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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 1,261 records · Page 70

Hot-Carrier Extraction in Nanowire-Nanoantenna Photovoltaic Devices

Nanowires bring new possibilities to the field of hot-carrier photovoltaics by providing flexibility in combining materials for band engineering and using nanophotonic effects to control light absorption. Previously, an open-circuit voltage beyond the Shockley–Queisser limit was demonstrated in hot-carrier devices based on InAs–InP–InAs nanowire heterostructures. However, in these first experiments, the location of light absorption, and therefore the precise mechanism of hot-carrier extraction, was uncontrolled. In this study, we combine plasmonic nanoantennas with InAs–InP–InAs nanowire devices to enhance light absorption within a subwavelength region near an InP energy barrier that serves as an energy filter. From photon-energy- and irradiance-dependent photocurrent and photovoltage measurements, we find that photocurrent generation is dominated by internal photoemission of nonthermalized hot electrons when the photoexcited electron energy is above the barrier and by photothermionic emission when the energy is below the barrier. We estimate that an internal quantum efficiency up to 0.5–1.2% is achieved. Insights from this study provide guidelines to improve internal quantum efficiencies based on nanowire heterostructures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Graphene-Modified Tin Dioxide for Efficient Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Electron Extraction and Reduced Hysteresis

Tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) as an efficient electron transport layer (ETL) has been demonstrated for emerging high-performance organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the low-temperature solution-processed SnO 2 usually results in high trap-state density and current–voltage hysteresis. Here, we reported an effective strategy to solve this problem by incorporating graphene ink into the low-temperature processed SnO 2 for planar structure PSCs. The electron extraction efficiency has been significantly improved with graphene-doped SnO2 ETL coupled with attenuated charge recombination at the ETL/perovskite interface. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs based on the graphene–SnO 2 ETL reached over 18% with negligible hysteresis. Incorporation of graphene into the ETL layer also enhanced the device stability retaining 90% of the initial PCE value after storing in ambient condition with a relative humidity of 40 ± 5% for 300 h. Our results provide an important insight into further efficiency boost in SnO 2 -based low-temperature processed PSCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Moisture-Induced Crystallographic Reorientations and Effects on Charge Carrier Extraction in Metal Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Lead halide perovskites (LHPs) are promising semiconductors for optoelectronic applications. In LHP solar cells, the focus thus far has been mainly on compositional optimization of the MHP layer, without much understanding of the effects of compositional mixing on structure and texture. This is a serious gap in our knowledge because research has shown that texture underlies the mechanisms of charge carrier and ionic transport. Therefore, it is essential to understand the mechanisms that drive changes in texture in LHPs. Here we examine the effect of moisture and composition on the structure and texture of LHPs and their impacts on optoelectronic properties. Exposure to moisture is shown to induce a crystallographic reorientation in the polycrystalline films, which is also dependent on the amount of organic cation material present at the surface. For films with an excess of organic halide, moisture was shown to induce texture in the (001) plane contributing to the enhancement of photocurrents and long-term device stability. This work shows the importance of texture for the electronic properties of LHPs with a special emphasis on charge carrier extraction in optoelectronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Vapor-Deposited n = 2 Ruddlesden–Popper Interface Layers Aid Charge Carrier Extraction in Perovskite Solar Cells

Interfacial passivation with bulky organic cations such as phenetylammonium iodide has enabled high performance for metal halide perovskite optoelectronic devices. However, the homogeneity of these interfaces and their formation dynamics are poorly understood. Here we study how Ruddlesden-Popper 2D phases form at a 3D perovskite interface when the 2D precursors are introduced via solution or via vapor. When using vapor deposition, we observe uniform coverage of the capping layer and the formation of a predominantly n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper phase. In contrast, when using solution deposition, we observe the presence of a mixture of n = 2 and n = 1 in the film and the formation of aggregates of the organic cations. As a result of the better phase purity and uniformity, vapor deposition enables higher median solar cell performance with narrower distribution compared to solution-treated films. This study provides fundamental information that the perovskite community can use to better design capping layers to achieve higher charge extraction efficiencies.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Modeling the Impacts of Hydrogen Extraction on Anaerobic Fermentation Systems Using a Modified ADM1 Model

Here, this paper presents a modified ADM1 (mADM1) model for use in assessing the influence of active dissolved H 2 extraction on biogas production from anaerobic fermentation reactors, specifically in the context of high-strength brewery wastewater as the feed. The modified model adds regulation factors to account for the varying product stoichiometry of glucose degradation reactions as a function of H 2 concentration in anaerobic digestion, and incorporates the use of both lactate and ethanol as intermediates. The changes to the model are expected to better predict the effects of H 2 removal on the production of H 2 in fermentation processes. Both ADM1 and mADM1 were calibrated against experimental data from a fluidized-bed reactor containing encapsulated acidogenic-acetogenic microbial communities treating real brewery wastewater. The calibrated models were validated against another fluidized-bed reactor identical to the calibration reactor, with the addition of a hollow-fiber membrane module that was used to reduce dissolved H 2 concentrations in the validation reactor. It was found that ADM1 over-estimated the H 2 production rates of the validation reactor (117 mL/day simulated vs. 16.48 mL/day experimental), whereas mADM1 was able to successfully predict fermentation, and specifically the H 2 production rate (17 mL/day). The presented model is a first step towards a model that can predict the effects of dissolved H 2 removal on fermentation processes.

Anaerobic Digestion↗

Using Novosphingobium aromaticivorans for Concurrent Production of Intracellular and Extracellular Products from Aromatics Extracted from Poplar Biomass

Achieving high biochemical production in biotransformations of renewable resources requires using concentrated cultures that not only generate the product of interest but also produce abundant microbial cell waste. We explored the concept of gaining value from microbial cells by producing intracellular products in tandem with a desired extracellular product. Specifically, we engineered a strain ofNovosphingobium aromaticivorans to extracellularly produce 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) from aromatic substrates and to intracellularly accumulate astaxanthin along with coenzyme Q 10 , all of which are products of industrial interest. Achieving the goal of concurrent production of intracellular and extracellular products required the creative application of bioreactor engineering principles. Although a continuously fed membrane bioreactor (MBR) maximized extracellular product biosynthesis, it had a negative effect on intracellular product accumulation. However, operating the MBR as a sequencing batch reactor (MBR-SBR) with a step-feed resulted in stable concurrent production of both extracellular and intracellular products. With aromatics extracted from poplar biomass, we achieved productivities of 1.14 g of PDC/L-h for the extracellular product and 0.04 mg of astaxanthin/L-h and 0.64 mg of CoQ 10 /L-h for intracellular products, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that the mode of operation of a bioreactor impacts the simultaneous production of intracellular and extracellular products byN. aromaticivorans.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Direct Extraction of Uniform Lignin Microspheres from Bamboo Using a Polyol-Based Deep Eutectic Solvent

Conventional preparation of lignin micro-/nano-particles (LMNPs) often needs multiple steps accompanied by high cost, low efficiency, and low yield. Herein, this study established a polyhydric alcohol-based deep eutectic solvent (PA-DES) fractionation for direct LMNP assembly from raw lignocellulose. The results indicated that lignin was significantly extracted by 41.55–70.33% depending on the PA-DES varieties. With lignin removal, the substrate showed high glucan enzymatic saccharification from 70.44 to 100%. Specially, over 90% lignin could be recovered in each PA-DES, and the obtained LMNPs showed quite uniform spherical morphology with a tunable size of 550–3254 nm and narrow polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.295–0.398. The proposed DES showed a near theoretical recovery yield, which still featured excellent fractionation performance even after three cycles of reuse. In conclusion, the findings highlight the simultaneous utilization of cellulose and lignin in a one-pot biomass fractionation under mild conditions with sugars and LMNPs as the coproducts.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Earthquake Swarms Triggered by Groundwater Extraction Near the Dead Sea Fault

Abstract In 2013 and 2018, earthquake swarms with a maximum moment magnitude of 4.5 occurred ~5 km from the northern section of the Dead Sea Transform Fault. Here we show that aquifer pressure data, interferometric synthetic aperture radar surface deformation time series, and seismic monitoring suggest that groundwater withdrawal triggered these earthquakes. Continuous groundwater extraction from several wells located ~10 km west of the swarms has accelerated since 2010 and resulted in a total decrease of ~50 m of the groundwater level at the time of the 2018 earthquake swarm. The withdrawal also corresponds to surface subsidence of ~10 mm/year based on repeat interferometric synthetic aperture radar measurements. The temporal correlation, extensive subsidence, anomalous swarm characteristics, and normal faulting orientation suggest a connection between the groundwater withdrawal and recent earthquakes. Poroelastic modeling demonstrates that pumping‐induced pore pressure decrease west of the earthquake could have caused significant dilatational stresses that led to normal faulting events outside the aquifer.

Wetzler, Nadav↗

Uranium extraction: Fuel from seawater

Over four billion tonnes of uranium are currently in the oceans that could be harvested for nuclear fuel, but current capture methods have limited performance and reusability. Now, an electrochemical method using modified carbon electrodes is shown to be promising for the extraction of uranium from seawater.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

Reply to: “Extracting Kondo temperature of strongly-correlated systems from the inverse local magnetic susceptibility”

In his comment1, Katanin reanalyzes our LDA + DMFT results for the temperature-dependent static local spin susceptibility of Sr 2 RuO 4 and V 2 O 3 fitting them to a Curie–Weiss (CW) form, χ(T) ≃ a/(T + θ). Invoking Wilson’s analysis of the impurity susceptibility of the spin-½ one-channel Kondo model (1CKM) in the wide-band limit, he extracts spin Kondo temperatures using T K = θ/√2, obtaining T K = 350 K and 100 K for Sr 2 RuO 4 and V 2 O 3 , respectively. Noting that these are significantly smaller than the scales $T$$^{onset}_{sp}$ = 2300 K and 1000 K reported in ref. 2, he argues that our $T$$^{onset}_{sp}$ scales “do not characterize the screening process”.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Autonomous extraction of millimeter-scale deformation in InSAR time series using deep learning

Systematically characterizing slip behaviours on active faults is key to unraveling the physics of tectonic faulting and the interplay between slow and fast earthquakes. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), by enabling measurement of ground deformation at a global scale every few days, may hold the key to those interactions. However, atmospheric propagation delays often exceed ground deformation of interest despite state-of-the art processing, and thus InSAR analysis requires expert interpretation and a priori knowledge of fault systems, precluding global investigations of deformation dynamics. Here, we show that a deep auto-encoder architecture tailored to untangle ground deformation from noise in InSAR time series autonomously extracts deformation signals, without prior knowledge of a fault’s location or slip behaviour. Applied to InSAR data over the North Anatolian Fault, our method reaches 2 mm detection, revealing a slow earthquake twice as extensive as previously recognized. We further explore the generalization of our approach to inflation/deflation-induced deformation, applying the same methodology to the geothermal field of Coso, California.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Direct extraction of lithium from ores by electrochemical leaching

With the rapid increase in lithium consumption for electric vehicle applications, its price soared during the past decade. To secure a reliable and cost-effective supply chain, it is critical to unlock alternative lithium extraction resources beyond conventional brine. In this study, we develop an electrochemical method to directly leach lithium from α-phase spodumene. We find the H 2 O 2 promoter can significantly reduce the leaching potential by facilitating the electron transfer and changing the reaction path. Upon leaching, β-phase spodumene shows a typical phase transformation to HAlSi 2 O 6 , while leached α-phase remains its original crystal phase with a lattice shrinkage. To demonstrate the scale-up potential of electrochemical leaching, we design a catalyst-modified high-throughput current collector for high loading of suspended spodumene, achieving a leaching current of 18 mA and a leaching efficiency of 92.2%. Electrochemical leaching will revolutionize traditional leaching and recycling processes by minimizing the environmental footprint and energy consumption.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Extracting structural motifs from pair distribution function data of nanostructures using explainable machine learning

Characterization of material structure with X-ray or neutron scattering using e.g. Pair Distribution Function (PDF) analysis most often rely on refining a structure model against an experimental dataset. However, identifying a suitable model is often a bottleneck. Recently, automated approaches have made it possible to test thousands of models for each dataset, but these methods are computationally expensive and analysing the output, i.e. extracting structural information from the resulting fits in a meaningful way, is challenging. Our Machine Learning based Motif Extractor (ML-MotEx) trains an ML algorithm on thousands of fits, and uses SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanation) values to identify which model features are important for the fit quality. We use the method for 4 different chemical systems, including disordered nanomaterials and clusters. ML-MotEx opens for a type of modelling where each feature in a model is assigned an importance value for the fit quality based on explainable ML.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Pathways to a net-zero-carbon water sector through energy-extracting wastewater technologies

The energy-consuming and carbon-intensive wastewater treatment plants could become significant energy producers and recycled organic and metallic material generators, thereby contributing to broad sustainable development goals, the circular economy, and the water-energy-sanitation-food-carbon nexus. This review provides an overview of the waste(water)-based energy-extracting technologies, their engineering performance, techno-economic feasibility, and environmental benefits. Here, we propose four crucial strategies to achieve net-zero carbon along with energy sufficiency in the water sector, including (1) improvement in process energy efficiency; (2) maximizing on-site renewable capacities and biogas upgrading; (3) harvesting energy from treated effluent; (4) a new paradigm for decentralized water-energy supply units.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

MOFSimplify, machine learning models with extracted stability data of three thousand metal–organic frameworks

Abstract We report a workflow and the output of a natural language processing (NLP)-based procedure to mine the extant metal–organic framework (MOF) literature describing structurally characterized MOFs and their solvent removal and thermal stabilities. We obtain over 2,000 solvent removal stability measures from text mining and 3,000 thermal decomposition temperatures from thermogravimetric analysis data. We assess the validity of our NLP methods and the accuracy of our extracted data by comparing to a hand-labeled subset. Machine learning (ML, i.e. artificial neural network) models trained on this data using graph- and pore-geometry-based representations enable prediction of stability on new MOFs with quantified uncertainty. Our web interface, MOFSimplify, provides users access to our curated data and enables them to harness that data for predictions on new MOFs. MOFSimplify also encourages community feedback on existing data and on ML model predictions for community-based active learning for improved MOF stability models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Dataset of solution-based inorganic materials synthesis procedures extracted from the scientific literature

The development of a materials synthesis route is usually based on heuristics and experience. A possible new approach would be to apply data-driven approaches to learn the patterns of synthesis from past experience and use them to predict the syntheses of novel materials. However, this route is impeded by the lack of a large-scale database of synthesis formulations. In this work, we applied advanced machine learning and natural language processing techniques to construct a dataset of 35,675 solution-based synthesis procedures extracted from the scientific literature. Each procedure contains essential synthesis information including the precursors and target materials, their quantities, and the synthesis actions and corresponding attributes. Every procedure is also augmented with the reaction formula. Through this work, we are making freely available the first large dataset of solution-based inorganic materials synthesis procedures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Automated Interpretation and Extraction of Topographic Information from Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Data

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS) is one of the most powerful characterization tools allowing imaging of the chemical properties of various systems and materials. It allows precise studies of the chemical composition with sub-100-nm lateral and nanometer depth spatial resolution. However, comprehensive interpretation of ToF SIMS results is challengeable, because of the data volume and its multidimensionality. Furthermore, investigation of the samples with pronounced topographical features are complicated by the spectral shift. In this work we developed approach for the comprehensive ToF SIMS data interpretation based on the data analytics and automated extraction of the sample topography based on time of flight shift. We further applied this approach to investigate correlation between biological function and chemical composition in Arabidopsis roots.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Extracting h-Backbone as a Core Structure in Weighted Networks

Determining the core structure of complex network systems allows us to simplify them. Using h -bridge and h -strength measurements in a weighted network, we extract the h -backbone core structure. We find that focusing on the h -backbone in a network allows greater simplification because it has fewer edges and thus fewer adjacent nodes. We examine three practical applications: the co-citation network in an information system, the open flight network in a social system, and coauthorship in network science publications.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗