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DOE OSTI2025

Compaction and Morphology of Lost Circulation Materials

Lost circulation material (LCM) selection is critical to effectively and efficiently treating wellbore fluid losses in geothermal drilling where costs of treatment can be as much as 30% of the total drilling cost. We conducted several uniaxial compaction experiments on 10 different materials and several material mixtures to identify critical mechanical parameters of each. Materials degraded at 200°C were also investigated to understand how elevated temperatures in geothermal wells would degrade their compaction behavior. Granular materials tended to have lower compressibility and higher compression resistance, while more elongated and softer materials had less mechanical stiffness. Mixing materials tended to moderate the mechanical behaviors while heating universally increased the compaction of materials. Microscopy showed that particle strength tended to correlate positively with roundness and circularity and negatively with elongation of a material. Convexity of the degraded and undegraded materials showed heating may have increased the convexity or roughness of the individual particles. In conclusion, we concluded that granular materials are likely to provide the best seals in wells but that a mixture of size distribution, mechanical rigidity, and elongation is more likely to form a better seal for geothermal wells.

annular pressure drilling↗

DOE OSTI2024

Project No. 5: Evaluating Dredged Materials for Energy Storage Applications with Economic and Carbon Benefits (CRADA Final Report)

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) is committed to supporting the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) through its VISION2030 strategic plan. As a clean energy provider, NYPA is seeking to demonstrate leadership in every aspect of its business by taking a comprehensive approach to sustainability management and integrating sustainability principles into day-to-day decision-making. This effort includes planning for climate resilience through projects that mitigate climate risk in our operations and prioritize climate opportunities in our investments. Canal Corporation, a subsidiary of NYPA, is charged with maintaining minimum water depths for navigation in the Cayuga-Seneca, Champlain, Erie and Oswego Canals. In order to do so, an average volume of 280,000 cubic yards of sediment is dredged annually and held in Upland Disposal Sites (UDS) permitted by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The required on-land storage at UDSes are nearing capacity, and disposal opportunities are costly, both economically and environmentally. Novel energy storage technology developed by NREL provides an opportunity for meeting NYPA's need to find reuse options for dredged materials and commitment to providing clean reliable energy. This would also support NYPA's goal of developing 300 MW of utility scale storage and enabling 150 MW of distributed storage by 2030. NREL will consult NYPA on the environmental and economic impact of reusing dredged materials as useful commodities such as energy storage media, construction sand or industrial uses. Test and material characterization methods will be based on current NREL storage material characterization approaches. NREL worked with NYPA on sample preparation, material testing, test results analysis. Test and material characterization methods were based on current NREL storage material characterization approaches. The team analyzed the environmental and economic impact of reusing dredged materials as useful commodities such as energy storage media, construction sand or industrial uses. The test and analysis works have achieved the project goal in characterizing NYPA dredging materials and verifying their various uses including construction sand and thermal energy storage media. Uses of dredging materials as useful materials will bring economic and environmental benefits and avoid disposal costs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Promoting the regulatory acceptance of combined ion and neutron irradiation for material degradation in nuclear reactors

The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies (AMMT) program within the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy has developed its current recommendation for promoting the use of combined ion irradiation and neutron irradiation for the accelerated qualification of materials to be deployed in nuclear reactors. This plan is intended to provide a collaborative path forward that can be adopted by academia, national laboratories, and industry, and has been developed with input from the regulatory research arm of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). To deploy new materials or materials manufactured with new technologies, such as additive manufacturing, materials must be evaluated for reactor-induced degradation from the combination of harsh temperatures, corrosive environments, and radiation fields. However, rapid deployment of materials necessitates accelerated testing methods rather than relying on years of neutron irradiation in a material test reactor. Ion irradiation has demonstrated success in reproducing material microstructure and select property evolution resulting from neutron irradiation with three to four orders of magnitude reduction in time and cost, making it an ideal candidate for accelerated irradiation testing. This presentation provides context governing both the scientific and regulatory aspects of the proposed goal. The discussion is aimed at a broad audience including researchers from industry, national laboratories, and academia. The recommended path forward is presented as a conceptual framework of specific steps. In brief, the strategy entails developing an integrated ion and neutron irradiation test plan for the material property of interest based on the fundamental tenet of the linkage of microstructure and properties in materials. Physics-based modeling interprets ion irradiation data and predicts neutron irradiation microstructure and properties with uncertainty bounds. The first round of testing is sufficient for an initial licensing application using a risk-informed approach, while a minimum required neutron irradiation test plan reduces cost and time requirements. A surveillance program with witness specimens in-reactor provides additional data over time to improve model predictions to higher damage levels and further reduce uncertainty bounds, which can be used for license extensions or longer lifetimes in new license applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Evaluation of Lost Circulation Material Sealing for Geothermal Drilling

Lost circulation is a pervasive problem in geothermal wells that can create prohibitive costs during drilling. The main issue with treatment is that the mechanism of plug formation is poorly understood. Here we applied two experimental approaches to characterize the clogging effectiveness of different materials. Fracture flow tests with different geometries were conducted with various individual materials and mixtures at relevant conditions. A high-temperature flow loop system was also developed to inject single- and mixed-material plugs into a gravel pack with a non-uniform geometry to compare with the fracture tests. The fracture tests revealed that single materials tended to form no plug or an unstable plug, while mixtures of materials were uniformly better at sealing fractures. Gravel pack tests at high temperatures show most of the materials are intact but degraded. The fibrous materials can create partial or unstable plugs in the gravel pack, but mixed-material plugs are far more effective at clogging. Both test types suggest that (1) mixed materials are more effective at blocking fluid flow and (2) fibrous materials seal fracture openings better, while granular materials seal inside fractures or pore throats better. Further research is needed to study the long-term stability of different plug configurations.

clogging tests↗

DOE OSTI2025

Noble-Metal-Free, Nickel-Based Dual Functional Materials for Improved Methane Production from In Situ Carbon Dioxide Capture and Conversion

Promoters for dual functional materials have not been well explored, but promoters could improve the efficiency of the process by improving the selectivity of the CO 2 methanation process. Utilizing integrated capture and conversion, where CO 2 is captured and converted to useful products, would allow for a useful avenue to control CO 2 emissions. One such way to accomplish this would be to utilize materials that can both capture and convert CO 2 to useful products. However, these materials are often based on costly noble metals, like ruthenium and platinum, decreasing their viability on an industrial scale. Less expensive metals, for example, nickel, would allow for dual functional materials to be more readily utilized in industrial settings. Nickel-based dual functional materials often do not react with the captured CO 2 and merely desorb the CO 2 rather than form a useful product. However, promoters have not been well explored for these types of materials to improve the catalytic properties, which would be beneficial to improve nickel-based materials. Herein, we report the addition of ytterbium on a nickel-based dual functional material and the improvements to the production of methane from captured CO 2 with the incorporated ytterbium promoter. The ytterbium promoter improves the selectivity of the catalysts for the hydrogenation of captured CO 2 to methane and increases the ability for the material to capture CO 2 due to additional basic sites being formed on the surface of alumina. As a result, the 12%Ni/4%Yb/6%Na 2 O/Al 2 O 3 catalyst was utilized to capture carbon dioxide and then convert the captured CO 2 to methane over five cycles, where both the amount captured and the amount converted remained stable, indicating the stability of the material over long-term use.

Catalysts↗

DOE OSTI2024

Reference Materials for Laser and Xenon Flash Thermal Diffusivity Systems

This report presents the status of current standard reference materials for thermal diffusivity testing. In most thermal properties testing systems, it is common to use standard reference materials to show the reproducibility of the tests and certify the instrument is producing results within expected uncertainty range. The definition of reference materials or standards vary depending on the quality control protocols of the project. For thermal diffusivity, although there were standards available by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) 40 years ago, there has been no recent NIST standard reference material (SRM). There are only a few sources that produce and provide traceable reference standards for thermal diffusivity. The certificate typically expires in 5 years and only applies to the specific lot of materials. Other reference materials are provided by the testing systems manufacturers. They are mostly well-known reference materials or materials used by the equipment manufacturers with historic data. However, most these reference materials no longer carry valid certificates. Various reference materials will be discussed along with the industry practice when only secondary standards are available.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

N-Doped Graphene (N-G)/MOF(ZIF-8)-Based/Derived Materials for Electrochemical Energy Applications: Synthesis, Characteristics, and Functionality

In recent years, graphene-type materials originating from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or integrated with MOFs have exhibited notable performances across various applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of these complex materials and their functionalities remains obscure. While some studies have reviewed graphene/MOF composites from different perspectives, due to their structural–functional intricacies, it is crucial to conduct more in-depth reviews focusing on specific sets of graphene/MOF composites designed for particular applications. In this review, we thoroughly investigate the syntheses, characteristics, and performances of N-G/MOF(ZIF-8)-based/derived materials employed in electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems. Special attention is given to realizing their fundamental functionalities. The discussions are divided into three segments based on the application of N-G/ZIF-8-based/derived materials as electrode materials for batteries, electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, and electrocatalysts. As electrodes for batteries, N-G/MOF(ZIF-8) materials can mitigate issues like an electrode volume expansion for Li-ion batteries and the ‘shuttle effect’ for Li-S batteries. As electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, these materials can considerably improve the ion transfer rate and electronic conductivity, thereby enhancing the specific capacitance while maintaining the structural stability. Also, it was observed that these materials could occasionally outperform standard platinum-based catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The reported electrochemical performances and structural parameters of these materials were carefully tabulated in uniform units and scales. Through a critical analysis of the present synthesis trends, characteristics, and functionalities of these materials, specific aspects were identified that required further exploration to fully utilize their inherent capabilities.

Electrochemistry↗

DOE OSTI2025

Innovative Nuclear Materials Outboard-A Project Specimen Preparation Guide

The Innovative Nuclear Materials (INM) Program was recently established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced material technologies for use in nuclear reactors. The INM program is presently focused on researching in-core non-fueled materials for application in fast spectrum nuclear reactors. The widespread deployment of fast reactors continues to be a prominent aspiration for advanced nuclear technology developers. However, companies working to license these reactors have no choice but to rely on historic material technologies since further optimization and advancement of these materials is impeded by the lack of fast neutron irradiation test facilities. INM-OA is a non-fueled drop-in experiment which will irradiate material specimens of interest to fast reactor applications. This experiment will be irradiated at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) outboard-A (OA) position during normal and high temperature steady state (HTSS) cycles. It will include material specimens supplied by members of the INM program and will utilize a cadmium-lined basket to filter out incident thermal neutrons, thus simulating a faster neutron energy spectrum. Material specimens will undergo post-irradiation examination including microscopy and mechanical testing. In addition to absorption reactions, fast neutrons cause microstructural damage in materials by atom displacement, which can cause exacerbated changes in physical properties and behavior. Thus, the data obtained from the INM-OA experiment will be crucial for understanding the engineering-scale behavior of reactor materials. This document is intended for the Principal Investigators providing samples for this project. Topics included are a general description of the experiment, the irradiation experiment/capsule design, sample geometries, number of samples to be provided, documentation to be provided, a brief list potentially useful characterization methods that can be leveraged at INL, and other miscellaneous requirements specific to this project. This document is intended for informational use only.

innovative nuclear materials↗

DOE OSTI2025

Editorial: Functionalization of porous materials for sustainable energy applications

Global energy demands are shifting toward a more sustainable future, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Emerging technologies are driving this transition. The industry, academia, government, non-profit organizations, and the broader community are collaboratively working to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address climate change to ensure a sustainable future. According to the International Energy Agency, in 2022, the production, transportation, and processing of oil and gas resulted in 5.1 billion tons of CO 2 -equivalent emissions, representing nearly 15% of all energy-related GHG emissions. Moreover, the end-use of oil and gas accounted for an additional 40% of emissions. The IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario calls for immediate, collective action from the industry, transportation and other stakeholders to mitigate these emissions. In this effort, the development of energy materials will play a critical role in reducing emissions. Among these, porous materials offer an innovative solution, leveraging their high surface area, adjustable pore sizes, and chemical versatility to address these pressing challenges effectively. By carefully designing their nanostructures, the architecture and properties of these materials can be tailored for specific applications. Key factors such as chemical composition, particle size, pore distribution, and surface area optimization enhance the reactivity and energy conversion efficiency. Additionally, pre- and post-functionalization processes can introduce targeted chemical properties, further improving their performance. This Research Topic explores recent advancements in energy and materials science through four scholarly papers, showcasing innovative solutions for sustainable energy technologies while providing valuable insights into the unique properties and structure of porous materials (Figure 1). Li et al. present their work on highly defective NiFeV layered triple hydroxides, highlighting enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for oxygen evolution reactions (OER). Kovalskii et al. contribute a mini-review on hydrogen storage using hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and BN-based materials, offering an insightful overview of these promising materials. Chava et al. discuss their recent achievements in ceramic electrolytes used for improvement of performance of solid-state batteries. Lastly, Li et al. review the properties of porous materials with a focus on shrinkage behavior during the drying process, shedding light on key considerations for material design.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Mechanical characterization of fine-grain dispersion-strengthened tungsten as a plasma facing material

Field-Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) was used to produce fine-grained, dispersion-strengthened tungsten (W) materials. Investigated materials 4138, 4353, and 4355 composed of 3 wt% ZrC sintered at 1800 °C, 5 wt% ZrC sintered at 1800 °C, and 3 wt% ZrC sintered at 2000 °C, respectively. They were compared against ITER-grade W. A series of mechanical and thermal property testing and microstructure studies were conducted to study them as a potential plasma facing material (PFM) for fusion reactors. Hardness testing showed that manufacturing conditions substantially altered hardness. Material 4355 had an average HV10 value of 497.2 ± 16.8, slightly higher than ITER-grade at 378.5 ± 40.3. However, material 4353 was substantially higher with an HV10 value of 738.9 ± 31.7 over the investigated temperature range. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed that FAST produced substantially smaller grains than the hot-rolled ITER-grade W material, offering notable control over grain size. Materials 4353 and 4355 had grain sizes of 0.44 ± 0.20 µm and 3.67 ± 0.89 µm, respectively, whereas ITER-grade 27.14 ± 19.76 µm at room temperature. The fine grain structures showed no net coarsening after 1 hr. anneals up to 1800 °C, several hundred degrees above the 1100 – 1500 °C recrystallization range reported for conventional W. Inverse application of the Zener pinning relationship to the measured grain sizes indicates that these two FAST sintering conditions produce markedly different effective dispersoid populations, with effective particle diameters of approximately 90 nm at a peak sintering temperature of 1800 °C and approximately 460 nm at 2000 °C, respectively. This result demonstrates that the FAST thermal condition itself, and not the nominal ZrC content alone, governs the pinning effectiveness of the dispersion. Thermal diffusivity measurements support this finding independently. Materials of identical composition sintered at different temperatures differ by approximately 19% in measured thermal diffusivity with statistically indistinguishable density, while materials of different composition and sintering temperature converge to within approximately 2%. At a representative divertor heat flux of 10 MW/m², the lower thermal conductivity of the fine-grained materials corresponds to approximately 28 to 33 °C per millimeter of armor thickness relative to ITER-grade W, traded against a substantially larger margin to recrystallization-driven degradation. While high temperature tensile testing revealed likely contamination that motivates refinement of the manufacturing process, FAST-produced, fine-grained, dispersion-strengthened W offers process-controlled microstructural stability well above the operating temperatures of conventional W and supports its continued development as a PFM for economically viable commercial fusion power.

Parker, Gabe [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000190394100)↗

DOE OSTI2024

In-Situ and Ex-Situ Studies on the Morphology Changes of Polymer Pipeline Materials for Use in Hydrogen Gas Environments

The US natural gas infrastructure is a national asset that could be used to deliver hydrogen and hydrogen blends of natural gas as a pathway to reduce carbon emissions. The distribution system comprises nearly 50% plastic pipe composed of medium- and high-density polyethylene materials (MDPE and HDPE). While these materials perform adequately for natural gas, research on their hydrogen compatibility is essential to understand if any immediate and long-term risks are associated with hydrogen addition. The Blended Gas CRADA, a HyBlend project, has established a comprehensive test method for evaluating MDPE and HDPE of various plastic resin compositions of pipeline material in pure hydrogen and 20% hydrogen/80% methane blends. Both in-situ and ex-situ measurements were performed to capture hydrogen-induced changes in the polyethylene material's crystalline, amorphous and their interphase regions. We investigated MDPE and HDPE pipeline materials made from different polymer resin systems to evaluate the effects of hydrogen gas. The materials were characterized by their density, diffusion coefficient, free volume ratio, and degree of crystallinity. Various advanced characterization methods, including in situ NMR, ex situ XRD, ex situ DSC, and ex situ TDA, were used to analyze the effects of changes in crystalline, amorphous, and interphase regions due to gas exposure. Time-dependent post-decompression quasi-static tensile tests were conducted to explore the effects of gas exposure time on the mechanical behavior of the pipe materials. This work will highlight the time sensitivities during and after gas exposure. The correlation between gas-induced polyethylene morphology changes and the associated material performance will be addressed for the intended applications. These studies will show that polyethylene resin composition and material exposure are important factors when considering whether hydrogen gas affects pipeline materials positively or negatively.

Simmons, Kevin L.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Fostering a Guiding Multiscale Model for the Development of Advanced MgB 2 Hydrogen Storage Materials (Final Technical Report)

Project Goal and Objective. The demand for energy and for an upgraded energy infrastructure has steadily grown, as have the needs for energy independence and alternatives to our reliance on petroleum. Hydrogen is considered the most viable fuels for wide-scale implementation in the near future as it is less-polluting, non-toxic, and has more stored energy than petroleum. It is envisioned that hydrogen can eventually become the prime energy carrier, integrating the transportation, grid, and chemical sectors in a way that improves resiliency, diversifies feedstocks, and affords new economic opportunities. A key remaining challenge is the development materials with enhanced gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities that offer a higher performance than compressed gas. These materials would eliminate the need for large-scale compression, thereby dramatically reducing the footprint and cost of gas storage. The high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen capacities of complex hydrides has prompted an intensive investigation of the potential of this class of materials as hydrogen storage media over the past 25 years. Among the many complex hydrides that have been explored, magnesium borohydride, Mg(BH 4 ) 2 , has been found to possess the best combination of practical thermodynamic properties. These include a gravimetric H 2 density of 14.9 wt% H 2 and thermodynamics for the dehydrogenation of Mg(BH 4 ) 2 to MgB 2 (equation 1) (ΔH° = 39 kJ/mol H 2 , ΔS = 112 J/K mol H 2 ) which lie in the narrow window required Mg(BH 4 ) 2 $\Leftrightarrow$ MgB 2 + 4 H 2 (1) for reversibility under moderate pressure and temperature. However, overcoming the extremely slow kinetics of the reversible release of hydrogen by this material in the solid state is a daunting challenge. At temperatures greater than 400 °C, the borohydride releases up to 14 wt% hydrogen giving MgB 2 . We discovered that the direct re-hydrogenation of MgB 2 to Mg(BH 4 ) 2 can be accomplished under 950 bar H 2 at 400 °C. While this demonstrated that complete reversibility can be achieved, the conditions employed are far too extreme for commercial hydrogen storage applications. More recently, we found through US DOE funded research projects (EERE HyMARC and HySCOR), that hydrogen cycling, can be accomplish at much milder conditions upon modification of the borohydride or boride. Guided by these discoveries these discoveries, the objective of this research project was to obtain key information that will enable the development of a model of reversible hydrogenation of MgB 2 to Mg(BH 4 ) 2 . The ultimate goal of our efforts is to attain a model of this transformation that can be utilized to accelerate development further advanced materials. This project directly follows on discoveries that were made over the course of a US DOE, EERE HyMARC project that was focused on improvement of the hydrogen cycling kinetics of modified MgB 2 . We found that that mechanical milling with graphene results the desired, pronounced kinetic enhancement. The dramatic lowering of the conditions required for the hydrogenation of MgB 2 is a significant step towards overcoming its chemical inertness allowing its development as a practical onboard hydrogen storage material. However, the exact nature of the modification(s) of MgB 2 that is responsible for its activation towards hydrogenation is completely unknown. This situation is not unique, as efforts to develop hydrogen storage materials typically have a narrow focus rather than a comprehensive approach that takes atomic level bonding and structure; molecular dynamics; long range, nano- and mesoscale-structure and their interconnection all into account. The goal of this project was the development of a comprehensive, multi-scale computational model of reversible hydrogenation of MgB 2 to Mg(BH 4 ) 2 that can be utilized for development of higher performance versions of the modified material. Development of the model requires determination of: 1) the bulk, nano-scale, and meso-scale structural changes occurring at elevated pressure following mechano-chemical modification of MgB 2 ; 2) the reaction pathway of the reversible hydrogenation of MgB 2 to Mg(BH 4 ) 2 ; 3) the effect of elevated pressure and mechano-chemical modification on the chemical reaction pathways; 4) the interactions at solid-gas interfaces; and particle surfaces; and 5) the kinetics and thermodynamic parameters associated with each step of the hydrogenation reaction pathway. This investigation required advanced techniques as preliminary, standard XRD, 11 B NMR, and FTIR analysis showed no signs of material modification. In order to gain this level of understanding of modified MgB 2 , required the teaming of a diverse group of experts and state-of-the art experimental capabilities at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) and collaborating National Laboratories: Craig Jensen , Department of Chemistry (PI and Project Director), solid state, solution, and high pressure NMR spectroscopy; solid-state synthesis; and high pressure hydrogenation (collaboration with SNL); Godwin Severa , Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (co-PI) calorimetry; infrared and Raman spectroscopy (collaboration with NREL); Dera , high pressure X-ray diffraction including in situ experiments (collaboration with ANL); Hope Ishii , Hawaii Institute of Geophysics electron microscopy investigations (collaboration with LBNL); and Joe Brown , Mechanical Engineering , material electronic structure and electric field effects.

08 HYDROGEN↗

DOE OSTI2024

An approach to combine neutron and ion irradiation data to accelerate material qualification for nuclear reactors

Next-generation nuclear power plants are generally characterized by higher operating temperatures, increased neutron fluences and energies, and distinct corrosive coolant environments versus the existing light water reactor fleet. Whether using existing materials in new environments, newly developed materials tailored for these environments, or new manufacturing methods, the traditional decades-long approach for materials qualification does not facilitate rapid deployment. Ion irradiation has demonstrated success in reproducing material microstructure and select property evolution resulting from neutron irradiation with three to four orders of magnitude reduction in time and cost, making it an ideal candidate for accelerated irradiation testing. Because microstructure has a large impact on bulk material properties, limited neutron irradiation data at lower damage levels can in principle be combined with accelerated ion testing results and modeling and simulation to form an accurate prediction of microstructure evolution and select properties under different neutron irradiation conditions and at higher damage levels. The objective of this work is to present a conceptual framework of specific steps to fulfill several technical challenges associated with qualifying materials for performance in radiation environments on an accelerated time frame. A brief review of the regulatory landscape for materials in nuclear environments is presented, followed by additional overviews to understand the current state of the art for correlation of materials properties across radiation environments using experimental and computational methodologies. Finally, the roles of academia, national laboratories, and industry in the advancement of this accelerated materials qualification framework are discussed as a path forward, with possible case studies presented.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Critical Minerals and Materials Matchmaker-CM3

This is the Critical Minerals and Materials Matchmaker (CM3) survey form. CM3 is an online information resource created to help connect users across the critical minerals and materials supply chain. The survey is designed to allow organizations to self-identify their critical minerals and materials-aligned activities and interests, and an interactive map that displays those on-going activities in a dynamic way. To include your critical minerals management activity or activities in CM3, please open and fill out the Critical Minerals and Materials Survey. If your organization has many ongoing or planned activities that would be onerous to enter in the form, or if your activities are difficult to geolocate (such as a transport network), please email the team at edxspatial@netl.doe.gov. This initiative is aligned with the approach of DOE’s H2 Matchmaker and Carbon Matchmaker. Read more information on H2 Matchmaker and Carbon Matchmaker. Below are some questions to help understand if you should fill out the CM3 survey: Does your company work with elements such as lithium, cobalt, copper, graphite, nickel, rare earth minerals, or platinum group metals? Does your organization have research and development activities related to critical materials or their supply chains? Does your company currently work in the critical minerals or materials supply chain? Do you have prospective work in critical minerals or materials in the next 5 years? Does your company mine, process, refine or distribute critical minerals or materials? Do you want to network with other facilities or organizations working in the same areas? Are you curious about the critical mineral and material activity in your surrounding area? Are you interested in aligning your potential needs across the supply chain to different geographic areas within the U.S? For more information, please see the CM3 website (https://www.energy.gov/fecm/articles/critical-minerals-materials-matchmaker-cm3) or email our team at edxspatial@netl.doe.gov.

CM3↗

DOE OSTI2026

An Accelerated Testing and Analysis Framework for Qualification of Battery Materials

The continuously growing demand for batteries used within automotive, aviation, and grid applications has exacerbated the need to supplement critical battery material feedstocks, such as those for anode and cathode active materials. New or supplementary material sources, however, universally comprise unique material properties that can significantly affect the lifetime and performance of resultant batteries. As such, the influence of composition, microstructure, and morphology on electrochemical performance should be characterized quickly and accurately to accelerate commercialization of new material sources. This work introduces a tiered framework to quickly assess new material viability and understand the influence of physicochemical properties on battery performance. The Tier 1 testing described here is rapid and lower-effort to quickly recognize materials with fundamental flaws and potentially disqualify them. Later testing would require more time and effort but provide higher fidelity information with a goal of validating materials for specific applications. A case study examining various commercial sources of LiFePO4 (LFP) is presented, using Tier 1 of the protocol to identify rapid electrochemical and physicochemical signals that correlate with performance and to provide early go/no-go decisions on LFP materials without the need for long-term cycling data.

25 - ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Investigating Fast Scanning Calorimetry and Differential Scanning Calorimetry as Screening Tools for Thermoset Polymer Material Compatibility with Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion

As additive manufacturing (AM) technology has developed and progressed, a constant topic of research in the area is expanding the library of materials to be used with these techniques. Among AM methods that utilize polymers, laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) has preferentially used thermoplastic polymers as its starting materials, but the deposition and material joining method employed in PBF-LB may also be compatible with powdered thermoset polymer precursors as feedstocks. To assess the compatibility of candidate thermosetting polymers and PBF-LB, characterization techniques and protocols that link fundamental material behavior to material behavior in the processing environment are needed. Therefore, the objectives of this work are to compare the curing behavior measured with two different calorimetry techniques that can operate in different heating rate regimes, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fast scanning calorimetry (FSC), and to assess the capabilities of these techniques to act as materials screening tools for PBF-LB. A commercial polyester powder coating is used as a model material to evaluate the potential of obtaining complimentary information for material screening through a combination of calorimetry methods, and its non-isothermal curing behavior is measured at heating rates between 5 °C/min and 7500 °C/min. Curing exotherms are observed with both calorimetry techniques, and comparing the enthalpy associated with curing shows that incomplete curing occurs at higher heating rates, with relative conversion values of approximately 30%. The curing data are fit with two isoconversional models, Friedman and Starink, which show a reduced activation energy at higher heating rates as well, signifying a lower barrier to curing at the conditions used in the FSC experiments. Overall, the results of this work indicate that using these two calorimetry techniques as tiered screening tools can provide valuable information about how curing may proceed in PBF-LB and inform materials selection and design activities for additive manufacturing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Investigating the mechanism of copper–carbon interactions in ultraconductor materials via in situ thermal X-ray and Raman spectroscopy

Improving energy transfer efficiency is critical to advancing technologies for a more sustainable future. Nanoscale materials, specifically metal–carbon composites such as ultraconductors, have shown promise in this field due to their enhanced electrical and thermal conductivities. However, the origin of the enhancement has yet to be determined. Prior research has primarily explored these materials at room temperature in an attempt to explain this phenomenon, but these materials have not yet been examined under enhanced thermal conditions. This study probes ultraconductor materials during the heating process to uncover the origins of their enhanced thermal conductivity. Understanding the mechanism underpinning the enhanced properties of the material could lead to increased property enhancement and therefore improved performance in energy transfer technologies. In this work we employ in situ thermal X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and Raman spectroscopy to characterize copper-based covetic materials, revealing how thermal conditions influence the bonding environment and interaction between the copper and infused carbon. Our findings suggest that heating the materials does not result in the formation of chemical bonds between the carbon and copper framework of the material but rather points to a primarily physical interaction within the sample. Furthermore, we hypothesize possible mechanisms underlying the nature of the physical interaction leading to enhanced properties. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the material's behavior under relevant thermal conditions and highlight its potential for integration into next-generation energy systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Single photon emitters in van der Waals solids for quantum photonics: materials, theory and molecular-scale characterization probes

Strong light–matter interactions in two-dimensional layered materials (2D materials) have attracted the interest of researchers from interdisciplinary fields for more than a decade now. A unique phenomenon in some 2D materials is their large exciton binding energies (BEs), increasing the likelihood of exciton survival at room temperature. It is this large BE that mediates the intense light–matter interactions of many of the 2D materials, particularly in their monolayer limit, where the interplay of excitonic phenomena poses a wealth of opportunities for high-performance optoelectronics and quantum photonics. Within quantum photonics, quantum information science (QIS) is growing rapidly, where photons are a promising platform for information processing due to their low-noise properties, excellent modal control, and long-distance propagation. A central element for QIS applications is a single photon emitter (SPE) source, where an ideal on-demand SPE emits exactly one photon at a time into a given spatiotemporal mode. Recently, 2D materials have shown practical appeal for QIS which is directly driven from their unique layered crystalline structure. This structural attribute of 2D materials facilitates their integration with optical elements more easily than the SPEs in conventional three-dimensional solid state materials, such as diamond and SiC. In this review article, we will discuss recent advances made with 2D materials towards their use as quantum emitters, where the SPE emission properties maybe modulated deterministically. Here, the use of unique scanning tunneling microscopy tools for the in-situ generation and characterization of defects is presented, along with theoretical first-principles frameworks and machine learning approaches to model the structure-property relationship of exciton–defect interactions within the lattice towards SPEs. Given the rapid progress made in this area, the SPEs in 2D materials are emerging as promising sources of nonclassical light emitters, well-poised to advance quantum photonics in the future.

2D layered materials↗