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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 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Exploring the Interstellar Medium with SOFIA

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is being developed to operate at wavelengths from 0.3 microns to 1.6 mm over a 20 year lifetime. Its 2.5 m effective diameter telescope will be diffraction limited (approximately 8.5 arc seconds FWHM at 100 microns) at wavelengths beyond about 5 microns. Its B747SP aircraft platform will allow coverage of the entire sky and enable observation of ephemeral events. Nine first-generation focal plane instruments are being built, and more will be added later. These attributes assure SOFIA a vital role in future studies of the interstellar medium (ISM), in addition to topics such as the solar system. SOFIA observers will explore the gamut of ISM topics: star formation; the Galactic Center; debris disks; recycling of materials through the stellar life cycle; the origin and evolution of biogenic materials; shock, photodissociation, and photoexcitation physics; gas and grain chemistry. Imaging, spectroscopy, and eventually polarimetry covering much of the infrared spectrum will all be part of SOFIA's arsenal in the attack on these and other important problems. The talk will describe the observatory, its status, its science instruments and anticipated program. SOFIA is a joint program of NASA in the U.S. and DLR in Germany. Broad participation by the international science community in SOFIA observations will be encouraged via annual proposal opportunities and user-friendly tools. Roughly 80% of the observing time will be granted by the U.S. and 20% by Germany. For further information, see http://sofia.arc.nasa.gov.

Erickson, Edwin F.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Capillary Flow Experiments Began on the International Space Station

The Capillary Flow Experiments (CFEs) are a suite of fluid physics flight experiments designed to investigate capillary flows and phenomena in low gravity. Data obtained from the CFEs will be crucial to NASA s Space Exploration Initiative, particularly pertaining to fluids management systems such as fuels and cryogen storage systems, thermal control systems (e.g., water recycling), and materials processing in the liquid state. NASA s current plans for exploration missions assume the use of larger liquid propellant masses than have ever flown on interplanetary missions. Under low-gravity conditions, capillary forces can be exploited to control fluid orientation so that such large mission-critical systems perform predictably. The first of the CFE experiments has been conducted on the International Space Station, and the data are being analyzed. The experiment suite is described briefly.

J. Mark Hickman↗
NASA NTRS2006

Ubiquitous Low-FeO Relict Grains in Type II Chondrules and Limited Overgrowths on Phenocrysts Following the Final Melting Event

Type II porphyritic chondrules commonly contain several large (>40 microns) olivine phenocrysts; furnace-based cooling rates based on the assumption that these phenocrysts grew in a single-stage melting-cooling event yield chondrule cooling-rate estimates of 0.01-1 K/s. Because other evidence indicates much higher cooling rates, we examined type 11 chondrules in the CO3.0 chondrites that have experienced only minimal parent-body alteration. We discovered three kinds of evidence indicating that only minor (4-10 microns) olivine growth occurred after the final melting event: (1) Nearly all (>90%) type II chondrules in CO3.0 chondrites contain low-FeO relict grains; overgrowths on these relicts are narrow, in the range of 2-12 microns. (2) Most type II chondrules contain some FeO-rich olivine grains with decurved surfaces and acute angles between faces indicating that the grains are fragments from an earlier generation of chondrules; the limited overgrowth thicknesses following the last melting event are too thin to disguise the shard-like nature of these grains. (3) Most type II chondrules contain many small (<20 microns) euhedral or subhedral phenocrysts with central compositions that are much more ferroan than the centers of the large phenocrysts; their small sizes document the small amount of growth that occurred after the final melting event. If overgrowth thicknesses were small (4-10 microns) after the final melting event, it follows that large fractions of coarse (>40 microns) high-FeO phenocrysts are relicts from earlier generations of chondrules, and that cooling rates after the last melting event were much more rapid than indicated by models based on a single melting event. These observations are thus inconsistent with the "classic" igneous model of formation of type II porphyritic chondrules by near-total melting of a precursor mix followed by olivine nucleation on a very limited number of nuclei (say, <10) and by growth to produce the large phenocrysts during a period of monotonic (and roughly linear) cooling. Our observations that recycled chondrule materials constitute a large component of the phenocrysts of type II chondrules also imply that this kind of chondrule formed relatively late during the chondrule-forming period.

Wasson, John T.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Is Water Necessary for Life?

The universality of water as the solvent for life is usually justified by its role in supporting the rich organic chemistry. It has been pointed out, however, that even richer synthetic chemistry is possible in other organic solvents. Does it mean that water is not necessary for life? Here, other, essential criteria for solvent for life that have not been sufficiently considered are discussed. In biological systems, complex molecules are not only constantly synthesized but also degraded. Solvent-mediated degradation is essential for regulating cell content, preventing overcrowding and allowing for recycling organic material. Achieving a balance between synthetic and degradative processes is facile in water, but not in many other organic liquids. Thus, the so-called “water paradox” according to which water is both necessary to life and toxic to biopolymer synthesis might not be paradoxical at all. The machinery of life is based on non-covalent interactions that do not involve making or breaking chemical bonds. Their strength needs to be properly tuned. If they are too weak, there might be undesired response to natural fluctuations of physical or chemical parameters. If they are too strong, the kinetics and energetics of cellular processes could adversely influenced. The solvent must allow for balancing these interactions, which provides strong, universal constraints on the medium for life. Water influences non-covalent interactions mainly by two mechanisms. First, it reduces strong, electrostatic interactions between molecules, chemical groups or atoms carrying electric charge or dipole. Second, it induces the hydrophobic effect, the tendency to remove non-polar (hydrophobic) molecules and groups from direct contact with aqueous solution and, instead, interact with each other. In living systems, the hydrophobic effect is largely responsible for self-organization of molecules to more complex structures, such as aggregation of lipid molecules to form biological membranes and protein folding. Water exists as stable liquid in a large temperature range, and the hydrophobic effects are a consequence of the temperature insensitivity of essential properties of its liquid state. In summary, water accomplishes an amazing feat – it reduces strong interactions between dissolved species and simultaneously increases the strength of weak interactions, bringing all of them to the right range. Once we consider not only synthetic capabilities but also other required traits of the solvent for life, no viable alternative to water is currently known.

Life↗
DOE OSTI2020

Improved methods for separation of Cobalt, Manganese, Nickel, Lithium from Waste Lithium-ion Battery Scrap

Improved methods for separation of Cobalt, Manganese, Nickel, Lithium from Waste Lithium-ion Battery Scrap Mark L. Strauss1, John Klaehn1 Luis Diaz Aldana1, Tedd Lister1 Idaho National Laboratory1, Biological and Chemical Processing Department, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415 ABSTRACT The current methods for the separation of Co, Mn, Ni, Li require that the leach solution have a pH between 2-4 in order to use many Cyanex cationic exchange products. Using a unique buffer solution for the reagent combined with the leachate of innovative electrochemical leaching process for lithium batteries demonstrates the separation is possible without a large of pH modification as other commercial hydrometallugical separation process. This research demonstrates a process that is more environmentally sustainable because the reagent consumption may be less. The corresponding McCable-Thiele diagrams and number of theoretical stages were determined to achieve a 80-90% purity of cobalt, manganese, nickel and lithium.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cost Competitive Process of Battery Grade Oxides Preparation from Aged LIBs

The increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is driving development of advanced recycling and refining methods. In this project, new cathode active materials are prepared from recycled lithium battery materials and subsequently electrochemically evaluated in coin cells. In detail, scrap LIBs were mechanically processed into a metal rich black mass, then reductive acid leached into an aqueous metal solution, and finally high-purity metal hydroxide precursor materials were prepared by selective electrochemical flow precipitation. Closed-loop LIB recycling into active electrode materials will enable US manufacturers to break their reliance on foreign sources of critical materials. For example, electroextraction process used here has potential to significantly reduce chemical & water use as well as waste production as compared to traditional metallurgic techniques. To this end, electroextracted materials refined from used batteries were collected and processed to be tested as precursor cathode active material (pCAM). For this project, two samples of high purity recycled NMC hydroxide (~1 kg each) were received from N th Cycle’s Ohio demonstration facility. The NMC compositions of the two materials are similar, and the levels of impurities have been confirmed. Indeed, impurities like copper, boron and sodium are present in quantities that could negatively impact battery performance. However, some studies have demonstrated that the control of the quantity of elements like copper or boron may improve the electrochemistry properties of Lithium-NMC batteries. The principal objective is to determine the electrochemical performance of these 2 NMC hydroxide batches and clearly determine the effect of the impurities on the performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Chemical dismantling of permanent magnet material and battery material

Certain method embodiments are described and useful for recycling permanent magnet materials (e.g. permanent magnet alloys) and battery materials (e.g. battery electrode materials) to extract critical and/or valuable elements including REEs, Co and Ni. Method embodiments involve reacting such material with at least one of an ammonium salt and an iron (III) salt to achieve at least one of a liquid phase chemical reaction and a mechanochemical reaction.

Balema, Viktor↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Practical Guide to E-waste Education and Events in Schools

The Practical Guide to E-waste Education and Events in Schools is a comprehensive resource that equips educators and outreach professionals to deliver impactful lessons on electronic waste (e-waste), critical materials, and battery recycling, while launching effective school-based e-waste recycling programs. It offers step-by-step guidance for starting and managing outreach efforts, including tips on student engagement, selecting recycling partners, planning collection logistics, creating promotional materials, and overcoming common challenges. The guide also supports curriculum development and scaling initiatives across schools to foster lasting recycling habits.

school outreach↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design and Optimization of the Direct Recycling of Spent Li-Ion Battery Cathode Materials

Direct regeneration of spent Li-ion batteries based on the hydrothermal relithiation of cathode materials is a promising next-generation recycling technology. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach at a large scale, we systematically design and optimize the process parameters to minimize both energy and raw material costs. Specifically, the effects of regenerative processing parameters on the composition, structure, and electrochemical performance of the regenerated cathode materials are investigated via systematic characterization and testing. From this analysis, it was found that the raw material costs can be substantially reduced by either replacing the typically employed 4 M LiOH solution by a cost-effective mixture of 0.1 M LiOH and 3.9 M KOH or recycling of the concentrated 4 M LiOH for continuous relithiation processes. Finally, life cycle analysis suggests that this strategy results in reduced energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, leading to an increased potential revenue, particularly when compared with hydro- and pyrometallurgical recycling methods.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Chemically Recyclable Analogs of Styrene–Butadiene Copolymers Enabling Perfectly Linear Ethylene–Styrene Materials with Random Phenyl Distribution

Copolymerization of cyclopentene (CP) and 4-phenylcyclopentene (4PCP) at a full range of comonomer feed ratios is reported using Ru-based ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) yielding homogeneous copolymers analogous to poly(styrene-ran-1,4-butadiene) and poly(ethylene-ran-styrene) copolymers following hydrogenation under mild conditions. In all cases, total monomer conversions of 86%–92% yielded copolymers with compositions within 4% of monomer feeds. Analysis of equilibrium copolymerization thermodynamics, rarely performed on two cycloolefin monomers with low ring strain energies, provides rational design strategies for negotiating two monomers with different equilibrium monomer concentrations. Inverse-gated decoupled 13 C NMR analysis of dyad sequences on the resulting copolymer microstructures concludes a near-random distribution of comonomer units. The copolymers produced from ROMP have number-average molar masses up to 60 kg mol –1 , moderate dispersities (1.5 ± 0.1), and high trans olefin content (86% ± 2%) while glass-transitions temperatures follow the Fox equation and span the full range between homopolymer extremities of PCP (−96 °C) and P4PCP (17 °C). Unlike most prevulcanized elastomers, these materials undergo facile chemical recycling to monomer, producing complete ring-closing metathesis depolymerization (RCMD) of the polymer back to the CP comonomers. Quantitative olefin hydrogenation produced perfectly linear polyethylene with 4%–16% of the backbone carbons containing a phenyl pendant, analogous to ES copolymers with up to 71.5% w/w styrene units but with random distribution of the aromatic pendants. Thermal properties of these materials are discussed, which span from semicrystalline to amorphous, and with T g values notably less than the reported ES copolymer analogs at similar compositions.

animal feed↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tough and circular glass fiber composites via a tailored dynamic boronic ester interface

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are valued for their strength and cost-effectiveness. However, traditional GFRPs often face challenges for end-of-life recycling due to their non-depolymerizable thermoset matrices, and long-term performance due to inadequate interfacial adhesion, which can lead to fiber–matrix delamination. Here, in this work, we have designed dynamic fiber–matrix interfaces to allow tough and closed-loop recyclable GFRPs by utilizing a vitrimer, derived from upcycled polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-polystyrene (SEBS) with boronic ester (S-Bpin) and amine-based diol crosslinker. The boronic ester groups in S-Bpin form dynamic covalent bonds with the naturally present hydroxyl groups on the unsized GF surface, which eliminates the need for fiber sizing and enables facile closed-loop recyclability of both the fibers and the vitrimer matrix. The resulting strong fiber–matrix interface, depicted by the Raman mapping, leads to a 552% increase in-plane shear toughness (6.2 ± 0.3 MJ m -3 ) and 27% ultimate tensile strength (361 ± 89.2 MPa) compared to those of the conventional epoxy-based matrix (0.95 ± 0.05 MJ m -3 and 264 ± 59.7 MPa, respectively). The network rearrangement through dynamic boronic ester exchange enables fast thermoformability and repairability of micro-cracks at elevated temperatures. Additionally, both the matrix and composite demonstrate strong adhesion to various surfaces including steel and glasses exhibiting ≥6 MPa lap shear strength, which expands their suitability for diverse industrial applications. The readily created dynamic interface between boronic ester functionalized vitrimer and neat GFs presents a promising strategy for developing closed-loop recyclable, multifunctional structural materials, offering a sustainable alternative to non-recyclable thermoset GFRPs and contributes to a circular economy in composite materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Chemical recycling of mixed textile waste

Globally, less than 0.5% of postconsumer textile waste is recycled, with the majority incinerated or ending up in landfills. Most postconsumer textiles are mixed fibers, complicating mechanical recycling due to material blends and contaminants. Here, we demonstrate the chemical conversion of postconsumer mixed textile waste using microwave-assisted glycolysis over a ZnO catalyst followed by solvent dissolution. This approach electrifies the process heat while allowing rapid depolymerization of polyester and spandex to their monomers in 15 minutes. A simple solvent dissolution enables the separation of cotton and nylon. We assess the quality of all components through extensive material characterization, discuss their potential for sustainable recycling, and provide a techno-economic analysis of the economic feasibility of the process.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Structure–Property Relationships of Recycled Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes: Microstructure Optimization Using Virtual Materials Testing

The increasing demand for sustainable battery technologies requires effective recycling strategies for end-of-life lithium-ion battery cathodes. In this study, virtual materials testing, a well-established framework for modeling conventionally manufactured NMC-based cathodes, is applied to partially recycled cathodes. To this end, virtual cathodes consisting of mixtures of pristine and recycled NMC particles are utilized to systematically analyze structure–property relationships depending on mixing ratios and different spatial arrangement strategies. For this purpose, a stochastic 3D model is developed that is capable of generating virtual cathodes with arbitrary volume fractions of active materials and mixing ratios of pristine and recycled NMC particles. Particularly, the stochastic 3D model can mimic the different size distributions of pristine and recycled particles that are observed in image data. Additionally, the model allows the structuring of pristine and recycled NMC either uniformly mixed or layer-wise arranged, mimicking single- and dual-layer cathodes. Subsequently, a systematic computational analysis is conducted to assess the influence of increasing active material ratios of recycled particles, ranging from 0 % to 100 %, while maintaining a constant overall active material volume fraction. The impact of particle mixing on cathode performance is evaluated by examining transport-relevant geometrical descriptors and effective properties, such as geodesic tortuosity, specific surface area, and tortuosity factor.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Regulatory and Policy Considerations for the Reuse and End-of-Life Management of Solar and Batteries in the U.S.

The demand for solar photovoltaics (PV) and lithium-ion batteries (LIB) is expected to continue in the U.S. as the call for solar is projected to quadruple by 2030 to meet renewable energy and decarbonization goals. The expected demand for PV and LIB brings supply chain concerns and a growing need for a circular economy for PV and LIB materials. Domestic reuse and recycling is one potential circular economy solution for PV and LIB. This presentation explores the current U.S. law and regulatory landscape for the reuse and recycling of PV and LIB materials, and how certain policy frameworks impact reuse and end-of-life management decisions for PV and LIB materials.

batteries↗
DOE OSTI2021

Recycling lead and transparent conductors from perovskite solar modules

Abstract Perovskite photovoltaics are gaining increasing common ground to partner with or compete with silicon photovoltaics to reduce cost of solar energy. However, a cost-effective waste management for toxic lead (Pb), which might determine the fate of this technology, has not been developed yet. Here, we report an end-of-life material management for perovskite solar modules to recycle toxic lead and valuable transparent conductors to protect the environment and create dramatic economic benefits from recycled materials. Lead is separated from decommissioned modules by weakly acidic cation exchange resin, which could be released as soluble Pb(NO 3 ) 2 followed by precipitation as PbI 2 for reuse, with a recycling efficiency of 99.2%. Thermal delamination disassembles the encapsulated modules with intact transparent conductors and cover glasses. The refabricated devices based on recycled lead iodide and recycled transparent conductors show comparable performance as devices based on fresh raw materials. Cost analysis shows this recycling technology is economically attractive.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Computationally Guided Design of Polymer-Coated Microparticles as Reusable Materials

Long-duration space exploration missions and sustained lunar or Martian surface operations present greater demands for multifunctional and reusable materials. By scaling down the amount of material to be launched from Earth, both mission cost and risk can be reduced. In this regard, leveraging in-space manufacturing capabilities with reusable feedstock materials is an attractive option, as it will allow for articles to be generated on demand, utilized, and then recycled for additional use. NASA’s Enabling Sustained Presence Using Recyclables (ESPUR) project aims to develop reusable materials using polymer-coated microparticles that are bonded via reversible Diels-Alder reactions, where only modest heat is needed to trigger the reverse reaction and enable reuse. For proof-of-concept demonstration, research is currently focused on the fabrication of epoxy microparticles that contain a copoly(carbonate urethane) coating with maleimide and furan functionalities. Here, we discuss the integration of computational materials modeling approaches to help navigate the large design space in this development effort. We perform molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with atomistic and coarse-grained models of the copolymer, which allow us to evaluate the effects of design parameters like the molecular weight and composition on the molecular interactions and chain dynamics. We show how the properties change with the reversible bonds. We also leverage discrete element method (DEM) simulations to assess how microparticle design parameters like the size ratio and volume fraction can be tuned to increase the packing density and number of microparticle contacts to improve the mechanical properties. Our results demonstrate how computational tools can be used in close collaboration with experimental efforts to accelerate material design.

reusable materials↗
DOE OSTI2022

Impacts of Solvent Washing on the Electrochemical Remediation of Commercial End-of-Life Cathodes

Changes to surface structure and chemistry occurring throughout the functional lifetime of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) may impact the effectiveness of end-of-life rejuvenation methods. Solvent washing prior to electrochemical relithiation is shown to both increase relithiation efficacy and beneficially alter the interfacial chemistry of heavily degraded industrial cathode material. Four common solvents (acetone, diethyl carbonate, isopropyl alcohol, propylene carbonate) are employed to investigate the role of varying physicochemical solvent properties on the mechanism of capacity recovery. Electrochemical (dQ/dV, EIS), structural (XRD), and chemical (SPME-GC-MS) analysis techniques are employed to comprehensively analyze solvent-cathode interactions. Highly nucleophilic solvents (acetone, DEC) are found to reduce cathode charge-transfer impedance and enable stable impedance growth throughout subsequent cycling. The use of nucleophilic solvents under mechanically aggressive washing conditions may also enable the reintroduction of bulk lattice oxygen, thereby restoring anionic redox capacity. Further, the four solvents are found to selectively remove a subset of surface species from the aged cathode material, including residual electrolyte, additives, and electrolyte-additive reaction products, which are qualitatively analyzed. Surface species removal by each solvent is correlated with the electrochemical performance of the correspondingly washed cathode, highlighting the importance of an optimized washing protocol to effective remediation in the context of direct LIB recycling. For the material under study, the use of a simple acetone washing protocol prior to electrochemical relithiation enables up to 174% capacity recovery relative to unwashed/relithiated black mass.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗