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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.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Moving from Information Assurance to Functional Assurance with Engineered Controls

Cyber threats to operational technology demand more than traditional IT defenses—they require full-spectrum mission assurance. Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) is an approach that embeds engineered controls into system design to ensure critical functions remain safe and reliable, even under attack. Unlike conventional cybersecurity tools, engineered controls act directly on physical processes to prevent unacceptable outcomes such as equipment damage or mission failure. This session will outline the CIE framework and share examples of consequence-based design that deliver true resilience, not just fail-safe behaviors. Attendees will learn how to integrate these principles into the engineering lifecycle to support resilient-by-design architectures and inform emerging standards. This talk sets the stage for the panel discussion on advancing CIE across sectors as digital and physical systems converge.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Power Electronics and Electric Machines for Advanced Aircraft

Power electronics and electric machines are critical components of efficient, high-performance aircraft - from fixed-wing turbine to electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and beyond. Improvements to these components create enormous energy efficiencies, enable cost savings, and ensure fail-safe operations. National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers are developing innovative power electronics, electric motors, integrated electric traction drives, and thermal management systems to build highly efficient, lightweight, ultrareliable powertrains for aircraft.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Enhancing CMC Temperature Performance in High Hydrogen Environments using Field Assisted Sintering Technology

This final report summarizes the developments in field assisted sintering technology (FAST) for rapid fabrication of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials with integrated environmental barrier coatings (EBCs), as well as their performance in a representative gas turbine combustor environment including stagnant flame zones, and high velocity product zones. CMCs are a possible high temperature tolerant material system for gas turbine engines, which are currently the dominant source of electric power production and the primary source of aircraft propulsion. However, CMCs are costly and time-consuming (on the order of weeks to months) to fabricate, and CMCs based on silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics are susceptible to water vapor degradation requiring the use of specialized EBCs. The manufacturing technique known as FAST can create consolidated parts in as little as a few hours using high pressure and temperature, and may be useful to integrate EBCs into CMCs directly during consolidation.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transforming an ATP-dependent enzyme into a dissipative, self-assembling system

Nucleoside triphosphate (NTP)-dependent protein assemblies such as microtubules and actin filaments have inspired the development of diverse chemically fueled molecular machines and active materials but their functional sophistication has yet to be matched by design. Given this challenge, we asked whether it is possible to transform a natural adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-dependent enzyme into a dissipative self-assembling system, thereby altering the structural and functional mode in which chemical energy is used. Furthermore we report that FtsH (filamentous temperature-sensitive protease H), a hexameric ATPase involved in membrane protein degradation, can be readily engineered to form one-dimensional helical nanotubes. FtsH nanotubes require constant energy input to maintain their integrity and degrade over time with the concomitant hydrolysis of ATP, analogous to natural NTP-dependent cytoskeletal assemblies. Yet, in contrast to natural dissipative systems, ATP hydrolysis is catalyzed by free FtsH protomers and FtsH nanotubes serve to conserve ATP, leading to transient assemblies whose lifetimes can be tuned from days to minutes through the inclusion of external ATPases in solution.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Polarization rotation in a ferroelectric BaTiO 3 film through low-energy He-implantation

Domain engineering in ferroelectric thin films is crucial for next-generation microelectronic and photonic technologies. Here, a method is demonstrated to precisely control domain configurations in BaTiO 3 thin films through low-energy He ion implantation. The approach transforms a mixed ferroelectric domain state with significant in-plane polarization into a uniform out-of-plane tetragonal phase by selectively modifying the strain state in the film’s top region. This structural transition significantly improves domain homogeneity and reduces polarization imprint, leading to symmetric ferroelectric switching characteristics. The demonstrated ability to manipulate ferroelectric domains post-growth enables tailored functional properties without compromising the coherently strained bottom interface. The method’s compatibility with semiconductor processing and ability to selectively modify specific regions make it particularly promising for practical implementation in integrated devices. This work establishes a versatile approach for strain-mediated domain engineering that could be extended to a wide range of ferroelectric systems, providing new opportunities for memory, sensing, and photonic applications where precise control of polarization states is essential.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Polarization rotation in a ferroelectric BaTiO$_3$ film through low-energy He-implantation

Domain engineering in ferroelectric thin films is crucial for next-generation microelectronic and photonic technologies. Here, a method is demonstrated to precisely control domain configurations in BaTiO$_3$ thin films through low-energy He ion implantation. The approach transforms a mixed ferroelectric domain state with significant in-plane polarization into a uniform out-of-plane tetragonal phase by selectively modifying the strain state in the film's top region. This structural transition significantly improves domain homogeneity and reduces polarization imprint, leading to symmetric ferroelectric switching characteristics. The demonstrated ability to manipulate ferroelectric domains post-growth enables tailored functional properties without compromising the coherently strained bottom interface. The method's compatibility with semiconductor processing and ability to selectively modify specific regions make it particularly promising for practical implementation in integrated devices. This work establishes a versatile approach for strain-mediated domain engineering that could be extended to a wide range of ferroelectric systems, providing new opportunities for memory, sensing, and photonic applications where precise control of polarization states is essential.

Luo, Liang [Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (Unit↗
DOE OSTI2025

Elucidating the Role of Electric Fields in Fe Oxidation via an Environmental Atom Probe

Abstract We quantify the effects of intensely applied electric fields on the Fe oxidation mechanism. The specimen are pristine Fe single crystals exposing a variety of surface structures identified by field ion microscopy. These crystals are simultaneously exposed to low pressures of pure oxygen gas, on the order of 10 −7 mbar, while applying intense electric fields on their surface of several tens of volts per nanometer. The local composition of the different surface structures is probed directly and in real time using an Environmental Atom Probe and successfully compared with first principles‐based models. We found that rough Fe{244} and Fe{112} facets are more reactive toward oxygen than compact Fe{024} and Fe{011} facets. Results demonstrate that the influence of an electric field on the oxidation kinetics depends on the timescales that are involved as the system evolves toward equilibrium. The initial oxidation kinetics show that strong increases in electric fields facilitate the formation of an oxide. However, as one approaches equilibrium, high field values mitigate this formation. Ultimately, this study elucidates how high externally applied electric fields can be used to dynamically exploit reaction dynamics at the nanoscale towards desired products in a catalytic reaction at mild reaction conditions.

Lambeets, Sten V. [Physical and Computational Scie↗
DOE OSTI2025

Edge ML for CAN bus intrusion detection in AVs

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are revolutionizing transportation, but their reliance on interconnected cyber-physical systems exposes them to unprecedented cybersecurity risks. This study addresses the critical challenge of detecting real-time cyber intrusions in self-driving vehicles by leveraging a dataset from the Udacity self-driving car project. We simulate four high-impact attack vectors, Denial of Service (DoS), spoofing, replay, and fuzzy attacks, by injecting noise into spatial features (e.g., bounding box coordinates) to replicate adversarial scenarios. We develop and evaluate two lightweight neural network architectures (NN-1 and NN-2) alongside a logistic regression baseline (LG-1) for intrusion detection. The models achieve exceptional performance, with NN-2 attaining an AUC score of 93.15% and 93.15% accuracy, demonstrating their suitability for edge deployment in AV environments. Through explainable AI techniques, we uncover unique forensic fingerprints of each attack type, such as spatial corruption in fuzzy attacks and temporal anomalies in replay attacks, offering actionable insights for feature engineering and proactive defense. Visual analytics, including confusion matrices, ROC curves, and feature importance plots, validate the models' robustness and interpretability. This research sets a new benchmark for AV cybersecurity, delivering a scalable, field-ready toolkit for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and policymakers. By aligning intrusion fingerprints with SAE J3061 automotive security standards, we provide a pathway for integrating machine learning into safety-critical AV systems. Our findings underscore the urgent need for security-by-design AI, ensuring that AVs not only drive autonomously but also defend autonomously. This work bridges the gap between theoretical cybersecurity and life-preserving engineering, offering a leap toward safer, more secure autonomous transportation.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Preliminary Design of Nuclear Reactor Heat Delivery Systems: Integration with Reference Oil Refinery, Methanol Synthesis, and Hydrogen Production

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Integrated Energy Systems (IES) program is generating comprehensive analyses validating the opportunity for using nuclear energy in a variety of applications including future clean grids, providing heat for direct use, and providing heat to help reduce emissions in chemical commodities. This work focuses on the preliminary designs of thermal delivery systems that can integrate heat produced from a nuclear core to industrial processes. The key research question that needs to be answered is: what is the prospective method for integrating nuclear generated heat energy into non-electric applications that can facilitate combined heat and power operations by advanced nuclear reactor systems? This research is a composition of case studies showing preliminary conceptual designs for thermal delivery systems integrating advanced nuclear systems with a few industrial systems including high temperature steam electrolysis, a reference oil refinery, and potential future methanol systems that supplant some natural gas use with nuclear energy. Piping and instrumentation diagrams have been developed to show the conceptual integration of nuclear systems with representative industrial systems. Different features of the configurations are dependent on the specific integration requirements including energy source conditions, demand quantity, and require energy application conditions. Design concepts are validated using thermodynamic balance calculations to verify system performance including calculating system losses during transport. Key components: pumps and compressors, heat exchangers, and network piping are reported with key design information and sizing.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Predictive CRISPR-mediated gene downregulation for enhanced production of sustainable aviation fuel precursor in Pseudomonas putida

CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) has emerged as a valuable tool for redirecting metabolic flux to enhance bioproduction. However, its application is often constrained by two challenges: (i) rationally identifying effective gene targets for downregulation and (ii) efficiently constructing multiplexed CRISPRi systems. In this study, we address both challenges by integrating a computational prioritization tool with a versatile assembly method for building multiplexed CRISPRi systems. FluxRETAP (Flux-Reaction Target Prioritization) accurately identified gene targets whose knockdown led to substantial increase of isoprenol titers in Pseudomonas putida KT2440, outperforming a conventional non-computational, pathway-guided target selection. The highest isoprenol titer of nearly 1.5 g/L was achieved by knocking down PP_4118 (a gene encoding α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase). The use of VAMMPIRE (Versatile Assembly Method for MultiPlexing CRISPRi-mediated downREgulation) enabled accurate assembly of CRISPRi constructs containing up to five sgRNA arrays, reducing context dependency and achieving uniform, position-independent gene downregulation. The integration of FluxRETAP and VAMMPIRE has the potential to advance metabolic engineering by rapidly identifying CRISPRi-mediated knockdowns and knockdown combinations that enhance bioproduction titers, with potential applicability to other microbial systems.

CRISPR interference↗
DOE OSTI2026

MCP-eGridGPT (MCP-Enabled Chatbot with Electrical Power System Analysis and Interactive Visualization Tool) [SWR-25-126]

This software is an advanced chatbot system that integrates the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to provide intelligent electrical power system analysis and automated visualization generation. The system enables users to interact with complex electrical engineering tools through natural language, automatically analyzes power system data for voltage violations and grid health assessment, and generates professional interactive HTML dashboards and reports. Key features include dynamic tool discovery from MCP servers, multi-LLM provider support, intelligent data interpretation using large language models, automated chart generation, and a web-based interface for real-time analysis. The software bridges sophisticated electrical engineering analysis with user-friendly interfaces, making power system diagnostics accessible through conversational AI.

Choi, Seong [National Laboratory of the Rockies (N↗
DOE OSTI2025

NEXT Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated On-Road Vehicles (NEXTCAR Phase I & II)

The Ohio State University’s ARPA-E NEXTCAR project was a multi-phase, multi-year research, development, and demonstration program focused on improving the energy efficiency of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). The team developed and validated advanced vehicle motion and powertrain control algorithms that coordinate propulsion and automation systems to optimize energy use. Key technologies included Dynamic Skip Fire engine control, predictive eco-driving functions such as Eco-Approach and Departure (Eco-AND) and Eco-Adaptive Cruise Control (Eco-ACC), and powertrain-agnostic optimization frameworks for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles. The project successfully demonstrated up to 30% energy-efficiency improvement during real-world testing at the Transportation Research Center and the American Center for Mobility. The outcomes provide a foundation for scalable, cost-effective deployment of energy-optimized CAV technologies across the automotive industry.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Lessons Learned from Open-Source Software Training Toward Expanding the Fusion Workforce

Within the United States (U.S.), the Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives seek to accelerate fusion technology development through wide-ranging community-driven research activities that bring together industry, laboratories, research institutes, and academia. Increasing the maturity of key components and systems for future fusion power plants (FPPs) toward commercialization, will, by necessity, increase the need for knowledgeable engineers, designers, and researchers in industry capable of integrating and further improving these technologies within industry FPP concepts. Further, various modeling and simulation packages support these programs and are under-development within them to drive design iteration and the development of FPP digital twins. To derive the greatest benefit from model output and capabilities, training these same specialists will be vital. Thus, the development of effective and accessible software onboarding and professional development opportunities focused on fusion will be key to keeping the pace of growth high in the coming decade and beyond. A similar need exists within the advanced fission reactor community, driven by an ever-growing need for carbon-free baseload power for industrial and data center applications. Within the U.S. and around the world, several open-source packages and frameworks exist to support this endeavor, and two we will highlight here are the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework and OpenMC. These packages, notably, are also being utilized in the FIRE Collaboratives program. In this presentation, we will highlight the lessons learned from over 30 years of combined software development and training experience, focused on developing strong technical software foundations within the nuclear workforce, from students to professional engineers & scientists. We will connect this experience to present and emerging needs in the fusion energy community, and, finally, will outline possible paths forward to develop a large, robust, global fusion workforce.

70 - PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for Mitochondrial ATP Generation is More Proteome Efficient than Glycolysis

Metabolic efficiency profoundly influences organismal fitness. Heterotrophs, from yeast to mammals, derive usable energy primarily through glycolysis and respiration. While respiration is more energy-efficient, some cells favor glycolysis even when oxygen is available (aerobic glycolysis, Warburg effect). A leading explanation is that glycolysis is more efficient in terms of ATP production per unit mass of protein (i.e. faster). Through quantitative flux analysis and proteomics, we find however that mitochondrial respiration is actually more proteome-efficient than aerobic glycolysis. This is shown across yeasts, T cells, cancer cells, and tissues and tumors in vivo. Instead of aerobic glycolysis being valuable for fast ATP production, it correlates with high glycolytic protein expression, which is valuable for hypoxic growth. Aerobic glycolytic yeasts do not excel at aerobic growth, but outgrow respiratory cells in oxygen limitation. Thus, aerobic glycolysis emerges from cells maintaining a proteome conducive to both aerobic and hypoxic growth.

Metabolomics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Engineering Assessment And Certification of Integrity Of the DWTF Waste Treatment Tanks At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

This Engineering Assessment and Certification of Integrity of the Building 695 (B-695) Decontamination and Waste Treatment Facility (DWTF) Waste Treatment Tanks has been prepared using the guidelines of CCR §66270.16(a) “Specific Part B Information Requirements for Tank Systems”, and the CCR §66264.192(b) requirements for the written assessment of tank systems that store hazardous waste and have secondary containment. The regulations require that this assessment be completed and certified by an independent, qualified, California-registered Professional Engineer. This document will be kept on file by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Environmental Functional Area and is applicable for a maximum of five (5) years from the date of issue.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Tale of Two Domains: Cyber - Physical

As devices and systems continue to modernize and adopt integrated circuits, the use of cyber technology to deploy an application is the expectation. This deployment through cyber assets brings new cyber risk and cybersecurity is the practice of managing this risk. Cyber-risk is constantly changing due to the speed of technology advancement and the changing quality of the adversary. Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) mitigates cyber-risk through engineering controls where as the traditional practice of cybersecurity mitigates cyber-risk through cybersecurity controls. By clearly defining the cyber-physical boundary, engineering controls and cybersecurity controls can clearly demonstrate their complementary nature to provide layered defenses and successfully mitigate cyber-risk through independent controls. In this paper, a layered model of device decomposition of the the cyber-physical boundary is presented to provide clarity where engineering controls are used to reduce cyber-risk within the physics, functional materials, electronic, or integrated circuit layers and where cybersecurity controls are used to reduce cyber-risk within the machine code and application layers. By implementing both traditional cybersecurity controls and engineering controls, a more holistic approach to cybersecurity is achieved in protecting modern devices and systems, as well as a clear awareness in identifying, documenting, and authorizing the system’s cybersecurity protection scheme is achieved.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

A critical review on additive manufacturing of refractory alloys from a data analytics perspective- beyond nickel-based superalloys

Refractory alloys (RAs) are promising materials due to their exceptional physicochemical properties, but most research remains at the laboratory scale. For broader adoption, advancements in manufacturing are essential. Because their high stability makes conventional methods like machining and casting difficult, additive manufacturing (AM) is emerging as an effective approach for fabricating refractory alloy components. However, AM's repeated non-equilibrium thermal cycles introduce undesired features (e.g. defects, anisotropic microstructures, and residual stresses), which are magnified due to RAs’ unique properties. This paper comprehensively reviews the state-of-the-art methods of AM for refractory alloys. It explores data analytics techniques to establish design rules based on multi-fidelity experimental and computational methods. Furthermore, it investigates integrated, collaborative efforts to harmonise standalone databases, information, knowledge, and predictive models at multi-physics, multi-stage, and multi-scale. Unlike the existing literature that focuses primarily on material systems or process fundamentals, this work provides an integrated perspective on AM of refractory alloys from a data analytics standpoint, highlighting the roles of integrated computational materials engineering (ICME), verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification (VV&UQ), and digital twin-driven qualification in overcoming data scarcity and accelerating rapid qualification.

Additive manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2024

Developing Multiphysics, Integrated, High-Fidelity, Massively Parallel Computational Capabilities for Fusion Applications Using MOOSE

As the need for fusion as a clean, sustainable, and abundant energy source grows internationally, so does the need for multiphysics, computational tools to model, study, and predict the complex interactions between plasma, materials, and engineering processes. These tools have a crucial role to play in solving scientific and engineering challenges and accelerating fusion energy deployment. To address these needs, modeling capabilities should enable massively parallel, multiphysics, fully integrated high-fidelity simulations of fusion systems. Additional attributes, such as being open source and modular while maintaining high software quality assurance standards will maximize impact by ensuring accessibility for all and wide acceptance, rapid expansion and development, as well as reliability, efficiency, and robustness. In this paper, we describe how the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework, which has a track record of success in the fission space thanks to the attributes listed above, can be leveraged in the fusion energy field. We highlight key successes of the MOOSE application in the fission space and describe how MOOSE has been and is being applied to fusion applications in the United States---e.g., Tritium Migration Analysis Program, version 8 (TMAP8), MOOSE Fusion Module, Fusion ENergy Integrated multiphys-X (FENIX)---and the United Kingdom---e.g., AURORA, Achlys, Apollo. These efforts aim to establish a suite of tools that can be further extended to accelerate fusion energy deployment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗