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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Development and Characterization of a Self-Tightening Tourniquet System

Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains a leading cause of death in both emergency and military medicine. Tourniquets are essential to stopping hemorrhage in these scenarios, but they suffer from subjective, inconsistent application. Here, we demonstrate how tourniquet application can be automated using sensors and computer algorithms. The auto-tourniquet self-tightens until blood pressure oscillations are no longer registered by the pressure sensor connected to the pneumatic pressure cuff. The auto-tourniquet’s performance in stopping the bleed was comparable to manual tourniquet application, but the time required to fully occlude the bleed was longer. Application of the tourniquet was significantly smoother, and less variable, for the automatic tourniquet compared to manual tourniquet application. This proof-of-concept study highlights how automated tourniquets can be integrated with sensors to provide a much more consistent application and use compared to manual application, even in controlled, low stress testing conditions. Future work will investigate different sensors and tourniquets to improve the application time and repeatability.

Vega, Saul J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Mil-Std-464C and Mil-Std-464D Electromagnetic Radiation Environment Evaluation

Many systems derive their electromagnetic radiation (EMR) environments from Mil-Std-464C or Mil-Std-464D, Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Requirements for Systems. This standard defines several EMR environments based on the type of system and expected application. Many nuclear weapon (NW) systems reference the ordnance environments as the starting point for their functional EMR requirements, since any item intended to go into Department of Defense (DOD) custody is expected to be certified hazards of electromagnetic radiation to ordnance (HERO) safe when exposed to the environments listed in Mil-Std-464 Table 9. This environment is defined as the envelope of all sources any system in DOD custody may ever encounter, however, and may include sources that are not relevant for a particular system. This document is intended to provide additional clarity on the Mil-Std-464C and Mil-Std-464D EMR environments, specifically the driving sources for the maximum ordnance levels. This supplementary information may be used to guide tailoring of relevant environments or application to different systems with the additional consideration of any shielding that may reduce the external environments defined in the military standard.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2025

WRS Capabilities Booklet [Slides]

WRS is the digital backbone of the Weapons Program—delivering trusted data assets, cyber-assured software and systems, and AI-enabling software—that transform insights into decisive action. We empower physicists, engineers, researchers, and scientists to think faster, act strategically, and stay ahead in an ever-evolving threat landscape. Our efforts ensure critical nuclear weapons data remains secure, accessible, and usable—supporting mission-critical work, informed decision making, and scientific advancement at LANL and across the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE).

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2022

Training Ultrasound Image Classification Deep-Learning Algorithms for Pneumothorax Detection Using a Synthetic Tissue Phantom Apparatus

Ultrasound (US) imaging is a critical tool in emergency and military medicine because of its portability and immediate nature. However, proper image interpretation requires skill, limiting its utility in remote applications for conditions such as pneumothorax (PTX) which requires rapid intervention. Artificial intelligence has the potential to automate ultrasound image analysis for various pathophysiological conditions. Training models require large data sets and a means of troubleshooting in real-time for ultrasound integration deployment, and they also require large animal models or clinical testing. Here, we detail the development of a dynamic synthetic tissue phantom model for PTX and its use in training image classification algorithms. The model comprises a synthetic gelatin phantom cast in a custom 3D-printed rib mold and a lung mimicking phantom. When compared to PTX images acquired in swine, images from the phantom were similar in both PTX negative and positive mimicking scenarios. We then used a deep learning image classification algorithm, which we previously developed for shrapnel detection, to accurately predict the presence of PTX in swine images by only training on phantom image sets, highlighting the utility for a tissue phantom for AI applications.

Boice, Emily N. (ORCID:0000000171802842)↗
DOE OSTI2020

GAMMA SPECTRUM STABILIZATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION MONITORING STATIONS USING NAI(TL) DETECTOR

Abstract Gamma spectrum measured by an NaI(Tl) detector is known to be unstable with the in situ temperature. In the present work, an advanced method has been applied to stabilize the gamma spectrum measured by the NaI(Tl) detector at environmental radiation monitoring (ERM) stations. The method is based on experimental data obtained under controlled conditions in laboratory. In the temperature range from 4 to 45°C, the relative deviation of the peak positions within the stabilized gamma spectrum is less than 2%. To test this method in a real scenario, it has been integrated into the ERM station at the Military Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering in Hanoi, Vietnam. The results show that the proposed method is ready for a real application.

Hung, Dinh Tien↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Power of Invention: National Security Science and Beyond at Los Alamos National Laboratory

According to Webster, a genius is someone who possesses uncommon powers of intellect, particularly the power of invention. Those who call Los Alamos National Laboratory their professional home have a tremendous power of invention — their genius benefits from atomic power. Nuclear weapons are the heart of the Laboratory’s origin story. It is why we are here. They are also central to the multiple innovations inspired and driven by such atomic work — in ways that might surprise you. Our search for solutions outside the realm of nuclear security is nevertheless built on the incredible innovations and challenges driven by a defining moment in our world’s history — the advent of the nuclear weapon.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2025

Tuning the Properties of Lignin‐Derived Deep Eutectic Solvents for Biomass Processing

Lignin-derived deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been investigated as sustainable green media for biomass processing. However, the properties and processability of DESs have not been fully understood with the chemical structures of their constituents for biomass fractionation. Here, in this article, the properties of the phenolic DESs are discussed with different numbers of functional groups, such as –OCH 3 and –CHO in their hydrogen bond donor (HBD) structures. The formation of DES is significantly related to the hydrogen bond between its constituents, identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and density functional theory calculation (DFT). Lower viscosity and net basicity of DES are achieved with fewer –OCH 3 on HBD structures, resulting in enhanced processability and fractionation efficiency. The thermal stability of the DES is also influenced by the –OCH 3 and –CHO of HBD, as indicated by its onset temperature. The recyclability of the phenolic DES is confirmed by the fractionation performance of the recycled DES. Understanding the structural impacts of DES constituents on the properties and performance is crucial for designing solvents in biorefinery applications.

Ryu, Jiae [State University of New York (SUNY), Sy↗
DOE OSTI2021

Cryogenic Electronics development for High Energy Physics

In the quest to study the fundamental nature of matterand the universe, High Energy Physics (HEP) experimentsoften operate in extreme conditions that lie well outside thestandard operating range of integrated circuits. Two prominentexamples of such extreme environments are the irradiationlevels experienced at high luminosity colliders, as well asoperation at cryogenic temperatures. Cryogenic electronicsis a broad term that encompasses circuits operating at temperatures below the standard operating limit (-55°C in the caseof military grade electronics), all the way down to millikelvin,as in the case of superconducting circuits. Cryogenic circuitshave a long history and have found applications in abroad spectrum of applications, such as infrared focal planearrays, PET, quantum science. While CMOS circuits have beenreliably operated at deep cryogenic temperatures (<4.2K),this article focuses on applications down to liquid Nitrogen(77K), and provides an overview on the design considerations,benefits, and unique challenges pertaining to cryogenic CMOSICs for large HEP experiments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Protection against Chemical Warfare Agents and Biological Threats Using Metal–Organic Frameworks as Active Layers

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic outbreak and the unfortunate misuse of toxic chemical warfare agents (CWAs) highlight the importance of developing functional materials to protect against these chemical and pathogen threats. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which comprise a tunable class of crystalline porous materials built from inorganic nodes and organic linkers, have emerged as a class of heterogeneous catalysts capable of rapid detoxification of multiple classes of these harmful chemical or biological hazards. In particular, zirconium-based MOFs (Zr-MOFs) feature Lewis acidic nodes that serve as active sites for a wide range of catalytic reactions, including the hydrolysis of organophosphorus nerve agents within seconds in basic aqueous solutions. In addition, postsynthetic modification of Zr-MOFs enables the release of active species capable of reacting with and deactivating harmful pathogens. Despite this impressive performance, utilizing Zr- MOFs in powder form is not practical for application in masks or protective uniforms. To address this challenge, our team sought to develop MOF/fiber composite systems that could be adapted for use under realistic operating conditions to protect civilians, military personnel, and first responders from harmful pathogens and chemical warfare agents. Over the last several years, our group has designed and fabricated reactive and biocidal MOF/fiber composites that effectively capture and deactivate these toxic species. In this Account, we describe the evolution of these porous and reactive MOF/fiber composites and focus on key design challenges and considerations. First, we devised a scalable method for the integration of Zr-MOFs onto textile substrates using aqueous precursor solutions and without using pretreated textiles, highlighting the potential scalability of this method. Moving beyond standard textiles, we also developed a microbial synthesis strategy to prepare hierarchically porous MOF/bacterial cellulose nanofiber composite sponges that can both capture and detoxify nerve agents when exposed to contaminated gas flows. The mass loading of the MOF in the nanofibrous composite sponge is up to 90%, affording higher work capacities compared to those of textile-fiber-based composites with relatively lower MOF loadings. Next, we demonstrated that heterogeneous polymeric bases are suitable replacements for volatile liquid bases typically used in solution-phase reactions, and we showed that these composite systems are capable of effectively hydrolyzing nerve agents in the solid state by using only water that is present as humidity. Moreover, incorporating a reactive dye precursor into the composite affords a dual function sensing and detoxifying material that changes color from white to orange upon reaction with the byproduct following nerve agent hydrolysis, demonstrating the versatility of this platform for use in decontamination applications. We then created chlorine-loaded MOF/fiber composites that act as biocidal and reactive textiles that are capable of not only detoxifying sulfur-mustard-based chemical warfare agents and simulants but also deactivating both bacteria and the SARS-CoV-2 virus within minutes of exposure. Lastly, we synthesized a mixed-metal Ti/Zr-MOF coating on cotton fibers to afford a photoactive biocidal cloth that shows fast and broad-spectrum biocidal performance against viruses and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under visible light irradiation. Given the tunable, multifunctional nature of these MOF/fiber composites, we believe that this Account will offer new insights for the rational design and preparation of functional MOF/fiber composites and pave the way toward the development of next-generation reactive and protective textiles.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Energy Storage Technologies and U.S. Department of War Requirements

This report offers an overarching primer the energy storage market and assessment of each technology’s suitability for U.S. Department of War applications. We find that battery energy storage is the most promising technology for energy storage applications in terms of energy density and cost. While commercial and advanced Li-ion can satisfy certain electric mobility (e.g., cars, midsized vehicles) and electric flight application (e.g. drones) needs of DoW, next generation technologies like Li metal solid-state batteries, and conversion chemistries (Li-air, Li-CFx) are needed for heavy duty applications like armored vehicles, tanks, airplanes, jets. Batteries should also be supplemented with technologies such as supercapacitors and next-generation flywheels to provide short bursts of high energy for high power needs. Thermal energy storage solutions (sensible and latent heat) and fuel cells (PEMFC and SOFC) are good alternatives for supporting energy storage applications in terms of energy density and cost. Gravity-based energy storage promises the least energy density with high cost and should only be used for niche DoW applications. Of the different gravity energy storage technologies reviewed, pumped-hydro, flywheel, and compressed air energy storage are promising, while solid gravity energy storage appears the least attractive. Military facilities requiring 14 days of energy storage can benefit from flow batteries, especially commercial VFRBs and next generation iron-air systems. While VFRBs are expensive, iron-air batteries have the coupled benefits of low cost and good energy density promising 100+ hours of storage.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Maximizing Strength: The Stimuli and Mediators of Strength Gains and Their Application to Training and Rehabilitation

Abstract Spiering, BA, Clark, BC, Schoenfeld, BJ, Foulis, SA, and Pasiakos, SM. Maximizing strength: the stimuli and mediators of strength gains and their application to training and rehabilitation. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 919–929, 2023—Traditional heavy resistance exercise (RE) training increases maximal strength, a valuable adaptation in many situations. That stated, some populations seek new opportunities for pushing the upper limits of strength gains (e.g., athletes and military personnel). Alternatively, other populations strive to increase or maintain strength but cannot perform heavy RE (e.g., during at-home exercise, during deployment, or after injury or illness). Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review is to (a) identify the known stimuli that trigger gains in strength; (b) identify the known factors that mediate the long-term effectiveness of these stimuli; (c) discuss (and in some cases, speculate on) potential opportunities for maximizing strength gains beyond current limits; and (d) discuss practical applications for increasing or maintaining strength when traditional heavy RE cannot be performed. First, by conceptually deconstructing traditional heavy RE, we identify that strength gains are stimulated through a sequence of events, namely: giving maximal mental effort, leading to maximal neural activation of muscle to produce forceful contractions, involving lifting and lowering movements, training through a full range of motion, and (potentially) inducing muscular metabolic stress. Second, we identify factors that mediate the long-term effectiveness of these RE stimuli, namely: optimizing the dose of RE within a session, beginning each set of RE in a minimally fatigued state, optimizing recovery between training sessions, and (potentially) periodizing the training stimulus over time. Equipped with these insights, we identify potential opportunities for further maximizing strength gains. Finally, we identify opportunities for increasing or maintaining strength when traditional heavy RE cannot be performed.

Sport Sciences↗
DOE OSTI2022

Design Guidelines for Deployable Wind Turbines for Defense and Disaster Response Missions

Access to on-site electrical energy is critical to ensuring a successful military or humanitarian response to conflicts and disasters. These missions typically rely on access to liquid fuel that could be vulnerable to disruption or attack during transport. Generating power on location with wind technology can reduce this risk and enhance mission reach by diversifying energy sources. Common characteristics of these missions are short planning and execution time horizons and a global scope of potential locations. Compared to conventional wind turbine applications, defense and disaster response applications place a premium on rapid shipping and installation, short-duration operation (days to months), and quick teardown upon mission completion. These design drivers depart from features found in conventional distributed wind turbines, thus necessitating unique design guidance. The supporting information for this guidance comes from available relevant references, technical analyses, and input from industry and military stakeholders. This poster serves as a summary of project publications which presents the best currently available design guidance for deployable wind turbines to facilitate the effective development and acquisition of technology solutions to support mission success. This Defense and Disaster Deployable Turbine Project (D3T) is a multi-laboratory effort led by Sandia National Laboratories and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office.

deployable wind↗
DOE OSTI2020

Vulnerabilities in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications and Data

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications driven by machine learning (ML) are transformational technologies within the international nuclear security regime. Advancements realized by AI—faster and improved data insights, more efficient and automated processes, reductions in human error—enable nuclear security applications such as behavior analysis for insider threat mitigation, source tracking of stolen nuclear material, and facial recognition software for physical protection. In addition to the advantages, however, there are also inherent vulnerabilities and threats associated with its use and risk mitigations must be built into any AI/ML-enabled systems. This work provides a background on AI and ML and different data types used in the field, including open-source intelligence information (OSINT) that is discoverable by AI tools and application data that are used by AI tools for decision-making and automation. Current and potential AI applications and vulnerabilities related to their use within the nuclear security regime are also discussed.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2023

Proposal to Develop Neutrino Diagnostics for Nuclear Weapons Tests

A nuclear weapon test would be a prolific source of neutrinos in a relatively short time window (<1 s). These neutrinos could be easily detected at distances of 10s of meters or more by detector technology that has been developed for studying neutrino interactions from nuclear reactors. Such a concept was already proposed at LANL in the 50’s but was finally reject for a more controlled experiment at a nuclear reactor – this latter method went on to win the 1995 Nobel prize in physics for the detection of the neutrino. However, times have changed and revisiting this concept could have new unappreciated applications.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Trinity High Explosive Implosion System: The Foundation for Precision Explosive Applications

This article is set during the 1944 and 1945 final push to complete Project Y—the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos—and focuses primarily on overcoming the challenge of creating and demonstrating a successful convergent explosive implosion to turn a subcritical quantity of plutonium into a critical mass. The critical mass would then efficiently yield kilotons of trinitrotoluene (TNT)-equivalent energy in about a microsecond, demonstrating the implosion atomic bomb concept. This work culminated in the Trinity atomic test near Alamogordo on July 16, 1945. This implosion effect demarcated the approach to explosive science and technology the Laboratory has followed ever since, including development of high-explosive synthesis and formulation, small and large test and diagnostic facilities, shock dynamics theory, high-explosive system design engineering, and three-dimensional implosion modeling and simulation using some of the fastest computers in the world. This work also ushered in a period of broader application of precision high explosives in conventional munitions, demolition, mining and oil exploration, and space travel.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2022

LLNL Explosives Anisotropy Research

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and engineers led a multi-institutional team in executing a series of high explosives tests that successfully demonstrated fundamental principles of anisotropy, a possible enabler for improved weapon and munition safety. Working under snowy and frigid conditions on Idaho’s Snake River Plain, a 13-member team from LLNL carried out 52 explosives shots over four days in mid-November at the Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) National Security Test Range (NSTR) to complete the study. The broader anisotropy (ANISO) team included high explosives handlers and volunteers from INL, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Marine Raiders from the Marine Special Operations Command and members of the U.S. Special Operations Command. The purpose of the study was to explore theoretical methods of creating anisotropic explosives — explosives that perform differently depending on the direction the detonation wave moves through the explosive — by engineering certain physical features in the charges and obtaining basic data from testing. The work is part of an overall effort by the Lab to develop anisotropic explosives that could be used in munitions to reduce the severity and lethality of an unintended detonation without sacrificing performance. The data gathered from the study will be used to design and construct follow-on experiments at LLNL’s High Explosives Applications Facility (HEAF) and validate computer models for future anisotropic assemblies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Formal Methods for Provably Secure Software and Firmware

This project addresses a gap observed in verifying the programming in embedded devices used in international arms control: namely verifying that embedded programming in an arms control device does exactly what it is supposed to do, no more and no less, every time without fail, and without disclosing unauthorized information accidentally or intentionally. In critical military, aerospace, and industrial safety systems this problem is sometimes addressed using formal methods (FM). This multi-year project seeks to identify formal methods toolsets useable in arms control regimes, with emphasis on applicability, ease of use, long term availability, and support.

formal methods, Arms Control Verification↗
DOE OSTI2020

Accessible Real-Time Surveillance Radar System for Object Detection

As unmanned ground and aerial vehicles become more accessible and their usage covers a wider area of application, including for threatening purposes which can cause connected catastrophe, a surveillance system for the public places is being considered more essential to respond to those possible threats. We propose an inexpensive, lighter, safer, and smaller radar system than military-grade radar systems while keeping reasonable capability for use in monitoring public places. The paper details the iterative process on the system design and improvements with experiments to realize the system used for surveillance. The experiments show the practical use of the system and configuration for a better understanding of using the system. Cyber-physical systems for outdoor environments can benefit from the system as a sensor for sensing objects as well as monitoring.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗