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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 325 records · Page 18
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Atomic-Scale Characterization of Dilute Dopants in Topological Insulators via STEM–EDS Using Registration and Cell Averaging Techniques

Magnetic dopants in three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) offer a promising avenue for realizing the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) without the necessity for an external magnetic field. Understanding the relationship between site occupancy of magnetic dopant elements and their effect on macroscopic property is crucial for controlling the QAHE. By combining atomic-scale energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) maps obtained by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM) and novel data processing methodologies, including semi-automatic lattice averaging and frame registration, we have determined the substitutional sites of Mn atoms within the 1.2% Mn-doped Sb 2 Te 3 crystal. More importantly, the methodology developed in this study extends beyond Mn-doped Sb 2 Te 3 to other quantum materials, traditional semiconductors, and even electron irradiation sensitive materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Efficient Entanglement of Spin Qubits Mediated by a Hot Mechanical Oscillator

Localized electronic and nuclear spin qubits in the solid state constitute a promising platform for storage and manipulation of quantum information, even at room temperature. However, the development of scalable systems requires the ability to entangle distant spins, which remains a challenge today. We propose and analyze an efficient, heralded scheme that employs a parity measurement in a decoherence free subspace to enable fast and robust entanglement generation between distant spin qubits mediated by a hot mechanical oscillator. We find that high-fidelity entanglement at cryogenic and even ambient temperatures is feasible with realistic parameters and show that the entangled pair can be subsequently leveraged for deterministic controlled-NOT operations between nuclear spins. Our results open the door for novel quantum processing architectures for a wide variety of solid-state spin qubits.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Fabrication of ultrathin suspended membranes from atomic layer deposition films

In this report, ultrathin films suspended as freestanding membranes are critical to many microelectronic and materials science applications. However, fabrication methods are currently limited in either their flexibility, due to material selectivity issues during the final membrane release, or their scalability. Here, we demonstrate a novel fabrication process for suspending ultrathin films with thicknesses as low as 4 nm and lateral dimensions up to 20 x 1000 μm from a variety of materials grown by atomic layer deposition. A silicon nitride membrane serves as the support for a sacrificial polymer layer and an ultrathin atomic layer deposition film which, after plasma etching, will form the membrane. The high chemical selectivity between atomic layer deposition-grown transition metal nitrides and oxides and the sacrificial polymer means that ultrathin films of a variety of materials can be released without damage using a single process. Electrically conductive titanium nitride membranes can be produced by this method and are of significant interest for electron microscopy applications. Electron transparency of titanium nitride membranes was found to be ~14% higher than silicon nitride of the same thickness, and of similar conductivity to graphite, meaning that ultrathin, conductive, and electron transparent membranes can be fabricated at scale. These membranes are ideal supports for electron and photon characterization techniques, as well as microelectromechanical system applications that require a conductive membrane.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Quantitative multi-image analysis in metals research

Abstract Quantitative multi-image analysis (QMA) is the systematic extraction of new information and insight through the simultaneous analysis of multiple, related images. We present examples illustrating the potential for QMA to advance materials research in multi-image characterization, automatic feature identification, and discovery of novel processing-structure–property relationships. We conclude by discussing opportunities and challenges for continued advancement of QMA, including instrumentation development, uncertainty quantification, and automatic parsing of literature data. Graphical abstract

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Modeling, Design, and Testing of a Novel Biphasic Solvent-Enabled Absorption System for Post-Combustion Carbon Capture

A novel absorption process enabled by a new class of biphasic solvents for post-combustion carbon capture (BiCAP) is presently being developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The new biphasic solvents are water-lean solvent blends that develop dual liquid phases with the absorbed CO2 highly enriched in one of the phases. These solvents are superior in CO2 capacity and have high thermal and oxidative stability compared to MEA. The BiCAP technology features a unique process configuration of multi-stage CO2 absorption and liquid–liquid phase separation during CO2 absorption, allowing continual separation and removal of the CO2-enriched liquid phase for maintaining low solvent viscosity and a fast absorption rate. A 40 kWe-scale skid has recently been constructed at the Abbott Power Plant in Champaign, IL, to test the BiCAP solvent in continuous operation with a slipstream of real post-combustion flue gas. Along with improvements in the stripping configuration including cold feed bypass, the process is expected to achieve a minimum reboiler duty of 2,210 kJ/kg CO2 captured at a stripper operating pressure of 6 bar.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Abstract for CRADA between the National Energy Technology Laboratory and General Motors (AGMT-0876)

Lightweight aluminum shape castings have widespread applications for structural components in the automotive, aerospace, and general engineering industries because of their excellent castability, corrosion resistance, and particularly high strength-to-weight ratio in the heat-treated condition. In the automotive industry, cast aluminum alloys have been increasingly used to replace cast iron and steel in vehicle applications such as engine blocks, cylinder heads, intake manifolds, brackets, housings, chassis, transmission parts, and suspension systems to reduce mass. As many of the aluminum shape castings used in automobiles involve cyclic loading, fatigue properties of the castings are critical to their success. The increasing use of lightweight aluminum cast components in critical structures thus requires improved integrity, with more reliable and quantifiable performance. The objective of this project is to demonstrate and further develop GM’s patent-pending, novel casting process, “Pressure-Assistant Precision Sand Casting (PAPSC) for producing flawless cast aluminum cylinder heads with minimum manufacturing and energy costs”. The approach is to leverage NETL’s experience in producing high-quality metal castings through various microstructure control and defect elimination technologies as well as comprehensive quantification of microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties. A baseline (production) alloy together with the melt treatment will be initially evaluated with the new PAPSC process to develop and validate the process window for producing flawless cast aluminum heads.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Supercritical Treatment Technology for Water Purification (Annual Final Report)

This project continued the development of the Supercritical Water Extraction – Enhanced Targeted Recovery (SWEETR™) technology, a novel desalination process for treating hypersaline brines. The overall objective is to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of an innovative, energy efficient, and robust supercritical desalination technology to treat hypersaline solutions and separating saltwater into a pure water stream and valuable recovered solids, resulting in zero liquid discharge (ZLD). The proposed technology, focuses on innovative methods of applying supercritical water to treat highly concentrated brine solutions without incurring a high energy penalty. Integrating the technology with solar energy reduces the energy cost for the system. The results obtained during the proof-of-concept testing demonstrate that the SWEETR™ concept is technically feasible and that supercritical water treatment is a viable option with strong merit for treating high salinity waters. The strategic design of the system provides the opportunity to localize the supercritical zone, which helps reduce the overall energy cost associated with the desalination process. The process can be tuned to remove only the amount of salts required to make the treated water “fit for purpose”, providing further opportunities to minimize energy costs. The ability to destroy organic compounds associated with the water while simultaneously being able to desalinate makes SWEETR™ uniquely fitted for treating aqueous streams such as produced water from oil and gas extraction which contain small amounts of organics. Such mixed contaminant streams pose an extreme challenge for other treatment options. Future work will further develop the SWEETR™ technology to take it from the bench-scale to the pilot-scale, and ready the technology for commercial application.

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Coal to Carbon Fiber – A Novel Supercritical CO 2 Solvated Process

This project aims to demonstrate, independently, the three primary processes necessary to produce carbon fiber from coal feedstock material and assess the potential for those independent processes to integrate into a single, continuous process in order to provide significant cost reductions in the most costly steps of carbon fiber processing. The specific objective of the present research is to assess the technical feasibility for generation of quality carbon fiber pre-cursor materials from coal using a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) solvation process.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2023

Applying molecular dynamics simulations to the study of micro cold spray of yttria

Micro cold spray (MCS) is a novel manufacturing process with proven success depositing dense, thick films of technical ceramics without the need for elevated processing temperatures or chemical precursors. The process transforms a loose sub-micrometer powder into an adherent film with mechanical properties approaching that of the bulk material through a phenomenon known as room temperature impact consolidation. While this phenomenon has been demonstrated for a wide variety of ceramic materials and film substrates, yttria stands out as a material that is both well-characterized in experiments and of significant interest for industrial applications due to its excellent refractory properties. This dissertation seeks to investigate the fundamental mechanisms that enable room temperature impact consolidation by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of yttria particle impacts and characterizing the deformation behavior of the system.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Non-Fouling, Low Cost Electrolytic Coagulation & Disinfection for Treating Flowback and Produced Water for Reuse

Executive Summary This Final Report is composed of two major sections. The first section presents experimental results obtained in the laboratory during Budget Period 1. The second section presents results from the field test conducted during Budget Period 2. Laboratory Results This research investigated a novel electrochemical process for producing a ferric iron coagulant for use in treating flowback and produced water from hydraulic fracturing and oil production operations. The treatment system improves the effectiveness and lowers the cost of coagulation processes using Fe3+ as the coagulant. The electrolytic coagulant generation (ECG) system uses an electrochemical cell to produce acid and base from oilfield brine solutions. The acid is used to dissolve scrap iron to provide a Fe3+ coagulating agent. The base is used to neutralize the treated water. Compared to conventional electrocoagulation (EC), the main advantage of the ECG system is an order of magnitude lower cost for the source of iron. The second advantage over conventional EC is that it can deliver Fe3+ doses greater than 1 mM, since it is not limited by the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water required to oxidize ferrous to ferric iron. The capital costs for conventional EC and the ECG system are similar, but the operational costs for the ECG system are an order of magnitude lower than conventional EC. The combined costs for iron and electrical energy for treating 1 m3 of FPW with 1 mM Fe3+ is estimated to be $0.87 for conventional EC, and $0.087 for the ECG system. The estimated all-in cost for treating FPW with a 2 mM Fe3+ dose is $0.73/m3 ($0.12/bbl). Field Test Results The field test was conducted at the Paul Foster Central Tank Battery (CTB) in Lea County, New Mexico from November 10, 2022 through December 15, 2022. The feed water to the system was produced water from the Tatanka 1H formation. After approximately two weeks of testing, the initial batch of produced water had been treated and no untreated produced water was available. Thus, after this time, the feed water to the system consisted of previously treated water (i.e., recycled water). The recycled water had nearly all colloidal particles removed, and had a much lower alkalinity due to precipitation of carbonate minerals during the first pass through the system. Although the recycled water was not an ideal test solution due to its low particulate concentrations, its lower alkalinity did allow us to identify the main problem with the treatment system. The main problem with the treatment system was caused by the high alkalinity of the initial feed water (5.4 meq/L) that consumed a significant fraction of the electrochemically generated acid. This resulted in pH values exiting the iron contact tank that were too high to dissolve enough iron to effectively treat the produced water. Tests performed with recycled water with lower alkalinity did not have this issue, and dissolved iron concentrations greater than 20 mM could be achieved. One consistent observation was that effluent water from the iron contact tank was always free of particulates, even when fed with circumneutral solutions. This suggests that there is no need to dissolve high concentrations of iron if all the water to be treated is passed through the scrap iron canister. In this case, dissolved O2 and hypochlorous acid can promote sufficient iron corrosion to provide an effective coagulating agent – even in neutral pH water. This solves the problem resulting from highly alkaline produced water. Modifications to the design of the treatment system were made based on the field test results. These modifications will add minimal additional cost, and were tested in bench-scale laboratory experiments. In short-term testing, the modified treatment process was able to remove colloidal FeS particulates to levels below detection. Long-term, steady state testing will be required to determine whether the modified process is suitable for commercial treatment systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multiscale simulations of novel lithium electrolytes for improved processability and performance of solid-state batteries

In FY23, we performed atomic-scale simulations and developed analysis tools to understand the dynamic behaviors of Li ions and cation/anion components and predict mechanical properties in a new class of Li-ion solid electrolytes (SEs) developed by TRINA. Specifically, we revealed the transport characteristics of Li ions in anion sublattice, rotational dynamics of anion and cation components, and the effect of cation and anion on Li transport as well as interactions between cation and anions. The results imply that the transport characteristics in these soft materials may be affected by processing conditions significantly, which will offer the necessary insights to optimize these future SEs and accelerate the deployment of practical and easily processable Solid-state batteries (SSBs).

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Redox Biochemistry of Energy Conservation in Methanogens and their Syntrophic Partners

The primary objective of this project was to uncover previously unknown modes by which living organisms harvested energy. Specifically, it queried microbial systems, which were once thought to not be able to utilize oxygen. Through the use of cutting-edge approaches, we were able to identify novel mechanistic processes that allow organisms to thrive under varying environmental conditions. This constitutes a paradigm shift in the field. Our work has opened new vistas for expanding the horizons of energy conservation in biological systems, as well as shed light on green energy innovations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mechanically Robust High Magnetic Performance Sm-Co Sintered Magnets (Final Report)

Samarium-cobalt based permanent magnets (SmCo 5 and Sm 2 Co 17 ) have excellent magnetic properties, good corrosion resistance, and long-term thermal stability. Sm-Co sintered magnets have been widely used in electric machines, telecommunication, biomedical devices, and magnetic sensors. They are the most preferred magnets for high-temperature applications (200 - 550 °C). However, Sm-Co sintered magnets are brittle. They cannot be used for applications subjected to high stress, vibration, or mechanical shock. Sm-Co sintered magnets are prone to chipping, and fracture in the course of block magnet manufacturing, part machining, assembly, and operation. The brittleness leads to a magnet production loss of up to 20-30% in volume and imposes limitations on part size and shape. Developing mechanically robust high-performance Sm-Co sintered magnets is of great scientific and technical significance. This project is in response to the current market need for mechanically robust high magnetic performance Sm-Co sintered magnets and their novel manufacturing processes. The project will focus on scaling-up, validation, and technology maturation study of the mechanically tough high magnetic performance Sm-Co magnets developed by Ames Laboratory at a lab-scale with the collaboration of the industry partner Electron Energy Corporation (EEC).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rapid Laser Reactive Sintering of Garnet Li 6.4 La 3 Zr 1.4 Ta 0.6 O 12 and Li 6.1 La 3 Zr 2 Al 0.3 O 12 and Solid-State Electrolytes

All solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs) have gained significant interest in recent years due to their wide range of applications, including mobile devices, electric vehicles, and grid storage. Garnet-type Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO) solid-state electrolyte (SSE) continues to be a significant player in the fabrication of ASSLIBs with excellent ionic conductivity on the order of 10 -3 S•cm -1 with the integration of dopants and sintering aids to assist conductivity and structural evolution during the sintering procedure. Traditional sintering techniques, such as solid-state sintering (SSS), have been proven to yield desirable crystal structures. However, the low ionic conductivity results from inferior microstructure, and lithium loss is a significant challenge. Recently, a relatively novel sintering process called rapid laser sintering (RLS) has shown great potential for achieving fully dense solid oxide electrolytes with less lithium loss, resulting in high ionic conductivity [1] [2] [3] [4]. Here, we applied a modified RLS method using precursor powders instead of pre-synthesized LLZO powders to fabricate Al-doped LLZO (Li 6.1 La 3 Zr 2 Al 0.3 O 12 + 13 wt% Li 2 CO 3 ) and Ta-doped LLZO (Li 6.4 La 3 Zr 1.4 Ta 0.6 O 12 + 5 wt% LiOH•H 2 O) dense electrolytes. This rapid laser reactive sintering (RLRS) could potentially reduce the number of processing steps and therefore lower the manufacturing cost. We hope the rapid high-temperature sintering can densify the electrolyte and avoid the lithium loss for achieving high lithium-ion conductivity. In this work, we optimized a combination of laser parameters (speed and power), initial precursor composition, and controlled atmospheres to discover the optimal conditions for reaching the efficacious crystal structure, microstructure, and ionic conductivity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Durable and Low-Cost Fractal Structured Multifunctional Coatings for Next-Generation CSP

Fractal coatings on various low-cost and high-temperature metallic substrates such as SS316, SS347, In800H, In740H, In625, Haynes 230, etc. were fabricated employing our patented novel electrodeposition process at various deposition potentials and deposition times, as well as chemical etching. The best combination of the materials and processing conditions were co-optimized for the reliable and repeatable fabrication of the multifunctional coatings. Surface morphologies were examined using SEM and AFM, and fractal characterization was done using a 3D optical surface profiler. Fractal dimension was used to identify successful fabrication and material parameters. The mechanical durability of the coatings was evaluated using several standardized tests, such as sand abrasion (ASTM D968) and adhesion (ASTM D3359), to fully characterize and demonstrate the mechanical durability of the fabricated surfaces. HTF immersion tests on the fractal multifunctional coatings were conducted based on a modification of the ASTM D870, which is established for static water immersion testing. To calculate the corrosion rates and descaled weight loss of the samples subjected to thermal exposure for different time durations (100 h, 300 h, 500 h, and optionally 750 h) to estimate the corrosion rate. While protecting the substrates from corrosion is an important goal, an allied goals is also to examine the post-corrosion temperature stability and properties of the molten salts themselves due to the dissolution of the constituents of the alloys and the corrosion products from the coatings that cause “fouling” of the molten salts. Fouling characteristics of the different molten salt HTFs exposed to coated and uncoated substrates were investigated. Finally, considering a prototype molten salt/sCO2 heat exchanger, cost/performance model is developed to demonstrate that the coatings on low-cost alloys such as stainless steel provide lower levelized cost of heat exchanger compared to high nickel content Ha230.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗