ResearchPublications & Patents

Selected Publications

2026

1. N. D’Amico, et al., Production of low-density aerogel nuclear fuels for use in fission fragment rockets and novel reactor design. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 58, 104351 (2026). doi:10.1016/j.net.2026.104351
2. N. D’Amico, et al., Boron nitride coatings for the enhanced detection of neutrons in CR-39. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 58, 104027 (2026). doi:10.1016/j.net.2025.104027
3. A.K. Gillespie, et al., Enhanced tritium production in irradiated TiD₂ from collisional fusion in the solid-state. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 58, 104031 (2026). doi:10.1016/j.net.2025.104031

2025

1. S. Puri, et al., Alpha particle detection in high magnetic fields with applications in designing fission fragment rocket engine. Scientific Reports 15, 22208 (2025). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-07556-8
2. N. D’Amico, et al., AI-based large-area nuclear particle track analysis system. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 57, 103738 (2025). doi:10.1016/j.net.2025.103738
3. S. Puri, et al., Simulation and experimental analysis of aerogel’s attenuation for high-energy alpha particles in fission-fusion fragment rocket applications. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 57, 103157 (2025). doi:10.1016/j.net.2024.08.026
4. A.K. Gillespie, et al., Exploring helium retention from technical materials: Development and investigation. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 57, 103136 (2025). doi:10.1016/j.net.2024.08.005
5. S. Adeosun, et al., Direct nitrogen oxidation via Pd nanoparticle electrocatalysis. ACS Applied Nano Materials 8, 80–89 (2025). doi:10.1021/acsanm.4c04686

2024

1. A.K. Gillespie, C. Lin, R.V. Duncan, Photoneutron yield for an electron beam on tantalum and erbium deuteride. Nuclear Engineering and Technology 56, 3084–3089 (2024). doi:10.1016/j.net.2024.03.007
2. A.L. Sobel, Editorial: Fast transit, crew health, and performance on extended duration space missions. Frontiers in Public Health 11, 1318619 (2024). doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1318619

2023

1. J. Gahl, et al., The Fission Fragment Rocket Engine for Mars Fast Transit. Frontiers in Space Technologies, Sec. Space Propulsion, Vol. 4, 12 October 2023. doi:10.3389/frspt.2023.1191300
2. R. Weed, et al., Radiation characteristics of an aerogel-supported fission fragment rocket engine for crewed interplanetary missions. Frontiers in Space Technologies 4:1197347, 7 September 2023. doi:10.3389/frspt.2023.1197347

2020–2021

1. A.L. Sobel, et al., Innovations in Emergency Airway Management: Lessons-Learned from Early Cross-Cultural Management of Covid-19. Technology & Innovation, Vol. 22, pp. 181–187 (2021). doi:10.21300/22.2.2021.7
2. R.P. Thorn Jr., et al., A quantitative light-isotope measurement system for climate and energy applications. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 464 (2021) 116574.
3. R.V. Duncan, The Impact of the First Decade of the National Academy of Inventors. Technology and Innovation, Vol. 22, pp. 257–268 (2021).
4. A. Sobel, R. Duncan, Aerospace environmental health: Considerations and countermeasures to sustain crew health through vastly reduced transit time to/from Mars. Frontiers in Public Health 8, 327 (2020). doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00327
5. A.K. Gillespie, et al., A new fast response cryogenic evaporative calorimeter. Review of Scientific Instruments 91, 085103 (2020). doi:10.1063/5.0013713
6. S. Lacouture, et al., A solid-state, open-system, differential calorimeter. Review of Scientific Instruments 91, 095102 (2020). doi:10.1063/5.0013591

Earlier Work

1. M. Barmatz, I. Hahn, J.A. Lipa, R.V. Duncan, Critical phenomena in microgravity: Past, present, and future. Reviews of Modern Physics 79, 1 (2007).
2. P.K. Day, et al., Breakdown of Fourier’s Law near the Superfluid Transition in ⁴He. Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2474 (1998).
3. T.L. Aselage, et al., Large Enhancement of Boron Carbide’s Seebeck Coefficients through Vibrational Softening. Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2316 (1998).
4. W.A. Moeur, et al., Observation of Self-Organized Criticality Near the Superfluid Transition in ⁴He. Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2421 (1997).
5. G.H. Dunlap, et al., A frequency to voltage converter based on Bloch oscillations in a capacitively-coupled GaAs-GaAlAs quantum well. Phys. Rev. B 48, 7975 (1993).
6. L.Z. Wang and R.V. Duncan, Proposed differential frequency readout system by hysteretic Josephson junctions. Phys. Rev. A 46, 3617 (1992).
7. R.V. Duncan and G. Ahlers, Singularity and Nonlinearity in the Kapitza Resistance Between Gold and Superfluid ⁴He near T_λ. Phys. Rev. B 43, 7707 (1991).
8. G. Ahlers and R.V. Duncan, Finite-Size Effects on the Thermal Conductivity of ⁴He Near the Superfluid Transition. Phys. Rev. Lett. 61, 846 (1988).
9. R.V. Duncan, et al., Depression of the Superfluid Transition in ⁴He by a Heat Current. Phys. Rev. Lett. 60, 1522 (1988).
10. R.V. Duncan, et al., Singularity in the Kapitza Resistance between Gold and Superfluid ⁴He near T_λ. Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 377 (1987).