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Results for “transition metal oxides”

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
DOE OSTI2024

The Role and Substitution of Cobalt in the Cobalt‐Lean/Free Nickel‐Based Layered Transition Metal Oxides for Lithium Ion Batteries

Here, the Nickel-based layered transition metal oxide cathode represented by NCM (LiNi x Co y Mn z O 2 , x+y+z=1) and NCA (LiNi x Co y Al z O 2 , x+y+z=1) is widely used in the electric vehicle market due to its specific capacity and high working potential, in which Cobalt (Co) plays a huge role in improving the structural stability during the cycle. However, the limited supply of Co, due to its scarcity and the influence of geopolitics, poses a significant constraint on the further advancement of the Nickel-based layered transition metal oxide cathode in the field of energy storage. In this paper, the mechanism of Co in the Nickel-based layered transition metal oxides is reviewed, including its critical role for structural stability such as the inhibition of cationic mixing and the release of lattice oxygen et al. Subsequently, it outlines various strategies to enhance the performance of Co-lean/free materials, such as ion doping, including single-ion doping and multi-ion co-doping, and various surface coating strategies, so as to eliminate the adverse effects of Co loss on materials. Ultimately, this paper offers a glimpse into the promising future of Cobalt-free strategies for high performance of Nickel-based layered transition metal oxides.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Elucidating the role of surface species in CO oxidation catalyzed by boron nitride nanotube supported transition metal oxides

Boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) is considered a highly promising catalyst support due to its outstanding thermal stability and chemical inertness. These characteristics make BNNT an attractive alternative for high-temperature applications. However, most studies to date have focused on incorporating platinum group metals (PGMs) to achieve high activity. Although BNNT-supported PGM catalysts are highly effective, their scarcity and high cost hinder widespread use in industrial processes. In this study, BNNT-supported transition metal oxides (TMO x /BNNT; TM = Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) catalysts were investigated, and CO oxidation was applied as a model reaction to evaluate their catalytic performance. Several characterization techniques, including SEM-EDX, TEM, SXRD, H 2 -TPR, and XPS, were employed to examine their physicochemical properties. Notably, the particle size of the metal oxides differed significantly depending on the metal type. This variation is primarily attributed to the inherent metal–support interactions and the thermodynamic stability of each oxide during synthesis. These properties also affected catalytic activity, and various parameters, such as oxygen mobility and redox behavior, played important roles in determining performance. Finally, in situ DRIFTS, CO-TPSR, reaction-order analysis, and 18 O 2 isotope-labeling experiment were used to investigate the reaction mechanism. In conclusion, the findings provide insights into the design of cost-effective BNNT-supported catalysts and highlight their potential applicability in oxidation reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1985

Transition metal oxides - CrO, MoO, NiO, PdO, AgO

The transition-metal oxides are quite ionic; Mulliken population analyses for several oxides give a negative charge of about 0.7 electrons for oxygen. When the transition-metal d shell is only partially filled, the orbitals are involved in covalent bonds with O; both two-electron bonding (2)-antibonding (0) and one-electron bonding (2)-antibonding (1) bonds are formed. These covalent bonds occur in addition to the ionic bonding. There is d-sigma-O2 p sigma repulsion, and this repulsion is reduced when the d-sigma electron is promoted into an orbital which has dominantly 4sp-sigma character and is polarized away from O.

Bauschlicher, C. W., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hydrous Transition Metal Oxides for Electrochemical Energy and Environmental Applications

Hydrous transition metal oxides (TMOs) are redox-active materials that confine structural water within their bulk, organized in 1D, 2D, or 3D networks. In an electrochemical cell, hydrous TMOs can interact with electrolyte species not only via their outer surface but also via their hydrous inner surface, which can transport electrolyte species to the interior of the material. Many TMOs operating in an aqueous electrochemical environment transform to hydrous TMOs, which then serve as the electrochemically active phase. This review summarizes the physicochemical properties of hydrous TMOs and recent mechanistic insights into their behavior in electrochemical reactions of interest for energy storage, conversion, and environmental applications. Particular focus is placed on first-principles calculations and operando characterization to obtain an atomistic view of their electrochemical mechanisms. Hydrous TMOs represent an important class of energy and environmental materials in aqueous and nonaqueous environments. Further understanding of their interaction with electrolyte species is likely to yield advancements in electrochemical reactivity and kinetics for energy and environmental applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Targeted synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical analysis of transition-metal-oxide catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction

Hydrogen fuel can be produced through the electrochemical splitting of water, an energy-intensive process that requires the use of electrocatalysts to be more efficient. Whereas current precious-metal-based electrocatalysts might be costly on a larger scale, transition-metal-oxide catalysts are more earth abundant and have shown promising activity. Here, the development and improvement of highly active transition-metal-oxide electrocatalysts is thus an important area of study where different catalyst enhancement strategies are used to drive the field forward. Additionally, transition-metal-oxide catalysts come in various different structures with their own advantages; thus, this review is focused on investigating the continuing field of transition-metal-oxide electrocatalysts of different structures and innovative methods of improving activity. By the end, new and promising paths forward in this field will be highlighted, particularly in the development of rock-salt oxides for the water-splitting system.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Novel phenomena in transition-metal oxide thin films and heterostructures with strong correlations and spin-orbit coupling

Transition-metal oxides have been a central subject of condensed matter physics for decades. In addition to novel electronic states driven by the influence of strong correlation, relativistic spin-orbit coupling effects have recently attracted much attention for their potential to explore topological phenomena. Here, in this article, we review various experimental and theoretical studies on transition-metal oxides with focus on thin films and heterostructures where their physics is much influenced by correlation effects and spin-orbit coupling. The combination of the heterostructure geometry together with correlation and topology leads to a variety of novel states here reviewed. We also discuss perspectives for future research in this broad promising area.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ligand Hole Driven Metal–Insulator Transition Exemplified in a Layered Transition Metal Oxide

The interplay of cooperative Jahn–Teller (JT) distortions and charge-disproportionation (CD) with a strong electronic correlation in transition metal oxides leads to structural symmetry breaking. Both JT and CD often manifest in the form of significant modifications in electronic and structural properties such as band splitting, metal–insulator transitions (MIT), and enhanced electron lattice interactions. Notably, the charge-disproportionation is a key electronic feature that drives the MIT. Here, we demonstrate and quantify it using first-principles calculations combining density-functional theory, dynamical mean-field theory, and spin–lattice Monte Carlo simulations. Taking Ca 2 FeMnO 6 as a prototypical example of a correlated oxide, our ab initio study shows that MIT in Ca 2 FeMnO 6 arises from the partial localization of oxygen ligand holes at alternate Fe sites that control both charge and magnetic ordering. Interestingly, the band gap was found to be fundamentally controlled by the strength of the charge-transfer energy and not by the Mott–Hubbard interactions. The novel physics and insights presented in this work reveal promising routes for tuning the electronic functionality in transition-metal oxides.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1986

Hydrazine reduction of transition metal oxides - In situ characterization using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The transition metal oxides (TMOs) V2O5, FeO3, Co3O4, NiO, CuO, and ZnO were exposed to hydrazine at various pressures. The metallic surfaces were surveyed by in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to determine the irrelative rate of reduction by hydrazine. The most easily reducible oxide, CuO, could be reduced to the metallic state at room temperature and 10 to the -6th torr. The reaction is first order with respect to CuO, with an activation energy of about 35 kJ/mol. Two types of adsorption were seen to occur at 295 K: (1) a reversible component in which the measured N:Cu ratio increased to 0.60 at hydrazine pressures up to 0.5 torr, and (2) an irreversible component, with a N:Cu ratio of 0.28, which could not be removed by extended vacuum pumping. The results of this study are useful for the identification of TMO's that can be used as solid neatallizers of hydrazine spills, and for the preparation of metal surfaces for electroplating and evaporative thin-film coating.

Littrell, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Low conductivity and sintering-resistant thermal barrier coatings

A thermal barrier coating composition comprising a base oxide, a primary stabilizer oxide, and at least one dopant oxide is disclosed. Preferably, a pair of group A and group B defect cluster-promoting oxides is used in conjunction with the base and primary stabilizer oxides. The new thermal barrier coating is found to have significantly lower thermal conductivity and better sintering resistance. The base oxide is selected from the group consisting of zirconia and hafnia and combinations thereof. The primary stabilizing oxide is selected from the group consisting of yttria, dysprosia, erbia and combinations thereof. The dopant or group A and group B cluster-promoting oxide dopants are selected from the group consisting of rare earth metal oxides, transitional metal oxides, alkaline earth metal oxides and combinations thereof. The dopant or dopants preferably have ionic radii different from those of the primary stabilizer and/or the base oxides.

Zhu, Dongming↗
DOE OSTI2024

Thin-film catalyst with enhanced catalyst-support interactions

An efficient, stable catalyst material having a thin film catalyst supported on a support of metal carbide, nitride, oxide, carbonitride, oxycarbonitride core. The thin film catalyst comprises a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of platinum-group metals, platinum-group metal oxides, transition metals, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof. The thin film catalyst is covalently bonded to the support.

Shirvanian, Alizera Pezhman↗
DOE OSTI2025

Review of Layered Transition Metal Oxide Materials for Cathodes in Sodium-Ion Batteries

The growing interest in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is driven by scarcity and the rising costs of lithium, coupled with the urgent need for scalable and sustainable energy storage solutions. Among various cathode materials, layered transition metal oxides have emerged as promising candidates due to their structural similarity to lithium-ion battery (LIB) counterparts and their potential to deliver high energy density at reduced costs. However, significant challenges remain, including limited capacity at high charge/discharge rates and structural instability during extended cycling. Addressing these issues is critical for advancing SIB technology toward industrial applications, particularly for large-scale energy storage systems. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of layered sodium transition metal oxides, focusing on their structural properties, electrochemical performance, and degradation mechanisms. Special attention is given to the intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributing to their instability, such as structural phase transitions, and cationic/anionic redox behavior. Additionally, recent advancements in material design strategies, including doping, surface modifications, and composite formation, are discussed to highlight the progress toward enhancing the stability and performance of these materials. This work aims to bridge the knowledge gaps and inspire further innovations in the development of high-performance cathodes for sodium-ion batteries.

Ahangari, Mehdi (ORCID:0000000345803969)↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-throughput determination of Hubbard $U$ and Hund $J$ values for transition metal oxides via the linear response formalism

DFT+U provides a convenient, cost-effective correction for the self-interaction error (SIE) that arises when describing correlated electronic states using conventional approximate density functional theory (DFT). The success of a DFT+U(+J) calculation hinges on the accurate determination of its Hubbard U and Hund J parameters, and the linear response (LR) methodology has proven to be computationally effective and accurate for calculating these parameters. This study provides a high-throughput computational analysis of the U and J values for transition metal d-electron states in a representative set of over 1000 magnetic transition metal oxides (TMOs), providing a frame of reference for researchers who use DFT+U to study transition metal oxides. In order to perform this high-throughput study, an ATOMATE workflow is developed for calculating U and J values automatically on massively parallel supercomputing architectures. Here, to demonstrate an application of this workflow, the spin-canting magnetic structure and unit cell parameters of the multiferroic olivine LiNiPO4 are calculated using the computed Hubbard U and Hund J values for Ni-d and O-p states, and are compared with experiment. Both the Ni-d U and J corrections have a strong effect on the Ni-moment canting angle. Additionally, including a O-pU value results in a significantly improved agreement between the computed lattice parameters and experiment

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spin-selective evolution of the Zhang-Rice state in binary transition metal oxide MnO(001) film

Here, the Zhang-Rice (ZR) state is a strongly hybridized bound state formed by transition-metal and oxygen atoms. The spin fluctuations within the ZR state are known to play an important role in high-T c superconductivity in cuprates. Here, we employ a combination of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), and ab initio embedded dynamical mean-field theory (eDMFT) to investigate the influence of magnetic ordering on the spectral characteristics of the valence band and Mn 2⁢p core-level in MnO (001) ultrathin films. Our results demonstrate that a complex spin-selective evolution of Mn 3⁢d-O2⁢p hybridization develops due to the long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) ordering. This hybridization significantly alters the spectral shape and weight of the ZR state. Specifically, in the AFM phase, we observed the sharpening of the ZR state and band folding with the periodicity of the AFM unit cell of MnO(001). We also demonstrated a strong connection between the spectral evolution of the ZR state and the non-local screening channels of the photoexcited core holes. Further, our detailed temperature-dependent study reveals the presence of short-range antiferromagnetic correlations that exist at much higher temperatures than Neel temperature (T N ) and shows the evolution of the ZR state across the magnetic transitions and its implication to the core-hole screening in 3⁢d binary transition metal oxides.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1992

Onset conditions for gas phase reaction and nucleation in the CVD of transition metal oxides

A combined experimental/theoretical study is presented of the onset conditions for gas phase reaction and particle nucleation in hot substrate/cold gas CVD of transition metal oxides. Homogeneous reaction onset conditions are predicted using a simple high activation energy reacting gas film theory. Experimental tests of the basic theory are underway using an axisymmetric impinging jet CVD reactor. No vapor phase ignition has yet been observed in the TiCl4/O2 system under accessible operating conditions (below substrate temperature Tw = 1700 K). The goal of this research is to provide CVD reactor design and operation guidelines for achieving acceptable deposit microstructures at the maximum deposition rate while simultaneously avoiding homogeneous reaction/nucleation and diffusional limitations.

Collins, J.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Prediction of O and OH Adsorption on Transition Metal Oxide Surfaces from Bulk Descriptors

In the search for stable and active catalysts, density functional theory and machine learning (ML) based models can accelerate the screening of materials. While stability is conveniently addressed on the bulk level of computation, the modelling of catalytic activity requires expensive surface simulations. Here, in this work, we develop models for the surface adsorption energy of O and OH intermediates across a consistent and extensive dataset of pure transition metal oxide surfaces. We show that adsorption energies across metal oxidation states of +2 to +6 are well captured from the metal-oxygen bond strength extracted from the bulk level calculation. Specifically, we calculate the integrated crystal orbital Hamiltonian population (ICOHP) of the metal-oxygen bond in the bulk oxide and employ a simple normalization scheme to obtain a strong correlation with adsorption energetics. By combining our ICOHP descriptor with non DFT features in a Gaussian Process regression (GPR) model, we achieve high model accuracy with mean absolute errors of 0.166 and 0.219 eV for OH and O adsorption, respectively. By targeting the O-OH adsorption energy difference with our GPR model, we predict the the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity from bulk descriptors only. Furthermore, we utilize the strong correlation between the COHP and metal oxygen bond lengths to rapidly predict adsorption energetics and catalytic activity from the optimized bulk geometry. Our approach can enable an efficient search for active catalysts by eliminating the need for surface calculations in the initial screening phase.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1969

Electrolytic separation of crystals of transition-metal oxides

Versatile flux system grows large, well-formed, stoichiometric single crystals of mixed oxides of the transition-metal elements. These crystals have important uses in the microwave field, and applications as lasers and masers in communications.

Arnott, R. J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Tailoring P2/P3‐Intergrowth in Manganese‐Based Layered Transition Metal Oxide Positive Electrodes via Sodium Content for Na‐Ion Batteries

High-manganese content sodium-ion positive electrodes have received heightened interest as an alternative to contemporary Li-ion chemistries due to their high abundance, low toxicity, and even geographical distribution. However, these materials typically suffer from poor capacity, unstable cycling performance, and sluggish Na + kinetics. Herein, we explore a manganese-based layered transition metal oxide (Na x N 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 2 ) and show by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) that careful variation of the sodium content can instigate the formation of a biphasic intergrowth. This intergrown P2/P3 material offered a higher capacity than its monophasic P2 counterpart due to the P3 structure having greater low-voltage Mn 3+/4+ redox. Further, the intergrowth material offers greatly enhanced kinetics and cycling stability when compared to single-phase P3 material, due to the stabilizing nature of the P2 structure, elucidated by galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction. These results highlight the beneficial effect that the intergrowth structure has on the electrochemical performance of high-manganese content positive electrode for future sodium-ion batteries.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗