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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

High-Tech, Low-Temp Insulation

Under an SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) contract with Ames, S.D. Miller & Associates developed new manufacturing methods for multi-layer metal spacecraft insulation that could significantly reduce launch weight and launch costs. The new honeycomb structure is more efficient than fibers for insulation. Honeycombs can be made from metals for high temperature uses, even plastic insulation from recycled milk bottles. Under development are blankets made from recycled milk bottles which will be field tested by the Red Cross and ambulance companies. Currently available are honeycomb mittens based on the same technology.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2023

IER-479: Final Design of Low-Temperature TEX Experiments [Slides]

This presentation discusses the final design of low-temperature Thermal Epithermal eXperiments (TEX) experiments. Designed to validate low temperature cross sections and crit safety analyses. The presentation includes discussion on Low-Temp TEX Chamber a Cryostat Chamber capable of cooling between room temp and -40c. Finally, the presentation touches on reactivity via separation where the need to know how the system will behave approaching critical as lifted into annular reflector is analyzed.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Research and Development on Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices Enabling a Spectrum of Electrified Vehicles

The USABC Advanced Battery development plan had the following three focus areas: 1. Existing technology validation, implementation, and cost reduction 2. Identification of the next viable technology with emphasis on the potential to meet USABC cost and energy density goals. 3. Support high-risk, high-reward battery technology R&D The primary aim of this project was focused on the barriers that most impede wider public adoption of electrification in vehicles-cost, energy density, low-temp performance, calendar life, and improvements in abuse tolerance. The specific objectives are as follows: Cost Reduction: drive to significantly reduce battery cost to be in-line with the $\$$100/kWh or less (by the end of calendar year 2020) DOE cost goals. Additionally, goals of $\$$75/KWh were set for 2023 aligned with fast charge and some offset of energy density. Energy Density Increase: focus on improving the cell-level specific energy and energy densities to >350 watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and >750Wh/L. Low Temperature Performance Increase: strive toward developments that improve the discharge power and eliminate or dramatically reduce the life limiting lithium plating associated with regenerative braking at low temperatures, during the program. Calendar Life Increase: drive to achieve a 15-year calendar life. Abuse Tolerance Improvement: strive to develop improvements in Li-ion abuse tolerance and/or development of electrochemical energy storage technologies with inherently better response to abuse circumstances. Emerging Areas: initiate new programs that address emerging technologies that arise during the contract period.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Low-Temperature Geothermal Geospatial Datasets: An Example from Alaska

This project is a component of a broader effort focused on geothermal heating and cooling (GHC) with the aim of illustrating the numerous benefits of incorporating GHC and geothermal heat exchange (GHX) into community energy planning and national decarbonization strategies. To better assist private sector investment, it is currently necessary to define and assess the potential of low-temperature geothermal resources. For shallow GHC/GHX fields, there is no formal compilation of subsurface characteristics shared among industry practitioners that can improve system design and operations. Alaska is specifically noted in this work, because heretofore, it has not received a similar focus in geothermal potential evaluations as the contiguous United States. The methodology consists of leveraging relevant data to generate a baseline geospatial dataset of low-temperature resources (less than 150 degrees C) to compare and analyze information accessible to anyone trying to understand the potential of GHC/GHX and small-scale low-temperature geothermal power in Alaska (e.g., energy modelers, communities, planners, and policymakers). Importantly, this project identifies data related to (1) the evaluation of GHC/GHX in the shallow subsurface, and (2) the evaluation of low-temperature geothermal resource availability. Additionally, data is being compiled to assess repurposing of oil and gas wells to contribute co-produced fluids toward the geothermal direct use and heating and cooling resource potential. In this work we identified new data from three different datasets of isolated geothermal systems in Alaska and bottom-hole temperature data from oil and gas wells that can be leveraged for evaluation of low-temperature geothermal resource potential. The goal of this project is to facilitate future deployment of GHC/GHX analysis and community-led programs and update the low-temperature geothermal resources assessment of Alaska. A better understanding of shallow potential for GHX will improve design and operations of highly efficient GHC systems. The deployment and impact that can be achieved for low-temperature geothermal resources will contribute to decarbonization goals and facilitate widespread electrification by shaving and shifting grid loads.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2004

Synthesis and Characterization of Ru(II) Tris(1,1O-phenanthroline)-Electron Acceptor Dyads Incorporating the 4-benzoyl-N-methylpyridinium Cation or N-Benzyl-N'-methyl-viologen. Improving the Dynamic Range, Sensitivity and Response Time of Sol-Gel Based Optical Oxygen Sensors

The title compounds (1 and 2, above) were synthesized by Sonogashira coupling reactions of appropriate Ru(1I) complexes with the electron a cceptors. Characterization was conducted in solution and in frozen ma trices. Finally, the title compounds were evaluated as dopants of sol-gel materials. It was found that the intramolecular quenching efficie ncy of 4-benzoyl-Nmethylpyridinium cation in solution depends on the solvent: photoluminescence is quenched completely in CH,CN, but not i n methanol or ethanol. On the other hand, intramolecular emission que nching by 4-benzyl-N-methyl viologen is complete in all solvents. The difference between the two quenchers is traced electrochemically to t he solvation of the 4-benzoyl-Nmethylpyridiniums by alcohol. In froze n matrices or adsorbed on the surfaces of silica aerogel, both Ru(I1) complex/electron acceptor dyads of this study are photoluminescent, and the absence of quenching has been traced to the environmental rigi dity. When doped aerogels are cooled at 77 K, the emission intensity increases by approximately 4x, and the spectra shift to the blue, analogous to what is observed with Ru(I1) complexes in solutions undergoi ng fluid-to-rigid transition. However, in contrast to frozen solution s, the luminescent moieties in the bulk of aerogels kept at low tempe ratures are still accessible to gas-phase quenchers diffusing through the mesopores, leading to more sensitive platforms for sensors than o ther room-temperature configurations. Thus the photoluminescence of o ur Ru(I1) complex dyads adsorbed on aerogel is quenchable by O2 both at room temperature and at 77 K. Furthermore, it was also found that O 2 modulates the photoluminescence of aerogels doped with 4-benzoyl -N -methylpyridinium-based dyads over a wider dynamic range compared wi th aerogels doped with either our vislogen-based dyads or with Ru(I1) tris(1,lO-phenanthroline) itself.

Leventis, Nicholas↗
DOE OSTI2022

Updated U.S. Low-Temperature Heating and Cooling Demand by County and Sector

This dataset includes U.S. low-temperature heating and cooling demand at the county level in major end-use sectors: residential, commercial, manufacturing, agricultural, and data centers. Census division-level end-use energy consumption, expenditure, and commissioned power database were dis-aggregated to the county level. The county-level database was incorporated with climate zone, numbers of housing units and farms, farm size, and coefficient of performance (COP) for heating and cooling demand analysis. This dataset also includes a paper containing a full explanation of the methodologies used and maps. Residential data were updated from the latest Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) dataset (2015) using 2020 census data. Commercial data were baselined off the latest Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) dataset (2012). Manufacturing data were baselined off the latest Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey (MECS) dataset (2021).

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2012

Organic Combustion in the Presence of Ca-Carbonate and Mg-Perchlorate: A Possible Source for the Low Temperature CO2 Release Seen in Mars Phoenix Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer Data

Two of the most important discoveries of the Phoenix Lander were the detection of approx.0.6% perchlorate [1] and 3-5% carbonate [2] in landing site soils. The Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) instrument on the Phoenix lander could heat samples up to approx.1000 C and monitor evolved gases with a mass spectrometer. TEGA detected a low (approx.350 C) and high (approx.750 C) temperature CO2 release. The high temp release was attributed to the thermal decomposition of Ca-carbonate (calcite). The low temperature CO2 release could be due to desorption of CO2, decomposition of a different carbonate mineral, or the combustion of organic material. A new hypothesis has also been proposed that the low temperature CO2 release could be due to the early breakdown of calcite in the presence of the decomposition products of certain perchlorate salts [3]. We have investigated whether or not this new hypothesis is also compatible with organic combustion. Magnesium perchlorate is stable as Mg(ClO4)2-6H2O on the martian surface [4]. During thermal decomposition, this perchlorate salt releases H2O, Cl2, and O2 gases. The Cl2 can react with water to form HCl which then reacts with calcite, releasing CO2 below the standard thermal decomposition temperature of calcite. However, when using concentrations of perchlorate and calcite similar to what was detected by Phoenix, the ratio of high:low temperature CO2 evolved is much larger in the lab, indicating that although this process might contribute to the low temp CO2 release, it cannot account for all of it. While H2O and Cl2 cause calcite decomposition, the O2 evolved during perchlorate decomposition can lead to the combustion of any reduced carbon present in the sample [5]. We investigate the possible contribution of organic molecules to the low temperature CO2 release seen on Mars.

Archer, Douglas↗
NASA NTRS2004

Field and Geochemical Study of Table Legs Butte and Quaking Aspen Butte, Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho: An Analog to the Morphology of Small Shield Volcanoes on Mars

Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data allows insight to Martian features in great detail, revealing numerous small shields in the Tempe region, consisting of low profiles and a prominent summit caps . Terrestrial examples of this shield morphology are found on the Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP), Idaho. This plains-style volcanism [2] allows an analog to Martian volcanism based on topographic manifestations of volcanic processes . Recent studies link the slope and morphology of Martian volcanoes to eruptive process and style . The ESRP, a 400km long, 100km wide depression, is host to hundreds of tholeiitic basalt shields, which have low-profiles built up over short eruptive periods of a few months or years . Many of these smaller scale shields (basal diameters rarely exceed 5km) display morphology similar to the volcanoes in the Tempe region of Mars . Morphological variations within these tholeiitic shields are beautifully illustrated in their profiles.

Brady, S. M.↗
DOE OSTI2026

ASU’s DAC polymer-enhanced cyanobacterial bioproductivity (AUDACity)

ASU’s DAC polymer-enhanced cyanobacterial bioproductivity (AUDACity) project aims to demonstrate a novel, scalable method for removing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) directly from ambient air and delivering it to cyanobacterial cultures to produce commodity biofuel, mid-value protein for supplements, and high value phycocyanin (PC), a natural blue colorant (Figure A). This approach uses low-cost, reusable anion exchange polymers embedded in modular mesh packets, which capture CO 2 during drying cycles when exposed to ambient air, and release concentrated CO 2 into aqueous cultivation systems. The project addresses a critical challenge in energy research needed for developing sustainable, economically viable methods of Direct Air Capture (DAC) that can be integrated with bio-based systems for fuel and chemical production. AUDACity contributes to scientific understanding by integrating materials chemistry, cyanobacterial biology, and system engineering to create a distributed CO 2 delivery platform. Key insights have emerged around the design of biocompatible sorbents, optimization of CO 2 capture-release cycles, and durability of packet-based delivery systems under outdoor conditions. Notably, the team has synthesized and tested a range of polymer sorbents, identified mechanisms of material degradation and fouling, and advanced both lab- and pilot-scale cultivation systems to evaluate performance. From a technical and economic standpoint, AUDACity shows promise for achieving cost-effective CO 2 capture and delivery into aqueous media and biofuel production. Preliminary techno-economic analysis (TEA) indicates that the DAC system based on current performance can reach $\$$680/tonne CO 2 delivered into aqueous solution; with reasonable improvements to sorbent lifetime, sorbent capacity, reducing water uptake the approach could reach $\$$66/tonne by avoiding the need for energy-intensive sorbent regeneration and CO 2 compression, making it more feasible for decentralized deployment. With these costs for CO 2 and by extracting and selling high-value PC ($\$$50/kg) and mid-value protein supplement ($\$$6/kg), the remaining biomass can be hydrothermally treated into biofuel for $\$$2.50/gallon, and would support a small first-of-a-kind biorefinery capable of producing 500 barrels per day of biofuel. The project offers meaningful public benefits by advancing carbon removal technologies that are low-energy, modular, and adaptable to non-arable land and brackish water use. It aligns with national goals to develop advanced biotechnology and supports future pathways for bio-based fuels and products. By enabling direct coupling of CO 2 transfer into aqueous medium and biological carbon utilization, AUDACity lays the groundwork for effective algae cultivation without wasteful CO 2 delivery and is a promising and innovative solution for low-carbon fuel and bioproduct generation contributing to a vigorous bioeconomy.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS1981

The Tempe volcanic province of Mars and comparisons with the Snake River Plains of Idaho

The Tempe volcanic region of Mars, a relatively low plain of probable basaltic flood lava affinity, is shown to be comparable in many respects to features of the Snake River Plains of Idaho, including both scale and type of features observed. Superimposed upon the Tempe plain are a variety of features that appear structurally controlled, along an orientation of N60 deg E; comprising low shields, irregular hills that may be silicic domes, and possible composite cones. The Tempe/Snake River match is held to be the first in which direct comparison can be made between Martian and terrestrial geologic-geomorphic features without encountering problems of scale.

Plescia, J. B.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Moisture-driven CO 2 direct air capture and delivery for cultivating cyanobacteria

This study demonstrates a low-energy system that passively captures CO₂ from ambient air using reusable solid sorbents and delivers it directly into alkaline cultivation media to support the growth of cyanobacteria, from laboratory flasks to outdoor raceway ponds. While long-term operation revealed challenges including biofouling and sorbent degradation, the results suggest that with improved sorbent durability, this approach could provide a scalable source of atmospheric carbon for producing sustainable fuels, proteins, natural colorants, and other bioproducts.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2016

Cryo-Temp Data Logger

Biological experiments on the ISS are frequently frozen at ultra-low temperatures on orbit prior to return to Earth for analysis. Recording temperatures during the freezing process, and subsequent handling to the point of post-flight processing, can provide important information of sample integrity to the scientist. The MadgeTech Cryo-Temp Data Logger has been modified for space flight applications by the Payload Development Team at Kennedy Space Center. This ultra-low temperature data logger is rated for temperatures from -86 C to +35 C with 0.1 C resolution and +/-1 C accuracy, but has been successfully tested at Kennedy Space Centers Cryogenic Lab down to -100 C. The logger provides date and time stamped temperature recordings and can be set with logging intervals from 5 seconds up to 30 minutes using the MadgeTech Data Logger Software. Data can be recorded, depending on logging interval, for greater than 90 days. The Cryo-Temp Data logger will first be flown on Space X-12 in the BRIC-Petri Dish Fixation Unit (PDFU) canister hardware, recording temperature data for a Space Life and Physical Sciences (SLPS) flight experiment. The modified Cryo-Temp Data Logger is small in size (Figure 1) and is the ideal temperature monitoring solution for any application involving independent temperature data logging.

Logger↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design and demonstration of a direct air capture system with moisture-driven CO 2 delivery into aqueous medium

Two direct air capture (DAC) systems were designed and demonstrated to passively capture CO 2 from ambient air and use moisture to release the CO2 into an alkaline medium. A bench-scale system delivering ∼1 g CO 2 d –1 was demonstrated in a laminar flow hood, and a small pilot-scale system that could deliver ∼100 g CO 2 d –1 was operated outdoors in a 4.2 m 2 raceway pond. Novel elongated mesh-tube packets containing anion-exchange resin (AER) beads were found to reduce drying and CO 2 loading time 4.3-fold compared to larger mesh bags. Technoeconomic analysis (TEA) estimates the cost of capturing CO 2 into an alkaline solution, suitable for cultivating photosynthetic microorganisms, to be $\$229$ per tonne for a practical scenario based on current results and $\$72$ per tonne for an aspirational scenario considering improvements to sorbent capacity, hydrophobicity, and sorbent lifetime. TEA further estimates an additional $\$110$ per tonne to extract CO 2 from solution, purify it, and compress it to 15 MPa, suitable for sequestration. Furthermore, moisture-driven processes have the potential to use up to 87% less energy than thermal and/or vacuum swing DAC by using energy from water evaporation.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Re-Assessing Plains-style Volcanism on Mars

The volcanic plains of Mars have long been thought to be analogous to the Snake River Plains (SRP), Idaho, on Earth, primarily in terms of the range of low shields, fissure eruptions, and flows that coalesce to resurface large tracts of plains regions. The Tempe region of Mars was usually the most frequently cited analog prior to the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Mars Odyssey (MO) missions. Since the (MGS) Mission and the availability of Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) topography, it has become clear that the number of shields and vents is far greater than that estimated on the basis of prior image data alone, and that in many cases, the previously identified shields were actually only the steeper summits of far more extensive edifices with shallow lower flanks.

S E H Sakimoto↗
DOE OSTI2025

Algae Asphalt to Enhance Pavement Sustainability and Performance at Subzero Temperatures

This paper evaluates the potential of algae-derived biobinders as sustainable alternatives for pavement construction. It specifically examines the physicochemical and rheological properties of biomodified binders and their potential to offset carbon emissions when used as partial replacements for conventional petroleum-based asphalt binders. Biosequestration of CO 2 using microalgal cell factories is a promising way of recycling CO 2 into biomass via photosynthesis. Our study demonstrates that incorporating algae-derived binders into asphalt can significantly reduce carbon emissions. Each 1% increase in algae-based biobinder leads to an approximate 4.5% decrease in net carbon emissions. This indicates that a blend containing about 22% biobinder has the potential to achieve carbon neutrality. Blends with higher proportions may even result in net-negative emissions, highlighting a promising strategy for environmentally responsible road construction. In terms of performance, the study shows that certain algae-derived biobinders significantly enhance the cracking resistance of asphalt, particularly under subzero temperatures, by improving its stress-relief capacity. A key contribution of this work is the introduction of polarizability as a novel molecular-level parameter for assessing the compatibility of algae-derived bio-oils with asphalt. By capturing the electronic responsiveness of bio-oil molecules, polarizability serves as a predictive indicator of their interaction potential with asphalt components, providing a new dimension for evaluating the binder performance at the molecular scale. Among the tested materials, the biobinder derived from Haematococcus pluvialis demonstrated particularly strong improvements in resistance to permanent deformation under repeated loading conditions analogous to traffic-induced stress, as well as enhanced resistance to moisture-induced damage. In conclusion, these findings advance the chemistry-driven design of biomass-based binders and highlight a promising pathway toward the development of low-carbon, high-performance, and sustainable infrastructure materials.

Algae↗
NASA NTRS2004

Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Mars Volcanology and Tectonics

Reports from the session, "Mars Volcanology and Tectonics" include:Martian Shield Volcanoes; Estimating the Rheology of Basaltic Lava Flows; A Model for Variable Levee Formation Rates in an Active Lava Flow; Deflections in Lava Flow Directions Relative to Topography in the Tharsis Region: Indicators of Post-Flow Tectonic Motion; Fractal Variation with Changing Line Length: A Potential Problem for Planetary Lava Flow Identification; Burfellshraun:A Terrestrial Analogue to Recent Volcanism on Mars; Lava Domes of the Arcadia Region of Mars; Comparison of Plains Volcanism in the Tempe Terra Region of Mars to the Eastern Snake River Plains, Idaho with Implications for Geochemical Constraints; Vent Geology of Low-Shield Volcanoes from the Central Snake River Plain, Idaho: Lessons for Mars and the Moon; Field and Geochemical Study of Table Legs Butte and Quaking Aspen Butte, Eastern Snake River Plain, Idaho: An Analog to the Morphology of Small Shield Volcanoes on Mars; Variability in Morphology and Thermophysical Properties of Pitted Cones in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae; A Volcano Composed of Light-colored Layered Deposits on the Floor of Valles Marineris; Analysis of Alba Patera Flows: A Comparison of Similarities and Differences Geomorphologic Studies of a Very Long Lava Flow in Tharsis, Mars; Radar Backscatter Characteristics of Basaltic Flow Fields: Results for Mauna Ulu, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii;and Preliminary Lava Tube-fed Flow Abundance Mapping on Olympus Mons.

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