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DOE OSTI2024

In-Line Optical Transmission Imaging of Decals for Quality Control - Task 3

Quality monitoring is a critical aspect for manufacturing systems. Ideally the monitoring would be done in-line, be non-contact, non-destructive, and fast. This would enable reduced scrap and higher throughput. This poster presents an optical transmission method for evaluating and mapping coatings. With the method shown in the poster we can visualize optical variations on the macro and micro scales. This allows us to see the overall trend in loading in both the cross web and down web directions. Furthermore, we can visualize defects such dewetting spots, streaks, clumps, and pinholes where there is a lack of coating. The optical transmission signal has been found to be proportional to the IrOx loading signal using XRF measurements. Therefore, an optical transmission setup can be installed in-line and allow for a fast, non-contact method for mapping loading variations and defects.

coating uniformity↗

DOE OSTI2025

Catalight─An Open-Source Automated Photocatalytic Reactor Package Illustrated through Plasmonic Acetylene Hydrogenation

An open-source and modular Python package, Catalight, is developed and demonstrated to automate (photo)catalysis measurements. (Photo)catalysis experiments require studying several parameters to evaluate performance, including the temperature, gas flow rate and composition, illumination power, and spectral profile. Catalight orchestrates measurements over this complicated parameter space and systematically stores, analyzes, and visualizes the results. To showcase the capabilities of Catalight, we perform an automated apparent activation barrier measurement of acetylene hydrogenation over a plasmonic AuPd catalyst on an Al 2 O 3 support, simultaneously varying laser power, wavelength, and temperature in a multiday experiment controlled by a simple Python script. Our chemical results unexpectedly show an increased activation barrier upon light excitation, contrary to previous findings for other plasmonic reactions and catalysts. We show that the reaction rate order with respect to both acetylene and hydrogen remains unchanged upon illumination, suggesting that molecular surface coverage is not changed by light. By analyzing the inhomogeneity of the laser-induced heating, we attribute these results to a partial photothermal effect combined with a photochemical/hot electron-driven mechanism. In conclusion, our findings highlight the capabilities of a new experiment automation tool; explore the photocatalytic mechanism for an industrially relevant reaction; and identify systematic sources of error in canonical photocatalysis experimental procedures.

Catalysts↗

DOE OSTI2025

Clear as mud redefined: Tunable transparent mineral scaffolds for visualizing microbial processes below ground

Microbes inhabiting complex porous microenvironments in sediments and aquifers catalyze reactions that are critical to global biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem health. However, the opacity and complexity of porous sediment and rock matrices have considerably hindered the study of microbial processes occurring within these habitats. Here, we generated microbially compatible, optically transparent mineral scaffolds to visualize and investigate microbial colonization and activities occurring in these environments, in laboratory settings and in situ. Using inexpensive synthetic cryolite mineral, we produced optically transparent scaffolds mimicking the complex 3D structure of sediments and rocks by adapting a suspension-based, freeze-casting technique commonly used in materials science. Fine-tuning of parameters, such as freezing rate and choice of solvent, provided full control of pore size and architecture. The combined effects of scaffold porosity and structure on the movement of microbe-sized particles, tested using velocity tracking of fluorescent beads, showed diverse yet reproducible behaviors. The scaffolds we produced are compatible with epifluorescence microscopy, allowing the fluorescence-based identification of colonizing microbes by DNA-based staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to depths of 100 µm. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy analysis indicates minimal background signal in regions used for measuring deuterium and 13 C enrichment in microorganisms, highlighting the potential to directly couple D 2 O or 13 C stable isotope probing and Raman-FISH for quantifying microbial activity at the single-cell level. To demonstrate the relevance of cryolite scaffolds for environmental field studies, we visualized their colonization by diverse microorganisms within rhizosphere sediments of a coastal seagrass plant using epifluorescence microscopy. The tool presented here enables highly resolved, spatially explicit, and multimodal investigations into the distribution, activities, and interactions of underground microbes typically obscured within opaque geological materials until now.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Effect of X-ray Irradiation and Carnauba Wax Coating on Quality of Lime (Citrus latifolia Tan.) Fruit

The quality of Persian (Tahiti) lime (Citrus latifoliaTan.) fruit was determined following coating with carnauba wax and X-ray irradiation at doses suitable for disinfestation of quarantine pests. Fruit with or without carnauba wax coating were treated with irradiation doses of 0, 150, 300, or 450 Gy, and stored for 14 days at 13 °C and 6 days at 20 °C to simulate commercial transportation and marketing conditions from Hawaii to the continental United States. The fruit color, weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS) content, and titratable acidity (TA) were analyzed at 7, 14, and 14 + 6 days post irradiation. Wax coating significantly delayed fruit peel discoloration, and reduced fruit weight loss by more than 7% compared with the unwaxed controls. Irradiation did not affectΔEof the peel for coated fruit at day 14 + 6. Irradiation with or without coating did not affectΔEof flesh color, weight loss, TSS content, or TA. Wax coating combined with irradiation treatment of limes at doses ≤450 Gy ensured marketable visual quality and chemical composition while providing quarantine security.

Agriculture↗

DOE OSTI2025

GridSTIX

SF-25-112 Grid-STIX is a comprehensive extension of the STIX (Structured Threat Information Expression) 2.1 ontology specifically designed for electrical grid cybersecurity applications. This ontology provides a standardized, machine-readable framework for modeling grid assets, operational technology devices, threats, vulnerabilities, supply chain risks, and security relationships in electrical power systems. ## Key Features - **Comprehensive Grid Coverage**: Physical assets, OT devices, grid components, sensors, and energy storage systems - **Zero Trust Architecture**: Policy decision points, enforcement points, trust brokers, and continuous monitoring - **AMI Infrastructure**: Advanced metering networks, head-end systems, mesh gateways, and MDM systems - **Advanced Security Modeling**: Attack patterns, vulnerabilities, mitigations, and supply chain risks - **Critical Grid Relationships**: Power flow, protection, control, and synchronization relationships - **Supply Chain Security**: Supplier modeling, country of origin tracking, and risk assessment - **Protocol Support**: DNP3, Modbus, IEC 61850, IEC 60870-5-104, OPC-UA, and IEEE standards - **Python Code Generation**: Automated STIX-compliant Python class generation from ontologies - **Interactive Visualization**: Enhanced HTML network graphs with grid-specific categorization - **STIX 2.1 Compliance**: Full compatibility with STIX threat intelligence ecosystem

Blakely, Benjamin [Argonne National Laboratory (AN↗

DOE OSTI2025

A comprehensive method on black-legged tick larvae and nymph feeding on mice to study Lyme disease transmission and acquisition

Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health concern in the United States, with cases rising steadily each year. Lyme borreliosis, or Lyme disease, remains the most prevalent, affecting approximately 476,000 individuals annually. Human-driven changes in climate and ecosystems have expanded the habitat of pathogen-carrying ticks, facilitating the spread of these infections. Additionally, increased instances of tick-borne diseases transmission through human tissues have been reported. Despite ongoing efforts to manage these infections, their incidence continues to rise. To develop effective control measures against these diseases and prevent the transmission of tick-borne infections through human and animal tissues, it is very important to develop detection assays and understand the transmission mechanisms of tick-borne infections. In this study, we provide detailed descriptions and visual references for larval and nymphal tick feeding on mice, focusing on the transmission and acquisition ofBorrelia burgdorferi(sensu stricto). These methodologies can be applied to study other tick-borne diseases, tick vectorial capacity, and tick biology, aiding in the development of detection strategies to combat these infections.

Microbiology↗

DOE OSTI2026

WM26 Paper Multi-Robot Collaboration for Hazardous Environments

Hazardous nuclear and industrial facilities are rarely designed for robots. Work in these domains demand precise manipulation and robust mobility in cluttered, constrained spaces where off-the-shelf platforms struggle and “one-size-fits-all” machines become costly and complex. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is developing an autonomous, multi-robot inspection system that coordinates task-specific platforms rather than relying on a single omni-tool robot. An electric truck serves as a power and compute hub for a custom manipulator co-developed with Florida International University (FIU), a commercial mini crawler, a pan–tilt–zoom camera, and a Nexxis Argus LiDAR mapping system. Working in concert, these robots generate spatial, radiation, and temperature maps of the pit environments at the Hanford Waste Tank Farms. These systems will capture visual records and environmental telemetry to allow for analysis post inspection. The system architecture uses Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) for publish/subscribe integration, NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Unity for simulation and visualization, and algorithms such as NVBlox to fuse data into unified 3D overlays. This robot-agnostic approach reduces operator burden by enabling autonomy across heterogeneous platforms and lets each robot be used where it is strongest. Having autonomous functions means operators don’t have to fully control multiple different components. The ease of use could allow for more widespread adoption of advanced robotics at waste management sites that see continued use. By coordinating simpler, purpose-built mechanisms, the approach lowers design and manufacturing complexity, reduces capital risk in contaminated settings, and improves controllability for complex inspection and manipulation tasks. We present the architecture, early results, and lessons learned from building and deploying this coordinated multi-robot system, with the goal of accelerating safe, cost-effective adoption of advanced robotics at waste-management sites.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Time-resolved cryogenic electron tomography for the study of transient cellular processes

Cryogenic electron tomography (cryo-ET) is the highest resolution imaging technique applicable to the life sciences, enabling sub-nanometer visualization of specimens preserved in their near native states. The rapid plunge freezing process used to prepare samples lends itself to time-resolved studies, which researchers have pursued for in vitro samples for decades. Here, we focus on developing a freezing apparatus for time-resolved studies in situ. The device mixes cellular samples with solution-phase stimulants before spraying them directly onto an electron microscopy grid that is transiting into cryogenic liquid ethane. By varying the flow rates of cell and stimulant solutions within the device, we can control the reaction time from tens of milliseconds to over a second prior to freezing. In a proof-of-principle demonstration, the freezing method is applied to a model bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, mixed with an acidic buffer. Through cryo-ET we resolved structural changes throughout the cell, including surface-layer protein dissolution, outer membrane deformation, and cytosolic rearrangement, all within 1.5 seconds of reaction time. This new approach, Time-Resolved cryo-ET (TR-cryo-ET), enhances the capabilities of cryo-ET by incorporating a sub-second temporal axis and enables the visualization of induced structural changes at the molecular, organelle, or cellular level.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Time-domain study of coupled collective excitations in quantum materials

Quantum materials hold immense promises for future applications due to their intriguing electronic, magnetic, thermal, and mechanical properties that often arise from a complex interplay between microscopic degrees of freedom. Important insights of such interactions come from studying the collective excitations of electrons, spins, orbitals, and lattice, whose cooperative motions play a crucial role in determining the novel behavior of these systems and offer us a key tuning knob to modify material properties on-demand through external perturbations. In this regard, ultrafast light-matter interaction has shown great potential in controlling the couplings of collective excitations, and rapid progress in a plethora of time-resolved techniques down to the attosecond regime has significantly advanced our understanding of the coupling mechanisms and guided us in manipulating the dynamical properties of quantum materials. This review aims to highlight recent experiments on visualizing collective excitations in the time domain, focusing on the coupling mechanisms between different collective modes such as phonon-phonon, phonon-magnon, phonon-exciton, magnon-magnon, magnon-exciton, and various polaritons. We introduce how these collective modes are excited by an ultrashort laser pulse and probed by different ultrafast techniques, and we explain how the coupling between collective excitations governs the ensuing nonequilibrium dynamics. We also provide some perspectives on future studies that can lead to discoveries of the emergent properties of quantum materials both in and out of equilibrium.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2024

Electrochemical Imaging of Precisely‐Defined Redox and Reactive Interfaces

Abstract Understanding the diverse electrochemical reactions occurring at electrode‐electrolyte interfaces (EEIs) is a critical challenge to developing more efficient energy conversion and storage technologies. Establishing a predictive molecular‐level understanding of solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) is challenging due to the presence of multiple intertwined chemical and electrochemical processes occurring at battery electrodes. Similarly, chemical conversions in reactive electrochemical systems are often influenced by the heterogeneous distribution of active sites, surface defects, and catalyst particle sizes. In this mini review, we highlight an emerging field of interfacial science that isolates the impact of specific chemical species by preparing precisely‐defined EEIs and visualizing the reactivity of their individual components using single‐entity characterization techniques. We highlight the broad applicability and versatility of these methods, along with current state‐of‐the‐art instrumentation and future opportunities for these approaches to address key scientific challenges related to batteries, chemical separations, and fuel cells. We establish that controlled preparation of well‐defined electrodes combined with single entity characterization will be crucial to filling key knowledge gaps and advancing the theories used to describe and predict chemical and physical processes occurring at EEIs and accelerating new materials discovery for energy applications.

Edgecomb, Joseph↗

DOE OSTI2024

Electrochemical Imaging of Precisely‐Defined Redox and Reactive Interfaces

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Unsteady- and Steady-State Relative Permeability Study with X-ray and Acoustic Monitoring for CO 2 Storage in Deep Saline Aquifers

In this study, we link the multiphase flow measurements with controls of sedimentary structures (e.g., heterogeneity and anisotropy) on relative permeability to variations in ultrasonic velocities for two deep saline aquifer formations (Entrada and Bluff Sandstones) in the San Juan Basin of the Southwestern USA. The rock specimens were extracted from outcrop sites near Durango, CO, USA. They have distinct differences in grain size, cementation composition, and individual chemical amounts, despite both formations being eolian sandstones. We performed a series of unsteady- and steady-state CO 2 -brine relative permeability experiments under capillary-controlled displacement rates. Unsteady-state experiments were conducted at 71 °C and 9.65 MPa; steady-state experiments were conducted at 85 °C and 22.8 MPa and 89 °C and 24.1 MPa for the Bluff and Entrada Sandstones, respectively. During the unsteady experiments, X-ray computed tomography was used to visualize multiphase flow in porous media and quantify saturations during brine drainage under various flow rates. Scan images and saturation profiles indicate that the CO 2 distribution in the pore volume was strongly impacted by the presence of high-angle cross-laminations, heterogeneous rock structure, and direction of bedding orientation. Those factors contribute to dramatic and quick initial breakthroughs and affect the overall saturation dynamics. Steady-state relative permeability tests were conducted at net flow rates of 1 mL/min for both brine drainage and imbibition. During the experimental steps, the CO 2 fractional flow was increased and decreased for both drainage and imbibition scenarios to mimic the front when CO 2 contacts brine and behind the front when brine enters space previously occupied by CO 2 . It was found that compressional velocity decreased, while shear waves slightly increased as brine saturation decreased. The hysteresis effects for the relative permeability and acoustic velocities were distinct. Furthermore, the CO 2 /brine front stability is quantified by applying a mobility ratio approach to spot saturations at which the boundary line between fluids becomes uneven. The results presented in this work can potentially boost the quality and precision of forecasts for the CO 2 storage projects in which the vertical and horizontal core-scale heterogeneity and anisotropy impact the plume migration within host reservoirs.

carbon dioxide (CO2)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Machine-learning-enabled on-the-fly analysis of RHEED patterns during thin film deposition by molecular beam epitaxy

Thin film deposition is a fundamental technology for the discovery, optimization, and manufacturing of functional materials. Deposition by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) typically employs reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) as a real-time in situ probe of the growing film. However, the state-of-the-art for RHEED analysis during deposition requires human observation. Here, we present an approach using machine learning (ML) methods to monitor, analyze, and interpret RHEED images on-the-fly during thin film deposition. In the analysis workflow, RHEED pattern images are collected at one frame per second and featurized using a pretrained deep convolutional neural network. The feature vectors are then statistically analyzed to identify changepoints; these changepoints can be related to changes in the deposition mode from initial film nucleation to a transition regime, smooth film deposition, and in some cases, an additional transition to a rough, islanded deposition regime. The feature vectors are additionally analyzed via graph analysis and community classification. The graph is quantified as a stabilization plot, and we show that inflection points in the stabilization plot correspond to changes in the growth regime. The full RHEED analysis workflow is termed RHAAPsody and includes data transfer and output to a visual dashboard. We demonstrate the functionality of RHAAPsody by analyzing the precaptured RHEED images from epitaxial depositions of anatase TiO2 on SrTiO3(001) and show that the analysis workflow can be executed in less than 1 s. Our approach shows promise as one component of ML-enabled real-time feedback control of the MBE deposition process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atomic order of rare earth ions in a complex oxide: a path to magnetotaxial anisotropy

Abstract Complex oxides offer rich magnetic and electronic behavior intimately tied to the composition and arrangement of cations within the structure. Rare earth iron garnet films exhibit an anisotropy along the growth direction which has long been theorized to originate from the ordering of different cations on the same crystallographic site. Here, we directly demonstrate the three-dimensional ordering of rare earth ions in pulsed laser deposited (Eu x Tm 1-x ) 3 Fe 5 O 12 garnet thin films using both atomically-resolved elemental mapping to visualize cation ordering and X-ray diffraction to detect the resulting order superlattice reflection. We quantify the resulting ordering-induced ‘magnetotaxial’ anisotropy as a function of Eu:Tm ratio using transport measurements, showing an overwhelmingly dominant contribution from magnetotaxial anisotropy that reaches 30 kJ m −3 for garnets with x = 0.5. Control of cation ordering on inequivalent sites provides a strategy to control matter on the atomic level and to engineer the magnetic properties of complex oxides.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

DOE OSTI2025

Detection of a Space Capsule Entering Earth’s Atmosphere with Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)

On 24 September 2023, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer sample return capsule (SRC) entered Earth’s atmosphere after successfully collecting samples from an asteroid. The known trajectory and timing of this return provided a rare opportunity to strategically instrument sites to record geophysical signals produced by the capsule because it travelled at hypersonic speeds through the atmosphere. For this work, we deployed two distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogators to sample over 12 km of surface-draped fiber-optic cables, as well as six collocated seismometer-infrasound sensor pairs, spread across two sites near Eureka, Nevada. This campaign-style rapid deployment is the first reported recording of an SRC re-entry with any distributed fiber-optic sensing technology. The DAS interrogators recorded an impulsive arrival with an extended coda which had features that were similar to recordings from both the seismometers and infrasound sensors. While the signal-to-noise ratio of the DAS data was lower than the seismic-infrasound data, the extremely dense spacing of fiber-optic sensors allowed for more phases to be clearly distinguished and the visualization of the continuous transformation of the wavefront as it impacted the ground. Unexpectedly, the DAS recordings contain less low-frequency content than is present in both the seismic and infrasound data. The deployment conditions strongly affected the recorded DAS data; in particular, we observed that fiber selection and placement exert strong controls on data quality.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

ViBRANT Applied as a Closed Loop Flux and Thermal Surrogate

Surrogate testing platforms provide a means to develop a target aspect of a larger system. Some systems target single aspects while others are more wholistic. ViBRANT (Visual Benign Reactor as Analog for Nuclear Testing) aims to be a wholistic system by representing the primary reactor behaviors through an accessible LED driven reactor core, photodiodes, thermocouples, and high-performance software interfaces being developed to the standards required for actual microreactor deployment such as MARVEL. With the ability to drive control drums enabled with full reactor capability (e.g. speed/angle/torque capability/limits for operation and clutch/spring scram capability), drive ViBRANT’s high fidelity 36 pin hexagon core to represent phenomena via LEDs, and capture the analog response of distributed photodiodes/thermocouples, this paper will show the system’s ability to operate in a closed-loop fashion and do well at matching reactor power/temperature distribution in an accessible reactor surrogate environment.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

DeepLynx Ecosystem 2025

Poor data integration and governance continue to plague complex engineering projects, resulting in missed cost, schedule, and performance targets. Departments operate in isolated systems with manual data exchange, creating fragmented information that compounds errors and leads to significant delays and cost overruns. The DeepLynx ecosystem addresses these challenges through an open-source, modular data management platform that transforms fragmented project data into an integrated digital thread. Built on a federated microservice architecture, the ecosystem comprises seven specialized tools centered around DeepLynx Nexus, a unified data catalog with hierarchical organization and graph-based navigation capabilities. The ecosystem includes: DeepLynx Stream for real-time timeseries data ingestion from industrial sources; DeepLynx Ingest for governed data uploads with formal review workflows; DeepLynx Lattice for ontology-based entity and relationship extraction; DeepLynx Run for workflow orchestration and secure AI/ML compute; DeepLynx Visualize for 3D digital twin visualization; and DeepLynx Insight for AI-assisted document analysis with traceable, grounded responses. Deployable in cloud, on-premise, or hybrid environments using containerized Docker applications and Helm charts, the DeepLynx ecosystem provides flexible infrastructure that adapts to organizational requirements. By consolidating project data into a unified data lake with role-based access controls and OAuth2 authentication, DeepLynx enables digital thread and digital twin capabilities that improve decision-making, reduce risk, and support complex engineering workflows throughout the project lifecycle.

42 - ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Progress on the MARVEL Cybersecurity by Design Model-Based Systems Engineering Project

Formal model-based systems engineering (MBSE) combines a model, systems thinking, and systems engineering to visually depict the boundaries, context, and behavior of interconnected systems, facilitating effective design, development, and utilization of engineered systems throughout the systems engineering lifecycle. Although nuclear reactor vendors employ these tools to integrate functionality, performance, and safety, they are not yet addressing digital risk concerns introduced by use of operational technology, such as digital instrumentation and control systems. To accomplish this objective, the Microreactor Applications Research Validation and EvaLuation (MARVEL) microreactor was used as an MBSE case study. This real-world application provides a first-of-a-kind opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of integrating digital risk and cybersecurity into the MBSE design process of a nuclear reactor. This paper provides an update of the ongoing MARVEL Cyber MBSE project as it specifically relates to the integration of digital risk management and cybersecurity by design.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗