SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “HIGH ENERGY”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2025

Bridging nuclear physics across energy scales: from neutrinoless double-beta decay to high-energy heavy-ion collisions

This paper exemplifies how connecting methods at disparate energy scales can illuminate fundamental questions. By demonstrating that nuclear wave function properties governing rare decay processes also influence collective behavior at extreme temperatures and densities, the authors have opened a new pathway for constraining physics beyond the Standard Model. With multiple ton-scale 0νββ experiments under construction, any method reducing NME uncertainties will directly impact our ability to interpret discoveries or constrain neutrino properties. The general principle—that collective phenomena in high-energy collisions can illuminate subtle features of many-body correlations in the colliding nuclei—may find applications across nuclear and particle physics. Furthermore, this intersection of nuclear structure theory, heavy-ion physics, and fundamental symmetry tests represents fertile ground for future discoveries in modern physics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Sulfone-based electrolytes for high energy density lithium-ion batteries

Here, in this work, localized high concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) based on tetramethylene sulfone (TMS) were designed. Similar to LHCEs based on other solvents, TMS-based LHCEs can achieve excellent compatibility with high energy density lithium ion batteries (LIBs) when combined with a proper additive. By comparing LHCEs based on different solvents and additives, it was revealed that the unique solvation structure of LHCEs facilitates the synergetic decomposition of anion, solvent and additive in the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation. Proper combinations of the three constituents of the solvation sheaths in LHCEs can promote the formation of highly effective SEI on graphite negative electrode. The absence of LiPF 6 in LHCEs also suppresses the degradation of positive electrode materials in LIBs. The superior interphasial properties of LHCEs is the key to realizing the long lifespan of high energy density LIBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Binary neutron star mergers as potential sources for ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays and high-energy neutrinos

Recent studies suggest that the most energetic cosmic rays, exceeding 100 EeV, may primarily consist of 𝑟-process nuclei. This highlights binary neutron star mergers and collapsars as promising sources of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). Building on these insights, we examine the conditions that facilitate the efficient production of UHE 𝑟-process nuclei during the prompt radiation (PR), extended emission (EE), and plateau emission phases of short gamma-ray bursts (sGRBs) following neutron star mergers. Our study reveals that jets associated with the PR phase, characterized by typical bulk Lorentz factors (≳ 400–500), dissipation radii, and magnetic field strengths, can accelerate 𝑟-process nuclei to energies ≳ 100 EeV, while preserving them during propagation within the source. Additionally, we investigate the production of HE neutrinos from photomeson and hadronic interactions, as well as from the 𝛽 decay of accelerated 𝑟-process nuclei. We find that the HE neutrino fluxes from sGRBs, mainly produced via photomeson interactions, are significantly limited to preserve the accelerated heavy nuclei, leading to lower fluxes than the predictions without allowing for contributions to UHECRs. Our results suggest that sGRBs may potentially contribute to UHECRs during the PR phase and to HE neutrinos during the EE phase—a scenario that can be tested by future neutrino observatories.

Cosmic ray sources↗

DOE OSTI2021

Energy storage technology with extreme high energy density capability

A capacitor includes a first electrode having a substrate and a plurality of nanostructures physically and electrically coupled to the substrate. The capacitor also includes a solid, non-conductive interlayer deposited over the nanostructures to coat the nanostructures, and extending between the nanostructures, and a second electrode deposited over the interlayer and extending between the nanostructures. The interlayer insulates the first and second electrode layers from one another.

Gao, Kaizhong↗

DOE OSTI2022

Biosynthesis of polycyclopropanated high energy biofuels

Cyclopropane-functionalized hydrocarbons are excellent fuels due their high energy density. However, the organic synthesis of these molecules is challenging and harmful to the environment. In this work we produced polycyclopropanated fatty acids in bacteria. These molecules can be easily converted into renewable fuels for high energy applications such as shipping, long-haul transport, aviation, and rocketry. We explored the chemical diversity encoded in the genome of thousands of bacteria to identify and repurpose naturally occurring cyclopropanated molecules. We identified a set of candidate iterative polyketide synthases (iPKSs) predicted to produce polycyclopropanated fatty acids (POP-FAs), expressed these PKSs in Streptomyces coelicolor and produced the POP-FAs. We determined the structure of the molecules and increased their production 22-fold. Polycyclopropanated fatty acid methyl esters (POP-FAMEs) were obtained by methyl esterifying the POP-FAs. Finally, we calculated that our POP fuel candidates can have energy densities of more than 50 MJ/L. Our research shows that POP-FAMEs and other polyketide derived POPs have the energetic properties for energy-demanding applications for which sustainable alternatives are scarce.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Design and optimization of a high-energy optical parametric amplifier for broadband, spectrally incoherent pulses

Spectrally incoherent laser pulses with sufficiently large fractional bandwidth are in demand for the mitigation of laser–plasma instabilities occurring in high-energy laser–target interactions. Here, we modeled, implemented, and optimized a dual-stage high-energy optical parametric amplifier for broadband, spectrally incoherent pulses in the near-infrared. The amplifier delivers close to 400 mJ of signal energy through noncollinear parametric interaction of 100-nJ-scale broadband, spectrally incoherent seed pulses near 1053 nm with a narrowband high-energy pump operating at 526.5 nm. Mitigation strategies for high-frequency spatial modulations in the amplified signal caused by index inhomogeneities in the Nd:YLF rods of the pump laser are explored and discussed in detail.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2023

Constructing “Li-rich Ni-rich” oxide cathodes for high-energy-density Li-ion batteries

The current exploration of high-energy-density cathode materials for Li-ion batteries is mainly concentrated on either so-called “Li-rich” or “Ni-rich” oxides. However, both are suffering from formidable practical challenges. Here, we combine these two concepts to obtain “Li-rich Ni-rich” oxides in pursuit of more practical high-energy-density cathodes. As a proof of concept, we synthesized an array of Li 1+y Ni( 3-5y)/3 Mo 2y/3 O 2 oxides, whose structures were identified to be the coexistence of LiNiO 2 -rich and Li 4 MoO 5 -rich domains with the aid of XRD, TEM, and NMR techniques. Such an intergrowth structure of 5–20 nm size enables excellent mechanical and structural reversibility for the layered rock-salt LiNiO 2 -rich domain upon cycling thanks to the robust cubic rock-salt Li 4 MoO 5 -rich domain enabling an “epitaxial stabilization” effect. As a result, we achieved high capacities (>220 mA h g -1 ) with Ni contents as low as 80%; the Li 1.09 Ni 0.85 Mo 0.06 O 2 member (y = 0.09) shows much improved cycling performances (91% capacity retention for 100 cycles at C/10) compared with pure LiNiO 2 . Further, this work validates the feasibility of constructing Li-rich Ni-rich compounds in the form of intergrowing domains and hence unlocks vast possibilities for future cathode design.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Computation-guided discovery of coating materials to stabilize the interface between lithium garnet solid electrolyte and high-energy cathodes for all-solid-state lithium batteries

All-solid-state batteries with a lithium metal anode, enabled by lithium garnet solid electrolytes such as Li 7 La 3 Zr 2 O 12 (LLZO), are a promising next-generation energy-storage technology. The further development of all-solid-state battery requires the integration of high-energy cathodes such as LiNi 1-x-y Mn x Co y O 2 (NMC) with the garnet solid electrolyte with stable and low-resistance interfaces, which requires a coating layer to stabilize the interface during high-temperature sintering and electrochemical cycling. In order to guide the future development of interfacial coatings, we perform high-throughput thermodynamic analyses based on first-principles computation to investigate the stability of LLZO garnet and high-energy NMC cathodes with a wide range of materials chemistries. Here our study reveals the factors governing the materials stability with LLZO garnet and NMC cathodes, and identifies the mechanisms of good coating layers stable with LLZO and NMC. In addition to classifying known coating layers, our study provides detailed guiding charts and multiple new materials systems as promising coatings for stabilizing LLZO—NMC interfaces to enable high-energy-density garnet-based all-solid-state batteries. Our demonstrated computation scheme and high-throughput analyses are generally applicable to investigate and screen coating materials for stabilizing interfaces in energy-related applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Dissociation-induced depletion of high-energy reactant molecules as a mechanism for pressure-dependent rate constants for bimolecular reactions

In 1922, Lindemann proposed the now-well-known mechanism for pressure-dependent rate constants for unimolecular reactions: reactant molecules with sufficiently high energies dissociate more quickly than collisions can reestablish the Boltzmann distribution of the internal energies of the molecule during its dissociation at low pressures – yielding pressure-dependent rate constants for unimolecular reactions due to the preferential depletion of the high energy states capable of dissociation. In the last century, incredible progress has been made in achieving a far greater understanding of and quantitative predictions for unimolecular and association reactions. In the modern era, pressure-dependent phenomenological rate constants are now nearly universally used to describe the rates of unimolecular and associative reactions in phenomenological kinetic modeling. However, there is a second, more indirect, implication of Lindemann’s mechanism that relates to how these dissociation-induced non-equilibrium distributions impact bimolecular reactions, including non-associative bimolecular reactions – which are generally not considered to have pressure-dependent rate constants. Yet, as we show herein, the same high energy states depleted due to dissociation would otherwise react most rapidly in high-activation-energy bimolecular reactions – yielding a mechanism for pressure-dependent rate constants for bimolecular reactions (including non-associative reactions). Here, we present results from a case study for CH 2 O dissociation, isomerization, and bimolecular reaction with O2 to explore this question. Results from our master equation calculations indicate that the effect of dissociation-induced non-equilibrium distributions on bimolecular reactions can be substantial – even when chemical timescales are well separated from internal energy relaxational timescales (i.e. when the traditional rate constant description would be thought to apply). This effect is found to be more pronounced – and more complex – for bimolecular reactions involving molecular entities whose chemical timescales are merged with the internal energy relaxational timescales. Lastly, we present some ideas for discussion regarding what should be considered as “chemical species” in phenomenological kinetic models.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2025

Magnetogenesis Mechanisms Through Wave Interactions in High Energy Density Plasma (Final Technical Report)

This final technical report identifies and explores systematically mechanisms of current generation and magnetogenesis in both natural and laboratory high energy density (HED) plasma settings, These mechanisms involve wave-plasma interactions. Current generation mechanisms that have been developed in other settings can be applied in new ways to high energy density plasma environments. Mechanisms that have been overlooked or considered negligible in less extreme settings may play a role in the high energy density plasma, where considerable free energy could be available in the form of intense waves or particle motion which in turn can create intense wave energy. These mechanisms may be present naturally in astrophysical settings or they may be arranged in laboratory settings.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Revisiting Discharge Mechanism of CF x as a High Energy Density Cathode Material for Lithium Primary Battery

Lithium/fluorinated graphite (Li/CFx) primary batteries show great promise for applications in a wide range of energy storage systems due to their high energy density (>2100 Wh kg –1 ) and low self-discharge rate (<0.5% per year at 25 °C). While the electrochemical performance of the CF x cathode is indeed promising, the discharge reaction mechanism is not thoroughly understood to date. In this article, a multiscale investigation of the CF x discharge mechanism is performed using a novel cathode structure to minimize the carbon and fluorine additives for precise cathode characterizations. Titration gas chromatography, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cross-sectional focused ion beam, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy with electron energy loss spectroscopy are utilized to investigate this system. Results show no metallic lithium deposition or intercalation during the discharge reaction. Crystalline lithium fluoride particles uniformly distributed with <10 nm sizes into the CF x layers, and carbon with lower sp2 content similar to the hard-carbon structure are the products during discharge. This article deepens the understanding of CF x as a high energy density cathode material and highlights the need for future investigations on primary battery materials to advance performance.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Characterization of radiation damage effects in high-energy neutrino target graphite using low-energy ions

Exposure of graphite targets to high intensity proton beams at neutrino production facilities causes changes in the target material that can result in a shortened operation lifetime. The dominant factors in this process are currently thought to be mechanical in nature resulting primarily from microstructural effects that lead to thermal and structural changes in bulk material properties. As currently planned beam facilities with increased proton energy and intensity begin to come online it will be important to thoroughly understand these processes, and ideally to be able to predict the effects of new beam designs on target properties. Direct analysis of targets exposed to existing high-energy proton beams is complicated by several factors, such as very limited access to proton beam facilities, high associated costs, irradiation times on the order of months, and the resulting radioactivity of irradiated samples that requires special facilities for post-irradiation examination. Much of the existing literature concerning irradiation damage in graphite has been focused on the needs of the nuclear engineering community, however high-energy proton targets operate in a much different environment. In comparison to graphite irradiated in a nuclear reactor, graphite used in proton beam targets receives a higher dose rate, have greater gas production, and experience short irradiation pulses as opposed to continuous irradiation. Low-energy ion irradiation offers a method of inducing similar levels of radiation damage to high-energy protons while avoiding many of the difficulties and limitations associated with high-energy proton beams and the corresponding activated specimen testing. My research described in this thesis focused on investigating how low-energy ion irradiation could be used to induce the same or similar types of microstructural alteration and mechanical property degradation as that seen in high-energy neutrino production target graphites by varying damage le vels and irradiation temperatures prior to post-irradiation characterisation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Exclusive QCD Factorization and Single Transverse Polarization Phenomena at High-Energy Colliders

This Ph.D. thesis is divided into two distinct parts. The first part focuses on hard exclusive scattering processes in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) at high energies, while the second part delves into spin phenomena at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Hard exclusive scattering processes play a crucial role in QCD at high energies, providing unique insights into the confined partonic dynamics within hadrons, complementing inclusive processes. Studying these processes within the QCD factorization approach yields the generalized parton distribution (GPD), a nonperturbative parton correlation function that offers a three-dimensional tomographic parton image within a hadron. However, the experimental measurement of these processes poses significant challenges. This thesis will review the factorization formalism for related processes, examine the limitations of some widely used processes, and introduce two novel processes that enhance the sensitivity to GPD, particularly its dependence on the parton momentum fraction x. The second part of the thesis centers on spin phenomena, specifically single spin production, at the LHC. Noting that a single transverse polarization can be generated even in an unpolarized collision, this research proposes two new jet substructure observables: one for boosted top quark jets and another for high-energy gluon jets. The observation of these phenomena paves the way for innovative tools in LHC phenomenology, enabling both precision measurements and the search for new physics.

Yu, Zhite↗

DOE OSTI2024

FAIR Framework for Physics-Inspired AI in High Energy Physics (Final Technical Report)

The main deliverable of this proposal was to publish data from high energy physics experiments in a FAIR format so that non-specialists could develop machine learning technologies using our data. The Minnesota team of Profs. Cushman, Furmanski and Rusack, from the high energy experiments CDMS, Micro-Boone and CMS, respectively, and Prof J. Sun from Computer Science worked to organize the data, to provide code to access the data, and where relevant provide documentation describing the data. The FAIR4HEP collaboration was formed with groups from UC San Diego, MIT, and the University of Illinois, with the principal investigator was Dr. Huerta. Collectively we collaborated on the publication of datasets from the LHC experiments. Members of the Minnesota group contributed to the common papers published by the collaboration

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Three-Dimensional Polymeric-Scaffold-Based Current Collector for a Lithium Metal Anode toward High-Energy-Density Batteries

Here, the practical applications of high-energy-density rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) have been impeded by the intrinsic issues of the Li metal anode (LMA) including high reactivity with electrolyte and dendritic formation. Conventional LMAs, which have the "hostless" feature consisting of a Li layer on a two-dimensional copper (Cu) foil as a current collector, led to additional loss in specific energy density, since Cu is a nonfaradaic heavy metal, bringing formidable areal capacity loss. To address these problems, a heat-treated three-dimensional-structured Cu-coated polyimide (HT-Cu@PI) membrane is designed and fabricated as a current collector. Benefiting from this unique material/structure, it enables not only better electrochemically deposited Li by a uniform/continuous Li-ion transport pathway but also a significant increase in the gravimetric/volumetric energy densities of LMBs by allowing more Li deposition in a fixed weight/volume. Therefore, this new LMA structure will accelerate the practical application of high-energy-density LMBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Enable High-Energy LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 by Ultra-Thin Coating through Wet Impregnation

A high cut-off voltage is required for nickel-rich layered oxide LiNixCoyMnzO2 (NCM) to meet the high energy density requirement of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. However, such a high voltage application leads to an unstable interface between NCM and liquid electrolytes. To stabilize the interface, the facile wet impregnation method has been developed to apply an ultra-thin Al2O3 coating layer on the NCM particles. This coating layer was found to have a strong interaction with the NCM and resulted in Al-doped NCM at the surface structure of NCM. The change of surface structure can not only reduce the surface resistance of lithium diffusion of LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (NCM523), but also stabilize the solid electrolyte interface between NCM523 and the electrolyte with the cut-off voltage of 4.5 V vs. Li/Li+. Compared to other coating methods, wet impregnation coating can provide an ultra-thin and uniform coating with surface doping on NCM particles. Furthermore, this scalable coating method can be applied to various electrode materials without adding much additional cost.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Evaluating the Taylor hardening model in polycrystalline Ti using high energy X-ray diffraction microscopy

High energy X-ray diffraction microscopy (HEDM) was employed to index nearly 1000 grains in a polycrystalline Ti specimen and characterize their deformation during an incremental tensile test. For each grain, the positions of its associated diffraction peaks were used for analyzing its evolving crystal orientation and stress tensor. The azimuthal breadth of each peak at different load steps was measured, allowing measurement of initial yielding and providing an estimate of the dislocation density evolution in each grain. Furthermore, the Taylor hardening model was evaluated grain by grain using the above data, indicating that it can represent hardening in most grains. The yield stress and the strain hardening coefficient for all grains were statistically analyzed with respect to grain orientation, grain size, slip systems, and the surrounding neighborhood to examine how the yield stress and hardening are correlated.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Structural properties of PbTe quantum dots revealed by high-energy x-ray diffraction

High-energy x-ray diffraction (HE-XRD) experiments combined with an analysis based on atomic-pair-distribution functions can be an effective tool for probing low-dimensional materials. Here, we show how such an analysis can be used to gain insight into structural properties of PbTe nanoparticles (NPs). Here we interpret our HE-XRD data using an orthorhombic Pnma phase of PbTe, which is an orthorhombic distortion of the rocksalt phase. Although local crystal geometry can vary substantially with particle size at scales below 10 nm, and for very small NPs the particle size itself influences x-ray diffraction patterns, our study shows that HE-XRD can provide a unique nano-characterization tool for unraveling structural properties of nanoscale systems.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗