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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Raman spectroscopic characterization of SiO 2 phase transformation and Si substrate stress relevant to EBC performance

To accurately model the long-term durability of environmental barrier coatings (EBCs), a more complete understanding of the phase composition and transformations of the thermally grown oxide SiO 2 (TGO) is desired. For the TGO formed during thermal cycling in steam, cristobalite formation and the subsequent β- to α-cristobalite transformation has been identified as a potentially life-limiting mechanism. In this study, Raman micro-spectroscopy was used to quantify the cristobalite transformation on a polycrystalline Si coupon that was exposed to steam at 1350°C for 100 h. The phase transformation was mapped at 200–260°C on the TGO surface at different ramp rates using a heating stage and a micro-positioning stage. The stress in the Si substrate was also determined using Raman spectroscopy by measuring the stress induced peak shift. The α→β phase transformation produced a 300–500 MPa tensile stress in the Si substrate, which compared well to the stress predicted from the volumetric expansion of the cristobalite. In conclusion, quantifying the phase transformation and residual stress are critical tools in developing the next generation of high performance EBCs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Performance and Emissions of an SI Engine Fueled With DME-Propane Blends

Dimethyl Ether (DME) is an alternative fuel that can be produced renewably and has the potential for lower CO and NOx emissions than conventional petroleum-based fuels. Blending DME with another gaseous fuel such as propane, which has a lower knock tendency than gasoline, can allow this fuel to be leveraged on SI engines. In this study, the use of DME-propane blends on a spark ignition (SI) engine was studied via computer simulations in order to understand the impact on engine performance and emissions and to identify the knock limitations of using such fuel blends. A 2L Hyundai SI engine was modeled in GT Power and the model was validated by comparing it with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results. Starting from pure propane, DME was added incrementally until knock was observed in the engine. Results indicate that it is feasible to run propane with DME percentages up to 35% before severe knock impacts were observed. The BTE was higher, but the BSFC also increased for DME-propane blends as compared to gasoline. Here, an increase in NOx emissions was detected along with a significant decrease in CO emissions. CO 2 emissions declined for propane as compared to gasoline but increased with the addition of DME.

alternative fuels↗
DOE OSTI2020

Highly selective Si 3 N 4 /SiO 2 etching using an NF 3 /N 2 /O 2 /H 2 remote plasma. II. Surface reaction mechanism

Developing processes for highly selective etching of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) with respect to silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) is a major priority for semiconductor fabrication processing. In this paper and in Paper I [Volynets et al., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 38, 023007 (2020)], mechanisms are discussed for highly selective Si3N4 etching in a remote plasma based on experimental and theoretical investigations. The Si 3 N 4 /SiO 2 etch selectivity of up to 380 was experimentally produced using a remote plasma sustained in NF 3 /N 2 /O 2 /H 2 mixtures. A selectivity strongly depends on the flow rate of H 2 , an effect attributed to the formation of HF molecules in vibrationally excited states that accelerate etching reactions. Based on experimental measurements and zero-dimensional plasma simulations, an analytical etching model was developed for etch rates as a function of process parameters. Reaction rates and sticking coefficients were provided by quantum chemistry models and also fitted to the experimental results. Etch rates from the analytical model show good agreement with the experimental results and demonstrate why certain etchants accelerate or inhibit the etch process. In particular, the modeling shows the important role of HF molecules in the first vibrationally excited state [HF( v = 1)] in achieving high Si 3 N 4 /SiO 2 selectivity.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrochemical Dilatometry of Si-Bearing Electrodes: Dimensional Changes and Experiment Design

The severe volumetric changes in Si particles during the Li (de)alloying process cause expansion and contraction of the electrodes, which along with excessive electrolyte reduction and solid electrolyte interphase formation brings about rapid decay in cell capacity. In this work, we use operando electrochemical dilatometry to quantify the (de)lithiation-induced expansion/contraction of Si-based and graphite-rich electrodes during electrochemical cycling. We evaluate the relationship between electrode capacity and dilation and observe that by increasing the Si contribution to the electrode capacity, the swelling is aggravated upon lithiation. For silicon-rich anodes, the electrode dilation can be higher than 300%, and the expansion profile consists of a combination of slow swelling at low lithiation followed by an accelerated increase at higher lithium contents. We investigate how electrode properties, such as porosity, affect the dilation profile and quantify the irreversible expansion of the electrodes. Finally, we discuss some of the challenges associated with the dilatometry technique and suggest experimental approaches for obtaining consistent and reliable data.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electrolyte Role in SEI Evolution at Si in the Pre-lithiation Stage vs the Post-lithiation Stage

The formation and evolution of the dynamic solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the Si anode/electrolyte interface are yet to be completely understood to solve irreversible capacity loss and increase battery cycle life. Herein, the evolution of SEI and its dynamic properties at the Si anode/electrolyte interface are investigated in two electrolyte systems, a 1.2 M LiPF6 in EC: EMC 3:7 (wt%) electrolyte (referred to as Gen2) and a 1.2 M LiTFSI in EC: EMC 3:7 (wt%) electrolyte (referred to as LiTFSI). Two lithiation stages are studied: the pre-lithiation (pre-Li) SEI stage and the post-lithiation (post-Li) stage. Findings reveal at the pre-Li, SEI formation starts at an early potential and contributes to the greater mass gain in the Si/Gen2, and it is dominated by the formation of a non-uniform F- and P-rich layer in Si/Gen2, in contrast to a homogeneous F- and C-containing layer at the Si/LiTFSI interphase. The initially formed SEI in LiTFSI further benefits the charge transfer kinetics. At the post-Li stage, a more substantial SEI evolution is observed at Si/LiTFSI. This paper offers a foundational understanding of the SEI dynamic evolution with electrolyte dependence. Findings from this report offer important insights into solving the complex SEI stability issues on Si.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Significant Improvements to Si Calendar Lifetime Using Rapid Electrolyte Screening via Potentiostatic Holds

Silicon-based lithium-ion batteries exhibit severe time-based degradation resulting in poor calendar lives. This has been identified as the major impediment towards commercialization with cycle life considered a solved issue through nanosizing and protective coatings allowing over 1000 cycles of life to be achieved. In this work, rapid screening of sixteen electrolytes for calendar life extension of Si-rich systems (70 wt% Si) is performed using the voltage hold (V-hold) protocol. V-hold significantly shortens the testing duration over the traditional open circuit voltage reference performance test allowing us to screen electrolytes within a span of two months. We find a novel ethylene carbonate (EC) free electrolyte formulation containing lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 ) salt, and binary solvent mix of fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) that extends calendar life of Si cells as compared to conventional EC based electrolyte. Our coupled experimental-theoretical analysis framework provides a decoupling of the parasitic currents during V-hold, allowing us to extrapolate the capacity loss to predict semiquantitative calendar lifetimes. Subsequently, cycle aging and oxidative stability tests of the EC free system also show enhanced performance over baseline electrolyte.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Survey of Use Cases and Scenarios on the Open Energy Data Initiative Solar Systems Integration (OEDI SI) Platform

The Open Energy Data Initiative Solar Systems Integration (OEDI SI) Data and Modeling Platform offers a comprehensive set of use cases tailored for power systems analysis. Each use case is centered around a specific power system analysis problem, supported by composite input data and reference algorithms. These composite input datasets are meticulously assembled using OEDI SI's data preprocessing tools, which integrate raw data from various sources. The primary objectives of the OEDI SI Platform include facilitating access to composite input data through widely accepted input/output formats and verified results. This accessibility enables power system network researchers and developers to validate their algorithms and showcase their applications' capabilities to the broader community. Moreover, the platform strives to promote reproducible, robust, replicable, and generalizable solar systems integration research.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Epitaxial Integration of Dirac Semimetals with Si(001)

Topological semimetals contain novel combinations of properties that make them useful in a variety of applications, including optoelectronics, spintronics and low energy computing, and catalysis. Although they have been grown with high quality as bulk single crystals, incorporation with semiconductor substrates will ultimately be required to maximize their technological reach. Here, epitaxial growth of the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 on Si(001) is demonstrated through two routes. First, Cd3As2(112) epilayers are grown on Si(001) via an intermediate CdTe(111) buffer layer. Second, Cd3As2(112) is grown directly on Si(001). This work sets the foundation for integration of novel semimetal materials with existing CMOS technology.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effective Dielectric Passivation Scheme in Area-Selective Front/Back Poly-Si/SiOx Passivating Contact Solar Cells

Explored different dielectric passivation schemes on lifetime samples after removing poly-Si completely. Showed that SiNx/Al2O3 had the best passivation properties on SiOx/n+ c-Si in diffused surface. Applied SiNx/Al2O3 stack on poly-Si/SiOx passivating contact device and showed large improvement in Jsc, with best device efficiency of 21.8%. Future work: CV measurement of dielectric stacks to obtain Qf and Dit.

dielectric↗
DOE OSTI2022

Si-based CTE-matched substrate for laser diode packaging

A Cu—Si—Cu substrate having a silicon substrate, copper plating on opposite sides of the silicon substrate, and copper vias extending thru the silicon substrate to electrically and thermally connect the copper platings together. The thicknesses of the silicon substrate and the copper platings are selected so that a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the Cu—Si—Cu substrate is substantially the same as a CTE of a material to be mounted on the Cu—Si—Cu substrate.

Patra, Susant↗
DOE OSTI2023

Structure and Electronic Properties of Mesopores in Si PV Devices with PLEO Contacts

All current state-of-the-art silicon photovoltaic (PV) devices employ some flavor of passivating contact structure to minimize detrimental recombination while providing good conductivity. These properties are most often provided by a dielectric layer (SiNx, Al2O3, or SiOx) that is in contact with the crystalline silicon (c-Si) substrate. The effectiveness of these layers is heavily dependent on the nanoscale structure of both the dielectric layers and the crystalline silicon interface. As an example, the tunneling probability for charge carriers across thin SiOx layers, a process that is critical to maintain high conductivity, is extremely sensitive to the SiOx thickness. SiOx with a thickness below 2 nm readily allows charge carrier tunneling, whereas it is impeded for greater thicknesses. In the latter case it has been shown that modifications to the thermal processing schedule can induce disruptions, or pinholes, in thick SiOx layers that allow transport of charge carriers while maintaining excellent passivation. However, this requires higher temperatures processes that may inhibit widespread adoption by industry. Recently, another option has been presented that may circumvent the necessity for high temperature processing, namely metal assisted chemical etching (MACE). MACE relies on deposition of Ag nanoparticles onto the SiOx layers with subsequent electroless etching to form mesopores in the SiOx layers that are analogous to the pinholes created with high temperature processing. The size and density can be controlled based on the Ag nanoparticle deposition conditions. The resulting contact structure is known as polysilicon on locally etched oxide (PLEO) contacts. The nanoscale structure of the mesopores in PLEO contacts define the device level observables such as recombination current (Jo) and junction resistance. In this work we present atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of mesopores in PLEO contacts formed with a different processing conditions to connect provide insight into how the nanoscale structure of the SiOx layer influences PV device properties. Additionally, we have previously used electron beam induced current (EBIC) to probe local transport properties in Si PV devices with a SiOx layer containing pinholes due to high temperature processing. Using EBIC we were able to directly show the enhance charge carrier transport through the pinholes. Here we also employ EBIC to study non-uniformities in charge carrier recombination and transport associated with mesopores in PLEO contacts and compare these results with our previous work on devices with pinholes in the SiOx formed through high temperature processes. The products of this work provide critical information that is required to both further optimize performance of Si PV devices with PLEO contact and to drive future adoption of this technology by industry.

ENGINEERING,SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Screen-Printed Complex Ag Inks for Si HJT Metallization

Metallization using reactive metal inks has recently attracted significant research interest due to its advantages in cost of materials and manufacturing, while still achieving performance comparable to traditional fire-through particle pastes. Here, we present for the first time the use of reactive silver (Ag) inks via industrial screen-printing and inkjet printing methods for the metallization of different Si surfaces used in tunneling oxide passivating contacts (TOPCon) and Silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. Printed Ag lines exhibit a conductivity of ~5 Mu O·cm, which is approximately 3 times that of bulk Ag (1.59 µO·cm). The printed metal has a thickness of ~0.5-1.5 Mu m, an order of magnitude smaller than the current fire-through metal finger thickness (~15 Mu m). Contact resistivity measurements of the screen-printed and inkjet-printed samples on a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) surface show a very low value of ~0.2-12 mO·cm 2. Photoluminescence images of the metallized samples demonstrate minimal surface passivation degradation compared to the non-metallized areas (?iVoc <3.5 mV). Scanning electron microscopy images (SEM) reveal the structure of the printed metals on the Si surfaces as porous but much denser than fire-through Ag by nanoparticle paste. In the final presentation, we will showcase our results of printing these reactive Ag inks on high-efficiency heterojunction and TOPCon solar cells with full-area M6 wafers. Additionally, the adhesion of these reactive Ag inks on different Si surfaces according to ASTM D3359-17, as well as the performance of solar cells after standard IEC 61215 freeze/thaw and damp heat tests, will be presented. These new metal inks show promising potential as an alternative to the currently dominant particle-based pastes, offering lower Ag consumption and lower processing temperatures without compromising performance.

heterojunction solar cells↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(PH2)4 by Materials Project

Si(PH2)4 is BCT5-like structured and crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of four 214424-22-3 molecules. Si4- is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four P1- atoms. There are one shorter (2.27 Å) and three longer (2.28 Å) Si–P bond lengths. There are four inequivalent P1- sites. In the first P1- site, P1- is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one Si4- and two H1+ atoms. Both P–H bond lengths are 1.43 Å. In the second P1- site, P1- is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one Si4- and two H1+ atoms. Both P–H bond lengths are 1.43 Å. In the third P1- site, P1- is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one Si4- and two H1+ atoms. Both P–H bond lengths are 1.43 Å. In the fourth P1- site, P1- is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one Si4- and two H1+ atoms. Both P–H bond lengths are 1.43 Å. There are eight inequivalent H1+ sites. In the first H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the second H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the third H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the fourth H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the fifth H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the sixth H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the seventh H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom. In the eighth H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one P1- atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(Sn3O4)2 by Materials Project

Si(Sn3O4)2 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3mc space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are two inequivalent Sn2+ sites. In the first Sn2+ site, Sn2+ is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four O2- atoms. There are a spread of Sn–O bond distances ranging from 2.09–2.52 Å. In the second Sn2+ site, Sn2+ is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four O2- atoms. There are a spread of Sn–O bond distances ranging from 2.11–2.51 Å. Si4+ is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four O2- atoms. There is one shorter (1.66 Å) and three longer (1.67 Å) Si–O bond length. There are four inequivalent O2- sites. In the first O2- site, O2- is bonded in a trigonal non-coplanar geometry to three Sn2+ atoms. In the second O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to three Sn2+ and one Si4+ atom. In the third O2- site, O2- is bonded in a trigonal planar geometry to three equivalent Sn2+ atoms. In the fourth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted single-bond geometry to three equivalent Sn2+ and one Si4+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(AgO)4 by Materials Project

Si(AgO)4 crystallizes in the tetragonal P4_2/n space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Ag1+ is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to three equivalent O2- atoms. There are a spread of Ag–O bond distances ranging from 2.15–2.65 Å. Si4+ is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four equivalent O2- atoms. All Si–O bond lengths are 1.66 Å. O2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Ag1+ and one Si4+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(HgO2)2 by Materials Project

Si(HgO2)2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic Fddd space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Hg2+ is bonded in a 6-coordinate geometry to six equivalent O2- atoms. There are a spread of Hg–O bond distances ranging from 2.08–2.82 Å. Si4+ is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four equivalent O2- atoms. All Si–O bond lengths are 1.66 Å. O2- is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Hg2+ and one Si4+ atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(H3C)4 by Materials Project

Si(CH3)4 is Silicon tetrafluoride-derived structured and crystallizes in the cubic Pa-3 space group. The structure is zero-dimensional and consists of eight tetramethylsilane molecules. Si4+ is bonded in a tetrahedral geometry to four C4- atoms. All Si–C bond lengths are 1.89 Å. There are two inequivalent C4- sites. In the first C4- site, C4- is bonded to one Si4+ and three equivalent H1+ atoms to form corner-sharing CSiH3 tetrahedra. All C–H bond lengths are 1.10 Å. In the second C4- site, C4- is bonded to one Si4+ and three H1+ atoms to form corner-sharing CSiH3 tetrahedra. All C–H bond lengths are 1.10 Å. There are four inequivalent H1+ sites. In the first H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C4- atom. In the second H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C4- atom. In the third H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C4- atom. In the fourth H1+ site, H1+ is bonded in a single-bond geometry to one C4- atom.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Si(AgP)2 by Materials Project

Si(AgP)2 crystallizes in the tetragonal I-42d space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Ag1+ is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to three equivalent P1+ atoms. There are one shorter (2.53 Å) and two longer (2.56 Å) Ag–P bond lengths. Si4- is bonded to four equivalent P1+ atoms to form corner-sharing SiP4 tetrahedra. All Si–P bond lengths are 2.26 Å. P1+ is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Ag1+ and two equivalent Si4- atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗