Sandia National Laboratories

About: Sandia National Laboratories is a facility organization based out in Livermore, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Combustion. The organization has 21501 authors who have published 46724 publications receiving 1484388 citations. The organization is also known as: SNL & Sandia National Labs.

Nature's neutron probe: Land surface hydrology at an elusive scale with cosmic rays

Abstract: [1] Fast neutrons are generated naturally at the land surface by energetic cosmic rays. These “background” neutrons respond strongly to the presence of water at or near the land surface and represent a hitherto elusive intermediate spatial scale of observation that is ideal for land surface studies and modeling. Soil moisture, snow, and biomass each have a distinct influence on the spectrum, height profile, and directional intensity of neutron fluxes above the ground, suggesting that different sources of water at the land surface can be distinguished with neutron data alone. Measurements can be taken at fixed sites for long-term monitoring or in a moving vehicle for mapping over large areas. We anticipate applications in many previously problematic contexts, including saline environments, wetlands and peat bogs, rocky soils, the active layer of permafrost, and water and snow intercepted by vegetation, as well as calibration and validation of data from spaceborne sensors.

Powering Nanodevices with Biomolecular Motors

Abstract: Biomolecular motors, in particular motor proteins, are ideally suited to introduce chemically powered movement of selected components into devices engineered at the micro- and nanoscale level. The design of such hybrid "bio/nano"-devices requires suitable synthetic environments, and the identification of unique applications. We discuss current approaches to utilize active transport and actuation on a molecular scale, and we give an outlook to the future.

Metal Oxide Composites and Structures for Ultra-High Temperature Solar Thermochemical Cycles.

Abstract: Conceptually, thermochemical cycles are heat engines that drive endothermic chemical reactions, e.g., splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The two-step metal oxide cycles (typically ferrite-based) are particularly attractive since they are relatively simple, use non-corrosive materials, and involve gas–solid reactions requiring no difficult separations. Additionally, they are potentially the most efficient renewable-energy driven processes for hydrogen production. We are developing a novel concentrating solar power (CSP) driven metal-oxide-based heat engine, the CR5, at the heart of which are rings of a reactive solid that are thermally and chemically cycled to produce oxygen and hydrogen from water in separate and isolated steps. The monolithic ring structures must have high geometric surface area for gas–solid contact and for adsorption of incident solar radiation, and must maintain structural integrity and high reactivity after extensive thermal cycling to temperatures of at least 1,400 °C. We have demonstrated through laboratory and on-sun testing that cobalt ferrite/zirconia mixtures fabricated into monolithic structures suitable for the CR5 are mechanically robust and maintain productivity over tens of cycles. We have also demonstrated that carbon dioxide splitting (CDS) to carbon monoxide and oxygen is a thermodynamically favorable alternative to water splitting that can be conducted with both iron- and cerium-based materials.

The 2016 Thermal Spray Roadmap

Abstract: Considerable progress has been made over the last decades in thermal spray technologies, practices and applications. However, like other technologies, they have to continuously evolve to meet new problems and market requirements. This article aims to identify the current challenges limiting the evolution of these technologies and to propose research directions and priorities to meet these challenges. It was prepared on the basis of a collection of short articles written by experts in thermal spray who were asked to present a snapshot of the current state of their specific field, give their views on current challenges faced by the field and provide some guidance as to the R&D required to meet these challenges. The article is divided in three sections that deal with the emerging thermal spray processes, coating properties and function, and biomedical, electronic, aerospace and energy generation applications.