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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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668 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2026

Investigation of Bipropellant Plume-Induced Contamination Effects on Coverglass Materials

Contamination and degradation of external spacecraft materials by unburned and partially combusted species from bipropellant thruster plumes has long been observed as a key component of the induced space environment. Space shuttle flight experiments and returned flight hardware from the International Space Station (ISS) have both experienced microscopic impact features induced by high-velocity thruster plume droplets. Analytical results have shown that droplet impingement angle relative to a receiving surface plays a key role in the surface damage. Although impacts with normal impingement angles contribute more severely to surface degradation than highly oblique angles, surface effects at higher impingement angles should not be dismissed. Thruster plume-induced materials degradation is a complex phenomenon that depends on a variety of parameters, including but not limited to material type, system temperature and pressure, plume composition, and thruster firing specifications such as number of pulses, pulse duration, and sample distance from the thruster. For space applications, attaining the vacuum pressure and temperature conditions necessary for flight-like plume expansion and exposure conditions is not a trivial task. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, DLR) is a facility uniquely capable of simulating such conditions. Test coupons were exposed to bipropellant thruster firings under high vacuum at the DLR facility. Percent area coverage (PAC) and droplet size distributions were evaluated for the uncoated and coated solar array coverglass materials over a range of impingement angles (0̊ to 75̊). A post-test imaging workflow was developed that aimed to quantify changes in sample surface morphology obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images using the Image Processing and Analysis in Java (ImageJ) tool; an opensource image processing software. The goal was to create a framework through which to evaluate the effect of bipropellant-induced PAC and droplet size distribution on solar array coverglass optical transmission losses. Understanding this relationship is important because optical transmission losses are known to lead to current reduction in solar power generation systems. In addition to the development of surface characterization workflows, valuable lessons learned as they pertain to future investigations and experiments will be discussed. The authors hope that sharing these lessons will facilitate more utilization of DLR’s unique capabilities as well as open the conversation for how best to address experimental characterization of flight-like plume expansion and its impacts on materials surface degradation effects.

Gateway↗
DOE OSTI2025

Self-generated electrokinetic flows from active-charged boundary patterns

We develop a hydrodynamic description of self-generated electrolyte flow in capillaries whose bounding walls feature nonuniform distributions of charge nonuniform active ionic fluxes. The hydrodynamic velocity arising in such a system has components that are forbidden by symmetry in the absence of charge and fluxes. However, when these two boundary mechanisms are simultaneously present, they can lead to a symmetry broken state where steady flows with both unidirectional and circulatory components emerge. We show that these flow states arise when modulated boundary patterns of charge and fluxes are offset by a flux-charge phase difference, which is associated with the separation between sites of their peak densities on the wall. Mismatch in diffusivity of cationic and anionic species can modify the flow states and becomes an enhancing factor when fluxes of both ion species are being produced together at the same site. We demonstrate that this mechanism can be realized with a microfluidic generator that is powered by enzyme-coated patches that catalyze reactants in the solution to produce fluxes of ions. The local ionic elevation or depletion, which disrupts a nonuniform double layer, promotes self-induced gradients yielding persistent body forces to generate bulk fluid motion. Our work quantifies a boundary-driven mechanism behind self-sustained electrolyte flow in confined environments that exists without any external bulk-imposed fields or gradients. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the combined effect of active and charged boundaries that are relevant in biological or soft matter systems, and can be utilized in electrofluidic and iontronic applications.

active matter↗
DOE OSTI2024

A holistic platform for accelerating sorbent-based carbon capture

Abstract Reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions urgently requires the large-scale deployment of carbon-capture technologies. These technologies must separate CO 2 from various sources and deliver it to different sinks 1,2 . The quest for optimal solutions for specific source–sink pairs is a complex, multi-objective challenge involving multiple stakeholders and depends on social, economic and regional contexts. Currently, research follows a sequential approach: chemists focus on materials design 3 and engineers on optimizing processes 4,5 , which are then operated at a scale that impacts the economy and the environment. Assessing these impacts, such as the greenhouse gas emissions over the plant’s lifetime, is typically one of the final steps 6 . Here we introduce the PrISMa (Process-Informed design of tailor-made Sorbent Materials) platform, which integrates materials, process design, techno-economics and life-cycle assessment. We compare more than 60 case studies capturing CO 2 from various sources in 5 global regions using different technologies. The platform simultaneously informs various stakeholders about the cost-effectiveness of technologies, process configurations and locations, reveals the molecular characteristics of the top-performing sorbents, and provides insights on environmental impacts, co-benefits and trade-offs. By uniting stakeholders at an early research stage, PrISMa accelerates carbon-capture technology development during this critical period as we aim for a net-zero world.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Gold Catalyzed Polymerization Reactions of Unsaturated Substrates: Towards New Functional, Recyclable, and Upcycled Aromatic Polymers (Final Report)

The overarching goal of this project lied in the translation of gold (Au) catalyzed small molecule synthetic transformations to the field of polymer science, the generation of new macromolecular structures, and the application of the materials and methodologies produced toward sustainable polymer development and chemical upcycling. Specifically, this project aimed to polymerize monomers based on unsaturated precursors and access novel polymeric materials through the extension of Au catalyzed intermolecular processes. The specific objectives of this project comprised: (1) the extension of Au-catalyzed intermolecular reactions to bifunctional monomers and the polycondensation of diverse nucleophiles; (2) to gain fundamental mechanistic insight into Au-catalyzed polymerizations; (3) the application of these reactions to the synthesis of new classes of aromatic polymers that can be readily and/or selectively deconstructed; and (4) to apply these chemistries to post-polymerization modification (PPM) of commercially relevant polyaromatic substrates, including post-industrial plastics and post-consumer waste.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Vanishing dynamic strength measured in a transient high-pressure phase of tin

This work reports two independent experimental estimations of the dynamic strength of the body-centered tetragonal (bct) 𝛾 phase of tin, which occurs at pressures above about 9 GPa and transforms promptly back to the ambient 𝛽 phase upon pressure release. Measuring strength in such a transient high-pressure phase is challenging. One measurement used free-surface Richtmyer-Meshkov instabilities generated with gas gun impact. Another set of measurements used ramp-release loading in a pulsed-power facility. Strength estimations came from comparison to simulations using a comprehensive multiphase modeling framework that includes equation of state, shear moduli, and strength separately for each phase, and treats mixed-phase regions. Both experimental methods found the 𝛾-phase strength to be very low, within experimental uncertainty of zero. The existing literature on other materials, by contrast, almost universally reports higher strength in transient high-pressure phases compared with ambient phases. Recent Molecular-Dynamics simulations on tin in the literature showed almost zero deviatoric strength during a deformation-induced bct → bct transformation in which one of the 𝛾-phase 𝑎 axes “flips” to the 𝑐 axis. This reorientation currently provides the most plausible explanation for the low observed strength in 𝛾-phase tin.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Observed Land Surface Influence on Atmospheric Heat and Moisture Profiles During Interstorms

Land-atmospheric (L-A) feedbacks have historically been studied using models whose structure and parameterizations influence outcomes and insights. The representation of L-A feedbacks based on observations alone remains an ongoing challenge for understanding boundary layer development and precipitation. To address this gap, we use ground-based passive remote sensing and in-situ observations to present an analysis of the atmosphere during 103 interstorm soil moisture drydown events spanning nine warm seasons (2016–2024) in the U.S. Southern Great Plains region. By separating events based on local L-A coupling signals and characterizing the profiles of atmospheric heat and moisture to surface energy flux behavior, we investigate the physical mechanisms linking land surface processes to boundary layer development. We find that during interstorm drydowns, the atmospheric column follows a consistent pattern: moisture increases within the boundary layer, peaks near its top, and declines rapidly above, while warming occurs through the depth. Drydowns that shift toward evaporation produce stronger and deeper thermodynamic responses than cases dominated by sensible heating, which are weaker and shallower. Additionally, moisture is accumulated faster within the boundary layer during shorter drydowns, with longer drydowns representing slower, moisture-limited growth. Drydowns with wetter initial soil moisture will sustain stronger moistening within and above the boundary layer, accelerating buoyancy growth and convective potential toward the next storm. These results provide observational evidence linking surface flux evolution to boundary layer thermodynamics and offer a process-level benchmark for evaluating coupled L-A representations in models and demonstrating the influence of soil moisture on short-term weather forecasting skill.

Zhang, M. S. [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (M↗
DOE OSTI2024

Zero-field J-spectroscopy of quadrupolar nuclei

Abstract Zero- to ultralow-field nuclear magnetic resonance (ZULF NMR) allows molecular structure elucidation via measurement of electron-mediated spin-spinJ-couplings. This study examines zero-fieldJ-spectra from molecules with quadrupolar nuclei, exemplified by solutions of various isotopologues of ammonium cations. The spectra reveal differences between various isotopologues upon extracting preciseJ-coupling values from pulse-acquire measurements. A primary isotope effect,$$\triangle J=\left({\gamma }_{{}^{14}{{{{{\rm{N}}}}}}}/{\gamma }_{{}^{15}{{{{{\rm{N}}}}}}}\right){J}_{{}^{15}{{{{{\rm{N}}}}}}{{{{{\rm{H}}}}}}}-{J}_{{}^{14}{{{{{\rm{N}}}}}}{{{{{\rm{H}}}}}}}\approx -58$$ △ J = γ 14 N / γ 15 N J 15 N H − J 14 N H ≈ − 58 mHz, is deduced by analysis of the proton-nitrogenJ-coupling ratios. This study points toward further experiments with symmetric cations containing quadrupolar nuclei, promising applications in biomedicine, energy storage, and benchmarking quantum chemistry calculations.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2026

Selectivity mechanisms of ion intercalation in Prussian blue analogs

Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) are a family of materials with facile, reversible, and selective ion transport capability for various ions via electrochemical intercalation, owing to their vacancy structure. The large tunable compositional space of PBAs allows for manipulation of intercalation behavior and selectivity by controlling structural vacancy level through choice of transition metal centers and modifications to the synthesis process. However, a lack of understanding of the mechanisms of ion selectivity hinders the material’s design process. Here, for this work, we investigated the origins of ion selectivity using a model PBA, copper hexacyanoferrate, and focused on eight technologically and biologically prominent ions, for which we determined a sequence of selectivity: Rb + > K + > Na + > Ba 2+ > Sr 2+ ≈ Ca 2+ > Mg 2+ > Li + . We provide electrochemical, structural, and redox evidence of strong correlation between the ion identity, the dominant charge-compensating redox, and preferred occupancy site. Specifically, using synchrotron anomalous X-ray diffraction (AXRD), we reveal that monovalent ions exhibit significant association with the corner sites of the unit cell and iron redox, whereas divalent ions display affinity toward the center site with higher ratios of copper redox. Informed by selectivity results, we applied CuHCFe to Li purification and achieved 99.9% purity. Our findings demonstrate an approach to elucidating ion intercalation behavior in order to distinguish and manipulate material properties to optimize separation performance.

Prussian blue analog↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA Battery Working Group - 2007-2008: Battery Task Summary Report

This presentation provides a summary of the 2007-2008 NASA Battery Working Group efforts completed in support of the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC). The effort covered a series of pro-active tasks that address the following: Binding Procurements -- guidelines related to requirements for the battery system that should be considered at the time of contract award Wet Life of Ni-H2 Batteries -- issues/strategies for effective storage and impact of long-term storage on performance and life Generic Guidelines for Lithium-ion Safety, Handling and Qualification -- Standardized approaches developed and risk assessments (1) Lithium-ion Performance Assessment -- survey of manufacturers and capabilities to meet mission needs. Guidelines document generated (2) Conditions Required for using Pouch Cells in Aerospace Missions -- focus on corrosion, thermal excursions and long-term performance issues. Document defining requirements to maintain performance and life (3) High Voltage Risk Assessment -- focus on safety and abuse tolerance of battery module assemblies. Recommendations of features required for safe implementation (4) Procedure for Determination of Safe Charge Rates -- evaluation of various cell chemistries and recommendation of safe operating regimes for specific cell designs

Manzo, Michelle↗
DOE OSTI2026

Validating a Dynamic PWR Safety and Security Model?

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) are assessed for safety and security using separate models that cannot capture how an attacker's decisions and a plant's response unfold together in real time, leaving regulators and operators without a complete picture of true plant vulnerability. Traditional probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods treat adversarial events as fixed initiators with predetermined outcomes, and are structurally incapable of representing the time-dependent interplay between physical security events, safety system response, and operator mitigative actions. At Idaho National Laboratory (INL), I contributed to the development and validation of Modeling and Analysis for Safety and Security using the Dynamic EMRALD Framework (MASS-DEF). Where static PRA relies on event-tree logic that cannot evolve mid-scenario, MASS-DEF couples a time-dependent dynamic PRA tool EMRALD (Event Modeling Risk Assessment using Linked Diagrams) with attack simulation software, allowing attacker behavior, plant system states, and operator actions to interact across time. My work focused on validating a general Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) model. I traced model logic against PWR plant to identified errors in logic and confirm accuracy. I then built and tested attack scenarios against a general PWR model to verify that the model produced expected outcomes across all logical pathways. I also contributed a section to a related technical paper applying the same EMRALD platform to radiation dose modeling. Results show that MASS-DEF can quantitatively demonstrate that many plants exceed their regulatory security thresholds. This demonstrated margin provides a technically defensible basis for reducing the number of guards without compromising regulatory compliance. Physical security costs represent roughly 10% of annual operating budgets, making such reductions directly meaningful to INL's mission of sustaining existing commercial NPPs. This internship strengthened my understanding of nuclear systems, probabilistic modeling, and technical writing, and has solidified my pursuit of a career at a national laboratory.

98 - NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL↗
DOE OSTI2026

Recyclable Materials for Resource Constrained Environments

In-space manufacturing exhibits severe limitations in resources as astronauts are only afforded with the materials that are brought on-board the space craft. Consequently, the use of recyclable and re-usable materials is paramount. Researchers at NLR leverage their expertise in polymer and recycling chemistry to develop material systems capable of high performance applications with intentional consideration on multi-life use through chemical recycling, mechanical recycling, bio-degradation, and thermoforming. Disclosed within this poster presentation are highlighted projects that illustrate several recyclable by design material systems that have been developed.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1977

The Evolution of the Moon and the Terrestrial Planets

The thermal evolutions of the Moon, Mars, Venus, and Mercury are calculated theoretically starting from cosmochemical condensation models. An assortment of geological, geochemical, and geophysical data are used to constrain both the present-day temperatures and the thermal histories of the planets' interiors. Such data imply that the planets were heated during or shortly after formation and that all the terrestrial planets started their differentiations early in their history. Initial temperatures and core formation play the most important roles in the early differentiation. The size of the planet is the primary factor in determining its present-day thermal state. The Moon, smallest in size, is characterized as a differentiated body with a crust, a thick solid mantle, and an interior region which may be partially molten. It is presently cooling rapidly and is relatively inactive tectonically. Mercury, which probably has a large core, may have a 500-km-thick solid lithosphere and a partially molten core, if it is assumed that some heat sources exist in the core. If this is not the case, the planet's interior temperatures are everywhere below the melting curve for iron. The thermal evolution is dominated by the core separation and the high conductivity of iron that makes up the bulk of Mercury. Mars, intermediate in size, is assumed to have differentiated an Fe-FeS core. While the formation of an early crust is evident, large-scale melting and differentiation of the mantle silicates has occurred at least up until 1 b.y. ago. Present-day temperature profiles indicate moderate tectonic activity at the present time. Venus is characterized as a planet not unlike the Earth in many respects. Core formation has occurred probably during the first billion years after the formation. The present-day temperatures indicate a partially molten upper mantle overlain by a 100-km-thick lithosphere and a molten Fe-Ni core. We can expect that today Venus may have tectonic processes similar to the Earth's.

M Nafi Toksöz↗
DOE OSTI2026

NanoPSD: A software for automatic detection of Nano-Particle Shape Distribution in electron microscopy images

Accurate quantification of the size and morphology of nanoparticles from electron microscopy (EM) images is essential to understand growth mechanisms, surface reactivity, and functional behavior in nanoscale materials. Manual analysis remains slow, subjective, and difficult to reproduce in large datasets. We introduce NanoPSD (Nano-Particle Shape Distribution), an open-source and fully automated framework for quantitative particle detection and morphology analysis from EM images. NanoPSD integrates adaptive contrast enhancement, polarity-agnostic scale-bar detection, Optical Character Recognition (OCR)-based calibration, and classical segmentation via Otsu thresholding with morphological refinement. Particle contours are used to extract geometric descriptors, including equivalent circular diameter, aspect ratio, circularity, and solidity, enabling automated classification into spherical, rod-like, and aggregate morphologies. The framework supports both single-image and batch processing, generating publication-quality visualizations, LaTeX-ready tables, and structured comma-separated values (CSV) datasets. As a demonstration, we applied NanoPSD to plasma-synthesized nanoparticle samples diagnosed via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The code produced statistically robust size and morphology distributions spanning a few to tens of nanometers with minimal user supervision. The pipeline demonstrates high reproducibility and scalability, processing large image collections with consistent calibration and output formatting. Its modular design enables seamless integration of future deep-learning-based segmentation models, providing a pathway toward intelligent, data-driven electron microscopy analysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2026

Updated global and regional trends of stratospheric ozone profiles

We present updated evaluation of stratospheric ozone profile trends in the 60° S–60°N latitude range using long-term ground-based and satellite climate data records, as well as simulations by chemistry-climate models. The trends are evaluated using the LOTUS (Long-term Ozone Trends and Uncertainties in the Stratosphere) regression model. Analyses of satellite data confirm the statistically significant positive ozone trends in the period 2000–2024 in the upper stratosphere of ~1–3% per decade, with larger trends at mid-latitudes compared to the tropics. The trends are slightly positive or close to zero in the middle stratosphere, and mostly negative, -1 to -2% per decade, in the lower stratosphere, but they are not statistically significant. The morphology and magnitude of ozone trends are similar to previous analyses (2000–2020 trends). Ozone trends in 2000–2024 predicted by chemistry-climate model simulations are in good agreement with combined satellite trends. In the upper stratosphere, models predict a slightly stronger ozone recovery than observations. In the lower stratosphere, both models and satellite observations report negative trends in the tropics, while modelled ozone trends are slightly positive at mid-latitudes. Ozone profile trends over several stations estimated from ground-based records capture the same overall vertical pattern of ozone trends as merged gridded satellite datasets. Analyses of regional ozone profile trends in 2003–2024 using merged satellite datasets confirmed the previous observations of a longitudinal structure in ozone trends in the NH mid-latitude stratosphere, with positive trends over Scandinavia and negative trends over Siberia. However, the magnitude of this dipole-like structure is reduced compared to previous analyses.

trends↗
DOE OSTI2023

Flexible and Extensive Platinum Ion Gel Condensers for Programmable Catalysis

Catalytic condensers composed of ion gels separating a metal electrode from a platinum-on-carbon active layer were fabricated and characterized to achieve more powerful, high surface area dynamic heterogeneous catalyst surfaces. Ion gels comprised of poly(vinylidene difluoride)/1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide were spin coated as a 3.8 μm film on a Au surface, after which carbon sputtering of a 1.8 nm carbon film and electron-beam evaporation of 2 nm Pt clusters created an active surface exposed to reactant gases. Electronic characterization indicated that most charge condensed within the Pt nanoclusters upon application of a potential bias, with the condenser device achieving a capacitance of ∼20 μF/cm 2 at applied frequencies of up to 120 Hz. The maximum charge of ∼10 14 |e – | cm –2 was condensed under stable device conditions at 200 °C on catalytic films with ∼10 15 sites cm –2 . Grazing incidence infrared spectroscopy measured carbon monoxide adsorption isobars, indicating a change in the CO* binding energy of ∼19 kJ mol –1 over an applied potential bias of only 1.25 V. Condensers were also fabricated on flexible, large area Kapton substrates allowing stacked or tubular form factors that facilitate high volumetric active site densities, ultimately enabling a fast and powerful catalytic condenser that can be fabricated for programmable catalysis applications.

Catalysis↗
NASA NTRS2004

Polyimide/Carbon Nanotube Composite Films for Electrostatic Charge Mitigation

Low color, space environmentally durable polymeric films with sufficient electrical conductivity to mitigate electrostatic charge (ESC) build-up have potential applications on large, deployable, ultra-light weight Gossamer spacecraft as thin film membranes on antennas, solar sails, thermal/optical coatings, multi-layer insulation blankets, etc.. The challenge has been to develop a method to impart robust electrical conductivity into these materials without increasing solar absorptivity (alpha ) or decreasing optical transparency or film flexibility. Since these spacecraft will require significant compaction prior to launch, the film portion of the spacecraft will require folding. The state-of-the-art clear, conductive coating (e.g. indium-tin-oxide, ITO) is brittle and cannot tolerate folding. In this report, doping a polymer with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using two different methods afforded materials with good flexibility and surface conductivities in the range sufficient for ESC mitigation. A coating method afforded materials with minimal effects on the mechanical, optical, and thermo-optical properties as compared to dispersal of SWNTs in the matrix. The chemistry and physical properties of these nanocomposites are discussed.

Smith, Joseph G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Exploring the Model Design Space for Battery Health Management

Battery Health Management (BHM) is a core enabling technology for the success and widespread adoption of the emerging electric vehicles of today. Although battery chemistries have been studied in detail in literature, an accurate run-time battery life prediction algorithm has eluded us. Current reliability-based techniques are insufficient to manage the use of such batteries when they are an active power source with frequently varying loads in uncertain environments. The amount of usable charge of a battery for a given discharge profile is not only dependent on the starting state-of-charge (SOC), but also other factors like battery health and the discharge or load profile imposed. This paper presents a Particle Filter (PF) based BHM framework with plug-and-play modules for battery models and uncertainty management. The batteries are modeled at three different levels of granularity with associated uncertainty distributions, encoding the basic electrochemical processes of a Lithium-polymer battery. The effects of different choices in the model design space are explored in the context of prediction performance in an electric unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) application with emulated flight profiles.

Saha, Bhaskar↗
DOE OSTI2025

Biochemical properties of glycerol kinase from the hypersaline-adapted archaeon Haloferax volcanii

ABSTRACT Extremophilic microorganisms are promising candidates for industrial and analytical biocatalysis.Haloferax volcanii, a halophilic archaeon that prefers glycerol over glucose, channels this substrate into central metabolism through glycerol kinase (GK). Here, we report the biochemical properties ofH. volcaniiGK and its potential for biotechnological applications. An N-terminal His-tagged GK was functionalin vivoand yielded 3 mg/L culture—4.5 times more enzyme than a C-terminal StrepII-tagged version. Size exclusion chromatography revealed a glycerol-induced oligomeric shift from homodimer to a dimer-dominant state with detectable tetramer. The purified enzyme showed robust activity across broad pH and salinity ranges, with optimal activity at 100 mM NaCl and 50°C–60°C. It retained catalytic activity in 5%–10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and crude glycerol containing methanol. His-GK was freeze-thaw stable and thermotolerant in 2 M NaCl buffers. In the absence of ligands, the enzyme’s melting temperature (T m ) was 80°C. Glycerol increased the T m to 85°C, and combinations with MgCl₂ (84°C) or ATP (88°C) provided further stabilization. The highest T m (89°C) occurred with all three ligands, suggesting a cumulative stabilizing effect. Kinetic analyses revealed positive cooperativity for glycerol, ATP, and Mg² + ; Mn² + and Co² + also supported the activity.H. volcaniiGK is the first known GK to exhibit positive cooperativity with glycerol and ATP. Its high stability and substrate flexibility support its use in biodiesel waste valorization,in vitrobiocatalysis, and biosensor development—applications demanding robust, specific, and stable enzymes. IMPORTANCE This study reveals thatH. volcaniiGK exhibits positive cooperativity for glycerol, ATP, and Mg² + , a kinetic feature not previously reported for glycerol kinases. This behavior enables steep, switch-like responses to small substrate changes, offering unique advantages for biosensor design. Importantly,H. volcaniiGK also maintains high activity under extreme salinity, temperature, broad pH, and solvent conditions that typically limit enzyme use in industrial and environmental applications. These traits make this GK an ideal candidate for enzyme-based biosensors, which often suffer from poor tolerance to pH, solvent, and thermal stress. Its robustness supports its use in cross-linked enzyme crystals, an immobilization method that enhances enzyme stability and reusability under harsh conditions. Moreover, GKs are already employed in Mg² + detection kits; however,H. volcaniiGK’s ability to tolerate and respond to diverse divalent cations (e.g., Co² + , Mn² + ) broadens their potential for pollutant detection and environmental monitoring. These features collectively positionH. volcaniiGK as a valuable biocatalyst for biosensing,in vitrodiagnostics, and biotechnological applications requiring both precision and durability.

Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology↗