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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

Lessons from Astrobiological Planetary Analogue Exploration in Iceland: Biomarker Assay Performance and Downselection

Understanding the sensitivity of biomarker assays to the local physicochemical environment, and the underlying spatial distribution of the target biomarkers in 'homogeneous' environments, can increase mission science return. We have conducted four expeditions to Icelandic Mars analogue sites in which an increasingly refined battery of physicochemical measurements and biomarker assays were performed, staggered with scouting of further sites. Completed expeditions took place in 2012 (location scouting and field assay use testing), 2013 (sampling of two major sites with three assays and observational physicochemical measurements), 2015 (repeat sampling of prior sites and one new site, scouting of new sites, three assays and three instruments), and 2016 (preliminary sampling of new sites with analysis of returned samples). Target sites were geologically recent basaltic lava flows, and sample loci were arranged in hierarchically nested grids at 10 cm, 1 m, 10 m, 100 m, and >1 km order scales, subject to field constraints. Assays were intended to represent a diversity of potential biomarker types (cell counting via nucleic acid staining and fluorescence microscopy, ATP quantification via luciferase luminescence, and relative DNA quantification with simple domain-level primers) rather a specific mission science target, and were selected to reduce laboratory overhead, require limited consumables, and allow rapid turnaround. All analytical work was performed in situ or in a field laboratory within a day's travel of the field sites unless otherwise noted. We have demonstrated the feasibility of performing ATP quantification and qPCR analysis in a field-based laboratory with single-day turnaround. The ATP assay was generally robust and reliable and required minimal field equipment and training to produce a large amount of useful data. DNA was successfully extracted from all samples, but the serial-batch nature of qPCR significantly limited the number of primers (hence classifications) and replicates that could be run in a single day. Fluorescence microscopy did not prove feasible under the same constraints, primarily due to the large number of person-hours required to view, analyze, and record results from the images; however, this could be mitigated with higher-quality imaging instruments and appropriate image analysis software.

Planetary↗
DOE OSTI2020

Carbon Nanotubes: Applications to Energy Storage Devices

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are an extraordinary discovery in the area of science and technology. Engineering them properly holds the promise of opening new avenues for future development of many other materials for diverse applications. Carbon nanotubes have open structure and enriched chirality, which enable improvements the properties and performances of other materials when CNTs are incorporated in them. Energy storage systems have been using carbon nanotubes either as an additive to improve electronic conductivity of cathode materials or as an active anode component depending upon structural and morphological specifications. Furthermore, they have also been used directly as the electrode material in supercapacitors and fuel cells. Therefore, CNTs demand a huge importance due to their underlying properties and prospective applications in the energy storage research fields. There are different kinds of carbon nanotubes which have been successfully used in batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells and other energy storage systems. This chapter focuses on the role of CNTs in the different energy storage and conversion systems and impact of their structure and morphology on the electrochemical performances and storage mechanisms.

Amin, Ruhul↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rechargeable Micro-Batteries

The quest for efficient power sources for small sensors has led to a growing interest in rechargeable micro-batteries, offering the potential to harness energy from various sources for extended periods. This project delves into a multifaceted project aimed at enhancing the performance and viability of rechargeable micro-batteries in this context. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has leveraged its expertise in primary micro-battery development, evolving into a software-driven approach for designing cylindrical micro-batteries. This project addresses the cycle life issue through innovative cell design, electrode optimization, and electrolyte refinement. A case study of the MB1842 rechargeable micro-battery demonstrates the promising outcomes of these advancements, showcasing a capacity of 0.32 mAh at ~1C (0.35 mA) and remarkable cycle performance, extending the cycle life to 510-570 cycles at 80% end-of-life (EOL), 710-760 cycles at 70% EOL and 840-940 cycles at 60% EOL, thereby ensuring a service life of 10 years for these rechargeable micro-batteries. This endeavor represents a significant stride towards unlocking the full potential of rechargeable micro-batteries, paving the way for their widespread application in small sensor technologies. The outcome from this project also successfully supports the award of a new project: 80621 - Self-Powered Modular Acoustic Telemetry System with Sensing.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multiphase, Multiscale Chemomechanics at Extreme Low Temperatures: Battery Electrodes for Operation in a Wide Temperature Range

Understanding the behavior of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) under extreme conditions, for example, low temperature, is key to broad adoption of LIBs in various application scenarios. LIBs, poor performance at low temperatures is often attributed to the inferior lithium-ion transport in the electrolyte, which has motivated new electrolyte development as well as the battery preheating approach that is popular in electric vehicles. A significant irrevocable capacity loss, however, is not resolved by these measures nor well understood. Herein, multiphase, multiscale chemomechanical behaviors in composite LiNi x Mn y Co z O 2 (NMC, x + y + z = 1) cathodes at extremely low temperatures are systematically elucidated. The low-temperature storage of LIBs can result in irreversible structural damage in active electrodes, which can negatively impact the subsequent battery cycling performance at ambient temperature. Furthermore, beside developing electrolytes that have stable performance, designing batteries for use in a wide temperature range also calls for the development of electrode components that are structurally and morphologically robust when the cell is switched between different temperatures.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrolytic gold plating, stripping, and ion transport dynamics through a solid-state iodide perovskite

The pronounced electrochemical reactivity between halide perovskites and metal electrodes can introduce mobile extrinsic metal ions which can cause device instability or enable novel functionalities. Here we systematically investigate the kinetics of gold cation (Au + ) migration in indium tin oxide (ITO)/methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI 3 )/Au model devices under long-term potentiostatic biasing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT) analyses reveal that Au + ions, electrochemically generated at the Au anode, traverse the perovskite layer with diffusion coefficients on the order of 10 −11 to 10 −10 cm 2 s −1 and are subsequently reduced at the cathode as Au 0 clusters, resembling metal plating behavior in electrolytic cells and solid-state batteries during charging. Furthermore, reversing the applied bias strips the plated Au 0 , revealing reversibility suitable for bipolar resistive switching devices and providing direct evidence of the electrochemical and ionic nature of Au transport within the perovskite matrix. Quantitatively determining diffusion coefficients and ion concentrations provides foundational inputs for future drift-diffusion modelling opportunities and allows us to relate our findings to implications on long term operation of devices like photovoltaic modules. These results clearly demonstrate the solid-state electrochemical nature of perovskite devices, highlight methods to be more quantitative about ion transport properties, provide and emphasize the importance of disentangling electro-, photo-, photoelectrochemical processes for understanding device performance and unlocking new functionalities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2018

Two-Dimensional Planetary Surface Landers

We proposed to develop a new landing approach that significantly reduces development time and obviates the most complicated, most expensive, and highest-risk phase of a landing mission. The concept is a blanket- or carpet-like two-dimensional (2D) lander (~1-m × 1-m surface area and <1-cm thick) with a low mass/drag ratio, which allows the lander to efficiently shed its approach velocity and provide a more robust structure for landing integrity. The form factor of these landers allows dozens to be stacked on a single spacecraft for transport and distributed en masse to the surface. Lander surfaces will be populated on both sides by surface-mount, low-profile sensors and instruments, surface-mount telecom, solar cells, batteries, processors, and memory. Landers will also incorporate thin flexible electronics, made possible in part by printable electronics technology. The mass and size of these highly capable technologies further reduces the required stiffness and mass of the lander structures to the point that compliant, lightweight, robust landers capable of passive landings are possible. This capability avoids the costly, complex use of rockets, radar, and associated structure and control systems. This approach is expected to provide an unprecedented science payload mass to spacecraft mass ratio of approximately 80% (estimated based on current knowledge). This compared to ~1% for Pathfinder, ~17% for MER, and 22% for MSL rovers. Clearly, one difference is rovers vs. a lower capability lander. An outcome of the Phase I study is a clear roadmap for near-term demonstration and long-term technology development.

Landers↗
DOE OSTI2020

Techno-economic analysis of cathode material production using flame-assisted spray pyrolysis

The cost of cathode materials contributes approximately 32.7% of the total cell construction cost of lithium-ion batteries, significantly affecting the price of battery packs. To reduce the cathode material manufacturing cost, a flame-assisted spray pyrolysis (FSP) method has been developed to utilize a sustainable solvent of glycerol to manufacture the LiNi 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 (NMC333) cathode materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the minimum cathode material selling price (MCSP) of the FSP processes compared with a traditional carbonate co-precipitation pathway. Results show that the MCSP of the FSP is $\$$19.1/kg that is 17% lower than the traditional carbonate co-precipitation pathway as a result of lower fixed operating cost and variable overhead. Sensitivity analysis shows that when the new process is integrated with in-situ sintering and processing, the MCSP can be as low as $\$$15.6/kg. When all the material prices are decreased by 20%, the FSP process can synthesize NMC333 at a price of $\$$2.3/kg lower. According to the simulation result, LiNi 0·8 Mn 0·1 Co 0·1 O 2 (NMC811) has the best potential to meet the U.S. Department of Energy battery price target of $\$$125/kWh, demonstrating that the FSP process is an attractive manufacturing technology for NMC cathode powder material production.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2018

Integrated Computational-Experimental Development of Lithium-Air Batteries for Electric Aircraft

The primary obstacle to enable NASA's vision of Green Aviation is the extraordinary energy storage requirements for electric aircraft. Significant advances in high energy, rechargeable, safe batteries are required to enable electric aviation. Boeing's SUGAR and NASA studies have identified 400 Wh/kg as the threshold energy density for general aviation and 750 Wh/kg for commercial regional air service. State of the Art Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) technology currently has a density of 200 Wh/kg and is expected to plateau at 300 Wh/kg due to fundamental chemistry limitations making it unsuitable for future electric aircraft. Additional demanding requirements include high power, rechargeability, and high safety. Such battery technology does not currently exist. The recent considerable activity in battery research (DOE, Tesla Gigafactory, etc) overwhelmingly has been geared towards reducing cost and improving safety of LIB technology in order to promote the adoption of electric automobiles; and thus it is expected to have little impact on electric aviation development. New battery materials will be needed for the "Beyond Li Ion" (BLI) technologies required for high energy, safe electric aviation. Li-Air batteries have the highest known theoretical energy density (3400 Wh/kg) and therefore and if realized promises to transform the global transportation system. These high energy batteries have the potential to meet the energy storage challenges of current and future NASA aeronautics and space missions in addition to many terrestrial transportation applications as well. However, this technology requires significant components development and integration, as it is currently unable to achieve aircraft requirements. The objective of this project is to leverage modern computational materials methods combined with battery multiphysics tools to develop radically advanced compatible cathode and electrolyte materials, build several Li-Air cells, and flight-demonstrate the corresponding Li-Air battery packs. A significant problem for current Lithium-Air batteries is large scale decomposition of the battery electrolyte during operation leading to battery failure after a handful of charge/discharge cycles. Therefore, development of large scale, ultra-high energy, rechargeable, and safe Lithium-Air batteries require highly stable electrolytes that are resistant to decomposition under operating conditions. A NASA-based cross-organizational "dream team" of high-powered experts combined integrated supercomputer modeling, fundamental chemistry analysis, advanced material science, and battery cell development to tackle this very challenging, multidisciplinary problem. The ultimate goal for the team is to develop an integrated experimental/computational infrastructure to produce a reliable predictive capability for the selection of optimal components, their fabrication parameters, and "design rules" of novel cell components for advanced ultra-high energy batteries that can meet energy storage challenges of NASA missions and many terrestrial transportation applications.

Li-air battery↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Thermodynamic Reassessment of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Calorimetry

This work demonstrates how staged heat release from layered metal oxide cathodes in the presence of organic electrolytes can be predicted from basic thermodynamic properties. These prediction methods for heat release are an advancement compared to typical modeling approaches for thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries, which tend to rely exclusively on calorimetry measurements of battery components. These calculations generate useful new insights when compared to calorimetry measurements for lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) as well as the most common varieties of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA). Accurate trends in heat release with varying state of charge are predicted for all of these cathode materials. These results suggest that thermodynamic calculations utilizing a recently published database of properties are broadly applicable for predicting decomposition behavior of layered metal oxide cathodes. Aspects of literature calorimetry measurements relevant to thermal runaway modeling are identified and classified as thermodynamic or kinetic effects. The calorimetry measurements reviewed in this work will be useful for development of a new generation of thermal runaway models targeting applications where accurate maximum cell temperatures are required to predict cascading cell-to-cell propagation rates.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrolyte Compatible Separator Materials for Sodium-Ion Battery

Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) have emerged as an alternative electrochemical energy storage to replace lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Separator is one of the key components that dictates the cell performance of NIB. Significant progress has been made in electrolyte research, however for most cases glass fiber has been used as separator due to its remarkable electrolyte wettability despite its many disadvantages. In this study, we evaluated commercially available porous materials as separator material for NIB. Porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane stands out as a universal separator which exhibits high compatibility with a wide range of electrolytes and electrodes and demonstrates high electrochemical stability evaluated in hard carbon/Na half cells and NaNi 1/3 Fe 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NFM111)/hard carbon full cells. This research highlights the PVDF membrane as a viable separator for advancing NIB research, enabling the development of new electrolyte materials without the separator constraints of wetting limitations or excessive electrolyte consumption.

Wostoupal, Owen S. [Argonne National Laboratory (A↗
NASA NTRS1983

New applications for phosphoric acid fuel cells

New applications for phosphoric acid fuel cells were identified and evaluated. Candidates considered included all possibilities except grid connected electric utility applications, on site total energy systems, industrial cogeneration, opportunistic use of waste hydrogen, space and military applications, and applications smaller than 10 kW. Applications identified were screened, with the most promising subjected to technical and economic evaluation using a fuel cell and conventional power system data base developed in the study. The most promising applications appear to be the underground mine locomotive and the railroad locomotive. Also interesting are power for robotic submersibles and Arctic villages. The mine locomotive is particularly attractive since it is expected that the fuel cell could command a very high price and still be competitive with the conventionally used battery system. The railroad locomotive's attractiveness results from the (smaller) premium price which the fuel cell could command over the conventional diesel electric system based on its superior fuel efficiency, and on the large size of this market and the accompanying opportunities for manufacturing economy.

Stickles, R. P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Thin-Film Embedded Sensors for Battery Health Monitoring

Hybrid or all-electric aircraft are being developed as the next generation of aircraft to both allow new forms of aviation and decrease environmental impact. Since these types of aircraft are based on high-capacity battery technology, safe operation of these batteries becomes increasingly important. In particular, the potential for battery failure due to uncontrolled chemical reactions resulting in thermal runaway, catastrophic failure, and battery fires must be addressed in order for such battery technology to have the level of safety needed for standard aviation implementation. Efforts to ensure battery safety often involve engineering solutions that seek to contain rather than prevent such events by early detection. Such approaches increase the system weight and decrease the power per unit mass provided by the battery system. Existing methods for measuring battery parameters to determine the battery state-of-health are limited. These methods include electrical measurements of the cell current and/or voltage output as well as temperature measurements taken externally on the cell surface. Such external temperature measurements are limited in their ability to provide early warning of impending battery failure. In response, an effort to develop sensors operating internal to battery for health monitoring has been ongoing in the NASA Sensor-based Prognostics to Avoid Runaway Reactions & Catastrophic Ignition (SPARRCI) project. The basic approach associated with this sensor work is the deposition of thin film sensors on the battery separator located between the anode and cathode of the battery. These thin film sensors are then monitored to determine changes in battery parameters and health. Microfabrication techniques are employed to minimize the overall impact of the sensors on battery operation through the implementation of sensors with minimal size, weight, and power consumption. The thickness of the films, which are fabricated through physical vapor deposition (sputtering), are on the order of thousands of angstroms and can have minimal surface area. Thin film sensors for system health management have been implemented for a many decades on complex components for aerospace applications. However, the application of thin films of this type on a battery separator for internal battery monitoring applications has not previously been demonstrated to our knowledge. This paper describes the development of sensors for the internal battery monitoring through the use of thin film sensor technology. Thin metal films were successfully deposited on a battery separator polymer material with good adherence and electrical continuity. Multiple types of sensors have been deposited, as well as lead connections from the sensor to the edge of the separator material. The ability of these thin film sensors immersed in electrolyte to perform multiple types of battery parameter measurements has been demonstrated. For example, a multiparameter sensor system measured multiple properties simultaneously inside of a pouch cell over a wide temperature range. Further, real time measurement of interior temperature changes in a battery pouch cell with an integrated interior temperature sensor was demonstrated. These changes include detecting a fault in the battery (shorting) in situ with rapid response time (less than a minute) corresponding to a more limited response by a temperature sensor mounted externally. Other aspects of monitoring battery health were also explored, such as real-time measurement of simulated dendrite growth/metal deposition by sensor on separator material demonstrated. Future efforts will include improvements in the durability of the sensor structure to allow introduction of the approach into standard battery fabrication techniques. Overall, this work is a step forward in providing a method to prevent catastrophic battery failures and provide a foundation for safer, lighter, and higher energy batteries for the electric aircraft industry.

thin film battery health↗
DOE OSTI2023

High‐Performance Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by a Fluorinated Cyclic Ether with a Low Reduction Potential

Abstract Electrolyte engineering is crucial for developing high‐performance lithium metal batteries (LMB). Here, we synthesized two cosolvents methyl bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (MFSI) and 3,3,4,4‐tetrafluorotetrahydrofuran (TFF) with significantly different reduction potentials and add them into LiFSI‐DME electrolytes. The LiFSI/TFF‐DME electrolyte gave an average Li Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.41 % over 200 cycles, while the average Li CEs for MFSI‐based electrolyte is only 98.62 %. Additionally, the TFF‐based electrolytes exhibited a more reversible performance than the state‐of‐the‐art fluorinated 1,4‐dimethoxylbutane electrolyte in both Li||Cu half‐cell and anode‐free Cu||LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 full cell. More importantly, the decomposition product from bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion could react with ether solvent, which destroyed the SEI, thus decreasing cell performance. These key discoveries provide new insights into the rational design of electrolyte solvents and cosolvents for LMB.

Wu, Min↗
DOE OSTI2023

High‐Performance Lithium Metal Batteries Enabled by a Fluorinated Cyclic Ether with a Low Reduction Potential

Abstract Electrolyte engineering is crucial for developing high‐performance lithium metal batteries (LMB). Here, we synthesized two cosolvents methyl bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (MFSI) and 3,3,4,4‐tetrafluorotetrahydrofuran (TFF) with significantly different reduction potentials and add them into LiFSI‐DME electrolytes. The LiFSI/TFF‐DME electrolyte gave an average Li Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.41 % over 200 cycles, while the average Li CEs for MFSI‐based electrolyte is only 98.62 %. Additionally, the TFF‐based electrolytes exhibited a more reversible performance than the state‐of‐the‐art fluorinated 1,4‐dimethoxylbutane electrolyte in both Li||Cu half‐cell and anode‐free Cu||LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 full cell. More importantly, the decomposition product from bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anion could react with ether solvent, which destroyed the SEI, thus decreasing cell performance. These key discoveries provide new insights into the rational design of electrolyte solvents and cosolvents for LMB.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Role of Electrolyte in Overcoming the Challenges of LiNiO 2 Cathode in Lithium Batteries

LiNiO 2 (LNO) is a high-capacity and model cathode first discovered in the 1980s that fell out of favor due to its intrinsic instabilities. However, research activities toward LNO are once again on the rise as the push for higher-energy-density cells marches on. Here we demonstrate here that with appropriate modern electrolytes, major performance improvements can be achieved with LNO with no additional modifications. Cells with a localized high concentration electrolyte (LHCE) deliver 92% capacity retention after 200 cycles compared with 56% capacity retention in a baseline carbonate electrolyte, maintain 94% capacity after high-voltage storage compared with 77% capacity, and display a higher onset temperature of thermal runaway of 244 °C compared with 188 °C. These improvements are attributed to the LHCE’s high oxidative stability and its formation of fluorine-rich interphases. Although further characterization of this new class of electrolyte is necessary, this work demonstrates that modern electrolytes can be drop-in enablers of high-capacity, long-cycle-life cells.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Addressing Limitations of the Endpoint Slippage Analysis

Some rate of oxidation and reduction side-reactions will inevitably coexist in most rechargeable batteries. While parasitic reduction traps electrons, parasitic oxidation donates electrons to the cell’s inventory and may cause temporary capacity gain. Consequently, capacity measurements can provide unreliable information about the total extent of side-reactions occurring in the cell. The most widely used method to determine the rate of both these parasitic processes involves analyzing the slippage of endpoints, which consists in tracking the termination of cell charge and discharge when data is represented along a cumulative capacity axis. Here, we argue that this approach could lead to inaccuracies when applied to certain systems, which includes Si electrodes in Li-ion batteries and hard carbon in Na-ion batteries. This inaccuracy originates from the smooth nature of the voltage profiles of these materials at low and high alkali-ion content, causing the termination of charge and discharge to be dictated by voltage changes at both the positive and negative electrodes. We analyze this issue in quantitative terms and propose equations that can provide true rates of parasitic processes from experimental endpoint slippage data. This work shows that, in battery science, well-established analytical approaches may not be directly transferrable to new electrode systems.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

A pair of metal organic framework (MOF)-derived oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for zinc-air batteries

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are amazing precursors for the development of functional catalysts due to their ability of being modified both structurally and in terms of composition. Here this work presents a pair of MOF - derived oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for the advancement of zinc-air batteries. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF) are known as ideal materials to create doped carbons. Combining with a sacrificial tellurium template, we have developed a “pseudo-carbon nanotube” with a ZIF-8 that is doped with a mixture of zinc, cobalt, and iron. The resulting mixed-metal doped porous carbon nanotubes (CoFeZn@pCNT) show excellent catalytic activity for ORR with a half-way ORR potential (E 1/2 ) of 0.87 V vs. RHE (reverse hydrogen electrode). Iridium-based catalysts are known as the best option for OER so far, but it is not viable for practical applications due to cost restrictions. Previous research into alternative catalysts has focused on metal oxides with first-row transition metals. Metal sulfides provide superior conductivity compared to metal oxides and are a new frontier in the search for affordable, active, and stable OER catalysts. By combining cobalt, iron, and nickel into a MOF structure (ZIF-67), followed by a sulfurization process, a MOF-derived mixed-metal sulfide catalyst (FeCoNi–S@ZIF) has been developed in this study. The resulting catalysts show an onset OER potential of 1.65 V vs. RHE at 10 mA cm -2 and exhibit remarkable stability for the operation of zinc-air batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗