Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2016.

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jivanescu, Iulia Elena
Other Authors: Paulo C. Lozano.
Format: Thesis
Language:eng
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105616
_version_ 1826216793141673984
author Jivanescu, Iulia Elena
author2 Paulo C. Lozano.
author_facet Paulo C. Lozano.
Jivanescu, Iulia Elena
author_sort Jivanescu, Iulia Elena
collection MIT
description Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2016.
first_indexed 2024-09-23T16:53:11Z
format Thesis
id mit-1721.1/105616
institution Massachusetts Institute of Technology
language eng
last_indexed 2024-09-23T16:53:11Z
publishDate 2016
publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology
record_format dspace
spelling mit-1721.1/1056162019-04-10T11:19:46Z Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications Jivanescu, Iulia Elena Paulo C. Lozano. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Aeronautics and Astronautics. Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2016. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 91-94). Ion electrospray propulsion relies on the transport of propellant to emission sites where ions and/or droplets are extracted to create thrust. The focus of this research is the creation of porous emitter substrates through which the liquid is passively transported. Previous substrates were created subtractively by selectively removing material to reveal emitter tips or arrays. The limitations of the previous substrates are pore size variability, non-uniform emitter tips, and difficulty in creating identical tips. This study investigates the use of carbon xerogels for electrospray applications due to their exceptional properties such as large surface to volume ratio, robustness and pore uniformity. The substrates are created through a synthesis route which is advantageous for reproducibility. Single carbon xerogel emitter tips and emitter arrays are molded on previously synthesized carbon xerogel substrates. Molding is an additive method which allows for parallel processing and batch manufacturing. Initially carbon xerogels substrates are synthesized. Then a carbon xerogel emitter tip is molded on top of a previously synthesized carbon substrate. Finally, an array of resorcinol formaldehyde emitters is molded on top of a carbon substrate. The carbon xerogel substrate with a molded tip is tested for Retarding Potential Analysis and Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry measurements in order to determine fragmentation fractions and beam composition. The results are consistent with the ionic liquid EMI-BF4 fragmentation fractions and pure ionic regime is achieved. The beam is nearly monoenergetic and fragmentation occurs mostly outside the acceleration region which does not affect thruster efficiency. by Iulia Elena Jivanescu. S.M. 2016-12-05T19:55:06Z 2016-12-05T19:55:06Z 2016 2016 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105616 962733308 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 94 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Jivanescu, Iulia Elena
Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title_full Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title_fullStr Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title_full_unstemmed Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title_short Structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
title_sort structure and performance of carbon xerogel molded emitters for micropropulsion applications
topic Aeronautics and Astronautics.
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105616
work_keys_str_mv AT jivanescuiuliaelena structureandperformanceofcarbonxerogelmoldedemittersformicropropulsionapplications