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Title: Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors

Abstract

In January 2006, the Stardust mission will return the first samples from a solid solar-system body since Apollo, and the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust ever collected. Although sophisticated laboratory instruments exist for the analysis of Stardust samples, techniques for the recovery of particles and particle residues from aerogel collectors remain primitive. Here we describe our recent progress in developing techniques for extracting small volumes of aerogel, which we have called ''keystones,'' which completely contain particle impacts but minimize the damage to the surrounding aerogel collector. These keystones can be fixed to custom-designed micromachined silicon fixtures (so-called ''microforklifts''). In this configuration the samples are self-supporting, which can be advantageous in situations in which interference from a supporting substrate is undesirable. The keystones may also be extracted and placed onto a substrate without a fixture. We have also demonstrated the capability of homologously crushing these unmounted keystones for analysis techniques which demand flat samples.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
15013849
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JRNL-200884
TRN: US200803%%902
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Published in: Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors, vol. 39, no. 8, August 24, 2004, pp. 1375-1386
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 39; Journal Issue: 8
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; CONFIGURATION; CRUSHING; DUSTS; RESIDUES; SILICON; SOLAR SYSTEM; SUBSTRATES

Citation Formats

Westphal, A J, Snead, C, Butterworth, A, Graham, G A, Bradley, J, Bajt, S, Grant, P G, Bench, G, Brennan, S, and Piannetta, P. Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors. United States: N. p., 2003. Web.
Westphal, A J, Snead, C, Butterworth, A, Graham, G A, Bradley, J, Bajt, S, Grant, P G, Bench, G, Brennan, S, & Piannetta, P. Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors. United States.
Westphal, A J, Snead, C, Butterworth, A, Graham, G A, Bradley, J, Bajt, S, Grant, P G, Bench, G, Brennan, S, and Piannetta, P. 2003. "Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15013849.
@article{osti_15013849,
title = {Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors},
author = {Westphal, A J and Snead, C and Butterworth, A and Graham, G A and Bradley, J and Bajt, S and Grant, P G and Bench, G and Brennan, S and Piannetta, P},
abstractNote = {In January 2006, the Stardust mission will return the first samples from a solid solar-system body since Apollo, and the first samples of contemporary interstellar dust ever collected. Although sophisticated laboratory instruments exist for the analysis of Stardust samples, techniques for the recovery of particles and particle residues from aerogel collectors remain primitive. Here we describe our recent progress in developing techniques for extracting small volumes of aerogel, which we have called ''keystones,'' which completely contain particle impacts but minimize the damage to the surrounding aerogel collector. These keystones can be fixed to custom-designed micromachined silicon fixtures (so-called ''microforklifts''). In this configuration the samples are self-supporting, which can be advantageous in situations in which interference from a supporting substrate is undesirable. The keystones may also be extracted and placed onto a substrate without a fixture. We have also demonstrated the capability of homologously crushing these unmounted keystones for analysis techniques which demand flat samples.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/15013849}, journal = {Published in: Aerogel Keystones: Extraction Of Complete Hypervelocity Impact Events From Aerogel Collectors, vol. 39, no. 8, August 24, 2004, pp. 1375-1386},
number = 8,
volume = 39,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 07 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Fri Nov 07 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}