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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

How Aqueous Solvation Impacts the Frequencies and Intensities of Infrared Absorption Bands in Flavin: The Quest for a Suitable Solvent Model

FTIR spectroscopy accompanied by quantum chemical simulations can reveal important information about molecular structure and intermolecular interactions in the condensed phase. Simulations typically account for the solvent either through cluster quantum mechanical (QM) models, polarizable continuum models (PCM), or hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) models. Recently, we studied the effect of aqueous solvent interactions on the vibrational frequencies of lumiflavin, a minimal flavin model, using cluster QM and PCM models. Those models successfully reproduced the relative frequencies of four prominent stretching modes of flavin’s isoalloxazine ring in the diagnostic 1450–1750 cm−1 range but poorly reproduced the relative band intensities. Here, we extend our studies on this system and account for solvation through a series of increasingly sophisticated models. Only by combining elements of QM clusters, QM/MM, and PCM approaches do we obtain an improved agreement with the experiment. The study sheds light more generally on factors that can impact the computed frequencies and intensities of IR bands in solution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Porous Semiconducting K–Sn–Mo–S Aerogel: Synthesis, Local Structure, and Ion-Exchange Properties

Chalcogenide-based aerogels are emerging porous semiconducting nanomaterials that appeal to applications in clean energy and the environment. Here, we report a novel gel, potassium–tin–molybdenum–sulfides (KTMS), that integrates the electrostatically bound K + ions in the covalent network of Sn–Mo–S. Its gelation requires a concurrent reduction of Mo 6+ → Mo 4+/5+ and the oxidation of S 2– → Sn – (n ≈ 1) and Sn 2+ → Sn 4+ . KTMS is an amorphous semiconductor showing quantum confinement effects on band gap energies, 2.1 → 1.4 → 0.9 eV for its wet- → aero- → xerogels. Synchrotron X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) revealed a complex local structure of KTMS consisting of molecular Mo 2 (S 2 ) 6 and Mo 3 S(S 2 ) 6 clusters. In addition, the Sn–S coordination is related to crystalline Na4Sn3S8 and SnS2. KTMS also demonstrated the removal of the radionuclides of Cs + , Sr 2+ , and UO 2 2+ from ppm to ppb levels with distribution constants (Kd) up to ≥104 mL/g. Notably, despite the lack of atomic periodicity in the amorphous KTMS, the K+ ion is ion-exchangeable with chemically diverse Sr 2+ , Cs + , and UO 2 2+ in aqueous solutions; especially the ion-exchange properties of Sr 2+ and UO 2 2+ ≡(O=U=O) 2+ is not known to any chalcogels known to date. The sequestration of Cs + and Sr 2+ was achieved by the exchange of K + in the amorphous KTMS, and the removal of [O=U 6+ =O] 2+ synergistically involves surface sorption via -S····U 6+ =O 2 2+ covalent interactions and ion-exchange via the hard–soft Lewis acid–base paradigm. Overall, cooperative roles played by the diverse bonding motifs, surface-exposed Lewis basic frameworks, and polarizability of the (poly)sulfides make it an exceptional adsorbent for chemically diverse radioactive species. This finding will guide the design of superior sorbents for chemically distinct metal ion separation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on H9Au(ClO)4 by Materials Project

AuCl4(H2O)2H5O2 crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of one molecular hydrogen;dihydrate molecule, two water molecules, and one AuCl4 cluster. In the AuCl4 cluster, Au3+ is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to four Cl1- atoms. There are one shorter (2.31 Å) and three longer (2.32 Å) Au–Cl bond lengths. There are four inequivalent Cl1- sites. In the first Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Au3+ atom. In the second Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Au3+ atom. In the third Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Au3+ atom. In the fourth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Au3+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on SbH7(Br2O)3 by Materials Project

SbBr6H2OH5O2 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four molecular hydrogen;dihydrate molecules, four water molecules, and four SbBr6 clusters. In each SbBr6 cluster, Sb5+ is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six Br1- atoms. There are a spread of Sb–Br bond distances ranging from 2.60–2.63 Å. There are six inequivalent Br1- sites. In the first Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the second Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the third Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the fourth Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the fifth Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the sixth Br1- site, Br1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Sb2H20(Cl4O3)3 by Materials Project

(SbCl6)2(H2O)5(H5O2)2 crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of eight molecular hydrogen;dihydrate molecules, twenty water molecules, and eight SbCl6 clusters. In each SbCl6 cluster, Sb5+ is bonded in an octahedral geometry to six Cl1- atoms. There are a spread of Sb–Cl bond distances ranging from 2.40–2.44 Å. There are six inequivalent Cl1- sites. In the first Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the second Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the third Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the fourth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the fifth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom. In the sixth Cl1- site, Cl1- is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Sb5+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on U(NO7)2 by Materials Project

UNO7NO3(O2)2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Cmc2_1 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of eight molecular oxygen molecules, four nitric acid molecules, and four UNO7 clusters. In each UNO7 cluster, U is bonded in a distorted rectangular see-saw-like geometry to six O atoms. There are a spread of U–O bond distances ranging from 1.83–2.45 Å. N is bonded in a trigonal planar geometry to three O atoms. There is one shorter (1.22 Å) and two longer (1.29 Å) N–O bond length. There are five inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one U atom. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one U atom. In the third O site, O is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to one U and one N atom. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one N atom. In the fifth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one U atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on H5ClO6 by Materials Project

H5O2(H2O)4(HClO4)2H5O6ClClO4 crystallizes in the triclinic P1 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of one molecular hydrogen;dihydrate molecule, four water molecules, one ClO4 cluster, one H5O6Cl cluster, and two HClO4 clusters. In the ClO4 cluster, there are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.47 Å. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.47 Å. In the third O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.47 Å. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.46 Å. Cl is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four O atoms. In the H5O6Cl cluster, there are five inequivalent H sites. In the first H site, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to two O atoms. There is one shorter (1.00 Å) and one longer (1.71 Å) H–O bond length. In the second H site, H is bonded in a linear geometry to two O atoms. There is one shorter (1.20 Å) and one longer (1.24 Å) H–O bond length. In the third H site, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O atom. The H–O bond length is 0.99 Å. In the fourth H site, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O atom. The H–O bond length is 0.99 Å. In the fifth H site, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O atom. The H–O bond length is 0.98 Å. There are six inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.46 Å. In the second O site, O is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to one H and one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.47 Å. In the third O site, O is bonded in a trigonal non-coplanar geometry to three H atoms. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a trigonal non-coplanar geometry to three H atoms. In the fifth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.49 Å. In the sixth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.45 Å. Cl is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four O atoms. In one of the HClO4 clusters, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O atom. The H–O bond length is 1.00 Å. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.43 Å. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.44 Å. In the third O site, O is bonded in a distorted water-like geometry to one H and one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.63 Å. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.43 Å. Cl is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four O atoms. In one of the HClO4 clusters, H is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one O atom. The H–O bond length is 1.00 Å. There are four inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.43 Å. In the second O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.43 Å. In the third O site, O is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.43 Å. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a distorted water-like geometry to one H and one Cl atom. The O–Cl bond length is 1.64 Å. Cl is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four O atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Low Energy Implantation into Transition-Metal Dichalcogenide Monolayers to Form Janus Structures

Atomically-thin two-dimensional (2D) materials face significant energy barriers for synthesis and processing into functional metastable phases such as Janus structures. Here, in this study, the controllable implantation of hyperthermal species from pulsed laser deposition (PLD) plasmas is introduced as a top-down method to compositionally engineer 2D monolayers. The kinetic energies of Se clusters impinging on suspended monolayer WS 2 crystals were controlled in the <10 eV/atom range with in situ plasma diagnostics to determine the thresholds for selective top layer replacement of sulfur by selenium for the formation of high quality WSSe Janus monolayers at low (300 °C) temperatures, and bottom layer replacement for complete conversion to WSe 2 . Atomic-resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy in tilted geometry confirm the WSSe Janus monolayer. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that Se clusters implant to form disordered metastable alloy regions, which then recrystallize to form highly ordered structures, opening the door for low-energy implantation by PLD as a novel method to explore the synthesis of 2D Janus layers and alloys of variable composition.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2022

Neural Network for Principle of Least Action

The principle of least action is the cornerstone of classical mechanics, theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics. Here, we describe how a neural network (NN) learns to find the trajectory for a Lennard-Jones (LJ) system that maintains balance in minimizing the Onsager–Machlup (OM) action and maintaining the energy conservation. The phase-space trajectory thus calculated is in excellent agreement with the corresponding results from the “ground-truth” molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Furthermore, we show that the NN can easily find structural transformation pathways for LJ clusters, for example, the basin-hopping transformation of an LJ 38 from an incomplete Mackay icosahedron to a truncated face-centered cubic octahedron. Unlike MD, the NN computes atomic trajectories over the entire temporal domain in one fell swoop, and the NN time step is a factor of 20 larger than the MD time step. The NN approach to OM action is quite general and can be adapted to model morphometrics in a variety of applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Dehydration-Driven Ion Aggregation and the Onset of Gelation in ZnCl2 Solution

A minimal model of ionic aggregation in concentrated ZnCl2 is developed, guided by molecular dynamics simulations with a machine-learned potential. It explicitly incorporates solvent-site depletion, correlated chloride binding, and allows for loops within Zn–Cl clusters. Dehydration drives two coordination-controlled structural changes: a crossover at Z=2 from predominantly isolated Zn-containing species to Cl-bridged clusters and the onset of gelation near Z≈3. The model reproduces the concentration-dependent trends observed in the molecular dynamics simulations with two fitted parameters, while the cluster-size distribution at the highest concentration is consistent with three-dimensional percolation scaling over the accessible range of cluster sizes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Searching for correlations between vibrational spectral features and structural parameters of silicate glass network

Infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopic features of silicate glasses are usually interpreted based on the analogy with those of smaller molecules, molecular clusters, or crystalline counterparts; this study tests the accuracy and validity of these widely cited peak assignment schemes by comparing vibrational spectral features with bond parameters of the glass network created by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A series of sodium silicate glasses with compositions of [Na 2 O] x [Al 2 O 3 ] 2 [SiO 2 ] 98- x with x = 7, 12, 17, and 22 were synthesized and analyzed with IR and Raman. A silica glass substrate and a crystalline quartz were also analyzed for comparison. Glass structures with the same compositions were generated with MD simulations using three types of potentials: fixed partial charge pairwise (Teter), partial diffuse charge potential (MGFF), and bond order-based charge transfer potential (ReaxFF). The comparison of simulated and experimental IR spectra showed that, among these three potentials tested, ReaxFF reproduces the concentration dependence of spectral features closest to the experimentally observed trend. Hence, the bond length and angle distributions as well as Si– Q n species and ring size distributions of silica and sodium silicate glasses were obtained from ReaxFF-MD simulations and further compared with the peak assignment or deconvolution schemes—which have been widely used since 1970s and 1980s—(a) correlation between the IR peak position in the Si–O stretch region (1050-1120 cm -1 ) and the Si–O–Si bond angle; (b) deconvolution of the Raman bands in the Si–O stretch region with the Q n speciation; and (c) assignment of the Raman bands in the 420-600 cm -1 region to the bending modes of (SiO) n rings with different sizes (typically, n = 3-6). The comparisons showed that none of these widely used methods is congruent with the bond parameters or structures of silicate glass networks produced via ReaxFF-MD simulations. This result invokes that the adequacy of these spectral interpretation methods must be questioned. Alternative interpretations are proposed, which are to be tested independently in future studies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hierarchical Truncations for Many-Body Expansion Potentials

In this work, a new strategy to truncate high-order terms in the many-body expansion (MBE) is proposed. This new approach, which we call a hierarchical many-body expansion (HMBE), is based on a hierarchical partition of the system into multitier fragments and can in principle be applied to any large molecular system. Numerical tests on a series of (H 2 O) 64 structures are presented, demonstrating satisfactory relative energies between the clusters and binding energies of individual clusters compared with full-cluster calculations, with significantly fewer high-order terms computed than conventional MBE. The hierarchical truncation can be augmented by certain many-body terms for fragments at the interface between the partitions (called “Schengen terms”) to further improve accuracy. This work establishes the HMBE scheme as a promising framework to model very large systems (e.g., proteins), which are naturally built on a hierarchical structure.

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

Modulating Solvation Structure in Concentrated Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery Electrolyte for Solubility and Transport Enhancement via Polycomplex Ion

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries hold great promise as a technology for creating economical grid energy storage using sustainable materials. Nonetheless, the solubility limit presents a universal barrier for all redox-active organic molecules. In this paper, a new approach is proposed to surpass the solubility limit by manipulating the solvation structure with polycomplex ion additives (PIA). Using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonate colloids as one example, its role in dismantling the rigid supramolecular clusters within the highly concentrated 7,8-dihydroxyphenazine-2-sulfonic acid electrolyte is investigated. 1 H and 23 Na NMR spectra and molecular dynamics simulation studies demonstrate that the bipolar structure of the PIA effectively disrupts the aggregations of DHPS and Na + ion in the highly concentrated anolyte, thus rendering a more flexible solvation structure and less restrictive ion transport, leading to substantially improved battery performance of an AORFB cell. The anolyte with PIA achieved 1.6 M and 74.3 Ah L –1 anolyte energy capacity.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural origin of disorder-induced ion conduction in NaFePO 4 cathode materials

Diffusion in NaFePO 4 can be enhanced through amorphization. Based on computations using DFT and machine learning potentials, we ascribe this phenomenon to the formation of less constrained Na-ion environments upon disordering. Most modern battery technologies depend on solid-state crystalline cathode materials. However, some of these materials are constrained by the low ionic conductivity of their most stable phases. An example of this is maricite (NaFePO 4 ). Interestingly, experiments have shown that maricite can improve its rate capability through disordering (amorphization). However, experimental characterization of amorphous cathode materials remains a major challenge, hindering a clear understanding of the structural origin of the disorder-induced improvement in sodium-ion mobility. To address this, we here employ molecular dynamics simulations by first training a machine learning potential for NaFePO 4 based on the atomic cluster expansion approach and a batch active learning potential parameterization scheme. This potential is then applied to explore the structural and dynamical properties of NaFePO 4 glasses as cathode materials. Specifically, we investigate the effect of glass structure on sodium-ion diffusion, revealing the relative influences of short-range and medium-range order features. We find significant heterogeneity in sodium-ion diffusivity in the glass, with fast-conducting ions residing in less constrained atomic environments with fewer P and Fe neighbors. These more mobile ions are also surrounded by larger ring-type structures. Overall, the results and developed approach present promising avenues for developing high-performance glassy cathodes for next-generation batteries.

Christensen, Rasmus↗
DOE OSTI2023

Relationship of the Molecular Structure and Transport Properties of Imide-Based Lithium Salts of “Acetonitrile/Water-in-Salt” Electrolytes

“Water-in-salt” (WIS) electrolytes exhibit excellent safety and electrochemical performance. However, they possess high concentrations, relatively low diffusion coefficient, and high viscosity. “Acetonitrile/water in salt” (AWIS) electrolytes can overcome the disadvantages of WIS electrolytes. Under relatively low concentrations, AWIS electrolytes show good electrochemical performance comparable to WIS electrolytes and low conductivity. Herein, we investigate the relationship between the solvation structures and the transport properties using small-angle X-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulation. We observed two solvation behaviors of AWIS: anions dissolved in acetonitrile forming small acetonitrile/anion clusters and additional water further dissolving the small acetonitrile/anion clusters. The introduction of acetonitrile weakens the water–solute interaction and enhances the cation–anion interaction, which results in an enhanced dynamical slowdown as the concentration increases. In conclusion, this work provides molecular-level understanding of the connection between two-stage solvation structures and transport properties for imide-based lithium salt solutions.

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

Synergistic Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Approach to Elucidate PNIPAM–Water Interaction Mechanisms

This study employs Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate interactions between water molecules and Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). DFT reveals preferential water binding sites, with enhanced binding energy observed in the linker zone. Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) and electron localization function (ELF) analyses highlight the roles of hydrogen bonding and steric hindrance. MD simulations unveil temperature-dependent hydration dynamics, with structural transitions marked by changes in the radius of gyration (Rg) and the radial distribution function (RDF), aligning with DFT findings. Our work goes beyond prior studies by combining a DFT, QTAIM and MD simulations approach across different PNIPAM monomer-to-30mer structures. It introduces a systematic quantification of pseudo-saturation thresholds and explores water clustering dynamics with structural specificity, which have not been previously reported in the literature. These novel insights establish a more complete molecular-level picture of PNIPAM hydration behavior and temperature responsiveness, emphasizing the importance of amide hydrogen and carbonyl oxygen sites in hydrogen bonding, which weakens above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), resulting in increased hydrophobicity and paving the way for understanding water sorption mechanisms, offering guidance for future applications such as dehumidification and atmospheric water harvesting.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

Computational study of the electrostatic potential and charges of multivalent ionic liquid molecules

The electrostatic interactions in ionic liquids (ILs) can be difficult to quantify, but this information is very valuable for improving intermolecular potentials for performing molecular-level simulations. Although polarizable forcefields can provide improved accuracy, the computational efficiency of fixed charge molecular models is often preferred for larger systems. Here, we propose a multi-scale screening approach for analyzing the charge scaling behavior and other electrostatic properties of ILs, which is more attainable than previous analysis methods that rely on the IL crystalline structures. Based on isolated molecules and small clusters, we study the electrostatic potential properties and charges of multivalent IL molecules using density-functional theory calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The charges of the IL molecules are calculated and compared using several different charge estimation techniques. Although there are some differences among the estimated partial charges on the atoms, the total anion and cation charges are very similar. In conclusion, the charge scaling factors are substantial, and they are only slightly affected by the IL cluster size model.

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

Understanding fluorine-free electrolytes via small-angle X-ray scattering

Fluorine-free electrolytes have attracted great attention because of its low-cost and environmental friendliness. However, so far, little is known about the solution structures of these electrolytes. Here, we compare the solvation phenomenon of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaBPh 4 ) salt dissolved in organic solvents of propylene carbonate (PC), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), acetonitrile (ACN) and tetrahydrofuran (THF). Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveals a unique two-peak structural feature in this salt concentrated PC electrolyte, while solutions using other solvents only have one scattering peak. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations further reveal that there are anion-based clusters in addition to the short-range charge ordering in the concentrated NaBPh4/PC electrolyte. Raman spectroscopy confirms the existence of considerable contact ion pairs (CIPs). Here, this work emphasizes the importance of global and local structural analysis, which will provide valuable clues for understanding the structure performance relationship of electrolytes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗