Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “SLURRIES”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Effects of γ-Irradiation, Cation Size, and Salt Concentration on the Aggregation of Boehmite Nanoplatelets

The effects of radiation on the aggregation of nanoplatelets of aluminum oxyhydroxide (boehmite) in slurries of M 1+ cation nitrates has been observed using tumbler small- and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering. Nitrate solutions of H, Li, Na, K, and Rb at concentrations of 10 -5 , 10 -3 , 10 -1 , 2, and 4 molal were compared to the results for pure H 2 O. Primary aggregates consisting of small stacks of boehmite platelets that form immediately after the boehmite is placed in water are smaller for irradiated boehmite than the pristine material. Here, the primary aggregates for irradiated boehmite also appear to have a rougher surface than those observed for unirradiated materials. Both results are possibly due to breaking of the surface OH species and a neutralization of the surface. At low salt concentrations, the pH of the irradiated boehmite slurries is lower than that of the corresponding pristine material indicating that irradiated boehmite adsorbs fewer protons or more hydroxide onto its surface than the pristine boehmite. Increasing the salt concentration decreases the pH to near neutral at 7 due to screening of the electric double layer at the solid/liquid interface. Irradiation does not seem to affect the size of secondary aggregates formed from the aggregation of primary aggregates or of the overall size of the primary aggregates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Direct Measure of Electrode Spatial Heterogeneity: Influence of Processing Conditions on Anode Architecture and Performance

The spatial (in)homogeneity of aqueous processed silicon electrodes using standard poly(acrylic acid)-based binders and slurry preparation conditions is demonstrated in this work. X-ray nanotomography shows segregation of materials into submicron-thick layers depending on the mixing method and starting binder molecular weights. Using a dispersant, or in situ production of dispersant from the cleavage of the binder into smaller molecular weight species, increases the resulting lateral homogeneity while drastically decreasing the vertical homogeneity as a result of sedimentation and separation due to gravitational forces. This data explains some of the variability in the literature with respect to silicon electrode performance and demonstrates two potential ways to improve slurry-based electrode fabrications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Restorable Neutralization of Poly(acrylic acid) Binders toward Balanced Processing Properties and Cycling Performance for Silicon Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Neutralization of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-based binders using lithium hydroxide is a common strategy for fabricating silicon anode laminates, which improves rheological properties of slurries toward high-quality electrode laminates. However, the significantly increased basicity causes degradation of Si particles while the irreversible conversion of carboxylic acid groups to lithium carboxylates undermines the binding strength, collectively leading to adverse cycling performance of the fabricated Si anodes. Herein, a novel neutralization process for PAA binders is developed. A weak base, ammonia (NH 3 ), was discovered as a neutralizing agent that still promotes rheological response of binder solutions but results in a reduced pH increase. Interestingly, the resulting ammonium carboxylate groups may cleave during the drying process to restore the neutralized PAA (PAA-NH 3 ) binders to their pristine states. The best-performing composition of 50% neutralization (PAA-50%NH 3 ) provides comparable rheological response as a PAA-Li binder as well as much improved cycling performance. Additionally, the half-cells using the PAA-50%NH 3 binder can deliver 60% capacity retention over 100 cycles at C/3 rate, affording a 23.8% increase compared to PAA-Li half-cells. This restorable neutralization process of PAA binders represents an innovative strategy of mitigating issues from slurry processing of Si particles to achieve concurrent improvements in high-quality lamination and cycling performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scalable Solution-Processed Electrolyte Membranes with Optimized Microstructure for High-Performance Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells

Proton-conducting electrochemical cells (PCECs) are promising for efficient hydrogen production, but achieving dense, uniform, thin electrolyte layers remains a key challenge, particularly for scalable fabrication. Here, we present a solution-processed deposition approach with a mechanistically optimized slurry for uniform electrolyte formation. By tailoring particle size distribution, solid loading, and solvent/additive balance, we regulated wetting behavior and evaporation kinetics of the electrolyte slurry to promote homogeneous electrolyte particle packing. These features facilitate tight grain boundary contact and early stage neck growth during sintering, eliminating residual porosity, and improving mechanical integrity. The resulting ∼15 μm thick electrolyte shows high density, strong electrode adhesion, and stable interfaces outperforming the previously reported spray-based fabricated electrolyte by about 31% at 600 °C in FC mode. Single cells deliver 0.962 W cm –2 at 600 °C in fuel cell mode and 1.31 A cm –2 at 1.3 V in electrolysis mode, maintaining robust performance over 100 h with negligible degradation (≤0.02% h –1 ) in each mode. Scale-up to 2.5 cm diameter substrates confirmed reproducible densification and geometric stability. This work demonstrates a cost-effective, scalable route where control over particle-fluid interactions and drying dynamics enables a superior electrolyte microstructure and high PCEC performance.

dense microstructure↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cold-Sprayed NMC622 Composite as a Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The growing demand for high-energy, low-cost lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to power electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates advances in both materials and manufacturing processes. Conventional cathode fabrication methods, such as slurry casting and drying, are energy-intensive and pose challenges for scalability and environmental compliance. In this study, we propose cold-spray (CS) deposition as a solvent-free approach for fabricating LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC622) composite cathodes. Powder blends of NMC622, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), and carbon black (CB) are directly deposited onto stainless steel and Inconel substrates under varied gas temperatures, pressures (and thus velocities), and standoff distances. The effects of temperature on the deposit morphology, coating density, and volume are systematically investigated. Computational fluid dynamics simulations reveal that increasing the gas temperature enhances the particle velocity, narrows the spray angle, and reduces the mass concentration radially at the nozzle outlet. CS deposition results in a dense cathode microstructure, accompanied by fracture in polycrystalline NMC622 particles. X-ray diffraction analysis further verifies that there are no phase changes during the deposition process. The electrochemical performance of the cold-sprayed cathodes reveals an initial capacity of approximately 96 mAh g –1 for single-crystal NMC622 and 167 mAh g –1 for polycrystalline NMC622. While these values are modest compared to state-of-the-art slurry-cast cathodes, which typically exhibit 180–200 mAh g –1 under optimized conditions. The results demonstrate a competitive performance given the solvent-free nature of the CS process and compare favorably with tape-cast samples made from identical feedstock. In conclusion, he CS process enables the formation of dense, binder-integrated cathode coatings without the need for solvent processing, offering a promising pathway for scalable, energy-efficient dry electrode manufacturing of next-generation LIBs.

Batteries↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cost of Deconstruction Depots for Diversified, Waste-Based Lignocellulosic Sugars Using Distillable Solvents

Transitioning to a bioeconomy that makes use of low-emission and waste feedstocks requires greater flexibility to accommodate seasonal variations and mitigate long-term storage challenges, such as material loss and fire risk. To achieve this goal, biomass deconstruction technologies must efficiently handle diverse feedstocks. Here, we assess the cost of using butylaminea distillable solventto deconstruct 22 different biomass feedstocks: 7 herbaceous, 9 woody, 4 food processing residues, and 2 blends. Lignocellulosic sugar production costs, based on current empirical data, range from $1.3 to 6.1/kg, suggesting that substantial improvements are required to compete with conventional sugars. The high solvent loading (850 g/kg of whole slurry) is a process bottleneck. Lowering the solvent loading to 59 g/kg of whole slurry, demonstrated in an L-scale reactor using poplar biomass, reduces the minimum sugar selling price by 33%. Solvent loading and recovery, solid loading, sugar yield, enzyme use, and delivered biomass cost all play key roles in reaching sugar production costs of $0.45-0.79/kg. Strategic feedstock blending to maximize carbohydrate content, process optimization to improve conversion efficiency, and the selection of low-cost feedstocks are important to advancing feedstock-flexible biorefineries.

TEA↗
DOE OSTI2021

A chemical switch enabled autonomous two-stage crosslinking polymeric binder for high performance silicon anodes

Silicon (Si) is a promising high-capacity anode material for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, the drastic volumetric changes of Si upon lithiation/delithiation hinder the practical use of Si anodes. Although adhesive polymeric binders, such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), mitigate this issue, the cycling performance of the fabricated Si anodes is still far from meeting the criteria of practical applications. In this study, we present a novel polymeric binder system for Si anodes consisting of PAA, a chemical switch (ammonia, NH 3 ), and a crosslinker (branched polyethylenimine, PEI). The crosslinking between PAA and PEI is switched off in the slurry, which can then be turned on during electrode drying. Interestingly, the crosslinking reaction consists of two stages: ionic cross-linking (PAA-PEI-i) and covalent crosslinking (PAA-PEI-c) at a higher temperature (e.g., 130 °C). In half-cells, Si anodes fabricated using the PAA-PEI-c binder show a 67% increase in capacity retention compared to PAA anodes over 150 cycles at C/3 rate. The PAA-PEI-c binder also outperforms PAA in full cells. In addition, the chemical switch controlled crosslinking binder system also facilitates the slurry making process by avoiding early crosslinking. This system requires no additional steps compared to the conventional electrode lamination process, showing enormous potential for direct adoption in large-scale manufacturing.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solid–liquid separation of lignocellulosic sugars from biomass by rotating ceramic disc filtration

In many biomass conversion processes, the separation of cellulosic sugars from residual, lignin-rich solids is a critical step, and achieving high recovery yields of sugars by conventional tangential crossflow and vacuum filtration is challenged by the presence of biomass solids, which rapidly foul filters, resulting in decreased throughput. Considering the performance limitations of traditional filtration methods, dynamic filtration, which generates high shear at the membrane surface to decrease fouling, is emerging as a viable alternative for demanding solid–liquid separations. For high solids separations, there is little available information regarding the performance, limitations, and energy consumption of dynamic filtration. To that end, here we characterized the performance of a dynamic filtration module, specifically a rotating ceramic disc (RCD) filter, for the aseptic recovery of cellulosic sugars from biomass solids following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. We show how RCD rotational velocity and percent biomass solids impact the filter throughput. Additionally, we used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to estimate the shear rate at the membrane surface and to visualize hydrodynamic profiles within the module. With the combined CFD simulations and experimental results, we estimated the energy demand and operating expenses for a viable dynamic filtration system operating with a lignocellulosic feed slurry. Our results indicate that an RCD filter can achieve ≥95% recovery of sugars and produce a retentate slurry containing 12 wt% insoluble solids with low energy consumption (a 2.2-fold improvement over cross-flow filtration) and low operating costs ($\$$0.06 per kg sugars). These results show a viable path towards operationally reliable, energy efficient, and cost-effective separations of sterilized cellulosic sugars from biomass solids and highlight the potential of dynamic filtration systems for challenging solid–liquid separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Combining MicroED and native mass spectrometry for structural discovery of enzyme–small molecule complexes

With the goal of accelerating the discovery of small molecule–protein complexes, we leverage fast, low-dose, event-based electron counting microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) data collection and native mass spectrometry. This approach, which we term electron diffraction with native mass spectrometry (ED-MS), allows assignment of protein target structures bound to ligands with data obtained from crystal slurries soaked with mixtures of known inhibitors and crude biosynthetic reactions. This extends to libraries of printed ligands dispensed directly onto TEM grids for later soaking with microcrystal slurries, and complexes with noncovalent ligands. ED-MS resolves structures of the natural product, epoxide-based cysteine protease inhibitor E-64, and its biosynthetic analogs bound to the model cysteine protease, papain. It further identifies papain binding to its preferred natural products, by showing that two analogs of E-64 outcompete others in binding to papain crystals, and by detecting papain bound to E-64 and an analog from crude biosynthetic reactions, without purification. ED-MS also resolves binding of the CTX-M-14 β-lactamase, a target of active drug development, to the non-β-lactam inhibitor, avibactam, alone or in a cocktail of unrelated compounds. These results illustrate the utility of ED-MS for natural product ligand discovery and for structure-based screening of small molecule binders to macromolecular targets, promising utility for drug discovery.

MicroED↗
DOE OSTI2025

Distinct microbiomes underlie divergent responses of methane emissions from diverse wetland soils to oxygen shifts

Abstract Hydrological shifts in wetlands, a globally important methane (CH4) source, are critical constraints on CH4 emissions and carbon-climate feedbacks. A limited understanding of how hydrologically driven oxygen (O2) variability affects microbial CH4 cycling in diverse wetlands makes wetland CH4 emissions uncertain. Transient O2 exposure significantly stimulated anoxic CH4 production in incubations of Sphagnum peat from a temperate bog by enriching for polyphenol oxidizers and polysaccharide degraders, enhancing substrate flow toward methanogenesis under subsequent anoxic conditions. To assess whether shifts in soil microbiome structure and function operate similarly across wetland types, here we examined the sensitivity of different wetland soils to transient oxygenation. In slurry incubations of Sphagnum peat from a minerotrophic fen, and sediments from a freshwater marsh and saltmarsh, we examined temporal shifts in microbiomes coupled with geochemical characterization of slurries and incubation headspaces. Oxygenation did not affect microbiome structure and anoxic CH4 production in mineral-rich fen-origin peat and freshwater marsh soils. Key taxa linked to O2-stimulated CH4 production in the bog-origin peat were notably rare in the fen-origin peat, supporting microbiome structure as a primary determinant of wetland response to O2 shifts. In contrast to freshwater wetland experiments, saltmarsh geochemistry—particularly pH—and microbiome structure were persistently and significantly altered postoxygenation, albeit with no significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. These divergent responses suggest wetlands may be differentially resistant to O2 fluctuations. With climate change driving greater O2 variability in wetlands, our results inform mechanisms of wetland resistance and highlight microbiome structure as a potential resiliency biomarker.

Reji, Linta (ORCID:0000000213376782)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of water vapor and thermal history on nuclear waste feed conversion to glass

Water affects the glass melting process by interacting with the foam layer at the glass melt surface and by influencing the batch conversion reactions. Water vapor from the nuclear waste slurry feed maintains a high water vapor pressure in the melter atmosphere. To investigate to what extent water vapor affects the vitrification of nuclear waste in joule-heated, cold-top melters, a series of feed expansion experiments were performed under humid and dry atmospheres using samples of low-activity waste (LAW) melter feed simulants. Melting of feed pellets in the presence of water vapor slightly decreased the temperature of primary foam onset, but did not significantly affect the feed volume expansion by foaming or the foam-collapse temperature. Sets of feed expansion experiments and evolved gas analyses were also performed to check the effect of thermal history on LAW feed samples tested as direct slurry, loose powder, and slow- and fast-dried pellets.

Marcial, Jose↗
DOE OSTI2022

Atmospheric plasma spraying to fabricate metal‐supported solid oxide fuel cells with open‐channel porous metal support

Abstract Metal‐supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS‐SOFCs) have been fabricated by applying phase‐inversion tape‐casting and atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The effect of the binder amount of the phase‐inversion slurries on the microstructure development of the 430L stainless steel metal support was investigated. The pore structures, the viscosity of the slurry, porosity and permeability of the as‐prepared metal supports are significantly influenced by the amount of the binder. NiO–scandia‐stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) anode, ScSZ electrolyte and La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ (LSCF) cathode layers were consecutively deposited on the metal support with an ideal microstructure by APS process. The effect of plasma power of the APS on the microstructure of the electrolyte and cathode was investigated. A dense electrolyte layer and a porous cathode layer were successfully obtained at 40 and 6 kW of the APS plasma power, respectively. MS‐SOFCs, with a cell configuration of 430L/Ni‐ScSZ/ScSZ/LSCF, achieved a maximum cell power density of 1079 mW cm −2 at 700°C using humidified H 2 as fuel and ambient air as oxidant. The corresponding ohmic resistance and total resistance of MS‐SOFCs was 0.14 and 0.32 Ω cm 2 , respectively. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fabricating high‐performance MS‐SOFCs with economical and scalable techniques.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thermo-rheological snapshot of melter feed conversion to glass

Slurry feed charged into an electric melter creates a layer of reacting and melting material (termed cold cap) that floats on the surface of molten glass. The rheological behavior of heated melter feed affects the spreading of slurry at the top of the cold cap and the stability of the primary foam, affecting cold-cap coverage and melter plenum temperatures. The apparent viscosity of a high-alumina high-level waste melter feed was assessed by thermomechanical analysis, high-temperature viscometer, and the hot stage microscopy method, yielding viscosity estimates from ≈10 7.5 Pa s at 550°C to ≈10 2.5 Pa s at 1050°C. As the temperature of feed materials increased, their state changed from rigid solid to dilatant fluid, to pseudoplastic bubbly liquid with dissolving solids, to fully developed foam, and finally to Newtonian glass melt.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2024

Estimating Scaled Cloud Height in Pulse Jet Mixed Vessels

To suspend and mix radioactive slurries without pumps or impellers, the performance of pulsed jet mixed vessels has been investigated. The slurry in the pulse tubes is expelled impinging upon the vessel floor and lifting solids to a “cloud height” in a cyclic process. Experiments measuring cloud height for a variety of waste simulants have been conducted for vessel configurations that varied vessel diameter, fill height and pulse tube number, volume, and nozzle diameter. The elevation to which suspended particles rise is termed the cloud height and derives from a balance between the fluid forces of the jet and the gravitational forces acting on the particle ensemble. Here we use scaling to estimate the cloud height based on conservation of mass and momentum and jet similarity. We find that the cloud height varies with the nozzle exit velocity to the 2/3 power in agreement with observations.

cloud height, effective cleaning radius, effective↗
DOE OSTI2024

Manufacturing Cathodes via Dry-Processing for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Conventional lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrodes are prepared through a wet slurry process with n-methyl pyrrolidone solvent, especially for cathodes. The wet slurry process encounters several disadvantages such as binder migration, electrode cracking in thick electrodes, energy intense heat-dry NMP solvent removal, and costly NMP recovery. The cost and energy consumption of coating and drying of electrode are about 11.5 % and > 46 % in LIB manufacturing, respectively. Thereby, it is essential to develop a facile roll-to-roll solvent-free LIB electrode processing for reducing the cost and energy consumption. Recently, the Maxwell-type dry processing (DP) shines new lights on LIB manufacturing, which mainly bases on dry mixing (DM) of electrode component powder followed by calendering into electrode films and laminating onto current collectors, realizing the rapid manufacturing of LIB electrodes in a powder-to-film manner for industries. This report shares some recent progress on the DP from our group. We aim to further advance the manufacturing science of DP by correlating the processing conditions with electrode properties and performance. Particularly, we investigate the effect of DM, and compression on the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) binder fiberization, porosity, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and electrochemical behaviors of electrodes. The DM study suggests that PTFE fiberization heavily relies on the degree of DM. Insufficient DM results in poor PTFE fiberization while outrageous DM damages the formed PTFE fibers. Both negatively affect the mechanical behaviors of the electrodes and their rate capability. However, moderate DM is highly beneficial. In addition, our study of the porosity impact reveals that LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC) secondary particles can be broken into primary particles due to compression, especially at low porosity. Those fractured NMC secondary particles exhibit lower modulus. We propose that a moderate porosity of around 32% favors the electronic conductivity, charge transfer impedance and rate capability. The study of the cathodic electrolyte interphase layer of PTFE-based DPed electrode confirms that side reactions of PTFE binder due to the formation of LiF in LiClO4-based electrolyte.

Tao, Runming↗
DOE OSTI2020

Towards the Commercialization of the All-Solid-State Li-ion Battery: Local Bonding Structure and the Reversibility of Sheet-Style Si-PAN Anodes

A slurry-coated sheet-style Si-based anode is developed for use in all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. Inexpensive, mixed-conducting polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is utilized as both binder and conductive additive, enabling Si-rich electrodes (70 wt%) to attain large reversible capacities ~1,500 mAh g-1 (Si) at 1 C rates (>3 mA cm -2 ). Cross sectional analysis of a discharged all-solid-state half-cell indicates that the Si-PAN anode achieves the largest volumetric specific capacity ever reported for a Li-ion electrode (>1500 mAh cm -3 ). Ex situ Raman spectroscopic studies reveal that the anodes' reversibility is attributed to the preservation of small tetrahedrally coordinated clusters within their Si nanoparticles upon discharge. We therefore argue that careful lithiation limitations should be implemented in all Si-based Li-ion anodes to preserve this local tetrahedral atomic structure. Furthermore, the slurry-coated sheet-style Si-PAN anodes have been successfully cycled in all-solid-state full-cells against high-voltage nickel-rich NMC 811 composite cathodes to encourage future commercialization of similar sheet-style all-solid-state designs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

To Pave the Way for Large-Scale Electrode Processing of Moisture-Sensitive Ni-Rich Cathodes

High-capacity Ni-rich cathode such as LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) has a great potential to enable high energy lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for long-range electrical vehicles. However, the utilization of NMC 811 in large-scale application is still challenging. While many published papers on NMC811 focus on materials modification, the moisture sensitivity of NMC811 and its implications in storage and large-scale electrode coating are not well explored, not to mention how to overcome those challenges for industry application. This work discusses the key parameters impacting the rheological properties of NMC811 slurries and their correlations to the properties of dried electrodes. Effective solutions are proposed to address the gelation issue of NMC811 slurry during large-scale coating to hopefully inspire more effective and practical approaches to tackle the grand challenges in electrochemical energy storage.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Performance of Different Water-Based Binder Formulations for Ni-Rich Cathodes Evaluated in LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 //Graphite Pouch Cells

Water-based processing for lithium-ion battery electrodes is attractive due to its lower manufacturing cost and smaller environmental impact. However, multiple challenges associated with aqueous cathode processing have hindered commercial adoption. Polymer binders are an important component of the electrode, and thus the choice of binders can alter electrode cycling performance significantly. In this work, four different water-based binder combinations are investigated for Ni-rich LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811)-based cathodes, with a focus on the long-term electrochemical performance in practical-format full pouch cells. No additional pH-modulating additives were added to the aqueous cathode slurries, and no protective coatings were present on the cathode or aluminum current collector. Results are compared with the standard PVDF/NMP-based binder/solvent combination, used as a baseline. The influence of water-based binder type on slurry rheology and electrode microstructure are also discussed. All cells made by water-processing had worse rate performance compared to the baseline. However, the cell discharge capacity after 1000 U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) cycles at C/3 charge/discharge rate was comparable to the baseline for two of the water-based cathode formulations (CMC & JSR, and LiPAA), demonstrating the potential viability of aqueous-processed Ni-rich cathodes at a commercial scale.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗