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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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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

System and method for repeated metal deposition-dewetting steps to form a nano-particle etching mask producing thicker layer of engraved metasurface

A method and system is disclosed for creating an optical component having a spatially controlled refractive index and uniform anti-reflective layer. The method may involve alternately depositing and dewetting two or more thin metal material layers on the substrate to form a mask having a spatially varying nano-particle distribution, and with an increased thickness beyond what could be achieved using a single, thick layer of the same material. The substrate may then be etched, using the mask, to imprint a spatially patterned nanostructure pattern on a surface the substrate in accordance with the mask.

Feigenbaum, Eyal↗
DOE OSTI2023

Rapid grain refinement and compositional homogenization in a cast binary Cu50Ni alloy achieved by friction stir processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) has been increasingly adopted for joining and processing materials in automotive, aerospace and industrial construction. During FSP a dynamic competition between high-speed shear deformation and deformation-induced heating brings about a complex competition between multiple dynamic microstructural evolution mechanisms making it difficult to predict the microstructural evolution pathway. Hence, improved understanding of microstructural evolution mechanisms during FSP can be beneficial for continued growth in the adoption of FSP for demanding applications of future. Towards this goal, this study uses a model binary Cu – 50 at.% Ni alloy to clarify the effect of single and double pass FSP on the microstructural evolution of a coarse grained and compositionally heterogeneous cast microstructure. High energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction, and nanoindentation are used to clarify the microstructural evolution due to FSP. The process of compositional homogenization of as-cast segregations is studied by energy dispersive spectroscopy and atom probe tomography. Our results show that a single fast FSP pass at 30 mm.s -1 produces a 100 µm deep layer of submicrometric and hall-petch hardened CuNi grains. The initial cast compositional heterogeneities in a micrometric scale is rapidly transformed to nano-sized domains, mainly confined at grain boundaries. Double pass FSP increases the penetration depth of the processed layer and leads to a 2.9 times grain growth relative to single pass FSP. Grain fragmentation, discontinuous dynamic recrystallization, grain growth, and twinning mechanisms are discussed. In conclusion, these results highlight the value of FSP for ultrafast grain refinement and compositional homogenization of cast alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of a Flow-through Cell for Ultrasonic Extraction (UE)─Single Particle (SP)─ICP-MS─an Approach for Nano/Microparticle Elemental and Isotopic Analysis

Nanotechnology is a salient part of the scientific landscape, and analytical approaches are rapidly evolving to enable small-scale characterization of nano- and microparticle compositions and impurities. Here, a flow-through sonicating cell was developed for direct particle extraction from a silicon wafer and integrated with an inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for subsequent elemental and isotopic characterization of the released particles. Ultrasonic extraction (UE)─single particle (SP)─ICP-MS offers controlled particle mobilization from solid substrates and allows for increased sample throughput by eliminating the need for pre-extraction of particles and decreasing sample preparation steps. Coupling this device to an ICP-MS with a time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer, it is possible to distinguish unique isotopic compositions of the particles. Both tungsten and nickel isotopically tagged particles, which were deposited on Si wafers, are presented here with analysis via UE─SP─ICP-MS. This approach could support efforts in the fields of particle synthesis, nuclear safeguards and forensics, environmental monitoring, and semiconductor industries in which the detection of particles from substrates and wafers is critical.

Paul, Molly [ORNL] (ORCID:0009000009672055)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Ultrafast infrared plasmon switching in aligned carbon-nanotube optical resonators

Reconfigurable plasmonic materials are crucial components in active photonic devices for optical communication, signal processing, and sensing applications. Certain candidates including transparent conducting oxides, small-bandgap semiconductors (i.e. Ge, InSb), and conducting polymers can exhibit switchable free carrier concentrations triggered by optical, electrical or thermal excitations. Here, we show that aligned films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can serve as all-optically tunable plasmonic material in the mid-infrared range, thereby adding them to the library of switchable plasmonic materials. Interband optical pumping with femtosecond laser pulses results in the photoexcitation of free charge carriers, which transiently blueshifts the plasmon resonances of patterned, periodic SWCNT nano-resonators spanning the mid-infrared spectral range from 1700 to 2700 cm -1 . Furthermore. the ultrafast plasmon modulation exhibits a nearly single-picosecond decay time, attributed to interband carrier relaxation and inter-tube charge transfer. Given that aligned films of SWCNTs have high thermal stability, excellent photostability, epsilon-near-zero property, and extremely large optical anisotropy, their dynamic tunability represents a promising pathway towards active optical devices in the technologically important mid-infrared range.

single-walled carbon nanotubes↗
DOE OSTI2024

Understanding and Tailoring Diffusion and Co-Adsorption Inside the Confined Pores of Metal-Organic Frameworks (Final Scientific/Technical Report for Award DE-SC0019902)

The aim of this program was to gain a fundamental understanding of the behavior of various guest molecules in nano-confined environments, such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs), using a combination of novel synthesis, ab initio modeling, and in situ characterization. Through this project, we developed a concise understanding of the mechanisms that control adsorption/desorption of gaseous molecules and their mixtures, leading to design/synthesis guidelines for MOFs with desired functionality. We further developed methods to disentangle kinetic from thermodynamic effects during adsorption, as well as to characterize the interactions at play. In the first funding cycle, the focus was on the unambiguously characterization of co-adsorption and diffusion of gasses/vapors and their mixtures. In the second funding cycle, the focus was on characterizing the effects of the nano-confinement on the kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption processes inside MOFs, again with an emphasis on mixtures of gasses and vapors. The nano-confinement can tip the thermodynamic vs. kinetic balance, and current understanding and theory based on single-component analysis can lead to incorrect predictions for mixtures. This is of particular interest in real-world applications, where gasses/vapors are typically mixed, contain impurities, or are often exposed to humid conditions. Our main findings were: (i) within confined environments the adsorption behavior of mixed gasses/vapors can be drastically different from the “sum” of the corresponding single phases; (ii) co-adsorption is often competitive and detrimental to performance, but it can also be cooperative and beneficial; (iii) in some co-adsorbed gasses/vapors, molecules that are strongly bound in the single-component phase can be replaced by molecules that are nominally weaker bound (molecular exchange) due to guest-guest interactions that lower the kinetic barriers and favor the final adsorption state; (iv) kinetic and thermodynamic effects can be precisely controlled through pore-size engineering and synthesis; and, (v) kinetic effects can be identified and disentangled from thermodynamic effects during adsorption through a series of sequential and simultaneous gas loading measurements. The short-term goal of this program was the controlling and understanding of common MOF systems in real-world situations where gasses/vapors are mixed, which will have an important impact on industrial processes and applications from gas storage and sequestration to catalysis and sensors. The long-term goals include the development of theoretical and experimental methods for gaining a fundamental understanding of adsorption/reaction processes within MOFs, as well as new guidelines for synthesizing MOFs with tailored physical and chemical properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1995

Highly-Parallel, Highly-Compact Computing Structures Implemented in Nanotechnology

In this paper, we describe work in which we are evaluating how the evolving properties of nano-electronic devices could best be utilized in highly parallel computing structures. Because of their combination of high performance, low power, and extreme compactness, such structures would have obvious applications in spaceborne environments, both for general mission control and for on-board data analysis. However, the anticipated properties of nano-devices mean that the optimum architecture for such systems is by no means certain. Candidates include single instruction multiple datastream (SIMD) arrays, neural networks, and multiple instruction multiple datastream (MIMD) assemblies.

Crawley, D. G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Elucidating the Role of Single-Atom Pd for Electrocatalytic Hydrodechlorination

In this study, we loaded Pd catalysts onto a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) support in an atomically dispersed fashion [i.e., Pd single-atom catalysts (SACs) on rGO or Pd 1 /rGO] via a facile and scalable synthesis based on anchor-site and photoreduction techniques. The as-synthesized Pd 1 /rGO significantly outperformed the Pd nanoparticle (Pdnano) counterparts in the electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination of chlorinated phenols. Downsizing Pd nano to Pd 1 leads to a substantially higher Pd atomic efficiency (14 times that of Pdnano), remarkably reducing the cost for practical applications. The unique single-atom architecture of Pd 1 additionally affects the desorption energy of the intermediate, suppressing the catalyst poisoning by Cl – , which is a prevalent challenge with Pdnano. Characterization and experimental results demonstrate that the superior performance of Pd 1 /rGO originates from (1) enhanced interfacial electron transfer through Pd–O bonds due to the electronic metal–support interaction and (2) increased atomic H (H*) utilization efficiency by inhibiting H 2 evolution on Pd 1 . Furthermore, this work presents an important example of how the unique geometric and electronic structure of SACs can tune their catalytic performance toward beneficial use in environmental remediation applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Interface velocity dependent solute trapping and phase selection during rapid solidification of laser melted hypo-eutectic Al-11at.%Cu alloy

Microstructure formation of a hypo-eutectic Al-11Cu (atom percent) alloy during solidification after laser melting has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The evolution of the solid-liquid-interface velocity, V SL , during the solidification process has been determined from direct observation by in-situ TEM. This enabled correlating V SL with development of four distinct microstructure zones. Crystal growth mode transitions from planar to cellular, cellular to dendritic, dendritic to cellular, and cellular to planar, have been observed for the accelerating solid-liquid-interface. The transition from coupled two-phase growth to the single-phase growth occurred for V SL = V a = (0.80±0.05) m/s, where V a is the velocity of absolute stability, at the onset of banded morphology grain formation. The in-situ and post-mortem TEM uniquely permitted determination of the non-equilibrium solidus for the rapidly solidifying Al-11Cu alloy. Experimental evidence for solute clustering and chemical ordering tendencies at length scales on the order of ≤ 5nm has been detected in the single-phase regions of the banded grains. The structural features of the single-phase bands have been interpreted as signatures of ‘frozen in’ configurations present in the liquid boundary layer adjacent to the growing crystal, which has a width of about 3nm. Finally, the nano-scale spatiotemporal resolution experimental TEM studies performed here provided quantitative metrics, e.g. the solidification interface velocity dependent solute concentration of the α-Al phase and the near-atomic scale structure in the single-phase bands, that are uniquely suitable for comparison with theory and model predictions for solidification microstructure development in multicomponent alloys after laser melting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Near-field probing of strong light-matter coupling in single IR antennae

Quantum well intersubband polaritons are traditionally studied in large scale ensembles, over many wavelengths in size.In this presentation, we demonstrate that it is possible to detect and investigate intersubband polaritons in a single sub-wavelength nanoantenna in the IR frequency range. We observe polariton formation using a scattering-type near-fieldmicroscope and nano-FTIR spectroscopy. In this work, we will discuss near-field spectroscopic signatures of plasmonic antennae withand without coupling to the intersubband transition in quantum wells located underneath the antenna. Evanescent fieldamplitude spectra recorded on the antenna surface show a mode anti-crossing behavior in the strong coupling case. Wealso observe a corresponding strong-coupling signature in the phase of the detected field. We anticipate that this near-fieldapproach will enable explorations of strong and ultrastrong light-matter coupling in the single nanoantenna regime,including investigations of the elusive effect of ISB polariton condensation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

An Antibody Cocktail-Based Immunoaffinity-LC-MS Method Enabled Ultra-Sensitive and Robust Quantification of Circulating Proinsulin Proteoforms and C-Peptide

Accurately measuring circulating proinsulin proteoforms is crucial for clinical investigation of diabetes, but was previously not feasible owing to limited assay specificity/sensitivity. Here, in this study, we devised a highly sensitive LC-MS-based strategy to quantify intact proinsulin, des-31,32 and des-64,65 proinsulin, and C-peptide in circulation. The method involves: (i) quantitative, robust affinity capture using an optimized antibody cocktail, eliminating the severe quantitative bias across multiple proteoforms typically introduced when using a single antibody; (ii) Lys-C digestion producing unique signature peptides for each proteoform, and (iii) trapping-nano-LC coupled with FAIMS/dCV-MS for an ultrasensitive analysis. The selective trapping/delivery ensured sensitive/selective analysis of the targets while achieving excellent analytical robustness that is critical for clinical assays, and the FAIMS/dCV substantially reduces baseline noise/interferences, further enhancing S/N. The assay achieved exceptional sensitivity, with serum LOQs of 1.7, 2.3, and 3.6 pg/mL respectively for intact-proinsulin, des-31,32 and des-64,65, representing the first assay capable of sensitively quantifying these major circulating proinsulin proteoforms. We applied this assay to 78 subjects, including autoantibody positive (n = 20) and new-onset type 1 diabetes (T1D, n = 19) with respective age/sex/BMI-matched controls, enabling the first accurate profiling of proinsulin proteoforms in clinical groups. The assay results demonstrated a clear separation of control and new-onset T1D groups that a parallel total-proinsulin ELISA assay fails to capture. Furthermore, distinct expression patterns in relative abundance ratios among proteoforms were observed across clinical groups. This assay may provide valuable insights into the β-cell functions and the onset/progression of diabetes and other associated conditions. Moreover, the strategy is broadly applicable to targeted measurement of other biomarker proteoforms.

Shen, Qingqing [University at Buffalo, NY (United ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Viewing Optical Processes at the Nanoscale: Combining Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Optical Spectroscopy

The combination of optical spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy techniques has the potential to yield the unambiguous single-molecule level insight required to fully understand the complex structure–property relationship of emerging material systems. In this Perspective, we highlight the recent progress of single-molecule absorption detected by scanning tunneling microscopy (SMA-STM) to investigate light–matter interactions of supported (nano)particles, quantum dots, and molecular and thin films at the nanoscale. We further show how the SMA-STM technique has been recently extended to expand the classes of materials that can be investigated as well as recent design modifications that enable both time-resolved imaging and tomography. Finally, we hypothesize how these modifications can be further leveraged to advance our current knowledge of light–matter interactions and how the resulting nanoscale insight can be implemented for future material applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Tuning of oscillation modes by controlling dimensionality of spin structures

Abstract Harmonic oscillation of spin structures is a physical phenomenon that offers great potential for applications in nanotechnologies such as nano-oscillators and bio-inspired computing. The effective tuning of oscillations over wide frequency ranges within a single ferromagnetic nanoelement is a prerequisite to realize oscillation-based nanodevices, but it has not been addressed experimentally or theoretically. Here, utilizing a vortex core structure, one of spin structures, we report a drastic change of oscillation modes over the frequency range from MHz to sub-GHz in a 100 nm-thick permalloy circular disk. Oscillation mode was found to considerably depend on the shape and dimension of the vortex core structure and various oscillation modes over a wide range of frequencies appeared with dimensional change in the vortex core structure. This work demonstrates that oscillation modes of the vortex core structure can be effectively tuned and opens a way to apply spin structures to oscillation-based technology.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Probing atom dynamics of excited Co-Mo-S nanocrystals in 3D

Advances in electron microscopy have enabled visualizations of the three-dimensional (3D) atom arrangements in nano-scale objects. The observations are, however, prone to electron-beam-induced object alterations, so tracking of single atoms in space and time becomes key to unravel inherent structures and properties. Here, we introduce an analytical approach to quantitatively account for atom dynamics in 3D atomic-resolution imaging. The approach is showcased for a Co-Mo-S nanocrystal by analysis of time-resolved in-line holograms achieving ~1.5 Å resolution in 3D. The analysis reveals a decay of phase image contrast towards the nanocrystal edges and meta-stable edge motifs with crystallographic dependence. These findings are explained by beam-stimulated vibrations that exceed Debye-Waller factors and cause chemical transformations at catalytically relevant edges. This ability to simultaneously probe atom vibrations and displacements enables a recovery of the pristine Co-Mo-S structure and establishes, in turn, a foundation to understand heterogeneous chemical functionality of nanostructures, surfaces and molecules.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nanoscale chromatin imaging and analysis platform bridges 4D chromatin organization with molecular function

Extending across multiple length scales, dynamic chromatin structure is linked to transcription through the regulation of genome organization. However, no individual technique can fully elucidate this structure and its relation to molecular function at all length and time scales at both a single-cell level and a population level. Here, we present a multitechnique nanoscale chromatin imaging and analysis (nano-ChIA) platform that consolidates electron tomography of the primary chromatin fiber, optical super-resolution imaging of transcription processes, and label-free nano-sensing of chromatin packing and its dynamics in live cells. Using nano-ChIA, we observed that chromatin is localized into spatially separable packing domains, with an average diameter of around 200 nanometers, sub-megabase genomic size, and an internal fractal structure. The chromatin packing behavior of these domains exhibits a complex bidirectional relationship with active gene transcription. Furthermore, we found that properties of PDs are correlated among progenitor and progeny cells across cell division.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interfacial dynamics and catalytic behavior of single Ni atom site

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have garnered significant interest due to their ability to reduce metal particles to the atomic scale, enabling finely tunable local environments and enhanced catalytic properties in terms of reactivity and selectivity. Despite this potential, their application has largely been confined to small-molecule transformations as metal-catalyzed reaction. Here, in this study, we present a diverse single-atom nickel (Ni) catalyst established via a nanoporous carbon (NPC) supported practice. This catalyst represents a breakthrough by achieving the bond formation between carbon and nitrogen and interfacial dynamics in the SAC. The present first principle-based density functional simulations establish the reaction dynamics and catalytic behaviour of such SAC. This dynamic nature comprises an exclusive nitrogen intercalated site showing excellent base effects. This base quickly tunes the interfacial atmosphere, enabling dynamic movement of adatoms into the NPC species, significantly changing the reaction path in Ni SACs due to superior steric effects. The research demonstrates that SACs can extend the capabilities of catalytic systems to include a wider range of complex reactions, offering substantial promise for the development of new, efficient synthetic methods for creating value-added molecular products.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

SPE-CZE-MS Quantifies Zeptomole Amounts of Phosphorylated Peptides

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is gaining attention in the field of single-cell proteomics for its ultralow-flow and high-resolution separation abilities. Even more sample-limited yet rich in biological information are phosphoproteomics experiments, as the phosphoproteome composes only a fraction of the whole cellular proteome. Rapid analysis, high sensitivity, and maximization of sample utilization are paramount for single-cell analysis. Some challenges of coupling CZE analysis with mass spectrometry analysis (MS) of complex mixtures include 1. sensitivity due to volume loading limitations of CZE and 2. incompatibility of MS duty cycles with electropherographic time scales. Here, we address these two challenges as applied to singlecell- equivalent phosphoproteomics experiments by interfacing a microchip-based CZE device integrated with a solid-phaseextraction (SPE) bed with the Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer. Using 225 phosphorylated peptide standards and phosphorylated peptide-enriched mouse brain tissue, we investigate microchip-based SPE-CZE functionality, quantitative performance, and complementarity to nano-LC-MS (nLC-MS) analysis. We highlight unique SPE-CZE separation mechanisms that can empower fitfor- purpose applications in single-cell-equivalent phosphoproteomics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural Phase Separation and Enhanced Superconductivity in La 1.875 Ba 0.125 CuO 4 Under Uniaxial Strain

Strain engineering has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its capability in tuning lattice and electronic structures of quantum materials. Using moderate uniaxial compressive strain, structural phase separation is induced in the low-temperature phase of x = 1/8 La 2-x Ba x CuO 4 (LBCO) single crystals. These structures are low temperature tetragonal (LTT), low temperature less orthorhombic (LTLO), and a plastically deformed nano-domain structure (PDNS), comprised of few-nanometer-sized orthorhombic domains within an amorphous matrix. These three structures exhibit distinct superconducting behaviors. The volume fraction of the LTT structure is suppressed with increasing strain, while its superconducting transition temperature increases and broadens. The LTLO structure exhibits a sharp superconducting transition above 32 K, which increases up to ≈ 36 K at maximum strain. The PDNS phase exhibits a very broad superconducting transition and persists even after removing the strain. This study illustrates the sensitivity of superconductivity to the structure of the LBCO sample near its stripe instability.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

On-chip optical levitation with a metalens in vacuum

Optical levitation of dielectric particles in vacuum is a powerful technique for precision measurements, testing fundamental physics, and quantum information science. Conventional optical tweezers require bulky optical components for trapping and detection. Here, we design and fabricate an ultrathin dielectric metalens with a high numerical aperture of 0.88 at 1064 nm in vacuum. It consists of 500-nm-thick silicon nano-antennas, which are compatible with an ultrahigh vacuum. We demonstrate optical levitation of nanoparticles in vacuum with a single metalens. The trapping frequency can be tuned by changing the laser power and polarization. We also transfer a levitated nanoparticle between two separated optical tweezers. Optical levitation with an ultrathin metalens in vacuum provides opportunities for a wide range of applications including on-chip sensing. Such metalenses will also be useful for trapping ultracold atoms and molecules.

Shen, Kunhong↗