering. The influence of CeO2 addition (1.5wt%-3.5wt%) on the crystalline phases, microstructure, and properties of foamed glass-ceramics was studied. Results show that CeO2 improves the stability of the glass phase and changes the two-dimensional crystallization mechanism into three-dimensional one. XRD analysis indicates the presence of Ca(Mg, Fe)Si2O6 and Ca(Ti, Mg, Al)(Si, Al)2O6 in all sintered samples. Added with CeO2, TiCeO4 precipitates, and crystallinity increases, leading to increased thickness of pore walls and uniform pores. The comprehensive properties of foamed glass-ceramics are better than that of samples without CeO2. In particular, the sample added with a suitable amount of CeO2 (2.5wt%) exhibits bulk density that is similar to and compressive strength (14.9 MPa) that is more than twice of foamed glass-ceramics without CeO2.

  20. Three-dimensional representation of curved nanowires.

    PubMed

    Huang, Z; Dikin, D A; Ding, W; Qiao, Y; Chen, X; Fridman, Y; Ruoff, R S

    2004-12-01

    Nanostructures, such as nanowires, nanotubes and nanocoils, can be described in many cases as quasi one-dimensional curved objects projecting in three-dimensional space. A parallax method to construct the correct three-dimensional geometry of such one-dimensional nanostructures is presented. A series of scanning electron microscope images was acquired at different view angles, thus providing a set of image pairs that were used to generate three-dimensional representations using a matlab program. An error analysis as a function of the view angle between the two images is presented and discussed. As an example application, the importance of knowing the true three-dimensional shape of boron nanowires is demonstrated; without the nanowire's correct length and diameter, mechanical resonance data cannot provide an accurate estimate of Young's modulus.

  1. Three-dimensional nanomagnetism

    DOE PAGES

    Fernandez-Pacheco, Amalio; Streubel, Robert; Fruchart, Olivier; ...

    2017-06-09

    Magnetic nanostructures are being developed for use in many aspects of our daily life, spanning areas such as data storage, sensing and biomedicine. Whereas patterned nanomagnets are traditionally two-dimensional planar structures, recent work is expanding nanomagnetism into three dimensions; a move triggered by the advance of unconventional synthesis methods and the discovery of new magnetic effects. In three-dimensional nanomagnets more complex magnetic configurations become possible, many with unprecedented properties. Here we review the creation of these structures and their implications for the emergence of new physics, the development of instrumentation and computational methods, and exploitation in numerous applications.

  2. Highly Crystalline Multimetallic Nanoframes with Three-Dimensional Electrocatalytic Surfaces

    DOE PAGES

    Chen, Chen; Kang, Yijin; Huo, Ziyang; ...

    2014-02-27

    Control of structure at the atomic level can precisely and effectively tune catalytic properties of materials, enabling enhancement in both activity and durability. We synthesized a highly active and durable class of electrocatalysts by exploiting the structural evolution of platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni) bimetallic nanocrystals. The starting material, crystalline PtNi 3 polyhedra, transforms in solution by interior erosion into Pt 3Ni nanoframes with surfaces that offer three-dimensional molecular accessibility. The edges of the Pt-rich PtNi 3 polyhedra are maintained in the final Pt 3Ni nanoframes. Both the interior and exterior catalytic surfaces of this open-framework structure are composed of the nanosegregated Pt-skinmore » structure, which exhibits enhanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. The Pt 3Ni nanoframe catalysts achieved a factor of 36 enhancement in mass activity and a factor of 22 enhancement in specific activity, respectively, for this reaction (relative to state-of-the-art platinum-carbon catalysts) during prolonged exposure to reaction conditions.« less

  3. Statistical mechanics of two-dimensional shuffled foams: Geometry-topology correlation in small or large disorder limits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durand, Marc; Kraynik, Andrew M.; van Swol, Frank; Käfer, Jos; Quilliet, Catherine; Cox, Simon; Ataei Talebi, Shirin; Graner, François

    2014-06-01

    Bubble monolayers are model systems for experiments and simulations of two-dimensional packing problems of deformable objects. We explore the relation between the distributions of the number of bubble sides (topology) and the bubble areas (geometry) in the low liquid fraction limit. We use a statistical model [M. Durand, Europhys. Lett. 90, 60002 (2010), 10.1209/0295-5075/90/60002] which takes into account Plateau laws. We predict the correlation between geometrical disorder (bubble size dispersity) and topological disorder (width of bubble side number distribution) over an extended range of bubble size dispersities. Extensive data sets arising from shuffled foam experiments, surface evolver simulations, and cellular Potts model simulations all collapse surprisingly well and coincide with the model predictions, even at extremely high size dispersity. At moderate size dispersity, we recover our earlier approximate predictions [M. Durand, J. Kafer, C. Quilliet, S. Cox, S. A. Talebi, and F. Graner, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 168304 (2011), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.107.168304]. At extremely low dispersity, when approaching the perfectly regular honeycomb pattern, we study how both geometrical and topological disorders vanish. We identify a crystallization mechanism and explore it quantitatively in the case of bidisperse foams. Due to the deformability of the bubbles, foams can crystallize over a larger range of size dispersities than hard disks. The model predicts that the crystallization transition occurs when the ratio of largest to smallest bubble radii is 1.4.

  4. Seismic Tremors and Three-Dimensional Magma Wagging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Y.; Bercovici, D.

    2015-12-01

    Seismic tremor is a feature shared by many silicic volcanoes and is a precursor of volcanic eruption. Many of the characteristics of tremors, including their frequency band from 0.5 Hz to 7 Hz, are common for volcanoes with very different geophysical and geochemical properties. The ubiquitous characteristics of tremor imply that it results from some generation mechanism that is common to all volcanoes, instead of being unique to each volcano. Here we present new analysis on the magma-wagging mechanism that has been proposed to generate tremor. The model is based on the suggestion given by previous work (Jellinek & Bercovici 2011; Bercovici et.al. 2013) that the magma column is surrounded by a compressible, bubble-rich foam annulus while rising inside the volcanic conduit, and that the lateral oscillation of the magma inside the annulus causes observable tremor. Unlike the previous two-dimensional wagging model where the displacement of the magma column is restricted to one vertical plane, the three-dimensional model we employ allows the magma column to bend in different directions and has angular motion as well. Our preliminary results show that, without damping from viscous deformation of the magma column, the system retains angular momentum and develops elliptical motion (i.e., the horizontal displacement traces an ellipse). In this ''inviscid'' limit, the magma column can also develop instabilities with higher frequencies than what is found in the original two-dimensional model. Lateral motion can also be out of phase for various depths in the magma column leading to a coiled wagging motion. For the viscous-magma model, we predict a similar damping rate for the uncoiled magma column as in the two-dimensional model, and faster damping for the coiled magma column. The higher damping thus requires the existence of a forcing mechanism to sustain the oscillation, for example the gas-driven Bernoulli effect proposed by Bercovici et al (2013). Finally, using our new 3

  5. Effects of three fire-suppressant foams on the germination and physiological responses of plants.

    PubMed

    Song, Uhram; Mun, Saeromi; Waldman, Bruce; Lee, Eun Ju

    2014-10-01

    Suppressant foams used to fight forest fires may leave residual effects on surviving biota that managers need to consider prior to using them. We examined how three fire-suppressant foams (FSFs) (Forexpan S, Phos-Chek-WD881, and Silv-ex) affected seed germination and physiological responses of three plant species. Exposure to FSFs, whether in diluted concentrations or those typical in the field, reduced final germination percentages of seeds grown in petri dishes and within growth chambers. However, the FSFs did not cause total germination failure in any treatment. Inhibition of germination increased with longer exposure times, but only to diluted FSF solutions. Unlike in the laboratory experiments, none of the three FSFs affected seedling emergence when tested in field conditions. Further, we found no evidence of long-term phytotoxic effects on antioxidant enzyme activity nor chlorophyll content of the plant saplings. Therefore, although the three FSFs showed evidence of phytotoxicity to plants in laboratory tests, their actual impact on terrestrial ecosystems may be minimal. We suggest that the benefits of using these FSFs to protect plants in threatened forest ecosystems outweigh their minor risks.

  6. Effects of Three Fire-Suppressant Foams on the Germination and Physiological Responses of Plants

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, Uhram; Mun, Saeromi; Waldman, Bruce; Lee, Eun Ju

    2014-10-01

    Suppressant foams used to fight forest fires may leave residual effects on surviving biota that managers need to consider prior to using them. We examined how three fire-suppressant foams (FSFs) (Forexpan S, Phos-Chek-WD881, and Silv-ex) affected seed germination and physiological responses of three plant species. Exposure to FSFs, whether in diluted concentrations or those typical in the field, reduced final germination percentages of seeds grown in petri dishes and within growth chambers. However, the FSFs did not cause total germination failure in any treatment. Inhibition of germination increased with longer exposure times, but only to diluted FSF solutions. Unlike in the laboratory experiments, none of the three FSFs affected seedling emergence when tested in field conditions. Further, we found no evidence of long-term phytotoxic effects on antioxidant enzyme activity nor chlorophyll content of the plant saplings. Therefore, although the three FSFs showed evidence of phytotoxicity to plants in laboratory tests, their actual impact on terrestrial ecosystems may be minimal. We suggest that the benefits of using these FSFs to protect plants in threatened forest ecosystems outweigh their minor risks.

  7. Three-dimensional microbubble streaming flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rallabandi, Bhargav; Marin, Alvaro; Rossi, Massimiliano; Kaehler, Christian; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

    2014-11-01

    Streaming due to acoustically excited bubbles has been used successfully for applications such as size-sorting, trapping and focusing of particles, as well as fluid mixing. Many of these applications involve the precise control of particle trajectories, typically achieved using cylindrical bubbles, which establish planar flows. Using astigmatic particle tracking velocimetry (APTV), we show that, while this two-dimensional picture is a useful description of the flow over short times, a systematic three-dimensional flow structure is evident over long time scales. We demonstrate that this long-time three-dimensional fluid motion can be understood through asymptotic theory, superimposing secondary axial flows (induced by boundary conditions at the device walls) onto the two-dimensional description. This leads to a general framework that describes three-dimensional flows in confined microstreaming systems, guiding the design of applications that profit from minimizing or maximizing these effects.

  8. Two-Dimensional Chirality in Three-Dimensional Chemistry.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wintner, Claude E.

    1983-01-01

    The concept of two-dimensional chirality is used to enhance students' understanding of three-dimensional stereochemistry. This chirality is used as a key to teaching/understanding such concepts as enaniotropism, diastereotopism, pseudoasymmetry, retention/inversion of configuration, and stereochemical results of addition to double bonds. (JN)

  9. Graphene oxide/chitin nanofibril composite foams as column adsorbents for aqueous pollutants.

    PubMed

    Ma, Zhongshi; Liu, Dagang; Zhu, Yi; Li, Zehui; Li, Zhenxuan; Tian, Huafeng; Liu, Haiqing

    2016-06-25

    A novel graphene oxide/chitin nanofibrils (GO-CNF) composite foam as a column adsorbent was prepared for aqueous contaminant disposal. The structures, morphologies and properties of composite foams supported by nanofibrils were characterized. As a special case, the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) on GO-CNF was investigated regarding the static adsorption and column adsorption-desorption tests. Results from equilibrium adsorption isotherms indicated that the adsorption behavior was well-fitted to Langmuir model. The composite foams reinforced by CNF were dimensionally stable during the column adsorption process and could be reused after elution. The removal efficiency of MB was still nearly 90% after 3 cycles. Furthermore, other inorganic or organic pollutants adsorbed by composite foams were also explored. Therefore, this novel composite foam with remarkable properties such as dimensional stability, universal adsorbent for cationic pollutants, high adsorption capacity, and ease of regeneration was a desirable adsorbent in the future practical application of water pollutant treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Three-dimensional laser window formation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Verhoff, Vincent G.

    1992-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center has developed and implemented a unique process for forming flawless three-dimensional laser windows. These windows represent a major part of specialized, nonintrusive laser data acquisition systems used in a variety of compressor and turbine research test facilities. This report discusses in detail the aspects of three-dimensional laser window formation. It focuses on the unique methodology and the peculiarities associated with the formation of these windows. Included in this discussion are the design criteria, bonding mediums, and evaluation testing for three-dimensional laser windows.

  11. Intertwined nanocarbon and manganese oxide hybrid foam for high-energy supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Guo, Shirui; Bozhilov, Krassimir N; Yan, Dong; Ozkan, Mihrimah; Ozkan, Cengiz S

    2013-11-11

    Rapid charging and discharging supercapacitors are promising alternative energy storage systems for applications such as portable electronics and electric vehicles. Integration of pseudocapacitive metal oxides with single-structured materials has received a lot of attention recently due to their superior electrochemical performance. In order to realize high energy-density supercapacitors, a simple and scalable method is developed to fabricate a graphene/MWNT/MnO2 nanowire (GMM) hybrid nanostructured foam, via a two-step process. The 3D few-layer graphene/MWNT (GM) architecture is grown on foamed metal foils (nickel foam) via ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition. Hydrothermally synthesized α-MnO2 nanowires are conformally coated onto the GM foam by a simple bath deposition. The as-prepared hierarchical GMM foam yields a monographical graphene foam conformally covered with an intertwined, densely packed CNT/MnO2 nanowire nanocomposite network. Symmetrical electrochemical capacitors (ECs) based on GMM foam electrodes show an extended operational voltage window of 1.6 V in aqueous electrolyte. A superior energy density of 391.7 Wh kg(-1) is obtained for the supercapacitor based on the GMM foam, which is much higher than ECs based on GM foam only (39.72 Wh kg(-1) ). A high specific capacitance (1108.79 F g(-1) ) and power density (799.84 kW kg(-1) ) are also achieved. Moreover, the great capacitance retention (97.94%) after 13 000 charge-discharge cycles and high current handability demonstrate the high stability of the electrodes of the supercapacitor. These excellent performances enable the innovative 3D hierarchical GMM foam to serve as EC electrodes, resulting in energy-storage devices with high stability and power density in neutral aqueous electrolyte. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Numerical modelling of flow through foam's node.

    PubMed

    Anazadehsayed, Abdolhamid; Rezaee, Nastaran; Naser, Jamal

    2017-10-15

    In this work, for the first time, a three-dimensional model to describe the dynamics of flow through geometric Plateau border and node components of foam is presented. The model involves a microscopic-scale structure of one interior node and four Plateau borders with an angle of 109.5 from each other. The majority of the surfaces in the model make a liquid-gas interface where the boundary condition of stress balance between the surface and bulk is applied. The three-dimensional Navier-Stoke equation, along with continuity equation, is solved using the finite volume approach. The numerical results are validated against the available experimental results for the flow velocity and resistance in the interior nodes and Plateau borders. A qualitative illustration of flow in a node in different orientations is shown. The scaled resistance against the flow for different liquid-gas interface mobility is studied and the geometrical characteristics of the node and Plateau border components of the system are compared to investigate the Plateau border and node dominated flow regimes numerically. The findings show the values of the resistance in each component, in addition to the exact point where the flow regimes switch. Furthermore, a more accurate effect of the liquid-gas interface on the foam flow, particularly in the presence of a node in the foam network is obtained. The comparison of the available numerical results with our numerical results shows that the velocity of the node-PB system is lower than the velocity of single PB system for mobile interfaces. That is owing to the fact that despite the more relaxed geometrical structure of the node, constraining effect of merging and mixing of flow and increased viscous damping in the node component result in the node-dominated regime. Moreover, we obtain an accurate updated correlation for the dependence of the scaled average velocity of the node-Plateau border system on the liquid-gas interface mobility described by

  13. Foam Delivery of Hydrogen for Enhanced Aquifer Contacting and Anaerobic Bioremediation of Chlorinated Solvents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-11-01

    101 Task 6 - Incorporation of the heterogeneity enhanced mechanisms in the UTCHEM numerical simulator...hydrogen sparging in a bench scale three-dimensional sand pack model. (6) Incorporation of the heterogeneity enhanced mechanisms in the UTCHEM ...Incorporation of the heterogeneity enhanced mechanisms in the UTCHEM numerical simulator. Simulation model for foam in porous media and

  14. Surface Engineering of a Nickel Oxide-Nickel Hybrid Nanoarray as a Versatile Catalyst for Both Superior Water and Urea Oxidation.

    PubMed

    Yue, Zhihao; Zhu, Wenxin; Li, Yuanzhen; Wei, Ziyi; Hu, Na; Suo, Yourui; Wang, Jianlong

    2018-04-16

    Developing efficient and low-cost oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrodes is a pressing but still challenging task for energy conversion technologies such as water electrolysis, regenerative fuel cells, and rechargeable metal-air batteries. Hence, this study reports that a nickel oxide-nickel hybrid nanoarray on nickel foam (NiO-Ni/NF) could act as a versatile anode for superior water and urea oxidation. Impressively, this anode could attain high current densities of 50 and 100 mA cm -2 at extremely low overpotentials of 292 and 323 mV for OER, respectively. Besides, this electrode also shows excellent activity for urea oxidation with the need for just 0.28 and 0.36 V (vs SCE) to attain 10 and 100 mA cm -2 in 1.0 M KOH with 0.33 M urea, respectively. The enhanced oxidation performance should be due to the synergistic effect of NiO and Ni, improved conductivity, and enlarged active surface area.

  15. Histological, mechanical, and radiological study of osteoformation in titanium foam implants.

    PubMed

    Ito, Kiyoshi; Horiuchi, Tetsuyoshi; Arai, Yoshinori; Kawahara, Ichiro; Hongo, Kazuhiro

    2014-11-01

    Titanium (Ti) is widely used for implants because of its high mechanical reliability and because it aids osteoformation. However, it also produces artifacts during radiological imaging. Further, Ti implants can sometimes cause the surrounding bone to break. Owing to recent advances, Ti can be transformed into sponge-like, porous materials having a three-dimensional network of pores; such materials are called Ti foams. These foams exhibit distinct characteristics that make them more suitable than nonporous Ti. The objective of this study was to evaluate Ti foams as implant materials. Implants based on Ti foams having porosities of 80% and 90% were embedded in the femurs of 11 rabbits. Implants based on 0% porosity Ti were used as controls. Five rabbits were sacrificed 4 weeks after implantation, while the remaining were sacrificed after 12 weeks. The femurs containing the Ti implants were harvested and analyzed. Biomechanical analyses showed that the 80% porosity implants induced greater osteoformation. There were significant differences in the average pushout strengths of the control and 80% porosity implants after 4 weeks (p = 0.048) and 12 weeks (p = 0.001). Histopathological analyses confirmed osteoformation in the case of the 80% porosity implants. Analyses of the micro-computed tomography images of the Ti foam-based implants did not suggest the presence of artifacts. The 80% porosity Ti implants did not exhibit the shortcomings associated with conventional Ti implants. In addition, they induced greater osteoformation. Finally, the Ti foams did not produce radiological artifacts.

  16. Effect of composites based nickel foam anode in microbial fuel cell using Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter roseus as a biocatalysts.

    PubMed

    Karthikeyan, Rengasamy; Krishnaraj, Navanietha; Selvam, Ammaiyappan; Wong, Jonathan Woon-Chung; Lee, Patrick K H; Leung, Michael K H; Berchmans, Sheela

    2016-10-01

    This study explores the use of materials such as chitosan (chit), polyaniline (PANI) and titanium carbide (TC) as anode materials for microbial fuel cells. Nickel foam (NF) was used as the base anode substrate. Four different types of anodes (NF, NF/PANI, NF/PANI/TC, NF/PANI/TC/Chit) are thus prepared and used in batch type microbial fuel cells operated with a mixed consortium of Acetobacter aceti and Gluconobacter roseus as the biocatalysts and bad wine as a feedstock. A maximum power density of 18.8Wm(-3) (≈2.3 times higher than NF) was obtained in the case of the anode modified with a composite of PANI/TC/Chit. The MFCs running under a constant external resistance of (50Ω) yielded 14.7% coulombic efficiency with a maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 87-93%. The overall results suggest that the catalytic materials embedded in the chitosan matrix show the best performance and have potentials for further development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Enhanced optical absorbance and fabrication of periodic arrays on nickel surface using nanosecond laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Jinxiang; Liang, Hao; Zhang, Jingyuan; Wang, Yibo; Liu, Yannan; Zhang, Zhiyan; Lin, Xuechun

    2017-04-01

    A hundred-nanosecond pulsed laser was employed to structure the nickel surface. The effects of laser spatial filling interval and laser scanning speed on the optical absorbance capacity and morphologies on the nickel surface were experimentally investigated. The black nickel surface covered with dense micro/nanostructured broccoli-like clusters with strong light trapping capacity ranging from the UV to the near IR was produced at a high laser scanning speed up to v=100 mm/s. The absorbance of the black nickel is as high as 98% in the UV range of 200-400 nm, more than 97% in the visible spectrum, ranging from 400 to 800 nm, and over 90% in the IR between 800 and 2000 nm. In addition, when the nickel surface was irradiated in two-dimensional crossing scans by laser with different processing parameters, self-organized and shape-controllable structures of three-dimensional (3D) periodic arrays can be fabricated. Compared with ultrafast laser systems previously used for such processing, the nanosecond fiber laser used in this work is more cost-effective, compact and allows higher processing rates. This nickel surface structured technique may be applicable in optoelectronics, batteries industry, solar/wave absorbers, and wettability materials.

  18. Three-dimensional patterning methods and related devices

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

    Putnam, Morgan C.; Kelzenberg, Michael D.; Atwater, Harry A.

    2016-12-27

    Three-dimensional patterning methods of a three-dimensional microstructure, such as a semiconductor wire array, are described, in conjunction with etching and/or deposition steps to pattern the three-dimensional microstructure.

  19. Gamma-irradiated cross-linked LDPE foams: Characteristics and properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cardoso, E. C. L.; Scagliusi, S. R.; Parra, D. F.; Lugão, A. B.

    2013-03-01

    Foamed polymers are future materials, as they are increasingly considered "green materials" due to their interesting properties at very low consumption of raw materials. They can be used to improve appearance of insulation structures, thermal and acoustic insulation, core materials for sandwich panels, fabrication of furniture and flotation materials or to reduce costs involving materials. Low-density polyethylene is widely used because of its excellent properties, such as softness, elasticity, processibility and insulation. In general, cross-linking is often applied to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of polyethylene products, due to the formation of a three-dimensional network. In particular for the production of PE foams, cross-linking is applied prior the expansion to control bubble formation, cell characteristics and final properties of the foam. However, the usual production process of PE foams is a process in which a gaseous blowing agent is injected into a melted thermoplastic polymer, under pressure, to form a solution between blowing agent and melted polymer. An extrusion system is provided for foaming the polymer, supplied to an extruder and moving through a rotating screw. The pressure must be high enough to keep the gas blowing agent (or foaming agent) in the solution with the melt. The foaming agent is then diffused and dissolved in the molten material to form a single-phase solution. In the present work carbon dioxide was used as the bowing agent, a chemically stable and non-toxic gas, with good diffusion coefficient; gas pressure used varied within a 20-40 bar range. Some requirements for physical foaming are required, as low friction heat generation, homogeneous melt temperature distribution, melt temperature at die exit just above crystallization temperature (die) and high melt strength during expansion. This work studied foams properties gamma-irradiated within 0, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 kGy, from a LDPE exhibiting 2.6 g/10 min Melt

  20. Plastic Foam Withstands Greater Temperatures And Pressures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cranston, John A.; Macarthur, Doug

    1993-01-01

    Improved plastic foam suitable for use in foam-core laminated composite parts and in tooling for making fiber/matrix-composite parts. Stronger at high temperatures, more thermally and dimensionally stable, machinable, resistant to chemical degradation, and less expensive. Compatible with variety of matrix resins. Made of polyisocyanurate blown with carbon dioxide and has density of 12 to 15 pounds per cubic feet. Does not contibute to depletion of ozone from atmosphere. Improved foam used in cores of composite panels in such diverse products as aircraft, automobiles, railroad cars, boats, and sporting equipment like surfboards, skis, and skateboards. Also used in thermally stable flotation devices in submersible vehicles. Machined into mandrels upon which filaments wound to make shells.

  1. Foaming volume and foam stability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ross, Sydney

    1947-01-01

    A method of measuring foaming volume is described and investigated to establish the critical factors in its operation. Data on foaming volumes and foam stabilities are given for a series of hydrocarbons and for a range of concentrations of aqueous ethylene-glycol solutions. It is shown that the amount of foam formed depends on the machinery of its production as well as on properties of the liquid, whereas the stability of the foam produced, within specified mechanical limitations, is primarily a function of the liquid.

  2. Computer-Generated, Three-Dimensional Character Animation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Baerle, Susan Lynn

    This master's thesis begins by discussing the differences between 3-D computer animation of solid three-dimensional, or monolithic, objects, and the animation of characters, i.e., collections of movable parts with soft pliable surfaces. Principles from two-dimensional character animation that can be transferred to three-dimensional character…

  3. Violent flows in aqueous foams III: physical multi-phase model comparison with aqueous foam shock tube experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redford, J. A.; Ghidaglia, J.-M.; Faure, S.

    2018-06-01

    Mitigation of blast waves in aqueous foams is a problem that has a strong dependence on multi-phase effects. Here, a simplified model is developed from the previous articles treating violent flows (D'Alesio et al. in Eur J Mech B Fluids 54:105-124, 2015; Faure and Ghidaglia in Eur J Mech B Fluids 30:341-359, 2011) to capture the essential phenomena. The key is to have two fluids with separate velocities to represent the liquid and gas phases. This allows for the interaction between the two phases, which may include terms for drag, heat transfer, mass transfer due to phase change, added mass effects, to be included explicitly in the model. A good test for the proposed model is provided by two experimental data sets that use a specially designed shock tube. The first experiment has a test section filled with spray droplets, and the second has a range of aqueous foams in the test section. A substantial attenuation of the shock wave is seen in both cases, but a large difference is observed in the sound speeds. The droplets cause no observable change from the air sound speed, while the foams have a reduced sound speed of approximately 50-75 m/s . In the model given here, an added mass term is introduced in the governing equations to capture the low sound speed. The match between simulation and experiment is found to be satisfactory for both droplets and the foam. This is especially good when considering the complexity of the physics and the effects that are unaccounted for, such as three-dimensionality and droplet atomisation. The resulting statistics illuminate the processes occurring in such flows.

  4. Foam on Tile Impact Modeling for the STS-107 Investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stellingwerf, R. F.; Robinson, J. H.; Richardson, S.; Evans, S. W.; Stallworth, R.; Hovater, M.

    2004-01-01

    Following the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia during reentry a NASA/Contractor investigation team was formed to examine the probable damage inflicted on Orbiter Thermal Protection System elements by impact of External Tank insulating foam projectiles. The authors formed a working subgroup within the larger team to apply the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics code SPHC to the damage estimation problem. Numerical models of the Orbiter's tiles and of the Tank's foam were constructed and used as inputs into the code. Material properties needed to properly model the tiles and foam were obtained from other working subgroups who performed tests on these items for this purpose. Two- and three-dimensional models of the tiles were constructed, including the glass outer layer, the main body of LI-900 insulation, the densified lower layer of LI-900, the Nomex felt mounting layer, and the Aluminum 2024 vehicle skin. A model for the BX-250 foam including porous compression, elastic rebound, and surface erosion was developed. Code results for the tile damage and foam behavior were extensively validated through comparison with Southwest Research Institute foam-on-tile impact experiments carried out in 1999. These tests involved small projectiles striking individual tiles and small tile arrays. Following code and model validation we simulated impacts of larger foam projectiles on the examples of tile systems used on the Orbiter. Results for impacts on the main landing gear door are presented in this paper, including effects of impacts at several angles, and of rapidly rotating projectiles. General results suggest that foam impacts on tiles at about 500 mph could cause appreciable damage if the impact angle is greater than about 20 degrees. Some variations of the foam properties, such as increased brittleness or increased density could increase damage in some cases. Rotation up to 17 rps failed to increase the damage for the two cases considered. This does not rule out other cases

  5. Three-dimensional biofilm structure quantification.

    PubMed

    Beyenal, Haluk; Donovan, Conrad; Lewandowski, Zbigniew; Harkin, Gary

    2004-12-01

    Quantitative parameters describing biofilm physical structure have been extracted from three-dimensional confocal laser scanning microscopy images and used to compare biofilm structures, monitor biofilm development, and quantify environmental factors affecting biofilm structure. Researchers have previously used biovolume, volume to surface ratio, roughness coefficient, and mean and maximum thicknesses to compare biofilm structures. The selection of these parameters is dependent on the availability of software to perform calculations. We believe it is necessary to develop more comprehensive parameters to describe heterogeneous biofilm morphology in three dimensions. This research presents parameters describing three-dimensional biofilm heterogeneity, size, and morphology of biomass calculated from confocal laser scanning microscopy images. This study extends previous work which extracted quantitative parameters regarding morphological features from two-dimensional biofilm images to three-dimensional biofilm images. We describe two types of parameters: (1) textural parameters showing microscale heterogeneity of biofilms and (2) volumetric parameters describing size and morphology of biomass. The three-dimensional features presented are average (ADD) and maximum diffusion distances (MDD), fractal dimension, average run lengths (in X, Y and Z directions), aspect ratio, textural entropy, energy and homogeneity. We discuss the meaning of each parameter and present the calculations in detail. The developed algorithms, including automatic thresholding, are implemented in software as MATLAB programs which will be available at site prior to publication of the paper.

  6. Alphatome--Enhancing Spatial Reasoning: A Simulation in Two and Three Dimensions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    LeClair, Elizabeth E.

    2003-01-01

    Using refrigerator magnets, foam blocks, ink pads, and modeling clay, students manipulate the letters of the alphabet at multiple angles, reconstructing three-dimensional forms from two-dimensional data. This exercise increases students' spatial reasoning ability, an important component in many scientific disciplines. (Contains 5 figures.)

  7. Study on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Foam Titanium Carbide Ceramics Fabricated by Reaction Sintering Process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Yana; Bao, Chonggao; Chen, Jie; Song, Suocheng; Han, Longhao

    2018-05-01

    Foam titanium carbide (TiC) ceramics with a three-dimensional network structure were fabricated by the reaction sintering process, in which polyurethane foam was taken as the template, and TiO2 and phenolic resin were used as the reactants. Phase, microstructures and fracture morphologies of foam TiC ceramics were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results show that when the mass ratios of phenolic resin and TiO2 (F/T) are (0.8-1.2): 1, foam TiC ceramics with pure TiC phase can be formed. As the F/T ratios increase, crystal lattice parameters of fabricated foam TiC ceramics become bigger. When the value of F/T decreases from 1.2 to 0.8, grain size of TiC grows larger and microstructures get denser; meanwhile, the compressive strength increases from 0.10 to 1.05 MPa. Additionally, either raising the sintering temperatures or extending holding time can facilitate the completion of the reaction process and increase the compressive strength.

  8. Lithographic Printing Via Two-Photon Polymerization of Engineered Foams

    DOE PAGES

    Herman, Matthew J.; Peterson, Dominic; Henderson, Kevin; ...

    2017-11-29

    Understanding deuterium-tritium mix in capsules is critical to achieving fusion within inertial confined fusion experiments. One method of understanding how the mix of hydrogen fuels can be controlled is by creating various structured deuterated foams and filling the capsule with liquid tritium. Historically, these materials have been a stochastically structured gas-blown foam. Later, to improve the uniformity of this material, pore formers have been used which are then chemically removed, leaving behind a foam of monodisperse voids. However, this technique is still imperfect in that fragments of the pore templating particles may not be completely removed and the void distributionmore » may not be uniform over the size scale of the capsule. Recently, advances in three-dimensional printing suggest that it can be used to create microlattices and capsule walls in one single print. Demonstrated in this paper are proof-of-concept microlattices produced using two-photon polymerization with submicrometer resolution of various structures as well as a microlattice-containing capsule. Finally, with this technology, complete control of the mixing structure is possible, amenable to modeling and easily modified for tailored target design.« less

  9. Three-dimensional boundary layers approaching separation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williams, J. C., III

    1976-01-01

    The theory of semi-similar solutions of the laminar boundary layer equations is applied to several flows in which the boundary layer approaches a three-dimensional separation line. The solutions obtained are used to deduce the nature of three-dimensional separation. It is shown that in these cases separation is of the "ordinary" type. A solution is also presented for a case in which a vortex is embedded within the three-dimensional boundary layer.

  10. Spin-ice behavior of three-dimensional inverse opal-like magnetic structures: Micromagnetic simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubitskiy, I. S.; Syromyatnikov, A. V.; Grigoryeva, N. A.; Mistonov, A. A.; Sapoletova, N. A.; Grigoriev, S. V.

    2017-11-01

    We perform micromagnetic simulations of the magnetization distribution in inverse opal-like structures (IOLS) made from ferromagnetic materials (nickel and cobalt). It is shown that the unit cell of these complex structures, whose characteristic length is approximately 700 nm, can be divided into a set of structural elements some of which behave like Ising-like objects. A spin-ice behavior of IOLS is observed in a broad range of external magnetic fields. Numerical results describe successfully the experimental hysteresis curves of the magnetization in Ni- and Co-based IOLS. We conclude that ferromagnetic IOLS can be considered as the first realization of three-dimensional artificial spin ice. The problem is discussed of optimal geometrical properties and material characteristics of IOLS for the spin-ice rule fulfillment.

  11. An Effective Electrodeposition Mode for Porous MnO₂/Ni Foam Composite for Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Yi-Chiun; Yang, Wein-Duo; Lee, Kuan-Ching; Huang, Chao-Ming

    2016-03-30

    Three kinds of MnO₂/Ni foam composite electrode with hierarchical meso-macroporous structures were prepared using potentiodynamic (PD), potentiostatic (PS), and a combination of PS and PD(PS + PD) modes of electrodeposition. The electrodeposition mode markedly influenced the surface morphological, textural, and supercapacitive properties of the MnO₂/Ni electrodes. The supercapacitive performance of the MnO₂/Ni electrode obtained via PS + PD(PS + PD(MnO₂/Ni)) was found to be superior to those of MnO₂/Ni electrodes obtained via PD and PS, respectively. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor device, activated carbon (AC)/PS + PD(MnO₂/Ni), utilizing PS + PD(MnO₂/Ni) as a positive electrode and AC as a negative electrode, was fabricated. The device exhibited an energy density of 7.7 Wh·kg -1 at a power density of 600 W·kg -1 and superior cycling stability, retaining 98% of its initial capacity after 10,000 cycles. The good supercapacitive performance and excellent stability of the AC/PS + PD(MnO₂/Ni) device can be ascribed to its high surface area, hierarchical structure, and interconnected three-dimensional reticular configuration of the nickel metal support, which facilitates electrolyte ion intercalation and deintercalation at the electrode/electrolyte interface and mitigates volume change during repeated charge/discharge cycling. These results demonstrate the great potential of the combination of PS and PD modes for MnO₂ electrodeposition for the development of high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors.

  12. The influence of geometric imperfections on the stability of three-layer beams with foam core

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wstawska, Iwona

    2017-01-01

    The main objective of this work is the numerical analysis (FE analysis) of stability of three-layer beams with metal foam core (alumina foam core). The beams were subjected to pure bending. The analysis of the local buckling was performed. Furthermore, the influence of geometric parameters of the beam and material properties of the core (linear and non-linear model) on critical loads values and buckling shape were also investigated. The calculations were made on a family of beams with different mechanical properties of the core (elastic and elastic-plastic material). In addition, the influence of geometric imperfections on deflection and normal stress values of the core and the faces has been evaluated.

  13. Three-dimensional head anthropometric analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Enciso, Reyes; Shaw, Alex M.; Neumann, Ulrich; Mah, James

    2003-05-01

    Currently, two-dimensional photographs are most commonly used to facilitate visualization, assessment and treatment of facial abnormalities in craniofacial care but are subject to errors because of perspective, projection, lack metric and 3-dimensional information. One can find in the literature a variety of methods to generate 3-dimensional facial images such as laser scans, stereo-photogrammetry, infrared imaging and even CT however each of these methods contain inherent limitations and as such no systems are in common clinical use. In this paper we will focus on development of indirect 3-dimensional landmark location and measurement of facial soft-tissue with light-based techniques. In this paper we will statistically evaluate and validate a current three-dimensional image-based face modeling technique using a plaster head model. We will also develop computer graphics tools for indirect anthropometric measurements in a three-dimensional head model (or polygonal mesh) including linear distances currently used in anthropometry. The measurements will be tested against a validated 3-dimensional digitizer (MicroScribe 3DX).

  14. Precise tuning in platinum-nickel/nickel sulfide interface nanowires for synergistic hydrogen evolution catalysis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Pengtang; Zhang, Xu; Zhang, Jin; Wan, Sheng; Guo, Shaojun; Lu, Gang; Yao, Jianlin; Huang, Xiaoqing

    2017-01-01

    Comprising abundant interfaces, multicomponent heterostructures can integrate distinct building blocks into single entities and yield exceptional functionalities enabled by the synergistic components. Here we report an efficient approach to construct one-dimensional metal/sulfide heterostructures by directly sulfuring highly composition-segregated platinum-nickel nanowires. The heterostructures possess a high density of interfaces between platinum-nickel and nickel sulfide components, which cooperate synergistically towards alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction. The platinum-nickel/nickel sulfide heterostructures can deliver a current density of 37.2 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 70 mV, which is 9.7 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C. The heterostructures also offer enhanced stability revealed by long-term chronopotentiometry measurements. The present work highlights a potentially powerful interface-engineering strategy for designing multicomponent heterostructures with advanced performance in hydrogen evolution reaction and beyond. PMID:28239145

  15. Trading spaces: building three-dimensional nets from two-dimensional tilings

    PubMed Central

    Castle, Toen; Evans, Myfanwy E.; Hyde, Stephen T.; Ramsden, Stuart; Robins, Vanessa

    2012-01-01

    We construct some examples of finite and infinite crystalline three-dimensional nets derived from symmetric reticulations of homogeneous two-dimensional spaces: elliptic (S2), Euclidean (E2) and hyperbolic (H2) space. Those reticulations are edges and vertices of simple spherical, planar and hyperbolic tilings. We show that various projections of the simplest symmetric tilings of those spaces into three-dimensional Euclidean space lead to topologically and geometrically complex patterns, including multiple interwoven nets and tangled nets that are otherwise difficult to generate ab initio in three dimensions. PMID:24098839

  16. Validating two-dimensional leadership models on three-dimensionally structured fish schools

    PubMed Central

    Nagy, Máté; Holbrook, Robert I.; Biro, Dora; Burt de Perera, Theresa

    2017-01-01

    Identifying leader–follower interactions is crucial for understanding how a group decides where or when to move, and how this information is transferred between members. Although many animal groups have a three-dimensional structure, previous studies investigating leader–follower interactions have often ignored vertical information. This raises the question of whether commonly used two-dimensional leader–follower analyses can be used justifiably on groups that interact in three dimensions. To address this, we quantified the individual movements of banded tetra fish (Astyanax mexicanus) within shoals by computing the three-dimensional trajectories of all individuals using a stereo-camera technique. We used these data firstly to identify and compare leader–follower interactions in two and three dimensions, and secondly to analyse leadership with respect to an individual's spatial position in three dimensions. We show that for 95% of all pairwise interactions leadership identified through two-dimensional analysis matches that identified through three-dimensional analysis, and we reveal that fish attend to the same shoalmates for vertical information as they do for horizontal information. Our results therefore highlight that three-dimensional analyses are not always required to identify leader–follower relationships in species that move freely in three dimensions. We discuss our results in terms of the importance of taking species' sensory capacities into account when studying interaction networks within groups. PMID:28280582

  17. Foam For Filtering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1978-01-01

    Like nature's honeycomb, foam is a structure of many-sided cells, apparently solid but actually only three percent material and 97 percent air. Foam is made by a heat-producing chemical reaction which expands a plastic material in a manner somewhat akin to the heat-induced rising of a loaf of bread. The resulting structure of interconnected cells is flexible yet strong and extremely versatile in applicati6n. Foam can, for example, be a sound absorber in one form, while in another it allows sound to pass through it. It can be a very soft powder puff material and at the same time a highly abrasive scrubber. A sampling of foam uses includes stereo speaker grilles, applying postage meter ink, filtering lawnmower carburetor air; deadening noise in trucks and tractors, applying cosmetics, releasing fabric softener and antistatic agents in home clothes dryers, painting, filtering factory heating and ventilating systems, shining shoes, polishing cars, sponge-mopping floors, acting as pre-operative surgical scrubbers-the list is virtually limitless. The process by which foam is made produces "windows," thin plastic membranes connecting the cell walls. Windowed foam is used in many applications but for certain others-filtering, for example-it is desirable to have a completely open network. Scott Paper Company's Foam Division, Chester, Pennsylvania, improved a patented method of "removing the windows," to create an open structure that affords special utility in filtering applications. NASA technology contributed to Scott's improvement.

  18. Porous three-dimensional graphene foam/Prussian blue composite for efficient removal of radioactive 137Cs

    PubMed Central

    Jang, Sung-Chan; Haldorai, Yuvaraj; Lee, Go-Woon; Hwang, Seung-Kyu; Han, Young-Kyu; Roh, Changhyun; Huh, Yun Suk

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a simple one-step hydrothermal reaction is developed to prepare composite based on Prussian blue (PB)/reduced graphene oxide foam (RGOF) for efficient removal of radioactive cesium (137Cs) from contaminated water. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that cubic PB nanoparticles are decorated on the RGO surface. Owing to the combined benefits of RGOF and PB, the composite shows excellent removal efficiency (99.5%) of 137Cs from the contaminated water. The maximum adsorption capacity is calculated to be 18.67 mg/g. An adsorption isotherm fit-well the Langmuir model with a linear regression correlation value of 0.97. This type of composite is believed to hold great promise for the clean-up of 137Cs from contaminated water around nuclear plants and/or after nuclear accidents. PMID:26670798

  19. Finite Element Modeling of Tensile Deformation Behaviors of Iron Syntactic Foam with Hollow Glass Microspheres

    PubMed Central

    Cho, Yi Je; Lee, Wookjin; Park, Yong Ho

    2017-01-01

    The elastoplastic deformation behaviors of hollow glass microspheres/iron syntactic foam under tension were modeled using a representative volume element (RVE) approach. The three-dimensional microstructures of the iron syntactic foam with 5 wt % glass microspheres were reconstructed using the random sequential adsorption algorithm. The constitutive behavior of the elastoplasticity in the iron matrix and the elastic-brittle failure for the glass microsphere were simulated in the models. An appropriate RVE size was statistically determined by evaluating elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and yield strength in terms of model sizes and boundary conditions. The model was validated by the agreement with experimental findings. The tensile deformation mechanism of the syntactic foam considering the fracture of the microspheres was then investigated. In addition, the feasibility of introducing the interfacial deboning behavior to the proposed model was briefly investigated to improve the accuracy in depicting fracture behaviors of the syntactic foam. It is thought that the modeling techniques and the model itself have major potential for applications not only in the study of hollow glass microspheres/iron syntactic foams, but also for the design of composites with a high modulus matrix and high strength reinforcement. PMID:29048346

  20. Multifunctional Stiff Carbon Foam Derived from Bread.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Ye; Ding, Yujie; Wang, Chunhui; Xu, Fan; Lin, Zaishan; Qin, Yuyang; Li, Ying; Yang, Minglong; He, Xiaodong; Peng, Qingyu; Li, Yibin

    2016-07-06

    The creation of stiff yet multifunctional three-dimensional porous carbon architecture at very low cost is still challenging. In this work, lightweight and stiff carbon foam (CF) with adjustable pore structure was prepared by using flour as the basic element via a simple fermentation and carbonization process. The compressive strength of CF exhibits a high value of 3.6 MPa whereas its density is 0.29 g/cm(3) (compressive modulus can be 121 MPa). The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness measurements (specific EMI shielding effectiveness can be 78.18 dB·cm(3)·g(-1)) indicate that CF can be used as lightweight, effective shielding material. Unlike ordinary foam structure materials, the low thermal conductivity (lowest is 0.06 W/m·K) with high resistance to fire makes CF a good candidate for commercial thermal insulation material. These results demonstrate a promising method to fabricate an economical, robust carbon material for applications in industry as well as topics regarding environmental protection and improvement of energy efficiency.

  1. One-pot electrochemical growth of sponge-like polyaniline-intercalated phosphorous-doped graphene oxide on nickel foam as binder-free electrode material of supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bigdeli, Hadise; Moradi, Morteza; Borhani, Saeid; Jafari, Elnaz Abbasi; Hajati, Shaaker; Kiani, Mohammad Ali

    2018-06-01

    In this work, phosphor-doped graphene oxide (PGO) was synthesized by chemical technique. Also, the sponge-like PGO@polyaniline nanocomposite (PGO@PANI) film was coated on the nickel foam by one-step electropolymerization. The active materials were then characterized by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller technique. When PANI/PGO was used as supercapacitor electrode, under current density of 1 A/g, the specific capacitance of the prepared PGO@PANI was measured as 603 F/g, which is 6.0 times higher than that of pure PANI (102 F/g). Moreover, capacity stability of the PANI/PGO increased significantly as compared to PANI (65% vs. 44%) after increasing the current density from 1 to 15 A/g. The clear electrochemical performance of PANI/PGO was enhanced owing to the synergistic effect of PGO and PANI. Our results demonstrate that PANI/PGO nanosheet arrays are promising candidate for electrode supercapacitor applications.

  2. Forming foam structures with carbon foam substrates

    DOEpatents

    Landingham, Richard L.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Coronado, Paul R.; Baumann, Theodore F.

    2012-11-06

    The invention provides foams of desired cell sizes formed from metal or ceramic materials that coat the surfaces of carbon foams which are subsequently removed. For example, metal is located over a sol-gel foam monolith. The metal is melted to produce a metal/sol-gel composition. The sol-gel foam monolith is removed, leaving a metal foam.

  3. Analysis, design, and experimental results for lightweight space heat receiver canisters, phase 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schneider, Michael G.; Brege, Mark A.; Heidenreich, Gary R.

    1991-01-01

    Critical technology experiments have been performed on thermal energy storage modules in support of the Brayton Advanced Heat Receiver program. The modules are wedge-shaped canisters designed to minimize the mechanical stresses that occur during the phase change of the lithium fluoride phase change material. Nickel foam inserts were used in some of the canisters to provide thermal conductivity enhancement and to distribute the void volume. Two canisters, one with a nickel foam insert, and one without, were thermally cycled in various orientations in a fluidized bed furnace. The only measurable impact of the nickel foam was seen when the back and short sides of the canister were insulated to simulate operation in the advanced receiver design. In tests with insulation, the furnace to back side delta T was larger in the canister with the nickel foam insert, probably due to the radiant absorptivity of the nickel. However, the differences in the temperature profiles of the two canisters were small, and in many cases the profiles matched fairly well. Computed Tomography (CT) was successfully used to nondestructively demarcate void locations in the canisters. Finally, canister dimensional stability, which was measured throughout the thermal cycling test program with an inspection fixture was satisfactory with a maximum change of 0.635 mm (0.025 in.).

  4. Foaming Volume and Foam Stability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1947-02-01

    for a series of hydrocarbons and for a range of concentrations of aqueous ethylene-glycol solutions. It is shown that the amount of foam formed depends...methodofmeasuringfoamingvolumeisdescribedandinvestigated to establishthecriticalfactorsin itsoperation.Dataon foaming ...zethatfoamstabll. # itymeasurementsshouldbe takenipcon@.n@ionwithmeasurementsof foam density.It iseasilyrecognizedthatinitialfoamdensities,asmeasured by

  5. Preparation of Lithium Titanate/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites with Three-Dimensional "Fishnet-Like" Conductive Structure via a Gas-Foaming Method for High-Rate Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    PubMed

    Meng, Tao; Yi, Fenyun; Cheng, Honghong; Hao, Junnan; Shu, Dong; Zhao, Shixu; He, Chun; Song, Xiaona; Zhang, Fan

    2017-12-13

    With use of ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl) as the pore-forming agent, three-dimensional (3D) "fishnet-like" lithium titanate/reduced graphene oxide (LTO/G) composites with hierarchical porous structure are prepared via a gas-foaming method. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that, in the composite prepared with the NH 4 Cl concentration of 1 mg mL -1 (1-LTO/G), LTO particles with sizes of 50-100 nm disperse homogeneously on the 3D "fishnet-like" graphene. The nitrogen-sorption analyses reveal the existence of micro-/mesopores, which is attributed to the introduction of NH 4 Cl into the gap between the graphene sheets that further decomposes into gases and produces hierarchical pores during the thermal treatment process. The loose and porous structure of 1-LTO/G composites enables the better penetration of electrolytes, providing more rapid diffusion channels for lithium ion. As a result, the 1-LTO/G electrode delivers an ultrahigh specific capacity of 176.6 mA h g -1 at a rate of 1 C. Even at 3 and 10 C, the specific capacity can reach 167.5 and 142.9 mA h g -1 , respectively. Moreover, the 1-LTO/G electrode shows excellent cycle performance with 95.4% capacity retention at 10 C after 100 cycles. The results demonstrate that the LTO/G composite with these properties is one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  6. Three dimensional-stacked complementary thin-film transistors using n-type Al:ZnO and p-type NiO thin-film transistors.

    PubMed

    Lee, Ching-Ting; Chen, Chia-Chi; Lee, Hsin-Ying

    2018-03-05

    The three dimensional inverters were fabricated using novel complementary structure of stacked bottom n-type aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) thin-film transistor and top p-type nickel oxide (NiO) thin-film transistor. When the inverter operated at the direct voltage (V DD ) of 10 V and the input voltage from 0 V to 10 V, the obtained high performances included the output swing of 9.9 V, the high noise margin of 2.7 V, and the low noise margin of 2.2 V. Furthermore, the high performances of unskenwed inverter were demonstrated by using the novel complementary structure of the stacked n-type Al:ZnO thin-film transistor and p-type nickel oxide (NiO) thin-film transistor.

  7. Three-dimensional separation and reattachment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Peake, D. J.; Tobak, M.

    1982-01-01

    The separation of three dimensional turbulent boundary layers from the lee of flight vehicles at high angles of attack is investigated. The separation results in dominant, large scale, coiled vortex motions that pass along the body in the general direction of the free stream. In all cases of three dimensional flow separation and reattachment, the assumption of continuous vector fields of skin friction lines and external flow streamlines, coupled with simple laws of topology, provides a flow grammar whose elemental constituents are the singular points: the nodes, spiral nodes (foci), and saddles. The phenomenon of three dimensional separation may be construed as either a local or a global event, depending on whether the skin friction line that becomes a line of separation originates at a node or a saddle point.

  8. Refractory Ceramic Foams for Novel Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stackpoole, M.

    2008-01-01

    Workers at NASA Ames Research center are endeavoring to develop durable, oxidation-resistant, foam thermal protection systems (TPSs) that would be suitable for covering large exterior spacecraft surfaces, would have low to moderate densities, and would have temperature capabilities comparable to those of carbon-based TPSs [reusable at 3,000 F (.1,650 C)] with application of suitable coatings. These foams may also be useful for repairing TPSs while in orbit. Moreover, on Earth as well as in outer space, these foams might be useful as catalyst supports and filters. Preceramic polymers are obvious candidates for use in making the foams in question. The use of these polymers offers advantages over processing routes followed in making conventional ceramics. Among the advantages are the ability to plastically form parts, the ability to form pyrolized ceramic materials at lower temperatures, and the ability to form high-purity microstructures having properties that can be tailored to satisfy requirements. Heretofore, preceramic polymers have been used mostly in the production of such low-dimensional products as fibers because the loss of volatiles during pyrolysis of the polymers leads to porosity and large shrinkage (in excess of 30 percent). In addition, efforts to form bulk structures from preceramic polymers have resulted in severe cracking during pyrolysis. However, because the foams in question would consist of networks of thin struts (in contradistinction to nonporous dense solids), these foams are ideal candidates for processing along a preceramic-polymer route.

  9. Foam, Foam-resin composite and method of making a foam-resin composite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    MacArthur, Doug E. (Inventor); Cranston, John A. (Inventor)

    1995-01-01

    This invention relates to a foam, a foam-resin composite and a method of making foam-resin composites. The foam set forth in this invention comprises a urethane modified polyisocyanurate derived from an aromatic amino polyol and a polyether polyol. In addition to the polyisocyanurate foam, the composite of this invention further contains a resin layer, wherein the resin may be epoxy, bismaleimide, or phenolic resin. Such resins generally require cure or post-cure temperatures of at least 350.degree. F.

  10. Iron and nickel isotope compositions of presolar silicon carbide grains from supernovae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kodolányi, János; Stephan, Thomas; Trappitsch, Reto; Hoppe, Peter; Pignatari, Marco; Davis, Andrew M.; Pellin, Michael J.

    2018-01-01

    We report the carbon, silicon, iron, and nickel isotope compositions of twenty-five presolar SiC grains of mostly supernova (SN) origin. The iron and nickel isotope compositions were measured with the new Chicago Instrument for Laser Ionization, CHILI, which allows the analysis of all iron and nickel isotopes without the isobaric interferences that plagued previous measurements with the NanoSIMS. Despite terrestrial iron and nickel contamination, significant isotopic anomalies in 54Fe/56Fe, 57Fe/56Fe, 60Ni/58Ni, 61Ni/58Ni, 62Ni/58Ni, and 64Ni/58Ni were detected in nine SN grains (of type X). Combined multi-isotope data of three grains with the largest nickel isotope anomalies (>100‰ or <-100‰ in at least one isotope ratio, when expressed as deviation from the solar value) are compared with the predictions of two SN models, one with and one without hydrogen ingestion in the He shell prior to SN explosion. One grain's carbon-silicon-iron-nickel isotope composition is consistent with the prediction of the model without hydrogen ingestion, whereas the other two grains' isotope anomalies could not be reproduced using either SN models. The discrepancies between the measured isotope compositions and model predictions may indicate element fractionation in the SN ejecta prior to or during grain condensation, and reiterate the need for three-dimensional SN models.

  11. mdFoam+: Advanced molecular dynamics in OpenFOAM

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Longshaw, S. M.; Borg, M. K.; Ramisetti, S. B.; Zhang, J.; Lockerby, D. A.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

    2018-03-01

    This paper introduces mdFoam+, which is an MPI parallelised molecular dynamics (MD) solver implemented entirely within the OpenFOAM software framework. It is open-source and released under the same GNU General Public License (GPL) as OpenFOAM. The source code is released as a publicly open software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial cases. Since mdFoam+ is designed entirely within the OpenFOAM C++ object-oriented framework, it inherits a number of key features. The code is designed for extensibility and flexibility, so it is aimed first and foremost as an MD research tool, in which new models and test cases can be developed and tested rapidly. Implementing mdFoam+ in OpenFOAM also enables easier development of hybrid methods that couple MD with continuum-based solvers. Setting up MD cases follows the standard OpenFOAM format, as mdFoam+ also relies upon the OpenFOAM dictionary-based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of an MD simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. Results show that mdFoam+ compares well to another well-known MD code (e.g. LAMMPS) in terms of benchmark problems, although it also has additional functionality that does not exist in other open-source MD codes.

  12. Thermal management improvement of an air-cooled high-power lithium-ion battery by embedding metal foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohammadian, Shahabeddin K.; Rassoulinejad-Mousavi, Seyed Moein; Zhang, Yuwen

    2015-11-01

    Effect of embedding aluminum porous metal foam inside the flow channels of an air-cooled Li-ion battery module was studied to improve its thermal management. Four different cases of metal foam insert were examined using three-dimensional transient numerical simulations. The effects of permeability and porosity of the porous medium as well as state of charge were investigated on the standard deviation of the temperature field and maximum temperature inside the battery in all four cases. Compared to the case of no porous insert, embedding aluminum metal foam in the air flow channel significantly improved the thermal management of Li-ion battery cell. The results also indicated that, decreasing the porosity of the porous structure decreases both standard deviation of the temperature field and maximum temperature inside the battery. Moreover, increasing the permeability of the metal foam drops the maximum temperature inside the battery while decreasing this property leads to improving the temperature uniformity. Our results suggested that, among the all studied cases, desirable temperature uniformity and maximum temperature were achieved when two-third and the entire air flow channel is filled with aluminum metal foam, respectively.

  13. Hydrothermally formed three-dimensional hexagon-like P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays for high performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Kunzhen; Li, Shikuo; Huang, Fangzhi; Lu, Yan; Wang, Lei; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Hui

    2018-01-01

    Three dimensional hexagon-like phosphrous (P) doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays grown on Ni foam (NF) are fabricated by a facile and green one-step hydrothermal process. Ni foam is only reacted in a certain concentration of P containing H2O2 aqueous solution. The possible growth mechanism of the P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays is discussed. As a battery-type electrode material in situ formed on Ni foam, the binder-free P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays electrode displays a ultrahigh specific areal capacitance of 2.11C cm-2 (3.51 F cm-2) at 2 mA cm-2, and excellent cycling stability (95.5% capacitance retention after 7500 cycles). The assembled all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (AAS) based on such P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode achieves an energy density of 81.3 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 635 W kg-1. The AAS device also exhibits excellent practical performance, which can easily drive an electric fan (3 W rated power) when two AAS devices are assembled in series. Thus, our synthesized P doped Ni(OH)2 rod arrays has a lot of potential applications in future energy storage prospects.

  14. Comparative Evaluation of Firefighting Foam Agents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-08-01

    incorporating these basic concepts under a military specification, are being produced on a world-wide MIL - F - 24385 , Navy (reference 6). basis. The original...Program Office for 24385 (Navy), Fire Extinguishing Aircraft Ground Fire Suppression and Agent, Aqueous- F Ilm-Forming-Foam Rescue, SMF, AGFSkS 71-1...fluoroprotein foams (FPF), and three protein foam (?’ F ) agents. Large-scale fire tests were performed under fixed fire conditions employing air

  15. Comparison of sound absorbing performances of copper foam and iron foam with the same parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, X. C.; Shen, X. M.; Xu, P. J.; Zhang, X. N.; Bai, P. F.; Peng, K.; Yin, Q.; Wang, D.

    2018-01-01

    Sound absorbing performances of the copper foam and the iron foam with the same parameters were investigated by the AWA6128A detector according to standing wave method. Two modes were investigated, which included the pure metal foam mode and the combination mode with the settled thickness of metal foam. In order to legibly compare the sound absorbing coefficients of the two metal foams, the detected sound frequency points were divided into the low frequency range (100 Hz ~ 1000 Hz), the middle frequency range (1000 Hz ~ 3200 Hz), and the high frequency range (3500 Hz ~ 6000 Hz). Sound absorbing performances of the two metal foams in the two modes were discussed within the three frequency ranges in detail. It would be calculated that the average sound absorbing coefficients of copper foam in the pure metal foam mode were 12.6%, 22.7%, 34.6%, 43.6%, 51.1%, and 56.2% when the thickness was 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm. meanwhile, in the combination mode, the average sound absorbing coefficients of copper foam with the thickness of 10 mm were 30.6%, 34.8%, 36.3%, and 35.8% when the cavity was 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm. In addition, those of iron foam in the pure metal foam mode were 13.4%, 20.1%, 34.4%, 43.1%, 49.6%, and 56.1%, and in the combination mode were 25.6%, 30.5%, 34.3%, and 33.4%.

  16. Experiments on an unsteady, three-dimensional separation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henk, R. W.; Reynolds, W. C.; Reed, H. L.

    1992-01-01

    Unsteady, three-dimensional flow separation occurs in a variety of technical situations including turbomachinery and low-speed aircraft. An experimental program at Stanford in unsteady, three-dimensional, pressure-driven laminar separation has investigated the structure and time-scaling of these flows; of particular interest is the development, washout, and control of flow separation. Results reveal that a two-dimensional, laminar boundary layer passes through several stages on its way to a quasi-steady three-dimensional separation. The quasi-steady state of the separation embodies a complex, unsteady, vortical structure.

  17. Pursuing Mirror Image Reconstruction in Unilateral Microtia: Customizing Auricular Framework by Application of Three-Dimensional Imaging and Three-Dimensional Printing.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hsin-Yu; Ng, Li-Shia; Chang, Chun-Shin; Lu, Ting-Chen; Chen, Ning-Hung; Chen, Zung-Chung

    2017-06-01

    Advances in three-dimensional imaging and three-dimensional printing technology have expanded the frontier of presurgical design for microtia reconstruction from two-dimensional curved lines to three-dimensional perspectives. This study presents an algorithm for combining three-dimensional surface imaging, computer-assisted design, and three-dimensional printing to create patient-specific auricular frameworks in unilateral microtia reconstruction. Between January of 2015 and January of 2016, six patients with unilateral microtia were enrolled. The average age of the patients was 7.6 years. A three-dimensional image of the patient's head was captured by 3dMDcranial, and virtual sculpture carried out using Geomagic Freeform software and a Touch X Haptic device for fabrication of the auricular template. Each template was tailored according to the patient's unique auricular morphology. The final construct was mirrored onto the defective side and printed out with biocompatible acrylic material. During the surgery, the prefabricated customized template served as a three-dimensional guide for surgical simulation and sculpture of the MEDPOR framework. Average follow-up was 10.3 months. Symmetric and good aesthetic results with regard to auricular shape, projection, and orientation were obtained. One case with severe implant exposure was salvaged with free temporoparietal fascia transfer and skin grafting. The combination of three-dimensional imaging and manufacturing technology with the malleability of MEDPOR has surpassed existing limitations resulting from the use of autologous materials and the ambiguity of two-dimensional planning. This approach allows surgeons to customize the auricular framework in a highly precise and sophisticated manner, taking a big step closer to the goal of mirror-image reconstruction for unilateral microtia patients. Therapeutic, IV.

  18. Toxicity of nickel-spiked freshwater sediments to benthic invertebrates-Spiking methodology, species sensitivity, and nickel bioavailability

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Besser, John M.; Brumbaugh, William G.; Kemble, Nile E.; Ivey, Chris D.; Kunz, James L.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Rudel, David

    2011-01-01

    This report summarizes data from studies of the toxicity and bioavailability of nickel in nickel-spiked freshwater sediments. The goal of these studies was to generate toxicity and chemistry data to support development of broadly applicable sediment quality guidelines for nickel. The studies were conducted as three tasks, which are presented here as three chapters: Task 1, Development of methods for preparation and toxicity testing of nickel-spiked freshwater sediments; Task 2, Sensitivity of benthic invertebrates to toxicity of nickel-spiked freshwater sediments; and Task 3, Effect of sediment characteristics on nickel bioavailability. Appendices with additional methodological details and raw chemistry and toxicity data for the three tasks are available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2011/5225/downloads/.

  19. A New Classification of Three-Dimensional Printing Technologies: Systematic Review of Three-Dimensional Printing for Patient-Specific Craniomaxillofacial Surgery.

    PubMed

    Jacobs, Carly A; Lin, Alexander Y

    2017-05-01

    Three-dimensional printing technology has been advancing in surgical applications. This systematic review examines its patient-specific applications in craniomaxillofacial surgery. Terms related to "three-dimensional printing" and "surgery" were searched on PubMed on May 4, 2015; 313 unique articles were returned. Inclusion and exclusion criteria concentrated on patient-specific surgical applications, yielding 141 full-text articles, of which 33 craniomaxillofacial articles were analyzed. Thirty-three articles included 315 patients who underwent three-dimensional printing-assisted operations. The most common modeling software was Mimics, the most common printing software was 3D Systems, the average time to create a printed object was 18.9 hours (range, 1.5 to 96 hours), and the average cost of a printed object was $1353.31 (range, $69.75 to $5500). Surgical procedures were divided among 203 craniofacial patients (205 three-dimensional printing objects) and 112 maxillofacial patients (137 objects). Printing technologies could be classified as contour models, guides, splints, and implants. For craniofacial patients, 173 contour models (84 percent), 13 guides (6 percent), two splints (1 percent), and 17 implants (8 percent) were made. For maxillofacial patients, 41 contour models (30 percent), 48 guides (35 percent), 40 splints (29 percent), and eight implants (6 percent) were made. These distributions were significantly different (p < 0.0001). Four studies compared three-dimensional printing techniques to conventional techniques; two of them found that three-dimensional printing produced improved outcomes. Three-dimensional printing technology in craniomaxillofacial surgery can be classified into contour models (type I), guides (type II), splints (type III), and implants (type IV). These four methods vary in their use between craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery, reflecting their different goals. This understanding may help advance and predict three-dimensional

  20. Three-dimensional printing and pediatric liver disease.

    PubMed

    Alkhouri, Naim; Zein, Nizar N

    2016-10-01

    Enthusiastic physicians and medical researchers are investigating the role of three-dimensional printing in medicine. The purpose of the current review is to provide a concise summary of the role of three-dimensional printing technology as it relates to the field of pediatric hepatology and liver transplantation. Our group and others have recently demonstrated the feasibility of printing three-dimensional livers with identical anatomical and geometrical landmarks to the native liver to facilitate presurgical planning of complex liver surgeries. Medical educators are exploring the use of three-dimensional printed organs in anatomy classes and surgical residencies. Moreover, mini-livers are being developed by regenerative medicine scientist as a way to test new drugs and, eventually, whole livers will be grown in the laboratory to replace organs with end-stage disease solving the organ shortage problem. From presurgical planning to medical education to ultimately the bioprinting of whole organs for transplantation, three-dimensional printing will change medicine as we know in the next few years.

  1. The fabrication of foam-like 3D mesoporous NiO-Ni as anode for high performance Li-ion batteries

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

    Huang, Peng, E-mail: huangp07@lzu.edu.cn; Department of Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000; Zhang, Xin

    2015-03-15

    Graphical abstract: Foam-like 3 dimensional (3D) mesoporous NiO on 3D micro-porous Ni was fabricated. - Highlights: • We prepare NiO-Ni foam composite via hydrothermal etching and subsequent annealing. • The NiO exhibits novel foam-like 3D mesoporous architecture. • The NiO-Ni anode shows good cycle stability. - Abstract: Foam-like three dimensional mesoporous NiO on Ni foam was fabricated via facile hydrothermal etching and subsequent annealing treatment. The porous NiO consists of a large number of nanosheets with mean thickness about 50 nm, among which a large number of mesoscopic pores with size ranges from 100 nm to 1 μm distribute. Themore » electrochemical performance of the as-prepared NiO-Ni as anode for lithium ion battery was studied by conventional charge/discharge test, which shows excellent cycle stability and rate capability. It exhibits initial discharge and charge capacities of 979 and 707 mA h g{sup −1} at a charge/discharge rate of 0.7 C, which maintain of 747 and 738 mA h g{sup −1} after 100 cycles. Even after 60 cycles at various rates from 0.06 to 14 C, the 10th discharge and charge capacities of the NiO-Ni electrode can revert to 699 and 683 mA h g{sup −1} when lowering the charge/discharge rate to 0.06 C.« less

  2. [Three-dimensional reconstruction of functional brain images].

    PubMed

    Inoue, M; Shoji, K; Kojima, H; Hirano, S; Naito, Y; Honjo, I

    1999-08-01

    We consider PET (positron emission tomography) measurement with SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping) analysis to be one of the most useful methods to identify activated areas of the brain involved in language processing. SPM is an effective analytical method that detects markedly activated areas over the whole brain. However, with the conventional presentations of these functional brain images, such as horizontal slices, three directional projection, or brain surface coloring, makes understanding and interpreting the positional relationships among various brain areas difficult. Therefore, we developed three-dimensionally reconstructed images from these functional brain images to improve the interpretation. The subjects were 12 normal volunteers. The following three types of images were constructed: 1) routine images by SPM, 2) three-dimensional static images, and 3) three-dimensional dynamic images, after PET images were analyzed by SPM during daily dialog listening. The creation of images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types employed the volume rendering method by VTK (The Visualization Toolkit). Since the functional brain images did not include original brain images, we synthesized SPM and MRI brain images by self-made C++ programs. The three-dimensional dynamic images were made by sequencing static images with available software. Images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types were processed by a personal computer system. Our newly created images showed clearer positional relationships among activated brain areas compared to the conventional method. To date, functional brain images have been employed in fields such as neurology or neurosurgery, however, these images may be useful even in the field of otorhinolaryngology, to assess hearing and speech. Exact three-dimensional images based on functional brain images are important for exact and intuitive interpretation, and may lead to new developments in brain science. Currently, the

  3. Toxicology and metabolism of nickel compounds: comprehensive report of overall activities during the three-year period from December 1, 1977 to November 30, 1980

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

    Sunderman, Jr, F W

    1980-08-15

    The main research accomplishments during the past three years are summarized. The principle areas of investigation are: 1. embryotoxicity, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity of nickel carbonyl; 2. metabolism, detoxification, and excretion of nickel compounds; 3. studies of nickel carcinogenesis; 4. nickel analysis in body fluids and tissues to monitor occupational exposures; 5. nephrotoxicity of nickel compounds; and 6. hematological effects of nickel compounds. (ACR)

  4. Biodynamic profiling of three-dimensional tissue growth techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Hao; Merrill, Dan; Turek, John; Nolte, David

    2016-03-01

    Three-dimensional tissue culture presents a more biologically relevant environment in which to perform drug development than conventional two-dimensional cell culture. However, obtaining high-content information from inside three dimensional tissue has presented an obstacle to rapid adoption of 3D tissue culture for pharmaceutical applications. Biodynamic imaging is a high-content three-dimensional optical imaging technology based on low-coherence interferometry and digital holography that uses intracellular dynamics as high-content image contrast. In this paper, we use biodynamic imaging to compare pharmaceutical responses to Taxol of three-dimensional multicellular spheroids grown by three different growth techniques: rotating bioreactor, hanging-drop and plate-grown spheroids. The three growth techniques have systematic variations among tissue cohesiveness and intracellular activity and consequently display different pharmacodynamics under identical drug dose conditions. The in vitro tissue cultures are also compared to ex vivo living biopsies. These results demonstrate that three-dimensional tissue cultures are not equivalent, and that drug-response studies must take into account the growth method.

  5. Performance of lightweight nickel electrodes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britton, Doris L.

    1988-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center is currently developing nickel electrodes for nickel-hydrogen (Ni-H2) batteries. These electrodes are lighter in weight and have higher energy densities than the heavier state-of-the-art (SOA) sintered nickel electrodes. In the present approach, lightweight materials or plaques are used as conductive supports for the nickel hydroxide active material. These plaques (fiber and felt, nickel plated plastic and graphite) are commercial products that are fabricated into nickel electrodes by electrochemically impregnating them with active material. Evaluation is performed in half cells structured in the bipolar configuration. Initial performance tests include capacity measurements at five discharge levels, C/2, 1.0C 1.37C, 2.0C and 2.74C. The electrodes that pass the initial tests are life cycle tested in a low Earth orbit regime at 80 percent depth of discharge. Different formulations of nickel fiber materials obtained from several manufacturers are currently being tested as possible candidates for nickel electrodes. One particular lightweight fiber mat electrode has accumulated over 3000 cycles to date, with stable capacity and voltage. Life and performance data of this electrode were investigated and presented. Good dimensional stability and active material adherence have been demonstrated in electrodes made from this lightweight plaque.

  6. NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays grown on flexible nitrogen-doped carbon foams as three-dimensional binder-free integrated anodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xiaoyu; Li, Songmei; Wang, Bo; Liu, Jianhua; Yu, Mei

    2016-02-14

    Binary metal sulfides, especially NiCo2S4, hold great promise as anode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries because of their excellent electronic conductivity and high capacity compared to mono-metal sulfides and oxides. Here, NiCo2S4 nanotube arrays are successfully grown on flexible nitrogen-doped carbon foam (NDCF) substrates with robust adhesion via a facile surfactant-assisted hydrothermal route and the subsequent sulfurization treatment. The obtained NiCo2S4/NDCF composites show unique three-dimensional architectures, in which NiCo2S4 nanotubes of ∼5 μm in length and 100 nm in width are uniformly grown on the NDCF skeletons to form arrays. When used directly as integrated anodes for lithium-ion batteries without any conductive additives and binders, the NiCo2S4/NDCF composites exhibit a high reversible capacity of 1721 mA h g(-1) at a high current density of 500 mA g(-1), enhanced cycling performance with the capacity maintained at 1182 mA h g(-1) after 100 cycles, and a remarkable rate capability. The excellent lithium storage performances of the composites could be attributed to the unique material composition, a rationally designed hollow nanostructure and an integrated smart architecture, which offer fast electron transport and ion diffusion, enhanced material/-electrolyte contact area and facile accommodation of strains during the lithium insertion and extraction process.

  7. Farley Three-Dimensional-Braiding Machine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farley, Gary L.

    1991-01-01

    Process and device known as Farley three-dimensional-braiding machine conceived to fabricate dry continuous fiber-reinforced preforms of complex three-dimensional shapes for subsequent processing into composite structures. Robotic fiber supply dispenses yarn as it traverses braiding surface. Combines many attributes of weaving and braiding processes with other attributes and capabilities. Other applications include decorative cloths, rugs, and other domestic textiles. Concept could lead to large variety of fiber layups and to entirely new products as well as new fiber-reinforcing applications.

  8. Controllable growth of polyaniline nanowire arrays on hierarchical macro/mesoporous graphene foams for high-performance flexible supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Pingping; Zhao, Xin; Li, Yingzhi; Zhang, Qinghua

    2017-01-01

    Free-standing hierarchical macro/mesoporous flexible graphene foam have been constructed by rational intergration ofwell dispersed graphene oxide sheets and amino-modified polystyrene (PS) spheres through a facile ;templating and embossing; technique. The three dimensional (3D) macro/mesoporous flexible graphene foam not only inherits the uniform porous structures of graphene foam, but also contains hierarchical macro/mesopores on the struts by sacrificing PS spheres and the activation of KOH, which could providing rapid pathways for ionic and electronic transport to high specific capacitance. Vertically polyaniline (PANI) nanowire arrays are then uniformly deposited onto the hierarchical macro/mesoporous graphene foam(fRGO-F/PANI) by a simple in situ polymerization, which show a high specific capacitance of 939 F g-1. Thanks to the synergistic function of 3D bicontinuous hierarchical porous structure of graphene foam and effective immobilization of PANI nanowires on the struts, the assembled symmetric supercapctior with fRGO-F/PANI as electrodes exhibits a maximum energy density and power density of 20.9 Wh kg-1 and 103.2 kW kg-1, respectively. Moreover, it also displays an excellent cyclic stability with a 88.7% retention after 5000 cycles.

  9. Investigation of the spectral reflectance and bidirectional reflectance distribution function of sea foam layer by the Monte Carlo method.

    PubMed

    Ma, L X; Wang, F Q; Wang, C A; Wang, C C; Tan, J Y

    2015-11-20

    Spectral properties of sea foam greatly affect ocean color remote sensing and aerosol optical thickness retrieval from satellite observation. This paper presents a combined Mie theory and Monte Carlo method to investigate visible and near-infrared spectral reflectance and bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of sea foam layers. A three-layer model of the sea foam is developed in which each layer is composed of large air bubbles coated with pure water. A pseudo-continuous model and Mie theory for coated spheres is used to determine the effective radiative properties of sea foam. The one-dimensional Cox-Munk surface roughness model is used to calculate the slope density functions of the wind-blown ocean surface. A Monte Carlo method is used to solve the radiative transfer equation. Effects of foam layer thickness, bubble size, wind speed, solar zenith angle, and wavelength on the spectral reflectance and BRDF are investigated. Comparisons between previous theoretical results and experimental data demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed method. Sea foam can significantly increase the spectral reflectance and BRDF of the sea surface. The absorption coefficient of seawater near the surface is not the only parameter that influences the spectral reflectance. Meanwhile, the effects of bubble size, foam layer thickness, and solar zenith angle also cannot be obviously neglected.

  10. Preparation and evaluation of polyurethane/cellulose nanowhisker bimodal foam nanocomposites for osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs.

    PubMed

    Shahrousvand, Ehsan; Shahrousvand, Mohsen; Ghollasi, Marzieh; Seyedjafari, Ehsan; Jouibari, Iman Sahebi; Babaei, Amir; Salimi, Ali

    2017-09-01

    Biocompatible and biodegradable polyurethanes (PUs) based on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) were prepared and filled with cellulose nanowhiskers (CNWs) obtained from wastepaper. The incorporated polyurethane nanocomposites were used to prepare foamed scaffolds with bimodal cell sizes through solvent casting/particulate leaching method. Sodium chloride and sugar porogens were also prepared to fabricate the scaffolds. The mechanical and thermal properties of PU/CNW nanocomposites were investigated. Incorporation of different CNWs resulted in various structures with tunable mechanical properties and biodegradability. All bimodal foam nanocomposites were biodegradable and also non-cytotoxic as revealed by MTT assay using SNL fibroblast cell line. PU/CNW foam scaffolds were used for osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Based on the results, such PU/CNW nanocomposites could support proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs in three-dimensional synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Three-Dimensional Audio Client Library

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rizzi, Stephen A.

    2005-01-01

    The Three-Dimensional Audio Client Library (3DAudio library) is a group of software routines written to facilitate development of both stand-alone (audio only) and immersive virtual-reality application programs that utilize three-dimensional audio displays. The library is intended to enable the development of three-dimensional audio client application programs by use of a code base common to multiple audio server computers. The 3DAudio library calls vendor-specific audio client libraries and currently supports the AuSIM Gold-Server and Lake Huron audio servers. 3DAudio library routines contain common functions for (1) initiation and termination of a client/audio server session, (2) configuration-file input, (3) positioning functions, (4) coordinate transformations, (5) audio transport functions, (6) rendering functions, (7) debugging functions, and (8) event-list-sequencing functions. The 3DAudio software is written in the C++ programming language and currently operates under the Linux, IRIX, and Windows operating systems.

  12. Vision in our three-dimensional world

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    Many aspects of our perceptual experience are dominated by the fact that our two eyes point forward. Whilst the location of our eyes leaves the environment behind our head inaccessible to vision, co-ordinated use of our two eyes gives us direct access to the three-dimensional structure of the scene in front of us, through the mechanism of stereoscopic vision. Scientific understanding of the different brain regions involved in stereoscopic vision and three-dimensional spatial cognition is changing rapidly, with consequent influences on fields as diverse as clinical practice in ophthalmology and the technology of virtual reality devices. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Vision in our three-dimensional world’. PMID:27269595

  13. Foam-on-Tile Damage Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Koharchik, Michael; Murphy, Lindsay; Parker, Paul

    2012-01-01

    An impact model was developed to predict how three specific foam types would damage the Space Shuttle Orbiter insulating tiles. The inputs needed for the model are the foam type, the foam mass, the foam impact velocity, the foam impact incident angle, the type being impacted, and whether the tile is new or aged (has flown at least one mission). The model will determine if the foam impact will cause damage to the tile. If it can cause damage, the model will output the damage cavity dimensions (length, depth, entry angle, exit angle, and sidewall angles). It makes the calculations as soon as the inputs are entered (less than 1 second). The model allows for the rapid calculation of numerous scenarios in a short time. The model was developed from engineering principles coupled with significant impact testing (over 800 foam impact tests). This model is applicable to masses ranging from 0.0002 up to 0.4 pound (0.09 up to 181 g). A prior tool performed a similar function, but was limited to the assessment of a small range of masses and did not have the large test database for verification. In addition, the prior model did not provide outputs of the cavity damage length, entry angle, exit angle, or sidewall angles.

  14. Effect of foaming temperature on the mechanical properties of produced closed-cell A356Aluminum foams with melting method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Movahedi, N.; Mirbagheri, S. M. H.; Hoseini, S. R.

    2014-07-01

    In this study an attempt was carried out to determine the effect of production temperature on the mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior of closed-cell A356 alloy foams under uniaxial compression test. For this purpose, three different A356 alloy closed-cell foams were synthesized at three different casting temperatures, 650 °C, 675 °C and 700 °C by adding the same amounts of granulated calcium as thickening and TiH2 as blowing agent. The samples were characterized by SEM to study the pore morphology at different foaming temperatures. Compression tests of the A356 foams were carried out to assess their mechanical properties and energy absorption behavior. The results indicated that increasing the foaming temperature from 650 °C to 675 °C and 700 °C reduces the relative density of closed cell A356 alloys by 18.3% and 38% respectively and consequently affects the compressive strength and energy absorption of cellular structures by changing them from equiaxed polyhedral closed cells to distorted cells. Also at 700 °C foaming temperature, growth of micro-pores and coalescence with other surrounding pores leads to several big voids.

  15. Brazing open cell reticulated copper foam to stainless steel tubing with vacuum furnace brazed gold/indium alloy plating

    DOEpatents

    Howard, Stanley R [Windsor, SC; Korinko, Paul S [Aiken, SC

    2008-05-27

    A method of fabricating a heat exchanger includes brush electroplating plated layers for a brazing alloy onto a stainless steel tube in thin layers, over a nickel strike having a 1.3 .mu.m thickness. The resultant Au-18 In composition may be applied as a first layer of indium, 1.47 .mu.m thick, and a second layer of gold, 2.54 .mu.m thick. The order of plating helps control brazing erosion. Excessive amounts of brazing material are avoided by controlling the electroplating process. The reticulated copper foam rings are interference fit to the stainless steel tube, and in contact with the plated layers. The copper foam rings, the plated layers for brazing alloy, and the stainless steel tube are heated and cooled in a vacuum furnace at controlled rates, forming a bond of the copper foam rings to the stainless steel tube that improves heat transfer between the tube and the copper foam.

  16. [Bone drilling simulation by three-dimensional imaging].

    PubMed

    Suto, Y; Furuhata, K; Kojima, T; Kurokawa, T; Kobayashi, M

    1989-06-01

    The three-dimensional display technique has a wide range of medical applications. Pre-operative planning is one typical application: in orthopedic surgery, three-dimensional image processing has been used very successfully. We have employed this technique in pre-operative planning for orthopedic surgery, and have developed a simulation system for bone-drilling. Positive results were obtained by pre-operative rehearsal; when a region of interest is indicated by means of a mouse on the three-dimensional image displayed on the CRT, the corresponding region appears on the slice image which is displayed simultaneously. Consequently, the status of the bone-drilling is constantly monitored. In developing this system, we have placed emphasis on the quality of the reconstructed three-dimensional images, on fast processing, and on the easy operation of the surgical planning simulation.

  17. Heat Transfer in Metal Foam Heat Exchangers at High Temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hafeez, Pakeeza

    Heat transfer though open-cell metal foam is experimentally studied for heat exchanger and heat shield applications at high temperatures (˜750°C). Nickel foam sheets with pore densities of 10 and 40 pores per linear inch (PPI), have been used to make the heat exchangers and heat shields by using thermal spray coating to deposit an Inconel skin on a foam core. Heat transfer measurements were performed on a test rig capable of generating hot gas up to 1000°C. The heat exchangers were tested by exposing their outer surface to combustion gases at a temperature of 550°C and 750°C while being cooled by air flowing through them at room temperature at velocities up to 5 m/s. The temperature rise of the air, the surface temperature of the heat exchangers and the air temperature inside the heat exchanger were measured. The volumetric heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number were calculated for different velocities. The heat transfer performance of the 40PPI sample brazed with the foil is found to be the most efficient. Pressure drop measurements were also performed for 10 and 40PPI metal foam. Thermographic measurements were done on 40PPI foam heat exchangers using a high temperature infrared camera. A high power electric heater was used to produce hot air at 300°C that passed over the foam heat exchanger while the cooling air was blown through it. Heat shields were made by depositing porous skins on metal foam and it was observed that a small amount of coolant leaking through the pores notably reduces the heat transfer from the hot gases. An analytical model was developed based assuming local thermal non-equilibrium that accounts for the temperature difference between solid and fluid phase. The experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the predicted values of the model.

  18. Three-Dimensional Printing Surgical Applications.

    PubMed

    AlAli, Ahmad B; Griffin, Michelle F; Butler, Peter E

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensional printing, a technology used for decades in the industrial field, gains a lot of attention in the medical field for its potential benefits. With advancement of desktop printers, this technology is accessible and a lot of research is going on in the medical field. To evaluate its application in surgical field, which may include but not limited to surgical planning, surgical education, implants, and prosthesis, which are the focus of this review. Research was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of science, and other reliable sources. We included original articles and excluded articles based on animals, those more than 10 years old, and those not in English. These articles were evaluated, and relevant studies were included in this review. Three-dimensional printing shows a potential benefit in surgical application. Printed implants were used in patient in a few cases and show successful results; however, longer follow-up and more trials are needed. Surgical and medical education is believed to be more efficient with this technology than the current practice. Printed surgical instrument and surgical planning are also believed to improve with three-dimensional printing. Three-dimensional printing can be a very powerful tool in the near future, which can aid the medical field that is facing a lot of challenges and obstacles. However, despite the reported results, further research on larger samples and analytical measurements should be conducted to ensure this technology's impact on the practice.

  19. Three-Dimensional Printing Surgical Applications

    PubMed Central

    Griffin, Michelle F.; Butler, Peter E.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Three-dimensional printing, a technology used for decades in the industrial field, gains a lot of attention in the medical field for its potential benefits. With advancement of desktop printers, this technology is accessible and a lot of research is going on in the medical field. Objective: To evaluate its application in surgical field, which may include but not limited to surgical planning, surgical education, implants, and prosthesis, which are the focus of this review. Methods: Research was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of science, and other reliable sources. We included original articles and excluded articles based on animals, those more than 10 years old, and those not in English. These articles were evaluated, and relevant studies were included in this review. Discussion: Three-dimensional printing shows a potential benefit in surgical application. Printed implants were used in patient in a few cases and show successful results; however, longer follow-up and more trials are needed. Surgical and medical education is believed to be more efficient with this technology than the current practice. Printed surgical instrument and surgical planning are also believed to improve with three-dimensional printing. Conclusion: Three-dimensional printing can be a very powerful tool in the near future, which can aid the medical field that is facing a lot of challenges and obstacles. However, despite the reported results, further research on larger samples and analytical measurements should be conducted to ensure this technology's impact on the practice. PMID:26301002

  20. Experimental study on foam coverage on simulated longwall roof.

    PubMed

    Reed, W R; Zheng, Y; Klima, S; Shahan, M R; Beck, T W

    2017-01-01

    Testing was conducted to determine the ability of foam to maintain roof coverage in a simulated longwall mining environment. Approximately 27 percent of respirable coal mine dust can be attributed to longwall shield movement, and developing controls for this dust source has been difficult. The application of foam is a possible dust control method for this source. Laboratory testing of two foam agents was conducted to determine the ability of the foam to adhere to a simulated longwall face roof surface. Two different foam generation methods were used: compressed air and blower air. Using a new imaging technology, image processing and analysis utilizing ImageJ software produced quantifiable results of foam roof coverage. For compressed air foam in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, 98 percent of agent A was intact while 95 percent of agent B was intact on the roof at three minutes after application. At 30 minutes after application, 94 percent of agent A was intact while only 20 percent of agent B remained. For blower air in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, the results were dependent upon nozzle type. Three different nozzles were tested. At 30 min after application, 74 to 92 percent of foam agent A remained, while 3 to 50 percent of foam agent B remained. Compressed air foam seems to remain intact for longer durations and is easier to apply than blower air foam. However, more water drained from the foam when using compressed air foam, which demonstrates that blower air foam retains more water at the roof surface. Agent A seemed to be the better performer as far as roof application is concerned. This testing demonstrates that roof application of foam is feasible and is able to withstand a typical face ventilation velocity, establishing this technique's potential for longwall shield dust control.

  1. Experimental study on foam coverage on simulated longwall roof

    PubMed Central

    Reed, W.R.; Zheng, Y.; Klima, S.; Shahan, M.R.; Beck, T.W.

    2018-01-01

    Testing was conducted to determine the ability of foam to maintain roof coverage in a simulated longwall mining environment. Approximately 27 percent of respirable coal mine dust can be attributed to longwall shield movement, and developing controls for this dust source has been difficult. The application of foam is a possible dust control method for this source. Laboratory testing of two foam agents was conducted to determine the ability of the foam to adhere to a simulated longwall face roof surface. Two different foam generation methods were used: compressed air and blower air. Using a new imaging technology, image processing and analysis utilizing ImageJ software produced quantifiable results of foam roof coverage. For compressed air foam in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, 98 percent of agent A was intact while 95 percent of agent B was intact on the roof at three minutes after application. At 30 minutes after application, 94 percent of agent A was intact while only 20 percent of agent B remained. For blower air in 3.3 m/s (650 fpm) ventilation, the results were dependent upon nozzle type. Three different nozzles were tested. At 30 min after application, 74 to 92 percent of foam agent A remained, while 3 to 50 percent of foam agent B remained. Compressed air foam seems to remain intact for longer durations and is easier to apply than blower air foam. However, more water drained from the foam when using compressed air foam, which demonstrates that blower air foam retains more water at the roof surface. Agent A seemed to be the better performer as far as roof application is concerned. This testing demonstrates that roof application of foam is feasible and is able to withstand a typical face ventilation velocity, establishing this technique’s potential for longwall shield dust control. PMID:29563765

  2. Highly enhanced electrochemical activity of Ni foam electrodes decorated with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for non-aqueous redox flow batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jungkuk; Park, Min-Sik; Kim, Ki Jae

    2017-02-01

    Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) are directly grown on the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) Ni foam substrate by floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD). The electrochemical properties of the 3D NCNT-Ni foam are thoroughly examined as a potential electrode for non-aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs). During synthesis, nitrogen atoms can be successfully doped onto the carbon nanotube (CNT) lattices by forming an abundance of nitrogen-based functional groups. The 3D NCNT-Ni foam electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical activities toward the redox reactions of [Fe (bpy)3]2+/3+ (in anolyte) and [Co(bpy)3]+/2+ (in catholyte), which are mainly attributed to the hierarchical 3D structure of the NCNT-Ni foam electrode and the catalytic effect of nitrogen atoms doped onto the CNTs; this leads to faster mass transfer and charge transfer during operation. As a result, the RFB cell assembled with 3D NCNT-Ni foam electrodes exhibits a high energy efficiency of 80.4% in the first cycle; this performance is maintained up to the 50th cycle without efficiency loss.

  3. Towards three-dimensional optical metamaterials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, Takuo; Ishikawa, Atsushi

    2017-12-01

    Metamaterials have opened up the possibility of unprecedented and fascinating concepts and applications in optics and photonics. Examples include negative refraction, perfect lenses, cloaking, perfect absorbers, and so on. Since these metamaterials are man-made materials composed of sub-wavelength structures, their development strongly depends on the advancement of micro- and nano-fabrication technologies. In particular, the realization of three-dimensional metamaterials is one of the big challenges in this research field. In this review, we describe recent progress in the fabrication technologies for three-dimensional metamaterials, as well as proposed applications.

  4. Three-dimensional imaging modalities in endodontics

    PubMed Central

    Mao, Teresa

    2014-01-01

    Recent research in endodontics has highlighted the need for three-dimensional imaging in the clinical arena as well as in research. Three-dimensional imaging using computed tomography (CT) has been used in endodontics over the past decade. Three types of CT scans have been studied in endodontics, namely cone-beam CT, spiral CT, and peripheral quantitative CT. Contemporary endodontics places an emphasis on the use of cone-beam CT for an accurate diagnosis of parameters that cannot be visualized on a two-dimensional image. This review discusses the role of CT in endodontics, pertaining to its importance in the diagnosis of root canal anatomy, detection of peri-radicular lesions, diagnosis of trauma and resorption, presurgical assessment, and evaluation of the treatment outcome. PMID:25279337

  5. Evaluation of Open Cell Foam Heat Transfer Enhancement for Liquid Rocket Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chung, J. N.; Tully, Landon; Kim, Jung Hwan; Jones, Gregg W.; Watkins, William

    2006-01-01

    As NASA pursues the exploration mission, advanced propulsion for the next generation of spacecraft will be needed. These new propulsion systems will require higher performance and increased durability, despite current limitations on materials. A break-through technology is needed in the thrust chamber. In this paper the idea of using a porous metallic foam is examined for its potential cooling enhancement capabilities. The goal is to increase the chamber wall cooling without creating an additional pressure drop penalty. A feasibility study based on experiments at laboratory-scale conditions was performed and analysis at rocket conditions is underway. In the experiment, heat transfer and pressure drop data were collected using air as the coolant in a copper or nickel foam filled annular channel. The foam-channel performance was evaluated based on comparison with conventional microchannel cooling passages under equal pressure drop conditions. The heat transfer enhancement of the foam channel over the microchannel ranges from 130% to 172%. The enhancement is relatively independent of the pressure drop and increases with decreasing pore size. A direct numerical simulation model of the foam heat exchange has been built. The model is based on the actual metal foam microstructure of thin ligaments (0.2- 0.3 mm in diameter) that form a network of interconnected open-cells. The cell dimension is around 2 mm. The numerical model was built using the FLUENT CFD code. Comparison of the pressure drop results predicted by the current model with those experimental data of Leong and Jin [8] shows favorable comparisons. Pressure drop predictions have been made using hydrogen as a coolant at typical rocket conditions. Conjugate heat transfer analysis using the foam filled channel is planned for the future.

  6. One-Step Nickel Foam Assisted Synthesis of Holey G-Carbon Nitride Nanosheets for Efficient Visible-light Photocatalytic H2 Evolution.

    PubMed

    Fang, Zhenyuan; Hong, Yuanzhi; Li, Di; Luo, Bifu; Mao, Baodong; Shi, Weidong

    2018-06-01

    Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with layered structure represents one of the most promising metal-free photocatalysts. As yet, the direct one-step synthesis of ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets remains a challenge. Here, few-layered holey g-C3N4 nanosheets (CNS) were fabricated by simply introducing a piece of nickel foam over the precursors during the heating process. The as-prepared CNS with unique structural advantages exhibited superior photocatalytic water splitting activity (1871.09 µmol h-1 g-1) than bulk g-C3N4 (BCN) under visible light (λ>420 nm) (≈31 fold). Its outstanding photocatalytic performance originated from the high specific surface area (240.34 m2 g-1) and mesoporous structure, which endows CNS with more active sites, efficient exciton dissociation and prolonged charge carrier lifetime. Moreover, the obvious up-shift of the conduction band leads to a larger thermodynamic driving force for photocatalytic proton reduction. This methodology not only had the advantages for the direct and green synthesis of g-C3N4 nanosheets, but also paved a new avenue to modify molecular structure and textural of g-C3N4 for advanced applications.

  7. A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

    2018-06-01

    A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foam as a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

  8. Numerical Simulation of the Motion of Aerosol Particles in Open Cell Foam Materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Solovev, S. A.; Soloveva, O. V.; Popkova, O. S.

    2018-03-01

    The motion of aerosol particles in open cell foam material is studied. The porous medium is investigated for a three-dimensional case with detailed simulation of cellular structures within an ordered geometry. Numerical calculations of the motion of particles and their deposition due to inertial and gravitational mechanisms are performed. Deposition efficiency curves for a broad range of particle sizes are constructed. The effect deposition mechanisms have on the efficiency of the porous material as a filter is analyzed.

  9. 3D Graphene-Ni Foam as an Advanced Electrode for High-Performance Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kyubin; Lee, Jungkuk; Kwon, Kyoung Woo; Park, Min-Sik; Hwang, Jin-Ha; Kim, Ki Jae

    2017-07-12

    Electrodes composed of multilayered graphene grown on a metal foam (GMF) were prepared by directly growing multilayer graphene sheets on a three-dimensional (3D) Ni-foam substrate via a self-catalyzing chemical vapor deposition process. The multilayer graphene sheets are successfully grown on the Ni-foam substrate surface, maintaining the unique 3D macroporous structure of the Ni foam. The potential use of GMF electrodes in nonaqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) is carefully examined using [Co(bpy) 3 ] +/2+ and [Fe(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ redox couples. The GMF electrodes display a much improved electrochemical activity and enhanced kinetics toward the [Co(bpy) 3 ] +/2+ (anolyte) and [Fe(bpy) 3 ] 2+/3+ (catholyte) redox couples, compared with the bare Ni metal foam electrodes, suggesting that the 2D graphene sheets having lots of interdomain defects provide sufficient reaction sites and secure electric-conduction pathways. Consequently, a nonaqueous RFB cell assembled with GMF electrodes exhibits high Coulombic and voltage efficiencies of 87.2 and 90.9%, respectively, at the first cycle. This performance can be maintained up to the 50th cycle without significant efficiency loss. Moreover, the importance of a rational electrode design for improving electrochemical performance is addressed.

  10. System for generating two-dimensional masks from a three-dimensional model using topological analysis

    DOEpatents

    Schiek, Richard [Albuquerque, NM

    2006-06-20

    A method of generating two-dimensional masks from a three-dimensional model comprises providing a three-dimensional model representing a micro-electro-mechanical structure for manufacture and a description of process mask requirements, reducing the three-dimensional model to a topological description of unique cross sections, and selecting candidate masks from the unique cross sections and the cross section topology. The method further can comprise reconciling the candidate masks based on the process mask requirements description to produce two-dimensional process masks.

  11. Three-dimensional instability of standing waves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Qiang; Liu, Yuming; Yue, Dick K. P.

    2003-12-01

    We investigate the three-dimensional instability of finite-amplitude standing surface waves under the influence of gravity. The analysis employs the transition matrix (TM) approach and uses a new high-order spectral element (HOSE) method for computation of the nonlinear wave dynamics. HOSE is an extension of the original high-order spectral method (HOS) wherein nonlinear wave wave and wave body interactions are retained up to high order in wave steepness. Instead of global basis functions in HOS, however, HOSE employs spectral elements to allow for complex free-surface geometries and surface-piercing bodies. Exponential convergence of HOS with respect to the total number of spectral modes (for a fixed number of elements) and interaction order is retained in HOSE. In this study, we use TM-HOSE to obtain the stability of general three-dimensional perturbations (on a two-dimensional surface) on two classes of standing waves: plane standing waves in a rectangular tank; and radial/azimuthal standing waves in a circular basin. For plane standing waves, we confirm the known result of two-dimensional side-bandlike instability. In addition, we find a novel three-dimensional instability for base flow of any amplitude. The dominant component of the unstable disturbance is an oblique (standing) wave oriented at an arbitrary angle whose frequency is close to the (nonlinear) frequency of the original standing wave. This finding is confirmed by direct long-time simulations using HOSE which show that the nonlinear evolution leads to classical Fermi Pasta Ulam recurrence. For the circular basin, we find that, beyond a threshold wave steepness, a standing wave (of nonlinear frequency Omega) is unstable to three-dimensional perturbations. The unstable perturbation contains two dominant (standing-wave) components, the sum of whose frequencies is close to 2Omega. From the cases we consider, the critical wave steepness is found to generally decrease/increase with increasing radial

  12. Springback Foam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1979-01-01

    A decade ago, NASA's Ames Research Center developed a new foam material for protective padding of airplane seats. Now known as Temper Foam, the material has become one of the most widely-used spinoffs. Latest application is a line of Temper Foam cushioning produced by Edmont-Wilson, Coshocton, Ohio for office and medical furniture. The example pictured is the Classic Dental Stool, manufactured by Dentsply International, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, one of four models which use Edmont-Wilson Temper Foam. Temper Foam is an open-cell, flameresistant foam with unique qualities.

  13. Numerical Modeling of Three-Dimensional Confined Flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greywall, M. S.

    1981-01-01

    A three dimensional confined flow model is presented. The flow field is computed by calculating velocity and enthalpy along a set of streamlines. The finite difference equations are obtained by applying conservation principles to streamtubes constructed around the chosen streamlines. With appropriate substitutions for the body force terms, the approach computes three dimensional magnetohydrodynamic channel flows. A listing of a computer code, based on this approach is presented in FORTRAN IV language. The code computes three dimensional compressible viscous flow through a rectangular duct, with the duct cross section specified along the axis.

  14. More About The Farley Three-Dimensional Braider

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farley, Gary L.

    1993-01-01

    Farley three-dimensional braider, undergoing development, is machine for automatic fabrication of three-dimensional braided structures. Incorporates yarns into structure at arbitrary braid angles to produce complicated shape. Braiding surface includes movable braiding segments containing pivot points, along which yarn carriers travel during braiding process. Yarn carrier travels along sequence of pivot points as braiding segments move. Combined motions position yarns for braiding onto preform. Intended for use in making fiber preforms for fiber/matrix composite parts, such as multiblade propellers. Machine also described in "Farley Three-Dimensional Braiding Machine" (LAR-13911).

  15. Nanowire-Modified Three-Dimensional Electrode Enabling Low-Voltage Electroporation for Water Disinfection.

    PubMed

    Huo, Zheng-Yang; Xie, Xing; Yu, Tong; Lu, Yun; Feng, Chao; Hu, Hong-Ying

    2016-07-19

    More than 10% of the people in the world still suffer from inadequate access to clean water. Traditional water disinfection methods (e.g., chlorination and ultraviolet radiation) include concerns about the formation of carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBPs), pathogen reactivation, and/or excessive energy consumption. Recently, a nanowire-assisted electroporation-disinfection method was introduced as an alternative. Here, we develop a new copper oxide nanowire (CuONW)-modified three-dimensional copper foam electrode using a facile thermal oxidation approach. An electroporation-disinfection cell (EDC) equipped with two such electrodes has achieved superior disinfection performance (>7 log removal and no detectable bacteria in the effluent). The disinfection mechanism of electroporation guarantees an exceedingly low operation voltage (1 V) and level of energy consumption (25 J L(-1)) with a short contact time (7 s). The low operation voltage avoids chlorine generation and thus reduces the potential of DBP formation. Because of irreversible electroporation damage on cell membranes, no regrowth and/or reactivation of bacteria occurs during storage after EDC treatment. Water disinfection using EDCs has great potential for practical applications.

  16. Foaming Index of CaO-SiO2-FeO-MgO Slag System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Youngjoo; Min, Dong Joon

    A study on the effect of FeO and MgO content on foaming index in EAF slag system was carried out. The height of the slag foam was measured by electric probe maintaining steady state in gas formation and escape. Foaming index, which is the measurement of gas capturing potential of the slag, is calculated from the foam height and gas flow rate. Viscosity and surface tension, which are the key properties for the foaming index, are calculated by Urbain's model and additive method, respectively. Dimensional analysis also performed to determine the dominancy of properties and resulted that the important factor was a ratio between viscosity and surface tension. The effect of each component on the viscosity, surface tension and foaming index of the slag is evaluated to be in strong relationship.

  17. Dynamics of Polydisperse Foam-like Emulsion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hicock, Harry; Feitosa, Klebert

    2011-10-01

    Foam is a complex fluid whose relaxation properties are associated with the continuous diffusion of gas from small to large bubbles driven by differences in Laplace pressures. We study the dynamics of bubble rearrangements by tracking droplets of a clear, buoyantly neutral emulsion that coarsens like a foam. The droplets are imaged in three dimensions using confocal microscopy. Analysis of the images allows us to measure their positions and radii, and track their evolution in time. We find that the droplet size distribution fits a Weibull distribution characteristics of foam systems. Additionally, we observe that droplets undergo continuous evolution interspersed by occasional large rearrangements in par with local relaxation behavior typical of foams.

  18. Multiparallel Three-Dimensional Optical Microscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Lam K.; Price, Jeffrey H.; Kellner, Albert L.; Bravo-Zanoquera, Miguel

    2010-01-01

    Multiparallel three-dimensional optical microscopy is a method of forming an approximate three-dimensional image of a microscope sample as a collection of images from different depths through the sample. The imaging apparatus includes a single microscope plus an assembly of beam splitters and mirrors that divide the output of the microscope into multiple channels. An imaging array of photodetectors in each channel is located at a different distance along the optical path from the microscope, corresponding to a focal plane at a different depth within the sample. The optical path leading to each photodetector array also includes lenses to compensate for the variation of magnification with distance so that the images ultimately formed on all the photodetector arrays are of the same magnification. The use of optical components common to multiple channels in a simple geometry makes it possible to obtain high light-transmission efficiency with an optically and mechanically simple assembly. In addition, because images can be read out simultaneously from all the photodetector arrays, the apparatus can support three-dimensional imaging at a high scanning rate.

  19. An Effective Electrodeposition Mode for Porous MnO2/Ni Foam Composite for Asymmetric Supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Yi-Chiun; Yang, Wein-Duo; Lee, Kuan-Ching; Huang, Chao-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Three kinds of MnO2/Ni foam composite electrode with hierarchical meso-macroporous structures were prepared using potentiodynamic (PD), potentiostatic (PS), and a combination of PS and PD(PS + PD) modes of electrodeposition. The electrodeposition mode markedly influenced the surface morphological, textural, and supercapacitive properties of the MnO2/Ni electrodes. The supercapacitive performance of the MnO2/Ni electrode obtained via PS + PD(PS + PD(MnO2/Ni)) was found to be superior to those of MnO2/Ni electrodes obtained via PD and PS, respectively. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor device, activated carbon (AC)/PS + PD(MnO2/Ni), utilizing PS + PD(MnO2/Ni) as a positive electrode and AC as a negative electrode, was fabricated. The device exhibited an energy density of 7.7 Wh·kg−1 at a power density of 600 W·kg−1 and superior cycling stability, retaining 98% of its initial capacity after 10,000 cycles. The good supercapacitive performance and excellent stability of the AC/PS + PD(MnO2/Ni) device can be ascribed to its high surface area, hierarchical structure, and interconnected three-dimensional reticular configuration of the nickel metal support, which facilitates electrolyte ion intercalation and deintercalation at the electrode/electrolyte interface and mitigates volume change during repeated charge/discharge cycling. These results demonstrate the great potential of the combination of PS and PD modes for MnO2 electrodeposition for the development of high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors. PMID:28773371

  20. Three-dimensional porous MXene/layered double hydroxide composite for high performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Ya; Dou, Hui; Wang, Jie; Ding, Bing; Xu, Yunling; Chang, Zhi; Hao, Xiaodong

    2016-09-01

    In this work, an exfoliated MXene (e-MXene) nanosheets/nickel-aluminum layered double hydroxide (MXene/LDH) composite as supercapacitor electrode material is fabricated by in situ growth of LDH on e-MXene substrate. The LDH platelets homogeneously grown on the surface of the e-MXene sheets construct a three-dimensional (3D) porous structure, which not only leads to high active sites exposure of LDH and facile liquid electrolyte penetration, but also alleviates the volume change of LDH during the charge/discharge process. Meanwhile, the e -MXene substrate forms a conductive network to facilitate the electron transport of active material. The optimized MXene/LDH composite exhibits a high specific capacitance of 1061 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1, excellent capacitance retention of 70% after 4000 cycle tests at a current density of 4 A g-1 and a good rate capability with 556 F g-1 retention at 10 A g-1.

  1. High temperature polyimide foams for shuttle upper surface thermal insulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ball, G. L., III; Leffingwell, J. W.; Salyer, I. O.; Werkmeister, D. W.

    1974-01-01

    Polyimide foams developed by Monsanto Company were examined for use as upper surface space shuttle thermal insulation. It was found that postcured polyimide foams having a density of 64 kg/cu m (4 lb/cu ft) had acceptable physical properties up to and exceeding 700 K (800 F). Physical tests included cyclic heating and cooling in vacuum, weight and dimensional stability, mechanical strength and impact resistance, acoustic loading and thermal conductivity. Molding and newly developed postcuring procedures were defined.

  2. A Numerical Analysis on a Compact Heat Exchanger in Aluminum Foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buonomo, B.; Ercole, D.; Manca, O.; Nardini, S.

    2016-09-01

    A numerical investigation on a compact heat exchanger in aluminum foam is carried out. The governing equations in two-dimensional steady state regime are written in local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE). The geometrical domain under investigation is made up of a plate in aluminum foam with inside a single array of five circular tubes. The presence of the open-celled metal foam is modeled as a porous media by means of the Darcy-Forchheimer law. The foam has a porosity of 0.93 with 20 pores per inch and the LTNE assumption is used to simulate the heat transfer between metal foam and air. The compact heat exchanger at different air flow rates is studied with an assigned surface tube temperature. The results in terms of local heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number on the external surface of the tubes are given. Moreover, local air temperature and velocity profiles in the smaller cross section, between two consecutive tubes, as a function of Reynolds number are showed. The performance evaluation criteria (PEC) is assessed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the metal foam.

  3. Integrated Aeromechanics with Three-Dimensional Solid-Multibody Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Datta, Anubhav; Johnson, Wayne

    2014-01-01

    A full three-dimensional finite element-multibody structural dynamic solver is coupled to a three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver for the prediction of integrated aeromechanical stresses and strains on a rotor blade in forward flight. The objective is to lay the foundations of all major pieces of an integrated three-dimensional rotor dynamic analysis - from model construction to aeromechanical solution to stress/strain calculation. The primary focus is on the aeromechanical solution. Two types of three-dimensional CFD/CSD interfaces are constructed for this purpose with an emphasis on resolving errors from geometry mis-match so that initial-stage approximate structural geometries can also be effectively analyzed. A three-dimensional structural model is constructed as an approximation to a UH-60A-like fully articulated rotor. The aerodynamic model is identical to the UH-60A rotor. For preliminary validation measurements from a UH-60A high speed flight is used where CFD coupling is essential to capture the advancing side tip transonic effects. The key conclusion is that an integrated aeromechanical analysis is indeed possible with three-dimensional structural dynamics but requires a careful description of its geometry and discretization of its parts.

  4. Alloying-assisted phonon engineering of layered BiInSe3@nickel foam for efficient solar-enabled water evaporation.

    PubMed

    Yao, J D; Zheng, Z Q; Yang, G W

    2017-11-02

    The fresh water crisis has emerged as one of the most urgent bottlenecks hindering the rapid development of modern industry and society. Solar energy-driven water evaporation represents a potential green and sustainable solution to address this issue. Herein, for the first time, centimeter-scale BiInSe 3 -coated nickel foam (BiInSe 3 @NF) as an efficient solar-enabled evaporator was successfully achieved and exploited for solar energy-driven water evaporation. Benefitting from multiple scattering-induced light trapping of the rough substrate, strong light-matter interaction and intermediate band (IB)-induced efficient phonon emission of BiInSe 3 , the BiInSe 3 @NF device achieved a high evaporation rate of 0.83 kg m -2 h -1 under 1 sun irradiation, which is 2.5 times that of pure water. These figures-of-merit are superior to recently reported state-of-the-art photothermal conversion materials, such as black titania, plasmonic assembly and carbon black. In addition, superior stability over a period of 60 days was demonstrated. In summary, the current contribution depicts a facile scenario for design, production and application of an economical and efficient solar-enabled BiInSe 3 @NF evaporator. More importantly, the phonon engineering strategy based on alloying induced IB states can be readily applied to other analogous van der Waals materials and a series of superior vdWM alloys toward photothermal applications can be expected in the near future.

  5. Digital Reconstruction of 3D Polydisperse Dry Foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chieco, A.; Feitosa, K.; Roth, A. E.; Korda, P. T.; Durian, D. J.

    2012-02-01

    Dry foam is a disordered packing of bubbles that distort into familiar polyhedral shapes. We have implemented a method that uses optical axial tomography to reconstruct the internal structure of a dry foam in three dimensions. The technique consists of taking a series of photographs of the dry foam against a uniformly illuminated background at successive angles. By summing the projections we create images of the foam cross section. Image analysis of the cross sections allows us to locate Plateau borders and vertices. The vertices are then connected according to Plateau's rules to reconstruct the internal structure of the foam. Using this technique we are able to visualize a large number of bubbles of real 3D foams and obtain statistics of faces and edges.

  6. Three-Dimensional Messages for Interstellar Communication

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vakoch, Douglas A.

    One of the challenges facing independently evolved civilizations separated by interstellar distances is to communicate information unique to one civilization. One commonly proposed solution is to begin with two-dimensional pictorial representations of mathematical concepts and physical objects, in the hope that this will provide a foundation for overcoming linguistic barriers. However, significant aspects of such representations are highly conventional, and may not be readily intelligible to a civilization with different conventions. The process of teaching conventions of representation may be facilitated by the use of three-dimensional representations redundantly encoded in multiple formats (e.g., as both vectors and as rasters). After having illustrated specific conventions for representing mathematical objects in a three-dimensional space, this method can be used to describe a physical environment shared by transmitter and receiver: a three-dimensional space defined by the transmitter--receiver axis, and containing stars within that space. This method can be extended to show three-dimensional representations varying over time. Having clarified conventions for representing objects potentially familiar to both sender and receiver, novel objects can subsequently be depicted. This is illustrated through sequences showing interactions between human beings, which provide information about human behavior and personality. Extensions of this method may allow the communication of such culture-specific features as aesthetic judgments and religious beliefs. Limitations of this approach will be noted, with specific reference to ETI who are not primarily visual.

  7. Impact of foamed matrix components on foamed concrete properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tarasenko, V. N.

    2018-03-01

    The improvement of the matrix foam structure by means of foam stabilizing additives is aimed at solving the technology-oriented problems as well as at the further improvement of physical and mechanical properties of cellular-concrete composites. The dry foam mineralization is the mainstream of this research. Adding the concrete densifiers, foam stabilizers and mineral powders reduces the drying shrinkage, which makes the foam concrete products technologically effective.

  8. Numerical investigation on aluminum foam application in a tubular heat exchanger

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buonomo, Bernardo; di Pasqua, Anna; Ercole, Davide; Manca, Oronzio; Nardini, Sergio

    2018-02-01

    A numerical study has been conducted to examine the thermal and fluiddynamic behaviors of a tubular heat exchanger in aluminum foam. A plate in metal foam with a single array of five circular tubes is the geometrical domain under examination. Darcy-Forchheimer flow model and the thermal non-equilibrium energy model are used to execute two-dimensional simulations on metal foam heat exchanger. The foam is characterized by porosity and (number) pores per inch respectively equal to 0.935 and 20. Different air flow rates are imposed to the entrance of the heat exchanger with an assigned surface tube temperature. The results are provided in terms of local heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number evaluated on the external surface of the tubes. Furthermore, local air temperature and velocity profiles in the smaller cross section, between two consecutive tubes are given. Finally, the Energy Performance Ratio (EPR) is evaluated in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the metal foam.

  9. The mechanics and design of a lightweight three-dimensional graphene assembly

    PubMed Central

    Qin, Zhao; Jung, Gang Seob; Kang, Min Jeong; Buehler, Markus J.

    2017-01-01

    Recent advances in three-dimensional (3D) graphene assembly have shown how we can make solid porous materials that are lighter than air. It is plausible that these solid materials can be mechanically strong enough for applications under extreme conditions, such as being a substitute for helium in filling up an unpowered flight balloon. However, knowledge of the elastic modulus and strength of the porous graphene assembly as functions of its structure has not been available, preventing evaluation of its feasibility. We combine bottom-up computational modeling with experiments based on 3D-printed models to investigate the mechanics of porous 3D graphene materials, resulting in new designs of carbon materials. Our study reveals that although the 3D graphene assembly has an exceptionally high strength at relatively high density (given the fact that it has a density of 4.6% that of mild steel and is 10 times as strong as mild steel), its mechanical properties decrease with density much faster than those of polymer foams. Our results provide critical densities below which the 3D graphene assembly starts to lose its mechanical advantage over most polymeric cellular materials. PMID:28070559

  10. Three-dimensional bio-printing.

    PubMed

    Gu, Qi; Hao, Jie; Lu, YangJie; Wang, Liu; Wallace, Gordon G; Zhou, Qi

    2015-05-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has been widely used in various manufacturing operations including automotive, defence and space industries. 3D printing has the advantages of personalization, flexibility and high resolution, and is therefore becoming increasingly visible in the high-tech fields. Three-dimensional bio-printing technology also holds promise for future use in medical applications. At present 3D bio-printing is mainly used for simulating and reconstructing some hard tissues or for preparing drug-delivery systems in the medical area. The fabrication of 3D structures with living cells and bioactive moieties spatially distributed throughout will be realisable. Fabrication of complex tissues and organs is still at the exploratory stage. This review summarize the development of 3D bio-printing and its potential in medical applications, as well as discussing the current challenges faced by 3D bio-printing.

  11. Pore-level determination of spectral reflection behaviors of high-porosity metal foam sheets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yang; Xia, Xin-Lin; Ai, Qing; Sun, Chuang; Tan, He-Ping

    2018-03-01

    Open cell metal foams are currently attracting attention and their radiative behaviors are of primary importance in high temperature applications. The spectral reflection behaviors of high-porosity metal foam sheets, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) and directional-hemispherical reflectivity were numerically investigated. A set of realistic nickel foams with porosity from 0.87 to 0.97 and pore density from 10 to 40 pores per inch were tomographied to obtain their 3-D digital cell network. A Monte Carlo ray-tracing method was employed in order to compute the pore-level radiative transfer inside the network within the limit of geometrical optics. The apparent reflection behaviors and their dependency on the textural parameters and strut optical properties were comprehensively computed and analysed. The results show a backward scattering of the reflected energy at the foam sheet surface. Except in the cases of large incident angles, an energy peak is located almost along the incident direction and increases with increasing incident angles. Through an analytical relation established, the directional-hemispherical reflectivity can be related directly to the porosity of the foam sheet and to the complex refractive index of the solid phase as well as the specularity parameter which characterizes the local reflection model. The computations show that a linear decrease in normal-hemispherical reflectivity occurs with increasing porosity. The rate of this decrease is directly proportional to the strut normal reflectivity. In addition, the hemispherical reflectivity increases as a power function of the incident angle cosine.

  12. Shrinkage Behavior of Polystyrene-based Foam Molded Parts Depending on Volatile Matter Content and Other Factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghafafian, Carineh

    Polymer foam materials play a large role in the modern world. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) bead foam is a lightweight, low density, and good thermal and acoustic insulating material whose properties make it attractive for a number of applications, especially as building insulation. However, EPS also experiences post-molding shrinkage; it shrinks dimensionally from its molded size after processing. This means parts must be stored in warehouses until they are considered stable by the industry standard, DIN EN 1603. This often takes 11--18 weeks and is thus very timely and expensive. This study aims to decrease the post-molding shrinkage time of EPS foam by understanding the mechanisms of shrinkage behavior. Samples were split into two groups based on their amount of initial volatile matter content and storage conditions, then compared to a control group. Based on thermogravimetric analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, the volatile matter content and composition was found to not be the sole contributor to EPS foam dimensional stability. Residual stress testing was done with the hole drilling method and Raman spectroscopy. As this type of testing has not been done with polymer foams before, the aim was to see if either method could reliably produce residual stress values. Both methods measured residual stress values with unknown accuracy. All samples stored at a higher temperature (60°C) reached dimensional stability by the end of this study. Thus, air diffusion into EPS foam, encouraged by the high temperature storage, was found to play a significant role in post-molding shrinkage.

  13. Topological study of diverse hydrogen-bonded patterns found in a system of a nickel(II) complex and the sulfate anion.

    PubMed

    Harvey, Miguel Angel; Suarez, Sebastián; Zolotarev, Pavel N; Proserpio, Davide M; Baggio, Ricardo

    2018-03-01

    A nickel(II) coordination complex, bis[2,6-bis(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-κN 3 )pyridine-κN]nickel(II) sulfate, [Ni(C 19 H 13 N 5 ) 2 ]SO 4 or [Ni(H 2 L) 2 ]SO 4 , having four peripheral tetrahedrally oriented N-H donor units, combines with sulfate bridges to create hydrogen-bonded structures of varied dimensionality. The three crystal structures reported herein in the space groups P2 1 2 1 2 1 , I-4 and Pccn are defined solely by strong charge-assisted N-H...O hydrogen bonds and contain disordered guests (water and dimethylformamide) that vary in size, shape and degree of hydrophilicity. Two of the compounds are channelled solids with three-dimensional structures, while the third is one-dimensional in nature. In spite of their differences, all three present a striking resemblance to the previously reported anhydrous relative [Guo et al. (2011). Chin. J. Inorg. Chem. 27, 1517-1520], which is considered as the reference framework from which all three title compounds are derived. The hydrogen-bonded frameworks are described and compared using crystallographic and topological approaches.

  14. Initial Evaluation of Burn Characteristics of Phenolic Foam Runway Brake Arrestor Material

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-12-01

    foam immersed in a jet fuel fire when extinguished using 3-percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ). Three pool...extinguishment time of phenolic foam immersed in a jet fuel fire, using 3-percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ) extinguishing agent. The wind was negligible...percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ) agent. This project is an initial assessment of the fire safety of phenolic foam

  15. Foam injection molding of thermoplastic elastomers: Blowing agents, foaming process and characterization of structural foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ries, S.; Spoerrer, A.; Altstaedt, V.

    2014-05-01

    Polymer foams play an important role caused by the steadily increasing demand to light weight design. In case of soft polymers, like thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), the haptic feeling of the surface is affected by the inner foam structure. Foam injection molding of TPEs leads to so called structural foam, consisting of two compact skin layers and a cellular core. The properties of soft structural foams like soft-touch, elastic and plastic behavior are affected by the resulting foam structure, e.g. thickness of the compact skins and the foam core or density. This inner structure can considerably be influenced by different processing parameters and the chosen blowing agent. This paper is focused on the selection and characterization of suitable blowing agents for foam injection molding of a TPE-blend. The aim was a high density reduction and a decent inner structure. Therefore DSC and TGA measurements were performed on different blowing agents to find out which one is appropriate for the used TPE. Moreover a new analyzing method for the description of processing characteristics by temperature dependent expansion measurements was developed. After choosing suitable blowing agents structural foams were molded with different types of blowing agents and combinations and with the breathing mold technology in order to get lower densities. The foam structure was analyzed to show the influence of the different blowing agents and combinations. Finally compression tests were performed to estimate the influence of the used blowing agent and the density reduction on the compression modulus.

  16. Nickel extraction from nickel matte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subagja, R.

    2018-01-01

    In present work, the results of research activities to make nickel metal from nickel matte are presented. The research activities were covering a) nickel matte characterization using Inductively Couple plasma (ICP), Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), b) nickel matte dissolution process to dissolve nickel from nickel matte into the spent electrolyte solutions that contains hydrochloric acid, c) purification of nickel chloride leach solution by copper cementation process to remove copper using nickel matte, selective precipitation process to remove iron, solvent extraction using Tri normal octyl amine to separate cobalt from nickel chloride solutions and d) Nickel electro winning process to precipitate nickel into the cathode surface from purified nickel chloride solution by using direct current. The research activities created 99, 72 % pure nickel metal as the final product of the process.

  17. Bending Properties of Nickel Electrodes for Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lerch, Brad A.; Wilson, Richard M.; Keller, Dennis; Corner, Ralph

    1995-01-01

    Recent changes in manufacturing have resulted in nickel-hydrogen batteries that fail prematurely by electrical shorting, This failure is believed to be a result of a blistering problem in the nickel electrodes. In this study the bending properties of nickel electrodes are investigated in an attempt to correlate the bending properties of the electrode with its propensity to blister. Nickel electrodes from three different batches of material were tested in both the as-received and impregnated forms. The effects of specimen curvature and position within the electrode on the bending strength were studied, and within-electrode and batch-to-batch variations were addressed. Two color-imaging techniques were employed to differentiate between the phases within the electrodes. These techniques aided in distinguishing the relative amounts of nickel hyroxide surface loading on each electrode, thereby relating surface loading to bend strength. Bend strength was found to increase with the amount of surface loading.

  18. Ordered three-dimensional interconnected nanoarchitectures in anodic porous alumina

    PubMed Central

    Martín, Jaime; Martín-González, Marisol; Fernández, Jose Francisco; Caballero-Calero, Olga

    2014-01-01

    Three-dimensional nanostructures combine properties of nanoscale materials with the advantages of being macro-sized pieces when the time comes to manipulate, measure their properties, or make a device. However, the amount of compounds with the ability to self-organize in ordered three-dimensional nanostructures is limited. Therefore, template-based fabrication strategies become the key approach towards three-dimensional nanostructures. Here we report the simple fabrication of a template based on anodic aluminum oxide, having a well-defined, ordered, tunable, homogeneous 3D nanotubular network in the sub 100 nm range. The three-dimensional templates are then employed to achieve three-dimensional, ordered nanowire-networks in Bi2Te3 and polystyrene. Lastly, we demonstrate the photonic crystal behavior of both the template and the polystyrene three-dimensional nanostructure. Our approach may establish the foundations for future high-throughput, cheap, photonic materials and devices made of simple commodity plastics, metals, and semiconductors. PMID:25342247

  19. Three-Dimensional Lissajous Figures.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Mura, John M.

    1989-01-01

    Described is a mechanically driven device for generating three-dimensional harmonic space figures with different frequencies and phase angles on the X, Y, and Z axes. Discussed are apparatus, viewing stereo pairs, equations of motion, and using space figures in classroom. (YP)

  20. Comparison of Two-Phase Pipe Flow in OpenFOAM with a Mechanistic Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuard, Adrian M.; Mahmud, Hisham B.; King, Andrew J.

    2016-03-01

    Two-phase pipe flow is a common occurrence in many industrial applications such as power generation and oil and gas transportation. Accurate prediction of liquid holdup and pressure drop is of vast importance to ensure effective design and operation of fluid transport systems. In this paper, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study of a two-phase flow of air and water is performed using OpenFOAM. The two-phase solver, interFoam is used to identify flow patterns and generate values of liquid holdup and pressure drop, which are compared to results obtained from a two-phase mechanistic model developed by Petalas and Aziz (2002). A total of 60 simulations have been performed at three separate pipe inclinations of 0°, +10° and -10° respectively. A three dimensional, 0.052m diameter pipe of 4m length is used with the Shear Stress Transport (SST) k - ɷ turbulence model to solve the turbulent mixtures of air and water. Results show that the flow pattern behaviour and numerical values of liquid holdup and pressure drop compare reasonably well to the mechanistic model.

  1. A general synthesis strategy for the multifunctional 3D polypyrrole foam of thin 2D nanosheets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xue, Jiangli; Mo, Maosong; Liu, Zhuming; Ye, Dapeng; Cheng, Zhihua; Xu, Tong; Qu, Liangti

    2018-05-01

    A 3D macroporous conductive polymer foam of thin 2D polypyrrole (PPy) nanosheets is developed by adopting a novel intercalation of guest (monomer Py) between the layers of the lamellar host (3D vanadium oxide foam) template-replication strategy. The 3D PPy foam of thin 2D nanosheets exhibits diverse functions including reversible compressibility, shape memory, absorption/adsorption and mechanically deformable supercapacitor characteristics. The as-prepared 3D PPy foam of thin nanosheets is highly light weight with a density of 12 mg·cm-3 which can bear the large compressive strain up to 80% whether in wet or dry states; and can absorb organic solutions or extract dye molecules fast and efficiently. In particular, the PPy nanosheet-based foamas a mechanically deformable electrode material for supercapacitors exhibits high specific capacitance of 70 F·g-1 at a fast charge-discharge rate of 50 mA·g-1, superior to that of any other typical pure PPy-based capacitor. We envision that the strategy presented here should be applicable to fabrication of a wide variety of organic polymer foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures and even inorganic foams and hydrogels of low-dimensional nanostructures, and thus allow for exploration of their advanced physical and chemical properties.

  2. Investigation of Chemical-Foam Design as a Novel Approach toward Immiscible Foam Flooding for Enhanced Oil Recovery

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Strong foam can be generated in porous media containing oil, resulting in incremental oil recovery; however, oil recovery factor is restricted. A large fraction of oil recovered by foam flooding forms an oil-in-water emulsion, so that costly methods may need to be used to separate the oil. Moreover, strong foam could create a large pressure gradient, which may cause fractures in the reservoir. This study presents a novel chemical-foam flooding process for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from water-flooded reservoirs. The presented method involved the use of chemically designed foam to mobilize the remaining oil after water flooding and then to displace the mobilized oil to the production well. A blend of two anionic surfactant formulations was formulated for this method: (a) IOS, for achieving ultralow interfacial tension (IFT), and (b) AOS, for generating a strong foam. Experiments were performed using Bentheimer sandstone cores, where X-ray CT images were taken during foam generation to find the stability of the advancing front of foam propagation and to map the gas saturation for both the transient and the steady-state flow regimes. Then the proposed chemical-foam strategy for incremental oil recovery was tested through the coinjection of immiscible nitrogen gas and surfactant solutions with three different formulation properties in terms of IFT reduction and foaming strength capability. The discovered optimal formulation contains a foaming agent surfactant, a low IFT surfactant, and a cosolvent, which has a high foam stability and a considerably low IFT (1.6 × 10–2 mN/m). Coinjection resulted in higher oil recovery and much less MRF than the same process with only using a foaming agent. The oil displacement experiment revealed that coinjection of gas with a blend of surfactants, containing a cosolvent, can recover a significant amount of oil (33% OIIP) over water flooding with a larger amount of clean oil and less emulsion. PMID:29093612

  3. Investigation of Chemical-Foam Design as a Novel Approach toward Immiscible Foam Flooding for Enhanced Oil Recovery.

    PubMed

    Hosseini-Nasab, S M; Zitha, P L J

    2017-10-19

    Strong foam can be generated in porous media containing oil, resulting in incremental oil recovery; however, oil recovery factor is restricted. A large fraction of oil recovered by foam flooding forms an oil-in-water emulsion, so that costly methods may need to be used to separate the oil. Moreover, strong foam could create a large pressure gradient, which may cause fractures in the reservoir. This study presents a novel chemical-foam flooding process for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from water-flooded reservoirs. The presented method involved the use of chemically designed foam to mobilize the remaining oil after water flooding and then to displace the mobilized oil to the production well. A blend of two anionic surfactant formulations was formulated for this method: (a) IOS, for achieving ultralow interfacial tension (IFT), and (b) AOS, for generating a strong foam. Experiments were performed using Bentheimer sandstone cores, where X-ray CT images were taken during foam generation to find the stability of the advancing front of foam propagation and to map the gas saturation for both the transient and the steady-state flow regimes. Then the proposed chemical-foam strategy for incremental oil recovery was tested through the coinjection of immiscible nitrogen gas and surfactant solutions with three different formulation properties in terms of IFT reduction and foaming strength capability. The discovered optimal formulation contains a foaming agent surfactant, a low IFT surfactant, and a cosolvent, which has a high foam stability and a considerably low IFT (1.6 × 10 -2 mN/m). Coinjection resulted in higher oil recovery and much less MRF than the same process with only using a foaming agent. The oil displacement experiment revealed that coinjection of gas with a blend of surfactants, containing a cosolvent, can recover a significant amount of oil (33% OIIP) over water flooding with a larger amount of clean oil and less emulsion.

  4. Dielectric properties of novel polyurethane-PZT-graphite foam composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tolvanen, Jarkko; Hannu, Jari; Nelo, Mikko; Juuti, Jari; Jantunen, Heli

    2016-09-01

    Flexible foam composite materials offer multiple benefits to future electronic applications as the rapid development of the electronics industry requires smaller, more efficient, and lighter materials to further develop foldable and wearable applications. The aims of this work were to examine the electrical properties of three- and four-phase novel foam composites in different conditions, find the optimal mixture for four-phase foam composites, and study the combined effects of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and graphite fillers. The flexible and highly compressible foams were prepared in a room-temperature mixing process using polyurethane, PZT, and graphite components as well as their combinations, in which air acted as one phase. In three-phase foams the amount of PZT varied between 20 and 80 wt% and the amount of graphite, between 1 and 15 wt%. The four-phase foams were formed by adding 40 wt% of PZT while the amount of graphite ranged between 1 and 15 wt%. The presented results and materials could be utilized to develop new flexible and soft sensor applications by means of material technology.

  5. Thermal conductivity of rigid foam insulations for aerospace vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barrios, M.; Van Sciver, S. W.

    2013-05-01

    The present work describes measurements of the effective thermal conductivity of NCFI 24-124 foam, a spray-on foam insulation used formerly on the Space Shuttle external fuel tank. A novel apparatus to measure the effective thermal conductivity of rigid foam at temperatures ranging from 20 K to 300 K was developed and used to study three samples of NCFI 24-124 foam insulation. In preparation for measurement, the foam samples were either treated with a uniquely designed moisture absorption apparatus or different residual gases to study their impact on the effective thermal conductivity of the foam. The resulting data are compared to other measurements and mathematical models reported in the literature.

  6. On the Transition from Two-Dimensional to Three-Dimensional MHD Turbulence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thess, A.; Zikanov, Oleg

    2004-01-01

    We report a theoretical investigation of the robustness of two-dimensional inviscid MHD flows at low magnetic Reynolds numbers with respect to three-dimensional perturbations. We analyze three model problems, namely flow in the interior of a triaxial ellipsoid, an unbounded vortex with elliptical streamlines, and a vortex sheet parallel to the magnetic field. We demonstrate that motion perpendicular to the magnetic field with elliptical streamlines becomes unstable with respect to the elliptical instability once the velocity has reached a critical magnitude whose value tends to zero as the eccentricity of the streamlines becomes large. Furthermore, vortex sheets parallel to the magnetic field, which are unstable for any velocity and any magnetic field, are found to emit eddies with vorticity perpendicular to the magnetic field and with an aspect ratio proportional to N(sup 1/2). The results suggest that purely two-dimensional motion without Joule energy dissipation is a singular type of flow which does not represent the asymptotic behaviour of three-dimensional MHD turbulence in the limit of infinitely strong magnetic fields.

  7. Two-dimensional nickel hydroxide nanosheets as high performance pseudo-capacitor electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhat, Karthik S.; Nagaraja, H. S.

    2018-04-01

    Electrochemical supercapacitor is a vital technology for the progress of consistent energy harvesting devices. Herein, we report the fabrication of supercapacitor electrodes based on nickel hydroxide nanosheets synthesized via one-pot hydrothermal method. Structure and shape of synthesized materials were analyzed with XRD and SEM measurements. Pseudo-capacitive performances of the fabricated electrodes were evaluated through cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements with three-electrode configurations. Results indicated the specific capacitance of l80 F g-1 at 5 mV s-1 scan rate and complimented with capacitance retention of 76% for l500 cycles.

  8. Role of foam drainage in producing protein aggregates in foam fractionation.

    PubMed

    Li, Rui; Zhang, Yuran; Chang, Yunkang; Wu, Zhaoliang; Wang, Yanji; Chen, Xiang'e; Wang, Tao

    2017-10-01

    It is essential to obtain a clear understanding of the foam-induced protein aggregation to reduce the loss of protein functionality in foam fractionation. The major effort of this work is to explore the roles of foam drainage in protein aggregation in the entire process of foam fractionation with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. The results show that enhancing foam drainage increased the desorption of BSA molecules from the gas-liquid interface and the local concentration of desorbed molecules in foam. Therefore, it intensified the aggregation of BSA in foam fractionation. Simultaneously, it also accelerated the flow of BSA aggregates from rising foam into the residual solution along with the drained liquid. Because enhancing foam drainage increased the relative content of BSA molecules adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface, it also intensified the aggregation of BSA during both the defoaming process and the storage of the foamate. Furthermore, enhancing foam drainage more readily resulted in the formation of insoluble BSA aggregates. The results are highly important for a better understanding of foam-induced protein aggregation in foam fractionation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Cellular polypropylene polymer foam as air-coupled ultrasonic transducer materials.

    PubMed

    Satyanarayan, L; Haberman, Michael R; Berthelot, Yves H

    2010-10-01

    Cellular polypropylene polymer foams, also known as ferroelectrets, are compelling candidates for air-coupled ultrasonic transducer materials because of their excellent acoustic impedance match to air and because they have a piezoelectric d(33) coefficient superior to that of PVDF. This study investigates the performance of ferroelectret transducers in the generation and reception of ultrasonic waves in air. As previous studies have noted, the piezoelectric coupling coefficients of these foams depend on the number, size, and distribution of charged voids in the microstructure. The present work studies the influence of these parameters both theoretically and experimentally. First, a three-dimensional model is employed to explain the variation of piezoelectric coupling coefficients, elastic stiffness, and dielectric permittivity as a function of void fraction based on void-scale physics and void geometry. Laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) measurements of the effective d(33) coefficient of a specially fabricated prototype transmitting transducer are then shown which clearly indicate that the charged voids in the ferroelectret material are randomly distributed in the plane of the foam. The frequency-dependent dynamic d(33) coefficient is then reported from 50 to 500 kHz for different excitation voltages and shown to be largely insensitive to drive voltage. Lastly, two ferroelectret transducers are operated in transmit-receive mode and the received signal is shown to accurately represent the corresponding signal generated by the transmitting transducer as measured using LDV.

  10. Industrially benign super-compressible piezoresistive carbon foams with predefined wetting properties: from environmental to electrical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pham, Tung Ngoc; Samikannu, Ajaikumar; Kukkola, Jarmo; Rautio, Anne-Riikka; Pitkänen, Olli; Dombovari, Aron; Lorite, Gabriela Simone; Sipola, Teemu; Toth, Geza; Mohl, Melinda; Mikkola, Jyri-Pekka; Kordas, Krisztian

    2014-11-01

    In the present work electrically conductive, flexible, lightweight carbon sponge materials derived from open-pore structure melamine foams are studied and explored. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface properties - depending on the chosen treatment conditions - allow the separation and storage of liquid chemical compounds. Activation of the carbonaceous structures substantially increases the specific surface area from ~4 m2g-1 to ~345 m2g-1, while retaining the original three-dimensional, open-pore structure suitable for hosting, for example, Ni catalyst nanoparticles. In turn the structure is rendered suitable for hydrogenating acetone to 2-propanol and methyl isobutyl ketone as well for growing hierarchical carbon nanotube structures used as electric double-layer capacitor electrodes with specific capacitance of ~40 F/g. Mechanical stress-strain analysis indicates the materials are super-compressible (>70% volume reduction) and viscoelastic with excellent damping behavior (loss of 0.69 +/- 0.07), while piezoresistive measurements show very high gauge factors (from ~20 to 50) over a large range of deformations. The cost-effective, robust and scalable synthesis - in conjunction with their fascinating multifunctional utility - makes the demonstrated carbon foams remarkable competitors with other three-dimensional carbon materials typically based on pyrolyzed biopolymers or on covalently bonded graphene and carbon nanotube frameworks.

  11. Industrially benign super-compressible piezoresistive carbon foams with predefined wetting properties: from environmental to electrical applications.

    PubMed

    Pham, Tung Ngoc; Samikannu, Ajaikumar; Kukkola, Jarmo; Rautio, Anne-Riikka; Pitkänen, Olli; Dombovari, Aron; Lorite, Gabriela Simone; Sipola, Teemu; Toth, Geza; Mohl, Melinda; Mikkola, Jyri-Pekka; Kordas, Krisztian

    2014-11-06

    In the present work electrically conductive, flexible, lightweight carbon sponge materials derived from open-pore structure melamine foams are studied and explored. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface properties - depending on the chosen treatment conditions - allow the separation and storage of liquid chemical compounds. Activation of the carbonaceous structures substantially increases the specific surface area from ~4 m(2)g(-1) to ~345 m(2)g(-1), while retaining the original three-dimensional, open-pore structure suitable for hosting, for example, Ni catalyst nanoparticles. In turn the structure is rendered suitable for hydrogenating acetone to 2-propanol and methyl isobutyl ketone as well for growing hierarchical carbon nanotube structures used as electric double-layer capacitor electrodes with specific capacitance of ~40 F/g. Mechanical stress-strain analysis indicates the materials are super-compressible (>70% volume reduction) and viscoelastic with excellent damping behavior (loss of 0.69 ± 0.07), while piezoresistive measurements show very high gauge factors (from ~20 to 50) over a large range of deformations. The cost-effective, robust and scalable synthesis - in conjunction with their fascinating multifunctional utility - makes the demonstrated carbon foams remarkable competitors with other three-dimensional carbon materials typically based on pyrolyzed biopolymers or on covalently bonded graphene and carbon nanotube frameworks.

  12. Uniformly coated highly porous graphene/MnO2 foams for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drieschner, Simon; von Seckendorff, Maximilian; del Corro, Elena; Wohlketzetter, Jörg; Blaschke, Benno M.; Stutzmann, Martin; Garrido, Jose A.

    2018-06-01

    Supercapacitors are called to play a prominent role in the newly emerging markets of electric vehicles, flexible displays and sensors, and wearable electronics. In order to compete with current battery technology, supercapacitors have to be designed with highly conductive current collectors exhibiting high surface area per unit volume and uniformly coated with pseudocapacitive materials, which is crucial to boost the energy density while maintaining a high power density. Here, we present a versatile technique to prepare thickness-controlled thin-film micro graphene foams (μGFs) with pores in the lower micrometer range grown by chemical vapor deposition which can be used as highly conductive current collectors in flexible supercapacitors. To fabricate the μGF, we use porous metallic catalytic substrates consisting of nickel/copper alloy synthesized on nickel foil by electrodeposition in an electrolytic solution. Changing the duration of the electrodeposition allows the control of the thickness of the metal foam, and thus of the μGF, ranging from a few micrometers to the millimeter scale. The resulting μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime exhibits high structural quality which leads to a very low intrinsic resistance of the devices. Transferred onto flexible substrates, we demonstrate a uniform coating of the μGFs with manganese oxide, a pseudocapacitively active material. Considering the porous structure and the thickness of the μGFs, square wave potential pulses are used to ensure uniform coverage by the oxide material boosting the volumetric and areal capacitance to 14 F cm‑3 and 0.16 F cm‑2. The μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime in combination with a coating technique tuned to the porosity of the μGF is of great relevance for the development of supercapacitors based on state-of-the-art graphene foams.

  13. Uniformly coated highly porous graphene/MnO2 foams for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Drieschner, Simon; Seckendorff, Maximilian von; Corro, Elena Del; Wohlketzetter, Jörg; Blaschke, Benno M; Stutzmann, Martin; Garrido, Jose A

    2018-06-01

    Supercapacitors are called to play a prominent role in the newly emerging markets of electric vehicles, flexible displays and sensors, and wearable electronics. In order to compete with current battery technology, supercapacitors have to be designed with highly conductive current collectors exhibiting high surface area per unit volume and uniformly coated with pseudocapacitive materials, which is crucial to boost the energy density while maintaining a high power density. Here, we present a versatile technique to prepare thickness-controlled thin-film micro graphene foams (μGFs) with pores in the lower micrometer range grown by chemical vapor deposition which can be used as highly conductive current collectors in flexible supercapacitors. To fabricate the μGF, we use porous metallic catalytic substrates consisting of nickel/copper alloy synthesized on nickel foil by electrodeposition in an electrolytic solution. Changing the duration of the electrodeposition allows the control of the thickness of the metal foam, and thus of the μGF, ranging from a few micrometers to the millimeter scale. The resulting μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime exhibits high structural quality which leads to a very low intrinsic resistance of the devices. Transferred onto flexible substrates, we demonstrate a uniform coating of the μGFs with manganese oxide, a pseudocapacitively active material. Considering the porous structure and the thickness of the μGFs, square wave potential pulses are used to ensure uniform coverage by the oxide material boosting the volumetric and areal capacitance to 14 F cm -3 and 0.16 F cm -2 . The μGF with a thickness and pores in the micrometer regime in combination with a coating technique tuned to the porosity of the μGF is of great relevance for the development of supercapacitors based on state-of-the-art graphene foams.

  14. Numerical Simulations of Particle Deposition in Metal Foam Heat Exchangers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sauret, Emilie; Saha, Suvash C.; Gu, Yuantong

    2013-01-01

    Australia is a high-potential country for geothermal power with reserves currently estimated in the tens of millions of petajoules, enough to power the nation for at least 1000 years at current usage. However, these resources are mainly located in isolated arid regions where water is scarce. Therefore, wet cooling systems for geothermal plants in Australia are the least attractive solution and thus air-cooled heat exchangers are preferred. In order to increase the efficiency of such heat exchangers, metal foams have been used. One issue raised by this solution is the fouling caused by dust deposition. In this case, the heat transfer characteristics of the metal foam heat exchanger can dramatically deteriorate. Exploring the particle deposition property in the metal foam exchanger becomes crucial. This paper is a numerical investigation aimed to address this issue. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of a standard one-row tube bundle wrapped with metal foam in cross-flow are performed and highlight preferential particle deposition areas.

  15. Generation of sclerosant foams by mechanical methods increases the foam temperature.

    PubMed

    Tan, Lulu; Wong, Kaichung; Connor, David; Fakhim, Babak; Behnia, Masud; Parsi, Kurosh

    2017-08-01

    Objective To investigate the effect of agitation on foam temperature. Methods Sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol were used. Prior to foam generation, the sclerosant and all constituent equipment were cooled to 4-25℃ and compared with cooling the sclerosant only. Foam was generated using a modified Tessari method. During foam agitation, the temperature change was measured using a thermocouple for 120 s. Results Pre-cooling all the constituent equipment resulted in a cooler foam in comparison with only cooling the sclerosant. A starting temperature of 4℃ produced average foam temperatures of 12.5 and 13.2℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. It was also found that only cooling the liquid sclerosant provided minimal cooling to the final foam temperature, with the temperature 20 and 20.5℃ for sodium tetradecyl sulphate and polidocanol, respectively. Conclusion The foam generation process has a noticeable impact on final foam temperature and needs to be taken into consideration when creating foam.

  16. Foamed emulsion drainage: flow and trapping of drops.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Maxime; Zou, Ziqiang; Langevin, Dominique; Salonen, Anniina

    2017-06-07

    Foamed emulsions are ubiquitous in our daily life but the ageing of such systems is still poorly understood. In this study we investigate foam drainage and measure the evolution of the gas, liquid and oil volume fractions inside the foam. We evidence three regimes of ageing. During an initial period of fast drainage, both bubbles and drops are very mobile. As the foam stabilises drainage proceeds leading to a gradual decrease of the liquid fraction and slowing down of drainage. Clusters of oil drops are less sheared, their dynamic viscosity increases and drainage slows down even further, until the drops become blocked. At this point the oil fraction starts to increase in the continuous phase. The foam ageing leads to an increase of the capillary pressure until the oil acts as an antifoaming agent and the foam collapses.

  17. Virtual three-dimensional blackboard: three-dimensional finger tracking with a single camera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Andrew; Hassan-Shafique, Khurram; Shah, Mubarak; da Vitoria Lobo, N.

    2004-01-01

    We present a method for three-dimensional (3D) tracking of a human finger from a monocular sequence of images. To recover the third dimension from the two-dimensional images, we use the fact that the motion of the human arm is highly constrained owing to the dependencies between elbow and forearm and the physical constraints on joint angles. We use these anthropometric constraints to derive a 3D trajectory of a gesticulating arm. The system is fully automated and does not require human intervention. The system presented can be used as a visualization tool, as a user-input interface, or as part of some gesture-analysis system in which 3D information is important.

  18. Topology of three-dimensional separated flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tobak, M.; Peake, D. J.

    1981-01-01

    Based on the hypothesis that patterns of skin-friction lines and external streamlines reflect the properties of continuous vector fields, topology rules define a small number of singular points (nodes, saddle points, and foci) that characterize the patterns on the surface and on particular projections of the flow (e.g., the crossflow plane). The restricted number of singular points and the rules that they obey are considered as an organizing principle whose finite number of elements can be combined in various ways to connect together the properties common to all steady three dimensional viscous flows. Introduction of a distinction between local and global properties of the flow resolves an ambiguity in the proper definition of a three dimensional separated flow. Adoption of the notions of topological structure, structural stability, and bifurcation provides a framework to describe how three dimensional separated flows originate and succeed each other as the relevant parameters of the problem are varied.

  19. Three-dimensional deformation of orthodontic brackets

    PubMed Central

    Melenka, Garrett W; Nobes, David S; Major, Paul W

    2013-01-01

    Braces are used by orthodontists to correct the misalignment of teeth in the mouth. Archwire rotation is a particular procedure used to correct tooth inclination. Wire rotation can result in deformation to the orthodontic brackets, and an orthodontic torque simulator has been designed to examine this wire–bracket interaction. An optical technique has been employed to measure the deformation due to size and geometric constraints of the orthodontic brackets. Images of orthodontic brackets are collected using a stereo microscope and two charge-coupled device cameras, and deformation of orthodontic brackets is measured using a three-dimensional digital image correlation technique. The three-dimensional deformation of orthodontic brackets will be evaluated. The repeatability of the three-dimensional digital image correlation measurement method was evaluated by performing 30 archwire rotation tests using the same bracket and archwire. Finally, five Damon 3MX and five In-Ovation R self-ligating brackets will be compared using this technique to demonstrate the effect of archwire rotation on bracket design. PMID:23762201

  20. Three-dimensional deformation of orthodontic brackets.

    PubMed

    Melenka, Garrett W; Nobes, David S; Major, Paul W; Carey, Jason P

    2013-01-01

    Braces are used by orthodontists to correct the misalignment of teeth in the mouth. Archwire rotation is a particular procedure used to correct tooth inclination. Wire rotation can result in deformation to the orthodontic brackets, and an orthodontic torque simulator has been designed to examine this wire-bracket interaction. An optical technique has been employed to measure the deformation due to size and geometric constraints of the orthodontic brackets. Images of orthodontic brackets are collected using a stereo microscope and two charge-coupled device cameras, and deformation of orthodontic brackets is measured using a three-dimensional digital image correlation technique. The three-dimensional deformation of orthodontic brackets will be evaluated. The repeatability of the three-dimensional digital image correlation measurement method was evaluated by performing 30 archwire rotation tests using the same bracket and archwire. Finally, five Damon 3MX and five In-Ovation R self-ligating brackets will be compared using this technique to demonstrate the effect of archwire rotation on bracket design.

  1. Facile one-pot synthesis and characterization of nickel supported on hierarchically porous carbon

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

    Kotbagi, Trupti V.; Hakat, Yasemin; Bakker, Martin G., E-mail: Bakker@ua.edu

    2016-01-15

    Highlights: • Novel, inexpensive, one-pot, synthesis method for Ni on hierarchically porous carbon. • Disappearance of surfactant mesopores seen with incorporation of nickel. • Distribution of Ni nanoparticles on the hierarchically porous carbon support was studied by SEM. • Nickel nanoparticles were dispersed on macropore walls and not within carbon. - Abstract: Described is a novel, facile route for the synthesis of nickel supported on hierarchically porous carbon (Ni/HPC) using a one-pot co-gelation sol–gel method. Ni/HPC with varying nickel loadings (0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5 wt% Ni) were synthesized and the materials characterized by nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanningmore » electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies. The results show a three-dimensional network of disordered carbon with fine nickel nanoparticles of sizes ranging from 8 nm to 13 nm at 0.5 wt% Ni loading which gradually increased with increase in the Ni loading. The carbon structure was retained at the macropore level, but not at the mesoscale where the ordered mesopores were lost on nickel addition. The nickel nanoparticles were observed to grow on the surface of the ligaments. This may make them particularly suitable for low pressure Ni-catalyzed organic transformations e.g., hydrogenations, C–C coupling, C-heteroatom coupling, etc.« less

  2. Inverse energy cascades in three-dimensional turbulence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hossain, Murshed

    1991-01-01

    Fully three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence at large kinetic and low magnetic Reynolds numbers is considered in the presence of a strong uniform magnetic field. It is shown by numerical simulation of a model of MHD that the energy inverse cascades to longer length scales when the interaction parameter is large. While the steady-state dynamics of the driven problem is three-dimensional in character, the behavior has resemblance to two-dimensional hydrodynamics. These results have implications in turbulence theory, MHD power generator, planetary dynamos, and fusion reactor blanket design.

  3. Advancing three-dimensional MEMS by complimentary laser micro manufacturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palmer, Jeremy A.; Williams, John D.; Lemp, Tom; Lehecka, Tom M.; Medina, Francisco; Wicker, Ryan B.

    2006-01-01

    This paper describes improvements that enable engineers to create three-dimensional MEMS in a variety of materials. It also provides a means for selectively adding three-dimensional, high aspect ratio features to pre-existing PMMA micro molds for subsequent LIGA processing. This complimentary method involves in situ construction of three-dimensional micro molds in a stand-alone configuration or directly adjacent to features formed by x-ray lithography. Three-dimensional micro molds are created by micro stereolithography (MSL), an additive rapid prototyping technology. Alternatively, three-dimensional features may be added by direct femtosecond laser micro machining. Parameters for optimal femtosecond laser micro machining of PMMA at 800 nanometers are presented. The technical discussion also includes strategies for enhancements in the context of material selection and post-process surface finish. This approach may lead to practical, cost-effective 3-D MEMS with the surface finish and throughput advantages of x-ray lithography. Accurate three-dimensional metal microstructures are demonstrated. Challenges remain in process planning for micro stereolithography and development of buried features following femtosecond laser micro machining.

  4. Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

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

    Rapp, F., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Schneider, A., E-mail: florian.rapp@ict.fraunhofer.de, E-mail: anja.schneider@ict.fraunhofer.de; Elsner, P., E-mail: peter.elsner@ict.fraunhofer.de

    2014-05-15

    Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO{sub 2} balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry),more » melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength)« less

  5. Biopolymer foams - Relationship between material characteristics and foaming behavior of cellulose based foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rapp, F.; Schneider, A.; Elsner, P.

    2014-05-01

    Biopolymers are becoming increasingly important to both industry and consumers. With regard to waste management, CO2 balance and the conservation of petrochemical resources, increasing efforts are being made to replace standard plastics with bio-based polymers. Nowadays biopolymers can be built for example of cellulose, lactic acid, starch, lignin or bio mass. The paper will present material properties of selected cellulose based polymers (cellulose propionate [CP], cellulose acetate butyrate [CAB]) and corresponding processing conditions for particle foams as well as characterization of produced parts. Special focus is given to the raw material properties by analyzing thermal behavior (differential scanning calorimetry), melt strength (Rheotens test) and molecular weight distribution (gel-permeation chromatography). These results will be correlated with the foaming behavior in a continuous extrusion process with physical blowing agents and underwater pelletizer. Process set-up regarding particle foam technology, including extrusion foaming and pre-foaming, will be shown. The characteristics of the resulting foam beads will be analyzed regarding part density, cell morphology and geometry. The molded parts will be tested on thermal conductivity as well as compression behavior (E-modulus, compression strength).

  6. Application of BiFeO3-based on nickel foam composites with a highly efficient catalytic activity and easily recyclable in Fenton-like process under microwave irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Shuo; Zhang, Guangshan; Zheng, Heshan; Zheng, Yongjie; Wang, Peng

    2018-05-01

    In this study, BiFeO3 (BFO) powders decorated on nickel foam (NF) with a high catalytic activity are prepared via a one-step microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The factors that influence the degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) with BFO/NFs as catalysts are optimized to improve the catalytic activity in a microwave-enhanced Fenton-like process. BFO/NF exhibit a superior catalytic activity with a high BPA removal ratio (98.4%) and TOC removal ratio (69.5%) within 5 min. Results indicate that NF significantly affect the improvement of the catalytic activity of BFO because it served as a source of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) during degradation. The amount of •OH generated by BFO/NF is approximately 1.65-fold higher than that by pure BFO. After six reaction cycles, the stability and reusability of •OH remain high. These findings provide new insights into the synthesis of composites on heterogeneous catalysts with high efficiency and easy recyclability for water treatment applications.

  7. Chemical composition and surfactant characteristics of marine foams investigated by means of UV-vis, FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Mecozzi, Mauro; Pietroletti, Marco

    2016-11-01

    In this study, we collected the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Fourier transform near-infrared (FTNIR) spectra of marine foams from different sites and foams produced by marine living organisms (i.e. algae and molluscs) to retrieve information about their molecular and structural composition. UV-vis spectra gave information concerning the lipid and pigment contents of foams. FTIR spectroscopy gave a more detailed qualitative information regarding carbohydrates, lipids and proteins in addition with information about the mineral contents of foams. FTNIR spectra confirmed the presence of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins in foams. Then, due to the higher content of structural information of FTIR spectroscopy with respect to FTNIR and UV-vis, we join the FTIR spectra of marine foams to those of humic substance from marine sediments and to the spectra of foams obtained by living organisms. We submitted this resulting FTIR spectral dataset to statistical multivariate methods to investigate specific aspects of foams such as structural similarity among foams and in addition, contributions from the organic matter of living organisms. Cluster analysis (CA) evidenced several cases (i.e. clusters) of marine foams having high structural similarity with foams from vegetal and animal samples and with humic substance extracted from sediments. These results suggested that all the living organisms of the marine environment can give contributions to the chemical composition of foams. Moreover, as CA also evidenced cases of structural differences within foam samples, we applied two-dimensional correlation analysis (2DCORR) to the FTIR spectra of marine foams to investigate the molecular characteristics which caused these structural differences. Asynchronous spectra of two-dimensional correlation analysis showed that the structural heterogeneity among foam samples depended reasonably on the presence and on the qualitative difference of

  8. A comparison of mechanical properties of some foams and honeycombs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bhat, Balakrishna T.; Wang, T. G.

    1990-01-01

    A comparative study is conducted of the mechanical properties of foam-core and honeycomb-core sandwich panels, using a normalizing procedure based on common properties of cellular solids and related properties of dense solids. Seven different honeycombs and closed-foam cells are discussed; of these, three are commercial Al alloy honeycombs, one is an Al-alloy foam, and two are polymeric foams. It is concluded that ideal, closed-cell foams may furnish compressive strengths which while isotropic can be fully comparable to the compressive strengths of honeycombs in the thickness direction. The shear strength of ideal closed-cell foams may be superior to the shear strength of honeycombs.

  9. Creating Three-Dimensional Scenes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Krumpe, Norm

    2005-01-01

    Persistence of Vision Raytracer (POV-Ray), a free computer program for creating photo-realistic, three-dimensional scenes and a link for Mathematica users interested in generating POV-Ray files from within Mathematica, is discussed. POV-Ray has great potential in secondary mathematics classrooms and helps in strengthening students' visualization…

  10. Solar-thermal conversion and thermal energy storage of graphene foam-based composites.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Lianbin; Li, Renyuan; Tang, Bo; Wang, Peng

    2016-08-14

    Among various utilizations of solar energy, solar-thermal conversion has recently gained renewed research interest due to its extremely high energy efficiency. However, one limiting factor common to all solar-based energy conversion technologies is the intermittent nature of solar irradiation, which makes them unable to stand-alone to satisfy the continuous energy need. Herein, we report a three-dimensional (3D) graphene foam and phase change material (PCM) composite for the seamlessly combined solar-thermal conversion and thermal storage for sustained energy release. The composite is obtained by infiltrating the 3D graphene foam with a commonly used PCM, paraffin wax. The high macroporosity and low density of the graphene foam allow for high weight fraction of the PCM to be incorporated, which enhances the heat storage capacity of the composite. The interconnected graphene sheets in the composite provide (1) the solar-thermal conversion capability, (2) high thermal conductivity and (3) form stability of the composite. Under light irradiation, the composite effectively collects and converts the light energy into thermal energy, and the converted thermal energy is stored in the PCM and released in an elongated period of time for sustained utilization. This study provides a promising route for sustainable utilization of solar energy.

  11. Structure of turbulence in three-dimensional boundary layers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Subramanian, Chelakara S.

    1993-01-01

    This report provides an overview of the three dimensional turbulent boundary layer concepts and of the currently available experimental information for their turbulence modeling. It is found that more reliable turbulence data, especially of the Reynolds stress transport terms, is needed to improve the existing modeling capabilities. An experiment is proposed to study the three dimensional boundary layer formed by a 'sink flow' in a fully developed two dimensional turbulent boundary layer. Also, the mean and turbulence field measurement procedure using a three component laser Doppler velocimeter is described.

  12. The Mundrabilla Meteorite in Three-Dimensions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gillies, D. C.; Carpenter, P. K.; Engel, H. P.

    2003-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) using gamma radiation has revealed the interior structure of the anomalous iron meteorite, Mundrabilla. This meteorite is composed of 25 volume percent of iron sulfide with the remainder being iron-nickel. Both phases have been shown to be contiguous, and three dimensional models have been constructed using rapid prototyping techniques.

  13. Three-dimensional implicit lambda methods

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Napolitano, M.; Dadone, A.

    1983-01-01

    This paper derives the three dimensional lambda-formulation equations for a general orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system and provides various block-explicit and block-implicit methods for solving them, numerically. Three model problems, characterized by subsonic, supersonic and transonic flow conditions, are used to assess the reliability and compare the efficiency of the proposed methods.

  14. Additive Manufacturing of Syntactic Foams: Part 1: Development, Properties, and Recycling Potential of Filaments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Ashish Kumar; Patil, Balu; Hoffmann, Niklas; Saltonstall, Brooks; Doddamani, Mrityunjay; Gupta, Nikhil

    2018-03-01

    This work focuses on developing filaments of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and their hollow particle-filled syntactic foams for commercial three-dimensional (3D) printers based on fused filament fabrication technology. Hollow fly-ash cenospheres were blended by 40 wt.% in a HDPE matrix to produce syntactic foam (HDPE40) filaments. Further, the recycling potential was studied by pelletizing the filaments again to extrude twice (2×) and three times (3×). The filaments were tensile tested at 10-4 s-1, 10-3 s-1, and 10-2 s-1 strain rates. HDPE40 filaments show an increasing trend in modulus and strength with the strain rate. Higher density and modulus were noticed for 2× filaments compared to 1× filaments because of the crushing of some cenospheres in the extrusion cycle. However, 2× and 3× filament densities are nearly the same, showing potential for recycling them. The filaments show better properties than the same materials processed by conventional injection molding. Micro-CT scans show a uniform dispersion of cenospheres in all filaments.

  15. Three Dimensional Underwater Sound Propagation Over Sloping Bottoms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Glegg, Stewart A. L.; Riley, J. M.

    This article reviews the work which has been carried out over the past few years on three dimensional underwater sound propagation over sloping bottoms. When sound propagates across a slope three dimensional effects can cause shadow zones and mode cut off effects to occur, which could not be predicted by a two dimensional model. For many years the theory for this type of propagation over realistic ocean floors, which can support both compressional and shear waves, eluded workers in this field. Recently the complete solution for the acoustic field in a "wedge domain with penetrable boundaries" has been developed, and this has allowed for complete understanding of three dimensional bottom interacting sound propagation. These theories have been verified by a series of laboratory scale experiments and excellent agreement has been obtained. However only one full scale ocean experiment has been carried out on three dimensional, bottom interacting, acoustic propagation. This showed significant horizontal refraction of sound propagating across a continental slope and further verifies the importance of bottom slopes on underwater sound propagation.

  16. Rechargeable nickel-3D zinc batteries: An energy-dense, safer alternative to lithium-ion.

    PubMed

    Parker, Joseph F; Chervin, Christopher N; Pala, Irina R; Machler, Meinrad; Burz, Michael F; Long, Jeffrey W; Rolison, Debra R

    2017-04-28

    The next generation of high-performance batteries should include alternative chemistries that are inherently safer to operate than nonaqueous lithium-based batteries. Aqueous zinc-based batteries can answer that challenge because monolithic zinc sponge anodes can be cycled in nickel-zinc alkaline cells hundreds to thousands of times without undergoing passivation or macroscale dendrite formation. We demonstrate that the three-dimensional (3D) zinc form-factor elevates the performance of nickel-zinc alkaline cells in three fields of use: (i) >90% theoretical depth of discharge (DOD Zn ) in primary (single-use) cells, (ii) >100 high-rate cycles at 40% DOD Zn at lithium-ion-commensurate specific energy, and (iii) the tens of thousands of power-demanding duty cycles required for start-stop microhybrid vehicles. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  17. rhoCentralRfFoam: An OpenFOAM solver for high speed chemically active flows - Simulation of planar detonations -

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gutiérrez Marcantoni, L. F.; Tamagno, J.; Elaskar, S.

    2017-10-01

    A new solver developed within the framework of OpenFOAM 2.3.0, called rhoCentralRfFoam which can be interpreted like an evolution of rhoCentralFoam, is presented. Its use, performing numerical simulations on initiation and propagation of planar detonation waves in combustible mixtures H2-Air and H2-O2-Ar, is described. Unsteady one dimensional (1D) Euler equations coupled with sources to take into account chemical activity, are numerically solved using the Kurganov, Noelle and Petrova second order scheme in a domain discretized with finite volumes. The computational code can work with any number of species and its corresponding reactions, but here it was tested with 13 chemically active species (one species inert), and 33 elementary reactions. A gaseous igniter which acts like a shock-tube driver, and powerful enough to generate a strong shock capable of triggering exothermic chemical reactions in fuel mixtures, is used to start planar detonations. The following main aspects of planar detonations are here, treated: induction time of combustible mixtures cited above and required mesh resolutions; convergence of overdriven detonations to Chapman-Jouguet states; detonation structure (ZND model); and the use of reflected shocks to determine induction times experimentally. The rhoCentralRfFoam code was verified comparing numerical results and it was validated, through analytical results and experimental data.

  18. Evaluation of three percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) concentrates as fire fighting agents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jablonski, E. J.

    1981-04-01

    A large-scale fire test program involving 20,000-square foot JP-4 fuel fires was conducted to evaluate the fire suppression effectiveness and compatibility of 3 percent Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) agents in Air Force fire fighting vehicles. Three commercially available 3 percent AFFF concentrates were tested in accordance with military specification MIL-F-24385B. Test results are summarized in Appendix A. As a result of these tests, an updated Revision C to this MIL SPEC has been accomplished with new requirements for both 3 percent and 6 percent AFFF extinguishing agents.

  19. Three-dimensional porous poly-DL-lactide/basic fibroblast growth factor composites for bone defect repair: an experimental study.

    PubMed

    Min, Shao-xiong; Jin, An-min; Tong, Bin-hui; Zhu, Li-xin; Tian, Jing

    2003-04-01

    To investigate the osteoinductive ability of the composites consisting of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and porous poly-DL-lactide (PDLLA) for the development of a new absorbable osteosynthesis material. Highly porous foams of PDLLA with the pore size ranging from 150 to 300 microm were prepared by a solvent-casting, particulate-leaching technique with NaCl as the leachable component. Animal models of radial diaphyseal defects of 1.0 cm with complete removal of the periosteum were induced in 45 rabbits, which were randomly divided into 3 groups to receive the defect repair with PDLLA and PDLLA/bFGF respectively, leaving one group untreated to serve as the control group. The implant specimens were harvested at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks respectively after the surgery and X-ray, histological and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examinations were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of defect repair. At 8 and 12 weeks after implantation, biomechanical test (for three-point bending strength) was employed to study the quality of bone formation. PDLLA/bFGF composite stimulated more bone formation and had higher bending strength than PDLLA (P<0.05), and the bone formation induced by both materials was significantly more than that observed in the control group in every postoperative stage (P<0.05). PDLLA possesses good biocompatibility and absorbability, and when prepared into a porous material, it exhibits good osteoconductibility. As a good bFGF carrier, the foam of PDLLA with three- dimensional structure shows good osteoinductive ability with regard to the rapidity, quantity and quality of the bone formation.

  20. Continuum modeling of three-dimensional truss-like space structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nayfeh, A. H.; Hefzy, M. S.

    1978-01-01

    A mathematical and computational analysis capability has been developed for calculating the effective mechanical properties of three-dimensional periodic truss-like structures. Two models are studied in detail. The first, called the octetruss model, is a three-dimensional extension of a two-dimensional model, and the second is a cubic model. Symmetry considerations are employed as a first step to show that the specific octetruss model has four independent constants and that the cubic model has two. The actual values of these constants are determined by averaging the contributions of each rod element to the overall structure stiffness. The individual rod member contribution to the overall stiffness is obtained by a three-dimensional coordinate transformation. The analysis shows that the effective three-dimensional elastic properties of both models are relatively close to each other.

  1. Power-scaling performance of a three-dimensional tritium betavoltaic diode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Baojun; Chen, Kevin P.; Kherani, Nazir P.; Zukotynski, Stefan

    2009-12-01

    Three-dimensional diodes fabricated by electrochemical etching are exposed to tritium gas at pressures from 0.05 to 33 atm at room temperature to examine its power scaling performance. It is shown that the three-dimensional microporous structure overcomes the self-absorption limited saturation of beta flux at high tritium pressures. These results are contrasted against the three-dimensional device powered in one instance by tritium absorbed in the near surface region of the three-dimensional microporous network, and in another by a planar scandium tritide foil. These findings suggest that direct tritium occlusion in the near surface of three-dimensional diode can improve the specific power production.

  2. An overview of polyurethane foams in higher specification foam mattresses.

    PubMed

    Soppi, Esa; Lehtiö, Juha; Saarinen, Hannu

    2015-02-01

    Soft polyurethane foams exist in thousands of grades and constitute essential components of hospital mattresses. For pressure ulcer prevention, the ability of foams to control the immersion and envelopment of patients is essential. Higher specification foam mattresses (i.e., foam mattresses that relieve pressure via optimum patient immersion and envelopment while enabling patient position changes) are claimed to be more effective for preventing pressure ulcers than standard mattresses. Foam grade evaluations should include resiliency, density, hardness, indentation force/load deflection, progressive hardness, tensile strength, and elongation along with essential criteria for higher specification foam mattresses. Patient-specific requirements may include optimal control of patient immersion and envelopment. Mattress cover characteristics should include breathability, impermeability to fluids, and fire safety and not affect mattress function. Additional determinations such as hardness are assessed according to the guidelines of the American Society for Testing and Materials and the International Organization for Standardization. At this time, no single foam grade provides an optimal combination of the above key requirements, but the literature suggests a combination of at least 2 foams may create an optimal higher specification foam mattress for pressure ulcer prevention. Future research and the development of product specification accuracy standards are needed to help clinicians make evidence-based decisions about mattress use.

  3. RANS Simulations using OpenFOAM Software

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-01-01

    Averaged Navier- Stokes (RANS) simulations is described and illustrated by applying the simpleFoam solver to two case studies; two dimensional flow...to run in parallel over large processor arrays. The purpose of this report is to illustrate and test the use of the steady-state Reynolds Averaged ...Group in the Maritime Platforms Division he has been simulating fluid flow around ships and submarines using finite element codes, Lagrangian vortex

  4. Modern cosmology and the origin of our three dimensionality.

    PubMed

    Woodbury, M A; Woodbury, M F

    1998-01-01

    We are three dimensional egocentric beings existing within a specific space/time continuum and dimensionality which we assume wrongly is the same for all times and places throughout the entire universe. Physicists name Omnipoint the origin of the universe at Dimension zero, which exploded as a Big Bang of energy proceeding at enormous speed along one dimension which eventually curled up into matter: particles, atoms, molecules and Galaxies which exist in two dimensional space. Finally from matter spread throughout the cosmos evolved life generating eventually the DNA molecules which control the construction of brains complex enough to construct our three dimensional Body Representation from which is extrapolated what we perceive as a 3-D universe. The whole interconnected structures which conjure up our three dimensionality are as fragile as Humpty Dumpty, capable of breaking apart with terrifying effects for the individual patient during a psychotic panic, revealing our three dimensionality to be but "maya", an illusion, which we psychiatrists work at putting back together.

  5. dsmcFoam+: An OpenFOAM based direct simulation Monte Carlo solver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, C.; Borg, M. K.; Scanlon, T. J.; Longshaw, S. M.; John, B.; Emerson, D. R.; Reese, J. M.

    2018-03-01

    dsmcFoam+ is a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) solver for rarefied gas dynamics, implemented within the OpenFOAM software framework, and parallelised with MPI. It is open-source and released under the GNU General Public License in a publicly available software repository that includes detailed documentation and tutorial DSMC gas flow cases. This release of the code includes many features not found in standard dsmcFoam, such as molecular vibrational and electronic energy modes, chemical reactions, and subsonic pressure boundary conditions. Since dsmcFoam+ is designed entirely within OpenFOAM's C++ object-oriented framework, it benefits from a number of key features: the code emphasises extensibility and flexibility so it is aimed first and foremost as a research tool for DSMC, allowing new models and test cases to be developed and tested rapidly. All DSMC cases are as straightforward as setting up any standard OpenFOAM case, as dsmcFoam+ relies upon the standard OpenFOAM dictionary based directory structure. This ensures that useful pre- and post-processing capabilities provided by OpenFOAM remain available even though the fully Lagrangian nature of a DSMC simulation is not typical of most OpenFOAM applications. We show that dsmcFoam+ compares well to other well-known DSMC codes and to analytical solutions in terms of benchmark results.

  6. Efficient implementation of parallel three-dimensional FFT on clusters of PCs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takahashi, Daisuke

    2003-05-01

    In this paper, we propose a high-performance parallel three-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm on clusters of PCs. The three-dimensional FFT algorithm can be altered into a block three-dimensional FFT algorithm to reduce the number of cache misses. We show that the block three-dimensional FFT algorithm improves performance by utilizing the cache memory effectively. We use the block three-dimensional FFT algorithm to implement the parallel three-dimensional FFT algorithm. We succeeded in obtaining performance of over 1.3 GFLOPS on an 8-node dual Pentium III 1 GHz PC SMP cluster.

  7. Streaked x-ray backlighting with twin-slit imager for study of density profile and trajectory of low-density foam target filled with deuterium liquid

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

    Shiraga, H.; Mahigashi, N.; Yamada, T.

    2008-10-15

    Low-density plastic foam filled with liquid deuterium is one of the candidates for inertial fusion target. Density profile and trajectory of 527 nm laser-irradiated planer foam-deuterium target in the acceleration phase were observed with streaked side-on x-ray backlighting. An x-ray imager employing twin slits coupled to an x-ray streak camera was used to simultaneously observe three images of the target: self-emission from the target, x-ray backlighter profile, and the backlit target. The experimentally obtained density profile and trajectory were in good agreement with predictions by one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation code ILESTA-1D.

  8. Depth-enhanced three-dimensional-two-dimensional convertible display based on modified integral imaging.

    PubMed

    Park, Jae-Hyeung; Kim, Hak-Rin; Kim, Yunhee; Kim, Joohwan; Hong, Jisoo; Lee, Sin-Doo; Lee, Byoungho

    2004-12-01

    A depth-enhanced three-dimensional-two-dimensional convertible display that uses a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal based on the principle of integral imaging is proposed. In the proposed method, a lens array is located behind a transmission-type display panel to form an array of point-light sources, and a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal is electrically controlled to pass or to scatter light coming from these point-light sources. Therefore, three-dimensional-two-dimensional conversion is accomplished electrically without any mechanical movement. Moreover, the nonimaging structure of the proposed method increases the expressible depth range considerably. We explain the method of operation and present experimental results.

  9. Foam on Tile Impact Modeling for the Space Shuttle Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stellingwerf, R. F.; Robinson, J. H.; Richardson, S.; Evans, S. W.; Stallworth, R.; Hovater, M.

    2003-01-01

    Following the breakup of the Space Shuttle Columbia during reentry a NASA-wide investigation team was formed to examine the probable damage inflicted on Orbiter Thermal Protection System (TPS) elements by impact of External Tank insulating foam projectiles. Our team was to apply rigorous, physics-based analysis techniques to help determine parameters of interest for an experimental test program, utilize validated codes to investigate the full range of impact scenarios, and use analysis derived models to predict aero-thermal-structural responses to entry conditions. We were to operate on a non-interference basis with the j Team, and were to supply significant findings to that team and to the Orbiter Vehicle Engineering Working Group, being responsive to any solicitations for support from these entities. The authors formed a working sub-group within the larger team to apply the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics code SPHC to the damage estimation problem. Numerical models of the LI-900 TPS tiles and of the BX-250 foam were constructed and used as inputs into the code. Material properties needed to properly model the tiles and foam were obtained from other working sub-groups who performed tests on these items for this purpose. Two- and three- dimensional models of the tiles were constructed, including the glass outer layer, the densified lower layer of LI-900 insulation, the Nomex felt Strain Isolation Pad (SIP) mounting layer, and the underlying aluminum 2024 vehicle skin. A model for the BX-250 foam including porous compression, elastic rebound, and surface erosion was developed. Code results for the tile damage and foam behavior were extensively validated through comparison with the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) foam-on-tile impact experiments carried out in 1999. These tests involved small projectiles striking individual tiles and small tile arrays. Following code and model validation we simulated impacts of larger ET foam projectiles on the TPS tile systems used

  10. A sticky situation: management of spray polyurethane foam insulation in body orifices.

    PubMed

    Sowerby, Robert J; Sowerby, Leigh J; Vinden, Chris

    2011-11-01

    Spray polyurethane foam insulation is commonly used in the construction industry to fill gaps, seal, and insulate. We present three cases of intentional spray foam insertion in body orifices and discuss the management of such situations in the emergency department. This series includes a case of oral foam insertion used in a suicide attempt by suffocation and two cases of rectal insertion. All of these cases had potential long-term consequences; one was life-threatening. To our knowledge, this is the first published report on the medical management and removal of foam insulation from body orifices. In all three cases, the foam insulation material was successfully removed after allowing the material to harden.

  11. A moving observer in a three-dimensional world

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    For many tasks such as retrieving a previously viewed object, an observer must form a representation of the world at one location and use it at another. A world-based three-dimensional reconstruction of the scene built up from visual information would fulfil this requirement, something computer vision now achieves with great speed and accuracy. However, I argue that it is neither easy nor necessary for the brain to do this. I discuss biologically plausible alternatives, including the possibility of avoiding three-dimensional coordinate frames such as ego-centric and world-based representations. For example, the distance, slant and local shape of surfaces dictate the propensity of visual features to move in the image with respect to one another as the observer's perspective changes (through movement or binocular viewing). Such propensities can be stored without the need for three-dimensional reference frames. The problem of representing a stable scene in the face of continual head and eye movements is an appropriate starting place for understanding the goal of three-dimensional vision, more so, I argue, than the case of a static binocular observer. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Vision in our three-dimensional world’. PMID:27269608

  12. Evaluation of three-dimensional virtual perception of garments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aydoğdu, G.; Yeşilpinar, S.; Erdem, D.

    2017-10-01

    In recent years, three-dimensional design, dressing and simulation programs came into prominence in the textile industry. By these programs, the need to produce clothing samples for every design in design process has been eliminated. Clothing fit, design, pattern, fabric and accessory details and fabric drape features can be evaluated easily. Also, body size of virtual mannequin can be adjusted so more realistic simulations can be created. Moreover, three-dimensional virtual garment images created by these programs can be used while presenting the product to end-user instead of two-dimensional photograph images. In this study, a survey was carried out to investigate the visual perception of consumers. The survey was conducted for three different garment types, separately. Questions about gender, profession etc. was asked to the participants and expected them to compare real samples and artworks or three-dimensional virtual images of garments. When survey results were analyzed statistically, it is seen that demographic situation of participants does not affect visual perception and three-dimensional virtual garment images reflect the real sample characteristics better than artworks for each garment type. Also, it is reported that there is no perception difference depending on garment type between t-shirt, sweatshirt and tracksuit bottom.

  13. Composite foams

    DOEpatents

    Williams, Jr., Joel M.; Nyitray, Alice M.; Wilkerson, Mark H.

    1991-01-01

    Composite foams are provided comprising a first rigid, microcellular, open-celled organic polymer foam having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 and a pore size of from about 1 micron to about 30 microns, said first foam containing a second polymer having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 or a second polymer foam having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 and a pore size of from about 0.01 microns to about 1.0 micron within the open cells of said first foam.

  14. Composite foams

    DOEpatents

    Williams, Jr., Joel M.; Nyitray, Alice M.; Wilkerson, Mark H.

    1990-01-01

    Composite foams are provided comprising a first rigid, microcellular, open-celled organic polymer foam having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 and a pore size of from about 1 micron to about 30 microns, said first foam containing a second polymer having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 or a second polymer foam having a density of from about 0.015 g/cm.sup.3 to about 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 and a pore size of from about 0.01 microns to about 1.0 micron within the open cells of said first foam.

  15. Multigrid calculation of three-dimensional turbomachinery flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Caughey, David A.

    1989-01-01

    Research was performed in the general area of computational aerodynamics, with particular emphasis on the development of efficient techniques for the solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations for transonic flows through the complex blade passages associated with turbomachines. In particular, multigrid methods were developed, using both explicit and implicit time-stepping schemes as smoothing algorithms. The specific accomplishments of the research have included: (1) the development of an explicit multigrid method to solve the Euler equations for three-dimensional turbomachinery flows based upon the multigrid implementation of Jameson's explicit Runge-Kutta scheme (Jameson 1983); (2) the development of an implicit multigrid scheme for the three-dimensional Euler equations based upon lower-upper factorization; (3) the development of a multigrid scheme using a diagonalized alternating direction implicit (ADI) algorithm; (4) the extension of the diagonalized ADI multigrid method to solve the Euler equations of inviscid flow for three-dimensional turbomachinery flows; and also (5) the extension of the diagonalized ADI multigrid scheme to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for two-dimensional turbomachinery flows.

  16. Foam Transport in Porous Media - A Review

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

    Zhang, Z. F.; Freedman, Vicky L.; Zhong, Lirong

    2009-11-11

    . The transport of foam in porous media is complicated in that the number of lamellae present governs flow characteristics such as viscosity, relative permeability, fluid distribution, and interactions between fluids. Hence, foam is a non-Newtonian fluid. During transport, foam destruction and formation occur. The net result of the two processes determines the foam texture (i.e., bubble density). Some of the foam may be trapped during transport. According to the impacts of the aqueous and gas flow rates, foam flow generally has two regimes – weak and strong foam. There is also a minimum pressure gradient to initiate foam flow and a critical capillary for foam to be sustained. Similar to other fluids, the transport of foam is described by Darcy’s law with the exception that the foam viscosity is variable. Three major approaches to modeling foam transport in porous media are the empirical, semi-empirical, and mechanistic methods. Mechanistic approaches can be complete in principal but may be difficult to obtain reliable parameters, whereas empirical and semi-empirical approaches can be limited by the detail used to describe foam rheology and mobility. Mechanistic approaches include the bubble population-balance model, the network/percolation theory, the catastrophe theory, and the filtration theory. Among these methods, all were developed for modeling polyhedral foam with the exception that the method based on the filtration theory was for the ball foam (microfoam).« less

  17. Flexible Foam Model.

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

    Neilsen, Michael K.; Lu, Wei-Yang; Werner, Brian T.

    Experiments were performed to characterize the mechanical response of a 15 pcf flexible polyurethane foam to large deformation at different strain rates and temperatures. Results from these experiments indicated that at room temperature, flexible polyurethane foams exhibit significant nonlinear elastic deformation and nearly return to their original undeformed shape when unloaded. However, when these foams are cooled to temperatures below their glass transition temperature of approximately -35 o C, they behave like rigid polyurethane foams and exhibit significant permanent deformation when compressed. Thus, a new model which captures this dramatic change in behavior with temperature was developed and implemented intomore » SIERRA with the name Flex_Foam to describe the mechanical response of both flexible and rigid foams to large deformation at a variety of temperatures and strain rates. This report includes a description of recent experiments. Next, development of the Flex Foam model for flexible polyurethane and other flexible foams is described. Selection of material parameters are discussed and finite element simulations with the new Flex Foam model are compared with experimental results to show behavior that can be captured with this new model.« less

  18. Three-dimensional magnetic bubble memory system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stadler, Henry L. (Inventor); Katti, Romney R. (Inventor); Wu, Jiin-Chuan (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    A compact memory uses magnetic bubble technology for providing data storage. A three-dimensional arrangement, in the form of stacks of magnetic bubble layers, is used to achieve high volumetric storage density. Output tracks are used within each layer to allow data to be accessed uniquely and unambiguously. Storage can be achieved using either current access or field access magnetic bubble technology. Optical sensing via the Faraday effect is used to detect data. Optical sensing facilitates the accessing of data from within the three-dimensional package and lends itself to parallel operation for supporting high data rates and vector and parallel processing.

  19. Three-dimensional labeling program for elucidation of the geometric properties of biological particles in three-dimensional space.

    PubMed

    Nomura, A; Yamazaki, Y; Tsuji, T; Kawasaki, Y; Tanaka, S

    1996-09-15

    For all biological particles such as cells or cellular organelles, there are three-dimensional coordinates representing the centroid or center of gravity. These coordinates and other numerical parameters such as volume, fluorescence intensity, surface area, and shape are referred to in this paper as geometric properties, which may provide critical information for the clarification of in situ mechanisms of molecular and cellular functions in living organisms. We have established a method for the elucidation of these properties, designated the three-dimensional labeling program (3DLP). Algorithms of 3DLP are so simple that this method can be carried out through the use of software combinations in image analysis on a personal computer. To evaluate 3DLP, it was applied to a 32-cell-stage sea urchin embryo, double stained with FITC for cellular protein of blastomeres and propidium iodide for nuclear DNA. A stack of optical serial section images was obtained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The method was found effective for determining geometric properties and should prove applicable to the study of many different kinds of biological particles in three-dimensional space.

  20. The distribution and mechanism of pore formation in copper foams fabricated by Lost Carbonate Sintering method

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

    Shahzeydi, Mohammad Hosein; Parvanian, Amir Masoud; Panjepour, Masoud, E-mail: panjepour@cc.iut.ac.ir

    2016-01-15

    In this research, utilizing X-ray computed tomography (XCT), geometrical characterization, and pore formation mechanisms of highly porous copper foams manufactured by powder metallurgical (PM) process are investigated. Open-cell copper foams with porosity percentages of 60% and 80% and with a pore size within the range of 300–600 μm were manufactured by using potassium carbonate as a space holder agent via the Lost Carbonate Sintering (LCS) technique. XCT and SEM were also employed to investigate the three-dimensional structure of foams and to find the effect of the parameters of the space holders on the structural properties of copper foams. The resultmore » showed an excellent correlation between the structural properties of the foams including the size and shape of the pores, porosity percentage, volume percentage, particle size, and the shape of the sacrificial agent used. Also, the advanced image analysis of XCT images indicated fluctuations up to ± 10% in porosity distribution across different cross-sections of the foams. Simultaneous thermal analysis (STA: DTA–TG) was also used to study the thermal history of the powders used during the manufacturing process of the foams. The results indicated that the melting and thermal decomposition of the potassium carbonate occurred simultaneously at 920 °C and created the porous structure of the foams. By combining the STA result with the result of the tension analysis of cell walls, the mechanisms of open-pore formation were suggested. In fact, most open pores in the samples were formed due to the direct contact of potassium carbonate particles with each other in green compact. Also, it was found that the thermal decomposition of potassium carbonate particles into gaseous CO{sub 2} led to the production of gas pressure inside the closed pores, which eventually caused the creation of cracks on the cell walls and the opening of the pores in foam's structure. - Highlights: • Structural characterization of

  1. One-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional photonic crystals fabricated with interferometric techniques on ultrafine-grain silver halide emulsions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ulibarrena, Manuel; Carretero, Luis; Acebal, Pablo; Madrigal, Roque; Blaya, Salvador; Fimia, Antonio

    2004-09-01

    Holographic techniques have been used for manufacturing multiple band one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional photonic crystals with different configurations, by multiplexing reflection and transmission setups on a single layer of holographic material. The recording material used for storage is an ultra fine grain silver halide emulsion, with an average grain size around 20 nm. The results are a set of photonic crystals with the one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional index modulation structure consisting of silver halide particles embedded in the gelatin layer of the emulsion. The characterisation of the fabricated photonic crystals by measuring their transmission band structures has been done and compared with theoretical calculations.

  2. Three-dimensional boron particle loaded thermal neutron detector

    DOEpatents

    Nikolic, Rebecca J.; Conway, Adam M.; Graff, Robert T.; Kuntz, Joshua D.; Reinhardt, Catherine; Voss, Lars F.; Cheung, Chin Li; Heineck, Daniel

    2014-09-09

    Three-dimensional boron particle loaded thermal neutron detectors utilize neutron sensitive conversion materials in the form of nano-powders and micro-sized particles, as opposed to thin films, suspensions, paraffin, etc. More specifically, methods to infiltrate, intersperse and embed the neutron nano-powders to form two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional charge sensitive platforms are specified. The use of nano-powders enables conformal contact with the entire charge-collecting structure regardless of its shape or configuration.

  3. Three-Dimensional Dynamic Bone Histomorphometry

    PubMed Central

    Slyfield, C.R.; Tkachenko, E.V.; Wilson, D.L.; Hernandez, C.J.

    2011-01-01

    Dynamic bone histomorphometry is the standard method for measuring bone remodeling at the level of individual events. While dynamic bone histomorphometry is an invaluable tool for understanding osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases, the technique’s two-dimensional nature requires the use of stereology and prevents measures of individual remodeling event number and size. Here, we use a novel three-dimensional fluorescence imaging technique to achieve measures of individual resorption cavities and formation events. We perform this three-dimensional histomorphometry approach using a common model of postmenopausal osteoporosis, the ovariectomized rat. The three-dimensional images demonstrate the spatial relationship between resorption cavities and formation events consistent with the hemi-osteonal model of cancellous bone remodeling. Established ovariectomy was associated with significant increases in the number of resorption cavities per unit bone surface (2.38 ± 0.24 mm−2 SHAM v. 3.86 ± 0.35 mm−2 OVX, mean ± SD, p < 0.05) and total volume occupied by cavities per unit bone volume (0.38 ± 0.06% SHAM v. 1.12 ± 0.18% OVX, p < 0.001), but no difference in surface area per resorption cavity, maximum cavity depth, or cavity volume. Additionally, we find that established ovariectomy is associated with increased size of bone formation events due to merging of formation events (23,700 ± 6,890 μm2 SHAM v. 33,300 ± 7,950 μm2 OVX). No differences in mineral apposition rate (determined in 3D) were associated with established ovariectomy. That established estrogen depletion is associated with increased number of remodeling events with only subtle changes in remodeling event size suggests that circulating estrogens may have their primary effect on the origination of new basic multicellular units with relatively little effect on the progression and termination of active remodeling events. PMID:22028195

  4. Three-dimensional turbopump flowfield analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sharma, O. P.; Belford, K. A.; Ni, R. H.

    1992-01-01

    A program was conducted to develop a flow prediction method applicable to rocket turbopumps. The complex nature of a flowfield in turbopumps is described and examples of flowfields are discussed to illustrate that physics based models and analytical calculation procedures based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are needed to develop reliable design procedures for turbopumps. A CFD code developed at NASA ARC was used as the base code. The turbulence model and boundary conditions in the base code were modified, respectively, to: (1) compute transitional flows and account for extra rates of strain, e.g., rotation; and (2) compute surface heat transfer coefficients and allow computation through multistage turbomachines. Benchmark quality data from two and three-dimensional cascades were used to verify the code. The predictive capabilities of the present CFD code were demonstrated by computing the flow through a radial impeller and a multistage axial flow turbine. Results of the program indicate that the present code operated in a two-dimensional mode is a cost effective alternative to full three-dimensional calculations, and that it permits realistic predictions of unsteady loadings and losses for multistage machines.

  5. A Computational/Experimental Platform for Investigating Three-Dimensional Puzzle Solving of Comminuted Articular Fractures

    PubMed Central

    Thomas, Thaddeus P.; Anderson, Donald D.; Willis, Andrew R.; Liu, Pengcheng; Frank, Matthew C.; Marsh, J. Lawrence; Brown, Thomas D.

    2011-01-01

    Reconstructing highly comminuted articular fractures poses a difficult surgical challenge, akin to solving a complicated three-dimensional (3D) puzzle. Pre-operative planning using CT is critically important, given the desirability of less invasive surgical approaches. The goal of this work is to advance 3D puzzle solving methods toward use as a pre-operative tool for reconstructing these complex fractures. Methodology for generating typical fragmentation/dispersal patterns was developed. Five identical replicas of human distal tibia anatomy, were machined from blocks of high-density polyetherurethane foam (bone fragmentation surrogate), and were fractured using an instrumented drop tower. Pre- and post-fracture geometries were obtained using laser scans and CT. A semi-automatic virtual reconstruction computer program aligned fragment native (non-fracture) surfaces to a pre-fracture template. The tibias were precisely reconstructed with alignment accuracies ranging from 0.03-0.4mm. This novel technology has potential to significantly enhance surgical techniques for reconstructing comminuted intra-articular fractures, as illustrated for a representative clinical case. PMID:20924863

  6. EMS providers do not use FOAM for education.

    PubMed

    Bucher, Joshua; Donovan, Colleen; McCoy, Jonathan

    2018-05-24

    Free open access to medical education (FOAM, #FOAM) is the free availability of educational materials on various medicine topics. We hope to evaluate the use of social media and FOAM by emergency medical services (EMS) providers. We designed an online survey distributed to EMS providers with questions about demographics and social media/FOAM use by providers. The survey was sent to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) EMS Listserv of medical directors and was asked to be distributed to their respective agencies. The survey was designed to inquire about the providers' knowledge of FOAM and social media and their use of the above for EMS education. There were 169 respondents out of a total of 523 providers yielding a response rate of 32.3%. Fifty-three percent of respondents are paramedics, 37% are EMT-Basic trained, and the remainder (16%) were "other." The minority (20%) of respondents had heard of FOAM. However, 54% of respondents had heard of "free medical education online" regarding pertinent topics. Of the total respondents who used social media for education, 31% used Facebook and 23% used blogs and podcasts as resources for online education. Only 4% of respondents stated they produced FOAM content. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they were "interested" or "very interested" in using FOAM for medical education. If FOAM provided continuing medical education (CME), 83% of respondents would be interested in using it. Social media is not used frequently by EMS providers for the purposes of FOAM. There is interest within EMS providers to use FOAM for education, even if CME was not provided. FOAM can provide a novel area of education for EMS.

  7. Coarse graining flow of spin foam intertwiners

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dittrich, Bianca; Schnetter, Erik; Seth, Cameron J.; Steinhaus, Sebastian

    2016-12-01

    Simplicity constraints play a crucial role in the construction of spin foam models, yet their effective behavior on larger scales is scarcely explored. In this article we introduce intertwiner and spin net models for the quantum group SU (2 )k×SU (2 )k, which implement the simplicity constraints analogous to four-dimensional Euclidean spin foam models, namely the Barrett-Crane (BC) and the Engle-Pereira-Rovelli-Livine/Freidel-Krasnov (EPRL/FK) model. These models are numerically coarse grained via tensor network renormalization, allowing us to trace the flow of simplicity constraints to larger scales. In order to perform these simulations we have substantially adapted tensor network algorithms, which we discuss in detail as they can be of use in other contexts. The BC and the EPRL/FK model behave very differently under coarse graining: While the unique BC intertwiner model is a fixed point and therefore constitutes a two-dimensional topological phase, BC spin net models flow away from the initial simplicity constraints and converge to several different topological phases. Most of these phases correspond to decoupling spin foam vertices; however we find also a new phase in which this is not the case, and in which a nontrivial version of the simplicity constraints holds. The coarse graining flow of the BC spin net models indicates furthermore that the transitions between these phases are not of second order. The EPRL/FK model by contrast reveals a far more intricate and complex dynamics. We observe an immediate flow away from the original simplicity constraints; however, with the truncation employed here, the models generically do not converge to a fixed point. The results show that the imposition of simplicity constraints can indeed lead to interesting and also very complex dynamics. Thus we need to further develop coarse graining tools to efficiently study the large scale behavior of spin foam models, in particular for the EPRL/FK model.

  8. Diffusive, Supersonic X-ray Transport in Foam Cylinders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Back, Christina A.

    1999-11-01

    Diffusive supersonic radiation transport, where the ratio of the diffusive radiation front velocity to the material sound speed >2 has been studied in a series of laboratory experiments on low density foams. This work is of interest for radiation transport in basic science and astrophysics. The Marshak radiation wave transport is studied for both low and high Z foam materials and for different length foams in a novel hohlraum geometry that allows direct comparisons with 2-dimensional analytic models and code simulations. The radiation wave is created by a ~ 80 eV near blackbody 12-ns long drive or a ~ 200 eV 1.2-2.4 ns long drive generated by laser-heated Au hohlraums. The targets are SiO2 and Ta2O5 aerogel foams of varying lengths which span 10 to 50 mg/cc densities. Clean signatures of radiation breakout were observed by radially resolved face-on transmission measurements of the radiation flux at a photon energy of 250 eV or 550 eV. The high quality data provides new detailed information on the importance of both the fill and wall material opacities and heat capacities in determining the radiation front speed and curvature. note number.

  9. Studies of Sound Absorption by and Transmission Through Layers of Elastic Noise Control Foams: Finite Element Modeling and Effects of Anisotropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Yeon June

    In this thesis an elastic-absorption finite element model of isotropic elastic porous noise control materials is first presented as a means of investigating the effects of finite dimension and edge constraints on the sound absorption by, and transmission through, layers of acoustical foams. Methods for coupling foam finite elements with conventional acoustic and structural finite elements are also described. The foam finite element model based on the Biot theory allows for the simultaneous propagation of the three types of waves known to exist in an elastic porous material. Various sets of boundary conditions appropriate for modeling open, membrane-sealed and panel-bonded foam surfaces are formulated and described. Good agreement was achieved when finite element predictions were compared with previously established analytical results for the plane wave absorption coefficient and transmission loss in the case of wave propagation both in foam-filled waveguides and through foam-lined double panel structures of infinite lateral extent. The primary effect of the edge constraints of a foam layer was found to be an acoustical stiffening of the foam. Constraining the ends of the facing panels in foam-lined double panel systems was also found to increase the sound transmission loss significantly in the low frequency range. In addition, a theoretical multi-dimensional model for wave propagation in anisotropic elastic porous materials was developed to study the effect of anisotropy on the sound transmission of foam-lined noise control treatments. The predictions of the theoretical anisotropic model have been compared with experimental measurements for the random incidence sound transmission through double panel structure lined with polyimide foam. The predictions were made by using the measured and estimated macroscopic physical parameters of polyimide foam samples which were known to be anisotropic. It has been found that the macroscopic physical parameters in the direction

  10. Pathogen propagation in cultured three-dimensional tissue mass

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wolf, David A. (Inventor); Spaulding, Glenn F. (Inventor); Goodwin, Thomas J. (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    A process for propagating a pathogen in a three-dimensional tissue mass cultured at microgravity conditions in a culture vessel containing culture media and a culture matrix is provided. The three-dimensional tissue mass is inoculated with a pathogen and pathogen replication in the cells of the tissue mass achieved.

  11. Numerical investigation on natural convection in horizontal channel partially filled with aluminium foam and heated from above

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buonomo, B.; Diana, A.; Manca, O.; Nardini, S.

    2017-11-01

    Natural convection gets a great attention for its importance in many thermal engineering applications, such as cooling of electronic components and devices, chemical vapor deposition systems and solar energy systems. In this work, a numerical investigation on steady state natural convection in a horizontal channel partially filled with a porous medium and heated at uniform heat flux from above is carried out. A three-dimensional model is realized and solved by means of the ANSYS-FLUENT code. The computational domain is made up of the principal channel and two lateral extended reservoirs at the open vertical sections. Furthermore, a porous plate is considered near the upper heated plate and the aluminium foam has different values of PPI. The numerical simulations are performed with working fluid air. Different values of assigned wall heat flux at top surface are considered and the configuration of the channel partially filled with metal foam is compared to the configuration without foam. Results are presented in terms of velocity and temperature fields, and both temperature and velocity profiles at different significant sections are shown. Results show that the use of metal foams, with low values of PPI, promotes the cooling of the heated wall and it causes a reduction of Nusselt Number values with high values of PPI.

  12. Visualization of Two Dimensional to Three Dimensional Transformations--Exploration through Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Costa, G. B.; Gorak, M.; Melendez, B. S.

    2006-01-01

    A small class of functions is described that easily lend themselves to two-dimensional and three-dimensional visualizations at the basic calculus level. The intended audience is those educators involved in the instruction of elementary calculus. This note is an educational piece that begins with the question: "What happens if a function defined on…

  13. Three-dimensional metamaterials

    DOEpatents

    Burckel, David Bruce [Albuquerque, NM

    2012-06-12

    A fabrication method is capable of creating canonical metamaterial structures arrayed in a three-dimensional geometry. The method uses a membrane suspended over a cavity with predefined pattern as a directional evaporation mask. Metallic and/or dielectric material can be evaporated at high vacuum through the patterned membrane to deposit resonator structures on the interior walls of the cavity, thereby providing a unit cell of micron-scale dimension. The method can produce volumetric metamaterial structures comprising layers of such unit cells of resonator structures.

  14. Zirconia toughened alumina ceramic foams for potential bone graft applications: fabrication, bioactivation, and cellular responses.

    PubMed

    He, X; Zhang, Y Z; Mansell, J P; Su, B

    2008-07-01

    Zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) has been regarded as the next generation orthopedic graft material due to its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Porous ZTA ceramics with good interconnectivity can potentially be used as bone grafts for load-bearing applications. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) interconnected porous ZTA ceramics were fabricated using a direct foaming method with egg white protein as binder and foaming agent. The results showed that the porous ZTA ceramics possessed a bimodal pore size distribution. Their mechanical properties were comparable to those of cancellous bone. Due to the bio-inertness of alumina and zirconia ceramics, surface bioactivation of the ZTA foams was carried out in order to improve their bioactivity. A simple NaOH soaking method was employed to change the surface chemistry of ZTA through hydroxylation. Treated samples were tested by conducting osteoblast-like cell culture in vitro. Improvement on cells response was observed and the strength of porous ZTA has not been deteriorated after the NaOH treatment. The porous 'bioactivated' ZTA ceramics produced here could be potentially used as non-degradable bone grafts for load-bearing applications.

  15. Subjective figure reversal in two- and three-dimensional perceptual space.

    PubMed

    Radilová, J; Radil-Weiss, T

    1984-08-01

    A permanently illuminated pattern of Mach's truncated pyramid can be perceived according to the experimental instruction given, either as a three-dimensional reversible figure with spontaneously changing convex and concave interpretation (in one experiment), or as a two-dimensional reversible figure-ground pattern (in another experiment). The reversal rate was about twice as slow, without the subjects being aware of it, if it was perceived as a three-dimensional figure compared to the situation when it was perceived as two-dimensional. It may be hypothetized that in the three-dimensional case, the process of perception requires more sequential steps than in the two-dimensional one.

  16. Infiltrated carbon foam composites

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lucas, Rick D. (Inventor); Danford, Harry E. (Inventor); Plucinski, Janusz W. (Inventor); Merriman, Douglas J. (Inventor); Blacker, Jesse M. (Inventor)

    2012-01-01

    An infiltrated carbon foam composite and method for making the composite is described. The infiltrated carbon foam composite may include a carbonized carbon aerogel in cells of a carbon foam body and a resin is infiltrated into the carbon foam body filling the cells of the carbon foam body and spaces around the carbonized carbon aerogel. The infiltrated carbon foam composites may be useful for mid-density ablative thermal protection systems.

  17. Optimizing random searches on three-dimensional lattices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Benhao; Yang, Shunkun; Zhang, Jiaquan; Li, Daqing

    2018-07-01

    Search is a universal behavior related to many types of intelligent individuals. While most studies have focused on search in two or infinite-dimensional space, it is still missing how search can be optimized in three-dimensional space. Here we study random searches on three-dimensional (3d) square lattices with periodic boundary conditions, and explore the optimal search strategy with a power-law step length distribution, p(l) ∼l-μ, known as Lévy flights. We find that compared to random searches on two-dimensional (2d) lattices, the optimal exponent μopt on 3d lattices is relatively smaller in non-destructive case and remains similar in destructive case. We also find μopt decreases as the lattice length in z direction increases under high target density. Our findings may help us to understand the role of spatial dimension in search behaviors.

  18. High-performance supercapacitor and lithium-ion battery based on 3D hierarchical NH4F-induced nickel cobaltate nanosheet-nanowire cluster arrays as self-supported electrodes.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yuejiao; Qu, Baihua; Hu, Lingling; Xu, Zhi; Li, Qiuhong; Wang, Taihong

    2013-10-21

    A facile hydrothermal method is developed for large-scale production of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical porous nickel cobaltate nanowire cluster arrays derived from nanosheet arrays with robust adhesion on Ni foam. Based on the morphology evolution upon reaction time, a possible formation process is proposed. The role of NH4F in formation of the structure has also been investigated based on different NH4F amounts. This unique structure significantly enhances the electroactive surface areas of the NiCo2O4 arrays, leading to better interfacial/chemical distributions at the nanoscale, fast ion and electron transfer and good strain accommodation. Thus, when it is used for supercapacitor testing, a specific capacitance of 1069 F g(-1) at a very high current density of 100 A g(-1) was obtained. Even after more than 10,000 cycles at various large current densities, a capacitance of 2000 F g(-1) at 10 A g(-1) with 93.8% retention can be achieved. It also exhibits a high-power density (26.1 kW kg(-1)) at a discharge current density of 80 A g(-1). When used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), it presents a high reversible capacity of 976 mA h g(-1) at a rate of 200 mA g(-1) with good cycling stability and rate capability. This array material is rarely used as an anode material. Our results show that this unique 3D hierarchical porous nickel cobaltite is promising for electrochemical energy applications.

  19. Energy-Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT): Lost Foam Thin Wall - Feasibility of Producing Lost Foam Castings in Aluminum and Magnesium Based Alloys

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

    Fasoyinu, Yemi; Griffin, John A.

    2014-03-31

    With the increased emphasis on vehicle weight reduction, production of near-net shape components by lost foam casting will make significant inroad into the next-generation of engineering component designs. The lost foam casting process is a cost effective method for producing complex castings using an expandable polystyrene pattern and un-bonded sand. The use of un-bonded molding media in the lost foam process will impose less constraint on the solidifying casting, making hot tearing less prevalent. This is especially true in Al-Mg and Al-Cu alloy systems that are prone to hot tearing when poured in rigid molds partially due to their longmore » freezing range. Some of the unique advantages of using the lost foam casting process are closer dimensional tolerance, higher casting yield, and the elimination of sand cores and binders. Most of the aluminum alloys poured using the lost foam process are based on the Al-Si system. Very limited research work has been performed with Al-Mg and Al-Cu type alloys. With the increased emphasis on vehicle weight reduction, and given the high-strength-to-weight-ratio of magnesium, significant weight savings can be achieved by casting thin-wall (≤ 3 mm) engineering components from both aluminum- and magnesium-base alloys.« less

  20. Geometric actions for three-dimensional gravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barnich, G.; González, H. A.; Salgado-Rebolledo, P.

    2018-01-01

    The solution space of three-dimensional asymptotically anti-de Sitter or flat Einstein gravity is given by the coadjoint representation of two copies of the Virasoro group in the former and the centrally extended BMS3 group in the latter case. Dynamical actions that control these solution spaces are usually constructed by starting from the Chern–Simons formulation and imposing all boundary conditions. In this note, an alternative route is followed. We study in detail how to derive these actions from a group-theoretical viewpoint by constructing geometric actions for each of the coadjoint orbits, including the appropriate Hamiltonians. We briefly sketch relevant generalizations and potential applications beyond three-dimensional gravity.

  1. Three-dimensional displays and stereo vision

    PubMed Central

    Westheimer, Gerald

    2011-01-01

    Procedures for three-dimensional image reconstruction that are based on the optical and neural apparatus of human stereoscopic vision have to be designed to work in conjunction with it. The principal methods of implementing stereo displays are described. Properties of the human visual system are outlined as they relate to depth discrimination capabilities and achieving optimal performance in stereo tasks. The concept of depth rendition is introduced to define the change in the parameters of three-dimensional configurations for cases in which the physical disposition of the stereo camera with respect to the viewed object differs from that of the observer's eyes. PMID:21490023

  2. Fast Response Shape Memory Effect Titanium Nickel (TiNi) Foam Torque Tubes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jardine, Peter

    2014-01-01

    Shape Change Technologies has developed a process to manufacture net-shaped TiNi foam torque tubes that demonstrate the shape memory effect. The torque tubes dramatically reduce response time by a factor of 10. This Phase II project matured the actuator technology by rigorously characterizing the process to optimize the quality of the TiNi and developing a set of metrics to provide ISO 9002 quality assurance. A laboratory virtual instrument engineering workbench (LabVIEW'TM')-based, real-time control of the torsional actuators was developed. These actuators were developed with The Boeing Company for aerospace applications.

  3. Hydrofocusing Bioreactor for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gonda, Steve R.; Spaulding, Glenn F.; Tsao, Yow-Min D.; Flechsig, Scott; Jones, Leslie; Soehnge, Holly

    2003-01-01

    The hydrodynamic focusing bioreactor (HFB) is a bioreactor system designed for three-dimensional cell culture and tissue-engineering investigations on orbiting spacecraft and in laboratories on Earth. The HFB offers a unique hydrofocusing capability that enables the creation of a low-shear culture environment simultaneously with the "herding" of suspended cells, tissue assemblies, and air bubbles. Under development for use in the Biotechnology Facility on the International Space Station, the HFB has successfully grown large three-dimensional, tissuelike assemblies from anchorage-dependent cells and grown suspension hybridoma cells to high densities. The HFB, based on the principle of hydrodynamic focusing, provides the capability to control the movement of air bubbles and removes them from the bioreactor without degrading the low-shear culture environment or the suspended three-dimensional tissue assemblies. The HFB also provides unparalleled control over the locations of cells and tissues within its bioreactor vessel during operation and sampling.

  4. Mechanical characterization of hybrid and functionally-graded aluminum open-cell foams with nanocrystalline-copper coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Yi

    absorption capacity. The behavior of Al/Cu hybrid foams under high-strain-rate condition was then investigated using experiments on a split Hopkinson pressure bar. It was found that the ED nano-copper coating can also effectively enhance the energy absorption capacities of aluminum open-cell foams under high strain rate. Similar to the quasi-static behavior, a large stress drop was observed in the compressive response of Al/Cu hybrid foams under high strain rate, which was accompanied by dramatic shattering of material. It is shown that a more ductile behavior and better energy absorption performance under high strain rate condition can be also obtained by introducing an annealing process. Finally, the manufacturing process of Al/Cu hybrid foams was customized to fabricate FGHMF systems with two dimensional property gradients. The performance of these FGHMFs at both quasi-static and dynamic conditions was evaluated. Under quasi-static condition, two flexural type loading conditions were considered, namely, a three point bending condition and a cantilever beam condition. The dynamic behavior of FGHMFs was investigated by conducting drop weight tower tests on a three point bending setup. It was found that the failure mechanism of hybrid metal foams can be modified and the mechanical properties, such as stiffness and strength, and energy absorption capacities of hybrid metal foams can be optimized under both quasi-static and dynamic conditions by introducing strategically designed coating patterns. The presented novel approach and findings in this study provide valuable information on the development of high performance hybrid and functionally-graded cellular materials.

  5. Calculation of three-dimensional compressible laminar and turbulent boundary layers. Calculation of three-dimensional compressible boundary layers on arbitrary wings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cebeci, T.; Kaups, K.; Ramsey, J.; Moser, A.

    1975-01-01

    A very general method for calculating compressible three-dimensional laminar and turbulent boundary layers on arbitrary wings is described. The method utilizes a nonorthogonal coordinate system for the boundary-layer calculations and includes a geometry package that represents the wing analytically. In the calculations all the geometric parameters of the coordinate system are accounted for. The Reynolds shear-stress terms are modeled by an eddy-viscosity formulation developed by Cebeci. The governing equations are solved by a very efficient two-point finite-difference method used earlier by Keller and Cebeci for two-dimensional flows and later by Cebeci for three-dimensional flows.

  6. Effects of addition of different carbon materials on the electrochemical performance of nickel hydroxide electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sierczynska, Agnieszka; Lota, Katarzyna; Lota, Grzegorz

    Nickel hydroxide is used as an active material in positive electrodes of rechargeable alkaline batteries. The capacity of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries depends on the specific capacity of the positive electrode and utilization of the active material because of the Ni(OH) 2/NiOOH electrode capacity limitation. The practical capacity of the positive nickel electrode depends on the efficiency of the conductive network connecting the Ni(OH) 2 particle with the current collector. As β-Ni(OH) 2 is a kind of semiconductor, the additives are necessary to improve the conductivity between the active material and the current collector. In this study the effect of adding different carbon materials (flake graphite, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT)) on the electrochemical performance of pasted nickel-foam electrode was established. A method of production of MWNT special type of catalysts had an influence on the performance of the nickel electrodes. The electrochemical tests showed that the electrode with added MWNT (110-170 nm diameter) exhibited better electrochemical properties in the chargeability, specific discharge capacity, active material utilization, discharge voltage and cycling stability. The nickel electrodes with MWNT addition (110-170 nm diameter) have exhibited a specific capacity close to 280 mAh g -1 of Ni(OH) 2, and the degree of active material utilization was ∼96%.

  7. Three-dimensionally patterned energy absorptive material and method of fabrication

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

    Duoss, Eric; Frank, James M.; Kuntz, Joshua

    A three-dimensionally patterned energy absorptive material and fabrication method having multiple layers of patterned filaments extrusion-formed from a curable pre-cursor material and stacked and cured in a three-dimensionally patterned architecture so that the energy absorptive material produced thereby has an engineered bulk property associated with the three-dimensionally patterned architecture.

  8. Three-phase foam analysis and development of a lab-scale foaming capacity and stability test for swine manure

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Foam accumulation on the manure slurry at deep pit swine facilities has been linked to flash fire incidents, making it a serious safety concern for pork producers. In order to investigate this phenomenon, samples of swine manure were collected from over 50 swine production facilities in Iowa with va...

  9. Materials Applications for Non-Lethal: Aqueous Foams

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

    GOOLSBY,TOMMY D.; SCOTT,STEVEN H.

    High expansion aqueous foam is an aggregation of bubbles that has the appearance of soap suds and is used to isolate individuals both visually and acoustically. It was developed in the 1920's in England to fight coal mine fires and has been widely used since for fire fighting and dust suppression. It was developed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in the 1970's for nuclear safeguards and security applications. In the mid-1990s, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research arm of the Department of Justice, began a project with SNL to determine the applicability of high expansion aqueous foam formore » correctional applications. NIJ funded the project as part of its search for new and better less-than-lethal weapons for responding to violent and dangerous individuals, where other means of force could lead to serious injuries. The phase one objectives of the project were to select a low-to-no toxicity foam concentrate (foaming agent) with physical characteristics suited for use in a single cell or large prison disturbances, and to determine if the selected foam concentrate could serve as a carrier for Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) irritant. The phase two objectives were to conduct an extensive toxicology review of the selected foam concentrate and OC irritant, and to conduct respiration simulation experiments in the selected high expansion aqueous foam. The phase three objectives were to build a prototype individual cell aqueous foam system and to study the feasibility of aqueous foams for large prison facility disturbances. The phase four and five objectives were to use the prototype system to do large scale foam physical characteristics testing of the selected foam concentrate, and to have the prototype single cell system further evaluated by correctional representatives. Prison rather than street scenarios were evaluated as the first and most likely place for using the aqueous foam since prisons have recurrent incidents where officers and inmates might be

  10. Multifunctional, three-dimensional tomography for analysis of eletrectrohydrodynamic jetting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Xuan Hung; Gim, Yeonghyeon; Ko, Han Seo

    2015-05-01

    A three-dimensional optical tomography technique was developed to reconstruct three-dimensional objects using a set of two-dimensional shadowgraphic images and normal gray images. From three high-speed cameras, which were positioned at an offset angle of 45° between each other, number, size, and location of electrohydrodynamic jets with respect to the nozzle position were analyzed using shadowgraphic tomography employing multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (MART). Additionally, a flow field inside a cone-shaped liquid (Taylor cone) induced under an electric field was observed using a simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction technique (SMART), a tomographic method for reconstructing light intensities of particles, combined with three-dimensional cross-correlation. Various velocity fields of circulating flows inside the cone-shaped liquid caused by various physico-chemical properties of liquid were also investigated.

  11. Closed-cell crystalline foams: self-assembling, resonant metamaterials.

    PubMed

    Spadoni, Alessandro; Höhler, Reinhard; Cohen-Addad, Sylvie; Dorodnitsyn, Vladimir

    2014-04-01

    Internal degrees of freedom and periodic structure are critical requirements in the design of acoustic/elastic metamaterials since they can give rise to extraordinary properties like negative effective mass and stiffness. However, they are challenging to realize in three dimensions. Closed-cell, crystalline foams are a particularly advantageous basis to develop metamaterials as they intrinsically have a complex microstructure, exhibiting internal resonances. Recently self-assembly techniques have been implemented to produce such foams: a Kelvin (body centered cubic) foam, a face centered cubic foam, and a Weaire-Phelan structure. Numerical models are employed to demonstrate that such foams are superanisotropic, selectively behaving as a fluid or a solid, pentamode solids as a result of fluid-structure interaction, in addition to having regimes characterized by film resonances and high density of states. Microstructural deformations obtained from numerical models allow the derivation of equivalent mechanical models.

  12. Three-dimensional computational aerodynamics in the 1980's

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lomax, H.

    1978-01-01

    The future requirements for constructing codes that can be used to compute three-dimensional flows about aerodynamic shapes should be assessed in light of the constraints imposed by future computer architectures and the reality of usable algorithms that can provide practical three-dimensional simulations. On the hardware side, vector processing is inevitable in order to meet the CPU speeds required. To cope with three-dimensional geometries, massive data bases with fetch/store conflicts and transposition problems are inevitable. On the software side, codes must be prepared that: (1) can be adapted to complex geometries, (2) can (at the very least) predict the location of laminar and turbulent boundary layer separation, and (3) will converge rapidly to sufficiently accurate solutions.

  13. A panning DLT procedure for three-dimensional videography.

    PubMed

    Yu, B; Koh, T J; Hay, J G

    1993-06-01

    The direct linear transformation (DLT) method [Abdel-Aziz and Karara, APS Symposium on Photogrammetry. American Society of Photogrammetry, Falls Church, VA (1971)] is widely used in biomechanics to obtain three-dimensional space coordinates from film and video records. This method has some major shortcomings when used to analyze events which take place over large areas. To overcome these shortcomings, a three-dimensional data collection method based on the DLT method, and making use of panning cameras, was developed. Several small single control volumes were combined to construct a large total control volume. For each single control volume, a regression equation (calibration equation) is developed to express each of the 11 DLT parameters as a function of camera orientation, so that the DLT parameters can then be estimated from arbitrary camera orientations. Once the DLT parameters are known for at least two cameras, and the associated two-dimensional film or video coordinates of the event are obtained, the desired three-dimensional space coordinates can be computed. In a laboratory test, five single control volumes (in a total control volume of 24.40 x 2.44 x 2.44 m3) were used to test the effect of the position of the single control volume on the accuracy of the computed three dimensional space coordinates. Linear and quadratic calibration equations were used to test the effect of the order of the equation on the accuracy of the computed three dimensional space coordinates. For four of the five single control volumes tested, the mean resultant errors associated with the use of the linear calibration equation were significantly larger than those associated with the use of the quadratic calibration equation. The position of the single control volume had no significant effect on the mean resultant errors in computed three dimensional coordinates when the quadratic calibration equation was used. Under the same data collection conditions, the mean resultant errors in

  14. 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.

  15. Hydrodynamics of wet foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Langevin, Dominique; Saint-Jalmes, Arnaud; Marze, Sébastien; Cox, Simon; Hutzler, Stefan; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Weaire, Denis; Caps, Hervé; Vandewalle, Nicolas; Adler, Micheàle; Pitois, Olivier; Rouyer, Florence; Cohen-Addad, Sylvie; Höhler, Reinhard; Ritacco, Hernan

    2005-10-01

    Foams and foaming pose important questions and problems to the chemical industry. As a material, foam is unusual in being a desired product while also being an unwanted byproduct within industry. Liquid foams are an essential part of gas/liquid contacting processes such as distillation and absorption, but over-production of foam in these processes can lead to downtime and loss of efficiency. Solid polymeric foams, such as polystyrene and polyurethane, find applications as insulation panels in the construction industry. Their combination of low weight and unique elastic/plastic properties make them ideal as packing and cushioning materials. Foams made with proteins are extensively used in the food industry. Despite the fact that foam science is a rapidly maturing field, critical aspects of foam physics and chemistry remain unclear. Several gaps in knowledge were identified to be tackled as the core of this MAP project. In addition, microgravity affords conditions for extending our understanding far beyond the possibilities offered by ground-based investigation. This MAP project addresses the challenges posed by the physics of foams under microgravity.

  16. Rapid Plateau border size variations expected in three simple experiments on 2D liquid foams.

    PubMed

    Gay, C; Rognon, P; Reinelt, D; Molino, F

    2011-01-01

    Up to a global scaling, the geometry of foams squeezed between two solid plates (2D GG foams) essentially depends on two independent parameters: the liquid volume fraction and the degree of squeezing (bubble thickness to diameter ratio). We describe it in two main asymptotic regimes: fully dry floor tiles, where the Plateau border radius is smaller than the distance between the solid plates, and dry pancakes, where it is larger. We predict a rapid variation of the Plateau border radius in one part of the pancake regime, namely when the Plateau border radius is larger than the inter-plate distance but smaller than the geometric mean of that distance and the bubble perimeter. This rapid variation is not related to any topological change in the foam: in all the regimes we consider, the bubbles remain in mutual lateral contact through films located at mid-height between both plates. We provide asymptotic predictions in different types of experiments on such 2D GG foams: when foam is being progressively dried or wetted, when it is being squeezed further or stretched, when it coarsens through film breakage or through inter-bubble gas diffusion. Our analysis is restricted to configurations close to equilibrium, as we do not include stresses resulting from bulk viscous flow or from non-homogeneous surfactant concentrations. We also assume that the inter-plate distance is sufficiently small for gravity to be negligible. The present work does not provide a method for measuring small Plateau border radii experimentally, but it indicates that large (and easily observable) Plateau borders should appear or disappear rather suddenly in some types of experiments with small inter-plate gaps. It also gives expected orders of magnitude that should be helpful for designing experiments on 2D GG foams.

  17. Resonance fluorescence based two- and three-dimensional atom localization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahab, Abdul; Rahmatullah; Qamar, Sajid

    2016-06-01

    Two- and three-dimensional atom localization in a two-level atom-field system via resonance fluorescence is suggested. For the two-dimensional localization, the atom interacts with two orthogonal standing-wave fields, whereas for the three-dimensional atom localization, the atom interacts with three orthogonal standing-wave fields. The effect of the detuning and phase shifts associated with the corresponding standing-wave fields is investigated. A precision enhancement in position measurement of the single atom can be noticed via the control of the detuning and phase shifts.

  18. Failure Maps for Rectangular 17-4PH Stainless Steel Sandwiched Foam Panels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raj, S. V.; Ghosn, L. J.

    2007-01-01

    A new and innovative concept is proposed for designing lightweight fan blades for aircraft engines using commercially available 17-4PH precipitation hardened stainless steel. Rotating fan blades in aircraft engines experience a complex loading state consisting of combinations of centrifugal, distributed pressure and torsional loads. Theoretical failure plastic collapse maps, showing plots of the foam relative density versus face sheet thickness, t, normalized by the fan blade span length, L, have been generated for rectangular 17-4PH sandwiched foam panels under these three loading modes assuming three failure plastic collapse modes. These maps show that the 17-4PH sandwiched foam panels can fail by either the yielding of the face sheets, yielding of the foam core or wrinkling of the face sheets depending on foam relative density, the magnitude of t/L and the loading mode. The design envelop of a generic fan blade is superimposed on the maps to provide valuable insights on the probable failure modes in a sandwiched foam fan blade.

  19. Bacteria-Affinity 3D Macroporous Graphene/MWCNTs/Fe3O4 Foams for High-Performance Microbial Fuel Cells.

    PubMed

    Song, Rong-Bin; Zhao, Cui-E; Jiang, Li-Ping; Abdel-Halim, Essam Sayed; Zhang, Jian-Rong; Zhu, Jun-Jie

    2016-06-29

    Promoting the performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) relies heavily on the structure design and composition tailoring of electrode materials. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene foams incorporated with intercalated spacer of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and bacterial anchor of Fe3O4 nanospheres (named as G/MWCNTs/Fe3O4 foams) were first synthesized and used as anodes for Shewanella-inoculated microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Thanks to the macroporous structure of 3D graphene foams, the expanded electrode surface by MWCNTs spacing, as well as the high affinity of Fe3O4 nanospheres toward Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, the anode exhibited high bacterial loading capability. In addition to spacing graphene nanosheets for accommodating bacterial cells, MWCNTs paved a smoother way for electron transport in the electrode substrate of MFCs. Meanwhile, the embedded bioaffinity Fe3O4 nanospheres capable of preserving the bacterial metabolic activity provided guarantee for the long-term durability of the MFCs. With these merits, the constructed MFC possessed significantly higher power output and stronger stability than that with conventional graphite rod anode.

  20. Effect of convection on osteoblastic cell growth and function in biodegradable polymer foam scaffolds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldstein, A. S.; Juarez, T. M.; Helmke, C. D.; Gustin, M. C.; Mikos, A. G.; McIntire, L. V. (Principal Investigator)

    2001-01-01

    Culture of seeded osteoblastic cells in three-dimensional osteoconductive scaffolds in vitro is a promising approach to produce an osteoinductive material for repair of bone defects. However, culture of cells in scaffolds sufficiently large to bridge critical-sized defects is a challenge for tissue engineers. Diffusion may not be sufficient to supply nutrients into large scaffolds and consequently cells may grow preferentially at the periphery under static culture conditions. Three alternative culturing schemes that convect media were considered: a spinner flask, a rotary vessel, and a perfusion flow system. Poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) foam discs (12.7 mm diameter, 6.0 mm thick, 78.8% porous) were seeded with osteoblastic marrow stromal cells and cultured in the presence of dexamethasone and L-ascorbic acid for 7 and 14 days. Cell numbers per foam were found to be similar with all culturing schemes indicating that cell growth could not be enhanced by convection, but histological analysis indicated that the rotary vessel and flow system produced a more uniform distribution of cells throughout the foams. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity per cell was higher with culture in the flow system and spinner flask after 7 days, while no differences in osteocalcin (OC) activity per cell were observed among culturing methods after 14 days in culture. Based on the higher ALP activity and better cell uniformity throughout the cultured foams, the flow system appears to be the superior culturing method, although equally important is the fact that in none of the tests did any of the alternative culturing techniques underperform the static controls. Thus, this study demonstrates that culturing techniques that utilize fluid flow, and in particular the flow perfusion system, improve the properties of the seeded cells over those maintained in static culture.

  1. Modeling Manufacturing Impacts on Aging and Reliability of Polyurethane Foams

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

    Rao, Rekha R.; Roberts, Christine Cardinal; Mondy, Lisa Ann

    Polyurethane is a complex multiphase material that evolves from a viscous liquid to a system of percolating bubbles, which are created via a CO2 generating reaction. The continuous phase polymerizes to a solid during the foaming process generating heat. Foams introduced into a mold increase their volume up to tenfold, and the dynamics of the expansion process may lead to voids and will produce gradients in density and degree of polymerization. These inhomogeneities can lead to structural stability issues upon aging. For instance, structural components in weapon systems have been shown to change shape as they age depending on theirmore » molding history, which can threaten critical tolerances. The purpose of this project is to develop a Cradle-to-Grave multiphysics model, which allows us to predict the material properties of foam from its birth through aging in the stockpile, where its dimensional stability is important.« less

  2. Three-dimensional friction measurement during hip simulation.

    PubMed

    Sonntag, Robert; Braun, Steffen; Al-Salehi, Loay; Reinders, Joern; Mueller, Ulrike; Kretzer, J Philippe

    2017-01-01

    Wear of total hip replacements has been the focus of many studies. However, frictional effects, such as high loading on intramodular connections or the interface to the bone, as well as friction associated squeaking have recently increased interest about the amount of friction that is generated during daily activities. The aim of this study was thus to establish and validate a three-dimensional friction setup under standardized conditions. A standard hip simulator was modified to allow for high precision measurements of small frictional effects in the hip during three-dimensional hip articulation. The setup was verified by an ideal hydrostatic bearing and validated with a static-load physical pendulum and an extension-flexion rotation with a dynamic load profile. Additionally, a pendulum model was proposed for screening measurement of frictional effects based on the damping behavior of the angular oscillation without the need for any force/moment transducer. Finally, three-dimensional friction measurements have been realized for ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings of three different sizes (28, 36 and 40 mm). A precision of less than 0.2 Nm during three-dimensional friction measurements was reported, while increased frictional torque (resultant as well as taper torque) was measured for larger head diameters. These effects have been confirmed by simple pendulum tests and the theoretical model. A comparison with current literature about friction measurements is presented. This investigation of friction is able to provide more information about a field that has been dominated by the reduction of wear. It should be considered in future pre-clinical testing protocols given by international organizations of standardization.

  3. Three-dimensional cell to tissue development process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goodwin, Thomas J. (Inventor); Parker, Clayton R. (Inventor)

    2008-01-01

    An improved three-dimensional cell to tissue development process using a specific time varying electromagnetic force, pulsed, square wave, with minimum fluid shear stress, freedom for 3-dimensional spatial orientation of the suspended particles and localization of particles with differing or similar sedimentation properties in a similar spatial region.

  4. Real time three dimensional sensing system

    DOEpatents

    Gordon, Steven J.

    1996-01-01

    The invention is a three dimensional sensing system which utilizes two flexibly located cameras for receiving and recording visual information with respect to a sensed object illuminated by a series of light planes. Each pixel of each image is converted to a digital word and the words are grouped into stripes, each stripe comprising contiguous pixels. One pixel of each stripe in one image is selected and an epi-polar line of that point is drawn in the other image. The three dimensional coordinate of each selected point is determined by determining the point on said epi-polar line which also lies on a stripe in the second image and which is closest to a known light plane.

  5. Development of steel foam processing methods and characterization of metal foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Chanman

    2000-10-01

    Steel foam was synthesized by a powder metallurgical route, resulting in densities less than half that of steel. Process parameters for foam synthesis were investigated, and two standard powder formulations were selected consisting of Fe-2.5% C and 0.2 wt% foaming agent (either MgCO3 or SrCO3). Compression tests were performed on annealed and pre-annealed foam samples of different density to determine mechanical response and energy absorption behavior. The stress-strain response was strongly affected by annealing, which reduced the carbon content and converted much of the pearlitic structure to ferrite. Different powder blending methods and melting times were employed and the effects on the geometric structure of steel foam were examined. Dispersion of the foaming agent affected the pore size distribution of the expanded foams. With increasing melt time, pores coalesced, leading to the eventual collapse of the foam. Inserting interlayer membranes in the powder compacts inhibited coalescence of pores and produced foams with more uniform cell size and distribution. The closed-cell foam samples exhibited anisotropy in compression, a phenomenon that was caused primarily by the ellipsoidal cell shapes within the foam. Yield strengths were 3x higher in the transverse direction than in the longitudinal direction. Yield strength also showed a power-law dependence on relative density (n ≅ 1.8). Compressive strain was highly localized and occurred in discrete bands that extended transverse to the loading direction. The yield strength of foam samples showed stronger strain rate dependence at higher strain rates. The increased strain rate dependence was attributed to microinertial hardening. Energy absorption was also observed to increase with strain rate. Measurements of cell wall curvature showed that an increased mean curvature correlated with a reduced yield strength, and foam strengths generally fell below predictions of Gibson-Ashby theory. Morphological defects

  6. Three-dimensional structural analysis using interactive graphics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Biffle, J.; Sumlin, H. A.

    1975-01-01

    The application of computer interactive graphics to three-dimensional structural analysis was described, with emphasis on the following aspects: (1) structural analysis, and (2) generation and checking of input data and examination of the large volume of output data (stresses, displacements, velocities, accelerations). Handling of three-dimensional input processing with a special MESH3D computer program was explained. Similarly, a special code PLTZ may be used to perform all the needed tasks for output processing from a finite element code. Examples were illustrated.

  7. Three-dimensional imaging of the craniofacial complex.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Can X.; Nissanov, Jonathan; Öztürk, Cengizhan; Nuveen, Michiel J.; Tuncay, Orhan C.

    2000-02-01

    Orthodontic treatment requires the rearrangement of craniofacial complex elements in three planes of space, but oddly the diagnosis is done with two-dimensional images. Here we report on a three-dimensional (3D) imaging system that employs the stereoimaging method of structured light to capture the facial image. The images can be subsequently integrated with 3D cephalometric tracings derived from lateral and PA films (www.clinorthodres.com/cor-c-070). The accuracy of the reconstruction obtained with this inexpensive system is about 400 µ.

  8. Starch/fiber/poly(lactic acid) foam and compressed foam composites

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Composites of starch, fiber, and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were made using a foam substrate formed by dehydrating starch or starch/fiber gels. PLA was infiltrated into the dry foam to provide better moisture resistance. Foam composites were compressed into plastics using force ranging from 4-76MPa. Te...

  9. Biodegradability of fluorinated fire-fighting foams in water.

    PubMed

    Bourgeois, A; Bergendahl, J; Rangwala, A

    2015-07-01

    Fluorinated fire-fighting foams may be released into the environment during fire-fighting activities, raising concerns due to the potential environmental and health impacts for some fluorinated organics. The current study investigated (1) the biodegradability of three fluorinated fire-fighting foams, and (2) the applicability of current standard measures used to assess biodegradability of fluorinated fire-fighting foams. The biodegradability of three fluorinated fire-fighting foams was evaluated using a 28-day dissolved organic carbon (DOC) Die-Away Test. It was found that all three materials, diluted in water, achieved 77-96% biodegradability, meeting the criteria for "ready biodegradability". Defluorination of the fluorinated organics in the foam during biodegradation was measured using ion chromatography. It was found that the fluorine liberated was 1-2 orders of magnitude less than the estimated initial amount, indicating incomplete degradation of fluorinated organics, and incomplete CF bond breakage. Published biodegradability data may utilize biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC) metrics to quantify organics. COD and TOC of four fluorinated compounds were measured and compared to the calculated carbon content or theoretical oxygen demand. It was found that the standard dichromate-based COD test did not provide an accurate measure of fluorinated organic content. Thus published biodegradability data using COD for fluorinated organics quantification must be critically evaluated for validity. The TOC measurements correlated to an average of 91% of carbon content for the four fluorinated test substances, and TOC is recommended for use as an analytical parameter in fluorinated organics biodegradability tests. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Active control of transmission loss with smart foams.

    PubMed

    Kundu, Abhishek; Berry, Alain

    2011-02-01

    Smart foams combine the complimentary advantages of passive foam material and spatially distributed piezoelectric actuator embedded in it for active noise control applications. In this paper, the problem of improving the transmission loss of smart foams using active control strategies has been investigated both numerically and experimentally inside a waveguide under the condition of plane wave propagation. The finite element simulation of a coupled noise control system has been undertaken with three different smart foam designs and their effectiveness in cancelling the transmitted wave downstream of the smart foam have been studied. The simulation results provide insight into the physical phenomenon of active noise cancellation and explain the impact of the smart foam designs on the optimal active control results. Experimental studies aimed at implementing the real-time control for transmission loss optimization have been performed using the classical single input/single output filtered-reference least mean squares algorithm. The active control results with broadband and single frequency primary source inputs demonstrate a good improvement in the transmission loss of the smart foams. The study gives a comparative description of the transmission and absorption control problems in light of the modification of the vibration response of the piezoelectric actuator under active control.

  11. Foams and antifoams.

    PubMed

    Karakashev, Stoyan I; Grozdanova, Michaela V

    2012-01-01

    Foams and antifoams are two entities with completely different natures. For example, the foams are structures of bubbles in contact, while the antifoams are emulsions containing hydrophobic particles. The interaction between them makes the foam decay faster and in the same time exhausts the antifoam. The mechanism of such an effect is complex of many phenomena taking place in the foam. Thus the antifoams are known as powerful foam suppressors. For these reasons, they are very important from fundamental and practical viewpoints. This paper summarizes the knowledge on antifoams since their very creation till nowadays. In this regard, the review discloses the scientific interpretations on antifoams in chronological order in accord with the literature. Thus, for example it begins with description of the first antifoams (oils) from the 1940s and the pioneering studies of S. Ross and his group. The first physical methods for studying antifoams were presented along with the concepts of spreading and entering coefficients of oils (W. Harkins, 1941, J. Robinson and W. Woods, 1948). The further development of the antifoams (oils+hydrophobic particles) was described by means of the works of R. Kulkarni et al., A. Dippenaar and P. Garrett in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. The theoretical models on the antifoam performance of R. Pelton and P. Garrett, developed in 1980s and 1990s, were presented and analyzed as well in regard with their limits of applicability. Substantial advance on the experimental techniques for studying antifoams has been achieved by introducing different variants of the film trapping technique (FTT) developed by D. Wasan et al., I. Ivanov et al. and T. Tamura et al. in the middle and the late 1990s. An assessment of these techniques was carried out in regard with their capacity for detailed studying the antifoam action within the thin liquid films. Finally, the latest knowledge on the antifoams was achieved due to N. Denkov and his group, who

  12. Three-dimensional nano-biointerface as a new platform for guiding cell fate.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xueli; Wang, Shutao

    2014-04-21

    Three-dimensional nano-biointerface has been emerging as an important topic for chemistry, nanotechnology, and life sciences in recent years. Understanding the exchanges of materials, signals, and energy at biological interfaces has inspired and helped the serial design of three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces. The intimate interactions between cells and nanostructures bring many novel properties, making three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces a powerful platform to guide cell fate in a controllable and accurate way. These advantages and capabilities endow three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces with an indispensable role in developing advanced biological science and technology. This tutorial review is mainly focused on the recent progress of three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces and highlights the new explorations and unique phenomena of three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces for cell-related fundamental studies and biomedical applications. Some basic bio-inspired principles for the design and creation of three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces are also delivered in this review. Current and further challenges of three-dimensional nano-biointerfaces are finally addressed and proposed.

  13. Three-dimensional separation for interaction of shock waves with turbulent boundary layers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Goldberg, T. J.

    1973-01-01

    For the interaction of shock waves with turbulent boundary layers, obtained experimental three-dimensional separation results and correlations with earlier two-dimensional and three-dimensional data are presented. It is shown that separation occurs much earlier for turbulent three-dimensional than for two-dimensional flow at hypersonic speeds.

  14. The effect of nanoparticle aggregation on surfactant foam stability.

    PubMed

    AlYousef, Zuhair A; Almobarky, Mohammed A; Schechter, David S

    2018-02-01

    The combination of nanoparticles (NPs) and surfactant may offer a novel technique of generating stronger foams for gas mobility control. This study evaluates the potential of silica NPs to enhance the foam stability of three nonionic surfactants. Results showed that the concentration of surfactant and NPs is a crucial parameter for foam stability and that there is certain concentrations for strong foam generation. A balance in concentration between the nonionic surfactants and the NPs can enhance the foam stability as a result of forming flocs in solutions. At fixed surfactant concentration, the addition of NPs at low to intermediate concentrations can produce a more stable foam compared to the surfactant. The production of small population of flocs as a result of mixing the surfactant and NPs can enhance the foam stability by providing a barrier between the gas bubbles and delaying the coalescence of bubbles. Moreover, these flocs can increase the solution viscosity and, therefore, slow the drainage rate of thin aqueous film (lamellae). The measurements of foam half-life, bubble size, and mobility tests confirmed this conclusion. However, the addition of more solid particles or surfactant might have a negative impact on foam stability and reduce the maximum capillary pressure of coalescence as a result of forming extensive aggregates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Three dimensional contact/impact methodology

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

    Kulak, R.F.

    1987-01-01

    The simulation of three-dimensional interface mechanics between reactor components and structures during static contact or dynamic impact is necessary to realistically evaluate their structural integrity to off-normal loads. In our studies of postulated core energy release events, we have found that significant structure-structure interactions occur in some reactor vessel head closure designs and that fluid-structure interactions occur within the reactor vessel. Other examples in which three-dimensional interface mechanics play an important role are: (1) impact response of shipping casks containing spent fuel, (2) whipping pipe impact on reinforced concrete panels or pipe-to-pipe impact after a pipe break, (3) aircraft crashmore » on secondary containment structures, (4) missiles generated by turbine failures or tornados, and (5) drops of heavy components due to lifting accidents. The above is a partial list of reactor safety problems that require adequate treatment of interface mechanics and are discussed in this paper.« less

  16. Two component-three dimensional catalysis

    DOEpatents

    Schwartz, Michael; White, James H.; Sammells, Anthony F.

    2002-01-01

    This invention relates to catalytic reactor membranes having a gas-impermeable membrane for transport of oxygen anions. The membrane has an oxidation surface and a reduction surface. The membrane is coated on its oxidation surface with an adherent catalyst layer and is optionally coated on its reduction surface with a catalyst that promotes reduction of an oxygen-containing species (e.g., O.sub.2, NO.sub.2, SO.sub.2, etc.) to generate oxygen anions on the membrane. The reactor has an oxidation zone and a reduction zone separated by the membrane. A component of an oxygen containing gas in the reduction zone is reduced at the membrane and a reduced species in a reactant gas in the oxidation zone of the reactor is oxidized. The reactor optionally contains a three-dimensional catalyst in the oxidation zone. The adherent catalyst layer and the three-dimensional catalyst are selected to promote a desired oxidation reaction, particularly a partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon.

  17. Nanowired three-dimensional cardiac patches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dvir, Tal; Timko, Brian P.; Brigham, Mark D.; Naik, Shreesh R.; Karajanagi, Sandeep S.; Levy, Oren; Jin, Hongwei; Parker, Kevin K.; Langer, Robert; Kohane, Daniel S.

    2011-11-01

    Engineered cardiac patches for treating damaged heart tissues after a heart attack are normally produced by seeding heart cells within three-dimensional porous biomaterial scaffolds. These biomaterials, which are usually made of either biological polymers such as alginate or synthetic polymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA), help cells organize into functioning tissues, but poor conductivity of these materials limits the ability of the patch to contract strongly as a unit. Here, we show that incorporating gold nanowires within alginate scaffolds can bridge the electrically resistant pore walls of alginate and improve electrical communication between adjacent cardiac cells. Tissues grown on these composite matrices were thicker and better aligned than those grown on pristine alginate and when electrically stimulated, the cells in these tissues contracted synchronously. Furthermore, higher levels of the proteins involved in muscle contraction and electrical coupling are detected in the composite matrices. It is expected that the integration of conducting nanowires within three-dimensional scaffolds may improve the therapeutic value of current cardiac patches.

  18. Multifunctional foaming agent to prepare aluminum foam with enhanced mechanical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xun; Liu, Ying; Ye, Jinwen; An, Xuguang; Ran, Huaying

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, CuSO4 was used as foaming agent to prepare close cell Aluminum foam(Al foam) at the temperature range of 680 °C ∼ 758 °C for the first time. The results show that CuSO4 has multifunctional such as, foaming, viscosity increasing, reinforcement in Al matrix, it has a wide decomposition temperature range of 641 °C ∼ 816 °C, its sustain-release time is 5.5 min at 758 °C. The compression stress and energy absorption of CuSO4-Al foam is 6.89 Mpa and 4.82 × 106 J m‑3(compression strain 50%), which are 77.12% and 99.17% higher than that of TiH2-Al foam at the same porosity(76% in porosity) due to the reinforcement in Al matrix and uniform pore dispersion.

  19. Three-dimensional organization of dermal fibroblasts by macromass culture.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Manisha

    2008-01-01

    The three-dimensional organization of cells by high-cell-seeding-density culture, termed 'macromass culture', is described. By macromass culture, dermal fibroblasts can be made to organize themselves into a unified three-dimensional form without the aid of a scaffold, and macroscopic constructs, named macromasses, can be made wholly from cells. The sole factor causing three-dimensional organization is culture of cells at high cell seeding density per unit area. No scaffold or extraneous matrix is used for the generation of macromasses; they are of completely cellular origin. No other agents or external influences such as tissue-inducing chemicals, tissue-inducing growth factors, substratum with special properties, rotational culture, centrifugation etc. are employed for macromass formation, and all seeded cells become part of the cohesive construct. These three-dimensional constructs have the potential for use as in vitro tissue analogues, and a possible application for in vitro cytotoxicity testing is demonstrated.

  20. Three-dimensional mapping in the electrophysiological laboratory.

    PubMed

    Maury, Philippe; Monteil, Benjamin; Marty, Lilian; Duparc, Alexandre; Mondoly, Pierre; Rollin, Anne

    2018-06-07

    Investigation and catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias are currently still based on optimal knowledge of arrhythmia mechanisms in relation to the cardiac anatomy involved, in order to target their crucial components. Currently, most complex arrhythmias are investigated using three-dimensional electroanatomical navigation systems, because these are felt to optimally integrate both the anatomical and electrophysiological features of a given arrhythmia in a given patient. In this article, we review the technical background of available three-dimensional electroanatomical navigation systems, and their potential use in complex ablations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  1. Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Ultrasound of Artificial Skin.

    PubMed

    Wortsman, Ximena; Navarrete, Nelson

    2017-01-01

    Wound healing may be a difficult problem, and variable types of artificial skin prototypes have been developed for supporting this process. Using ultrasound, we studied 4 cellulose-derived artificial skin prototypes and assessed their two-dimensional and three-dimensional morphology. These prototypes were identified on ultrasound both on in vitro and in vivo studies. They allowed the sonographic observation of deeper layers on different types of surfaces of the body with good definition on the in vivo examinations performed on healthy skin and cutaneous ulcers. The ultrasound detection of these artificial biomaterials may potentially support the noninvasive monitoring of wound healing. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  2. Three-dimensional scene reconstruction from a two-dimensional image

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parkins, Franz; Jacobs, Eddie

    2017-05-01

    We propose and simulate a method of reconstructing a three-dimensional scene from a two-dimensional image for developing and augmenting world models for autonomous navigation. This is an extension of the Perspective-n-Point (PnP) method which uses a sampling of the 3D scene, 2D image point parings, and Random Sampling Consensus (RANSAC) to infer the pose of the object and produce a 3D mesh of the original scene. Using object recognition and segmentation, we simulate the implementation on a scene of 3D objects with an eye to implementation on embeddable hardware. The final solution will be deployed on the NVIDIA Tegra platform.

  3. Three-dimensional motor schema based navigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arkin, Ronald C.

    1989-01-01

    Reactive schema-based navigation is possible in space domains by extending the methods developed for ground-based navigation found within the Autonomous Robot Architecture (AuRA). Reformulation of two dimensional motor schemas for three dimensional applications is a straightforward process. The manifold advantages of schema-based control persist, including modular development, amenability to distributed processing, and responsiveness to environmental sensing. Simulation results show the feasibility of this methodology for space docking operations in a cluttered work area.

  4. Viscoelastic foam cushion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kubokawa, C. C.; Yost, C.

    1977-01-01

    Foam is viscous and elastic with unusual and useful temperature, humidity, and compression responses. Applied weight and pressure distributed equally along entire interface with foam eliminates any pressure points. Flexible urethane foam is ideal for orthopedic and prosthetic devices, sports equipment, furniture, and crash protection.

  5. Three-dimensional friction measurement during hip simulation

    PubMed Central

    Braun, Steffen; Al-Salehi, Loay; Reinders, Joern; Mueller, Ulrike; Kretzer, J. Philippe

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Wear of total hip replacements has been the focus of many studies. However, frictional effects, such as high loading on intramodular connections or the interface to the bone, as well as friction associated squeaking have recently increased interest about the amount of friction that is generated during daily activities. The aim of this study was thus to establish and validate a three-dimensional friction setup under standardized conditions. Materials and methods A standard hip simulator was modified to allow for high precision measurements of small frictional effects in the hip during three-dimensional hip articulation. The setup was verified by an ideal hydrostatic bearing and validated with a static-load physical pendulum and an extension-flexion rotation with a dynamic load profile. Additionally, a pendulum model was proposed for screening measurement of frictional effects based on the damping behavior of the angular oscillation without the need for any force/moment transducer. Finally, three-dimensional friction measurements have been realized for ceramic-on-polyethylene bearings of three different sizes (28, 36 and 40 mm). Results A precision of less than 0.2 Nm during three-dimensional friction measurements was reported, while increased frictional torque (resultant as well as taper torque) was measured for larger head diameters. These effects have been confirmed by simple pendulum tests and the theoretical model. A comparison with current literature about friction measurements is presented. Conclusions This investigation of friction is able to provide more information about a field that has been dominated by the reduction of wear. It should be considered in future pre-clinical testing protocols given by international organizations of standardization. PMID:28886102

  6. Experimental study of a smart foam sound absorber.

    PubMed

    Leroy, Pierre; Berry, Alain; Herzog, Philippe; Atalla, Noureddine

    2011-01-01

    This article presents the experimental implementation and results of a hybrid passive/active absorber (smart foam) made up from the combination of a passive absorbent (foam) and a curved polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film actuator bonded to the rear surface of the foam. Various smart foam prototypes were built and tested in active absorption experiments conducted in an impedance tube under plane wave propagation condition at frequencies between 100 and 1500 Hz. Three control cases were tested. The first case used a fixed controller derived in the frequency domain from estimations of the primary disturbance at a directive microphone position in the tube and the transfer function between the control PVDF and the directive microphone. The two other cases used an adaptive time-domain feedforward controller to absorb either a single-frequency incident wave or a broadband incident wave. The non-linearity of the smart foams and the causality constraint were identified to be important factors influencing active control performance. The effectiveness of the various smart foam prototypes is discussed in terms of the active and passive absorption coefficients as well as the control voltage of the PVDF actuator normalized by the incident sound pressure.

  7. Real time three dimensional sensing system

    DOEpatents

    Gordon, S.J.

    1996-12-31

    The invention is a three dimensional sensing system which utilizes two flexibly located cameras for receiving and recording visual information with respect to a sensed object illuminated by a series of light planes. Each pixel of each image is converted to a digital word and the words are grouped into stripes, each stripe comprising contiguous pixels. One pixel of each stripe in one image is selected and an epi-polar line of that point is drawn in the other image. The three dimensional coordinate of each selected point is determined by determining the point on said epi-polar line which also lies on a stripe in the second image and which is closest to a known light plane. 7 figs.

  8. Enhanced rhamnolipids production via efficient foam-control using stop valve as a foam breaker.

    PubMed

    Long, Xuwei; Shen, Chong; He, Ni; Zhang, Guoliang; Meng, Qin

    2017-01-01

    In this study, a stop valve was used as a foam breaker for dealing with the massive overflowing foam in rhamnolipid fermentation. As found, a stop valve at its tiny opening could break over 90% of the extremely stable rhamnolipid foam into enriched liquid when foam flows through the sharp gap in valve. The efficient foam-control by the stop valve considerably improved the rhamnolipid fermentation and significantly enhanced the rhamnolipid productivity by 83% compared to the regular fermentation. This efficient foam breaking was mainly achieved by a high shear rate in combination with fast separation of air from the collapsed foam. Altogether, the stop valve possessed a great activity in breaking rhamnolipid foam, and the involving mechanism holds the potential for developing efficient foam breakers for industrial rhamnolipid fermentation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Foam-oil interaction in porous media: implications for foam assisted enhanced oil recovery.

    PubMed

    Farajzadeh, R; Andrianov, A; Krastev, R; Hirasaki, G J; Rossen, W R

    2012-11-15

    The efficiency of a foam displacement process in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) depends largely on the stability of foam films in the presence of oil. Experimental studies have demonstrated the detrimental impact of oil on foam stability. This paper reviews the mechanisms and theories (disjoining pressure, coalescence and drainage, entering and spreading of oil, oil emulsification, pinch-off, etc.) suggested in the literature to explain the impact of oil on foam stability in the bulk and porous media. Moreover, we describe the existing approaches to foam modeling in porous media and the ways these models describe the oil effect on foam propagation in porous media. Further, we present various ideas on an improvement of foam stability and longevity in the presence of oil. The outstanding questions regarding foam-oil interactions and modeling of these interactions are pointed out. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Three-dimensional cardiac architecture determined by two-photon microtomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Hayden; MacGillivray, Catherine; Kwon, Hyuk-Sang; Lammerding, Jan; Robbins, Jeffrey; Lee, Richard T.; So, Peter

    2009-07-01

    Cardiac architecture is inherently three-dimensional, yet most characterizations rely on two-dimensional histological slices or dissociated cells, which remove the native geometry of the heart. We previously developed a method for labeling intact heart sections without dissociation and imaging large volumes while preserving their three-dimensional structure. We further refine this method to permit quantitative analysis of imaged sections. After data acquisition, these sections are assembled using image-processing tools, and qualitative and quantitative information is extracted. By examining the reconstructed cardiac blocks, one can observe end-to-end adjacent cardiac myocytes (cardiac strands) changing cross-sectional geometries, merging and separating from other strands. Quantitatively, representative cross-sectional areas typically used for determining hypertrophy omit the three-dimensional component; we show that taking orientation into account can significantly alter the analysis. Using fast-Fourier transform analysis, we analyze the gross organization of cardiac strands in three dimensions. By characterizing cardiac structure in three dimensions, we are able to determine that the α crystallin mutation leads to hypertrophy with cross-sectional area increases, but not necessarily via changes in fiber orientation distribution.

  11. Aromatic Polyimide Foam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weiser, Erik S. (Inventor); St.Clair, Terry L. (Inventor); Echigo, Yoshiaki (Inventor); Kaneshiro, Hisayasu (Inventor)

    2000-01-01

    A mechanically undensified aromatic polyimide foam is made from an aromatic polyimide precursor solid residuum and has the following combination of properties: a density according to ASTM D-3574A of about 0.5 pounds/cu.ft to about 20 pounds/cu.ft; a compression strength according to ASTM D-3574C of about 1.5 psi to about 1500 psi; and a limiting oxygen index according to ASTM D-2863 of about 35% oxygen to about 75% oxygen at atmospheric pressure. The aromatic polyimide foam has no appreciable solid inorganic contaminants which are residues of inorganic blowing agents. The aromatic polyimide which constitutes the aromatic polyimide foam has a glass transition temperature (Tg) by differential scanning calorimetry of about 235 C to about 400 C; and a thermal stability of 0 to about 1% weight loss at 204 C as determined by thermogravinietric analysis (TGA). The aromatic polyimide foam has utility as foam insulation and as structural foam, for example, for aeronautical, aerospace and maritime applications.

  12. Three-dimensional confocal microscopy of the living cornea and ocular lens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masters, Barry R.

    1991-07-01

    The three-dimensional reconstruction of the optic zone of the cornea and the ocular crystalline lens has been accomplished using confocal microscopy and volume rendering computer techniques. A laser scanning confocal microscope was used in the reflected light mode to obtain the two-dimensional images from the cornea and the ocular lens of a freshly enucleated rabbit eye. The light source was an argon ion laser with a 488 nm wavelength. The microscope objective was a Leitz X25, NA 0.6 water immersion lens. The 400 micron thick cornea was optically sectioned into 133 three micron sections. The semi-transparent cornea and the in-situ ocular lens was visualized as high resolution, high contrast two-dimensional images. The structures observed in the cornea include: superficial epithelial cells and their nuclei, basal epithelial cells and their 'beaded' cell borders, basal lamina, nerve plexus, nerve fibers, nuclei of stromal keratocytes, and endothelial cells. The structures observed in the in- situ ocular lens include: lens capsule, lens epithelial cells, and individual lens fibers. The three-dimensional data sets of the cornea and the ocular lens were reconstructed in the computer using volume rendering techniques. Stereo pairs were also created of the two- dimensional ocular images for visualization. The stack of two-dimensional images was reconstructed into a three-dimensional object using volume rendering techniques. This demonstration of the three-dimensional visualization of the intact, enucleated eye provides an important step toward quantitative three-dimensional morphometry of the eye. The important aspects of three-dimensional reconstruction are discussed.

  13. Numerical simulation of the three-dimensional river antidunes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iwasaki, T.; Inoue, T.; Onda, S.; Yabe, H.

    2017-12-01

    This study presents numerical simulations of the formation and development of the three-dimensional river antidunes. We use a Boussinesq type depth-integrated hydrodynamic model to account for the non-hydrostatic pressure effects on the flow field, dissipative feature of the free surface and the bed shear stress distribution. In addition, a non-equilibrium bedload transport model is incorporated into the model to consider the lag effect of the bedload transport on the bedform dynamics. The model is applied to idealized laboratory-scale conditions, i.e., steady water and sediment supplies, uniform sediment and a straight channel with constant slope and channel width, to understand the model performance and applicability. The results show that the model is able to reproduce an upstream-migrating antidunes and associated free surface dynamics. The model also captures the formation of the two dimensional and the three-dimensional antidunes. The antidunes reproduced by the model are somewhat unstable, i.e., the repeated cycle of dissipation and regeneration of antidunes is observed. In addition, as the calculation progresses, the modelled three-dimensional antidunes generally tend to lose their three-dimensionality, i.e., the reduction of the spanwise wavenumber. In the early stage of the calculation, the antidune mode is dominant, whereas, the free bars also develop when the formative condition of bars is satisfied. The numerical results show the coexisting of free bars and antidunes, which are a common evident in flume experiments and field observations.

  14. Improving the mechanical performance of wood fiber reinforced bio-based polyurethane foam

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, Li-Chi

    Because of the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, soybean-based polyurethane (PU) foam has been developed as an alternative to be used as the core in structural insulated panels (SIPs). Wood fibers can be added to enhance the resistance of foam against bending and buckling in compression. The goal of this work is to study the effect of three modifications: fiber surface treatment, catalyst choice, and mixing method on the compression performance of wood fiber-reinforced PU foam. Foams were made with a free-rising process. The compression performance of the foams was measured and the foams were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray computed tomography (CT). The foam reinforced with alkali-treated fibers had improved compression performance. The foams made with various catalysts shared similar performance. The foam made using a mechanical stirrer contained well-dispersed fibers but the reinforcing capability of the fibers was reduced.

  15. Three-dimensional features on oscillating microbubbles streaming flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rossi, Massimiliano; Marin, Alvaro G.; Wang, Cheng; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha; Kähler, Christian J.

    2013-11-01

    Ultrasound-driven oscillating micro-bubbles have been used as active actuators in microfluidic devices to perform manifold tasks such as mixing, sorting and manipulation of microparticles. A common configuration consists in side-bubbles, created by trapping air pockets in blind channels perpendicular to the main channel direction. This configuration results in bubbles with a semi-cylindrical shape that creates a streaming flow generally considered quasi two-dimensional. However, recent experiments performed with three-dimensional velocimetry methods have shown how microparticles can present significant three-dimensional trajectories, especially in regions close to the bubble interface. Several reasons will be discussed such as boundary effects of the bottom/top wall, deformation of the bubble interface leading to more complex vibrational modes, or bubble-particle interactions. In the present investigation, precise measurements of particle trajectories close to the bubble interface will be performed by means of 3D Astigmatic Particle Tracking Velocimetry. The results will allow us to characterize quantitatively the three-dimensional features of the streaming flow and to estimate its implications in practical applications as particle trapping, sorting or mixing.

  16. Three dimensional fabrication at small size scales

    PubMed Central

    Leong, Timothy G.; Zarafshar, Aasiyeh M.; Gracias, David H.

    2010-01-01

    Despite the fact that we live in a three-dimensional (3D) world and macroscale engineering is 3D, conventional sub-mm scale engineering is inherently two-dimensional (2D). New fabrication and patterning strategies are needed to enable truly three-dimensionally-engineered structures at small size scales. Here, we review strategies that have been developed over the last two decades that seek to enable such millimeter to nanoscale 3D fabrication and patterning. A focus of this review is the strategy of self-assembly, specifically in a biologically inspired, more deterministic form known as self-folding. Self-folding methods can leverage the strengths of lithography to enable the construction of precisely patterned 3D structures and “smart” components. This self-assembling approach is compared with other 3D fabrication paradigms, and its advantages and disadvantages are discussed. PMID:20349446

  17. Foamed Bulk Metallic Glass (Foam) Investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    This soldering iron has an evacuated copper capsule at the tip that contains a pellet of Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Prior to flight, researchers sealed a pellet of bulk metallic glass mixed with microscopic gas-generating particles into the copper ampoule under vacuum. Once heated in space, such as in this photograph, the particles generated gas and the BMG becomes a viscous liquid. The released gas made the sample foam within the capsule where each microscopic particle formed a gas-filled pore within the foam. The inset image shows the oxidation of the sample after several minutes of applying heat. Although hidden within the brass sleeve, the sample retained the foam shape when cooled, because the viscosity increased during cooling until it was solid.

  18. 3D-PDR: Three-dimensional photodissociation region code

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bisbas, T. G.; Bell, T. A.; Viti, S.; Yates, J.; Barlow, M. J.

    2018-03-01

    3D-PDR is a three-dimensional photodissociation region code written in Fortran. It uses the Sundials package (written in C) to solve the set of ordinary differential equations and it is the successor of the one-dimensional PDR code UCL_PDR (ascl:1303.004). Using the HEALpix ray-tracing scheme (ascl:1107.018), 3D-PDR solves a three-dimensional escape probability routine and evaluates the attenuation of the far-ultraviolet radiation in the PDR and the propagation of FIR/submm emission lines out of the PDR. The code is parallelized (OpenMP) and can be applied to 1D and 3D problems.

  19. Rigid closed-cell polyimide foams for aircraft applications and foam-in-place technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gagliani, J.; Straub, P.; Gagliani, J., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    Significant accomplishments generated are summarized. Testing of closed cell foams, which has resulted in the characterization of compositions which produce rigid foams for use in galley structure applications is reported. It is shown that the density, compressive strength and shear strength of the foams are directly related to the concentrations of the microballoons. The same properties are also directly related to the resin loading. Prototype samples of rigid closed cell foams meeting the requirements of the program were submitted. Investigation of the apparatus to produce polyimide foams using foam in place techniques, resulted in the selection of a spray gun apparatus, capable to deliver a mixture of microballoons and resin binder on substrates which cures to yield a closed cell foam. It is found that the adhesion of the foam on aluminum, titanium and steel substrates is satisfactory. It is concluded that the material meets the mechanical and thermal requirements of the program.

  20. Modification and investigation of silica particles as a foam stabilizer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Qian; Zhou, Hua-lei; Song, Ying-xiao; Chang, Zhi-dong; Li, Wen-jun

    2017-02-01

    As a solid foam stabilizer, spherical silica particles with diameters ranging from 150 to 190 nm were prepared via an improved Stöber method and were subsequently modified using three different silane coupling agents to attain the optimum surface hydrophobicity of the particles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and the measured contact angles were used to characterize the surface properties of the prepared particles. The foam stability was investigated by the foam drainage half-life and the expansion viscoelastic modulus of the liquid film. The results demonstrate that all of the modified silica nanoparticles effectively improve the foam stability. The surface hydrophobicity of the modified particles is found to be a key factor influencing the foam stability. The optimum contact angle of the particles lies in the approximate range from 50° to 55°. The modifier molecular structure used can also influence the stabilizing foam property of the solid particles. The foam system stabilized by (CH3)2SiCl2-modified silica particles exhibits the highest stability; its drainage half-life at maximum increases by 27% compared to that of the blank foam system and is substantially greater than those of the foam systems stabilized by KH570- and KH550-modified particles.

  1. Integration of Computed Tomography and Three-Dimensional Echocardiography for Hybrid Three-Dimensional Printing in Congenital Heart Disease.

    PubMed

    Gosnell, Jordan; Pietila, Todd; Samuel, Bennett P; Kurup, Harikrishnan K N; Haw, Marcus P; Vettukattil, Joseph J

    2016-12-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technology aiding diagnostics, education, and interventional, and surgical planning in congenital heart disease (CHD). Three-dimensional printing has been derived from computed tomography, cardiac magnetic resonance, and 3D echocardiography. However, individually the imaging modalities may not provide adequate visualization of complex CHD. The integration of the strengths of two or more imaging modalities has the potential to enhance visualization of cardiac pathomorphology. We describe the feasibility of hybrid 3D printing from two imaging modalities in a patient with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (L-TGA). Hybrid 3D printing may be useful as an additional tool for cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons in planning interventions in children and adults with CHD.

  2. Nickel-based Enzyme Systems*

    PubMed Central

    Ragsdale, Stephen W.

    2009-01-01

    Of the eight known nickel enzymes, all but glyoxylase I catalyze the use and/or production of gases central to the global carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen cycles. Nickel appears to have been selected for its plasticity in coordination and redox chemistry and is able to cycle through three redox states (1+, 2+, 3+) and to catalyze reactions spanning ∼1.5 V. This minireview focuses on the catalytic mechanisms of nickel enzymes, with an emphasis on the role(s) of the metal center. The metal centers vary from mononuclear to complex metal clusters and catalyze simple hydrolytic to multistep redox reactions. PMID:19363030

  3. Three-dimensional modeling of the plasma arc in arc welding

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

    Xu, G.; Tsai, H. L.; Hu, J.

    2008-11-15

    Most previous three-dimensional modeling on gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW) focuses on the weld pool dynamics and assumes the two-dimensional axisymmetric Gaussian distributions for plasma arc pressure and heat flux. In this article, a three-dimensional plasma arc model is developed, and the distributions of velocity, pressure, temperature, current density, and magnetic field of the plasma arc are calculated by solving the conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy, as well as part of the Maxwell's equations. This three-dimensional model can be used to study the nonaxisymmetric plasma arc caused by external perturbations such asmore » an external magnetic field. It also provides more accurate boundary conditions when modeling the weld pool dynamics. The present work lays a foundation for true three-dimensional comprehensive modeling of GTAW and GMAW including the plasma arc, weld pool, and/or electrode.« less

  4. Using Three-Dimensional Interactive Graphics To Teach Equipment Procedures.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamel, Cheryl J.; Ryan-Jones, David L.

    1997-01-01

    Focuses on how three-dimensional graphical and interactive features of computer-based instruction can enhance learning and support human cognition during technical training of equipment procedures. Presents guidelines for using three-dimensional interactive graphics to teach equipment procedures based on studies of the effects of graphics, motion,…

  5. State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

    2018-06-01

    Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

  6. State-of-the-Art Review on the Characteristics of Surfactants and Foam from Foam Concrete Perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sahu, Sritam Swapnadarshi; Gandhi, Indu Siva Ranjani; Khwairakpam, Selija

    2018-02-01

    Foam concrete finds application in many areas, generally as a function of its relatively lightweight and its beneficial properties in terms of reduction in dead load on structure, excellent thermal insulation and contribution to energy conservation. For production of foam concrete with desired properties, stable and good quality foam is the key requirement. It is to be noted that the selection of surfactant and foam production parameters play a vital role in the properties of foam which in turn affects the properties of foam concrete. However, the literature available on the influence of characteristics of foaming agent and foam on the properties of foam concrete are rather limited. Hence, a more systematic research is needed in this direction. The focus of this work is to provide a review on characteristics of surfactant (foaming agent) and foam for use in foam concrete production.

  7. Effect of cell-size on the energy absorption features of closed-cell aluminium foams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nammi, S. K.; Edwards, G.; Shirvani, H.

    2016-11-01

    The effect of cell-size on the compressive response and energy absorption features of closed-cell aluminium (Al) foam were investigated by finite element method. Micromechanical models were constructed with a repeating unit-cell (RUC) which was sectioned from tetrakaidecahedra structure. Using this RUC, three Al foam models with different cell-sizes (large, medium and small) and all of same density, were built. These three different cell-size pieces of foam occupy the same volume and their domains contained 8, 27 and 64 RUCs respectively. However, the smaller cell-size foam has larger surface area to volume ratio compared to other two. Mechanical behaviour was modelled under uniaxial loading. All three aggregates (3D arrays of RUCs) of different cell-sizes showed an elastic region at the initial stage, then followed by a plateau, and finally, a densification region. The smaller cell size foam exhibited a higher peak-stress and a greater densification strain comparing other two cell-sizes investigated. It was demonstrated that energy absorption capabilities of smaller cell-size foams was higher compared to the larger cell-sizes examined.

  8. From Foam Rubber to Volcanoes: The Physical Chemistry of Foam Formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hansen, Lee D.; McCarlie, V. Wallace

    2004-11-01

    Principles of physical chemistry and physical properties are used to describe foam formation. Foams are common in nature and in consumer products. The process of foam formation can be used to understand a wide variety of phenomena from exploding volcanoes to popping popcorn and making shoe soles.

  9. Three dimensional canonical singularity and five dimensional N = 1 SCFT

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Dan; Yau, Shing-Tung

    2017-06-01

    We conjecture that every three dimensional canonical singularity defines a five dimensional N = 1 SCFT. Flavor symmetry can be found from singularity structure: non-abelian flavor symmetry is read from the singularity type over one dimensional singular locus. The dimension of Coulomb branch is given by the number of compact crepant divisors from a crepant resolution of singularity. The detailed structure of Coulomb branch is described as follows: a) a chamber of Coulomb branch is described by a crepant resolution, and this chamber is given by its Nef cone and the prepotential is computed from triple intersection numbers; b) Crepant resolution is not unique and different resolutions are related by flops; Nef cones from crepant resolutions form a fan which is claimed to be the full Coulomb branch.

  10. High Temperature Structural Foam

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weiser, Erik S.; Baillif, Faye F.; Grimsley, Brian W.; Marchello, Joseph M.

    1997-01-01

    The Aerospace Industry is experiencing growing demand for high performance polymer foam. The X-33 program needs structural foam insulation capable of retaining its strength over a wide range of environmental conditions. The High Speed Research Program has a need for low density core splice and potting materials. This paper reviews the state of the art in foam materials and describes experimental work to fabricate low density, high shear strength foam which can withstand temperatures from -220 C to 220 C. Commercially available polymer foams exhibit a wide range of physical properties. Some with densities as low as 0.066 g/cc are capable of co-curing at temperatures as high as 182 C. Rohacell foams can be resin transfer molded at temperatures up to 180 C. They have moduli of elasticity of 0.19 MPa, tensile strengths of 3.7 Mpa and compressive strengths of 3.6 MPa. The Rohacell foams cannot withstand liquid hydrogen temperatures, however Imi-Tech markets Solimide (trademark) foams which withstand temperatures from -250 C to 200 C, but they do not have the required structural integrity. The research activity at NASA Langley Research Center focuses on using chemical blowing agents to produce polyimide thermoplastic foams capable of meeting the above performance requirements. The combination of blowing agents that decompose at the minimum melt viscosity temperature together with plasticizers to lower the viscosity has been used to produce foams by both extrusion and oven heating. The foams produced exhibit good environmental stability while maintaining structural properties.

  11. A system of three-dimensional complex variables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martin, E. Dale

    1986-01-01

    Some results of a new theory of multidimensional complex variables are reported, including analytic functions of a three-dimensional (3-D) complex variable. Three-dimensional complex numbers are defined, including vector properties and rules of multiplication. The necessary conditions for a function of a 3-D variable to be analytic are given and shown to be analogous to the 2-D Cauchy-Riemann equations. A simple example also demonstrates the analogy between the newly defined 3-D complex velocity and 3-D complex potential and the corresponding ordinary complex velocity and complex potential in two dimensions.

  12. Optical lithography of three-dimensional magnetophotonic microdevices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nguyen, Dam Thuy Trang; Del Guercio, Olivia; Au, Thi Huong; Trinh, Duc Thien; Mai, Nguyen Phuong Thao; Lai, Ngoc Diep

    2018-04-01

    We have recently demonstrated a simple and low-cost fabrication technique, called low one-photon absorption direct laser writing, to realize desired polymeric microstructures. We present the use of this technique for fabrication of three-dimensional magnetophotonic devices on a photocurable homogeneous nanocomposite consisting of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and a commercial SU8 photoresist. The fabricated magnetophotonic microstructures show strong response to an applied external magnetic field. Thus, various three-dimensional submicromechanical magnetophotonic devices, which can be mechanically driven by magnetic force, are designed and created. Potential applications of these devices are also discussed.

  13. Radiative Instabilities in Three-Dimensional Astrophysical Masers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scappaticci, Gerardo A.; Watson, William D.

    1995-01-01

    Inherent instabilities in the radiative transfer for astrophysical masers have been recognized and calculated in the linear maser idealization in our previous investigations. The same instabilities are now shown to occur in the more realistic, three-dimensional geometries. Fluctuations in the emergent flux result and may be related to the observed fluctuations in the radiative flux from the 1665 MHz OH masers that have been reported to occur on timescales as short as 1000 s. The time-dependent differential equations of radiative transfer are solved numerically for three-dimensional astrophysical masers. Computations are performed for spherical and elongated (rectangular parallelepiped) geometries.

  14. Three-dimensional analysis of tubular permanent magnet machines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chai, J.; Wang, J.; Howe, D.

    2006-04-01

    This paper presents results from a three-dimensional finite element analysis of a tubular permanent magnet machine, and quantifies the influence of the laminated modules from which the stator core is assembled on the flux linkage and thrust force capability as well as on the self- and mutual inductances. The three-dimensional finite element (FE) model accounts for the nonlinear, anisotropic magnetization characteristic of the laminated stator structure, and for the voids which exist between the laminated modules. Predicted results are compared with those deduced from an axisymmetric FE model. It is shown that the emf and thrust force deduced from the three-dimensional model are significantly lower than those which are predicted from an axisymmetric field analysis, primarily as a consequence of the teeth and yoke being more highly saturated due to the presence of the voids in the laminated stator core.

  15. Real-time Three-dimensional Echocardiography: From Diagnosis to Intervention.

    PubMed

    Orvalho, João S

    2017-09-01

    Echocardiography is one of the most important diagnostic tools in veterinary cardiology, and one of the greatest recent developments is real-time three-dimensional imaging. Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography is a new ultrasonography modality that provides comprehensive views of the cardiac valves and congenital heart defects. The main advantages of this technique, particularly real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography, are the ability to visualize the catheters, and balloons or other devices, and the ability to image the structure that is undergoing intervention with unprecedented quality. This technique may become one of the main choices for the guidance of interventional cardiology procedures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Three-dimensional spiral CT during arterial portography: comparison of three rendering techniques.

    PubMed

    Heath, D G; Soyer, P A; Kuszyk, B S; Bliss, D F; Calhoun, P S; Bluemke, D A; Choti, M A; Fishman, E K

    1995-07-01

    The three most common techniques for three-dimensional reconstruction are surface rendering, maximum-intensity projection (MIP), and volume rendering. Surface-rendering algorithms model objects as collections of geometric primitives that are displayed with surface shading. The MIP algorithm renders an image by selecting the voxel with the maximum intensity signal along a line extended from the viewer's eye through the data volume. Volume-rendering algorithms sum the weighted contributions of all voxels along the line. Each technique has advantages and shortcomings that must be considered during selection of one for a specific clinical problem and during interpretation of the resulting images. With surface rendering, sharp-edged, clear three-dimensional reconstruction can be completed on modest computer systems; however, overlapping structures cannot be visualized and artifacts are a problem. MIP is computationally a fast technique, but it does not allow depiction of overlapping structures, and its images are three-dimensionally ambiguous unless depth cues are provided. Both surface rendering and MIP use less than 10% of the image data. In contrast, volume rendering uses nearly all of the data, allows demonstration of overlapping structures, and engenders few artifacts, but it requires substantially more computer power than the other techniques.

  17. Pilot plant operation of a nonadiabatic methanation reactor. [15 refs. ; Raney nickel catalyst

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

    Schehl, R.R.; Pennline, H.W.; Strakey, J.P.

    The design and operation of a pilot plant scale hybrid methanation reactor is discussed. The hybrid methanator, utilizing a finned, Raney nickel coated insert, consolidates features of the tube-wall and hot-gas-recycle methanation reactors. Data are presented from four tests lasting from 3/sup 1///sub 2/ weeks to three months. Topics discussed include conversion, product yields, catalyst properties, and reactor temperature profiles. A one-dimensional mathematical model capable of explaining reactor performance trends is employed.

  18. Detailed investigation of the microbial community in foaming activated sludge reveals novel foam formers

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Feng; Wang, Zhi-Ping; Yu, Ke; Zhang, T.

    2015-01-01

    Foaming of activated sludge (AS) causes adverse impacts on wastewater treatment operation and hygiene. In this study, we investigated the microbial communities of foam, foaming AS and non-foaming AS in a sewage treatment plant via deep-sequencing of the taxonomic marker genes 16S rRNA and mycobacterial rpoB and a metagenomic approach. In addition to Actinobacteria, many genera (e.g., Clostridium XI, Arcobacter, Flavobacterium) were more abundant in the foam than in the AS. On the other hand, deep-sequencing of rpoB did not detect any obligate pathogenic mycobacteria in the foam. We found that unknown factors other than the abundance of Gordonia sp. could determine the foaming process, because abundance of the same species was stable before and after a foaming event over six months. More interestingly, although the dominant Gordonia foam former was the closest with G. amarae, it was identified as an undescribed Gordonia species by referring to the 16S rRNA gene, gyrB and, most convincingly, the reconstructed draft genome from metagenomic reads. Our results, based on metagenomics and deep sequencing, reveal that foams are derived from diverse taxa, which expands previous understanding and provides new insight into the underlying complications of the foaming phenomenon in AS. PMID:25560234

  19. Analysis of Influence of Foaming Mixture Components on Structure and Properties of Foam Glass

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karandashova, N. S.; Goltsman, B. M.; Yatsenko, E. A.

    2017-11-01

    It is recommended to use high-quality thermal insulation materials to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. One of the best thermal insulation materials is foam glass - durable, porous material that is resistant to almost any effect of substance. Glass foaming is a complex process depending on the foaming mode and the initial mixture composition. This paper discusses the influence of all components of the mixture - glass powder, foaming agent, enveloping material and water - on the foam glass structure. It was determined that glass powder is the basis of the future material. A foaming agent forms a gas phase in the process of thermal decomposition. This aforementioned gas foams the viscous glass mass. The unreacted residue thus changes a colour of the material. The enveloping agent slows the foaming agent decomposition preventing its premature burning out and, in addition, helps to accelerate the sintering of glass particles. The introduction of water reduces the viscosity of the foaming mixture making it evenly distributed and also promotes the formation of water gas that additionally foams the glass mass. The optimal composition for producing the foam glass with the density of 150 kg/m3 is defined according to the results of the research.

  20. Surface representations of two- and three-dimensional fluid flow topology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Helman, James L.; Hesselink, Lambertus

    1990-01-01

    We discuss our work using critical point analysis to generate representations of the vector field topology of numerical flow data sets. Critical points are located and characterized in a two-dimensional domain, which may be either a two-dimensional flow field or the tangential velocity field near a three-dimensional body. Tangent curves are then integrated out along the principal directions of certain classes of critical points. The points and curves are linked to form a skeleton representing the two-dimensional vector field topology. When generated from the tangential velocity field near a body in a three-dimensional flow, the skeleton includes the critical points and curves which provide a basis for analyzing the three-dimensional structure of the flow separation. The points along the separation curves in the skeleton are used to start tangent curve integrations to generate surfaces representing the topology of the associated flow separations.