Patents Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASA
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Patent number: 11578395Abstract: The present invention provides a process for suppressing abnormal grain growth in friction stir welded aluminum alloys by inserting an intermediate annealing treatment (“IAT”) after the welding step on the article. The IAT may be followed by a solution heat treatment (SHT) on the article under effectively high solution heat treatment conditions. In at least some embodiments, a deformation step is conducted on the article under effective spin-forming deformation conditions or under effective superplastic deformation conditions. The invention further provides a welded article having suppressed abnormal grain growth, prepared by the process above. Preferably the article is characterized with greater than about 90% reduction in area fraction abnormal grain growth in any friction-stir-welded nugget.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF NASAInventors: Stephen J. Hales, Harold D Claytor, Joel A. Alexa
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Patent number: 10663350Abstract: A phononic filter includes a metamaterial body including a membrane including a crystalline or amorphous dielectric material, an elemental superconductor or an alloyed superconductor; and a plurality of spaced features. The spaced features includes holes, spacings, or apertures in the metamaterial body.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Edward J. Wollack, David T. Chuss, Kevin L. Denis, Samuel H. Moseley, Karwan Rostem
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Patent number: 10031031Abstract: A wireless temperature sensor includes an electrical conductor and a material spaced apart from the conductor and located within one or more of the responding electric field and responding magnetic field of the conductor. The conductor is electrically unconnected and is shaped for storage of an electric field and a magnetic field. In the presence of a time-varying magnetic field, the conductor resonates to generate harmonic electric and magnetic field responses, each of which has a frequency associated therewith. The material is selected such that it experiences changes in one of dielectric properties and magnetic permeability properties in the presence of a temperature change. Shifts from the sensor's baseline frequency response indicate that the material has experienced a temperature change.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF NASA.Inventors: Stanley E. Woodard, Chuantong Wang, Bryant D. Taylor
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Patent number: 9845269Abstract: Multifunctional Boron Nitride nanotube-Boron Nitride (BN—BN) nanocomposites for energy transducers, thermal conductors, anti-penetrator/wear resistance coatings, and radiation hardened materials for harsh environments. An all boron-nitride structured BN—BN composite is synthesized. A boron nitride containing precursor is synthesized, then mixed with boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) to produce a composite solution which is used to make green bodies of different forms including, for example, fibers, mats, films, and plates. The green bodies are pyrolized to facilitate transformation into BN—BN composite ceramics. The pyrolysis temperature, pressure, atmosphere and time are controlled to produce a desired BN crystalline structure. The wholly BN structured materials exhibit excellent thermal stability, high thermal conductivity, piezoelectricity as well as enhanced toughness, hardness, and radiation shielding properties.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Jin Ho Kang, Robert G. Bryant, Cheol Park, Godfrey Sauti, Luke Gibbons, Sharon Lowther, Sheila A. Thibeault, Catharine C. Fay
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Patent number: 9120677Abstract: A scalable method allows preparation of bulk quantities of holey carbon allotropes with holes ranging from a few to over 100 nm in diameter. Carbon oxidation catalyst nanoparticles are first deposited onto a carbon allotrope surface in a facile, controllable, and solvent-free process. The catalyst-loaded carbons are then subjected to thermal treatment in air. The carbons in contact with the carbon oxidation catalyst nanoparticles are selectively oxidized into gaseous byproducts such as CO or CO2, leaving the surface with holes. The catalyst is then removed via refluxing in diluted nitric acid to obtain the final holey carbon allotropes. The average size of the holes correlates strongly with the size of the catalyst nanoparticles and is controlled by adjusting the catalyst precursor concentration. The temperature and time of the air oxidation step, and the catalyst removal treatment conditions, strongly affect the morphology of the holes.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Kent Watson, Yi Lin, Sayata Ghose, John Connell
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Patent number: 8986513Abstract: A process for producing boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz. The process utilizes a combination of laser light and nitrogen gas flow to support a boron ball target during heating of the boron ball target and production of a boron vapor plume which reacts with nitrogen or nitrogen and carbon to produce boron nitride nanotubes and/or boron-carbon-nitrogen nanotubes of the general formula BxCyNz.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2013Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignees: Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, The United States of America as Represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: R. Roy Whitney, Kevin Jordan, Michael W. Smith
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Patent number: 8680749Abstract: A novel full piezoelectric multilayer stacked hybrid actuation/transduction system. The system demonstrates significantly-enhanced electromechanical performance by utilizing the cooperative contributions of the electromechanical responses of multilayer stacked negative and positive strain components. Both experimental and theoretical studies indicate that for this system, the displacement is over three times that of a same-sized conventional flextensional actuator/transducer. The system consists of at least 2 layers which include electromechanically active components. The layers are arranged such that when electric power is applied, one layer contracts in a transverse direction while the second layer expands in a transverse direction which is perpendicular to the transverse direction of the first layer. An alternate embodiment includes a third layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2009Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Tian-Bing Xu, Xiaoning Jiang, Ji Su
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Patent number: 8529825Abstract: A new fabrication method for nanovoids-imbedded bismuth telluride (Bi—Te) material with low dimensional (quantum-dots, quantum-wires, or quantum-wells) structure was conceived during the development of advanced thermoelectric (TE) materials. Bismuth telluride is currently the best-known candidate material for solid-state TE cooling devices because it possesses the highest TE figure of merit at room temperature. The innovative process described here allows nanometer-scale voids to be incorporated in Bi—Te material. The final nanovoid structure such as void size, size distribution, void location, etc. can be also controlled under various process conditions.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Sang-Hyon Chu, Sang H. Choi, Jae-Woo Kim, Yeonjoon Park, James R. Elliott, Glen C. King, Diane M. Stoakley
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Patent number: 8217143Abstract: Metal nanoshells are fabricated by admixing an aqueous solution of metal ions with an aqueous solution of apoferritin protein molecules, followed by admixing an aqueous solution containing an excess of an oxidizing agent for the metal ions. The apoferritin molecules serve as bio-templates for the formation of metal nanoshells, which form on and are bonded to the inside walls of the hollow cores of the individual apoferritin molecules. Control of the number of metal atoms which enter the hollow core of each individual apoferritin molecule provides a hollow metal nonparticle, or nanoshell, instead of a solid spherical metal nanoparticle.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2007Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Jae-Woo Kim, Sang H. Choi, Peter T. Lillehei, Sang-Hyon Chu, Yeonjoon Park, Glen C. King, James R. Elliott, Jr.
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Patent number: 8206674Abstract: Boron nitride nanotubes are prepared by a process which includes: (a) creating a source of boron vapor; (b) mixing the boron vapor with nitrogen gas so that a mixture of boron vapor and nitrogen gas is present at a nucleation site, which is a surface, the nitrogen gas being provided at a pressure elevated above atmospheric, e.g., from greater than about 2 atmospheres up to about 250 atmospheres; and (c) harvesting boron nitride nanotubes, which are formed at the nucleation site.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2008Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Michael W. Smith, Kevin Jordan, Cheol Park
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Patent number: 7510802Abstract: A thin-film electrode for a bio-nanobattery is produced by consecutively depositing arrays of a ferritin protein on a substrate, employing a spin self-assembly procedure. By this procedure, a first ferritin layer is first formed on the substrate, followed by building a second, oppositely-charged ferritin layer on the top of the first ferritin layer to form a bilayer structure. Oppositely-charged ferritin layers are subsequently deposited on top of each other until a desired number of bilayer structures is produced. An ordered, uniform, stable and robust, thin-film electrode material of enhanced packing density is presented, which provides optimal charge density for the bio-nanobattery.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2006Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignees: National Institute of Aerospace Associates, The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Sang-Hyon Chu, Sang H. Choi, Jae-Woo Kim, Peter T. Lillehei, Yeonjoon Park, Glen C. King, James R. Elliott, Jr.
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Patent number: 7501032Abstract: According to the invention, compositions of Ni—Ti—Pt high temperature, high force, shape memory alloys are disclosed that have transition temperatures above 100° C.; have narrow hysteresis; and produce a high specific work output.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2006Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: Ronald D. Noebe, Susan L. Draper, Michael V. Nathal, Anita Garg
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Patent number: 7493869Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for producing very large area and large volume plasmas. The invention utilizes electron cylcotron resonances in conjunction with permanent magnets to produce dense, uniform plasmas for long life ion thruster applications or for plasma processing applications such as etching, deposition, ion milling and ion implantation. The large area source is at least five times larger than the 12-inch wafers being processed to date. Its rectangular shape makes it easier to accommodate to materials processing than sources that are circular in shape. The source itself represents the largest ECR ion source built to date. It is electrodeless and does not utilize electromagnets to generate the ECR magnetic circuit, nor does it make use of windows.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2005Date of Patent: February 24, 2009Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventors: John E. Foster, Michael J. Patterson
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Patent number: 7410714Abstract: A Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell system uses heat pipes to convey waste heat from the fuel cell stack to the reactant storage tanks. The storage tanks act as heat sinks/sources and as passive radiators of the waste heat from the fuel cell stack. During charge up, i.e., the electrolytic process, gases are conveyed to the reactant storage tanks by way of tubes that include dryers. Reactant gases moving through the dryers give up energy to the cold tanks, causing water vapor in with the gases to condense and freeze on the internal surfaces of the dryer. During operation in its fuel cell mode, the heat pipes convey waste heat from the fuel cell stack to the respective reactant storage tanks, thereby heating them such that the reactant gases, as they pass though the respective dryers on their way to the fuel cell stacks retrieve the water previously removed.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2004Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventor: Kenneth A. Burke
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Patent number: 7305935Abstract: A high density plasma generated by microwave injection using a windowless electrodeless rectangular slotted antenna waveguide plasma source has been demonstrated. Plasma probe measurements indicate that the source could be applicable for low power ion thruster applications, ion implantation, and related applications. This slotted antenna plasma source invention operates on the principle of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR). It employs no window and it is completely electrodeless and therefore its operation lifetime is long, being limited only by either the microwave generator itself or charged particle extraction grids if used. The high density plasma source can also be used to extract an electron beam that can be used as a plasma cathode neutralizer for ion source beam neutralization applications.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2004Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administration of NASAInventor: John Foster