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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Chain-length-controllable upcycling of polyolefins to sulfate detergents

Escalating global plastic pollution and the depletion of fossil-based resources underscore the urgent need for innovative end-of-life plastic management strategies in the context of a circular economy. Thermolysis is capable of upcycling end-of-life plastics to intermediate molecules suitable for downstream conversion to eventually high-value chemicals, but tuning the molar mass distribution of the products is challenging. Here, in this study, we report a temperature-gradient thermolysis strategy for the conversion of polyethylene and polypropylene into hydrocarbons with tunable molar mass distributions. The whole thermolysis process is catalyst- and hydrogen-free. The thermolysis of polyethylene and polyethylene/polypropylene mixtures with tailored temperature gradients generated oil with an average chain length of ~C 14 . The oil featured a high concentration of synthetically useful α-olefins. Computational fluid dynamics simulations revealed that regulating the reactor wall temperature was the key to tuning the hydrocarbon distributions. Subsequent oxidation of the obtained α-olefins by sulfuric acid and neutralization by potassium hydroxide afforded sulfate detergents with excellent foaming behaviour and emulsifying capacity and low critical micelle concentration. Overall, this work provides a viable approach to producing value-added chemicals from end-of-life plastics, improving the circularity of the anthropogenic carbon cycle.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Co-introduction of precipitate hardening and TRIP in a TWIP high-entropy alloy using friction stir alloying

Tuning deformation mechanisms is imperative to overcome the well-known strength-ductility paradigm. Twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP), transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) and precipitate hardening have been investigated separately and have been altered to achieve exceptional strength or ductility in several alloy systems. In this study, we use a novel solid-state alloying method—friction stir alloying (FSA)—to tune the microstructure, and a composition of a TWIP high-entropy alloy by adding Ti, and thus activating site-specific deformation mechanisms that occur concomitantly in a single alloy. During the FSA process, grains of the as-cast face-centered cubic matrix were refined by high-temperature severe plastic deformation and, subsequently, a new alloy composition was obtained by dissolving Ti into the matrix. After annealing the FSA specimen at 900 °C, hard Ni–Ti rich precipitates formed to strengthen the alloy. An additional result was a Ni-depleted region in the vicinity of newly-formed precipitates. The reduction in Ni locally reduced the stacking fault energy, thus inducing TRIP-based deformation while the remaining matrix still deformed as a result of TWIP. Our current approach presents a novel microstructural architecture to design alloys, an approach that combines and optimizes local compositions such that multiple deformation mechanisms can be activated to enhance engineering properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Unraveling the Highly Plastic Behavior of ALD-Aluminum Oxide Encapsulations by Small-Scale Tensile Testing

We present a study directly measuring the electron-beam-induced plasticity of amorphous Al 2 O 3 coatings. Core–shell nanostructures are employed as small-scale model systems for two-dimensional coatings made by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Copper nanowires (NWs) are used as substrates for ALD deposition, representing a model system for interconnects commonly found in integrated circuits. Experiments are performed in situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) and further analyzed with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Our in situ TEM tensile experiments reveal the highly plastic behavior of the ALD shell, which withstands a maximum strain of 188%. Comparable samples under beam-off conditions show a brittle fracture, which underlines the effect of electron irradiation. The electron-beam-activated bond switching within the amorphous network enables compensation of the applied tensile strain, leading to viscous flow. By incorporating an intermediate nanocrystalline layer within the Al 2 O 3 shell, the plasticity is suppressed and brittle fracture occurs. This work directly demonstrates the tuning of mechanical properties in amorphous ALD structures through electron irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

ChemPren: a new and economical technology for conversion of waste plastics to light olefins

With the ever-increasing demand for plastics, sustainable recycling methods are key necessities. Here, the current plastics industry can manage to recycle only 10% of the 400 million metric tons of plastic produced globally. Waste plastics, in the current infrastructure, land up mostly in landfills. Although a lot of research efforts have been spent on processing and recycling co-mingled mixed plastics, energy-efficient sustainable and scalable routes for plastic upcycling are still lacking. Catalytic valorization of waste plastic feedstock is one of the potential scalable routes for plastic upcycling. Silica-alumina based materials, and zeolites have shown a lot of promise. A major interest lies in restricting catalyst deactivation, and refining product selectivity and yield for such catalytic processes. This article highlights ChemPren technology as a clean energy solution to waste plastic recycling. Co-mingled, mixed plastic feedstock along with spray dried, attrition resistant, ZSM-5 containing catalysts is preprocessed with an extruder to form optimally sized particles and fed into a fluidized bed reactor for short contact times to produce selectively and in high yields ethylenes, propylenes and butylenes. This techno-economic perspective indicates that the ChemPren technology can produce propylene at $\$$0.16 per lb, whereas the current selling price of virgin propylene is $0.54 per lb. This technology can serve as a platform for mixed plastic upcycling, with more advancements necessary in the form of robust and resilient catalysts and reactor operation strategies for tuning product selectivity.

25 - ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2006

Tunable Fiber Bragg Grating Ring Lasers using Macro Fiber Composite Actuators

The research reported herein includes the fabrication of a tunable optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) fiber ring laser (FRL)1 from commercially available components as a high-speed alternative tunable laser source for NASA Langley s optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR) interrogator, which reads low reflectivity FBG sensors. A Macro-Fiber Composite (MFC) actuator invented at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) was selected to tune the laser. MFC actuators use a piezoelectric sheet cut into uniaxially aligned rectangular piezo-fibers surrounded by a polymer matrix and incorporate interdigitated electrodes to deliver electric fields along the length of the piezo-fibers. This configuration enables MFC actuators to produce displacements larger than the original uncut piezoelectric sheet. The FBG filter was sandwiched between two MFC actuators, and when strained, produced approximately 3.62 nm of wavelength shift in the FRL when biasing the MFC actuators from 500 V to 2000 V. This tunability range is comparable to that of other tunable lasers and is adequate for interrogating FBG sensors using OFDR technology. Three different FRL configurations were studied. Configuration A examined the importance of erbium-doped fiber length and output coupling. Configuration B demonstrated the importance of the FBG filter. Configuration C added an output coupler to increase the output power and to isolate the filter. Only configuration C was tuned because it offered the best optical power output of the three configurations. Use of Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) FBG s holds promise for enhanced tunability in future research.

Geddis, Demetris L.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Additive manufacturing of a metastable high entropy alloy: Metastability engineered microstructural control via process variable driven elemental segregation

Compositional paradigm shift in high entropy alloys (HEAs) provided new opportunities for microstructural engineering, whereas process control during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) enable fine microstructure tailoring. Metastability engineering in transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) HEAs by addition of minor alloying elements is an attractive strategy for fine microstructural tuning. This study explored in detail the microstructural evolution during LPBF AM of a metastable Fe 40 Mn 20 Co 20 Cr 15 Si 5 (at.%) dual phase HEA (CS-HEA). LPBF processing window for CS-HEA was established based on quantitative analysis and experiments. Based on melt pool overlap lack of fusion pores were observed at lower energy densities (J) of $\textit{J}$ ≤ 31.25 J/mm 3 and key-hole formation by melt pool destabilization in case of $\textit{J}$ ≥ 75 J/mm 3 . The microstructure of CS-HEA consists of metastable FCC-γ and HCP-ε phases; LPBF process parameters governed the final phase fraction in the alloy which has been correlated to metastability alteration of the high temperature γ phase. Final microstructural engineering was devised by LPBF process control which enabled cooling rate manipulation to guide Mn and Si segregation at the cell boundaries, thereby controlling the matrix metastability and final phase fraction. Additionally, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed disparity in stacking fault morphology in CS-HEA with LPBF process variable alterations associated with local variations in chemical composition and stacking fault energy. Further, the phase evolution with process parameters also affected the nanomechanical behavior of the alloy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spectrally-dependent positive and negative photo-plastic effects in CdZnTe and CdZnTeSe

We studied the Vickers microhardness HV0.025 of CdZnTe and CdZnTeSe samples upon illumination with quasi-monochromatic light with wavelengths ranging between 750 and 1540 nm. We observed that light with a wavelength close to or above the bandgap of the samples results in a positive photo-plastic effect (hardening), and light in the spectral range well below the band gap can lead both to positive or negative effects depending on the parameters of deep levels in the bandgap. We performed measurements of spectrally dependent photoconductivity and compared them with HV0.025. Based on the analysis, we propose a complex qualitative model explaining the spectral dependence of HV0.025 by the charging and neutralization of deep levels by optical transitions between the valence and conduction bands and between the bands and deep levels in the band gap. Tuning of parameters of deep levels could be used to control the sign and magnitude of the photo-plastic effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

The role of non-standard translation in Candida albicans pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Candida albicans typically resides in the human gastrointestinal tract and mucosal membranes as a commensal organism. To adapt and cope with the host immune system, it has evolved a variety of mechanisms of adaptation such as stress-induced mutagenesis and epigenetic regulation. Niche-specific patterns of gene expression also allow the fungus to fine-tune its response to specific microenvironments in the host and switch from harmless commensal to invasive pathogen. Proteome plasticity produced by CUG ambiguity, on the other hand is emerging as a new layer of complexity in C. albicans adaptation, pathogenesis, and drug resistance. Such proteome plasticity is the result of a genetic code alteration where the leucine CUG codon is translated mainly as serine (97%), but maintains some level of leucine (3%) assignment. In this review, we dissect the link between C. albicans non-standard CUG translation, proteome plasticity, host adaptation and pathogenesis. We discuss published work showing how this pathogen uses the fidelity of protein synthesis to spawn novel virulence traits.

Bezerra, Ana Rita (ORCID:0000000346131711)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Non-Invasive Biophysical Techniques to Monitor the Structural Plasticity of the Photosynthetic Machinery of Live Diatom Cells

The photosynthetic performance of diatoms depends largely on the organization and structural flexibility of their thylakoid membranes, the densely packed, highly organized membrane vesicles in which light reactions of photosynthesis occur. Different regulatory mechanisms that fine tune the photosynthetic functions affect the organization of the photosynthetic machinery at different levels of structural complexity, from the level of individual protein complexes to the macroarray of membrane proteins and the remodeling of the entire thylakoid membrane system. To monitor these reorganizations, non-invasive techniques are of special value. In this chapter, we focus our attention on three of these techniques, which have been demonstrated to provide unique and useful information on the structure and structural and functional plasticity of live diatom cells: (i) circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, which has provided unique information on the chiral (macro-)organization of protein complexes and on their rapid, reversible reorganizations, fine-tuning the light-harvesting processes, as well as on variations in the short-range excitonic interactions in the antenna complexes; (ii) small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), which has been used to determine the periodic organization of the thylakoid membranes and to monitor reversible ultrastructural changes on the time-scale of minutes, induced by variations in the environmental conditions such as changes in temperature or light intensity; and (iii) electrochromic shift absorbance transients (ΔA ECS ), a spectroscopic tool which has been shown to be capable of identifying distinct functional groups of the light-harvesting carotenoid fucoxanthin in different diatoms and in cells exposed to different light intensities. Future use of these techniques will most certainly contribute to the deeper understanding of key regulatory mechanisms of photosynthesis in diatoms.

Szabo, Milan↗
DOE OSTI2022

Neutrons in MINERvA and the Antineutrino Multi-Neutron Production Cross Section

Neutrinos are among a handful of particles in the Standard Model of particle physics whose properties have not yet been fully measured. Neutrino oscillations, discovered in the late 1990s, still have yet to be fully characterized. Early evidence suggests that neutrinos and antineutrinos may undergo neutrino oscillations differently. So, multiple collaborations are building and operating kTon-scale particle detectors to try to measure this CP violation in the neutrino sector of the Standard Model. Measuring neutrino and antineutrino energies is essential to characterizing oscillation phenomena. But neutrons interfere with (anti)neutrino energy measurements because they are hard to detect in (anti)neutrino detectors. Furthermore, there are very few measurements of neutrons produced by (anti)neutrinos in the energy range of interest to accelerator-based oscillation experiments. The MINERvA collaboration initially tried to fill this gap by measuring the rate of neutron-induced activity i n plastic. The data deviated significantly from leading model predictions, but it could not be determined which models needed to be tuned. MINERvA’s first neutron counting result also cannot be compared to future models because it was not suitable for unsmearing. This thesis first expands upon MINERvA’s first foray into neutron detection at higher antineutrino energy. Neutron detection efficiency is enhanced by advances in analysis algorithms. Then, an unsmeared cross section for producing two or more neutrons is measured. Existing antineutrino interaction models again over-predict the rate of neutron production by antineutrinos. Preliminary neutron production rate measurements in MINERvA’s iron and lead targets suggest that models are also over-predicting neutron production in heavier nuclei.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electrochemically-Induced Phase Transformations in Battery Storage Compounds (Final Technical Report)

Compounds of interest for ion storage in advanced batteries frequently exhibit phase transformations as the working ion concentration varies. Under large electrochemical driving forces inherent to practical use, systems are often driven far from equilibrium. This program combines experiments and theory to understand the phase transition behavior of ion insertion compounds when electrochemically driven far from equilibrium. As model systems, we focus on alkaline metal phosphates AMPO4 (A = alkali; M = first row transition metal) of olivine structure, which are both technologically interesting and ideally suited for fundamental study due to the ability to systematically tune transformation strain, and along with it, the phase transformation pathway. Behavior in compositions having large transformation strains (~15 vol%) requiring plasticity for strain accommodation is emphasized. Experimental techniques include operando characterization of structure while simultaneously varying electrokinetic parameters, and high resolution microscopy of nanoscale and interfacial phenomena. Phase-field modeling is used to model the thermodynamics and kinetics of competing transformation pathways, extended to include the effects of plasticity, and integrated with porous electrode kinetic theory to treat multi-particle effects. Success in this project will lead to an ability to design ion storage compounds with predictable transformation pathways, electrochemical kinetics, capacity utilization, and durability. New technologically important compounds may also be discovered.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis of hydrocarbons using iron-based alumina catalysts obtained via solution combustion synthesis

The demand for hydrogen is growing which makes the development of clean and efficient H2 synthesis technologies imperative. Microwave-assisted, thermocatalytic, dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons has demonstrated the ability to generate H2 with high yield and selectivity, leaving behind valuable solid carbon byproducts. However, this microwave-assisted process is unoptimized which prevents it from being utilized in industry. A critical component of optimization is the development of a catalyst that is catalytically active, a good microwave absorber, and can be regenerated for repeated dehydrogenation cycles. Previous studies that focused on plastic waste decomposition have used iron-based alumina (FeAlxOy) made via solution combustion synthesis (SCS). Unexplored is the effect of tuning SCS parameters on dehydrogenation performance, the use of these materials in hydrocarbon decomposition to H2, and the regeneration of these catalysts. This dissertation has three objectives: (1) characterize the relationship between SCS parameters and the material properties of FeAlxOy, (2) determine how differences in the material properties of FeAlxOy influence their performance as catalysts during microwave-assisted pyrolysis of fossil fuels, and (3) investigate the Boudouard reaction to regenerate the FeAlxOy post-dehydrogenation.

Chanoi, Zachary Aidan↗
DOE OSTI2021

Fine-tuned thermally cross-linkable 6FDA-based polyimide membranes for aggressive natural gas separation

Glassy 6FDA-based polyimides are attractive membrane materials for many industrially important gas separations; however, plasticization in aggressive natural gas often causes significant loss in CO 2 /CH 4 selectivity. In this study, a family of thermally cross-linkable 6FDA-based polyimides containing carboxyl groups were synthesized and cross-linked as dense films via decarboxylation-induced thermal crosslinking. As well as chemical structure, crosslinking temperatures above and below T g are shown to be synergistic tools. Our results demonstrate that structure evolution during the decarboxylation-induced crosslinking process is affected significantly by the 3,5-diaminobenzoic acid (DABA) content in the polymer backbone. Even for a 50/50 CO 2 /CH 4 binary mixture with feed pressure up to 800 psia, decarboxylation-induced crosslinking provides attractive gas separation performance and plasticization resistance. Combined facile structure tunability, crosslinkability and high asymmetric fiber spinnability make the cross-linkable 6FDA-based polyimides a versatile platform for diverse aggressive natural gas feeds encountered in practice. Finally, our study provides insights into material design of thermally cross-linkable polymer membranes for such a broad spectrum of aggressive gas separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Orientation dependence of the effect of short-range ordering on the plastic deformation of a medium entropy alloy

Multi-principal-element alloys (also known as medium and high entropy alloys) offer a much larger and richer design space than conventional alloys, providing opportunities for discovering new functionalities and their governing physics. Some of these alloys exhibit an outstanding combination of high strength and ductility, linked to the activation of various deformation modes triggered by low-energy stacking faults. However, a pressing question remains: Is the plasticity of medium- and high-entropy alloys governed only by stacking fault energy, or does atomic short-range order (SRO) play a role? Here, to answer this, we investigated how SRO affects the deformation in single-crystalline NiCoCr, with previous contradictory findings. First, we established unique experimental evidence for SRO formation in bulk single crystals using high-energy synchrotron transmission X-Ray Diffraction. By tuning the degree of SRO by aging at high temperatures, twinning density and strain-induced martensitic phase transformation can be significantly increased in the [110] and [111] orientations under tension, increasing the tensile ductility; yet, no increase was observed along the [001] orientation due to lack of TWinning-Induced Plasticity (TWIP) or TRansformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP), indicating a strong crystallographic orientation dependence. Our first-principles thermodynamic calculations unequivocally show SRO exists and governs the observed microstructural evolution and deformation hardening behavior. Here we find direct proof that SRO triggers a simultaneous TWIP and TRIP in NiCoCr, a rare microstructural evolution path. Our findings establish that the interplay of SRO and plasticity could be exploited to alter deformation modes and yield unprecedented mechanical response in medium- and high-entropy alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cryogenic Gear System for ADMX Tuning Cavity

The Axion Dark Matter Experiment (ADMX) searches for axions by converting them into detectable photons using resonant microwave cavities at cryogenic temperatures. A precise tuning system is needed to adjust cavity frequency without adding thermal load or electromagnetic interference. This project developed and tested a 1000 to 1 gear reduction system made from PEEK, a low thermal conductivity plastic with good dimensional stability and self lubrication at low temperatures. A compound gear train design of five 3 to 1 stages and one 4 to 1 stage achieves high reduction within a 40 mm diameter compact housing. Prototypes were 3D printed and later CNC machined in PEEK using Fusion 360 and Bantam Tools to confirm manufacturability. Prototype testing showed smooth gear engagement and no slipping. The final gearbox improves cavity tuning precision for axion searches while protecting cryogenic conditions.

Ortega, Giancarlo [Marquette U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Shaping Peptide Assemblies Using Multifaceted Cyclic Tectons

Constructing distinct biomacromolecular assemblies typically necessitates target-specific selection and engineering of building blocks alongside optimization of assembly conditions. The challenge lies in achieving diverse morphological outcomes using simple, shared modules under identical conditions, a hallmark of natural systems that remains elusive in synthetic approaches. Here, in this work, we present a molecular scaffold-based strategy to instruct the coassembly of the same set of peptides into a variety of nanostructures across multiple dimensions. We create trifaceted cyclic scaffolds to manipulate two pairs of dimeric coiled-coil peptides prior to coassembly. These scaffolds, with addressable and orthogonal modules, allow controlled exposure of their cohesive faces, directing the formation of nanotriangles and fibrillar and lamellar assemblies. By tuning interpeptide arrangements that dictate scaffold geometry, we construct nonstraight fibrils with tunable curvature, which are rarely observed before. Notably, these scaffolds exhibit plasticity in adapting the sizes and orientations of cohesive faces to different assembly morphologies. The resultant nanostructures are consistent with the design and simulation results, demonstrating the reliability and predictability of this approach. Multifaceted cyclic scaffolds bridge the intellectual and physical gaps between building peptides and assemblies, holding promise for endowing various existing assembly systems with high tunability and versatility.

assembly morphology↗
DOE OSTI2023

Efficient multi-scale representation of visual objects using a biologically plausible spike-latency code and winner-take-all inhibition

Deep neural networks have surpassed human performance in key visual challenges such as object recognition, but require a large amount of energy, computation, and memory. In contrast, spiking neural networks (SNNs) have the potential to improve both the efficiency and biological plausibility of object recognition systems. Here we present a SNN model that uses spike-latency coding and winner-take-all inhibition (WTA-I) to efficiently represent visual stimuli using multi-scale parallel processing. Mimicking neuronal response properties in early visual cortex, images were preprocessed with three different spatial frequency (SF) channels, before they were fed to a layer of spiking neurons whose synaptic weights were updated using spike-timing-dependent-plasticity. We investigate how the quality of the represented objects changes under different SF bands and WTA-I schemes. We demonstrate that a network of 200 spiking neurons tuned to three SFs can efficiently represent objects with as little as 15 spikes per neuron. Furthermore, studying how core object recognition may be implemented using biologically plausible learning rules in SNNs may not only further our understanding of the brain, but also lead to novel and efficient artificial vision systems.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lignin-Derived Methoxyterephthalates for Performance-Advantaged Polymers and Plasticizers

Lignin-derived aromatic carboxylic acids can be produced from oxidative catalytic processes and are promising building blocks for performance-advantaged bioproducts that leverage their inherent heteroatom functionalities. Here, we synthesize 2-methoxyterephthalate and 2,6-dimethoxyterephthalate derivatives by electrochemical carboxylation of guaiacyl- and syringyl-derived lignin monomers obtained from the oxidative deconstruction of lignin. These methoxylated terephthalates are evaluated as comonomers in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and as plasticizers that could replace petrochemically-derived isophthalate and phthalate, respectively. Specifically, we copolymerize 2-methoxy- and 2,6-dimethoxyterephthalate with dimethyl terephthalate to form several PET copolymers, both of which enable the properties of PET to be tuned, with an incorporation beyond 25% producing amorphous polyesters. At 10 mol % loading in the copolymers, we demonstrate that the bioderived comonomers exhibit comparable behavior to isophthalic acid, a commonly used comonomer in PET, by lowering the crystallinity and melting temperature. Moreover, methoxyterephthalate esters (2-ethylhexyl and butyl) are compared to phthalate and terephthalate ester counterparts used as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plasticizers. The bioderived plasticizers are comparable to the petroleum-derived incumbents in reducing the glass transition temperature and increasing the thermal stability of PVC. Furthermore, the dimethoxyterephthalic esters are expected to have an extended lifetime in the polymer matrix due to their lower volatility and lower diffusion coefficients calculated by molecular dynamic simulations. These results demonstrate that the isophthalate and phthalate components in polyesters and plasticizers, respectively, could be substituted with biobased methoxyterephthalate derivatives.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗