Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Integrated Platform”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4

Bioelectrocatalytic conversion of CO₂ to PHA bioplastics using engineered methylotrophs

The sustainable generation of biodegradable plastics represents an opportunity to capture atmospheric CO 2 while reducing plastic waste accumulation in the environment. This study implements an integrated platform for bioelectrocatalytic CO 2 conversion to medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs). Immobilizing cobalt phthalocyanine electrocatalysts on a covalent-organic framework in a gas recirculation electrolyzer enabled CO 2 -to-methanol conversion with a carbon conversion efficiency of 98%. Integration of polymer biosynthesis pathways enabled Methylotuvimicrobium alcaliphilum 20Z R to produce ~20% mcl-PHA of the dry cell weight with a CO 2 -to-bioproducts carbon conversion efficiency of 50%. This cell line was adapted to high sodium bicarbonate media, eliminating costly intermediate separation steps while improving economic potential. Transcriptomic analysis revealed sulfate transporters and peptidoglycan biosynthesis as key pathways involved in sodium bicarbonate halotolerance. Altogether, this research presents a foundation for integrating divergent chemical and biological processes into a transformative electrobiomanufacturing platform, addressing the need for alternative pipelines for generating valuable plastics and chemicals.

CO2 utilization↗

High-resolution ion mobility based on traveling wave structures for lossless ion manipulation resolves hidden lipid features

Abstract High-resolution ion mobility (resolving power > 200) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical tool for resolving isobars and isomers in complex samples. High-resolution ion mobility is capable of discerning additional structurally distinct features, which are not observed with conventional resolving power ion mobility (IM, resolving power ~ 50) techniques such as traveling wave IM and drift tube ion mobility (DTIM). DTIM in particular is considered to be the “gold standard” IM technique since collision cross section (CCS) values are directly obtained through a first-principles relationship, whereas traveling wave IM techniques require an additional calibration strategy to determine accurate CCS values. In this study, we aim to evaluate the separation capabilities of a traveling wave ion mobility structures for lossless ion manipulation platform integrated with mass spectrometry analysis (SLIM IM-MS) for both lipid isomer standards and complex lipid samples. A cross-platform investigation of seven subclass-specific lipid extracts examined by both DTIM-MS and SLIM IM-MS showed additional features were observed for all lipid extracts when examined under high resolving power IM conditions, with the number of CCS-aligned features that resolve into additional peaks from DTIM-MS to SLIM IM-MS analysis varying between 5 and 50%, depending on the specific lipid sub-class investigated. Lipid CCS values are obtained from SLIM IM ( TW(SLIM) CCS) through a two-step calibration procedure to align these measurements to within 2% average bias to reference values obtained via DTIM ( DT CCS). A total of 225 lipid features from seven lipid extracts are subsequently identified in the high resolving power IM analysis by a combination of accurate mass-to-charge, CCS, retention time, and linear mobility-mass correlations to curate a high-resolution IM lipid structural atlas. These results emphasize the high isomeric complexity present in lipidomic samples and underscore the need for multiple analytical stages of separation operated at high resolution. Graphical abstract

Reardon, Allison R. (ORCID:0000000165830134)↗

DEEPER: An Intergrated Platform for Deeper Roots

Crops with deeper roots would have multiple benefits, including better drought tolerance, reduced requirement for nitrogen fertilizer, and better sequestration of atmospheric CO 2 . DEEPER is an integrated platform of phenomic, genomic, and in silico technologies to generate maize lines with deeper roots. DEEPER is: LEADER (Leaf Elemental Accumulation from Deep Roots) is a breakthrough technology to nondestructively measure rooting depth by using the plant itself as a sensor. LEADER uses handheld X-ray Fluorescence spectrometry to quantify foliar accumulation of elements that are differentially distributed in the soil profile. LEADER is nondestructive and is orders of magnitude cheaper, faster, and more precise than any competing assay of rooting depth in the field. LEADER is able to distinguish deep-rooted from shallow-rooted maize lines in the field without the need for costly and noisy soil coring. RootRobot/DIRT3D, to automatically phenotype root architecture in any field, combining RootRobot, a mechatronics platform to excavate, clean, section, and image mature root crowns, with DIRT3D, software to quantify architectural traits in 3D. Anatomics, a high-throughput platform to phenotype root anatomy, combining LAT 2.0, a technology for 3D imaging of root anatomy and composition, with RootScan3D, software to automatically extract 3D anatomical and cell wall composition metrics from LAT 2.0 output. Using this platform we discovered two novel root traits, parenchyma cell wall thickness and multiseriate cortical sclerenchyma, that improve rooting depth and drought tolerance in maize and wheat. OpenSimRoot/Deep, software to simulate root interaction with hard subsoils. Using this platform we discovered novel concepts regarding how to increase crop rooting depth by modulating how individual root axes respond to hard soil. DeepGenes, a toolkit of genes, parent lines, and genomic selection strategies to enable breeding hybrids with deeper roots. We discovered 3 novel root genes that increase rooting depth in maize and wheat. DEEPER discovered novel root phenotypes for deeper rooting, and delivered validated ideotypes for deeper-rooted maize; novel technologies to rapidly assess root depth, root architecture and anatomy in field-grown plants; novel software tools for root modeling and 3D image analysis of root architecture and anatomy; and validated genes and genomic selection models to deploy traits for deeper rooting in maize breeding. Each DEEPER technology is transformative in its own right, and exceeds existing technologies. They are mutually synergistic, deployable for field-grown plants, and are ready for application. The phenotyping and modeling technologies are readily applicable to many crops, and genetic leads in maize may have utility in other grasses. Taken as a whole they represent a transformative platform to develop deeper-rooted crops, with greater drought tolerance, reduced fertilizer requirement, and greater carbon sequestration.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Rapid Evaluation of Amine-Functionalized Solvents for Biomass Deconstruction Using High-Throughput Screening and One-Pot Enzymatic Saccharification

Efficient and sustainable pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass is critical for biofuel and biochemical production, yet its optimization is often hindered by slow, labor-intensive experimental methods. Here, we report the first demonstration of a custom-built, miniaturized, high-throughput screening platform integrated with one-pot enzymatic saccharification, enabling parallel evaluation of solvent type, feedstock, and temperature with minimal material use and high reproducibility. As a proof-of-concept, the HTX platform was used to screen five amine-functionalized solvents, including isopropanolamine, butylamine, N-methylbutylamine, ethanolamine, and ethanolamine acetate across three bioenergy crops (sorghum, poplar, and switchgrass) and pretreatment temperatures ranging from 80 to 140 °C. Vacuum drying successfully removed more than 99% of the solvents from the pretreated biomass, eliminating the need for water washing prior to saccharification. Isopropanolamine and N-methylbutylamine yielded the highest glucose (70–80%) and xylose (58–67%) release, with trends reflecting feedstock recalcitrance. The produced hydrolysates supported robust growth of an engineered strain of the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides, confirming biocompatibility. This high-throughput platform provides a scalable, feedstock-agnostic framework for rapid pretreatment screening, accelerating solvent–feedstock pairing and process optimization. Its ability to integrate pretreatment, solvent removal, saccharification, and microbial conversion in a miniaturized format offers significant advantages for cost-competitive biorefinery development.

Biomass↗

Decoding crops one cell at a time: from cell atlases to single-cell genetics

Understanding the mechanisms underlying key agricultural traits remains a central challenge in crop research, but recent advances in technologies are providing powerful tools to address this issue. Among these, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics have revealed tissue heterogeneity and spatial organization, offering unique insights into cellular gene expression dynamics and the coordinated activity of multiple cell types. These approaches help uncover how specific cell types contribute to agricultural traits and refine candidate loci lists through integration with trait-associated loci. Additionally, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics have the potential to serve as cell-level readout platforms integrating cellular perturbations, enabling high-throughput discovery of causal relationships between genotype and gene expression at the cellular level in plants. Successful implementation will accelerate the identification of key genetic variants for crop improvement. Furthermore we review lessons learned from application of single-cell screening in mammalian cells, highlight major technical and biological barriers to its use in plants, and outline potential strategies to overcome these challenges. Together, the widespread application and integration of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with other technologies enable not only the descriptive cataloging of cell states but also the causal interrogation of sequence functions and regulatory networks at cell type resolution, ultimately advancing gene function studies and accelerating crop improvement.

Cellular heterogeneity↗

Sensors with Intelligent Measurement Platform for Monitoring and Control in Distribution Circuits

This paper presents a medium-voltage intelligent measurement platform that provides post-processing of raw measurements received from commercially-available voltage/current sensors to enhance accuracy and bandwidth of the monitoring system. Furthermore, this platform integrates into a Data Distribution Service (DDS) messaging bus for distributed control and interoperability. The authors present the design, specifications, and major components included in the platform, and argue for applications and use cases that most benefit from this new approach. A laboratory testbed has been created to demonstrate the functionality, for which test results are presented for selected test cases.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Ultra-broadband quadrature squeezing with thin-film lithium niobate nanophotonics

Squeezed light is a key quantum resource that enables quantum advantages for sensing, networking, and computing applications. The scalable generation and manipulation of squeezed light with integrated platforms are highly desired for the development of quantum technology with continuous variables. In this Letter, we demonstrate squeezed light generation with thin-film lithium niobate integrated photonics. Parametric down-conversion is realized with quasi-phase matching using ferroelectric domain engineering. With sub-wavelength mode confinement, efficient nonlinear processes can be observed with single-pass configuration. We measure 0.56 ± 0.09 dB quadrature squeezing (∼2.6 dB inferred on-chip). The single-pass configuration further enables the generation of squeezed light with large spectral bandwidth up to 7 THz. This work represents a significant step towards the on-chip implementation of continuous-variable quantum information processing.

Chen, Pao-Kang↗

Ultra-low-power second-order nonlinear optics on a chip

Second-order nonlinear optical processes convert light from one wavelength to another and generate quantum entanglement. Creating chip-scale devices to efficiently control these interactions greatly increases the reach of photonics. Existing silicon-based photonic circuits utilize the third-order optical nonlinearity, but an analogous integrated platform for second-order nonlinear optics remains an outstanding challenge. Here we demonstrate efficient frequency doubling and parametric oscillation with a threshold of tens of micro-watts in an integrated thin-film lithium niobate photonic circuit. We achieve degenerate and non-degenerate operation of the parametric oscillator at room temperature and tune its emission over one terahertz by varying the pump frequency by hundreds of megahertz. Finally, we observe cascaded second-order processes that result in parametric oscillation. These resonant second-order nonlinear circuits will form a crucial part of the emerging nonlinear and quantum photonics platforms.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

The IDAES process modeling framework and model library—Flexibility for process simulation and optimization

Abstract Energy systems and manufacturing processes of the 21st century are becoming increasingly dynamic and interconnected, which require new capabilities to effectively model and optimize their design and operations. Such next generation computational tools must leverage state‐of‐the‐art techniques in optimization and be able to rapidly incorporate new advances. To address these requirements, we have developed the Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) Integrated Platform, which builds on the strengths of both process simulators (model libraries) and algebraic modeling languages (advanced solvers). This paper specifically presents the IDAES Core Modeling Framework (IDAES‐CMF), along with a case study demonstrating the application of the framework to solve process optimization problems. Capabilities provided by this framework include a flexible, modifiable, open‐source platform for optimization of process flowsheets utilizing state‐of‐the‐art solvers and solution techniques, fully open and extensible libraries of dynamic unit operations models and thermophysical property models, and integrated support for superstructure‐based conceptual design and optimization under uncertainty.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Remediation and upcycling of microplastics by algae with wastewater nutrient removal and bioproduction potential

Microplastics have emerged as major environmental hazards that require efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable remediation technologies. This study introduces an integrative platform for the remediation and upcycling of microplastics by algae, while synergizing with plastic upcycling, wastewater treatment, and algal production. The strategy employs a mechanism that enhances hydrophobic interactions between the cell surface and microplastics, enabling rapid aggregation and removal. The platform achieves a superior microplastic removal efficiency of 91.4% within 1 hour, with a capacity of 0.1-gram microplastic per gram of biomass. Furthermore, the study demonstrates an upcycling strategy that converts microplastics-enriched cyanobacteria into plastic composites with unique performance. This work also integrates microplastic removal with cyanobacterial bioproduction and wastewater treatment, offering an approach that synergizes remediation with these value-added processes. Ultimately, this platform provides a viable and sustainable pathway to address microplastic pollution by creating value through plastic upcycling, wastewater nutrient removal, and CO 2 -based bioproduction.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

HyRAM+ (Hydrogen Plus Other Alternative Fuels Risk Assessment Models) v.6.1

SAND2025-11565O HyRAM+ (Hydrogen Plus Other Alternative Fuels Risk Assessment Models) is a tool for conducting quantitative risk assessment (QRA) in transportation systems. HyRAM+ contains validated, simplified release behavior models, engineering models, and generic data relevant to hydrogen installations. HyRAM+’s platform integrates models and data to conduct QRA on user-defined hydrogen or other alternative fuel systems. The software will enable the international safety research community to add validated models to the HyRAM+ platform for use in QRAs. HyRAM (hydrogen-only) versions 1.0 to 3.1 were developed by Sandia for the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. The following agencies contributed to the development of HyRAM+ version 4.0 regarding the addition of methane (natural gas) and propane models: the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office and the Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525.

Groth, Katrina [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Alb↗

Performance Evaluation of Distributed Energy Resources Management System via Advanced Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation: Preprint

This paper presents an advanced hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation coordinated across advanced distribution management systems (ADMS), distributed energy management system (DERMS), and DERs. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, real controller (ADMS and DERMs) and power (DERs) hardware, and standard communications protocols. The test results show proper functionalities of the integrated platform and performance of the peak load management of coordinated control systems. Based on the laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid automation system to manage DERs to achieve system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., peak load management), thus derisking potential issues (e.g., instability) for field deployment.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Toward quantum networking with frequency-bin qudits

Quantum networking holds tremendous promise in transforming computation and communication. Entangled-photon sources are critical for quantum repeaters and networking, while photonic integrated circuits are vital for miniaturization and scalability. In this talk, we focus on generating and manipulating frequency-bin entangled states within integrated platforms. We encode quantum information as a coherent superposition of multiple optical frequencies; this approach is favorable due to its amenability to high-dimensional entanglement and compatibility with fiber transmission. We successfully generate and measure the density matrix of biphoton frequency combs from integrated silicon nitride microrings, fully reconstructing the state in an 8 × 8 two-qudit Hilbert space, the highest so far for frequency bins. Moreover, we employ Vernier electro-optic phase modulation methods to perform time-resolved measurements of biphoton correlation functions. Currently, we are exploring bidirectional pumping of microrings to generate indistinguishable entangled pairs in both directions, aiming to demonstrate key networking operations such as entanglement swapping and Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state generation in the frequency domain.

Myilswamy, Karthik V.↗

Efficient and Selective Chemical Transformations in Highly Charged and Confined Nanodroplets

The acceleration of chemical reaction rates and the increased product selectivity in microdroplets compared to that in bulk solutions has become a topic of increasing interest that has been extensively characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). However, the sources of this acceleration and the detailed relationships between droplet properties and resulting reaction rate acceleration are still under debate. Moreover, droplet properties are governed by multiple interrelated experimental parameters, i.e., electrospray voltage, solution flow rate, etc., which makes it difficult and time-consuming to explore this diverse parameter space using traditional manual experimental or computational approaches. In this work, we developed an automated experimental platform integrating reactions in controlled charged microdroplet environments with ESI-MS characterization and sequential hybrid Bayesian modeling, as well as an optimal experimental design framework, to achieve multidimensional parameter optimization for higher reaction turnover rates, based on a model reaction of tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) with carbon dioxide. With the current platform, we have achieved automated scans with a range of electrospray voltages and solution flow rates, and determined and optimized parameter settings to achieve increased reaction turnovers. We have also linked this platform to the underlying properties of droplets via a hybrid model incorporating physics, high-level theoretical calculations, and machine learning (ML) approaches. The autonomous platform is broadly applicable to a range of chemical reactions relevant to DOE’s mission in chemical separations, catalysis, and materials synthesis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Performance Evaluation of Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control for Grid Operations

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation of Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control (DEHC). This DEHC uses an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) for grid operations to control legacy and grid-edge devices and coordinate with distributed energy management systems (DERMS) to manage high penetrations of photovoltaics (PV) on a utility distribution system. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling (legacy devices, grid-edge devices, and PV) of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, a real controller (ADMS), software controller DERMS, hardware grid-edge devices, and standard communications protocols. The test results demonstrate functionalities of the integrated platform and the performance of voltage regulation of the coordinated control systems. Based on laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid-automation system to manage DERs, legacy devices, and grid-edge devices to achieve their system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., voltage regulation), thus de-risking potential issues such as instability for field deployment.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗

Performance Evaluation of Hierarchical Controls for Advanced Distribution Management System-Centered Grid Operations: Preprint

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platform to evaluate the performance of voltage regulation using an advanced distribution management system (ADMS) for grid operations to control legacy and grid-edge voltage control devices and coordinate with distributed energy management systems (DERMS) to manage high penetrations of photovoltaics (PV) on a utility distribution system. The HIL platform provides realistic laboratory testing, including accurate modeling (legacy devices, grid-edge devices, and PV) of the real-world distribution system from a utility partner, a real controller (ADMS), software controller DERMS, hardware grid-edge devices, and standard communications protocols. The test results show proper functionalities of the integrated platform and the performance of voltage regulation of the coordinated control systems. Based on laboratory testing, the utility can set up the same grid-automation system to manage DERs, legacy devices, and grid-edge devices to achieve their system-level control and operation objectives (e.g., voltage regulation), thus de-risking potential issues (e.g., instability) for field deployment.

ADMS↗

Development and implementation of an in situ high-resolution isotopic microscope for measuring metabolic interactions in soil mesocosms (Final Report)

Many of our planet’s ecosystems rely on the activities of soil microbial communities. These microbes have significant and wide-ranging effects: they metabolize carbon and other nutrients, interact with plants and fungi, and perform other processes important to soil health. However, our ability to directly observe the enzymatic and metabolic activities of microbes within soil is currently limited, not only by the complexity of soil microbial communities themselves, but also by the lack of experimental tools to study them and their molecular interactions in situ. These challenges hinder our understanding of the life-sustaining processes of biomass decomposition and the manner in which it contributes to the movement of freed carbon within soil ecosystems. Here we aimed to develop a novel ultrahigh-resolution isotopic microscope that combines complementary imaging modalities to gain insights into metabolic cycling in soil. This final report covers both the portion of this work that was initially completed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2018 to 2019 (as award DE-SC0019012) and then from 2020 to 2022 (2023 in NCE) at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. This goal was to build an integrated platform consisting of fluorescence microscopy, Raman microspectroscopy, and nanospray desorption electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (nanoDESI-FTICR-MS) to directly investigate microbial activities and molecular transformations occurring in soil by exploiting the use of both fluorescent labels and stable isotope probing. Specifically, our instrument was conceived as integrating: (A) fluorescence detection to localize soil microbes, identify bacteria taking up polysaccharides, and monitor gene expression of enzymes involved in decomposition; (B) Raman microspectroscopy to determine which microbes incorporate decomposition products into their biomass, as well as which decomposers are metabolically active; and (C) nanoDESI-FTICR-MS imaging to spatially probe, in real-time, the metabolites in the surrounding area, which we expect will reveal the distributions of the products of the enzymatic breakdown of polysaccharides, as well as specialized metabolites acting as cell-cell signals between decomposers. To enable these measurements, we exploited fluorescence-based probes to map the microbes that are enzymatically active (per A) and utilized stable isotope-labeled substrates to visualize both the microbial and molecular fate of decomposed biomass (B and C, respectively). To accomplish our goal, we combined the expertise of a multidisciplinary group of scientists to pursue the construction of this microscope and to investigate scientific questions that would be facilitated by such a capability. We aimed to employ this spatially informative, high-resolution isotopic microscope to visualize the critical steps of biomass degradation and the molecular fate of other environmentally relevant substrates within soil mesocosms. Accordingly, this technology will enhance our understanding of the microbial and metabolic interactions occurring within soil communities that are relevant to carbon degradation and other soil processes. The instrument has been developed and housed at EMSL, where it will be available to the entire EMSL User Base, enabling a variety of related DOE-relevant systems to be interrogated in the future by diverse scientific research groups.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Opportunities for an Integrated Web-Based Workbench for Data Access and Analysis - 20244

Management of environmental issues can require integration of multiple types of data and information, conducting data analysis and interpretation, and providing data visualization for effective communications. These data elements are important for site management to support regulator interactions and provide defensibility for remedial decisions. Databases and information repositories are core elements of managing data; however, efficient data access and analysis also enable effective site management. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site is an example of a complex site with a voluminous quantity of environmental data and a need for efficient site management. Different tiers of data and information tools have been developed and deployed to address site needs. These tools are configured for ready access via the web site interfaces and meet the rigorous quality requirements for environmental site management. Evolving efforts are focused on an integrated platform to meet site environmental management needs. In this platform, users can access site information at multiple levels of detail based on their need and permissions, so that data and associated analyses are presented within the context of the site mission and the user's management or technical needs. This concept is not only applicable at individual sites like Hanford but also applicable at other sites within the DOE complex. An integrated web-based architecture that links data visualization, data analytics, and management tools can provide holistic access to large data sets, minimize complexity, and maximize interactivity and technical communication. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗