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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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1,622 records · Page 50
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Reliability Assessment of Solid-State Circuit Breakers (CRADA CRD-21-21469, Project 4 Final Report)

Growth in power requirements and the complexity of emerging distribution systems are creating the need for new solid-state products for many applications. The qualification requirements, testing standards and life-cycle management practices of solid-state devices used in protection applications is not established. The project will leverage newly developed accelerated testing capabilities design specifically for protection applications to generate large data sets that will enable advanced digital techniques for data analysis and embedded health monitoring.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2026

Proactive Wildfire Management: A Remote Sensing and Multimodal CNN-MLP Architecture for Ignition Risk Forecasting

As the frequency and intensity of wildfires increase, with fire seasons now starting earlier and ending later than they have over the past decades, current monitoring systems, such as lookout towers and satellites, are hindered by cloud cover, low-resolution imagery, and static data gaps that fail to track vegetation moisture levels fast enough to catch rapid pre-ignition changes. This report proposes a Machine Learning-enabled Wildfire Ignition Prediction framework that combines satellite monitoring with dynamic and high-resolution remote sensing from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms. The method would use multispectral and thermal data from the Landsat program to create a baseline for vegetation health, calculating a two-band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2) and the moisture content of the vegetation. These inputs will later be fused with microscale UAV weather data, including thermal hotspots found through thick canopies, hyperspectral chemical signatures of pre-visual combustion, and local weather streams. The multispectral satellite, multispectral Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), and thermal data would then be processed through a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), alongside a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) for the micro-weather telemetry. The outputs of these networks would be fused into a single feature representation and passed through a final prediction network to generate real-time ignition risk scores and hotspot alerts. Model performance would be assessed using standard classification metrics, including a Receiver Operating Characteristic - Area Under the Curve (ROC AUC) and F1 score. This system would allow first responders to identify high-risk zones and intervene before ignition occurs, improving emergency response time compared to current approaches.

machine learning↗
DOE OSTI2024

Exciton Transport in Perovskite Materials

Halide perovskites have emerged as promising materials for a wide variety of optoelectronic applications, including solar cells, light‐emitting devices, photodetectors, and quantum information applications. In addition to their desirable optical and electronic properties, halide perovskites provide tremendous synthetic flexibility through variation of not only their chemical composition but also their structure and morphology. At the heart of their use in optoelectronic technologies is the interaction of light with electronic excitations in the form of excitons. This review discusses the properties and behavior of excitons in halide perovskite materials, with a particular emphasis on low‐dimensional perovskites and the effects of nanoscale morphology on excitonic behavior. The basic theory of excitonic energy migration in semiconductor nanomaterials is introduced, and novel observations in halide perovskite nanomaterials that have evolved our current understanding are explored. Lastly, many important questions that remain unanswered are presented and exciting emerging directions in low‐dimensional perovskite exciton physics are discussed.

2D materials↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Icy Worlds: Moving and Grooving

Reports from the conference session entitled Icy Worlds: Moving and Grooving, include:Mass Anomalies on Ganymede; Europan Chaos and Lenticulae: A Synthesis of Size, Spacing, and Areal Density Analyses; Thermal and Topographic Tests of Europa Chaos Formation Models; Flexure of Europa s Lithosphere Due to Ridge-Loading; Ridges on Europa: Origin by Incremental Ice-Wedging ; Convergent Boundaries on Europa: a Numerical Approach to Euler Pole Analysis and Its' Implications for Plate Reconstruction; Numerical Simulations of Subsolidus Convection in the Ice Shell of Europa: Implications for the Thermal Evolution and Present State; Effects of Plasticity on Convection in an Ice Shell: Implications for Europa; Non-Newtonian Convection and Compositional Buoyancy: Advances in Modeling Convection and Dome Formation on Europa; Convective Instability in Ice I: Application to Callisto and Ganymede; Crater Size Distributions on Callisto: A Galileo SSI Summary; Neutron Diffraction Studies of Planetary Ices; and H2O2 Synthesis Induced by Irradiation of H2O with Energetic H+ and Ar+ Ions at Various Temperatures.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1983

Flywheel Electronics

Requirements of the flywheel electronic system are to accelerate the momentum wheel to a fixed maximum speed when solar energy is available and to maintain a constant voltage on the spacecraft bus under varying loads when solar energy is not available.

Frank Nola↗
DOE OSTI2026

Characterization of Flashback and Flame-Holding in a Jet-in-Crossflow Mixing Configuration With Methane–Hydrogen Fuel Blends

An approach that combines experimental and numerical analyses has been implemented to characterize the fundamentals of flashback events and flame-holding phenomena during high-hydrogen combustion in a jet-in-crossflow (JICF) configuration. Such flame dynamics are visualized experimentally using nanosecond (ns)-based hydroxyl planar laser-induced fluorescence (OH-PLIF) and chemiluminescence diagnostics techniques. The JICF burner has an optically accessible premixing tube allowing the optical diagnostics. The testing was conducted for varied premixer velocities (V) and equivalence ratio (ϕ) for 90–100% (H 2 , by mole) H 2 /CH 4 reactant mixtures at atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions. Two distinct flashback events were identified – conventional rich flashback and lean flashback, recorded while increasing ϕ and decreasing ϕ, respectively. The cause of lean flashback was attributed to lower momentum flux ratio which bends the jet sharply, closer toward the injection plane. The mean OH-PLIF images characterized the flame-holding behavior, where the flame was found to be stabilized on the leeward side only or on both windward and leeward sides as a lifted flame near the fuel port. A large eddy simulation (LES) with detailed chemistry combustion modeling approach was implemented along with an OH* submechanism, and it showed qualitative agreement with the integrated line-of-sight chemiluminescence results as well as the planar OH-PLIF measurements.

chemiluminescence diagnostic↗
DOE OSTI2025

Quantum mechanical dataset of 836k neutral closed-shell molecules with up to 5 heavy atoms from C, N, O, F, Si, P, S, Cl, Br

Abstract We introduce the Vector-QM24 (VQM24) dataset comprehensively covering all possible neutral closed-shell small organic and inorganic molecules with up to five heavy (p-block) atoms: C, N, O, F, Si, P, S, Cl, Br. All valid stoichiometries, Lewis-rule-consistent graphs, and stable conformers (identified via GFN2-xTB) were enumerated combinatorially, yielding 577k conformational isomers spanning 258k constitutional isomers and 5,599 unique stoichiometries. DFT (ωB97X-D3/cc-pVDZ) optimizations were performed for all, and diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (DMC@PBE0(ccECP/cc-pVQZ)) energies are provided for 10,793 lowest-energy conformers with up to 4 heavy atoms. VQM24 includes structures, vibrational modes, rotational constants, thermodynamic properties (Gibbs free energies, enthalpies, ZPVEs, entropies, heat capacities), and electronic properties such as atomization, electron interaction, exchange-correlation, dispersion energies, multipole moments (dipole to hexadecapole), alchemical potentials, Mulliken charges, and wavefunctions. Machine learning models of atomization energies on this dataset reveal significantly higher complexity than QM9, with none achieving chemical accuracy. VQM24 offers a rigorous, high-fidelity benchmark for evaluating quantum machine learning models.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
NASA NTRS1992

Second LDEF Post-Retrieval Symposium Abstracts

These abstracts from the symposium represent the data analysis of the 57 experiments flown on the LDEF. The experiments include materials, coatings, thermal systems, power and propulsion, science, (cosmic ray, interstellar gas, heavy ions, micrometeoroids, etc.), electronics, optics, and life science.

Arlene S. Levine↗
DOE OSTI2026

Coordinated Natural Gas and Electric Planning: Case Studies of Current Approaches and Practices

This paper examines how natural gas and electric utilities across eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces are beginning to coordinate historically separate planning processes in response to growing system interdependencies, policy mandates, aging infrastructure, and changing customer energy choices. Electricity planning has long relied on robust integrated resource planning frameworks that weigh numerous objectives, risks, and costs. Natural gas planning, on the other hand, is typically less transparent and more narrowly focused on safety and system integrity. As economic, reliability, and policy drivers place new and shared demands on both systems, jurisdictions and utilities are experimenting with approaches such as coordinated forecasting, non pipeline alternatives, and combined planning pilots. A few have issued regulatory or statutory directives for greater data sharing and methodological alignment. Case studies from British Columbia, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Québec, Rhode Island, and Washington illustrate a wide range of approaches to rethinking siloed planning. The paper identifies several common themes across the jurisdictions examined. It provides observations on the methods, processes, and organizational steps that may be needed in the future to address the challenges being faced by states and utilities. Lastly, it identifies some initial steps that states and utilities can consider if they would like to pursue more integrated, cost-effective, policy-aligned energy system planning.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Developing affordable and efficient heating devices for enhanced live cell imaging in confocal microscopy

Temperature control is crucial for live cell imaging, particularly in studies involving plant responses to high ambient temperatures and thermal stress. This study presents the design, development, and testing of two cost-effective heating devices tailored for confocal microscopy applications: an aluminum heat plate and a wireless mini-heater. The aluminum heat plate, engineered to integrate seamlessly with the standard 160 mm × 110 mm microscope stage, supports temperatures up to 36°C, suitable for studies in the range of non-stressful warm temperatures (e.g., 25-27°C forArabidopsis thaliana) and moderate heat stress (e.g., 30-36°C forA. thaliana). We also developed a wireless mini-heater that offers rapid, precise heating directly at the sample slide, with a temperature increase rate over 30 times faster than the heat plate. The wireless heater effectively maintained target temperatures up to 50°C, ideal for investigating severe heat stress and heat shock responses in plants. Both devices performed well in controlled studies, including the real-time analysis of heat shock protein accumulation and stress granule formation inA. thaliana. Our designs are effective and affordable, with total construction costs lower than $300. This accessibility makes them particularly valuable for small laboratories with limited funding. Future improvements could include enhanced heat uniformity, humidity control to mitigate evaporation, and more robust thermal management to minimize focus drift during extended imaging sessions. These modifications would further solidify the utility of our heating devices in live cell imaging, offering researchers reliable, budget-friendly tools for exploring plant thermal biology.

Plant Sciences↗
NASA NTRS1980

NASA/Marshall's lithium battery applications

A general lithium battery is described and a summary of lithium battery applications is presented. Four aspects of a particular lithium battery, the inducement environmental contamination monitoring battery, are discussed-design and construction details, thermal vacuum tests, projection tests, and acceptance tests.

Paschal, L. E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Electrically Accelerated Mechanochemical Film Formation by a Phosphonium Phosphate Ionic Liquid: An In Situ Chemical Kinetics Investigation

Powertrains in electric vehicles are exposed to stray currents that accelerate wear and cause failure of mechanical components. These durability issues are further aggravated when using low-viscosity lubricants, which are desired for energy efficiency but create harsher contact conditions at sliding interfaces. This study investigates a phosphonium phosphate ionic liquid as a performance-enhancing additive in a low-viscosity base oil for lubricating electrified sliding interfaces. Ionic liquids can adsorb and react on contact interfaces via stress-assisted chemical reactions, generating nanometric tribofilms that provide protection against wear. However, the effect of electric fields on the mechanochemistry of ionic liquids is poorly understood, hindering their adoption in lubricants for electrified powertrains. This article reports an in situ optical interferometry study of ionic liquid derived tribofilm growth kinetics at stressed sliding/rolling interfaces under direct currents. The application of electric currents accelerated tribofilm formation up to a critical current density (∼1.4 A/mm 2 ), beyond which pitting-induced wear dominated. The tribofilms were composed of iron phosphates, iron oxides, and carbon species, with iron oxides becoming predominant under applied currents. These tribofilms prevented the scuffing failure of steel surfaces under electrified conditions. Based on the results, a kinetic model is proposed that integrates electric current effect into the classical stress-assisted thermal activation framework to allow prediction of tribofilm growth at electrified sliding contacts. This framework provides crucial guidance for designing next-generation lubricants for electrified transportation and power generation systems.

additives↗
DOE OSTI2024

Factors Influencing Gas Evolution from High‐Nickel Layered Oxide Cathodes in Lithium‐Based Batteries

Abstract Gas evolution from high‐nickel layered oxide cathodes (>90% Ni) remains a major issue for their practical application. Gaseous species, such as CO 2 , O 2 , and CO, that are evolved at high states of charge (SOC) worsen the overall safety of batteries, as pressure build‐up within the cell may lead to cell rupture. Since these gasses are produced during cathode degradation, tracking the formation of gasses is also important in diagnosing cathode failure. Online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS) is a powerful in situ technique to study gas evolution from the cathode during high‐voltage charge. However, the differences in the OEMS experimental setups between different groups make it challenging to compare results between groups. In this perspective, the various factors that influence gas evolution based on the OEMS results collected in this group are presented. The focus is on the conditions that lead to gas release, with a particular emphasis on reactive oxygen formation and subsequent chemical reactions with the electrolyte. Promising strategies, such as electrolytes, compositional tuning, and surface coatings that are effective at suppressing gas evolution from the cathode are highlighted. Critical insights into mitigating cathode degradation and gas evolution are provided to guide the development of safer, high‐energy batteries.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2025

Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Amplifiers for Fusion Plasma Heating and Control

This paper discusses power electronics developed under the ARPA-E GAMOW program to support nuclear fusion power production. The goal of this project was to develop and assess the potential for wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices in power electronics to enable high-efficiency and high-voltage solid-state systems for fusion plasma generation, heating, and control. The power electronics use an architecture in which multiple high-power boards can be combined to produce megawatt-level power, where using multiple boards provides high reliability. Two main areas of power electronics boards are developed in this project for fusion plasma heating and control applications: (1) pulse generation and control and (2) radiofrequency generation. The first area is for boards capable of driving high-voltage millisecond pulses at high duty cycles. The envisioned application of these pulses is in plasma control of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, plasma position, and edge-localized modes. Pulse-width modulation allows for the implementation of a wide variety of linear and nonlinear control systems. The boards developed for this project could actuate control coils based on digital input signals and can be parallelized to provide megawatts of output power. The design of the pulse generator is a low-side load switch. A load switch was designed and constructed that utilized 2-kV-rated field-effect transistor (FET)-based cascodes developed by Qorvo under this project to perform initial testing of these cascodes. The second area is being implemented using class E amplifiers with WBG devices and a reactance steering network to handle inductive or capacitive plasma loads. Applications include ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) and high-harmonic fast-wave (HHFW) heating. A class E reactance steering network is demonstrated in modeling and experiment with a resistive-inductive load that models an inductively-coupled plasma. Power combining of boards with class E reactance steering networks is also simulated and demonstrated experimentally, to enable scaling up to high power. Modeling of high-power-density cooling and remaining useful life is conducted to enable reliable, effectively cooled high-power electronics for fusion applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Research and Development Related to the Commercialization of Perovskite Radiation Detectors (CRADA Final Report)

This work will focus on the development of perovskite radiation detectors fabricated with nanocrystal, thick polycrystalline films, or single crystal materials. This will harness NREL’s instrumentation and expertise in a variety of research areas including but not limited to metal halide perovskites, device characterization, device packaging, accelerated lifetime testing, and ink chemistry development.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cooperative and bifunctional Ga-Ca-Cr 2 O 3 @CaO structured monoliths as versatile platform for reactive capture of CO 2 and its subsequent conversion to ethylene

Cooperative and bifunctional materials (BFMs) that integrate adsorbents and catalysts offer a promising strategy for the reactive capture of CO 2 to produce valuable fuels and chemicals. In this study, we developed structured BFMs via 3D printing that combine CaO as an adsorbent with Ga–Ca–Cr 2 O 3 metal oxides as the catalyst for the reactive capture of CO 2 and its subsequent conversion to C 2 H 4 via the oxidative dehydrogenation of C 2 H 6 (CO 2 -ODHE). Three different Ga–Ca compositions were used to modify the catalyst surface characteristics and enhance C 2 H 4 selectivity. In these formulations, Ga ions stabilize the oxygen lattice of the BFM, while Ca ions interact strongly with Cr to form CaCrO 4 , thereby altering the oxygen species and enhancing the material’s basic properties. Under adsorption–reaction conditions at 600–650 °C, the optimal BFM achieved an excellent C 2 H 4 selectivity of 96.4 %, attributed to a balanced redox process and improved basicity that facilitate efficient C 2 H 6 conversion and rapid desorption of C 2 H 4 without excessive oxidation. Overall, this work provides new insights into the formulation of BFMs monoliths and highlights the critical role of catalytic surface modification in enhancing C 2 H 4 selectivity in the CO 2 -ODHE reactive capture process.

C2H4 production↗