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DOE OSTI2024

Powering the Blue Economy: Foundational Research and Development

With increased use of the oceans for transportation, extraction of food, fibre, and minerals, recreation and tourism, and other blue economy industries, there is a need for additional power at sea. In the face of climate change, the increased power must come from renewable sources; often marine energy is the most energy-dense power source available. But we have little experience with adapting wave and tidal devices from large scale grid power to the specialized and small devices needed to power blue economy applications, nor the engineering solutions to support codesign of emerging marine industries. As directed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), two DOE national laboratories have developed foundational research and development projects to replace conventional power or batteries at sea (ocean observation platforms), emerging industry power needs (offshore aquaculture operations), as well as examining common challenges for using marine power (efficient power systems, minimizing interference, optimizing materials and manufacturing).

marine energy↗

DOE OSTI2024

Design, Synthesis, and Validation: Genome Scale Optimization of Energy Flux through Compartmentalized Metabolic Networks in a Model Photosynthetic Eukaryotic Microbe (Final Report)

Photosynthetic organisms have recently gained considerable attention for a role in development of renewable energy sources. Genome-enabled systems biology methodology and modeling, coupled with high throughput genome engineering strategies, present opportunities to develop sustainable and economical applications such as fuel production within the next 10 to 15 years. However, optimization of light-driven metabolism for biomass or biofuel production will require significant advances in methodological throughput as well as improvements in detailed systems biology understanding of photosynthetic processes and cellular metabolism. The ability of diatoms to thrive in upwelling-induced, periodically nutrient-rich conditions makes them the base for the world’s shortest and most energy-efficient food webs. Diatom photosynthesis is estimated to account for between 25% and 40% of the 45-50 billion tons of organic carbon fixed annually in the sea.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Force-triggered, Bio-based, Sealants for Prefabricated Building Components: Towards Improved Efficiency, Performance and Sustainability

The prefabricated building construction industry has made extensive progress in expediting the manufacture of prefabricated components at offsite plants. However, this progress has not translated to the assembly of the prefabricated components at the construction site. Case in point, sealing the joints between components to prevent air leaks requires the manual application of tape, caulk, or spray foam at the jobsite, and performance is highly dependent on the skills of the installer. To reduce assembly time and improve the airtightness and waterproofness of prefabricated components, we developed a sealant that can be installed at the plant and have its curing reaction triggered at the jobsite. Additionally, we used this opportunity to explore the use of bio-based feedstocks that are abundant and not used for food. We evaluated a series of force-triggered, bio-based, high strength, and fast curing sealants, consisting of a one-part heterogeneous system. These sealants are derived from formulations with ≥80% of bio-based components, consisting of a cardanol derived diepoxy that is microencapsulated in a polymer shell and embedded in a cardanol derived amine curing agent. The microcapsule shell allows separation of the reactive species in the one-part sealant allowing a fast-curing system to remain unreacted until the right trigger is applied. When the microcapsules are activated and broken by force, the highly reactive species mix and cure, exhibiting peel strengths up to 143 ppi. The open-air shelf stability of the sealant complexes was demonstrated by peel strength values of ~16 ppi when triggering the curing reaction even after being exposed for 8 months to open air and humidity. The successful on-demand triggering of curing reactions and the shelf stability provide efficacy of these force-triggered sealants for installation on prefabricated components, storage for months prior to delivery, and assembly at the jobsite. These force-triggered bio-based sealants for prefabricated buildings could result in lower installation time and cost as well as better performance than tapes and caulks at the jobsite.

Cortes Guzman, Karen [ORNL] (ORCID:000000028793468↗

DOE OSTI2025

ED-cPSD: Fast Phase-Size Distribution via Sequential Erosion-Dilation

The Erosion-Dilation continuous Phase-Size Distribution, ED-cPSD, is an application for calculating continuous pore and particle-size distribution from digital reconstructions and/or image-based structural data. It is based on the erosion-dilation continuous phase-size distribution method. A continuous size distribution is a measure of the probability density of finding a particle or pore of a certain size. These distributions are of interest in any field of study involving porous media, including but not limited to electrochemistry, petroleum engineering, geology, and food science. The algorithm behind the software provides a computationally efficient way to calculate phase-size distributions for large domains. For a 3D battery electrode reconstruction with 1.3 x 10 8 voxels, the particle size distribution is derived in under 2 min on a desktop, while also retaining flexibility and computational efficiency for HPC-scale multi-threading. The software can handle structures with over 10 9 voxels. The algorithm is roughly 280 times faster than a previous version on the same task.

Characterization↗

DOE OSTI2023

Innovation and Winemaking By-Product Valorization: An Ohmic Heating Approach

The by-products of the winemaking process can represent chances for the development of new products. This study focused on the “zero waste” strategy development for by-products generated within winemaking from white and red grape varieties cultivated in the north of Portugal. The phytochemical properties of by-products were identified and characterized. Ohmic heating (OH) as a green extraction method was also applied to grape pomace due to their unknown effects on centesimal and phytochemical compositions. Both protein and carbohydrates were shown to be higher in grape bagasse than in stems. Additionally, red bagasse is richer in bioactive compounds (BC) than white bagasse. The sugar content was 21.91 and 11.01 g/100 g of DW in red and white grape bagasse, respectively. The amount of protein was 12.46 g/100 g of DW for red grape bagasse and 13.18 g/100 g of DW for white. Regarding the extraction methods, two fractions were obtained, a liquid fraction and solid (the remainder after the methodology application). OH presented a higher antioxidant capacity than a conventional (CONV) method. In addition, both extracts presented similar contents of anthocyanins, e.g., delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-glucoside, and peonidin-3-O-glucoside. The solid fraction presented higher amounts of protein and phenols bound to fiber than CONV, which allows its use as a functional ingredient. In conclusion, OH can be an alternative extraction method compared with CONV methods, avoiding non-food grade solvents, thus contributing to circular economy implementation.

Coelho, Marta C. (ORCID:000000026542175X)↗

DOE OSTI2022

Transforming the Future of Marine Aquaculture: A Circular Economy Approach

By mid-century, society will need to significantly intensify the output of its food production system while simultaneously reducing that system’s detrimental impacts on climate, land use, freshwater resources, and biodiversity. This will require finding alternatives to carbon emissions-intensive agriculture, which provides the backbone of today’s global food production system. Here, we explore the hypothesis that marine algae-based aquaculture can help close the projected gap in society’s future nutritional demands while simultaneously improving environmental sustainability. Food production from marine algae-based aquaculture has the potential to contribute more than the total global protein demand projected for 2050, which ranges from 263.8 Mt/yr to 286.5 Mt/yr. It also offers important nutritional and environmental sustainability advantages relative to terrestrial agriculture. Marine algae can provide a better source of high-quality nutritional protein, essential amino acids, and other micronutrients relative to terrestrial plants. In addition, because marine algae do not require soil, irrigation, and the open application of fertilizer, their cultivation does not need to compete with agriculture for arable land and freshwater nor does it lead to fertilizer runoff and downstream eutrophication. Furthermore, by reducing agriculture’s demand for arable land and freshwater, marine algae-based aquaculture can reduce the pressure for deforestation, potentially leading to globally significant reductions in carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Refrigerants for a Sustainable Future

Worldwide use of high global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants for space conditioning and food storage results in significant equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is further exacerbated in developed countries by the current transition from hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants to HFC refrigerants. Under the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the proposed phase-out of currently used HFC and HCFC refrigerants has initiated a re-evaluation of some pre-existing refrigerants as well as the development and evaluation of new refrigerants. Making the ideal refrigerant selections for heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) applications is thereby difficult in an already overabundant refrigerants market. In this paper, a study of key parameters required of a good refrigerant is conducted, followed by the analysis of refrigerants desired and refrigerants used in two major sectors of the HVAC&R industry, namely commercial refrigeration and residential air-conditioning and heat pumps. Finally, keeping in consideration the global environmental regulations and safety standards, a recommendation of the most suitable refrigerants in both sectors has been made.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Biogas Upgrading for Fuel Production

Waste-to-Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) offers a promising solution to alleviating waste management challenges by converting waste into renewable fuels. Here, this process can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as demonstrated through a comprehensive life cycle analysis. Biogas upgrading is essential to enhance the methane concentration, though it could be energy-intensive and susceptible to methane slippage. Four commonly adopted biogas upgrading technologies, including pressure swing adsorption, membrane separation, chemical absorption, and water scrubbing, are considered. Our study evaluates the life cycle GHG emissions of RNG production from major sources of waste in the U.S. including wastewater sludge, food waste, landfill gas, dairy cow manure, and swine manure. Meta-analysis was conducted to assess methane slippage and energy consumption of biogas upgrading and associated GHG emissions, while accounting for potential avoided emissions from conventional waste management, which vary widely (ranging from −481.0 to 101.8 g CO 2 -eq/MJ). Under default upstream assumptions, representative carbon intensity of RNG varies from about −125 g of CO 2 -eq/MJ (dairy cow manure) to about 41 g of CO 2 -eq/MJ (wastewater sludge). We also explored RNG applications in producing hydrogen, ammonia, and compressed/liquefied forms. These findings highlight the potential of RNG and RNG-derived fuels to reduce GHG emissions and bolster the U.S. energy supply.

Biogas upgrades↗

DOE OSTI2025

Membrane protein reconstitution : New possibilities for structural biology, biophysical methods, and antibody/drug discovery

Nearly one-third of all proteins in eukaryotes are membrane proteins. Moreover, roughly 60% of Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA)-approved small-molecule drugs act on membrane proteins, which includes G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), ion channels, and transporters. Here, the vast majority of these membrane proteins are cell-surface accessible and thus amenable to drug discovery. At the same time, they are considerably more challenging to reconstitute and prepare for structure initiatives, antibody discovery, and drug screening. This series of reviews introduces the reader to current reconstitution systems, biophysical characterization of the membrane proteins and associated lipids, and common applications involving nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS), and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Developments in algal processing

Macroalgae and microalgae, including cyanobacteria, are primarily photosynthetic organisms grown for the production of renewable biomass for foods, feedstocks, and high-value specialty chemicals. While there are differences in cultivating and harvesting macro- and microalgae due to scale, many of the same downstream techniques can be used for processing algal biomass. This chapter will outline various developments in processing technologies used for the treatment of algal biomass with discussion of scalability, cost, time, and efficacy. Topics will cover methods for harvesting and dewatering algae, drying algal biomass, biomass disruption, and nutrient recovery, including case studies with lessons learned. Here, the final section presents biomass applications and product considerations. While there is no universally-adopted approach for processing algal biomass, these studies provide the foundation for making informed decisions, considering the unique properties of the algae and the integrity of the desired end products.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Operation Upshot-Knothole

A thundering boom and sheet of fire announced a dramatic, once in a lifetime event – the firing of a nuclear projectile from a 280 mm cannon. Travelling seven miles downrange, the projectile detonated 500 feet over the Nevada Test Site’s Frenchman Flat with a force of fifteen kilotons. Although the test was successful, the massive cannon, designed for tactical battlefield use, had a critical flaw. It was too large and cumbersome for mobile combat. The cannon test, codenamed Grable, was part of Operation Upshot-Knothole, the fourth test series conducted in Nevada. Beginning with the Annie test on March 17, 1953, and concluding with the Climax test on June 4th, the Operation consisted of three airdrops, seven tower detonations, and the one artillery shot. As with previous Nevada tests, the demarcation between the weapon development series, Upshot, and the DOD effects tests, Knothole, was blurred. All eleven tests generated data in support of weapon development as well as tactical battlefield applications. During Upshot-Knothole, the University of California Radiation Laboratory (UCRL), conducted its first ever tests, Ruth and Ray. Although neither test was successful, these failures, along with another a year later at Operation Castle, provided the new laboratory with design data leading to future successful tests. The Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) participated in a test series with the general goal of preparing for societal recovery from a nuclear attack. Known as Operation Doorstep, the FCDA’s experiments evaluated the effects of a nuclear attack on food supplies, housing and urban structures, and even a copse of trees transplanted from nearby Mt. Charleston. A contingent of the press witnessed test Annie from an outcropping of rocks, subsequently named News Nob. The presence of the news media, along with the FCDA’s participation, marked a fundamental change in the Nevada test program - a change that that now included the general populace, whose survival was, of course, the rationale for testing. The Department of Defense continued and expanded its Desert Rock exercises of troop exercises, helicopter operations, and evaluation of blast damage to military aircraft, tanks, and guns. Annie, Nancy, Badger, Simon, Encore, and Grable involved larger numbers of personnel than the other five shots. Below is an edited and condensed account of Desert Rock activities compiled by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

DOE OSTI2026

Data for: A hybrid biophysical-machine learning framework for diurnal surface energy flux estimation using proximal sensing

Thermal-based remote sensing of surface energy fluxes has traditionally relied on high spatial resolution satellite data with revisit frequencies on the order of weeks. In this study, we evaluate a biophysics-based analytical surface energy balance model for predicting latent energy (LE) and sensible heat (H) fluxes using proximal sensing observations. The Surface Temperature Initiated Closure (STIC1.2) model has been extensively validated across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales using various satellite-derived thermal datasets. Here we extend this validation by applying STIC at sub-hourly temporal resolution over multiple growing seasons for four distinct agricultural systems. We further develop and evaluate novel STIC variants that incorporate machine learning (ML) techniques to eliminate the need for specific surface energy balance observations, specifically net radiation and soil heat flux, thereby enhancing model applicability in data-sparse settings. The integration of an ML component to estimate surface available energy is shown to have strong predictive performance for both LE (R2 = 0.81-0.94) and H (R2 = 0.46-0.72) across all agricultural systems examined here, demonstrating the potential of hybrid biophysical – machine learning approaches for surface energy balance modeling with minimal data requirements. This study concludes with a novel application of explainable machine learning (exML) to diagnose sources of model error. This exML framework attributes residual prediction errors to both model input variables and environmental drivers not explicitly included in the simulation experiments. This approach provides a new pathway for improving model design and integrating previously overlooked yet influential variables into future model iterations.

Agricultural Sciences↗

DOE OSTI2022

Fungi-on-a-Chip: microfluidic platforms for single-cell studies on fungi

Abstract This review highlights new advances in the emerging field of ‘Fungi-on-a-Chip’ microfluidics for single-cell studies on fungi and discusses several future frontiers, where we envisage microfluidic technology development to be instrumental in aiding our understanding of fungal biology. Fungi, with their enormous diversity, bear essential roles both in nature and our everyday lives. They inhabit a range of ecosystems, such as soil, where they are involved in organic matter degradation and bioremediation processes. More recently, fungi have been recognized as key components of the microbiome in other eukaryotes, such as humans, where they play a fundamental role not only in human pathogenesis, but also likely as commensals. In the food sector, fungi are used either directly or as fermenting agents and are often key players in the biotechnological industry, where they are responsible for the production of both bulk chemicals and antibiotics. Although the macroscopic fruiting bodies are immediately recognizable by most observers, the structure, function, and interactions of fungi with other microbes at the microscopic scale still remain largely hidden. Herein, we shed light on new advances in the emerging field of Fungi-on-a-Chip microfluidic technologies for single-cell studies on fungi. We discuss the development and application of microfluidic tools in the fields of medicine and biotechnology, as well as in-depth biological studies having significance for ecology and general natural processes. Finally, a future perspective is provided, highlighting new frontiers in which microfluidic technology can benefit this field.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Use of Stable Mercury Isotopes to Assess Mercury and Methylmercury Transformation and Transport across Critical Interfaces from the Molecular to the Watershed Scale (Final Report)

This project titled “Use of Stable Mercury Isotopes to Assess Mercury and Methylmercury Transformation and Transport across Critical Interfaces from the Molecular to the Watershed Scale” represents a collaborative effort between the University of Michigan (Jason Demers, PI) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Scott Brooks, co-I). Much has been learned about mercury (Hg) cycling in stream ecosystems, and East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) in particular, through decades of previous research. Nevertheless, some of the most fundamental questions regarding the sources of bioavailable Hg and its transformation to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) have remained unanswered. These fundamental questions include: (1) what are the sources and biogeochemical processes that lead to the input of dissolved Hg to stream water across critical subsurface interfaces within stream ecosystems, and EFPC in particular? and (2) what are the sources and biogeochemical processes that control the production and fate of bioaccumulative MeHg within stream ecosystems, and in EFPC in particular? To address these fundamental questions, our project aimed to couple laboratory experiments and field observations, both utilizing natural abundance Hg stable isotope techniques, to identify the processes responsible for generating mobile, bioavailable dissolved Hg from recalcitrant legacy sources within critical subsurface zones (e.g., streambed hyporheic zone, riparian floodplain subsurface). We used the isotopic signature of this bioavailable dissolved Hg to track its mobilization across these critical interfaces in order to link diffuse subsurface sources of dissolved Hg with increases in surface water dissolved Hg flux measured at the watershed scale. Additionally, our research aimed to determine the isotopic composition of MeHg within these same critical subsurface zones. We directly assessed the isotopic composition of MeHg within biota in order to gain insight into which subsurface sources of inorganic Hg and toxic MeHg are available for bioaccumulation within the EFPC ecosystem. Net fluxes of dissolved Hg along the flow path of EFPC were shown to vary spatially and temporally. In the Upper EFPC, within the Y12 boundary, stream water flux of dissolved Hg consistently decreased between the outfall and the downstream boundary of Y12 (57% ± 29%, 1SD). Within the Upper EFPC, an assessment of Hg isotopic composition suggested that losses were strongly reaction-driven, although isotopic diagnostics did not conform to any known processes. Downstream of Y12, in the upper reach of the Lower EFPC, dissolved Hg fluxes tended to increase during the dormant season (net gain of 11-120%), and decrease during the growing season (net loss of 23% +/- 18%, 1SD). In the downstream-most reach of Lower EFPC, dissolved Hg fluxes increased by 12-108% in 9 out of 10 monthly assessments. Overall, diffuse fluxes from the non-Y12 watershed accounted for 34% (+/- 17%, 1SD) of all dissolved Hg exported during base flow. Within Lower EFPC, an assessment of Hg isotopic composition was consistent with the contribution of diffuse Hg inputs from high-concentration hotspots within riparian floodplains and streambed hyporheic pore water. To investigate remobilization of recalcitrant Hg from legacy sediment sources, we developed procedures that coupled isotopic analysis with sequential extractions of streambed sediment. We found that the proportion of weakly-bound Hg within EFPC streambed sediment was relatively small, but could still account for a large proportion of the annual flux of dissolved Hg from EFPC. These sequential extractions also showed that this weakly-bound Hg fraction could be replenished from the much larger fraction of recalcitrant Hg in sediment. The isotopic composition of these weakly-bound and remobilized recalcitrant Hg fractions within the sediment was consistent with high-concentration dissolved Hg hotspots within hyporheic pore water. Thus, this research provided novel evidence that legacy mercury sources within streambed sediment could provide an ongoing contribution of dissolved Hg to surface waters. Finally, we developed new methods for the direct determination of the MeHg isotopic composition of organisms, which allowed a more direct evaluation of inorganic Hg and MeHg sources accumulating in the food web. We found that fish and aquatic invertebrates in both EFPC and a regional background site obtained inorganic Hg and MeHg from multiple isotopically distinct sources, including sediment, suspended particulates, and periphyton. Photodemethylation was found to be an important reaction influencing MeHg dynamics at both sites. However, the balance of microbial methylation and demethylation processes differed between the two streams, with fractionation resulting from methylation and demethylation processes being relatively in balance within the regional background site, whereas microbial methylation appeared to be dominant over microbial demethylation within the EFPC ecosystem. Broadly, the application of Hg isotopic analysis in this study led to numerous novel insights regarding the biogeochemical cycling of Hg in stream ecosystems. This research project promoted the development of two new approaches, including the coupling of sequential extractions with Hg isotopic analysis to assess remobilization of recalcitrant Hg within sediments, and a new method for the isotopic analysis of MeHg isolated from environmental samples. Both of these efforts represent advances in capacity for the field of mercury isotopic analysis and environmental assessment. Overall, this study demonstrates that the application of Hg stable isotope techniques continues to provide new insights into the biogeochemical cycling of Hg in complex aquatic environments, both within the EFPC and beyond.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2021

Repository scale classification and decomposition of tandem mass spectral data

Various studies have shown associations between molecular features and phenotypes of biological samples. These studies, however, focus on a single phenotype per study and are not applicable to repository scale metabolomics data. Here we report MetSummarizer, a method for predicting (i) the biological phenotypes of environmental and host-oriented samples, and (ii) the raw ingredient composition of complex mixtures. We show that the aggregation of various metabolomic datasets can improve the accuracy of predictions. Since these datasets have been collected using different standards at various laboratories, in order to get unbiased results it is crucial to detect and discard standard-specific features during the classification step. We further report high accuracy in prediction of the raw ingredient composition of complex foods from the Global Foodomics Project.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Neotropical termite microbiomes as sources of novel plant cell wall degrading enzymes

In this study, we used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterise the microbial metabolic potential for lignocellulose transformation in the gut of two colonies of Argentine higher termite species with different feeding habits, Cortaritermes fulviceps and Nasutitermes aquilinus. Our goal was to assess the microbial community compositions and metabolic capacity, and to identify genes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Individuals from both termite species contained the same five dominant bacterial phyla (Spirochaetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fibrobacteres and Bacteroidetes) although with different relative abundances. However, detected functional capacity varied, with C. fulviceps (a grass-wood-feeder) gut microbiome samples containing more genes related to amino acid metabolism, whereas N. aquilinus (a wood-feeder) gut microbiome samples were enriched in genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and cellulose degradation. The C. fulviceps gut microbiome was enriched specifically in genes coding for debranching- and oligosaccharide-degrading enzymes. These findings suggest an association between the primary food source and the predicted categories of the enzymes present in the gut microbiomes of each species. To further investigate the termite microbiomes as sources of biotechnologically relevant glycosyl hydrolases, a putative GH10 endo-β-1,4-xylanase, Xyl10E, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Functional analysis of the recombinant metagenome-derived enzyme showed high specificity towards beechwood xylan (288.1 IU/mg), with the optimum activity at 50 °C and a pH-activity range from 5 to 10. These characteristics suggest that Xy110E may be a promising candidate for further development in lignocellulose deconstruction applications.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Additive manufacturing and applications of nanomaterial-based sensors

Nanoscale materials possess distinct physical and chemical attributes including size-dependent properties, quantum confinement, high surface-to-volume ratio, and superior catalytic activity. These unique qualities enable sensors with high sensitivity, robustness, and fast time response. As the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) demands increased production of sensors, it also provides an impetus for concentrated nanomaterial-based sensor research. Meanwhile, additive manufacturing (AM) of nanomaterial-based sensors is critical to bridge the gap between one-off, lab-scale fabrication and cost-effective, industrial-scale production with high reproducibility. By applying the design flexibility and cost savings of AM techniques, a new generation of nanomaterial-based sensing platforms can be integrated with IoT devices in the consumer space. Furthermore, emergent research in human-machine interfaces, food safety, and point-of-care diagnostics will be expedited by the development of sensors that can be printed with irregular form factors. In this Review, the relative strengths and weaknesses of printed sensor systems based on zero-, one-, and two-dimensional nanomaterials are discussed. In addition, sensors enabled by printable soft nanomaterials, heterostructures, and nanocomposites are surveyed due to their synergistic advantages for wearable healthcare monitoring and soft robotics. Lastly, a roadmap for the next decade of research on this topic is provided.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Case studies of robots and automation as health/safety interventions in small manufacturing enterprises

This article reviews the experiences of 63 case studies of small businesses (<250 employees) with manufacturing automation equipment acquired through a health/safety intervention grant program. The review scope included equipment technologies classified as industrial robots (n = 17), computer numerical control (CNC) machining (n = 29), or other programmable automation systems (n = 17). Descriptions of workers' compensation (WC) claim injuries and identified risk factors that motivated the acquisition of the equipment were extracted from grant applications. Other aspects of the employer experiences, including qualitative and quantitative assessment of effects on risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), effects on productivity, and employee acceptance of the intervention were summarized from the case study reports. Case studies associated with a combination of large reduction in risk factors, lower cost per affected employee, and reported increases in productivity were CNC stone cutting system, CNC/vertical machining system, automated system for bottling, CNC/routing system for plastics products manufacturing, and a CNC/Cutting system for vinyl/carpet. Six case studies of industrial robots reported quantitative reductions in MSD risk factors in these diverse manufacturing industries: snack foods; photographic film, paper, plate, and chemical; machine shops; leather goods and allied products; plastic products; and iron and steel forging. Furthermore, this review of health/safety intervention case studies indicates that advanced (programmable) manufacturing automation, including industrial robots, reduced workplace musculoskeletal risk factors, and improved process productivity in most cases.

42 ENGINEERING↗