Abstract: Methods and systems for the laser surface treatment on stainless steel alloys and nickel alloys may include a computer may be programmed to set a laser path corresponding to a predetermined geometric pattern. A laser may be coupled to the computer and apply a pulsed laser beam to a contact surface of the substrate along the predefined geometric pattern. The pulsed laser beam may have a laser power between 0.1 W and 100 W, single pulse fluence 1 mJ/mm2 and 1025 mJ/mm2 and a laser speed between 25.4 cm/s and 127 cm/s. The laser may generate an open pore oxide layer on the contact surface of the substrate with a thickness of 0.1-1 ?m, an open pore distance of 0.05-1 ?m. The open pore oxide layer may have a topography corresponding to the predefined geometric pattern. The topography may contain open pore structures and promote adhesive bond performance.

Abstract: Precision flow restrictors and techniques for manufacturing the same for ion thruster manifolds are disclosed. Flow restricting features are moved out of the manifold base and into separate flow restrictors, allowing a wider range of manufacturing techniques and materials to be applied. Quality control can be performed at the level of the flow restrictors as subcomponents, ensuring that only good parts with ideal flow characteristics make it into the final assembly and improving the yield rate of the final manifold assembly.

Abstract: An advanced high temperature environmental barrier coating system is disclosed for protecting Si-based ceramics and SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). This innovation provides a series of environmental barrier coating composition systems to achieve exceptional temperature capability, erosion and calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate (CMAS) resistance and durability of the environmental barrier coated ceramic turbine engine hot-section components, in harsh turbine engine environments. The environmental barrier coating systems have been demonstrated for 1650° C. temperature capability and help prime-reliant designs.

Abstract: A triaxially hybrid braid reinforcement material for polymer matrix composites. The braid includes hybrid tows, which include at least one carbon fiber tow commingled with carbon nanotube yarns to introduce toughness to the hybrid tows. The hybrid tows may be arranged in any and all of the braiding directions. The braid may also include carbon fiber tows, which can be arranged in the axial direction or other braiding directions not occupied by the hybrid tows. The braid is infiltrated with resin, which is impregnated into the braid and cured, to form the toughened polymer matrix composite.

Abstract: A method of preparing hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) fibers includes mixing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and boron oxide (B2O3) to form a polymer precursor or mixing PVP and ammonia borane (BH3NH3) to form the polymer precursor. The method includes forcespinning the polymer precursor to form fibers of the polymer precursor, curing the fibers to form polymer fibers, and pyrolyzing the polymer fibers to form the h-BN fibers.

Abstract: In situ alloying of elemental Cu, Cr, and Nb powder using laser melting to form a Cu—Cr2Nb alloy. The elemental powders are initially mixed to form a homogeneous mixture, which mixture is then subjected to laser radiation to melt the mixture. In the melt, the Cr and Nb react to form Cr2Nb, which when cooled form precipitates that are dispersed in a nearly pure Cu matrix to thus dispersion strengthen the material. The methods can be used to additively manufacture a 3D component of Cu—Cr2Nb alloy using a selective laser melting machine.

Abstract: Compositions including a polyamide, and compaction rollers for an automated fiber placement machine incorporating the composition are provided. The polyamide may be a reaction product of at least one diamine and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, a hydroxy benzoic acid, or their respective ester or acyl halide derivatives. The at least one diamine may include an amino terminated perfluorinated alkyl ether polymer or oligomer. The composition may have a thermal conductivity of from about 0.2 to about 50 Watts per meter Kelvin (Wm?1K?1).

Abstract: Scalable power processing units (PPUs) for Hall-effect thrusters (HETs) and terrestrial systems are disclosed. A technique for current estimation may be employed on each output of parallel isolated discharge supply modules (DSMs) to force proper current/load sharing between the DSMs. A flyback power supply may be used that performs the dual functions of a cathode keeper plasma ignitor and sustainer. The flyback power supply may be tuned for a high no-load direct current (DC) output voltage to achieve cathode keeper ignition rather than requiring a separate ignitor supply, which reduces circuit complexity. To address requirements for higher voltage DC ignition than are achievable with a flyback power supply alone, a supplemental DC ignitor may be placed in parallel with the flyback power supply of some embodiments. Such simplified PPU architectures may provide a high efficiency, low part count, scalable architecture suitable for more compact and lower cost system designs.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multiplexed phase separating inertial filter that is composed of helical through holes generating centrifugal separating forces. In one example, the inertial filter may be a planar porous material with an array of helical channels, each helical channel of the array of helical channels extending from a top surface of the porous material to a bottom surface of the porous material.

Abstract: Compositions including a poly(arylene ether), and compaction rollers for an automated fiber placement machine incorporating the composition are provided. The poly(arylene ether) may be a reaction product of at least one disubstituted benzophenone and at least one polyol. The at least one polyol may include at least one fluorinated diol. The composition may have a thermal conductivity of from about 0.2 to about 50 Watts per meter Kelvin (Wm?1K?1).

Abstract: A phased-array, conformal antenna and a method for forming same are disclosed. The method comprises forming a substantially planar layered antenna structure by fabricating a printed circuit board (PCB) on a substantially planar first substrate, adhering the PCB to a second substantially planar substrate, the second substantially planar substrate comprising an aerogel, adhering a plurality of antenna elements to the substantially planar second substrate to form the phased-array, adhering a protective layer to the one or more antenna elements, and shaping the substantially planar layered antenna structure to form a substantially curved layered antenna structure.

Abstract: A space and wave division multiplexing and demultiplexing system and method for quantum key distribution (QKD) using free space laser communications. The system operates to transmit a quantum channel, including a key of QKD, included in a combined laser transmission with a classical channel, including an encrypted message of QKD. The laser transmission can be transmitted through free space to a lens, wherein it is diffracted into two separate diffraction patterns and captured by a double clad optical receiver fiber having an inner core and a concentric outer core. The diffraction pattern of the classical channel is captured by the outer core, while the diffraction pattern of the quantum channel is captured by the inner core, thus allowing separate treatment of each channel.

Abstract: Broadband acoustic absorbers may be capable providing good absorption performance between 0 and 3,000 Hz, and particularly below 1,000 Hz. Reeds may be incorporated in a single layer, multiple layers, or bundles. Such broadband acoustic absorbers may be applied for acoustic absorption in aircraft, spacecraft, residential and commercial buildings, vehicles, industrial environments, wind tunnels, or any other suitable environment or application where noise reduction is desired.

Abstract: A method for making small diameter NiTi metal alloy components, including balls, comprising providing a metal powder comprising nickel, titanium, and a transition metal, consolidating the metal powder into cylindrical rods, and cutting the cylindrical rods into segments. The segments are then machined into spheres slightly larger than the finished ball size diameter. The spheres are heat treated to solutionize and dissolve all phases and subsequently cooled without the need for rapid quenching due to the influence of the transition metal to suppresses the formation of soft phases in the spheres, wherein such soft phases prevent hardening, to achieve a Rockwell hardness of HRC 58-62. Finally, the hardened spheres are polished until the desired finished ball size diameter and surface finish is achieved.

Abstract: A supercritical water oxidation vortex reactor has a reactor shell configured to contain a pressurized and heated material including water, a burner assembly configured to create a supercritical core region in the material in the reactor shell, the supercritical core region including water above its critical point, an injector assembly configured to inject into the enclosed volume a subcritical wash stream including water below its critical point and an aspirator arranged in the enclosed volume and configured to remove a processed flow including purified water from an upper portion of the supercritical core region. The supercritical water oxidation vortex reactor is configured with an upward helical flow to transfer precipitated ionic compounds out of the supercritical core region, through a transcritical intermediate region, and into the subcritical wash stream where they re-dissolve.

Abstract: A double capsule assembly includes an outer capsule and an inner capsule configured to be positioned within the outer capsule. The inner capsule is configured to have a sample positioned therein. The double capsule assembly is configured to be placed in a solid media assembly to analyze or synthesize the sample.

Abstract: A gear includes a steel rim having an inner circumferential surface a composite gear body attached thereto. The composite gear body includes an opening in a central region thereof. A first continuous fiber composite layer extends from a first point on an outer circumferential edge of the composite gear body to a second point on the outer circumferential edge. A second continuous fiber layer extends from the first point to the second point. The composite gear body also includes a filler layer disposed between the first and second continuous fiber layers, the filler layer extending within an inner region of the composite gear body. The inner region extends radially between the opening and a boundary inward of the inner circumferential surface such that the composite gear body is thicker within the inner region.

Abstract: An air-to-air background-oriented schlieren system in which reference frames are acquired concurrently with the image frames, recording a target aircraft from a sensor aircraft flying in formation, while concurrently recording reference frames of underlying terrain to provide a visually textured background as a reference. This auto-referencing method improves the original AirBOS method by allowing a much more flexible and useful measurement, reducing the flight planning and piloting burden, and broadening the possible camera choices to acquire imaging of visible density changes in air that cause a refractive index change by an airborne vehicle.

Abstract: A portable system for dynamometry, exercise, and rehabilitation comprises a base, a detachable servomotor assembly, an embedded control system, and a physical human-machine interface for securing a human limb into a stabilized position for use in a repeatable and ambidextrous manner. In another embodiment, the portable system includes a power source and a user interface subsystem for selecting operative modes and input parameters and for real-time processing, display, and storage of the values collected by the system during operation. In another embodiment, a method for determining strength of an isolated muscle group of a human joint is disclosed. The method includes the steps of mounting and securing a detachable servomotor assembly of a portable dynamometer upon a surface and securing the human joint to be tested into a stable position with an adjustable, ambidextrous distal limb attachment assembly for use of the portable dynamometer in a readily repeatable manner.

Abstract: A system for measuring magnetic field gradients comprising a multi-bay support structure with a series of raised contact shoulders separated from each other by voids. An optical fiber is spaced along the length of the multi-cell support structure and traverses all the raised contact points and voids. The optical fiber has a plurality of Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) spaced lengthwise, each FBG suspended in a void. In addition, a plurality of ferromagnetic members are strung onto the optical fiber, each suspended in a void. Magnetic field gradients act on the ferromagnetic member to create localized tension in the optical fiber. The FBG's refractive indices are monitored, tension is calculated therefrom, and the tension is correlated to the magnetic field gradient. This greatly simplifies mechanical, optical, electronic and computational complexity and is bay suited for any FOSS array for measuring magnetic fields using many dense measurement points.