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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

The role of histone tails in the nucleosome: A computational study

Histone tails play an important role in gene transcription and expression. We present here a systematic computational study of the role of histone tails in the nucleosome, using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations with an implicit solvent model and different well-established force fields. We performed simulations for all four histone tails, H4, H3, H2A, and H2B, isolated and with inclusion of the nucleosome. The results confirm predictions of previous theoretical studies for the secondary structure of the isolated tails but show a strong dependence on the force field used. In the presence of the entire nucleosome for all force fields, the secondary structure of the histone tails is destabilized. Specific contacts are found between charged lysine and arginine residues and DNA phosphate groups and other binding sites in the minor and major DNA grooves. Using cluster analysis, we found a single dominant configuration of binding to DNA for the H4 and H2A histone tails, whereas H3 and H2B show multiple binding configurations with an equal probability. The leading stabilizing contribution for those binding configurations is the attractive interaction between the positively charged lysine and arginine residues and the negatively charged phosphate groups, and thus the resulting charge neutralization. Lastly, we present results of molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent to confirm our conclusions. Results from both implicit and explicit solvent models show that large portions of the histone tails are not bound to DNA, supporting the complex role of these tails in gene transcription and expression and making them possible candidates for binding sites of transcription factors, enzymes, and other proteins.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evolving Electricity Supply and Demand to Achieve Net-Zero Emissions: Insights from the EMF-37 Study

This paper explores the role of electricity in achieving economy-wide net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 in the United States based on results from 17 models as part of the 37th Stanford Energy Modeling Forum (EMF-37). In the study's Net-Zero scenario, the models use diverse pathways to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with gross energy-related residual emissions ranging from 17.2 to 66.6 % of 2020 levels. Electricity consistently emerges as central to achieving net-zero, with models projecting rapid electrification of end-uses and rapidly declining CO2 intensity of electricity. However, the extent of electrification and the technology mix to decarbonize the power sector vary considerably across models. In the Net-Zero scenario, electricity is projected to evolve from ~20 % of final energy in 2020 to 17-63 % in 2050 across the models driven by electrification in all sectors-buildings, industry, and transportation-and, to a lesser extent by direct air capture. By 2050, total electricity consumption increases by 24-176 % (relative to 2020), accompanied by significant expansion in renewable electricity production. Together, solar and wind generation grows by 175-834 %, supplying 45-90 % of total electricity in 2050, with wind achieving slightly higher shares than solar. Electricity storage technologies are deployed at scale to support wind and solar generation. The electricity generation mix varies across models: some project almost complete reliance on renewables, while others see a substantial role for natural gas, often with carbon capture and storage. This paper synthesizes the rich diversity of modeling approaches and results, highlighting differing views on how key drivers of electricity demand and supply might evolve.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Contact ion-pair structure in concentrated cesium chloride aqueous solutions: An extended X-ray absorption fine structure study

The hydration and ion pair structure of Cl- ion in aqueous cesium chloride solutions at 0.5, 6 and 11 mol/kg (H2O) has been studied using Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) at the Cl K-edge. The co-refinement of multiple EXAFS datasets shows the hydration structure of the free Cl- ion is consistent with previously reported studies. In concentrated solution the Cl- ion is strongly associated with the cation forming contact ion pairs with 1.6 and 2.8 Cs ions in 6 and 11 mol/kg aqueous CsCl, respectively. The fact that the degree of ion pairing of Cs-Cl is higher than that of both aqueous RbCl and RbBr at the same concentration is an interesting result as it deviates from the Collins’s law of matching water affinities. The reported Cs-Cl ion-pair structure provides a basis for the development and testing of improved interaction potentials leading to more realistic structures from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT VTP was supported by the Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under grant number 103.99-2013.19. Work by JLF was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a multiprogram national laboratory operated for DOE by Battelle. The PNC/XSD facilities at the Advanced Photon Source, and research at these facilities, are supported by DOE/BES, the Canadian Light Source and its funding partners, the University of Washington, and the Advanced Photon Source. Use of the Advanced Photon Source, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory, was supported by the DOE under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Pham, Van-Thai↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Flexible and Generic Functional Mock-up Unit Based Threat Injection Framework for Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings: A Case Study in Modelica

Grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) have been considered as an important asset to support the power grid reliability by utilizing the demand flexibility offered by GEBs. GEBs are enabled by advances in sensors and controls, and the communication between building equipment, whole buildings, and the grid. The integration of different building technologies and network-based communication system makes GEBs vulnerable to passive threats such as equipment failure and active threats such as cyber-attacks. Modeling and simulation is an effective way to evaluate the impact of threats on the system performance. This paper proposes a generic and flexible threat injection framework for commonly-used building energy simulators such as EnergyPlus and Modelica to support threat modeling and evaluation. This framework leverages functional mock-up unit (FMU) to develop a general modeling interface for threat injection and simulation. A numerical case study using Modelica as a building energy simulator is conducted to demonstrate the capability of the framework for supporting single/multiple-order threat modeling and simulation of a GEB. Four threats and their combinations are injected on a Modelica-based threat-free building energy and control system, including operating supply fan at its full speed, remotely cycling the chiller on and off, blocking the chiller from receiving the chilled water supply temperature setpoints, and hijacking the global zone air temperature setpoint. Simulation results show that the cyber-attack that leads to short-term signal blocking has small effects on the system operation due to the "self-healing" feature of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) interactive control system. The threat that takes control of resetting the global zone air temperature setpoints has the most adverse impact on the system energy use, peak power demand, thermal comfort and the provision of demand flexibility. The combination of four threats have aggregative effects on the system but the effects are less than the additive effects of the individual threat.

Fu, Yanyang↗
DOE OSTI2014

Following the movement of Cu ions in a SSZ-13 zeolite during dehydration, reduction and adsorption: a combined in situ TP-XRD, XANES/DRIFTS study

Cu-SSZ-13 has been shown to possess high activity and superior N2 formation selectivity in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx under oxygen rich conditions. Here, a combination of synchrotron-based (XRD and XANES) and vibrational (DRIFTS) spectroscopy tools have been used to follow the changes in the location and coordination environment of copper ions in a Cu-SSZ-13 zeolite during calcinations, reduction with CO, and adsorption of CO and H2O. XANES spectra collected during these procedures provides critical information not only on the variation in the oxidation state of the copper species in the zeolite structure, but also on the changes in the coordination environment around these ions as they interact with the framework, and with different adsorbates (H2O and CO). Time-resolved XRD data indicate the movement of copper ions and the consequent variation of the unit cell parameters during dehydration. DRIFT spectra provide information about the adsorbed species present in the zeolite, as well as the oxidation states of and coordination environment around the copper ions. A careful analysis of the asymmetric T-O-T vibrations of the CHA framework perturbed by copper ions in different coordination environments proved to be especially informative. The results of this study will aid the identification of the location, coordination and oxidation states of copper ions obtained during in operando catalytic studies. Financial support was provided by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Program. Part of this work (sample preparation) was performed in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The EMSL is a national scientific user facility supported by the US DOE, Office of Biological and Environmental Research. PNNL is a multi-program national laboratory operated for the US DOE by Battelle. All of the spectroscopy work reported here was carried out at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). NSLS is a national scientific user facility supported by the US DOE.

cation coordination↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synchrotron X-ray topographic study on nature of threading mixed dislocations in 4H–SiC crystals grown by PVT method

Synchrotron X-ray Topography is a powerful technique to study defects structures particularly dislocation configurations in single crystals. Complementing this technique with geometrical and contrast analysis can enhance the efficiency of quantitatively characterizing defects. In this study, the use of Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) to determine the line directions of threading dislocations in 4H–SiC axial slices (sample cut parallel to the growth axis from the boule) is demonstrated. This technique is based on the fact that the projected line directions of dislocations on different reflections are different. Another technique also discussed is the determination of the absolute Burgers vectors of threading mixed dislocations (TMDs) using Synchrotron Monochromatic Beam X-ray Topography (SMBXT). This technique utilizes the fact that the contrast from TMDs varies on SMBXT images as their Burgers vectors change. By comparing observed contrast with the contrast from threading dislocations provided by Ray Tracing Simulations, the Burgers vectors can be determined. Thereafter the distribution of TMDs with different Burgers vectors across the wafer is mapped and investigated.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2017

A study of the conformational isomerism of 1-iodobutane by high resolution rotational spectroscopy

The first microwave study of 1-iodobutane, performed by Steinmetz et al.in 1977) led to the determination of the B + C parameter for the anti-anti­and gauche-anti-conformers. Nearly 40 years later, this reinvestigation of 1- iodobutane, by high-resolution microwave spectroscopy, led to the determina­tion of rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, nuclear quadrupole coupling constants (NQCCs), and nuclear-sp rotation constants belonging to both of the two previously mentioned conformers, in addition to the gauche­ gauche-conformer, which was observed in this frequency regime for the first time. Comparisons between the three conformers of 1-iodobutanc and other iodo- and bromoalkanes are made, specifically through an analysis of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants belonging to the iodine and bromine atoms in the respective chemical environments.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

First-principles study of the stability and migration of Kr, I and Xe in ZrO2

The stability and migration of Kr, I and Xe in bulk ZrO2 and on the ZrO2 (1 1 1) surface have been studied by standard density functional theory (DFT) and the DFT-D2 method that corrects for the van der Waals interaction. Both methods show that Kr and Xe prefer to incorporate in the bulk phase rather than adsorb on the surface, and Xe is very mobile in the bulk state. For Kr and Xe adsorption on the surface, van der Waals interaction dominates, causing the weak interaction between the adsorbate and substrate. Iodine is found to have comparable stability in both phases and forms I O bonds with strong covalency. It exhibits higher mobility on the surface than in the bulk ZrO2, and diffusion from bulk-like state to surface state is an exothermic process. The fission product behavior in ZrO2 is shown to be a complicated synergetic effect of fission product atomic size, electron negativity, occupation site and phase structure of the host.

Xiao, Haiyan↗
DOE OSTI2016

First-principles study of transition-metal nitrides as diffusion barriers against Al

Using density-functional theory based first-principles calculations we provided a comparative study of the diffusion barrier properties of TiN, ZrN, and HfN against Al for U-Mo dispersion fuel applications. We firstly examined the thermodynamic stability of these transition-metal nitrides with Al. The calculated heats of reaction show that both TiN and ZrN are thermodynamically unstable diffusion barrier materials, which might be decomposed by Al at relatively high temperatures. As a comparison, HfN is a stable diffusion barrier material for Al. To evaluate the kinetic stability of these nitride systems against Al diffusion, we investigated the diffusion mechanisms of Al in TiN, ZrN and HfN using atomic scale simulations. The effect of non-stoichiometry on the defect formation and Al migration was systematically studied. (C) 2015 ELSEVIER B.V. All rights reserved

Diffusion barrier↗
DOE OSTI2019

First-principles study of the surface properties of y-LiAlO2: Stability and tritium adsorption

y-LiAlO2 enriched with 6Li isotope exhibits excellent performance under neutron radiation and is used in tritium-producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs) to produce tritium (T, 3H) in pressurized water reactor (PWR). To better understand the 3H formation and diffusion on the surfaces, the first-principles calculations are performed to study the stability of y-LiAlO2 surface and the 3H adsorption on the surface. By considering all possible symmetrical stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric low-index surfaces, two most stable surfaces, one stoichiometric (100) and one nonstoichiometric (101), were identified. The 3H adsorption and diffusion on the most stable (100) surface were further explored, and the obtained results show that there are four stable sites (three O and one Al atop) for 3H adsorption. The calculated Bader charges of atoms reflect that 3H adsorption on the top of O site is a reduction process, while on the top of Al site is an oxidation one. Under low adsorption coverage of 1/4 per surface unit cell, 3H atoms are adsorbed on the most stable OA atop site. With increasing 3H diffused from bulk to surface, the AlG site is the second choice for 3H adsorption, and then the OB site. The coverage of 2/4 is the most favorable 3H adsorption state due to the counteracted charge transfer. When the coverage is up to 4/4, the interaction between 3H atoms leads to partial formation of T2 molecule that desorbs from surface. Therefore, T2 molecule should be the main product from the perfect surface of y-LiAlO2 at high 3H coverage.

Stability of y-LiAlO2 surface, Tritium-producing b↗