Chemistry Characterization of Jet Aircraft Engine Particulate by XPS: Results from APEX III

This paper reports XPS analysis of jet exhaust particulate from a B737, Lear, ERJ, and A300 aircraft during the APEX III NASA led field campaign. Carbon hybridization and bonding chemistry are identified by high-resolution scans about the C1s core-shell region. Significant organic content as gauged by the sp3/sp2 ratio is found across engines and platforms. Polar oxygen functional groups include carboxylic, carbonyl and phenol with combined content of 20 percent or more. By lower resolution survey scans various elements including transition metals are identified along with lighter elements such as S, N, and O in the form of oxides. Burning additives within lubricants are probable sources of Na, Ba, Ca, Zn, P and possibly Sn. Elements present and their percentages varied significantly across all engines, not revealing any trend or identifiable cause for the differences, though the origin is likely the same for the same element when observed. This finding suggests that their presence can be used as a tracer for identifying soots from aircraft engines as well as diagnostic for monitoring engine performance and wear

Application of Carbon Based Nano-Materials to Aeronautics and Space Lubrication

The tribology program at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is investigating carbon based nano-particles for their potential in advanced concept lubrication products. Service conditions range from high temperature atmospheric to low temperature vacuum. Some of the lubricants and surface coatings of tribological significance that we have evaluated include neat nano-particles, both grown in-situ and as bulk material deposited on the substrate, and nano-particles dispersed in oils which are all highly substrate interactive. We discuss results of testing these systems in a spiral orbit tribometer (SOT) and a unidirectional pin-on-disc (PoD) tribometer. A nano-onions/Krytox mixture evaluated as a lubricant for angular contact bearings in air caused a marked lowering of the coefficient of friction (CoF) (0.04 to 0.05) for the mixture with an eight-fold improvement in lifetime over that of the Krytox alone. In vacuum, no effect was observed from the nano-onions. Multi-walled nanotubes (MWNT) and graphitized MWNT were tested under sliding friction in both air and vacuum. The MWNT which were grown in-situ oriented normal to the sliding surface exhibited low CoF (0.04) and long wear lives. Bulk MWNT also generate low CoF (0.01 to 0.04, vacuum; and 0.06, air) and long wear life (>1 million orbits, vacuum; and >3.5 million, air). Dispersed graphitized MWNT were superior to MWNT and both were superior to aligned MWNT indicating that orientation is not an issue for solid lubrication. Single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) were modified by cutting into shorter segments and by fluorination. All SWNTs exhibited low CoF in air, with good wear lives. The SWNT with slight fluorination yielded an ultra-low CoF of 0.002 although the best wear life was attributed to the nascent SWNT

Synthesis Methods, Microscopy Characterization and Device Integration of Nanoscale Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Gas Sensing

A comparison is made between SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2 single-crystal nanowires and SnO2 polycrystalline nanofibers for gas sensing. Both nanostructures possess a one-dimensional morphology. Different synthesis methods are used to produce these materials: thermal evaporation-condensation (TEC), controlled oxidation, and electrospinning. Advantages and limitations of each technique are listed. Practical issues associated with harvesting, purification, and integration of these materials into sensing devices are detailed. For comparison to the nascent form, these sensing materials are surface coated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Gas sensing tests, with respect to H2, are conducted at ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparative normalized responses and time constants for the catalyst and noncatalyst systems provide a basis for identification of the superior metal-oxide nanostructure and catalyst combination. With temperature-dependent data, Arrhenius analyses are made to determine activation energies for the catalyst-assisted systems

Synthesis Methods, Microscopy Characterization and Device Integration of Nanoscale Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Gas Sensing

A comparison is made between SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2 single-crystal nanowires and SnO2 polycrystalline nanofibers for gas sensing. Both nanostructures possess a one-dimensional morphology. Different synthesis methods are used to produce these materials: thermal evaporation-condensation (TEC), controlled oxidation, and electrospinning. Advantages and limitations of each technique are listed. Practical issues associated with harvesting, purification, and integration of these materials into sensing devices are detailed. For comparison to the nascent form, these sensing materials are surface coated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles. Gas sensing tests, with respect to H2, are conducted at ambient and elevated temperatures. Comparative normalized responses and time constants for the catalyst and noncatalyst systems provide a basis for identification of the superior metal-oxide nanostructure and catalyst combination. With temperature-dependent data, Arrhenius analyses are made to determine activation energies for the catalyst-assisted systems

Project 024B: PM Emission Database Compilation, Analysis and Predictive Assessment

The recently developed FOX method removes the need for and hence uncertainty associated with (SNs), instead relying upon engine conditions in order to predict BC mass. Using the true engine operating conditions an improved FOX (ImFOX) predictive relation was developed. Necessary for its implementation are its development and validation to estimate cruise emissions and account for the use of alternative jet fuels with reduced aromatic content. Refinement by incorporating separate, independent temperatures for fuel-rich and fuel-lean regions of the combustor will be evaluated against another CFM engine. Comparison to measured nvPM at cruise, to EI(BC) from conventional and alternative fuels across thrust will critically test the ImFOX tool predictive ability with positive results then aiding its adoption for EI(BC) estimates at ground and cruise with varied fuel compositions

Carbon - carbon composites: Effect of graphene size upon the nano-micro - structure and material properties

This work aims to address the effect of filler size in the formation of Carbon-carbon (C-C) composites using two carbon-based matrices that show opposite behaviors when subjected to graphitization temperatures. Matrix precursors are anthracene (forms a graphitizable carbon) and Novolac (forms a non-graphitizable carbon). These materials are mixed with pre-synthesized carbon-based fillers. The fillers are different sizes of few layer graphene sheets - (a) small graphene (average X-Y = 500 nm) (b) medium graphene (average X-Y = 1.5 µm) (c) large graphene (average X-Y = 4 µm). The composite mixture is then subjected to carbonization and graphitization. By size of graphene filler, opposite trends are demonstrated for the two matrix precursors. Anthracene-based composites become non-graphitizing while novalac-based composites become graphitizing. The six C-C composites so formed are characterized at different length scales – nano, micro and macro. Such characterization helps analyze the variation in their evolving structure with graphene filler size, thus helping correlate C-C structure to observed bulk properties

Carbon Composites—Graphene-Oxide-Catalyzed Sugar Graphitization

Utilization of biopolymers to form graphitic carbons is challenged by their high oxygen content and resulting curved and defective carbon lamellae upon high-temperature heat-treatment. Two composites, one with graphene-oxide (GO) and the other with reduced graphene-oxide (rGO) as fillers, respectively, in a matrix of sugar, each for the same added 2.5 wt.%, exhibited different degrees of graphitization compared to pure sugar on its own. Reactive oxygen groups on GO contribute to reactive templating and crystallite formation. Under high-temperature heat-treatment, sugar, a well-known non-graphitizing precursor, is converted to graphitic carbon in the presence of GO. Possessing fewer oxygen groups, rGO forms two phases in the sugar matrix—a non-graphitic phase and a graphitic phase. The latter is attributed to the remaining oxygen on the rGO

Carbons as Catalysts in Thermo-Catalytic Hydrocarbon Decomposition: A Review

Thermo-catalytic decomposition is well-suited for the generation of hydrogen from natural gas. In a decarbonization process for fossil fuel—pre-combustion—solid carbon is produced, with potential commercial uses including energy storage. Metal catalysts have the disadvantages of coking and deactivation, whereas carbon materials as catalysts offer resistance to deactivation and poisoning. Many forms of carbon have been tested with varied characterization techniques providing insights into the catalyzed carbon deposition. The breadth of studies testing carbon materials motivated this review. Thermocatalytic decomposition (TCD) rates and active duration vary widely across carbons tested. Regeneration remains rarely investigated but does appear necessary in a cyclic TCD–partial oxidation sequence. Presently, studies making fundamental connections between active sites and deposit nanostructures are few

Nanostructure Quantification of Carbon Blacks

Carbon blacks are an extensively used manufactured product. There exist different grades by which the carbon black is classified, based on its purpose and end use. Different properties inherent to the various carbon black types are a result of their production processes. Based on the combustion condition and fuel used, each process results in a carbon black separate from those obtained from other processes. These carbons differ in their aggregate morphology, particle size, and particle nanostructure. Nanostructure is key in determining the material’s behavior in bulk form. A variety of carbon blacks have been analyzed and quantified for their lattice parameters and structure at the nanometer scale, using transmission electron microscopy and custom-developed fringe analysis algorithms, to illustrate differences in nanostructure and their potential relation to observed material properties