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DOE OSTI · 2999101

Low Temperature Tantalum Electrodeposition: Enabling Next Generation Coatings

Watkins, Tylan [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000346021125)·Hahn, Nathan [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000161874068)·Urena, Michael Earl [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0009000252120197)
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Abstract

This project aimed to identify the ligand and solvation conditions necessary for the electrodeposition of refractory metals from low-temperature organic electrolytes. Tantalum (Ta) was chosen as a specific exemplar for programmatic purposes. It was hoped that a deeper understanding of these relationships could facilitate the innovative application of refractory metal coatings on thermally sensitive and geometrically intricate components used in extreme environments related to energy generation and storage, nuclear deterrence, aerospace, defense, and beyond.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

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Watkins, Tylan [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000346021125), Hahn, Nathan [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000161874068), Urena, Michael Earl [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0009000252120197). 2026-09-01. Low Temperature Tantalum Electrodeposition: Enabling Next Generation Coatings. https://doi.org/10.2172/2999101

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The transition to a flexible and reliable energy infrastructure, using electro-thermal energy generation technologies such as geothermal, concentrated solar power, and nuclear, usually demands simultaneous advancement of thermal energy storage (TES) to support on-demand electricity generation and industrial applications while mitigating the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources and power outages from direct energy generation. Among TES technologies, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) based on calcium looping emerges as a compelling high-power energy storage candidate due to its high reaction enthalpy, compatibility with elevated operating temperatures, and abundance of low-cost materials. However, the long-term durability of calcium-based sorbents for TCES is hindered by surface sintering and particle aggregation, leading to performance degradation over repeated thermal cycles. This study explores a moisture hydration-based strategy to regenerate a degraded calcium sorbent and mitigate performance degradation for long duration TCES. The addition of moisture transforms calcium oxide into calcium hydroxide and produces intercalation water layers, associated with a regenerated surface area and reduced calcium oxide crystallite size. Both these effects are beneficial in restoring the sorbents' reactivity for carbonization. Additionally, an optimized hydration-assisted reactivation protocol balances the recovered energy storage capacity with heating penalty required for moisture removal from hydrated samples, resulting in an enhanced energy storage capacity up to 176% compared to benchmark sorbents that undergo cycling without reactivation after 60 cycles. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of hydration-assisted reactivation to enhance the long-term performance of TCES, providing an effective pathway to advancing electro-thermal storage technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗