Cr-doped Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} for ultra-long data retention phase change memory

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

Wang, Qing; Xia, Yangyang; Zheng, Yonghui

Phase change memory is regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation non-volatile memory. Its storage medium, phase change material, has attracted continuous exploration. Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (GST) is the most popular phase change material, but its thermal stability needs to be improved when used in some fields at high temperature (more than 120 °C). In this paper, we doped Cr atoms into GST and obtained Cr{sub 10}(Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}){sub 90} (labeled as Cr-GST) with high thermal stability. For Cr-GST film, the sheet resistance ratio between amorphous and crystalline states is high up to 3 ordersmore » of magnitude. The crystalline Cr-GST film inherits the phase structure of GST, with metastable face-centered cubic phase and/or stable hexagonal phase. The doped Cr atoms not only bond with other atoms but also help to improve the anti-oxidation property of Cr-GST. As for the amorphous thermal stability, the calculated temperature for 10-year-data-retention of Cr-GST film, based on the Arrhenius equation, is about 180 °C. The threshold current and threshold voltage of a cell based on Cr-GST are about 6 μA and 2.7 V. The cell could be operated by suitable voltages for more than 40 000 cycles. Thus, Cr-GST is proved to be a promising phase change material with ultra-long data retention.« less

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

Daniel S. Clark; Nathaniel J. Fisch

A critical issue in the generation of ultra-intense, ultra-short laser pulses by backward Raman scattering in plasma is the stability of the pumping pulse to premature backscatter from thermal fluctuations in the preformed plasma. Malkin et al. [V.M. Malkin, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84 (6):1208-1211, 2000] demonstrated that density gradients may be used to detune the Raman resonance in such a way that backscatter of the pump from thermal noise can be stabilized while useful Raman amplification persists. Here plasma conditions for which the pump is stable to thermal Raman backscatter in a homogeneous plasma and the density gradientsmore » necessary to stabilize the pump for other plasma conditions are quantified. Other ancillary constraints on a Raman amplifier are also considered to determine a specific region in the Te-he plane where Raman amplification is feasible. By determining an operability region, the degree of uncertainty in density or temperature tolerable for an experimental Raman amplifier is thus also identified. The fluid code F3D, which includes the effects of thermal fluctuations, is used to verify these analytic estimates.« less

Development of processing techniques for advanced thermal protection materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selvaduray, Guna S.

1995-01-01

The main purpose of this work has been in the development and characterization of materials for high temperature applications. Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) are constantly being tested, and evaluated for increased thermal shock resistance, high temperature dimensional stability, and tolerance to environmental effects. Materials development was carried out through the use of many different instruments and methods, ranging from extensive elemental analysis to physical attributes testing. The six main focus areas include: (1) protective coatings for carbon/carbon composites; (2) TPS material characterization; (3) improved waterproofing for TPS; (4) modified ceramic insulation for bone implants; (5) improved durability ceramic insulation blankets; and (6) ultra-high temperature ceramics. This report describes the progress made in these research areas during this contract period.

Research on the liquid coolant applied in the high repetition rate slab amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bingyan; Li, Yangshuai; Zhang, Panzheng; Wang, Li; Zhang, Yanli; Feng, Tao; Zhou, Qiong; Liu, Qiang; Li, Haiyuan; Zhang, Xu; Zhou, Shenlei; Ma, Weixin; Zhu, Jian; Zhu, Jianqiang

2018-03-01

High repetition rate slab amplifier (HRRSA) is extraordinarily indispensable for the future fusion power plant, ultra-short laser, laser weapon, and so on. Thermal controlling is the decisive factor for the repetition rate and the output energy of the slab amplifier. For larger clear aperture HRRSA, flash-lamp pumped slab amplifier based on neodymium phosphate glass (Nd:glass) is chosen with the liquid cooling. The liquid coolant circulates across the Nd:glass and takes off the thermal induced in the pumping process. A novel liquid coolant (Series A) whose refractive index is the same with Nd:glass is proposed to alleviate the wavefront distortion induced by thermal. The chemical stability of the liquid coolant under high energy flash-lamp irradiation with 200 shots and under the irradiation of a 1053nm laser with 19 hours and 37 hours are experimented. The results show that the chemical stability of the liquid coolant is stable under irradiation.

Strong, ductile, and thermally stable Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites.

PubMed

Dusoe, Keith J; Vijayan, Sriram; Bissell, Thomas R; Chen, Jie; Morley, Jack E; Valencia, Leopolodo; Dongare, Avinash M; Aindow, Mark; Lee, Seok-Woo

2017-01-09

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and nanocrystalline metals (NMs) have been extensively investigated due to their superior strengths and elastic limits. Despite these excellent mechanical properties, low ductility at room temperature and poor microstructural stability at elevated temperatures often limit their practical applications. Thus, there is a need for a metallic material system that can overcome these performance limits of BMGs and NMs. Here, we present novel Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites (MINCs), which exhibit high ultimate compressive strengths (over 2 GPa), high compressive failure strain (over 20%), and superior microstructural stability even at temperatures above the glass transition temperature of Cu-based BMGs. Rapid solidification produces a unique ultra-fine microstructure that contains a large volume fraction of Cu 5 Zr superlattice intermetallic compound; this contributes to the high strength and superior thermal stability. Mechanical and microstructural characterizations reveal that substantial accumulation of phase boundary sliding at metal/intermetallic interfaces accounts for the extensive ductility observed.

Ultra high temperature ceramics for hypersonic vehicle applications.

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

Tandon, Rajan; Dumm, Hans Peter; Corral, Erica L.

2006-01-01

HfB{sub 2} and ZrB{sub 2} are of interest for thermal protection materials because of favorable thermal stability, mechanical properties, and oxidation resistance. We have made dense diboride ceramics with 2 to 20 % SiC by hot pressing at 2000 C and 5000 psi. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows very thin grain boundary phases that suggest liquid phase sintering. Fracture toughness measurements give RT values of 4 to 6 MPam{sup 1/2}. Four-pt flexure strengths measured in air up to 1450 C were as high as 450-500 MPa. Thermal diffusivities were measured to 2000 C for ZrB{sub 2} and HfB{sub 2}more » ceramics with SiC contents from 2 to 20%. Thermal conductivities were calculated from thermal diffusivities and measured heat capacities. Thermal diffusivities were modeled using different two-phase composite models. These materials exhibit excellent high temperature properties and are attractive for further development for thermal protection systems.« less

Physics and chemistry of plasma-assisted combustion.

PubMed

Starikovskiy, Andrey

2015-08-13

There are several mechanisms that affect a gas when using discharge plasma to initiate combustion or to stabilize a flame. There are two thermal mechanisms-the homogeneous and inhomogeneous heating of the gas due to 'hot' atom thermalization and vibrational and electronic energy relaxation. The homogeneous heating causes the acceleration of the chemical reactions. The inhomogeneous heating generates flow perturbations, which promote increased turbulence and mixing. Non-thermal mechanisms include the ionic wind effect (the momentum transfer from an electric field to the gas due to the space charge), ion and electron drift (which can lead to additional fluxes of active radicals in the gradient flows in the electric field) and the excitation, dissociation and ionization of the gas by e-impact, which leads to non-equilibrium radical production and changes the kinetic mechanisms of ignition and combustion. These mechanisms, either together or separately, can provide additional combustion control which is necessary for ultra-lean flames, high-speed flows, cold low-pressure conditions of high-altitude gas turbine engine relight, detonation initiation in pulsed detonation engines and distributed ignition control in homogeneous charge-compression ignition engines, among others. Despite the lack of knowledge in mechanism details, non-equilibrium plasma demonstrates great potential for controlling ultra-lean, ultra-fast, low-temperature flames and is extremely promising technology for a very wide range of applications. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization enhances physicochemical properties of soy protein isolate-stabilized emulsions.

PubMed

Fernández-Ávila, C; Escriu, R; Trujillo, A J

2015-09-01

The effect of Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH, 100-300MPa) on the physicochemical properties of oil-in-water emulsions prepared with 4.0% (w/v) of soy protein isolate (SPI) and soybean oil (10 and 20%, v/v) was studied and compared to emulsions treated by conventional homogenization (CH, 15MPa). CH emulsions were prepared with non-heated and heated (95°C for 15min) SPI dispersions. Emulsions were characterized by particle size determination with laser diffraction, rheological properties using a rotational rheometer by applying measurements of flow curve and by transmission electron microscopy. The variation on particle size and creaming was assessed by Turbiscan® analysis, and visual observation of the emulsions was also carried out. UHPH emulsions showed much smaller d 3.2 values and greater physical stability than CH emulsions. The thermal treatment of SPI prior CH process did not improve physical stability properties. In addition, emulsions containing 20% of oil exhibited greater physical stability compared to emulsions containing 10% of oil. Particularly, UHPH emulsions treated at 100 and 200MPa with 20% of oil were the most stable due to low particle size values (d 3.2 and Span), greater viscosity and partial protein denaturation. These results address the physical stability improvement of protein isolate-stabilized emulsions by using the emerging UHPH technology. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A refractory metamaterial absorber for ultra-broadband, omnidirectional and polarization-independent absorption in the UV-NIR spectrum.

PubMed

Huang, Yijia; Liu, Ling; Pu, Mingbo; Li, Xiong; Ma, Xiaoliang; Luo, Xiangang

2018-05-03

In this paper, efficient ultra-broadband absorption from ultraviolet (UV) to near infrared (NIR) is achieved using a metamaterial perfect absorber (MPA) with refractory constituents. Both simulated and experimental results indicate that this proposed MPA exhibits an average absorption over 95% at wavelengths ranging from 200 nm to 900 nm. Besides, owing to the ultrathin thickness and symmetrical topology of this device, it exhibits great angular tolerance up to 60° independent of the incident polarizations. Excellent thermal stability is also demonstrated at high operation temperatures. The physical origin of the ultra-broadband characteristics is mainly based on diffraction/interference engineering at short wavelengths and the anti-reflection effect at long wavelengths. We believe that such a device may find potential applications ranging from photodetection and photothermal energy conversion to ultraviolet protection and thermophotovoltaics.

Ultra high purity, dimensionally stable INVAR 36

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolowski, Witold M. (Inventor); Lane, Marc S. (Inventor); Odonnell, Timothy P. (Inventor); Hsieh, Cheng H. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

An INVAR 36 material having long-term dimensional stability is produced by sintering a blend of powders of nickel and iron under pressure in an inert atmosphere to form an alloy containing less than 0.01 parts of carbon and less than 0.1 part aggregate and preferably 0.01 part individually of Mn, Si, P, S and Al impurities. The sintered alloy is heat treated and slowly and uniformly cooled to form a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 1 ppm/C and a temporal stability of less than 1 ppm/year.

Ultra high purity, dimensionally stable INVAR 36

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sokolowski, Witold M. (Inventor); Lane, Marc S. (Inventor); Hsieh, Cheng H. (Inventor); Odonnell, Timothy P. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An INVAR 36 material having long-term dimensional stability is produced by sintering a blend of powders of nickel and iron under pressure in an inert atmosphere to form an alloy containing less than 0.01 parts of carbon and less than 0.1 part aggregate and preferably 0.01 part individually of Mn, Si, P, S and Al impurities. The sintered alloy is heat treated and slowly and uniformly cooled to form a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 1 ppm/C and a temporal stability of less than 1 ppm/year.

Ultra-stable optical links for space and ground applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narbonneau, F.; Lours, M.; Daussy, C.; Lopez, O.; Clairon, A.; Santarelli, G.

2017-11-01

We have demonstrated the feasibility of a free-space ultra-stable optical link on a 3 meters test bench, operating at 100 MHz. With this type of link, it is possible to transfer a 100 MHz signal with a relative frequency stability of a few 10-14 at one second integration time, 10-16 at one day and a phase stability of a few picoseconds per day in presence of moderate mechanical vibrations and thermal fluctuations. The comparisons of modern clocks of distant (<100 km) Time and Frequency laboratories have a strong scientific interest. In this context we study a low noise frequency distribution via optical fibres. Some preliminary tests have been realized and the results are encouraging. We expect to transfer ultra stable oscillators with a relative frequency stability of a few 10-14 at one second integration time, 10-16 at one day.

Prospect of Thermal Insulation by Silica Aerogel: A Brief Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Mohammed Adnan; Sangashetty, Rashmi; Esther, A. Carmel Mary; Patil, Sharanabasappa B.; Sherikar, Baburao N.; Dey, Arjun

2017-10-01

Silica aerogel is a unique ultra light weight nano porous material which offers superior thermal insulation property as compared to the conventional thermal insulating materials. It can be applied not only for ground and aerospace applications but also in low and high temperatures and pressure regimes. Aerogel granules and monolith are synthesized by the sol-gel route while aerogel based composites are fabricated by the reinforcement of fibers, particle and opacifiers. Due to the characteristic brittleness (i.e., poor mechanical properties) of monolith or bulk aerogel, it is restricted in several applications. To improve the mechanical integrity and flexibility, usually different fibers are reinforced with aerogel and hence it can be used as flexible thermal insulation blankets. Further, to achieve effective thermal insulation behaviour particularly at high temperature, often opacifiers are doped with silica aerogel. In the present brief review, the prospects of bulk aerogel and aerogel based composites are discussed for the application of thermal insulation and thermal stability.

Development of Advanced Low Conductivity Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Advanced multi-component, low conductivity oxide thermal barrier coatings have been developed using an approach that emphasizes real-time monitoring of thermal conductivity under conditions that are engine-like in terms of temperatures and heat fluxes. This is in contrast to the traditional approach where coatings are initially optimized in terms of furnace and burner rig durability with subsequent measurement in the as-processed or furnace-sintered condition. The present work establishes a laser high-heat-flux test as the basis for evaluating advanced plasma-sprayed and electron beam-physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) thermal barrier coatings under the NASA Ultra-Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Program. The candidate coating materials for this program are novel thermal barrier coatings that are found to have significantly reduced thermal conductivities and improved thermal stability due to an oxide-defect-cluster design. Critical issues for designing advanced low conductivity coatings with improved coating durability are also discussed.

An ultra-stable iodine-based frequency reference for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuldt, Thilo; Braxmaier, Claus; Doeringshoff, Klaus; Keetman, Anja; Reggentin, Matthias; Kovalchuk, Evgeny; Peters, Achim

2012-07-01

Future space missions require for ultra-stable optical frequency references. Examples are the gravitational wave detector LISA/eLISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), the SpaceTime Asymmetry Research (STAR) program, the aperture-synthesis telescope Darwin and the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) follow on mission exploring Earth's gravity. As high long-term frequency stability is required, lasers stabilized to atomic or molecular transitions are preferred, also offering an absolute frequency reference. Frequency stabilities in the 10 ^{-15} domains at longer integration times (up to several hours) are demonstrated in laboratory experiments using setups based on Doppler-free spectroscopy. Such setups with a frequency stability comparable to the hydrogen maser in the microwave domain, have the potential to be developed space compatible on a relatively short time scale. Here, we present the development of ultra-stable optical frequency references based on modulation-transfer spectroscopy of molecular iodine. Noise levels of 2\\cdot10 ^{-14} at an integration time of 1 s and below 3\\cdot10 ^{-15} at integration times between 100 s and 1000 s are demonstrated with a laboratory setup using an 80 cm long iodine cell in single-pass configuration in combination with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser and standard optical components and optomechanic mounts. The frequency stability at longer integration times is (amongst other things) limited by the dimensional stability of the optical setup, i.e. by th pointing stability of the two counter-propagating beams overlapped in the iodine cell. With the goal of a future space compatible setup, a compact frequency standard on EBB (elegant breadboard) level was realized. The spectroscopy unit utilizes a baseplate made of Clearceram-HS, a glass ceramics with an ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion of 2\\cdot10 ^{-8} K ^{-1}. The optical components are joint to the baseplate using adhesive bonding technology, which was developed in a cooperation of HTWG Konstanz and Astrium Friedrichshafen. This setup ensures a higher long-term frequency stability due to enhanced pointing stability. Also, it takes into account space mission related criteria such as compactness, robustness, MAIVT and environmental influences (shock, vibration and thermal tests). The assembly-integration technology was already successfully environmentally tested and demonstrated in a previous setup of a compact fiber-coupled heterodyne interferometer, which serves as a demonstrator for the optical readout of the LISA gravitational reference sensor. We present first measurements of the EBB setup and a first design of an iodine frequency standard on engineering model (EM) level. The EM-setup is based on the EBB experience, but features smaller dimensions by using a multipass iodine cell and less optical components. Financial support by the German Space Agency DLR with funds provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) under grant number 50 QT 1102 is highly appreciated.

Compact, thermal-noise-limited reference cavity for ultra-low-noise microwave generation.

PubMed

Davila-Rodriguez, J; Baynes, F N; Ludlow, A D; Fortier, T M; Leopardi, H; Diddams, S A; Quinlan, F

2017-04-01

We demonstrate an easy-to-manufacture 25-mm-long ultra-stable optical reference cavity for transportable photonic microwave generation systems. Employing a rigid holding geometry that is first-order insensitive to the squeezing force and a cavity geometry that improves the thermal noise limit at room temperature, we observe a laser phase noise that is nearly thermal noise limited for three frequency decades (1 Hz to 1 kHz offset) and supports 10 GHz generation with phase noise near -100  dBc/Hz at 1 Hz offset and <-173  dBc/Hz for all offsets >600  Hz. The fractional frequency stability reaches 2×10^-15 at 0.1 s of averaging.

Unusual phonon behavior and ultra-low thermal conductance of monolayer InSe.

PubMed

Zhou, Hangbo; Cai, Yongqing; Zhang, Gang; Zhang, Yong-Wei

2017-12-21

Monolayer indium selenide (InSe) possesses numerous fascinating properties, such as high electron mobility, quantum Hall effect and anomalous optical response. However, its phonon properties, thermal transport properties and the origin of its structural stability remain unexplored. Using first-principles calculations, we show that the atoms in InSe are highly polarized and such polarization causes strong long-range dipole-dipole interaction (DDI). For acoustic modes, DDI is essential for maintaining its structural stability. For optical modes, DDI causes a significant frequency shift of its out-of-phase vibrations. Surprisingly, we observed that there were two isolated frequency regimes, which were completely separated from other frequency regimes with large frequency gaps. Within each frequency regime, only a single phonon mode exists. We further reveal that InSe possesses the lowest thermal conductance among the known two-dimensional materials due to the low cut-off frequency, low phonon group velocities and the presence of large frequency gaps. These unique behaviors of monolayer InSe can enable the fabrication of novel devices, such as thermoelectric module, single-mode phonon channel and phononic laser.

The Aneutronic Rodless Ultra Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Celso

2016-10-01

The replacement of the metal centre-post in spherical tokamaks (STs) by a plasma centre-post (PCP, the TF current carrier) is the ideal scenario for a ST reactor. A simple rodless ultra low aspect-ratio tokamak (RULART) using a screw-pinch PCP ECR-assisted with an external solenoid has been proposed in the most compact RULART [Ribeiro C, SOFE-15]. There the solenoid provided the stabilizing field for the PCP and the toroidal electrical field for the tokamak start-up, which will stabilize further the PCP, acting as stabilizing closed conducting surface. Relative low TF will be required. The compactness (high ratio of plasma-spherical vessel volume) may provide passive stabilization and easier access to L-H mode transition. It is presented here: 1) stability analysis of the PCP (initially MHD stable due to the hollow J profile); 2) tokamak equilibrium simulations, and 3) potential use for aneutronic reactions studies via pairs of proton p and boron 11B ion beams in He plasmas. The beams' line-of-sights sufficiently miss the sources of each other, thus allowing a near maximum relative velocities and reactivity. The reactions should occur close to the PCP mid-plane. Some born alphas should cross the PCP and be dragged by the ion flow (higher momentum exchange) towards the anode but escape directly to a direct electricity converter. Others will reach evenly the vessel directly or via thermal diffusion (favourable heating by the large excursion 2a), leading to the lowest power wall load possible. This might be a potential hybrid direct-steam cycle conversion reactor scheme, nearly aneutronic, and with no ash or particle retention problems, as opposed to the D-T thermal reaction proposals.

Multi-level storage and ultra-high speed of superlattice-like Ge50Te50/Ge8Sb92 thin film for phase-change memory application.

PubMed

Wu, Weihua; Chen, Shiyu; Zhai, Jiwei; Liu, Xinyi; Lai, Tianshu; Song, Sannian; Song, Zhitang

2017-10-06

Superlattice-like Ge 50 Te 50 /Ge 8 Sb 92 (SLL GT/GS) thin film was systematically investigated for multi-level storage and ultra-fast switching phase-change memory application. In situ resistance measurement indicates that SLL GT/GS thin film exhibits two distinct resistance steps with elevated temperature. The thermal stability of the amorphous state and intermediate state were evaluated with the Kissinger and Arrhenius plots. The phase-structure evolution revealed that the amorphous SLL GT/GS thin film crystallized into rhombohedral Sb phase first, then the rhombohedral GeTe phase. The microstructure, layered structure, and interface stability of SLL GT/GS thin film was confirmed by using transmission electron microscopy. The transition speed of crystallization and amorphization was measured by the picosecond laser pump-probe system. The volume variation during the crystallization was obtained from x-ray reflectivity. Phase-change memory (PCM) cells based on SLL GT/GS thin film were fabricated to verify the multi-level switching under an electrical pulse as short as 30 ns. These results illustrate that the SLL GT/GS thin film has great potentiality in high-density and high-speed PCM applications.

Thermal Stability of Nanocrystalline Copper for Potential Use in Printed Wiring Board Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Patrick Kai Fai

Copper is a widely used conductor in the manufacture of printed wiring boards (PWB). The trends in miniaturization of electronic devices create increasing challenges to all electronic industries. In particular PWB manufacturers face great challenges because the increasing demands in greater performance and device miniaturization pose enormous difficulties in manufacturing and product reliability. Nanocrystalline and ultra-fine grain copper can potentially offer increased reliability and functionality of the PWB due to the increases in strength and achievable wiring density by reduction in grain size. The first part of this thesis is concerned with the synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline and ultra-fine grain-sized copper for potential applications in the PWB industry. Nanocrystalline copper with different amounts of sulfur impurities (25-230ppm) and grain sizes (31-49nm) were produced and their hardness, electrical resistivity and etchability were determined. To study the thermal stability of nanocrystalline copper, differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal heat treatments combined with electron microscopy techniques for microstructural analysis were used. Differential scanning calorimetry was chosen to continuously monitor the grain growth process in the temperature range from 40?C to 400?C. During isothermal annealing experiments samples were annealed at 23?C, 100?C and 300?C to study various potential thermal issues for these materials in PWB applications such as the long-term room temperature thermal stability as well as for temperature excursions above the operation temperature and peak temperature exposure during the PWB manufacturing process. From all annealing experiments the various grain growth events and the overall stability of these materials were analyzed in terms of driving and dragging forces. Experimental evidence is presented which shows that the overall thermal stability, grain boundary character and texture evolution of copper is greatly related to changes in driving and dragging forces, which in turn, are strongly depended on parameters such as annealing temperature and time, total sulfur impurity content and the distribution of the impurities within the material. It was shown that a simple increase in the sulfur impurity level does not necessarily improve the thermal stability of nanocrystalline copper.

Advanced mirror technology development (AMTD): year five status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2017-09-01

The Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) project is in Phase 2 of a multiyear effort initiated in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, to mature the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of critical technologies required to enable 4-m-orlarger monolithic or segmented ultraviolet, optical, and infrared (UVOIR) space telescope primary-mirror assemblies for general astrophysics, ultra-high-contrast observations of exoplanets, and National Interest missions. Key accomplishments of 2016/17 include the completion of the Harris Corp 150 Hz 1.5-meter Ultra-Low Expansion (ULE) mirror substrate using stacked core method to demonstrate lateral stability of the stacked core technology, as well as the characterization and validation by test of the mechanical and thermal performance of the 1.2-meter Zerodur mirror using the STOP model prediction and verification of CTE homogeneity.

Activation and thermal stability of ultra-shallow B{sup +}-implants in Ge

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

Yates, B. R.; Darby, B. L.; Jones, K. S.

2012-12-15

The activation and thermal stability of ultra-shallow B{sup +} implants in crystalline (c-Ge) and preamorphized Ge (PA-Ge) following rapid thermal annealing was investigated using micro Hall effect and ion beam analysis techniques. The residual implanted dose of ultra-shallow B{sup +} implants in Ge was characterized using elastic recoil detection and was determined to correlate well with simulations with a dose loss of 23.2%, 21.4%, and 17.6% due to ion backscattering for 2, 4, and 6 keV implants in Ge, respectively. The electrical activation of ultra-shallow B{sup +} implants at 2, 4, and 6 keV to fluences ranging from 5.0 Multiplication-Signmore » 10{sup 13} to 5.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} cm{sup -2} was studied using micro Hall effect measurements after annealing at 400-600 Degree-Sign C for 60 s. For both c-Ge and PA-Ge, a large fraction of the implanted dose is rendered inactive due to the formation of a presumable B-Ge cluster. The B lattice location in samples annealed at 400 Degree-Sign C for 60 s was characterized by channeling analysis with a 650 keV H{sup +} beam by utilizing the {sup 11}B(p, {alpha})2{alpha} nuclear reaction and confirmed the large fraction of off-lattice B for both c-Ge and PA-Ge. Within the investigated annealing range, no significant change in activation was observed. An increase in the fraction of activated dopant was observed with increasing energy which suggests that the surface proximity and the local point defect environment has a strong impact on B activation in Ge. The results suggest the presence of an inactive B-Ge cluster for ultra-shallow implants in both c-Ge and PA-Ge that remains stable upon annealing for temperatures up to 600 Degree-Sign C.« less

Generation and stabilization of whey-based monodisperse naoemulsions using ultra-high pressure homogenization and small amphipathic co-emulsifier combinations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ultra-high-pressure homogenization (UHPH) was used to generate monodisperse stable peanut oil nanoemulsions within a desired nanosize range (<100 nm) (DNR) stabilized using combinations of whey protein concentrate (WPC), sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100 (X100), and zwitterionic sulfobetaine-base...

Enhancing thermal reliability of fiber-optic sensors for bio-inspired applications at ultra-high temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Donghoon; Kim, Heon-Young; Kim, Dae-Hyun

2014-07-01

The rapid growth of bio-(inspired) sensors has led to an improvement in modern healthcare and human-robot systems in recent years. Higher levels of reliability and better flexibility, essential features of these sensors, are very much required in many application fields (e.g. applications at ultra-high temperatures). Fiber-optic sensors, and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in particular, are being widely studied as suitable sensors for improved structural health monitoring (SHM) due to their many merits. To enhance the thermal reliability of FBG sensors, thermal sensitivity, generally expressed as αf + ξf and considered a constant, should be investigated more precisely. For this purpose, the governing equation of FBG sensors is modified using differential derivatives between the wavelength shift and the temperature change in this study. Through a thermal test ranging from RT to 900 °C, the thermal sensitivity of FBG sensors is successfully examined and this guarantees thermal reliability of FBG sensors at ultra-high temperatures. In detail, αf + ξf has a non-linear dependence on temperature and varies from 6.0 × 10-6 °C-1 (20 °C) to 10.6 × 10-6 °C-1 (650 °C). Also, FBGs should be carefully used for applications at ultra-high temperatures due to signal disappearance near 900 °C.

A flexible 3D nitrogen-doped carbon foam@CNTs hybrid hosting TiO2 nanoparticles as free-standing electrode for ultra-long cycling lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Wei; Wang, Boya; Wu, Hao; Xiang, Mingwu; Wang, Qiong; Liu, Heng; Zhang, Yun; Liu, Huakun; Dou, Shixue

2018-03-01

Free-standing electrodes have stood out from the electrode pack, owing to their advantage of abandoning the conventional polymeric binder and conductive agent, thus increasing the specific capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, their practical application is hampered by inferior electrical conductivity and complex manufacturing process. To this end, we report here a facile approach to fabricate a flexible 3D N-doped carbon foam/carbon nanotubes (NCF@CNTs) hybrid to act as the current collector and host scaffold for TiO2 particles, which are integrated into a lightweight free-standing electrode (NCF@CNTs-TiO2). In the resulting architecture, ultra-fine TiO2 nanoparticles are homogeneously anchored in situ into the N-doped NCF@CNTs framework with macro- and meso-porous structure, wrapped by a dense CNT layer, cooperatively enhances the electrode flexibility and forms an interconnected conductive network for electron/ion transport. As a result, the as-prepared NCF@CNTs-TiO2 electrode exhibits excellent lithium storage performance with high specific capacity of 241 mAh g-1 at 1 C, superb rate capability of 145 mAh g-1 at 20 C, ultra-long cycling stability with an ultra-low capacity decay of 0.0037% per cycle over 2500 cycles, and excellent thermal stability with ∼94% capacity retention over 100 cycles at 55 °C.

Structural design and analysis for an ultra low CTE optical bench for the Hubble Space Telescope corrective optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neam, Douglas C.; Gerber, John D.

1992-01-01

The stringent stability requirements of the Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) necessitates a Deployable Optical Bench (DOB) with both a low CTE and high resonant frequency. The DOB design consists of a monocoque thin shell structure which marries metallic machined parts with graphite epoxy formed structure. Structural analysis of the DOB has been integrated into the laminate design and optimization process. Also, the structural analytical results are compared with vibration and thermal test data to assess the reliability of the analysis.

A high precision pulse generation and stabilization system for bolometric experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfonso, K.; Carniti, P.; Cassina, L.; Giachero, A.; Gotti, C.; Pessina, G.

2018-02-01

Bolometric experiments searching for rare events usually require an extremely low radioactive background to prevent spurious signals from mimicking those of interest, spoiling the sensitivity of the apparatus. In such contexts, radioactive sources cannot be used to produce a known signal to calibrate the measured energy spectrum during data taking. In this paper we present an instrument designed to generate ultra-stable and very precise calibrating pulses, which can be used to stabilize the response of bolometers during data taking. The instrument is characterized by the presence of multi-outputs, a completely programmable pulse width and amplitude and a dedicated daisy-chained optical trigger line. It can be fully controlled and monitored remotely via CAN bus protocol. An energy resolution of the order of 20 eV FWHM at 1 MeV (2 eV FWHM at 10 keV) and a thermal stability of the order of 0.1 ppm/oC have been achieved. The device can also provide an adjustable power to compensate the low frequency thermal fluctuations that typically occur in cryogenic experiments.

GaN on Diamond with Ultra-Low Thermal Barrier Resistance

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-31

GaN-on-Diamond with Ultra-Low Thermal Barrier Resistance Xing Gu1, Cathy Lee1, Jinqiao Xie1, Edward Beam1, Michael Becker2, Timothy A. Grotjohn2...Bristol BS8 1TL, UK Abstract: We investigated the effective thermal boundary resistance (TBReff) of GaN-on-Diamond interfaces for diamond growth... thermal boundary resistance; TBReff , interfacial layers; high density dielectric Introduction While GaN-based RF transistors, typically on SiC

Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD): Year Five Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H Philip

2017-01-01

The Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) project is in Phase 2 of a multiyear effort initiated in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, to mature the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of critical technologies required to enable 4-m-or-larger monolithic or segmented ultraviolet, optical, and infrared (UVOIR) space telescope primary-mirror assemblies for general astrophysics, ultra-high-contrast observations of exoplanets, and National Interest missions. Key accomplishments of 2016/17 include the completion of the Harris Corp approximately 150 Hz 1.5-meter Ultra-Low Expansion (ULE Registered trademark) mirror substrate using stacked core method to demonstrate lateral stability of the stacked core technology, as well as the characterization and validation by test of the mechanical and thermal performance of the 1.2-meter Zerodur (Registered trademark) mirror using the STOP model prediction and verification of CTE homogeneity.

CFRP composite mirrors for space telescopes and their micro-dimensional stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utsunomiya, Shin; Kamiya, Tomohiro; Shimizu, Ryuzo

2010-07-01

Ultra-lightweight and high-accuracy CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) mirrors for space telescopes were fabricated to demonstrate their feasibility for light wavelength applications. The CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) of the all- CFRP sandwich panels was tailored to be smaller than 1×10-7/K. The surface accuracy of mirrors of 150 mm in diameter was 1.8 um RMS as fabricated and the surface smoothness was improved to 20 nm RMS by using a replica technique. Moisture expansion was considered the largest in un-predictable surface preciseness errors. The moisture expansion affected not only homologous shape change but also out-of-plane distortion especially in unsymmetrical compositions. Dimensional stability due to the moisture expansion was compared with a structural mathematical model.

Multiferroic composites for magnetic data storage beyond the super-paramagnetic limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vopson, M. M.; Zemaityte, E.; Spreitzer, M.; Namvar, E.

2014-09-01

Ultra high-density magnetic data storage requires magnetic grains of <5 nm diameters. Thermal stability of such small magnetic grain demands materials with very large magneto-crystalline anisotropy, which makes data write process almost impossible, even when Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology is deployed. Here, we propose an alternative method of strengthening the thermal stability of the magnetic grains via elasto-mechanical coupling between the magnetic data storage layer and a piezo-ferroelectric substrate. Using Stoner-Wohlfarth single domain model, we show that the correct tuning of this coupling can increase the effective magneto-crystalline anisotropy of the magnetic grains making them stable beyond the super-paramagnetic limit. However, the effective magnetic anisotropy can also be lowered or even switched off during the write process by simply altering the applied voltage to the substrate. Based on these effects, we propose two magnetic data storage protocols, one of which could potentially replace HAMR technology, with both schemes promising unprecedented increases in the data storage areal density beyond the super-paramagnetic size limit.

Ultra-Low Loss Waveguides with Application to Photonic Integrated Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauters, Jared F.

The integration of photonic components using a planar platform promises advantages in cost, size, weight, and power consumption for optoelectronic systems. Yet, the typical propagation loss of 5-10 dB/m in a planar silica waveguide is nearly five orders-of-magnitude larger than that in low loss optical fibers. For some applications, the miniaturization of the photonic system and resulting smaller propagation lengths from integration are enough to overcome the increase in propagation loss. For other more demanding systems or applications, such as those requiring long optical time delays or high-quality-factor (Q factor) resonators, the high propagation loss can degrade system performance to a degree that trumps the potential advantages offered by integration. Thus, the reduction of planar waveguide propagation loss in a Si3-N4 based waveguide platform is a primary focus of this dissertation. The ultra-low loss stoichiometric Si3-N4 waveguide platform offers the additional advantages of fabrication process stability and repeatability. Yet, active devices such as lasers, amplifiers, and photodetectors have not been monolithically integrated with ultra-low loss waveguides due to the incompatibility of the active and ultra-low loss processing thermal budgets (ultra-low loss waveguides are annealed at temperatures exceeding 1000 °C in order to drive out impurities). So a platform that enables the integration of active devices with the ultra-low losses of the Si3- N4 waveguide platform is this dissertation's second focus. The work enables the future fabrication of sensor, gyroscope, true time delay, and low phase noise oscillator photonic integrated circuits.

Thermal architecture of the SPICA/SAFARI instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, Ivan; Duband, Lionel; Duval, Jean-Marc; Jackson, Brian; Jellema, Willem; Kooijman, Peter Paul; Luchier, Nicolas; Tirolien, Thierry; van Weers, Henk

2012-09-01

The SAFARI instrument is a far infrared imaging spectrometer that is a core instrument of the SPICA mission. Thanks to the large (3 meter) SPICA cold telescope, the ultra sensitive detectors and a powerful Fourier Transform Spectrometer, this instrument will give access to the faintest light never observed in the 34 μm - 210 μm bandwidth with a high spectral resolution. To achieve this goal, TES detectors, that need to be cooled at a temperature as low as 50 mK, have been chosen. The thermal architecture of the SAFARI focal plane unit (FPU) which fulfils the TES detector thermal requirements is presented. In particular, an original 50 mK cooler concept based on a sorption cooler in series with an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator will be used. The thermal design of the detector focal plane array (FPA) that uses three temperature stages to limit the loads on the lowest temperature stage, will be also described. The current SAFARI thermal budget estimations are presented and discussed regarding the limited SPICA allocations. Finally, preliminary thermal sensitivity analysis dealing with thermal stability requirements is presented.

Temperature characterisation of the CLOUD chamber at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dias, A. M.; Almeida, J.; Kirkby, J.; Mathot, S.; Onnela, A.; Vogel, A.; Ehrhart, S.

2014-12-01

Temperature stability, uniformity and absolute scale inside the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN are important for experiments on aerosol particle nucleation and ice/liquid cloud formation. In order to measure the air temperature, a comprehensive set of arrays ("strings") of platinum resistance thermometers, thermocouples and optical sensors have been installed inside the 26 m3 chamber. The thermal sensors must meet several challenging design requirements: ultra-clean materials, 0.01 K measurement sensitivity, high absolute precision (<0.1 K), 200 K - 373 K range, ability to operate in high electric fields (20 kV/m), and fast response in air (~1 s) in order to measure rapid changes of temperature during ice/liquid cloud formation in the chamber by adiabatic pressure reductions. This presentation will focus on the design of the thermometer strings and the thermal performance of the chamber during the CLOUD8 and CLOUD9 campaigns, 2013-2014, together with the planned upgrades of the CLOUD thermal system.

Designing optimized ultra-lightweighted mirror structures made of Cesic for space and ground based applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofbauer, Peter; Krödel, Matthias R.

2010-07-01

Today's space applications increasingly utilize lightweighted construction concepts, motivated by the demands of manufacturing and functionality, and by economics. Particularly for space optics, mirror stability and stiffness need to be maximized, while mass needs to be minimized. Therefore, mirror materials must possess, besides high material strength and manufacturing versatility, high thermal conductivity combined with low heat capacity and long-term stability against varying thermal loads. Additionally, optical surfaces need to be compatible with reflective coating materials. In order to achieve these requirements, the interplay between material properties and mirror design on one hand, and budgetary constraints on the other must be considered. In this paper, we address these issues by presenting an FEM design study of open and closed-back mirror structures with extremely thin reinforcing ribs, with the goal of obtaining optimal physical and optical characteristics. Furthermore, we show that ECM's carbon-fiber reinforced SiC composite, Cesic®, and its newly developed, HB-Cesic® , with their low CTE, low density, and high stiffness, are not only excellent mirror materials, but allow the rapid manufacturing of complex monolithic optical structures at reasonable cost.

Analysis of trace halocarbon contaminants in ultra high purity helium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fewell, Larry L.

1994-01-01

This study describes the analysis of ultra high purity helium. Purification studies were conducted and containment removal was effected by the utilization of solid adsorbent purge-trap systems at cryogenic temperatures. Volatile organic compounds in ultra high purity helium were adsorbed on a solid adsorbent-cryogenic trap, and thermally desorbed trace halocarbon and other contaminants were analyzed by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A 10 mK scanning tunneling microscope operating in ultra high vacuum and high magnetic fields.

PubMed

Assig, Maximilian; Etzkorn, Markus; Enders, Axel; Stiepany, Wolfgang; Ast, Christian R; Kern, Klaus

2013-03-01

We present design and performance of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that operates at temperatures down to 10 mK providing ultimate energy resolution on the atomic scale. The STM is attached to a dilution refrigerator with direct access to an ultra high vacuum chamber allowing in situ sample preparation. High magnetic fields of up to 14 T perpendicular and up to 0.5 T parallel to the sample surface can be applied. Temperature sensors mounted directly at the tip and sample position verified the base temperature within a small error margin. Using a superconducting Al tip and a metallic Cu(111) sample, we determined an effective temperature of 38 ± 1 mK from the thermal broadening observed in the tunneling spectra. This results in an upper limit for the energy resolution of ΔE = 3.5 kBT = 11.4 ± 0.3 μeV. The stability between tip and sample is 4 pm at a temperature of 15 mK as demonstrated by topography measurements on a Cu(111) surface.

Ultra-high-throughput screening method for the directed evolution of glucose oxidase.

PubMed

Ostafe, Raluca; Prodanovic, Radivoje; Nazor, Jovana; Fischer, Rainer

2014-03-20

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is used in many industrial processes that could benefit from improved versions of the enzyme. Some improvements like higher activity under physiological conditions and thermal stability could be useful for GOx applications in biosensors and biofuel cells. Directed evolution is one of the currently available methods to engineer improved GOx variants. Here, we describe an ultra-high-throughput screening system for sorting the best enzyme variants generated by directed evolution that incorporates several methodological refinements: flow cytometry, in vitro compartmentalization, yeast surface display, fluorescent labeling of the expressed enzyme, delivery of glucose substrate to the reaction mixture through the oil phase, and covalent labeling of the cells with fluorescein-tyramide. The method enables quantitative screening of gene libraries to identify clones with improved activity and it also allows cells to be selected based not only on the overall activity but also on the specific activity of the enzyme. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amine-tethered solid adsorbents coupling high adsorption capacity and regenerability for CO2 capture from ambient air.

PubMed

Choi, Sunho; Gray, McMahan L; Jones, Christopher W

2011-05-23

Silica supported poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) materials are prepared via impregnation and demonstrated to be promising adsorbents for CO(2) capture from ultra-dilute gas streams such as ambient air. A prototypical class 1 adsorbent, containing 45 wt% PEI (PEI/silica), and two new modified PEI-based aminosilica adsorbents, derived from PEI modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (A-PEI/silica) or tetraethyl orthotitanate (T-PEI/silica), are prepared and characterized by using thermogravimetric analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. The modifiers are shown to enhance the thermal stability of the polymer-oxide composites, leading to higher PEI decomposition temperatures. The modified adsorbents present extremely high CO(2) adsorption capacities under conditions simulating ambient air (400 ppm CO(2) in inert gas), exceeding 2 mol(CO (2)) kg(sorbent)(-1), as well as enhanced adsorption kinetics compared to conventional class 1 sorbents. The new adsorbents show excellent stability in cyclic adsorption-desorption operations, even under dry conditions in which aminosilica adsorbents are known to lose capacity due to urea formation. Thus, the adsorbents of this type can be considered promising materials for the direct capture of CO(2) from ultra-dilute gas streams such as ambient air. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermal stability of liquid antioxidative extracts from pomegranate peel.

PubMed

Qu, Wenjuan; Li, Pingping; Hong, Jihua; Liu, Zhiling; Chen, Yufang; Breksa, Andrew P; Pan, Zhongli

2014-03-30

Liquid extracts from pomegranate peel have the potential for use as natural antioxidant products. This study investigates the quality changes of liquid extracts before and after thermal treatment during sterilization and storage. Liquid pomegranate peel extracts were prepared, sterilized under ultra-high temperature (UHT) at 121 °C for 10 s and then stored at three temperatures (4, 25 and 37 °C) for up to 180 days. The industrial, color, UV-visible spectrum profile and antioxidant (phenolics) characteristics were measured. Thermal sterilization treatment had no negative effects on the industrial, color, spectral and antioxidant characteristics of the extracts. After 180 days, the extracts stored at 4 °C retained 67% of the initial total soluble phenolic content and 58% of the original scavenging activity. The major antioxidant components in the extracts (stored at 4 °C for 180 days) were gallic acid, punicalagin A, punicalagin B and ellagic acid having concentrations of 19.3, 197.2, 221.1 and 92.4 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The results show that liquid pomegranate peel extracts had acceptable thermal stability after sterilization and storage. The recommended storage condition of this product was low temperature. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Simultaneous structural and environmental loading of an ultra-high performance concrete component

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious composite material which tends to exhibit superior properties such as increased durability, strength, and long-term stability. This experimental investigation focused on the flexural ...

In situ assembly of well-dispersed Ni nanoparticles on silica nanotubes and excellent catalytic activity in 4-nitrophenol reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shenghuan; Gai, Shili; He, Fei; Ding, Shujiang; Li, Lei; Yang, Piaoping

2014-09-01

The easy aggregation nature of ferromagnetic nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by conventional routes usually leads to a large particle size and low loading, which greatly limits their applications to the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Herein, we developed a novel in situ thermal decomposition and reduction strategy to prepare Ni nanoparticles/silica nanotubes (Ni/SNTs), which can markedly prevent the aggregation and growth of Ni NPs, resulting in an ultra-small particle size (about 6 nm), good dispersion and especially high loading of Ni NPs. It was found that Ni/SNTs, which have a high specific surface area (416 m2 g-1), exhibit ultra-high catalytic activity in the 4-NP reduction (complete reduction of 4-NP within only 60 s at room temperature), which is superior to most noble metal (Au, Pt, and Pd) supported catalysts. Ni/SNTs still showed high activity even after re-use for several cycles, suggesting good stability. In particular, the magnetic property of Ni/SNTs makes it easy to recycle for reuse.The easy aggregation nature of ferromagnetic nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by conventional routes usually leads to a large particle size and low loading, which greatly limits their applications to the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Herein, we developed a novel in situ thermal decomposition and reduction strategy to prepare Ni nanoparticles/silica nanotubes (Ni/SNTs), which can markedly prevent the aggregation and growth of Ni NPs, resulting in an ultra-small particle size (about 6 nm), good dispersion and especially high loading of Ni NPs. It was found that Ni/SNTs, which have a high specific surface area (416 m2 g-1), exhibit ultra-high catalytic activity in the 4-NP reduction (complete reduction of 4-NP within only 60 s at room temperature), which is superior to most noble metal (Au, Pt, and Pd) supported catalysts. Ni/SNTs still showed high activity even after re-use for several cycles, suggesting good stability. In particular, the magnetic property of Ni/SNTs makes it easy to recycle for reuse. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: XRD pattern and TEM image of SNTs after calcination, XRD pattern and EDS of NiSNTs, SEM images of a single SNT, NiSNTs and Ni/SNTs, enlarged HRTEM of Ni/SNTs, XRD pattern of NiO/SNTs, UV-vis spectra of the catalytic reduction of 4-NP to 4-AP over Ni/SNTs with different loading amounts, Ni/SNTs synthesized by wet impregnation and Ni/CNTs, TEM images of Ni/SNTs synthesized by wet impregnation and Ni/CNTs. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02096k

A metrology system for a high resolution cavity beam position monitor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walston, Sean; Boogert, Stewart; Chung, Carl; Fitsos, Pete; Frisch, Joe; Gronberg, Jeff; Hayano, Hitoshi; Hinton, Shantell; Honda, Yosuke; Khainovski, Oleg; Kolomensky, Yury; Loscutoff, Peter; Lyapin, Alexey; Malton, Stephen; May, Justin; McCormick, Douglas; Meller, Robert; Miller, David; Orimoto, Toyoko; Ross, Marc; Slater, Mark; Smith, Steve; Smith, Tonee; Terunuma, Nobuhiro; Thomson, Mark; Urakawa, Junji; Vogel, Vladimir; Ward, David; White, Glen

2013-11-01

International Linear Collider (ILC) interaction region beam sizes and component position stability requirements will likely be as small as a few nanometers. It is important to the ILC design effort to demonstrate that these tolerances can be achieved-ideally using a beam-based stability measurement. We developed a high resolution RF cavity Beam Position Monitor (BPM) system. A triplet of these BPMs, installed in the extraction line of the KEK Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) and tested with its ultra-low emittance beam, achieved a position measurement resolution of 15 nm. A metrology system for the three BPMs was subsequently installed. This system employed optical encoders to measure each BPM's position and orientation relative to a zero-coefficient of thermal expansion carbon fiber frame. We have demonstrated that the three BPMs behave as a rigid-body at the level of less than 5 nm.

Resistance of CFRP structures to environmental degradation in low Earth orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suliga, Agnieszka

Within this study, a development of a protection strategy for ultra-thin CFRP structures from degrading effects of low Earth orbit (LEO) is presented. The proposed strategy involves an application of a modified epoxy resin system on outer layers of the structure, which is cycloaliphatic in its chemical character and reinforced with POSS nanoparticles. The core of the CFRP structure is manufactured using a highly aromatic epoxy resin system which provides excellent mechanical properties, however, its long-term ageing performance in space is not satisfactory, and hence a surface treatment is required to improve its longevity. The developed resin system presented in this thesis is a hybrid material, designed in such a way that its individual constituents each contribute to combating the detrimental effects of radiation, atomic oxygen (AO), temperature extremes and vacuum induced outgassing of exposed material surfaces while operating in LEO. The cycloaliphatic nature of the outer epoxy increases UV resistance and the embedded silicon nanoparticles improve AO and thermal stability. During the study, a material characterization of the developed cycloaliphatic epoxy resins was performed including the effects of nanoparticles on morphology, curing behaviour, thermal-mechanical properties and surface chemistry. Following on that, the efficacy of the modified resin system on space-like resistance was studied. It was found that when the ultra-thin CFRP structures are covered with the developed resin system, their AO resistance is approximately doubled, UV susceptibility decreased by 80% and thermal stability improved by 20%. Following on the successful launch of the InflateSail mission earlier this year, which demonstrated a sail deployment and a controlled de-orbiting, the findings of this study are of importance for the future generation of similar, but significantly longer missions. Ensuring resistance of CFRP structures in a highly corrosive LEO environment is a critical requirement to make their use in space applications truly feasible.

Thermal-noise-limited higher-order mode locking of a reference cavity.

PubMed

Zeng, X Y; Ye, Y X; Shi, X H; Wang, Z Y; Deng, K; Zhang, J; Lu, Z H

2018-04-15

Higher-order mode locking has been proposed to reduce the thermal noise limit of reference cavities. By locking a laser to the HG 02 mode of a 10-cm long all ultra-low expansion (ULE) cavity and measuring its performance with the three-cornered-hat method among three independently stabilized lasers, we demonstrate a thermal-noise-limited performance of a fractional frequency instability of 4.9×10 -16 . The results match the theoretical models with higher-order optical modes. The achieved laser instability improves the all ULE short cavity results to a new low level.

Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics ZrB2 and HfB2 from Atomistic Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Murray, Daw S.; Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.

2011-01-01

Atomistic Green-Kubo simulations are performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of the ultra high temperature ceramics ZrB2 and HfB2 for a range of temperatures. Recently developed interatomic potentials are used for these simulations. Heat current correlation functions show rapid oscillations which can be identified with mixed metal-Boron optical phonon modes. Agreement with available experimental data is good.

Development of a Family of Ultra-High Performance Concrete Pi-Girders

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious composite material, which tends to exhibit superior properties such as exceptional durability, increased strength, and long-term stability. (See references 1-4.) The use of existing s...

Strain relaxation in nm-thick Cu and Cu-alloy films bonded to a rigid substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Ashley Ann Elizabeth

In the wide scope of modern technology, nm-thick metallic films are increasingly used as lubrication layers, optical coatings, plating seeds, diffusion barriers, adhesion layers, metal contacts, reaction catalyzers, etc. A prominent example is the use of nm-thick Cu films as electroplating seed layers in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs). These high density circuits are linked by on-chip copper interconnects, which are manufactured by filling Cu into narrow trenches by electroplating. The Cu fill by electroplating requires a thin Cu seed deposited onto high-aspect-ratio trenches. In modern ICs, these trenches are approaching 10 nm or less in width, and the seed layers less than 1 nm in thickness. Since nm-thick Cu seed layers are prone to agglomeration or delamination, achieving uniform, stable and highly-conductive ultra-thin seeds has become a major manufacturing challenge. A fundamental understanding of the strain behavior and thermal stability of nm-thick metal films adhered to a rigid substrate is thus critically needed. In this study, we focus on understanding the deformation modes of nm-thick Cu and Cu-alloy films bonded to a rigid Si substrate and under compressive stress. The strengthening of Cu films through alloying is also studied. In-situ transport measurements are used to monitor the deformation of such films as they are heated from room temperature to 400 °C. Ex-situ AFM is then used to help characterize the mode of strain relaxation. The relaxation modes are known to be sensitive to the wetting and adhesive properties of the film-substrate interface. We use four different liners (Ta, Ru, Mo and Co), interposed between the film and substrate to provide a wide range of interfacial properties to study their effect on the film's thermal stability. Our measurements indicate that when the film/liner interfacial energy is low, grain growth is the dominant relaxation mechanism. As the interface energy increases, grain growth is suppressed, and the strain is relaxed through hillock/island formation instead. The kinetics-limiting parameters for these relaxation modes are identified and used to simulate their kinetics, and a deformation map is then constructed to delineate the conditions under which each mode would prevail. Such a deformation map would prove useful when one seeks to optimize the thermal stability or other mechanical properties in any ultra-thin film system.

A simple way to an ultra-robust superhydrophobic fabric with mechanical stability, UV durability, and UV shielding property.

PubMed

Ren, Guina; Song, Yuanming; Li, Xiangming; Wang, Bo; Zhou, Yanli; Wang, Yuyan; Ge, Bo; Zhu, Xiaotao

2018-07-15

Development of an ultra-robust superhydrophobic fabric with mechanical stability, UV durability, and UV shielding by a simple method is highly desirable, yet it remains a challenge that current technologies have been unable to fully address. Herein, the original fabric is immersed into the solution containing ZnO nanoparticle and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), and the fiber surfaces are uniformly covered by a ZnO-PDMS layer after thermal treatment at 110 °C for 30 min. Droplets of water and corrosive liquids including strong acid, strong alkali, and saturated salt solution display sphere shape on the ZnO-PDMS coated fabric surface. The stable binding of ZnO-PDMS layer onto the fibers allows for the fabric coating with robust superhydrophobicity, and the coated fabric still displays superhydrophobicity after hand twisting, knife scratching, finger touching, and even cycles of sandpaper abrasion. The ZnO-PDMS coated fabric can also keep its superhydrophobic property when exposed to long term UV illumination, demonstrating its UV resistance. Moreover, the uniformly distribution of ZnO nanoparticles on fibers allows the ZnO-PDMS coated fabric to display UV shielding property. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extremely High Thermal Conductivity of Aligned Carbon Nanotube-Polyethylene Composites.

PubMed

Liao, Quanwen; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei; Deng, Chengcheng; Yang, Nuo

2015-11-10

The ultra-low thermal conductivity of bulk polymers may be enhanced by combining them with high thermal conductivity materials such as carbon nanotubes. Different from random doping, we find that the aligned carbon nanotube-polyethylene composites has a high thermal conductivity by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The analyses indicate that the aligned composite not only take advantage of the high thermal conduction of carbon nanotubes, but enhance thermal conduction of polyethylene chains.

Characterization of Polyimide Foams for Ultra-Lightweight Space Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Michael (Technical Monitor); Hillman, Keithan; Veazie, David R.

2003-01-01

Ultra-lightweight materials have played a significant role in nearly every area of human activity ranging from magnetic tapes and artificial organs to atmospheric balloons and space inflatables. The application range of ultra-lightweight materials in past decades has expanded dramatically due to their unsurpassed efficiency in terms of low weight and high compliance properties. A new generation of ultra-lightweight materials involving advanced polymeric materials, such as TEEK (TM) polyimide foams, is beginning to emerge to produce novel performance from ultra-lightweight systems for space applications. As a result, they require that special conditions be fulfilled to ensure adequate structural performance, shape retention, and thermal stability. It is therefore important and essential to develop methodologies for predicting the complex properties of ultra-lightweight foams. To support NASA programs such as the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), Clark Atlanta University, along with SORDAL, Inc., has initiated projects for commercial process development of polyimide foams for the proposed cryogenic tank integrated structure (see figure 1). Fabrication and characterization of high temperature, advanced aerospace-grade polyimide foams and filled foam sandwich composites for specified lifetimes in NASA space applications, as well as quantifying the lifetime of components, are immensely attractive goals. In order to improve the development, durability, safety, and life cycle performance of ultra-lightweight polymeric foams, test methods for the properties are constant concerns in terms of timeliness, reliability, and cost. A major challenge is to identify the mechanisms of failures (i.e., core failure, interfacial debonding, and crack development) that are reflected in the measured properties. The long-term goal of the this research is to develop the tools and capabilities necessary to successfully engineer ultra-lightweight polymeric foams. The desire is to reduce density at the material and structural levels, while at the same time maintaining or increasing mechanical and other properties.

An ultra-stable single-chain insulin analog resists thermal inactivation and exhibits biological signaling duration equivalent to the native protein.

PubMed

Glidden, Michael D; Aldabbagh, Khadijah; Phillips, Nelson B; Carr, Kelley; Chen, Yen-Shan; Whittaker, Jonathan; Phillips, Manijeh; Wickramasinghe, Nalinda P; Rege, Nischay; Swain, Mamuni; Peng, Yi; Yang, Yanwu; Lawrence, Michael C; Yee, Vivien C; Ismail-Beigi, Faramarz; Weiss, Michael A

2018-01-05

Thermal degradation of insulin complicates its delivery and use. Previous efforts to engineer ultra-stable analogs were confounded by prolonged cellular signaling in vivo , of unclear safety and complicating mealtime therapy. We therefore sought an ultra-stable analog whose potency and duration of action on intravenous bolus injection in diabetic rats are indistinguishable from wild-type (WT) insulin. Here, we describe the structure, function, and stability of such an analog, a 57-residue single-chain insulin (SCI) with multiple acidic substitutions. Cell-based studies revealed native-like signaling properties with negligible mitogenic activity. Its crystal structure, determined as a novel zinc-free hexamer at 2.8 Å, revealed a native insulin fold with incomplete or absent electron density in the C domain; complementary NMR studies are described in the accompanying article. The stability of the analog (Δ G U 5.0(±0.1) kcal/mol at 25 °C) was greater than that of WT insulin (3.3(±0.1) kcal/mol). On gentle agitation, the SCI retained full activity for >140 days at 45 °C and >48 h at 75 °C. These findings indicate that marked resistance to thermal inactivation in vitro is compatible with native duration of activity in vivo Further, whereas WT insulin forms large and heterogeneous aggregates above the standard 0.6 mm pharmaceutical strength, perturbing the pharmacokinetic properties of concentrated formulations, dynamic light scattering, and size-exclusion chromatography revealed only limited SCI self-assembly and aggregation in the concentration range 1-7 mm Such a combination of favorable biophysical and biological properties suggests that SCIs could provide a global therapeutic platform without a cold chain. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2 from Atomistic Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, JOhn W.; Daw, Murray S.; Bauschlicher, Charles W.

2011-01-01

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) including ZrB2 and HfB2 are candidate materials for applications in extreme environments because of their high melting point, good mechanical properties and reasonable oxidation resistance. Unlike many ceramics, these materials have high thermal conductivity which can be advantageous, for example, to reduce thermal shock. Recently, we developed Tersoff style interatomic potentials for both ZrB2 and HfB2 appropriate for atomistic simulations. As an application, Green-Kubo molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of ZrB2 and HfB2. The atomic mass difference in these binary compounds leads to oscillations in the time correlation function of the heat current. Results at room temperature and at elevated temperatures will be reported.

Negative-index gratings formed by femtosecond laser overexposure and thermal regeneration

PubMed Central

He, Jun; Wang, Yiping; Liao, Changrui; Wang, Chao; Liu, Shen; Yang, Kaiming; Wang, Ying; Yuan, Xiaocong; Wang, Guo Ping; Zhang, Wenjing

2016-01-01

We demonstrate a method for the preparation of negative-index fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) using 800 nm femtosecond laser overexposure and thermal regeneration. A positive-index type I-IR FBG was first inscribed in H2-free single-mode fibre using a femtosecond laser directed through a phase mask, and then a highly polarization dependant phase-shifted FBG (P-PSFBG) was fabricated from the type I-IR FBG by overexposure to the femtosecond laser. Subsequently, the P-PSFBG was thermally annealed at 800 °C for 12 hours. Grating regeneration was observed during thermal annealing, and a negative-index FBG was finally obtained with a high reflectivity of 99.22%, an ultra-low insertion loss of 0.08 dB, a blueshift of 0.83 nm in the Bragg wavelength, and an operating temperature of up to 1000 °C for more than 10 hours. Further annealing tests showed that the thermal stability of the negative-index FBG was lower than that of a type II-IR FBG, but much higher than that of a type I-IR FBG. Moreover, the formation of such a negative-index grating may result from thermally regenerated type IIA photosensitivity. PMID:26979090

Ultra-miniature wireless temperature sensor for thermal medicine applications.

PubMed

Khairi, Ahmad; Hung, Shih-Chang; Paramesh, Jeyanandh; Fedder, Gary; Rabin, Yoed

2011-01-01

This study presents a prototype design of an ultra-miniature, wireless, battery-less, and implantable temperature-sensor, with applications to thermal medicine such as cryosurgery, hyperthermia, and thermal ablation. The design aims at a sensory device smaller than 1.5 mm in diameter and 3 mm in length, to enable minimally invasive deployment through a hypodermic needle. While the new device may be used for local temperature monitoring, simultaneous data collection from an array of such sensors can be used to reconstruct the 3D temperature field in the treated area, offering a unique capability in thermal medicine. The new sensory device consists of three major subsystems: a temperature-sensing core, a wireless data-communication unit, and a wireless power reception and management unit. Power is delivered wirelessly to the implant from an external source using an inductive link. To meet size requirements while enhancing reliability and minimizing cost, the implant is fully integrated in a regular foundry CMOS technology (0.15 μm in the current study), including the implant-side inductor of the power link. A temperature-sensing core that consists of a proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) circuit has been designed and characterized. It employs a microwatt chopper stabilized op-amp and dynamic element-matched current sources to achieve high absolute accuracy. A second order sigma-delta (Σ-Δ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is designed to convert the temperature reading to a digital code, which is transmitted by backscatter through the same antenna used for receiving power. A high-efficiency multi-stage differential CMOS rectifier has been designed to provide a DC supply to the sensing and communication subsystems. This paper focuses on the development of the all-CMOS temperature sensing core circuitry part of the device, and briefly reviews the wireless power delivery and communication subsystems.

Recent developments in novel freezing and thawing technologies applied to foods.

PubMed

Wu, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Min; Adhikari, Benu; Sun, Jincai

2017-11-22

This article reviews the recent developments in novel freezing and thawing technologies applied to foods. These novel technologies improve the quality of frozen and thawed foods and are energy efficient. The novel technologies applied to freezing include pulsed electric field pre-treatment, ultra-low temperature, ultra-rapid freezing, ultra-high pressure and ultrasound. The novel technologies applied to thawing include ultra-high pressure, ultrasound, high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF), and radio frequency. Ultra-low temperature and ultra-rapid freezing promote the formation and uniform distribution of small ice crystals throughout frozen foods. Ultra-high pressure and ultrasound assisted freezing are non-thermal methods and shorten the freezing time and improve product quality. Ultra-high pressure and HVEF thawing generate high heat transfer rates and accelerate the thawing process. Ultrasound and radio frequency thawing can facilitate thawing process by volumetrically generating heat within frozen foods. It is anticipated that these novel technologies will be increasingly used in food industries in the future.

Flash (Ultra-Rapid) Spark-Plasma Sintering of Silicon Carbide

PubMed Central

Olevsky, Eugene A.; Rolfing, Stephen M.; Maximenko, Andrey L.

2016-01-01

A new ultra-rapid process of flash spark plasma sintering is developed. The idea of flash spark plasma sintering (or flash hot pressing - FHP) stems from the conducted theoretical analysis of the role of thermal runaway phenomena for material processing by flash sintering. The major purpose of the present study is to theoretically analyze the thermal runaway nature of flash sintering and to experimentally address the challenge of uncontrollable thermal conditions by the stabilization of the flash sintering process through the application of the external pressure. The effectiveness of the developed FHP technique is demonstrated by the few seconds–long consolidation of SiC powder in an industrial spark plasma sintering device. Specially designed sacrificial dies heat the pre-compacted SiC powder specimens to a critical temperature before applying any voltage to the powder volume and allowing the electrode-punches of the SPS device setup to contact the specimens and pass electric current through them under elevated temperatures. The experimental results demonstrate that flash sintering phenomena can be realized using conventional SPS devices. The usage of hybrid heating SPS devices is pointed out as the mainstream direction for the future studies and utilization of the new flash hot pressing (ultra-rapid spark plasma sintering) technique. PMID:27624641

Flash (Ultra-Rapid) Spark-Plasma Sintering of Silicon Carbide

DOE PAGES

Olevsky, Eugene A.; Rolfing, Stephen M.; Maximenko, Andrey L.

2016-09-14

A new ultra-rapid process of flash spark plasma sintering is developed. The idea of flash spark plasma sintering (or flash hot pressing - FHP) stems from the conducted theoretical analysis of the role of thermal runaway phenomena for material processing by flash sintering. The major purpose of the present study is to theoretically analyze the thermal runaway nature of flash sintering and to experimentally address the challenge of uncontrollable thermal conditions by the stabilization of the flash sintering process through the application of the external pressure. The effectiveness of the developed FHP technique is demonstrated by the few seconds–long consolidationmore » of SiC powder in an industrial spark plasma sintering device. Specially designed sacrificial dies heat the pre-compacted SiC powder specimens to a critical temperature before applying any voltage to the powder volume and allowing the electrode-punches of the SPS device setup to contact the specimens and pass electric current through them under elevated temperatures. The experimental results demonstrate that flash sintering phenomena can be realized using conventional SPS devices. The usage of hybrid heating SPS devices is pointed out as the mainstream direction for the future studies and utilization of the new flash hot pressing (ultra-rapid spark plasma sintering) technique.« less

Co-surfactant free microemulsions: Preparation, characterization and stability evaluation for food application.

PubMed

Xu, Zhenbo; Jin, Jun; Zheng, Minying; Zheng, Yan; Xu, Xuebing; Liu, Yuanfa; Wang, Xingguo

2016-08-01

The aim of the study is to prepare co-surfactant free microalgal oil microemulsions and investigate their properties as well as processing stability for food application. The physicochemical characteristics of the microemulsions were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), turbidity, conductivity, rheological measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Within the microemulsion region, when the surfactant to oil ratio was 9:1, the hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) was 18nm; when the surfactant to oil ratio was 7.5:1, the hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) was 50nm. Rheological studies proved that the microemulsion system was a pseudoplastic fluid, which followed a shear thinning flow behavior. The loss rate of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was less than 5%wt after ultra high temperature (UHT) and high temperature short time (HTST) thermal treatments. A high content of CaCl2 (10.0%wt) could not destroy the microemulsion system, and it could be stored at 4°C for two years. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) Thermal Trade Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, Thomas

2015-01-01

Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) is being done at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in preparation for the next large aperture UVOIR space observatory. A key science mission of that observatory is the detection and characterization of 'Earth-like' exoplanets. Direct exoplanet observation requires a telescope to see a planet which will be 10(exp -10) times dimmer than its host star. To accomplish this using an internal coronagraph requires a telescope with an ultra-stable wavefront error (WFE). This paper investigates parametric relationships between primary mirror physical parameters and thermal WFE stability. Candidate mirrors are designed as a mesh and placed into a thermal analysis model to determine the temperature distribution in the mirror when it is placed inside of an actively controlled cylindrical shroud at Lagrange point 2. Thermal strains resulting from the temperature distribution are found and an estimation of WFE is found to characterize the effect that thermal inputs have on the optical quality of the mirror. This process is repeated for several mirror material properties, material types, and mirror designs to determine how to design a mirror for thermal stability.

Ultra-slim flexible glass for roll-to-roll electronic device fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Sean; Glaesemann, Scott; Li, Xinghua

2014-08-01

As displays and electronics evolve to become lighter, thinner, and more flexible, the choice of substrate continues to be critical to their overall optimization. The substrate directly affects improvements in the designs, materials, fabrication processes, and performance of advanced electronics. With their inherent benefits such as surface quality, optical transmission, hermeticity, and thermal and dimensional stability, glass substrates enable high-quality and long-life devices. As substrate thicknesses are reduced below 200 μm, ultra-slim flexible glass continues to provide these inherent benefits to high-performance flexible electronics such as displays, touch sensors, photovoltaics, and lighting. In addition, the reduction in glass thickness also allows for new device designs and high-throughput, continuous manufacturing enabled by R2R processes. This paper provides an overview of ultra-slim flexible glass substrates and how they enable flexible electronic device optimization. Specific focus is put on flexible glass' mechanical reliability. For this, a combination of substrate design and process optimizations has been demonstrated that enables R2R device fabrication on flexible glass. Demonstrations of R2R flexible glass processes such as vacuum deposition, photolithography, laser patterning, screen printing, slot die coating, and lamination have been made. Compatibility with these key process steps has resulted in the first demonstration of a fully functional flexible glass device fabricated completely using R2R processes.

Note: A temperature-stable low-noise transimpedance amplifier for microcurrent measurement.

PubMed

Xie, Kai; Shi, Xueyou; Zhao, Kai; Guo, Lixin; Zhang, Hanlu

2017-02-01

Temperature stability and noise characteristics often run contradictory in microcurrent (e.g., pA-scale) measurement instruments because low-noise performance requires high-value resistors with relatively poor temperature coefficients. A low-noise transimpedance amplifier with high-temperature stability, which involves an active compensation mechanism to overcome the temperature drift mainly caused by high-value resistors, is presented. The implementation uses a specially designed R-2R compensating network to provide programmable current gain with extra-fine trimming resolution. The temperature drifts of all components (e.g., feedback resistors, operational amplifiers, and the R-2R network itself) are compensated simultaneously. Therefore, both low-temperature drift and ultra-low-noise performance can be achieved. With a current gain of 10 11 V/A, the internal current noise density was about 0.4 fA/√Hz, and the average temperature coefficient was 4.3 ppm/K at 0-50 °C. The amplifier module maintains accuracy across a wide temperature range without additional thermal stabilization, and its compact size makes it especially suitable for high-precision, low-current measurement in outdoor environments for applications such as electrochemical emission supervision, air pollution particles analysis, radiation monitoring, and bioelectricity.

Note: A temperature-stable low-noise transimpedance amplifier for microcurrent measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Kai; Shi, Xueyou; Zhao, Kai; Guo, Lixin; Zhang, Hanlu

2017-02-01

Temperature stability and noise characteristics often run contradictory in microcurrent (e.g., pA-scale) measurement instruments because low-noise performance requires high-value resistors with relatively poor temperature coefficients. A low-noise transimpedance amplifier with high-temperature stability, which involves an active compensation mechanism to overcome the temperature drift mainly caused by high-value resistors, is presented. The implementation uses a specially designed R-2R compensating network to provide programmable current gain with extra-fine trimming resolution. The temperature drifts of all components (e.g., feedback resistors, operational amplifiers, and the R-2R network itself) are compensated simultaneously. Therefore, both low-temperature drift and ultra-low-noise performance can be achieved. With a current gain of 1011 V/A, the internal current noise density was about 0.4 fA/√Hz, and the average temperature coefficient was 4.3 ppm/K at 0-50 °C. The amplifier module maintains accuracy across a wide temperature range without additional thermal stabilization, and its compact size makes it especially suitable for high-precision, low-current measurement in outdoor environments for applications such as electrochemical emission supervision, air pollution particles analysis, radiation monitoring, and bioelectricity.

Na2Ti6O13: a potential anode for grid-storage sodium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Rudola, Ashish; Saravanan, Kuppan; Devaraj, Sappani; Gong, Hao; Balaya, Palani

2013-08-28

The ultra-fast (30C or 2 min) rate capability and impressive long cycle life (>5000 cycles) of Na2Ti6O13 are reported. A stable 2.5 V sodium-ion battery full cell is demonstrated. In addition, the sodium storage mechanism and thermal stability of Na2Ti6O13 are discussed.

Device for wavefront correction in an ultra high power laser

DOEpatents

Ault, Earl R.; Comaskey, Brian J.; Kuklo, Thomas C.

2002-01-01

A system for wavefront correction in an ultra high power laser. As the laser medium flows past the optical excitation source and the fluid warms its index of refraction changes creating an optical wedge. A system is provided for correcting the thermally induced optical phase errors.

Local time dependence of the thermal structure in the Venusian equatorial region revealed by Akatsuki radio occultation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, H.; Fukuhara, T.; Takagi, M.; Imamura, T.; Sugimoto, N.; Sagawa, H.

2017-12-01

The radio occultation technique is one of the most useful methods to retrieve vertical temperature profiles in planetary atmospheres. Ultra-Stable Oscillator (USO) onboard Venus Climate Orbiter, Akatsuki, enables us to investigate the thermal structure of the Venus atmosphere between about 40-90 km levels. It is expected that 35 temperature profiles will be obtained by the radio occultation measurements of Akatsuki until August 2017. Static stability derived from the temperature profiles shows its local time dependence above the cloud top level at low-latitudes equatorward of 25˚. The vertical profiles of the static stability in the dawn and dusk regions have maxima at 77 km and 82 km levels, respectively. A general circulation model (GCM) for the Venus atmosphere (AFES-Venus) reproduced the thermal structures above the cloud top qualitatively consistent with the radio occultation measurements; the maxima of the static stability are seen both in the dawn and dusk regions, and the local maximum of the static stability in the dusk region is located at a highler level than in the dawn region. Comparing the thermal structures between the radio occultation measurements and the GCM results, it is suggested that the distribution of the static stability above the cloud top could be strongly affected by the diurnal tide. The thermal tide influences on the thermal structure as well as atmospheric motions above the cloud level. In addition, it is shown that zonally averaged zonal wind at about 80 km altitude could be roughly estimated from the radio occultation measurements using the dispersion relation of the internal gravity wave.

A single-ligand ultra-microporous MOF for precombustion CO2 capture and hydrogen purification.

PubMed

Nandi, Shyamapada; De Luna, Phil; Daff, Thomas D; Rother, Jens; Liu, Ming; Buchanan, William; Hawari, Ayman I; Woo, Tom K; Vaidhyanathan, Ramanathan

2015-12-01

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) built from a single small ligand typically have high stability, are rigid, and have syntheses that are often simple and easily scalable. However, they are normally ultra-microporous and do not have large surface areas amenable to gas separation applications. We report an ultra-microporous (3.5 and 4.8 Å pores) Ni-(4-pyridylcarboxylate)2 with a cubic framework that exhibits exceptionally high CO2/H2 selectivities (285 for 20:80 and 230 for 40:60 mixtures at 10 bar, 40°C) and working capacities (3.95 mmol/g), making it suitable for hydrogen purification under typical precombustion CO2 capture conditions (1- to 10-bar pressure swing). It exhibits facile CO2 adsorption-desorption cycling and has CO2 self-diffusivities of ~3 × 10(-9) m(2)/s, which is two orders higher than that of zeolite 13X and comparable to other top-performing MOFs for this application. Simulations reveal a high density of binding sites that allow for favorable CO2-CO2 interactions and large cooperative binding energies. Ultra-micropores generated by a small ligand ensures hydrolytic, hydrostatic stabilities, shelf life, and stability toward humid gas streams.

Characterization of ultrafine grained Cu-Ni-Si alloys by electron backscatter diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altenberger, I.; Kuhn, H. A.; Gholami, M.; Mhaede, M.; Wagner, L.

2014-08-01

A combination of rotary swaging and optimized precipitation hardening was applied to generate ultra fine grained (UFG) microstructures in low alloyed high performance Cu-based alloy CuNi3Si1Mg. As a result, ultrafine grained (UFG) microstructures with nanoscopically small Ni2Si-precipitates exhibiting high strength, ductility and electrical conductivity can be obtained. Grain boundary pinning by nano-precipitates enhances the thermal stability. Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) and especially electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) are predestined to characterize the evolving microstructures due to excellent resolution and vast crystallographic information. The following study summarizes the microstructure after different processing steps and points out the consequences for the most important mechanical and physical properties such as strength, ductility and conductivity.

Isothermal Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide Dihydrate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loeffler, M. J.; Baragiola, R. A.

2011-01-01

We present a new method of growing pure solid hydrogen peroxide in an ultra high vacuum environment and apply it to determine thermal stability of the dihydrate compound that forms when water and hydrogen peroxide are mixed at low temperatures. Using infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, we quantified the isothermal decomposition of the metastable dihydrate at 151.6 K. This decomposition occurs by fractional distillation through the preferential sublimation of water, which leads to the formation of pure hydrogen peroxide. The results imply that in an astronomical environment where condensed mixtures of H2O2 and H2O are shielded from radiolytic decomposition and warmed to temperatures where sublimation is significant, highly concentrated or even pure hydrogen peroxide may form.

Processing effects on physicochemical properties of creams formulated with modified milk fat.

PubMed

Bolling, J C; Duncan, S E; Eigel, W N; Waterman, K M

2005-04-01

Type of thermal process [high temperature, short time pasteurization (HTST) or ultra-high temperature pasteurization (UHT)] and homogenization sequence (before or after pasteurization) were examined for influence on the physicochemical properties of natural cream (20% milk fat) and creams formulated with 20% low-melt, fractionated butteroil emulsified with skim milk, or buttermilk and butter-derived aqueous phase. Homogenization sequence influenced physicochemical makeup of the creams. Creams homogenized before pasteurization contained more milk fat surface material, higher phospholipid levels, and less protein at the milk fat interface than creams homogenized after pasteurization. Phosphodiesterase I activity was higher (relative to protein on lipid globule surface) when cream was homogenized before pasteurization. Creams formulated with skim milk and modified milk fat had relatively more phospholipid adsorbed at the milk fat interface. Ultra-high-temperature-pasteurized natural and reformulated creams were higher in viscosity at all shear rates investigated compared with HTST-pasteurized creams. High-temperature, short time-pasteurized natural cream was more viscous than HTST-pasteurized reformulated creams at most shear rates investigated. High-temperature, short time-pasteurized creams had better emulsion stability than UHT-pasteurized creams. Cream formulated with buttermilk had creaming stability most comparable to natural cream, and cream formulated with skim milk and modified butteroil was least stable to creaming. Most creams feathered in a pH range of 5.00 to 5.20, indicating that they were moderately stable to slightly unstable emulsions. All processing sequences yielded creams within sensory specifications with the exception of treatments homogenized before UHT pasteurization and skim milk formulations homogenized after UHT pasteurization.

High-performance solid state supercapacitors assembling graphene interconnected networks in porous silicon electrode by electrochemical methods using 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalen.

PubMed

Romanitan, Cosmin; Varasteanu, Pericle; Mihalache, Iuliana; Culita, Daniela; Somacescu, Simona; Pascu, Razvan; Tanasa, Eugenia; Eremia, Sandra A V; Boldeiu, Adina; Simion, Monica; Radoi, Antonio; Kusko, Mihaela

2018-06-25

The challenge for conformal modification of the ultra-high internal surface of nanoporous silicon was tackled by electrochemical polymerisation of 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene using cyclic voltammetry or potentiometry and, notably, after the thermal treatment (800 °C, N 2 , 4 h) an assembly of interconnected networks of graphene strongly adhering to nanoporous silicon matrix resulted. Herein we demonstrate the achievement of an easy scalable technology for solid state supercapacitors on silicon, with excellent electrochemical properties. Accordingly, our symmetric supercapacitors (SSC) showed remarkable performance characteristics, comparable to many of the best high-power and/or high-energy carbon-based supercapacitors, their figures of merit matching under battery-like supercapacitor behaviour. Furthermore, the devices displayed high specific capacity values along with enhanced capacity retention even at ultra-high rates for voltage sweep, 5 V/s, or discharge current density, 100 A/g, respectively. The cycling stability tests performed at relatively high discharge current density of 10 A/g indicated good capacity retention, with a superior performance demonstrated for the electrodes obtained under cyclic voltammetry approach, which may be ascribed on the one hand to a better coverage of the porous silicon substrate and, on the other hand, to an improved resilience of the hybrid electrode to pore clogging.

Low doses of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase inhibitors rapidly evoke opioid receptor-mediated thermal hyperalgesia in naïve mice which is converted to prominent analgesia by cotreatment with ultra-low-dose naltrexone.

PubMed

Crain, Stanley M; Shen, Ke-Fei

2008-09-22

Systemic (s.c.) injection in naïve mice of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDE) inhibitors, e.g. 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine [(IBMX) or caffeine, 10 mg/kg] or the more specific cAMP-PDE inhibitor, rolipram (1 mug/kg), rapidly evokes thermal hyperalgesia (lasting >5 h). These effects appear to be mediated by enhanced excitatory opioid receptor signaling, as occurs during withdrawal in opioid-dependent mice. Cotreatment of these mice with ultra-low-dose naltrexone (NTX, 0.1 ng/kg-1 pg/kg, s.c.) results in prominent opioid analgesia (lasting >4 h) even when the dose of rolipram is reduced to 1 pg/kg. Cotreatment of these cAMP-PDE inhibitors in naïve mice with an ultra-low-dose (0.1 ng/kg) of the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) or the mu-opioid receptor antagonist, beta-funaltrexamine (beta-FNA) also results in opioid analgesia. These excitatory effects of cAMP-PDE inhibitors in naïve mice may be mediated by enhanced release of small amounts of endogenous bimodally-acting (excitatory/inhibitory) opioid agonists by neurons in nociceptive networks. Ultra-low-dose NTX, nor-BNI or beta-FNA selectively antagonizes high-efficacy excitatory (hyperalgesic) Gs-coupled opioid receptor-mediated signaling in naïve mice and results in rapid conversion to inhibitory (analgesic) Gi/Go-coupled opioid receptor-mediated signaling which normally requires activation by much higher doses of opioid agonists. Cotreatment with a low subanalgesic dose of kelatorphan, an inhibitor of multiple endogenous opioid peptide-degrading enzymes, stabilizes endogenous opioid agonists released by cAMP-PDE inhibitors, resulting in conversion of the hyperalgesia to analgesia without requiring selective blockade of excitatory opioid receptor signaling. The present study provides a novel pharmacologic paradigm that may facilitate development of valuable non-narcotic clinical analgesics utilizing cotreatment with ultra-low-dose rolipram plus ultra-low-dose NTX or related agents.

Ionic liquid based multifunctional double network gel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Kumkum; Higashihara, Tomoya; Arafune, Hiroyuki; Kamijo, Toshio; Morinaga, Takashi; Sato, Takaya; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

2015-04-01

Gels are a promising class of soft and wet materials with diverse application in tissue engineering and bio-medical purpose. In order to accelerate the development of gels, it is required to synthesize multi-functional gels of high mechanical strength, ultra low surface friction and suitable elastic modulus with a variety of methods and new materials. Among many types of gel ionic gel made from ionic liquids (ILs) could be used for diverse applications in electrochemical devices and in the field of tribology. IL, a promising materials for lubrication, is a salt with a melting point lower than 100 °C. As a lubricant, ILs are characterized by an extremely low vapor pressure, high thermal stability and high ion conductivity. In this work a novel approach of making double network DN ionic gel using IL has been made utilizing photo polymerization process. A hydrophobic monomer Methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been used as a first network and a hydrophobic IL monomer, N,N-diethyl-N-(2-mthacryloylethyl)-N-methylammonium bistrifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (DEMM-TFSI) has been used as a second network using photo initiator benzophenon and crosslinker triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). The resulting DN ionic gel shows transparency, flexibility, high thermal stability, good mechanical toughness and low friction coefficient value which can be a potential candidate as a gel slider in different mechanical devices and can open a new area in the field of gel tribology.

Design verification of large time constant thermal shields for optical reference cavities.

PubMed

Zhang, J; Wu, W; Shi, X H; Zeng, X Y; Deng, K; Lu, Z H

2016-02-01

In order to achieve high frequency stability in ultra-stable lasers, the Fabry-Pérot reference cavities shall be put inside vacuum chambers with large thermal time constants to reduce the sensitivity to external temperature fluctuations. Currently, the determination of thermal time constants of vacuum chambers is based either on theoretical calculation or time-consuming experiments. The first method can only apply to simple system, while the second method will take a lot of time to try out different designs. To overcome these limitations, we present thermal time constant simulation using finite element analysis (FEA) based on complete vacuum chamber models and verify the results with measured time constants. We measure the thermal time constants using ultrastable laser systems and a frequency comb. The thermal expansion coefficients of optical reference cavities are precisely measured to reduce the measurement error of time constants. The simulation results and the experimental results agree very well. With this knowledge, we simulate several simplified design models using FEA to obtain larger vacuum thermal time constants at room temperature, taking into account vacuum pressure, shielding layers, and support structure. We adopt the Taguchi method for shielding layer optimization and demonstrate that layer material and layer number dominate the contributions to the thermal time constant, compared with layer thickness and layer spacing.

Ultra-Light Precision Membrane Optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Jim; Gunter, Kent; Patrick, Brian; Marty, Dave; Bates, Kevin; Gatlin, Romona; Clayton, Bill; Rood, Bob; Brantley, Whitt (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

SRS Technologies and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center have conducted a research effort to explore the possibility of developing ultra-lightweight membrane optics for future imaging applications. High precision optical flats and spherical mirrors were produced under this research effort. The thin film mirrors were manufactured using surface replication casting of CPI(Trademark), a polyimide material developed specifically for UV hardness and thermal stability. In the course of this program, numerous polyimide films were cast with surface finishes better than 1.5 nanometers rms and thickness variation of less than 63 nanometers. Precision membrane optical flats were manufactured demonstrating better than 1/13 wave figure error when measured at 633 nanometers. The aerial density of these films is 0.037 kilograms per square meter. Several 0.5-meter spherical mirrors were also manufactured. These mirrors had excellent surface finish (1.5 nanometers rms) and figure error on the order of tens of microns. This places their figure error within the demonstrated correctability of advanced wavefront correction technologies such as real time holography.

A new Ultra Precision Interferometer for absolute length measurements down to cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schödel, R.; Walkov, A.; Zenker, M.; Bartl, G.; Meeß, R.; Hagedorn, D.; Gaiser, C.; Thummes, G.; Heltzel, S.

2012-09-01

A new Ultra Precision Interferometer (UPI) was built at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. As its precursor, the precision interferometer, it was designed for highly precise absolute length measurements of prismatic bodies, e.g. gauge blocks, under well-defined temperature conditions and pressure, making use of phase stepping imaging interferometry. The UPI enables a number of enhanced features, e.g. it is designed for a much better lateral resolution and better temperature stability. In addition to the original concept, the UPI is equipped with an external measurement pathway (EMP) in which a prismatic body can be placed alternatively. The temperature of the EMP can be controlled in a much wider range compared to the temperature of the interferometer's main chamber. An appropriate cryostat system, a precision temperature measurement system and improved imaging interferometry were established to permit absolute length measurements down to cryogenic temperature, demonstrated for the first time ever. Results of such measurements are important for studying thermal expansion of materials from room temperature towards less than 10 K.

Energy & Energetics

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-22

mechanical and structural failure and decomposition in ultra-fast time regimes. Our research teams are exploring novel ways to convert mechanical ...energy to thermal energy by examining initiation mechanisms , multi-phase combustion, detonation and the mechanisms that lead to the release of energy...understanding of the mechanisms of structural stability by doping Fe in LiCoPO4 and effectiveness of HFiP in stopping further oxidation of electrolytes are

Research@ARL: Energy & Energetics

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

enabling us to probe chemical, mechanical and structural failure and decomposition in ultra-fast time regimes. Our research teams are exploring novel ways...to convert mechanical energy to thermal energy by examining initiation mechanisms , multi-phase combustion, detonation and the mechanisms that lead...storage life. The understanding of the mechanisms of structural stability by doping Fe in LiCoPO4 and effectiveness of HFiP in stopping further

Qualifying a Bonding Process for the Space Interferometry Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joyce, Gretchen P.

2005-01-01

The Space Interferometry Mission consists of three parallel Michelson interferometers that will be capable of detecting extrasolar planets with a high degree of accuracy and precision. High levels of stability must be met in order to fulfill the scientific requirements of this mission. To attain successful measurements the coefficient of thermal expansion between optics and bonding material must be minimized without jeopardizing the integrity of the bonds. Optic-to-optic bonds have been analyzed to better understand variables such as the effects of the coefficient of thermal expansion differences between optics and bonding materials, and materials have been chosen for the project based on these analyses. A study was conducted to determine if a reliable, repeatable process for bonding by wicking adhesive could be obtained using a low-viscosity epoxy and ultra-low expansion glass. A process of creating a methodology of bonding fused silica optics with Z-6020 silane primer and Epo-Tek 301 epoxy will be discussed.

Vacuum ultra-violet damage and damage mitigation for plasma processing of highly porous organosilicate glass dielectrics

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

Marneffe, J.-F. de, E-mail: marneffe@imec.be; Lukaszewicz, M.; Porter, S. B.

2015-10-07

Porous organosilicate glass thin films, with k-value 2.0, were exposed to 147 nm vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) photons emitted in a Xenon capacitive coupled plasma discharge. Strong methyl bond depletion was observed, concomitant with a significant increase of the bulk dielectric constant. This indicates that, besides reactive radical diffusion, photons emitted during plasma processing do impede dielectric properties and therefore need to be tackled appropriately during patterning and integration. The detrimental effect of VUV irradiation can be partly suppressed by stuffing the low-k porous matrix with proper sacrificial polymers showing high VUV absorption together with good thermal and VUV stability. In addition,more » the choice of an appropriate hard-mask, showing high VUV absorption, can minimize VUV damage. Particular processing conditions allow to minimize the fluence of photons to the substrate and lead to negligible VUV damage. For patterned structures, in order to reduce VUV damage in the bulk and on feature sidewalls, the combination of both pore stuffing/material densification and absorbing hard-mask is recommended, and/or the use of low VUV-emitting plasma discharge.« less

Graphene-based solid-phase extraction disk for fast separation and preconcentration of trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water samples.

PubMed

Wang, Zonghua; Han, Qiang; Xia, Jianfei; Xia, Linhua; Ding, Mingyu; Tang, Jie

2013-06-01

Graphene has great potentials for the use in sample preparation due to its ultra high specific surface area, superior chemical stability, and excellent thermal stability. In our work, a novel graphene-based SPE disk was developed for separation and preconcentration of trace polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from environmental water samples. Based on the strong π-π stacking interaction between the analytes and graphene, the analytes extracted by graphene were eluted by cyclohexane and then determined by GC-MS. Under the optimized conditions, high flow rate (30 mL/min) and sensitivity (0.84-13 ng/L) were achieved. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of real environmental water samples with recoveries ranging from 72.8 to 106.2%. Furthermore, the property of anticlogging and reusability was also improved. This work reveals great potentials of graphene-based SPE disk in environmental analytical. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Generation of ultra high-power thermal plasma jet and its application to crystallization of amorphous silicon films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, Ryosuke; Shin, Ryota; Hanafusa, Hiroaki; Higashi, Seiichiro

2017-06-01

We have successfully generated ultra high-power thermal plasma jet (Super TPJ: s-TPJ) by increasing the Ar gas supply pressure to 0.4 MPa and the flow rate to 18 L/min. DC arc discharge was stably performed under a supply power of 4.6 kW. The peak power density of s-TPJ reached 64.1 kW/cm2 and enabled us to melt and recrystallize amorphous silicon (a-Si) films on quartz substrates with a scanning speed as high as 8000 mm/s. Under ultra high-speed scanning faster than 3000 mm/s, we observed granular crystal growth (GCG) competing with conventional high-speed lateral crystallization (HSLC). When further high speed scanning was performed, we observed a significant increase in grain density, which suggests spontaneous nucleation in undercooled molten Si as the origin of GCG. When we crystallized an isolated pattern of 6 × 6 µm2 under GCG conditions, single crystalline growth was successfully achieved.

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

Zhu, Fan, E-mail: zf5016@126.com; Center of Ultra-precision Optoelectronic Instrument Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080; Tan, Xinran

An autocollimation (AC) setup with ultra-high resolution and stability for micro-angle measurement is presented. The telephoto objective, which is characterized in long focal length at a compact structure size, and the optical enlargement unit, which can magnify the image displacement to improve its measurement resolution and accuracy, are used to obtain an ultra-high measurement resolution of the AC. The common-path beam drift compensation is used to suppress the drift of measurement results, which is evident in the high-resolution AC, thus to obtain a high measurement stability. Experimental results indicate that an effective resolution of better than 0.0005 arc sec (2.42more » nrad) over a measurement range of ±30 arc sec and a 2-h stability of 0.0061 arc sec (29.57 nrad) can be achieved.« less

Double-tilt in situ TEM holder with ultra-high stability.

PubMed

Xu, Mingjie; Dai, Sheng; Blum, Thomas; Li, Linze; Pan, Xiaoqing

2018-05-06

A double tilting holder with high stability is essential for acquiring atomic-scale information by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), but the availability of such holders for in situ TEM studies under various external stimuli is limited. Here, we report a unique design of seal-bearing components that provides ultra-high stability and multifunctionality (including double tilting) in an in situ TEM holder. The seal-bearing subsystem provides superior vibration damping and electrical insulation while maintaining excellent vacuum sealing and small form factor. A wide variety of in situ TEM applications including electrical measurement, STM mapping, photovoltaic studies, and CL spectroscopy can be performed on this platform with high spatial resolution imaging and electrical sensitivity at the pA scale. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing ultra-high CPV passive cooling using least-material finned heat sinks

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

Micheli, Leonardo, E-mail: lm409@exeter.ac.uk; Mallick, Tapas K., E-mail: T.K.Mallick@exeter.ac.uk; Fernandez, Eduardo F., E-mail: E.Fernandez-Fernandez2@exeter.ac.uk

2015-09-28

Ultra-high concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems aim to increase the cost-competiveness of CPV by increasing the concentrations over 2000 suns. In this work, the design of a heat sink for ultra-high concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) applications is presented. For the first time, the least-material approach, widely used in electronics to maximize the thermal dissipation while minimizing the weight of the heat sink, has been applied in CPV. This method has the potential to further decrease the cost of this technology and to keep the multijunction cell within the operative temperature range. The designing procedure is described in the paper and the resultsmore » of a thermal simulation are shown to prove the reliability of the solution. A prediction of the costs is also reported: a cost of 0.151$/W{sub p} is expected for a passive least-material heat sink developed for 4000x applications.« less

Water metamaterial for ultra-broadband and wide-angle absorption.

PubMed

Xie, Jianwen; Zhu, Weiren; Rukhlenko, Ivan D; Xiao, Fajun; He, Chong; Geng, Junping; Liang, Xianling; Jin, Ronghong; Premaratne, Malin

2018-02-19

A subwavelength water metamaterial is proposed and analyzed for ultra-broadband perfect absorption at microwave frequencies. We experimentally demonstrate that this metamaterial shows over 90% absorption within almost the entire frequency band of 12-29.6 GHz. It is also shown that the proposed metamaterial exhibits a good thermal stability with its absorption performance almost unchanged for the temperature range from 0 to 100°C. The study of the angular tolerance of the metamaterial absorber shows its ability of working at wide angles of incidence. Given that the proposed water metamaterial absorber is low-cost and easy for manufacture, we envision it may find numerous applications in electromagnetics such as broadband scattering reduction and electromagnetic energy harvesting.

Adhesive Bonding for Optical Metrology Systems in Space Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohlke, Martin; Schuldt, Thilo; Döringshoff, Klaus; Peters, Achim; Johann, Ulrich; Weise, Dennis; Braxmaier, Claus

2015-05-01

Laser based metrology systems become more and more attractive for space applications and are the core elements of planned missions such as LISA (NGO, eLISA) or NGGM where laser interferometry is used for distance measurements between satellites. The GRACE-FO mission will for the first time demonstrate a Laser Ranging Instrument (LRI) in space, starting 2017. Laser based metrology also includes optical clocks/references, either as ultra-stable light source for high sensitivity interferometry or as scientific payload e.g. proposed in fundamental physics missions such as mSTAR (mini SpaceTime Asymmetry Research), a mission dedicated to perform a Kennedy-Thorndike experiment on a satellite in a low-Earth orbit. To enable the use of existing optical laboratory setups, optimization with respect to power consumption, weight and dimensions is necessary. At the same time the thermal and structural stability must be increased. Over the last few years we investigated adhesive bonding of optical components to thermally highly stable glass ceramics as an easy-to-handle assembly integration technology. Several setups were implemented and tested for potential later use in space applications. We realized a heterodyne LISA related interferometer with demonstrated noise levels in the pm-range for translation measurement and nano-radiant-range for tilt measurements and two iodine frequency references on Elegant Breadboard (EBB) and Engineering Model (EM) level with frequency stabilities in the 10-15 range for longer integration times. The EM setup was thermally cycled and vibration tested.

A single-ligand ultra-microporous MOF for precombustion CO2 capture and hydrogen purification

PubMed Central

Nandi, Shyamapada; De Luna, Phil; Daff, Thomas D.; Rother, Jens; Liu, Ming; Buchanan, William; Hawari, Ayman I.; Woo, Tom K.; Vaidhyanathan, Ramanathan

2015-01-01

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) built from a single small ligand typically have high stability, are rigid, and have syntheses that are often simple and easily scalable. However, they are normally ultra-microporous and do not have large surface areas amenable to gas separation applications. We report an ultra-microporous (3.5 and 4.8 Å pores) Ni-(4-pyridylcarboxylate)2 with a cubic framework that exhibits exceptionally high CO2/H2 selectivities (285 for 20:80 and 230 for 40:60 mixtures at 10 bar, 40°C) and working capacities (3.95 mmol/g), making it suitable for hydrogen purification under typical precombustion CO2 capture conditions (1- to 10-bar pressure swing). It exhibits facile CO2 adsorption-desorption cycling and has CO2 self-diffusivities of ~3 × 10−9 m2/s, which is two orders higher than that of zeolite 13X and comparable to other top-performing MOFs for this application. Simulations reveal a high density of binding sites that allow for favorable CO2-CO2 interactions and large cooperative binding energies. Ultra-micropores generated by a small ligand ensures hydrolytic, hydrostatic stabilities, shelf life, and stability toward humid gas streams. PMID:26824055

Preparation of metastable CoFeNi alloys with ultra-high magnetic saturation (Bs = 2.4-2.59 T) by reverse pulse electrodeposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabakovic, Ibro; Venkatasamy, Venkatram

2018-04-01

The results of reverse pulse electrodeposition of CoFeNi films with ultra-high magnetic saturation, i.e. Bs values between 2.4 and 2.59 T, are presented in this work. Based on valence-bond theory (Hund's rule) it was assumed that the electronic configuration of MOH obtained by one electron reduction of electroactive intermediate (MOH+ads + e → MOHads) or oxidation of metal (M - e + HOH → MOH + H+) would result with larger number of spins per atom for each of transition metals in MOH-precipitated in CoFeNi deposit- with one more spin than their respective neutral metal in the order: Fe > Co > Ni. The experimental results showed that the increase of Bs value above Slater-Pauling curve was not observed for CoFe alloys, thus FeOH and CoOH compounds were not present in deposit. However, the increase of the Bs values above the Slater-Pauling curve (Bs = 2.4-2.59 T) was observed, for CoFeNi films obtained by reverse pulse electrodeposition. Therefore, NiOH as a stable compound is probably formed in a one-electron oxidation step during anodic pulse oxidation reaction precipitated presumably at the grain boundaries, giving rise to the ultra-high magnetic saturation of CoFeNi films. The effects of experimental conditions on elemental composition, magnetic properties, crystal structure, and thermal stability of CoFeNi films were studied.

Corrosion of Nickel-Based Alloys in Ultra-High Temperature Heat Transfer Fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Reddy, Ramana G.

2017-03-01

MgCl2-KCl binary system has been proposed to be used as high temperature reactor coolant. Due to its relatively low melting point, good heat capacity and excellent thermal stability, this system can also be used in high operation temperature concentrating solar power generation system as heat transfer fluid (HTF). The corrosion behaviors of nickel based alloys in MgCl2-KCl molten salt system at 1,000 °C were determined based on long-term isothermal dipping test. After 500 h exposure tests under strictly maintained high purity argon gas atmosphere, the weight loss and corrosion rate analysis were conducted. Among all the tested samples, Ni-201 demonstrated the lowest corrosion rate due to the excellent resistance of Ni to high temperature element dissolution. Detailed surface topography and corrosion mechanisms were also determined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS).

Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization improves oxidative stability and interfacial properties of soy protein isolate-stabilized emulsions.

PubMed

Fernandez-Avila, C; Trujillo, A J

2016-10-15

Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (100-300MPa) has great potential for technological, microbiological and nutritional aspects of fluid processing. Its effect on the oxidative stability and interfacial properties of oil-in-water emulsions prepared with 4% (w/v) of soy protein isolate and soybean oil (10 and 20%, v/v) were studied and compared to emulsions treated by conventional homogenization (15MPa). Emulsions were characterized by particle size, emulsifying activity index, surface protein concentration at the interface and by transmission electron microscopy. Primary and secondary lipid oxidation products were evaluated in emulsions upon storage. Emulsions with 20% oil treated at 100 and 200MPa exhibited the most oxidative stability due to higher amount of oil and protein surface load at the interface. This manuscript addresses the improvement in oxidative stability in emulsions treated by UHPH when compared to conventional emulsions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser Induced Damage of Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) Optical Crystal Machined by Water Dissolution Ultra-Precision Polishing Method

PubMed Central

Gao, Hang; Wang, Xu; Guo, Dongming; Liu, Ziyuan

2018-01-01

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) is an important optical indicator for nonlinear Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) crystal used in high power laser systems. In this study, KDP optical crystals are initially machined with single point diamond turning (SPDT), followed by water dissolution ultra-precision polishing (WDUP) and then tested with 355 nm nanosecond pulsed-lasers. Power spectral density (PSD) analysis shows that WDUP process eliminates the laser-detrimental spatial frequencies band of micro-waviness on SPDT machined surface and consequently decreases its modulation effect on the laser beams. The laser test results show that LIDT of WDUP machined crystal improves and its stability has a significant increase by 72.1% compared with that of SPDT. Moreover, a subsequent ultrasonic assisted solvent cleaning process is suggested to have a positive effect on the laser performance of machined KDP crystal. Damage crater investigation indicates that the damage morphologies exhibit highly thermal explosion features of melted cores and brittle fractures of periphery material, which can be described with the classic thermal explosion model. The comparison result demonstrates that damage mechanisms for SPDT and WDUP machined crystal are the same and WDUP process reveals the real bulk laser resistance of KDP optical crystal by removing the micro-waviness and subsurface damage on SPDT machined surface. This improvement of WDUP method makes the LIDT more accurate and will be beneficial to the laser performance of KDP crystal. PMID:29534032

Ultra-wide bandgap beta-Ga2O3 for deep-UV solar blind photodetectors(Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafique, Subrina; Han, Lu; Zhao, Hongping

2017-03-01

Deep-ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors based on wide bandgap (WB) semiconductor materials have attracted strong interest because of their broad applications in military surveillance, fire detection and ozone hole monitoring. Monoclinic β-Ga2O3 with ultra-wide bandgap of 4.9 eV is a promising candidate for such application because of its high optical transparency in UV and visible wavelength region, and excellent thermal and chemical stability at elevated temperatures. Synthesis of high qualityβ-Ga2O3 thin films is still at its early stage and knowledge on the origins of defects in this material is lacking. The conventional epitaxy methods used to grow β-Ga2O3 thin films such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) still face great challenges such as limited growth rate and relatively high defects levels. In this work, we present the growth of β-Ga2O3 thin films on c-plane (0001) sapphire substrate by our recently developed low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) method. The β-Ga2O3 thin films synthesized using high purity metallic gallium and oxygen as the source precursors and argon as carrier gas show controllable N-type doping and high carrier mobility. Metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors (PDs) were fabricated on the as-grown β-Ga2O3 thin films. Au/Ti thin films deposited by e-beam evaporation served as the contact metals. Optimization of the thin film growth conditions and the effects of thermal annealing on the performance of the PDs were investigated. The responsivity of devices under 250 nm UV light irradiation as well as dark light will be characterized and compared.

Ultra-low thermal conductivity of high-interface density Si/Ge amorphous multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goto, Masahiro; Xu, Yibin; Zhan, Tianzhuo; Sasaki, Michiko; Nishimura, Chikashi; Kinoshita, Yohei; Ishikiriyama, Mamoru

2018-04-01

Owing to their phonon scattering and interfacial thermal resistance (ITR) characteristics, inorganic multilayers (MLs) have attracted considerable attention for thermal barrier applications. In this study, a-Si/a-Ge MLs with layer thicknesses ranging from 0.3 to 5 nm and different interfacial elemental mixture states were fabricated using a combinatorial sputter-coating system, and their thermal conductivities were measured via a frequency-domain thermo-reflectance method. An ultra-low thermal conductivity of κ = 0.29 ± 0.01 W K-1 m-1 was achieved for a layer thickness of 0.8 nm. The ITR was found to decrease from 8.5 × 10-9 to 3.6 × 10-9 m2 K W-1 when the interfacial density increases from 0.15 to 0.77 nm-1.

Radiological implications of top-off operation at national synchrotron light source-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Job, P. K.; Casey, W. R.

2011-08-01

High current and low emittance have been specified to achieve ultra high brightness in the third generation medium energy Synchrotron Radiation Sources. This leads to the electron beam lifetime limited by Touschek scattering, and after commissioning may settle in at as low as ∼3 h. It may well be less in the early days of operation. At the same time, the intensity stability specified by the user community for the synchrotron beam is 1% or better. Given the anticipated lifetime of the beam, incremental filling called top-off injection at intervals on the order of ∼1 min will be required to maintain this beam stability. It is judged to be impractical to make these incremental fills by closing the beam shutters at each injection. In addition, closing the front end beam shutters during each injection will adversely affect the stability of beamline optics due to thermal cycling. Hence the radiological consequences of injection with front end beam shutters open must be evaluated. This paper summarizes results of radiological analysis carried out for the proposed top-off injection at National Synchrotron Light Source-II (NSLS-II) with beam shutters open.

In vivo oxidation in remelted highly cross-linked retrievals.

PubMed

Currier, B H; Van Citters, D W; Currier, J H; Collier, J P

2010-10-20

Elimination of free radicals to prevent oxidation has played a major role in the development and product differentiation of the latest generation of highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene bearing materials. In the current study, we (1) examined oxidation in a series of retrieved remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene bearings from a number of device manufacturers and (2) compared the retrieval results with findings for shelf-stored control specimens. The hypothesis was that radiation-cross-linked remelted ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene would maintain oxidative stability in vivo comparable with the stability during shelf storage and in published laboratory aging tests. Fifty remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene acetabular liners and nineteen remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene tibial inserts were received after retrieval from twenty-one surgeons from across the U.S. Thirty-two of the retrievals had been in vivo for two years or more. Each was measured for oxidation with use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. A control series of remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene acetabular liners from three manufacturers was analyzed with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure free radical content and with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to measure oxidation initially and after eight to nine years of shelf storage in air. The never-implanted, shelf-aged controls had no measurable free-radical content initially or after eight to nine years of shelf storage. The never-implanted controls showed no increase in oxidation during shelf storage. Oxidation measurements showed measurable oxidation in 22% of the retrieved remelted highly cross-linked liners and inserts after an average of two years in vivo. Because never-implanted remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials had no measurable free-radical concentration and no increase in oxidation during shelf storage, these materials were expected to be oxidation-resistant in vivo. However, some remelted highly cross-linked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene retrievals showed measurable oxidation after an average of more than two years in vivo. This apparent departure from widely expected behavior requires continued study of the process of in vivo oxidation of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene materials.

Surface Temperature Measurements from a Stator Vane Doublet in a Turbine Engine Afterburner Flame using Ultra-Bright Cr-Doped GdAlO3 Thermographic Phosphor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.; Jenkins, Thomas P.; Allison, Stephen W.; Wolfe, Douglas E.; Howard, Robert P.

2013-01-01

Luminescence-based surface temperature measurements from an ultra-bright Cr-doped GdAlO3 perovskite (GAP:Cr) coating were successfully conducted on an air-film-cooled stator vane doublet exposed to the afterburner flame of a J85 test engine at University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI). The objective of the testing at UTSI was to demonstrate that reliable thermal barrier coating (TBC) surface temperatures based on luminescence decay of a thermographic phosphor could be obtained from the surface of an actual engine component in an aggressive afterburner flame environment and to address the challenges of a highly radiant background and high velocity gases. A high-pressure turbine vane doublet from a Honeywell TECH7000 turbine engine was coated with a standard electron-beam physical vapor deposited (EB-PVD) 200-m-thick TBC composed of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) onto which a 25-m-thick GAP:Cr thermographic phosphor layer was deposited by EB-PVD. The ultra-bright broadband luminescence from the GAP:Cr thermographic phosphor is shown to offer the advantage of over an order-of-magnitude greater emission intensity compared to rare-earth-doped phosphors in the engine test environment. This higher emission intensity was shown to be very desirable for overcoming the necessarily restricted probe light collection solid angle and for achieving high signal-to-background levels. Luminescence-decay-based surface temperature measurements varied from 500 to over 1000C depending on engine operating conditions and level of air film cooling.

Ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive for piezoelectric composite material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Chao; Liao, Qingwei; Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Zhong, Chao; Zhang, Di

2018-01-01

Limited by the low thermal resistance of composite material, ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive with curing temperature less than 100 °C needed urgently for the surface conduction treatment of piezoelectric composite material. An ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive with high adhesion strength for the applications of piezoelectric composite material was investigated. The crystal structure of cured adhesive, SEM/EDS analysis, thermal analysis, adhesive properties and conductive properties of different content of nano-silver filler or micron-silver doping samples were studied. The results show that with 60 wt.% nano-silver filler the ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive had the relatively good conductivity as volume resistivity of 2.37 × 10-4 Ω cm, and good adhesion strength of 5.13 MPa. Minor micron-doping (below 15 wt.%) could improve conductivity, but would decrease other properties. The ultra-low temperature curable nano-silver conductive adhesive could successfully applied to piezoelectric composite material.

Ultra-miniature wireless temperature sensor for thermal medicine applications

PubMed Central

Khairi, Ahmad; Hung, Shih-Chang; Paramesh, Jeyanandh; Fedder, Gary; Rabin, Yoed

2017-01-01

This study presents a prototype design of an ultra-miniature, wireless, battery-less, and implantable temperature-sensor, with applications to thermal medicine such as cryosurgery, hyperthermia, and thermal ablation. The design aims at a sensory device smaller than 1.5 mm in diameter and 3 mm in length, to enable minimally invasive deployment through a hypodermic needle. While the new device may be used for local temperature monitoring, simultaneous data collection from an array of such sensors can be used to reconstruct the 3D temperature field in the treated area, offering a unique capability in thermal medicine. The new sensory device consists of three major subsystems: a temperature-sensing core, a wireless data-communication unit, and a wireless power reception and management unit. Power is delivered wirelessly to the implant from an external source using an inductive link. To meet size requirements while enhancing reliability and minimizing cost, the implant is fully integrated in a regular foundry CMOS technology (0.15 μm in the current study), including the implant-side inductor of the power link. A temperature-sensing core that consists of a proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) circuit has been designed and characterized. It employs a microwatt chopper stabilized op-amp and dynamic element-matched current sources to achieve high absolute accuracy. A second order sigma-delta (Σ-Δ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is designed to convert the temperature reading to a digital code, which is transmitted by backscatter through the same antenna used for receiving power. A high-efficiency multi-stage differential CMOS rectifier has been designed to provide a DC supply to the sensing and communication subsystems. This paper focuses on the development of the all-CMOS temperature sensing core circuitry part of the device, and briefly reviews the wireless power delivery and communication subsystems. PMID:28989222

Thermal stability, optical and Photoluminescence properties of spherical Ce x Zr1‑x O2 (x = 0.05) crystalline blue-emitting nanophosphors synthesized by microwave method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjunatha, S.; Dharmaprakash, M. S.

2018-03-01

Nanocrystalline ZrO2 based material is an impressive candidate for the various functional applications owing to their ease of preparation and high thermal stability. This paper reports the synthesis, structural and optical characterization of thermally stable monodispersed CexZr1‑xO2 (x = 0.05) nanoparticles. This method is based on the fact that, microwave irradiation allows the formation of size controlled and single phase cubic ZrO2 nanoparticles containing Ce+4 as a dopant. The XRD and Rietveld analysis revealed the formation of the crystalline cubic fluorite phase. The formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR. The morphology of the nanophosphors was characterised by FESEM and TEM. The optical band gap was calculated from the UV–visible absorption spectra and was found to vary from 3.93 to 4.25 eV with calcination temperature. It shows the decrease in the optical band gap from the pristine ZrO2. The particle size was measured by using HRTEM, and the average particle size was found to be 22 nm. Under the 268 nm Ultra Violet irradiation excitation a blue emission at 443 nm was observed at room temperature. The possible luminescence mechanism of CexZr1‑xO2 nanophosphor under UV excitation is discussed.

Multiscale Modeling of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2: Application to Lattice Thermal Conductivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Daw, Murray S.; Squire, Thomas H.; Bauschlicher, Charles W.

2012-01-01

We are developing a multiscale framework in computational modeling for the ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2. These materials are characterized by high melting point, good strength, and reasonable oxidation resistance. They are candidate materials for a number of applications in extreme environments including sharp leading edges of hypersonic aircraft. In particular, we used a combination of ab initio methods, atomistic simulations and continuum computations to obtain insights into fundamental properties of these materials. Ab initio methods were used to compute basic structural, mechanical and thermal properties. From these results, a database was constructed to fit a Tersoff style interatomic potential suitable for atomistic simulations. These potentials were used to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity of single crystals and the thermal resistance of simple grain boundaries. Finite element method (FEM) computations using atomistic results as inputs were performed with meshes constructed on SEM images thereby modeling the realistic microstructure. These continuum computations showed the reduction in thermal conductivity due to the grain boundary network.

Ultra-Low Density Organic-Inorganic Composite Materials Possessing Thermally Insulating and Acoustic Damping Properties

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-07

Officer. Dr. Kenneth Wynne d. Brief Description of Project- We are investigating the design and synthesis of strong, ultra-low density xerogel and aerogel ...materials of this type would have applications in a broad range of areas including lightweight engine components, high temperature coatings, aircraft wings...we plan to investigate the formation of ultra-low density composites using supercritical universal drying (SCUD) techniques. SiO2 aerogel materials

A low power cryocooled autonomous ultra-stable oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fluhr, C.; Dubois, B.; Grop, S.; Paris, J.; Le Tetû, G.; Giordano, V.

2016-12-01

We present the design and the preliminary evaluation of a cryostat equipped with a low power pulse-tube cryocooler intended to maintain near 5 K a high-Q factor sapphire microwave resonator. This cooled resonator constitutes the frequency reference of an ultra-stable oscillator presenting a short term fractional frequency stability of better than 1 ×10-15 . The proposed design enables to reach a state-of-the-art frequency stability with a cryogenic oscillator consuming only 3 kW of electrical power.

Ultra-High Temperature Thermal Barrier Coatings

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

Jordan, Eric; Gell, Maurice; Wang, Jiwen

In this project, HiFunda LLC worked with the University of Connecticut (UConn) to demonstrate an attractive option for thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), namely yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), which was well known to have proven thermal stability and excellent high-temperature mechanical properties. YAG and other higher temperature TBCs have not been used to date because they exhibit inadequate durability, resulting from (a) poor erosion resistance and (b) greater thermal expansion mismatch strains compared to 7YSZ. UConn had previously demonstrated that the solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process could produce a durable 7YSZ TBC resulting from a highly strain tolerant microstructure, consistingmore » of through-coating-thickness vertical cracks. HiFunda/UConn reasoned at the start of Phase I that such a strain-tolerant microstructure could produce durable, higher temperature TBCs. The Phase I work demonstrated the feasibility of that concept and of SPPS YAG TBCs. The Phase II work demonstrated that SPPS YAG coating possessed the necessary range of properties to be a viable high temperature TBC, including cyclic durability and reduced elevated temperature thermal conductivity. The SPPS YAG TBCs were shown to have the potential to be used at temperatures 200°C higher than APS YSZ, based on thermal stability, sinter resistance, and CMAS resistance. The overall technical objectives of this Phase 2A project were to further improve the commercial viability of SPPS by improving their performance capabilities and manufacturing economics. The improved performance capability was to be achieved through: (1) further reductions in thermal conductivity, which allows higher gas temperatures and/or thinner coatings to achieve similar gas temperatures; and (2) improved resistance to calcium magnesium alumnoslicate (CMAS) attack of the TBCs, which can yield improved lifetimes. The improved thermal conductivity and CMAs resistance was to be accomplished through compositional and microstructural optimization. Finally, the key metrics to improve the process economics were increased deposition rate and efficiency. In addition to these technical objectives, there were commercialization objectives of getting key commercialization partners to evaluate and qualify the SPPS YAG technology independently so that the technology readiness level (TRL) of the technology could be sufficiently advanced to facilitate Phase III strategic partnerships, leading to eventual commercialization consistent with the overall objectives of the DOE SBIR/STTR program. All the Phase 2A goals were successfully achieved.« less

Tungsten and iridium multilayered structure by DGP as ablation-resistance coatings for graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wangping; Chen, Zhaofeng; Cheng, Han; Wang, Liangbing; Zhang, Ying

2011-06-01

Oxidation protection of carbon material under ultra-high temperature is a serious problem. In this paper, a newly designed multilayer coating of W/Ir was produced onto the graphite substrate by double glow plasma. As comparison, the Ir single-layer coating on the graphite was also prepared. The ablation property and thermal stability of the coatings were studied at 2000 °C in an oxyacetylene torch flame. Ablation tests showed that the coated graphite substrates were protected more effectively by W/Ir multilayer coating than Ir single-layer coating. Ir single-layer coating after ablation kept the integrality, although there was a poor adhesion of the Ir coating to the graphite substrate because of the thermal expansion mismatch and the non-wetting of the carbon by Ir coating. The mass loss rate of the W/Ir-coated specimen after ablation was about 1.62%. The interface of W/Ir multilayer coating and the graphite substrate exhibited good adherence no evidence of delamination after ablation. W/Ir multilayer coating could be useful for protecting graphite in high-temperature application for a short time.

High-performance radial AMTEC cell design for ultra-high-power solar AMTEC systems

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

Hendricks, T.J.; Huang, C.

1999-07-01

Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) technology is rapidly maturing for potential application in ultra-high-power solar AMTEC systems required by potential future US Air Force (USAF) spacecraft missions in medium-earth and geosynchronous orbits (MEO and GEO). Solar thermal AMTEC power systems potentially have several important advantages over current solar photovoltaic power systems in ultra-high-power spacecraft applications for USAF MEO and GEO missions. This work presents key aspects of radial AMTEC cell design to achieve high cell performance in solar AMTEC systems delivering larger than 50 kW(e) to support high power USAF missions. These missions typically require AMTEC cell conversionmore » efficiency larger than 25%. A sophisticated design parameter methodology is described and demonstrated which establishes optimum design parameters in any radial cell design to satisfy high-power mission requirements. Specific relationships, which are distinct functions of cell temperatures and pressures, define critical dependencies between key cell design parameters, particularly the impact of parasitic thermal losses on Beta Alumina Solid Electrolyte (BASE) area requirements, voltage, number of BASE tubes, and system power production for both maximum power-per-BASE-area and optimum efficiency conditions. Finally, some high-level system tradeoffs are demonstrated using the design parameter methodology to establish high-power radial cell design requirements and philosophy. The discussion highlights how to incorporate this methodology with sophisticated SINDA/FLUINT AMTEC cell modeling capabilities to determine optimum radial AMTEC cell designs.« less

Synthesis, integration, and characterization of metal oxide films as alternative gate dielectric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, You-Sheng

ZrO2 and HfO2 were investigated in this study to replace SiO2 as the potential gate dielectric materials in metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors. ZrO2 and HfO2 films were deposited on p-type Si (100) wafers by an atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (ALCVD) process using zirconium (IV) t-butoxide and hafnium (IV) t-butoxide as the metal precursors, respectively. Oxygen was used alternatively with these metal alkoxide precursors into the reactor with purging and evacuation in between. The as-deposited ZrO2 and HfO2 films were stoichiometric and uniform based on X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and ellipsometry measurements. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that the deposited films were amorphous, however, the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed an interfacial layer formation on the silicon substrate. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and medium energy ion scattering analysis showed significant intermixing between metal oxides and Si, indicating the formation of metal silicates, which were confirmed by their chemical etching resistance in HF solutions. The thermal stability of ZrO2 and HfO2 thin films on silicon was examined by monitoring their decomposition temperatures in ultra-high vacuum, using in-situ synchrotron radiation ultra-violet photoemission spectroscopy. The as-deposited ZrO2 and HfO2 thin films were thermally stable up to 880°C and 950°C in vacuum, respectively. The highest achieveable dielectric constants of as-deposited ZrO 2 and HfO2 were 21 and 24, respectively, which were slightly lower than the reported dielectric constants of bulk ZrO2 and HfO 2. These slight reductions in dielectric constants were attributed to the formation of the interfacial metal silicate layers. Very small hysteresis and interface state density were observed for both metal oxide films. Their leakage currents were a few orders of magnitude lower than that of SiO 2 at the same equivalent oxide thickness. NMOSFETs were also fabricated with the as-deposited metal oxide films, and reasonable ID-V D and IG-VG results were obtained. The electron mobilities were high from devices built using a plasma etching process to pattern the metal oxide films. However, they can be degraded if an HF wet etching process was used due to the large contact resistences. Upon oxygen annealing, the formation of SiOx at the interface improved the thermal stability of the as-deposited metal oxide films, however, lower overall dielectric constant and higher leakage current were observed. Upon ammonia annealing, the formation of SiOxNy improved not only the thermal stability but also reduced the leakage current. However, the overall dielectric constant of the film was still reduced due to the formation of the additional interfacial layer.

Development of colorless distributed combustion for gas turbine application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arghode, Vaibhav Kumar

Colorless Distributed Combustion (CDC) is investigated for gas turbine engine application due to its benefit for ultra-low pollutant emission, improved pattern factor, low noise emission, stable combustion and low pressure drop, alleviation of combustion instabilities and increased life of turbine blades with less air cooling requirements. The CDC is characterized by discrete and direct injection of fuel and air at high velocity and the reaction zone is stabilized due to controlled aerodynamics inside the combustor and wider (radially) shear layer mixing. Mixing between the injected air and product gases to form hot and diluted oxidant is required followed by rapid mixing with the fuel. This results in distributed reaction zone instead of a concentrated flame front as observed in conventional diffusion flames and hence, to avoid hot spot regions and provide reduced NOx and CO emissions. The focus of this dissertation is to develop and demonstrate CDC for application to stationary gas turbine combustors which generally operate at thermal intensity of 15MW/m3-atm. However, higher thermal intensity is desirable to reduce hardware costs due to smaller weight and volume of the combustors. Design of high thermal intensity CDC combustor requires careful control of critical parameters, such as, gas recirculation, fuel/oxidizer mixing and residence time characteristics via careful selection of different air and fuel injection configurations to achieve desirable combustion characteristics. This dissertation examines sequential development of low emission colorless distributed combustor operating from thermal intensity of 5MW/m3-atm up to 198MW/m3-atm. Initially, various fuel and air injection configurations were investigated at a low thermal intensity of 5MW/m 3-atm. Further investigations were performed for a simpler combustor having single air and fuel injection ports for medium thermal intensity range of 28-57MW/m3-atm. Among the flow configurations investigated, reverse cross-flow configuration was found to give more favorable results possibly due to higher residence time because of reverse flow geometry and faster mixing with the fuel injection in cross-flow. This configuration was investigated in detail by further reducing the combustor volume to give ultra-high thermal intensity of up to 198MW/m3-atm. At thermal intensity of 53MW/m3-atm NO emissions were 4ppm in non-premixed mode and 1ppm in premixed mode and CO emissions were 30ppm in both the modes. The pressure loss was less than 5% and heat loss was less than 15%. The pressure fluctuations were less than 0.025% suggesting very stable combustion. At ultra-high thermal intensity of 170MW/m3-atm NO emissions were 8ppm and 3ppm in non-premixed and premixed modes respectively and CO emissions were about 100ppm in both the modes. Dilution of fuel with nitrogen, carbon dioxide and air resulted in significant reduction in NO emission in non-premixed mode from 8ppm to about 2ppm. Methane was used as fuel for all these investigations. Liquid fuel (ethanol) was also tested and very low NO emission of about 6ppm was obtained in direct injection mode and 2ppm in premixed prevaporized mode. CO emission of about 200ppm was observed in both the modes.

High-stability cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope based on a closed-cycle cryostat.

PubMed

Hackley, Jason D; Kislitsyn, Dmitry A; Beaman, Daniel K; Ulrich, Stefan; Nazin, George V

2014-10-01

We report on the design and operation of a cryogenic ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) coupled to a closed-cycle cryostat (CCC). The STM is thermally linked to the CCC through helium exchange gas confined inside a volume enclosed by highly flexible rubber bellows. The STM is thus mechanically decoupled from the CCC, which results in a significant reduction of the mechanical noise transferred from the CCC to the STM. Noise analysis of the tunneling current shows current fluctuations up to 4% of the total current, which translates into tip-sample distance variations of up to 1.5 picometers. This noise level is sufficiently low for atomic-resolution imaging of a wide variety of surfaces. To demonstrate this, atomic-resolution images of Au(111) and NaCl(100)/Au(111) surfaces, as well as of carbon nanotubes deposited on Au(111), were obtained. Thermal drift analysis showed that under optimized conditions, the lateral stability of the STM scanner can be as low as 0.18 Å/h. Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy measurements based on the lock-in technique were also carried out, and showed no detectable presence of noise from the closed-cycle cryostat. Using this cooling approach, temperatures as low as 16 K at the STM scanner have been achieved, with the complete cool-down of the system typically taking up to 12 h. These results demonstrate that the constructed CCC-coupled STM is a highly stable instrument capable of highly detailed spectroscopic investigations of materials and surfaces at the atomic scale.

Ultra High Temperature Ceramics' Processing Routes and Microstructures Compared

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gusman, Michael; Stackpoole, Mairead; Johnson, Sylvia; Gasch, Matt; Lau, Kai-Hung; Sanjurjo, Angel

2009-01-01

Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs), such as HfB2 and ZrB2 composites containing SiC, are known to have good thermal shock resistance and high thermal conductivity at elevated temperatures. These UHTCs have been proposed for a number of structural applications in hypersonic vehicles, nozzles, and sharp leading edges. NASA Ames is working on controlling UHTC properties (especially, mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and oxidation resistance) through processing, composition, and microstructure. In addition to using traditional methods of combining additives to boride powders, we are preparing UHTCs using coat ing powders to produce both borides and additives. These coatings and additions to the powders are used to manipulate and control grain-boundary composition and second- and third-phase variations within the UHTCs. Controlling the composition of high temperature oxidation by-products is also an important consideration. The powders are consolidated by hot-pressing or field-assisted sintering (FAS). Comparisons of microstructures and hardness data will be presented.

Effect of Nb on Delayed Fracture Resistance of Ultra-High Strength Martensitic Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Rongjie; Fonstein, Nina; Pottore, Narayan; Jun, Hyun Jo; Bhattacharya, Debanshu; Jansto, Steve

Ultra-high strength steels are materials of considerable interest for automotive and structural applications and are increasingly being used in those areas. Higher strength, however, makes steels more prone to hydrogen embrittlement (HE). The effects of Nb and other alloying elements on the hydrogen-induced delayed fracture resistance of cold rolled martensitic steels with ultra-high strength 2000 MPa were studied using an acid immersion test, thermal desorption analysis (TDA) and measuring of permeation. The microstructure was characterized by high resolution field emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). It was shown that the combined addition of Nb significantly improved the delayed fracture resistance of investigated steel. The addition of Nb to alloyed martensitic steels resulted in very apparent grain refinement of the prior austenite grain size. The Nb microalloyed steel contained a lower diffusible hydrogen content during thermal desorption analysis as compared to the base steel and had a higher trapped hydrogen amount after charging. The reason that Nb improved the delayed fracture resistance of steels can be attributed mostly to both hydrogen trapping and grain refinement.

RuO2 Thermometer for Ultra-Low Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hait, Thomas; Shirron, Peter J.; DiPirro, Michael

2009-01-01

A small, high-resolution, low-power thermometer has been developed for use in ultra-low temperatures that uses multiple RuO2 chip resistors. The use of commercially available thick-film RuO2 chip resistors for measuring cryogenic temperatures is well known due to their low cost, long-term stability, and large resistance change.

Thermal and dynamic range characterization of a photonics-based RF amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noque, D. F.; Borges, R. M.; Muniz, A. L. M.; Bogoni, A.; Cerqueira S., Arismar, Jr.

2018-05-01

This work reports a thermal and dynamic range characterization of an ultra-wideband photonics-based RF amplifier for microwave and mm-waves future 5G optical-wireless networks. The proposed technology applies the four-wave mixing nonlinear effect to provide RF amplification in analog and digital radio-over-fiber systems. The experimental analysis from 300 kHz to 50 GHz takes into account different figures of merit, such as RF gain, spurious-free dynamic range and RF output power stability as a function of temperature. The thermal characterization from -10 to +70 °C demonstrates a 27 dB flat photonics-assisted RF gain over the entire frequency range under real operational conditions of a base station for illustrating the feasibility of the photonics-assisted RF amplifier for 5G networks.

High-Q optical resonators: characterization and application to stabilization of lasers and high spectral purity microwave oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llopis, O.; Merrer, P. H.; Bouchier, A.; Saleh, K.; Cibiel, G.

2010-02-01

Microwave optical systems for frequency generation are described in this paper. The goal is to reach high spectral purity in the microwave frequency range using ultra high Q optical resonators. The resonators investigated are of two types : resonant (passive) fiber rings and WGM tridimensional resonators. They all feature ultra high optical Q factors, in excess of 108 or 109 near 1550 nm. These resonators also sustain a large number of optical resonances, and the microwave signal is stabilized on two (or more) resonances of this optical comb. Different problems have to be overcome in order to reach a functional system, such as : resonator design and coupling, laser stabilization on a resonance, overall system design, noise optimization... This paper gives an overlook on these problems, and on some solutions we found to work towards a compact and efficient microwave opto-electronic oscillator (OEO). A first result is presented on a 10 GHz OEO based on a resonant fiber ring.

High Reynolds Number Thermal Stability Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emens, Jessica M.; Brown, Sarah P.; Frederick Robert A., Jr.; Wood, A. John

2004-01-01

This work represents preliminary thermal stability results for liquid hydrocarbon fuels. High Reynolds Number Thermal Stability experiments with Jet A and RP-1 resulted in a quantitative measurement of the thermal stability. Each fuel flowed through a heated capillary tube that held the outlet temperature at 290 C. An optical pyrometer measured the surface temperature of the tube at 12 locations as a function of time. The High Reynolds Number Thermal Stability number was then determined using standards published by the American Society for Testing and Materials. The results for Jet A showed lower thermal stability than similar tests conducted at another facility. The RP-1 results are the first reported using this technique. Because the temperature rise on the capillary tube during testing for the RP-1 fuels was not significant, a new standard for the testing conditions should be developed for these types of fuels.

TES development for a frequency selective bolometer camera.

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

Datesman, A. M.; Downes, T. P.; Perera, T. A.

2009-06-01

We discuss the development, at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), of a four-pixel camera with four spectral channels centered at 150, 220, 270, and 360 GHz. The scientific motivation involves photometry of distant dusty galaxies located by Spitzer and SCUBA, as well as the study of other millimeter-wave sources such as ultra-luminous infrared galaxies, the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in clusters, and galactic dust. The camera incorporates Frequency Selective Bolometer (FSB) and superconducting Transition-Edge Sensor (TES) technology. The current generation of TES devices we examine utilizes proximity effect superconducting bilayers of Mo/Au, Ti, or Ti/Au as TESs, located along with frequency selective absorbingmore » structures on silicon nitride membranes. The detector incorporates lithographically patterned structures designed to address both TES device stability and detector thermal transport concerns. The membrane is not perforated, resulting in a detector which is comparatively robust mechanically. In this paper, we report on the development of the superconducting bilayer TES technology, the design and testing of the detector thermal transport and device stability control structures, optical and thermal test results, and the use of new materials.« less

Thermal conductivity of suspended single crystal CH3NH3PbI3 platelets at room temperature.

PubMed

Shen, Chao; Du, Wenna; Wu, Zhiyong; Xing, Jun; Ha, Son Tung; Shang, Qiuyu; Xu, Weigao; Xiong, Qihua; Liu, Xinfeng; Zhang, Qing

2017-06-22

Recently, organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites have gained great attention for their breakthrough in photovoltaic and optoelectronics. However, their thermal transport properties that affect the device lifetime and stability are still rarely explored. In this work, the thermal conductivity properties of single crystal CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 platelets grown by chemical vapor deposition are studied via non-contact micro-photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. We developed a measurement methodology and derived expressions suitable for the thermal conductivity extraction for micro-sized perovskites. The room temperature thermal conductivity of ∼0.14 ± 0.02 W m -1 K -1 is extracted from the dependence of the PL peak energy on the excitation laser power. On changing the film thickness from 80 to 400 nm, the thermal conductivity does not show noticeable variations, indicating the minimal substrate effects due to the advantage of the suspended configuration. The ultra-low thermal conductivity of perovskites, especially thin films, suggests their promising applications for thermal isolation, such as thermal insulation and thermo-electricity.

Perspective of Micro Process Engineering for Thermal Food Treatment

PubMed Central

Mathys, Alexander

2018-01-01

Micro process engineering as a process synthesis and intensification tool enables an ultra-short thermal treatment of foods within milliseconds (ms) using very high surface-area-to-volume ratios. The innovative application of ultra-short pasteurization and sterilization at high temperatures, but with holding times within the range of ms would allow the preservation of liquid foods with higher qualities, thereby avoiding many unwanted reactions with different temperature–time characteristics. Process challenges, such as fouling, clogging, and potential temperature gradients during such conditions need to be assessed on a case by case basis and optimized accordingly. Owing to the modularity, flexibility, and continuous operation of micro process engineering, thermal processes from the lab to the pilot and industrial scales can be more effectively upscaled. A case study on thermal inactivation demonstrated the feasibility of transferring lab results to the pilot scale. It was shown that micro process engineering applications in thermal food treatment may be relevant to both research and industrial operations. Scaling of micro structured devices is made possible through the use of numbering-up approaches; however, reduced investment costs and a hygienic design must be assured. PMID:29686990

Swap intensified WDR CMOS module for I2/LWIR fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, Yang; Noguier, Vincent

2015-05-01

The combination of high resolution visible-near-infrared low light sensor and moderate resolution uncooled thermal sensor provides an efficient way for multi-task night vision. Tremendous progress has been made on uncooled thermal sensors (a-Si, VOx, etc.). It's possible to make a miniature uncooled thermal camera module in a tiny 1cm3 cube with <1W power consumption. For silicon based solid-state low light CCD/CMOS sensors have observed also a constant progress in terms of readout noise, dark current, resolution and frame rate. In contrast to thermal sensing which is intrinsic day&night operational, the silicon based solid-state sensors are not yet capable to do the night vision performance required by defense and critical surveillance applications. Readout noise, dark current are 2 major obstacles. The low dynamic range at high sensitivity mode of silicon sensors is also an important limiting factor, which leads to recognition failure due to local or global saturations & blooming. In this context, the image intensifier based solution is still attractive for the following reasons: 1) high gain and ultra-low dark current; 2) wide dynamic range and 3) ultra-low power consumption. With high electron gain and ultra low dark current of image intensifier, the only requirement on the silicon image pickup device are resolution, dynamic range and power consumption. In this paper, we present a SWAP intensified Wide Dynamic Range CMOS module for night vision applications, especially for I2/LWIR fusion. This module is based on a dedicated CMOS image sensor using solar-cell mode photodiode logarithmic pixel design which covers a huge dynamic range (> 140dB) without saturation and blooming. The ultra-wide dynamic range image from this new generation logarithmic sensor can be used directly without any image processing and provide an instant light accommodation. The complete module is slightly bigger than a simple ANVIS format I2 tube with <500mW power consumption.

Development of CFRP mirrors for space telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utsunomiya, Shin; Kamiya, Tomohiro; Shimizu, Ryuzo

2013-09-01

CFRP (Caron fiber reinforced plastics) have superior properties of high specific elasticity and low thermal expansion for satellite telescope structures. However, difficulties to achieve required surface accuracy and to ensure stability in orbit have discouraged CFRP application as main mirrors. We have developed ultra-light weight and high precision CFRP mirrors of sandwich structures composed of CFRP skins and CFRP cores using a replica technique. Shape accuracy of the demonstrated mirrors of 150 mm in diameter was 0.8 μm RMS (Root Mean Square) and surface roughness was 5 nm RMS as fabricated. Further optimization of fabrication process conditions to improve surface accuracy was studied using flat sandwich panels. Then surface accuracy of the flat CFRP sandwich panels of 150 mm square was improved to flatness of 0.2 μm RMS with surface roughness of 6 nm RMS. The surface accuracy vs. size of trial models indicated high possibility of fabrication of over 1m size mirrors with surface accuracy of 1μm. Feasibility of CFRP mirrors for low temperature applications was examined for JASMINE project as an example. Stability of surface accuracy of CFRP mirrors against temperature and moisture was discussed.

A validated stability-indicating UPLC method for desloratadine and its impurities in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

PubMed

Rao, Dantu Durga; Satyanarayana, N V; Malleswara Reddy, A; Sait, Shakil S; Chakole, Dinesh; Mukkanti, K

2010-02-05

A novel stability-indicating gradient reverse phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-UPLC) method was developed for the determination of purity of desloratadine in presence of its impurities and forced degradation products. The method was developed using Waters Aquity BEH C18 column with mobile phase containing a gradient mixture of solvents A and B. The eluted compounds were monitored at 280nm. The run time was 8min within which desloratadine and its five impurities were well separated. Desloratadine was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. Desloratadine was found to degrade significantly in oxidative and thermal stress conditions and stable in acid, base, hydrolytic and photolytic degradation conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from main peak and its impurities, thus proved the stability-indicating power of the method. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and robustness. This method was also suitable for the assay determination of desloratadine in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

Investigation of thermal spray coatings on austenitic stainless steel substrate to enhance corrosion protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Daniel M.

The research is aimed to evaluate thermal spray coatings to address material issues in supercritical and ultra-supercritical Rankine cycles. The primary purpose of the research is to test, evaluate, and eventually implement a coating to improve corrosion resistance and increase efficiency of coal fired power plants. The research is performed as part of a comprehensive project to evaluate the ability of titanium, titanium carbide, or titanium diboride powders to provide fireside corrosion resistance in supercritical and ultra-supercritical steam boilers, specifically, coal driven boilers in Illinois that must utilize high sulfur and high chlorine content coal. [1] The powder coatings that were tested are nano-sized titanium carbide (TiC) and titanium di-boride (TiB2) powders that were synthesized by a patented process at Southern Illinois University. The powders were then sent to Gas Technology Institute in Chicago to coat steel coupons by HVOF (High Velocity Oxy-Fuel) thermal spray technique. The powders were coated on an austenitic 304H stainless steel substrate which is commonly found in high temperature boilers, pipelines, and heat exchangers. The samples then went through various tests for various lengths of time under subcritical, supercritical, and ultra-supercritical conditions. The samples were examined using a scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction techniques to study microstructural changes and then determined which coating performed best.

Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) Thermal Trade Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, Thomas; Stahl, Phil; Arnold, Bill

2015-01-01

Advanced Mirror Technology Development (AMTD) is being done at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in preparation for the next Ultraviolet, Optical, Infrared (UVOIR) space observatory. A likely science mission of that observatory is the detection and characterization of 'Earth-like' exoplanets. Direct exoplanet observation requires a telescope to see a planet that is 10-10 times dimmer than its host star. To accomplish this using an internal coronagraph requires a telescope with an ultra-stable wavefront. This paper investigates two topics: 1) parametric relationships between a primary mirror's thermal parameters and wavefront stability, and 2) optimal temperature profiles in the telescope's shroud and heater plate that minimize static wavefront error (WFE) in the primary mirror.

Quantum cascade laser-based mid-IR frequency metrology system with ultra-narrow linewidth and 1  ×  10⁻¹³-level frequency instability.

PubMed

Hansen, Michael G; Magoulakis, Evangelos; Chen, Qun-Feng; Ernsting, Ingo; Schiller, Stephan

2015-05-15

We demonstrate a powerful tool for high-resolution mid-IR spectroscopy and frequency metrology with quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). We have implemented frequency stabilization of a QCL to an ultra-low expansion (ULE) reference cavity, via upconversion to the near-IR spectral range, at a level of 1×10(-13). The absolute frequency of the QCL is measured relative to a hydrogen maser, with instability <1×10(-13) and inaccuracy 5×10(-13), using a frequency comb phase stabilized to an independent ultra-stable laser. The QCL linewidth is determined to be 60 Hz, dominated by fiber noise. Active suppression of fiber noise could result in sub-10 Hz linewidth.

Flavor characterization of sugar-added pennywort (Centella asiatica L.) juices treated with ultra-high pressure and thermal processes.

PubMed

Apichartsrangkoon, Arunee; Wongfhun, Pronprapa; Gordon, Michael H

2009-01-01

The flavor characteristics of pennywort juices with added sugar treated by ultra-high pressure, pasteurization, and sterilization were investigated using solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It was found that sesquiterpene hydrocarbons comprised the major class of volatile components present and the juices had a characteristic aroma due to the presence of volatiles including beta-caryophyllene and humulene and alpha-copaene. In comparison with heated juices, HPP-treated samples could retain more volatile compounds such as linalool and geraniol similar to those present in fresh juice, whereas some volatiles such as alpha-terpinene and ketone class were apparently formed by thermal treatment. All processing operations produced juice that was not significantly different in the concentration of total volatiles. Practical Application: Pennywort juice is considered a nutraceutical drink for health benefits. Therefore, to preserve all aroma and active components in this juice, a nonthermal process such as ultra-high pressure should be a more appropriate technique for retention of its nutritive values than pasteurization and sterilization.

Hybrid Multifoil Aerogel Thermal Insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sakamoto, Jeffrey; Paik, Jong-Ah; Jones, Steven; Nesmith, Bill

2008-01-01

This innovation blends the merits of multifoil insulation (MFI) with aerogel-based insulation to develop a highly versatile, ultra-low thermally conductive material called hybrid multifoil aerogel thermal insulation (HyMATI). The density of the opacified aerogel is 240 mg/cm3 and has thermal conductivity in the 20 mW/mK range in high vacuum and 25 mW/mK in 1 atmosphere of gas (such as argon) up to 800 C. It is stable up to 1,000 C. This is equal to commercially available high-temperature thermal insulation. The thermal conductivity of the aerogel is 36 percent lower compared to several commercially available insulations when tested in 1 atmosphere of argon gas up to 800 C.

Radiation cross-linking in ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for orthopaedic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oral, Ebru; Muratoglu, Orhun K.

2007-12-01

The motivation for radiation cross-linking of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is to increase its wear resistance to be used as bearing surfaces for total joint arthroplasty. However, radiation also leaves behind long-lived residual free radicals in this polymer, the reactions of which can detrimentally affect mechanical properties. In this review, we focus on the radiation cross-linking and oxidative stability of first and second generation highly cross-linked UHMWPEs developed in our laboratory.

Fast and sensitive analysis of beta blockers by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-resolution TOF mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Tomková, Jana; Ondra, Peter; Kocianová, Eva; Václavík, Jan

2017-07-01

This paper presents a method for the determination of acebutolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, nebivolol and sotalol in human serum by liquid-liquid extraction and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-resolution TOF mass spectrometry. After liquid-liquid extraction, beta blockers were separated on a reverse-phase analytical column (Acclaim RS 120; 100 × 2.1 mm, 2.2 μm). The total run time was 6 min for each sample. Linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, matrix effects, specificity, precision, accuracy, recovery and sample stability were evaluated. The method was successfully applied to the therapeutic drug monitoring of 108 patients with hypertension. This method was also used for determination of beta blockers in 33 intoxicated patients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Performance and technical commissioning of an ultra-stable cooling system for a mid-range cryogenic astrophysical instrument (CARMENES-NIR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becerril, S.; Mirabet, E.; Lizon, J. L.; Calvo, R.; Abril, M.; Cárdenas, C.; Ferro, I.; Morales, R.; Pérez, D.; Ramón, A.; Sánchez-Carrasco, M. A.; Quirrenbach, A.; Amado, P.; Ribas, I.; Reiners, A.; Caballero, J. A.; Seifert, W.; Herranz, J.

2017-12-01

CARMENES is the new high-resolution high-stability spectrograph built for the 3.5m telescope at the Calar Alto Observatory (CAHA, Almería, Spain) by a consortium formed by German and Spanish institutions. This instrument is composed of two separate spectrographs, VIS channel (550-1050 nm) and NIR channel (900-1700 nm). The Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, IAA-CSIC was responsible for the NIR-channel spectrograph. This was installed at the telescope by the end of 2015, technical commissioning and final tuning of the instrument being extended up to fall 2016. In that sense, one of the most challenging systems in the instrument involves the cooling system of the NIR channel. It is a key system within the stability budget and was entirely under the control of the IAA-CSIC. That development has been possible thanks to a very fruitful collaboration with ESO (Jean-Louis Lizon). The present work describes the performance of the CARMENES-NIR cooling system, mainly focusing on the extremely high thermal stability -on the order of few cK-around the working temperature (138K), as well as the main events and upgrades achieved during commissioning. As a result of its performance, CARMENES-NIR is a cornerstone within the field of astrophysical instrumentation and, in particular, related to discovery of earth-like exoplanets.

Directional solidification at ultra-high thermal gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flemings, M. C.; Lee, D. S.; Neff, M. A.

1980-01-01

A high gradient controlled solidification (HGC) furnace was designed and operated at gradients up to 1800 C/cm to continuously produce aluminum alloys. Rubber '0' rings for the water cooling chamber were eliminated, while still maintaining water cooling directly onto the solidified metal. An HGC unit for high temperature ferrous alloys was also designed. Successful runs were made with cast iron, at thermal gradients up to 500 C/cm.

A fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator – Part II. Characterization and measurement

DOE PAGES

Wojciechowski, Kenneth E.; Olsson, Roy H.

2015-06-24

Our paper reports the measurement and characterization of a fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator (OCMO). The OCMO takes advantage of high thermal isolation and monolithic integration of both aluminum nitride (AlN) micromechanical resonators and electronic circuitry to thermally stabilize or ovenize all the components that comprise an oscillator. Operation at microscale sizes allows implementation of high thermal resistance platform supports that enable thermal stabilization at very low-power levels when compared with the state-of-the-art oven controlled crystal oscillators. A prototype OCMO has been demonstrated with a measured temperature stability of -1.2 ppb/°C, over the commercial temperature range while using tensmore » of milliwatts of supply power and with a volume of 2.3 mm 3 (not including the printed circuit board-based thermal control loop). Additionally, due to its small thermal time constant, the thermal compensation loop can maintain stability during fast thermal transients (>10 °C/min). This new technology has resulted in a new paradigm in terms of power, size, and warm up time for high thermal stability oscillators.« less

Atomic fountain clock with very high frequency stability employing a pulse-tube-cryocooled sapphire oscillator.

PubMed

Takamizawa, Akifumi; Yanagimachi, Shinya; Tanabe, Takehiko; Hagimoto, Ken; Hirano, Iku; Watabe, Ken-ichi; Ikegami, Takeshi; Hartnett, John G

2014-09-01

The frequency stability of an atomic fountain clock was significantly improved by employing an ultra-stable local oscillator and increasing the number of atoms detected after the Ramsey interrogation, resulting in a measured Allan deviation of 8.3 × 10(-14)τ(-1/2)). A cryogenic sapphire oscillator using an ultra-low-vibration pulse-tube cryocooler and cryostat, without the need for refilling with liquid helium, was applied as a local oscillator and a frequency reference. High atom number was achieved by the high power of the cooling laser beams and optical pumping to the Zeeman sublevel m(F) = 0 employed for a frequency measurement, although vapor-loaded optical molasses with the simple (001) configuration was used for the atomic fountain clock. The resulting stability is not limited by the Dick effect as it is when a BVA quartz oscillator is used as the local oscillator. The stability reached the quantum projection noise limit to within 11%. Using a combination of a cryocooled sapphire oscillator and techniques to enhance the atom number, the frequency stability of any atomic fountain clock, already established as primary frequency standard, may be improved without opening its vacuum chamber.

AOM optimization with ultra stable high power CO2 lasers for fast laser engraving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohrer, Markus

2015-05-01

A new ultra stable CO2 laser in carbon fibre resonator technology with an average power of more than 600W has been developed especially as basis for the use with AOMs. Stability of linear polarisation and beam pointing stability are important issues as well as appropriate shaping of the incident beam. AOMs are tested close to the laser-induced damage threshold with pulses on demand close to one megahertz. Transversal and rotational optimization of the AOMs benefits from the parallel-kinematic principle of a hexapod used for this research.

UltraSail - Ultra-Lightweight Solar Sail Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burton, Rodney L.; Coverstone, Victoria L.; Hargens-Rysanek, Jennifer; Ertmer, Kevin M.; Botter, Thierry; Benavides, Gabriel; Woo, Byoungsam; Carroll, David L.; Gierow, Paul A.; Farmer, Greg

2005-01-01

UltraSail is a next-generation high-risk, high-payoff sail system for the launch, deployment, stabilization and control of very large (sq km class) solar sails enabling high payload mass fractions for high (Delta)V. Ultrasail is an innovative, non-traditional approach to propulsion technology achieved by combining propulsion and control systems developed for formation-flying micro-satellites with an innovative solar sail architecture to achieve controllable sail areas approaching 1 sq km, sail subsystem area densities approaching 1 g/sq m, and thrust levels many times those of ion thrusters used for comparable deep space missions. Ultrasail can achieve outer planetary rendezvous, a deep space capability now reserved for high-mass nuclear and chemical systems. One of the primary innovations is the near-elimination of sail supporting structures by attaching each blade tip to a formation-flying micro-satellite which deploys the sail, and then articulates the sail to provide attitude control, including spin stabilization and precession of the spin axis. These tip micro-satellites are controlled by 3-axis micro-thruster propulsion and an on-board metrology system. It is shown that an optimum spin rate exists which maximizes payload mass.

Development of Ultra-Low Noise, High Performance III-V Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIPs) for Focal Plane Array Staring Image Sensor Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

Development of Ultra-Low Noise , High Performance III-V Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors ( QWIPs )I for Focal Plane Array Staring Image Sensor Systems...experimental studies of dark current, photocurrent, noise fig- ures optical absorption, spectral responsivity and detectivity for different types of QWIPs ...the Boltzmann constant, and T is the temperature. S The noise in the QWIPs is mainly due to the random fluctuations of thermally excited carriers. The

Optical and thermogravimetric analysis of Zn1-xCuxS/PVA nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Mohamed Bakr; Heiba, Zein K.; Imam, N. G.

2018-07-01

Cu doped ZnS nanoparticles with cubic blend structure had been prepared successfully through thermolysis route and then composited with poly vinyl alcohol using casting method. Zn1-xCuxS/PVA nanocomposites were characterized using different characterization techniques. The quantum dot nature of the ZnS:Cu phase was confirmed by transmission electron microscope technique. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The ultra violet measurements illustrated that addition of Zn1-xCuxS nanoparticles to PVA matrix increased the film absorbance. Furthermore, the energy gap and refractive index of the composites were obtained from ultra violet and photoluminescence spectrophotometers. The photoluminescence spectra of ZnS:Cu/PVA nanocomposite films demonstrated a quite broad emission peak at 435 nm with highest photoluminescence intensity in nanocomposite doped with 1% Cu.

Space Environmentally Stable Polyimides and Copolyimides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Kent A.; Connell, John W.

2000-01-01

Polyimides with a unique combination of properties including low color in thin films, atomic oxygen (AO), ultra-violet (UV) radiation resistance, solubility in organic solvents in the imide form, high glass transition (T(sub g)) temperatures and high thermal stability have been prepared and characterized. The polymers were prepared by reacting a novel aromatic diamine with aromatic dianhydrides in a polar aprotic solvent. The solubility of the polymers in the imide form as well as the color density of thin films were dependent upon the chemical structure of the dianhydride. Several thin films (25-50 mm thick) prepared by solution casting of amide acid or imide solutions exhibited very low color and high optical transparency (approximately 90%) as determined by UV/visible spectroscopy. The polymers exhibited T(sub g)s >200 C depending upon the structure of the dianhydride and temperatures of 5% weight loss approximately 500C in air as determined by dynamic thermogravimetric analysis. Thin films coated with silver/inconel were exposed to a high fluence of AO and 1000 equivalent solar hours of UV radiation. The effects of these exposures on optical properties were minor. These space environmentally durable polymers are potentially useful in a variety of applications on spacecraft such as thin film membranes on antennas, second-surface mirrors, thermal/optical coatings and multi-layer thermal insulation (MLI) blanket materials. The chemistry, physical and mechanical properties of the polymers as well as their responses to AO and UV exposure will be discussed.

Sub-kilohertz excitation lasers for quantum information processing with Rydberg atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legaie, Remy; Picken, Craig J.; Pritchard, Jonathan D.

2018-04-01

Quantum information processing using atomic qubits requires narrow linewidth lasers with long-term stability for high fidelity coherent manipulation of Rydberg states. In this paper, we report on the construction and characterization of three continuous-wave (CW) narrow linewidth lasers stabilized simultaneously to an ultra-high finesse Fabry-Perot cavity made of ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass, with a tunable offset-lock frequency. One laser operates at 852~nm while the two locked lasers at 1018~nm are frequency doubled to 509~nm for excitation of $^{133}$Cs atoms to Rydberg states. The optical beatnote at 509~nm is measured to be 260(5)~Hz. We present measurements of the offset between the atomic and cavity resonant frequencies using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) for high-resolution spectroscopy on a cold atom cloud. The long-term stability is determined from repeated spectra over a period of 20 days yielding a linear frequency drift of $\\sim1$~Hz/s.

Development and field testing of a rapid and ultra-stable atmospheric carbon dioxide spectrometer

DOE PAGES

Xiang, B.; Nelson, D. D.; McManus, J. B.; ...

2014-08-05

We present field test results for a new spectroscopic instrument to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) with high precision (0.02 ppm at 1 Hz) and demonstrate high stability (within 0.1 ppm over more than 8 months), without the need for hourly, daily, or even monthly calibration against high-pressure gas cylinders. The technical novelty of this instrument ( ABsolute Carbon dioxide, ABC) is the spectral null method using an internal quartz reference cell with known CO 2 column density. Compared to a previously described prototype, the field instrument has better stability and benefits from more precise thermal control of themore » optics and more accurate pressure measurements in the sample cell (at the mTorr level). The instrument has been deployed at a long-term ecological research site (the Harvard Forest, USA), where it has measured for eight months without on-site calibration and with minimal maintenance, showing drift bounds of less than 0.1 ppm. Field measurements agree well with those of another commercially available cavity ring-down CO 2 instrument (Picarro G2301) run with a standard calibration protocol. This field test demonstrates that ABC is capable of performing high-accuracy, unattended, continuous field measurements with minimal use of calibration cylinders.« less

Development and field testing of a rapid and ultra-stable atmospheric carbon dioxide spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, B.; Nelson, D. D.; McManus, J. B.; Zahniser, M. S.; Wehr, R. A.; Wofsy, S. C.

2014-12-01

We present field test results for a new spectroscopic instrument to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with high precision (0.02 μmol mol-1, or ppm at 1 Hz) and demonstrate high stability (within 0.1 ppm over more than 8 months), without the need for hourly, daily, or even monthly calibration against high-pressure gas cylinders. The technical novelty of this instrument (ABsolute Carbon dioxide, ABC) is the spectral null method using an internal quartz reference cell with known CO2 column density. Compared to a previously described prototype, the field instrument has better stability and benefits from more precise thermal control of the optics and more accurate pressure measurements in the sample cell (at the mTorr level). The instrument has been deployed at a long-term ecological research site (the Harvard Forest, USA), where it has measured for 8 months without on-site calibration and with minimal maintenance, showing drift bounds of less than 0.1 ppm. Field measurements agree well with those of a commercially available cavity ring-down CO2 instrument (Picarro G2301) run with a standard calibration protocol. This field test demonstrates that ABC is capable of performing high-accuracy, unattended, continuous field measurements with minimal use of reference gas cylinders.

Development and field testing of a rapid and ultra-stable atmospheric carbon dioxide spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, B.; Nelson, D. D.; McManus, J. B.; Zahniser, M. S.; Wehr, R.; Wofsy, S. C.

2014-08-01

We present field test results for a new spectroscopic instrument to measure atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with high precision (0.02 ppm at 1 Hz) and demonstrate high stability (within 0.1 ppm over more than 8 months), without the need for hourly, daily, or even monthly calibration against high-pressure gas cylinders. The technical novelty of this instrument (ABsolute Carbon dioxide, ABC) is the spectral null method using an internal quartz reference cell with known CO2 column density. Compared to a previously described prototype, the field instrument has better stability and benefits from more precise thermal control of the optics and more accurate pressure measurements in the sample cell (at the mTorr level). The instrument has been deployed at a long-term ecological research site (the Harvard Forest, USA), where it has measured for eight months without on-site calibration and with minimal maintenance, showing drift bounds of less than 0.1 ppm. Field measurements agree well with those of another commercially available cavity ring-down CO2 instrument (Picarro G2301) run with a standard calibration protocol. This field test demonstrates that ABC is capable of performing high-accuracy, unattended, continuous field measurements with minimal use of calibration cylinders.

Radiochemical purity of Mo and Tc solution obtained after irradiation and dissolution of Mo-100-enriched and ultra-high-purity natural Mo disks

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

Tkac, Peter; Gromov, Roman; Chemerisov, Sergey D.

2016-09-01

Four irradiations of ultra-high-purity natural Mo targets and one irradiation using 97.4% Mo-100-enriched material were performed. The purpose of these irradiations was to determine whether the presence of Sn stabilizer in the H 2O 2 used for the dissolution of sintered Mo disks can affect the radiochemical purity of the final K 2MoO 4 in 5M KOH solution. Results from radiochemical purity tests performed using thin-layer paper chromatography show that even 2– 3× excess of Sn-stabilized H 2O 2 typically used for dissolution of sintered Mo disks did not affect the radiochemical purity of the final product.

Evaluation of ultra-low expansion spacer in the Fabry-Perot cavity with optical frequency comb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šmíd, Radek; Čížek, Martin; Buchta, Zdeněk.; Lazar, Josef; Číp, Ondřej

2012-01-01

The work presents measurements of the length stability of Zerodur glass ceramic with temperature change. Measurement of this thermal characteristic is necessary for determination of the optimal temperature at which the Zerodur glass ceramic has a coefficient of thermal expansion close to zero. The principle of the measurement is to monitor the length changes using an optical resonator with a cavity mirror spacer made from the Zerodur material to be studied. The resonator is placed inside a vacuum chamber with a temperature control. A tunable laser diode is locked to a certain optical mode of the resonator to monitor the optical frequency of this mode. A beat-note signal from optical mixing between the laser and a stabilized femtosecond frequency comb is detected and processed. The temperature dependence of the glass ceramics was determined and analyzed. The resolution of the length measurement of the experimental set-up is on the order of 0.1 nm.

Air Force space power and thermal management technology - Requirements for the early 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, Ernest D.; Kuck, Inara

Typical projections for military space power and thermal management technologies have posited requirements for high powered and highly survivable systems. Recent changes in defense needs, however, will require spacecraft that are smaller, lower powered, less survivable, and highly proliferated. Technologies will be developed to provide low cost, ultra-light, high power density, 'smart' conventional power systems. Compact nuclear power systems will also be developed to meet higher power needs.

Characterization of an ultra-stable optical cavity developed in the industry for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argence, Berengere; Bize, S.; Lemonde, P.; Santarelli, G.; Prevost, E.; Le Goff, R.; Lévèque, T.

2017-11-01

We report the main characteristics and performances of the first - to our knowledge - prototype of an ultra-stable cavity designed and produced by industry with the aim of space missions. The cavity is a 100 mm long cylinder rigidly held at its midplane by an engineered mechanical interface providing an efficient decoupling from thermal and vibration perturbations. The spacer is made from Ultra-Low Expansion (ULE) glass and mirrors substrate from fused silica to reduce the thermal noise limit to 4x10-16. Finite element modeling was performed in order to minimize thermal and vibration sensitivities while getting a high fundamental resonance frequency. The system was designed to be transportable, acceleration tolerant (up to several g) and temperature range compliant [-33°C +73°C]. The axial vibration sensitivity was evaluated at 4x10-11 /(ms-2), while the transverse one is < 1x10-11 /(ms-2). The fractional frequency instability is < 1x10-15 from 0.1 to few seconds and reaches 5-6x10-16 at 1s.

Syntheses and properties of elastic copoly(ester-urethane)s containing a phospholipid moiety and the fabrication of nanosheets.

PubMed

Sirithep, Wariya; Morita, Kohei; Iwano, Atsushi; Komachi, Takuya; Okamura, Yosuke; Nagase, Yu

2014-01-01

In these years, we have investigated the syntheses of novel diamine and diol monomers containing phosphorylcholine (PC) group to obtain biocompatible polymers, the backbone components of which were thermally stable and mechanically strong. In this study, the preparations of elastic copoly(ester-urethane)s containing PC group and polycarbonate segment were carried out by polycondensation and polyaddition using a diol monomer containing PC group and polycarbonate diol. It was found that the obtained polymers exhibited the high-thermal stability up to 200 °C and the elasticity derived from the soft segment. The introduction of PC group was effective to improve the resistance to the adhesions of proteins and platelets on the polymer films, which was the result of surface properties derived from the PC moiety. In addition, we tried to prepare ultra-thin polymer films composed of copoly(ester-urethane)s, so-called nanosheets. As a result, the desired nanosheets were successfully fabricated and the obtained nanosheets exhibited the high adhesive strength, indicating that the nanosheets could conform closely to the desired surfaces due to their exquisite flexibility and low roughness.

Gas atomized precursor alloy powder for oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic stainless steel

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

Rieken, Joel

Gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS) was employed as a simplified method for producing precursor powders for oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic stainless steels (e.g., Fe-Cr-Y-(Ti,Hf)-O), departing from the conventional mechanical alloying (MA) process. During GARS processing a reactive atomization gas (i.e., Ar-O 2) was used to oxidize the powder surfaces during primary break-up and rapid solidification of the molten alloy. This resulted in envelopment of the powders by an ultra-thin (t < 150 nm) metastable Cr-enriched oxide layer that was used as a vehicle for solid-state transport of O into the consolidated microstructure. In an attempt to better understand themore » kinetics of this GARS reaction, theoretical cooling curves for the atomized droplets were calculated and used to establish an oxidation model for this process. Subsequent elevated temperature heat treatments, which were derived from Rhines pack measurements using an internal oxidation model, were used to promote thermodynamically driven O exchange reactions between trapped films of the initial Cr-enriched surface oxide and internal Y-enriched intermetallic precipitates. This novel microstructural evolution process resulted in the successful formation of nano-metric Y-enriched dispersoids, as confirmed using high energy X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), equivalent to conventional ODS alloys from MA powders. The thermal stability of these Y-enriched dispersoids was evaluated using high temperature (1200°C) annealing treatments ranging from 2.5 to 1,000 hrs of exposure. In a further departure from current ODS practice, replacing Ti with additions of Hf appeared to improve the Y-enriched dispersoid thermal stability by means of crystal structure modification. Additionally, the spatial distribution of the dispersoids was found to depend strongly on the original rapidly solidified microstructure. To exploit this, ODS microstructures were engineered from different powder particle size ranges, illustrating microstructural control as a function of particle solidification rate. The consolidation of ultra-fine powders (dia. ≤ 5μm) resulted in a significant reduction in dispersoid size and spacing, consistent with initial scanning electron microscopy studies on as-atomized cross-sectioned particles that suggested that these powders solidified above the threshold velocity to effectively solute trap Y within the α-(Fe,Cr) matrix. Interestingly, when the solidification velocity as a function of particle size was extracted from the aforementioned theoretical particle cooling curves, it could be offered as supporting evidence for these microstructure observations. Thermal-mechanical treatments also were used to create and evaluate the stability of a dislocation substructure within these alloys, using microhardness and TEM analysis of the alloy sub-grain and grain structure. Moreover, elevated temperature tensile tests up to 800°C were used to assess the initial mechanical strength of the ODS microstructure.« less

A UHV compatible source for a highly polarized thermal atomic beam of radioactive 8Li

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jänsch, H. J.; Kirchner, G.; Kühlert, O.; Lisowski, M.; Paggel, J. J.; Platzer, R.; Schillinger, R.; Tilsner, H.; Weindel, C.; Winnefeld, H.; Fick, D.

2000-12-01

A beam of the radioactive isotope 8Li is prepared at thermal velocities. The nuclei are highly spin polarized by transverse optical pumping of the thermal beam. The installation is ultra-high vacuum (UHV) compatible in a non-UHV accelerator environment. Since the atomic beam is used in a surface science experiment, where contamination must be avoided, special emphasis is given to the vacuum coupling of the accelerator/ 8Li production/surface experimental areas. The atomic beam is produced by stopping the nuclear reaction products and evaporating them again from high-temperature graphite. To enhance the atomic beam, a novel tubular thermalizer is applied. The thermal polarized atomic beam intensity is approximately 5×10 8 atoms/s sr.

Ultra-Shallow Junctions Fabrication by Plasma Immersion Implantation on PULSION registered Followed by Laser Thermal Processing

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

Torregrosa, Frank; Etienne, Hasnaa; Sempere, Guillaume

In order to achieve the requirements for P+/N junctions for <45 nm ITRS nodes, ultra low energy and high dose implantations are needed. Classical beamline implantation is now limited in low energies, compared to Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII) which efficiency is no more to prove for the realization of Ultra-Shallow Junctions (USJ) in semiconductor applications : this technique allows to get ultimate shallow profiles (as implanted) due to no lower limitation of energy and high dose rate. Electrical activation is also a big issue since it has to afford high electrical activation rate with very low diffusion. Laser annealingmore » is one of the candidates for the 45 nm node. This paper presents electrical and physico-chemical characterizations of junctions realized with BF3 PIII followed by laser thermal processing with aim to obtain ultra-shallow junctions. Different implantation conditions (acceleration voltage/dose) and laser conditions (laser types, fluence/number of shots) are used for this study. Pre-amorphization is also used to confine the junction depth, and is shown to have a positive effect on junction depth but leads in higher junction leakage due to the remaining of EOR defects. The characterization is done using Optical characterization tool (SEMILAB) for sheet resistance and junction leakage measurements. SIMS is used for Boron profile and junction depth.« less

Novel 1.5 GPa-strength with 50%-ductility by transformation-induced plasticity of non-recrystallized austenite in duplex steels.

PubMed

Sohn, Seok Su; Song, Hyejin; Jo, Min Chul; Song, Taejin; Kim, Hyoung Seop; Lee, Sunghak

2017-04-28

Needs for steel designs of ultra-high strength and excellent ductility have been an important issue in worldwide automotive industries to achieve energy conservation, improvement of safety, and crashworthiness qualities. Because of various drawbacks in existing 1.5-GPa-grade steels, new development of formable cold-rolled ultra-high-strength steels is essentially needed. Here we show a plausible method to achieve ultra-high strengths of 1.0~1.5 GPa together with excellent ductility above 50% by actively utilizing non-recrystallization region and TRansformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP) mechanism in a cold-rolled and annealed Fe-Mn-Al-C-based steel. We adopt a duplex microstructure composed of austenite and ultra-fine ferrite in order to overcome low-yield-strength characteristics of austenite. Persistent elongation up to 50% as well as ultra-high yield strength over 1.4 GPa are attributed to well-balanced mechanical stability of non-crystallized austenite with critical strain for TRIP. Our results demonstrate how the non-recrystallized austenite can be a metamorphosis in 1.5-GPa-grade steel sheet design.

Nanoporous membrane device for ultra high heat flux thermal management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanks, Daniel F.; Lu, Zhengmao; Sircar, Jay; Salamon, Todd R.; Antao, Dion S.; Bagnall, Kevin R.; Barabadi, Banafsheh; Wang, Evelyn N.

2018-02-01

High power density electronics are severely limited by current thermal management solutions which are unable to dissipate the necessary heat flux while maintaining safe junction temperatures for reliable operation. We designed, fabricated, and experimentally characterized a microfluidic device for ultra-high heat flux dissipation using evaporation from a nanoporous silicon membrane. With 100 nm diameter pores, the membrane can generate high capillary pressure even with low surface tension fluids such as pentane and R245fa. The suspended ultra-thin membrane structure facilitates efficient liquid transport with minimal viscous pressure losses. We fabricated the membrane in silicon using interference lithography and reactive ion etching and then bonded it to a high permeability silicon microchannel array to create a biporous wick which achieves high capillary pressure with enhanced permeability. The back side consisted of a thin film platinum heater and resistive temperature sensors to emulate the heat dissipation in transistors and measure the temperature, respectively. We experimentally characterized the devices in pure vapor-ambient conditions in an environmental chamber. Accordingly, we demonstrated heat fluxes of 665 ± 74 W/cm2 using pentane over an area of 0.172 mm × 10 mm with a temperature rise of 28.5 ± 1.8 K from the heated substrate to ambient vapor. This heat flux, which is normalized by the evaporation area, is the highest reported to date in the pure evaporation regime, that is, without nucleate boiling. The experimental results are in good agreement with a high fidelity model which captures heat conduction in the suspended membrane structure as well as non-equilibrium and sub-continuum effects at the liquid-vapor interface. This work suggests that evaporative membrane-based approaches can be promising towards realizing an efficient, high flux thermal management strategy over large areas for high-performance electronics.

Two-dimensional ultra-thin SiO(x) (0 < x < 2) nanosheets with long-term cycling stability as lithium ion battery anodes.

PubMed

Sun, Lin; Su, Tingting; Xu, Lei; Liu, Meipin; Du, Hong-Bin

2016-03-21

Ultra-thin SiO(x) (0 < x < 2) nanosheets were obtained via a convenient solvothermal route from a Zintl compound CaSi2. After carbon coating, the SiOx@C nanosheet anodes exhibit high capacity, good rate and superior cycling performance for high-capacity lithium ion battery applications. The specific capacity can be maintained as high as 760 mA h g(-1) with almost no capacity decay after 400 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g(-1).

Ultra-high Temperature Emittance Measurements for Space and Missile Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Jan; Crandall, David

2009-01-01

Advanced modeling and design efforts for many aerospace components require high temperature emittance data. Applications requiring emittance data include propulsion systems, radiators, aeroshells, heatshields/thermal protection systems, and leading edge surfaces. The objective of this work is to provide emittance data at ultra-high temperatures. MSFC has a new instrument for the measurement of emittance at ultra-high temperatures, the Ultra-High Temperature Emissometer System (Ultra-HITEMS). AZ Technology Inc. developed the instrument, designed to provide emittance measurements over the temperature range 700-3500K. The Ultra-HITEMS instrument measures the emittance of samples, heated by lasers, in vacuum, using a blackbody source and a Fourier Transform Spectrometer. Detectors in a Nicolet 6700 FT-IR spectrometer measure emittance over the spectral range of 0.4-25 microns. Emitted energy from the specimen and output from a Mikron M390S blackbody source at the same temperature with matched collection geometry are measured. Integrating emittance over the spectral range yields the total emittance. The ratio provides a direct measure of total hemispherical emittance. Samples are heated using lasers. Optical pyrometry provides temperature data. Optical filters prevent interference from the heating lasers. Data for Inconel 718 show excellent agreement with results from literature and ASTM 835. Measurements taken from levitated spherical specimens provide total hemispherical emittance data; measurements taken from flat specimens mounted in the chamber provide near-normal emittance data. Data from selected characterization studies will be presented. The Ultra-HITEMS technique could advance space and missile technologies by advancing the knowledge base and the technology readiness level for ultra-high temperature materials.

UPLC and LC-MS studies on degradation behavior of irinotecan hydrochloride and development of a validated stability-indicating ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of irinotecan hydrochloride and its impurities in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

PubMed

Kumar, Navneet; Sangeetha, Dhanaraj; Reddy, Sunil P

2012-10-01

The objective of the current investigation was to study the degradation behavior of irinotecan hydrochloride under different International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) recommended stress conditions using ultra-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and to establish a validated stability-indicating reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of irinotecan hydrochloride and its seven impurities and degradation products in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Irinotecan hydrochloride was subjected to the stress conditions of oxidative, acid, base, hydrolytic, thermal and photolytic degradation. Irinotecan hydrochloride was found to degrade significantly in oxidative and base hydrolysis and photolytic degradation conditions. The degradation products were well resolved from the main peak and its impurities, thus proving the stability-indicating power of the method. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters Acquity BEH C8 (100 × 2.1 mm) 1.7-µm column with a mobile phase containing a gradient mixture of solvent A (0.02M KH(2)PO(4) buffer, pH 3.4) and solvent B (a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol in the ratio of 62:38 v/v). The mobile phase was delivered at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min with ultraviolet detection at 220 nm. The run time was 8 min, within which irinotecan and its seven impurities and degradation products were satisfactorily separated. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision and robustness. This method was also suitable for the assay determination of irinotecan hydrochloride in pharmaceutical dosage forms.

(Ultra) High Pressure Homogenization for Continuous High Pressure Sterilization of Pumpable Foods – A Review

PubMed Central

Georget, Erika; Miller, Brittany; Callanan, Michael; Heinz, Volker; Mathys, Alexander

2014-01-01

Bacterial spores have a strong resistance to both chemical and physical hurdles and create a risk for the food industry, which has been tackled by applying high thermal intensity treatments to sterilize food. These strong thermal treatments lead to a reduction of the organoleptic and nutritional properties of food and alternatives are actively searched for. Innovative hurdles offer an alternative to inactivate bacterial spores. In particular, recent technological developments have enabled a new generation of high pressure homogenizer working at pressures up to 400 MPa and thus, opening new opportunities for high pressure sterilization of foods. In this short review, we summarize the work conducted on (ultra) high pressure homogenization (U)HPH to inactivate endospores in model and food systems. Specific attention is given to process parameters (pressure, inlet, and valve temperatures). This review gathers the current state of the art and underlines the potential of UHPH sterilization of pumpable foods while highlighting the needs for future work. PMID:25988118

Bifunctional role of leucine 300 of firefly luciferase in structural rigidity.

PubMed

Yousefi, Farzad; Ataei, Farangis; Mortazavi, Mojtaba; Hosseinkhani, Saman

2017-08-01

Firefly luciferase is susceptible to thermal inactivation, thereby its intracellular half-life decreased. Previous reports indicated that L 300 R mutation (LRR mutant) in E 354 R/Arg 356 double mutant (ERR mutant) from Lampyris turkestanicus luciferase has increased its thermal stability and rigidity through induction of some ionic bonds with Asp 270 and 271. Disruption of the deduced ionic bonds in an ultra-rigid mutant of firefly luciferase did not reverse the flexibility of the protein. In this study, we investigated the effects of this residue to find the truth behind an extraordinary increase in thermal stability and rigidity of luciferase after replacement of leucine 300 by arginine based on previous reports. For this purpose, L 300 R, L 300 K and L 300 E mutations were performed to compare the effects of these mutations on the native firefly luciferase. In spite of increase of intrinsic fluorescence of the mutants a slight increase in thermostability and retention of kinetic properties was observed. Based on our results, we can conclude that L 300 R mutation in LRR mutant accompanying with alteration in a flexible loop (352-359) increased thermostability and rigidity of luciferase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic sideband locking of a broadly tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet laser to an ultra-stable optical cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Jiandong; Wang, Jieying; He, Jun; Wang, Junmin

2017-04-01

We demonstrate frequency stabilization of a tunable 318.6 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser system using electronic sideband locking. By indirectly changing the frequency of a broadband electro-optic phase modulator, the laser can be continuously tuned over 4 GHz, while a 637.2 nm laser is directly stabilized to a high-finesse ultra-stable optical cavity. The doubling cavity also remains locked to the 637.2 nm light. We show that the tuning range depends mainly on the gain-flattening region of the modulator and the piezo-tunable range of the seed laser. The frequency-stabilized tunable UV laser system is able to compensate for the offset between reference and target frequencies, and has potential applications in precision spectroscopy of cold atoms.

Fiber-Reinforced Reactive Nano-Epoxy Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhong, Wei-Hong

2011-01-01

An ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene/ matrix interface based on the fabrication of a reactive nano-epoxy matrix with lower surface energy has been improved. Enhanced mechanical properties versus pure epoxy on a three-point bend test include: strength (25 percent), modulus (20 percent), and toughness (30 percent). Increased thermal properties include higher Tg (glass transition temperature) and stable CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion). Improved processability for manufacturing composites includes faster wetting rates on macro-fiber surfaces, lower viscosity, better resin infusion rates, and improved rheological properties. Improved interfacial adhesion properties with Spectra fibers by pullout tests include initial debonding force of 35 percent, a maximum pullout force of 25 percent, and energy to debond at 65 percent. Improved mechanical properties of Spectra fiber composites (tensile) aging resistance properties include hygrothermal effects. With this innovation, high-performance composites have been created, including carbon fibers/nano-epoxy, glass fibers/nano-epoxy, aramid fibers/ nano-epoxy, and ultra-high-molecularweight polyethylene fiber (UHMWPE).

First-principles study of elastic and thermodynamic properties of orthorhombic OsB4 under high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hai-Yan; Zhang, Mei-Guang; Huang, Duo-Hui; Wei, Qun

2013-04-01

The first-principles study on the elastic properties, elastic anisotropy and thermodynamic properties of the orthorhombic OsB4 is reported using density functional theory method with the ultrasoft pseudopotential scheme in the frame of the generalized gradient approximation. The calculated equilibrium parameters are in good agreement with the available theoretical data. A complete elastic tensor and crystal anisotropies of the ultra-incompressible OsB4 are determined in the pressure range of 0-50 GPa. By the elastic stability criteria, it is predicted that the orthorhombic OsB4 is stable below 50 GPa. By using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, the heat capacity, the coefficient of thermal expansion, and the Grüneisen parameter of OsB4 are also successfully obtained in the present work.

Lattice Thermal Conductivity of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2 from Atomistic Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Daw, Murray S.; Bauschlicher, Charles W.

2012-01-01

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) including ZrB2 and HfB2 have a number of properties that make them attractive for applications in extreme environments. One such property is their high thermal conductivity. Computational modeling of these materials will facilitate understanding of fundamental mechanisms, elucidate structure-property relationships, and ultimately accelerate the materials design cycle. Progress in computational modeling of UHTCs however has been limited in part due to the absence of suitable interatomic potentials. Recently, we developed Tersoff style parameterizations of such potentials for both ZrB2 and HfB2 appropriate for atomistic simulations. As an application, Green-Kubo molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity for single crystals of ZrB2 and HfB2. The atomic mass difference in these binary compounds leads to oscillations in the time correlation function of the heat current, in contrast to the more typical monotonic decay seen in monoatomic materials such as Silicon, for example. Results at room temperature and at elevated temperatures will be reported.

Mosaic-shaped cathode for highly durable solid oxide fuel cell under thermal stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joo, Jong Hoon; Jeong, Jaewon; Kim, Se Young; Yoo, Chung-Yul; Jung, Doh Won; Park, Hee Jung; Kwak, Chan; Yu, Ji Haeng

2014-02-01

In this study, we propose a novel "mosaic structure" for a SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) cathode with high thermal expansion to improve the stability against thermal stress. Self-organizing mosaic-shaped cathode has been successfully achieved by controlling the amount of binder in the dip-coating solution. The anode-supported cell with mosaic-shaped cathode shows itself to be highly durable performance for rapid thermal cycles, however, the performance of the cell with a non-mosaic cathode exhibits severe deterioration originated from the delamination at the cathode/electrolyte interface after 7 thermal cycles. The thermal stability of an SOFC cathode can be evidently improved by controlling the surface morphology. In view of the importance of the thermal expansion properties of the cathode, the effects of cathode morphology on the thermal stress stability are discussed.

Increasing Laser Stability with Improved Electronic Instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troxel, Daylin; Bennett, Aaron; Erickson, Christopher J.; Jones, Tyler; Durfee, Dallin S.

2010-03-01

We present several electronic instruments developed to implement an ultra-stable laser lock. These instruments include a high speed, low noise homodyne photo-detector; an ultrahigh stability, low noise current driver with high modulation bandwidth and digital control; a high-speed, low noise PID controller; a low-noise piezo driver; and a laser diode temperature controller. We will present the theory of operation for these instruments, design and construction techniques, and essential characteristics for each device.

Great Thermal Conductivity Enhancement of Silicone Composite with Ultra-Long Copper Nanowires.

PubMed

Zhang, Liye; Yin, Junshan; Yu, Wei; Wang, Mingzhu; Xie, Huaqing

2017-12-01

In this paper, ultra-long copper nanowires (CuNWs) were successfully synthesized at a large scale by hydrothermal reduction of divalent copper ion using oleylamine and oleic acid as dual ligands. The characteristic of CuNWs is hard and linear, which is clearly different from graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The thermal properties and models of silicone composites with three nanomaterials have been mainly researched. The maximum of thermal conductivity enhancement is up to 215% with only 1.0 vol.% CuNW loading, which is much higher than GNPs and MWCNTs. It is due to the ultra-long CuNWs with a length of more than 100 μm, which facilitates the formation of effective thermal-conductive networks, resulting in great enhancement of thermal conductivity.

Great Thermal Conductivity Enhancement of Silicone Composite with Ultra-Long Copper Nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liye; Yin, Junshan; Yu, Wei; Wang, Mingzhu; Xie, Huaqing

2017-07-01

In this paper, ultra-long copper nanowires (CuNWs) were successfully synthesized at a large scale by hydrothermal reduction of divalent copper ion using oleylamine and oleic acid as dual ligands. The characteristic of CuNWs is hard and linear, which is clearly different from graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The thermal properties and models of silicone composites with three nanomaterials have been mainly researched. The maximum of thermal conductivity enhancement is up to 215% with only 1.0 vol.% CuNW loading, which is much higher than GNPs and MWCNTs. It is due to the ultra-long CuNWs with a length of more than 100 μm, which facilitates the formation of effective thermal-conductive networks, resulting in great enhancement of thermal conductivity.

Processing and Properties Of Refractory Zirconium Diboride Composites For Use In High Temperature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stackpoole, Margaret; Gusman, M.; Ellerby, D.; Johnson, S. M.; Arnold, Jim (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Thermal Protection Materials and Systems Branch at NASA Ames Research Center is involved in the development of a class of refractory oxidation-resistant diboride composites termed Ultra High Temperature Ceramics or UHTCs. These composites have good high temperature properties making them candidate materials for thermal protection system (TPS) applications. The current research focuses on improving processing methods to develop more reliable composites with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. This presentation will concentrate on the processing of ZrB2/SiC composites. Some preliminary mechanical properties and oxidation data will also be presented.

Ultra-bright and highly efficient inorganic based perovskite light-emitting diodes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liuqi; Yang, Xiaolei; Jiang, Qi; Wang, Pengyang; Yin, Zhigang; Zhang, Xingwang; Tan, Hairen; Yang, Yang (Michael); Wei, Mingyang; Sutherland, Brandon R.; Sargent, Edward H.; You, Jingbi

2017-01-01

Inorganic perovskites such as CsPbX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) have attracted attention due to their excellent thermal stability and high photoluminescence quantum efficiency. However, the electroluminescence quantum efficiency of their light-emitting diodes was <1%. We posited that this low efficiency was a result of high leakage current caused by poor perovskite morphology, high non-radiative recombination at interfaces and perovskite grain boundaries, and also charge injection imbalance. Here, we incorporated a small amount of methylammonium organic cation into the CsPbBr3 lattice and by depositing a hydrophilic and insulating polyvinyl pyrrolidine polymer atop the ZnO electron-injection layer to overcome these issues. As a result, we obtained light-emitting diodes exhibiting a high brightness of 91,000 cd m−2 and a high external quantum efficiency of 10.4% using a mixed-cation perovskite Cs0.87MA0.13PbBr3 as the emitting layer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the brightest and most-efficient green perovskite light-emitting diodes reported to date. PMID:28589960

Ultra-bright and highly efficient inorganic based perovskite light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liuqi; Yang, Xiaolei; Jiang, Qi; Wang, Pengyang; Yin, Zhigang; Zhang, Xingwang; Tan, Hairen; Yang, Yang (Michael); Wei, Mingyang; Sutherland, Brandon R.; Sargent, Edward H.; You, Jingbi

2017-06-01

Inorganic perovskites such as CsPbX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) have attracted attention due to their excellent thermal stability and high photoluminescence quantum efficiency. However, the electroluminescence quantum efficiency of their light-emitting diodes was <1%. We posited that this low efficiency was a result of high leakage current caused by poor perovskite morphology, high non-radiative recombination at interfaces and perovskite grain boundaries, and also charge injection imbalance. Here, we incorporated a small amount of methylammonium organic cation into the CsPbBr3 lattice and by depositing a hydrophilic and insulating polyvinyl pyrrolidine polymer atop the ZnO electron-injection layer to overcome these issues. As a result, we obtained light-emitting diodes exhibiting a high brightness of 91,000 cd m-2 and a high external quantum efficiency of 10.4% using a mixed-cation perovskite Cs0.87MA0.13PbBr3 as the emitting layer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the brightest and most-efficient green perovskite light-emitting diodes reported to date.

In-situ Formation of Reinforcement Phases in Ultra High Temperature Ceramic Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stackpoole, Margaret M (Inventor); Gasch, Matthew J (Inventor); Olson, Michael W (Inventor); Hamby, Ian W. (Inventor); Johnson, Sylvia M (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A tough ultra-high temperature ceramic (UHTC) composite comprises grains of UHTC matrix material, such as HfB.sub.2, ZrB.sub.2 or other metal boride, carbide, nitride, etc., surrounded by a uniform distribution of acicular high aspect ratio reinforcement ceramic rods or whiskers, such as of SiC, is formed from uniformly mixing a powder of the UHTC material and a pre-ceramic polymer selected to form the desired reinforcement species, then thermally consolidating the mixture by hot pressing. The acicular reinforcement rods may make up from 5 to 30 vol % of the resulting microstructure.

Ab initio Computations of the Electronic, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Bauschlicher, Charles W.; Daw, Murray

2011-01-01

Refractory materials such as metallic borides, often considered as ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC), are characterized by high melting point, high hardness, and good chemical inertness. These materials have many applications which require high temperature materials that can operate with no or limited oxidation. Ab initio, first principles methods are the most accurate modeling approaches available and represent a parameter free description of the material based on the quantum mechanical equations. Using these methods, many of the intrinsic properties of these material can be obtained. We performed ab initio calculations based on density functional theory for the UHTC materials ZrB2 and HfB2. Computational results are presented for structural information (lattice constants, bond lengths, etc), electronic structure (bonding motifs, densities of states, band structure, etc), thermal quantities (phonon spectra, phonon densities of states, specific heat), as well as information about point defects such as vacancy and antisite formation energies.

A Compact Two-Stage 120 W GaN High Power Amplifier for SweepSAR Radar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thrivikraman, Tushar; Horst, Stephen; Price, Douglas; Hoffman, James; Veilleux, Louise

2014-01-01

This work presents the design and measured results of a fully integrated switched power two-stage GaN HEMT high-power amplifier (HPA) achieving 60% power-added efficiency at over 120Woutput power. This high-efficiency GaN HEMT HPA is an enabling technology for L-band SweepSAR interferometric instruments that enable frequent repeat intervals and high-resolution imagery. The L-band HPA was designed using space-qualified state-of-the-art GaN HEMT technology. The amplifier exhibits over 34 dB of power gain at 51 dBm of output power across an 80 MHz bandwidth. The HPA is divided into two stages, an 8 W driver stage and 120 W output stage. The amplifier is designed for pulsed operation, with a high-speed DC drain switch operating at the pulsed-repetition interval and settles within 200 ns. In addition to the electrical design, a thermally optimized package was designed, that allows for direct thermal radiation to maintain low-junction temperatures for the GaN parts maximizing long-term reliability. Lastly, real radar waveforms are characterized and analysis of amplitude and phase stability over temperature demonstrate ultra-stable operation over temperature using integrated bias compensation circuitry allowing less than 0.2 dB amplitude variation and 2 deg phase variation over a 70 C range.

Ultra-high vacuum photoelectron linear accelerator

DOEpatents

Yu, David U.L.; Luo, Yan

2013-07-16

An rf linear accelerator for producing an electron beam. The outer wall of the rf cavity of said linear accelerator being perforated to allow gas inside said rf cavity to flow to a pressure chamber surrounding said rf cavity and having means of ultra high vacuum pumping of the cathode of said rf linear accelerator. Said rf linear accelerator is used to accelerate polarized or unpolarized electrons produced by a photocathode, or to accelerate thermally heated electrons produced by a thermionic cathode, or to accelerate rf heated field emission electrons produced by a field emission cathode.

Aerobiology in the operating room and its implications for working standards.

PubMed

Friberg, B; Friberg, S

2005-01-01

Two novel operating room (OR) ventilation concepts, i.e. the upward displacement or thermal convection system and the exponential ultra-clean laminar air flow (LAF) designed to function without extra walls, were evaluated from a bacteriological point of view. The thermal convection system (17 air changes/h) was compared with conventional ventilation (16 air changes/h) with an air inlet at the ceiling and evacuation at floor level. The exponential LAF was compared with the vertical ultra-clean LAF and the horizontal ultra-clean LAF, both with extra side walls. The comparison was made using strictly standardized simulated operations and, except for the horizontal LAF, it was performed in the same OR where the type of ventilation was changed. In the different areas important for surgical asepsis, the thermal system resulted in a twofold to threefold increase in bacterial air and surface counts compared to the conventional system (statistical significance = p < 0.05-0.0001). The bacteriological efficiency of the exponential LAF was equal to the horizontal and vertical LAF units with extra walls in the OR, and all three systems easily fulfilled the criteria for ultra-clean air, i.e. bacteria-carrying particles < 10/m3. In the areas important for surgical asepsis the turbulent ventilation systems yielded highly significant correlation between air and surface contamination (p < 0.02-0.0006). No such correlation existed in the LAF systems.

Microstructural characterization of ultra thin copper interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Hee-Dong

The present study investigates the defects related to reliability issues, such as physical failures developed during processing and end use. In the first part of this study, kinetic analysis using the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) model demonstrates that a self-annealing mechanism in electroplated Cu films depends on the film properties, such as thickness and the amount of crystal defects in an as-deposited state. In order to obtain the evidence of such defects, the microstructural characterization of defects in ultra thin copper interconnects using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is presented. Examination of the defects using TEM reveals that voids filled with gas form as a lens shape along the {110} habit planes of the copper matrix. In the second part of this study, methodology and results of an electro-thermal-fatigue (ETF) testing, designed for early detection of process defects, are presented. Such ETF testing combines high-density current electrical stressing and thermal cycling to accelerate the evolution of defects in Cu interconnects. In ETF testing, the evolution of defects provides the nucleation sites for voids which open or close during thermal cycling. Then, the accumulation of voids creates the change in resistance when they reach a critical size. As a result of voids evolution, the high current density and high joule heating create a transient resistance increase. ETF testing reveals two failure modes, and the mode-I failure has the importance in detecting defects. The number of cycles to failure in ETF testing decreases with higher current density, but the rate of thermal cycling has no effect. Results from this investigation suggest that impurities in the copper electrodeposition process must be carefully controlled to achieve reliable ultra thin copper interconnects.

A digital PCR method for identifying and quantifying adulteration of meat species in raw and processed food

PubMed Central

Ren, Junan; Deng, Tingting; Huang, Wensheng; Chen, Ying; Ge, Yiqiang

2017-01-01

Meat adulteration is a worldwide concern. In this paper, a new droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) method was developed for the quantitative determination of the presence of chicken in sheep and goat meat products. Meanwhile, a constant (multiplication factor) was introduced to transform the ratio of copy numbers to the proportion of meats. The presented ddPCR method was also proved to be more accurate (showing bias of less than 9% in the range from 5% to 80%) than real-time PCR, which has been widely used in this determination. The method exhibited good repeatability and stability in different thermal treatments and at ultra-high pressure. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 5% chicken content was less than 5.4% for ultra-high pressure or heat treatment. Moreover, we confirmed that different parts of meat had no effect on quantification accuracy of the ddPCR method. In contrast to real-time PCR, we examined the performance of ddPCR as a more precise, sensitive and stable analytical strategy to overcome potential problems of discrepancies in amplification efficiency discrepancy and to obtain the copy numbers directly without standard curves. The method and strategy developed in this study can be applied to quantify the presence and to confirm the absence of adulterants not only to sheep but also to other kinds of meat and meat products. PMID:28319152

Activation of the E1 Ultra High Pressure Propulsion Test Facility at Stennis Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messer, Bradley; Messer, Elisabeth; Sewell, Dale; Sass, Jared; Lott, Jeff; Dutreix, Lionel, III

2001-01-01

After a decade of construction and a year of activation the El Ultra High Pressure Propulsion Test Facility at NASA's Stennis Space Center is fully operational. The El UHP Propulsion Test Facility is a multi-cell, multi-purpose component and engine test facility . The facility is capable of delivering cryogenic propellants at low, high, and ultra high pressures with flow rates ranging from a few pounds per second up to two thousand pounds per second. Facility activation is defined as a series of tasks required to transition between completion of construction and facility operational readiness. Activating the El UHP Propulsion Test Facility involved independent system checkouts, propellant system leak checks, fluid and gas sampling, gaseous system blow downs, pressurization and vent system checkouts, valve stability testing, valve tuning cryogenic cold flows, and functional readiness tests.

Ultra-Large Solar Sail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burton, Rodney; Coverstone, Victoria

2009-01-01

UltraSail is a next-generation ultra-large (km2 class) sail system. Analysis of the launch, deployment, stabilization, and control of these sails shows that high-payload-mass fractions for interplanetary and deep-space missions are possible. UltraSail combines propulsion and control systems developed for formation-flying microsatellites with a solar sail architecture to achieve controllable sail areas approaching 1 km2. Electrically conductive CP-1 polyimide film results in sail subsystem area densities as low as 5 g/m2. UltraSail produces thrust levels many times those of ion thrusters used for comparable deep-space missions. The primary innovation involves the near-elimination of sail-supporting structures by attaching each blade tip to a formation- flying microsatellite, which deploys the sail and then articulates the sail to provide attitude control, including spin stabilization and precession of the spin axis. These microsatellite tips are controlled by microthrusters for sail-film deployment and mission operations. UltraSail also avoids the problems inherent in folded sail film, namely stressing, yielding, or perforating, by storing the film in a roll for launch and deployment. A 5-km long by 2 micrometer thick film roll on a mandrel with a 1 m circumference (32 cm diameter) has a stored thickness of 5 cm. A 5 m-long mandrel can store a film area of 25,000 m2, and a four-blade system has an area of 0.1 sq km.

High-brightness and high-color purity red-emitting Ca3Lu(AlO)3(BO3)4:Eu3+ phosphors with internal quantum efficiency close to unity for near-ultraviolet-based white-light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Huang, Xiaoyong; Wang, Shaoying; Li, Bin; Sun, Qi; Guo, Heng

2018-03-15

In this work, we reported on high-brightness Eu 3+ -activated Ca 3 Lu(AlO) 3 (BO 3 ) 4 (CLAB) red-emitting phosphors. Under 397 nm excitation, the CLAB:Eu 3+ phosphors showed intense red emissions at around 621 nm with CIE coordinates of (0.657, 0.343). The optimal doping concentration of Eu 3+ ions was found to be 30 mol. %, and the CLAB:0.3Eu 3+ sample possessed high-color purity of 93% and ultra-high internal quantum efficiency as great as 98.5%. Importantly, the CLAB:0.3Eu 3+ also had good thermal stability. Finally, a white-light-emitting diode (WLED) lamp with good color-rendering index was fabricated by using a 365 nm ultraviolet chip and the phosphor blends of CLAB:0.3Eu 3+ red-emitting phosphors, (Ba,Sr) 2 SiO 4 :Eu 2+ green-emitting phosphors, and BaMgAl 10 O 7 :Eu 2+ blue-emitting phosphors.

A versatile, stability-indicating and high-throughput ultra-fast liquid chromatography method for the determination of isoflavone aglycones in soybeans, topical formulations, and permeation assays.

PubMed

Nemitz, Marina C; Yatsu, Francini K J; Bidone, Juliana; Koester, Letícia S; Bassani, Valquiria L; Garcia, Cássia V; Mendez, Andreas S L; von Poser, Gilsane L; Teixeira, Helder F

2015-03-01

There is a growing interest in the pharmaceutical field concerning isoflavones topical delivery systems, especially with regard to their skin care properties and antiherpetic activity. In this context, the present work describes an ultra-fast liquid chromatography method (UFLC) for determining daidzein, glycitein, and genistein in different matrices during the development of topical systems containing isoflavone aglycones (IA) obtained from soybeans. The method showed to be specific, precise, accurate, and linear (0.1 to 5 µg mL(-1)) for IA determination in soybean acid extract, IA-rich fraction obtained after the purification process, IA loaded-nanoemulsions, and topical hydrogel, as well as for permeation/retention assays in porcine skin and porcine esophageal mucosa. The matrix effect was determined for all complex matrices, demonstrating low effect during the analysis. The stability indicating UFLC method was verified by submitting IA to acidic, alkaline, oxidative, and thermal stress conditions, and no interference of degradation products was detected during analysis. Mass spectrometry was performed to show the main compounds produced after acid hydrolysis of soybeans, as well as suggest the main degradation products formed after stress conditions. Besides the IA, hydroxymethylfurfural and ethoxymethylfurfural were produced and identified after acid hydrolysis of the soybean extract and well separated by the UFLC method. The method's robustness was confirmed using the Plackett-Burman experimental design. Therefore, the new method affords fast IA analysis during routine processes, extract purification, products development, and bioanalytical assays. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First-principles calculations of the thermal stability of Ti 3SiC 2(0001) surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orellana, Walter; Gutiérrez, Gonzalo

2011-12-01

The energetic, thermal stability and dynamical properties of the ternary layered ceramic Ti3SiC2(0001) surface are addressed by density-functional theory calculations and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. The equilibrium surface energy at 0 K of all terminations is contrasted with thermal stability at high temperatures, which are investigated by ab initio MD simulations in the range of 800 to 1400 °C. We find that the toplayer (sublayer) surface configurations: Si(Ti2) and Ti2(Si) show the lowest surface energies with reconstruction features for Si(Ti2). However, at high temperatures they are unstable, forming disordered structures. On the contrary, Ti1(C) and Ti2(C) despite their higher surface energies, show a remarkable thermal stability at high temperatures preserving the crystalline structures up to 1400 °C. The less stable surfaces are those terminated in C atoms, C(Ti1) and C(Ti2), which at high temperatures show surface dissociation forming amorphous TiCx structures. Two possible atomic scale mechanisms involved in the thermal stability of Ti3SiC2(0001) are discussed.

Giant strain with ultra-low hysteresis and high temperature stability in grain oriented lead-free K0.5Bi0.5TiO3-BaTiO3-Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 piezoelectric materials

PubMed Central

Maurya, Deepam; Zhou, Yuan; Wang, Yaojin; Yan, Yongke; Li, Jiefang; Viehland, Dwight; Priya, Shashank

2015-01-01

We synthesized grain-oriented lead-free piezoelectric materials in (K0.5Bi0.5TiO3-BaTiO3-xNa0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (KBT-BT-NBT) system with high degree of texturing along the [001]c (c-cubic) crystallographic orientation. We demonstrate giant field induced strain (~0.48%) with an ultra-low hysteresis along with enhanced piezoelectric response (d33 ~ 190pC/N) and high temperature stability (~160°C). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) results demonstrate smaller size highly ordered domain structure in grain-oriented specimen relative to the conventional polycrystalline ceramics. The grain oriented specimens exhibited a high degree of non-180° domain switching, in comparison to the randomly axed ones. These results indicate the effective solution to the lead-free piezoelectric materials. PMID:25716551

Giant strain with ultra-low hysteresis and high temperature stability in grain oriented lead-free K₀̣₅Bi₀̣₅TiO₃-BaTiO₃-Na₀̣₅Bi₀̣₅TiO₃ piezoelectric materials

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

Maurya, Deepam; Zhou, Yuan; Wang, Yaojin

2015-02-26

We synthesized grain-oriented lead-free piezoelectric materials in (K₀̣₅Bi₀̣₅TiO₃-BaTiO₃-xNa₀̣₅Bi₀̣₅TiO₃ (KBT-BT-NBT) system with high degree of texturing along the [001]c (c-cubic) crystallographic orientation. We demonstrate giant field induced strain (~0.48%) with an ultra-low hysteresis along with enhanced piezoelectric response (d₃₃ ~ 190pC/N) and high temperature stability (~160°C). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) results demonstrate smaller size highly ordered domain structure in grain-oriented specimen relative to the conventional polycrystalline ceramics. The grain oriented specimens exhibited a high degree of non-180° domain switching, in comparison to the randomly axed ones. These results indicate the effective solution to the lead-free piezoelectricmore » materials.« less

High-Q Microsphere Cavity for Laser Stabilization and Optoelectronic Microwave

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ilchenko, V.; Yao, X.; Maleki, L.

1999-01-01

With submillimeter size and optical Q up to 10(sup 10), microspheres with whispering-gallery (WG) modes are attractive new component for fiber-optics/photonics applications and a potential core in ultra-compact high-spectral-purity optical and microwave oscillators.

Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks: Miniaturized Phonon Trap Timing Units for PNT of CubeSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Zadeh, Mina; Altunc, Serhat; Hunter, Roger C.; Petro, Andrew

2016-01-01

The Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks (CSUSC) project aims to provide a superior alternative to current solutions for low size, weight, and power timing devices. Currently available quartz-based clocks have problems adjusting to the high temperature and extreme acceleration found in space applications, especially when scaled down to match small spacecraft size, weight, and power requirements. The CSUSC project aims to utilize dual-mode resonators on an ovenized platform to achieve the exceptional temperature stability required for these systems. The dual-mode architecture utilizes a temperature sensitive and temperature stable mode simultaneously driven on the same device volume to eliminate ovenization error while maintaining extremely high performance. Using this technology it is possible to achieve parts-per-billion (ppb) levels of temperature stability with multiple orders of magnitude smaller size, weight, and power.

Effect of Thermal Treatments on Ni-Mn-Ga and Ni-Rich Ni-Ti-Hf/Zr High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santamarta, Ruben; Evirgen, Alper; Perez-Sierra, Aquilina M.; Pons, Jaume; Cesari, Eduard; Karaman, Ibrahim; Noebe, Ron D.

2015-11-01

Among all the promising high-temperature shape memory alloys (HTSMAs), the Ni-Mn-Ga and the Ni-Ti-Hf/Zr systems exhibit interesting shape memory and superelastic properties that may place them in a good position for potential applications. The present work shows that thermal treatments play a crucial role in controlling the martensitic phase transformation characteristics of both systems, but in different ways. On one hand, the equilibrium phase diagram of the Ni-Mn-Ga family allows selecting compositions with high transformation temperatures and outstanding thermal stability at relatively high temperatures in air, showing no significant changes in the transformation behavior for continuous aging up to ˜5 years at 500 °C. Moreover, the excellent thermal stability correlates with a good thermal cyclic stability and an exceptional oxidation resistance of the parent phase. On the other hand, precipitation processes controlled by thermal treatments are needed to manipulate the transformation temperatures, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of Ni-rich Ni-Ti-Hf/Zr alloys to become HTSMAs. These changes in the functional properties are a consequence of the competition between the mechanical and compositional effects of the precipitates on the martensitic transformation.

Stability and thermophysical studies on deep eutectic solvent based carbon nanotube nanofluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yan Yao; Walvekar, Rashmi; Khalid, Mohammad; Shahbaz, Kaveh; Gupta, T. C. S. M.

2017-07-01

Commercial coolants such as water, ethylene glycol and triethylene glycol possess very low thermal conductivity, high vapor pressure, corrosion issues and low thermal stability thus limiting the thermal enhancement of the nanofluids. Thus, a new type of base fluid known as deep eutectic solvents (DESs) is proposed in this work as a potential substitute for the conventional base fluid due to their unique solvent properties such as low vapor pressure, high thermal stability, biodegradability and non-flammability. In this work, 33 different DESs derived from phosphonium halide salt and ammonium halide salts were synthesised. Carbon nantubes (CNTs) with different concentrations (0.01 wt%-0.08 wt%) were dispersed into DESs with the help of sonication. Stability of the nanofluids were determined using both qualitative (visual observation) and quantitative (UV spectroscopy) approach. In addition, thermo-physical properties such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, viscosity and density were investigated. The stability results indicated that phosphonium based DESs have higher stability (up to 4 d) as compared to ammonium-based DESs (up to 3 d). Thermal enhancement of 30% was observed for ammonium based DES-CNT nanofluid whereas negative thermal enhancement was observed in phosphonium based DES-CNT nanofluid.

Antimicrobial effect and shelf-life extension by combined thermal and pulsed electric field treatment of milk.

PubMed

Walkling-Ribeiro, M; Noci, F; Cronin, D A; Lyng, J G; Morgan, D J

2009-01-01

The impact of a combined hurdle treatment of heat and pulsed electric fields (PEF) was studied on native microbiota used for the inoculation of low-fat ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk and whole raw milk. Microbiological shelf-life of the latter following hurdle treatment or thermal pasteurization was also investigated. UHT milk was preheated to 30 degrees C, 40 degrees C or 50 degrees C over a 60-s period, pulsed for 50 micros or 60 micros at a field strength of 40 kV cm(-1) or for 33 micros at 50 kV cm(-1). Heat and PEF reduced the microbial count by a maximum of 6.4 log in UHT milk (50 degrees C; 50 kV cm(-1), 33 micros) compared to 6.0 log (P > or = 0.05) obtained by thermal pasteurization (26 s, 72 degrees C). When raw milk was treated with a combination of hurdles (50 degrees C; 40 kV cm(-1), 60 micros) a 6.0 log inactivation of microbiota was achieved and microbiological milk shelf-life was extended to 21 days under refrigeration (4 degrees C) vs 14 days in thermally pasteurized milk. Native microbiota was decreased by 6.7 log following conventional pasteurization. The findings suggest that heat and PEF achieved similar inactivation of native microbiota in milk and longer stabilization of microbiological shelf-life than thermal pasteurization. A hurdle approach of heat and PEF could represent a valid milk processing alternative to conventional pasteurization. Hurdle treatment might also preserve native milk quality better due to less thermal exposure.

Structural modification of swai-fish (Pangasius hypophthalmus)-based emulsions containing non-meat protein additives by ultra-high pressure and thermal treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Techarang, Jiranat; Apichartsrangkoon, Arunee; Phanchaisri, Boonrak; Pathomrungsiyoungkul, Pattavara; Sriwattana, Sujinda

2017-07-01

Swai-fish emulsions containing fermented soybeans (thua nao and rice-koji miso) were pressurized at 600 MPa for 20 min or heated at 72°C for 30 min. The fish batters were blended with soy protein isolate (SPI) or whey protein concentrate (WPC) to stabilize the emulsions. The processed fish emulsions were then subjected to physical, chemical and microbiological examinations. The results of gel strength and water-holding potential showed that SPI addition yielded higher impact on these properties than WPC addition, which was also confirmed by the interactions between SPI and native fish proteins depicted by electrophoregrams. The frequency profiles suggested that the heated gels had a greater storage and loss moduli than pressurized gels, while pressurized WPC set-gel displayed larger loss tangent (the predominance of viscous moiety) than those pressurized SPI set-gel. High bacteria and spore counts of B. subtilis (residual of the thua nao) were observed in both pressurized and heated fish-based emulsions.

Ultra-high thermal effusivity materials for resonant ambient thermal energy harvesting.

PubMed

Cottrill, Anton L; Liu, Albert Tianxiang; Kunai, Yuichiro; Koman, Volodymyr B; Kaplan, Amir; Mahajan, Sayalee G; Liu, Pingwei; Toland, Aubrey R; Strano, Michael S

2018-02-14

Materials science has made progress in maximizing or minimizing the thermal conductivity of materials; however, the thermal effusivity-related to the product of conductivity and capacity-has received limited attention, despite its importance in the coupling of thermal energy to the environment. Herein, we design materials that maximize the thermal effusivity by impregnating copper and nickel foams with conformal, chemical-vapor-deposited graphene and octadecane as a phase change material. These materials are ideal for ambient energy harvesting in the form of what we call thermal resonators to generate persistent electrical power from thermal fluctuations over large ranges of frequencies. Theory and experiment demonstrate that the harvestable power for these devices is proportional to the thermal effusivity of the dominant thermal mass. To illustrate, we measure persistent energy harvesting from diurnal frequencies, extracting as high as 350 mV and 1.3 mW from approximately 10 °C diurnal temperature differences.

Enhanced wear performance of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene crosslinked by organosilane.

PubMed

Tang, C Y; Xie, X L; Wu, X C; Li, R K Y; Mai, Y W

2002-11-01

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) crosslinked by organosilane was thermal compression molded. The organosilane used was the tri-ethyloxyl vinyl silane. Its gelation, melting behavior, crystallinity, mechanical and wear-resisting properties were systematically investigated. The results showed that the gel ratio of UHMWPE increases with the incorporation of organosilane. At a low content of organosilane, the melting point and crystallinity of the crosslinked UHMWPE increase, and hence the mechanical and wear-resisting properties are improved. However, at a high content of organosilane, these performances of the crosslinked UHMWPE become worse. At 0.4 phr silane, the wear resistance of crosslinked UHMWPE reaches its optimum value.

Processing, Properties and Arc Jet Testing of HfB2/SiC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Sylvia M.; Beckman, Sarah; Irby, Edward; Ellerby, Don; Gasch, Matt; Gusman, Michael

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: Background on Ultra High Temperature Ceramics - UHTCs. Summary UNTC processing: power processing, scale-up. Preliminary material properties: mechanical, thermal. Arc jet testing: flat face models, cone models. Summary.

Design, fabrication and space suitability tests of wide field of view, ultra-compact, and high resolution telescope for space application.

PubMed

Tumarina, M; Ryazanskiy, M; Jeong, S; Hong, G; Vedenkin, N; Park, I H; Milov, A

2018-02-05

We report on the design, manufacture, and testing of an ultra-compact telescope for 16 unit (16U) CubeSats for Earth and space observation. This telescope provides 1 arcsec resolution at a 2.9 degree field of view. Dimensions are optimized to 230 × 230 × 330mm 3 with a mass of less than 6kg including support structure. Our catadioptric 5-element design consists of a full-aperture corrector, a Mangin primary mirror (PM), a secondary mirror (SM), and a 2-lens field corrector. The focal length is 745mm, and squared-circular aperture has an equivalent diameter of 241mm. The designed modulation transfer function (MTF) is 0.275 for the entire unit including baffles at a Nyquist frequency of 161 cycles/mm for the 450-800nm band. As one of the distinguishing features of our state-of-the-art design, all optical surfaces are spherical to simplify adjustment. For the best thermal stability, all optical elements are produced from fused silica. We describe the details of design, adjustment, and laboratory performance tests for space environments in accordance with the requirements for in-orbit operation onboard Earth-observation micro-satellites to be launched in 2018.

Transmission electron microscopy of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV)/nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) bio-nanocomposite prepared using cryo-ultramicrotomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismarul, N. I.; Engku, A. H. E. U.; Siti, N. K.; Tay, K. Y.

2017-12-01

Environmental issues on disposal and end-of-life for product made from synthetic petroleum-derived polymers have gained increasing attention from materials scientist to search for new materials with similar physical and mechanical properties but environmental friendly in a way that they are renewable and biodegradable as well. This work is to study the effect of nanocrystalline cellulose in improving the thermal stability of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate biopolymer for high temperature processing of packaging material. 10 % w/w PHBV-NCC bio-nanocomposite feedstock pellet prepared using RONDOL minilab compounder was used as the sample for the preparation of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) sample. RMC Cryo-Ultramicrotomy equipment was used to prepare the ultra-thin slice of the bio-nanocomposite pellet under liquid nitrogen at - 60 °C. Diamond knife was used to slice off about 80-100 nm ultra-thin bio-nanocomposite films and was transferred into the lacey carbon film coated grid using cooled sugar solution. A few drops of phosphotungstic acid was used as negative stain to improve the contrast during the TEM analysis. HITACHI TEM systems was used to obtain the TEM micrograph of PHBV-NCC bio-nanocomposite using 80kV accelerating voltage. A well dispersed NCC in PHBV matrix, ranging from 5 to 25 nm in width was observed.

Unbalance Response Analysis and Experimental Validation of an Ultra High Speed Motor-Generator for Microturbine Generators Considering Balancing

PubMed Central

Hong, Do-Kwan; Joo, Dae-Suk; Woo, Byung-Chul; Koo, Dae-Hyun; Ahn, Chan-Woo

2014-01-01

The objective of the present study was to deal with the rotordynamics of the rotor of an ultra-high speed PM type synchronous motor-generator for a 500 W rated micro gas turbine generator. This paper introduces dynamic analysis, and experiments on the motor-generator. The focus is placed on an analytical approach considering the mechanical dynamic problems. It is essential to deal with dynamic stability at ultra-high speeds. Unbalance response analysis is performed by calculating the unbalance with and without balancing using a balancing machine. Critical speed analysis is performed to determine the operating speed with sufficient separation margin. The unbalance response analysis is compared with the experimental results considering the balancing grade (ISO 1940-1) and predicted vibration displacement with and without balancing. Based on these results, a high-speed motor-generator was successfully developed. PMID:25177804

High-power ultra-broadband frequency comb from ultraviolet to infrared by high-power fiber amplifiers.

PubMed

Yang, Kangwen; Li, Wenxue; Yan, Ming; Shen, Xuling; Zhao, Jian; Zeng, Heping

2012-06-04

A high-power ultra-broadband frequency comb covering the spectral range from ultraviolet to infrared was generated directly by nonlinear frequency conversion of a multi-stage high-power fiber comb amplifier. The 1030-nm infrared spectral fraction of a broadband Ti:sapphire femtosecond frequency comb was power-scaled up to 100 W average power by using a large-mode-area fiber chirped-pulse amplifier. We obtained a frequency-doubled green comb at 515 nm and frequency-quadrupled ultraviolet pulses at 258 nm with the average power of 12.8 and 1.62 W under the input infrared power of 42.2 W, respectively. The carrier envelope phase stabilization was accomplished with an ultra-narrow line-width of 1.86 mHz and a quite low accumulated phase jitter of 0.41 rad, corresponding to a timing jitter of 143 as.

Large-area synthesis of WSe2 from WO3 by selenium-oxygen ion exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Browning, Paul; Eichfeld, Sarah; Zhang, Kehao; Hossain, Lorraine; Lin, Yu-Chuan; Wang, Ke; Lu, Ning; Waite, A. R.; Voevodin, A. A.; Kim, Moon; Robinson, Joshua A.

2015-03-01

Few-layer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) is attractive as a next-generation electronic material as it exhibits modest carrier mobilities and energy band gap in the visible spectra, making it appealing for photovoltaic and low-powered electronic applications. Here we demonstrate the scalable synthesis of large-area, few-layer WSe2 via replacement of oxygen in hexagonally stabilized tungsten oxide films using dimethyl selenium. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy reveals successful control of the final WSe2 film thickness through control of initial tungsten oxide thickness, as well as development of layered films with grain sizes up to several hundred nanometers. Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy confirms high crystal uniformity of the converted WSe2, and time domain thermo-reflectance provide evidence that near record low thermal conductivity is achievable in ultra-thin WSe2 using this method.

Synthesis of surface bound silver nanoparticles on cellulose fibers using lignin as multi-functional agent.

PubMed

Hu, Sixiao; Hsieh, You-Lo

2015-10-20

Lignin has proven to be highly effective "green" multi-functional binding, complexing and reducing agents for silver cations as well as capping agents for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles on ultra-fine cellulose fibrous membranes. Silver nanoparticles could be synthesized in 10min to be densely distributed and stably bound on the cellulose fiber surfaces at up to 2.9% in mass. Silver nanoparticle increased in sizes from 5 to 100nm and became more polydispersed in size distribution on larger fibers and with longer synthesis time. These cellulose fiber bound silver nanoparticles did not agglomerate under elevated temperatures and showed improved thermal stability. The presence of alkali lignin conferred moderate UV absorbing ability in both UV-B and UV-C regions whereas the bound silver nanoparticles exhibited excellent antibacterial activities toward Escherichia coli. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly defective oxides as sinter resistant thermal barrier coating

DOEpatents

Subramanian, Ramesh

2005-08-16

A thermal barrier coating material formed of a highly defective cubic matrix structure having a concentration of a stabilizer sufficiently high that the oxygen vacancies created by the stabilizer interact within the matrix to form multi-vacancies, thereby improving the sintering resistance of the material. The concentration of stabilizer within the cubic matrix structure is greater than that concentration of stabilizer necessary to give the matrix a peak ionic conductivity value. The concentration of stabilizer may be at least 30 wt. %. Embodiments include a cubic matrix of zirconia stabilized by at least 30-50 wt. % yttria, and a cubic matrix of hafnia stabilized by at least 30-50 wt. % gadolinia.

Low resistance contacts for shallow junction semiconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fatemi, Navid S. (Inventor); Weizer, Victor G. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A method of enhancing the specific contact resistivity in InP semiconductor devices and improved devices produced thereby are disclosed. Low resistivity values are obtained by using gold ohmic contacts that contain small amounts of gallium or indium and by depositing a thin gold phosphide interlayer between the surface of the InP device and the ohmic contact. When both the thin interlayer and the gold-gallium or gold-indium contact metallizations are used, ultra low specific contact resistivities are achieved. Thermal stability with good contact resistivity is achieved by depositing a layer of refractory metal over the gold phosphide interlayer.

Influence of heat treatment on structural, mechanical and wear properties of crosslinked UHMWPE.

PubMed

Chiesa, R; Moscatelli, M; Giordano, C; Siccardi, F; Cigada, A

2004-01-01

New crosslinked ultra high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPEs) have recently been developed, characterized and introduced in clinical applications. UHMWPE cross-linking treatments are very promising for reducing osteolysis induced by wear debris. The irradiation type, gamma or beta, the dosage and the thermal treatment performed during or following the irradiation process are all factors affecting polyethylene wear resistance. Thermal stabilization treatments performed after or during the irradiation process at a temperature above melting point (i.e. >130 degrees C) have been proven to effectively remove the free radicals generated during irradiation from UHMWPE, but their effect on the mechanical properties of UHMWPE are not completely clear. In addition to wear rate reduction, maintaining good mechanical properties is fundamental aspect in designing the new generation of crosslinked UHMWPE for artificial load bearing materials, especially considering the application in total knee replacements. In this study, we investigated the influence of different stabilization treatments, performed after gamma irradiation, on structural, wear and mechanical properties of UHMWPE. We performed four different stabilization treatments, with different temperatures and cooling rates, on 100 kGy gamma irradiated UHMWPE. Structural properties of UHMWPE were assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). To assess the mechanical performance of the materials, uni-axial tensile tests were performed according to the ASTM D638 standard, bi-axial tension performance was evaluated by small punch tests (ASTM F2183-02), toughness resistance was evaluated by the Izod method (ASTM F648), and cold flow resistance was analysed by a dynamic compressive test. Evaluation of wear resistance was by a multidirectional pin-on-disk screening machine. Materials considered were in "aged" and "non-aged" conditions. Results confirmed that cross-linking greatly enhances UHMWPE wear resistance, but introduces some detrimental effects on the mechanical properties. In this study, we found that the negative ef-fects on the mechanical properties of crosslinked UHMWPE can be modulated, to some extent, by choosing a thermal stabiliza-tion treatment at a correct temperature and cooling rate. (Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Biomechanics 2004; 2: 20-8).

Potential of a New Lunar Surface Radiator Concept for Hot Lunar Thermal Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochoa, Dustin A.; Vogel, Matthew R.; Trevino, Luis A.; Stephan, Ryan A.

2008-01-01

The optimum radiator configuration in hot lunar thermal environments is one in which the radiator is parallel to the ground and has no view to the hot lunar surface. However, typical spacecraft configurations have limited real estate available for top-mounted radiators, resulting in a desire to use the spacecraft s vertically oriented sides. Vertically oriented, flat panel radiators will have a large view factor to the lunar surface, and thus will be subjected to significant incident lunar infrared heat. Consequently, radiator fluid temperatures will need to exceed approx.325 K (assuming standard spacecraft radiator optical properties) in order to provide positive heat rejection at lunar noon. Such temperatures are too high for crewed spacecraft applications in which a heat pump is to be avoided. A recent study of vertically oriented radiator configurations subjected to lunar noon thermal environments led to the discovery of a novel radiator concept that yielded positive heat rejection at lower fluid temperatures. This radiator configuration, called the Upright Lunar Terrain Radiator Assembly (ULTRA), has exhibited superior performance to all previously analyzed concepts in terms of heat rejection in the lunar noon thermal environment. A key benefit of the ULTRA is the absence of louvers or other moving parts and its simple geometry. Analysis of the ULTRA for a lunar extravehicular activity (EVA) portable life support system (PLSS) is shown to provide moderate heat rejection, on average, at all solar incident angles assuming an average radiator temperature of 294 K, whereas prior concepts exhibited insignificant heat rejection or heat absorption at higher incident angles. The performance of the ULTRA for a lunar lander is also discussed and compared to the performance of a vertically oriented, flat panel radiator at various lunar latitudes.

Radiofrequency pulse design in parallel transmission under strict temperature constraints.

PubMed

Boulant, Nicolas; Massire, Aurélien; Amadon, Alexis; Vignaud, Alexandre

2014-09-01

To gain radiofrequency (RF) pulse performance by directly addressing the temperature constraints, as opposed to the specific absorption rate (SAR) constraints, in parallel transmission at ultra-high field. The magnitude least-squares RF pulse design problem under hard SAR constraints was solved repeatedly by using the virtual observation points and an active-set algorithm. The SAR constraints were updated at each iteration based on the result of a thermal simulation. The numerical study was performed for an SAR-demanding and simplified time of flight sequence using B1 and ΔB0 maps obtained in vivo on a human brain at 7T. The proposed adjustment of the SAR constraints combined with an active-set algorithm provided higher flexibility in RF pulse design within a reasonable time. The modifications of those constraints acted directly upon the thermal response as desired. Although further confidence in the thermal models is needed, this study shows that RF pulse design under strict temperature constraints is within reach, allowing better RF pulse performance and faster acquisitions at ultra-high fields at the cost of higher sequence complexity. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

O-Ring sealing arrangements for ultra-high vacuum systems

DOEpatents

Kim, Chang-Kyo; Flaherty, Robert

1981-01-01

An all metal reusable O-ring sealing arrangement for sealing two concentric tubes in an ultra-high vacuum system. An O-ring of a heat recoverable alloy such as Nitinol is concentrically positioned between protruding sealing rings of the concentric tubes. The O-ring is installed between the tubes while in a stressed martensitic state and is made to undergo a thermally induced transformation to an austenitic state. During the transformation the O-ring expands outwardly and contracts inwardly toward a previously sized austenitic configuration, thereby sealing against the protruding sealing rings of the concentric tubes.

X-ray Crystallographic Structure of Thermophilic Rhodopsin: IMPLICATIONS FOR HIGH THERMAL STABILITY AND OPTOGENETIC FUNCTION.

PubMed

Tsukamoto, Takashi; Mizutani, Kenji; Hasegawa, Taisuke; Takahashi, Megumi; Honda, Naoya; Hashimoto, Naoki; Shimono, Kazumi; Yamashita, Keitaro; Yamamoto, Masaki; Miyauchi, Seiji; Takagi, Shin; Hayashi, Shigehiko; Murata, Takeshi; Sudo, Yuki

2016-06-03

Thermophilic rhodopsin (TR) is a photoreceptor protein with an extremely high thermal stability and the first characterized light-driven electrogenic proton pump derived from the extreme thermophile Thermus thermophilus JL-18. In this study, we confirmed its high thermal stability compared with other microbial rhodopsins and also report the potential availability of TR for optogenetics as a light-induced neural silencer. The x-ray crystal structure of TR revealed that its overall structure is quite similar to that of xanthorhodopsin, including the presence of a putative binding site for a carotenoid antenna; but several distinct structural characteristics of TR, including a decreased surface charge and a larger number of hydrophobic residues and aromatic-aromatic interactions, were also clarified. Based on the crystal structure, the structural changes of TR upon thermal stimulation were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations revealed the presence of a thermally induced structural substate in which an increase of hydrophobic interactions in the extracellular domain, the movement of extracellular domains, the formation of a hydrogen bond, and the tilting of transmembrane helices were observed. From the computational and mutational analysis, we propose that an extracellular LPGG motif between helices F and G plays an important role in the thermal stability, acting as a "thermal sensor." These findings will be valuable for understanding retinal proteins with regard to high protein stability and high optogenetic performance. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Surface functionalization of solid state ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene through chemical grafting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherazi, Tauqir A.; Rehman, Tayyiba; Naqvi, Syed Ali Raza; Shaikh, Ahson Jabbar; Shahzad, Sohail Anjum; Abbas, Ghazanfar; Raza, Rizwan; Waseem, Amir

2015-12-01

The surface of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder was functionalized with styrene using chemical grafting technique. The grafting process was initiated through radical generation on base polymer matrix in the solid state by sodium thiosulfate, while peroxides formed at radical sites during this process were dissociated by ceric ammonium nitrate. Various factors were optimized and reasonably high level of monomer grafting was achieved, i.e., 15.6%. The effect of different acids as additive and divinyl benzene (DVB) as a cross-linking agent was also studied. Post-grafting sulfonation was conducted to introduce the ionic moieties to the grafted polymer. Ion-exchange capacity (IEC) was measured experimentally and is found to be 1.04 meq g-1, which is in close agreement with the theoretical IEC values. The chemical structure of grafted and functionalized polymer was characterized by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermal properties were investigated by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Thermal analysis depicts that the presence of radicals on the polymer chain accelerates the thermal decomposition process. The results signify that the chemical grafting is an effective tool for substantial surface modification and subsequent functionalization of polyethylene.

Effect of Nickel Concentration on Bias Reliability and Thermal Stability of Thin-Film Transistors Fabricated by Ni-Metal-Induced Crystallization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Ming-Hui; Sermon Wu, YewChung; Huang, Jung-Jie

2012-01-01

Ni-metal-induced crystallization (MIC) of amorphous Si (α-Si) has been employed to fabricate low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Although the high leakage current is a major issue in the performance of conventional MIC-TFTs since Ni contamination induces deep-level state traps, it can be greatly improved by using well-known technologies to reduce Ni contamination. However, for active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display applications, the bias reliability and thermal stability are major concerns especially when devices are operated under a hot carrier condition and in a high-temperature environment. It will be interesting to determine how the bias reliability and thermal stability are affected by the reduction of Ni concentration. In the study, the effect of Ni concentration on bias reliability and thermal stability was investigated. We found that a device exhibited high immunity against hot-carrier stress and elevated temperatures. These findings demonstrated that reducing the Ni concentration in MIC films was also beneficial for bias reliability and thermal stability.

Ultra-sensitive transducer advances micro-measurement range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogallo, V. L.

1964-01-01

An ultrasensitive piezoelectric transducer, that converts minute mechanical forces into electrical impulses, measures the impact of micrometeoroids against space vehicles. It has uniform sensitivity over the entire target area and a high degree of stability.

Multi-Scale Porous Ultra High Temperature Ceramics

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-08

different techniques: replica, particle stabilized foams, ice templating (freeze casting) and partial sintering. The pore morphology (closed-bubble...the porosity, pore size, shape and morphology . X-Ray Tomography was used to study their 3D microstructure. The 3D microstructures captured with...four different techniques: replica, particle stabilized foams, ice templating (freeze casting) and partial sintering. The pore morphology (closed-bubble

Giant enhancement of upconversion in ultra-small Er³⁺/Yb³⁺:NaYF₄ nanoparticles via laser annealing.

PubMed

Bednarkiewicz, A; Wawrzynczyk, D; Gagor, A; Kepinski, L; Kurnatowska, M; Krajczyk, L; Nyk, M; Samoc, M; Strek, W

2012-04-13

Most of the synthesis routes of lanthanide-doped phosphors involve thermal processing which results in nanocrystallite growth, stabilization of the crystal structure and augmentation of luminescence intensity. It is of great interest to be able to transform the sample in a spatially localized manner, which may lead to many applications like 2D and 3D data storage, anti-counterfeiting protection, novel design bio-sensors and, potentially, to fabrication of metamaterials, 3D photonic crystals or plasmonic devices. Here we demonstrate irreversible spatially confined infrared-laser-induced annealing (LIA) achieved in a thin layer of dried colloidal solution of ultra-small ∼8 nm NaYF₄ nanocrystals (NCs) co-doped with 2% Er³⁺ and 20% Yb³⁺ ions under a localized tightly focused beam from a continuous wave 976 nm medium power laser diode excitation. The LIA results from self-heating due to non-radiative relaxation accompanying the NIR laser energy upconversion in lanthanide ions. We notice that localized LIA appears at optical power densities as low as 15.5 kW cm⁻² (∼354 ± 29 mW) threshold in spots of 54 ± 3 µm diameter obtained with a 10 × microscope objective. In the course of detailed studies, a complete recrystallization to different phases and giant 2-3 order enhancement in luminescence yield is found. Our results are highly encouraging and let us conclude that the upconverting ultra-small lanthanide-doped nanophosphors are particularly promising for direct laser writing applications.

Giant enhancement of upconversion in ultra-small Er3+/Yb3+:NaYF4 nanoparticles via laser annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bednarkiewicz, A.; Wawrzynczyk, D.; Gagor, A.; Kepinski, L.; Kurnatowska, M.; Krajczyk, L.; Nyk, M.; Samoc, M.; Strek, W.

2012-04-01

Most of the synthesis routes of lanthanide-doped phosphors involve thermal processing which results in nanocrystallite growth, stabilization of the crystal structure and augmentation of luminescence intensity. It is of great interest to be able to transform the sample in a spatially localized manner, which may lead to many applications like 2D and 3D data storage, anti-counterfeiting protection, novel design bio-sensors and, potentially, to fabrication of metamaterials, 3D photonic crystals or plasmonic devices. Here we demonstrate irreversible spatially confined infrared-laser-induced annealing (LIA) achieved in a thin layer of dried colloidal solution of ultra-small ˜8 nm NaYF4 nanocrystals (NCs) co-doped with 2% Er3+ and 20% Yb3+ ions under a localized tightly focused beam from a continuous wave 976 nm medium power laser diode excitation. The LIA results from self-heating due to non-radiative relaxation accompanying the NIR laser energy upconversion in lanthanide ions. We notice that localized LIA appears at optical power densities as low as 15.5 kW cm-2 (˜354 ± 29 mW) threshold in spots of 54 ± 3 µm diameter obtained with a 10 × microscope objective. In the course of detailed studies, a complete recrystallization to different phases and giant 2-3 order enhancement in luminescence yield is found. Our results are highly encouraging and let us conclude that the upconverting ultra-small lanthanide-doped nanophosphors are particularly promising for direct laser writing applications.

Viscosity and stability of ultra-high internal phase CO2-in-water foams stabilized with surfactants and nanoparticles with or without polyelectrolytes.

PubMed

Xue, Zheng; Worthen, Andrew; Qajar, Ali; Robert, Isaiah; Bryant, Steven L; Huh, Chun; Prodanović, Maša; Johnston, Keith P

2016-01-01

To date, relatively few examples of ultra-high internal phase supercritical CO2-in-water foams (also referred to as macroemulsions) have been observed, despite interest in applications including "waterless" hydraulic fracturing in energy production. The viscosities and stabilities of foams up to 0.98 CO2 volume fraction were investigated in terms of foam bubble size, interfacial tension, and bulk and surface viscosity. The foams were stabilized with laurylamidopropyl betaine (LAPB) surfactant and silica nanoparticles (NPs), with and without partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM). For foams stabilized with mixture of LAPB and NPs, fine ∼70 μm bubbles and high viscosities on the order of 100 cP at>0.90 internal phase fraction were stabilized for hours to days. The surfactant reduces interfacial tension, and thus facilitates bubble generation and decreases the capillary pressure to reduce the drainage rate of the lamella. The LAPB, which is in the cationic protonated form, also attracts anionic NPs (and anionic HPAM in systems containing polymer) to the interface. The adsorbed NPs at the interface are shown to slow down Ostwald ripening (with or without polymer added) and increase foam stability. In systems with added HPAM, the increase in the bulk and surface viscosity of the aqueous phase further decreases the lamella drainage rate and inhibits coalescence of foams. Thus, the added polymer increases the foam viscosity by threefold. Scaling law analysis shows the viscosity of 0.90 volume fraction foams is inversely proportional to the bubble size. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigations in the mechanism of carbothermal reduction of yttria stabilized zirconia for ultra-high temperature ceramics application and its influence on yttria contained in it

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sondhi, Anchal

Zirconium carbide (ZrC) is a high modulus ceramic with an ultra-high melting temperature and, consequently, is capable of withstanding extreme environments. Carbon-carbon composites (CCCs) are important structural materials in current commercial and future hypersonic aircraft; however, these materials may be susceptible to degradation when exposed to elevated temperatures during extreme velocities. At speeds of exceeding Mach 5, intense heating of leading edges of the aircraft triggers rapid oxidation of carbon in CCCs resulting in degradation of the structure and probable failure. Environmental/thermal barrier coatings (EBC/TBC) are employed to protect airfoil structures from extreme conditions. Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a well-known EBC/TBC material currently used to protect metallic turbine blades and other aerospace structures. In this work, 3 mol% YSZ has been studied as a potential EBC/TBC on CCCs. However, YSZ is an oxygen conductor and may not sufficiently slow the oxidation of the underlying CCC. Under appropriate conditions, ZrC can form at the interface between CCC and YSZ. Because ZrC is a poor oxygen ion conductor in addition to its stability at high temperatures, it can reduce the oxygen transport to the CCC and thus increase the service lifetime of the structure. This dissertation investigates the thermodynamics and kinetics of the YSZ/ZrC/CCC system and the resulting structural changes across multiple size scales. A series of experiments were conducted to understand the mechanisms and species involved in the carbothermal reduction of ZrO2 to form ZrC. 3 mol% YSZ and graphite powders were uniaxially pressed into pellets and reacted in a graphite (C) furnace. Rietveld x-ray diffraction phase quantification determined that greater fractions of ZrC were formed when carbon was the majority mobile species. These results were validated by modeling the process thermochemically and were confirmed with additional experiments. Measurements were conducted to examine the effect of carbothermal reduction on the bond lengths in YSZ and ZrC. Subsequent extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements and calculations showed Zr-O, Zr-C and Zr-Zr bond lengths to be unchanged after carbothermal reduction. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) line scan and mapping were carried out on carbothermaly reduced 3 mol% YSZ and 10 mol% YSZ powders. Results revealed Y2O3 stabilizer forming agglomerates with a very low solubility in ZrC.

Thermally stable and high reflectivity Al-doped silver thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loka, Chadrasekhar; Lee, Kwang; Joo, Sin Yong; Lee, Kee-Sun

2018-03-01

Thermally stable, high reflectance thin film coatings are indispensable in optoelectronic devices, especially as a potential back reflector for LEDs and solar cells. The silver has the drawback of agglomerating easily and poor thermal stability, which is limiting its application as a highly reflective coating in various optoelectronic applications. In this study, improved thermal stability by modification of the Ag film into an Ag/Al-doped Ag structure has been confirmed. In this paper, the surface morphology, optical reflectance, and thermal stability of the Ag/Al-doped Ag are investigated. The Ag/Al-doped Ag/sapphire films showed excellent thermal stability after annealing the films at 523 K with the highest reflectance about ∼86% as compared to the pure Ag films. The grain growth analysis results revealed that the Al-doping is effective to restrain the severe grain growth of silver films. The Auger electron spectroscopy results revealed that the outer diffusion of aluminum and the formation of Al-O bond at the outermost silver layer which is beneficial to retard the Ag grain growth.

Development of Ag-Pd-Au-Cu alloy for multiple dental applications. Part 1. Effects of Pd and Cu contents, and addition of Ga or Sn on physical properties and bond with ultra-low fusing ceramic.

PubMed

Goto, S; Miyagawa, Y; Ogura, H

2000-09-01

Ag-Pd-Au-Cu quaternary alloys consisting of 30-50% Ag, 20-40% Pd, 10-20% Cu and 20% Au (mother alloys) were prepared. Then 5% Sn or 5% Ga was added to the mother alloy compositions, and another two alloy systems (Sn-added alloys and Ga-added alloys) were also prepared. The bond between the prepared alloys and an ultra-low fusing ceramic as well as their physical properties such as the solidus point, liquidus point and the coefficient of thermal expansion were evaluated. The solidus point and liquidus point of the prepared alloys ranged from 802 degrees C to 1142 degrees C and from 931 degrees C to 1223 degrees C, respectively. The coefficient of thermal expansion ranged from 14.6 to 17.1 x 10(-6)/degrees C for the Sn- and Ga-added alloys. In most cases, the Pd and Cu contents significantly influenced the solidus point, liquidus point and coefficient of thermal expansion. All Sn- and Ga-added alloys showed high area fractions of retained ceramic (92.1-100%), while the mother alloy showed relatively low area fractions (82.3%) with a high standard deviation (20.5%). Based on the evaluated properties, six Sn-added alloys and four Ga-added alloys among the prepared alloys were suitable for the application of the tested ultra-low fusing ceramic.

Thermally stable, plastic-bonded explosives

DOEpatents

Benziger, Theodore M.

1979-01-01

By use of an appropriate thermoplastic rubber as the binder, the thermal stability and thermal stress characteristics of plastic-bonded explosives may be greatly improved. In particular, an HMX-based explosive composition using an oil-extended styrene-ethylenebutylene-styrene block copolymer as the binder exhibits high explosive energy and thermal stability and good handling safety and physical properties.

Fast and high resolution thermal detector based on an aluminum nitride piezoelectric microelectromechanical resonator with an integrated suspended heat absorbing element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Yu; Rinaldi, Matteo

2013-03-01

This letter presents a miniaturized, fast, and high resolution thermal detector, in which a heat absorbing element and a temperature sensitive microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator are perfectly overlapped but separated by a microscale air gap. This unique design guarantees efficient and fast (˜10s μs) heat transfer from the absorbing element to the temperature sensitive device and enables high resolution thermal power detection (˜nW), thanks to the low noise performance of the high quality factor (Q = 2305) MEMS resonant thermal detector. A device prototype was fabricated, and its detection capabilities were experimentally characterized. A thermal power as low as 150 nW was experimentally measured, and a noise equivalent power of 6.5 nW/Hz1/2 was extracted. A device thermal time constant of only 350 μs was measured (smallest ever reported for MEMS resonant thermal detectors), indicating the great potential of the proposed technology for the implementation of ultra-fast and high resolution un-cooled resonant thermal detectors.

Superior Thermally Stable and Nonflammable Porous Polybenzimidazole Membrane with High Wettability for High-Power Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Li, Dan; Shi, Dingqin; Xia, Yonggao; Qiao, Lin; Li, Xianfeng; Zhang, Huamin

2017-03-15

Separators with high security, reliability, and rate capacity are in urgent need for the advancement of high power lithium ion batteries. The currently used porous polyolefin membranes are critically hindered by their low thermal stability and poor electrolyte wettability, which further lead to low rate capacity. Here we present a novel promising porous polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane with super high thermal stability and electrolyte wettability. The rigid structure and functional groups in the PBI chain enable membranes to be stable at temperature as high as 400 °C, and the unique flame resistance of PBI could ensure the high security of a battery as well. In particular, the prepared membrane owns 328% electrolyte uptake, which is more than two times higher than commercial Celgard 2325 separator. The unique combination of high thermal stability, high flame resistance and super high electrolyte wettability enable the PBI porous membranes to be highly promising for high power lithium battery.

An ultra-stable optical frequency reference for space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuldt, T.; Döringshoff, K.; Kovalchuk, E.; Pahl, J.; Gohlke, M.; Weise, D.; Johann, U.; Peters, A.; Braxmaier, C.

2017-11-01

We realized ultra-stable optical frequency references on elegant breadboard (EBB) and engineering model (EM) level utilizing Doppler-free spectroscopy of molecular iodine near 532nm. A frequency stability of about 1•10-14 at an integration time of 1 s and below 5•10-15 at integration times between 10 s and 100 s was achieved. These values are comparable to the currently best laboratory setups. Both setups use a baseplate made of glass material where the optical components are joint using a specific assembly-integration technology. Compared to the EBB setup, the EM setup is further developed with respect to compactness and mechanical and thermal stability. The EM setup uses a baseplate made of fused silica with dimensions of 380 x 180 x 40 mm3 and a specifically designed 100 x 100 x 30 mm3 rectangular iodine cell in nine-pass configuration with a specific robust cold finger design. The EM setup was subjected to thermal cycling and vibrational testing. Applications of such an optical frequency reference in space can be found in fundamental physics, geoscience, Earth observation, and navigation & ranging. One example is the proposed mSTAR (mini SpaceTime Asymmetry Research) mission, dedicated to perform a Kennedy-Thorndike experiment on a satellite in a sunsynchronous low-Earth orbit. By comparing an iodine standard to a cavity-based frequency reference and integration over 2 year mission lifetime, the Kennedy-Thorndike coefficient will be determined with up to two orders of magnitude higher accuracy than the current best ground experiment. In a current study, the compatibility of the payload with the SaudiSat-4 host vehicle is investigated.

Thermal noise model of antiferromagnetic dynamics: A macroscopic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xilai; Semenov, Yuriy; Kim, Ki Wook

In the search for post-silicon technologies, antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics is receiving widespread attention. Due to faster dynamics when compared with its ferromagnetic counterpart, AFM enables ultra-fast magnetization switching and THz oscillations. A crucial factor that affects the stability of antiferromagnetic dynamics is the thermal fluctuation, rarely considered in AFM research. Here, we derive from theory both stochastic dynamic equations for the macroscopic AFM Neel vector (L-vector) and the corresponding Fokker-Plank equation for the L-vector distribution function. For the dynamic equation approach, thermal noise is modeled by a stochastic fluctuating magnetic field that affects the AFM dynamics. The field is correlated within the correlation time and the amplitude is derived from the energy dissipation theory. For the distribution function approach, the inertial behavior of AFM dynamics forces consideration of the generalized space, including both coordinates and velocities. Finally, applying the proposed thermal noise model, we analyze a particular case of L-vector reversal of AFM nanoparticles by voltage controlled perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) with a tailored pulse width. This work was supported, in part, by SRC/NRI SWAN.

Specific heat measurement set-up for quench condensed thin superconducting films.

PubMed

Poran, Shachaf; Molina-Ruiz, Manel; Gérardin, Anne; Frydman, Aviad; Bourgeois, Olivier

2014-05-01

We present a set-up designed for the measurement of specific heat of very thin or ultra-thin quench condensed superconducting films. In an ultra-high vacuum chamber, materials of interest can be thermally evaporated directly on a silicon membrane regulated in temperature from 1.4 K to 10 K. On this membrane, a heater and a thermometer are lithographically fabricated, allowing the measurement of heat capacity of the quench condensed layers. This apparatus permits the simultaneous thermal and electrical characterization of successively deposited layers in situ without exposing the deposited materials to room temperature or atmospheric conditions, both being irreversibly harmful to the samples. This system can be used to study specific heat signatures of phase transitions through the superconductor to insulator transition of quench condensed films.

Topological and thermal properties of polypropylene composites based on oil palm biomass

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

Bhat, A. H., E-mail: aamir.bhat@petronas.com.my, E-mail: anie-yal88@yahoo.com; Dasan, Y. K., E-mail: aamir.bhat@petronas.com.my, E-mail: anie-yal88@yahoo.com

Roughness on pristine and polymer composite surfaces is of enormous practical importance for polymer applications. This study deals with the use of varying quantity of oil palm ash as a nanofiller in a polypropylene based matrix. The oil palm ash sample was preprocessed to break the particles into small diameter by using ultra sonication before using microfluidizer for further deduction in size and homogenization. The oil palm ash was made to undergo many passes through the microfluidizer for fine distribution of particles. Polypropylene based composites containing different loading percentage oil palm ash was granulated by twin screw extruder and thenmore » injection molded. The surface morphology of the OPA passed through microfluidizer was analyzed by Tapping Mode - Atomic Force Microscopy (TMAFM). Thermal analysis results showed an increase in the activation energy values. The thermal stability of the composite samples showed improvement as compared to the virgin polymer as corroborated by the on-set degradation temperatures and the temperatures at which 50% degradation occurred.« less

Fabrication and characterization of Pickering emulsions and oil gels stabilized by highly charged zein/chitosan complex particles (ZCCPs).

PubMed

Wang, Li-Juan; Yin, Shou-Wei; Wu, Lei-Yan; Qi, Jun-Ru; Guo, Jian; Yang, Xiao-Quan

2016-12-15

Herein, we reported a facile method to fabricate ultra-stable, surfactant- and antimicrobial-free Pickering emulsions by designing and modulating emulsions' interfaces via zein/chitosan colloid particles (ZCCPs). Highly charged ZCCPs with neutral wettability were produced by a facile anti-solvent procedure. The ZCCPs were shown to be effective Pickering emulsifiers because the emulsions formed were highly resistant to coalescence over a 9-month storage period. The ZCCPs were adsorbed irreversibly at the interface during emulsification, forming a hybrid network framework in which zein particles were embedded within the chitosan network, yielding ultra-stable food-grade zein/chitosan colloid particles stabilized Pickering emulsions (ZCCPEs). Moreover, stable surfactant-free oil gels were obtained by a one-step freeze-drying process of the precursor ZCCPEs. This distinctive interfacial architecture accounted for the favourable physical performance, and potentially oxidative and microbial stability of the emulsions and/or oil gels. This work opens up a promising route via a food-grade Pickering emulsion-template approach to transform liquid oil into solid-like fats with zero trans-fat formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultra-stable, low phase noise dielectric resonator stabilized oscillators for military and commercial systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mizan, Muhammad; Higgins, Thomas; Sturzebecher, Dana

1993-01-01

EPSD has designed, fabricated and tested, ultra-stable, low phase noise microwave dielectric resonator oscillators (DRO's) at S, X, Ku, and K-bands, for potential application to high dynamic range and low radar cross section target detection radar systems. The phase noise and the temperature stability surpass commercially available DROs. Low phase noise signals are critical for CW Doppler radars, at both very close-in and large offset frequencies from the carrier. The oscillators were built without any temperature compensation techniques and exhibited a temperature stability of 25 parts per million (ppm) over an extended temperature range. The oscillators are lightweight, small and low cost compared to BAW & SAW oscillators, and can impact commercial systems such as telecommunications, built-in-test equipment, cellular phone and satellite communications systems. The key to obtaining this performance was a high Q factor resonant structure (RS) and careful circuit design techniques. The high Q RS consists of a dielectric resonator (DR) supported by a low loss spacer inside a metal cavity. The S and the X-band resonant structures demonstrated loaded Q values of 20,300 and 12,700, respectively.

High-Thermal- and Air-Stability Cathode Material with Concentration-Gradient Buffer for Li-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Shi, Ji-Lei; Qi, Ran; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Wang, Peng-Fei; Fu, Wei-Gui; Yin, Ya-Xia; Xu, Jian; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2017-12-13

Delivery of high capacity with high thermal and air stability is a great challenge in the development of Ni-rich layered cathodes for commercialized Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein we present a surface concentration-gradient spherical particle with varying elemental composition from the outer end LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NCM) to the inner end LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA). This cathode material with the merit of NCM concentration-gradient protective buffer and the inner NCA core shows high capacity retention of 99.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. Furthermore, this cathode material exhibits much improved thermal and air stability compared with bare NCA. These results provide new insights into the structural design of high-performance cathodes with high energy density, long life span, and storage stability materials for LIBs in the future.

Operational Characteristics of an Ultra Compact Combustor

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

to control this temperature profile to the turbine. A thermally non -uniform flow can create problems with power extraction and heat loading within...NOx) in an experimental rig set-up using air jet cross flows in non -reacting and reacting conditions at high pressure. NOx formation has become the...performance. One of the obstacles for implementing an UCC is the ability to control this temperature profile to the turbine. A thermally non

Study of Volumetrically Heated Ultra-High Energy Density Plasmas

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

Rocca, Jorge J.

2016-10-27

Heating dense matter to millions of degrees is important for applications, but requires complex and expensive methods. The major goal of the project was to demonstrate using a compact laser the creation of a new ultra-high energy density plasma regime characterized by simultaneous extremely high temperature and high density, and to study it combining experimental measurements and advanced simulations. We have demonstrated that trapping of intense femtosecond laser pulses deep within ordered nanowire arrays can heat near solid density matter into a new ultra hot plasma regime. Extreme electron densities, and temperatures of several tens of million degrees were achievedmore » using laser pulses of only 0.5 J energy from a compact laser. Our x-ray spectra and simulations showed that extremely highly ionized plasma volumes several micrometers in depth are generated by irradiation of gold and Nickel nanowire arrays with femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensities. We obtained extraordinarily high degrees of ionization (e.g. we peeled 52 electrons from gold atoms, and up to 26 electrons from nickel atoms). In the process we generated Gigabar pressures only exceeded in the central hot spot of highly compressed thermonuclear fusion plasmas.. The plasma created after the dissolved wires expand, collide, and thermalize, is computed to have a thermal energy density of 0.3 GJ cm -3 and a pressure of 1-2 Gigabar. These are pressures only exceeded in highly compressed thermonuclear fusion plasmas. Scaling these results to higher laser intensities promises to create plasmas with temperatures and pressures exceeding those in the center of the sun.« less

Processing of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene/graphite composites by ultrasonic injection moulding: Taguchi optimization.

PubMed

Sánchez-Sánchez, Xavier; Elias-Zuñiga, Alex; Hernández-Avila, Marcelo

2018-06-01

Ultrasonic injection moulding was confirmed as an efficient processing technique for manufacturing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)/graphite composites. Graphite contents of 1 wt%, 5 wt%, and 7 wt% were mechanically pre-mixed with UHMWPE powder, and each mixture was pressed at 135 °C. A precise quantity of the pre-composites mixtures cut into irregularly shaped small pieces were subjected to ultrasonic injection moulding to fabricate small tensile specimens. The Taguchi method was applied to achieve the optimal level of ultrasonic moulding parameters and to maximize the tensile strength of the composites; the results showed that mould temperature was the most significant parameter, followed by the graphite content and the plunger profile. The observed improvement in tensile strength in the specimen with 1 wt% graphite was of 8.8% and all composites showed an increase in the tensile modulus. Even though the presence of graphite produced a decrease in the crystallinity of all the samples, their thermal stability was considerably higher than that of pure UHMWPE. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the exfoliation and dispersion of the graphite as a function of the ultrasonic processing. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed that the addition of graphite did not influence the molecular structure of the polymer matrix. Further, the ultrasonic energy led oxidative degradation and chain scission in the polymer. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-fast self-assembly and stabilization of reactive nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide films

PubMed Central

Chen, Yanan; Egan, Garth C.; Wan, Jiayu; Zhu, Shuze; Jacob, Rohit Jiji; Zhou, Wenbo; Dai, Jiaqi; Wang, Yanbin; Danner, Valencia A.; Yao, Yonggang; Fu, Kun; Wang, Yibo; Bao, Wenzhong; Li, Teng; Zachariah, Michael R.; Hu, Liangbing

2016-01-01

Nanoparticles hosted in conductive matrices are ubiquitous in electrochemical energy storage, catalysis and energetic devices. However, agglomeration and surface oxidation remain as two major challenges towards their ultimate utility, especially for highly reactive materials. Here we report uniformly distributed nanoparticles with diameters around 10 nm can be self-assembled within a reduced graphene oxide matrix in 10 ms. Microsized particles in reduced graphene oxide are Joule heated to high temperature (∼1,700 K) and rapidly quenched to preserve the resultant nano-architecture. A possible formation mechanism is that microsized particles melt under high temperature, are separated by defects in reduced graphene oxide and self-assemble into nanoparticles on cooling. The ultra-fast manufacturing approach can be applied to a wide range of materials, including aluminium, silicon, tin and so on. One unique application of this technique is the stabilization of aluminium nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide film, which we demonstrate to have excellent performance as a switchable energetic material. PMID:27515900

Ultra-high heat flux cooling characteristics of cryogenic micro-solid nitrogen particles and its application to semiconductor wafer cleaning technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishimoto, Jun; Oh, U.; Guanghan, Zhao; Koike, Tomoki; Ochiai, Naoya

2014-01-01

The ultra-high heat flux cooling characteristics and impingement behavior of cryogenic micro-solid nitrogen (SN2) particles in relation to a heated wafer substrate were investigated for application to next generation semiconductor wafer cleaning technology. The fundamental characteristics of cooling heat transfer and photoresist removal-cleaning performance using micro-solid nitrogen particulate spray impinging on a heated substrate were numerically investigated and experimentally measured by a new type of integrated computational-experimental technique. This study contributes not only advanced cryogenic cooling technology for high thermal emission devices, but also to the field of nano device engineering including the semiconductor wafer cleaning technology.

Robust peptide bundles designed computationally

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haider, Michael; Zhang, Huixi Violet; Kiick, Kristi; Saven, Jeffery; Pochan, Darrin

Peptides are ideal candidates for the design and controlled assembly of nanoscale materials due to their potential to assemble with atomistic precision as in biological systems. Unlike other work utilizing natural proteins and structural motifs, this effort is completely de novo in order to build arbitrary structures with desired size for the specific placement and separation of functional groups. We have successfully computationally designed soluble, coiled coil, peptide, tetramer bundles which are robust and stable. Using circular dichroism we demonstrated the thermal stability of these bundles as well as confirmed their alpha helical and coiled coil nature. The stability of these bundles arises from the computational design of the coiled coil interior core residues. The coiled coil tetramer was confirmed to be the dominant species by analytical ultra-centrifugation sedimentation studies. We also established how these bundles behave in solution using small angle neutron scattering. The form factor of the bundles is well represented by a cylinder model and their behavior at high concentrations is modeled using a structure factor for aggregates of the cylinders. All of these experiments support our claim that the designed coiled coil bundles were achieved in solution. NSF DMREF 1234161.

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Interconnections & Assembly Low Cost Glass Interposers & Packages MEMS and Sensors GRA Opportunities addressing electrical, mechanical and thermal barriers. Low-cost Glass Interposer and Package Panel-based ultra-thin glass as a high performance, high I/O density, and low cost platform. Interconnections and

Field evaluation of indoor thermal fog and ultra-low volume applications for control of Aedes aegypti, in Thailand

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Efficacies of a hand-held thermal fogger (PatriotTM) and hand-held Ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer (TwisterTM) with combinations of two different adulticides and an insect growth regulator (pyriproxyfen) were field assessed and compared for their impact on reducing dengue vector populations in Thaila...

Simultaneous thermal analysis and thermodilatometry of hybrid fiber reinforced UHPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheinherrová, Lenka; Fořt, Jan; Pavlík, Zbyšek; Černý, Robert

2017-07-01

Development of concrete technology and the availability of variety of materials such as silica fume, mineral microfillers and high-range water-reducing admixtures make possible to produce Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) with compressive strength higher than 160 MPa. However, UHPC is prone to spall under high temperatures what limits its use for special applications only, such as offshore and marine structures, industrial floors, security barriers etc. The spalling is caused by the thermal stresses due to the temperature gradient during heating, and by the splitting force owing to the release of water vapour. Hybrid fibre reinforcement based on combination of steel and polymer fibres is generally accepted by concrete community as a functional solution preventing spalling. In this way, Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) is produced possessing high mechanical strength, durability and resistance to water and salt ingress. Since UHPFRC find use in construction industry in tunnel linings, precast tunnel segments, and high-rise buildings, its behaviour during the high-temperature exposure and its residual parameters are of the particular importance. On this account, Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) and Thermodilatometry Analysis (TDA) were done in the paper to identify the structural and chemical changes in UHPFRC during its high-temperature load. Based on the experimental results, several physical and chemical processes that studied material underwent at high-temperatures were recognized. The obtained data revealed changes in the composition of the studied material and allowed identification of critical temperatures for material damage.

A three-dimensional architecture of vertically aligned multilayer graphene facilitates heat dissipation across joint solid surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Qizhen; Yao, Xuxia; Wang, Wei; Wong, C. P.

2012-02-01

Low operation temperature and efficient heat dissipation are important for device life and speed in current electronic and photonic technologies. Being ultra-high thermally conductive, graphene is a promising material candidate for heat dissipation improvement in devices. In the application, graphene is expected to be vertically stacked between contact solid surfaces in order to facilitate efficient heat dissipation and reduced interfacial thermal resistance across contact solid surfaces. However, as an ultra-thin membrane-like material, graphene is susceptible to Van der Waals forces and usually tends to be recumbent on substrates. Thereby, direct growth of vertically aligned free-standing graphene on solid substrates in large scale is difficult and rarely available in current studies, bringing significant barriers in graphene's application as thermal conductive media between joint solid surfaces. In this work, a three-dimensional vertically aligned multi-layer graphene architecture is constructed between contacted Silicon/Silicon surfaces with pure Indium as a metallic medium. Significantly higher equivalent thermal conductivity and lower contact thermal resistance of vertically aligned multilayer graphene are obtained, compared with those of their recumbent counterpart. This finding provides knowledge of vertically aligned graphene architectures, which may not only facilitate current demanding thermal management but also promote graphene's widespread applications such as electrodes for energy storage devices, polymeric anisotropic conductive adhesives, etc.

Controlling the phase locking of stochastic magnetic bits for ultra-low power computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizrahi, Alice; Locatelli, Nicolas; Lebrun, Romain; Cros, Vincent; Fukushima, Akio; Kubota, Hitoshi; Yuasa, Shinji; Querlioz, Damien; Grollier, Julie

2016-07-01

When fabricating magnetic memories, one of the main challenges is to maintain the bit stability while downscaling. Indeed, for magnetic volumes of a few thousand nm3, the energy barrier between magnetic configurations becomes comparable to the thermal energy at room temperature. Then, switches of the magnetization spontaneously occur. These volatile, superparamagnetic nanomagnets are generally considered useless. But what if we could use them as low power computational building blocks? Remarkably, they can oscillate without the need of any external dc drive, and despite their stochastic nature, they can beat in unison with an external periodic signal. Here we show that the phase locking of superparamagnetic tunnel junctions can be induced and suppressed by electrical noise injection. We develop a comprehensive model giving the conditions for synchronization, and predict that it can be achieved with a total energy cost lower than 10-13 J. Our results open the path to ultra-low power computation based on the controlled synchronization of oscillators.

Controlling the phase locking of stochastic magnetic bits for ultra-low power computation.

PubMed

Mizrahi, Alice; Locatelli, Nicolas; Lebrun, Romain; Cros, Vincent; Fukushima, Akio; Kubota, Hitoshi; Yuasa, Shinji; Querlioz, Damien; Grollier, Julie

2016-07-26

When fabricating magnetic memories, one of the main challenges is to maintain the bit stability while downscaling. Indeed, for magnetic volumes of a few thousand nm(3), the energy barrier between magnetic configurations becomes comparable to the thermal energy at room temperature. Then, switches of the magnetization spontaneously occur. These volatile, superparamagnetic nanomagnets are generally considered useless. But what if we could use them as low power computational building blocks? Remarkably, they can oscillate without the need of any external dc drive, and despite their stochastic nature, they can beat in unison with an external periodic signal. Here we show that the phase locking of superparamagnetic tunnel junctions can be induced and suppressed by electrical noise injection. We develop a comprehensive model giving the conditions for synchronization, and predict that it can be achieved with a total energy cost lower than 10(-13) J. Our results open the path to ultra-low power computation based on the controlled synchronization of oscillators.

Interstitial modification of palladium nanoparticles with boron atoms as a green catalyst for selective hydrogenation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Chun Wong Aaron; Mahadi, Abdul Hanif; Li, Molly Meng-Jung; Corbos, Elena Cristina; Tang, Chiu; Jones, Glenn; Kuo, Winson Chun Hsin; Cookson, James; Brown, Christopher Michael; Bishop, Peter Trenton; Tsang, Shik Chi Edman

2014-12-01

Lindlar catalysts comprising of palladium/calcium carbonate modified with lead acetate and quinoline are widely employed industrially for the partial hydrogenation of alkynes. However, their use is restricted, particularly for food, cosmetic and drug manufacture, due to the extremely toxic nature of lead, and the risk of its leaching from catalyst surface. In addition, the catalysts also exhibit poor selectivities in a number of cases. Here we report that a non-surface modification of palladium gives rise to the formation of an ultra-selective nanocatalyst. Boron atoms are found to take residence in palladium interstitial lattice sites with good chemical and thermal stability. This is favoured due to a strong host-guest electronic interaction when supported palladium nanoparticles are treated with a borane tetrahydrofuran solution. The adsorptive properties of palladium are modified by the subsurface boron atoms and display ultra-selectivity in a number of challenging alkyne hydrogenation reactions, which outclass the performance of Lindlar catalysts.

Ultra-fast DNA-based multiplex convection PCR method for meat species identification with possible on-site applications.

PubMed

Song, Kyung-Young; Hwang, Hyun Jin; Kim, Jeong Hee

2017-08-15

The aim of this study was to develop an ultra-fast molecular detection method for meat identification using convection Palm polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene was used as a target gene. Amplicon size was designed to be different for beef, lamb, and pork. When these primer sets were used, each species-specific set specifically detected the target meat species in singleplex and multiplex modes in a 24min PCR run. The detection limit was 1pg of DNA for each meat species. The convection PCR method could detect as low as 1% of meat adulteration. The stability of the assay was confirmed using thermal processed meats. We also showed that direct PCR can be successfully performed with mixed meats and food samples. These results suggest that the developed assay may be useful in the authentication of meats and meat products in laboratory and rapid on-site applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lumen degradation and chromaticity shift in glass and silicone based high-power phosphor-converted white-emitting diodes under thermal tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Wood-Hi; Tsai, Chun-Chin; Wang, Jimmy

2011-10-01

The lumen degradation and chromaticity shift in glass and silicone based high-power phosphor-converted white-emitting diodes (PC-WLEDs) under accelerated thermal tests at 150°C, 200°C, and 250°C are presented and compared. The glass based PC-WLEDs exhibited better thermal stability than the silicone by 4.8 time reductions in lumen loss 6.8 time reductions in chromaticity shift at 250°C, respectively. The mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) evaluation of glass and silicone based high-power PC-WLEDs in accelerated thermal tests is also presented and compared. The results showed that the glass based PC-WLEDs exhibited higher MTTF than the silicone by 7.53 times in lumen loss and 14.4 times in chromaticity shift at 250°C, respectively. The thermal performance of lumen, chromaticity, and MTTF investigations demonstrated that the thermal stability of the glass based PC-WLEDs were better than the silicone. A better thermal stability phosphor layer of glass as encapsulation material may be beneficial to the many applications where the LED modules with high power and high reliability are demanded.

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability.

PubMed

Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

2017-11-05

In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics.

Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability

PubMed Central

Školáková, Andrea; Novák, Pavel; Mejzlíková, Lucie; Průša, Filip; Salvetr, Pavel; Vojtěch, Dalibor

2017-01-01

In this work, the structure and mechanical properties of innovative Al-Cu-Fe based alloys were studied. We focused on preparation and characterization of rapidly solidified and hot extruded Al-Cu-Fe, Al-Cu-Fe-Ni and Al-Cu-Fe-Cr alloys. The content of transition metals affects mechanical properties and structure. For this reason, microstructure, phase composition, hardness and thermal stability have been investigated in this study. The results showed exceptional thermal stability of these alloys and very good values of mechanical properties. Alloying by chromium ensured the highest thermal stability, while nickel addition refined the structure of the consolidated alloy. High thermal stability of all tested alloys was described in context with the transformation of the quasicrystalline phases to other types of intermetallics. PMID:29113096

Erosion dynamics of tungsten fuzz during ELM-like heat loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinclair, G.; Tripathi, J. K.; Hassanein, A.

2018-04-01

Transient heat loading and high-flux particle loading on plasma facing components in fusion reactors can lead to surface melting and possible erosion. Helium-induced fuzz formation is expected to exacerbate thermal excursions, due to a significant drop in thermal conductivity. The effect of heating in edge-localized modes (ELMs) on the degradation and erosion of a tungsten (W) fuzz surface was examined experimentally in the Ultra High Flux Irradiation-II facility at the Center for Materials Under Extreme Environment. W foils were first exposed to low-energy He+ ion irradiation at a fluence of 2.6 × 1024 ions m-2 and a steady-state temperature of 1223 K. Then, samples were exposed to 1000 pulses of ELM-like heat loading, at power densities between 0.38 and 1.51 GW m-2 and at a steady-state temperature of 1223 K. Comprehensive erosion analysis measured clear material loss of the fuzz nanostructure above 0.76 GW m-2 due to melting and splashing of the exposed surface. Imaging of the surface via scanning electron microscopy revealed that sufficient heating at 0.76 GW m-2 and above caused fibers to form tendrils to conglomerate and form droplets. Repetitive thermal loading on molten surfaces then led to eventual splashing. In situ erosion measurements taken using a witness plate and a quartz crystal microbalance showed an exponential increase in mass loss with energy density. Compositional analysis of the witness plates revealed an increase in the W 4f signal with increasing energy density above 0.76 GW m-2. The reduced thermal stability of the fuzz nanostructure puts current erosion predictions into question and strengthens the importance of mitigation techniques.

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

Hackley, Jason D.; Kislitsyn, Dmitry A.; Beaman, Daniel K.

We report on the design and operation of a cryogenic ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (STM) coupled to a closed-cycle cryostat (CCC). The STM is thermally linked to the CCC through helium exchange gas confined inside a volume enclosed by highly flexible rubber bellows. The STM is thus mechanically decoupled from the CCC, which results in a significant reduction of the mechanical noise transferred from the CCC to the STM. Noise analysis of the tunneling current shows current fluctuations up to 4% of the total current, which translates into tip-sample distance variations of up to 1.5 picometers. This noisemore » level is sufficiently low for atomic-resolution imaging of a wide variety of surfaces. To demonstrate this, atomic-resolution images of Au(111) and NaCl(100)/Au(111) surfaces, as well as of carbon nanotubes deposited on Au(111), were obtained. Thermal drift analysis showed that under optimized conditions, the lateral stability of the STM scanner can be as low as 0.18 Å/h. Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy measurements based on the lock-in technique were also carried out, and showed no detectable presence of noise from the closed-cycle cryostat. Using this cooling approach, temperatures as low as 16 K at the STM scanner have been achieved, with the complete cool-down of the system typically taking up to 12 h. These results demonstrate that the constructed CCC-coupled STM is a highly stable instrument capable of highly detailed spectroscopic investigations of materials and surfaces at the atomic scale.« less

Near-field thermal radiation of deep- subwavelength slits in the near infrared range.

PubMed

Guo, Yan; Li, Kuanbiao; Xu, Ying; Wei, Kaihua

2017-09-18

We numerically investigate the thermal radiation of one-dimensional deep subwavelength slits in the near infrared range. Using numerical calculations of single-slit and multi-slit structures, we find that high-level radiation efficiency can be achieved for a wide spectrum when ultra-thin intermediate layers are used, and it is less affected by structure parameters. The underlying mechanisms involve Surface Plasmon Polaritons resonance and Fabry-Perot interference at each slit and the interaction between adjacent slits. This structure helps understand and improve the design of thermal radiation control devices.

Measuring thermal conductivity of thin films and coatings with the ultra-fast transient hot-strip technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belkerk, B. E.; Soussou, M. A.; Carette, M.; Djouadi, M. A.; Scudeller, Y.

2012-07-01

This paper reports the ultra-fast transient hot-strip (THS) technique for determining the thermal conductivity of thin films and coatings of materials on substrates. The film thicknesses can vary between 10 nm and more than 10 µm. Precise measurement of thermal conductivity was performed with an experimental device generating ultra-short electrical pulses, and subsequent temperature increases were electrically measured on nanosecond and microsecond time scales. The electrical pulses were applied within metallized micro-strips patterned on the sample films and the temperature increases were analysed within time periods selected in the window [100 ns-10 µs]. The thermal conductivity of the films was extracted from the time-dependent thermal impedance of the samples derived from a three-dimensional heat diffusion model. The technique is described and its performance demonstrated on different materials covering a large thermal conductivity range. Experiments were carried out on bulk Si and thin films of amorphous SiO2 and crystallized aluminum nitride (AlN). The present approach can assess film thermal resistances as low as 10-8 K m2 W-1 with a precision of about 10%. This has never been attained before with the THS technique.

Low Cost High Performance Nanostructured Spectrally Selective Coating

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

Jin, Sungho

2017-04-05

Sunlight absorbing coating is a key enabling technology to achieve high-temperature high-efficiency concentrating solar power operation. A high-performance solar absorbing material must simultaneously meet all the following three stringent requirements: high thermal efficiency (usually measured by figure of merit), high-temperature durability, and oxidation resistance. The objective of this research is to employ a highly scalable process to fabricate and coat black oxide nanoparticles onto solar absorber surface to achieve ultra-high thermal efficiency. Black oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using a facile process and coated onto absorber metal surface. The material composition, size distribution and morphology of the nanoparticle are guidedmore » by numeric modeling. Optical and thermal properties have been both modeled and measured. High temperature durability has been achieved by using nanocomposites and high temperature annealing. Mechanical durability on thermal cycling have also been investigated and optimized. This technology is promising for commercial applications in next-generation high-temperature concentration solar power (CSP) plants.« less

New class of thermosetting plastics has improved strength, thermal and chemical stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, E. A.; Dubrow, B.; Lubowitz, H. R.

1967-01-01

New class of thermosetting plastics has high hydrocarbon content, high stiffness, thermal stability, humidity resistance, and workability in the precured state. It is designated cyclized polydiene urethane, and is applicable as matrices to prepare chemically stable ablative materials for rocket nose cones of nozzles.

Designing and Thermal Analysis of Safe Lithium Ion Cathode Materials for High Energy Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Enyuan

Safety is one of the most critical issues facing lithium-ion battery application in vehicles. Addressing this issue requires the integration of several aspects, especially the material chemistry and the battery thermal management. First, thermal stability investigation was carried out on an attractive high energy density material LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4. New findings on the thermal-stability and thermal-decomposition-pathways related to the oxygen-release are discovered for the high-voltage spinel Li xNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) with ordered (o-) and disordered (d-) structures at fully delithiated (charged) state using a combination of in situ time-resolved x-ray diffraction (TR-XRD) coupled with mass spectroscopy (MS) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Both fully charged o--LixNi0.5Mn1.5O 4 and d-LixNi0.5Mn1.5O 4 start oxygen-releasing structural changes at temperatures below 300 °C, which is in sharp contrast to the good thermal stability of the 4V-spinel LixMn2O4 with no oxygen being released up to 375 °C. This is mainly caused by the presence of Ni4+ in LNMO, which undergoes dramatic reduction during the thermal decomposition. In addition, charged o-LNMO shows better thermal stability than the d-LNMO counterpart, due to the Ni/Mn ordering and smaller amount of the rock-salt impurity phase in o-LNMO. Newly identified two thermal-decomposition-pathways from the initial LixNi0.5Mn1.5O 4 spinel to the final NiMn2O4-type spinel structure with and without the intermediate phases (NiMnO3 and alpha-Mn 2O3) are found to play key roles in thermal stability and oxygen release of LNMO during thermal decomposition. In addressing the safety issue associated with LNMO, Fe is selected to partially substitute Ni and Mn simultaneously utilizing the electrochemical activity and structure-stabilizing high spin Fe3+. The synthesized LiNi1/3Mn4/3Fe1/3O4 showed superior thermal stability and satisfactory electrochemical performance. At charged state, it is able to withstand the temperature as high as 500°C without observable oxygen release. It shows comparable cyclability performance to the LNMO material with better rate capability. The undiminished high voltage capacity is due to the electrochemical activity of Fe in the system. Fe also plays the key role of stabilizing the system at Fe3O4 type spinel phase against further phase transformation to the rock salt phase, accounting for the superior thermal stability of LiNi1/3Mn 4/3Fe1/3O4. Thermal analysis of the lithium-ion battery indicates the key role of electric current in contributing to a thermal runaway. FLUENT simulation on a 10-cell battery shows that under fast discharging conditions, the temperature level can easily reach the threshold of malfunction and the battery temperature features a large distribution of 18°C. Simple air cooling is not effective enough in addressing the problem. Designed air cooling or liquid cooling is required for the normal operation of lithium-ion batteries in vehicles.

Ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) inactivation of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and milk

PubMed Central

Dong, Peng; Georget, Erika S.; Aganovic, Kemal; Heinz, Volker; Mathys, Alexander

2015-01-01

Ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) opens up new areas for dynamic high pressure assisted thermal sterilization of liquids. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens spores are resistant to high isostatic pressure and temperature and were suggested as potential surrogate for high pressure thermal sterilization validation. B. amyloliquefaciens spores suspended in PBS buffer (0.01 M, pH 7.0), low fat milk (1.5%, pH 6.7), and whole milk (3.5%, pH 6.7) at initial concentration of ~106 CFU/mL were subjected to UHPH treatments at 200, 300, and 350 MPa with an inlet temperature at ~80°C. Thermal inactivation kinetics of B. amyloliquefaciens spores in PBS and milk were assessed with thin wall glass capillaries and modeled using first-order and Weibull models. The residence time during UHPH treatments was estimated to determine the contribution of temperature to spore inactivation by UHPH. No sublethal injury was detected after UHPH treatments using sodium chloride as selective component in the nutrient agar medium. The inactivation profiles of spores in PBS buffer and milk were compared and fat provided no clear protective effect for spores against treatments. Treatment at 200 MPa with valve temperatures lower than 125°C caused no reduction of spores. A reduction of 3.5 log10CFU/mL of B. amyloliquefaciens spores was achieved by treatment at 350 MPa with a valve temperature higher than 150°C. The modeled thermal inactivation and observed inactivation during UHPH treatments suggest that temperature could be the main lethal effect driving inactivation. PMID:26236296

Toward high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and moderate-temperature chip-scale thermophotovoltaics

PubMed Central

Chan, Walker R.; Bermel, Peter; Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert C. N.; Marton, Christopher H.; Jensen, Klavs F.; Senkevich, Jay J.; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin; Celanovic, Ivan

2013-01-01

The challenging problem of ultra-high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and small-scale portable power generation is addressed here using a distinctive thermophotovoltaic energy conversion mechanism and chip-based system design, which we name the microthermophotovoltaic (μTPV) generator. The approach is predicted to be capable of up to 32% efficient heat-to-electricity conversion within a millimeter-scale form factor. Although considerable technological barriers need to be overcome to reach full performance, we have performed a robust experimental demonstration that validates the theoretical framework and the key system components. Even with a much-simplified μTPV system design with theoretical efficiency prediction of 2.7%, we experimentally demonstrate 2.5% efficiency. The μTPV experimental system that was built and tested comprises a silicon propane microcombustor, an integrated high-temperature photonic crystal selective thermal emitter, four 0.55-eV GaInAsSb thermophotovoltaic diodes, and an ultra-high-efficiency maximum power-point tracking power electronics converter. The system was demonstrated to operate up to 800 °C (silicon microcombustor temperature) with an input thermal power of 13.7 W, generating 344 mW of electric power over a 1-cm2 area. PMID:23440220

A smart bioconjugate of alginate and pectinase with unusual biological activity toward chitosan.

PubMed

Sardar, Meryam; Roy, Ipsita; Gupta, Munishwar N

2003-01-01

The commercial preparation of pectinase (Pectinex Ultra SP-L) was conjugated to alginate by noncovalent interactions by employing 1% alginate during the conjugation protocol. The optimum "immobilization efficiency" was 0.76. The pH optimum and the thermal stability of the enzyme remained unchanged upon conjugation with alginate. The soluble bioconjugate showed a 3-fold increase in V(max)/K(m) as compared to the free enzyme when the smart biocatalyst was used for chitosan hydrolysis. Time course hydrolysis of chitosan thus showed higher conversion of chitosan into reducing oligosaccharides/sugars. The smart bioconjugate could be reused five times without any detectable loss of chitosanase activity.

DURIP: A Confocal Imaging System for Ultra-Fast Three-Dimensional Transport Studies in Thermal Management Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

Transport Phenomena and Thermal Management Applications,” Proceedings of the XXVIII UIT Heat Transfer Conference, Brescia, Italy, June 21-23, 2010...measurements in microscale systems. The integrated confocal microscope system is a critical component to obtain understanding of fluid- heat ...objective of this work was to develop a high speed three-dimensional (3D) confocal imaging system to study coupled fluidic and heat transport

Evaluation of ultra low volume and thermal fog pesticide applications against Old World Phlebotomine sand fly vectors of Leishmania in Kenya

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One component of the Department of Defense (DoD) pest management system is ultra-low volume (ULV) and/or thermal fog aerosol pesticide application. Despite widespread implementations of this and other components of the system, such as use of repellents and permethrin, US military operations in hot-a...

Thermal Stability of Microstructure and Microhardness of Heterophase BCC-Alloys After Torsional Deformation on Bridgman Anvils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditenberg, I. A.; Tyumentsev, A. N.

2018-03-01

The results of investigations of thermal stability of microstructure and microhardness of alloys of the V-4Ti-4Cr and Mo-47Re systems, subjected to torsional deformation by high quasi-hydrostatic pressure at room temperature, are reported. It is shown that submicrocrystalline and nanocrystalline states, and the respective high values of microhardness, persist up to the upper bound ( 0.4 Tmelt) of the temperature interval of their recovery and polygonization in a single-phase state. The main factors ensuring thermal stability of highlydefective states in heterophase alloys are discussed.

UltraSail CubeSat Solar Sail Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, David; Burton, Rodney; Coverstone, Victoria; Swenson, Gary

2013-01-01

UltraSail is a next-generation, highrisk, high-payoff sail system for the launch, deployment, stabilization, and control of very large (km2 class) solar sails enabling high payload mass fractions for interplanetary and deep space spacecraft. UltraSail is a non-traditional approach to propulsion technology achieved by combining propulsion and control systems developed for formation- flying microsatellites with an innovative solar sail architecture to achieve controllable sail areas approaching 1 km2, sail subsystem area densities approaching 1 g/m2, and thrust levels many times those of ion thrusters used for comparable deep space missions. UltraSail can achieve outer planetary rendezvous, a deep-space capability now reserved for high-mass nuclear and chemical systems. There is a twofold rationale behind the UltraSail concept for advanced solar sail systems. The first is that sail-andboom systems are inherently size-limited. The boom mass must be kept small, and column buckling limits the boom length to a few hundred meters. By eliminating the boom, UltraSail not only offers larger sail area, but also lower areal density, allowing larger payloads and shorter mission transit times. The second rationale for UltraSail is that sail films present deployment handling difficulties as the film thickness approaches one micrometer. The square sail requires that the film be folded in two directions for launch, and similarly unfolded for deployment. The film is stressed at the intersection of two folds, and this stress varies inversely with the film thickness. This stress can cause the film to yield, forming a permanent crease, or worse, to perforate. By rolling the film as UltraSail does, creases are prevented. Because the film is so thin, the roll thickness is small. Dynamic structural analysis of UltraSail coupled with dynamic control analysis shows that the system can be designed to eliminate longitudinal torsional waves created while controlling the pitch of the blades, while using solar photon pressure to slew the spin axis. Vacuum tests have also verified that electrostatic and molecular adhesion forces can substantially be eliminated by making the film electrically conductive, reducing the peel force of the film off the storage roll to levels of 100s of micro-N. The innovation demonstrated the capability of deploying a six-micron aluminum- coated film from a reel through a slit in vacuum. The innovation also demonstrated a spin-stabilized method for deploying a long reel of solar sail film using solar pressure to spin-up and orbit raise the satellite, and also a gravity gradient method for deploying a long reel of solar sail film using solar pressure to orbit raise the satellite. The solar sail mass fraction of 25% is consistent with high specific impulse ion systems, but without the added weight and cost of a power source and processing unit. The large sail area, coupled with low film density, is giving UltraSail a high payload fraction. The UltraSail deployment scheme unrolls a micrometerscale reflection-coated polyimide film from a storage mandrel to a maximum length of several kilometers with the aid of a blade tip satellite.

Fatigue crack propagation resistance of virgin and highly crosslinked, thermally treated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

PubMed

Gencur, Sara J; Rimnac, Clare M; Kurtz, Steven M

2006-03-01

To prolong the life of total joint replacements, highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMWPEs) have been introduced to improve the wear resistance of the articulating surfaces. However, there are concerns regarding the loss of ductility and potential loss in fatigue crack propagation (FCP) resistance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma radiation-induced crosslinking with two different post-irradiation thermal treatments on the FCP resistance of UHMWPE. Two highly crosslinked and one virgin UHMWPE treatment groups (ram-extruded, orthopedic grade, GUR 1050) were examined. For the two highly crosslinked treatment groups, UHMWPE rods were exposed to 100 kGy and then underwent post-irradiation thermal processing either above the melt temperature or below the melt temperature (2 h-150 degrees C, 110 degrees C). Compact tension specimens were cyclically loaded to failure and the fatigue crack growth rate, da/dN, vs. cyclic stress intensity factor, DeltaK, behavior was determined and compared between groups. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine fracture surface characteristics. Crosslinking was found to decrease the ability of UHMWPE to resist crack inception and propagation under cyclic loading. The findings also suggested that annealing as a post-irradiation treatment may be somewhat less detrimental to FCP resistance of UHMWPE than remelting. Scanning electron microscopy examination of the fracture surfaces demonstrated that the virgin treatment group failed in a more ductile manner than the two highly crosslinked treatment groups.

Thermal inactivation reaction rates for ricin are influenced by pH and carbohydrates.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhe; Triplett, Odbert A; Nguyen, Kiet T; Melchior, William B; Taylor, Kelly; Jackson, Lauren S; Tolleson, William H

2013-08-01

Ricin is a lethal protein toxin produced by the castor bean plant. Ricin is known to possess significant heat resistance. Therefore, we placed it in a variety of foods to study the influence of the food matrix on behavior of a thermally stable protein toxin. First order rate constants for the thermal inactivation of ricin in foods and simple buffers were measured using cytotoxicity assays. We observed greater thermal stability at 75 °C for the cytotoxic activity of ricin when it was placed in a yogurt-containing fruit drink compared to its stability when placed in the other foods tested. We found that galactose and high molecular weight exopolysaccharides present in various dairy products contributed to the thermal stability of ricin. Differential scanning calorimetry also showed enhanced thermal stability for ricin at pH 4.5. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering pH and the presence of stabilizing ligands in the thermal inactivation of protein toxins in foods. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Development of Nanoparticle-Stabilized Foams to Improve Performance of Water-less Hydraulic Fracturing

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

Prodanovic, Masa; Johnston, Keith P.

We have successfully created ultra dry carbon-dioxide-in-water and nitrogen-in-water foams (with water content down to 2-5% range), that are remarkably stable at high temperatures (up to 120 deg, C) and pressures (up to 3000psi) and viscous enough (100-200 cP tunable range) to carry proppant. Two generations of these ultra-dry foams have been developed; they are stabilized either with a synergy of surfactants and nanoparticle, or just with viscoelastic surfactants that viscosify the aqueous phase. Not only does this reduce water utilization and disposal, but it minimizes fluid blocking of hydrocarbon production. Further, the most recent development shows successful use ofmore » environmentally friendly surfactants at high temperature and pressure. We pay special attention to the role of nanoparticles in stabilization of the foams, specifically for high salinity brines. The preliminary numerical simulation for which shows they open wider fractures with shorter half-length and require less clean-up due to minimal water use. We also tested the stability and sand carrying properties of these foams at high pressure, room temperature conditions in sapphire cell. We performed on a preliminary numerical investigation of applicability for improved oil recovery applications. The applicability was evaluated by running multiphase flow injection simulations in a case-study oil reservoir. The results of this research thus expand the options available to operators for hydraulic fracturing and can simplify the design and field implementation of foamed fracturing fluids.« less

Structural changes and thermal stability of charged LiNixMnyCozO₂ cathode materials studied by combined in situ time-resolved XRD and mass spectroscopy.

PubMed

Bak, Seong-Min; Hu, Enyuan; Zhou, Yongning; Yu, Xiqian; Senanayake, Sanjaya D; Cho, Sung-Jin; Kim, Kwang-Bum; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Yang, Xiao-Qing; Nam, Kyung-Wan

2014-12-24

Thermal stability of charged LiNixMnyCozO2 (NMC, with x + y + z = 1, x:y:z = 4:3:3 (NMC433), 5:3:2 (NMC532), 6:2:2 (NMC622), and 8:1:1 (NMC811)) cathode materials is systematically studied using combined in situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction and mass spectroscopy (TR-XRD/MS) techniques upon heating up to 600 °C. The TR-XRD/MS results indicate that the content of Ni, Co, and Mn significantly affects both the structural changes and the oxygen release features during heating: the more Ni and less Co and Mn, the lower the onset temperature of the phase transition (i.e., thermal decomposition) and the larger amount of oxygen release. Interestingly, the NMC532 seems to be the optimized composition to maintain a reasonably good thermal stability, comparable to the low-nickel-content materials (e.g., NMC333 and NMC433), while having a high capacity close to the high-nickel-content materials (e.g., NMC811 and NMC622). The origin of the thermal decomposition of NMC cathode materials was elucidated by the changes in the oxidation states of each transition metal (TM) cations (i.e., Ni, Co, and Mn) and their site preferences during thermal decomposition. It is revealed that Mn ions mainly occupy the 3a octahedral sites of a layered structure (R3̅m) but Co ions prefer to migrate to the 8a tetrahedral sites of a spinel structure (Fd3̅m) during the thermal decomposition. Such element-dependent cation migration plays a very important role in the thermal stability of NMC cathode materials. The reasonably good thermal stability and high capacity characteristics of the NMC532 composition is originated from the well-balanced ratio of nickel content to manganese and cobalt contents. This systematic study provides insight into the rational design of NMC-based cathode materials with a desired balance between thermal stability and high energy density.

Structural changes and thermal stability of charged LiNi xMn yCo zO 2 cathode materials studied by combined in situ time-resolved XRD and mass spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Bak, Seong -Min; Hu, Enyuan; Zhou, Yongning; ...

2014-11-24

Thermal stability of charged LiNi xMn yCo zO 2 (NMC, with x + y + z = 1, x:y:z = 4:3:3 (NMC433), 5:3:2 (NMC532), 6:2:2 (NMC622), and 8:1:1 (NMC811)) cathode materials is systematically studied using combined in situ time- resolved X-ray diffraction and mass spectroscopy (TR-XRD/MS) techniques upon heating up to 600 °C. The TR-XRD/MS results indicate that the content of Ni, Co, and Mn significantly affects both the structural changes and the oxygen release features during heating: the more Ni and less Co and Mn, the lower the onset temperature of the phase transition (i.e., thermal decomposition) and themore » larger amount of oxygen release. Interestingly, the NMC532 seems to be the optimized composition to maintain a reasonably good thermal stability, comparable to the low-nickel-content materials (e.g., NMC333 and NMC433), while having a high capacity close to the high-nickel-content materials (e.g., NMC811 and NMC622). The origin of the thermal decomposition of NMC cathode materials was elucidated by the changes in the oxidation states of each transition metal (TM) cations (i.e., Ni, Co, and Mn) and their site preferences during thermal decomposition. It is revealed that Mn ions mainly occupy the 3a octahedral sites of a layered structure (R3¯m) but Co ions prefer to migrate to the 8a tetrahedral sites of a spinel structure (Fd3¯m) during the thermal decomposition. Such element-dependent cation migration plays a very important role in the thermal stability of NMC cathode materials. The reasonably good thermal stability and high capacity characteristics of the NMC532 composition is originated from the well-balanced ratio of nickel content to manganese and cobalt contents. As a result, this systematic study provides insight into the rational design of NMC-based cathode materials with a desired balance between thermal stability and high energy density.« less

Thermal stability analysis and modelling of advanced perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Beek, Simon; Martens, Koen; Roussel, Philippe; Wu, Yueh Chang; Kim, Woojin; Rao, Siddharth; Swerts, Johan; Crotti, Davide; Linten, Dimitri; Kar, Gouri Sankar; Groeseneken, Guido

2018-05-01

STT-MRAM is a promising non-volatile memory for high speed applications. The thermal stability factor (Δ = Eb/kT) is a measure for the information retention time, and an accurate determination of the thermal stability is crucial. Recent studies show that a significant error is made using the conventional methods for Δ extraction. We investigate the origin of the low accuracy. To reduce the error down to 5%, 1000 cycles or multiple ramp rates are necessary. Furthermore, the thermal stabilities extracted from current switching and magnetic field switching appear to be uncorrelated and this cannot be explained by a macrospin model. Measurements at different temperatures show that self-heating together with a domain wall model can explain these uncorrelated Δ. Characterizing self-heating properties is therefore crucial to correctly determine the thermal stability.

A low-cost, ultra-fast and ultra-low noise preamplifier for silicon avalanche photodiodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasmi, Khaled

2018-02-01

An ultra-fast and ultra-low noise preamplifier for amplifying the fast and weak electrical signals generated by silicon avalanche photodiodes has been designed and developed. It is characterized by its simplicity, compactness, reliability and low cost of construction. A very wide bandwidth of 300 MHz, a very good linearity from 1 kHz to 280 MHz, an ultra-low noise level at the input of only 1.7 nV Hz-1/2 and a very good stability are its key features. The compact size (70 mm  ×  90 mm) and light weight (45 g), as well as its excellent characteristics, make this preamplifier very competitive compared to any commercial preamplifier. The preamplifier, which is a main part of the detection system of a homemade laser remote sensing system, has been successfully tested. In addition, it is versatile and can be used in any optical detection system requiring high speed and very low noise electronics.

Polyethylene Glycol Based Graphene Aerogel Confined Phase Change Materials with High Thermal Stability.

PubMed

Fu, Yang; Xiong, Weilai; Wang, Jianying; Li, Jinghua; Mei, Tao; Wang, Xianbao

2018-05-01

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) based graphene aerogel (GA) confined shaped-stabilized phase change materials (PCMs) are simply prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. Three-dimensional GA inserted by PEG molecule chains, as a supporting material, obtained by reducing graphene oxide sheets, is used to keep their stabilized shape during a phase change process. The volume of GA is obviously expended after adding PEG, and only 9.8 wt% of GA make the composite achieve high energy efficiency without leakage during their phase change because of hydrogen bonding widely existing in the GA/PEG composites (GA-PCMs). The heat storage energy of GA-PCMs is 164.9 J/g, which is 90.2% of the phase change enthalpy of pure PEG. In addition, this composite inherits the natural thermal properties of graphene and thus shows enhanced thermal conductivity compared with pure PEG. This novel study provides an efficient way to fabricate shape-stabilized PCMs with a high content of PEG for thermal energy storage.

Thermal and chemical stabilization of ethylene/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol (EVA-OH) terpolymers under nitroplasticizer environments

DOE PAGES

Yang, Dali; Hubbard, Kevin M.; Henderson, Kevin C.; ...

2014-09-17

Here, we compare the aging behaviors of cross-linked ethylene/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol terpolymers, also referred to as EVA-OH, when they are either immersed in nitroplasticizer (NP) liquid or exposed to NP vapor at different temperatures. And while thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry are used to probe the thermal stability of aged NP and polymers, Fourier transform infrared, gel permeation chromatography, ultra-violet/vis, and nuclear magnetic resonance are used to probe their structural changes over the aging process. Our study confirms that NP degrades through C[BOND]N cleavage, and releases HONO molecules at a slightly elevated temperature (<75°C). As these molecules accumulate inmore » the vapor phase, they react among themselves to create an acidic environment. Therefore, these chemical constituents in the NP vapor significantly accelerate the hydrolysis of EVA-OH polymer. When the hydrolysis occurs in both vinyl acetate and urethane groups and the scission at the cross-linker progresses, EVA-OH becomes vulnerable to further degradation in the NP vapor environment. Finally, through the comprehensive characterization, the possible degradation mechanisms of the terpolymers are proposed.« less

Thermally Stable Cellulose Nanocrystals toward High-Performance 2D and 3D Nanostructures.

PubMed

Jia, Chao; Bian, Huiyang; Gao, Tingting; Jiang, Feng; Kierzewski, Iain Michael; Wang, Yilin; Yao, Yonggang; Chen, Liheng; Shao, Ziqiang; Zhu, J Y; Hu, Liangbing

2017-08-30

Cellulose nanomaterials have attracted much attention in a broad range of fields such as flexible electronics, tissue engineering, and 3D printing for their excellent mechanical strength and intriguing optical properties. Economic, sustainable, and eco-friendly production of cellulose nanomaterials with high thermal stability, however, remains a tremendous challenge. Here versatile cellulose nanocrystals (DM-OA-CNCs) are prepared through fully recyclable oxalic acid (OA) hydrolysis along with disk-milling (DM) pretreatment of bleached kraft eucalyptus pulp. Compared with the commonly used cellulose nanocrystals from sulfuric acid hydrolysis, DM-OA-CNCs show several advantages including large aspect ratio, carboxylated surface, and excellent thermal stability along with high yield. We also successfully demonstrate the fabrication of high-performance films and 3D-printed patterns using DM-OA-CNCs. The high-performance films with high transparency, ultralow haze, and excellent thermal stability have the great potential for applications in flexible electronic devices. The 3D-printed patterns with porous structures can be potentially applied in the field of tissue engineering as scaffolds.

Optimum Thermal Processing for Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) Milk.

PubMed

Deeth, Hilton

2017-11-20

Extended shelf-life (ESL) or ultra-pasteurized milk is produced by thermal processing using conditions between those used for traditional high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurization and those used for ultra-high-temperature (UHT) sterilization. It should have a refrigerated shelf-life of more than 30 days. To achieve this, the thermal processing has to be quite intense. The challenge is to produce a product that has high bacteriological quality and safety but also very good organoleptic characteristics. Hence the two major aims in producing ESL milk are to inactivate all vegetative bacteria and spores of psychrotrophic bacteria, and to cause minimal chemical change that can result in cooked flavor development. The first aim is focused on inactivation of spores of psychrotrophic bacteria, especially Bacillus cereus because some strains of this organism are pathogenic, some can grow at ≤7 °C and cause spoilage of milk, and the spores of some strains are very heat-resistant. The second aim is minimizing denaturation of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) as the extent of denaturation is strongly correlated with the production of volatile sulfur compounds that cause cooked flavor. It is proposed that the heating should have a bactericidal effect, B * (inactivation of thermophilic spores), of >0.3 and cause ≤50% denaturation of β-Lg. This can be best achieved by heating at high temperature for a short holding time using direct heating, and aseptically packaging the product.

Extreme temperature stability of thermally insulating graphene-mesoporous-silicon nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolhatkar, Gitanjali; Boucherif, Abderraouf; Rahim Boucherif, Abderrahim; Dupuy, Arthur; Fréchette, Luc G.; Arès, Richard; Ruediger, Andreas

2018-04-01

We demonstrate the thermal stability and thermal insulation of graphene-mesoporous-silicon nanocomposites (GPSNC). By comparing the morphology of GPSNC carbonized at 650 °C as-formed to that after annealing, we show that this nanocomposite remains stable at temperatures as high as 1050 °C due to the presence of a few monolayers of graphene coating on the pore walls. This does not only make this material compatible with most thermal processes but also suggests applications in harsh high temperature environments. The thermal conductivity of GPSNCs carbonized at temperatures in the 500 °C-800 °C range is determined through Raman spectroscopy measurements. They indicate that the thermal conductivity of the composite is lower than that of silicon, with a value of 13 ± 1 W mK-1 at room temperature, and not affected by the thin graphene layer, suggesting a role of the high concentration of carbon related-defects as indicated by the high intensity of the D-band compared to G-band of the Raman spectra. This morphological stability at high temperature combined with a high thermal insulation make GPSNC a promising candidate for a broad range of applications including microelectromechanical systems and thermal effect microsystems such as flow sensors or IR detectors. Finally, at 120 °C, the thermal conductivity remains equal to that at room temperature, attesting to the potential of using our nanocomposite in devices that operate at high temperatures such as microreactors for distributed chemical conversion, solid oxide fuel cells, thermoelectric devices or thermal micromotors.

Co-evaporation of fluoropolymer additives for improved thermal stability of organic semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Jared S.; Wang, Baomin; Grede, Alex J.; Shen, Yufei; Giebink, Noel C.

2017-08-01

Reliability remains an ongoing challenge for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as they expand in the marketplace. The ability to withstand operation and storage at elevated temperature is particularly important in this context, not only because of the inverse dependence of OLED lifetime on temperature, but also because high thermal stability is fundamentally important for high power/brightness operation as well as applications such as automotive lighting, where interior car temperatures often exceed the ambient by 50 °C or more. Here, we present a strategy to significantly increase the thermal stability of small molecule OLEDs by co-depositing an amorphous fluoropolymer, Teflon AF, to prevent catastrophic failure at elevated temperatures. Using this approach, we demonstrate that the thermal breakdown limit of common hole transport materials can be increased from typical temperatures of ˜100 °C to more than 200 °C while simultaneously improving their electrical transport properties. Similar thermal stability enhancements are demonstrated in simple bilayer OLEDs. These results point toward a general approach to engineer morphologically-stable organic electronic devices that are capable of operating or being stored in extreme thermal environments.

Ultra-thin MoS₂ coated Ag@Si nanosphere arrays as efficient and stable photocathode for solar-driven hydrogen production.

PubMed

Zhou, Qingwei; Su, Shaoqiang; Hu, Die; Lin, Lin; Yan, Zhibo; Gao, Xingsen; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2018-01-02

Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has recently attracted much attention. Silicon (Si) is an ideal light absorber for solar energy conversion. However, the poor stability and inefficient surface catalysis of Si photocathode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been remained as the key challenges. Alternatively, MoS2 has been reported to exhibit the excellent catalysis performance if sufficient active sites for the HER are available. Here, ultra-thin MoS2 nanoflakes are directly synthesized to coat on the arrays of Ag-core Si-shell nanospheres (Ag@Si NSs) using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Due to the high surface area ratio and large curvature of these NSs, the as-grown MoS2 nanoflakes can accommodate more active sites. Meanwhile, the high-quality coating of MoS2 nanoflakes on the Ag@Si NSs protects the photocathode from damage during the PEC reaction. A high efficiency with a photocurrent of 33.3 mA cm-2 at a voltage of -0.4 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode is obtained. The as-prepared nanostructure as hydrogen photocathode is evidenced to have high stability over 12 hour PEC performance. This work opens opportunities for composite photocathode with high activity and stability using cheap and stable co-catalysts. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol at room temperature: Boosting palladium nanocrystals efficiency by coupling with copper via liquid phase pulsed laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hanbit; Reddy, D. Amaranatha; Kim, Yujin; Lee, Seunghee; Ma, Rory; Lim, Manho; Kim, Tae Kyu

2017-04-01

Ultra-dispersed bimetallic nanomaterials have attracted much attention in the hydrogenation of highly toxic aromatic nitro compounds to aromatic amines owing to their high stability, superior activity, reusability, and unique optical and electronic properties, as compared to monometalic nanocrystals. However, the lack of facile and economically controllable strategies of producing highly pure ultra-dispersed bimetallic nanocatalysts limits their practical industrial applications. Considering the above obstacles, we present a simple and effective strategy for the formation of bimetallic (PdCu) nanocrystals by liquid phase pulsed laser ablation using a bulk Pd metal plate submerged in CuCl2 solutions with different concentrations, in contrast to the complex and costly experimental methods used previously. The microstructural and optical properties of the synthesized nanocrystals indicate that the obtained bimetallic nanostructures are highly pure and monodispersed. Moreover, bimetallic PdCu nanostructures show a higher catalytic activity than monometallic Pd nanocrystals for the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol at room temperature, also exhibiting high stability for up to four recycles. The mechanism of the enhanced catalytic activity and stability of bimetallic nanocrystals is discussed in detail. Finally, we believe that the presented design strategy and utilization of bimetallic nanocrystals for catalytic applications enables the development of novel bimetallic nanostructures by liquid phase pulsed laser ablation and their catalytic application for environmental remediation.

New Oxide Materials for an Ultra High Temperature Environment

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

Perepezko, John H.

In this project, a new oxide material, Hf 6Ta 2O 17 has been successfully synthesized by the controlled oxidization of Hf-Ta alloys. This oxide exhibits good oxidation resistance, high temperature phase stability up to more than 2000°C, low thermal conductivity and thus could serve as a component or a coating material in an ultrahigh temperature environment. We have examined the microstructure evolution and phase formation sequence during the oxidation exposure of Hf-Ta alloys at 1500°C and identified that the oxidation of a Hf-26.7atomic %Ta alloy leads to the formation of a single phase adherent Hf 6Ta 2O 17 with amore » complex atomic structure i.e. superstructure. The overall reactive diffusion pathway is consistent with the calculated Hf-Ta-O ternary phase diagram. Besides the synthesis of Hf 6Ta 2O 17 superstructure by oxidizing Hf-Ta alloys, we have also developed a synthesis method based upon the reactive sintering of the correct ratios of mixed powders of HfO 2 and Ta 2O 5 and verified the low thermal conductivity of Hf 6Ta 2O 17 superstructure on these samples. We have completed a preliminary analysis of the oxidation kinetics for Hf 6Ta 2O 17, which shows an initial parabolic oxidation kinetics.« less

Ultra-low noise supercontinuum source for ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography at 1300 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalo, I. B.; Maria, M.; Engelsholm, R. D.; Feuchter, T.; Leick, L.; Moselund, P. M.; Podoleanu, A.; Bang, O.

2018-02-01

Supercontinuum (SC) sources are of great interest for many applications due to their ultra-broad optical bandwidth, good beam quality and high power spectral density [1]. In particular, the high average power over large bandwidths makes SC light sources excellent candidates for ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) [2-5]. However, conventional SC sources suffer from high pulse-to-pulse intensity fluctuations as a result of the noise-sensitive nonlinear effects involved in the SC generation process [6-9]. This intensity noise from the SC source can limit the performance of OCT, resulting in a reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) [10-12]. Much work has been done to reduce the noise of the SC sources for instance with fiber tapers [7,8] or increasing the repetition rate of the pump laser for averaging in the spectrometer [10,12]. An alternative approach is to use all-normal dispersion (ANDi) fibers [13,14] to generate SC light from well-known coherent nonlinear processes [15-17]. In fact, reduction of SC noise using ANDi fibers compared to anomalous dispersion SC pumped by sub-picosecond pulses has been recently demonstrated [18], but a cladding mode was used to stabilize the ANDi SC. In this work, we characterize the noise performance of a femtosecond pumped ANDi based SC and a commercial SC source in an UHR-OCT system at 1300 nm. We show that the ANDi based SC presents exceptional noise properties compared to a commercial source. An improvement of 5 dB in SNR is measured in the UHR-OCT system, and the noise behavior resembles that of a superluminiscent diode. This preliminary study is a step forward towards development of an ultra-low noise SC source at 1300 nm for ultra-high resolution OCT.

Thermal Response of UHMWPE Materials in a Flash Flame Test Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-13

Evaluation of Flame Resistant Clothing for Protection Against Fire Simulations Using an Instrumented Manikin. Several UHMWPE fabrics were tested underneath...PROTECTIVE CLOTHING COTTON FLASH FLAMES UNDERGARMENTS TEST AND EVALUATION FABRICS FLAME TESTING FIRE ...PROTECTION FIRE RESISTANT TEXTILES UHMWPE(ULTRA HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE

Integrated computational study of ultra-high heat flux cooling using cryogenic micro-solid nitrogen spray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishimoto, Jun; Oh, U.; Tan, Daisuke

2012-10-01

A new type of ultra-high heat flux cooling system using the atomized spray of cryogenic micro-solid nitrogen (SN2) particles produced by a superadiabatic two-fluid nozzle was developed and numerically investigated for application to next generation super computer processor thermal management. The fundamental characteristics of heat transfer and cooling performance of micro-solid nitrogen particulate spray impinging on a heated substrate were numerically investigated and experimentally measured by a new type of integrated computational-experimental technique. The employed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis based on the Euler-Lagrange model is focused on the cryogenic spray behavior of atomized particulate micro-solid nitrogen and also on its ultra-high heat flux cooling characteristics. Based on the numerically predicted performance, a new type of cryogenic spray cooling technique for application to a ultra-high heat power density device was developed. In the present integrated computation, it is clarified that the cryogenic micro-solid spray cooling characteristics are affected by several factors of the heat transfer process of micro-solid spray which impinges on heated surface as well as by atomization behavior of micro-solid particles. When micro-SN2 spraying cooling was used, an ultra-high cooling heat flux level was achieved during operation, a better cooling performance than that with liquid nitrogen (LN2) spray cooling. As micro-SN2 cooling has the advantage of direct latent heat transport which avoids the film boiling state, the ultra-short time scale heat transfer in a thin boundary layer is more possible than in LN2 spray. The present numerical prediction of the micro-SN2 spray cooling heat flux profile can reasonably reproduce the measurement results of cooling wall heat flux profiles. The application of micro-solid spray as a refrigerant for next generation computer processors is anticipated, and its ultra-high heat flux technology is expected to result in an extensive improvement in the effective cooling performance of large scale supercomputer systems.

Stability of the tungsten diselenide and silicon carbide heterostructure against high energy proton exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Roger C.; Shi, Tan; Jariwala, Bhakti; Jovanovic, Igor; Robinson, Joshua A.

2017-10-01

Single layers of tungsten diselenide (WSe2) can be used to construct ultra-thin, high-performance electronics. Additionally, there has been considerable progress in controlled and direct growth of single layers on various substrates. Based on these results, high-quality WSe2-based devices that approach the limit of physical thickness are now possible. Such devices could be useful for space applications, but understanding how high-energy radiation impacts the properties of WSe2 and the WSe2/substrate interface has been lacking. In this work, we compare the stability against high energy proton radiation of WSe2 and silicon carbide (SiC) heterostructures generated by mechanical exfoliation of WSe2 flakes and by direct growth of WSe2 via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). These two techniques produce WSe2/SiC heterostructures with distinct differences due to interface states generated during the MOCVD growth process. This difference carries over to differences in band alignment from interface states and the ultra-thin nature of the MOCVD-grown material. Both heterostructures are not susceptible to proton-induced charging up to a dose of 1016 protons/cm2, as measured via shifts in the binding energy of core shell electrons and a decrease in the valence band offset. Furthermore, the MOCVD-grown material is less affected by the proton exposure due to its ultra-thin nature and a greater interaction with the substrate. These combined effects show that the directly grown material is suitable for multi-year use in space, provided that high quality devices can be fabricated from it.

Ultra-fast switching blue phase liquid crystals diffraction grating stabilized by chiral monomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manda, Ramesh; Pagidi, Srinivas; Sarathi Bhattacharya, Surjya; Yoo, Hyesun; T, Arun Kumar; Lim, Young Jin; Lee, Seung Hee

2018-05-01

We have demonstrated an ultra-fast switching and efficient polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystal (PS-BPLC) diffraction grating utilizing a chiral monomer. We have obtained a 0.5 ms response time by a novel polymer stabilization method which is three times faster than conventional PS-BPLC. In addition, the diffraction efficiency was improved 2% with a much wider phase range and the driving voltage to switch the device is reduced. The polarization properties of the diffracted beam are unaffected by this novel polymer stabilization. This device can be useful for future photonic applications.

Nuclear spectroscopic studies. Progress report

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

Bingham, C.R.; Guidry, M.W.; Riedinger, L.L.

1994-02-18

The Nuclear Physics group at UTK is involved in heavy-ion physics including both nuclear structure and reaction mechanisms. During the last year experimental work has been in 3 broad areas: structure of nuclei at high angular momentum, structure of nuclei far from stability, and ultra-relativistic heavy-ion physics. Results in these areas are described in this document under: properties of high-spin states, study of low-energy levels of nuclei far from stability, and high-energy heavy-ion physics (PHENIX, etc.). Another important component of the work is theoretical interpretation of experimental results (Joint Institute for Heavy Ion Research).

X-ray Crystallographic Structure of Thermophilic Rhodopsin

PubMed Central

Tsukamoto, Takashi; Mizutani, Kenji; Hasegawa, Taisuke; Takahashi, Megumi; Honda, Naoya; Hashimoto, Naoki; Shimono, Kazumi; Yamashita, Keitaro; Yamamoto, Masaki; Miyauchi, Seiji; Takagi, Shin; Hayashi, Shigehiko; Murata, Takeshi; Sudo, Yuki

2016-01-01

Thermophilic rhodopsin (TR) is a photoreceptor protein with an extremely high thermal stability and the first characterized light-driven electrogenic proton pump derived from the extreme thermophile Thermus thermophilus JL-18. In this study, we confirmed its high thermal stability compared with other microbial rhodopsins and also report the potential availability of TR for optogenetics as a light-induced neural silencer. The x-ray crystal structure of TR revealed that its overall structure is quite similar to that of xanthorhodopsin, including the presence of a putative binding site for a carotenoid antenna; but several distinct structural characteristics of TR, including a decreased surface charge and a larger number of hydrophobic residues and aromatic-aromatic interactions, were also clarified. Based on the crystal structure, the structural changes of TR upon thermal stimulation were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations revealed the presence of a thermally induced structural substate in which an increase of hydrophobic interactions in the extracellular domain, the movement of extracellular domains, the formation of a hydrogen bond, and the tilting of transmembrane helices were observed. From the computational and mutational analysis, we propose that an extracellular LPGG motif between helices F and G plays an important role in the thermal stability, acting as a “thermal sensor.” These findings will be valuable for understanding retinal proteins with regard to high protein stability and high optogenetic performance. PMID:27129243

Comparison of Thermal Stability of Dry High-strength Concrete and Wet High-strength Concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musorina, Tatiana; Katcay, Aleksandr; Selezneva, Anna; Kamskov, Victor

2018-03-01

High-strength concrete is a modern material, which occupies it`s own niche on the construction material market. It is applicable in a large-scale high-rise construction, particularly an underground construction is a frequently used solution for a space saving. Usually underground structure is related to a wet usage environment. Though not all properties of the high-strength concrete are investigated to the full extent. Under adverse climatic conditions of the Russian Federation one of the most important properties for constructional materials is a thermal capacity. Therefore, the main purpose of the paper is to compare a thermal capacity of the high-strength concrete in humid conditions and a thermal capacity of the high-strength concrete in dry operational condition. During the study dependency between thermal capacity and design wall thickness and ambient humidity has to be proven with two experiments. As a result the theoretical relation between thermal capacity characteristic - thermal inertia and wall thickness and ambient humidity was confirmed by the experimental data. The thermal capacity of a building is in direct ratio to the construction thickness. It follows from the experiments and calculations that wet high-strength concrete has less thermal stability.

Robust high pressure stability and negative thermal expansion in sodium-rich antiperovskites Na 3OBr and Na 4OI 2

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

Wang, Yonggang; Wen, Ting; Park, Changyong

2016-01-14

The structure stability under high pressure and thermal expansion behavior of Na 3OBr and Na 4OI 2, two prototypes of alkali-metal-rich antiperovskites, were investigated by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques under high pressure and low temp. Both are soft materials with bulk modulus of 58.6 GPa and 52.0 GPa for Na 3OBr and Na 4OI 2, resp. The cubic Na 3OBr structure and tetragonal Na 4OI 2 with intergrowth K 2NiF 4 structure are stable under high pressure up to 23 GPa. Although being a characteristic layered structure, Na 4OI 2 exhibits nearly isotropic compressibility. Neg. thermal expansion wasmore » obsd. at low temp. range (20-80 K) in both transition-metal-free antiperovskites for the first time. The robust high pressure structure stability was examined. and confirmed by first-principles calculations. among various possible polymorphisms qualitatively. The results provide in-depth understanding of the neg. thermal expansion and robust crystal structure stability of these antiperovskite systems and their potential applications.« less

High temperature polymers - A review of novel thermally stable hexafluoroisopropylidene-containing polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kane, K. M.; Cassidy, P. E.; Tullos, G. L.; Reynolds, D. W.

1990-01-01

The synthesis and properties to date of several novel HFIP-containing polymers and copolymers are presented. Thermal analyses of polyether ketones (PEK), aromatic polyesters, and polymers from a novel 18F-diacid were performed on a thermal analyzer. All three polymer types exhibited enhanced solubility, thermal stability, and low dielectric constants that are predicted for polymers containing the HFIP moiety. The moderate thermal stability observed in the polymers derived from the 18F-diacid is attributed to the oxidatively weak methylene linkage between the HFIP groups and the phenyl rings. PEKs and polyarylates show potential as high emissivity coatings under conditions where atomic oxygen is present.

Ultra-High Temperature Materials Characterization for Propulsion Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Jan; Hyers, Robert

2007-01-01

Propulsion system efficiency increases as operating temperatures are increased. Some very high-temperature materials are being developed, including refractory metal alloys, carbides, borides, and silicides. System design requires data for materials properties at operating temperatures. Materials property data are not available for many materials of interest at the desired operating temperatures (up to approx. 3000 K). The objective of this work is to provide important physical property data at ultra-high temperatures. The MSFC Electrostatic levitation (ESL) facility can provide measurements of thermophysical properties which include: creep strength, density and thermal expansion for materials being developed for propulsion applications. The ESL facility uses electrostatic fields to position samples between electrodes during processing and characterization studies. Because the samples float between the electrodes during studies, they are free from any contact with a container or test apparatus. This provides a high purity environment for the study of high-temperature, reactive materials. ESL can be used to process a wide variety of materials including metals, alloys, ceramics, glasses and semiconductors. The MSFC ESL has provided non-contact measurements of properties of materials up to 3400 C. Density and thermal expansion are measured by analyzing digital images of the sample at different temperatures. Our novel, non-contact method for measuring creep uses rapid rotation to deform the sample. Digital images of the deformed samples are analyzed to obtain the creep properties, which match those obtained using ASTM Standard E-139 for Nb at 1985 C. Data from selected ESL-based characterization studies will be presented. The ESL technique could support numerous propulsion technologies by advancing the knowledge base and the technology readiness level for ultra-high temperature materials. Applications include non-eroding nozzle materials and lightweight, high-temperature alloys for turbines and structures.

Ultra-stretchable conductors based on buckled super-aligned carbon nanotube films.

PubMed

Yu, Yang; Luo, Shu; Sun, Li; Wu, Yang; Jiang, Kaili; Li, Qunqing; Wang, Jiaping; Fan, Shoushan

2015-06-14

Ultra-stretchable conductors are fabricated by coating super-aligned carbon nanotube (SACNT) films on pre-strained polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates and forming buckled SACNT structures on PDMS after release of the pre-strain. The parallel SACNT/PDMS conductors demonstrate excellent stability with normalized resistance changes of only 4.1% under an applied strain as high as 200%. The SACNT/PDMS conductors prepared with cross-stacked SACNT films show even lower resistance variation. The parallel SACNT/PDMS conductors exhibit high durability with a resistance increase of less than 5% after 10,000 cycles at 150% strain. In situ microscopic observations demonstrate that the buckled SACNT structures are straightened during the stretching process with reversible morphology evolution and thus the continuous SACNT conductive network can be protected from fracture. Due to the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of SACNT films and the formation of the buckled structure, SACNT/PDMS films exhibit high stretchability and durability, possessing great potential for use as ultra-stretchable conductors for wearable electronics, sensors, and energy storage devices.

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

Rani, R.; Kumar, N., E-mail: niranjan@igcar.gov.in; Lin, I-Nan

Nanostructured diamond films are having numerous unique properties including superior tribological behavior which is promising for enhancing energy efficiency and life time of the sliding devices. High wear resistance is the principal criterion for the smooth functioning of any sliding device. Such properties are achievable by tailoring the grain size and grain boundary volume fraction in nanodiamond film. Ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) film was attainable using optimized gas plasma condition in a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system. Crystalline phase of ultra-nanodiamond grains with matrix phase of amorphous carbon and short range ordered graphite are encapsulated in nanowire shapedmore » morphology. Film showed ultra-high wear resistance and frictional stability in micro-tribological contact conditions. The negligible wear of film at the beginning of the tribological contact was later transformed into the wearless regime for prolonged sliding cycles. Both surface roughness and high contact stress were the main reasons of wear at the beginning of sliding cycles. However, the interface gets smoothened due to continuous sliding, finally leaded to the wearless regime.« less

Influence of growth conditions on exchange bias of NiMn-based spin valves

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

Wienecke, Anja; Kruppe, Rahel; Rissing, Lutz

2015-05-07

As shown in previous investigations, a correlation between a NiMn-based spin valve's thermal stability and its inherent exchange bias exists, even if the blocking temperature of the antiferromagnet is clearly above the heating temperature and the reason for thermal degradation is mainly diffusion and not the loss of exchange bias. Samples with high exchange bias are thermally more stable than samples with low exchange bias. Those structures promoting a high exchange bias are seemingly the same suppressing thermally induced diffusion processes (A. Wienecke and L. Rissing, “Relationship between thermal stability and layer-stack/structure of NiMn-based GMR systems,” in IEEE Transaction onmore » Magnetic Conference (EMSA 2014)). Many investigations were carried out on the influence of the sputtering parameters as well as the layer thickness on the magnetoresistive effect. The influence of these parameters on the exchange bias and the sample's thermal stability, respectively, was hardly taken into account. The investigation described here concentrates on the last named issue. The focus lies on the influence of the sputtering parameters and layer thickness of the “starting layers” in the stack and the layers forming the (synthetic) antiferromagnet. This paper includes a guideline for the evaluated sputtering conditions and layer thicknesses to realize a high exchange bias and presumably good thermal stability for NiMn-based spin valves with a synthetic antiferromagnet.« less

Influence of some DNA-alkylating drugs on thermal stability, acid and osmotic resistance of the membrane of whole human erythrocytes and their ghosts.

PubMed

Ivanov, I T; Gadjeva, V

2000-09-01

Human erythrocytes and their resealed ghosts were alkylated under identical conditions using three groups of alkylating antitumor agents: mustards, triazenes and chloroethyl nitrosoureas. Osmotic fragility, acid resistance and thermal stability of membranes were changed only in alkylated ghosts in proportion to the concentration of the alkylating agent. All the alkylating agents decreased acid resistance in ghosts. The clinically used drugs sarcolysine, dacarbazine and lomustine all decreased osmotic fragility and thermal stability of ghost membranes depending on their lipophilicity. DM-COOH did not decrease osmotic fragility and thermal stability of ghost membranes, while NEM increased thermal stability of membranes. The preliminary but not subsequent treatment of ghosts with DM-COOH fully abolished the alkylation-induced thermal labilization of ghost membrane proteins while NEM had a partial effect only. The present study gives direct evidence that alkylating agents, having a high therapeutic activity against malignant growth, bind covalently to proteins of cellular membranes.

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Mallow, Anne; Graham, Samuel

Organic materials, such as paraffin wax, are sought as stable and environmentally friendly phase change materials (PCM) for thermal energy storage, but they suffer from low thermal conductivity which limits the rate at which thermal energy flows into and out of the material. A common method to improve the PCM thermal behavior is through loading with high thermal conductivity particulate fillers. However, the stability of these composites in the molten state is a concern as settling of the fillers will change the effective thermal conductivity. In this work, we investigate the stability of wax loaded with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets eithermore » of 1 m (xGnP-1) or 15 m (xGnP-15) diameter. The effect of dispersants, oxidation of the wax, viscosity of the wax, mixing time, and hydrocarbon chain length on stability is reported. It was found that the addition of octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) is an effective dispersant for xGnP in paraffin and microcrystalline wax. In addition, mixing time, viscosity, and oxidation of the wax influence stability in the molten state. Overall, it was found that a mixing time of 24 hours for xGnP-15 along with ODPA mixed in a high viscosity, oxidized microcrystalline wax results in composite PCM systems with the greatest stability determined at 80 C in the molten state.« less

Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) Method for the Determination of Limonene in Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) Oil: Implications for Limonene Stability.

PubMed

Bernart, Matthew W

2015-01-01

The citrus-derived bioactive monoterpene limonene is an important industrial commodity and fragrance constituent. An RP isocratic elution C18 ultra-HPLC (UHPLC) method using a superficially porous stationary phase and photodiode array (PDA) detector has been developed for determining the limonene content of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) oil. The method is fast with a cycle time of 1.2 min, linear, precise, accurate, specific, and stability indicating, and it satisfies U.S. Pharmacopeia suitability parameters. The method may be useful in its present form for limonene processing, or modified for research on more polar compounds of the terpenome. A forced-degradation experiment showed that limonene is degraded by heat in hydro-ethanolic solution. PDA detection facilitates classification of minor components of the essential oil, including β-myrcene.

Microstructure stability of ultra-fine grained magnesium alloy AZ31 processed by extrusion and equal-channel angular pressing (EX–ECAP)

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

Stráská, Jitka, E-mail: straska.jitka@gmail.com; Janeček, Miloš, E-mail: janecek@met.mff.cuni.cz; Čížek, Jakub, E-mail: jcizek@mbox.troja.mff.cuni.cz

Thermal stability of the ultra-fine grained (UFG) microstructure of magnesium AZ31 alloy was investigated. UFG microstructure was achieved by a combined two-step severe plastic deformation process: the extrusion (EX) and subsequent equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP). This combined process leads to refined microstructure and enhanced microhardness. Specimens with UFG microstructure were annealed isochronally at temperatures 150–500 °C for 1 h. The evolution of microstructure, mechanical properties and dislocation density was studied by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), microhardness measurements and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). The coarsening of the fine-grained structure at higher temperatures was accompanied by a gradual decrease of the microhardnessmore » and decrease of dislocation density. Mechanism of grain growth was studied by general equation for grain growth and Arrhenius equation. Activation energies for grain growth were calculated to be 115, 33 and 164 kJ/mol in temperature ranges of 170–210 °C, 210–400 °C and 400–500 °C (443–483 K, 483–673 K and 673–773 K), respectively. - Highlights: • Microhardness of UFG AZ31 alloy decreases with increasing annealing temperature. • This fact has two reasons: dislocation annihilations and/or grain growth. • The activation energies for grain growth were calculated for all temperature ranges.« less

Evaluation of thermal stability in spectrally selective few-layer metallo-dielectric structures for solar thermophotovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Makoto; Kohiyama, Asaka; Yugami, Hiroo

2018-06-01

The thermal stability of spectrally selective few-layer metallo-dielectric structures is evaluated to analyze their potential as absorber and emitter materials in solar thermophotovoltaic (STPV) systems. High-efficiency (e.g., STPV) systems require materials with spectrally selective properties, especially at high temperatures (>1273 K). Aiming to develop such materials for high-temperature applications, we propose a few-layer structure composed of a refractory metal (i.e., Mo) nanometric film sandwiched between the layers of a dielectric material (i.e., hafnium oxide, HfO2) deposited on a Mo bulk substrate. In vacuum conditions (<5 × 10-2 Pa), the few-layer structure shows thermal stability at 1423 K for at least 1 h. At 1473 K, the spectral selectivity was degraded. This could have been caused by the oxidation of the Mo thin film by the residual oxygen through the grain boundaries of the upper HfO2 layer. This experiment showed the potential stability of few-layer structures for applications working at temperatures greater than 1273 K as well as the degradation mechanism of the few-layer structure. This characteristic is expected to help improve the thermal stability in few-layer structures further.

Evaluating the effects of buffer conditions and extremolytes on thermostability of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor using high-throughput screening combined with design of experiments.

PubMed

Ablinger, Elisabeth; Hellweger, Monika; Leitgeb, Stefan; Zimmer, Andreas

2012-10-15

In this study, we combined a high-throughput screening method, differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), with design of experiments (DoE) methodology to evaluate the effects of several formulation components on the thermostability of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). First we performed a primary buffer screening where we tested thermal stability of G-CSF in different buffers, pH values and buffer concentrations. The significance of each factor and the two-way interactions between them were studied by multivariable regression analysis. pH was identified as most critical factor regarding thermal stability. The most stabilizing buffer, sodium glutamate, and sodium acetate were determined for further investigations. Second we tested the effect of 6 naturally occurring extremolytes (trehalose, sucrose, ectoine, hydroxyectoine, sorbitol, mannitol) on the thermal stability of G-CSF, using a central composite circumscribed design. At low pH (3.8) and low buffer concentration (5 mM) all extremolytes led to a significant increase in thermal stability except the addition of ectoine which resulted in a strong destabilization of G-CSF. Increasing pH and buffer concentration led to an increase in thermal stability with all investigated extremolytes. The described systematic approach allowed to create a ranking of stabilizing extremolytes at different buffer conditions. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Engineered knottin peptides as diagnostics, therapeutics, and drug delivery vehicles.

PubMed

Kintzing, James R; Cochran, Jennifer R

2016-10-01

Inhibitor cystine-knots, also known as knottins, are a structural family of ultra-stable peptides with diverse functions. Knottins and related backbone-cyclized peptides called cyclotides contain three disulfide bonds connected in a particular arrangement that endows these peptides with high thermal, proteolytic, and chemical stability. Knottins have gained interest as candidates for non-invasive molecular imaging and for drug development as they can possess the pharmacological properties of small molecules and the target affinity and selectively of protein biologics. Naturally occurring knottins are clinically approved for treating chronic pain and GI disorders. Combinatorial methods are being used to engineer knottins that can bind to other clinically relevant targets in cancer, and inflammatory and cardiac disease. This review details recent examples of engineered knottin peptides; their use as molecular imaging agents, therapeutics, and drug delivery vehicles; modifications that can be introduced to improve peptide folding and bioactivity; and future perspectives and challenges in the field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

Topics include: Single-Photon-Sensitive HgCdTe Avalanche Photodiode Detector; Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Using Silica Whispering-Gallery Mode Resonators; 3D Hail Size Distribution Interpolation/Extrapolation Algorithm; Color-Changing Sensors for Detecting the Presence of Hypergolic Fuels; Artificial Intelligence Software for Assessing Postural Stability; Transformers: Shape-Changing Space Systems Built with Robotic Textiles; Fibrillar Adhesive for Climbing Robots; Using Pre-Melted Phase Change Material to Keep Payloads in Space Warm for Hours without Power; Development of a Centrifugal Technique for the Microbial Bioburden Analysis of Freon (CFC-11); Microwave Sinterator Freeform Additive Construction System (MS-FACS); DSP/FPGA Design for a High-Speed Programmable S-Band Space Transceiver; On-Chip Power-Combining for High-Power Schottky Diode-Based Frequency Multipliers; FPGA Vision Data Architecture; Memory Circuit Fault Simulator; Ultra-Compact Transputer-Based Controller for High-Level, Multi-Axis Coordination; Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot Excavator; Magnetically Actuated Seal; Hybrid Electrostatic/Flextensional Mirror for Lightweight, Large-Aperture, and Cryogenic Space Telescopes; System for Contributing and Discovering Derived Mission and Science Data; Remote Viewer for Maritime Robotics Software; Stackfile Database; Reachability Maps for In Situ Operations; JPL Space Telecommunications Radio System Operating Environment; RFI-SIM: RFI Simulation Package; ION Configuration Editor; Dtest Testing Software; IMPaCT - Integration of Missions, Programs, and Core Technologies; Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) Toolkit; Wind-Driven Wireless Networked System of Mobile Sensors for Mars Exploration; In Situ Solid Particle Generator; Analysis of the Effects of Streamwise Lift Distribution on Sonic Boom Signature; Rad-Tolerant, Thermally Stable, High-Speed Fiber-Optic Network for Harsh Environments; Towed Subsurface Optical Communications Buoy; High-Collection-Efficiency Fluorescence Detection Cell; Ultra-Compact, Superconducting Spectrometer-on-a-Chip at Submillimeter Wavelengths; UV Resonant Raman Spectrometer with Multi-Line Laser Excitation; Medicine Delivery Device with Integrated Sterilization and Detection; Ionospheric Simulation System for Satellite Observations and Global Assimilative Model Experiments - ISOGAME; Airborne Tomographic Swath Ice Sounding Processing System; flexplan: Mission Planning System for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; Estimating Torque Imparted on Spacecraft Using Telemetry; PowderSim: Lagrangian Discrete and Mesh-Free Continuum Simulation Code for Cohesive Soils; Multiple-Frame Detection of Subpixel Targets in Thermal Image Sequences; Metric Learning to Enhance Hyperspectral Image Segmentation; Basic Operational Robotics Instructional System; Sheet Membrane Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator; Advanced Materials and Manufacturing for Low-Cost, High-Performance Liquid Rocket Combustion Chambers; Motor Qualification for Long-Duration Mars Missions.

Ultra-low fouling and high antibody loading zwitterionic hydrogel coatings for sensing and detection in complex media.

PubMed

Chou, Ying-Nien; Sun, Fang; Hung, Hsiang-Chieh; Jain, Priyesh; Sinclair, Andrew; Zhang, Peng; Bai, Tao; Chang, Yung; Wen, Ten-Chin; Yu, Qiuming; Jiang, Shaoyi

2016-08-01

For surface-based diagnostic devices to achieve reliable biomarker detection in complex media such as blood, preventing nonspecific protein adsorption and incorporating high loading of biorecognition elements are paramount. In this work, a novel method to produce nonfouling zwitterionic hydrogel coatings was developed to achieve these goals. Poly(carboxybetaine acrylamide) (pCBAA) hydrogel thin films (CBHTFs) prepared with a carboxybetaine diacrylamide crosslinker (CBAAX) were coated on gold and silicon dioxide surfaces via a simple spin coating process. The thickness of CBHTFs could be precisely controlled between 15 and 150nm by varying the crosslinker concentration, and the films demonstrated excellent long-term stability. Protein adsorption from undiluted human blood serum onto the CBHTFs was measured with surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Hydrogel thin films greater than 20nm exhibited ultra-low fouling (<5ng/cm(2)). In addition, the CBHTFs were capable of high antibody functionalization for specific biomarker detection without compromising their nonfouling performance. This strategy provides a facile method to modify SPR biosensor chips with an advanced nonfouling material, and can be potentially expanded to a variety of implantable medical devices and diagnostic biosensors. In this work, we developed an approach to realize ultra-low fouling and high ligand loading with a highly-crosslinked, purely zwitterionic, carboxybetaine thin film hydrogel (CBHTF) coating platform. The CBHTF on a hydrophilic surface demonstrated long-term stability. By varying the crosslinker content in the spin-coated hydrogel solution, the thickness of CBHTFs could be precisely controlled. Optimized CBHTFs exhibited ultra-low nonspecific protein adsorption below 5ng/cm(2) measured by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor, and their 3D architecture allowed antibody loading to reach 693ng/cm(2). This strategy provides a facile method to modify SPR biosensor chips with an advanced nonfouling material, and can be potentially expanded to a variety of implantable medical devices and diagnostic biosensors. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coated Porous Si for High Performance On-Chip Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoras, K.; Keskinen, J.; Grönberg, L.; Ahopelto, J.; Prunnila, M.

2014-11-01

High performance porous Si based supercapacitor electrodes are demonstrated. High power density and stability is provided by ultra-thin TiN coating of the porous Si matrix. The TiN layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which provides sufficient conformality to reach the bottom of the high aspect ratio pores. Our porous Si supercapacitor devices exhibit almost ideal double layer capacitor characteristic with electrode volumetric capacitance of 7.3 F/cm3. Several orders of magnitude increase in power and energy density is obtained comparing to uncoated porous silicon electrodes. Good stability of devices is confirmed performing several thousands of charge/discharge cycles.

Thermal conductivity of zirconia thermal barrier coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinwiddie, R. B.; Beecher, S. C.; Nagaraj, B. A.; Moore, C. S.

1995-01-01

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) applied to the hot gas components of turbine engines lead to enhanced fuel efficiency and component reliability. Understanding the mechanisms which control the thermal transport behavior of the TBC's is of primary importance. Physical vapor description (PVD) and plasma spraying (PS) are the two most commonly used coating techniques. These techniques produce coatings with unique microstructures which control their performance and stability. The PS coatings were applied with either standard power or hollow sphere particles. The hollow sphere particles yielded a lower density and lower thermal conductivity coating. The thermal conductivity of both fully and partially stabilized zirconia, before and after thermal aging, will be compared. The thermal conductivity of the coatings permanently increase upon being exposed to high temperatures. These increases are attributed to microstructural changes within the coatings. Sintering of the as fabricated plasma sprayed lamellar structure is observed by scanning electron microscopy of coatings isothermally heat treated at temperatures greater than 1100 C. During this sintering process the planar porosity between lamella is converted to a series of small spherical pores. The change in pore morphology is the primary reason for the observed increase in thermal conductivity. This increase in thermal conductivity can be modeled using a relationship which depends on both the temperature and time of exposure. Although the PVD coatings are less susceptible to thermal aging effects, preliminary results suggest that they have a higher thermal conductivity than PS coatings, both before and after thermal aging. The increases in thermal conductivity due to thermal aging for partially stabilized plasma sprayed zirconia have been found to be less than for fully stabilized plasma sprayed zirconia coatings. The high temperature thermal diffusivity data indicates that if these coatings reach a temperature above 1100 C during operation, they will begin to lose their effectiveness as a thermal barrier.

Thermal conductivity of zirconia thermal barrier coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinwiddie, R. B.; Beecher, S. C.; Nagaraj, B. A.; Moore, C. S.

1995-01-01

Thermal barrier coatings (TBC's) applied to the hot gas components of turbine engines lead to enhanced fuel efficiency and component reliability. Understanding the mechanisms which control the thermal transport behavior of the TBC's is of primary importance. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) and plasma spraying (PS) are the two most commonly used coating techniques. These techniques produce coatings with unique microstructures which control their performance and stability. The PS coatings were applied with either standard powder or hollow sphere particles. The hollow sphere particles yielded a lower density and lower thermal conductivity coating. The thermal conductivity of both fully and partially stabilized zirconia, before and after thermal aging, will be compared. The thermal conductivity of the coatings permanently increases upon exposed to high temperatures. These increases are attributed to microstructural changes within the coatings. Sintering of the as-fabricated plasma sprayed lamellar structure is observed by scanning electron microscopy of coatings isothermally heat treated at temperatures greater than 1100 C. During this sintering process the planar porosity between lamella is converted to a series of small spherical pores. The change in pore morphology is the primary reason for the observed increase in thermal conductivity. This increase in thermal conductivity can be modeled using a relationship which depends on both the temperature and time of exposure. Although the PVD coatings are less susceptible to thermal aging effects, preliminary results suggest that they have a higher thermal conductivity than PS coatings, both before and after thermal aging. The increases in thermal conductivity due to thermal aging for partially stabilized plasma sprayed zirconia have been found to be less than for fully stabilized plasma sprayed zirconia coatings. The high temperature thermal diffusivity data indicate that if these coatings reach a temperature above 1100 C during operation, they will begin to lose their effectiveness as a thermal barrier.

Flexible, High-Wettability and Fire-Resistant Separators Based on Hydroxyapatite Nanowires for Advanced Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Li, Heng; Wu, Dabei; Wu, Jin; Dong, Li-Ying; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Hu, Xianluo

2017-11-01

Separators play a pivotal role in the electrochemical performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The commercial microporous polyolefin-based separators often suffer from inferior electrolyte wettability, low thermal stability, and severe safety concerns. Herein, a novel kind of highly flexible and porous separator based on hydroxyapatite nanowires (HAP NWs) with excellent thermal stability, fire resistance, and superior electrolyte wettability is reported. A hierarchical cross-linked network structure forms between HAP NWs and cellulose fibers (CFs) via hybridization, which endows the separator with high flexibility and robust mechanical strength. The high thermal stability of HAP NW networks enables the separator to preserve its structural integrity at temperatures as high as 700 °C, and the fire-resistant property of HAP NWs ensures high safety of the battery. In particular, benefiting from its unique composition and highly porous structure, the as-prepared HAP/CF separator exhibits near zero contact angle with the liquid electrolyte and high electrolyte uptake of 253%, indicating superior electrolyte wettability compared with the commercial polyolefin separator. The as-prepared HAP/CF separator has unique advantages of superior electrolyte wettability, mechanical robustness, high thermal stability, and fire resistance, thus, is promising as a new kind of separator for advanced LIBs with enhanced performance and high safety. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interplay of Interfacial Layers and Blend Composition To Reduce Thermal Degradation of Polymer Solar Cells at High Temperature.

PubMed

Ben Dkhil, Sadok; Pfannmöller, Martin; Schröder, Rasmus R; Alkarsifi, Riva; Gaceur, Meriem; Köntges, Wolfgang; Heidari, Hamed; Bals, Sara; Margeat, Olivier; Ackermann, Jörg; Videlot-Ackermann, Christine

2018-01-31

The thermal stability of printed polymer solar cells at elevated temperatures needs to be improved to achieve high-throughput fabrication including annealing steps as well as long-term stability. During device processing, thermal annealing impacts both the organic photoactive layer, and the two interfacial layers make detailed studies of degradation mechanism delicate. A recently identified thermally stable poly[[4,8-bis[(2-ethylhexyl)oxy]benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-2,6-diyl][3-fluoro-2-[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl

A flexible, robust and antifouling asymmetric membrane based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers for high-efficiency separation of oil/water emulsions.

PubMed

Wang, Kui; Yiming, Wubulikasimu; Saththasivam, Jayaprakash; Liu, Zhaoyang

2017-07-06

Polymeric and ceramic asymmetric membranes have dominated commercial membranes for water treatment. However, polymeric membranes are prone to becoming fouled, while ceramic membranes are mechanically fragile. Here, we report a novel concept to develop asymmetric membranes based on ultra-long ceramic/polymeric fibers, with the combined merits of good mechanical stability, excellent fouling resistance and high oil/water selectivity, in order to meet the stringent requirements for practical oil/water separation. The ultra-long dimensions of ceramic nanofibers/polymeric microfibers endow this novel membrane with mechanical flexibility and robustness, due to the integrated and intertwined structure. This membrane is capable of separating oil/water emulsions with high oil-separation efficiency (99.9%), thanks to its nanoporous selective layer made of ceramic nanofibers. Further, this membrane also displays superior antifouling properties due to its underwater superoleophobicity and ultra-low oil adhesion of the ceramic-based selective layer. This membrane exhibits high water permeation flux (6.8 × 10 4 L m -2 h -1 bar -1 ) at low operation pressures, which is attributed to its 3-dimensional (3D) interconnected fiber-based structure throughout the membrane. In addition, the facile fabrication process and inexpensive materials required for this membrane suggest its significant potential for industrial applications.

The Development of HfO2-Rare Earth Based Oxide Materials and Barrier Coatings for Thermal Protection Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Harder, Bryan James

2014-01-01

Advanced hafnia-rare earth oxides, rare earth aluminates and silicates have been developed for thermal environmental barrier systems for aerospace propulsion engine and thermal protection applications. The high temperature stability, low thermal conductivity, excellent oxidation resistance and mechanical properties of these oxide material systems make them attractive and potentially viable for thermal protection systems. This paper will focus on the development of the high performance and high temperature capable ZrO2HfO2-rare earth based alloy and compound oxide materials, processed as protective coating systems using state-or-the-art processing techniques. The emphasis has been in particular placed on assessing their temperature capability, stability and suitability for advanced space vehicle entry thermal protection systems. Fundamental thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of the material systems have been investigated at high temperatures. Laser high-heat-flux testing has also been developed to validate the material systems, and demonstrating durability under space entry high heat flux conditions.

Ultra-stable high average power femtosecond laser system tunable from 1.33 to 20  μm.

PubMed

Steinle, Tobias; Mörz, Florian; Steinmann, Andy; Giessen, Harald

2016-11-01

A highly stable 350 fs laser system with a gap-free tunability from 1.33 to 2.0 μm and 2.13 to 20 μm is demonstrated. Nanojoule-level pulse energy is achieved in the mid-infrared at a 43 MHz repetition rate. The system utilizes a post-amplified fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator followed by difference frequency generation between the signal and idler. No locking or synchronization electronics are required to achieve outstanding free-running output power and spectral stability of the whole system. Ultra-low intensity noise, close to the pump laser's noise figure, enables shot-noise limited measurements.

Ultra-efficient all-printed organic photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kielar, Marcin; Dhez, Olivier; Hirsch, Lionel

2016-09-01

Organic photodetectors are able to transform plastic into intelligent surfaces making our daily life easier, smarter and more productive. The key element for a sensor is to reduce the dark current density in order to boost the limit of detection. The energetic requirements in order to select materials for ultra-high performance organic photodetectors are presented with the following experimental results: a detectivity of 3.36 × 1013 Jones has been achieved with an extremely low dark current density of 0.32 nA cm-2 and a responsivity as high as 0.34 A W-1. Flexible devices are all made at lowtemperature and with solution-processed materials. Their stability under operation is also presented.

Multiscale Modeling of Grain Boundaries in ZrB2: Structure, Energetics, and Thermal Resistance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Daw, Murray S.; Squire, Thomas H.; Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.

2012-01-01

A combination of ab initio, atomistic and finite element methods (FEM) were used to investigate the structures, energetics and lattice thermal conductance of grain boundaries for the ultra high temperature ceramic ZrB2. Atomic models of idealized boundaries were relaxed using density functional theory. Information about bonding across the interfaces was determined from the electron localization function. The Kapitza conductance of larger scale versions of the boundary models were computed using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics. The interfacial thermal parameters together with single crystal thermal conductivities were used as parameters in microstructural computations. FEM meshes were constructed on top of microstructural images. From these computations, the effective thermal conductivity of the polycrystalline structure was determined.

Micro-architecture embedding ultra-thin interlayer to bond diamond and silicon via direct fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jong Cheol; Kim, Jongsik; Xin, Yan; Lee, Jinhyung; Kim, Young-Gyun; Subhash, Ghatu; Singh, Rajiv K.; Arjunan, Arul C.; Lee, Haigun

2018-05-01

The continuous demand on miniaturized electronic circuits bearing high power density illuminates the need to modify the silicon-on-insulator-based chip architecture. This is because of the low thermal conductivity of the few hundred nanometer-thick insulator present between the silicon substrate and active layers. The thick insulator is notorious for releasing the heat generated from the active layers during the operation of devices, leading to degradation in their performance and thus reducing their lifetime. To avoid the heat accumulation, we propose a method to fabricate the silicon-on-diamond (SOD) microstructure featured by an exceptionally thin silicon oxycarbide interlayer (˜3 nm). While exploiting the diamond as an insulator, we employ spark plasma sintering to render the silicon directly fused to the diamond. Notably, this process can manufacture the SOD microarchitecture via a simple/rapid way and incorporates the ultra-thin interlayer for minute thermal resistance. The method invented herein expects to minimize the thermal interfacial resistance of the devices and is thus deemed as a breakthrough appealing to the current chip industry.

Thermal Catalytic Oxidation of Airborne Contaminants by a Reactor Using Ultra-Short Channel Length, Monolithic Catalyst Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, J. L.; Tomes, K. M.; Tatara, J. D.

2005-01-01

Contaminated air, whether in a crewed spacecraft cabin or terrestrial work and living spaces, is a pervasive problem affecting human health, performance, and well being. The need for highly effective, economical air quality processes spans a wide range of terrestrial and space flight applications. Typically, air quality control processes rely on absorption-based processes. Most industrial packed-bed adsorption processes use activated carbon. Once saturated, the carbon is either dumped or regenerated. In either case, the dumped carbon and concentrated waste streams constitute a hazardous waste that must be handled safely while minimizing environmental impact. Thermal catalytic oxidation processes designed to address waste handling issues are moving to the forefront of cleaner air quality control and process gas decontamination processes. Careful consideration in designing the catalyst substrate and reactor can lead to more complete contaminant destruction and poisoning resistance. Maintenance improvements leading to reduced waste handling and process downtime can also be realized. Performance of a prototype thermal catalytic reaction based on ultra-short waste channel, monolith catalyst substrate design, under a variety of process flow and contaminant loading conditions, is discussed.

The influence of thermal and free carrier dispersion effects on all-optical wavelength conversion in a silicon racetrack-shaped microring resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaolu; Liu, Hongjun; Sun, Qibing; Huang, Nan; Li, Shaopeng; Han, Jing

2016-07-01

We experimentally demonstrate ultra-low pump power wavelength conversion based on four-wave mixing in a silicon racetrack-shaped microring resonator. When the pump and signal are located at the resonance wavelengths, wavelength conversion with a pump power of only 1 mW can be realized in this microring resonator because of the resonant enhancement of the device. However, saturation of the conversion efficiency occurs because of the shift of the resonance peak, which is caused by the change of the effective refractive index induced by a combination of thermal and free carrier dispersion effects, and it is demonstrated that the thermal effect is the leading-order factor for the change of the refractive index. The maximum conversion efficiency of  -21 dB is obtained when the pump power is less than 12 mW. This ultra-low-power on-chip wavelength convertor based on a silicon microring resonator can find important potential applications in highly integrated optical circuits for all-optical signal processing.

A highly efficient silole-containing dithienylethene with excellent thermal stability and fatigue resistance: a promising candidate for optical memory storage materials.

PubMed

Chan, Jacky Chi-Hung; Lam, Wai Han; Yam, Vivian Wing-Wah

2014-12-10

Diarylethene compounds are potential candidates for applications in optical memory storage systems and photoswitchable molecular devices; however, they usually show low photocycloreversion quantum yields, which result in ineffective erasure processes. Here, we present the first highly efficient photochromic silole-containing dithienylethene with excellent thermal stability and fatigue resistance. The photochemical quantum yields for photocyclization and photocycloreversion of the compound are found to be high and comparable to each other; the latter of which is rarely found in diarylethene compounds. These would give rise to highly efficient photoswitchable material with effective writing and erasure processes. Incorporation of the silole moiety as a photochromic dithienylethene backbone also was demonstrated to enhance the thermal stability of the closed form, in which the thermal backward reaction to the open form was found to be negligible even at 100 °C, which leads to a promising candidate for use as photoswitchable materials and optical memory storage.

Exotic geophysical phenomena observed in an environmental neutron flux study using EAS PRISMA detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseenko, Victor; Bagrova, Anastasia; Cui, Shuwang; He, Yayun; Li, Bingbing; Ma, Xinhua; Pozdnyakov, Egor; Shchegolev, Oleg; Stenkin, Yuri; Stepanov, Vladimir

2017-06-01

Some exotic geophysical events are observed by a global net of electron-neutron detectors (en-detectors) developed in the framework of the PRISMA EAS project. Our en-detectors running both on the Earth's surface and underground are continuously measuring the environmental thermal neutron flux. Thermal neutrons are in equilibrium with media and are therefore sensitive to many geophysical phenomena, which are exotic for people studying ultra high-energy cosmic rays or carrying out low background experiments deep underground.

Spin dynamics and thermal stability in L10 FePt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tianran; Toomey, Wahida

Increasing the data storage density of hard drives remains one of the continuing goals in magnetic recording technology. A critical challenge for increasing data density is the thermal stability of the written information, which drops rapidly as the bit size gets smaller. To maintain good thermal stability in small bits, one should consider materials with high anisotropy energy such as L10 FePt. High anisotropy energy nevertheless implies high coercivity, making it difficult to write information onto the disk. This issue can be overcome by a new technique called heat-assisted magnetic recording, where a laser is used to locally heat the recording medium to reduce its coercivity while retaining relatively good thermal stability. Many of the microscopic magnetic properties of L10 FePt, however, have not been theoretically well understood. In this poster, I will focus on a single L10 FePt grain, typically of a few nanometers. Specifically, I will discuss its critical temperature, size effect and, in particular, spin dynamics in the writing process, a key to the success of heat-assisted magnetic recording. WCU URF16.

Simultaneous ultra-long data retention and low power based on Ge10Sb90/SiO2 multilayer thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Haipeng; Hu, Yifeng; Zhu, Xiaoqin; Zou, Hua; Song, Sannian; Song, Zhitang

2018-02-01

In this article, Ge10Sb90/SiO2 multilayer thin films were prepared to improve thermal stability and data retention for phase change memory. Compared with Ge10Sb90 monolayer thin film, Ge10Sb90 (1 nm)/SiO2 (9 nm) multilayer thin film had higher crystallization temperature and resistance contrast between amorphous and crystalline states. Annealed Ge10Sb90 (1 nm)/SiO2 (9 nm) had uniform grain with the size of 15.71 nm. After annealing, the root-mean-square surface roughness for Ge10Sb90 (1 nm)/SiO2 (9 nm) thin film increased slightly from 0.45 to 0.53 nm. The amorphization time for Ge10Sb90 (1 nm)/SiO2 (9 nm) thin film (2.29 ns) is shorter than Ge2Sb2Te5 (3.56 ns). The threshold voltage of a cell based on Ge10Sb90 (1 nm)/SiO2 (9 nm) (3.57 V) was smaller than GST (4.18 V). The results indicated that Ge10Sb90/SiO2 was a promising phase change thin film with high thermal ability and low power consumption for phase change memory application.

Ultra-low thermal conductivities in large-area Si-Ge nanomeshes for thermoelectric applications

PubMed Central

Perez-Taborda, Jaime Andres; Muñoz Rojo, Miguel; Maiz, Jon; Neophytou, Neophytos; Martin-Gonzalez, Marisol

2016-01-01

In this work, we measure the thermal and thermoelectric properties of large-area Si0.8Ge0.2 nano-meshed films fabricated by DC sputtering of Si0.8Ge0.2 on highly ordered porous alumina matrices. The Si0.8Ge0.2 film replicated the porous alumina structure resulting in nano-meshed films. Very good control of the nanomesh geometrical features (pore diameter, pitch, neck) was achieved through the alumina template, with pore diameters ranging from 294 ± 5nm down to 31 ± 4 nm. The method we developed is able to provide large areas of nano-meshes in a simple and reproducible way, being easily scalable for industrial applications. Most importantly, the thermal conductivity of the films was reduced as the diameter of the porous became smaller to values that varied from κ = 1.54 ± 0.27 W K−1m−1, down to the ultra-low κ = 0.55 ± 0.10 W K−1m−1 value. The latter is well below the amorphous limit, while the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity of the material were retained. These properties, together with our large area fabrication approach, can provide an important route towards achieving high conversion efficiency, large area, and high scalable thermoelectric materials. PMID:27650202

Ordered and Ultra-High Aspect Ratio Nanocapillary Arrays as a Model System

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-13

formation and deep pore growth of anodized aluminum oxide ( AAO )-based nanocapillary arrays as the basis for high density, safe and high rate gas... anodized aluminum oxide , nanocapillary arrays 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Unclassified 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME... Aluminum Page 7 Copyright © 2015 Mainstream Engineering Corporation CPE Mitigation Schemes  Control thermal and flow profile -> even anodization

Measurement of the Thermal Expansion Coefficient for Ultra-High Temperatures up to 3000 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kompan, T. A.; Kondratiev, S. V.; Korenev, A. S.; Puhov, N. F.; Inochkin, F. M.; Kruglov, S. K.; Bronshtein, I. G.

2018-03-01

The paper is devoted to a new high-temperature dilatometer, a part of the State Primary Standard of the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) unit. The dilatometer is designed for investigation and certification of materials for TEC standards in the range of extremely high temperatures. The critical review of existing methods of TEC measurements is given. Also, the design, principles of operation and metrological parameters of the new device are described. The main attention is paid to the system of machine vision that allows accurate measurement of elongation at high temperatures. The results of TEC measurements for graphite GIP-4, single crystal Al2O3, and some other materials are also presented.

Novel LLM series high density energy materials: Synthesis, characterization, and thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagoria, Philip; Zhang, Maoxi; Tsyshevskiy, Roman; Kuklja, Maija

Novel high density energy materials must satisfy specific requirements, such as an increased performance, reliably high stability to external stimuli, cost-efficiency and ease of synthesis, be environmentally benign, and be safe for handling and transportation. During the last decade, the attention of researchers has drifted from widely used nitroester-, nitramine-, and nitroaromatic-based explosives to nitrogen-rich heterocyclic compounds. Good thermal stability, the low melting point, high density, and moderate sensitivity make heterocycle materials attractive candidates for use as oxidizers in rocket propellants and fuels, secondary explosives, and possibly as melt-castable ingredients of high explosive formulations. In this report, the synthesis, characterization, and results of quantum-chemical DFT study of thermal stability of LLM-191, LLM-192 and LLM-200 high density energy materials are presented. Work performed under the auspices of the DOE by the LLNL (Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344). This research is supported in part by ONR (Grant N00014-12-1-0529) and NSF. We used NSF XSEDE (Grant DMR-130077) and DOE NERSC (Contract DE-AC02-05CH11231) resources.

Anion control as a strategy to achieve high-mobility and high-stability oxide thin-film transistors.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Suk; Jeon, Sang Ho; Park, Joon Seok; Kim, Tae Sang; Son, Kyoung Seok; Seon, Jong-Baek; Seo, Seok-Jun; Kim, Sun-Jae; Lee, Eunha; Chung, Jae Gwan; Lee, Hyungik; Han, Seungwu; Ryu, Myungkwan; Lee, Sang Yoon; Kim, Kinam

2013-01-01

Ultra-definition, large-area displays with three-dimensional visual effects represent megatrend in the current/future display industry. On the hardware level, such a "dream" display requires faster pixel switching and higher driving current, which in turn necessitate thin-film transistors (TFTs) with high mobility. Amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS) such as In-Ga-Zn-O are poised to enable such TFTs, but the trade-off between device performance and stability under illumination critically limits their usability, which is related to the hampered electron-hole recombination caused by the oxygen vacancies. Here we have improved the illumination stability by substituting oxygen with nitrogen in ZnO, which may deactivate oxygen vacancies by raising valence bands above the defect levels. Indeed, the stability under illumination and electrical bias is superior to that of previous AOS-based TFTs. By achieving both mobility and stability, it is highly expected that the present ZnON TFTs will be extensively deployed in next-generation flat-panel displays.

Anion control as a strategy to achieve high-mobility and high-stability oxide thin-film transistors

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyun-Suk; Jeon, Sang Ho; Park, Joon Seok; Kim, Tae Sang; Son, Kyoung Seok; Seon, Jong-Baek; Seo, Seok-Jun; Kim, Sun-Jae; Lee, Eunha; Chung, Jae Gwan; Lee, Hyungik; Han, Seungwu; Ryu, Myungkwan; Lee, Sang Yoon; Kim, Kinam

2013-01-01

Ultra-definition, large-area displays with three-dimensional visual effects represent megatrend in the current/future display industry. On the hardware level, such a “dream” display requires faster pixel switching and higher driving current, which in turn necessitate thin-film transistors (TFTs) with high mobility. Amorphous oxide semiconductors (AOS) such as In-Ga-Zn-O are poised to enable such TFTs, but the trade-off between device performance and stability under illumination critically limits their usability, which is related to the hampered electron-hole recombination caused by the oxygen vacancies. Here we have improved the illumination stability by substituting oxygen with nitrogen in ZnO, which may deactivate oxygen vacancies by raising valence bands above the defect levels. Indeed, the stability under illumination and electrical bias is superior to that of previous AOS-based TFTs. By achieving both mobility and stability, it is highly expected that the present ZnON TFTs will be extensively deployed in next-generation flat-panel displays. PMID:23492854

Applications of high pressure differential scanning calorimetry to aviation fuel thermal stability research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neveu, M. C.; Stocker, D. P.

1985-01-01

High pressure differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was studied as an alternate method for performing high temperature fuel thermal stability research. The DSC was used to measure the heat of reaction versus temperature of a fuel sample heated at a programmed rate in an oxygen pressurized cell. Pure hydrocarbons and model fuels were studied using typical DSC operating conditions of 600 psig of oxygen and a temperature range from ambient to 500 C. The DSC oxidation onset temperature was determined and was used to rate the fuels on thermal stability. Kinetic rate constants were determined for the global initial oxidation reaction. Fuel deposit formation is measured, and the high temperature volatility of some tetralin deposits is studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are used to study the chemical composition of some DSC stressed fuels.

Crystal Field Splitting is Limiting the Stability and Strength of Ultra-incompressible Orthorhombic Transition Metal Tetraborides

PubMed Central

Zhang, R. F.; Wen, X. D.; Legut, D.; Fu, Z. H.; Veprek, S.; Zurek, E.; Mao, H. K.

2016-01-01

The lattice stability and mechanical strengths of the supposedly superhard transition metal tetraborides (TmB4, Tm = Cr, Mn and Fe) evoked recently much attention from the scientific community due to the potential applications of these materials, as well as because of general scientific interests. In the present study, we show that the surprising stabilization of these compounds from a high symmetry to a low symmetry structure is accomplished by an in-plane rotation of the boron network, which maximizes the in-plane hybridization by crystal field splitting between d orbitals of Tm and p orbitals of B. Studies of mechanical and electronic properties of TmB4 suggest that these tetraborides cannot be intrinsically superhard. The mechanical instability is facilitated by a unique in-plane or out-of-plane weakening of the three-dimensional covalent bond network of boron along different shear deformation paths. These results shed a novel view on the origin of the stability and strength of orthorhombic TmB4, highlighting the importance of combinational analysis of a variety of parameters related to plastic deformation of the crystalline materials when attempting to design new ultra-incompressible, and potentially strong and hard solids. PMID:26976479

Selective laser melting of hypereutectic Al-Si40-powder using ultra-short laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullsperger, T.; Matthäus, G.; Kaden, L.; Engelhardt, H.; Rettenmayr, M.; Risse, S.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2017-12-01

We investigate the use of ultra-short laser pulses for the selective melting of Al-Si40-powder to fabricate complex light-weight structures with wall sizes below 100 μ {m} combined with higher tensile strength and lower thermal expansion coefficient in comparison to standard Al-Si alloys. During the cooling process using conventional techniques, large primary silicon particles are formed which impairs the mechanical and thermal properties. We demonstrate that these limitations can be overcome using ultra-short laser pulses enabling the rapid heating and cooling in a non-thermal equilibrium process. We analyze the morphology characteristics and micro-structures of single tracks and thin-walled structures depending on pulse energy, repetition rate and scanning velocity utilizing pulses with a duration of 500 {fs} at a wavelength of 1030 {nm}. The possibility to specifically change and optimize the microstructure is shown.

PLD deposition of tungsten carbide contact for diamond photodiodes. Influence of process conditions on electronic and chemical aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cappelli, E.; Bellucci, A.; Orlando, S.; Trucchi, D. M.; Mezzi, A.; Valentini, V.

2013-08-01

Tungsten carbide, WC, contacts behave as very reliable Schottky contacts for opto-electronic diamond devices. Diamond is characterized by superior properties in high-power, high frequency and high-temperature applications, provided that thermally stable electrode contacts will be realized. Ohmic contacts can be easily achieved by using carbide-forming metals, while is difficult to get stable Schottky contacts at elevated temperatures, due to the interface reaction and/or inter-diffusion between metals and diamond. Novel type of contacts, made of tungsten carbide, WC, seem to be the best solution, for their excellent thermal stability, high melting point, oxidation and radiation resistance and good electrical conductivity. Our research was aimed at using pulsed laser deposition for WC thin film deposition, optimizing experimental parameters, to obtain a final device characterized by excellent electronic properties, as a detector for radiation in deep UV or as X-ray dosimeter. We deposited our films by laser ablation from a target of pure WC, using different reaction conditions (i.e., substrate heating, vacuum or reactive atmosphere (CH4/Ar), RF plasma activated), to optimize both the stoichiometry of the film and its structure. Trying to obtain a material with the best electronic response, we used also two sources of laser radiation for target ablation, i.e., nano-second pulsed excimer laser ArF, and ultra-short fs Ti:Sapphire laser. The structure and chemical aspects have been evaluated by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while the dosimeter photodiode response has been tested by the I-V measurements, under soft X-ray irradiation.

Piezo-based motion stages for heavy duty operation in clean environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasikov, Nir; Peled, Gal; Yasinov, Roman; Gissin, Michael; Feinstein, Alan

2018-02-01

A range of heavy duty, ultra-precise motion stages had been developed for precise positioning in semiconductor manufacturing and metrology, for use in a clean room and high vacuum (HV and UHV) environments, to meet the precision requirements for 7, 5 nm nodes and beyond. These stages are powered by L1B2 direct drive ultrasonic motors, which allows combining long motion range, sub-nanometer positioning accuracy, high stiffness (in the direction of motion), low power consumption and active compensation of thermal and structural drift while holding position. The mechanical design, material selection for clean room and high vacuum preparation techniques are reviewed. Test results in a clean room are reported for a two-axis (X-Y) stage, having a load capacity of 30 kg, a motion range of 450 mm, a positioning accuracy of < 1 nm, a maximum motion speed of > 200 mm/s and a < 2 nm position stability (3 sigma). Long term drift compensation to sub-nm level, against thermal drift, has been validated for more than 10 hours. Heavy duty operation in a high vacuum is exemplified via a single axis stage operating at 5E-7 Torr, having a moving mass of 0.96 kg, oriented against gravity. The stage is operated periodically (up and down) over a travel length of 45 mm. The motion profile has a trapezoidal shape with an acceleration of 1m/s2 and a constant velocity of 100 mm/s. The operational parameters (average absolute position error during constant velocity, motor force, dead zone level) remain stable over more than 370000 passes (experiment duration).

Stimulated Brillouin scattering in ultra-long distributed feedback Bragg gratings in standard optical fiber.

PubMed

Loranger, Sébastien; Lambin-Iezzi, Victor; Wahbeh, Mamoun; Kashyap, Raman

2016-04-15

Distributed feedback (DFB) fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) are widely used as narrow-band filters and single-mode cavities for lasers. Recently, a nonlinear generation has been shown in 10-20 cm DFB gratings in a highly nonlinear fiber. First, we show in this Letter a novel fabrication technique of ultra-long DFBs in a standard fiber (SMF-28). Second, we demonstrate nonlinear generation in such gratings. A particular inscription technique was used to fabricate all-in-phase ultra-long FBG and to implement reproducible phase shift to form a DFB mode. We demonstrate stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) emission from this DFB mode and characterize the resulting laser. It seems that such a SBS based DFB laser stabilizes a pump's jittering and reduces its linewidth.

A ring stabilizer for lean premixed turbulent flames

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

Johnson, M.R.; Kostiuk, L.W.; Cheng, R.K.

1998-08-01

In previous experiments on conical flame behavior in microgravity, which were conducted in drop-towers and in airplanes, the use of a pilot flame was not an option. To permit combustion of stable lean premixed conical flames without a pilot, a ring stabilizer was developed. Although similar types of bluff-body stabilization have been used in the past, the ring stabilizer is somewhat unique. It is designed to fit inside the burner exit port and has demonstrated to be highly effective in stabilizing flames over a very wide range of conditions (including ultra-lean flames at high flow-rates) without adversely affecting flame emissions.more » Unlike a simple rod stabilizer or a stagnation flame system, the benefit of having the stabilizer conform to the burner port is that there is very little leakage of the unburned fuel. The purpose of this brief communication is to offer this simple and highly useful device to the combustion research community. Presented are highlights of a parametric study that measured the stabilization limits and pollutant emissions of several different rings, and demonstrated their potential for use in practical systems.« less

Graphene stabilized ultra-small CuNi nanocomposite with high activity and recyclability toward catalysing the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds.

PubMed

Fang, Hao; Wen, Ming; Chen, Hanxing; Wu, Qingsheng; Li, Weiying

2016-01-07

Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (∼2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s(-1), with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime because it could be recycled over 25 times without obvious performance decay or even a morphology change. This work showed the promise and great potential of noble-metal-free catalysts in green chemistry.

Influence of Molecular Shape on the Thermal Stability and Molecular Orientation of Vapor-Deposited Organic Semiconductors

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

Walters, Diane M; Antony, Lucas; de Pablo, Juan

High thermal stability and anisotropic molecular orientation enhance the performance of vapor-deposited organic semiconductors, but controlling these properties is a challenge in amorphous materials. To understand the influence of molecular shape on these properties, vapor-deposited glasses of three disk-shaped molecules were prepared. For all three systems, enhanced thermal stability is observed for glasses prepared over a wide range of substrate temperatures and anisotropic molecular orientation is observed at lower substrate temperatures. For two of the disk-shaped molecules, atomistic simulations of thin films were also performed and anisotropic molecular orientation was observed at the equilibrium liquid surface. We find that themore » structure and thermal stability of these vapor-deposited glasses results from high surface mobility and partial equilibration toward the structure of the equilibrium liquid surface during the deposition process. For the three molecules studied, molecular shape is a dominant factor in determining the anisotropy of vapor-deposited glasses.« less

Performance Investigation on an Ultra-compact Interstage Turbine Burner with Trapped-vortex Slot Inlet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongtao; Luo, Guangqi; Guan, Lei; Zeng, Jianchen

2017-10-01

Ultra-Compact Combustor (UCC), which is one of mainstream design concepts of Interstage Turbine Burner (ITB), has the advantages of compact structure and high combustion efficiency. A design concept of an UCC with trapped-vortex slot inlet was proposed and numerical simulation of the stability, emissions, internal flow velocity and temperature distribution was carried out. The results indicated that the UCC with trapped-vortex slot inlet could enhance the mixing of combustion mixture and the mainstream airflow, improve the combustion efficiency, outlet temperature and the uniformity of outlet temperature field.

Carrier-envelope phase control using linear electro-optic effect.

PubMed

Gobert, O; Paul, P M; Hergott, J F; Tcherbakoff, O; Lepetit, F; 'Oliveira, P D; Viala, F; Comte, M

2011-03-14

We present a new method to control the Carrier-Envelope Phase of ultra-short laser pulses by using the linear Electro-Optic Effect. Experimental demonstration is carried out on a Chirped Pulse Amplification based laser. Phase shifts greater than π radian can be obtained by applying moderate voltage on a LiNbO3 crystal with practically no changes to all other parameters of the pulse with the exception of its group delay. Time response of the Electro-Optic effect makes possible shaping at a high repetition rate or stabilization of the CEP of ultra short CPA laser systems.

Optimum Thermal Processing for Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) Milk

PubMed Central

Deeth, Hilton

2017-01-01

Extended shelf-life (ESL) or ultra-pasteurized milk is produced by thermal processing using conditions between those used for traditional high-temperature, short-time (HTST) pasteurization and those used for ultra-high-temperature (UHT) sterilization. It should have a refrigerated shelf-life of more than 30 days. To achieve this, the thermal processing has to be quite intense. The challenge is to produce a product that has high bacteriological quality and safety but also very good organoleptic characteristics. Hence the two major aims in producing ESL milk are to inactivate all vegetative bacteria and spores of psychrotrophic bacteria, and to cause minimal chemical change that can result in cooked flavor development. The first aim is focused on inactivation of spores of psychrotrophic bacteria, especially Bacillus cereus because some strains of this organism are pathogenic, some can grow at ≤7 °C and cause spoilage of milk, and the spores of some strains are very heat-resistant. The second aim is minimizing denaturation of β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) as the extent of denaturation is strongly correlated with the production of volatile sulfur compounds that cause cooked flavor. It is proposed that the heating should have a bactericidal effect, B* (inactivation of thermophilic spores), of >0.3 and cause ≤50% denaturation of β-Lg. This can be best achieved by heating at high temperature for a short holding time using direct heating, and aseptically packaging the product. PMID:29156617

Investigation on Two-Stage 300 HZ Pulse Tube Cryocooler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, H. K.; Yang, L. W.; Hong, G. T.; Luo, E. C.; Zhou, Y.

2010-04-01

In the past few years, ultra-high frequency pulse tube cryocoolers are becoming a research hotspot for their portability and compactness in aerospace and aviation applications. For preliminary research, a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler working at 300 Hz driven by a thermoacoustic engine is established to investigate the problems due to ultra high frequency, and several results have been derived in our early reports. In order to study the effect of thermal penetration depth, this paper presents the cooler adopting copper mesh as the regenerator, and comparison with stainless steel mesh is given. In addition, the influence of inertance tube on the lowest possible cooler temperature is also tested. Finally, we discuss the improvement for getting a lower temperature.

Multifunctional Composites for Improved Polyimide Thermal Stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Sandi G.

2007-01-01

The layered morphology of silicate clay provides an effective barrier to oxidative degradation of the matrix resin. However, as resin thermal stability continues to reach higher limits, development of an organic modification with comparable temperature capabilities becomes a challenge. Typically, phyllosilicates used in polymer nanocomposites are modified with an alkyl ammonium ion. Such organic modifiers are not suited for incorporation into high temperature polymers as they commonly degrade below 200oC. Therefore, the development of nanoparticle specifically suited for high temperature applications is necessary. Several nanoparticles were investigated in this study, including pre-exfoliated synthetic clay, an organically modified clay, and carbon nanofiber. Dispersion of the layered silicate increases the onset temperature of matrix degradation as well as slows oxidative degradation. The thermally stable carbon nanofibers are also observed to significantly increase the resin thermal stability.

Thermal stability of hydrocarbons in nature: Limits, evidence, characteristics, and possible controls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, L.C.

1993-01-01

Numerous petroleum-geochemical analyses of deeply buried, high-rank, fine-grained rocks from ultra-deep wellbores by different investigators demonstrate that C15+ hydrocarbons (HCs) persist in moderate to high concentrations at vitrinite reflectance (R0) values of 2.0-5.0% and persist in measurable concentrations up to R0 = 7.0-8.0%, at which point the thermal deadline for C15+ HC's is finally approached. Qualitative analyses have been carried out on 1. (1) high-rank gas condensates which have been exposed to the HC-thermal-destructive phase, 2. (2) bitumens from high-temperature aqueous-pyrolysis experiments in the HC-thermal-destructive phase, and 3. (3) bitumens from high-rank, fine-grained rocks near the HC-thermal-destructive phase. These analyses clearly demonstrate that well-defined compositional suites are established in the saturated, aromatic, and sulfur-bearing aromatic HCs in and near the HC-thermal-destructive phase. On the other hand, accepted petroleum-geochemical paradigms place rigid limits on HC thermal stability: C15+ HCs begin thermal cracking at R0 values of 0.9% and are completely thermally destroyed by R0 = 1.35%; C2-C4 HC gases are thermally destroyed by R0 = 2.0% and methane is thermally destroyed by R0 = 4.0%. Furthermore, published data and observations in many HC basins worldwide support these models; for example, 1. (1) sharp basinal zonations of gas and oil deposits vs. maturation rank in HC basins and 2. (2) decreasing C15+ HC concentrations in some fine-grained rocks at ranks of R0 ??? 0.9%. The fact that observed data (C15+ HCs thermally stable to R0 = 7.0-8.0%) is so far removed from predicted behavior (C15+) HCs expected to be thermally destroyed by R0 = 1.35%) may be due to 1. (1) a lack of recognition of some important possible controlling parameters of organic matter (OM) metamorphism and too much importance given to other assumed controlling parameters; and 2. (2) assigning HC distribution patterns in petroleum basins to HC thermal cracking when such patterns may be due to other causes. In the first case, laboratory experiments strongly suggest that the presence of water, increasing fluid pressures, and closed systems (product retention) all suppress OM metamorphic reactions. Conversely, the absence of water, low fluid pressures, and open systems (product escape) all promote OM metamorphic reactions. These experiments also demonstrate that OM metamorphic reactions proceed by reaction kinetics greater than first order. Thus, the effect of geologic time appears to have been over-estimated in OM metamorphism. In the second case, the strong decreases in C15+ HC concentrations in fine-grained rocks with Type III OM over R0 = 0.9-1.35% are most probably due to intense primary migration and loss of HCs to drilling muds during the trip uphole in drilling operations. Data from coals demonstrate that these decreases in HC concentrations cannot be due to C15+ HC thermal destruction. Oil deposits are generally found at shallow depths in basins, and "dry gas" (methane ??? 98% of all HC gases) deposits are found at the greatest depths. This HC distribution pattern would be caused by methane, generated during the late stages of C15+ HC generation, flushing oil (including C2-C4 HC gases condensed into the liquid phase) out of deep basinal traps by Gussow's (1954) principle of differential entrapment. Hence, only "dry gas" deposits are left in the basin deeps. Oil emplacement processes in traps during expulsion and secondary migration could also contribute to the HC distribution pattern observed in petroleum basins. ?? 1993.

Robust high pressure stability and negative thermal expansion in sodium-rich antiperovskites Na{sub 3}OBr and Na{sub 4}OI{sub 2}

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

Wang, Yonggang, E-mail: yyggwang@gmail.com, E-mail: yangwg@hpstar.ac.cn, E-mail: yusheng.zhao@unlv.edu; Institute of Nanostructured Functional Materials, Huanghe Science and Technology College, Zhengzhou, Henan 450006; High Pressure Synergetic Consortium

2016-01-14

The structure stability under high pressure and thermal expansion behavior of Na{sub 3}OBr and Na{sub 4}OI{sub 2}, two prototypes of alkali-metal-rich antiperovskites, were investigated by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques under high pressure and low temperature. Both are soft materials with bulk modulus of 58.6 GPa and 52.0 GPa for Na{sub 3}OBr and Na{sub 4}OI{sub 2}, respectively. The cubic Na{sub 3}OBr structure and tetragonal Na{sub 4}OI{sub 2} with intergrowth K{sub 2}NiF{sub 4} structure are stable under high pressure up to 23 GPa. Although being a characteristic layered structure, Na{sub 4}OI{sub 2} exhibits nearly isotropic compressibility. Negative thermal expansion was observed at lowmore » temperature range (20–80 K) in both transition-metal-free antiperovskites for the first time. The robust high pressure structure stability was examined and confirmed by first-principles calculations among various possible polymorphisms qualitatively. The results provide in-depth understanding of the negative thermal expansion and robust crystal structure stability of these antiperovskite systems and their potential applications.« less

Highly transparent and thermal-stable silver nanowire conductive film covered with ZnMgO by atomic-layer-deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Huang, Dongchen; Li, Min; Xu, Hua; Zou, Jianhua; Tao, Hong; Peng, Junbiao; Xu, Miao

2017-12-01

Solution-processed silver nanowires (AgNWs) have been considered as a promising material for next generation flexible transparent conductive electrodes. However AgNWs films have several intrinsic drawbacks, such as thermal stability and storage stability. Herein, we demonstrate a laminated ZnO/MgO (ZnMgO, ZMO) as a protective layer on the AgNWs films using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The fabricated films exhibited a low sheet resistance of 16 Ω/sq with high transmittance of 91% at 550 nm, an excellent thermal stability and bending property. The ZMO film grows perpendicularly on the surface of the AgNWs, making a perfect coverage of bulk silver nanowires and junction, which can effectively prompt the electrical transport behavior and enhance stability of the silver nanowires network.

Shelf Stable Egg-Based Products Processed By Ultra High Pressure Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-03

nonpathogenic flat-sour thermophilic organism have been used as one of the surrogate organisms for Clostridium botulinum in thermal processing (IFT, 2000...treated with lysozyme (100 μg/ml for 30 min) and trypsin (200 μg/ml for 2 h) to minimize interfering cell debris. After enzyme treatment the spore

Utilization of Field Enhancement in Plasmonic Waveguides for Subwavelength Light-Guiding, Polarization Handling, Heating, and Optical Sensing.

PubMed

Dai, Daoxin; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Wei

2015-10-09

Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted intensive attention for many applications in recent years because of the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface. First, this strong field enhancement makes it possible to break the diffraction limit and enable subwavelength optical waveguiding, which is desired for nanophotonic integrated circuits with ultra-high integration density. Second, the field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures occurs only for the polarization mode whose electric field is perpendicular to the metal/dielectric interface, and thus the strong birefringence is beneficial for realizing ultra-small polarization-sensitive/selective devices, including polarization beam splitters, and polarizers. Third, plasmonic nanostructures provide an excellent platform of merging electronics and photonics for some applications, e.g., thermal tuning, photo-thermal detection, etc. Finally, the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface helps a lot to realize optical sensors with high sensitivity when introducing plasmonic nanostrutures. In this paper, we give a review for recent progresses on the utilization of field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures for these applications, e.g., waveguiding, polarization handling, heating, as well as optical sensing.

Utilization of Field Enhancement in Plasmonic Waveguides for Subwavelength Light-Guiding, Polarization Handling, Heating, and Optical Sensing

PubMed Central

Dai, Daoxin; Wu, Hao; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

Plasmonic nanostructures have attracted intensive attention for many applications in recent years because of the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface. First, this strong field enhancement makes it possible to break the diffraction limit and enable subwavelength optical waveguiding, which is desired for nanophotonic integrated circuits with ultra-high integration density. Second, the field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures occurs only for the polarization mode whose electric field is perpendicular to the metal/dielectric interface, and thus the strong birefringence is beneficial for realizing ultra-small polarization-sensitive/selective devices, including polarization beam splitters, and polarizers. Third, plasmonic nanostructures provide an excellent platform of merging electronics and photonics for some applications, e.g., thermal tuning, photo-thermal detection, etc. Finally, the field enhancement at the metal/dielectric interface helps a lot to realize optical sensors with high sensitivity when introducing plasmonic nanostrutures. In this paper, we give a review for recent progresses on the utilization of field enhancement in plasmonic nanostructures for these applications, e.g., waveguiding, polarization handling, heating, as well as optical sensing. PMID:28793600

Application of ultra high pressure (UHP) in starch chemistry.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Seok; Kim, Byung-Yong; Baik, Moo-Yeol

2012-01-01

Ultra high pressure (UHP) processing is an attractive non-thermal technique for food treatment and preservation at room temperature, with the potential to achieve interesting functional effects. The majority of UHP process applications in food systems have focused on shelf-life extension associated with non-thermal sterilization and a reduction or increase in enzymatic activity. Only a few studies have investigated modifications of structural characteristics and/or protein functionalities. Despite the rapid expansion of UHP applications in food systems, limited information is available on the effects of UHP on the structural and physicochemical properties of starch and/or its chemical derivatives included in most processed foods as major ingredients or minor additives. Starch and its chemical derivatives are responsible for textural and physical properties of food systems, impacting their end-use quality and/or shelf-life. This article reviews UHP processes for native (unmodified) starch granules and their effects on the physicochemical properties of UHP-treated starch. Furthermore, functional roles of UHP in acid-hydrolysis, hydroxypropylation, acetylation, and cross-linking reactions of starch granules, as well as the physicochemical properties of UHP-assisted starch chemical derivatives, are discussed.

Thermal Conductivity and Sintering Behavior of Advanced Thermal Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2002-01-01

Advanced thermal barrier coatings, having significantly reduced long-term thermal conductivities, are being developed using an approach that emphasizes real-time monitoring of thermal conductivity under conditions that are engine-like in terms of temperatures and heat fluxes. This is in contrast to the traditional approach where coatings are initially optimized in terms of furnace and burner rig durability with subsequent measurement in the as-processed or furnace-sintered condition. The present work establishes a laser high-heat-flux test as the basis for evaluating advanced plasma-sprayed and physical vapor-deposited thermal barrier coatings under the NASA Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) Program. The candidate coating materials for this program are novel thermal barrier coatings that are found to have significantly reduced thermal conductivities due to an oxide-defect-cluster design. Critical issues for designing advanced low conductivity coatings with improved coating durability are also discussed.

Effect of thermal and high pressure processing on stability of betalain extracted from red beet stalks.

PubMed

Dos Santos, Cláudia Destro; Ismail, Marliya; Cassini, Aline Schilling; Marczak, Ligia Damasceno Ferreira; Tessaro, Isabel Cristina; Farid, Mohammed

2018-02-01

Red beet stalks are a potential source of betalain, but their pigments are not widely used because of their instability. In the present work, the applicability of high pressure processing (HPP) and high temperature short time (HTST) thermal treatment was investigated to improve betalain stability in extracts with low and high concentrations. The HPP was applied at 6000 bar for 10, 20 and 30 min and HTST treatment was applied at 75.7 °C for 80 s, 81.1 °C for 100 s and 85.7 °C for 120 s, HPP treatment did not show any improvement in the betalain stability. In turn, the degradation rate of the control and the HTST thermal treatment at 85.7 °C for 120 s of the sample with high initial betalain concentration were 1.2 and 0.4 mg of betanin/100 ml of extract per day respectively. Among the treatments studied, HTST was considered the most suitable to maintain betalain stability from red beet stalks.

The effect of processing on the surface physical stability of amorphous solid dispersions.

PubMed

Yang, Ziyi; Nollenberger, Kathrin; Albers, Jessica; Moffat, Jonathan; Craig, Duncan; Qi, Sheng

2014-11-01

The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of processing on the surface crystallization of amorphous molecular dispersions and gain insight into the mechanisms underpinning this effect. The model systems, amorphous molecular dispersions of felodipine-EUDRAGIT® E PO, were processed both using spin coating (an ultra-fast solvent evaporation based method) and hot melt extrusion (HME) (a melting based method). Amorphous solid dispersions with drug loadings of 10-90% (w/w) were obtained by both processing methods. Samples were stored under 75% RH/room temperatures for up to 10months. Surface crystallization was observed shortly after preparation for the HME samples with high drug loadings (50-90%). Surface crystallization was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and imaging techniques (SEM, AFM and localized thermal analysis). Spin coated molecular dispersions showed significantly higher surface physical stability than hot melt extruded samples. For both systems, the progress of the surface crystal growth followed zero order kinetics on aging. Drug enrichment at the surfaces of HME samples on aging was observed, which may contribute to surface crystallization of amorphous molecular dispersions. In conclusion it was found the amorphous molecular dispersions prepared by spin coating had a significantly higher surface physical stability than the corresponding HME samples, which may be attributed to the increased process-related apparent drug-polymer solubility and reduced molecular mobility due to the quenching effect caused by the rapid solvent evaporation in spin coating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flexible, transparent and ultra-broadband photodetector based on large-area WSe2 film for wearable devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhaoqiang; Zhang, Tanmei; Yao, Jiandomg; Zhang, Yi; Xu, Jiarui; Yang, Guowei

2016-06-01

Although two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted considerable research interest for use in the development of innovative wearable optoelectronic systems, the integrated optoelectronic performance of 2D materials photodetectors, including flexibility, transparency, broadband response and stability in air, remains quite low to date. Here, we demonstrate a flexible, transparent, high-stability and ultra-broadband photodetector made using large-area and highly-crystalline WSe2 films that were prepared by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD). Benefiting from the 2D physics of WSe2 films, this device exhibits excellent average transparency of 72% in the visible range and superior photoresponse characteristics, including an ultra-broadband detection spectral range from 370 to 1064 nm, reversible photoresponsivity approaching 0.92 A W-1, external quantum efficiency of up to 180% and a relatively fast response time of 0.9 s. The fabricated photodetector also demonstrates outstanding mechanical flexibility and durability in air. Also, because of the wide compatibility of the PLD-grown WSe2 film, we can fabricate various photodetectors on multiple flexible or rigid substrates, and all these devices will exhibit distinctive switching behavior and superior responsivity. These indicate a possible new strategy for the design and integration of flexible, transparent and broadband photodetectors based on large-area WSe2 films, with great potential for practical applications in the wearable optoelectronic devices.

Ultra-low Temperature Curable Conductive Silver Adhesive with different Resin Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xingli; Wang, Likun; Liao, Qingwei; Yan, Chao; Li, Xing; Qin, Lei

2018-03-01

The ultra-low temperature curable conductive silver adhesive with curing temperature less than 100 °C needed urgently for the surface conductive treatment of piezoelectric composite material due to the low thermal resistance of composite material and low adhesion strength of adhesive. An ultra-low temperature curable conductive adhesive with high adhesion strength was obtained for the applications of piezoelectric composite material. The microstructure, conductive properties and adhesive properties with different resin matrix were investigated. The conductive adhesive with AG-80 as the resin matrix has the shorter curing time (20min), lower curing temperature (90°C) and higher adhesion strength (7.6MPa). The resistivity of AG-80 sample has the lower value (2.13 × 10-4Ω·cm) than the 618 sample (4.44 × 10-4Ω·cm).

Ultra-thin distributed Bragg reflectors via stacked single-crystal silicon nanomembranes

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

Cho, Minkyu; Seo, Jung-Hun; Lee, Jaeseong

2015-05-04

In this paper, we report ultra-thin distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) via stacked single-crystal silicon (Si) nanomembranes (NMs). Mesh hole-free single-crystal Si NMs were released from a Si-on-insulator substrate and transferred to quartz and Si substrates. Thermal oxidation was applied to the transferred Si NM to form high-quality SiO{sub 2} and thus a Si/SiO{sub 2} pair with uniform and precisely controlled thicknesses. The Si/SiO{sub 2} layers, as smooth as epitaxial grown layers, minimize scattering loss at the interface and in between the layers. As a result, a reflection of 99.8% at the wavelength range from 1350 nm to 1650 nm can be measuredmore » from a 2.5-pair DBR on a quartz substrate and 3-pair DBR on a Si substrate with thickness of 0.87 μm and 1.14 μm, respectively. The high reflection, ultra-thin DBRs developed here, which can be applied to almost any devices and materials, holds potential for application in high performance optoelectronic devices and photonics applications.« less

Characterization of a high performance ultra-thin heat pipe cooling module for mobile hand held electronic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahamed, Mohammad Shahed; Saito, Yuji; Mashiko, Koichi; Mochizuki, Masataka

2017-11-01

In recent years, heat pipes have been widely used in various hand held mobile electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet PCs, digital cameras. With the development of technology these devices have different user friendly features and applications; which require very high clock speeds of the processor. In general, a high clock speed generates a lot of heat, which needs to be spreaded or removed to eliminate the hot spot on the processor surface. However, it is a challenging task to achieve proper cooling of such electronic devices mentioned above because of their confined spaces and concentrated heat sources. Regarding this challenge, we introduced an ultra-thin heat pipe; this heat pipe consists of a special fiber wick structure named as "Center Fiber Wick" which can provide sufficient vapor space on the both sides of the wick structure. We also developed a cooling module that uses this kind of ultra-thin heat pipe to eliminate the hot spot issue. This cooling module consists of an ultra-thin heat pipe and a metal plate. By changing the width, the flattened thickness and the effective length of the ultra-thin heat pipe, several experiments have been conducted to characterize the thermal properties of the developed cooling module. In addition, other experiments were also conducted to determine the effects of changes in the number of heat pipes in a single module. Characterization and comparison of the module have also been conducted both experimentally and theoretically.

Fabrication and Performance of MEMS-Based Pressure Sensor Packages Using Patterned Ultra-Thick Photoresists

PubMed Central

Chen, Lung-Tai; Chang, Jin-Sheng; Hsu, Chung-Yi; Cheng, Wood-Hi

2009-01-01

A novel plastic packaging of a piezoresistive pressure sensor using a patterned ultra-thick photoresist is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Two pressure sensor packages of the sacrifice-replacement and dam-ring type were used in this study. The characteristics of the packaged pressure sensors were investigated by using a finite-element (FE) model and experimental measurements. The results show that the thermal signal drift of the packaged pressure sensor with a small sensing-channel opening or with a thin silicon membrane for the dam-ring approach had a high packaging induced thermal stress, leading to a high temperature coefficient of span (TCO) response of −0.19% span/°C. The results also show that the thermal signal drift of the packaged pressure sensors with a large sensing-channel opening for sacrifice-replacement approach significantly reduced packaging induced thermal stress, and hence a low TCO response of −0.065% span/°C. However, the packaged pressure sensors of both the sacrifice-replacement and dam-ring type still met the specification −0.2% span/°C of the unpackaged pressure sensor. In addition, the size of proposed packages was 4 × 4 × 1.5 mm3 which was about seven times less than the commercialized packages. With the same packaging requirement, the proposed packaging approaches may provide an adequate solution for use in other open-cavity sensors, such as gas sensors, image sensors, and humidity sensors. PMID:22454580

Thermal-stability studies of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Junwei

2005-07-01

The thermal stability of lithium-ion batteries has recently attracted attention for two major reasons. (1) Attempts to make large-size cells used in power tools, E-bikes and EVs. Large cells have lower surface area to volume ratios and hence heat dissipation is more problematic than 18650-size cells. Safety problems, therefore, for large cells are more serious. (2) Next generation high-capacity electrodes will increase the energy density of lithium-ion cells meaning even an 18650-size cell may face safety concerns. This thesis presents studies of the thermal stability of electrode materials in electrolytes to understand their reactivity. A search for new positive electrode materials with high thermal stability was made. The thermal stability of two common electrode materials (Li0.81 C6 and Li0.5CoO2) in lithium-ion cells was studied by Accelerating Rate Calorimeter (ARC). Li0.81C 6 has much lower reactivity with lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) electrolyte compared to LiPF6 electrolyte. It is not the case, however, for Li0.5CoO2. Oven tests of full LiCoO 2/C 18650-size cells with LiBOB or LiPF6 electrolytes, confirmed the ARC results. ARC was then used to study the reactivity of existing electrode materials. The thermal stability of a negative electrode material was found to increase with the binding energy of Li atoms hosted in the material. Li0.5VO 2 (B) has a higher lithium binding energy (2.45 eV vs. Li) than Li 0.81C6 (0.1 eV vs. Li) and Li7Ti5O 12 (1.55 eV) and it shows the highest thermal stability in EC/DEC among the three materials. The reactivity of two existing positive electrode materials, LiMn2O4 and LiFePO4, was studied. Cell systems expected to be highly tolerant to thermal abuse were suggested: LiFePO 4/C or Li4Ti5O12 in LiBOB electrolytes. The system, x Li[Ni1/2Mn1/2]O2 • y LiCoO2 • z Li[Li1/3Mn2/3]O2 (x + y + z = 1), was explored for new positive electrode materials with large capacity and high thermal stability. Li[(Ni0.5Mn0.5) xCo1-x]O2 (0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.7) samples have excellent electrochemical properties and thermal stability and are being commercialized by industry. Li[(Ni0.5Mn0.5)xCo y(Li1/3Mn2/3)z]O2 (1/12 ≤ y ≤ 1/4, 1/6 ≤ z ≤ 1/3) samples have high specific capacity (200 mA h g-1), excellent cycling performance, and are safer than LiCoO2. The materials are suggested for energy cells used in cell phones, laptops, and so on.

Multicomponent, Rare-Earth-Doped Thermal-Barrier Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Robert A.; Zhu, Dongming

2005-01-01

Multicomponent, rare-earth-doped, perovskite-type thermal-barrier coating materials have been developed in an effort to obtain lower thermal conductivity, greater phase stability, and greater high-temperature capability, relative to those of the prior thermal-barrier coating material of choice, which is yttria-partially stabilized zirconia. As used here, "thermal-barrier coatings" (TBCs) denotes thin ceramic layers used to insulate air-cooled metallic components of heat engines (e.g., gas turbines) from hot gases. These layers are generally fabricated by plasma spraying or physical vapor deposition of the TBC materials onto the metal components. A TBC as deposited has some porosity, which is desirable in that it reduces the thermal conductivity below the intrinsic thermal conductivity of the fully dense form of the material. Undesirably, the thermal conductivity gradually increases because the porosity gradually decreases as a consequence of sintering during high-temperature service. Because of these and other considerations such as phase transformations, the maximum allowable service temperature for yttria-partially stabilized zirconia TBCs lies in the range of about 1,200 to 1,300 C. In contrast, the present multicomponent, rare-earth-doped, perovskite-type TBCs can withstand higher temperatures.

Thermal Conductivity and Stability of HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 Evaluated for 1650 Deg C Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Bansal, Narottam P.; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 are candidate thermal and environmental barrier coating (T/EBC) materials for gas turbine ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor applications because of their relatively low thermal conductivity and high temperature capability. In this paper, thermal conductivity and high temperature stability of hot-pressed and plasma sprayed specimens with representative partially-stabilized and fully-cubic HfO2-Y2O3 compositions and La2Zr2O7 were evaluated at temperatures up to 1700 C using a steady-state laser heat-flux technique. Sintering behavior of the plasmasprayed coatings was determined by monitoring the thermal conductivity increases during a 20-hour test period at various temperatures. Durability and failure mechanisms of the HfO2-Y2O3 and La2Zr2O7 coatings on mullite/SiC hexoloy or SiC/SiC CMC substrates were investigated at 1650 C under thermal gradient cyclic conditions. Coating design and testing issues for the 1650 C thermal/environmental barrier coating applications are also discussed.

Rational design of Pleurotus eryngii versatile ligninolytic peroxidase for enhanced pH and thermal stability through structure-based protein engineering.

PubMed

Gao, Yu; Li, Jian-Jun; Zheng, Lanyan; Du, Yuguang

2017-11-01

Versatile peroxidase (VP) from Pleurotus eryngii is a high redox potential peroxidase. It has aroused great biotechnological interest due to its ability to oxidize a wide range of substrates, but its application is still limited due to low pH and thermal stability. Since CiP (Coprinopsis cinerea peroxidase) and PNP (peanut peroxidase) exhibited higher pH and thermal stability than VP, several motifs, which might contribute to their pH and thermal stability, were identified through structure and sequence alignment. Six VP variants incorporating the beneficial motifs were designed and constructed. Most variants were nearly completely inactivated except V1 (Variant 1) and V4. V1 showed comparable activity to WT VP against ABTS, while V4 exhibited reduced activity. V1 displayed improved pH stability than WT VP, at pH 3.0 in particular, whereas the pH stability of V4 did not change a lot. The thermal stabilities of V1 and V4 were enhanced with T50 raised by 3°C. The results demonstrated that variants containing the beneficial motifs of CiP and PNP conferred VP with improved pH and thermal stability. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Analysis of protein stability and ligand interactions by thermal shift assay.

PubMed

Huynh, Kathy; Partch, Carrie L

2015-02-02

Purification of recombinant proteins for biochemical assays and structural studies is time-consuming and presents inherent difficulties that depend on the optimization of protein stability. The use of dyes to monitor thermal denaturation of proteins with sensitive fluorescence detection enables rapid and inexpensive determination of protein stability using real-time PCR instruments. By screening a wide range of solution conditions and additives in a 96-well format, the thermal shift assay easily identifies conditions that significantly enhance the stability of recombinant proteins. The same approach can be used as an initial low-cost screen to discover new protein-ligand interactions by capitalizing on increases in protein stability that typically occur upon ligand binding. This unit presents a methodological workflow for small-scale, high-throughput thermal denaturation of recombinant proteins in the presence of SYPRO Orange dye. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Phase stability and thermal equation of state of δ-AlOOH: Implication for water transportation to the Deep Lower Mantle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Yunfei; Sun, Ningyu; Wang, Siheng; Li, Xinyang; Guo, Xuan; Ni, Huaiwei; Prakapenka, Vitali B.; Mao, Zhu

2018-07-01

In this study, we present new experimental constraints on the phase stability and thermal equation of state of an important hydrous phase, δ-AlOOH, using synchrotron X-ray diffraction up to 142 GPa and 2500 K. Our experimental results have shown that δ-AlOOH remains stable at the whole mantle pressure-temperature conditions above the D″ layer yet will decompose at the core-mantle boundary because of a dramatic increase in temperature from the silicate mantle to the metallic outer core. At the bottom transition zone and top lower mantle, the formation of δ-AlOOH by the decomposition of phase Egg is associated with a ∼2.1-2.5% increase in density (ρ) and a ∼19.7-20.4% increase in bulk sound velocity (VΦ). The increase in ρ across the phase Egg to δ-AlOOH phase transition can facilitate the subduction of δ-AlOOH to the lower mantle. Compared to major lower-mantle phases, δ-AlOOH has the lowest ρ but greatest VΦ, leading to an anomalous low ρ /VΦ ratio which can help to identify the potential presence of δ-AlOOH in the region. More importantly, water released from the breakdown of δ-AlOOH at the core-mantle boundary could lower the solidus of the pyrolitic mantle to cause partial melting and/or react with Fe in the region to form the low-velocity FeO2Hx phase. The presence of partial melting and/or the accumulation of FeO2Hx phase at the CMB could be the cause for the ultra-low velocity zone. δ-AlOOH is thus an important phase to transport water to the lowermost mantle and helps to understand the origin of the ultra-low velocity zone.

High mobility and high stability glassy metal-oxynitride materials and devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eunha; Kim, Taeho; Benayad, Anass; Hur, Jihyun; Park, Gyeong-Su; Jeon, Sanghun

2016-04-01

In thin film technology, future semiconductor and display products with high performance, high density, large area, and ultra high definition with three-dimensional functionalities require high performance thin film transistors (TFTs) with high stability. Zinc oxynitride, a composite of zinc oxide and zinc nitride, has been conceded as a strong substitute to conventional semiconductor film such as silicon and indium gallium zinc oxide due to high mobility value. However, zinc oxynitride has been suffered from poor reproducibility due to relatively low binding energy of nitrogen with zinc, resulting in the instability of composition and its device performance. Here we performed post argon plasma process on zinc oxynitride film, forming nano-crystalline structure in stable amorphous matrix which hampers the reaction of oxygen with zinc. Therefore, material properties and device performance of zinc oxynitride are greatly enhanced, exhibiting robust compositional stability even exposure to air, uniform phase, high electron mobility, negligible fast transient charging and low noise characteristics. Furthermore, We expect high mobility and high stability zinc oxynitride customized by plasma process to be applicable to a broad range of semiconductor and display devices.

Ultra-stable microwave generation with a diode-pumped solid-state laser in the 1.5-μm range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolgovskiy, Vladimir; Schilt, Stéphane; Bucalovic, Nikola; Di Domenico, Gianni; Grop, Serge; Dubois, Benoît; Giordano, Vincent; Südmeyer, Thomas

2014-09-01

We demonstrate the first ultra-stable microwave generation based on a 1.5-μm diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) frequency comb. Our system relies on optical-to-microwave frequency division from a planar-waveguide external cavity laser referenced to an ultra-stable Fabry-Perot cavity. The evaluation of the microwave signal at ~10 GHz uses the transportable ultra-low-instability signal source ULISS®, which employs a cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. With the DPSSL comb, we measured -125 dBc/Hz phase noise at 1 kHz offset frequency, likely limited by the photo-detection shot-noise or by the noise floor of the reference cryo-cooled sapphire oscillator. For comparison, we also generated low-noise microwave using a commercial Er:fiber comb stabilized in similar conditions and observed >20 dB lower phase noise in the microwave generated from the DPSSL comb. Our results confirm the high potential of the DPSSL technology for low-noise comb applications.

Engineering Interface Structures and Thermal Stabilities via SPD Processing in Bulk Nanostructured Metals

DOE PAGES

Zheng, Shijian; Carpenter, John S.; McCabe, Rodney J.; ...

2014-02-27

Nanostructured metals achieve extraordinary strength but suffer from low thermal stability, both a consequence of a high fraction of interfaces. Overcoming this tradeoff relies on making the interfaces themselves thermally stable. In this paper, we show that the atomic structures of bi-metal interfaces in macroscale nanomaterials suitable for engineering structures can be significantly altered via changing the severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing pathway. Two types of interfaces are formed, both exhibiting a regular atomic structure and providing for excellent thermal stability, up to more than half the melting temperature of one of the constituents. Most importantly, the thermal stability ofmore » one is found to be significantly better than the other, indicating the exciting potential to control and optimize macroscale robustness via atomic-scale bimetal interface tuning. As a result, we demonstrate an innovative way to engineer pristine bimetal interfaces for a new class of simultaneously strong and thermally stable materials.« less

Cruciate retaining and cruciate substituting ultra-congruent insert

PubMed Central

Deledda, Davide; Rosso, Federica; Ratto, Nicola; Bruzzone, Matteo; Bonasia, Davide Edoardo; Rossi, Roberto

2016-01-01

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) conservation and the polyethylene insert constraint in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are still debated. The PCL is one of the primary stabilizers of the joint, but cruciate retaining (CR) implants have the disadvantage of a difficult balancing of the PCL. Postero-stabilized (PS) implants were introduced to reduce this problem. However, also the PS implants have some disadvantages, due to the cam-mechanism, such as high risk of cam-mechanism polyethylene wear. To minimize the polyethylene wear of the cam-mechanism and the bone sacrifice due to the intercondylar box, different types of inserts were developed, trying to increase the implant conformity and to reduce stresses on the bone-implant interface. In this scenario ultra-congruent (UC) inserts were developed. Those inserts are characterized by a high anterior wall and a deep-dished plate. This conformation should guarantee a good stability without the posterior cam. Few studies on both kinematic and clinical outcomes of UC inserts are available. Clinical and radiological outcomes, as well as kinematic data are similar between UC mobile bearing (MB) and standard PS MB inserts at short to mid-term follow-up. In this manuscript biomechanics and clinical outcomes of UC inserts will be described, and they will be compared to standard PS or CR inserts. PMID:26855938

Effect of small scattering centers on the thermoelectric properties of p-type SiGe alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beaty, John S.; Rolfe, Jonathan L.; Vandersande, Jan W.

1991-01-01

Theory predicts that the addition of ultra-fine, inert, phonon-scattering centers to thermoelectric materials will reduce their thermal conductivity. To investigate this prediction, ultrafine particulates (20 to 120 A) of silicon nitride have been added to boron-doped, p-type, 80/20 SiGe. All of the SiGe samples produced from ultrafine powder have lower thermal conductivities than standard SiGe, but high-temperature heat treatment increases the thermal conductivity back to the value for standard SiGe. However, the SiGe samples with silicon nitride, inert, phonon-scattering centers retained the lower thermal conductivity after several heat treatments. A reduction of approximately 25 percent in thermal conductivity has been achieved in these samples. The magnitude of the reduction agrees with theoretical predictions.

Atomic Layer Deposition Al2O3 Coatings Significantly Improve Thermal, Chemical, and Mechanical Stability of Anodic TiO2 Nanotube Layers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We report on a very significant enhancement of the thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability of self-organized TiO2 nanotubes layers, provided by thin Al2O3 coatings of different thicknesses prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD). TiO2 nanotube layers coated with Al2O3 coatings exhibit significantly improved thermal stability as illustrated by the preservation of the nanotubular structure upon annealing treatment at high temperatures (870 °C). In addition, a high anatase content is preserved in the nanotube layers against expectation of the total rutile conversion at such a high temperature. Hardness of the resulting nanotube layers is investigated by nanoindentation measurements and shows strongly improved values compared to uncoated counterparts. Finally, it is demonstrated that Al2O3 coatings guarantee unprecedented chemical stability of TiO2 nanotube layers in harsh environments of concentrated H3PO4 solutions. PMID:28291942

Using high thermal stability flexible thin film thermoelectric generator at moderate temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhuang-Hao; Luo, Jing-Ting; Chen, Tian-Bao; Zhang, Xiang-Hua; Liang, Guang-Xing; Fan, Ping

2018-04-01

Flexible thin film thermoelectric devices are extensively used in the microscale industry for powering wearable electronics. In this study, comprehensive optimization was conducted in materials and connection design for fabricating a high thermal stability flexible thin film thermoelectric generator. First, the thin films in the generator, including the electrodes, were prepared by magnetron sputtering deposition. The "NiCu-Cu-NiCu" multilayer electrode structure was applied to ensure the thermal stability of the device used at moderate temperature in an air atmosphere. A design with metal layer bonding and series accordant connection was then employed. The maximum efficiency of a single PN thermocouple generator is >11%, and the output power loss of the generator is <10% after integration.

An organic p-type dopant with high thermal stability for an organic semiconductor.

PubMed

Gao, Zhi Qiang; Mi, Bao Xiu; Xu, Gui Zhen; Wan, Yi Qian; Gong, Meng Lian; Cheah, Kok Wai; Chen, Chin H

2008-01-07

To overcome the thermal instability of a p-doped organic hole transporting layer using the state-of-the-art p-type dopant, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, a potent electron accepter, 3,6-difluoro-2,5,7,7,8,8-hexacyanoquinodimethane, has been found to possess superior thermal stability and proved to be an excellent p-type dopant.

High-Strength Ultra-Fine-Grained Hypereutectic Al-Si-Fe-X (X = Cr, Mn) Alloys Prepared by Short-Term Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering.

PubMed

Průša, Filip; Bláhová, Markéta; Vojtěch, Dalibor; Kučera, Vojtěch; Bernatiková, Adriana; Kubatík, Tomáš František; Michalcová, Alena

2016-11-30

In this work, Al-20Si-10Fe-6Cr and Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn (wt %) alloys were prepared by a combination of short-term mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. The microstructure was composed of homogeneously dispersed intermetallic particles forming composite-like structures. X-ray diffraction analysis and TEM + EDS analysis determined that the α-Al along with α-Al 15 (Fe,Cr)₃Si₂ or α-Al 15 (Fe,Mn)₃Si₂ phases were present, with dimensions below 130 nm. The highest hardness of 380 ± 7 HV5 was observed for the Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn alloy, exceeding the hardness of the reference as-cast Al-12Si-1Cu-1 Mg-1Ni alloy (121 ± 2 HV5) by nearly a factor of three. Both of the prepared alloys showed exceptional thermal stability with the hardness remaining almost the same even after 100 h of annealing at 400 °C. Additionally, the compressive strengths of the Al-20Si-10Fe-6Cr and Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn alloys reached 869 MPa and 887 MPa, respectively, and had virtually the same values of 870 MPa and 865 MPa, respectively, even after 100 h of annealing. More importantly, the alloys showed an increase in ductility at 400 °C, reaching several tens of percent. Thus, both of the investigated alloys showed better mechanical properties, including superior hardness, compressive strength and thermal stability, as compared to the reference Al-10Si-1Cu-1Mg-1Ni alloy, which softened remarkably, reducing its hardness by almost 50% to 63 ± 8 HV5.

High-Strength Ultra-Fine-Grained Hypereutectic Al-Si-Fe-X (X = Cr, Mn) Alloys Prepared by Short-Term Mechanical Alloying and Spark Plasma Sintering

PubMed Central

Průša, Filip; Bláhová, Markéta; Vojtěch, Dalibor; Kučera, Vojtěch; Bernatiková, Adriana; Kubatík, Tomáš František; Michalcová, Alena

2016-01-01

In this work, Al-20Si-10Fe-6Cr and Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn (wt %) alloys were prepared by a combination of short-term mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering. The microstructure was composed of homogeneously dispersed intermetallic particles forming composite-like structures. X-ray diffraction analysis and TEM + EDS analysis determined that the α-Al along with α-Al15(Fe,Cr)3Si2 or α-Al15(Fe,Mn)3Si2 phases were present, with dimensions below 130 nm. The highest hardness of 380 ± 7 HV5 was observed for the Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn alloy, exceeding the hardness of the reference as-cast Al-12Si-1Cu-1 Mg-1Ni alloy (121 ± 2 HV5) by nearly a factor of three. Both of the prepared alloys showed exceptional thermal stability with the hardness remaining almost the same even after 100 h of annealing at 400 °C. Additionally, the compressive strengths of the Al-20Si-10Fe-6Cr and Al-20Si-10Fe-6Mn alloys reached 869 MPa and 887 MPa, respectively, and had virtually the same values of 870 MPa and 865 MPa, respectively, even after 100 h of annealing. More importantly, the alloys showed an increase in ductility at 400 °C, reaching several tens of percent. Thus, both of the investigated alloys showed better mechanical properties, including superior hardness, compressive strength and thermal stability, as compared to the reference Al-10Si-1Cu-1Mg-1Ni alloy, which softened remarkably, reducing its hardness by almost 50% to 63 ± 8 HV5. PMID:28774094

Tilt anisoplanatism in extended turbulence propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magee, Eric P.; Whiteley, Matthew R.; Das, Shashikala T.; Welsh, Byron M.

2003-04-01

The use of high-energy laser (HEL) weapon systems in tactical air-to-ground target engagements offers great promise for revolutionizing the USAF's war-fighting capabilities. Laser directed-energy systems will enable ultra-precision strike with minimal collateral damage and significant stand-off range for the aerial platform. The tactical directed energy application differs in many crucial ways from the conventional approach used in missile defense. Tactical missions occur at much lower altitudes and involve look-down to low-contrast ground targets instead of a high-contrast boosting missile. At these lower altitudes, the strength of atmospheric turbulence is greatly enhanced. Although the target slant ranges are much shorter, tactical missions may still involve moderate values of the Rytov number (0.1-0.5), and small isoplanatic angles compared to the diffraction angle. With increased density of air in the propagation path, and the potential for slow-moving or stationary ground targets, HEL-induced thermal blooming will certainly be a concern. In order to minimize the errors induced by tracking through thermal blooming, offset aimpoint tracking can be used. However, this will result in significant tilt anisoplanatism, thus degrading beam stabilization on target. In this paper we investigate the effects of extended turbulence on tracking (or tilt) anisoplanatism using theory and wave optics simulations. The simulations show good agreement with geometric optics predictions at angles larger than about 5 micro-radians (asymptotic regime) while at smaller angles the agreement is poor. We present a theoretical basis for this observation.

High-energy asymmetric supercapacitors based on free-standing hierarchical Co-Mo-S nanosheets with enhanced cycling stability.

PubMed

Balamurugan, Jayaraman; Li, Chao; Peera, Shaik Gouse; Kim, Nam Hoon; Lee, Joong Hee

2017-09-21

Layered transition metal sulfides (TMS) are emerging as advanced materials for energy storage and conversion applications. In this work, we report a facile and cost-effective anion exchange technique to fabricate a layered, multifaceted, free standing, ultra-thin ternary cobalt molybdenum sulfide nanosheet (Co-Mo-S NS) architecture grown on a 3D porous Ni foam substrate. The unique Co-Mo layered double hydroxides are first synthesized as precursors and consequently transformed into ultra-thin Co-Mo-S NS. When employed as an electrode for supercapacitors, the Co-Mo-S NS delivered an ultra-high specific capacitance of 2343 F g -1 at a current density of 1 mA cm -2 with tremendous rate capability and extraordinary cycling performance (96.6% capacitance retention after 20 000 cycles). Furthermore, assembled Co-Mo-S/nitrogen doped graphene nanosheets (NGNS) in an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device delivered an excellent energy density of 89.6 Wh kg -1 , an amazing power density of 20.07 kW kg -1 , and superior cycling performance (86.8% capacitance retention after 50 000 cycles). Such exceptional electrochemical performance of Co-Mo-S NS is ascribed to the good electrical contact with the 3D Ni foam, ultra-high contact area with the electrolyte, and enhanced architectural softening during the charging/discharging process. It is expected that the fabricated, unique, ultra-thin Co-Mo-S NS have great potential for future energy storage devices.

Thermal and Mechanical Characteristics of Polymer Composites Based on Epoxy Resin, Aluminium Nanopowders and Boric Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazarenko, O. B.; Melnikova, T. V.; Visakh, P. M.

2016-01-01

The epoxy polymers are characterized by low thermal stability and high flammability. Nanoparticles are considered to be effective fillers of polymer composites for improving their thermal and functional properties. In this work, the epoxy composites were prepared using epoxy resin ED-20, polyethylene polyamine as a hardener, aluminum nanopowder and boric acid fine powder as flame-retardant filler. The thermal characteristics of the obtained samples were studied using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The mechanical characteristics of epoxy composites were also studied. It was found that an addition of all fillers enhances the thermal stability and mechanical characteristics of the epoxy composites. The best thermal stability showed the epoxy composite filled with boric acid. The highest flexural properties showed the epoxy composite based on the combination of boric acid and aluminum nanopowder.

Unique Thermal Stability of Unnatural Hydrophobic Ds Bases in Double-Stranded DNAs.

PubMed

Kimoto, Michiko; Hirao, Ichiro

2017-10-20

Genetic alphabet expansion technology, the introduction of unnatural bases or base pairs into replicable DNA, has rapidly advanced as a new synthetic biology area. A hydrophobic unnatural base pair between 7-(2-thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds) and 2-nitro-4-propynylpyrrole (Px) exhibited high fidelity as a third base pair in PCR. SELEX methods using the Ds-Px pair enabled high-affinity DNA aptamer generation, and introducing a few Ds bases into DNA aptamers extremely augmented their affinities and selectivities to target proteins. Here, to further scrutinize the functions of this highly hydrophobic Ds base, the thermal stabilities of double-stranded DNAs (dsDNA) containing a noncognate Ds-Ds or G-Ds pair were examined. The thermal stability of the Ds-Ds self-pair was as high as that of the natural G-C pair, and apart from the generally higher stability of the G-C pair than that of the A-T pair, most of the 5'-pyrimidine-Ds-purine-3' sequences, such as CDsA and TDsA, exhibited higher stability than the 5'-purine-Ds-pyrimidine-3' sequences, such as GDsC and ADsC, in dsDNAs. This trait enabled the GC-content-independent control of the thermal stability of the designed dsDNA fragments. The melting temperatures of dsDNA fragments containing the Ds-Ds pair can be predicted from the nearest-neighbor parameters including the Ds base. In addition, the noncognate G-Ds pair can efficiently distinguish its neighboring cognate natural base pairs from noncognate pairs. We demonstrated that real-time PCR using primers containing Ds accurately detected a single-nucleotide mismatch in target DNAs. These unique properties of the Ds base that affect the stabilities of the neighboring base pairs could impart new functions to DNA molecules and technologies.

Enhanced broadband near-infrared luminescence from Pr3+-doped tellurite glass with silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Pan; Zhou, Yaxun; Zhou, Minghan; Su, Xiue; Zhou, Zizhong; Yang, Gaobo

2017-11-01

Pr3+-doped tellurite glasses containing metallic silver NPs were synthesized by the conventional melt-quenching technique. Structural, thermal and optical properties of the synthesized glass samples were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) curves, Raman spectra, differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) curves, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, UV/Vis/NIR absorption and near-infrared fluorescence emission spectra. The XRD curves confirmed the amorphous structural nature of the synthesized glasses, the Raman spectra identified the presence of different vibrational groups, the DSC curves verified the good thermal stability, and the TEM images revealed the nucleated silver NPs with average diameter about 10 nm dispersed in the glass matrix and its surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band was located at around 510 nm. Besides, Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters Ωt (t = 2, 4, 6) and other important spectroscopic parameters like transition probability, radiative lifetime, branching ratio were calculated to evaluate the radiative properties of Pr3+ levels from the measured optical absorption spectra. It was found that Pr3+-doped tellurite glasses could emit an ultra-broadband fluorescence extending from 1250 to 1650 nm under the 488 nm excitation, and this fluorescence emission increased further with the introduction of silver NPs. The enhanced fluorescence was mainly attributed to the increased local electric field around Pr3+ induced by silver NPs. The present results demonstrate that Pr3+-Ag codoped tellurite glass is a promising candidate for the near-infrared band ultra-broadband fiber amplifiers covering the expanded low-loss communication window.

White organic light-emitting diodes with ultra-thin mixed emitting layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, T.; Forget, S.; Chenais, S.; Geffroy, B.; Tondelier, D.; Bonnassieux, Y.; Ishow, E.

2012-02-01

White light can be obtained from Organic Light Emitting Diodes by mixing three primary colors, (i.e. red, green and blue) or two complementary colors in the emissive layer. In order to improve the efficiency and stability of the devices, a host-guest system is generally used as an emitting layer. However, the color balance to obtain white light is difficult to control and optimize because the spectrum is very sensitive to doping concentration (especially when a small amount of material is used). We use here an ultra-thin mixed emitting layer (UML) deposited by thermal evaporation to fabricate white organic light emitting diodes (WOLEDs) without co-evaporation. The UML was inserted in the hole-transporting layer consisting of 4, 4'-bis[N-(1-naphtyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl (α-NPB) instead of using a conventional doping process. The UML was formed from a single evaporation boat containing a mixture of two dipolar starbust triarylamine molecules (fvin and fcho) presenting very similar structures and thermal properties and emitting in complementary spectral regions (orange and blue respectively) and mixed according to their weight ratio. The composition of the UML specifically allows for fine tuning of the emission color despite its very thin thickness down to 1 nm. Competitive energy transfer processes from fcho and the host interface toward fvin are key parameters to control the relative intensity between red and blue emission. White light with very good CIE 1931 color coordinate (0.34, 0.34) was obtained by simply adjusting the UML film composition.

Rapid and repeatable fabrication of high A/R silk fibroin microneedles using thermally-drawn micromolds.

PubMed

Lee, JiYong; Park, Seung Hyun; Seo, Il Ho; Lee, Kang Ju; Ryu, WonHyoung

2015-08-01

Thermal drawing is a versatile rapid prototyping method that can freely form microneedle (MN) structures with ultra-high aspect ratio without relying on any complex and expensive process. However, it is still challenging to repeatedly produce MNs with identical shapes using this thermal drawing due to small fluctuations in processing conditions such as temperatures, drawing speeds, drawing heights, or parallelism in the drawing setup. In addition, thermal drawing is only applicable to thermoplastic materials and most natural biomaterials are incompatible with this method. Thus, we propose use of thermal drawing to fabricate master molds with high aspect ratios and replicate the shape by micromolding. In this work, high A/R MNs with various body profiles were fabricated by thermal drawing and replicated to silk fibroin (SF) MNs multiple times using micromolding. The original MN shape was precisely copied to the SF MNs. Methanol treatment enhanced the mechanical strength of SF MNs up to about 113% more depending on the treatment duration. We also demonstrated that methanol exposure time could effectively control drug release rates from SF MNs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of pH on Semiconducting Property of Passive Film Formed on Ultra-High-Strength Corrosion-Resistant Steel in Sulfuric Acid Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Min; Xiao, Kui; Dong, Chaofang; Li, Xiaogang; Zhong, Ping

2013-10-01

Because Cr9Ni5MoCo14 is a new ultra-high-strength corrosion-resistant steel, it is important to study its corrosion behavior in sulfuric acid solution, which is used to simulate the aggressive environment. The effect of pH on the electrochemical and semiconducting properties of passive films formed on ultra-high-strength corrosion-resistant steel in sulfuric acid solution was investigated by means of the potentiodynamic polarization technique, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Mott-Schottky analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that Cr9Ni5MoCo14 steel showed a passive state in acid solutions. The corrosion behavior of this Cr9Ni5MoCo14 alloy was influenced by the passive film formed on the surface, including thickness, stability, and partitioning of elements of the passive film. The passive current density decreases with increasing pH, and the corrosion resistance was enhanced by the increasing thickness and depletion of the defects within the passive film. Moreover, an enrichment of chromium (primarily the oxides of Cr) and depletion of iron in the passive film led to improved corrosion resistance. These results can provide a theoretical basis for use of this alloy and further development of ultra-high-strength corrosion-resistant steel in today's society.

Fluorescent Magnesium Nanocomplex in Protein Scaffold for Cell Nuclei Imaging Application

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

Pandya, Alok; Tripathi, Apritam; Purohit, Rahul

2015-10-27

Here in, we report a facile strategy for the synthesis of water-soluble ultra-fine blue emitting fluorescent Magnesium nanoparticles-protein complex (MgNC). This MgNC is demonstrated to exhibit excellent photo stability and biocompatibility. It was also observed that MgNC stain cell nuclei with high specifcity.

Organic Heat Stabilizers for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): A Synergistic Behavior of Eugenol and Uracil Derivative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asawakosinchai, Aran; Jubsilp, Chanchira; Mora, Phattarin; Rimdusit, Sarawut

2017-10-01

Recycling ability, mechanical, and thermal properties of PVC stabilized with organic heat stabilizers, i.e., uracil (DAU) and eugenol were investigated to substitute PVCs stabilized with commercial lead, Ca/Zn, and organic-based stabilizer for PVC pipe production. PVC stabilized with the DAU and the eugenol can be processable at 30 °C lower than that of the PVC stabilized with commercial heat stabilizers. The most remarkable short-term thermal stability belonged to the PVC stabilized with the DAU, and its original color can be maintained at least up to 3 processing cycles. Synergistic behavior in thermal stability of the PVC mixed with DAU and eugenol at mass ratios of 1.5:1.5 was observed. Mechanical properties of DAU- and eugenol-stabilized PVC were higher than the samples with other heat stabilizers. Glass transition temperature of the PVC stabilized with all heat stabilizers was determined to be 99 °C with the exception of the value of 89 °C for eugenol-stabilized PVC. Therefore, the DAU and the eugenol showed high potential to be used as an organic heat stabilizer for PVC because of their non-toxic and good heat resistance properties.

Ultra-high Thermal Conductivity of Spider Silk: Protein Function Study with Controlled Structure Change and Comparison

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-23

a) Papers published in peer-reviewed journals (N/A for none) Enter List of papers submitted or published that acknowledge ARO support from the start...of the project to the date of this printing. List the papers , including journal references, in the following categories: 11.00 10.00 20.00 18.00...Received Paper 1.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 5.00 8.00 Huan Lin, Shen Xu, Chong Li, Hua Dong, Xinwei Wang. Thermal and electrical conduction in 6.4 nm thin gold films

Advanced Oxide Material Systems for 1650 C Thermal/Environmental Barrier Coating Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dong-Ming; Fox, Dennis S.; Bansal, Narottam P.; Miller, Robert A.

2004-01-01

Advanced thermal and environmental barrier coatings (TEBCs) are being developed for low-emission SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) combustor and vane applications to extend the CMC liner and vane temperature capability to 1650 C (3000 F) in oxidizing and water-vapor-containing combustion environments. The advanced 1650 C TEBC system is required to have a better high-temperature stability, lower thermal conductivity, and more resistance to sintering and thermal stress than current coating systems under engine high-heat-flux and severe thermal cycling conditions. In this report, the thermal conductivity and water vapor stability of selected candidate hafnia-, pyrochlore- and magnetoplumbite-based TEBC materials are evaluated. The effects of dopants on the materials properties are also discussed. The test results have been used to downselect the TEBC materials and help demonstrate the feasibility of advanced 1650 C coatings with long-term thermal cycling durability.

Thermal conductivity of ultrathin nano-crystalline diamond films determined by Raman thermography assisted by silicon nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anaya, Julian; Rossi, Stefano; Alomari, Mohammed; Kohn, Erhard; Tóth, Lajos; Pécz, Béla; Kuball, Martin

2015-06-01

The thermal transport in polycrystalline diamond films near its nucleation region is still not well understood. Here, a steady-state technique to determine the thermal transport within the nano-crystalline diamond present at their nucleation site has been demonstrated. Taking advantage of silicon nanowires as surface temperature nano-sensors, and using Raman Thermography, the in-plane and cross-plane components of the thermal conductivity of ultra-thin diamond layers and their thermal barrier to the Si substrate were determined. Both components of the thermal conductivity of the nano-crystalline diamond were found to be well below the values of polycrystalline bulk diamond, with a cross-plane thermal conductivity larger than the in-plane thermal conductivity. Also a depth dependence of the lateral thermal conductivity through the diamond layer was determined. The results impact the design and integration of diamond for thermal management of AlGaN/GaN high power transistors and also show the usefulness of the nanowires as accurate nano-thermometers.

Radiative engineering with refractory epsilon-near-zero metamaterials (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyachenko, Pavel N.; Molesky, Sean; Petrov, Alexander Y.; Störmer, Michael; Krekeler, Tobias; Lang, Slawa; Ritter, Martin; Jacob, Zubin; Eich, Manfred

2016-04-01

Improvement in high-temperature stable spectrally selective absorbers and emitters is integral for the further development of thermophotovoltaic (TPV), lighting and solar thermal applications. However, the high operational temperatures (T>1000oC) required for efficient energy conversion, along with application specific criteria such as the operational range of low bandgap semiconductors, greatly restrict what can be accomplished with natural materials. Motivated by this challenge, we demonstrate the first example of high temperature thermal radiation engineering with metamaterials. By employing the naturally selective thermal excitation of radiative modes that occurs near topological transitions, we show that thermally stable highly selective emissivity features are achieved for temperatures up to 1000°C with low angular dependence in a sub-micron thick refractory tungsten/hafnium dioxide epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) metamaterial. We also investigate the main mechanisms of thermal degradation of the fabricated refractory metamaterial both in terms of optical performance and structural stability using spectral analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. Importantly, we observe chemical stability of the constituent materials for temperatures up to 1000°C and structural stability beyond 1100°C. The scalable fabrication, requiring magnetron sputtering, and thermally robust optical properties of this metamaterial approach are ideally suited to high temperature emitter applications such as lighting or TPV. Our findings provide a first concrete proof of radiative engineering with high temperature topological transition in ENZ metamaterials, and establish a clear path for implementation in TPV energy harvesting applications.

Thermal stability of bioactive enzymatic papers.

PubMed

Khan, Mohidus Samad; Li, Xu; Shen, Wei; Garnier, Gil

2010-01-01

The thermal stability of two enzymes adsorbed on paper, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was measured using a colorimetric technique quantifying the intensity of the product complex. The enzymes adsorbed on paper retained their functionality and selectivity. Adsorption on paper increased the enzyme thermal stability by 2-3 orders of magnitude compared to the same enzyme in solution. ALP and HRP enzymatic papers had half-lives of 533 h and 239 h at 23 degrees C, respectively. The thermal degradation of adsorbed enzyme was found to follow two sequential first-order reactions, indication of a reaction system. A complex pattern of enzyme was printed on paper using a thermal inkjet printer. Paper and inkjet printing are ideal material and process to manufacture low-cost-high volume bioactive surfaces.

Evaluation of stabilization techniques for ion implant processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Matthew F.; Wong, Selmer S.; Minter, Jason P.; Marlowe, Trey; Narcy, Mark E.; Livesay, William R.

1999-06-01

With the integration of high current ion implant processing into volume CMOS manufacturing, the need for photoresist stabilization to achieve a stable ion implant process is critical. This study compares electron beam stabilization, a non-thermal process, with more traditional thermal stabilization techniques such as hot plate baking and vacuum oven processing. The electron beam processing is carried out in a flood exposure system with no active heating of the wafer. These stabilization techniques are applied to typical ion implant processes that might be found in a CMOS production process flow. The stabilization processes are applied to a 1.1 micrometers thick PFI-38A i-line photoresist film prior to ion implant processing. Post stabilization CD variation is detailed with respect to wall slope and feature integrity. SEM photographs detail the effects of the stabilization technique on photoresist features. The thermal stability of the photoresist is shown for different levels of stabilization and post stabilization thermal cycling. Thermal flow stability of the photoresist is detailed via SEM photographs. A significant improvement in thermal stability is achieved with the electron beam process, such that photoresist features are stable to temperatures in excess of 200 degrees C. Ion implant processing parameters are evaluated and compared for the different stabilization methods. Ion implant system end-station chamber pressure is detailed as a function of ion implant process and stabilization condition. The ion implant process conditions are detailed for varying factors such as ion current, energy, and total dose. A reduction in the ion implant systems end-station chamber pressure is achieved with the electron beam stabilization process over the other techniques considered. This reduction in end-station chamber pressure is shown to provide a reduction in total process time for a given ion implant dose. Improvements in the ion implant process are detailed across several combinations of current and energy.

Low-Temperature Bainite: A Thermal Stability Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santajuana, Miguel A.; Rementeria, Rosalia; Kuntz, Matthias; Jimenez, Jose A.; Caballero, Francisca G.; Garcia-Mateo, Carlos

2018-06-01

The thermal stability of nanobainitic structures obtained by heat treating two different high-carbon high-silicon steels at temperatures between 200 °C and 600 °C has been investigated by means of three complementary techniques, i.e., field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution dilatometry. Three main stages have been established, each of them characterized by a distinctive microstructure. Furthermore, the nanocrystalline structure generated by the bainite reaction confers the steel with an extraordinary tempering resistance.

Low-Temperature Bainite: A Thermal Stability Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santajuana, Miguel A.; Rementeria, Rosalia; Kuntz, Matthias; Jimenez, Jose A.; Caballero, Francisca G.; Garcia-Mateo, Carlos

2018-04-01

The thermal stability of nanobainitic structures obtained by heat treating two different high-carbon high-silicon steels at temperatures between 200 °C and 600 °C has been investigated by means of three complementary techniques, i.e., field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution dilatometry. Three main stages have been established, each of them characterized by a distinctive microstructure. Furthermore, the nanocrystalline structure generated by the bainite reaction confers the steel with an extraordinary tempering resistance.

Thermally Tunable Ultra-wideband Metamaterial Absorbers based on Three-dimensional Water-substrate construction.

PubMed

Shen, Yang; Zhang, Jieqiu; Pang, Yongqiang; Zheng, Lin; Wang, Jiafu; Ma, Hua; Qu, Shaobo

2018-03-13

Distilled water has frequency dispersive characteristic and high value of imaginary part in permittivity, which can be seen as a good candidate of broadband metamaterial absorbers(MAs) in microwave. Here, an interesting idea based on the combination of water-substrate and metallic metamaterial in the three-dimensional construction is proposed, which can achieve outstanding broadband absorption. As a proof, the distilled water is filled into the dielectric reservoir as ultra-thin water-substrate, and then the water-substrates are arranged on the metal backplane periodically as three-dimensional water-substrate array(TWA). Simulation shows that the TWA achieves broadband absorption with the efficiency more than 90% from 8.3 to 21.0 GHz. Then, the trigonal metallic fishbone structure is introduced here between the water-substrate and the dielectric reservoir periodically as three-dimensional water-substrate metamaterial absorber(TWMA). The proposed TWMA could achieve ultra-broadband absorption from 2.6 to 16.8 GHz, which has increase by 64.8% in relative absorption bandwidth. Meanwhile, due to the participation of distilled water, the thermally tunable property also deserves to be discussed here. In view of the outstanding performance, it is worth to expect a wide range of applications to emerge inspired from the proposed construction.

Examination of the suitability of alpha-tocopherol as a stabilizer for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene used for articulating surfaces in joint endoprostheses.

PubMed

Wolf, C; Krivec, T; Blassnig, J; Lederer, K; Schneider, W

2002-02-01

The lifetime of articulating surfaces in joint endoprostheses made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE), especially of UHMW-PE-cups of hip-endoprostheses, is usually limited to 10-15 years due to material failure as a result of oxidation of the UHMW-PE in vivo. In this study the suitability of the natural antioxidant alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) as a stabilizer for UHMW-PE in these applications was investigated. Specimens with 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.8% w/w alpha-tocopherol as well as unstabilized samples were sintered and sterilized with gamma-rays at 25 kGy in accordance with standard processing methods of cups for total hip-endoprostheses. These specimens were aged in pure oxygen at 70 degrees C and 5 bar as well as in aqueous H2O2 at 50 degrees C. The degree of oxidation was observed by means of FTIR-spectroscopy, DSC analysis and mechanical testing. The FTIR-measurements showed that alpha-tocopherol can prolong the lifetime of UHMW-PE in an oxidative environment by a factor of more than 2.5. In the mechanical tests no embrittlement could be observed with the stabilized samples. A comparison with the standard antioxidant system Irganox 1010/Irgafos 168 (Ciba-Geigy, Switzerland) was carried out and revealed that alpha-tocopherol can even exceed the stabilization effect of this widely-used antioxidant system.

Ultra-long Pt nanolawns supported on TiO2-coated carbon fibers as 3D hybrid catalyst for methanol oxidation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In this study, TiO2 thin film photocatalyst on carbon fibers was used to synthesize ultra-long single crystalline Pt nanowires via a simple photoreduction route (thermally activated photoreduction). It also acted as a co-catalytic material with Pt. Taking advantage of the high-aspect ratio of the Pt nanostructure as well as the excellent catalytic activity of TiO2, this hybrid structure has the great potential as the active anode in direct methanol fuel cells. The electrochemical results indicate that TiO2 is capable of transforming CO-like poisoning species on the Pt surface during methanol oxidation and contributes to a high CO tolerance of this Pt nanowire/TiO2 hybrid structure. PMID:22546416

Ultra-long Pt nanolawns supported on TiO2-coated carbon fibers as 3D hybrid catalyst for methanol oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yu-Lin; Chen, Shih-Yun; Song, Jenn-Ming; Chen, In-Gann

2012-06-01

In this study, TiO2 thin film photocatalyst on carbon fibers was used to synthesize ultra-long single crystalline Pt nanowires via a simple photoreduction route (thermally activated photoreduction). It also acted as a co-catalytic material with Pt. Taking advantage of the high-aspect ratio of the Pt nanostructure as well as the excellent catalytic activity of TiO2, this hybrid structure has the great potential as the active anode in direct methanol fuel cells. The electrochemical results indicate that TiO2 is capable of transforming CO-like poisoning species on the Pt surface during methanol oxidation and contributes to a high CO tolerance of this Pt nanowire/TiO2 hybrid structure.

Protocol of Test Methods for Evaluating High Heat Sink Fuel Thermal Stability Additives for Aviation Jet Fuel JP-8+100

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

minute intervals: run time , crystal frequency, temperature, and headspace oxygen concentration. Fuels: In order to evaluate a thermal stability...begun. The run time , crystal frequency, reactor temperature, and headspace oxygen concentration are monitored and recorded at one minute intervals by

Thermodynamic analysis and purifying an amorphous phase of frozen crystallization centers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lysov, V. I.; Tsaregradskaya, T. L.; Turkov, O. V.; Saenko, G. V.

2017-12-01

The possibility of dissolving frozen crystallization centers in amorphous alloys of the Fe-B system is considered by means of thermodynamic calculations. This can in turn improve the thermal stability of an amorphous alloy. The effect isothermal annealing has on the thermal stability of multicomponent amorphous alloys based on iron is investigated via the highly sensitive dilatometric technique, measurements of microsolidity, and electron microscopic investigations. The annealing temperature is determined empirically on the basis of the theses of the thermodynamic theory of the high temperature stability of multicomponent amorphous alloys, according to which there exists a range of temperatures that is characterized by a negative difference between the chemical potentials of phases in a heterogeneous amorphous matrix-frozen crystallization centers system. The thermodynamic condition of the possible dissolution of frozen crystallization centers is thus met. It is shown that introducing regimes of thermal processing allows us to expand the ranges of the thermal stability of iron-based amorphous alloys by 20-40 K through purifying an amorphous matrix of frozen crystallization centers. This conclusion is proved via electron microscopic investigations.

Thermoelectric bolometers based on silicon membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varpula, Aapo; Timofeev, Andrey V.; Shchepetov, Andrey; Grigoras, Kestutis; Ahopelto, Jouni; Prunnila, Mika

2017-05-01

State-of-the-art high performance IR sensing and imaging systems utilize highly expensive photodetector technology, which requires exotic and toxic materials and cooling. Cost-effective alternatives, uncooled bolometer detectors, are widely used in commercial long-wave IR (LWIR) systems. Compared to the cooled detectors they are much slower and have approximately an order of magnitude lower detectivity in the LWIR. We present uncooled bolometer technology which is foreseen to be capable of narrowing the gap between the cooled and uncooled technologies. The proposed technology is based on ultra-thin silicon membranes, the thermal conductivity and electrical properties of which can be controlled by membrane thickness and doping, respectively. The thermal signal is transduced into electric voltage using thermocouple consisting of highly-doped n and p type Si beams. Reducing the thickness of the Si membrane improves the performance (i.e. sensitivity and speed) as thermal conductivity and thermal mass of Si membrane decreases with decreasing thickness. Based on experimental data we estimate the performance of these uncooled thermoelectric bolometers.

Development of an ultra-thin film comprised of a graphene membrane and carbon nanotube vein support.

PubMed

Lin, Xiaoyang; Liu, Peng; Wei, Yang; Li, Qunqing; Wang, Jiaping; Wu, Yang; Feng, Chen; Zhang, Lina; Fan, Shoushan; Jiang, Kaili

2013-01-01

Graphene, exhibiting superior mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties, has attracted great interest. Considering it being one-atom-thick, and the reduced mechanical strength at grain boundaries, the fabrication of large-area suspended chemical vapour deposition graphene remains a challenge. Here we report the fabrication of an ultra-thin free-standing carbon nanotube/graphene hybrid film, inspired by the vein-membrane structure found in nature. Such a square-centimetre-sized hybrid film can realize the overlaying of large-area single-layer chemical vapour deposition graphene on to a porous vein-like carbon nanotube network. The vein-membrane-like hybrid film, with graphene suspended on the carbon nanotube meshes, possesses excellent mechanical performance, optical transparency and good electrical conductivity. The ultra-thin hybrid film features an electron transparency close to 90%, which makes it an ideal gate electrode in vacuum electronics and a high-performance sample support in transmission electron microscopy.

Ultra-Flexible Thermal Bus for Use in the Astro-H Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kimball, Mark O.; Shirron, Peter J.

2015-01-01

The adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) developed for the Astro-H Soft-X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is a multi-stage solid-state cooler. It is capable of holding the SXS detector array at 0.050 K for greater than 24 hours with a recycle time of less than one hour. This quick recycle time relies upon high-conductivity thermal straps to couple the individual stages to a pair of heat switches without imposing a lateral load on the paramagnetic salt pills. To accomplish this we construct thermal straps using a technique of diffusion bonding together the ends of high-purity copper straps leaving the length between as individual foils. A thermal bus created this way has a thermal conductivity comparable to a solid strap of the equivalent thickness but with much-increased flexibility. The technique for selecting the base material, machining, cleaning, forming into final shape, and finally bonding together individual foils will be discussed along with examples of complete straps in various geometries.

Multiscale Modeling of UHTC: Thermal Conductivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, John W.; Murry, Daw; Squire, Thomas; Bauschlicher, Charles W.

2012-01-01

We are developing a multiscale framework in computational modeling for the ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) ZrB2 and HfB2. These materials are characterized by high melting point, good strength, and reasonable oxidation resistance. They are candidate materials for a number of applications in extreme environments including sharp leading edges of hypersonic aircraft. In particular, we used a combination of ab initio methods, atomistic simulations and continuum computations to obtain insights into fundamental properties of these materials. Ab initio methods were used to compute basic structural, mechanical and thermal properties. From these results, a database was constructed to fit a Tersoff style interatomic potential suitable for atomistic simulations. These potentials were used to evaluate the lattice thermal conductivity of single crystals and the thermal resistance of simple grain boundaries. Finite element method (FEM) computations using atomistic results as inputs were performed with meshes constructed on SEM images thereby modeling the realistic microstructure. These continuum computations showed the reduction in thermal conductivity due to the grain boundary network.

A fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator -- Part I. Design and fabrication

DOE PAGES

Wojciechowski, Kenneth E.; Baker, Michael S.; Clews, Peggy J.; ...

2015-06-24

Our paper reports the design and fabrication of a fully integrated oven controlled microelectromechanical oscillator (OCMO). This paper begins by describing the limits on oscillator frequency stability imposed by the thermal drift and electronic properties (Q, resistance) of both the resonant tank circuit and feedback electronics required to form an electronic oscillator. An OCMO is presented that takes advantage of high thermal isolation and monolithic integration of both micromechanical resonators and electronic circuitry to thermally stabilize or ovenize all the components that comprise an oscillator. This was achieved by developing a processing technique where both silicon-on-insulator complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitrymore » and piezoelectric aluminum nitride, AlN, micromechanical resonators are placed on a suspended platform within a standard CMOS integrated circuit. Operation at microscale sizes achieves high thermal resistances (~10 °C/mW), and hence thermal stabilization of the oscillators at very low-power levels when compared with the state-of-the-art ovenized crystal oscillators, OCXO. This constant resistance feedback circuit is presented that incorporates on platform resistive heaters and temperature sensors to both measure and stabilize the platform temperature. Moreover, the limits on temperature stability of the OCMO platform and oscillator frequency imposed by the gain of the constant resistance feedback loop, placement of the heater and temperature sensing resistors, as well as platform radiative and convective heat losses are investigated.« less

Unravelling the origin of the giant Zn deficiency in wurtzite type ZnO nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Renaud, Adèle; Cario, Laurent; Rocquelfelte, Xavier; Deniard, Philippe; Gautron, Eric; Faulques, Eric; Das, Tilak; Cheviré, François; Tessier, Franck; Jobic, Stéphane

2015-01-01

Owing to its high technological importance for optoelectronics, zinc oxide received much attention. In particular, the role of defects on its physical properties has been extensively studied as well as their thermodynamical stability. In particular, a large concentration of Zn vacancies in ZnO bulk materials is so far considered highly unstable. Here we report that the thermal decomposition of zinc peroxide produces wurtzite-type ZnO nanoparticles with an extraordinary large amount of zinc vacancies (>15%). These Zn vacancies segregate at the surface of the nanoparticles, as confirmed by ab initio calculations, to form a pseudo core-shell structure made of a dense ZnO sphere coated by a Zn free oxo-hydroxide mono layer. In others terms, oxygen terminated surfaces are privileged over zinc-terminated surfaces for passivation reasons what accounts for the Zn off-stoichiometry observed in ultra-fine powdered samples. Such Zn-deficient Zn1-xO nanoparticles exhibit an unprecedented photoluminescence signature suggesting that the core-shell-like edifice drastically influences the electronic structure of ZnO. This nanostructuration could be at the origin of the recent stabilisation of p-type charge carriers in nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticles. PMID:26333510

Properties of Polymer-Infiltrated Carbon Foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, W. A.; Bunning, T. J.; Farmer, B. L.; Kearns, K. M.; Anderson, D. A.; Roy, A. K.; Banerjee, T.; Jeon, H. G.

2001-03-01

There is considerable interest in extending the use-temperatures of both commodity and high performance polymers. There is also interest in improving the mechanical strength of carbon foams. Composites prepared by infiltrating carbon foam with polymers may offer significant improvements in both, the polymer helping to rigidize the foam and the foam providing thermal protection by virtue of its high thermal conductivity. The mechanical properties and thermal stability of carbon foams of various densities infiltrated with polyurethane have been studied. When used with a heat sink, the composite is able to maintain a substantial thermal gradient which provides stability of the polymer nominally above its decomposition temperature. The composite also has much improved strength properties without sacrificing tensile modulus. The composites may be very well suited for thermal management applications.

Flexible low-voltage organic transistors with high thermal stability at 250 °C.

PubMed

Yokota, Tomoyuki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Tokuhara, Takeyoshi; Zschieschang, Ute; Klauk, Hagen; Takimiya, Kazuo; Sadamitsu, Yuji; Hamada, Masahiro; Sekitani, Tsuyoshi; Someya, Takao

2013-07-19

Low-operating-voltage flexible organic thin-film transistors with high thermal stability using DPh-DNTT and SAM gate dielectrics are reported. The mobility of the transistors are decreased by 23% after heating to 250 °C for 30 min. Furthermore, flexible organic pseudo-CMOS inverter circuits, which are functional after heating to 200 °C, are demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Simultaneous determination of ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food contact plastic materials by solid phase extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry].

PubMed

Gou, Xinlei; Zhao, Xinying; Chi, Haitao; Gao, Xia; Zhou, Mingqiang; Liu, Weili

2015-06-01

A sensitive method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food contact plastic materials by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The sample was extracted by methanol-dichloromethane, and purified by a C18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. The separation was performed by using water containing 0. 1% (v/v) formic acid and methanol as the mobile phases with gradient elution at a flow rate of 0. 3 mL/min. The electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode was used for the analysis of the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The results showed that the standard curves were obtained with good correlation coefficients (r2 > 0.996) in their linear concentration ranges. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) for the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers were in the range of 0.6-1.6 µg/kg. The mean recoveries for the ten benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers at three spiked levels (low, medium and high) were 75.2%-85.3% with relative standard deviations of 1.0%-5.7%. Ten kinds of food contact plastic materials were tested, and 2,2'-methylenebis (6-(benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-tert-octylphenol) (UV-360) was found in a sample of polyethylene (PE) material. The method is accurate, simple, rapid and feasible for the simultaneous determination of benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in food plastic materials.

Nanoscale thermal cross-talk effect on phase-change probe memory.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Wen, Jing; Xiong, Bangshu

2018-05-14

Phase-change probe memory is considered as one of the most promising means for next-generation mass storage devices. However, the achievable storage density of phase-change probe memory is drastically affected by the resulting thermal cross-talk effect while previously lacking of detailed study. Therefore, a three dimensional model that couples electrical, thermal, and phase-change processes of the Ge2Sb2Te5 media is developed, and subsequently deployed to assess the thermal cross-talk effect based on Si/TiN/ Ge2Sb2Te5/diamond-like carbon structure by appropriately tailoring the electro-thermal and geometrical properties of the storage media stack for a variety of external excitations. The modeling results show that the diamond-like carbon capping with a thin thickness, a high electrical conductivity, and a low thermal conductivity is desired to minimize the thermal cross-talk, while the TiN underlayer has a slight impact on the thermal cross-talk. Combining the modeling findings with the previous film deposition experience, an optimized phase-change probe memory architecture is presented, and its capability of providing ultra-high recording density simultaneously with a sufficiently low thermal cross-talk is demonstrated. . © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Advanced processing of gallium nitride and gallium nitride-based devices: Ultra-high temperature annealing and implantation incorporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Haijiang

This dissertation is focused on three fields: ultra-high temperature annealing of GaN, activation of implanted GaN and the implantation incorporation into AlGaN/GaN HEMT processing, with an aim to increase the performance, manufacturability and reliability of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs. First, the ultra high temperature (around 1500°C) annealing of MOCVD grown GaN on sapphire has been studied, and a thermally induced threading dislocation (TD) motion and reaction are reported. Using a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) approach capable of heating 2 inch wafers to around 1500°C with 100 bar N2 over-pressure, evidence of dislocation motion was first observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs of both planar and patterned GaN films protected by an AIN capping layer. An associated decrease in x-ray rocking curve (XRC) full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) was also observed for both the symmetric and asymmetric scans. After annealing, the AIN capping layer remained intact, and optical measurements showed no degradation of the opto-electronic properties of the films. Then activation annealing of Si implants in MOCVD grown GaN has been studied for use in ohmic contacts. Si was implanted in semi-insulating GaN at 100 keV with doses from 5 x 1014 cm-2 to 1.5 x 1016 cm-2. Rapid thermal annealing at 1500°C with 100 bar N2 over-pressure was used for dopant activation, resulting in a minimum sheet resistance of 13.9 O/square for a dose of 7 x 1015 cm-2. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements showed a post-activation broadening of the dopant concentration peak by 20 nm (at half the maximum), while X-Ray triple axis o-2theta scans indicated nearly complete implant damage recovery. Transfer length method measurements of the resistance of Ti/Al/Ni/Au contacts to activated GaN:Si (5 x 1015 cm-2 at 100 keV) indicated lowest contact resistances of 0.07 Omm and 0.02 Omm for as-deposited and subsequently annealed contacts, respectively. Finally, the incorporation of Si implantation into AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor processing has been first demonstrated. An ultra-high temperature (1500°C) rapid thermal annealing technique was developed for the activation of Si dopants implanted in the source and drain. In comparison to control devices processed by conventional fabrication, the implanted device with nonalloyed ohmic contact showed comparable device performance with a contact resistance of 0.4 Omm Imax 730 mA/mm ft/f max; 26/62 GHz and power 3.4 W/mm on sapphire. These early results demonstrate the feasibility of implantation incorporation into GaN based device processing as well as the potential to increase yield, reproducibility and reliability in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.

Supercontinuum generation covering the entire 0.4-5 µm transmission window in a tapered ultra-high numerical aperture all-solid fluorotellurite fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Z. X.; Yao, C. F.; Jia, S. J.; Wang, F.; Wang, S. B.; Zhao, Z. P.; Liao, M. S.; Qin, G. S.; Hu, L. L.; Ohishi, Y.; Qin, W. P.

2018-02-01

Enormous efforts have been made to realize supercontinuum (SC) generation covering the entire transmission window of fiber materials for their wide applications in many fields. Here we demonstrate ultra-broadband SC generation from 400 to 5140 nm in a tapered ultra-high numerical aperture (NA) all-solid fluorotellurite fiber pumped by a 1560 nm mode-locked fiber laser. The fluorotellurite fibers are fabricated using a rod-in-tube method. The core and cladding materials are TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3- and TeO2-modified fluoroaluminate glasses, respectively, which have large refractive index contrast and similar thermal expansion coefficients and softening temperatures. The NA at 3200 nm of the fluorotellurite fiber is about 1.11. Furthermore, tapered fluorotellurite fibers are prepared using an elongation machine. SC generation covering the entire 0.4-5 µm transmission window is achieved in a tapered fluorotellurite fiber for a pumping peak power of ~10.5 kW through synergetic control of dispersion, nonlinearity, confinement loss and other unexpected effects (e.g. the attachment of dust or water to the surface of the fiber core) of the fiber. Our results show that tapered ultra-high NA all-solid soft glass fibers have a potential for generating SC light covering their entire transmission window.

Development of Advanced Thermal and Environmental Barrier Coatings Using a High-Heat-Flux Testing Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhu, Dongming; Miller, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The development of low conductivity, robust thermal and environmental barrier coatings requires advanced testing techniques that can accurately and effectively evaluate coating thermal conductivity and cyclic resistance at very high surface temperatures (up to 1700 C) under large thermal gradients. In this study, a laser high-heat-flux test approach is established for evaluating advanced low conductivity, high temperature capability thermal and environmental barrier coatings under the NASA Ultra Efficient Engine Technology (UEET) program. The test approach emphasizes the real-time monitoring and assessment of the coating thermal conductivity, which initially rises under the steady-state high temperature thermal gradient test due to coating sintering, and later drops under the cyclic thermal gradient test due to coating cracking/delamination. The coating system is then evaluated based on damage accumulation and failure after the combined steady-state and cyclic thermal gradient tests. The lattice and radiation thermal conductivity of advanced ceramic coatings can also be evaluated using laser heat-flux techniques. The external radiation resistance of the coating is assessed based on the measured specimen temperature response under a laser- heated intense radiation-flux source. The coating internal radiation contribution is investigated based on the measured apparent coating conductivity increases with the coating surface test temperature under large thermal gradient test conditions. Since an increased radiation contribution is observed at these very high surface test temperatures, by varying the laser heat-flux and coating average test temperature, the complex relation between the lattice and radiation conductivity as a function of surface and interface test temperature may be derived.

Ionization-Assisted Getter Pumping for Ultra-Stable Trapped Ion Frequency Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tjoelker, Robert L.; Burt, Eric A.

2010-01-01

A method eliminates (or recovers from) residual methane buildup in getter-pumped atomic frequency standard systems by applying ionizing assistance. Ultra-high stability trapped ion frequency standards for applications requiring very high reliability, and/or low power and mass (both for ground-based and space-based platforms) benefit from using sealed vacuum systems. These systems require careful material selection and system processing (cleaning and high-temperature bake-out). Even under the most careful preparation, residual hydrogen outgassing from vacuum chamber walls typically limits the base pressure. Non-evaporable getter pumps (NEGs) provide a convenient pumping option for sealed systems because of low mass and volume, and no power once activated. An ion gauge in conjunction with a NEG can be used to provide a low mass, low-power method for avoiding the deleterious effects of methane buildup in high-performance frequency standard vacuum systems.

Conserved tyrosine 182 residue in hyperthermophilic esterase EstE1 plays a critical role in stabilizing the active site.

PubMed

Truongvan, Ngoc; Chung, Hye-Shin; Jang, Sei-Heon; Lee, ChangWoo

2016-03-01

An aromatic amino acid, Tyr or Trp, located in the esterase active site wall, is highly conserved, with hyperthermophilic esterases showing preference for Tyr and lower temperature esterases showing preference for Trp. In this study, we investigated the role of Tyr(182) in the active site wall of hyperthermophilic esterase EstE1. Mutation of Tyr to Phe or Ala had a moderate effect on EstE1 thermal stability. However, a small-to-large mutation such as Tyr to His or Trp had a devastating effect on thermal stability. All mutant EstE1 enzymes showed reduced catalytic rates and enhanced substrate affinities as compared with wild-type EstE1. Hydrogen bond formation involving Tyr(182) was unimportant for maintaining EstE1 thermal stability, as the EstE1 structure is already adapted to high temperatures via increased intramolecular interactions. However, removal of hydrogen bond from Tyr(182) significantly decreased EstE1 catalytic activity, suggesting its role in stabilization of the active site. These results suggest that Tyr is preferred over a similarly sized Phe residue or bulky His or Trp residue in the active site walls of hyperthermophilic esterases for stabilizing the active site and regulating catalytic activity at high temperatures.

Novel Functionally Graded Thermal Barrier Coatings in Coal-Fired Power Plant Turbines

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

Zhang, Jing

This project presents a detailed investigation of a novel functionally graded coating material, pyrochlore oxide, for thermal barrier coating (TBC) in gas turbines used in coal-fired power plants. Thermal barrier coatings are refractory materials deposited on gas turbine components, which provide thermal protection for metallic components at operating conditions. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a manufacturing process to produce the novel low thermal conductivity and high thermal stability pyrochlore oxide based coatings with improved high-temperature durability. The current standard TBC, yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), has service temperatures limited to <1200°C, due to sintering and phase transitionmore » at higher temperatures. In contrast, pyrochlore oxide, e.g., lanthanum zirconate (La 2Zr 2O 7, LZ), has demonstrated lower thermal conductivity and better thermal stability, which are crucial to high temperature applications, such as gas turbines used in coal-fired power plants. Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has collaborated with Praxair Surface Technologies (PST), and Changwon National University in South Korea to perform the proposed research. The research findings are critical to the extension of current TBCs to a broader range of high-temperature materials and applications. Several tasks were originally proposed and accomplished, with additional new opportunities identified during the course of the project. In this report, a description of the project tasks, the main findings and conclusions are given. A list of publications and presentations resulted from this research is listed in the Appendix at the end of the report.« less

Dispersion characteristics of anisotropic unmagnetized ultra-relativistic transverse plasma wave with arbitrary electron degeneracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarfraz, M.; Farooq, H.; Abbas, G.; Noureen, S.; Iqbal, Z.; Rasheed, A.

2018-03-01

Thermal momentum space anisotropy is ubiquitous in many astrophysical and laboratory plasma environments. Using Vlasov-Maxwell's model equations, a generalized polarization tensor for a collisionless ultra-relativistic unmagnetized electron plasma is derived. In particular, the tensor is obtained by considering anisotropy in the momentum space. The integral of moments of Fermi-Dirac distribution function in terms of Polylog functions is used for describing the border line plasma systems (T/e TF e ≈1 ) comprising arbitrary electron degeneracy, where Te and TF e, are thermal and Fermi temperatures, respectively. Furthermore, the effects of variation in thermal momentum space anisotropy on the electron equilibrium number density and the spectrum of electromagnetic waves are analyzed.

Polarization Stability of Amorphous Piezoelectric Polyimides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, C.; Ounaies, Z.; Su, J.; Smith, J. G., Jr.; Harrison, J. S.

2000-01-01

Amorphous polyimides containing polar functional groups have been synthesized and investigated for potential use as high temperature piezoelectric sensors. The thermal stability of the piezoelectric effect of one polyimide was evaluated as a function of various curing and poling conditions under dynamic and static thermal stimuli. First, the polymer samples were thermally cycled under strain by systematically increasing the maximum temperature from 50 C to 200 C while the piezoelectric strain coefficient was being measured. Second, the samples were isothermally aged at an elevated temperature in air, and the isothermal decay of the remanent polarization was measured at room temperature as a function of time. Both conventional and corona poling methods were evaluated. This material exhibited good thermal stability of the piezoelectric properties up to 100 C.

Effect of thermal aging on stability of transformer oil based temperature sensitive magnetic fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Navjot; Chudasama, Bhupendra

2018-04-01

Synthesizing stable temperature sensitive magnetic fluids with tunable magnetic properties that can be used as coolant in transformers is of great interest, however not exploited commercially due to the lack of its stability at elevated temperatures in bulk quantities. The task is quite challenging as the performance parameters of magnetic fluids are strongly influenced by thermal aging. In this article, we report the effect of thermal aging on colloidal stability and magnetic properties of Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 magnetic fluids prepared in industrial grade transformer oil. As-synthesized magnetic fluids possess good dispersion stability and tunable magnetic properties. Effect of accelerated thermal aging on the dispersion stability and magnetic properties have been evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy and vibration sample magnetometry, respectively. Magnetic fluids are stable under accelerated aging at elevated temperatures (from 50 °C to 125 °C), which is critical for their efficient performance in high power transformers.

EVALUATING AND DESIGNING ULTRA-LOW-COST SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

This project will have three key outputs:

1. an evaluation of the thermal performance of ultra-low-cost solar components, with components being characterized by their absorbed solar energy per cost;
2. a built demonstration prototype of...

3. Computational study of elements of stability of a four-helix bundle protein biosurfactant

   NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

   Schaller, Andrea; Connors, Natalie K.; Dwyer, Mirjana Dimitrijev; Oelmeier, Stefan A.; Hubbuch, Jürgen; Middelberg, Anton P. J.

   2015-01-01

   Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules produced principally by microorganisms. They are a sustainable alternative to chemically-synthesized surfactants, having the advantages of being non-toxic, highly functional, eco-friendly and biodegradable. However they are currently only used in a few industrial products due to costs associated with production and purification, which exceed those for commodity chemical surfactants. DAMP4, a member of a four-helix bundle biosurfactant protein family, can be produced in soluble form and at high yield in Escherichia coli, and can be recovered using a facile thermal phase-separation approach. As such, it encompasses an interesting synergy of biomolecular and chemical engineering with prospects for low-cost production even for industrial sectors. DAMP4 is highly functional, and due to its extraordinary thermal stability it can be purified in a simple two-step process, in which the combination of high temperature and salt leads to denaturation of all contaminants, whereas DAMP4 stays stable in solution and can be recovered by filtration. This study aimed to characterize and understand the fundamental drivers of DAMP4 stability to guide further process and surfactant design studies. The complementary use of experiments and molecular dynamics simulation revealed a broad pH and temperature tolerance for DAMP4, with a melting point of 122.4 °C, suggesting the hydrophobic core as the major contributor to thermal stability. Simulation of systematically created in silico variants of DAMP4 showed an influence of number and location of hydrophilic mutations in the hydrophobic core on stability, demonstrating a tolerance of up to three mutations before a strong loss in stability occurred. The results suggest a consideration of a balance of stability, functionality and kinetics for new designs according to their application, aiming for maximal functionality but at adequate stability to allow for cost-efficient production using thermal phase separation approaches.

4. Ultra low thermal expansion, highly thermal shock resistant ceramic

   DOEpatents

   Limaye, Santosh Y.

   1996-01-01

   Three families of ceramic compositions having the given formula: .phi..sub.1+X Zr.sub.4 P.sub.6-2X Si.sub.2X O.sub.24, .phi..sub.1+X Zr.sub.4-2X Y.sub.2X P.sub.6 O.sub.24 and .phi..sub.1+X Zr.sub.4-X Y.sub.X P.sub.6-2X Si.sub.X O.sub.24 wherein .phi. is either Strontium or Barium and X has a value from about 0.2 to about 0.8 have been disclosed. Ceramics formed from these compositions exhibit very low, generally near neutral, thermal expansion over a wide range of elevated temperatures.

5. Sail film materials and supporting structure for a solar sail, a preliminary design, volume 4

   NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

   Rowe, W. M. (Editor)

   1978-01-01

   Solar sailing technology was examined in relation to a mission to rendezvous with Halley's Comet. Development of an ultra-light, highly reflecting material system capable of operating at high solar intensity for long periods of time was emphasized. Data resulting from the sail materials study are reported. Topics covered include: basic film; coatings and thermal control; joining and handling; system performance; and supporting structures assessment for the heliogyro.

6. A rapid method for the simultaneous determination of 25 anti-hypertensive compounds in dietary supplements using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography.

   PubMed

   Heo, Seok; Yoo, Geum Joo; Choi, Ji Yeon; Park, Hyoung Joon; Park, Sung-Kwan; Baek, Sun Young

   2016-11-01

   A novel, stable, simple and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography method with ultraviolet detection (205 nm) for the simultaneous analysis of 25 anti-hypertensive substances was developed. The method was validated according to the International Conference of Harmonisation guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ) and stability. From the ultra-performance liquid chromatography results, we identified the LOD and LOQ of solid samples to be 0.20-1.00 and 0.60-3.00 μg ml -1 , respectively, while those of liquid samples were 0.30-1.20 and 0.90-3.60 μg ml -1 , respectively. The linearity exceeded 0.9999, and the intra- and inter-day precisions were 0.15-6.48% and 0.28-8.67%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day accuracies were 82.25-111.42% and 80.70-115.64%, respectively, and the stability was lower than 12.9% (relative standard deviation). This method was applied to the monitoring of 97 commercially available dietary supplements obtained in Korea, such as pills, soft capsules, hard capsules, liquids, powders and tablets. The proposed method is accurate, precise and of high quality, and can be used for the routine, reproducible analysis and control of 25 anti-hypertensive substances in various dietary supplements. The work presented herein may help to prevent incidents related to food adulteration and restrict the illegal food market.

7. Calibration of ultra-low infrared power at NIST

   NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

   Woods, Solomon I.; Carr, Stephen M.; Carter, Adriaan C.; Jung, Timothy M.; Datla, Raju U.

   2010-07-01

   The Low Background Infrared (LBIR) facility has developed and tested the components of a new detector for calibration of infrared greater than 1 pW, with 0.1 % uncertainty. Calibration of such low powers could be valuable for the quantitative study of weak astronomical sources in the infrared. The pW-ACR is an absolute cryogenic radiometer (ACR) employing a high resolution transition edge sensor (TES) thermometer, ultra-weak thermal link and miniaturized receiver to achieve a noise level of around 1 fW at a temperature of 2 K. The novel thermometer employs the superconducting transition of a tin (Sn) core and has demonstrated a temperature noise floor less than 3 nK/Hz1/2. Using an applied magnetic field from an integrated solenoid to suppress the Sn transition temperature, the operating temperature of the thermometer can be tuned to any temperature below 3.6 K. The conical receiver is coated on the inside with infrared-absorbing paint and has a demonstrated absorptivity of 99.94 % at 10.6 μm. The thermal link is made from a thin-walled polyimide tube and has exhibited very low thermal conductance near 2x10-7 W/K. In tests with a heater mounted on the receiver, the receiver/thermal-link assembly demonstrated a thermal time constant of about 15 s. Based on these experimental results, it is estimated that an ACR containing these components can achieve noise levels below 1 fW, and the design of a radiometer merging the new thermometer, receiver and thermal link will be discussed.

8. The Microstructural Evolution of Haynes 282 Alloy During Long-Term Exposure Tests

   NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

   Fu, Rui; Zhao, Shuangqun; Wang, Yanfeng; Li, Qiang; Ma, Yunhai; Lin, Fusheng; Chi, Chengyu

   Haynes 282 alloy is a γ' precipitation strengthened nickel based superalloy designed by Haynes International Incorporation in 2005. This alloy is currently being evaluated for use as high temperature components at 700°C Advanced-Ultra Supercritical (A-USC)power plants, thus it is particularly important to have good creep property and microstructure stability.

9. Promising Results from Three NASA SBIR Solar Array Technology Development Programs

   NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

   Eskenazi, Mike; White, Steve; Spence, Brian; Douglas, Mark; Glick, Mike; Pavlick, Ariel; Murphy, David; O'Neill, Mark; McDanal, A. J.; Piszczor, Michael

   2005-01-01

   Results from three NASA SBIR solar array technology programs are presented. The programs discussed are: 1) Thin Film Photovoltaic UltraFlex Solar Array; 2) Low Cost/Mass Electrostatically Clean Solar Array (ESCA); and 3) Stretched Lens Array SquareRigger (SLASR). The purpose of the Thin Film UltraFlex (TFUF) Program is to mature and validate the use of advanced flexible thin film photovoltaics blankets as the electrical subsystem element within an UltraFlex solar array structural system. In this program operational prototype flexible array segments, using United Solar amorphous silicon cells, are being manufactured and tested for the flight qualified UltraFlex structure. In addition, large size (e.g. 10 kW GEO) TFUF wing systems are being designed and analyzed. Thermal cycle and electrical test and analysis results from the TFUF program are presented. The purpose of the second program entitled, Low Cost/Mass Electrostatically Clean Solar Array (ESCA) System, is to develop an Electrostatically Clean Solar Array meeting NASA s design requirements and ready this technology for commercialization and use on the NASA MMS and GED missions. The ESCA designs developed use flight proven materials and processes to create a ESCA system that yields low cost, low mass, high reliability, high power density, and is adaptable to any cell type and coverglass thickness. All program objectives, which included developing specifications, creating ESCA concepts, concept analysis and trade studies, producing detailed designs of the most promising ESCA treatments, manufacturing ESCA demonstration panels, and LEO (2,000 cycles) and GEO (1,350 cycles) thermal cycling testing of the down-selected designs were successfully achieved. The purpose of the third program entitled, "High Power Platform for the Stretched Lens Array," is to develop an extremely lightweight, high efficiency, high power, high voltage, and low stowed volume solar array suitable for very high power (multi-kW to MW) applications. These objectives are achieved by combining two cutting edge technologies, the SquareRigger solar array structure and the Stretched Lens Array (SLA). The SLA SquareRigger solar array is termed SLASR. All program objectives, which included developing specifications, creating preliminary designs for a near-term SLASR, detailed structural, mass, power, and sizing analyses, fabrication and power testing of a functional flight-like SLASR solar blanket, were successfully achieved.

10. Enhanced thermal stability of Cu alloy films by strong interaction between Ni and Zr (or Fe)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Yuehong; Li, Xiaona; Cheng, Xiaotian; Li, Zhuming; Liu, Yubo; Dong, Chuang

    2018-04-01

    Low resistivity, phase stability and nonreactivity with surrounding dielectrics are the key to the application of Cu to ultra-large-scale integrated circuits. Here, a stable solid solution cluster model was introduced to design the composition of barrierless Cu-Ni-Zr (or Fe) seed layers. The third elements Fe and Zr were dissolved into Cu via a second element Ni, which is soluble in both Cu and Zr (or Fe). The films were prepared by magnetron sputtering on the single-crystal p-Si (1 0 0) wafers. Since the diffusion characteristics of the alloying elements are different, the effects of the strong interaction between Ni and Zr (or Fe) on the film’s stability and resistivity were studied. The results showed that a proper addition of Zr-Ni (Zr/Ni  ⩽  0.6/12) into Cu could form a large negative lattice distortion, which inhibits Cu-Si interdiffusion and enhances the stability of Cu film. When Fe-Ni was co-added into Cu, the lattice distortion of Cu reached a lower value, 0.0029 Å  ⩽  |Δa|  ⩽  0.0046 Å, and the films showed poor stability. Therefore, when the model is applied to the composition design of the films, the strong interaction between the elements and the addition ratio should be taken into consideration.

11. Highly stable thin film transistors using multilayer channel structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nayak, Pradipta K.; Wang, Zhenwei; Anjum, D. H.; Hedhili, M. N.; Alshareef, H. N.

    2015-03-01

    We report highly stable gate-bias stress performance of thin film transistors (TFTs) using zinc oxide (ZnO)/hafnium oxide (HfO2) multilayer structure as the channel layer. Positive and negative gate-bias stress stability of the TFTs was measured at room temperature and at 60 °C. A tremendous improvement in gate-bias stress stability was obtained in case of the TFT with multiple layers of ZnO embedded between HfO2 layers compared to the TFT with a single layer of ZnO as the semiconductor. The ultra-thin HfO2 layers act as passivation layers, which prevent the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules in the ZnO layer and hence significantly improve the gate-bias stress stability of ZnO TFTs.

12. Multilayer thermal barrier coating systems

    DOEpatents

    Vance, Steven J.; Goedjen, John G.; Sabol, Stephen M.; Sloan, Kelly M.

    2000-01-01

    The present invention generally describes multilayer thermal barrier coating systems and methods of making the multilayer thermal barrier coating systems. The thermal barrier coating systems comprise a first ceramic layer, a second ceramic layer, a thermally grown oxide layer, a metallic bond coating layer and a substrate. The thermal barrier coating systems have improved high temperature thermal and chemical stability for use in gas turbine applications.

13. A high-speed, tunable silicon photonic ring modulator integrated with ultra-efficient active wavelength control.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Xuezhe; Chang, Eric; Amberg, Philip; Shubin, Ivan; Lexau, Jon; Liu, Frankie; Thacker, Hiren; Djordjevic, Stevan S; Lin, Shiyun; Luo, Ying; Yao, Jin; Lee, Jin-Hyoung; Raj, Kannan; Ho, Ron; Cunningham, John E; Krishnamoorthy, Ashok V

    2014-05-19

    We report the first complete 10G silicon photonic ring modulator with integrated ultra-efficient CMOS driver and closed-loop wavelength control. A selective substrate removal technique was used to improve the ring tuning efficiency. Limited by the thermal tuner driver output power, a maximum open-loop tuning range of about 4.5nm was measured with about 14mW of total tuning power including the heater driver circuit power consumption. Stable wavelength locking was achieved with a low-power mixed-signal closed-loop wavelength controller. An active wavelength tracking range of > 500GHz was demonstrated with controller energy cost of only 20fJ/bit.

14. Seed-mediated synthesis of ultra-long copper nanowires and their application as transparent conducting electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Hyunhong; Choi, Seong-Hyeon; Kim, Mijung; Park, Jang-Ung; Bae, Joonwon; Park, Jongnam

    2017-11-01

    Owing to a recent push toward one-dimensional nanomaterials, in this study, we report a seed-mediated synthetic strategy for copper nanowires (Cu NWs) production involving thermal decomposition of metal-surfactant complexes in an organic medium. Ultra-long Cu NWs with a high aspect ratio and uniform diameter were obtained by separating nucleation and growth steps. The underlying mechanism for nanowire formation was investigated, in addition, properties of the obtained Cu NWs were also characterized using diverse analysis techniques. The performance of resulting Cu NWs as transparent electrodes was demonstrated for potential application. This article can provide information on both new synthetic pathway and potential use of Cu NWs.

15. Coupled opto-electronic oscillator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yao, X. Steve (Inventor); Maleki, Lute (Inventor)

    1999-01-01

    A coupled opto-electronic oscillator that directly couples a laser oscillation with an electronic oscillation to simultaneously achieve a stable RF oscillation at a high frequency and ultra-short optical pulsation by mode locking with a high repetition rate and stability. Single-mode selection can be achieved even with a very long opto-electronic loop. A multimode laser can be used to pump the electronic oscillation, resulting in a high operation efficiency. The optical and the RF oscillations are correlated to each other.

16. High thermal stability and antiferromagnetic properties of a 3D Mn(II)-organic framework with metal carboxylate chains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Lei; Zhou, Yan; Wang, Xiu-Teng; Li, Xing; Tong, Ming-Liang

    2009-04-01

    A novel three-dimensional metal-organic framework, [Mn 2(hfipbb) 2(bpy)] n ( 1) (H 2hfipbb = 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis(benzoic acid), bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine), has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. The complex consists of metal carboxylate chains, which are cross-linked to six adjacent chains through organic moieties forming extended three-dimensional networks. Complex 1 exhibits high thermal stability (450 °C) and antiferromagnetic properties.

17. Thermal restraint of a bacterial exopolysaccharide of shallow vent origin.

    PubMed

    Caccamo, Maria Teresa; Zammuto, Vincenzo; Gugliandolo, Concetta; Madeleine-Perdrillat, Claire; Spanò, Antonio; Magazù, Salvatore

    2018-07-15

    To dynamically characterize the thermal properties of the fructose-rich exopolysaccharide (EPS1-T14), produced by the marine thermophilic Bacillus licheniformis T14, the Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy was coupled to variable temperature ranging from ambient to 80°C. The spectra were analyzed by the following innovative mathematical tools: i) non-ideal spectral deviation, ii) OH-stretching band frequency center shift, iii) spectral distance, and iv) wavelet cross-correlation analysis. The thermal restraint analysis revealed that the whole EPS1-T14 system possessed high stability until 80°C, and suggested that fucose was mainly involved in the EPS1-T14 thermal stability, whereas glucose was responsible for its molecular flexibility. Our results provide novel insights into the thermal stability properties of the whole EPS1-T14 and into the role of its main monosaccharidic units. As a new biopolymer, the thermostable EPS1-T14 could be used in traditional biotechnology fields and in new biomedical areas, as nanocarriers, requiring high temperature processes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-low-energy ion-beam synthesis of nanometer-separated Si nanoparticles and Ag nanocrystals 2D layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrada, M.; Haj Salem, A.; Pecassou, B.; Paillard, V.; Ben Assayag, G.

2018-03-01

2D networks of Si and Ag nanocrystals have been fabricated in the same SiO2 matrix by Ultra-Low-Energy Ion-Beam-Synthesis. Our synthesis scheme differs from a simple sequential ion implantation and its key point is the control of the matrix integrity through an appropriate intermediate thermal annealing. Si nanocrystal layer is synthesised first due to high thermal budget required for nucleation, while the second Ag nanocrystal plane is formed during a subsequent implantation due to the high diffusivity of Ag in silica. The aim of this work is to show how it is possible to overcome the limitation related to ion mixing and implantation damage to obtain double layers of Si-NCs and Ag-NCs with controlled characteristics. For this, we take advantage of annealing under slight oxidizing ambient to control the oxidation of Si-NCs and the Si excess in the matrix. The nanocrystal characteristics and in particular their position and size can be adjusted thanks to a compromise between the implantation energy, the implanted dose for both Si and Ag ions and the intermediate annealing conditions (atmosphere, temperature and duration).

Mid-infrared supercontinuum covering the 1.4-13.3 μm molecular fingerprint region using ultra-high NA chalcogenide step-index fibre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Christian Rosenberg; Møller, Uffe; Kubat, Irnis; Zhou, Binbin; Dupont, Sune; Ramsay, Jacob; Benson, Trevor; Sujecki, Slawomir; Abdel-Moneim, Nabil; Tang, Zhuoqi; Furniss, David; Seddon, Angela; Bang, Ole

2014-11-01

The mid-infrared spectral region is of great technical and scientific interest because most molecules display fundamental vibrational absorptions in this region, leaving distinctive spectral fingerprints. To date, the limitations of mid-infrared light sources such as thermal emitters, low-power laser diodes, quantum cascade lasers and synchrotron radiation have precluded mid-infrared applications where the spatial coherence, broad bandwidth, high brightness and portability of a supercontinuum laser are all required. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that launching intense ultra-short pulses with a central wavelength of either 4.5 μm or 6.3 μm into short pieces of ultra-high numerical-aperture step-index chalcogenide glass optical fibre generates a mid-infrared supercontinuum spanning 1.5 μm to 11.7 μm and 1.4 μm to 13.3 μm, respectively. This is the first experimental demonstration to truly reveal the potential of fibres to emit across the mid-infrared molecular ‘fingerprint region’, which is of key importance for applications such as early cancer diagnostics, gas sensing and food quality control.

Potential antioxidant peptides produced from whey hydrolysis with an immobilized aspartic protease from Salpichroa origanifolia fruits.

PubMed

Rocha, Gabriela Fernanda; Kise, Francisco; Rosso, Adriana Mabel; Parisi, Mónica Graciela

2017-12-15

An aspartic protease from Salpichroa origanifolia fruits was successfully immobilized onto an activated support of glutaraldehyde agarose. The immobilized enzyme presented higher thermal stability than the free enzyme from 40°C to 50°C and high reusability, retaining 54% of the initial activity after ten cycles of the process. Whey protein concentrates (WPC) were hydrolyzed with both free and immobilized enzyme, reaching a similar degree of hydrolysis of approximately 6-8% after 20h. In addition, the immobilized derivate hydrolyzed α-lactalbumin protein with a higher affinity than β-lactoglobulin. The hydrolysate was ultra-filtrated, and the fractions were evaluated for antioxidant activities with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity method. The fraction containing peptides with a molecular mass below 3kDa demonstrated a strong radical quenching effect (IC 50: 0.48mg/ml). These results suggest that hydrolyzed WPC could be considered as a promising source of natural food antioxidants for the development of functional food. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of compact and stable perovskite films with optimized precursor composition in the fast-growing procedure

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

Liu, Tanghao; Zhou, Yuanyuan; Hu, Qin

The fast-growing procedure (FGP) provides a simple, high-yield and lead (Pb)-release free method to prepare perovskite films. In the FGP, the ultra-dilute perovskite precursor solution is drop-cast onto a hot (~240 degrees C) substrate, where a perovskite film grows immediately accompanied by the rapid evaporation of the host solvent. In this process, all the raw materials in the precursor solution are deposited into the final perovskite film. The potential pollution caused by Pb can be significantly reduced. Properties of the FGP-processed perovskite films can be modulated by the precursor composition. While CH3NH3Cl (MACl) affects the crystallization process and leads tomore » full surface coverage, CH(NH2)2I (FAI) enhances the thermal stability of the film. Based on the optimized precursor composition of PbI2(1-x)FAI xMACl, x=0.75, FGP-processed planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells exhibit power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) exceeding 15% with suppressed hysteresis and excellent reproducibility.« less

Microstructure and Thermal Stability of A357 Alloy With and Without the Addition of Zr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzeng, Yu-Chih; Chengn, Vun-Shing; Nieh, Jo-Kuang; Bor, Hui-Yun; Lee, Sheng-Long

2017-11-01

The principal purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of Zr on the microstructure and thermal stability of an A357 alloy that has been subjected to an aging treatment (T6) and thermal exposure (250 °C). The results show that the addition of Zr had a significant influence on the refinement of the grain size, which enhanced the hardness and tensile strength of the A357 alloy under the T6 condition. During thermal exposure at 250 °C, the rodlike metastable β'-Mg2Si precipitates transformed into coarse equilibrium phase β-Mg2Si precipitates, resulting in a significant drop in the hardness and tensile strength of the T6 heat-treated A357 alloy. However, after thermal exposure, coherent, finely dispersed Al3Zr precipitates were found to be formed in the T6 heat-treated A357 alloy. The addition of 0.1% Zr played a critical role in improving the high-temperature strength. Consequently, the A357 alloy with the addition of Zr demonstrated better mechanical properties at room temperature and high temperature than the alloy without Zr, in terms of both microstructure and thermal stability.

Thermal Stability of Frozen Volatiles in the North Polar Region of Mercury

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paige, David A.; Siegler, Matthew A.; Harmon, John K.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Solomon, Sean C.

2012-01-01

Earth-based radar observations have revealed the presence on Mercury of anomalously bright, depolarizing features that appear to be localized in the permanently shadowed regions of high-latitude impact craters [1]. Observations of similar radar signatures over a range of radar wavelengths implies that they correspond to deposits that are highly transparent at radar wavelengths and extend to depths of several meters below the surface [1]. Thermal models using idealized crater topographic profiles have predicted the thermal stability of surface and subsurface water ice at these same latitudes [2]. One of the major goals of the MESSENGER mission is to characterize the nature of radar-bright craters and presumed associated frozen volatile deposits at the poles of Mercury through complementary orbital observations by a suite of instruments [3]. Here we report on an examination of the thermal stability of water ice and other frozen volatiles in the north polar region of Mercury using topographic profiles obtained by the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) instrument [4] in conjunction with a three-dimensional ray-tracing thermal model previously used to study the thermal environment of polar craters on the Moon [5].

Thermal transport in semicrystalline polyethylene by molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Tingyu; Kim, Kyunghoon; Li, Xiaobo; Zhou, Jun; Chen, Gang; Liu, Jun

2018-01-01

Recent research has highlighted the potential to achieve high-thermal-conductivity polymers by aligning their molecular chains. Combined with other merits, such as low-cost, corrosion resistance, and light weight, such polymers are attractive for heat transfer applications. Due to their quasi-one-dimensional structural nature, the understanding on the thermal transport in those ultra-drawn semicrystalline polymer fibers or films is still lacking. In this paper, we built the ideal repeating units of semicrystalline polyethylene and studied their dependence of thermal conductivity on different crystallinity and interlamellar topology using the molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the conventional models, such as the Choy-Young's model, the series model, and Takayanagi's model, cannot accurately predict the thermal conductivity of the quasi-one-dimensional semicrystalline polyethylene. A modified Takayanagi's model was proposed to explain the dependence of thermal conductivity on the bridge number at intermediate and high crystallinity. We also analyzed the heat transfer pathways and demonstrated the substantial role of interlamellar bridges in the thermal transport in the semicrystalline polyethylene. Our work could contribute to the understanding of the structure-property relationship in semicrystalline polymers and shed some light on the development of plastic heat sinks and thermal management in flexible electronics.

NOx reduction in catalytically stabilized thermal burners. Annual report, pril 1, 1988-March 31, 1989

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

Pfefferle, L.D.

1989-09-01

Catalytically stabilized combustors can be designed to combine the high reaction rates of thermal combustors with low-NOx emissions. The objectives of the research are to understand why the CST burner has inherently low-NOx emissions and whether preexisting NOx can be reduced in-situ in the post-flame zone of a CST burner. Initial results indicate that reduced NOx emissions are, at least for some operating conditions, due to more than just the ability to stabilize combustion at low temperatures. The next phase of the investigation will focus on isothermal flow-tube kinetics studies to isolate catalytic and thermal effects.

Liquid metal heat sink for high-power laser diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetrovec, John; Litt, Amardeep S.; Copeland, Drew A.; Junghans, Jeremy; Durkee, Roger

2013-02-01

We report on the development of a novel, ultra-low thermal resistance active heat sink (AHS) for thermal management of high-power laser diodes (HPLD) and other electronic and photonic components. AHS uses a liquid metal coolant flowing at high speed in a miniature closed and sealed loop. The liquid metal coolant receives waste heat from an HPLD at high flux and transfers it at much reduced flux to environment, primary coolant fluid, heat pipe, or structure. Liquid metal flow is maintained electromagnetically without any moving parts. Velocity of liquid metal flow can be controlled electronically, thus allowing for temperature control of HPLD wavelength. This feature also enables operation at a stable wavelength over a broad range of ambient conditions. Results from testing an HPLD cooled by AHS are presented.

Chip Scale Atomic Resonator Frequency Stabilization System With Ultra-Low Power Consumption for Optoelectronic Oscillators.

PubMed

Zhao, Jianye; Zhang, Yaolin; Lu, Haoyuan; Hou, Dong; Zhang, Shuangyou; Wang, Zhong

2016-07-01

We present a long-term chip scale stabilization scheme for optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) based on a rubidium coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic resonator. By locking a single mode of an OEO to the (85)Rb 3.035-GHz CPT resonance utilizing an improved phase-locked loop (PLL) with a PID regulator, we achieved a chip scale frequency stabilization system for the OEO. The fractional frequency stability of the stabilized OEO by overlapping Allan deviation reaches 6.2 ×10(-11) (1 s) and  ∼ 1.45 ×10 (-11) (1000 s). This scheme avoids a decrease in the extra phase noise performance induced by the electronic connection between the OEO and the microwave reference in common injection locking schemes. The total physical package of the stabilization system is [Formula: see text] and the total power consumption is 400 mW, which provides a chip scale and portable frequency stabilization approach with ultra-low power consumption for OEOs.

OMNY PIN—A versatile sample holder for tomographic measurements at room and cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holler, M.; Raabe, J.; Wepf, R.; Shahmoradian, S. H.; Diaz, A.; Sarafimov, B.; Lachat, T.; Walther, H.; Vitins, M.

2017-11-01

Nowadays ptychographic tomography in the hard x-ray regime, i.e., at energies above about 2 keV, is a well-established measurement technique. At the Paul Scherrer Institut, currently two instruments are available: one is measuring at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and the other, the so-called OMNY (tOMography Nano crYo) instrument, is operating at ultra-high vacuum and offering cryogenic sample temperatures down to 10 K. In this manuscript, we present the sample mounts that were developed for these instruments. Aside from excellent mechanical stability and thermal conductivity, they also offer highly reproducible mounting. Various types were developed for different kinds of samples and are presented in detail, including examples of how specimens can be mounted on these holders. We also show the first hard x-ray ptychographic tomography measurements of high-pressure frozen biological samples, in the present case Chlamydomonas cells, the related sample pins and preparation steps. For completeness, we present accessories such as transportation containers for both room temperature and cryogenic samples and a gripper mechanism for automatic sample changing. The sample mounts are not limited to x-ray tomography or hard x-ray energies, and we believe that they can be very useful for other instrumentation projects.

Multicore-shell nanofiber architecture of polyimide/polyvinylidene fluoride blend for thermal and long-term stability of lithium ion battery separator.

PubMed

Park, Sejoon; Son, Chung Woo; Lee, Sungho; Kim, Dong Young; Park, Cheolmin; Eom, Kwang Sup; Fuller, Thomas F; Joh, Han-Ik; Jo, Seong Mu

2016-11-11

Li-ion battery, separator, multicoreshell structure, thermal stability, long-term stability. A nanofibrous membrane with multiple cores of polyimide (PI) in the shell of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) was prepared using a facile one-pot electrospinning technique with a single nozzle. Unique multicore-shell (MCS) structure of the electrospun composite fibers was obtained, which resulted from electrospinning a phase-separated polymer composite solution. Multiple PI core fibrils with high molecular orientation were well-embedded across the cross-section and contributed remarkable thermal stabilities to the MCS membrane. Thus, no outbreaks were found in its dimension and ionic resistance up to 200 and 250 °C, respectively. Moreover, the MCS membrane (at ~200 °C), as a lithium ion battery (LIB) separator, showed superior thermal and electrochemical stabilities compared with a widely used commercial separator (~120 °C). The average capacity decay rate of LIB for 500 cycles was calculated to be approximately 0.030 mAh/g/cycle. This value demonstrated exceptional long-term stability compared with commercial LIBs and with two other types (single core-shell and co-electrospun separators incorporating with functionalized TiO 2 ) of PI/PVdF composite separators. The proper architecture and synergy effects of multiple PI nanofibrils as a thermally stable polymer in the PVdF shell as electrolyte compatible polymers are responsible for the superior thermal performance and long-term stability of the LIB.

Multicore-shell nanofiber architecture of polyimide/polyvinylidene fluoride blend for thermal and long-term stability of lithium ion battery separator

PubMed Central

Park, Sejoon; Son, Chung Woo; Lee, Sungho; Kim, Dong Young; Park, Cheolmin; Eom, Kwang Sup; Fuller, Thomas F.; Joh, Han-Ik; Jo, Seong Mu

2016-01-01

Li-ion battery, separator, multicoreshell structure, thermal stability, long-term stability. A nanofibrous membrane with multiple cores of polyimide (PI) in the shell of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) was prepared using a facile one-pot electrospinning technique with a single nozzle. Unique multicore-shell (MCS) structure of the electrospun composite fibers was obtained, which resulted from electrospinning a phase-separated polymer composite solution. Multiple PI core fibrils with high molecular orientation were well-embedded across the cross-section and contributed remarkable thermal stabilities to the MCS membrane. Thus, no outbreaks were found in its dimension and ionic resistance up to 200 and 250 °C, respectively. Moreover, the MCS membrane (at ~200 °C), as a lithium ion battery (LIB) separator, showed superior thermal and electrochemical stabilities compared with a widely used commercial separator (~120 °C). The average capacity decay rate of LIB for 500 cycles was calculated to be approximately 0.030 mAh/g/cycle. This value demonstrated exceptional long-term stability compared with commercial LIBs and with two other types (single core-shell and co-electrospun separators incorporating with functionalized TiO2) of PI/PVdF composite separators. The proper architecture and synergy effects of multiple PI nanofibrils as a thermally stable polymer in the PVdF shell as electrolyte compatible polymers are responsible for the superior thermal performance and long-term stability of the LIB. PMID:27833132

Significant improvement of thermal stability of glucose 1-dehydrogenase by introducing disulfide bonds at the tetramer interface.

PubMed

Ding, Haitao; Gao, Fen; Liu, Danfeng; Li, Zeli; Xu, Xiaohong; Wu, Min; Zhao, Yuhua

2013-12-10

Rational design was applied to glucose 1-dehydrogenase (LsGDH) from Lysinibacillus sphaericus G10 to improve its thermal stability by introduction of disulfide bridges between subunits. One out of the eleven mutants, designated as DS255, displayed significantly enhanced thermal stability with considerable soluble expression and high specific activity. It was extremely stable at pH ranging from 4.5 to 10.5, as it retained nearly 100% activity after incubating at different buffers for 1h. Mutant DS255 also exhibited high thermostability, having a half-life of 9900min at 50°C, which was 1868-fold as that of its wild type. Moreover, both of the increased free energy of denaturation and decreased entropy of denaturation of DS255 suggested that the enzyme structure was stabilized by the engineered disulfide bonds. On account of its robust stability, mutant DS255 would be a competitive candidate in practical applications of chiral chemicals synthesis, biofuel cells and glucose biosensors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physics with thermal antiprotons

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

Hynes, M.V.; Campbell, L.J.

1988-01-01

The same beam cooling techniques that have allowed for high luminosity antiproton experiments at high energy also provide the opportunity for experiments at ultra-low energy. Through a series of deceleration stages, antiprotons collected and cooled at the peak momentum for production can by made available at thermal or sub-thermal energies. In particular, the CERN, PS-200 collaboration is developing an RFO-plused ion trap beam line for the antiproton gravitational mass experiment at LEAR that will provide beams of antiprotons in the energy range 0.001--1000.0 eV. Antiprotons at these energies make these fundamentals particles available for experiments in condensed matter and atomicmore » physics. The recent speculation that antiprotons may form metastable states in some forms of normal matter could open many new avenues of basic and applied research. 7 refs., 3 figs.« less

Sintering Characteristics of Multilayered Thermal Barrier Coatings Under Thermal Gradient and Isothermal High Temperature Annealing Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rai, Amarendra K.; Schmitt, Michael P.; Bhattacharya, Rabi; Zhu, Dongming; Wolfe, Douglas E.

2014-01-01

Pyrochlore oxides have most of the relevant attributes for use as next generation thermal barrier coatings such as phase stability, low sintering kinetics and low thermal conductivity. One of the issues with the pyrochlore oxides is their lower toughness and therefore higher erosion rate compared to the current state-of-the-art TBC material, yttria (6 to 8 wt%) stabilized zirconia (YSZ). In this work, sintering characteristics were investigated for novel multilayered coating consisted of alternating layers of pyrochlore oxide viz Gd2Zr2O7 and t' low k (rare earth oxide doped YSZ). Thermal gradient and isothermal high temperature (1316 C) annealing conditions were used to investigate sintering and cracking in these coatings. The results are then compared with that of relevant monolayered coatings and a baseline YSZ coating.

Post-irradiation hardness development, chemical softening, and thermal stability of bulk-fill and conventional resin-composites.

PubMed

Alshali, Ruwaida Z; Salim, Nesreen A; Satterthwaite, Julian D; Silikas, Nick

2015-02-01

To measure bottom/top hardness ratio of bulk-fill and conventional resin-composite materials, and to assess hardness changes after dry and ethanol storage. Filler content and kinetics of thermal decomposition were also tested using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Six bulk-fill (SureFil SDR, Venus bulk fill, X-tra base, Filtek bulk fill flowable, Sonic fill, and Tetric EvoCeram bulk-fill) and eight conventional resin-composite materials (Grandioso flow, Venus Diamond flow, X-flow, Filtek Supreme Ultra Flowable, Grandioso, Venus Diamond, TPH Spectrum, and Filtek Z250) were tested (n=5). Initial and 24h (post-cure dry storage) top and bottom microhardness values were measured. Microhardness was re-measured after the samples were stored in 75% ethanol/water solution. Thermal decomposition and filler content were assessed by TGA. Results were analysed using one-way ANOVA and paired sample t-test (α=0.05). All materials showed significant increase of microhardness after 24h of dry storage which ranged from 100.1% to 9.1%. Bottom/top microhardness ratio >0.9 was exhibited by all materials. All materials showed significant decrease of microhardness after 24h of storage in 75% ethanol/water which ranged from 14.5% to 74.2%. The extent of post-irradiation hardness development was positively correlated to the extent of ethanol softening (R(2)=0.89, p<0.001). Initial thermal decomposition temperature assessed by TGA was variable and was correlated to ethanol softening. Bulk-fill resin-composites exhibit comparable bottom/top hardness ratio to conventional materials at recommended manufacturer thickness. Hardness was affected to a variable extent by storage with variable inorganic filler content and initial thermal decomposition shown by TGA. The manufacturer recommended depth of cure of bulk-fill resin-composites can be reached based on the microhardness method. Characterization of the primary polymer network of a resin-composite material should be considered when evaluating its stability in the aqueous oral environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fabric phase sorptive extraction followed by UHPLC-MS/MS for the analysis of benzotriazole UV stabilizers in sewage samples.

PubMed

Montesdeoca-Esponda, Sarah; Sosa-Ferrera, Zoraida; Kabir, Abuzar; Furton, Kenneth G; Santana-Rodríguez, José Juan

2015-10-01

A fast and sensitive sample preparation strategy using fabric phase sorptive extraction followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection has been developed to analyse benzotriazole UV stabilizer compounds in aqueous samples. Benzotriazole UV stabilizer compounds are a group of compounds added to sunscreens and other personal care products which may present detrimental effects to aquatic ecosystems. Fabric phase sorptive extraction is a novel solvent minimized sample preparation approach that integrates the advantages of sol-gel derived hybrid inorganic-organic nanocomposite sorbents and the flexible, permeable and hydrophobic surface chemistry of polyester fabric. It is a highly sensitive, fast, efficient and inexpensive device that can be reused and does not suffer from coating damage, unlike SPME fibres or stir bars. In this paper, we optimized the extraction of seven benzotriazole UV filters evaluating the majority of the parameters involved in the extraction process, such as sorbent chemistry selection, extraction time, back-extraction solvent, back-extraction time and the impact of ionic strength. Under the optimized conditions, fabric phase sorptive extraction allows enrichment factors of 10 times with detection limits ranging from 6.01 to 60.7 ng L(-1) and intra- and inter-day % RSDs lower than 11 and 30 % for all compounds, respectively. The optimized sample preparation technique followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection was applied to determine the target analytes in sewage samples from wastewater treatment plants with different purification processes of Gran Canaria Island (Spain). Two UV stabilizer compounds were measured in ranges 17.0-60.5 ng mL(-1) (UV 328) and 69.3-99.2 ng mL(-1) (UV 360) in the three sewage water samples analysed.

A Project to Design and Build the Magnets for a New Test Beamline, the ATF2, at KEK

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

Spencer, Cherrill M.; /slac; Sugahara, Ryuhei

2011-02-07

In order to achieve the high luminosity required at the proposed International Linear Collider (ILC), it is critical to focus the beams to nanometer size with the ILC Beam Delivery System, and to maintain the beams collisions with a nanometer-scale stability. To establish the technologies associated with this ultra-high precision beam handling, a special beamline has been designed and built as an extension of the existing extraction beamline of the Accelerator Test Facility at KEK, Japan. The ATF provides an adequate ultra-low emittance electron beam that is comparable to the ILC requirements; the ATF2 mimics the ILC final focus systemmore » to create a tightly focused, stable beam. There are 37 magnets in the ATF2, 29 quadrupoles, 5 sextupoles and 3 bends. These magnets had to be acquired in a short time and at minimum cost, which led to various acquisition strategies; but nevertheless they had to meet strict requirements on integrated strength, physical dimensions, compatibility with existing magnet movers and beam position monitors, mechanical stability and field stability and quality. This paper will describe how 2 styles of quadrupoles, 2 styles of sextupoles, one dipole style and their supports were designed, fabricated, refurbished or modified, measured and aligned by a small team of engineers from 3 continents.« less

Scandia-and-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia for Thermal Barriers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mess, Derek

2003-01-01

yttria in suitable proportions has shown promise of being a superior thermal- barrier coating (TBC) material, relative to zirconia stabilized with yttria only. More specifically, a range of compositions in the zirconia/scandia/yttria material system has been found to afford increased resistance to deleterious phase transformations at temperatures high enough to cause deterioration of yttria-stabilized zirconia. Yttria-stabilized zirconia TBCs have been applied to metallic substrates in gas turbine and jet engines to protect the substrates against high operating temperatures. These coatings have porous and microcracked structures, which can accommodate strains induced by thermal-expansion mismatch and thermal shock. The longevity of such a coating depends upon yttria as a stabilizing additive that helps to maintain the zirconia in an yttria-rich, socalled non-transformable tetragonal crystallographic phase, thus preventing transformation to the monoclinic phase with an associated deleterious volume change. However, at a temperature greater than about 1,200 C, there is sufficient atomic mobility that the equilibrium, transformable zirconia phase is formed. Upon subsequent cooling, this phase transforms to the monoclinic phase, with an associated volume change that adversely affects the integrity of the coating. Recently, scandia was identified as a stabilizer that could be used instead of, or in addition to, yttria. Of particular interest are scandia-and-yttria-stabilized zirconia (SYSZ) compositions of about 6 mole percent scandia and 1 mole percent yttria, which have been found to exhibit remarkable phase stability at a temperature of 1,400 C in simple aging tests. Unfortunately, scandia is expensive, so that the problem becomes one of determining whether there are compositions with smaller proportions of scandia that afford the required high-temperature stability. In an attempt to solve this problem, experiments were performed on specimens made with reduced proportions of scandia. The criterion used to judge these specimens was whether they retained the non-transformable tetragonal phase after a severe heat treatment of 140 hours at 1,400 C.

Ultra-small iron-gallic acid coordination polymer nanoparticles for chelator-free labeling of 64Cu and multimodal imaging-guided photothermal therapy.

PubMed

Jin, Qiutong; Zhu, Wenjun; Jiang, Dawei; Zhang, Rui; Kutyreff, Christopher J; Engle, Jonathan W; Huang, Peng; Cai, Weibo; Liu, Zhuang; Cheng, Liang

2017-08-31

Cancer nanotechnology has become the hot topic nowadays. While various kinds of nanomaterials have been widely explored for innovative cancer imaging and therapy applications, safe multifunctional nano-agents without long-term retention and toxicity are still demanded. Herein, iron-gallic acid coordination nanoparticles (Fe-GA CPNs) with ultra-small sizes are successfully synthesized by a simple method for multimodal imaging-guided cancer therapy. After surface modification with polyethylene glycol (PEG), the synthesized Fe-GA-PEG CPNs show high stability in various physiological solutions. Taking advantage of high near-infrared (NIR) absorbance as well as the T 1 -MR contrasting ability of Fe-GA-PEG CPNs, in vivo photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and magnetic resonance (MR) bimodal imaging are carried out, revealing the efficient passive tumor targeting of these ultra-small CPNs after intravenous (i.v.) injection. Interestingly, such Fe-GA-PEG CPNs could be labeled with the 64 Cu isotope via a chelator-free method for in vivo PET imaging, which also illustrates the high tumor uptake of Fe-GA CPNs. We further utilize Fe-GA-PEG CPNs for in vivo photothermal therapy and achieve highly effective tumor destruction after i.v. injection of Fe-GA-PEG CPNs and the following NIR laser irradiation of the tumors, without observing any apparent toxicity of such CPNs to the treated animals. Our work highlights the promise of ultra-small iron coordination nanoparticles for imaging-guided cancer therapy.

Radiometric calibration of an ultra-compact microbolometer thermal imaging module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riesland, David W.; Nugent, Paul W.; Laurie, Seth; Shaw, Joseph A.

2017-05-01

As microbolometer focal plane array formats are steadily decreasing, new challenges arise in correcting for thermal drift in the calibration coefficients. As the thermal mass of the cameras decrease the focal plane becomes more sensitive to external thermal inputs. This paper shows results from a temperature compensation algorithm for characterizing and radiometrically calibrating a FLIR Lepton camera.

Development of ultra-high temperature material characterization capabilities using digital image correlation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, Julia Elaine

2011-12-01

Ultra-high temperature deformation measurements are required to characterize the thermo-mechanical response of material systems for thermal protection systems for aerospace applications. The use of conventional surface-contacting strain measurement techniques is not practical in elevated temperature conditions. Technological advancements in digital imaging provide impetus to measure full-field displacement and determine strain fields with sub-pixel accuracy by image processing. In this work, an Instron electromechanical axial testing machine with a custom-designed high temperature gripping mechanism is used to apply quasi-static tensile loads to graphite specimens heated to 2000°F (1093°C). Specimen heating via Joule effect is achieved and maintained with a custom-designed temperature control system. Images are captured at monotonically increasing load levels throughout the test duration using an 18 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel T2i digital camera with a modified Schneider Kreutznach telecentric lens and a combination of blue light illumination and narrow band-pass filter system. Images are processed using an open-source Matlab-based digital image correlation (DIC) code. Validation of source code is performed using Mathematica generated images with specified known displacement fields in order to gain confidence in accurate software tracking capabilities. Room temperature results are compared with extensometer readings. Ultra-high temperature strain measurements for graphite are obtained at low load levels, demonstrating the potential for non-contacting digital image correlation techniques to accurately determine full-field strain measurements at ultra-high temperature. Recommendations are given to improve the experimental set-up to achieve displacement field measurements accurate to 1/10 pixel and strain field accuracy of less than 2%.

Picosecond and femtosecond lasers for industrial material processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayerhofer, R.; Serbin, J.; Deeg, F. W.

2016-03-01

Cold laser materials processing using ultra short pulsed lasers has become one of the most promising new technologies for high-precision cutting, ablation, drilling and marking of almost all types of material, without causing unwanted thermal damage to the part. These characteristics have opened up new application areas and materials for laser processing, allowing previously impossible features to be created and also reducing the amount of post-processing required to an absolute minimum, saving time and cost. However, short pulse widths are only one part of thee story for industrial manufacturing processes which focus on total costs and maximum productivity and production yield. Like every other production tool, ultra-short pulse lasers have too provide high quality results with maximum reliability. Robustness and global on-site support are vital factors, as well ass easy system integration.

Characterization of an Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Stanley R.; Opila, Elizabeth J.; Robinson, Raymond C.; Lorincz, Jonathan A.

2004-01-01

Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTC) are of interest for hypersonic vehicle leading edge applications. Monolithic UHTCs are of concern because of their low fracture toughness and brittle behavior. UHTC composites (UHTCC) are being investigated as a possible approach to overcome these deficiencies. In this study a small sample of a UHTCC was evaluated by limited mechanical property tests, furnace oxidation exposures, and oxidation exposures in a flowing environment generated by an oxy-acetylene torch. The composite was prepared from a carbon fiber perform using ceramic particulates and a pre-cerns about microcracking due to thermal expansion mismatch between the matrix and the carbon fiber reinforcements, and about the oxidation resistance of the HfB2-SiC coating layer and the composite constituents. However, positive performance in the torch test warrants further study of this concept.

A Novel, Aqueous Surface Treatment To Thermally Stabilize High Resolution Positive Photoresist Images*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunwald, John J.; Spencer, Allen C.

1986-07-01

The paper describes a new approach to thermally stabilize the already imaged profile of high resolution positive photoresists such as ULTRAMAC" PR-914. ***XD-4000, an aqueous emulsion of a blend of fluorine-bearing compounds is spun on top of the developed, positive photoresist-imaged wafer, and baked. This allows the photoresist to withstand temperatures up to at least 175 deg. C. while essentially maintaining vertical edge profiles. Also, adverse effects of "outgassing" in harsh environments, ie., plasma and ion implant are greatly minimized by allowing the high resolution imaged photoresist to be post-baked at "elevated" temperatures. Another type of product that accomplishes the same effect is ***XD-4005, an aqueous emulsion of a high temperature-resistant polymer. While the exact mechanism is yet to be identified, it is postulated that absorption of the "polymeric" species into the "skin" of the imaged resist forms a temperature resistant "envelope", thereby allowing high resolution photoresists to also serve in a "high temperature" mode, without reticulation, or other adverse effects due to thermal degradation. SEM's are presented showing imaged ULTRAMAC" PR-914 and ULTRAMAC" **EPA-914 geometries coated with XD-4000 or XD-4005 and followed by plasma etched oxide,polysilicon and aluminum. Selectivity ratios are compared with and without the novel treatment and are shown to be significantly better with the treatment. The surface-treated photoresist for thermal resistance remains easily strippable in solvent-based or plasma media, unlike photoresists that have undergone "PRIST" or other gaseous thermal stabilization methods.

High strength porous support tubes for high temperature solid electrolyte electrochemical cells

DOEpatents

Rossing, Barry R.; Zymboly, Gregory E.

1986-01-01

A high temperature, solid electrolyte electrochemical cell is made, having an electrode and a solid electrolyte disposed on a porous, sintered support material containing thermally stabilized zirconia powder particles and from about 3 wt. % to about 45 wt. % of thermally stable oxide fibers.

Solid-cryogen-stabilized, cable-in-conduit (CIC) superconducting cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voccio, J. P.; Michael, P. C.; Bromberg, L.; Hahn, S.

2015-12-01

This paper considers the use of a solid cryogen as a means to stabilize, both mechanically and thermally, magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducting strands within a dual-channel cable-in-conduit (CIC) cable for use in AC applications, such as a generator stator winding. The cable consists of two separate channels; the outer channel contains the superconducting strands and is filled with a fluid (liquid or gas) that becomes solid at the device operating temperature. Several options for fluid will be presented, such as liquid nitrogen, hydrocarbons and other chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that have a range of melting temperatures and volumetric expansions (from solid at operating temperature to fixed volume at room temperature). Implications for quench protection and conductor stability, enhanced through direct contact with the solid cryogen, which has high heat capacity and thermal conductivity (compared with helium gas), will be presented. Depending on the cryogen, the conductor will be filled initially either with liquid at atmospheric conditions or a gas at high pressure (∼100 atm). After cooldown, the cryogen in the stranded-channel will be solid, essentially locking the strands in place, preventing strand motion and degradation due to mechanical deformation while providing enhanced thermal capacity for stability and protection. The effect of cryogen porosity is also considered. The relatively high heat capacity of solid cryogens at these lower temperatures (compared to gaseous helium) enhances the thermal stability of the winding. During operation, coolant flow through the open inner channel will minimize pressure drop.

Advanced intermediate temperature sodium-nickel chloride batteries with ultra-high energy density

DOE PAGES

Li, Guosheng; Lu, Xiaochuan; Kim, Jin Yong; ...

2016-02-11

Here we demonstrate for the first time that planar Na-NiCl 2 batteries can be operated at an intermediate temperature of 190°C with ultra-high energy density. A specific energy density of 350 Wh/kg, which is 3 times higher than that of conventional tubular Na-NiCl 2 batteries operated at 280°C, was obtained for planar Na-NiCl 2 batteries operated at 190°C over a long-term cell test (1000 cycles). The high energy density and superior cycle stability are attributed to the slower particle growth of the cathode materials (NaCl and Ni) at 190°C. The results reported in this work demonstrate that planar Na-NiCl 2more » batteries operated at an intermediate temperature could greatly benefit this traditional energy storage technology by improving battery energy density, cycle life and reducing material costs.« less

Improvement of the thermal stability of Nb:TiO2-x samples for uncooled infrared detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Y. Ashok Kumar; Kang, In-Ku; Shin, Young Bong; Lee, Hee Chul

2018-01-01

In order to reduce the sun-burn effect in a sample of the bolometric material Nb:TiO2-x , oxygen annealing was carried out. This effect can be examined by comparing thermal stability test results between the as-deposited and oxygen-atmosphere-annealed samples under high-temperature exposure conditions. Structural studies confirm the presence of amorphous and rutile phases in the as-deposited and annealed samples, respectively. Composition studies reveal the offset of oxygen vacancies in the Nb:TiO2-x samples through oxygen-atmosphere annealing. The oxygen atoms were diffused and seemed to occupy the vacant sites in the annealed samples. As a result, the annealed samples show better thermal stability performance than the as-deposited samples. The universal bolometric parameter (β) values were slightly decreased in the oxygen-annealed Nb:TiO2-x samples. Although bolometric performance was slightly decreased in the oxygen-annealed samples, high thermal stability would be the most essential factor in the case of special applications, such as the military and space industries. Finally, these results will be very useful for reducing the sun-burn effect in infrared detectors.

Reliability analysis of InGaN/GaN multi-quantum-well solar cells under thermal stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xuanqi; Fu, Houqiang; Chen, Hong; Lu, Zhijian; Baranowski, Izak; Montes, Jossue; Yang, Tsung-Han; Gunning, Brendan P.; Koleske, Dan; Zhao, Yuji

2017-12-01

We investigate the thermal stability of InGaN solar cells under thermal stress at elevated temperatures from 400 °C to 500 °C. High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction analysis reveals that material quality of InGaN/GaN did not degrade after thermal stress. The external quantum efficiency characteristics of solar cells were well-maintained at all temperatures, which demonstrates the thermal robustness of InGaN materials. Analysis of current density-voltage (J-V) curves shows that the degradation of conversion efficiency of solar cells is mainly caused by the decrease in open-circuit voltage (Voc), while short-circuit current (Jsc) and fill factor remain almost constant. The decrease in Voc after thermal stress is attributed to the compromised metal contacts. Transmission line method results further confirmed that p-type contacts became Schottky-like after thermal stress. The Arrhenius model was employed to estimate the failure lifetime of InGaN solar cells at different temperatures. These results suggest that while InGaN solar cells have high thermal stability, the degradation in the metal contact could be the major limiting factor for these devices under high temperature operation.

Thermal stability of carbon nanotubes probed by anchored tungsten nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Wei, Xianlong; Wang, Ming-Sheng; Bando, Yoshio; Golberg, Dmitri

2011-01-01

The thermal stability of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was studied in high vacuum using tungsten nanoparticles as miniaturized thermal probes. The particles were placed on CNTs inside a high-resolution transmission electron microscope equipped with a scanning tunneling microscope unit. The setup allowed manipulating individual nanoparticles and heating individual CNTs by applying current to them. CNTs were found to withstand high temperatures, up to the melting point of 60-nm-diameter W particles (∼3400 K). The dynamics of W particles on a hot CNT, including particle crystallization, quasimelting, melting, sublimation and intradiffusion, were observed in real time and recorded as a video. Graphite layers reel off CNTs when melted or premelted W particles revolve along the tube axis. PMID:27877413

Li3PO4 surface coating on Ni-rich LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 by a citric acid assisted sol-gel method: Improved thermal stability and high-voltage performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Suk-Woo; Kim, Myeong-Seong; Jeong, Jun Hui; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Roh, Kwang Chul; Kim, Kwang-Bum

2017-08-01

A surface coating of Li3PO4 was applied to a Ni-rich LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM) material to improve its thermal stability and electrochemical properties via a citric acid assisted sol-gel method. The addition of citric acid effectively suppressed the instant formation of Li3PO4 in solution, resulting in successful coating of the NCM surface. The improved thermal stability of NCM after Li3PO4 surface coating was demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis and in situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction (TR-XRD). In particular, the TR-XRD results showed that the improved thermal stability after Li3PO4 surface coating originates from suppression of the phase transition of charged NCM at high temperatures. Furthermore, the charge-discharge tests demonstrated that Li3PO4-coated LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (LP-NCM) has excellent electrochemical properties. LP-NCM exhibited a specific capacity of 192.7 mAh g-1, a capacity retention of 44.1% at 10 C, and a capacity retention of 79.7% after 100 cycles at a high cut-off voltage of 4.7 V; these values represent remarkably improved electrochemical properties compared with those of bare NCM. These improved thermal and electrochemical properties were mainly attributed to the improvement of the structural stability of the material and the suppression of the interface reaction between the cathode and the electrolyte owing to the Li3PO4 coating.

An ultra-stable voltage source for precision Penning-trap experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhm, Ch.; Sturm, S.; Rischka, A.; Dörr, A.; Eliseev, S.; Goncharov, M.; Höcker, M.; Ketter, J.; Köhler, F.; Marschall, D.; Martin, J.; Obieglo, D.; Repp, J.; Roux, C.; Schüssler, R. X.; Steigleder, M.; Streubel, S.; Wagner, Th.; Westermann, J.; Wieder, V.; Zirpel, R.; Melcher, J.; Blaum, K.

2016-08-01

An ultra-stable and low-noise 25-channel voltage source providing 0 to -100 V has been developed. It will supply stable bias potentials for Penning-trap electrodes used in high-precision experiments. The voltage source generates all its supply voltages via a specially designed transformer. Each channel can be operated either in a precision mode or can be dynamically ramped. A reference module provides reference voltages for all the channels, each of which includes a low-noise amplifier to gain a factor of 10 in the output stage. A relative voltage stability of δV / V ≈ 2 ×10-8 has been demonstrated at -89 V within about 10 min.

Ultra-high brightness wavelength-stabilized kW-class fiber coupled diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Robin K.; Chann, Bien; Glenn, John D.

2011-03-01

TeraDiode has produced a fiber-coupled direct diode laser with a power level of 1,040 W from a 200 μm core diameter, 0.18 numerical aperture (NA) output fiber at a single center wavelength. This was achieved with a novel beam combining and shaping technique using COTS diode lasers. The fiber-coupled output corresponds to a Beam Parameter Product (BPP) of 18 mm-mrad and is the lowest BPP kW-class direct diode laser yet reported. The laser has been used to demonstrate laser cutting and welding of steel sheet metal up to 6.65 mm thick. Further advances of these ultra-bright lasers are also projected.

Pharmacological Studies of NOP Receptor Agonists as Novel Analgesics

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

in non-human primates. a. Study behavioral effects of ultra- low doses of intrathecal N/OFQ over a wide dose range using a warm water tail...threshold of monkeys. Figure 1 compares the effects of ultra- low doses of intrathecal N/OFQ (i.e., 1 fmol and 1 pmol) with those of a mu opioid...findings indicate that ultra- low doses of intrathecal N/OFQ did not change the monkey’s thermal nociceptive threshold (Figure 1, middle panels

High temperature-ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the metabonomic analysis of Zucker rat urine.

PubMed

Gika, Helen G; Theodoridis, Georgios; Extance, Jon; Edge, Anthony M; Wilson, Ian D

2008-08-15

The applicability and potential of using elevated temperatures and sub 2-microm porous particles in chromatography for metabonomics/metabolomics was investigated using, for the first time, solvent temperatures higher than the boiling point of water (up to 180 degrees C) and thermal gradients to reduce the use of organic solvents. Ultra performance liquid chromatography, combined with mass spectrometry, was investigated for the global metabolite profiling of the plasma and urine of normal and Zucker (fa/fa) obese rats (a well established disease animal model). "Isobaric" high temperature chromatography, where the temperature and flow rate follow a gradient program, was developed and evaluated against a conventional organic solvent gradient. LC-MS data were first examined by established chromatographic criteria in order to evaluate the chromatographic performance and next were treated by special peak picking algorithms to allow the application of multivariate statistics. These studies showed that, for urine (but not plasma), chromatography at elevated temperatures provided better results than conventional reversed-phase LC with higher peak capacity and better peak asymmetry. From a systems biology point of view, better group clustering and separation was obtained with a larger number of variables of high importance when using high temperature-ultra performance liquid chromatography (HT-UPLC) compared to conventional solvent gradients.

Effects of high hydrostatic pressure or hydrophobic modification on thermal stability of xanthine oxidase.

PubMed

Halalipour, Ali; Duff, Michael R; Howell, Elizabeth E; Reyes-De-Corcuera, José I

2017-08-01

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on the kinetics of thermal inactivation of xanthine oxidase (XOx) from bovine milk was studied. Inactivation of XOx followed pseudo-first-order kinetics at 0.1-300MPa and 55.0-70.0°C. High pressure up to at least 300MPa stabilized XOx at all the studied temperatures. The highest stabilization effect of HHP on XOx was at 200-300MPa at 55.0 and 58.6°C, and at 250-300MPa at 62.3-70.0°C. The stability of XOx increased 9.5 times at 300MPa and 70.0°C compared to atmospheric pressure at the same temperature. The activation energy of inactivation of XOx decreased with pressure and was 1.9 times less at 300MPa (97.0±8.2kJmol -1 ) than at 0.1MPa (181.7±12.1kJmol -1 ). High pressure decreased the dependence of the rate constant of inactivation to temperature effects compared to atmospheric pressure. The stabilizing effect of HHP on XOx was highest at 70.0°C where the activation volume of inactivation of XOx was 28.9±2.9cm 3 mol -1 . A second approach to try to increase XOx stability involved hydrophobic modification using aniline or benzoate. However, the thermal stability of XOx remained unaffected after 8-14 modifications of carboxyl side groups per XOx monomer with aniline, or 12-17 modifications of amino side groups per XOx monomer with benzoate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Micro-scale thermal imaging of advanced organic and polymeric materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morikawa, Junko

2012-10-01

Recent topics of micro-scale thermal imaging on advanced organic and polymeric materials are presented, the originally developed IR camera systems equipped with a real time direct impose-signal capturing device and a laser drive generating a modulated spot heating with a diode laser, controlled by the x-y positioning actuator, has been applied to measure the micro-scale thermal phenomena. The advanced organic and polymeric materials are now actively developed especially for the purpose of the effective heat dissipation in the new energy system, including, LED, Lithium battery, Solar cell, etc. The micro-scale thermal imaging in the heat dissipation process has become important in view of the effective power saving. In our system, the imposed temperature data are applied to the pixel emissivity corrections and visualizes the anisotropic thermal properties of the composite materials at the same time. The anisotropic thermal diffusion in the ultra-drawn high-thermal conductive metal-filler composite polymer film and the carbon-cloth for the battery systems are visualized.

Tuning of Thermal Stability in Layered Li(NixMnyCoz)O2.

PubMed

Zheng, Jiaxin; Liu, Tongchao; Hu, Zongxiang; Wei, Yi; Song, Xiaohe; Ren, Yang; Wang, Weidong; Rao, Mumin; Lin, Yuan; Chen, Zonghai; Lu, Jun; Wang, Chongmin; Amine, Khalil; Pan, Feng

2016-10-12

Understanding and further designing new layered Li(Ni x Mn y Co z )O 2 (NMC) (x + y + z = 1) materials with optimized thermal stability is important to rechargeable Li batteries (LIBs) for electrical vehicles (EV). Using ab initio calculations combined with experiments, we clarified how the thermal stability of NMC materials can be tuned by the most unstable oxygen, which is determined by the local coordination structure unit (LCSU) of oxygen (TM(Ni, Mn, Co) 3 -O-Li 3-x' ): each O atom bonds with three transition metals (TM) from the TM-layer and three to zero Li from fully discharged to charged states from the Li-layer. Under this model, how the lithium content, valence states of Ni, contents of Ni, Mn, and Co, and Ni/Li disorder to tune the thermal stability of NMC materials by affecting the sites, content, and the release temperature of the most unstable oxygen is proposed. The synergistic effect between Li vacancies and raised valence state of Ni during delithiation process can aggravate instability of oxygen, and oxygen coordinated with more nickel (especially with high valence state) in LSCU becomes more unstable at a fixed delithiation state. The Ni/Li mixing would decrease the thermal stability of the "Ni═Mn" group NMC materials but benefit the thermal stability of "Ni-rich" group, because the Ni in the Li layer would form 180° Ni-O-Ni super exchange chains in "Ni-rich" NMC materials. Mn and Co doping can tune the initial valence state of Ni, local coordination environment of oxygen, and the Ni/Li disorder, thus to tune the thermal stability directly.

Tuning of Thermal Stability in Layered Li(Ni x Mn y Co z )O 2

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

Zheng, Jiaxin; Liu, Tongchao; Hu, Zongxiang

2016-09-19

Understanding and further designing new layered Li(Ni xMn yCo z)O 2 (NMC) (x + y + z = 1) materials with optimized thermal stability is important to rechargeable Li batteries (LIBs) for electrical vehicles (EV). Using ab initio calculations combined with experiments, we clarified how the thermal stability of NMC materials can be tuned by the most unstable oxygen, which is determined by the local coordination structure unit (LCSU) of oxygen (TM(Ni, Mn, Co) 3-O-Li 3-x'): each O atom bonds with three transition metals (TM) from the TM-layer and three to zero Li from fully discharged to charged states frommore » the Li-layer. Under this model, how the lithium content, valence states of Ni, contents of Ni, Mn, and Co, and Ni/Li disorder to tune the thermal stability of NMC materials by affecting the sites, content, and the release temperature of the most unstable oxygen is proposed. The synergistic effect between Li vacancies and raised valence state of Ni during delithiation process can aggravate instability of oxygen, and oxygen coordinated with more nickel (especially with high valence state) in LSCU becomes more unstable at a fixed delithiation state. The Ni/Li mixing would decrease the thermal stability of the “NiMn” group NMC materials but benefit the thermal stability of “Ni-rich” group, because the Ni in the Li layer would form 180° Ni-O-Ni super exchange chains in “Ni-rich” NMC materials. Mn and Co doping can tune the initial valence state of Ni, local coordination environment of oxygen, and the Ni/Li disorder, thus to tune the thermal stability directly.« less

The Suess-Urey mission (return of solar matter to Earth).

PubMed

Rapp, D; Naderi, F; Neugebauer, M; Sevilla, D; Sweetnam, D; Burnett, D; Wiens, R; Smith, N; Clark, B; McComas, D; Stansbery, E

1996-01-01

The Suess-Urey (S-U) mission has been proposed as a NASA Discovery mission to return samples of matter from the Sun to the Earth for isotopic and chemical analyses in terrestrial laboratories to provide a major improvement in our knowledge of the average chemical and isotopic composition of the solar system. The S-U spacecraft and sample return capsule will be placed in a halo orbit around the L1 Sun-Earth libration point for two years to collect solar wind ions which implant into large passive collectors made of ultra-pure materials. Constant Spacecraft-Sun-Earth geometries enable simple spin stabilized attitude control, simple passive thermal control, and a fixed medium gain antenna. Low data requirements and the safety of a Sun-pointed spinner, result in extremely low mission operations costs.

Single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth double-ring fiber laser stabilized by an efficiently taper-coupled high roundness microsphere resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Hongdan; Liu, Linqian; Ding, Zuoqin; Wang, Jie; Xiao, Yu; Zhang, Zuxing

2018-06-01

This paper proposes and demonstrates a single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth fiber laser, using an ultra-high roundness microsphere resonator (MSR) with a stabilized package as the single-longitudinal-mode selector inside a double-ring fiber cavity. By improving the heating technology and surface cleaning process, MSR with high Q factor are obtained. With the optimized coupling condition, light polarization state and fiber taper diameter, we achieve whispering gallery mode (WGM) spectra with a high extinction ratio of 23 dB, coupling efficiency of 99.5%, a 3 dB bandwidth of 1 pm and a side-mode-suppression-ratio of 14.5 dB. The proposed fiber laser produces single-longitudinal-mode laser output with a 20-dB frequency linewidth of about 340 kHz, a signal-to-background ratio of 54 dB and a high long-term stability without mode-hopping, which is potential for optical communication and sensing applications.

Modeling Materials: Design for Planetary Entry, Electric Aircraft, and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Alexander; Lawson, John W.

2014-01-01

NASA missions push the limits of what is possible. The development of high-performance materials must keep pace with the agency's demanding, cutting-edge applications. Researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center are performing multiscale computational modeling to accelerate development times and further the design of next-generation aerospace materials. Multiscale modeling combines several computationally intensive techniques ranging from the atomic level to the macroscale, passing output from one level as input to the next level. These methods are applicable to a wide variety of materials systems. For example: (a) Ultra-high-temperature ceramics for hypersonic aircraft-we utilized the full range of multiscale modeling to characterize thermal protection materials for faster, safer air- and spacecraft, (b) Planetary entry heat shields for space vehicles-we computed thermal and mechanical properties of ablative composites by combining several methods, from atomistic simulations to macroscale computations, (c) Advanced batteries for electric aircraft-we performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of advanced electrolytes for ultra-high-energy capacity batteries to enable long-distance electric aircraft service; and (d) Shape-memory alloys for high-efficiency aircraft-we used high-fidelity electronic structure calculations to determine phase diagrams in shape-memory transformations. Advances in high-performance computing have been critical to the development of multiscale materials modeling. We used nearly one million processor hours on NASA's Pleiades supercomputer to characterize electrolytes with a fidelity that would be otherwise impossible. For this and other projects, Pleiades enables us to push the physics and accuracy of our calculations to new levels.

Thermal Protection Materials Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selvaduray, Guna; Cox, Michael

1998-01-01

The main portion of this contract year was spent on the development of materials for high temperature applications. In particular, thermal protection materials were constantly tested and evaluated for thermal shock resistance, high-temperature dimensional stability, and tolerance to hostile environmental effects. The analytical laboratory at the Thermal Protection Materials Branch (TPMB), NASA-Ames played an integral part in the process of materials development of high temperature aerospace applications. The materials development focused mainly on the determination of physical and chemical characteristics of specimens from the various research programs.

Thermally Optimized Paradigm of Thermal Management (TOP-M)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-18

ELEMENT NUMBER 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8...19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) 18-07-2017 Final Technical Jul 2015 - Jul 2017 NICOP - Thermally Optimized Paradigm of Thermal Management ...The main goal of this research was to present a New Thermal Management Approach, which combines thermally aware Very/Ultra Large Scale Integration

A combined interfacial and in-situ polymerization strategy to construct well-defined core-shell epoxy-containing SiO2-based microcapsules with high encapsulation loading, super thermal stability and nonpolar solvent tolerance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia; Wang; Tian; Li; Xu; Jiao; Cao; Wu

2016-10-01

SiO2-based microcapsules containing hydrophobic molecules exhibited potential applications such as extrinsic self-healing, drug delivery, due to outstanding thermal and chemical stability of SiO2. However, to construct SiO2-based microcapsules with both high encapsulation loading and long-term structural stability is still a troublesome issue, limiting their further utilization. We herein design a single-batch route, a combined interfacial and in-situ polymerization strategy, to fabricate epoxy-containing SiO2-based microcapsules with both high encapsulation loading and long-term structural stability. The final SiO2-based microcapsules preserve high encapsulation loading of 85.7 wt% by controlling exclusively hydrolysis and condensed polymerization at oil/water interface in the initial interfacial polymerization step. In the subsequent in-situ polymerization step, the initial SiO2-based microcapsules as seeds could efficiently harvest SiO2 precursors and primary SiO2 particles to finely tune the SiO2 wall thickness, thereby enhancing long-term structural stability of the final SiO2-based microcapsules including high thermal stability with almost no any weight loss until 250°C, and strong tolerance against nonpolar solvents such as CCl4 with almost unchanged core-shell structure and unchanged core weight after immersing into strong solvents for up to 5 days. These SiO2-based microcapsules are extremely suited for processing them into anticorrosive coating in the presence of nonpolar solvents for self-healing application.

Novel microscale approaches for easy, rapid determination of protein stability in academic and commercial settings

PubMed Central

Alexander, Crispin G.; Wanner, Randy; Johnson, Christopher M.; Breitsprecher, Dennis; Winter, Gerhard; Duhr, Stefan; Baaske, Philipp; Ferguson, Neil

2014-01-01

Chemical denaturant titrations can be used to accurately determine protein stability. However, data acquisition is typically labour intensive, has low throughput and is difficult to automate. These factors, combined with high protein consumption, have limited the adoption of chemical denaturant titrations in commercial settings. Thermal denaturation assays can be automated, sometimes with very high throughput. However, thermal denaturation assays are incompatible with proteins that aggregate at high temperatures and large extrapolation of stability parameters to physiological temperatures can introduce significant uncertainties. We used capillary-based instruments to measure chemical denaturant titrations by intrinsic fluorescence and microscale thermophoresis. This allowed higher throughput, consumed several hundred-fold less protein than conventional, cuvette-based methods yet maintained the high quality of the conventional approaches. We also established efficient strategies for automated, direct determination of protein stability at a range of temperatures via chemical denaturation, which has utility for characterising stability for proteins that are difficult to purify in high yield. This approach may also have merit for proteins that irreversibly denature or aggregate in classical thermal denaturation assays. We also developed procedures for affinity ranking of protein–ligand interactions from ligand-induced changes in chemical denaturation data, and proved the principle for this by correctly ranking the affinity of previously unreported peptide–PDZ domain interactions. The increased throughput, automation and low protein consumption of protein stability determinations afforded by using capillary-based methods to measure denaturant titrations, can help to revolutionise protein research. We believe that the strategies reported are likely to find wide applications in academia, biotherapeutic formulation and drug discovery programmes. PMID:25262836

Study of cavity effect in micro-Pirani gauge chamber with improved sensitivity for high vacuum regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Guohe; Lai, Junhua; Kong, Yanmei; Jiao, Binbin; Yun, Shichang; Ye, Yuxin

2018-05-01

Ultra-low pressure application of Pirani gauge needs significant improvement of sensitivity and expansion of measureable low pressure limit. However, the performance of Pirani gauge in high vacuum regime remains critical concerns since gaseous thermal conduction with high percentage is essential requirement. In this work, the heat transfer mechanism of micro-Pirani gauge packaged in a non-hermetic chamber was investigated and analyzed compared with the one before wafer-level packaging. The cavity effect, extremely important for the efficient detection of low pressure, was numerically and experimentally analyzed considering the influence of the pressure, the temperature and the effective heat transfer area in micro-Pirani gauge chamber. The thermal conduction model is validated by experiment data of MEMS Pirani gauges with and without capping. It is found that nature gaseous convection in chamber, determined by the Rayleigh number, should be taken into consideration. The experiment and model calculated results show that thermal resistance increases in the molecule regime, and further increases after capping due to the suppression of gaseous convection. The gaseous thermal conduction accounts for an increasing percentage of thermal conduction at low pressure while little changes at high pressure after capping because of the existence of cavity effect improving the sensitivity of cavity-effect-influenced Pirani gauge for high vacuum regime.

Melamine-formaldehyde microcapsules filled sappan dye modified polypropylene composites: encapsulation and thermal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phanyawong, Suphitcha; Siengchin, Suchart; Parameswaranpillai, Jyotishkumar; Asawapirom, Udom; Polpanich, Duangporn

2018-01-01

Sappan dye, a natural dye extracted from sappan wood is widely used in cosmetics, textile dyeing and as food additives. However, it was recognized that natural dyes cannot withstand high temperature. In this study, a protective coating of melamine-formaldehyde shell material was applied over the sappan dye to improve its thermal stability. The percentage of sappan dye used in the microencapsulation was 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 wt%. The color, shape, size, and thermal stability of sappan dye microcapsules were investigated. It was found that increasing amount of sappan dye content in the microcapsules decreased the particle size. Thermal analysis reveals that the melamine-formaldehyde resin served as an efficient protective shell for sappan dye. Besides, 30 wt% sappan dye microcapsules with different weight percent (1, 3 and 5 wt%) of sappan dye was used as modifier for polypropylene (PP). All the prepared composites are red in color which supports the thermal stability of the microcapsules. The changes in crystallinity and melting behavior of PP by the addition of microcapsules were studied in detail by differential scanning calorimetry. Thermogravimetric studies showed that the thermal stability of PP composites increased by the addition of microcapsules.

Identifying the Cause of Rupture of Li-Ion Batteries during Thermal Runaway

DOE PAGES

Finegan, Donal P.; Darcy, Eric; Keyser, Matthew; ...

2017-10-27

As the energy density of lithium-ion cells and batteries increases, controlling the outcomes of thermal runaway becomes more challenging. If the high rate of gas generation during thermal runaway is not adequately vented, commercial cell designs can rupture and explode, presenting serious safety concerns. Here, ultra-high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging is used at >20 000 frames per second to characterize the venting processes of six different 18650 cell designs undergoing thermal runaway. For the first time, the mechanisms that lead to the most catastrophic type of cell failure, rupture, and explosion are identified and elucidated in detail. The practical application ofmore » the technique is highlighted by evaluating a novel 18650 cell design with a second vent at the base, which is shown to avoid the critical stages that lead to rupture. The insights yielded in this study shed new light on battery failure and are expected to guide the development of safer commercial cell designs.« less

Identifying the Cause of Rupture of Li-Ion Batteries during Thermal Runaway

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

Finegan, Donal P.; Darcy, Eric; Keyser, Matthew

As the energy density of lithium-ion cells and batteries increases, controlling the outcomes of thermal runaway becomes more challenging. If the high rate of gas generation during thermal runaway is not adequately vented, commercial cell designs can rupture and explode, presenting serious safety concerns. Here, ultra-high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging is used at >20 000 frames per second to characterize the venting processes of six different 18650 cell designs undergoing thermal runaway. For the first time, the mechanisms that lead to the most catastrophic type of cell failure, rupture, and explosion are identified and elucidated in detail. The practical application ofmore » the technique is highlighted by evaluating a novel 18650 cell design with a second vent at the base, which is shown to avoid the critical stages that lead to rupture. The insights yielded in this study shed new light on battery failure and are expected to guide the development of safer commercial cell designs.« less

Identifying the Cause of Rupture of Li-Ion Batteries during Thermal Runaway.

PubMed

Finegan, Donal P; Darcy, Eric; Keyser, Matthew; Tjaden, Bernhard; Heenan, Thomas M M; Jervis, Rhodri; Bailey, Josh J; Vo, Nghia T; Magdysyuk, Oxana V; Drakopoulos, Michael; Michiel, Marco Di; Rack, Alexander; Hinds, Gareth; Brett, Dan J L; Shearing, Paul R

2018-01-01

As the energy density of lithium-ion cells and batteries increases, controlling the outcomes of thermal runaway becomes more challenging. If the high rate of gas generation during thermal runaway is not adequately vented, commercial cell designs can rupture and explode, presenting serious safety concerns. Here, ultra-high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging is used at >20 000 frames per second to characterize the venting processes of six different 18650 cell designs undergoing thermal runaway. For the first time, the mechanisms that lead to the most catastrophic type of cell failure, rupture, and explosion are identified and elucidated in detail. The practical application of the technique is highlighted by evaluating a novel 18650 cell design with a second vent at the base, which is shown to avoid the critical stages that lead to rupture. The insights yielded in this study shed new light on battery failure and are expected to guide the development of safer commercial cell designs.

Phase Stability and Thermal Conductivity of Composite Environmental Barrier Coatings on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benkel, Samantha; Zhu, Dongming

2011-01-01

Advanced environmental barrier coatings are being developed to protect SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites in harsh combustion environments. The current coating development emphasis has been placed on the significantly improved cyclic durability and combustion environment stability in high-heat-flux and high velocity gas turbine engine environments. Environmental barrier coating systems based on hafnia (HfO2) and ytterbium silicate, HfO2-Si nano-composite bond coat systems have been processed and their stability and thermal conductivity behavior have been evaluated in simulated turbine environments. The incorporation of Silicon Carbide Nanotubes (SiCNT) into high stability (HfO2) and/or HfO2-silicon composite bond coats, along with ZrO2, HfO2 and rare earth silicate composite top coat systems, showed promise as excellent environmental barriers to protect the SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites.

Thermal Mechanical Stability of Single-Crystal-Oxide Refractive Concentrators Evaluated for High-Temperature Solar-Thermal Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, Nathan S.; Jacobson, Nathan S.; Miller, Robert A.

1999-01-01

Recently, refractive secondary solar concentrator systems were developed for solar thermal power and propulsion (ref. 1). Single-crystal oxides-such as yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y2O3-ZrO2), yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, or YAG), magnesium oxide (MgO), and sapphire (Al2O3)-are candidate refractive secondary concentrator materials. However, the refractive concentrator system will experience high-temperature thermal cycling in the solar thermal engine during the sun/shade transition of a space mission. The thermal mechanical reliability of these components in severe thermal environments is of great concern. Simulated mission tests are important for evaluating these candidate oxide materials under a variety of transient and steady-state heat flux conditions. In this research at the NASA Lewis Research Center, a controlled heat flux test approach was developed for investigating the thermal mechanical stability of the candidate oxide. This approach used a 3.0-kW continuous-wave (wavelength, 10.6 mm) carbon dioxide (CO2) laser (ref. 2). The CO2 laser is especially well-suited for single-crystal thermal shock tests because it can directly deliver well-characterized heat energy to the oxide surfaces. Since the oxides are opaque at the 10.6-mm wavelength of the laser beam, the light energy is absorbed at the surfaces rather than transmitting into the crystals, and thus generates the required temperature gradients within the specimens. The following figure is a schematic diagram of the test rig.

Thermal stability of G-rich anti-parallel DNA triplexes upon insertion of LNA and α-L-LNA.

PubMed

Kosbar, Tamer R; Sofan, Mamdouh A; Abou-Zeid, Laila; Pedersen, Erik B

2015-05-14

G-rich anti-parallel DNA triplexes were modified with LNA or α-L-LNA in their Watson-Crick and TFO strands. The triplexes were formed by targeting a pyrimidine strand to a putative hairpin formed by Hoogsteen base pairing in order to use the UV melting method to evaluate the stability of the triplexes. Their thermal stability was reduced when the TFO strand was modified with LNA or α-L-LNA. The same trend was observed when the TFO strand and the purine Watson-Crick strand both were modified with LNA. When all triad components were modified with α-L-LNA and LNA in the middle of the triplex, the thermal melting was increased. When the pyrimidine sequence was modified with a single insertion of LNA or α-L-LNA the ΔTm increased. Moreover, increasing the number of α-L-LNA in the pyrimidine target sequence to six insertions, leads to a high increase in the thermal stability. The conformational S-type structure of α-L-LNA in anti-parallel triplexes is preferable for triplex stability.

Ultra low thermal expansion, highly thermal shock resistant ceramic

DOEpatents

Limaye, S.Y.

1996-01-30

Three families of ceramic compositions having the given formula: {phi}{sub 1+X}Zr{sub 4}P{sub 6{minus}2X}Si{sub 2X}O{sub 24}, {phi}{sub 1+X}Zr{sub 4{minus}2X}Y{sub 2X}P{sub 6}O{sub 24} and {phi}{sub 1+X}Zr{sub 4{minus}X}Y{sub X}P{sub 6{minus}2X}Si{sub X}O{sub 24} wherein {phi} is either strontium or barium and X has a value from about 0.2 to about 0.8 have been disclosed. Ceramics formed from these compositions exhibit very low, generally near neutral, thermal expansion over a wide range of elevated temperatures. 7 figs.

Reflectivity and laser ablation of ZrB2/Cu ultra high temperature ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhenyu; Ma, Zhuang; Zhu, Shizhen; Liu, Ling; Xu, Qiang

2013-05-01

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) were thought to be candidates for laser protective materials due to their high melting point, thermal shock and ablation resistance. The ablation behaviors of UHTCs like ZrB2 and its composite had been intensely investigated by the means of arc, plasma, oxyacetylene ablation. However, the ablation behavior under laser irradiation was still unknown by now. In this paper, the dense bulk composites of ZrB2/Cu were successfully sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1650 degree C for 3min. The reflectivity of the composites measured by spectrophotometry achieved 60% in near infrared range and it decreased with the increasing wavelength of incident light. High intensity laser ablation was carried out on the ZrB2/Cu surface. The phase composition and microstructure changes before and after laser irradiation were characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM respectively. The results revealed that the oxidation and melting were the main mechanisms during the ablation processing.

Synthesis, characterization, and thermal stability of SiO2/TiO2/CR-Ag multilayered nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz, Gabriela; Chang, Yao-Jen; Philipossian, Ara

2018-06-01

The controllable synthesis and characterization of novel thermally stable silver-based particles are described. The experimental approach involves the design of thermally stable nanostructures by the deposition of an interfacial thick, active titania layer between the primary substrate (SiO2 particles) and the metal nanoparticles (Ag NPs), as well as the doping of Ag nanoparticles with an organic molecule (Congo Red, CR). The nanostructured particles were composed of a 330-nm silica core capped by a granular titania layer (10 to 13 nm in thickness), along with monodisperse 5 to 30 nm CR-Ag NPs deposited on top. The titania-coated support (SiO2/TiO2 particles) was shown to be chemically and thermally stable and promoted the nucleation and anchoring of CR-Ag NPs, which prevented the sintering of CR-Ag NPs when the structure was exposed to high temperatures. The thermal stability of the silver composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Larger than 10 nm CR-Ag NPs were thermally stable up to 300 °C. Such temperature was high enough to destabilize the CR-Ag NPs due to the melting point of the CR. On the other hand, smaller than 10 nm Ag NPs were stable at temperatures up to 500 °C because of the strong metal-metal oxide binding energy. Energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was carried out to qualitatively analyze the chemical stability of the structure at different temperatures which confirmed the stability of the structure and the existence of silver NPs at temperatures up to 500 °C.

3D Graphene-Infused Polyimide with Enhanced Electrothermal Performance for Long-Term Flexible Space Applications.

PubMed

Loeblein, Manuela; Bolker, Asaf; Tsang, Siu Hon; Atar, Nurit; Uzan-Saguy, Cecile; Verker, Ronen; Gouzman, Irina; Grossman, Eitan; Teo, Edwin Hang Tong

2015-12-22

Polyimides (PIs) have been praised for their high thermal stability, high modulus of elasticity and tensile strength, ease of fabrication, and moldability. They are currently the standard choice for both substrates for flexible electronics and space shielding, as they render high temperature and UV stability and toughness. However, their poor thermal conductivity and completely electrically insulating characteristics have caused other limitations, such as thermal management challenges for flexible high-power electronics and spacecraft electrostatic charging. In order to target these issues, a hybrid of PI with 3D-graphene (3D-C), 3D-C/PI, is developed here. This composite renders extraordinary enhancements of thermal conductivity (one order of magnitude) and electrical conductivity (10 orders of magnitude). It withstands and keeps a stable performance throughout various bending and thermal cycles, as well as the oxidative and aggressive environment of ground-based, simulated space environments. This makes this new hybrid film a suitable material for flexible space applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.