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DOE OSTI2022

On-Demand Designing of Cathode Internal Surface Architecture for Dramatic Enhancement of SOFC Performance and Durability

This project is aimed to design and modify the internal surfaces of porous composite cathode from currently commercially viable Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs), using additive manufacturing process of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). The material systems being investigated are commercial composite electrodes complex three-dimensional topographies. In term of the chemistry of the ALD layer applied on the internal surface of the porous cathode, this project has employed commercially relevant electrolyte, electrocatalyst and noble metal materials set. Such materials are fully compatible with the commercial fuel cells, and this project has developed special nanostructure on the surface of the commercial composite cathodes. The formation of the designed nanoarchitecture on the surface of SOFC cathode has been achieved through precise control of ALD parameters and their effect on overall cell performance and resultant electrochemical reaction mechanism of cathodes has been investigated through full cell electrochemical performance testing and nanostructure characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under the support of this award, following has been achieved: (1). For cathode materials in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), such as perovskite mixed conductor La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-x (LSCF), cation surface segregation and consequently losing conductivity and active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are problematic. To mitigate the cation segregation and enhance SOFC durability, further decorating the internal backbone surface using the desired electrocatalysts could be a promoting approach. Commonly, the cation segregation such as Sr is very volatile, so the effective surface decoration is ideally conformal. Nevertheless, the conformal surface coating would inevitably alter the ORR pathways that initially take place on the surface of the backbone. To reveal the impact of the conformal coating on both the catalytic activity and the conductivity of the cathode, the unary electrocatalyst of Pt or CoO x , was applied to the LSCF/SDC composite electrode of inherently functional SOFCs, respectively. Both ALD coating layers evolve strong interaction with the LSCF composite cathode. Upon operations, the Pt coating layer remains conformal on LSCF grain surfaces but turns into discrete particles on SDC grain surfaces. Meanwhile, CoO x conformal coating grows to be the discrete nanograins on both the LSCF and SDC grains. ALD coating of the cathode alone reduces the ohmic resistance up to 28 % for the entire cells. The increased conductivity induced by the ALD coating of Pt or CoO x is ascribed to different mechanisms. For the inherent functional SOFCs, the present study presents a novel and feasible approach to apply a conformal, dense coating layer on the surface of a mixed conductor, simultaneously increasing the conductivity and durability of the SOFC cathode. (2). High resistance of the oxygen electrode still significantly hinders the state-of-the-art Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). In particular, for an oxygen electrode consisting of mixed electronic and ionic conductors, such as perovskite lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF), it deteriorates due to its low chemical stability of the grain surface. Such degradation is often associated with the segregation of cations. To prevent the cation surface segregation and its resultant perovskite phase decomposition, we demonstrate a conformal ultra-thin (7-10 nm) surface heterogeneous coating layer consisting of subjacent discrete Pt nanoparticles capped with a superjacent fully dense conformal CoO x layer. The performance studies indicate the ALD coating reduces the cell series resistance by up to 40 %. The conformal CoO x layer consists of randomly orientated but single-layered nanograins, with high-density intergranular and surface grain boundaries serving as the electrochemical reaction sites and facilitating mass transport. The conformal coating layer appears to have successfully suppressed the Sr outward diffusion and confined the Sr enriched layer to a ~ 2 nm interface perovskite phase between the coating layer and the LSCF grain surface. Moreover, this ultra-thin Sr enriched perovskite layer presumably possesses high oxygen vacancy and high ionic conductivity and further imposes tensile strain to the LSCF grain surfaces. With the combination of a conformal CoO x nanoionics, Sr enriched layer, and its strained interface, the ALD coating induced surface layer is estimated to have a conductivity of ~ 1.27x10 4 S/cm, which is over two orders magnitude of that from LSCF at 750 ºC.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2025

X-Ray and Electron Spectroscopy of the CdS/(Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se 2 Interface With RbF Treatment

The chemical and electronic structure of the CdS/(Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se 2 (CdS/ACIGSe) interface for thin-film solar cells, involving an absorber with a bulk [Ag]/([Ag]+[Cu]) (AAC) ratio of 0.06, a state-of-the-art RbF post-deposition treatment (PDT), and a chemical-bath deposited CdS buffer layer, is studied. To gain a detailed and depth-resolved picture of the CdS/ACIGSe interface, synchrotron- and laboratory-based hard X-ray, soft X-ray, and UV photoelectron spectroscopy, inverse photoemission spectroscopy, and X-ray emission spectroscopy are combined. Compared to the bulk of the absorber, a Cu- and Ga-poor ACIGSe surface is found, with a slightly increased AAC ratio. Strong evidence of a Rb–In–Se species (possibly with some Ag) at the absorber surface is compiled, with a corresponding band gap of 2.79 ± 0.12 eV. This finding is in clear contrast to comparable Ag-free Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 absorbers with RbF-PDT. The Rb–In–Se surface species is not removed by the (wet-chemical) CdS deposition process, while some Se diffuses into the CdS layer and segregates at its surface. The CdS buffer layer shows a band gap of 2.48 ± 0.12 eV, and a cliff (≈ -0.4 eV) is determined in the conduction band alignment at the interface between the Rb–In–Se species and the CdS buffer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Changes in Aerosols, Meteorology, and Radiation in the Southeastern U.S. Warming Hole Region during 2000 to 2019

Abstract Surface air temperatures in the southeastern United States that did not change from the climatological mean from 1900 to 2000 have increased since the year 2000. Analyzed herein are factors modulating the surface air temperatures in the region for a 20-yr period (2000–19) using space- and surface-based observations, and output from a reanalysis model. The 20-yr period is segregated into two decades, 2000–09 and 2010–19, corresponding to different tropospheric chemical regimes. Changes in seasonal and decadal averages are examined. The later decade experienced higher average surface air temperatures with significant warming during summer and fall seasons. Decadal and seasonal averages of cloud properties, column water vapor, rain rates, and top-of-atmosphere outgoing longwave radiation did not exhibit statistically significant differences between the two decades. The region experienced strong warm and moist advection during the winter months and very weak advection during the summer months. The later decade exhibited higher low-level moisture advection during the winter months than the earlier decade with insignificant changes in the temperature advection between the two decades. The later decade had significantly lower aerosol dry and liquid water mass during all seasons, along with lower aerosol optical depth, higher single scattering albedo, and lower top-of-the-atmosphere outgoing shortwave radiation during cloud-free conditions in the summer season. Collectively, these results suggest that changes in the aerosol direct radiative forcing are responsible for warming during summer months that experience weak advection and highlight seasonal differences in the temperature controlling mechanisms in the region.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Imaging and Analysis of Insoluble Electrorefiner Material

Throughout pyroprocessing efforts at the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), insoluble material has accumulated in the Electrorefiner (ER) vessel. The objective of this effort was to analyze the accumulated material to determine its origin. Material was removed from the ER salt bath and distilled to remove excess salt prior to performing analysis. Three samples were sent for chemical and isotopic analysis and underwent an ethyl acetate-bromine dissolution to segregate the oxide fraction from the metal fraction. Actinide concentrations were determined using a quadrupole–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (Q-ICP-MS). Three additional samples were sent for morphologic and elemental analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis at the Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory (IMCL). Analyses suggest that the material is primarily composed of UO2. with a small fraction of metal. This study draws no single conclusion as to the origin of the insoluble material in the ER. The particle sizes and morphologies observed in SEM micrographs indicate that the larger particles observed may be a result of introducing material to the ER that has not been completely reduced in Oxide Reduction (OR) operations, which precede electrorefining. Smaller particles may be due to reactions with oxygen and moisture present in HFEF. This research suggests that microscopic analysis of fuel particles before and after OR operations (including after distillation) as well as the uranium product collected on the cathode in the ER would increase understanding about particle morphology within the pyrochemical process.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

NASA NTRS1980

Effect of impurities and processing on silicon solar cells. Volume 1: Characterization methods for impurities in silicon and impurity effects data base

Two major topics are treated: methods to measure and evaluate impurity effects in silicon and comprehensive tabulations of data derived during the study. Discussions of deep level spectroscopy, detailed dark I-V measurements, recombination lifetime determination, scanned laser photo-response, conventional solar cell I-V techniques, and descriptions of silicon chemical analysis are presented and discussed. The tabulated data include lists of impurity segregation coefficients, ingot impurity analyses and estimated concentrations, typical deep level impurity spectra, photoconductive and open circuit decay lifetimes for individual metal-doped ingots, and a complete tabulation of the cell I-V characteristics of nearly 200 ingots.

Hopkins, R. H.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Organic Protomolecule Assembly in Igneous Minerals

C-H stretching bands in the infrared spectrum of single crystals of nominally high purity, laboratory-grown MgO and of natural upper mantle olivine provide an "organic" signature that closely resembles the symmetrical and asymmetrical C-H stretching modes of aliphatic -CH2- units. The C-H stretching bands indicate that H20 and CO2, dissolved in the matrix of these minerals, converted to form H2 and chemically reduced C, which in turn formed C-H entities, probably through segregation into defects such as dislocations. Heating causes the C-H bonds to pyrolyze and the C-H stretching bands to disappear, but annealing at 70 C causes them to reappear within a few days or weeks. Modeling dislocations in MgO suggests that the segregation of C can lead to Cx chains, x less than or equal to 4, with the terminal C atoms anchored to the MgO matrix by bonding to two U. Allowing H2 to react with such Cx chains leads to [O2C(CH2)2CO2] or similar precipitates. It is suggested that such Cx-Hy-Oz entities represent protomolecules from which derive the short-chain carboxylic and dicarboxylic and of the medium-chain fatty acids that have been solvent-extracted from crushed MgO and olivine single crystals, respectively. Thus it appears that the hard, dense matrix of igneous minerals represents a medium in which protomolecular units can be assembled. During weathering of rocks the protomolecular units turn into complex organic molecules. These processes may have provided stereochemically constrained organics to the early Earth that were crucial to the emergence of Life.

Freund, Friedemann↗

DOE OSTI2022

A theoretical investigation of the effect of Ga alloying on thermodynamic stability, electronic-structure, and oxidation resistance of Ti 2 AlC MAX phase

We present a systematic investigation of thermodynamic stability, phase-reaction, and chemical activity of Al containing disordered Ti 2 (Al-Ga)C MAX phases using machine-learning driven high-throughput framework to understand the oxidation resistance behavior with increasing temperature and exposure to static oxygen. The A-site (at Al) disordering of Ti 2 AlC with Ga shows significant change in the chemical activity of Al with increasing temperature and exposure to static oxygen, which is expected to enable surface segregation of Al, thereby, the formation of Al 2 O 3 and improved oxidation resistance. We performed in-depth convex hull analysis of ternary Ti-Al-C, Ti-Ga-C, and Ti-Al-Ga-C based MAX phase, and provide detailed contribution arising from electronic, chemical and vibrational entropies. The thermodynamic analysis shows change in the Gibbs formation enthalpy (ΔG form ) at higher temperatures, which implies an interplay of temperature-dependent enthalpy and entropic contributions in oxidation resistance Ga doped Ti 2 AlC MAX phases. A detailed electronic structure and chemical bonding analysis using crystal orbital Hamilton population method reveal the origin of change in phases stability and in oxidation resistance in disorder Ti2(Al 1-x Ga x )C MAX phases. Our electronic structure analysis correlate well with the change in oxidation resistance of Ga doped MAX phases. We believe our study provides a useful guideline to understand to role of alloying on electronic, thermodynamic, and oxidation related mechanisms of bulk MAX phases, which can work as a precursor to understand oxidation behavior of twodimensional MAX phases, i.e., MXenes (transition metal carbides, carbonitrides and nitrides).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Grain-boundary structure and segregation in Nb 3 Sn coatings on Nb for high-performance superconducting radiofrequency cavity applications

Here, we report on atomic-scale analyses of grain boundary (GB) structures and segregation in Nb 3 Sn coatings on Nb, prepared by the vapor-diffusion process, for superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavity applications, utilizing atom-probe tomography, high-resolution scanning transmission electron-microscopy and first-principles calculations. We demonstrate that the chemical composition of Nb 3 Sn GBs is correlated strongly with the diffusion of Sn and Nb at GBs during the coating process. In a sample coated with a relatively large Sn flux, we observe an interfacial width of Sn segregation at a GB of ~3 nm, with a maximum concentration of ~35 at.%. After post-annealing at 1100 °C for 3 h, the Sn segregated at GBs disappears and Nb segregation is observed subsequently at GBs, indicating that Nb diffused into the Nb3Sn GBs from the Nb substrate. It is also demonstrated that the amount of Sn segregation in a Nb 3 Sn coating can be controlled by: (i) Sn flux; and (ii) the temperatures of the Nb substrates and Sn source, which may affect the overall kinetics including GB diffusion of Sn and Nb. An investigation of the correlation between the chemical compositions of GBs and Nb 3 Sn SRF cavity performance reveals that the Nb 3 Sn SRF cavities with the best performance (high-quality factors at high accelerating electric-field gradients) do not exhibit Sn segregation at GBs. Our results suggest that the chemical compositions of GBs in Nb 3 Sn coatings for SRF cavities can be controlled by GB engineering and can be utilized to optimize fabrication of high-quality Nb 3 Sn coatings for SRF cavities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1996

Grazing-Activated Production of Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS) by two clones of Emiliania huxleyi

Emiliania huxleyi clones CCMP 370 and CCMP 373 produced similar amounts of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) during axenic exponential growth, averaging 109 mM internal DMSP. Both clones had detectable DMSP lyase activity, as measured by production of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) during in vitro assays of crude cell preparations, but activities and conditions differed considerably between clones. Clone 373 had high activity; clone 370 had low activity and required chloride. For both strains, enzyme activity per cell was constant during exponential growth, but little DMS was produced by healthy cells. Rather, DMS production was activated when cells were subjected to physical or chemical stresses that caused cell lysis. We propose that DMSP lyase and DMSP are segregated within these cells and re-action only under conditions that result in cell stress or damage. Such activation occurs during microzooplankton grazing. When these clones were grazed by the dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina, DMS was produced; ungrazed cells, as well as those exposed to grazer exudates and associated bacteria, generated no DMS. Grazing of clone 373 produced much more DMS than grazing of clone 370, consistent with their relative in vitro DMSP lyase activities. DMS was only generated when cells were actually being grazed, indicating that ingested cells were responsible for the DMS formation. We suggest that even low levels of grazing can greatly accelerate DMS production.

Wolfe, Gordon V.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Surface Segregation of Liquid Metal Plasma-Facing Component Alloys: A ReaxFF Investigation

Engineering liquid metal alloys offers a transformative pathway for plasma-facing components by enabling chemically tailored surfaces that can simultaneously optimize plasma-material interactions, reduce divertor heat flux, and enhance core plasma confinement, thereby advancing the commercial viability of nuclear fusion power plants. This study, employing an atomistic simulation approach, provides direct evidence that incorporating nonmetal surface-active agents (such as O and H, or their combination) enables strong surface segregation. This capability makes tin−aluminum (Sn−Al) and tin−lithium (Sn−Li) alloys, with suitable compositions, good candidates for PFC applications. Specifically, the presence of low-Z solutes (Li, Al) leads to preferential surface enrichment, which imparts low-Z sputtering characteristics, while the Sn solvent maintains thermophysical stability. To systematically examine this behavior, we developed a ReaxFF force field spanning the full Sn/Al/Li/O/H chemistry, validated it against formation energies and elastic constants, and applied it in reactive molecular dynamics simulations at fusion-relevant temperatures. We also introduced an overlapbased segregation index that captures interfacial compositional separation directly from atomistic density distributions. Here, this metric reveals a clear hierarchy of segregation regimes and provides a unified view across all systems studied. Together, these findings establish a mechanistic link between nonmetal chemistry and interfacial structure, providing a predictive framework for designing self-adaptive, low-sputtering liquid metal alloys for fusion applications.

Alloys↗

DOE OSTI2023

Inferring assembly-curving trends of bacterial micro-compartment shell hexamers from crystal structure arrangements

Bacterial microcompartments (BMC) are complex macromolecular assemblies that participate in varied chemical processes in about one fourth of bacterial species. BMC-encapsulated enzymatic activities are segregated from other cell contents by means of semipermeable shells, justifying why BMC are viewed as prototype nano-reactors for biotechnological applications. Herein, we undertook a comparative study of bending propensities of BMC hexamers (BMC-H), the most abundant shell constituents. Published data show that some BMC-H, like β -carboxysomal CcmK, tend to assemble flat whereas other BMC-H often build curved objects. Inspection of available crystal structures presenting BMC-H in tiled arrangements permitted us to identify two major assembly modes with a striking connection with experimental trends. All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) supported that BMC-H bending is triggered robustly only from the arrangement adopted in crystals by BMC-H that experimentally form curved objects, leading to very similar arrangements to those found in structures of recomposed BMC shells. Simulations on triplets of planar-behaving hexamers, which were previously reconfigured to comply with such organization, confirmed that bending propensity is mostly defined by the precise lateral positioning of hexamers, rather than by BMC-H identity. Finally, an interfacial lysine was pinpointed as the most decisive residue in controlling PduA spontaneous curvature. Globally, results presented herein should contribute to improve our understanding of the variable mechanisms of biogenesis characterized for BMC, and of possible strategies to regulate BMC size and shape.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Influence of Powder Characteristics and Processing Methods on Creep Performance of Powder Metallurgy Hot Isostatic Pressed SS316

The U.S. nuclear energy expansion goals are driving the demand for manufacturing routes that can rapidly produce large, complex, near net shape components. Powder metallurgy hot isostatic pressing (PM HIP) is an advanced manufacturing technique that can be economically scaled-up, while alleviating the supply chain challenges that forging and casting face in terms of cost and lead time constraints. This makes PM-HIP a viable technology to aid and accelerate large-scale part manufacturing for nuclear applications. However, large-scale qualification and deployment of this technology require a thorough understanding of the influence of powder feedstock quality, powder handling history, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) parameters, and subsequent heat treatment on microstructural evolution and elevated temperature mechanical performance. The present work focusses on 316 austenitic stainless steel (SS316) which is most commonly used in high temperature environments for nuclear applications Results from this study show that PM HIPed SS316 meets ASME tensile requirements at room temperature and at elevated temperature. However, creep performance of PM-HIPed SS316 remains inferior to its wrought counterpart, demonstrating that tensile performance alone is not a reliable metric for long duration high temperature integrity. Further, this report delineates powder derived microstructural features that govern creep damage, with key evidences pointing to “microstructural inheritance” from gas atomized powder feedstocks. Commercial SS316 powders of varying chemical compositions and recycling histories were studies, and the results showed large differences in elemental segregation, oxide surface layers and secondary phase distributions. Multi-scale characterization revealed segregation of chromium, molybdenum, manganese and silicon at the boundaries and the precipitation of manganese-, silicon-, and molybdenum-oxides. During HIP consolidation, these surface oxides transform into decorated prior particle boundaries (PPBs) and grain boundary inclusions that persist through conventional post-HIP solution annealing treatment. The retained oxides in post-HIP microstructures were found to influence grain growth, precipitation behavior, and ultimately creep cavitation and fracture. Such post-HIP heat treatments are therefore limited by a complex trade-off between grain growth, and oxide coarsening which aggravate creep damage by acting as nucleation sites for cavities. The objective of this work is to establish an integrated processing–structure–property framework for PM-HIP 316 stainless steel by investigating the influence of powder feedstock characteristics in pre- and post-HIP processing as well as to understand the significance of post-HIP heat treatment on microstructural evolution and creep properties. The results from this report emphasize the significance of powder feedstock integrity in improving creep performance of PM-HIPed SS316, by highlight the effect of rapid solidification, elemental segregation, oxide formation and powder recycling on microstructural defect inheritance following HIP consolidation. Rather than considering HIP processing, solution annealing, and mechanical performance independently, this report treats powder production, HIP consolidation, post-HIP thermal processing, and creep deformation as interconnected stages within a continuous metallurgical process. The resulting framework will provide a scientific basis for developing feedstock engineering strategies capable of improving long-term reliability of PM-HIP stainless steels and accelerating their qualification for advanced nuclear applications.

Ajjarapu, Pavan [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (OR↗

DOE OSTI2026

Compositional Homogeneity in Rapidly Solidified 316L stainless steel produced by laser powder-bed fusion processing

The segregation of alloying elements in rapidly solidified 316L stainless steel produced using additive manufacturing technologies is widely reported throughout literature. The microstructure of thin walls manufactured from 316L stainless steel using laser powder bed fusion are examined for the presence of alloy segregation, i.e. the rejection of solutes to grain boundaries. Metallographic methods including mechanical polishing and chemical etching are used to prepare samples for microanalysis m

Jankowski, Alan F. [Sandia National Laboratories (↗

DOE OSTI2023

Multi-scale modeling of the electric field assisted sintering process

The electric field assisted sintering (EFAS) process involves tightly coupled physics that influence microstructural evolution in the particles being compacted. It is also an inherently multi-scale phenomenon, with the microstructure of the compact influencing the subsequent engineering-scale response of the sintering system. To improve understanding of how processing parameters influence microstructural evolution, we have developed a multi-scale modeling approach that couples a continuum-level model of the sintering system with a phase-field model for microstructural evolution of particles within the compact. The phase-field model couples the effect of chemical and electrical driving forces on microstructural evolution and includes the effect of charged defect segregation to surfaces and grain boundaries; this segregation leads to enhanced defect transport and heat generation at these interfaces in response to applied electric field. The effect of enhanced heat generation on particle neck growth and the influence of microstructural evolution on the engineering-scale model are demonstrated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Multi-scale modeling of the electric field assisted sintering process

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Cesium exhibits different mesoscale segregation and ion pairing than lithium, sodium, or potassium in concentrated alkaline aqueous nitrite solutions

Understanding ion pairing in concentrated alkaline electrolytes facilitates the prediction and control of chemical processes in nuclear waste. While sodium is the dominant alkali metal in such systems, cesium often exhibits distinct bulk behavior relative to lighter alkali cations. Aqueous mixtures of cesium hydroxide and sodium nitrite were compared to alkali hydroxide analogs using small-angle x-ray scattering, revealing that cesium disrupts the sodium nitrite electrolyte structure, forming cesium-rich domains. This mesoscale segregation contrasts with the near-ideal mixing observed in other mixed hydroxide–nitrite systems. Raman spectroscopy indicates cesium–nitrite ion pairing, evidenced by vibrational shifts distinct from those associated with sodium. Multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy further supports cesium–nitrite and cesium–hydroxide association, revealing a distinct local environment for nitrite in cesium-containing solutions. Together, these findings show that cesium promotes a unique solution structure dominated by specific ion pairing within segregated domains. This structural organization may influence radical generation pathways in high-ionic-strength alkaline media relevant to nuclear waste processing and management.

Nienhuis, Emily T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab↗

DOE OSTI2020

Oxidative Segregation of Group V Dopants in CdTe Solar Cells

Transparent conductive oxides are used in many technologies and it is important to understand their interfacial chemical reactions. Here, we use recently developed thermomechanical cleaving and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to probe oxidation states at the SnO 2 interface of CdTe solar cells. We show that tin oxide promotes the formation of nanometer-scale oxides of tellurium and sulfur, largely during CdCl 2 /O 2 activation. Surprisingly, in copper-doped devices, relatively low temperature anneals (180-260 degrees C) to diffuse and activate copper acceptors also cause significant oxidation changes at the front interface, providing a heretofore missing aspect of how back contact processes can modify device transport, recombination, and performance. For Group V-doped devices, this same oxidation process causes segregation of the dopants to the SnO 2 interface in their oxidized states, implying that adjacent regions in the absorber have been depleted of dopants. Intriguingly, we demonstrate that because of their layered, van der Walls-bonded crystal structure, spatially segregated Group V oxides may represent a mechanically weak layer in a finished device.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Strong and recyclable bio-derived poly(ester amide) hot-melt adhesive

Bio-based adhesives offer inherent advantages over conventional petrochemical-derived systems, including renewable sourcing, reduced environmental impact and potential degradability. However, most bio-based adhesives suffer from poor adhesion strength, limited substrate compatibility and a lack of chemical recyclability. Here, in this work, we present a bio-derived multiblock poly(ester amide) adhesive that leverages microphase segregation between different segments to reconcile mechanical robustness with strong interfacial bonding. Notably, this multiblock architecture is accessed through a one-pot, selective acceptorless dehydrogenative polymerization, obviating the need for multistep synthesis. The materials exhibit excellent adhesion across a range of substrates including metals, glass and wet wood surpassing commercial benchmarks, while also demonstrating thermal stability, tunable mechanical properties and closed-loop chemical recyclability even in the presence of other commodity plastics. Furthermore, the adhesive strength of these materials could be tuned for various potential applications through control over the chemical composition of the polymer. By integrating renewable feedstocks, high-performance functionality and efficient chemical circularity within a single platform, this work provides a viable pathway toward more sustainable adhesive technologies and contributes to advancing circular materials manufacturing.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗