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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 OSTI2021

Modeling of flash sintering of ionic ceramics

A fundamental understanding of the influence of defects in ionic ceramics at the atomic, microstructural, and macroscopic levels, before, during, and after the flash sintering event is key to the development of ceramic processing operations that lead to fast, low cost, and environmentally safe fabrication of materials. The observed phenomenology of the flash process encompasses multiple time and length scales and have resulted on a wide variety of what sometimes appears to be contradictory explanations. Here, this article summarizes the latest developments on the modeling and simulation of flash sintering, specifically those related to the understanding of the equilibrium and kinetic properties and the corresponding microstructural evolution of ionic ceramics. Challenges and opportunities in the development of theoretical analyses that include unidentified multiphysical effects are discussed, as they pertain to the processing of technologically relevant ceramic materials for advanced structures and devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Final Technical Report - Center for Simulation of Fusion Relevant RF Actuators

We have developed a suite of 3D electromagnetic field solvers, both FEM and FDTD based, that account for the RF antenna and vacuum vessel geometries with unprecedented accuracy. Workflows were developed that make it possible to translate CAD models for the antenna and vacuum vessel to physics meshes for RF wave simulation. Nonlinear RF sheath formation has been incorporated self-consistently as a boundary condition in these solvers. We have also carried out extensive studies of the impact of RF sheaths on the ion energy angle distribution at plasma-material interfaces, using high fidelity particle-in-cell codes. Comprehensive simulation models were developed to assess the impact of blob-like edge turbulence on RF wave propagation and the impact of the RF ponderomotive force on the plasma scrape-off layer (SOL). A fluid transport solver for the far-SOL was also developed which accounts for the high parallel to perpendicular heat anisotropy on an unstructured mesh, thus making it possible to precisely represent an antenna structure in the presence of edge transport. Finally we have developed a hierarchy of core wave propagation and absorption models that self-consistently combine continuum Fokker Planck and Monte Carlo treatments of fast ion evolution with ICRF full-wave field solvers and continuum Fokker Planck treatments of fast electron evolution with both full-wave and ray tracing models.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Phase-field modeling of thermally-grown oxide and damage evolution in environmental barrier coatings

Silicon carbide-based ceramic matrix composites protected by environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) present a promising materials solution for next-generation gas turbines. Developing more robust and efficient EBCs is therefore of significant technological importance. During the service in high-temperature oxidative environments, there is a thermally grown oxide (TGO) layer, spontaneously formed in the EBC system. TGO is recognized as a critical factor for the degradation and failure of EBCs, yet the detailed mechanisms of TGO growth and its effect on EBC failure remain unclear. In this study we develop a comprehensive chemo-mechano-phase-field model to simulate growth of the TGO in EBCs, factoring in creep and deformation, and especially the cracking behaviors. The volume expansion due to TGO growth and the resulting large inelastic deformation are addressed by using our recently developed, so-called incremental realization of inelastic deformation (IRID) algorithm, in combination with an adapted Hu-Chen spectral solver for elasticity. Simulations of TGO growth are performed considering different growth modes of TGOs determined mainly by the ratio of oxidant permeability in the topcoat to that in the TGO itself. Large-scale three-dimensional (3D) simulations are performed to model the formation of interconnecting vertical/channel cracks (often called ‘mud cracks’). The simulated crack morphology are in excellent agreement with the experimental observations from the literature. The simulations also provide insights into the cracking of EBCs and its dependence on the structure and constituent properties of the coating system. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the developed damage model can be a useful tool for design of more durable EBCs.

Cracking↗
DOE OSTI2025

Advanced Transmission Technologies – GETs and HPCs Session 1: ATT Foundations and Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs)

The INL TADA GETs Cohort Session 1, held on November 4, 2025, convened experts to address the integration of advanced transmission technologies, including Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) and High Performance Conductors (HPCs), with a focus on digital assurance challenges. The session highlighted the growing importance of cybersecurity, supply chain transparency, reliability, and business risk management in deploying GETs, especially Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs). Participants examined how expanded attack surfaces, limited vendor pools, and new regulatory requirements—such as FERC Orders 881, 2023, and 1920—are influencing utilities and technology providers. The workshop underscored the need for cyber-informed engineering, secure-by-design principles, and practical risk management strategies, while fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among industry peers. Technical discussions covered the evolution from static to dynamic line ratings, complexities of cloud-based architectures, and NERC CIP compliance challenges. The session concluded with a collaborative risk exercise and a preview of future workshops on advanced power flow control and transmission topology optimization, reinforcing the cohort’s commitment to advancing digital assurance in the energy sector.

24 - POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (ASI) Program Plan. Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies (NEET)

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) sponsors a crosscutting technology development (CTD) program addressing common instrumentation & controls (I&C) needs in all DOE-NE sponsored programs. In 2012, DOE-NE initiated the Nuclear Energy Enabling Technology (NEET) Program to conduct research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) in crosscutting technologies that directly support and enable the development of existing, new and advanced reactor designs, and fuel cycle technologies. These technologies will advance the state of nuclear technology, improve its competitiveness, and promote continued contribution to meeting our Nation’s energy and environmental challenges. The NEET Program has spurred innovation in the field of sensors and instrumentation, advanced methods for manufacturing, and cyber security. The Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation (ASI) program is one element of the NEET CTD that has spurred innovation in the measurement science field by funding research on sensors, instrumentation and controls, communication, and advanced analytics that measure system parameters, gauge component control input, and provide power plant owners and operators critical awareness so they can plan and safely manage operational evolutions. The NEET ASI Program has carried out research and development (R&D) required to develop and deploy innovative and advanced sensors, and instrumentation and control capabilities for current and future nuclear energy systems, and to enable the advanced technologies essential to NE’s R&D efforts needed to realize mission goals. The concept of technology readiness assessment is helpful for the classification of instrumentation technology as part of the program strategy. A technology readiness assessment evaluates technology maturity using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale and was pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 1980s for space technology. It has recently been adopted to advance fuels and materials. The NEET ASI program objective is to mature instruments technology to TRL 6, which is “demonstration of the technology in relevant environment.” While there may be instances in which a different strategy is justified, the aim of the program is to respond to DOE program and stakeholder needs for nuclear instrumentation then hand off the technology after demonstration for integration in a more complex system, for example an irradiation test, experimental loop or a plant component such as the core, primary system or heat exchanger. A mechanism to continue some level of support from NEET ASI during and after the adoption (for example, to maintain fabrication and calibration capabilities) will be defined as the first example of technology hand off comes to fruition. In addition, several paths exist within DOE to complement NEET ASI activities to extend the maturity beyond TRL, for example through GAIN, technology commercialization funding, and small-business programs. Role of NEET ASI CINR projects in the TRL space, and integration with direct funded demonstration.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2022

Surface-Driven Evolution of the Anomalous Hall Effect in Magnetic Topological Insulator MnBi 2 Te 4 Thin Films

We report understanding the effects of the interfacial modification to the functional properties of magnetic topological insulator thin films is crucial for developing novel technological applications from spintronics to quantum computing. Here, a large electronic and magnetic response is reported to be induced in the intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MnBi 2 Te 4 by controlling the propagation of surface oxidation. It is shown that the formation of the surface oxide layer is confined to the top 1–2 unit cells but drives large changes in the overall magnetic response. Specifically, a dramatic reversal of the sign of the anomalous Hall effect is observed to be driven by finite thickness magnetism, which indicates that the film splits into distinct magnetic layers each with a unique electronic signature. These data reveal a delicate dependence of the overall magnetic and electronic response of MnBi 2 Te 4 on the stoichiometry of the top layers. This study suggests that perturbations resulting from surface oxidation may play a non-trivial role in the stabilization of the quantum anomalous Hall effect in this system and that understanding targeted modifications to the surface may open new routes for engineering novel topological and magnetic responses in this fascinating material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrically Insulated Catalyst–Ionomer Anode Interfaces toward Durable Alkaline Membrane Electrolyzers

Anion-exchange-membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) is an emerging technology for scalable hydrogen production. AEMWE has poor durability when operating without supporting electrolyte due to the oxidation of ionomers and membranes in contact with the anode oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst. We report a new “passivated” anode architecture for AEMWE where the OER catalysts and ionomers are physically separated with a thin film amorphous oxide coating that is electrically insulating but conductive to hydroxide ions. We find that 2–3 nm of HfO x passivation layers show sufficient hydroxide ion transport to minimally limit the cell performance while suppressing ionomer degradation with both Ir (500 mA·cm –2 for 40 h) and CoO x (1.0 A·cm –2 for 100 h) model porous-transport-layer-supported catalysts in AEMWE. As a result, this interfacial engineering approach guides electrode design to improve the durability of AEMWE, particularly for systems operating with pure-water feed.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Structural transformation of metal oxo species within UiO-66 type metal–organic frameworks

Studying the coordination of actinide-based metal oxo clusters can provide valuable insights for nuclear energy technologies and radioactive waste containment. Metal–organic frameworks serve as a platform to directly interrogate the structure and properties of understudied actinide elements, including thorium. Examples of structural evolutions within Th oxo species within MOFs are rare yet relevant for nuclear waste speciation in solution. Herein, we report the serendipitous discovery of the structural evolution of Th-UiO-66 containing a hexanuclear Th node to a mononuclear Th(bdc) 2 (dmf) 2 upon the evaporation of solvent from the reaction. We observe a partial reversal of Th(bdc) 2 (dmf) 2 back to Th-UiO-66 upon hydrothermal treatment, indicating the complex dynamics of Th oxo species in solution. As a result, we report that isolated Ce-UiO-66 similarly transforms to a newly isolated 1D Ce III carboxylate chain MOF named NU-351 under the same conditions as Th-UiO-66, while Zr-UiO-66 and Hf-UiO-66 retain their structures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Learning the Temporal Effect in Infrared Thermal Videos With Long Short-Term Memory for Quality Prediction in Resistance Spot Welding

With the advances of sensing technology, in-situ infrared thermal videos can be collected from Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) processes. Each video records the formulation process of a weld nugget. The nugget evolution creates a “temporal effect” across the frames, which can be leveraged for real-time, nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of the weld quality. Currently, quality prediction with imaging data mainly focuses on optical feature extraction with Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) but does not make the most of such temporal effect. In this study, pixels corresponding to critical locations on the weld nugget surface are extracted from a video to form multivariate time series (MTS). Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) is used in MTS processing to remove noisy signals related to uninformative frames. A Stacked Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model is developed to learn from the processed MTS and then predicts weld nugget size and thickness in real-time NDE. Results from a case study on RSW of Boron steel demonstrates the improvement in prediction accuracy and computational time with the proposed method, as compared to CNN-based weld quality prediction.

Guo, Shenghan↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optimizing spin qubit coherence through materials codesign

The evolution of defect-based spin qubit systems is currently transitioning from fundamental studies and proof-of-concept demonstrations into applications in the burgeoning field of quantum technology. Within this context, new challenges emerge, in particular, the need to understand and engineer the fundamental materials that form the hardware building blocks critical for the scalability and wide-scale adoption of such technologies. While earlier discussions have often focused on qubits within idealized systems, major limitations on spin coherence and optical properties arise from effects imposed by the nonideality of the surrounding host matrix. Decoherence can stem from a variety of sources, including other qubits, nuclear spins, and parasitic point- and extended defects, which interact with the qubit via magnetic and electric fields, photons, phonons, and strain. In this article, we focus on the relevant sources and mechanisms through which decoherence occurs and provide potential mitigation strategies via the synergistic integration of first-principles simulations and materials synthesis and engineering. We aim to provide a tangible link between material properties and material functions thereby enabling materials-by-design.

ab initio simulations↗
DOE OSTI2023

Biologically Cooling the Planet: A BRISK Approach that Directly Connects the Ground to Deep Space

Climate change is a grave threat to our ability to thrive and prosper on Earth. Accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stifle the Earth’s ability to cool itself, which leads to a rise of the average temperature – Global warming. The planetary cooling is exclusively radiative – thermal radiation escapes into cold outer space via a flux of photons at the low-infrared range. The penetration of these photons through Earth’s atmosphere is dictated by atmospheric transparency, which, serendipitously possesses a window centered around the peak of the Plank spectrum for a black body at about room temperature – the average temperature of Earth. This window spanning about 8 --13 μm wavelengths allows most of the photons in this range to escape into the Cosmos carrying our planet’s heat away. The efficiency of this outer heat flux – and thus planet’s cooling ability – can be controlled via emissivity – a function of wavelength which multiplies the fundamental Plank spectrum of a black body at a given temperature. In the presence of non-trivial atmospheric transparency it can be shown that radiative cooling can be enhanced with properly “designed” emissivity function. For the last 100 years, or so, people have been looking into ways to engineer materials to take advantage of such enhancement for various cooling applications, from making ice to cool clothes, and substantial progress has been achieved, including cooling in direct sunlight. The beauty if this approach is that it is entirely passive – no energy input is required. The objective of this project was to investigate whether biological systems possess such advanced cooling capacity, developed via millennia of evolution, to enhance plant’s adaptation to a hot environment, to increase cooling capability, and possibly modulate spectral emissivities on short or long time scales. We wanted to know if BRISK (Biological Radiative Sky Cooling) occurs and to what extent. It is unknown whether biological systems can perform this "spectral redistribution." It is reasonable to expect, however, that they might: in particular, desert plants under high heat stress and arid conditions might evolve this mechanism in order to maintain a tolerable internal temperature. Our intended approach was twofold: extensive literature search and supporting experimental investigations on select plants. We obtained the answers from the former, while the latter proved to be more complicated to perform with required accuracy in the timespan/budget of a small seedling project. After one year of research, we concluded that among the plant species studied there seem to be no evidence of BRISK, but it’s not the end of the story. Our planet’s biosphere is immense, and the evolution is continuing. With our preliminary results and a better understanding of what to look for further discoveries await, considering the accelerated pace of infrared imaging and spectroscopy technology development, from microscopic to satellite-based studies of plants and canopies. In the end, Earth’s energy balance is ultimately tied to radiative cooling so that further investigation into this problem is directly tied to solving the Climate Change challenge.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Efficient and choreographed quality-of- service management in dense 6G verticals with high-speed mobility requirements

Future 6G networks are envisioned to support very heterogeneous and extreme applications (known as verticals). Some examples are further-enhanced mobile broadband communications, where bitrates could go above one terabit per second, or extremely reliable and low-latency communications, whose end-to-end delay must be below one hundred microseconds. To achieve that ultra-high Quality-of-Service, 6G networks are commonly provided with redundant resources and intelligent management mechanisms to ensure that all devices get the expected performance. But this approach is not feasible or scalable for all verticals. Specifically, in 6G scenarios, mobile devices are expected to have speeds greater than 500 kilometers per hour, and device density will exceed ten million devices per square kilometer. In those verticals, resources cannot be redundant as, because of such a huge number of devices, Quality-of-Service requirements are pushing the effective performance of technologies at physical level. And, on the other hand, high-speed mobility prevents intelligent mechanisms to be useful, as devices move around and evolve faster than the usual convergence time of those intelligent solutions. New technologies are needed to fill this unexplored gap. Therefore, in this paper we propose a choreographed Quality-of-Service management solution, where 6G base stations predict the evolution of verticals at real-time, and run a lightweight distributed optimization algorithm in advance, so they can manage the resource consumption and ensure all devices get the required Quality-of-Service. Prediction mechanism includes mobility models (Markov, Bayesian, etc.) and models for time-variant communication channels. Besides, a traffic prediction solution is also considered to explore the achieved Quality-of-Service in advance. The optimization algorithm calculates an efficient resource distribution according to the predicted future vertical situation, so devices achieve the expected Quality-of-Service according to the proposed traffic models. An experimental validation based on simulation tools is also provided. Results show that the proposed approach reduces up to 12% of the network resource consumption for a given Quality-of-Service.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Functional Nano-to-Microstructures by Jet Printing and Direct Ink Writing

Jet-based printing techniques and direct ink writing have emerged as complementary, convergent technologies serving as key platforms in additive manufacturing for functional nano- to microscale architectures. This review highlights how these approaches enable fine feature resolution and three-dimensional structures in advanced electronics and biointerfacing applications. The interplay of fluid mechanics, viscoelastic ink rheology, droplet–substrate interactions, and drying dynamics is examined as a critical determinant of printing fidelity. Application-focused case studies, from flexible thin-film transistors to bioprinted artificial tissues, demonstrate how precise structural control via printing translates to enhanced device performance and new functionality in electronic and biological systems. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future opportunities driving the evolution of these printing platforms toward autonomous, adaptive, and intelligent manufacturing systems.

Luo, Junchen [Sichuan Univ. of Arts and Science (C↗
DOE OSTI2026

Effects of Synthesis Conditions on the Structure and Conductivity of Hydrogen-Substituted Graphdiyne

This study investigates how synthesis conditions influence the structure and conductivity of hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne (HsGDY). By varying the reaction temperature and solvent, we find that small changes in conditions markedly affect triple-bond retention and electronic continuity. Solid-state 13 C NMR and Raman spectroscopy reveal that elevated temperatures drive alkyne loss and partial graphitization, with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) promoting faster degradation than pyridine. The resulting decline in alkyne content directly correlates with reduced conductivity, indicating that preserving conjugation is essential for charge transport. These findings clarify how the synthetic environment governs the structural and electronic evolution of graphdiyne frameworks, providing insight into the controlled preparation of conjugated carbon networks.

alkyne retention↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dispersion and the speed-limited particle-in-cell algorithm

This paper discusses temporally continuous and discrete forms of the speed-limited particle-in-cell (SLPIC) method first treated by Werner et al. [Phys. Plasmas 25, 123512 (2018)]. The dispersion relation for a 1D1V electrostatic plasma whose fast particles are speed-limited is derived and analyzed. By examining the normal modes of this dispersion relation, we show that the imposed speed-limiting substantially reduces the frequency of fast electron plasma oscillations while preserving the correct physics of lower-frequency plasma dynamics (e.g. ion acoustic wave dispersion and damping). We then demonstrate how the timestep constraints of conventional electrostatic particle-in-cell methods are relaxed by the speed-limiting approach, thus enabling larger timesteps and faster simulations. Here, these results indicate that the SLPIC method is a fast, accurate, and powerful technique for modeling plasmas wherein electron kinetic behavior is nontrivial (such that a fluid/Boltzmann representation for electrons is inadequate) but evolution is on ion timescales.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗