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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 559 records · Page 31

In‐Silico Device Performance Prediction of Cosensitizer Dye Pairs for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract Endeavors in the field of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have shown great promise when adopting a data‐driven approach to materials discovery, such as successful molecular‐scale predictions of light‐harvesting chromophores. However, predictions of DSC dyes would become much more sophisticated if a molecular‐to‐macroscopic DSC device prediction methodology existed. Thereby, a fully computational pipeline is presented that predicts device‐performance parameters of DSCs which contain varying dye combinations. Optimal pairing of complementary dyes is identified via a data‐driven workflow that affords cosensitized DSCs with maximum power‐conversion efficiencies. Six high‐performing DSC dyes are paired with partner dyes that are screened from a database of 8488 compounds using sequential heuristic filters. Existing models that predict short‐circuit‐current density ( J SC ) and open‐circuit voltage ( V OC ) parameters are adapted to predict singly sensitized and cosensitized DSC performance. The predictions for J sc values of singly sensitized devices match experimental literature values with comparable accuracy to more computationally costly methods. Five out of six dye pairings are predicted to have greater J SC values when cosensitized compared to their corresponding singly sensitized devices, including two pairs that show strong J sc boosts of +13% and +12% when cosensitized. Thus, the prospect of an entirely in‐silico prediction pipeline for DSC performance that can be used to realize the fully automated design of optimized cosensitized DSCs is demonstrated.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Unveiling the Mechanical and Electrochemical Evolution of Nanosilicon Composite Anodes in Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Batteries

The utilization of silicon anodes in all-solid-state lithium batteries provides good prospects for facilitating high energy density. However, the compatibility of sulfide solid-state electrolytes (SEs) with Si and carbon is often questioned due to potential decomposition. Here, in this paper, operando X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, ex situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ex situ X-ray nanotomography (XnT) are utilized to investigate the chemistry and structure evolution of nano-Si composite anodes. Results from XANES demonstrate a partial decomposition of SEs during the first lithiation stage, which is intensified by the presence of carbon. Nevertheless, the performances of first three cycles in Si–SE–C are stable, which proves that the generated media is ionically conductive. XnT and SEM results show that the addition of SEs and carbon improves the structural stability of the anode, with fewer pores and voids. A chemo-elasto-plastic model reveals that SEs and carbon buffer the volume expansion of Si, thus enhancing mechanical stability. The balance between the pros and cons of SEs and carbon in enhancing reaction kinetics and structural stability enables the Si composite anode to demonstrate the highest Si utilization with higher specific capacities and a better rate than pure Si and Si composite anodes with only SEs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Insight of Synthesis of Single Crystal Ni-Rich LiNi 1-x-y Co x Mn y O 2 Cathodes

Single-crystal Ni-rich LiNi 1-x-y Co x Mn y O 2 (NCM) cathodes have garnered widespread attention in the lithium-ion battery community due to their unique advantages in mechanical performance and their ability to minimize interfacial electrochemical side reactions. The synthesis of single-crystal materials with monodisperse and appropriate size, minimal lattice defects, and highly ordered structures is the key for high-performance batteries. However, achieving this goal poses challenges due to the lack of in-depth understanding regarding specific experimental parameters and the solid reaction mechanism during the synthesis process. Further, in this review, the aim is to provide an in-depth analysis of the critical process parameters involved in the synthesis and their impact on crystal morphology, structure, and electrochemical performance. Consequently, the first section focuses on the effect of the precursor morphology, lithium salt, atmosphere, and sintering procedure. In the second section, the study delves into an in-depth discussion of the solid reaction and crystal growth mechanism. Lastly, it is concluded by highlighting the prospects and challenges associated with the synthesis and application of single-crystal Ni-rich NCM cathodes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Interfacial Engineering of Metal Chalcogenides‐based Heterostructures for Advanced Sodium‐Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have become one of the most promising candidates for large-scale energy storage applications. Metal chalcogenides anode materials based on alloying or conversion reactions are widely studied because of their high theoretical capacities and rich redox reactions. However, their intrinsic limitations such as high voltage hysteresis and large volume expansion hinder their further applications. The construction of heterostructures has become an attractive strategy to alleviate the above issues. Here, the formation of built in electric fields (BIEFs) at the heterointerfaces will accelerate the migration of Na + and electrons. Moreover, heterostructures can also enhance the structural stability, generate more active sites and provide additional capacity. It is worth noting that heterointerfacial properties play a significant role in promoting the overall electrochemical performance of the heterostructures. However, a systematic understanding of their interfacial engineering is currently lacking. This article reviews the research progress of metal chalcogenides-based heterostructure anode materials in the near term. First, the definition, classification and the roles of heterostructures are introduced. Second, the detailed research progress of the metal chalcogenide-based heterostructures anodes in SIBs is discussed. Finally, the future prospects and potential research directions of the heterostructures for batteries are discussed.

anode↗

Application of Poly(ether sulfone)‐Based Membranes in Clean Energy Technology

Abstract Poly(ether sulfone) (PES) is a kind of polymer materials with excellent electrical insulation and acid/alkali stability. PES can be operated at high temperature continuously for a long time and still maintain excellent property stability in the environments with rapidly changed temperature, namely, great thermostability. Moreover, PES has low molding shrinkage, good dimensional stability and excellent film‐forming characteristics. Compared with inorganic membranes, PES‐based membranes have lower cost, which have received more attention and wide recognition in the field of clean energy technologies in recent years, such as flow batteries, fuel cells, water treatment, and gas separation. Therefore, this review summarizes the research status and prospect of the utilization of PES‐based membranes in clean energy fields, in order to further promote their development and application.

Chemistry↗

3D Carbon Coating Enabled High‐capacity and Stable Micro‐sized Silicon Suboxide‐graphite Blended Anodes for Practical Lithium‐ion Batteries

Abstract Silicon oxide (SiO x ) is a promising anode candidate of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) owing to its extremely high specific capacity. However, the low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and rapid capacity degradation of SiO x , triggered by the enormous volume variation upon repeated (de)lithiation, gravely hinder its practical use. Herein, two mass‐produced micro‐sized SiO x @C composites with obviously different morphologies for commercial LIBs are reported. Particularly, the SiO x ‐graphite blended anode (SiO x @3D‐G‐Gr) based on SiO x wrapped by three‐dimensional (3D) carbon layers (SiO x @3D‐G) exhibits a capacity of 519 mAh g −1 , an ICE of 90.0 % and a capacity retention of 83.4 % at 0.2 C over 100 cycles. which is far exceeding its counterpart SiO x @C‐H‐Gr (65.7 %). The obtained impressive properties of SiO x @3D‐G originate from the critical contribution of 3D carbon layers, which serves as the effective stress buffer and protective layer as well as the strong networks for electron/Li + transport. Accordingly, the full‐cell based on SiO x @3D‐G‐Gr anode and commercial LiCoO 2 cathode delivers a capacity of 803 mAh and an excellent capacity retention of 95.6 % (616 mAh, 96.6 % for graphite, respectively) at 1 C over 100 cycles with a stabilized CE of nearly 100 %. The micro‐sized SiO x @3D‐G showing a promising prospect in the commercial‐grade anodes in LIBs.

Electrochemistry↗

Adoption of biofuels for marine shipping decarbonization: A long‐term price and scalability assessment

Abstract This study assessed the long‐term annual biofuel production capacity potential and price in the United States and shed light on the prospect of biofuel adoption for marine propulsion. A linear programming model was developed to assist the projections and provide insightful analyses. The projected long‐term (2040) maximum annual capacity of biofuels in the United States is 245 million metric tons (Mt) or 65 billion gallons of heavy fuel oil gallon equivalent (HFOGE) when based on the median feedstock availability. Between 2022 (near‐term) and 2040, the potential biofuel capacity increases by over 40%, attributed to increased feedstock availability. At a price range up to $500/t, biodiesel is the main product, and the annual capacity (12 Mt) is limited to feedstock availability constraints. Biodiesel and corn ethanol are the main biofuels at a price range up to $750/t. At a higher price point (above $750/t), the biofuel types and annual capacities increase substantially (218 Mt per year). Biofuels above this price include gasoline‐, jet‐, and diesel‐range blendstocks, as well as bio‐methanol, bio‐propane, and biogas. This study concludes that the US domestic feedstock availability coupled with advanced conversion technologies can produce substantial amounts of biofuels to achieve a critical mass and be impactful as alternative marine fuels. There is also a need to improve the biofuel price for marine shipping adoption. Policies and economic incentives that provide temporary financial support would help facilitate maritime biofuel adoption. © 2022 Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Artificial intelligence to unlock real-world evidence in clinical oncology: A primer on recent advances

Purpose: Real world evidence is crucial to understanding the diffusion of new oncologic therapies, monitoring cancer outcomes, and detecting unexpected toxicities. In practice, real world evidence is challenging to collect rapidly and comprehensively, often requiring expensive and time-consuming manual case-finding and annotation of clinical text. In this Review, we summarise recent developments in the use of artificial intelligence to collect and analyze real world evidence in oncology. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the major current trends and recent literature in artificial intelligence applications in oncology. Results: Artificial intelligence (AI) approaches are increasingly used to efficiently phenotype patients and tumors at large scale. These tools also may provide novel biological insights and improve risk prediction through multimodal integration of radiographic, pathological, and genomic datasets. Custom language processing pipelines and large language models hold great promise for clinical prediction and phenotyping. Conclusions: Despite rapid advances, continued progress in computation, generalizability, interpretability, and reliability as well as prospective validation are needed to integrate AI approaches into routine clinical care and real-time monitoring of novel therapies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Construction of Photo‐Responsive Pd 2 L 4 ‐Type Nanocages based on Feringa's Second‐Generation Motor and Its Guest Binding Ability for C 60

Abstract We present the construction of a M 2 L 4 ‐type metal‐organic nanocage featuring four endohedral Feringa's motor motifs and its adaptive encapsulation towards a C 60 guest molecule. The structure of the cage, though complicated on the 1 H NMR spectrum due to the adoption of mixed ligands, was unambiguously characterized with a combination of ESI‐MS, 2D DOSY, 13 C NMR and particularly the SAXS technique. The molecular motor within the cage demonstrated similar photophysical properties to the uncoordinated one, indicating the motor's function was not compromised when it was anchored in such a confined nanospace. Furthermore, the nanocage showed good guest encapsulation ability towards C 60 , and a guest induced‐fit behavior of the cage was revealed based on the extensive SAXS analysis and molecular dynamics simulation. The adaptive motorized nanocage reported here represents one of the very few examples of integrating individual motors into a discrete nanoconfined system and offers prospects to achieve its non‐equilibrium functions.

Chemistry↗

Development of green-colour-emitting pyrotechnics as a core for 3D temperature imaging sensors inside coal boilers

Efficiency in the control operation of the boilers for coal and coal with biomass can be further improved if the flue gas temperature distribution can be better characterized. This is very difficult in these harsh environmental systems, where spatially resolved measurements are nearly impossible with solid-state sensors. Here, in this work, we evaluate the development of pyrotechnic compounds that would serve as the basis for a novel optical mapping of the temperature inside coal boilers. For this purpose, various green-colour-emitting pyrotechnics using BaCl 2 · 2H 2 O and Ba(NO 3 ) 2 as the green light source were prepared, as this colour offers a distinct signal from the combustion-based background in the boiler. These pyrotechnics were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tested using a flat-flame burner. Furthermore, the composition was varied to evaluate the effect of different metal fuels such as Sn, Co, and Mg, as well as various binders such as ethylcellulose, shellac, parlon, and PVC on green light emission. The emission intensity and the apparent ignition temperature were strongly dependent on the metal type, with Mg showing higher intensities. On the other hand, the effect of the binder showed that the ignition behaviour, emission intensity, and spectral purity were influenced by the nature and exothermicity of the binder. The addition of other potential green light-producing materials, such as boric acid, increased the intensity of emission by 17% for a BaCl 2 · 2H 2 O-based composition. This study identified prospective compositions with intense and bright green-colour emissions that have high spectral purities.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Peanut allergy burden survey: Factors associated with health‐related quality of life in adolescents

Abstract Background Patients with peanut allergy (PA) experience significant burden of illness, which impacts health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), particularly in adolescence. There is a paucity of research evaluating drivers of HRQoL scores. Methods A prospective, online survey of adolescents with self‐reported, provider‐diagnosed PA completed from November 2018 to January 2019 was used to explore drivers of the real‐world impact of PA on HRQoL using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL) and other measures. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify potential factors associated with PedsQL scores and to understand the level of association. Results A total of 102 adolescents were included. The final model included 10 variables: race, reported strict peanut avoidance, satisfaction with prophylaxis, moderate‐to‐severe reaction within the past 12 months, touching peanut as cause of most severe reaction, fear of reaction, age, gender, comorbidities, and daily life limitations. In total, three items were shown to be strong predictors of the PedsQL total score including cause of severe reaction was touching peanut (yes), level of agreement with avoiding peanut (completely agree), and satisfaction with prophylaxis (not very much/not at all). Conclusions There is substantial heterogeneity in the impact of the burden of PA on PedsQL scores across patients. This indicates the importance of shared and individualized decision making for PA management to optimize outcomes and improve HRQoL.

McCann, William A.↗

Recent Progress in Engineering Metal Halide Perovskites for Efficient Visible‐Light‐Driven Photocatalysis

Abstract Artificial photosynthesis has attracted increasing attention due to recent environmental and energy concerns. Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) demonstrating excellent optoelectronic properties have currently emerged as novel and efficient photocatalytic materials. Herein, the structural features of MHPs that are responsible for the photoinduced charge separation and charge migration properties are briefly introduced, and then important and necessary photophysical and photochemical aspects of MHPs related to photoredox catalysis are summarized. Subsequently, the applications of MHPs for solar energy harvesting and photocatalytic conversion, including H 2 evolution, CO 2 reduction, degradation of organic pollutants, and photoredox organic synthesis, are extensively demonstrated, with a focus on strategies for improving the performance (e.g., selectivity, activity, stability, recyclability, and environmental compatibility) of these MHP‐based photocatalytic systems. To conclude, existing challenges and prospects on the future development of MHP‐based materials towards photoredox catalysis applications are detailed.

Han, Chuang↗

New-Generation Carbon-Capture Ionic Liquids Regulated by Metal-Ion Coordination

Development of efficient carbon capture-and-release technologies with minimal energy input is a long-term challenge in mitigating CO 2 emissions, especially via CO 2 chemisorption driven by engineered chemical bond construction. Herein, taking advantage of the structural diversity of ionic liquids (ILs) in tuning their physical and chemical properties, precise reaction energy regulation of CO 2 chemisorption was demonstrated deploying metal-ion-amino-based ionic liquids (MAILs) as absorbents. The coordination ability of different metal sites (Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, and Mg) to amines was harnessed to achieve fine-tuning on stability constants of the metal ion-amine complexes, acting as the corresponding cations in the construction of diverse ILs coupled with CO 2 -philic anions. The as-afforded MAILs exhibited efficient and controllable CO 2 release behavior with great reduction in energy input and minimal sacrifice on CO 2 uptake capacity. This coordination-regulated approach offers new prospects for the development of ILs-based systems and beyond towards energy-efficient carbon capture technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Construction of Fluorine- and Piperazine-Engineered Covalent Triazine Frameworks Towards Enhanced Dual-Ion Positive Electrode Performance

Organic positive electrodes featuring lightweight, and tunable energy storage modes by molecular structure engineering have promising application prospects in dual-ion batteries. Herein, a series of highly porous covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) were synthesized under ionothermal conditions using fluorinated aromatic nitrile monomers containing a piperazine ring. Fluorinated monomers can result in more defects in CTFs, leading to a higher surface area up to 2515 m 2 /g and a higher N content of 11.34 wt% compared to the products from the non-fluorinated monomer. The high surface area and abundant redox sites of these CTFs afforded high specific capacities (up to 279 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g), excellent rate performance (89 mAh/g at 5 A/g), and durable cycling performance (92.3% retention rate after 500 cycles at 2.0 A g -1 ) as dual-ion positive electrodes

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electrocatalytic CN Coupling: Advances in Urea Synthesis and Opportunities for Alternative Products

Urea is an essential fertilizer produced through the industrial synthesis of ammonia (NH 3 ) via the Haber–Bosch process, which contributes ≈1.2% of global annual CO 2 emissions. Electrocatalytic urea synthesis under ambient conditions via CN coupling from CO 2 and nitrogen species such as nitrate (NO 3 − ), nitrite (NO 2 − ), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen gas (N 2 ) has gained interest as a more sustainable route. However, challenges remain due to the unclear reaction pathways for urea formation, competing reactions, and the complexity of the resulting product matrix. This review highlights recent advances in catalyst design, urea quantification, and intermediate identification in the CN coupling reaction for electrocatalytic urea synthesis. Furthermore, this review explores future prospects for industrial CN coupling, considering potential nitrogen and carbon sources and examining alternative CN coupling products, such as amides and amines.

Chemistry↗

Morphology‐controlled synthesis of multi‐metal‐based spinel oxide nanocatalysts and their performance for oxygen reduction

Abstract We present a one‐pot colloidal synthesis method for producing monodisperse multi‐metal (Co, Mn, and Fe) spinel nanocrystals (NCs), including nanocubes, nano‐octahedra, and concave nanocubes. This study explores the mechanism of morphology control, showcasing the pivotal roles of metal precursors and capping ligands in determining the exposed crystal planes on the NC surface. The cubic spinel NCs, terminated with exclusive {100}‐facets, demonstrate superior electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media compared to their octahedral and concave cubic counterparts. Specifically, at 0.85 V, (CoMn)Fe 2 O 4 spinel oxide nanocubes achieve a high mass activity of 23.9 A/g and exhibit excellent stability, highlighting the promising ORR performance associated with {100}‐facets of multi‐metal spinel oxides over other low‐index and high‐index facets. Motivated by exploring the correlation between ORR performance and surface atom arrangement (active sites), surface element composition, as well as other factors, this study introduces a prospective approach for shape‐controlled synthesis of advanced spinel oxide NCs. It underscores the significance of catalyst shape control and suggests potential applications as nonprecious metal ORR electrocatalysts.

Li, Can↗

Alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk in Japan: A pooled analysis of eight population‐based cohort studies

Abstract Although alcohol consumption is reported to increase the incidence of breast cancer in European studies, evidence for an association between alcohol and breast cancer in Asian populations is insufficient. We conducted a pooled analysis of eight large‐scale population‐based prospective cohort studies in Japan to evaluate the association between alcohol (both frequency and amount) and breast cancer risk with categorization by menopausal status at baseline and at diagnosis. Estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated in the individual cohorts and combined using random‐effects models. Among 158 164 subjects with 2 369 252 person‐years of follow‐up, 2208 breast cancer cases were newly diagnosed. Alcohol consumption had a significant association with a higher risk of breast cancer in both women who were premenopausal at baseline (regular drinker compared to nondrinker: HR 1.37, 1.04‐1.81, ≥23 g/d compared to 0 g/d: HR 1.74, 1.25‐2.43, P for trend per frequency category: P = .017) and those who were premenopausal at diagnosis (≥23 g/d compared to 0 g/d: HR 1.89, 1.04‐3.43, P for trend per frequency category: P = .032). In contrast, no significant association was seen in women who were postmenopausal at baseline or at diagnosis, despite a substantial number of subjects and long follow‐up period. Our results revealed that frequent and high alcohol consumption are both risk factors for Asian premenopausal breast cancer, similarly to previous studies in Western countries. The lack of a clear association in postmenopausal women in our study warrants larger investigation in Asia.

Iwase, Madoka↗

What Is a Polyolefin? A Critical Overview of Ethylene Copolymers Used as Solar Photovoltaic Module Encapsulants

In recent years, photovoltaic (PV) encapsulant films marketed as polyolefins (POs), more specifically as PO elastomers (POEs) and thermoplastic POs (TPOs), have gained significant market share and are projected to become the dominant encapsulation films by 2030. Relative to other industries, there are significant misconceptions about the term PO in the PV industry. Both in the scientific literature as well as in sales and advertising, the terms PO, POE, and TPO are often misused to describe the same type of material with comparable properties, while in reality these may each consist of separate material classes. This paper provides a comprehensive literature and market review, to showcase a broad range of PO and other ethylene copolymer encapsulants from recent studies, and discusses the materials' properties to clarify what constitutes a “polyolefin.” In addition, to promote a clearer comparison of encapsulant properties, we propose a two‐dimensional taxonomy to categorize polymers used in module manufacturing, including POs. In terms of improving the reliability of solar PV modules, PO‐based encapsulants have several advantages (including lower water uptake and ion diffusion), but might come with disadvantages too, such as a more complex processing and a higher sensitivity to the storage conditions and shelf life. All this might prospectively impact adhesion properties of the encapsulant to other materials' interfaces (glass, cells etc.) and end‐product quality. Because the track record of field‐deployed PV modules containing PO encapsulants is also limited, we hope to contribute to better material understanding and precision in communication in PV to secure quality.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗