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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

A method for evaluating bias in global measurements of CO 2 total columns from space

We describe a method of evaluating systematic errors in measurements of total column dry-air mole fractions of CO{sub 2} (X{sub CO{sub 2}} ) from space, and we illustrate the method by applying it to the Atmospheric CO{sub 2} Observations from Space retrievals of the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (ACOS-GOSAT) v2.8. The approach exploits the lack of large gradients in X{sub CO{sub 2}} south of 25{degree} S to identify large-scale offsets and other biases in the ACOS-GOSAT data with several retrieval parameters and errors in instrument calibration. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method by comparing the ACOS-GOSAT data in the Northern Hemisphere with ground truth provided by the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). We use the correlation between free-tropospheric temperature and X{sub CO{sub 2}} in the Northern Hemisphere to define a dynamically informed coincidence criterion between the ground-based TCCON measurements and the ACOS-GOSAT measurements. We illustrate that this approach provides larger sample sizes, hence giving a more robust comparison than one that simply uses time, latitude and longitude criteria. Our results show that the agreement with the TCCON data improves after accounting for the systematic errors. A preliminary evaluation of the improved v2.9 ACOS-GOSAT data is also discussed.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Techno-economic analysis of jet-fuel production from biorefinery waste lignin

Utilizing lignin feedstock along with cellulosic ethanol for the production of high-energy-density jet fuel offers a significant opportunity to enhance the overall operation efficiency, carbon conversion efficiency, economic viability, and sustainability of biofuel and chemical production. A patented catalytic process to produce lignin-substructure-based hydrocarbons in the jet-fuel range from lignin was developed. Comprehensive techno-economic analysis of this process was conducted through process simulation in this study. The discounted cash flow rate of return (DCFROR) method was used to evaluate a 2000 dry metric ton/day lignocellulosic ethanol biorefinery with the co-production of lignin jet fuel. The minimum selling price of lignin jet fuel at a 10% discount rate was estimated to be in the range of $6.35-$1.76/gal depending on the lignin and conversion rate and capacity. With a production capacity of 1.5-16.6 million gallon jet fuel per year, capital costs ranged from $38.0 to $39.4 million. On the whole, the co-production of jet fuel from lignin improved the overall economic viability of an integrated biorefinery process for corn ethanol production by raising co-product revenue from jet fuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structural and morphological characterization of Mg{sub 0.8}Al{sub 0.2}(OH){sub 2}Cl{sub 0.2} hydrotalcite produced by mechanochemistry method

Chlorine intercalated Mg–Al layered double hydroxides (Mg–Al–Cl–LDH) with a chemical formula Mg{sub 0.8}Al{sub 0.2}(OH){sub 2}Cl{sub 0.2} were successfully produced by the one-step mechanochemistry method and subsequent water washing followed by drying in oven for 1 h at 80 °C. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), elemental mapping analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and the differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA). Results revealed that the structural characteristics of Mg–Al–Cl–LDH were affected strongly by milling time. At the beginning of milling (up to 1 h), Hydrotalcite (HT) and Brucite were the dominant phases, while the progressive mechanical activation was completed as milling time increased, which resulted in the formation of nanostructured Mg–Al–Cl–LDH. Based on XRD and FTIR data, Mg{sub 0.8}Al{sub 0.2}(OH){sub 2}Cl{sub 0.2} with high purity was obtained at 5 h milling. The interlayer spacing of LDH is also strongly influenced by milling time so that it escalated from 7.737±0.001 to 8.005±0.002 (1–15 h) and then decreased to 7.937±0.001 for 20 h milled sample. Electron microscopic observation displayed that the final product had hexagonal platelet structure with lateral dimension of 20–100 nm. Therefore, the synthesis of Mg{sub 0.8}Al{sub 0.2}(OH){sub 2}Cl{sub 0.2} via mechanochemistry owing to simplicity and versatility can be a promising candidate for use in catalyst carriers, drug delivery, and gene delivery. - Graphical Abstract: TEM image of milled sample (Mg–Al–Cl–LDH). - Highlights: • Chlorine intercalated LDH was synthesized by a facile solid-state process. • Structural features of products were influenced strongly by the milling time. • XRD and FTIR spectra suggested predominant Mg–Al–Cl–LDH after 5 h milling. • Products showed hexagonal platelet structure with lateral dimension of 20–100 nm.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Force reduction of friction stir welding and processing of steel

Friction stir welding and processing (FSW&P) is considered as a new fabrication method for canisters and repair of existing dry cask storage system canisters (generally made of austenitic stainless steel). Low heat input compared to fusion joining processes and grain refinement associated with low-temperature FSW&P result in a material with improved mechanical properties and equivalent generalized corrosion performance relative to the base metal. But FSW&P of austenitic stainless steel requires significant tool forge axis force to produce a weld (or a run). Exploratory runs utilizing forge axis force control were conducted to investigate the minimum force required to achieve defect-free runs. The correlation between forge axis force and resultant plunge depth was also investigated. Furthermore, detailed microstructural characterization was conducted to display the microstructural variation within the nugget zone.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Analysis of the Amorphous and Interphase Influence of Comononomer Loading on Polymer Properties toward Forwarding Bioadvantaged Copolyamides

In this paper we present an approach for selectively modifying the properties of semicrystalline polymers by introducing “bioadvantaged” counits. With this approach, the unique functionality of biomass can be leveraged to tailor the properties of the amorphous phase of semicrystalline polymers with minimal impact on crystallinity and thermomechanical properties. As a model case, PA 6,6 copolyamides were produced using the bioadvantaged monomer trans-3-hexenedioic acid (t3HDA). The analogous structure of t3HDA to adipic acid, a PA 6,6 monomer, allows for seamless integration. Screening over the entire composition range identified the t3HDA loading (20 mol%) beyond which properties deviate appreciably from Nylon 6,6. Once identified, copolyamides of suitable compositions were upgraded to commercial quality and fully characterized to assess the influence of counit loading and polymer structure on thermal and mechanical properties. Samples were characterized using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), heteronuclear single quantum coherence spectroscopy (HSQC), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile testing, flexural testing, and water absorption testing. t3HDA units were shown to hydrate during the harsh polycondensation to 3-hydroxyhexanedioic acid (3HHDA) and fully incorporate into the polymer backbone. Loading levels up to 20% were shown to have comparable thermal and mechanical properties in the dry state, yet moisture absorption—a known method for improving the toughness, yield strain, and elongation of polyamides—was enhanced by over 100% at 20% loading. This case study on bioadvantaged copolymers elucidates the governing structure-function principles that can be leveraged to forward value-added renewable polymers.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improving the structural quality and electrical resistance of SrTiO{sub 3} thin films on Si (001) via a two-step anneal

We report on the optimization of structural and electrical properties of SrTiO{sub 3} thin films grown on Si (001) by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy. Using a dual buffer layer template, 46-nm-thick films grown at high temperatures (850 °C) resulted in a layer-by-layer growth mode and a good crystalline quality with rocking curve full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 002 SrTiO{sub 3} peak of nearly 0.6°, which was reduced to 0.4° by increasing the film thickness to 120 nm. A high temperature post-deposition anneal was employed to further reduce the rocking curve FWHM down to 0.2° while preserving a smooth film surface morphology. The low sheet resistance of as-grown and post-growth annealed samples was increased by five orders of magnitude exceeding 10{sup 7} Ω/◻ using a lower temperature anneal in dry air. This two-step annealing method provides an easy and effective way to improve the crystalline quality of SrTiO{sub 3} thin films on Si, providing a path towards the development of electrically insulating, wafer scale virtual perovskite substrates.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Study of calcium-containing orthophosphates of NaZr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} structural type by high-temperature X-ray diffraction

Orthophosphates Ca{sub 0.5}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, Ca{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, Ca{sub 0.75}Zr{sub 2}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 0.5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2.5}, and CaMg{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 1.5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (structural type NaZr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}), having different occupancies of interframework positions by calcium, have been prepared by the sol-gel method with the subsequent thermal treatment of dried gels and investigated by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The analytical indexing of X-ray diffraction patterns is performed within the sp. gr. R3{sup -}. High-temperature X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the behavior of the orthophosphates upon heating: thermal expansion in the temperature range of 20-610 Degree-Sign C (up to 500 Degree-Sign C for Ca{sub 0.5}Zr{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}). The coefficients of thermal expansion are calculated from the shift of diffraction peaks. The unit-cell parameters of crystals at different temperatures are determined. The dependences of thermal expansion and its anisotropy on the occupancy of cation M positions by calcium are revealed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Direct electron beam patterning of electro-optically active PEDOT:PSS

The optical and electronic tunability of the conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has enabled emerging applications as diverse as bioelectronics, flexible electronics, and micro- and nano-photonics. High-resolution spatial patterning of PEDOT:PSS opens up opportunities for novel active devices in a range of fields. However, typical lithographic processes require tedious indirect patterning and dry etch processes, while solution-processing methods such as ink-jet printing have limited spatial resolution. Here, we report a method for direct write nano-patterning of commercially available PEDOT:PSS through electron-beam induced solubility modulation. The written structures are water stable and maintain the conductivity as well as electrochemical and optical properties of PEDOT:PSS, highlighting the broad utility of our method. We demonstrate the potential of our strategy by preparing prototypical nano-wire structures with feature sizes down to 250 nm, an order of magnitude finer than previously reported direct write methods, opening the possibility of writing chip-scale microelectronic and optical devices. We finally use the high-resolution writing capabilities to fabricate electrically-switchable optical diffraction gratings. We show active switching in this archetypal system with >95 % contrast at CMOS-compatible voltages of +2 V and -3 V, offering a route towards highly-miniaturized dynamic optoelectronic devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Vapor-Processing of Metal-Halide Perovskites for Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics

Metal-halide perovskites are an exciting materials platform for next generation optoelectronic devices and solar cells. In this presentation, we review our work in processing metal-halide perovskites via a dry, carrier-gas assisted vapor deposition method, and its ability to be useful for the formation of all-perovskite heterojunctions. We also outline recent work demonstrating the viability of this method for the deposition of lead-based perovskites via co-deposition.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Vapor-Processing of Metal Halide Perovskite Thin Films and Solar Cells

Metal-halide perovskites are an emerging material for next generation high efficiency solar cells. In this presentation, we review our work in processing metal-halide perovskites via a dry, carrier-gas assisted vapor deposition method, and its ability to be useful for the formation of all-perovskite heterojunctions. We also outline recent work demonstrating the viability of this method for the deposition of lead-based perovskites via co-deposition.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Evaluation of Electrical Resistivity Tomography to Monitor the Transport of Past Releases Beneath Tank Farms

Underground storage tanks at the Hanford Site, in southeastern Washington State, hold radioactive waste generated from four decades of plutonium production. The 149 single-shell tanks and the 28 double-shell tanks have all exceeded their initial design life of approximately 25 years. At least 67 tanks are assumed to have leaked in the past, resulting in radioactive releases into the vadose zone. Gamma ray logging within dry monitoring wells is currently the primary method for tracking the migration of leaked tank waste through the vadose zone. While this approach provides an accurate assessment of radioactive contamination, that information is only provided near (within ~1m) the borehole, leaving most of the vadose zone unmonitored, particularly the important region directly beneath the tank. This report describes a numerical study that investigates the feasibility and performance of time-lapse 3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for long-term monitoring of a hypothetical tank waste location and migration through the vadose zone. ERT is a method of remotely imaging the bulk electrical conductivity (EC) of the subsurface, which is significantly impacted by the presence of conductive solid and liquid tank waste. The release of liquid tank wastes increases subsurface fluid conductivity and saturation over time, creating a target to use time-lapse ERT for long-term monitoring. Although the presence of metallic infrastructure can cause ERT interference, recent advancements in ERT data processing enable the deleterious effects of buried metallic infrastructure (e.g. pipes, wellbore casings, tanks) to be removed to better determine the liquid tank waste migration over time. Three hypothetical realistic scenarios were simulated in the ERT evaluation. The first two scenarios assume the same leak amount and rate (i.e., between 1/1/1951 and 12/31/1951 at the rate of 347 m 3 per year) but different leaky tanks. Scenario 1 assumes leaks under tank B-102, which is located on the edge of the B-tank farm and surrounded by a few metallic infrastructure including cased pipes/wells/tanks. Scenario 2 assumes leaks under tank B-108, which is located near the center of the B-tank farm and surrounded by larger amount of metallic infrastructure than B-102. Scenario 3 assumes the same metallic infrastructure as B-102, with a more recent contaminant leak that was simulated to have occurred between 1/1/2018 and 12/31/2023 at a rate of 1.89 m 3 per year. The leak time in Scenarios 1 and 2 corresponds to a historical overfill event in 1951 and Scenario 3 corresponds to a recent found tank leak in 2019. In each scenario, a “true” bulk EC model vs. time reflecting contaminant migration was generated. ERT data was simulated from these “true” bulk EC models and a time-lapse ERT inversion produced “imaged” bulk EC vs. time. Three electrode configurations in two, four and eight boreholes surrounding the leak tank were used in the ERT simulations in each scenario. These borehole configurations were considered logistically feasible and cost-effective for monitoring. The hypothetical ERT boreholes are assumed to have non-metallic casing. By comparing the “imaged” bulk EC with the “true” bulk EC, it was demonstrated that the three configurations of wells used (two, four, and eight wells) were able to successfully monitor the migration of tank leaks through the vadose zone, with bulk EC resolution increasing with the number of down borehole ERT arrays for all scenarios. Therefore, the use of eight boreholes to perform ERT monitoring beneath the tanks provided the best spatiotemporal information.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Assessing Potential Air Pollutant Emissions from Agricultural Feedstock Production using MOVES

Biomass feedstock production is expected to grow as demand for biofuels and bioenergy increases. The change in air pollutant emissions that may result from large-scale biomass supply has implications for local air quality and human health. We developed spatially explicit emissions inventories for corn grain and six cellulosic feedstocks through the extension of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Feedstock Production Emissions to Air Model (FPEAM). These inventories include emissions of seven pollutants (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide) generated from biomass establishment, maintenance, harvest, transportation, and biofuel preprocessing activities. By integrating the EPA's MOtor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) into FPEAM, we created a scalable framework to execute county-level runs of the MOVES-Onroad model for representative counties (i.e., those counties with the largest amount of cellulosic feedstock production in each state) on a national scale. We used these results to estimate emissions from the on-road transportation of biomass and combined them with county-level runs of the MOVES-Nonroad model to estimate emissions from agricultural equipment. We also incorporated documented emission factors to estimate emissions from chemical application and the operation of drying equipment for feedstock processing, and used methods developed by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board to estimate fugitive dust emissions. The model developed here could be applied to custom equipment budgets and is extensible to accommodate additional feedstocks and pollutants. Future work will also extend this model to analyze spatial boundaries beyond the county-scale (e.g., regional or sub-county levels).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2019

Verification of dry storage cask loading using monoenergetic photon sources

Safeguarding the contents of spent nuclear fuel dry storage casks requires the verification of cask contents, especially if continuity of knowledge has been lost. The high attenuation of the cask’s thick shielding and stored fuel assemblies makes verification difficult using conventional photon radiography. Thomson-scattering quasi-monoenergetic photon sources offer narrow angular and energy spread for increased penetration. This paper demonstrates the advantages of such a source by examining effects of source properties on transmission through thick, highly attenuating objects. This information is then applied to calculations and simulations of transmission for a variety of photon sources and cask configurations. Here, the performance of the source is compared to traditional bremsstrahlung sources and other advanced methods, in the context of typical nuclear fuel dry storage casks. It is shown that the use of a Thomson scattering based quasi-monoenergetic photon source enables determination of fuel assembly occupancies faster and more accurately than other methods.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2022

Verification of Spent Fuel Inside Dry Storage Casks by Fast/Epi-thermal Neutron Mapping (FY2022 NA-241 Annual Report)

Development of a spent-fuel verification method based upon positional measurement of fast neutrons emitted from the top surface of the dry storage casks. A proof-of-principle field test on a partially loaded spent-fuel cask will be conducted by measuring the fast neutron flux on the top of the cask as a function of position using a single detector. If a useful verification signature is demonstrated, a multidetector scanning array will be built and tested to demonstrate a practical rapid verification system.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hybrid Bio-Based Composites: Enabling Cellulose Nanofiber (CNF) Incorporation into Composites via Macroscale Natural Fiber Carriers

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) have significant potential in composites as additives to improve mechanical properties, melt rheology, and more. However, agglomeration of CNFs is a key challenge in composite melt processing as obtaining nano-level dispersion of CNFs often requires cost- and energy-intensive processes (e.g., solvent exchange or freeze drying) due to the strong hornification tendencies of CNF. Herein, we avoid these challenges by using a natural fiber carrier method to integrate CNF into thermoplastic composites. Fibers are co-dried to create a hybrid fiber feedstock for compounding in which natural fibers are decorated with dispersed nanofibers. The hybridized fibers result in up to a 24% increase in tensile strength and up to a 35% increase in Young’s modulus compared to composites only containing natural fibers. The lignocellulosic nanofibers are found to outperform their purely cellulosic counterpart, which is theorized to be due to either an increased propensity for fibrillation of the lignocellulosic fibers or the increased hydrophobicity of the fibers due to the presence of lignin. Surface analysis of fiber feedstocks, via streaming potential measurements and dynamic light scattering (DLS), confirmed a significant change in the feedstock hydrophobicity before and after hybridization. While mild additions of CNF (1 wt.% on the macroscale fiber) do not impact the composite melt viscosity, the viscosity is found to increase at higher CNF loadings (5 wt.% on the macroscale fiber), indicating its utility as a rheology modifier. Lastly, use of these materials as novel feedstocks for medium-scale additive manufacturing in high-fidelity part production was demonstrated.

bio-based↗
DOE OSTI2011

Evaluation of Co-precipitation Processes for the Synthesis of Mixed-Oxide Fuel Feedstock Materials

The focus of this report is the evaluation of various co-precipitation processes for use in the synthesis of mixed oxide feedstock powders for the Ceramic Fuels Technology Area within the Fuels Cycle R&D (FCR&D) Program's Advanced Fuels Campaign. The evaluation will include a comparison with standard mechanical mixing of dry powders and as well as other co-conversion methods. The end result will be the down selection of a preferred sequence of co-precipitation process for the preparation of nuclear fuel feedstock materials to be used for comparison with other feedstock preparation methods. A review of the literature was done to identify potential nitrate-to-oxide co-conversion processes which have been applied to mixtures of uranium and plutonium to achieve recycle fuel homogeneity. Recent studies have begun to study the options for co-converting all of the plutonium and neptunium recovered from used nuclear fuels, together with appropriate portions of recovered uranium to produce the desired mixed oxide recycle fuel. The addition of recycled uranium will help reduce the safeguard attractiveness level and improve proliferation resistance of the recycled fuel. The inclusion of neptunium is primarily driven by its chemical similarity to plutonium, thus enabling a simple quick path to recycle. For recycle fuel to thermal-spectrum light water reactors (LWRs), the uranium concentration can be {approx}90% (wt.), and for fast spectrum reactors, the uranium concentration can typically exceed 70% (wt.). However, some of the co-conversion/recycle fuel fabrication processes being developed utilize a two-step process to reach the desired uranium concentration. In these processes, a 50-50 'master-mix' MOX powder is produced by the co-conversion process, and the uranium concentration is adjusted to the desired level for MOX fuel recycle by powder blending (milling) the 'master-mix' with depleted uranium oxide. In general, parameters that must be controlled for co-precipitation processes include (1) feed solution concentration adjustment, (2) precipitant concentration and addition methods, (3) pH, temperature, mixing method and time, (4) valence adjustment, (5) solid precipitate separation from the filtrate 'mother liquor,' generally by means of centrifugation or filtration, and (6) temperatures and times for drying, calcination, and reduction of the MOX product powder. Also a recovery step is necessary because of low, but finite solubility of the U/TRU metals in the mother liquor. The recovery step usually involves destruction of the residual precipitant and disposal of by-product wastes. Direct denitrations of U/TRU require fewer steps, but must utilize various methods to enable production of MOX with product characteristics that are acceptable for recycle fuel fabrication. The three co-precipitation processes considered for evaluation are (1) the ammonia co-precipitation process being developed in Russia, (2) the oxalate co-precipitation process, being developed in France, and (3) the ammonium-uranyl-plutonyl-carbonate (AUPuC) process being developed in Germany. Two direct denitration processes are presented for comparison: (1) the 'Microwave Heating (MH)' automated multi-batch process developed in Japan and (2) the 'Modified Direct Denitration (MDD)' continuous process being developed in the USA. Brief comparative descriptions of the U/TRU co-conversion processes are described. More complete details are provided in the references.

Collins, Emory D↗