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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 235 records · Page 13

Abstract for CRADA between National Energy Technology Laboratory and Mattiq, Inc.

To decarbonize the chemicals and fuels industry, we require new and innovative technologies that can leverage renewable feedstocks including renewable electricity and renewable carbon sources, such as CO 2 . State-of-the-art (SOTA) CO 2 utilization technologies that can produce renewable chemicals and fuels, such as the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 , are still significantly lacking in efficiency, and are therefore not cost-competitive with existing infrastructure. The key bottleneck to cost-competitive chemicals and fuels sourced from CO 2 and renewable electricity is the lack of any efficient catalyst material. The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and Mattiq will collaborate in the development of an efficient catalyst material that can effectively convert CO 2 into products of interest. Specifically, NETL will utilize high-performance computing to greatly reduce the number of potential materials to be investigated by Mattiq ultrahigh-throughput experimental catalyst discovery framework. This work is poised to rapidly accelerate the development of novel and efficient CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts that can bring CO 2 utilization closer to commercial viability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High Throughput Genome Releaser

In this study, we present the development of a High Throughput Genome Releaser, an innovative device addressing common challenges in screening PCR. This genome DNA releaser is designed for rapid, cost-effective, and efficient DNA extraction, optimized for subsequent PCR reactions. Our experimentation with various synthetic materials led us to select a particular type of plastic that mirrors the properties of glass cover slides, providing a smooth surface and effective compression capabilities. We engineered a 96-well device equipped with a 96-well plate and a top rod, operable both manually and automatically, which is compatible with widely used liquid-handling robot decks. This compatibility enhances ease of use in high-throughput PCR setups. Additionally, we developed software to support its automatic functions. The genome releaser facilitates the extraction of PCR-amplifiable genomic DNA from 96 samples within minutes, eliminates the need for extraction buffers, and is adaptable to a wide range of microorganisms and cells. This versatility could significantly advance biomanufacturing processes.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Machine learning for the redox potential prediction of molecules in organic redox flow battery

Here, organic redox flow batteries (ORFB) are recognized as an innovative technology for the large-scale storage of renewable energy. The redox potential of organic redox-active molecules plays a vital role in their performance. Advanced screening techniques like high-throughput experiment and machine learning (ML) have significantly enhanced organic material performance and transformed the field of ORFB. However, the scarcity of experimental data poses a considerable challenge for ML model development in this domain. In our study, we developed lightweight graph-based Gaussian process regression (GPR) models with GPU-accelerated marginalized graph kernel and hybrid kernel to predict the redox potentials of organic redox-active molecules for ORFBs, specifically focusing on small datasets. To evaluate model accuracy, we created a new experimental database of organic redox-active molecules by the data from hundreds of published papers and assembled previous computational datasets. We also considered some key parameters, such as pH conditions and solvent type, to assess their impact on redox potential prediction. Our GPR model predicted redox potentials with high accuracy across all datasets using minimal training data. The study provides powerful tools for molecule screening and design and delivers valuable guidance on designing training datasets for costly experiments.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Prediction and Experimental Verification of Electrolyte Solvation Structure from an OMol25-Trained Interatomic Potential

A molecular-level understanding of electrolyte solvation structure and ion–ion correlations is critical to developing next-generation battery chemistries. Atomistic simulation capabilities with sufficient accuracy, speed, and transferability to deliver reliable structural insights while avoiding arduous system-specific reparameterization are thus highly desirable. Machine learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs) trained on large, chemically diverse data sets are revolutionizing computational chemistry, enabling molecular dynamics simulations of battery electrolytes with near-DFT accuracy over 10,000× faster than DFT. While previous MLIP training data sets with suitable elemental coverage for electrolytes have been based on inorganic materials, the Open Molecules 2025 (OMol25) data set provides large-scale molecular DFT MLIP training data with broad elemental coverage and specifically samples tens of millions of electrolyte configurations. Here, we integrate computational modeling with experimental validation to systematically assess the ability of large-scale MLIPs pretrained on materials data or on OMol25 to accurately resolve nanoscale structural organization and ion-solvation characteristics in Na-ion battery electrolytes across diverse physicochemical conditions and compositional regimes. We find that the OMol25-trained Universal Model of Atoms (UMA-OMol) predicts experimentally measured densities and X-ray structure factors in substantially better agreement compared to state-of-the-art models trained only on inorganic materials data. Using UMA-OMol, we further analyze systematic trends in solvation structure as a function of cation identity, anion chemistry, salt concentration, and solvent topology. We observe that increasing system temperature amplifies the heterogeneity within the solvation environment, perturbing cation–solvent interactions and promoting the formation of contact ion pairs (CIPs). Moreover, subtle variations in the solvent topology of glyme-based electrolytes cause pronounced changes in ion correlations and solvation structure. The experimental agreement and microscopic insights shown here position OMol25-trained MLIPs as a practical route to predictive, high-throughput electrolyte simulations beyond the limits of classical force fields and direct DFT molecular dynamics, serving as a powerful tool for accelerating the design of next-generation Na-ion battery electrolytes and beyond.

MLIPs↗

SQuaD: Smart Quantum Detection for Photon Recognition and Dark Count Elimination

Quantum detectors of single photons are an essential component for quantum information processing across computing, communication and networking. Today's quantum detection system, which consists of single photon detectors, timing electronics, control and data processing software, is primarily used for counting the number of single photon detection events. However, it is largely incapable of extracting other rich physical characteristics of the detected photons, such as their wavelengths, polarization states, photon numbers, or temporal waveforms. This work, for the first time, demonstrates a smart quantum detection system, SQuaD, which integrates a field programmable gate array (FPGA) with a neural network model, and is designed to recognize the features of photons and to eliminate detector dark-count. The SQuaD is a fully integrated quantum system with high timing-resolution data acquisition, onboard multi-scale data analysis, intelligent feature recognition and extraction, and feedback-driven system control. Our \name experimentally demonstrates 1) reliable photon counting on par with the state-of-the art commercial systems; 2) high-throughput data processing for each individual detection events; 3) efficient dark count recognition and elimination; 4) up to 100% accurate feature recognition of photon wavelength and polarization. Additionally, we deploy the SQuaD to an atomic (erbium ion) photon emitter source to realize noise-free control and readout of a spin qubit in the telecom band, enabling critical advances in quantum networks and distributed quantum information processing.

Linne, Karl C. [U. Chicago (main)] (ORCID:00090009↗

An accelerated framework for predicting creep rupture lifetimes in engineering alloys

Confidently predicting high-temperature deformation, including creep and creep rupture, is paramount for the design and commercialization of candidate materials for advanced nuclear energy systems. To accelerate creep quantification, we introduce a framework that enables rapid, cost-effective, and reliable prediction of creep rupture lifetimes, minimizing reliance on time-intensive bulk creep testing. Unlike conventional creep analysis, which requires extensive time and resources, our method leverages a maximum of four short-term bulk creep tests as training data for prediction. This framework combines high-throughput nanoindentation up to 700 °C with these targeted bulk tests to inform our creep rupture model in order to predict rupture lifetimes. The strong agreement between our predictions and conventional experimental data demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach for accelerated creep analysis and lifetime prediction of structural components in high-temperature applications. Our multi-pronged approach motivates further integration of computational tools and advanced instrumentation to establish a universal framework for understanding high-temperature material responses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Accelerating the rate of discovery: toward high-repetition-rate HED science

As high-intensity short-pulse lasers that can operate at high-repetition-rate (HRR) (>10 H z ) come online around the world, the high energy density (HED) science they enable will experience a radical paradigm shift. The >10 3 increase in shot rate over today's shot-per-hour drivers translates into dramatically faster data acquisition, more experiments, and the ability to exploit machine learning, and thus the potential to significantly accelerate the advancement of HED science. A wide range of HED experiments, from opacity investigations to secondary source generation to plasma nuclear physics, will benefit from the increased statistics, precision, and exploration of phase space. Besides increasing the rate at which scientific experiments can be performed, HRR also allows for the rapid delivery of optimal experiments supported by simulations and modeling augmented by close coupling to empirical data. To fully realize such an HRR framework, numerous subsystems must be developed and brought together, including feedback laser control loops, high-throughput targetry and diagnostics, cognitive simulation, enhanced HED codes, and advanced data analytics. This paper describes the vision for an integrated HRR laser experimental HED system and outlines some of the major considerations and challenges for realizing it.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

An Automated Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope Guided by Sparse Data Analytics

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) promises to reshape scientific inquiry and enable breakthrough discoveries in areas such as energy storage, quantum computing, and biomedicine. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), a cornerstone of the study of chemical and materials systems, stands to benefit greatly from AI-driven automation. However, present barriers to low-level instrument control, as well as generalizable and interpretable feature detection, make truly automated microscopy impractical. Here, we discuss the design of a closed-loop instrument control platform guided by emerging sparse data analytics. We hypothesize that a centralized controller, informed by machine learning combining limited a priori knowledge and task-based discrimination, could drive on-the-fly experimental decision-making. This platform may unlock practical, automated analysis of a variety of material features, enabling new high-throughput and statistical studies.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Computational Framework for Machine-Learning-Enabled 13 C Fluxomics

13 C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) has emerged as a powerful tool for synthetic biology. This optimization-based approach suffers long computation time and unstable solutions depending on the initial guess. Here, we develop a machine-learning-based framework for 13 C fluxomics. Specifically, training and test data sets are generated by metabolic network decomposition and flux sampling, in which flux ratios at metabolic nodes and simulated labeling patterns of metabolites are used as training targets and features, respectively. To improve prediction accuracy and simplify the model, automated processes are developed for flux ratio selection based on solvability and feature screening based on importance. We found that predictive performance can be significantly improved using both amino acids and central carbon metabolites in comparison with amino acids alone. Together with measured external fluxes, the predicted flux ratios determine the mass balance system, yielding global flux distributions. This approach is validated by flux estimation using both simulated and experimental data in comparison with canonical 13 C MFA. The approach represents a reliable fluxomics method readily applicable to high-throughput metabolic phenotyping, which highlights the advances of intelligent learning algorithms in synthetic biology, specifically in the Test and Learn stage of the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle.

13C metabolic flux analysis↗

Omics-Lethal Human Viruses, Influenza A Experiment ICL105

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the host epigenetic response to Influenza A (H5N1) viral infection from human lung adenocarcinoma cells (Calu-3) high throughput sequencing (ChIP-Seq) sample data. Host-associated viral downloads contain one or more primary host-pathogen experimental study metadata design workbooks (supporting metadata only).

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Omics-Lethal Human Viruses, Influenza A Experiment ICL106

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the human host epigenetic response to Influenza A H5N1 virus and MERS-CoV viral infection from human lung adenocarcinoma cell (Calu-3) high throughput sequencing (MeDIP-Seq) sample data. Host-associated viral downloads contain one or more primary host-pathogen experimental study metadata design workbooks (supporting metadata only).

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

High-Throughput Electric-Field-Assisted Sintering and Characterization Techniques for Materials Discovery

Despite improvements in computing and modeling capabilities, the performance of new materials, particularly those which deviate greatly in composition from well-studied materials (e.g., high-entropy alloys), can be difficult to simulate given the lack of available experimental property data. While some modeling techniques may attempt to predict the properties of these exotic materials, most are forced to make extrapolations from more traditional materials. To fulfill the need for accelerated material synthesis and property measurement, a high-throughput methodology has been developed. Utilizing electric-field-assisted sintering (EFAS), also known as spark plasma sintering (SPS), equipped with custom tooling, samples of differing alloy compositions can be produced simultaneously as a single alloy array. Several arrays have been produced with compositions spanning the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni alloy family, including many high-entropy alloys, while the novel array geometry has enabled the samples to be polished and characterized in parallel, using X-ray diffraction, scanning-electron microscopy, and laser-based thermal diffusivity measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Speckle contrast from the split-and-delay unit with seeded X-ray pulses of the MID instrument at European XFEL

We report on the coherence properties and characteristics of the split- and-delay unit at the Materials Imaging and Dynamics instrument of the European XFEL under seeded-beam conditions. Our investigation focuses on the speckle contrast extracted from the scattering patterns from static scatterers and pulse splitting characteristics. Seeded-beam operation enabled a high throughput of the split-and-delay unit. We highlight the invaluable potential of the split-and-delay unit for experimental investigations for enhancing our understanding of ultrafast phenomena in molecular liquids, such as water and aqueous solutions.

Fuoss, Paul↗

Autonomous closed-loop mechanistic investigation of molecular electrochemistry via automation

Abstract Electrochemical research often requires stringent combinations of experimental parameters that are demanding to manually locate. Recent advances in automated instrumentation and machine-learning algorithms unlock the possibility for accelerated studies of electrochemical fundamentals via high-throughput, online decision-making. Here we report an autonomous electrochemical platform that implements an adaptive, closed-loop workflow for mechanistic investigation of molecular electrochemistry. As a proof-of-concept, this platform autonomously identifies and investigates an EC mechanism, an interfacial electron transfer ( E step) followed by a solution reaction ( C step), for cobalt tetraphenylporphyrin exposed to a library of organohalide electrophiles. The generally applicable workflow accurately discerns the EC mechanism’s presence amid negative controls and outliers, adaptively designs desired experimental conditions, and quantitatively extracts kinetic information of the C step spanning over 7 orders of magnitude, from which mechanistic insights into oxidative addition pathways are gained. This work opens opportunities for autonomous mechanistic discoveries in self-driving electrochemistry laboratories without manual intervention.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

From Design to Device: Challenges and Opportunities in Computational Discovery of p -Type Transparent Conductors

A high-performance p -type transparent conductor (TC) does not yet exist but could lead to advances in a wide range of optoelectronic applications and enable new architectures for, e.g., next-generation photovoltaic (PV) devices. High-throughput computational material screenings have been a promising approach to filter databases and identify new p -type TC candidates and some of these predictions have been experimentally validated. However, most of these predicted candidates do not have experimentally achieved properties on par with n -type TCs used in solar cells and therefore have not yet been used in commercial devices. Thus, there is still a significant divide between transforming predictions into results that are actually achievable in the laboratory and an even greater lag in scaling predicted materials into functional devices. In this perspective, we outline some of the major disconnects in this materials discovery process—from scaling computational predictions into synthesizable crystals and thin films in the laboratory to scaling laboratory-grown films into real-world solar devices—and share insights to inform future strategies for TC discovery and design. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Size-Resolved Shape Evolution in Inorganic Nanocrystals Captured via High-Throughput Deep Learning-Driven Statistical Characterization

Precise size and shape control in nanocrystal synthesis is essential for utilizing nanocrystals in various industrial applications, such as catalysis, sensing, and energy conversion. However, traditional ensemble measurements often overlook the subtle size and shape distributions of individual nanocrystals, hindering the establishment of robust structure–property relationships. In this study, we uncover intricate shape evolutions and growth mechanisms in Co 3 O 4 nanocrystal synthesis at a subnanometer scale, enabled by deep-learning-assisted statistical characterization. By first controlling synthetic parameters such as cobalt precursor concentration and water amount then using high resolution electron microscopy imaging to identify the geometric features of individual nanocrystals, this study provides insights into the interplay between synthesis conditions and the sizedependent shape evolution in colloidal nanocrystals. Utilizing population-wide imaging data encompassing over 441,067 nanocrystals, we analyze their characteristics and elucidate previously unobserved size-resolved shape evolution. This high-throughput statistical analysis is essential for representing the entire population accurately and enables the study of the size dependency of growth regimes in shaping nanocrystals. Our findings provide experimental quantification of the growth regime transition based on the size of the crystals, specifically (i) for faceting and (ii) from thermodynamic to kinetic, as evidenced by transitions from convex to concave polyhedral crystals. Additionally, we introduce the concept of an “onset radius,” which describes the critical size thresholds at which these transitions occur. This discovery has implications beyond achieving nanocrystals with desired morphology; it enables finely tuned correlation between geometry and material properties, advancing the field of colloidal nanocrystal synthesis and its applications.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Ecosystems and Networks Integrated with Genes and Molecular Assemblies (ENIGMA): Molecular and Computational Technologies for Environmental Microbiology (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The ENIGMA science focus area (SFA) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional research effort focused on addressing foundational knowledge gaps in environmental microbial communities by studying groundwater and sediment microbiomes in the shallow subsurface at the contaminated Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). We seek to discover and characterize the reciprocal interactions between the microbial communities and the geochemical and geophysical parameters of the shallow subsurface within the contamination plume. The primary goal of this subcontract was to develop experimental and computational tools to advance our understanding of microbial adaptation and community assembly in contaminated environments, with specific efforts in high-throughput genomic methods, microbial ecology tools, and studies of heavy metal contamination impacts.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Transporter annotations are holding up progress in metabolic modeling

Mechanistic, constraint-based models of microbial isolates or communities are a staple in the metabolic analysis toolbox, but predictions about microbe-microbe and microbe-environment interactions are only as good as the accuracy of transporter annotations. A number of hurdles stand in the way of comprehensive functional assignments for membrane transporters. These include general or non-specific substrate assignments, ambiguity in the localization, directionality and reversibility of a transporter, and the many-to-many mapping of substrates, transporters and genes. In this perspective, we summarize progress in both experimental and computational approaches used to determine the function of transporters and consider paths forward that integrate both. Investment in accurate, high-throughput functional characterization is needed to train the next-generation of predictive tools toward genome-scale metabolic network reconstructions that better predict phenotypes and interactions. More reliable predictions in this domain will benefit fields ranging from personalized medicine to metabolic engineering to microbial ecology.

Casey, John↗