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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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213 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Testing, Calibration, and UxS Integration of the Kromek GR1 Plus CZT Gamma Spectrometer

Collecting radiation measurements can be a hazardous task, especially in the presence of highly active sources. Various scenarios necessitate source search, classification, and quantification, often with limited or no a priori information. Activities such as disaster mitigation, emergency response, environmental monitoring, and site remediation may involve dangerous radioactive sources. In these situations, there is a pressing need for remote monitoring capabilities that protect human operators from potential harm and enhance adherence to the principle of “As Low as Reasonably Achievable” (ALARA) for radiation doses. The first step toward achieving remote radiation measurement capabilities is the remote operation of a radiation sensor. Once this milestone is reached, the next challenge is to integrate this remote sensing capability into suitable actuation agents, collectively referred to as uncrewed systems (UxS). These systems include familiar platforms such as robotic quadrupeds, aerial multirotor vehicles, and ground vehicles, any of which may be teleoperated, act autonomously, or utilize a combination of both. A critical factor in achieving remote radiation sensing is the availability of data from the appropriate sensor. Many commercially available radiation sensors have closed-source documentation for their communication protocols. Typical end-user products are often self-contained, handheld devices designed for manual measurement scenarios. While there are commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) integrations of radiation sensors with UxS available for purchase, these solutions are typically tailored for specific use cases and may not meet the requirements of different applications. This paper discusses efforts to remotely acquire radiation measurements from a small form-factor CZT gamma spectrometer. Sandia National Laboratories has successfully demonstrated the initial capability to integrate low size, weight, and power (SWaP) gamma spectroscopy into various UxS, alongside co-located GPS data logging and sensor calibration and qualification. With remote gamma spectroscopy achieved, the stage is set for UxS integration of this capability.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Robust Heat-Flux Sensors for Coal-Fired Boiler Extreme Environments

In this project, robust heat-flux measurement systems were developed. The heat-flux sensors utilize thermoelectric effects to directly transduce the heat-flux inputs to analog electrical voltage signals. They were constructed from dedicated materials that can withstand temperatures of at least 1000°C and maintain adequate performance at these conditions for prolonged periods of time. The proposed approaches took into account numerous considerations, including system cost, sensor head resilience, sensor footprint, data accuracy, response time, and maintenance requirements. Through modern thermoelectric materials design, methodical materials selection and rigorous testing in materials characterization labs and medium-scale fire research facilities, we have demonstrated functioning laboratory prototypes, upon which one could base industrial heat-flux sensing platforms capable of operating in the challenging high-temperature, corrosive environments of the boilers of coal-fired power plants. A distributed sensor array for heat-flux measurements throughout the furnace water-wall, the superheater area and the economizer coils can provide critical data for the power plant control systems to increase efficiency, improve safety and reduce down times. For example, the combined heat-flux sensor/control systems can contribute to the optimization of burner and boiler operations under flexible loads, the optimization of heat-exchange conditions and overall reduction of heat rate and emissions, the prediction of imminent overheating conditions, and the optimization of the soot-blowing protocols.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Esterification of 3-quinuclidinol, a marker for the incapacitant BZ, for analysis by EI-GC-MS in OPCW test matrices

The analysis by EI-GC-MS of 3-quinuclidinol (3Q), a marker for the riot control and incapacitating agent quinuclinidyl benzilate (BZ), using several, new acylation strategies is described. After evaluating and optimizing conditions for the acylations, these were tested on their ability to successfully derivatize 3Q in three different matrices featured in the 44th Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) proficiency test (PT). As 3Q is a highly polar compound, the work here describes acylation strategies that generate 3Q analogs with superior gas chromatographic profiles relative to the underivatized material. The acyl groups studied in this work included acetyl, benzoyl, pentafluorobenzoyl and the bis(3,5-trifluoromethyl)benzoyl. The acylated 3Q products provide sharp, detectable peaks with significantly different retention times from that of the unmodified 3Q. Thus, the retention times for acetyl-, benzoyl-, pentafluorobenzoyl- and 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzoyl-3Q were determined to be 15.9, 24.9, 22.8 and 22.1 min respectively, in stark contrast to the unmodified 3Q which provides a sharp peak with a retention time centered at ~ 13.5 min only at high concentrations (> 10 µg/mL or µg/g) while a broad peak (RT ~ 15–15.5 min) at low concentrations (< 5 µg/mL or µg/g). The developed protocol was used to derivatize 3Q in three separate matrices. The first two matrices were liquid samples featured during the 44th OPCW PT at two separate concentrations in each (5 and 50 µg/mL). The last matrix was a soil sample featured in the same 44th OPCW PT wherein the 3Q had been spiked at a 12 µg/g concentration. The approach involves the extraction of 3Q from all matrices followed by its acylation resulting in a second reportable analytical method for an OPCW PT. The presented derivatization strategies should find wide applicability particularly in laboratories involved with the analysis of this chemical weapon agent degradation product and those participating in the yearly OPCW PTs.

3-quinuclidinol↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modular Processing of Flare Gas for Carbon Nanoproducts

This project demonstrated the technical viability and economic promise of a modular system for converting flared natural gas into valuable carbon nanoproducts (CNPs) through catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD). All major project milestones were successfully completed, including reactor design and commissioning, catalyst development, process optimization, technoeconomic analysis, and application testing in concrete systems. The overarching goal was to create a scalable, field-deployable process that valorizes stranded methane by producing high-value carbon materials for use in cementitious composites. At the lab scale, the team designed and built a fluidized bed reactor optimized for use with silica fume-supported nickel catalysts synthesized via atomic layer deposition (ALD). A statistically designed sintering study enabled precise tuning of nickel nanoparticle size, identifying the influence of oxygen partial pressure, time, and temperature on catalyst morphology and performance. These insights allowed the team to target catalyst conditions that maximize carbon nanofilament growth. Subsequent CVD experiments achieved up to 31.8 wt% carbon deposition under optimized conditions, with TEM confirming the presence of nanofilament structures and sustained hydrogen evolution during reaction. Reactor upgrades and empirical fluidization studies supported the development of reliable, repeatable experimental protocols. The modular pilot-scale skid reactor was fully constructed, instrumented, and commissioned. Capable of operating at 675–800°C and pressures up to 290 psig, the system was designed for continuous operation at a carbon production rate of 1 kg/hr. Initial demonstration runs confirmed solids handling, thermal control, and system leak-tightness, although a critical reactor component (the downfeed tube) was inadvertently omitted during final assembly. This omission limited gas–solid contact and prevented meaningful carbon deposition during pilot-scale CVD runs. Nonetheless, the system operated safely under design conditions, and the root cause of performance limitations was clearly identified. Complementary work on UHPC formulations demonstrated that small additions of carbon nanoproducts, including those derived from flare gas, can significantly enhance mechanical performance while preserving workability. A comprehensive study of CNF dispersion techniques and mix design optimization led to a clear protocol for integrating these nanomaterials into concrete. Incorporation of CNPs improved flexural toughness and reduced porosity, supporting their use in high-performance infrastructure applications. A technoeconomic analysis (TEA) confirmed that this process can produce CNP-loaded catalyst material at a levelized cost below $\$$7/kg across a range of catalyst loadings and reaction yields. With estimated market values for the carbon composite product ranging from $\$$14 to over $\$$60/kg, and the ability to blend CNPs into concrete at sub-percent levels with less than 10% added cost, the system presents a compelling economic case. While additional engineering work is needed to optimize fluidization and heat transfer at scale, this project establishes a strong foundation for commercial development. The process is not only technically sound but also economically promising, representing a viable pathway for flare gas mitigation through modular carbon nanomaterial production.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Optimized V1G and V2G Electric Vehicle Fleet Management and Grid Transaction at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA

The overall technical goal of the project was to demonstrate an all-electric bi-directional non-tactical fleet at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar that was integrated and controlled with other distributed energy resources (DERs) (i.e., PV, stationary battery, and building loads) to provide resilience to critical electric loads in the event of grid outages, to minimize charging costs, and to provide economic energy resources to electricity markets. In this project, the specific, technical objectives were: 1. Demonstrate that bi-directional electric vehicles can provide critical complementary services to fixed storage batteries in microgrid applications while performing function as non-tactical vehicles. 2. Demonstrate participation of bi-directional (V2G) and unidirectional (V1G) PEVs for demand management and minimization of charging costs. 3. Demonstrate integration of multiple DERs for grid service participation. US Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego was the site of this electric vehicle-to-microgrid-utility grid test and demonstration project. Existing microgrid assets in this study included (1) a public works building; (2) a 30-kW rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system and (3) a separate 250 kW carport PV system. In this project, six bi-directional V2G vans were located at the MCAS Miramar’s showcase building-scale microgrid to develop and test technical capabilities that V2G can provide in microgrid applications (e.g., cost reduction and resiliency). These resources provided aggregated demand management and simulated participation in current retail DR programs. The vehicles used in this demonstration were selected because they provided functionality that MCAS Miramar needed, 15 passenger transport and facilities work cargo carrying capacity, and bi-directional charging capability that the research project required. All vehicles in this study were manufactured and distributed by VIA Motors, Inc. There were six vehicles total and each was VIA’s VTRUX eREV V2G model, a modified General Motors Chevrolet 2500 2WD van. Three of the vans were configured as passenger vans and the other three were configured as cargo vans. Each van had an on-board bi-direcrtional inverter/charger, Bel Power Solutions model 350INVCHGT150-120-240-8G nominally rated at +/-15 kW. The VIA van’s charging connector follows the J1772 charging protocol. The bi-directional EVSEs demonstrated in this study were manufactured by Coritech, Inc. Each VGI-80-AC charging station enabled enhanced V2G charging capability to a Clipper Creek CS-100 charging module. The enhanced capabilities included ethernet communication following the SEP2.0 protocol with a distributed energy resource function set and an operator screen displaying real-time SOC, voltage, and current. The VGI-80-AC charging stations are classified as level 2 with a maximum current output of 80 A or effectively 19 kW. The VIA van’s onboard charger limited the charging and discharging power to 15 kW in each direction. A control computer was installed in the EWOC and connected to an existing monitor. The V2G control communication network was a completely stand-alone closed system that did not have any connection to any other networks on the base. A cybersecure remote communication connection was created with a cellular modem, firewall hardware, and a virtual private network configuration.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Filtration of Hanford Tank 241-AN-107 Supernatant at 16 °C

Approximately 9 liters of supernatant from Hanford waste tank 241-AN-107 was delivered by Washington River Protection Solutions to the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The thirty-six AN-107 sample bottles consisted of six sets of six samples, with each set pulled from a unique tank sampling level. Prior to testing, samples from each level were composited to provide nominally level-independent feed for dead end filtration and ion exchange testing. The composited 241-AN-107 supernatant was chilled to 16 °C for 1 week prior to testing. Filtration testing was then conducted using a backpulse dead-end filter (BDEF) system equipped with a feed vessel and a Mott inline filter Model 6610 (Media Grade 5) in the hot cells of the RPL. The purpose of this testing is to a) demonstrate dead-end filtration (DEF) of AN-107 feed at reduced temperature to obtain prototypic tank side cesium removal (TSCR) flux rates and identify issues that may impact filtration after dilution to 5.5M Na, and b) provide feed for a follow on ion exchange unit operation. The feed was filtered through the BDEF system at a targeted flux of 0.065 gpm/ft 2 . During filtration the differential pressure required to effect filtration at 0.065 gpm/ft 2 was slow to increase for most of the filtration campaign. After all the feed bottles had been pumped into the slurry reservoir, the bottoms of the bottles were added to the reservoir and transmembrane pressure (TMP) reached 2.0 psid (the TSCR action limit). The prototypic filter cleaning process was unable to effectively restore filter performance, and cleaning with oxalic acid was required before flow through the filter could be restored. This indicates that the Media Grade 5 filter may require an alternative cleaning protocol when processing AN-107 supernatant. After completing filtration of the AN-107 feed, the filter was cleaned. Solids concentrated from the backpulse solutions were composed of natrophosphate, Mn-Fe phases, and fluoro-natrophosphate that occurred as particle agglomerates. The individual particles were in some cases 100s of micrometers across which is consistent with prior observations from AN-107 supernate waste characterizations.

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

3D Reconstruction of a High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy Sample Using Multi-modal Serial Sectioning with High-Precision EBSD and Surface Profilometry

High-energy diffraction microscopy (HEDM) combined with in situ mechanical testing is a powerful nondestructive technique for tracking the evolving microstructure within polycrystalline materials during deformation. This technique relies on a sophisticated analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns to produce a three-dimensional reconstruction of grains and other microstructural features within the interrogated volume. However, it is known that HEDM can fail to identify certain microstructural features, particularly smaller grains or twinned regions. Characterization of the identical sample volume using high-resolution surface-specific techniques, particularly electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), can not only provide additional microstructure information about the interrogated volume but also highlight opportunities for improvement of the HEDM reconstruction algorithms. In this study, a sample fabricated from undeformed “low solvus, high refractory” nickel-based superalloy was scanned using HEDM. The volume interrogated by HEDM was then carefully characterized using a combination of surface-specific techniques, including epi-illumination optical microscopy, zero-tilt secondary and backscattered electron imaging, scanning white light interferometry, and high-precision EBSD. Custom data fusion protocols were developed to integrate and align the microstructure maps captured by these surface-specific techniques and HEDM. The raw and processed data from HEDM and serial sectioning have been made available via the Materials Data Facility (MDF) at https://doi.org/10.18126/4y0p-v604 for further investigation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrochemical Activation of Ni–Fe Oxides for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential to many key electrochemical devices, including H 2 O electrolyzers, CO 2 electrolyzers, and metal−air batteries. NiFe oxides have been historically identified as active for the OER, though they have been less studied in their more commercially relevant bulk oxide forms, such as NiFe 2 O 4 . Past works have demonstrated that the initial starting phase of Ni(Fe) precatalysts can influence their activation to the Ni(Fe)OOH active phase, including the rate and degree of conversion, pointing to the necessity of understanding activation protocols and in situ characteristics of catalyst materials at the device level. In this work, we investigate the characteristics of commercially relevant NiFe bulk oxides (NiFe 2 O 4 and a physical mixture of NiO and γ-Fe 2 O 3 ) during multiple activation procedures. Our results demonstrate that significant performance enhancement is observed for these bulk oxides regardless of the Fe incorporation in the initial form (i.e., atomically or macroscopically integrated), leading to significant performance enhancement (up to 30×) over time on stream. We hypothesize that this activation is due to the formation of NiFeOOH active sites on the surface, supported by in situ cyclic voltammetry and Raman spectroscopy results. We further show that not only the starting material but also the method of activation influences the number of Ni(Fe)OOH active sites formed and suggest that these sites can be quantified from the Ni 2+ to Ni 3+ redox transition using cyclic voltammetry. Broadly, this work demonstrates the necessity of in situ characterization of catalyst materials for cell-level design and testing.

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

Studying Open Quantum Systems Relevant to Chemistry on a Trapped-Ion Quantum Simulator (Final Technical Report)

This project advances the trapped-ion quantum simulator as a versatile platform for studying open quantum system phenomena. We aim to contribute to the emerging quantum simulation toolkits and enable simulation of nanoscale energy processes. Trapped-ion platforms offer unique capabilities: their vibrational motion can be precisely manipulated, measured, and coherently coupled to auxiliary qubits. The vibrational mode can function both as a highly sensitive quantum sensor and a programmable environment bath. Using this platform, we achieved three major outcomes. First, we demonstrated using the vibrational mode as an ultrasensitive probe for testing fundamental physics, including possible nonlinear quantum mechanics effects. Second, we established that these modes can act as controllable baths in which tunable noise and loss can enhance or modify energy-transfer dynamics, providing the experimental preparation toward studying mechanisms relevant to chemical reactions and light-harvesting systems. Third, by introducing controllable nonlinear gain and loss, we showed theoretically how simulations using trapped ions can model vibrationally-assisted energy transport in a non‐Hermitian quantum system comprising a chromophore dimer weakly coupled to a vibrational mode. Exploring the non‐Hermitian dynamics of the whole system including vibrations, we found that energy transfer accompanied by absorption of phonons from a vibrational mode can be significantly enhanced near an exceptional point. This theoretical work on simulation of energy transfer processes in driven non‐Hermitian quantum systems revealed an interesting novel path to study open quantum systems dynamics under conditions of gain and loss. We then further explored the benefits of controllable gain and loss with an experimental realization of quantum analogs of nonlinear oscillators, namely, the van der Pol oscillator. Here we observed mutual synchronization mediated by collective dissipation between two oscillators. In parallel, we explored related quantum networking protocols using the same trapped-ion platform, developing fast, high-fidelity schemes for distributing entanglement. Together, these achievements show that trapped-ion vibrational modes provide a highly programmable and high-fidelity platform for investigating complex dissipative quantum behavior, while enabling new approaches to remote quantum sensing, energy science, and nonlinear quantum dynamics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2026

Carbamoylation as an Effective Tool in the Analysis of the Soman Nerve Agent Marker Pinacolyl Alcohol in Soil Matrices by EI-GC-MS and LC-HRMS

Pinacolyl alcohol (PA) is a Schedule 2 chemical commonly featured in most proficiency tests (PTs) administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) due to its direct as well as forensic link to the nerve agent Soman. Therefore, its detection by Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) inspection teams during on-site investigations is a strong indicator of the past or latent presence of Soman in the environment. Its small molecular weight (102), early elution time, and poor ionization profile make PA a challenging analyte to detect particularly at low concentrations (∼1–10 μg/g). In this work, 1,1′-carbonyldimidazole (CDI) has been used to effectively modify PA for the first time in two different soil matrices (Virginia type A soil and silt sediment) at two separate concentrations (1 and 10 μg/g) for its subsequent detection by EI-GC-MS and LC-HRMS methods. For the EI-GC-MS analysis, the PA carbamate derivative (PIC) exhibits improved chromatography relative to PA such as improved peak shape, increased molecular weight (196 for PIC and 102 for PA) and increased retention time (16.9 min for PIC and ∼4.1 min for PA). In addition, the derivatization also improves the detection of PA by LC-HRMS as the PIC product possesses protonation sites (i.e., imidazole ring) relative to none exhibited by PA. More importantly, the carbamoylation proceeds under mild conditions (55 °C, no base) and rapidly (3 h), characteristics that make it an appealing protocol for the analysis of PA during OPCW PTs or real case scenarios particularly in instances where it is present at low concentrations. It is anticipated that the protocol can be applied to the forensic analysis of this important Soman marker in various environmental matrices.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-Throughput Microfluidic Electroporation (HTME): A Scalable, 384-Well Platform for Multiplexed Cell Engineering

Electroporation-mediated gene delivery is a cornerstone of synthetic biology, offering several advantages over other methods: higher efficiencies, broader applicability, and simpler sample preparation. Yet, electroporation protocols are often challenging to integrate into highly multiplexed workflows, owing to limitations in their scalability and tunability. These challenges ultimately increase the time and cost per transformation. As a result, rapidly screening genetic libraries, exploring combinatorial designs, or optimizing electroporation parameters requires extensive iterations, consuming large quantities of expensive custom-made DNA and cell lines or primary cells. To address these limitations, we have developed a High-Throughput Microfluidic Electroporation (HTME) platform that includes a 384-well electroporation plate (E-Plate) and control electronics capable of rapidly electroporating all wells in under a minute with individual control of each well. Fabricated using scalable and cost-effective printed-circuit-board (PCB) technology, the E-Plate significantly reduces consumable costs and reagent consumption by operating on nano to microliter volumes. Furthermore, individually addressable wells facilitate rapid exploration of large sets of experimental conditions to optimize electroporation for different cell types and plasmid concentrations/types. Use of the standard 384-well footprint makes the platform easily integrable into automated workflows, thereby enabling end-to-end automation. We demonstrate transformation of E. coli with pUC19 to validate the HTME's core functionality, achieving at least a single colony forming unit in more than 99% of wells and confirming the platform's ability to rapidly perform hundreds of electroporations with customizable conditions. This work highlights the HTME's potential to significantly accelerate synthetic biology Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycles by mitigating the transformation/transfection bottleneck.

Gaillard, William R↗
DOE OSTI2024

ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE METHODS AND PROTOCOLS WITH APPLICATION TO DYNAMICS, KINETICS AND THERMOCHEMISTRY

Hydrocarbon combustion involves the reaction dynamics of a tremendous number of species beginning with many-component fuel mixtures and proceeding via a complex system of intermediates to form primary and secondary products. Combustion conditions corresponding to new advanced engines and/or alternative fuels rely increasingly on autoignition and low-temperature-combustion chemistry. In these regimes various transient radical species such as HO2, ROO·, ·QOOH, HCO, NO2, HOCO, and Criegee intermediates play important roles in determining the detailed as well as more general dynamics. A clear understanding and accurate representation of these processes is needed for effective modeling. Given the difficulties associated with making reliable experimental measurements of these systems, computation can play an important role in developing these energy technologies. Accurate calculations have their own challenges since even within the simplest dynamical approximations such as transition state theory, the rates depend exponentially on critical barrier heights and these may be sensitive to the level of quantum chemistry. Moreover, it is well-known that in many cases it is necessary to go beyond statistical theories and consider the dynamics. Quantum tunneling, resonances, radiative transitions, and non-adiabatic effects governed by spin-orbit or derivative coupling can be determining factors in those dynamics. Building upon progress made during a period of prior support through the DOE Early Career Program, this project combines developments in the areas of potential energy surface (PES) fitting and multistate multireference quantum chemistry to allow spectroscopically and dynamically/kinetically accurate investigations of key molecular systems (such as those mentioned above), many of which are radicals with strong multireference character and have the possibility of multiple electronic states contributing to the observed dynamics. An ongoing area of investigation is to develop general strategies for robustly convergent electronic structure theory for global multichannel reactive surfaces including diabatization of energy and other relevant surfaces such as dipole transition. Combining advances in ab initio methods with automated interpolative PES fitting allows the construction of high-quality PESs (incorporating thousands of high-level data) to be done rapidly through parallel processing on high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. In addition, new methods and approaches to electronic structure theory will be developed and tested through applications. This project will explore limitations in traditional multireference calculations (e.g., MRCI) such as those imposed by internal contraction, lack of high-order correlation treatment and poor scaling. Methods such as DMRG-based extended active-space CASSCF and various Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods will be applied (including VMC/DMC and FCIQMC). Insight into the relative significance of different orbital spaces and the robustness of application of these approaches on leadership class computing architectures will be gained. Synergy with other components of this research program such as automated PES fitting and multireference quantum chemistry will be used to address challenges encountered by the standard approaches to computational thermochemistry (those being single-reference quantum chemistry and perturbative treatments of the anharmonic vibrational energy, which break down for some cases of electronic structure or floppy strongly coupled vibrational modes).

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Whole metagenome sequencing and 16S rRNA gene amplicon analyses reveal the complex microbiome responsible for the success of enhanced in-situ reductive dechlorination (ERD) of a tetrachloroethene-contaminated Superfund site

The North Railroad Avenue Plume (NRAP) Superfund site in New Mexico, USA exemplifies successful chlorinated solvent bioremediation. NRAP was the result of leakage from a dry-cleaning that operated for 37 years. The presence of tetrachloroethene biodegradation byproducts, organohalide respiring genera (OHRG), and reductive dehalogenase (rdh) genes detected in groundwater samples indicated that enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) was the remedy of choice. This was achieved through biostimulation by mixing emulsified vegetable oil into the contaminated aquifer. This report combines metagenomic techniques with site monitoring metadata to reveal new details of ERD. DNA extracts from groundwater samples collected prior to and at four, 23 and 39 months after remedy implementation were subjected to whole metagenome sequencing (WMS) and 16S rRNA gene amplicon (16S) analyses. The response of the indigenous NRAP microbiome to ERD protocols is consistent with results obtained from microcosms, dechlorinating consortia, and observations at other contaminated sites. WMS detects three times as many phyla and six times as many genera as 16S. Both techniques reveal abundance changes in Dehalococcoides and Dehalobacter that reflect organohalide form and availability. Methane was not detected before biostimulation but appeared afterwards, corresponding to an increase in methanogenic Archaea. Assembly of WMS reads produced scaffolds containing rdh genes from Dehalococcoides, Dehalobacter, Dehalogenimonas, Desulfocarbo, and Desulfobacula. Anaerobic and aerobic cometabolic organohalide degrading microbes that increase in abundance include methanogenic Archaea, methanotrophs, Dechloromonas, and Xanthobacter, some of which contain hydrolytic dehalogenase genes. Aerobic cometabolism may be supported by oxygen gradients existing in aquifer microenvironments or by microbes that produce O 2 via microbial dismutation. The NRAP model for successful ERD is consistent with the established pathway and identifies new taxa and processes that support this syntrophic process. This project explores the potential of metagenomic tools (MGT) as the next advancement in bioremediation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Standardization and best practices in single-cell testing for liquid alkaline water electrolysis

The increasing demand for efficient and sustainable hydrogen production has driven significant advancements in water electrolysis technologies. Among these, liquid alkaline water electrolysis (LAWE) stands out for its cost-effectiveness and scalability. This manuscript establishes best practices and standardized testing procedures for single-cell LAWE, focusing on the use of nickel foam as both anode and cathode substrates, while incorporating catalysts such as nickel-iron layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH) as the anode material and nickel-molybdenum on carbon (NiMo/C) as the cathode material. By providing detailed guidelines on material preparation, cell assembly, and performance evaluation, this work offers a comprehensive framework to improve reproducibility and ensure consistency. The results demonstrate that applying these best practices minimizes variability across different laboratories and experimental setups, laying the groundwork for more robust comparisons and accelerating progress in LAWE research.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nanoscale structural evolution and phase transformation of geopolymers: In situ SAXS/WAXS investigation under uniaxial tension at elevated temperatures

This investigation delves into the degradation mechanisms of high-density polyethylene geomembranes (PE GMXs) under a spectrum of conditions, replicating real-world scenarios within a rigorously controlled laboratory setting. The treatment protocols applied induced a notable increase in the crystallinity of the treated specimens relative to the untreated controls. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis identified an initial long period (interlamellar distance) of 16.9 nm for the untreated polymer, which expanded by 19.5% at a strain of 16.7 percent. Conversely, the treated PE GMXs exhibited a more gradual elongation of the long period, with an increase of merely 10.6% at a strain of 23.3 percent. At an elevated temperature of 65°C, both samples exhibited pronounced strain hardening, with the treated PE GMXs demonstrating superior stability even at a strain of 150 percent. Wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) experiments corroborated these observations, revealing that the diffraction patterns of the untreated PE remained stable up to a strain of 16.7%, whereas those of the treated PE remained distinct up to a strain of 46.1 percent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images substantiated the formation of a shish–kebab structure in the treated samples. The study concludes that the geopolymer underwent oxidation and material degradation as a result of the chemical and mechanical treatments, transitioning to a more crystalline state and concomitantly losing its initial elasticity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗