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DOE OSTI2024

Energy Technology Proving Ground Program Plan

New methods of energy production and distribution are required to meet clean energy goals and demands across all U.S. energy sectors. Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Integrated Energy Systems (IES) initiative is enabling clean energy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities. To date, IES demonstration programs have been limited by distributed infrastructure and a lack of large-scale facilities to accommodate industry-scale research of Technical Readiness Level (TRL) 6-8 technologies. The IES initiative plans to eliminate these constraints by establishing a new research complex at INL known as the Energy Technology Proving Ground (Proving Ground) to be led by the Energy and Environment Science and Technology Directorate. The Energy and Environment Science and Technology (EES&T) directorate, one of five Idaho National Laboratory (INL) RD&D organizations, focuses on clean energy technologies that anchor the industry-enabling research of the Proving Ground. The Proving Ground will combine diverse clean energy systems into lean integrated test bed of independent multiscale capabilities available to the government and commercial industries to perform research; and will enable INL’s goal of becoming a Net-Zero entity by 2031. This program encompasses existing and new research space at both the in-town Research and Education Campus (REC) and the Arco desert site (the Site). The Proving Ground will support the maturation of IES technologies from TRL 1 through 8 by providing the infrastructure and capabilities needed to sustain a continuum of RD&D from basic science to industry-scale. To establish The Proving Ground and meet INL’s net-zero goals by 2031, nine research program areas have been identified within the IES initiative that require expanded and new capital infrastructure. This program plan provides guidance for establishing the Proving Ground at the Site for plug-and-play pilot testing and proofing of integrated energy system functionality including fission and renewable energy sources for industry driven application platforms.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Energy Technology Proving Ground FY-2026 Program Plan (Rev.1)

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2025

QUANT-NET Control Plane Framework (QNCP) v1.0.0

The QUANT-NET Control Plane (QNCP) provides a software framework for expressing and managing quantum network resources. It may be used to orchestrate a physical quantum testbed with real device driver implementations, or it may be used as a proving ground when developing new protocols and management functions. In practice, both approaches may be useful when undertaking research and development in emerging quantum testbeds. While a number of control systems have been developed for specific quantum platform demonstrations, an openly available and general solution for operating quantum networks has not emerged. QNCP is designed to fill this gap. The framework has been designed to provide extensible, modular capabilities that include scheduling, routing, monitoring, and pluggable protocols. A number of reference implementations in each module category have been included in the installable packages; however, the intent is that each of these modules may be extended or re-implemented to meet the needs of the particular deployment or research need. The software is currently being used in the QUANT-NET testbed project, which spans resources between LBNL and UC Berkeley Physics.

Zhang, Liang [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborator↗

DOE OSTI2024

Norris Bradbury to the Rescue

Millions of dollars were routinely spent on nuclear testing, particularly for test series conducted at the Pacific Proving Ground. Following the Castle-Bravo test of March 1, 1954, however, a small crisis involving only a few hundred dollars created a bureaucratic impasse that could not be resolved until Norris Bradbury interceded.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program: FY 2024 Completed Projects Report

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) largest multiprogram science, technology, and energy laboratory. It possesses distinctive capabilities in a variety of fields, such as neutron science, computing, advanced materials, and nuclear science and technology. Using these capabilities, ORNL conducts basic and applied research and development (R&D) to support DOE’s overarching mission “to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.” As a national resource, ORNL also applies its capabilities and skills to the specific needs of other federal agencies and customers through the DOE Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP) Program. Information about the laboratory and its programs is available on the ORNL website. The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at ORNL operates under the authority of DOE Order 413.2C, Laboratory Directed Research and Development,3 which establishes DOE’s requirements for the program while providing the laboratory director broad flexibility for program implementation. The LDRD Program funds are obtained through a charge to all laboratory programs. Although it represents a relatively small portion of the overall research budget, the LDRD Program plays an essential role in maintaining the laboratory’s ability to respond to national needs. The program allows ORNL to improve its distinctive capabilities and to enhance its ability to conduct cutting-edge R&D. In accordance with the DOE order, R&D projects funded through the LDRD Program at ORNL support the goals of • maintaining the scientific and technical vitality of the laboratory; • enhancing the laboratory’s ability to address future DOE missions; • fostering creativity and stimulating exploration of forefront areas of science and technology; • serving as a proving ground for new concepts in R&D; and • supporting high-risk, potentially high-value R&D. This report provides an overview of the LDRD Program at ORNL in FY 2024 and contains summaries of all the LDRD research projects that concluded between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Hydrothermal Growth of Magnetically Frustrated Crystals: Lanthanide Stannate Pyrochlores as a Prototype

One important test bed system for frustrated magnetism is the pyrochlore lattice with the formula A2B2O7 in the cubic space group Fd3(-)m. Both the A and B sites occupy crystallographic trigonal sites and both sites possess a tetrahedral relationship with the other similar metal ion sites. These symmetry relationships generate a 3 D frustrated structure. In frustrated magnetic systems, typically a trivalent lanthanide ion occupies the A site and a magnetically silent tetravalent ion (Ti, Zr, Sn, etc.) occupies the B site. A classical problem related to the crystal growth of these compounds is sample quality. As refractory oxides, the traditional synthesis and crystal growth techniques require high temperatures, which creates two problems that are quite common and endemic to the pyrochlores. One is oxide lattice defects and the other is A/B site disorder. Both issues often occur in the same crystals at the same time and can have a significant impact on the study of physical properties. A hydrothermal approach can be applied to this problem. The relatively low crystal growth temperatures (600-720˚C) greatly minimize nonstoichiometry, lattice defects and A/B site disorder. The reduction of these pervasive imperfections significantly increases the quality of the observed physical property data. This talk will focus on the lanthanide stannates Ln2Sn2O7 as a prototype test bed of these systems. The stannates are among the few building blocks that can stabilize the pyrochlore structure type for all the lanthanides and they serve as an excellent proving ground for a wide range of physical properties. The synthesis and crystal growth of the lanthanide stannates will be reviewed, along with a discussion of some of the physical properties that result from the frustrated magnetic states of these low defect crystals.

Hydrothermal, crystal growth↗

DOE OSTI2026

Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program: FY 2025 Completed Projects

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) largest multiprogram science, technology, and energy laboratory. It possesses distinctive capabilities in a variety of fields, such as neutron science, computing, advanced materials, and nuclear science and technology. Using these capabilities, ORNL conducts basic and applied research and development (R&D) to support DOE’s overarching mission “to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions.” As a national resource, ORNL also applies its capabilities and skills to the specific needs of other federal agencies and customers through the DOE Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP) Program. Information about the laboratory and its programs is available on the ORNL website. The Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program at ORNL operates under the authority of DOE Order 413.2C, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, which establishes DOE’s requirements for the program while providing the laboratory director broad flexibility for program implementation. The LDRD Program funds are obtained through a charge to all laboratory programs. Although it represents a relatively small portion of the overall research budget, the LDRD Program plays an essential role in maintaining the laboratory’s ability to respond to national needs. The program allows ORNL to improve its distinctive capabilities and enhance its ability to conduct cutting-edge R&D. In accordance with the DOE order, R&D projects funded through the LDRD Program at ORNL support the goals of • maintaining the scientific and technical vitality of the laboratory, • enhancing the laboratory’s ability to address future DOE missions, • fostering creativity and stimulating exploration of forefront areas of science and technology, • serving as a proving ground for new concepts in R&D, and • supporting high-risk, potentially high-value R&D. This report provides an overview of the LDRD Program at ORNL in FY 2025 and contains summaries of all the LDRD research projects that concluded between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Field Validation of a Grid-Interactive Efficient Building Software Solution

The U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA's) Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), completed a field study of a Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEB) software solution. The study focused on a single testbed facility to test the GEB functionality of the software solution, along with other features. The testbed facility - a courthouse - is a common building type in GSA's vast building portfolio, offering potentially impactful findings on a scalable level. The study evaluated Prescriptive Data's technology, Nantum OS, a connected building operating system ("GEB Solution") which aggregates multiple sources of previously siloed building data and combines that data with external sources, such as weather information or utility signals, into a single integrated platform. A GEB Solution is a type of Energy Management Information System (EMIS). EMIS is defined as a system of devices, data services, and software applications that communicates with any building system or third-party data source to aggregate and transform data into new capabilities to aid in the optimization of energy use at the building, campus, or agency level. This specific GEB Solution is an EMIS with ASO, automated system optimization, offering supervisory control of certain aspects of the Building Automation System (BAS). Multiple features were evaluated including, but not limited to, Continuous Demand Management to avoid setting new monthly kilowatt (kW) peaks, energy efficiency for reduction of kilowatt hours (kWh) and natural gas consumption, and automated demand response (ADR) for purposes of lowering demand during a utility called Demand Response (DR) event. The testbed facility was the Foley Federal Building and US Courthouse ("Foley Federal Building") located in Las Vegas, NV. This is a 209,496 sq. ft. building constructed in the 1960s with major renovations in 2004. The facility was a good candidate due to the large prevalence of office and courthouse spaces in the GSA portfolio of buildings. It also has many features which allow integration into and control of the building and a strong facilities team to assist with the study. Quantitative and qualitative performance objectives were developed using GSA's GPG GEB project template along with input from the vendor and building facility staff; these are outlined in Table 1. The quantitative performance objectives focused on continuous demand management, energy efficiency, and automated demand response. The qualitative performance objectives focused on the ease of installation and commissioning as well as the operability of the GEB solution. Other performance metrics that are reported on include carbon reduction, cost effectiveness, and occupant acceptance.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2026

State of Innovation 2025: Progress in Accelerating Next-Generation Cement and Concrete Technologies

The cement and concrete sectors are entering a decisive period as next-generation technologies advance from laboratory research to demonstration, early deployment, and first-of-a-kind commercial plants. Building on the 2024 State of Innovation report, the 2025 outlook highlights both the rapid acceleration of innovation and the urgent need for coordinated action across the value chain. Venture capital activity into the cement and concrete space stabilized following the record surge of 2022-2023, yet landmark financings, such as Sublime Systems' $200 million round and Terra CO2's $124 million Series B, signal continued investor confidence in companies approaching commercialization. Corporate procurement has become a powerful new catalyst, with Microsoft, Amazon, and CRH (Cement Roadstone Holdings) Ventures providing long-term commitments that underpin the first wave of next-generation cementitious products. The sector is shifting from early-stage experimentation toward the scaling of well-capitalized leaders capable of bridging the critical "capitalization gap." Early innovators continue to expand the toolkit through novel binders, electrochemical cements, biogenic limestone, and carbonate mineralization pathways. Going into 2026, cost competitiveness, durability validation, and scalability enabled by resilient supply chains remain the decisive factors for market adoption. At the 2025 Next Generation Cement and Concrete Critical Technologies Meeting, attendees emphasized dual-track funding strategies that integrate federal grants with private capital as key to enabling market breakthrough. State programs and corporate demand are sustaining momentum, while successful companies increasingly demonstrate both economic value and reduced dependence on imported materials. The National Concrete Pavement Technology Center and others underscored that broad integration of next-generation materials will hinge on standards compatibility, verified field performance, and workforce readiness. Colorado continues to serve as a proving ground through pilot programs that combine supplier training, phased implementation, and real-world data to de-risk innovation and provide replicable models for other regions. The 2025 Cement and Concrete Critical Technologies Workshop reinforced that scaling next-generation materials will require alignment among technology innovation, performance validation, and market demand. Stakeholders must move beyond siloed efforts toward collaborative frameworks that coordinate standards, funding, and infrastructure deployment. As a neutral convener and technical validator, the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) plays a pivotal role in bridging innovation and market adoption through collaborative research, technology validation, and entrepreneurship programs. By uniting innovators, incumbents, policymakers, contractors, and investors, NLR and its partners are helping chart a credible pathway toward widespread commercialization in the decade ahead.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2026

Building an AI-native Research Ecosystem for Experimental Particle Physics: A Community Vision

Experimental particle physics seeks to understand the universe by probing its fundamental particles and forces and exploring how they govern the large-scale processes that shape cosmic evolution. This whitepaper presents a vision for how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can accelerate discovery in this field. We outline grand challenges that must be addressed to enable transformative breakthroughs and describe how current and planned experimental facilities can implement this vision to advance our understanding of the vast and complex physical world from the smallest to the largest scales. We show how facilities currently under construction, such as the HL-LHC, DUNE and soon EIC, can both benefit from and serve as proving grounds for this vision, while also enabling a longer-term goal for how future experiments -- like FCC-ee at CERN, IceCube-Gen2, a Muon Collider in the U.S., and smaller to mid-scale projects -- can be fully AI-native. We describe how a truly national-scale collaboration, jointly managed across large funding partners, and involving both DOE laboratories and universities, can make this happen.

Aarrestad, Thea Klaeboe [ETH, Zurich (main)]↗

DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating Nuclear-Integrated Data Centers in the USA: SWOT Analysis, Power-Thermal Management Strategies, and Industrial-Scale Demonstration and Potential Deployment

Driven by the growth in digital services, cloud computing, AI, and manufacturing, data centers face rising energy demands that challenge traditional power sources and cooling efficiency. This study explores using nuclear power to meet these demands, focusing on accelerated reactor technology deployment and highlighting needs such as N+1/N+2 power supplies and integrated power-thermal management. A SWOT analysis addresses grid connectivity, reactors, and site selection, particularly DOE sites. Reactor technology demonstration and deployment could be accelerated by leveraging test facilities such as MARVEL, MAGNET, TED, FAS, DOME, LOTUS, ATR, Energy System Proving Grounds, and upcoming Energy Launch Pads, along with modeling and simulation tools such as RELAP5, MOOSE, VERA, RAVEN, and FORCE. The potential power and thermal management options, including various cooling technologies, waste-heat utilization, and an industrial-scale demonstration plan, aim to accelerate the integration of nuclear power and data centers in the USA, while emphasizing community and stakeholder engagement and synergistic efforts.

21 - SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLAN↗

DOE OSTI2025

Rapid tempering to enhance dynamic performance of high and ultra-high strength steels

This study employed rapid, short-time duration (1 s) tempering to improve the dynamic performance of high-strength steel (HSS) and ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS), compared to quenched and conventionally (1800 s) tempered microstructures. Rapid tempering significantly improved the Charpy toughness of both steels compared to the conventionally tempered condition at an equivalent tempering parameter (TP) or hardness level. For conventionally tempered conditions, tempered martensite embrittlement was observed within the tempering temperature range of 200–400 °C, whereas rapid tempering exhibited increased Charpy toughness with increasing tempering temperature across all tempering conditions. Dynamic compression experiments indicated that rapid tempering led to improved ductility compared to the conventionally tempered condition at an equivalent TP. This work shows that the same rapid tempering strategy used for HSS is directly transferable to a higher-carbon UHSS and provides the first systematic evidence of improved strength-ductility combinations and cracking resistance under dynamic compression, supported by Kolsky bar experiments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

Time-resolved spray characterization via unified optical flow and binarization technique

This work leverages an unsupervised machine learning and advanced image processing techniques to characterize the breakup of fuel sprays in a small-scale combustor under reacting conditions, providing valuable insights into near-nozzle flow phenomenology. The proposed methodology integrates an improved optical flow model on a convolutional neural network to extract flow vectors with a binarization technique to assess droplets’ size and shape across the region of interest. The velocimetry approach demonstrates superior performance compared to a state-of-the-art optical flow model when applied to high-speed X-ray phase contrast spray images, achieving more accurate and reliable flow predictions. Moreover, breakup processes are quantified by breakup length and sphericity in accordance with velocity estimations, allowing a more complete characterization of the flow. This study establishes a robust methodology for analyzing spray morphology and primary breakup in compact combustors, contributing valuable means of understanding and optimizing fuel spray behavior in advanced combustion systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2025

Strain-induced lead-free morphotropic phase boundary

Enhanced susceptibilities in ferroelectrics often arise near phase boundaries between competing ground states. While chemically-induced phase boundaries have enabled ultrahigh electrical and electromechanical responses in lead-based ferroelectrics, precise chemical tuning in lead-free alternatives, such as (K,Na)NbO 3 thin films, remains challenging due to the high volatility of alkali metals. Here, we demonstrate strain-induced morphotropic phase boundary-like polymorphic nanodomain structures in chemically simple, lead-free, epitaxial NaNbO 3 thin films. Combining ab initio simulations, thin-film epitaxy, scanning probe microscopy, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and electron ptychography, we reveal a labyrinthine structure comprising coexisting monoclinic and bridging triclinic phases near a strain-induced phase boundary. The coexistence of energetically competing phases facilitates field-driven polarization rotation and phase transitions, giving rise to a multi-state polarization switching pathway and large enhancements in dielectric susceptibility and tunability across a broad frequency range. Our results open new possibilities for engineering lead-free thin films with enhanced functionalities for next-generation applications.

Electronic properties and materials↗

DOE OSTI2025

Thermal Dynamics and Lithium Plating Detection in High‐Power Li‐Ion Batteries for eVTOL Applications

The rapid electrification of aerial transportation is driving the need for high‐performance Li‐ion batteries that can operate reliably under stringent thermal and safety constraints. The unique mission profile of electric Vertical Take‐off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft necessitates a focused investigation into the thermal behavior and safety characteristics of these batteries. Here, in this study, operando isothermal microcalorimetry is employed to examine the thermal evolution of Li‐ion batteries under cycling conditions representative of eVTOL operations. These findings reveal that high‐power discharge events—such as those during take‐off and landing—shift the thermal response toward exothermic behavior, in contrast to the typically endothermic response expected under near‐equilibrium cycling conditions. Additionally, the results suggest that advanced electrolyte formulations may help suppress excess heat generation, thereby improving battery safety. Notably, the calorimetric results exhibit a distinct thermal signature associated with lithium plating, offering a potential diagnostic for detecting Li plating during eVTOL operation. Overall, this study demonstrates the utility of isothermal microcalorimetry as a valuable tool for assessing thermal risks in Li‐ion batteries for eVTOL applications, and highlights the importance of targeted design strategies to mitigate safety hazards during high‐power demand scenarios.

Li plating↗

DOE OSTI2025

Phase-field modeling and experiments of dynamic fracture in single crystal quartz

Predicting the onset and characteristics of brittle fracture is important for a wide range of engineering and geological material applications. In this paper, we study important aspects of brittle fracture in α-quartz by phase-field modeling and experiments using a top-down approach. In the modeling framework, the work term in the Griffith energy balance is replaced with internal energy contributions that represent surface energy, thermal energy, and elastic strain energy stored in defects. This allows parametrization of individual energy contributions in terms of internal state variables and keeps track of energy partitioning after the onset of fracture. The path and history dependence of fracture is included in evolution laws for internal state variables, e.g., entropy evolution, while the energy remains a true potential. In the experimental part, dynamic compression experiments coupled with X-ray phase contrast imaging are performed on cube-like samples with a hole. In the top-down analysis, dynamic compression and three point bending experiments from the literature are simulated with the developed phase-field damage model. In conclusion, the fitted model highlights the strain rate, size, and stress state dependence of damage nucleation and evolution in single crystal α-quartz.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Effect of Zr and Sc additions on coarsening- and creep resistance of AlSi10Mg fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Microstructure and creep properties are studied in a eutectic AlSi10Mg alloy modified with Zr and Sc additions (Al-9.8Si-0.32Mg-0.70Zr-0.23Sc, wt%) manufactured through laser powder-bed fusion (L-PBF). Three types of Zr/Sc-bearing powders - elemental, master-alloy, and pre-alloyed - are employed in the fabrication process, with the pre-alloyed powders providing the highest incorporation of Zr and Sc in the Al matrix. Here, the as-printed alloy exhibits a fine cellular Al-Si eutectic structure which fragments and coarsens into micron-sized Si particles during aging at 300 ºC, leading to a steady drop in alloy microhardness between 0.1 and 1000 h. Coarsening of the eutectic Si phase during aging is not measurably affected by Zr and Sc in solid solution, which precipitate during aging and increases strength, compensating weakening from Si coarsening between 1 and 200 h at 300 ºC. Atom-probe analysis in the peak-aged condition (96 h/300 °C) confirms the presence of Al 3 (Sc,Zr) secondary nano-precipitates with an average radius of 1.0 nm and some Si solubility. Micron-sized grains are present throughout the alloy, with ultra-fine-grained regions at the melt pool boundaries, neither of which coarsen during long-term aging at 300 ºC. Under creep conditions at 300 °C, the Zr/Sc-bearing alloy with Al 3 (Sc,Zr) nano-precipitates exhibits power-law behavior, with a high apparent stress exponent (n a = 9) and a high threshold stress (σ th = 43 MPa), exhibiting nearly double the strength of a Zr/Sc-free AlSi10Mg control alloy (σ th = 22 MPa).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Results of an interlaboratory study on the working curve in vat photopolymerization II: Towards a standardized method

The working curve measurement in photopolymer additive manufacturing is a ubiquitous measure of the cure depth of a printing resin as a function of radiant exposure of light. The fit parameters from this measurement (the depth of light penetration D p and the critical exposure E c ) are used to evaluate and report a resin’s printability, optimize processing parameters, and inform print and resin quality control. Despite its widespread use, the working curve lacks a standard measurement method. Here, following up on our paper “Results of an Interlaboratory Study on the Working Curve in Vat Photopolymerization” from last year, an interlaboratory study on the working curve was performed using calibrated, reproducible, bandpass filtered light sources. With these light sources, the variability between labs in measured working curves was dramatically reduced from the initial interlaboratory study. Aggregate data from this experiment produced reliable D p and E c measurements at 385 nm of 39.2 ± 3.7 µm and 12.3 ± 3.0 mJ cm −2 , respectively. At 405 nm the values of D p and E c are 69.3 ± 3.8 µm and 17.9 ± 2.3 mJ cm −2 , respectively. The results are agnostic to the thickness measurement tool utilized by participants, ensuring broad applicability across laboratories. We also tested the generalizability of the proposed method of using a filtered light source by filtering a commercial 405 nm light source and obtaining a working curve in agreement with the aggregate data from the interlaboratory study. This interlaboratory study provides a basis for a documentary standard for the working curve, so that the entire photopolymer additive manufacturing industry can share reproducible and interoperable working curve data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗