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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 55 records · Page 3

Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Investigation of Oil Recovery in Mineralogically Distinct Wolfcamp Shale Strata

Understanding and improving hydrocarbon yields during enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in unconventional reservoirs is complicated by the intrinsic mineralogical and geochemical heterogeneity of shale formations. Here, in this study, we utilized small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (USANS) to investigate the degree of oil retention and its location in the nanoporous shale matrix for two mineralogically distinct shale samples. The two samples, dubbed “dark” and “light” based on their color, were taken from adjacent strata in a Wolfcamp shale core. While both samples contained kerogen, the dark sample contained more kerogen and clay (43.7 wt %) while the light sample contained more calcite (54.9 wt %). Samples were presaturated with decane, a model hydrocarbon, prior to pressure cycling with methane. Results showed significantly more retention of decane in 1.5–10 nm radius pores of both, likely indicating that oil is retained within kerogen nanopores. Although the dark sample had a higher porosity of 8.7%, versus 3.3% for the light sample, more pores were accessible to decane and a higher percentage of the imbibed decane was removable from the light sample compared to the dark sample. The majority of decane was not recoverable for the dark sample, indicating that EOR with methane can be challenging. These new findings can help to model expected recoveries of in-place oil from heterogeneous shale formations, as well as inform improved EOR strategies.

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS↗

Formation of Inorganic Sulfate and Volatile Nonsulfated Products from Heterogeneous Hydroxyl Radical Oxidation of 2-Methyltetrol Sulfate Aerosols: Mechanisms and Atmospheric Implications

Chemical transformation of 2-methyltetrol sulfates (2-MTS), key isoprene-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA) constituents, through heterogeneous hydroxyl radical ( • OH) oxidation can result in the formation of previously unidentified atmospheric organosulfates (OSs). However, detected OSs cannot fully account for the sulfur content released from reacted 2-MTS, indicating the existence of sulfur in forms other than OSs, such as inorganic sulfates. This work investigated the formation of inorganic sulfates through heterogeneous • OH oxidation of 2-MTS aerosols. Remarkably, high yields of inorganic sulfates, defined as the moles of inorganic sulfates produced per mole of reacted 2-MTS, were observed in the range from 0.48 ± 0.07 to 0.68 ± 0.07. These could be explained by the production of sulfate (SO 4 •- ) and sulfite (SO 3 •- ) radicals through the cleavage of C-O(S) and (C)O-S bonds, followed by aerosol-phase reactions. Additionally, non-sulfated products resulting from bond cleavage were likely volatile and evaporated into gas phase, as evidenced by observed aerosol mass loss (up to 25%) and concurrent size reduction upon oxidation. This investigation highlights the significant transformation of sulfur from its organic to inorganic forms during the heterogeneous oxidation of 2-MTS aerosols, potentially influencing the physicochemical properties and environmental impacts of isoprene-derived SOA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Electrical Resistivity Changes During Heating Experiments Unravel Heterogeneous Thermal‐Hydrological‐Mechanical Processes in Salt Formations

Abstract Rock salt is considered a suitable medium for the permanent disposal of heat‐generating radioactive waste due to its isolation properties. However, excavation damage and heating induce complex and heterogeneous thermal‐hydrological‐mechanical (THM) processes across different zones. Quantifying this heterogeneity is crucial for accurate long‐term performance assessment models, but traditional methods lack the necessary resolution. This study employs 4D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) monitoring during controlled heating experiments in a salt formation to unravel the spatiotemporal dynamics of THM processes. Advanced time‐lapse inversion and clustering analysis quantify subsurface properties and map the heterogeneity of THM dynamics. The ERT results can estimate subsurface properties and delineate the damaged and intact zones, enabling appropriate parameterization and representation of processes for long‐term modeling. This approach may be used in further improving the predictive models and ensuring the safe long‐term disposal of radioactive waste in rock salt.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Functional lipid pairs as building blocks of phase-separated membranes

Biological membranes exhibit a great deal of compositional and phase heterogeneity due to hundreds of chemically distinct components. As a result, phase separation processes in cell membranes are extremely difficult to study, especially at the molecular level. It is currently believed that the lateral membrane heterogeneity and the formation of domains, or rafts, are driven by lipid–lipid and lipid–protein interactions. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms regulating membrane heterogeneity remain poorly understood. In the present work, we combine inelastic X-ray scattering with molecular dynamics simulations to provide direct evidence for the existence of strongly coupled transient lipid pairs. These lipid pairs manifest themselves experimentally through optical vibrational (a.k.a. phononic) modes observed in binary (1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine [DPPC]–cholesterol) and ternary (DPPC–1,2-dioleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DOPC/POPC]–cholesterol) systems. The existence of a phononic gap in these vibrational modes is a direct result of the finite size of patches formed by these lipid pairs. The observation of lipid pairs provides a spatial (subnanometer) and temporal (subnanosecond) window into the lipid–lipid interactions in complex mixtures of saturated/unsaturated lipids and cholesterol. Our findings represent a step toward understanding the lateral organization and dynamics of membrane domains using a well-validated probe with a high spatial and temporal resolution.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF ULTRASONIC VELOCITIES AND ANISOTROPY IN THE TUSCALOOSA MARINE SHALE FORMATION

Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) formation is a clay- and organic-rich emerging shale play with a considerable amount of hydrocarbon resources. Despite the substantial potential, there have been only a few wells drilled and produced in the formation over the recent years. The analyzed TMS samples contain an average of 50 wt% total clay, 27 wt% quartz and 14 wt% calcite and the mineralogy varies considerably over the small intervals. The high amount of clay leads to pronounced anisotropy and the frequent changes in mineralogy result in the heterogeneity of the formation. We studied the compressional (V P ) and shear-wave (V S ) velocities to evaluate the degree of anisotropy and heterogeneity, which impact hydraulic fracture growth, borehole instabilities, and subsurface imaging. The ultrasonic measurements of P- and S-wave velocities from five TMS wells are the best fit to the linear relationship with R 2 = 0.84 in the least-squares criteria. We observed that TMS S-wave velocities are relatively lower when compared to the established velocity relationships. Most of the velocity data in bedding-normal direction lie outside constant V P /V S lines of 1.6–1.8, a region typical of most organic-rich shale plays. For all of the studied TMS samples, the S-wave velocity anisotropy exhibits higher values than P-wave velocity anisotropy. In the samples in which the composition is dominated by either calcite or quartz minerals, mineralogy controls the velocities and V P /V S ratios to a great extent. Additionally, the organic content and maturity account for the velocity behavior in the samples in which the mineralogical composition fails to do so. The results provide further insights into TMS Formation evaluation and contribute to a better understanding of the heterogeneity and anisotropy of the play.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Evaluating Possible Formation Mechanisms of Criegee Intermediates during the Heterogeneous Autoxidation of Squalene

Organic molecules in the environment oxidatively degrade by a variety of free radical, microbial, and biogeochemical pathways. A significant pathway is heterogeneous autoxidation, in which degradation occurs via a network of carbon and oxygen centered free radicals. Recently, we found evidence for a new heterogeneous autoxidation mechanism of squalene that is initiated by hydroxyl (OH) radical addition to a carbon–carbon double bond and apparently propagated through pathways involving Criegee Intermediates (CI) produced from β-hydroxy peroxy radicals (β-OH-RO 2 •). It remains unclear, however, exactly how CI are formed from β-OH-RO 2 •, which could occur by a unimolecular or bimolecular pathway. Combining kinetic models and multiphase OH oxidation measurements of squalene, we evaluate the kinetic viability of three mechanistic scenarios. Scenario 1 assumes that CI are formed by the unimolecular bond scission of β-OH-RO 2 •, whereas Scenarios 2 and 3 test bimolecular pathways of β-OH-RO 2 • to yield CI. Scenario 1 best replicates the entire experimental data set, which includes effective uptake coefficients vs [OH] as well as the formation kinetics of the major products (i.e., aldehydes and secondary ozonides). Finally, although the unimolecular pathway appears to be kinetically viable, future high-level theory is needed to fully explain the mechanistic relationship between CI and β-OH-RO 2 • in the condensed phase.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Giant piezoelectricity in oxide thin films with nanopillar structure

High-performance piezoelectric materials are critical components for electromechanical sensors and actuators. For more than 60 years, the main strategy for obtaining large piezoelectric response has been to construct multiphase boundaries, where nanoscale domains with local structural and polar heterogeneity are formed, by tuning complex chemical compositions. We used a different strategy to emulate such local heterogeneity by forming nanopillar regions in perovskite oxide thin films. We obtained a giant effective piezoelectric coefficient d 33 , f * of ~1098 picometers per volt with a high Curie temperature of ~450°C. Our lead-free composition of sodium-deficient sodium niobate contains only three elements (Na, Nb, and O). The formation of local heterogeneity with nanopillars in the perovskite structure could be the basis for a general approach to designing and optimizing various functional materials.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

Development of Analysis Methods that Integrate Numeric and Textual Equipment Reliability Data

Within the Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program, the Risk-Informed Systems Analysis (RISA) Pathway is performing collaborative research on the development and deployment of technologies designed to assist operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) to reduce operating costs improve plant reliability and availability. One of the RISA research areas is focusing on the development of methods and tools designed to optimize plant operations (e.g., maintenance/replacement schedules, optimal maintenance postures for plant structures, systems, and components [SSCs]) in a manner that is more cost effective than current approaches and makes better use of available SSC health data. The Risk-Informed Asset Management (RIAM) project targets this research area by creating a direct bridge between component equipment reliability (ER) data and system engineer decision making regarding maintenance activity scheduling and component aging management. In this respect, one challenge that NPP system engineers are facing is that the amount of ER data being continuously generated is not only extremely large in size, but it comes in different forms: textual (e.g., condition or maintenance reports) and numeric (e.g., generated by monitoring systems). All these data elements provide them with valuable insights and information regarding: 1) the discovery of anomalous behaviors or degradation trends, 2) the identification of the possible causes behind such behaviors/trends, and 3) the prediction of their direct consequences. However, several challenges have proved to be roadblocks to this process. While some of these challenges are technical in nature (i.e., data are often distributed over several physical servers/databases), others are conceptual in nature: data elements come in different formats (e.g., numeric or textual), and measured values have different scales (e.g., vibration spectra and oil temperature). The activities performed by the RIAM project during FY23 directly tackles the need to simultaneously integrate the analysis of ER data in all its forms, numeric and textual. Note that such task has never been performed before due to the complexity of the systems under consideration but, most importantly, because of the technical challenges behind the harmonization of ER data formats and the lack of adequate computational methods to analyze them. Our approach borrows ideas and concepts from the medical field where integration of several data sources is vital to assist medical practitioners to perform correct diagnosis and indicate optimal treatments. In our view a NPP asset is equivalent to a patient in a medical context. The main difference is the complexity of a human body is a magnitude more complex when compared to typical assets commonly present in NPPs (e.g., centrifugal pumps, or motor operated valves). This simplifies our first requirement when analyzing heterogenous ER data formats: to put data into “context”. Context is here intended as the additional piece of information that is needed by ER data analysis tools to understand what these data elements are referring to, i.e., which king of knowledge they are generating. In our context, this knowledge can be translated into models that capture the form and functional architecture of assets/systems, their dependencies, and how they interact. These models actually emulate the knowledge that that NPP system engineers possess about assets and systems; this is their key of success when analyzing ER data, their challenge is ability to handle large amount of data. Here, we employ model-based system engineering (MBSE) models of systems and assets to represent and capture their architecture and functional, i.e. cause-effect, relations. Then, ER data elements are processed by identifying first of all which elements of the developed MBSE elements they are referring to. For numeric ER data this task is fairly easy since it is possible to precisely pinpoint what MBSE elements the corresponding sensor are observing (e.g., bearing temperature of a centrifugal pump). Task is much harder for textual data since the information contained in issue or maintenance reports needs to “be understood” by a computational tool. Here we called this process as “knowledge extraction”. Once again, we borrow the experience in the medical field where methods to extract knowledge from textual data have been developed in the past decade. The missing element for us is the availability of a complete dictionary of NPP related concepts (in addition to the MBSE models presented earlier) that can put “text into context”. In FY23, such dictionary has been developed along with all the computational elements required for knowledge extraction. Lastly, once numeric and textual ER data elements have been processed and “understood”, then the last step is the discovery of possible cause-effect relations among them. This is performed by observing if a logical connection through the MBSE models exists, and if the

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Precision Calcination Mechanism of CaCO 3 to High-Porosity Nanoscale CaO CO 2 Sorbent Revealed by Direct In Situ Observations

Deploying energy storage and carbon capture at scale is hindered by the substantial endothermic penalty of decomposing CaCO 3 to CaO and CO 2 , and the rapid loss of CO 2 absorption capacity by CaO sorbent particles due to sintering at the high requisite decomposition temperatures. The decomposition reaction mechanism underlying sorbent deactivation remains unclear at the atomic level and nanoscale due to past reliance on postmortem characterization methods with insufficient spatial and temporal resolution. Thus, elucidating the important CaCO 3 decomposition reaction pathway requires direct observation by time-resolved (sub-)nanoscale methods. Here, chemical and structural dynamics during the decomposition of CaCO 3 nanoparticles to nanoporous CaO particles comprising high-surface-area CaO nanocrystallites are examined. Comparing in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments gives key insights into the dynamics of nanoparticle calcination, involving anisotropic CaCO 3 thermal distortion before conversion to thermally dilated energetically stable CaO crystallites. Time-resolved TEM uncovered a novel CaO formation mechanism involving heterogeneous nucleation at extended CaCO 3 defects followed by sweeping reaction front motion across the initial CaCO 3 particle. These observations clarify longstanding, yet incomplete, reaction mechanisms and kinetic models lacking accurate information about (sub-)nanoscale dynamics, while also demonstrating calcination of CaCO 3 without sintering through rapid heating and precise temperature control.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Anomalous fast atomic dynamics in bulk metallic glasses

It is believed that the strong glass formers tend to be dense packing and have rather slow atomic dynamics. Here, we report that the anomalous fast atomic dynamics exist in an Au 55 Cu 20 Ag 5 Si 20 metallic glass (MG) with good glass forming ability (GFA) by combining X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy measurements with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The fast dynamics are mainly originated from the increased mobility of Cu atoms by Ag addition. Ag atoms are inclined to locate at Cu-centered <0, 2, 8, 1> motifs, which slow or accelerate the dynamics of shell Cu atoms, depending on whether Ag atoms appear at the first shells or not, leading to the formation of structural heterogeneity at the atomic level. The results enrich the understanding of atomic dynamics in Cue-Ag-containing MGs and will trigger more studies on the dynamics-GFA relationship in MGs.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Guidelines to Achieving High Selectivity for the Hydrogenation of α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes with Bimetallic and Dilute Alloy Catalysts: A Review

Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes to unsaturated alcohols is a challenging class of reactions, yielding valuable intermediates for the production of pharmaceuticals, perfumes, and flavorings. On monometallic heterogeneous catalysts, the formation of the unsaturated alcohols is thermodynamically disfavored over the saturated aldehydes. Hence, new catalysts are required to achieve the desired selectivity. In this work, the literature of three major research areas in catalysis is integrated as a step toward establishing the guidelines for enhancing the selectivity: reactor studies of complex catalyst materials at operating temperature and pressure, surface science studies of crystalline surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum, and first-principles modeling using density functional theory calculations. Aggregate analysis shows that bimetallic and dilute alloy catalysts significantly enhance the selectivity to the unsaturated alcohols compared to monometallic catalysts. This comprehensive review focuses primarily on the role of different metal surfaces as well as the factors that promote the adsorption of the unsaturated aldehyde via its C=O bond, most notably by electronic modification of the surface and formation of the electrophilic sites. Furthermore, challenges, gaps, and opportunities are identified to advance the rational design of efficient catalysts for this class of reactions, including the need for systematic studies of catalytic processes, theoretical modeling of complex materials, and model studies under ambient pressure and temperature.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Local Cation-Ordered Superlattice Stabilizing Ni-Rich Single-Crystalline Cathodes

Ni-rich single-crystalline cathodes are pivotal for advancing lithium-ion battery technology due to their high energy density and mechanical stability. However, Ni-rich single-crystalline particles face intrinsic structural heterogeneity due to excessively high sintering temperature required to shape micron-sized morphologies─typically over 150 °C above the polycrystalline optimum, leading to rapid electrochemical decay and unsatisfied rate performance that hinder their practical application. Here, in this work, we propose a lithium-deficient presintering strategy to synthesize cation-ordered single-crystalline LiNi 0.83 Co 0.12 Mn 0.05 O 2 (S-NCM83), effectively minimizing lattice chemical heterogeneity and defect formation. The resulting cation-ordered percolation network enhances the structural stability of the bulk, reduces the energy barrier for Li + migration, and stabilizes Li + diffusion pathways. Consequently, S-NCM83 demonstrates significantly improved cycling stability across various operating temperatures and achieves exceptional rate performance, delivering 206 mAh g –1 at 0.1 C and 170 mAh g –1 at 5 C, without requiring surface coatings or doping. This work introduces a universal strategy to address the long-standing structural instability issues in single-crystalline cathodes, paving the way for simplified and scalable approaches to long-life and high-energy lithium-ion batteries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Hematite Crystallization from a Two-Line Ferrihydrite Suspension

Rational design and synthesis of materials, determination of environmental conditions at the time of mineral formation, and definition of mechanisms in biomineralizing systems all require an understanding of the effect of multiple factors on modulating crystallization pathways. In this study, we investigate the influence of temperature, oxalate additive, aging time, and addition of seed crystals on hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 , Hm) crystallization from a two-line ferrihydrite (Fe 2 O 3 ·xH 2 O, Fh) suspension. We also investigate the effect of temperature on the aging of spindle-shaped Hm mesocrystals, which we synthesize through the addition of sodium oxalate. The results show that Hm mesocrystals form in a temperature window of 45 °C-130 °C. Temperatures ≥ 140 °C favor formation of rhombohedral Hm, suggesting classical monomer-by-monomer growth dominates, whereas crystallization by particle attachment (CPA) is dominant between 45 and 90 °C, while the two processes compete in the intermediate temperature range. Aging of mesocrystals in the original solution at 90 °C or 180 °C leads to a slow morphological evolution towards rhombohedral crystals due to Ostwald ripening. Then, by utilizing rhombohedral Hm and rod-shaped goethite as substrates on which to assemble the mesocrystals, we demonstrate formation of complex heterogeneous structures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Types of data: terminology and examples

Data produced at wastewater utilities are obtained through a variety of devices, including actuators, control devices, and sensors. This results in data that can be highly variable in its structure. Dealing with the resulting heterogeneity of data formats can be a challenge when storing or interpreting the data. For this reason, this chapter serves as an overview for the most important structural aspects of data typically found at a utility. The specific aims of this chapter are to:

Plana, Queralt↗

A Review of Coupled Geochemical–Geomechanical Impacts in Subsurface CO 2 , H 2 , and Air Storage Systems

Increased demand for decarbonization and renewable energy has led to increasing interest in engineered subsurface storage systems for large-scale carbon reduction and energy storage. In these applications, a working fluid (CO 2 , H 2 , air, etc.) is injected into a deep formation for permanent sequestration or seasonal energy storage. The heterogeneous nature of the porous formation and the fluid–rock interactions introduce complexity and uncertainty in the fate of the injected component and host formations in these applications. Interactions between the working gas, native brine, and formation mineralogy must be adequately assessed to evaluate the efficiency, risk, and viability of a particular storage site and operational regime. This study reviews the current state of knowledge about coupled geochemical–geomechanical impacts in geologic carbon sequestration (GCS), underground hydrogen storage (UHS), and compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems involving the injection of CO 2 , H 2 , and air. Specific review topics include (1) existing injection induced geochemical reactions in these systems; (2) the impact of these reactions on the porosity and permeability of host formation; (3) the impact of these reactions on the mechanical properties of host formation; and (4) the investigation of geochemical-geomechanical process in pilot scale GCS. This study helps to facilitate an understanding of the potential geochemical–geomechanical risks involved in different subsurface energy storage systems and highlights future research needs.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Composition-dependent fracture energy in metallic glasses

The interplay between metallic glasses (MGs) mechanical properties, fracture energy (G), and glass-forming ability (GFA) and their dependence on alloy composition remain poorly understood. Here, we perform molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the intrinsic composition-dependence of G in Cu x Zr 100-x MGs (x = 20, 30, 40, 50, 64). The results indicate that the value of G increases with Cu content. In addition, it is revealed that MGs with higher G values display higher Poisson’s ratio (ν) and GFA, suggesting a close correlation between fracture toughness, mechanical properties, and GFA. This correlation between G, ν and GFA can be understood based on the fragility (m) of supercooled liquids, which is directly related to the structural heterogeneity in MGs. Larger m values are related to dynamic slowdown and supercooled liquid stabilization, which enhance GFA and the formation of pronounced structural heterogeneity, comprised of loosely packed regions that favor β-relaxation and the activation of shear transformation zones. Those concurrently promote the expansion of the plastic zone at the crack tip, enhancing the observed value of G. Furthermore, these simulation results shed light on the intrinsic relationship between fracture toughness, mechanical properties, and alloy composition in MGs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Molecular Insights into Novel Struvite–Hydrogel Composites for Simultaneous Ammonia and Phosphate Removal

Struvite (NH 4 MgPO 4 ·6H 2 O) mineralization is an effective technique for removing ammonium and phosphate species from wastewater. However, its wider use faces obstacles because of the copresence of various pollutants in wastewater and the additional requirement for magnesium to achieve proper supersaturation conditions. To address these challenges, this study developed novel mineral–hydrogel composites that can remove ammonium and phosphate simultaneously via heterogeneous struvite and calcium phosphate (CaP) mineralization in hydrogel matrices. The composites include in situ formed struvite and CaP mineral seeds, decreasing the nucleation energy barrier of struvite and CaP formation and promoting their heterogeneous nucleation kinetics even under undersaturation conditions in bulk solution. The dual struvite and CaP seeded composites can simultaneously reduce the ammonium and total phosphate concentrations up to 60% (26.3 mg of N/g) and 91% (9.54 mg of P/g), respectively. Furthermore, the average particle sizes in composites were increased from 6.12 to 14.8 nm after wastewater treatment. Moreover, various ions commonly existing in wastewater did not significantly interfere with the removal of ammonium and phosphate. Thus, these new mineral–hydrogel composites can provide an innovative way to lower nutrient levels before discharge to streams. Moreover, encapsulating ammonium and phosphate in mineral-hydrogel composites enables their upcycling in agricultural or biorefinery applications.

Cations↗