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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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151 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Delamination recycling of multilayer plastic films: Solvent-assisted separation pathways and recovery of solid polyolefins

Multilayer plastic films are excellent packaging materials due to the bound layers of multiple polymers, with each different polymer contributing to the film properties. Desirable properties lead to continuously growing demand for multilayer films. Multilayer plastic films are typically single-use and, as such, their increased production and disposal have led to waste management problems. Multilayer films are not currently recyclable primarily due to the multiple bound polymers. This work advances delamination as a recycling process to separate and sequester valuable polymers from multilayer films, facilitating the incorporation of these polymers into the circular economy. We effect delamination in a physical process that preserves targeted polymers as solid film, hence retaining their embodied energy. This work documents three different pathways of inducing delamination of multilayer films, with appropriate solvents disrupting adhesion between adjacent layers or dissolving a minor component of the film in less than an hour and at temperatures below 90°C, and where all initial polyethylene is maintained in its solid form throughout the process and is recovered at high purity. Solvent-based delamination is exemplified on commercial multilayer films with majority polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) or nylon also present. Solvent-based delamination is an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly recycling process that improves upon dissolution-precipitation recycling, since delamination involves very little dissolution and no precipitation, and is superior to pyrolysis which breaks down the polymers, while delamination keeps polymer chains intact. Furthermore, delamination recycling can contribute to the sustainable use of multilayer films as they continue to protect our food and medicine.

Chemical Recycling↗
DOE OSTI2026

Refractory-based thermal energy storage for industrial process heat: one-dimensional modeling, control, and optimization

The variable and weather-dependent output of wind and solar power plants present a substantial challenge for planning and operating electricity-systems, particularly in the absence of cost-effective and dispatchable energy storage technologies. This study investigates a high-temperature, electrically heated, refractory-based thermal energy storage (RTES) system that stores electrical energy as sensible heat in dense ceramic bricks over the 950–1800 °C range. The stored heat can be discharged as a controlled hot-gas stream for industrial heating, fuel substitution in high-temperature processes, or electricity generation. The main novelty is a comprehensive modelling, control, mapping, and optimization framework that integrates one-dimensional transient gas–solid heat transfer, fan-assisted discharge, bypass-flow regulation, reheating logic, fan-power evaluation, insulation-loss assessment, and genetic-algorithm-based design optimization. The model uses feedback from outlet temperature and delivered power to regulate discharge, while a two-stage genetic algorithm optimizes brick-channel geometry, gas-flow operation, and multilayer insulation thicknesses. Storage capacities below 50 MWh and discharge powers of 5–30 MW are analyzed to evaluate hold time, thermal delivery, fan-power penalty, heat loss, state-of-charge evolution, and indicative capital cost. Results demonstrate that optimized and well-insulated refractory-based thermal energy storage units can provide stable, efficient, and repeatable heat delivery over multiple discharge cycles. The generated performance and cost maps support modular refractory thermal energy storage as a practical option for large-scale integration of wind and solar generation and for high-temperature industrial process heat.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Digital Twin Based Condition Monitoring of LCC-LCC Inductive Power Transfer Systems

Inductive power transfer (IPT) systems provide a flexible, hands-free charging opportunity to electric vehicles (EV). The resonant network components and the transmitter and receiver coils are often subjected to high voltages or currents. Component aging in the compensation network and coils of resonant IPT systems is detrimental to the reliability and power transfer efficiency of the IPT system. Monitoring the component health of such multi-element complex systems requires robust optimization algorithms. This paper discusses condition monitoring of a resonant IPT system for an EV charger using a digital twin model. A hybrid estimation algorithm based on genetic algorithms and adaptive particle swarm optimization is developed to estimate the parameters of the digital twin model. Simulation results are used to verify the monitoring capabilities of the developed algorithm under various operating conditions of the IPT system.

Weldehawaryat, Lidya Mussie [graduate research ass↗
DOE OSTI2016

Chevron Natural Gas Carbon Capture Technology Testing Project (Final Technical Report)

The objective of this project was to design, construct, commission, and operate an engineering scale post combustion carbon capture system to validate the technical maturity, operability, and scalability of Svante’s VeloxoTherm™ solid sorbent carbon capture technology under representative flue gas conditions. The project was executed at Chevron’s Kern River oil field in the San Joaquin Valley of California and evaluated carbon capture performance using slipstream flue gas from natural gas fired once through steam generators (OTSG), including indicative coal and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) operating scenarios.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Technical Evaluation of Self-Protection Dose Rates in U.S. Domestic Nuclear Security Policy

U.S. nuclear security policy uses radiation self-protection as a basis for reducing material attractiveness, but existing dose-rate criteria may not reflect the time scales of theft or sabotage. This report evaluates whether the commonly cited 1 Gy/h at 1 m criterion can plausibly cause adversary task failure during short-duration malicious acts.

Fritchie, Jacob Wesley [Sandia National Laboratori↗
DOE OSTI2025

Carbon in GaN as a nonradiative recombination center

Trap-assisted nonradiative recombination has been shown to limit the efficiency of optoelectronic devices. While substitutional carbon (⁠C N ) has been suggested to be a nonradiative recombination center in GaN devices, a complete recombination cycle including the two charge-state transition levels has not been previously described. In this work, we investigate the trap-assisted recombination process due to C N in GaN, including multiphonon emission, radiative recombination, trap-assisted Auger–Meitner (TAAM) recombination as well as thermal emission of holes. Our study shows the key role of TAAM processes at the high carrier densities relevant for devices. We also reveal the carrier-density regimes where thermal emission and radiative recombination are expected to play an observable role. Our results highlight that carbon concentrations exceeding ~10 17 cm −3 can have a noticeable impact on device efficiency, not just in GaN active layers but also in InGaN and AlGaN. Furthermore, our comprehensive formalism not only offers detailed results for carbon but also provides a general framework for assessing the multiple processes that participate in trap-assisted recombination in semiconductors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Next-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated On-Road Vehicles (NEXTCAR) - Predictive Data-Driven Vehicle Dynamics and Powertrain Control: from ECU to the Cloud (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

This project developed and demonstrated a predictive, data-driven vehicle control system designed to improve energy efficiency and driving performance. The team created intelligent self-driving car technology that optimizes fuel and electricity use by proactively planning vehicle actions. By combining Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities with vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity, the system enables vehicles to adjust speed and change lanes in response to traffic signals, surrounding vehicles, and road conditions, reducing unnecessary stops and delays. In testing, the system improved vehicle fuel economy by more than 30% and reduced travel time by approximately 10%, compared to a conventional adaptive cruise control baseline. These results demonstrate the technical effectiveness of using predictive, V2X-enabled strategies, such as traffic light timing and surrounding traffic awareness, to inform real-time vehicle powertrain control and driving behavior. Additionally, a supporting cloud platform was developed to provide dispatch and route recommendations as well as to log vehicle data, demonstrating the economic feasibility of this approach at the fleet level. By optimizing dispatching and routing operations, this technology enables electric fleet operators to use their vehicles more efficiently and reduce reliance on diesel backups, lowering both operating costs and energy consumption. Overall, this project’s technology advances the future of clean, energy-efficient transportation, enabling vehicles and fleets to reduce energy waste, cut costs, and lower emissions through intelligent automation and connectivity.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Linking international technical specifications for acoustic characterization of marine energy converter sounds with environmental compliance criteria

As new ocean energy technologies emerge and are deployed for testing and operations, sound emissions are a potential concern for environmental effects to marine life. Consistent acoustic measurement and data analysis methods can help promote comparisons of technologies and transferability between project sites. In 2022, acoustic emissions from a prototype scale wave energy converter (WEC) were characterized for a range of environmental conditions and power generation states in the coastal waters off southern California using a set of international technical specifications. Results from the international technical specification analyses were applied to United States regulatory threshold criteria for acoustic impacts to marine mammals and examined in the context of European underwater noise monitoring guidelines. Weighted 24 hour cumulative sound exposure levels SEL24h calculated from the highest power generation state WEC sound pressure levels were often more than 20 dB below threshold criteria for temporary threshold shifts in five relevant marine mammal hearing groups. Following European Union recommendations for analyses and reporting, WEC sound characterization in third octave bands centered at 63 Hz and 125 Hz show clear spatial decay of WEC-generated noise, with more pronounced attenuation at 63 Hz, and a less marked but still detectable gradient at 125 Hz, collectively suggesting a relatively confined acoustic footprint under the observed conditions. The value of the international technical specification approach is highlighted by the isolation of WEC sounds from the surrounding soundscape. This allows for a robust characterization of acoustic emissions through a range of device power generation and sea states. Furthermore, in threshold-based regulatory contexts like the U.S., this facilitates direct evaluation of source contributions, while in broader monitoring frameworks used in the E.U. it provides a reproducible foundation for assessing the contribution of emerging ocean energy technologies to the underwater acoustic environment.

Haxel, Joseph H. (ORCID:0000000273864761)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Final Technical Report for DE-SC0022206

This project developed foundational genetic, genomic, and epigenetic tools for anaerobic fungi (Neocallimastigomycota), a group of microorganisms with exceptional natural abilities to deconstruct lignocellulosic biomass. Efficient biomass deconstruction remains a major barrier to economical production of renewable fuels, chemicals, and materials from agricultural and forestry residues. The project sought to enable mechanistic studies and future engineering of anaerobic fungi by improving genomic resources, establishing methods for gene expression, and investigating epigenetic regulation of biomass-degrading pathways. Major accomplishments included generation of the first chromosome-scale genome assemblies for multiple anaerobic fungal species, providing publicly available genomic resources that support both engineering and fundamental biological research. The project established the first reproducible system for heterologous gene expression in anaerobic fungi and identified genomic features and mobile genetic elements that may support future development of stable transformation technologies. In parallel, the project demonstrated direct conversion of untreated lignocellulosic biomass into fuels and specialty chemicals through a fungal-yeast bioprocess and identified anaerobic fungal enzymes with utility for metabolic engineering. The research also revealed that epigenetic regulation plays an important role in controlling fungal gene expression and enzyme production, identifying potential strategies for enhancing biomass degradation. Collectively, this work established anaerobic fungi as a tractable emerging platform for bioenergy and biomanufacturing research, generated valuable public resources, trained the next generation of researchers, and advanced DOE-BER goals related to predictive biology, sustainable bioprocessing, and the circular bioeconomy.

Solomon, Kevin [University of Delaware] (ORCID:000↗
DOE OSTI2026

Final Technical Report: Transport of Complex Mixtures in Ion-Containing Polymer Membranes

Permselective ion-containing membranes are an integral component for many applications from water treatment, fuel cells, and solar fuels devices where the selective transport of molecules and ions is desired. In solar fuels devices, ion-containing polymer membranes are responsible for permitting selective transport of ions between electrodes to maintain overall charge neutrality yet limit transport of reaction products produced at the electrodes. While the transport of single solutes through such membranes has been fairly well described, binary and multicomponent transport is poorly understood due to the myriad of interactions that occur in these systems (i.e. between co-permeants and between permeants and the membrane). Solar fuels devices are just one example of an application where understanding the transport of multiple simultaneous species is critically important to improving device performance as product crossover leads to reductions in overall device performance. The objectives of this research was to improve our understanding of the complex array of factors that influence transport behavior of multiple solutes within ion-containing polymer membranes. This experimental project addressed the lack of fundamental understanding of multicomponent transport behavior by synthesizing ion exchange membranes with varied incorporation of comonomers (ionic and neutral moieties) to investigate fundamental relationships between membrane structure, membrane physiochemical properties, and transport behavior of solutes and complex solute mixtures through dense, hydrated membranes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Prime Time for Model-Predictive Control? Assessing the Technical and Market Readiness of Advanced Controls in Buildings

Despite three decades of extensive research and field testing that have consistently validated the benefits of Model Predictive Control (MPC) in building applications, the technology has seen limited market adoption. This paper evaluates the readiness of MPC for widespread deployment, showcases recent demonstrations and field tests across diverse building types, including residential, small commercial, large commercial, and campus settings. Our results demonstrate that MPC can optimize system operations to achieve load shifting, minimize curtailment of on-site generation, and reduce energy costs by up to 80 %, while maintaining or improving occupant comfort. We also show that MPC can effectively control large assets, such as MW-sized thermal storage systems, and respond to dynamic pricing signals. However, achieving scale remains difficult due to labor-intensive workflows, reliance on a “PhD-in-the-loop” for MPC design and maintenance, susceptibility to fragile data infrastructure, and persistent workforce education and acceptance barriers. To bridge this gap, we outline a transition from bespoke, labor intensive prototypes toward streamlined, segment-targeted deployment strategies that leverage model templates, semantic tools, and generative AI. By automating control configuration and reducing engineering effort, these recommendations provide a pathway for transforming successful research demonstrations into scalable, market ready solutions for MPC-based controls.

Pritoni, Marco↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electron/hadron separation with the TRD based on GaAs pixel detectors

Transition Radiation Detectors (TRDs) are widely used for particle identification in both high-energy physics and astroparticle physics. They are typically equipped with gaseous detectors. The main limitation of these types of detectors is that TR photons and ionization losses cannot be decoupled, which significantly reduces the particle separation power. Recent advancements in the development of pixel detectors based on GaAs sensors offer a unique opportunity to effectively detect TR photons and separate them from ionization losses. Such detectors represent novel devices that combine precise tracking capabilities with particle identification (PID) properties. The present work is dedicated to an experimental study of particle identification properties of the TRD prototype based on 500 μ m-thick GaAs sensor bonded to a Timepix3 chip. Studies were performed at the CERN SPS and it was shown that at a particle momentum of 20 GeV/c, the probability of misidentifying a hadron as an electron is below 10 −2 for an electron detection efficiency of 98%–99%, and it is 1 . 6⋅10 −4 for electron detection efficiency of 90%. This performance surpasses the electron/hadron rejection power of all known TRDs by an order of magnitude for the same detector length.

GaAs detectors↗
DOE OSTI2024

The ReSWARM microgravity flight experiments: Planning, control, and model estimation for on‐orbit close proximity operations

Abstract On‐orbit close proximity operations involve robotic spacecraft maneuvering and making decisions for a growing number of mission scenarios demanding autonomy, including on‐orbit assembly, repair, and astronaut assistance. Of these scenarios, on‐orbit assembly is an enabling technology that will allow large space structures to be built in situ, using smaller building block modules. However, like many of these scenarios, robotic on‐orbit assembly involves several technical hurdles, such as changing system models. For instance, grappled modules moved by a free‐flying “assembler” robot can cause significant changes in the combined system inertia, which have cascading impacts on motion planning and control portions of the autonomy stack. Further, on‐orbit assembly and other scenarios require collision‐avoiding motion planning, particularly when operating in a “construction site” scenario of multiple assembler robots and structures. Multiple key technologies that address these complicating factors for autonomous microgravity close proximity operations are detailed in this work, in particular: (1) application of global long‐horizon planning, accomplished using offline and online sampling‐based planner options that consider the system dynamics; (2) adaptation of the recently proposed RATTLE information‐aware planning framework for on‐orbit reconfiguration model learning; and (3) connection with robust control tools to provide low‐level control robustness using current system knowledge. These approaches were demonstrated for an autonomous on‐orbit assembly use case by the RElative Satellite sWarming and Robotic Maneuvering (ReSWARM) experiments using NASA's Astrobee robots on the International Space Station. Results of the ReSWARM experiments are provided along with significant operational and implementation detail discussing the practicalities of hardware implementation and unique aspects of working with the Astrobee free‐flyer robots in microgravity. ReSWARM provides a base set of planning and control tools for robotic close proximity operations, demonstrates them in microgravity, and outlines some of the important hardware aspects that future autonomous free‐flyers will need to consider.

Robotics↗
DOE OSTI2026

PACT Center: Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (Final Technical Report)

The Perovskite PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies (PACT) center was established in July 2021 as a national resource to accelerate the commercialization of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) technology in the United States. Since its inception, PACT has been led by Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), formerly known as NREL. From FY20-FY23, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), CFV Labs, Black & Veatch (B&V), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) were part of the project team. LANL brought expertise in perovskite PV device designs and processing, CFV Labs (now GroundWork Renewables) provided initial indoor and outdoor measurement hardware technology, B&V led the initial effort on perovskite PV bankability, and EPRI worked on reviewing testing standards, identifying commercialization gaps, and helping to run PACT’s Industry Advisory Board, a group including representatives from commercial testing labs, independent engineering firms, insurance companies, state regulators, and electric utilities. To source perovskite PV module samples, PACT contracted with the University of North Carolina (UNC), the University of Toledo, the University of Washington, and SLAC/Stanford University to provide a steady stream of research-grade perovskite mini modules, enabling protocol development in advance of commercial module availability. The project period ran from July 1, 2021, through December 31, 2025, including a No Cost Extension. Starting in FY25, the project was continued as a Core Capability in the Lab Call portfolio and continues at a reduced budget with only Sandia and NLR as funded recipients. Notably, starting in FY25 PACT expanded its scope beyond MHP modules to accept all emerging PV mini module technologies for testing, including organic PV (OPV) and all-thin-film tandems, with the aim of supporting commercialization across the broader emerging PV ecosystem. With this change in scope the program was renamed the PV Accelerator for Commercializing Technologies, dropping perovskite from the name.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spin-strain interactions under hydrostatic pressure in α-RuCl 3

We investigate the effects of hydrostatic pressure on 𝛼−RuCl 3 , a prototypical material for the Kitaev spin model on a honeycomb lattice with a possible spin-liquid ground state. Using ultrasound measurements at pressures up to 1.16 GPa, we reveal significant modifications of the acoustic properties and the 𝐻−𝑇 phase diagram of this material. Hydrostatic pressure suppresses the three-dimensional magnetic order and induces a dimerization transition at higher pressures. At low pressures, the sound attenuation exhibits a linear temperature dependence, while above 0.28 GPa, it becomes nearly temperature independent, suggesting a shift in the phonon scattering regime dominated by Majorana fermions. These findings provide new insights into spin-strain interactions in Kitaev magnets and deliver a detailed characterization of the 𝐻−𝑇 phase diagram of 𝛼−RuCl 3 under hydrostatic pressure.

Focused ion beam↗
DOE OSTI2026

Forge Internship at FAST-IOTA

Assisted FAST facility personal with various upgrades and system installation activities during the summer 2026 FAST-IOTA shutdown as a part of the FORGE internship program. Herein is a summary of my involvement in and the results of that experience.

DeCraene, Ryan [Unlisted, US, IL]↗