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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

Charging in the ac Conductance of a Double Barrier Resonant Tunneling Structure

There have been many studies of the linear response ac conductance of a double barrier resonant tunneling structure (DBRTS), both at zero and finite dc biases. While these studies are important, they fail to self consistently include the effect of the time dependent charge density in the well. In this paper, we calculate the ac conductance at both zero and finite do biases by including the effect of the time dependent charge density in the well in a self consistent manner. The charge density in the well contributes to both the flow of displacement currents in the contacts and the time dependent potential in the well. We find that including these effects can make a significant difference to the ac conductance and the total ac current is not equal to the simple average of the non-selfconsistently calculated conduction currents in the two contacts. This is illustrated by comparing the results obtained with and without the effect of the time dependent charge density included correctly. Some possible experimental scenarios to observe these effects are suggested.

Anantram, M. P.↗

Magnetic field effects and transverse ratchets in charge lattices coupled to asymmetric substrates

We examine a charge lattice coupled to a one-dimensional asymmetric potential in the presence of an applied magnetic field, which induces gyrotropic effects in the charge motion. This system could be realized for Wigner crystals in nanostructured samples, dusty plasmas, or other classical charge-ordered states where gyrotropic motion and damping can arise. For zero magnetic field, an applied external ac drive can produce a ratchet effect in which the particles move along the easy flow direction of the substrate asymmetry. The zero field ratchet effect can only occur when the ac drive is aligned with the substrate asymmetry direction; however, when a magnetic field is added, the gyrotropic forces generate a Hall effect that leads to a variety of new behaviors, including a transverse ratchet motion that occurs when the ac drive is perpendicular to the substrate asymmetry direction. We show that this system exhibits commensuration effects as well as reversals in the ratchet effect and the Hall angle of the motion. The magnetic field also produces a nonmonotonic ratchet efficiency when the particles become localized at high fields.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Fermions at finite density in the path integral approach

Abstract We study relativistic fermionic systems in 3 + 1 spacetime dimensions at finite chemical potential and zero temperature, from a path-integral point of view. We show how to properly account for theiεterm that projects on the finite density ground state, and compute the path integral analytically for free fermions in homogeneous external backgrounds, using complex analysis techniques. As an application, we show that the U(1) symmetry is always linearly realized for free fermions at finite charge density, differently from scalars. We study various aspects of finite density QED in a homogeneous magnetic background. We compute the free energy density, non-perturbatively in the electromagnetic coupling and the external magnetic field, obtaining the finite density generalization of classic results of Euler-Heisenberg and Schwinger. We also obtain analytically the magnetic susceptibility of a relativistic Fermi gas at finite density, reproducing the de Haas-van Alphen effect. Finally, we consider a (generalized) Gross-Neveu model forNinteracting fermions at finite density. We compute its non-perturbative effective potential in the large-Nlimit, and discuss the fate of the U(1) vector and$$ {\mathbb{Z}}_2^A $$ ℤ 2 A axial symmetries.

Physics↗

Analyzing Potential Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions from Plug-In Electric Vehicles: Report for CRC Project, "Carbon Return on Investment for Electrified Vehicles"

Investment in battery and electrification technologies has the potential to greatly reduce vehicular greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) will have zero tailpipe emissions. However, there will be GHG emissions associated with production of the vehicle including its battery, and with any carbon-emitting electricity sources used to charge the vehicle. This study explores the GHG reduction benefits of different plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) designs in the context of factors such as electricity production mix, per-vehicle battery requirements, and varying battery market growth scenarios. The analyses focus on the U.S. light-duty vehicle (LDV) market, which accounts for nearly 60% of U.S. transportation sector GHG emissions - over twice as much as the next largest contributing transportation sub-sector.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

SAE Government-Industry - Heavy-Duty Policy: Panel Discussion (G203)

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are 21% of US transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a major source of air pollution. In this talk to present some results exploring how the total cost of driving (TCD) of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), including battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (EVs and FCEVs), could evolve under alternative scenarios. Results show that with continued improvements in vehicles and fuels, ZEVs can rapidly become viable, potentially reaching TCD parity or better compared to diesel vehicles by 2035 for all market segments. For heavy long-haul trucks, EVs become competitive on a TCD basis at charging costs below $0.18/kWh, while FCEVs become competitive on a TCD basis at hydrogen costs below $5/kg. A full transition to ZEV sales by 2035 results in 65% emissions reductions by 2050 compared to 2019 without supportive policies. Incentives such as the Inflation Reduction Act vehicle purchase credits further accelerate ZEV TCD competitiveness with major adoption opportunities over the next five years.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS,DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSI↗

Hot QCD phase diagram from holographic Einstein–Maxwell–Dilaton models

In this review, we provide an up-to-date account of quantitative holographic descriptions of the strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma (QGP) produced in heavy-ion collisions, based on the class of gauge-gravity Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton (EMD) models. Holography is employed to tentatively map the QCD phase diagram at finite temperature onto a dual theory of charged, asymptotically AdS black holes in 5D. With a quantitative focus on the hot QCD phase diagram, the EMD models reviewed are adjusted to describe lattice results for the finite-temperature QCD equation of state, with 2+1 flavors and physical quark masses, at zero chemical potential and vanishing electromagnetic fields. The predictive power of EMD models is tested by quantitatively comparing their predictions for the hot QCD equation of state at nonzero baryon density and the corresponding state-of-the-art lattice QCD results. The shear and bulk viscosities predicted by these EMD models are also compared to the corresponding profiles favored by the latest phenomenological multistage models describing different heavy-ion data. We report preliminary results from a Bayesian analysis which provide systematic evidence that lattice results at finite temperature and zero baryon density strongly constrains the free parameters of EMD models. Remarkably, the set of parameters constrained by lattice results at zero chemical potential produces EMD models in quantitative agreement with lattice QCD results also at finite baryon density. We also review results for equilibrium and transport properties from magnetic EMD models, describing the QGP at finite temperatures and magnetic fields. Lastly, we provide a critical assessment of the main limitations and drawbacks of the holographic models reviewed in the present work, and point out some perspectives we believe are of fundamental importance for future developments.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Single Nanoflake Photoelectrochemistry Reveals Intrananoflake Doping Heterogeneity That Explains Ensemble-Level Photoelectrochemical Behavior

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanoflake thin films are attractive electrode materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar energy conversion and sensing applications, but their photocurrent quantum yields are generally lower than those of bulk TMD electrodes. The poor PEC performance has been primarily attributed to enhanced charge carrier recombination at exposed defect and edge sites introduced by the exfoliation process. Here, a single nanoflake PEC approach reveals how an alternative effect, doping heterogeneity, limits ensemble-level PEC performance. Photocurrent mapping and local photocurrent–potential (i–E) measurements of MoS 2 nanoflakes exfoliated from naturally occurring bulk crystals revealed the presence of n- and p-type domains within the same nanoflake. Interestingly, the n- and p-type domains in the natural MoS 2 nanoflakes were equally efficient for iodide oxidation and tri-iodide reduction (IQE values exceed 80%). At the single domain-level, the natural MoS 2 nanoflakes were nearly as efficient as nanoflakes exfoliated from synthetic n-type MoS 2 crystals. Single domain-level i–E measurements explain why natural MoS 2 nanoflakes exhibit an n-type to p-type photocurrent switching effect in ensemble-level measurements: the n- and p-type diode currents from individual domains oppose each other upon illuminating the entire nanoflake, resulting in zero photocurrent at the switching potential. Furthermore, the doping heterogeneity effect is likely due to nonideal stoichiometry, where p-type domains are S-rich according to XPS measurements. Although this doping heterogeneity effect limits photoanode or photocathode performance, these findings open the possibility to synthesize efficient TMD nanoflake photocatalysts with well-defined lateral p- and n-type domains for enhanced charge separation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Status of the muon neutrino charged-current zero mesons cross section measurement in the NOvA near detector

NOvA is a long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiment at Fermilab whose physics goals include precision neutrino oscillation as well as cross-section measurements. We present the status of the measurement of muon neutrino charged-current cross section with zero mesons in the final state at the NOvA near detector. This measurement will be made with respect to the kinematics of the final state particles. Our chosen interaction channel is especially sensitive to quasielastic and meson exchange current interactions and will provide a handle for constraining the cross section systematic uncertainties in oscillation analyses in current and future experiments. For particle identification, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on individual particles simulated in the NOvA near detector that allows us to select the desired signal while reducing the potential bias from neutrino interaction modeling. Charged pion background constraining is further improved via Michel electron tagging.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Semiconductor photoelectrochemistry

Semiconductor photoelectrochemical reactions are investigated. A model of the charge transport processes in the semiconductor, based on semiconductor device theory, is presented. It incorporates the nonlinear processes characterizing the diffusion and reaction of charge carriers in the semiconductor. The model is used to study conditions limiting useful energy conversion, specifically the saturation of current flow due to high light intensity. Numerical results describing charge distributions in the semiconductor and its effects on the electrolyte are obtained. Experimental results include: an estimate rate at which a semiconductor photoelectrode is capable of converting electromagnetic energy into chemical energy; the effect of cell temperature on the efficiency; a method for determining the point of zero zeta potential for macroscopic semiconductor samples; a technique using platinized titanium dioxide powders and ultraviolet radiation to produce chlorine, bromine, and iodine from solutions containing their respective ions; the photoelectrochemical properties of a class of layered compounds called transition metal thiophosphates; and a technique used to produce high conversion efficiency from laser radiation to chemical energy.

Buoncristiani, A. M.↗

Measurement of the muon neutrino charged-current mesonless cross section in the NOvA near detector

NOvA is a long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiment at Fermilab. Its physics goals include precision neutrino oscillation measurements, neutrino interaction cross-section measurements and beyond Standard Model explorations. We present a measurement of muon neutrino charged-current cross section with zero mesons in the final state at the NOvA near detector. This measurement is performed as a function of the kinematics of the final state muon. Our chosen interaction channel is especially sensitive to quasielastic and meson exchange current interactions and it provides handles for constraining the cross section systematic uncertainties in oscillation analyses in present and future experiments. For particle identification, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on individual particles simulated in the NOvA Near detector. This allows us to select the desired signal while reducing the potential bias from neutrino interaction modeling. We study strategies for constraining the remaining charged-pion background via Michel electron information in a template fitting approach. The main experimental result is a two-dimensional differential cross section as a function of final-state muon kinetic energy and polar angle. The parameters of this measurement, including binning and unfolding, were optimized to reduce the expected systematic uncertainty in the total cross section. The final result shows good agreement with the main GENIE-based simulation framework that was independently fine-tuned in NOvA. We finally propose improvements and subsequent steps that build on this analysis and further dissect the final states of neutrino interactions. This work has been supported by US DOE grant DE-SC0015684.

Sánchez Falero, Sebastián Jesús [Iowa State U.]↗

Physics-informed CoKriging model of a redox flow battery

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) offer the capability to store large amounts of energy cheaply and efficiently, however, there is a need for fast and accurate models of the charge–discharge curve of a VRFB to potentially improve the battery capacity and performance. Here, we develop a multifidelity model for predicting the charge–discharge curve of a VRFB. In the multifidelity model, we use the Physics-informed CoKriging (CoPhIK) machine learning method that is trained on experimental data and constrained by the so-called “zero-dimensional” physics-based model. Here we demonstrate that the model shows good agreement with experimental results and significant improvements over existing zero-dimensional models. We show that the proposed model is robust as it is not sensitive to the input parameters in the zero-dimensional model. We also show that only a small amount of high-fidelity experimental datasets are needed for accurate predictions for the range of considered input parameters, which include current density, flow rate, and initial concentrations.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Photodynamic melting of phase-reversed charge stripes and enhanced condensation

The interplay between charge stripes and pairing has long been a subject of scrutiny in a broad class of unconventional superconductors, as in some cases it is unclear whether this interplay benefits the ensuing superfluidity. Experiments that explore the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of these systems aim to tip the balance toward one phase or the other by selectively coupling to relevant modes. Leveraging the fact that competition between stripes and pairing is not exclusive to fermionic systems, we explore the photoirradiation dynamics of interacting hardcore bosons in which density-wave phase-reversal melting leads to enhanced phase-coherent transport response, as quantified by the dynamic amplification of both the zero-momentum occupancy and the condensate fraction, as well as finite out-of-equilibrium charge stiffness and superfluid weight, for a given system size. Finally, our results, obtained using unbiased methods for an interacting system on a ladder geometry, demonstrate how one can engineer time-dependent perturbations to release suppressed orders, potentially providing insight into the underlying mechanism in related experiments.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Superconductivity in a doped valley coherent insulator in magic angle graphene: Goldstone-mediated pairing and Kohn-Luttinger mechanism

We consider magic angle graphene in the doping regime around charge neutrality and study the connection between a recently proposed inter-valley coherent insulator at zero doping and the neighboring superconducting domes. The breaking of the valley U(1) symmetry leads to massless Goldstone modes, which couple to the doped charge carriers. We derive the effective interaction between these Goldstone modes and the conduction electrons and study its role in mediating superconductivity. Combining it with the screened Coulomb potential, we find weak-coupling superconducting instabilities in the two-component p- and d-wave channels. The competition between the two channels is set by the distance between the bilayer graphene device and the metallic gates. We find that the p-wave instability originates from the attraction mediated by the Goldstone modes, while the d-wave pairing is caused purely by the screened Coulomb interaction, similarly to the Kohn-Luttinger mechanism.

Kozii, Vladyslav↗

Status of the Muon Neutrino Charged-Current Mesonless Cross Section Measurement in the NOvA Near Detector

NOvA is a long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiment at Fermilab whose physics goals include precision neutrino oscillation as well as cross-section measurements. We present the status of the measurement of a muon neutrino charged-current cross section with zero mesons in the final state at the NOvA near detector. This measurement is being made with respect to the kinematics of the final state muon. The chosen interaction channel is especially sensitive to quasielastic and meson exchange current interactions and aims to provide experimental constraints for the development of models of neutrino interactions. It will also provide a handle for constraining cross section systematic uncertainties in oscillation analyses in current and future experiments. For particle identification, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on individual particles simulated in the NOvA near detector that allows us to select the desired signal while reducing the potential bias from neutrino interaction modeling. Charged pion background constraining is further improved via Michel electron tagging.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Status of the Muon Neutrino Charged-Current Zero Mesons Cross Section at the NOvA Near Detector

NOvA is a long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiment at Fermilab whose physics goals include precision neutrino oscillation as well as cross-section measurements. We present the status of the measurement of a muon neutrino charged-current cross section with zero mesons in the final state at the NOvA near detector. This measurement is being made with respect to the kinematics of the final state muon. The chosen interaction channel is especially sensitive to quasielastic and meson exchange current interactions and aims to provide experimental constraints for the development of models of neutrino interactions. It will also provide a handle for constraining cross section systematic uncertainties in oscillation analyses in current and future experiments. For particle identification, we use a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on individual particles simulated in the NOvA near detector that allows us to select the desired signal while reducing the potential bias from neutrino interaction modeling. Charged pion background constraining is further improved via Michel electron tagging.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Exploring Class 8 Long-Haul Truck Electrification: Key Technology Evaluation and Potential Challenges

The phenomena of global warming and climate change are encouraging more and more countries, local communities, and companies to establish carbon neutrality targets, which has very significant implications for the US trucking industry. Truck electrification helps fleets to achieve zero tailpipe emissions and macro-scale decarbonization while allowing continued business growth in response to the rapid expansion of e-commerce and shipping related to increased globalization. Here, this paper presents an analysis of Class 8 long-haul truck electrification using a commercial vehicle electrification evaluation tool and Fleet DNA drive data. The study provides new insight into the impacts of streamlined chassis, battery energy density, and superfast charging on battery capacity needs as well as implications for payload, energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions for electric long-haul trucks. The study also identifies a pathway for achieving optimal long-haul truck electrification. The results show that no single technology can simultaneously achieve significant improvements in all these key areas and that a cost-effective approach requires a deliberate combination of all of these technologies. Moreover, the analysis highlights the strong evolution of vehicle and battery technologies and the excellent potential for long-haul truck electrification to achieve 100% year-round service coverage with continued technology advancement.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Complement to thermodynamics of dyonic Taub-NUT-AdS spacetime

We examine the thermodynamics of Euclidean dyonic Taub-Nut/Bolt-AdS 4 black holes for a variety of horizon geometries to understand how gauge field regularity conditions influence the thermodynamic relations. We find several distinct features that distinguish the NUT-charged case from its dyonic Reissner-Nordstrom counterpart. For the Nut solution, the gauge field vanishes at the horizon and so regularity is ensured. For the Bolt solution we find that the norm of the gauge field is required to vanish at the horizon in order to satisfy both regularity and the first law of thermodynamics. This regularity condition yields a constraint on the electric and magnetic charges and so reduces cohomogeneity of the system; for spherical horizons, the regularity condition removing the Misner string singularity further reduces cohomogeneity. We observe that bolt solutions with increasing electric charge have positive heat capacity, but upon turning on the magnetic charge to make the solution dyonic, we find that the properties of the uncharged one are retained, having both positive and negative heat capacity. We also study the extremal Bolt solution, finding that Misner string disappears at the horizon in the zero temperature limit. We find that the extremal solution has finite-temperature-like behaviour, with the electric potential playing a role similar to temperature.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Structure of iridium oxide catalysts dictates performance differences for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers

Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) are promising zero-emission technologies. However, their high cost remains a barrier to widespread adoption. Iridium oxide is commonly used as an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst, and its cost and scarcity make it essential to reduce its loading while increasing its activity. Evaluation of iridium oxide activity should be carried out in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) configuration to replicate realistic operating conditions. Herein, we present a comprehensive benchmarking framework to accurately evaluate the amorphous and crystalline iridium oxides at the MEA level. By systematically varying the catalyst loading, this study confirmed that each MEA was utilized uniformly, presenting intrinsic electrochemical properties independent of the loading. Through intrinsic charge density determined by voltammetry, we established two electrochemical descriptors to evaluate catalyst redox reactions. The mass activity was evaluated by correlating current vs. loading, and the slope provides loading-independent mass activity. The effect of the porous transport layer on OER activity was discussed, identifying a ‘background’ current at zero-loading. In conclusion, this study highlights potential pitfalls in MEA-level catalyst screening and underscores the importance of the loading study for reliable results.

Kwon, Obeen [University of California, Irvine, CA ↗