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At least 559 records · Page 31

Absence of quantization in the circular photogalvanic effect in disordered chiral Weyl semimetals

The circularly polarized photogalvanic effect (CPGE) is studied in chiral Weyl semimetals with short-range quenched disorder. Without disorder, the topological properties of chiral Weyl semimetals lead to quantization of the CPGE, which is a second-order optical response. Furthermore, using a combination of diagrammatic perturbation theory in the continuum and exact numerical calculations via the kernel polynomial method on a lattice model, we show that disorder perturbatively destabilizes the quantization of the CPGE.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Small CO2 Sensors Operate at Lower Temperature

Solid-electrolyte-based amperometric sensors for measuring concentrations of CO2 in air are being developed for use in detection of fires, environmental monitoring, and other applications where liquid-based electrochemical cells are problematic. These sensors are small (sizes of the order of a millimeter), are robust, are amenable to batch fabrication at relatively low cost, and exhibit short response times (seconds) and wide detection ranges. A sensor of this type at a previous stage of development included a solid electrolyte of Na3Zr2Si2PO12 deposited mainly between interdigitated Pt electrodes on an alumina substrate, all overcoated with an auxiliary solid electrolyte of (Na2CO3:BaCO3 in a molar ratio of 1:1.7). It was necessary to heat this device to a temperature as high as 600 C to obtain the desired sensitivity and rapid response. Heating sensors increases the power consumption of the sensor system and complicates the use of the sensor in some applications. Thus, decreasing a sensor s power consumption while maintaining its performance is a technical goal of ongoing development.

Hunter, Gary W.↗

Unveiling mesoscopic structures in distorted lamellar phases through deep learning-based small angle neutron scattering analysis

Hypothesis: The formation of distorted lamellar phases, distinguished by their arrangement of crumpled, stacked layers, is frequently accompanied by the disruption of long-range order, leading to the formation of interconnected network structures commonly observed in the sponge phase. Nevertheless, traditional scattering functions grounded in deterministic modeling fall short of fully representing these intricate structural characteristics. Our hypothesis posits that a deep learning method, in conjunction with the generalized leveled wave approach used for describing structural features of distorted lamellar phases, can quantitatively unveil the inherent spatial correlations within these phases. Experiments and Simulations: This report outlines a novel strategy that integrates convolutional neural networks and variational autoencoders, supported by stochastically generated density fluctuations, into a regression analysis framework for extracting structural features of distorted lamellar phases from small angle neutron scattering data. To evaluate the efficacy of our proposed approach, we conducted computational accuracy assessments and applied it to the analysis of experimentally measured small angle neutron scattering spectra of AOT surfactant solutions, a frequently studied lamellar system. Findings: The findings unambiguously demonstrate that deep learning provides a dependable and quantitative approach for investigating the morphology of wide variations of distorted lamellar phases. It is adaptable for deciphering structures from the lamellar to sponge phase including intermediate structures exhibiting fused topological features. In conclusion, this research highlights the effectiveness of deep learning methods in tackling complex issues in the field of soft matter structural analysis and beyond.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Basic coaxial mass driver reference design

The reference design for a basic coaxial mass driver is developed to illustrate the principles and optimization procedures on the basis of numerical integration by programmable pocket calculators. The four inch caliber system uses a single-coil bucket and a single-phase propulsion track with discrete coils, separately energized by capacitors. An actual driver would use multiple-coil buckets and an oscillatory multi-phase drive system. Even the basic, table-top demonstration system should in principle be able to achieve accelerations in the 1,000 m/sq sec range. Current densities of the order of 25 ka/sq cm, continuously achievable only in superconductors, are carried by an ordinary aluminum bucket coil for a short period in order to demonstrate the calculated acceleration. Ultimately the system can be lengthened and provided with a magnetically levitated, superconducting bucket to study levitation dynamics under quasi-steady-state conditions, and to approach lunar escape velocity in an evacuated tube.

Kolm, H. H.↗

Optical search for lightning on Neptune

A search for optical flashes has been conducted to verify the hypothesized identification of whistlers detected by Voyager 2 on Neptune with lightning events. A set of 98 of the best Voyager 2 images of the nightside of Neptune have been processed and searched for optical flashes; no lightning storms were found, despite the image ranges' being as short as those which showed intense lightning storms on Jupiter, and the coverage of the planet by the images being of the order of 94 percent of the surface. Either Neptune's lightning is less visible than that of Jupiter, or it is only one-fourth as frequent.

Borucki, William J.↗

New examples of ferroelectric nematic materials showing evidence for the antiferroelectric smectic-Z phase

Abstract We present a new ferroelectric nematic material, 4-((4′-((trans)-5-ethyloxan-2-yl)-2′,3,5,6′-tetrafluoro-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)difluoromethoxy)-2,6-difluorobenzonitrile (AUUQU-2-N) and its higher homologues, the molecular structures of which include fluorinated building blocks, an oxane ring, and a terminal cyano group, all contributing to a large molecular dipole moment of about 12.5 D. We observed that AUUQU-2-N has three distinct liquid crystal phases, two of which were found to be polar phases with a spontaneous electric polarization P s of up to 6 µC cm –2 . The highest temperature phase is a common enantiotropic nematic (N) exhibiting only field-induced polarization. The lowest-temperature, monotropic phase proved to be a new example of the ferroelectric nematic phase (N F ), evidenced by a single-peak polarization reversal current response, a giant imaginary dielectric permittivity on the order of 10 3 , and the absence of any smectic layer X-ray diffraction peaks. The ordinary nematic phase N and the ferroelectric nematic phase N F are separated by an antiferroelectric liquid crystal phase which has low permittivity and a polarization reversal current exhibiting a characteristic double-peak response. In the polarizing light microscope, this antiferroelectric phase shows characteristic zig-zag defects, evidence of a layered structure. These observations suggest that this is another example of the recently discovered smectic Z A (SmZ A ) phase, having smectic layers with the molecular director parallel to the layer planes. The diffraction peaks from the smectic layering have not been observed to date but detailed 2D X-ray studies indicate the presence of additional short-range structures including smectic C-type correlations in all three phases—N, SmZ A and N F —which may shed new light on the understanding of polar and antipolar order in these phases.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Machine learning-accelerated path integral molecular dynamics simulations of reactive organic electrolytes

Hydrogen bonded electrolytes that exhibit accelerated proton transport via sequential reactive hops have drawn interest for their promise in clean energy applications. Molecular dynamics simulations of these electrolytes offer the opportunity to uncover microscopic mechanistic details that could be used to design and tune the properties of candidate electrolyte technologies. However, accurately modeling the proton transfer reactions and transport properties that give rise to high charge conductivites in these electrolytes proves computationally challenging because of the need to perform lengthy condensed phase simulations, treating both the electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom quantum mechanically. In this paper, we demonstrate that such a modeling task can be efficiently achieved with the use of density functional theory (DFT)-trained machine learning potentials (MLP) to accelerate path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD) simulations. We highlight the practical utility of this approach by using it to benchmark how closely PIMD simulations employing different DFT exchange–correlation functionals reproduce the composition-dependent densities, diffusion coefficients, and electrical conductivities of mixtures consisting of imidazole and levulinic acid. Even with the speedup afforded by our MLPs, PIMD simulations remain quite expensive. Furthermore, in order to render PIMD more computationally tractable, we introduce and benchmark the accuracy of a ring polymer contraction approach that leverages a computationally efficient short-range MLP to accelerate our PIMD simulations by an additional factor of four.

Chemical bonding↗

Magnetic, thermal, and electronic-transport properties of EuMg 2 Bi 2 single crystals

The trigonal compound EuMg 2 Bi 2 has recently been discussed in terms of its topological band properties. These are intertwined with its magnetic properties. In this paper detailed studies of the magnetic, thermal, and electronic-transport properties of EuMg 2 Bi 2 single crystals are presented. The Eu + 2 spins 7/2 in EuMg 2 Bi 2 exhibit an antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at a temperature T N = 6.7 K, as previously reported. By analyzing the anisotropic magnetic susceptibility χ data below T N in terms of molecular-field theory (MFT), the AFM structure is inferred to be a c -axis helix, where the ordered moments in the hexagonal a b -plane layers are aligned ferromagnetically in the a b plane with a turn angle between the moments in adjacent moment planes along the c axis of ≈ 120 ° . An alternate but less likely magnetic structure is a planar structure with nearest-neighbor Eu spins aligned at ≈ 120 ° with respect to each other, where these ordered-moment layers are stacked along the c axis. The magnetic heat capacity exhibits a λ anomaly at T N with evidence of dynamic short-range magnetic fluctuations both above and below T N . The high- T limit of the magnetic entropy is close to the theoretical value for spins 7/2. The in-plane electrical resistivity ρ ( T ) data indicate metallic character with a mild and disorder-sensitive upturn below T min = 23 K. An anomalous rapid drop in ρ ( T ) on cooling below T N as found in zero field is replaced by a two-step decrease in magnetic fields. The ρ ( T ) measurements also reveal an additional transition below T N in applied fields of unknown origin that is not observed in the other measurements and may be associated with an incommensurate to commensurate AFM transition. The dependence of T N on the c -axis magnetic field H ⊥ was derived from the field-dependent χ ( T ) , C p ( T ) , and ρ ( T ) measurements. This T N ( H ⊥ ) was found to be consistent with the prediction of MFT for a c -axis helix with S = 7 / 2 and was used to generate a phase diagram in the H ⊥ – T plane.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Complex Spin State of 103P-Hartley 2: Kinematics and Orientation in Space

We derive the spin state of the nucleus of Comet 103P/Hartley 2, its orientation in space, and its short-term temporal evolution from a mixture of observations taken from the DIXI (Deep Impact Extended Investigation) spacecraft and radar observations. The nucleus is found to spin in an excited long-axis mode (LAM) with its rotational angular momentum per unit mass, M, and rotational energy per unit mass, E, slowly decreasing while the degree of excitation in the spin increases through perihelion passage. M is directed toward (RA, Dec; J2000) = 8+/-+/- 4 deg., 54 +/- 1 deg. (obliquity = 48 +/- 1 deg.). This direction is likely changing, but the change is probably <6 deg. on the sky over the approx. 81.6 days of the DIXI encounter. The magnitudes of M and E at closest approach (JD 2455505.0831866 2011-11-04 13:59:47.310) are 30.0 +/- 0.2 sq. m/s and (1.56 +/- 0.02) X 10(exp -3) sq. m /sq. s respectively. The period of rotation about the instantaneous spin vector, which points in the direction (RA, Dec; J2000) = 300 +/- 3.2deg., 67 +/- 1.3 deg. at the time of closest approach, was 14.1 +/- 0.3 h. The instantaneous spin vector circulates around M, inclined at an average angle of 33.2 +/- 1.3 deg. with an average period of 18.40 +/- 0.13 h at the time of closest approach. The period of roll around the principal axis of minimum inertia (''long'' axis) at that time is 26.72 +/- 0.06 h. The long axis is inclined to M by approx. 81.2 +/- 0.6 deg. on average, slowly decreasing through encounter. We infer that there is a periodic nodding motion of the long axis with half the roll period, i.e., 13.36+/- 0.03 h, with amplitude of 1 again decreasing through encounter. The periodic variability in the circulation and roll rates during a cycle was at the 2% and 10-14% level respectively. During the encounter there was a secular lengthening of the circulation period of the long axis by 1.3 +/- 0.2 min/d, in agreement with ground-based estimates, while the period of roll around the long axis changed by approx. -4.4 min/d at perihelion. M decreased at a rate of 0.038 (sq m/s) per day in a roughly linear fashion. Assuming a bulk density between 230-300 kg/m3 and a total volume for the nucleus of 8.09 X 10(exp 8) cubic m, the net torque acting on the nucleus was in the range 0.8-1.1 X 10(exp 5) kg m(exp 2) /s(exp 2). In order to bring the spacecraft photometric and imaging data into alignment on the direction of M, the directions of the intermediate and short principal axes of inertia had to be adjusted by 33 deg (on the sky) from the values indicated by the shape model with an assumed homogeneous interior. The adjusted direction of the intermediate axis is RA, Dec = 302 deg., -16.5 deg.. The morning and evening terminators in the images are identified, and the variation of the insolation at three regions on the nucleus associated with active areas calculated. The plume of water vapor observed in the inner coma is found to be directed close to the direction of local gravity over the sub-solar region for a range of reasonable bulk densities. The plume does not follow the projected normal to the surface at the sub-solar point.

Comets↗

A coarse-grained model of clay colloidal aggregation and consolidation with explicit representation of the electrical double layer

The aggregation of clay minerals in liquid water exemplifies colloidal self-assembly in nature. These negatively charged aluminosilicate platelets interact through multiple mechanisms with different sensitivities to particle shape, surface charge, aqueous chemistry, and interparticle distance and exhibit complex aggregation structures. Experiments have difficulty resolving the associated colloidal assemblages at the scale of individual particles. Conversely, all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide detailed insight on clay colloidal interaction mechanisms, but they are limited to systems containing a few particles. We develop a new coarse-grained (CG) model capable of representing assemblages of hundreds of clay particles with accuracy approaching that of MD simulations, at a fraction of the computational cost. Our CG model is parameterized based on MD simulations of a pair of smectite clay particles in liquid water. A distinctive feature of our model is that it explicitly represents the electrical double layer (EDL), i.e., the cloud of charge-compensating cations that surrounds the clay particles. Our model captures the simultaneous importance of long-range colloidal interactions (i.e., interactions consistent with simplified analytical models, already included in extant clay CG models) and short-range interactions such as ion correlation and surface and ion hydration effects. The resulting simulations correctly predict, at low solid-water ratios, the existence of ordered arrangements of parallel particles separated by water films with a thickness up to ~10 nm and, at high solid-water ratios, the coexistence of crystalline and osmotic swelling states, in agreement with experimental observations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Magnetic properties of the quasi-one-dimensional S = 1 spin chain antiferromagnet BaNi Te 2 O 7

We report a quasi-one-dimensional S=1 spin chain compound BaNiTe 2 O 7 . This magnetic system has been investigated by magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron powder diffraction. These results indicate that BaNiTe 2 O 7 develops a short-range magnetic correlation around T ~ 22K. With further cooling, an antiferromagnetic phase transition is observed at T N ~ 5.4K. Neutron powder diffraction revealed antiferromagnetic noncollinear order with a commensurate propagation vector k = (1/2,1,0). The refined magnetic moment size of Ni 2+ at 1.5 K is 1.84 μB , and its noncollinear spin texture is confirmed by first-principles calculations. In conclusion, inelastic neutron-scattering results and density functional theory calculations confirmed the quasi-one-dimensional nature of the spin systems.

1-dimensional spin chains↗

Advanced Reactor Supply Chain Assessment (GAIN Report)

Several net-zero scenario evaluations predict a rapid ramp up of nuclear energy in the coming decades. If this materializes, it will most likely strain the supply chains associated with the potential advanced reactor concepts awaiting deployment. To help assess the current and potential capacities of the various advanced reactor supply chains, the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) conducted a survey of companies able to produce components for advanced reactors in the near future (namely for sodium, gas-cooled, and molten salt reactors). Using an aggressive nuclear deployment scenario, the objective was to assess the ability of the various supply chains to meet the considerable demand projections for certain key components (vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, graphite, and sensors) and identify potential challenges. While individual companies were unable to meet the most optimistic nuclear deployment rate projections, it was found that on aggregate, a United States-based supply chain projected that expansion could be ramped up to meet a larger future demand of these components. However, meeting projected demand for several more complex items (namely gas or salt heat exchangers) was found to be more challenging. Deploying new reactors at scale necessitates the production of more and more supply chain components, requiring a ramp up in production. Supply chain companies were surveyed, and respondents appeared less able to meet short term demand (next year) versus longer-term demand projections (5 and 10 years). This reflects the need to obtain orders with adequate lead times (can range from 3 to 30 months). Future demand will need to be met by expanding existing capacity. These expansions will require suppliers to raise capital or secure other types of support (federal loans or grants) to invest in facilities, equipment, and workforce. Individual suppliers indicated financial investments could be in the range of $\$ $100 million to $\$ $1 billion for their own facilities (depending on the type of facility). The biggest risk, according to respondents, related to general uncertainties surrounding the future nuclear industry and whether the potential demand projections will materialize into real demand that is actionable from a business perspective. Businesses do not seem willing to take investments risks without clear orders. If businesses are not able to invest to expand the supply, it will either delay the deployment of advanced nuclear technology, or the supply chain will be met by suppliers outside of the United States. This report only focuses on the domestic supply chain’s ability to meet the various projections stipulated here for the specific assessed components (vessels, heat exchangers, pumps, graphite, and sensors). The report does not cover all reactor designs or all components that may ultimately be needed for any one reactor design. It also does not address whether any specific aspect of the supply chain will be cost competitive in the global market, nor how potential state-backed entities could affect the expansion of a United States-based supply chain. The largest challenges in ramping up capacity among respondents appear to be workforce related. This includes workforce availability, experience, training, and turnover. In addition to facility investment, suppliers will also need to invest heavily in long-term workforce training to meet production goals. This issue is not nuclear-specific, and the expansion of any supply chain will likely face similar challenges. While suppliers evaluated expected normal business demand from other markets outside of nuclear, it is possible that other market segments could expand more than predicted and compete for the same suppliers. One potential market that may compete for the same supplier resources is the United States military, as many of these suppliers support both the commercial nuclear sector as well as the Navy with reactors and components. In summary, suppliers in the United States believe that there is a way to increase production in order to begin meeting the demand which will exist for advanced reactors—as long as appropriate investments can be made in the supply chain in an appropriate timeframe. Based on the capacity projections and lead times, investment will be needed to meet the 5-year and 10-year production targets. Therefore, if significant nuclear deployment is to occur in the 2030s, investment and ramp up of the advanced nuclear supply chain will need to begin in the near future for the United States to successfully deploy these advanced reactors with domestic supply chains.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Annealing characteristics of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells irradiated with 1.00 MeV protons

Amorphous Si:H and amorphous Si sub x, Ge sub (1-x):H solar cells were irradiated with 1.00 MeV proton fluences in the range of 1.00E14 to 1.25E15 cm (exp -2). Annealing of the short circuit current density was studied at 0, 22, 50, 100, and 150 C. Annealing times ranged from an hour to several days. The measurements confirmed that annealing occurs at 0 C and the initial characteristics of the cells are restored by annealing at 200 C. The rate of annealing does not appear to follow a simple nth order reaction rate model. Calculations of the short-circuit current density using quantum efficiency measurements and the standard AM1.5 global spectrum compare favorably with measured values. It is proposed that the degradation in J sub sc with irradiation is due to carrier recombination through the fraction of D (o) states bounded by the quasi-Fermi energies. The time dependence of the rate of annealing of J sub sc does appear to be consistent with the interpretation that there is a thermally activated dispersive transport mechanism which leads to the passivation of the irradiation induced defects.

Abdulaziz, Salman S.↗

A Parametric Reduced-Order Model for Inverter Short-Circuit Response in Protection Studies

This paper presents a reduced-order model (ROM) for grid-following (GFL) inverters that reproduces inverter fault current trajectories, including sub transients, transient, and steady-state phases, across a range of fault types, locations, and pre-fault operating points. . The proposed model is developed by: Constructing the positive- and negative-sequence current with parameterization fitted by large data training and fitting Validating using EMT simulation against EMT full model and demonstrating the ROM's capability to capture fault current magnitude, phase angle, and oscillatory transients. Building a standard EMT simulation platform library component for easy configuration and application.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

A Hybrid Fiber/Solid-State Regenerative Amplifier with Tunable Pulse Widths for Satellite Laser Ranging

A fiber/solid-state hybrid seeded regenerative amplifier, capable of achieving high output energy with tunable pulse widths, has been developed for satellite laser ranging applications. The regenerative amplifier cavity uses a pair of Nd:YAG zigzag slabs oriented orthogonally to one another in order to make thermal lensing effects symmetrical and simplify optical correction schemes. The seed laser used is a fiber-coupled 1,064-nm narrowband (<0.02 nm) diode laser that is discretely driven in a new short-pulsed mode, enabling continuously tunable seed pulse widths in the 0.2-to-0.4-ns range. The amplifier gain unit consists of a pair of Brewster-cut 6-bounce zigzag Nd:YAG laser slabs, oriented 90deg relative to each other in the amplifier head. This arrangement creates a net-symmetrical thermal lens effect (an opposing singleaxis effect in each slab), and makes thermo-optical corrections simple by optimizing the curvature of the nearest cavity mirror. Each slab is pumped by a single 120-W, pulsed 808-nm laser diode array. In this configuration, the average pump beam distribution in the slabs had a 1-D Gaussian shape, which matches the estimated cavity mode size. A half-wave plate between the slabs reduces losses from Fresnel reflections due to the orthogonal slabs Brewster-cut end faces. Successful "temporal" seeding of the regenerative amplifier cavity results in a cavity Q-switch pulse envelope segmenting into shorter pulses, each having the width of the input seed, and having a uniform temporal separation corresponding to the cavity round-trip time of approx. =10 ns. The pulse energy is allowed to build on successive passes in the regenerative amplifier cavity until a maximum is reached, (when cavity gains and losses are equal), after which the pulse is electro- optically switched out on the next round trip The overall gain of the amplifier is approx. =82 dB (or a factor of 1.26 million). After directing the amplified output through a LBO frequency doubling crystal, approx. = 2.1 W of 532-nm output (>1 mJ) was measured. This corresponds to a nonlinear conversion efficiency of >60%. Furthermore, by pulse pumping this system, a single pulse per laser shot can be created for the SLR (satellite laser ranging) measurement, and this can be ejected into the instrument. This is operated at the precise frequency needed by the measurement, as opposed to commercial short-pulsed, mode-locked systems that need to operate in a continuous fashion, or CW (continuous wave), and create pulses at many MHz. Therefore, this design does not need to throw away or dump 99% of the laser energy to produce what is required; this system can be far smaller, more efficient, cheaper, and readily deployed in the field when packaged efficiently. Finally, by producing custom diode seed pulses electronically, two major advantages over commercial systems are realized: First, this pulse shape is customizable and not affected by the cavity length or gain of the amplifier cavity, and second, it can produce adjustable (selectable) pulse widths by simply adding multiple seed diodes and coupling each into commercial, low-cost fiber-optic combiners.

Coyle, Barry↗

Local spin structure in the layered van der Waals materials MnPS 𝑥 ⁢Se 3−𝑥

Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, whether in bulk form or reduced to just a single layer, have potential applications in spintronics and capacity for advanced quantum phenomena. A prerequisite for harnessing these opportunities lies in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the spin behavior in 2D materials. The low dimensionality motivates an understanding of the spin correlations over a wide length scale, from local to long-range order. In this context, we focus on the magnetism in bulk MnPSe 3 and MnPS 3 , 2D layered van der Waals antiferromagnetic semiconductors. These materials have similar honeycomb Mn layers and magnetic ordering temperatures, but distinct spin orientations and exchange interactions. Here, we utilize neutron scattering to gain deeper insights into the local magnetic structures and spin correlations in the paramagnetic and ordered phases by systematically investigating a MnPS 𝑥 ⁢Se 3−𝑥 (𝑥 = 0, 1, 1.5, 2, 3) series of powder samples using total neutron scattering measurements. By employing magnetic pair distribution function analysis, we unraveled the short-range magnetic correlations in these materials and explored how the nonmagnetic anion S/Se mixing impacts the magnetic correlations. The results reveal that the magnetism can be gradually tuned through alteration of the nonmagnetic S/Se content, which tunes the atomic structure. The change in magnetic structure is also accompanied by a control of the magnetic correlation length within the 2D honeycomb layers. Complimentary inelastic neutron scattering measurements allowed a quantification of the change in the magnetic exchange interactions for the series and further highlighted the gradual evolution of spin interactions in the series MnPS 𝑥 ⁢Se 3−𝑥 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Roadmap for a sustainable circular economy in lithium-ion and future battery technologies

Abstract The market dynamics, and their impact on a future circular economy for lithium-ion batteries (LIB), are presented in this roadmap, with safety as an integral consideration throughout the life cycle. At the point of end-of-life (EOL), there is a range of potential options—remanufacturing, reuse and recycling. Diagnostics play a significant role in evaluating the state-of-health and condition of batteries, and improvements to diagnostic techniques are evaluated. At present, manual disassembly dominates EOL disposal, however, given the volumes of future batteries that are to be anticipated, automated approaches to the dismantling of EOL battery packs will be key. The first stage in recycling after the removal of the cells is the initial cell-breaking or opening step. Approaches to this are reviewed, contrasting shredding and cell disassembly as two alternative approaches. Design for recycling is one approach that could assist in easier disassembly of cells, and new approaches to cell design that could enable the circular economy of LIBs are reviewed. After disassembly, subsequent separation of the black mass is performed before further concentration of components. There are a plethora of alternative approaches for recovering materials; this roadmap sets out the future directions for a range of approaches including pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, short-loop, direct, and the biological recovery of LIB materials. Furthermore, anode, lithium, electrolyte, binder and plastics recovery are considered in order to maximise the proportion of materials recovered, minimise waste and point the way towards zero-waste recycling. The life-cycle implications of a circular economy are discussed considering the overall system of LIB recycling, and also directly investigating the different recycling methods. The legal and regulatory perspectives are also considered. Finally, with a view to the future, approaches for next-generation battery chemistries and recycling are evaluated, identifying gaps for research. This review takes the form of a series of short reviews, with each section written independently by a diverse international authorship of experts on the topic. Collectively, these reviews form a comprehensive picture of the current state of the art in LIB recycling, and how these technologies are expected to develop in the future.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

An estimate of the amount of a material removed from the Martian fretted terrain

An estimate is made of the volume of plateau material removed from the area of Martian fretted terrain between 270 W and 360 W. Depending on the model chosen for the former extent of plateau, between 0.5 and 3.3 million cubic km have been removed. This corresponds to a global equivalent layer between 3 and 21 m or a lowland equivalent layer between 9 and 60 m of redistributed sediment. The preferred model is at the lower end of this range. The material could have been removed during a relatively short period of Martian history by aeolian abrasion following in situ weathering. The volume of material is an order of magnitude smaller than the total amount likely to be present in the northern lowlands.

Dimitriou, Andrew↗