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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2018

Role of a Chemist in Modern Industries: Design and Development of Nanoengineered Multifunctional Materials

During the past fifteen years significant investment has been made for the applications of nanotechnology in almost every aspect of life. Almost every area of research has projected improvements including biotechnology, bioinspired electronic, optical and radiological sensors, or a promise for the emergence of some novel device technologies. For such applications major focus has been placed on research nanoparticles, nanotubes nanorods and two-dimensional structures similar to that of graphene. Some near- term applications of nano- particles and nanowires have produced very promising results for better synthesis of energy storage materials, design of biologically active composites like apatites, laser host crystals, photodetectors and sensor materials for radiation detection. To achieve desired morphologies, nanomaterials can be utilized some organic melt and orient the grains by the directional solidification method. The organic treated materials produce different characteristics than coarsened oxide materials. The focus is also understanding the morphology and performance function in human organs that occur because of aging or disease, and responses to interventions. We annealed to determine the changes in morphologies and hence effect of aging. In this presentation, we will discuss correlation between the designed composition, micromorphology and the performance parameters of nanomaterials. To understand the mechanism of formation of nanoparticles, nanoboloids, fibers experimental details and observations on the of multinary compounds will be presented. These observations on the transition of nanomorphology can highlight the mechanism of the phase transition in some oxides and selenides.

Singh, N. B.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Preliminary Results of the Investigation of the Carbonaceous Chondrites Nagoya, Allende, and Murray

As part of a long-term study of morphological biomarkers in Astromaterials, we are documenting a variety of features considered to be indigenous to ancient terrestrial rocks and carbonaceous meteorites. In preparation for the study of samples returned from Mars and other bodies of our Solar System, it is imperative that we establish a database of the nature and morphology of known bacterial fossils in Earth rocks and biomorphic microstructures which may represent microfossils in meteorites. The process of fossilization or mineralization can cause major changes in morphologies and textures of the original organisms and the study of fossilized terrestrial organisms can help provide insight into the interpretation of mineral biomarkers and abiotic microstructures which may mimic certain aspects of microfossils. One class of biomarkers consists of biominerals which have either been precipitated directly by microorganisms, or whose precipitation has been influenced by the organisms. Such microbe-mediated mineral formation may include important clues to the size, shape, and environment of the microorganisms. This paper describes the detection of possible microbe-mediated minerals, biomorphic microstructures and possible microfossils in the Nagoya, Allende, and Murray Carbonaceous Chondrites.

Rozanov, Alexei Yu.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Characterization of Electronic Stress-Induced Changes in Multilayer MoS 2

Transition metal dichalcogenides like molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) are compelling for next-generation electronic devices. In this work, we investigate the impact of electronic stress on MoS 2 to illustrate that observational and phenomenological information on multiple devices can be useful to describe changes in the device, and caution against the rationalization of paltry results as representative or correlative to device behavior. Here, we stress MoS 2 by applying a sustained 20 V DC bias to study the material’s response. Post-stress electronic characterization revealed nonuniform shifts in current–voltage (I–V) behavior alongside microscale changes. Complementary mechanical, spectroscopic, and scanning microwave impedance measurements showed that stress-induced features locally modulate stiffness, surface potential, Raman intensity, and charge carrier density. We correlated I–V behavior with morphological features (wrinkles, tears, folds, height) and device-level geometry (MoS 2 overlap with electrodes, channel area, contact length) on 50 test structures across five chips to move beyond anecdotal conclusions. We found no universal correlations before DC stress. However, device-level geometry was correlated with I–V behavior after DC stress, suggesting that electrode contacts play a more dominant role than morphology in determining performance. Delamination and thinning induced by DC stress led to localized reductions in charge carrier density within the affected regions. Further, delamination and thinning appear to map to I–V device performance in a few samples, but the correlation is lost when a larger sample size is considered. This suggests significant sample-to-sample variability in surface electronic states of the test structures. We also discuss how environmental factors introduced during fabrication may contribute to the observed heterogeneous device response. Progress will require high-resolution, multimodal analysis across many samples constructed under controlled, clean conditions. By building data sets that capture variability, we can better identify the true drivers of performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Investigation of Oxidation Mechanisms in HfS 2 and ZrS 2 via In Situ Electron Microscopy

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) combine semiconducting properties with stability and are therefore widely studied for future microelectronic devices. However, applications require integration with a suitable dielectric at a planar, defect-free interface. For Hf- and Zr-based TMDs, the good dielectric properties of hafnia and zirconia imply that direct oxidation is a promising strategy, provided that a high-quality interface and suitable oxide morphology can be formed. Here, in this study, we investigate HfS 2 and ZrS 2 oxidation, aiming to understand pathways toward planar oxide layer formation and the mechanisms that determine the characteristics of the semiconductor/dielectric interface. We use conventional and environmental transmission electron microscopy to reveal changes in morphology and composition of the TMDs under different gaseous environments. We show that oxidation at ambient conditions causes compositional heterogeneities, with local replacement of S by O in both materials. Thermal oxidation causes desulfurization and formation of a smooth but defective oxide layer. In contrast, plasma oxidation appears the best-suited to forming a controlled TMD/dielectric interface with a smooth oxide layer and without major defects. These results provide insight into the opportunities available from HfS 2 and ZrS 2 through oxidation and suggest a materials processing strategy for electronic device fabrication.

HfS2↗
NASA NTRS1982

Studies of metals electroprocessing in molten salts

Fluid flow patterns in molten salt electrolytes were observed in order to determine how mass transport affects the morphology of the metal deposit. Studies conducted on the same metal, both in aqueous electrolytes in which coherent solid electrodeposits are produced, as well as in transparent molten salt electrolytes are described. Process variables such as current density and composition of the electrolyte are adjusted to change the morphology of the electrodeposit and, thus, to permit the study of the nature of electrolyte flow in relation to the quality of the electrodeposit.

Sadoway, D. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Structure and Morphology of Phthalocyanine Films Grown in Electrical Fields by Vapor Deposition

Phthalocyanine is a very stable organic material in the atmosphere and has been used in numerous applications, such as optical switching and optical storage devices. Although this material has already been discovered for several decades and has had extensive studies conducted on it, many properties still need to be better understood, for example, the mechanisms of forming different solid phases and of changing film morphology by external forces. Phthalocyanine has two preferred solid phases (alpha and beta phases) for which the crystal structures, surface morphology and optical properties are different. In order to investigate these phenomena and the relationship among them, phthalocyanine films have been synthesized by vapor deposition on quartz substrates with and without an external electrical field. Some substrates were coated with a very thin gold film for the electrical field. These films have been characterized using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, and Z-scan technique. The films have excellent chemical and thermal stability. However, the surface of these films grown without the electrical field shows flower-like morphology. When films are deposited under an electrical field (approximately 3000 V/cm), an aligned structure is revealed on the surface. A comparison of the structure, morphology, optical properties, and the growth mechanism for these films with and without an electrical field will be discussed.

Zhu, Shen↗
NASA NTRS2000

Coma Morphology Due to an Extended Active Region and Implications for the Spin State of Comet Hale-Bopp

We show that the circular character of continuum structures observed in the coma of comet Hale-Bopp around the perihelion passage is most likely due to a dust jet from a large extended active region on the surface. Coma morphology due to a wide jet is different from that due to a narrow jet. The latter shows foreshortening effects due to observing geometry, wider jet produces more circular features. This circularization effect provides a self-consistent explanation for the evolution of near-perihelion coma morphology. No changes in the direction of the rotational angular momentum vector are required during this period in contrast to the models of Schleicher et al. This circularization effect also enables us to produce near-circular coma features in the S-E quadrant during 1997 late February and therefore questions the basic premise on which Sekanina bases his morphological arguments for a gravitationally bound satellite nucleus.

Samarasinha, Nalin H.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Identifying Solar Wind and Other Volatiles in Space-Weathered Samples From Asteroid Bennu

On September 24, 2023, NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission returned >70 g of material from asteroid Bennu to Earth. The Sample Return Capsule was opened at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), and a spillover sample was collected from the avionics deck to perform quick-look (QL) analyses. In addition to providing a reconnaissance investigation of its mineralogy, the sample was also examined for evidence of surface exposure on asteroid Bennu by identifying signatures of space weathering. Space weathering changes the morphology, microstructure, and chemistry of regolith on the surfaces of airless bodies. Driven by micrometeoroid bombardment and solar wind irradiation, our understanding of how space weathering modifies particles on the surfaces of carbonaceous asteroids is still developing. To bolster the interpretation of remote sensing data and to further address driving Hypothesis 10, we must investigate the nanoscale structural and chemical changes in returned samples from Bennu to understand how space weathering affects carbonaceous surface materials. Here we explore evidence for solar wind irradiation in QL samples from asteroid Bennu.

M S Thompson↗
NASA NTRS2003

Developmental gene regulatory network architecture across 500 million years of echinoderm evolution

Evolutionary change in morphological features must depend on architectural reorganization of developmental gene regulatory networks (GRNs), just as true conservation of morphological features must imply retention of ancestral developmental GRN features. Key elements of the provisional GRN for embryonic endomesoderm development in the sea urchin are here compared with those operating in embryos of a distantly related echinoderm, a starfish. These animals diverged from their common ancestor 520-480 million years ago. Their endomesodermal fate maps are similar, except that sea urchins generate a skeletogenic cell lineage that produces a prominent skeleton lacking entirely in starfish larvae. A relevant set of regulatory genes was isolated from the starfish Asterina miniata, their expression patterns determined, and effects on the other genes of perturbing the expression of each were demonstrated. A three-gene feedback loop that is a fundamental feature of the sea urchin GRN for endoderm specification is found in almost identical form in the starfish: a detailed element of GRN architecture has been retained since the Cambrian Period in both echinoderm lineages. The significance of this retention is highlighted by the observation of numerous specific differences in the GRN connections as well. A regulatory gene used to drive skeletogenesis in the sea urchin is used entirely differently in the starfish, where it responds to endomesodermal inputs that do not affect it in the sea urchin embryo. Evolutionary changes in the GRNs since divergence are limited sharply to certain cis-regulatory elements, whereas others have persisted unaltered.

NASA Program Fundamental Space Biology↗
NASA NTRS1999

MOLA Topographic Variations Along the Crustal Dichotomy Boundary Zone in Eastern and Western Mars

The topographic character of the martian crustal dichotomy boundary zone changes along the boundary, as does the morphological character of the boundary itself. Overall the elevation change from lowland plains to cratered uplands has the character of a step function, but the magnitude of the step and the slope of the ramp in the transition zone between the two relatively flat surfaces is different in different areas. Especially prominent is the difference between the boundaries in Deuteronilus-Ismenius Lacus and in Tempe Terra: Total relief in the transition zone in central Tempe is significantly greater than that in most of the eastern boundary zone. The correlation of topography with changing morphological character and mapped geologic units suggests that different parts of the boundary had different modification histories, and, perhaps, different origins as well.

Frey, H↗
NASA NTRS2001

Lumbar spine disc height and curvature responses to an axial load generated by a compression device compatible with magnetic resonance imaging

STUDY DESIGN: Axial load-dependent changes in the lumbar spine of supine healthy volunteers were examined using a compression device compatible with magnetic resonance imaging. OBJECTIVE: To test two hypotheses: Axial loading of 50% body weight from shoulder to feet in supine posture 1) simulates the upright lumbar spine alignment and 2) decreases disc height significantly. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Axial compression on the lumbar spine has significantly narrowed the lumbar dural sac in patients with sciatica, neurogenic claudication or both. METHODS: Using a device compatible with magnetic resonance imaging, the lumbar spine of eight young volunteers, ages 22 to 36 years, was axially compressed with a force equivalent to 50% of body weight, approximating the normal load on the lumbar spine in upright posture. Sagittal lumbar magnetic resonance imaging was performed to measure intervertebral angle and disc height before and during compression. RESULTS: Each intervertebral angle before and during compression was as follows: T12-L1 (-0.8 degrees +/- 2.5 degrees and -1.5 degrees +/- 2.6 degrees ), L1-L2 (0.7 degrees +/- 1.4 degrees and 3.3 degrees +/- 2.9 degrees ), L2-L3 (4.7 degrees +/- 3.5 degrees and 7.3 degrees +/- 6 degrees ), L3-L4 (7.9 degrees +/- 2.4 degrees and 11.1 degrees +/- 4.6 degrees ), L4-L5 (14.3 degrees +/- 3.3 degrees and 14.9 degrees +/- 1.7 degrees ), L5-S1 (25.8 degrees +/- 5.2 degrees and 20.8 degrees +/- 6 degrees ), and L1-S1 (53.4 degrees +/- 11.9 degrees and 57.3 degrees +/- 16.7 degrees ). Negative values reflect kyphosis, and positive values reflect lordosis. A significant difference between values before and during compression was obtained at L3-L4 and L5-S1. There was a significant decrease in disc height only at L4-L5 during compression. CONCLUSIONS: The axial force of 50% body weight in supine posture simulates the upright lumbar spine morphologically. No change in intervertebral angle occurred at L4-L5. However, disc height at L4-L5 decreased significantly during compression.

Non-NASA Center↗
DOE OSTI2025

In Situ 4D‐STEM Imaging of the Orientation of Lamellar Clusters in Polymer Crystallization

In semi‐crystalline polymeric materials, the initial stages of nucleation and the growth path of crystalline domains can determine the final performance. Here, in this work, we used four‐dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D‐STEM) imaging to analyze the changes in lamellar orientation in high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) during heating and cooling. This method allowed us to quantitatively detect the formation of lamellae clusters with different in‐plane orientations, which are not visible with traditional methods. Our analysis provided detailed insights into the orientation and size changes of crystalline domains. Additionally, this technique enabled direct observation of lattice structures in hierarchical lamellae and the growth of crystals, confirming the local variability in lamellar orientation. This innovative approach significantly improves our understanding of polymer crystallization, linking changes in morphology and lattice structures at different length scales.

4D-STEM↗
DOE OSTI2026

Synthetic Biology of Plants and Microbes for Agriculture, Environment, and Future Applications

Agriculture is under pressure to provide food for a growing population and the feedstock required to drive the bioeconomy. Methods to breed and genetically modify plants are inadequate to keep pace. When engineering crops, traits are painstakingly introduced into plants one-at-a-time, combine unpredictably, and are continuously expressed. Synthetic biology is changing these paradigms with new genome construction tools, computer aided design (CAD), and artificial intelligence (AI). “Smart plants” contain circuits that respond to environmental change, alter morphology, or respond to threats. Further, the plant and associated microbes (fungi, bacteria, archaea) are now being viewed by genetic engineers as a holistic system. Historically, plant health has been enhanced by many natural and laboratory-evolved soil microbes marketed to enhance growth, provide nutrients, or confer pest/stress resistance. Synthetic biology has expanded the number of species that can be engineered, increased the complexity of engineered functions, controlled environmental release, and assembled stable consortia. New CAD tools will manage genetic engineering projects spanning multiple plant genomes (nucleus, chloroplast, mitochondrion) and the thousands of genomes of associated bacteria/fungi. Here, this review covers advanced genetic engineering techniques to drive the next agricultural revolution, as well as push plant engineering into new realms for manufacturing, infrastructure, sensing, and remediation.

Clauer, Phillip [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology↗
DOE OSTI2025

Revealing the Crystalline Architecture of Semicrystalline Ion Exchange Membranes for the Design of Conductive and Durable Alkaline Anion Exchange Membranes

Alkaline anion exchange membrane (AAEM) fuel cells offer a cost-effective alternative to proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells by eliminating the need for expensive precious metal catalysts. In both PEMs and AAEMs, semicrystalline polymers are a common choice, as the crystalline domains can act as mechanical reinforcements that limit swelling and promote mechanical durability in the material. However, spatially resolved characterization of crystalline organization in ion exchange membranes beyond ensemble-averaged X-ray scattering is underrepresented, likely in part due to ionization damage limitations in soft materials. Here, in this study, we resolve the nanometer-size crystallites in semicrystalline ion exchange membranes by applying cryogenic four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (cryo-4D-STEM) along with data-processing algorithms designed to optimize signals at a low dose to minimize radiation damage. We investigate the effects of synthesis components, including molecular weight and thermal treatment, on a model system of AAEMs in comparison to Nafion, the most commonly used and commercially successful PEM today. We find that excess water uptake in polymer membranes, a property directly associated with weak mechanical durability and with possible negative impacts on ion conductivity, can be reduced by over 30% by varying the polymer's crystalline morphology through changes in synthesis parameters such as molecular weight and thermal history. Our results indicate that this improvement is correlated with smaller crystalline domains with a more homogeneous distribution. More broadly, these results demonstrate how the crystalline architecture of polymer membranes can be tuned through their chemistry and thermal treatment in order to improve their conductivity and durability for commercial fuel cell performance.

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

Active Fluids Form System-Spanning Filamentary Networks

Recent experimental realizations of liquid-liquid phase separation of active liquid crystals have offered an insight into the interaction between phase separation, ubiquitous in soft matter and biology, and chaotic active flows. Here, in this Letter, we use continuum theory to examine phase separation of an active liquid crystal and a passive fluid and report two new results. First, we provide an analytical derivation of the activity-induced suppression of the phase boundary of the coexistence region—a result first reported in simulations and experiments. We show that the shift in the critical point is a result of the balance between self-stirring active flows and phase-separating diffusive fluxes. Second, we show that this same balance is responsible for dramatically changing the morphology of the phase separated state, resulting in the emergence of a new mixed active phase consisting of a dynamical filamentous active network that invades the entire system area, trapping droplets of passive material. This structure exists even for very low volume fractions of active material. Our work provides an important step towards the goal of understanding how to use activity as a new handle for sculpting interfaces.

active nematics↗
DOE OSTI2026

RU Net for Automatic Characterization of TRISO Fuel Cross Sections

TRistructural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel is a type of nuclear fuel known for its high-temperature and high-burnup performance. Each sub-millimeter diameter TRISO particle consists of uranium-oxycarbide (UCO) or UO2 fuel kernel, coated with buffer, inner pyrolytic carbon (IPyC), silicon carbide (SiC), and outer pyrolytic carbon (OPyC) layers. The SiC layer acts as the main containment barrier for the TRISO particle to retain the fission products, while the IPyC and OPyC layers provide additional barriers to the release of fission products, especially fission gases. During irradiation, phenomena like kernel swelling, buffer densification, and IPyC fracture may impact fuel performance. Post-irradiation microscopy on entire compact cross sections or samples of individual particles deconsolidated from compacts is often used to identify these irradiation-induced changes in morphology. However, each fuel compact generally contains thousands of TRISO particles. To get statistical information on these phenomena, it is cumbersome work if done manually. For example, to get information about swelling/densification behaviors of different layers or kernels after irradiation, researchers previously manually measured the perimeter of each TRISO layer in hundreds of particles after four rounds of iterative grinding and polishing encompassing more than 2000 cross-section images for a total of four fuel compacts. To attempt to reduce the subjectivity inherent in that process and accelerate data analysis, we conducted a study on the automatic TRISO layer segmentation on cross-sectional microscopic images using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). CNNs are a class of machine learning algorithms specifically designed for processing structured grid data that have gained popularity in recent years due to their remarkable performance in various computer vision tasks, including image classification, object detection, and image segmentation. In this research, we have generated the large irradiated TRISO layer dataset with more than 2000 cross-section TRISO microscopic images and the corresponding annotated images. Based on these annotated images, we have employed different CNNs for automatic segmentation of different TRISO layers. These include RU-Net (developed in this study), as well as three existing architectures: U-Net, Residual Network (ResNet), and Attention U-Net. The preliminary results show that the model based on RU-Net has the best performance in terms of intersection-over-union (IoU). Through the aid of these CNN models, we can expedite the analysis of TRISO particle cross-sections, significantly reducing the manual labor involved and improving the objectivity of the segmentation results.

Convolutional Neural Networks↗
NASA NTRS1971

Contributions to Astrogeology: Geology of the lunar crater volcanic field, Nye County, Nevada

The Lunar Crater volcanic field in east-central Nevada includes cinder cones, maars, and basalt flows of probably Quaternary age that individually and as a group resemble some features on the moon. Three episodes of volcanism are separated by intervals of relative dormancy and erosion. Changes in morphology of cinder cones, degree of weathering, and superposition of associated basalt flows provide a basis for determining the relative ages of the cones. A method has been devised whereby cone heights, base radii, and angles of slope are used to determine semiquantitatively the age relationships of some cinder cones. Structural studies show that cone and crater chains and their associated lava flows developed along fissures and normal faults produced by tensional stress. The petrography of the basalts and pyroclastics suggests magmatic differentiation at depth which produced interbedded subalkaline basalts, alkali-olivine basalts, and basanitoids. The youngest flows in the field are basanitoids.

Scott, D. H.↗