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At least 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Higher symmetry breaking and nonreciprocity in a driven-dissipative Dicke model

Higher symmetries in interacting many-body systems often give rise to new phases and unexpected dynamical behavior. Here, we theoretically investigate a variant of the Dicke model with higher-order discrete symmetry, resulting from complex-valued coupling coefficients between quantum emitters and a bosonic mode. We propose a driven-dissipative realization of this model focusing on optomechanical response of a driven atom tweezer array comprised of 𝑛 subensembles and placed within an optical cavity, with the phase of the driving field advancing stepwise between subensembles. Examining stationary points and their dynamical stability, we identify a phase diagram for 𝑛≥3 with three distinctive features: a ℤ 𝑛 (ℤ 2⁢𝑛 ) symmetry-breaking superradiant phase for even (odd) 𝑛, a normal unbroken-symmetry phase that is dynamically unstable due to nonreciprocal forces between emitters, and a first-order phase transition separating these phases. This 𝑛-phase Dicke model may be equivalently realized in a variety of optomechanical or optomagnonic settings, where it can serve as a test bed for studying high-order symmetry breaking and nonreciprocal interactions in open systems.

Non-reciprocal propagation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Trapping and imaging dynamic battery nanointerfaces via electrified cryo-EM

The electrified interface between a liquid and a solid underpins diverse phenomena, from ion-transfer during battery operation to action potentials enabling biological communication. However, conventional tools are blind to the nanoscale dynamics of this metastable interface. Here, we leverage electrified cryo–electron microscopy (eCryo-EM), a technique that rapidly freezes and kinetically traps these dynamic, nonequilibrium states during battery operation for nanoscale characterization. Collective snapshots of the electrified interface at controlled time intervals quantifies early-stage growth kinetics of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), a passivation film that governs electron and ion transport. Unexpectedly, the diffusivity of charged species of the two SEI films with differing chemistry and performance are estimated to be within 10% of the other, indicated by the slope of their diffusion-limited SEI growth regimes. Instead, the slope of the reaction-limited SEI growth regimes differs by a factor of 3, suggesting that lowered reactivity of the high-performance electrolyte is largely responsible for its high coulombic efficiency.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Pyrrole Modified 3,4‐Propylenedioxythiophene Conjugated Polymer as Hole Transport Layer for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells

Despite the outstanding electric properties and cost-effectiveness of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and its derivatives, their performance as hole transport layer (HTL) materials in conventional perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has lagged behind that of widely used spirobifluorene-based molecules or poly(triaryl amine). This gap is mainly from their poor solubility and energy alignment mismatch. In this work, the design and synthesis of a pyrrole-modified HTL (PPr) based on 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT) are presented for efficient and stable PSCs. As a result of the superior defects passivation ability, excellent contact with perovskite, enhanced hole extraction, and high hydrophobicity, the unencapsulated PPr-based PSCs showed the peak PCE of 21.49% and outstanding moisture stability (over 4000 h). This work highlights the potential application of ProDOT-based materials as HTL for PSCs and underscores the importance of the rational design of PEDOT and its derivatives.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advancements in cerium/titanium metal-organic frameworks: Unparalleled stability in CO oxidation

Due to the excellent catalytic properties of Ce-based materials, the development of thermally stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) based on Ce-oxo clusters has attracted significant attention but remains challenging. In this work, we report the synthesis of an unreported Ce 4 Ti 2 -TMA (Ce IV 4 Ti IV 2 O 4 (OH) 4 (C(CH 3 ) 3 COO) 12 ·3H 2 O·3MeCN) cluster, which serves as an ideal source for the assembly of robust Ce/Ti-MOFs. Using this cluster, we constructed two isostructural MOFs, denoted as NU-3000 and NU-3001. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis confirms these MOFs as mesoporous structures with 12-coordinated Ce 3 Ti 3 nodes. Furthermore, structural analysis reveals a plane triangular node structure that likely contributes to the excellent thermal stability of these MOFs. Finally, both MOFs show catalytic activity toward high-temperature (250°C) CO oxidation and maintain significant porosity, emphasizing the thermal stability of these materials under practical catalytic conditions. Furthermore, the straightforward synthesis of thermally robust Ce/Ti-MOFs from the Ce 4 Ti 2 -TMA cluster will pave the way for future Ce/Ti-MOF-based catalyst development.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Machine Learning-Guided Discovery of Ternary Compounds Containing La, P, and Group 14 Elements

In this work, we integrate a deep machine learning (ML) method with first-principles calculations to efficiently search for the energetically favorable ternary compounds. Using La–Si–P as a prototype system, we demonstrate that ML-guided first-principles calculations can efficiently explore crystal structures and their relative energetic stabilities, thus greatly accelerate the pace of material discovery. A number of new La–Si–P ternary compounds with formation energies less than 30 meV/atom above the known ternary convex hull are discovered. Among them, the formation energies of La 5 SiP 3 and La 2 SiP phases are only 2 and 10 meV/atom, respectively, above the convex hull. These two compounds are dynamically stable with no imaginary phonon modes. Moreover, by replacing Si with heavier-group 14 elements in the eight lowest-energy La–Si–P structures from our ML-guided predictions, a number of low-energy La–X–P phases (X = Ge, Sn, Pb) are predicted.

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

Pressure-induced nonmonotonic cross-over of steady relaxation dynamics in a metallic glass

Relaxation dynamics, as a key to understand glass formation and glassy properties, remains an elusive and challenging issue in condensed matter physics. In this work, in situ high-pressure synchrotron high-energy X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy has been developed to probe the atomic-scale relaxation dynamics of a cerium-based metallic glass during compression. Although the sample density continuously increases, the collective atomic motion initially slows down as generally expected and then counterintuitively accelerates with further compression (density increase), showing an unusual nonmonotonic pressure-induced steady relaxation dynamics cross-over at ~3 GPa. Furthermore, by combining in situ high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction, the relaxation dynamics anomaly is evidenced to closely correlate with the dramatic changes in local atomic structures during compression, rather than monotonically scaling with either sample density or overall stress level. In conclusion, these findings could provide insight into relaxation dynamics and their relationship with local atomic structures of glasses.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Understanding atom probe’s analytical performance for iron oxides using correlation histograms and ab initio calculations

Abstract Field evaporation from ionic or covalently bonded materials often leads to the emission of molecular ions. The metastability of these molecular ions, particularly under the influence of the intense electrostatic field (10 10 Vm −1 ), makes them prone to dissociation with or without an exchange of energy amongst them. These processes can affect the analytical performance of atom probe tomography (APT). For instance, neutral molecules formed through dissociation may not be detected at all or with a time of flight no longer related to their mass, causing their loss from the analysis. Here, we evaluated the changes in the measured composition of FeO, Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 across a wide range of analysis conditions. Possible dissociation reactions are predicted by density-functional theory calculations considering the spin states of the molecules. The energetically favoured reactions are traced on to the multi-hit ion correlation histograms, to confirm their existence within experiments, using an automated Python-based routine. The detected reactions are carefully analyzed to reflect upon the influence of these neutrals from dissociation reactions on the performance of APT for analysing iron oxides.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Characterization of Particle and Heat Losses from a High-Temperature Particle Receiver (2 nd Ed)

High - temperature particle receivers are being pursued to enable next - generation concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) systems that can achieve higher temperatures (> 700 C) to enable more efficient power cycles, lower overall system costs, and emerging CSP - based process - heat applications. The objective of this work was to develop characterization methods to quantify the particle and heat losses from the open aperture of the particle receiver. Novel camera - based imaging methods were developed and applied to both laboratory - scale and larger 1 MW t on - sun tests at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Validation of the imaging methods was performed using gravimetric and calorimetric methods. In addition, conventional particle - sampling methods using volumetric particle - air samplers were applied to the on - sun tests to compare particle emission rates with regulatory standards for worker safety and pollution. Novel particle sampling methods using 3 - D printed tipping buckets and tethered balloons were also developed and applied to the on - sun particle - receiver tests. Finally, models were developed to simulate the impact of particle size and wind on particle emissions and concentrations as a function of location. Results showed that particle emissions and concentrations were well below regulatory standards for worker safety and pollution. In addition, estimated particle temperatures and advective heat losses from the camera - based imaging methods correlated well with measured values during the on - sun tests.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Variable Ion Compositions of Solar Energetic Particle Events in the Inner Heliosphere: A Field Line Braiding Model with Compound Injections

We propose a model for interpreting highly variable ion composition ratios in solar energetic particle (SEP) events recently observed by the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) at 0.3–0.45 au. We use numerical simulations to calculate SEP propagation in a turbulent interplanetary magnetic field with a Kolmogorov power spectrum from large scales down to the gyration scale of energetic particles. We show that when the source regions of different species are offset by a distance comparable to the size of the source regions, the observed energetic particle composition He/H can be strongly variable over more than two orders of magnitude, even if the source ratio is at the nominal value. Assuming a 3 He/ 4 He source ratio of 10% in impulsive 3 He-rich events and the same spatial offset of the source regions, the 3 He/ 4 He ratio at observation sites also vary considerably. The variability of the ion composition ratios depends on the radial distance, which can be tested by observations made at different radial locations. We discuss the implications of these results on the variability of ion composition of impulsive events and on further PSP and Solar Orbiter observations close to the Sun.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Neutron diffraction study of magnetic ordering in high pressure phases of rare earth metal holmium

The magnetic ordering in rare earth metals is well established for ambient pressure crystal structures, however, little is known about the magnetic ordering in their corresponding high-pressure crystalline modifications. Holmium (Ho) was studied in a large-volume diamond anvil cell at the Spallation Neutron Source to high-pressure up to 20 GPa and to low-temperature to 10 K. We have conducted two independent high-pressure low-temperature experiments under non-hydrostatic and quasi-hydrostatic pressure conditions respectively. The ambient pressure hexagonal close packed (hcp) phase of holmium shows two magnetic transitions below 10 GPa one to an incommensurate Antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase and another to a conical-Ferromagnetic (c-FM) phase. In contrast, alpha-Samarium-type (α-Sm) phase above 10 GPa and the double hexagonal close packed (dhcp) phase above 19 GPa show only one FM transition marked by the appearance of a magnetic peak at 3 Å and the concurrent enhancement of nuclear peaks below 30 K. Finally, these new transitions observed by neutron diffraction can be accounted by a commensurate superlattice formation along c-axis in both the α-Sm-type phase and the dhcp phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quantum spin ice response to a magnetic field in the dipole-octupole pyrochlore Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7

The pyrochlore magnet Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 has attracted much attention as a quantum spin ice candidate whose novelty derives in part from the dipolar-octupolar nature of the Ce 3+ pseudospin-1/2 degrees of freedom it possesses. We report heat capacity measurements on single crystal samples of Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 down to T~0.1K in a magnetic field along the [$1,\bar{1},0$] direction. These measurements show that the broad hump in the zero-field heat capacity moves higher in temperature with increasing field strength and is split into two separate humps by the [$1,\bar{1},0$] magnetic field at ~2T. These separate features are due to the decomposition of the pyrochlore lattice into effectively decoupled chains for fields in this direction: One set of chains (α chains) is polarized by the field while the other (β chains) remains free. This situation is similar to that observed in the classical spin ices Ho 2 Ti 2 O 7 and Dy 2 Ti 2 O 7 , but with the twist that here the strong transverse exchange interactions produce substantial quantum effects. Our theoretical modeling suggests that the β chains are close to a critical state, with nearly-gapless excitations. We also report elastic and inelastic neutron scattering measurements on single crystal Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 in [$1,\bar{1},0$] and [0,0,1] magnetic fields at temperatures down to T=0.03K. The elastic scattering behaves consistently with the formation of independent chains for a [$1,\bar{1},0$] field, while the [0,0,1] field produces a single field-induced elastic magnetic Bragg peak at (0,2,0) and equivalent wavevectors, indicating a polarized spin ice state for fields above ~3T. For both [$1,\bar{1},0$] and [0,0,1] magnetic fields, our inelastic neutron scattering results show an approximately dispersionless continuum of scattering that increases in both energy and intensity with increasing field strength. By modeling the complete set of experimental data using numerical linked cluster and semiclassical molecular dynamics calculations, we demonstrate the dominantly multipolar nature of the exchange interactions in Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 and the smallness of the parameter θ, which controls the mixing between dipolar and octupolar degrees of freedom. Finally, these results support previous estimates of the microscopic exchange parameters and place strong constraints on the theoretical description of this prominent spin ice candidate.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structural, Vibrational, and Electronic Properties of 1D-TlInTe 2 under High Pressure: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

Analogous to 2D layered transition-metal dichalcogenides, the TlSe family of quasi-one dimensional chain materials with the Zintl-type structure exhibits novel phenomena under high pressure. In the present work, we have systematically investigated the high-pressure behavior of TlInTe 2 using Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transport measurements, in combination with first principles crystal structure prediction (CSP) based on evolutionary approach. We found that TlInTe2 undergoes a pressure-induced semiconductor-to-semimetal transition at 4 GPa, followed by a superconducting transition at 5.7 GPa (with T c = 3.8 K). An unusual giant phonon mode (A g ) softening appears at ~10–12 GPa as a result of the interaction of optical phonons with the conduction electrons. The high-pressure XRD and Raman spectroscopy studies reveal that there is no structural phase transitions observed up to the maximum pressure achieved (33.5 GPa), which is in agreement with our CSP calculations. In addition, our calculations predict two high-pressure phases above 35 GPa following the phase transition sequence as I4/mcm (B37) → Pbcm → Pm$\bar{3}$m (B2). Electronic structure calculations suggest Lifshitz (L1 & L2-type) transitions near the superconducting transition pressure. Furthermore, our findings on TlInTe 2 open up a new avenue to study unexplored high-pressure novel phenomena in TlSe family induced by Lifshitz transition (electronic driven), giant phonon softening, and electron–phonon coupling.

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

Tungsten doped diamond shells for record neutron yield inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility

We report on fabrication and characterization of layered, tungsten doped, spherical about 2 mm diameter microcrystalline diamond ablator shells for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments at the National Ignition Facility. As previously reported, diamond ICF ablator shells can be fabricated by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on solid spherical silicon mandrels using an ellipsoidal microwave plasma reactor. In the present work, we further developed these ablator shells by embedding a W -doped diamond layer sandwiched between two undoped diamond regions. W incorporation in diamond was achieved by adding tungsten hexacarbonyl to the CH 4 /H 2 CVD feed gas. We observe that the W doping concentration decreases with increasing deposition rate which, in turn, is controlled by adjusting the total gas pressure. Cross sectional microstructural analysis reveals sharp interfaces between doped and undoped regions of the diamond shell and uniform W distribution with concentrations up to about 0.3 at.%. At higher W concentrations (>0.3 at.%) formation of tungsten carbide precipitates is observed. Using a 3-shock 1.6 MJ laser pulse, the targets described in this work produced the first laser driven implosion to break the 1 × 10 16 neutron yield barrier, followed by experiments (described in future publications) with similar targets and slightly more laser energy producing yields as high as 4 × 10 17 .

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on Ho2Ti2O7 by Materials Project

Ho2Ti2O7 crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1 space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are four inequivalent Ho3+ sites. In the first Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight O2- atoms. There are a spread of Ho–O bond distances ranging from 2.25–2.72 Å. In the second Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded in a 7-coordinate geometry to seven O2- atoms. There are a spread of Ho–O bond distances ranging from 2.23–2.39 Å. In the third Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight O2- atoms. There are a spread of Ho–O bond distances ranging from 2.23–2.45 Å. In the fourth Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight O2- atoms. There are a spread of Ho–O bond distances ranging from 2.33–2.61 Å. There are four inequivalent Ti4+ sites. In the first Ti4+ site, Ti4+ is bonded to six O2- atoms to form corner-sharing TiO6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 30–45°. There are a spread of Ti–O bond distances ranging from 1.87–2.20 Å. In the second Ti4+ site, Ti4+ is bonded to six O2- atoms to form distorted corner-sharing TiO6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 26–45°. There are a spread of Ti–O bond distances ranging from 1.83–2.29 Å. In the third Ti4+ site, Ti4+ is bonded to six O2- atoms to form distorted corner-sharing TiO6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 30–50°. There are a spread of Ti–O bond distances ranging from 1.78–2.28 Å. In the fourth Ti4+ site, Ti4+ is bonded to six O2- atoms to form distorted corner-sharing TiO6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 26–50°. There are a spread of Ti–O bond distances ranging from 1.82–2.34 Å. There are fourteen inequivalent O2- sites. In the first O2- site, O2- is bonded to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms to form distorted OHo2Ti2 tetrahedra that share corners with four OHo3Ti tetrahedra and an edgeedge with one OHo2Ti2 tetrahedra. In the second O2- site, O2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and one Ti4+ atom to form distorted OHo3Ti tetrahedra that share corners with five OHo2Ti2 tetrahedra and an edgeedge with one OHo3Ti tetrahedra. In the third O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms. In the fourth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms. In the fifth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to three Ho3+ and one Ti4+ atom. In the sixth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 5-coordinate geometry to three Ho3+ and two equivalent Ti4+ atoms. In the seventh O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 1-coordinate geometry to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms. In the eighth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to two Ho3+ and one Ti4+ atom. In the ninth O2- site, O2- is bonded to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing OHo2Ti2 tetrahedra. In the tenth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted see-saw-like geometry to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms. In the eleventh O2- site, O2- is bonded to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing OHo2Ti2 tetrahedra. In the twelfth O2- site, O2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and one Ti4+ atom to form a mixture of distorted edge and corner-sharing OHo3Ti tetrahedra. In the thirteenth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 5-coordinate geometry to three Ho3+ and two equivalent Ti4+ atoms. In the fourteenth O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 1-coordinate geometry to two Ho3+ and two Ti4+ atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials Data on La4(HoS2)11 by Materials Project

La4(HoS2)11 crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/m space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are six inequivalent Ho3+ sites. In the first Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to seven S2- atoms to form distorted HoS7 pentagonal bipyramids that share corners with three HoS6 octahedra, edges with two equivalent HoS6 octahedra, and edges with four equivalent HoS7 pentagonal bipyramids. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 40–50°. There are a spread of Ho–S bond distances ranging from 2.70–2.89 Å. In the second Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to six S2- atoms to form a mixture of corner and edge-sharing HoS6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 49–59°. There are a spread of Ho–S bond distances ranging from 2.65–2.78 Å. In the third Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to six S2- atoms to form HoS6 octahedra that share corners with three equivalent HoS6 octahedra, corners with two equivalent HoS7 pentagonal bipyramids, and edges with four HoS6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 51–63°. There are a spread of Ho–S bond distances ranging from 2.66–2.80 Å. In the fourth Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to six S2- atoms to form HoS6 octahedra that share corners with three equivalent HoS6 octahedra, a cornercorner with one HoS7 pentagonal bipyramid, edges with four equivalent HoS6 octahedra, and edges with two equivalent HoS7 pentagonal bipyramids. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 51–63°. There are a spread of Ho–S bond distances ranging from 2.67–2.77 Å. In the fifth Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to six S2- atoms to form a mixture of corner and edge-sharing HoS6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 49–59°. There are a spread of Ho–S bond distances ranging from 2.66–2.78 Å. In the sixth Ho3+ site, Ho3+ is bonded to six S2- atoms to form a mixture of corner and edge-sharing HoS6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedral tilt angles are 55°. There are two shorter (2.73 Å) and four longer (2.74 Å) Ho–S bond lengths. There are two inequivalent La+2.75+ sites. In the first La+2.75+ site, La+2.75+ is bonded in a 8-coordinate geometry to eight S2- atoms. There are a spread of La–S bond distances ranging from 2.94–3.07 Å. In the second La+2.75+ site, La+2.75+ is bonded in a 7-coordinate geometry to eight S2- atoms. There are a spread of La–S bond distances ranging from 2.93–3.49 Å. There are eleven inequivalent S2- sites. In the first S2- site, S2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and two equivalent La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, corners with two SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids, edges with six SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, and edges with two equivalent SHo4 trigonal pyramids. In the second S2- site, S2- is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to four Ho3+ atoms. In the third S2- site, S2- is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to three Ho3+ and one La+2.75+ atom. In the fourth S2- site, S2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and two equivalent La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids that share corners with six SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids, edges with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, edges with four SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, and an edgeedge with one SLaHo3 trigonal pyramid. In the fifth S2- site, S2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and two equivalent La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa2Ho3 square pyramids that share corners with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, corners with four SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids, edges with three SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, edges with three SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, and edges with two equivalent SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids. In the sixth S2- site, S2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and two equivalent La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa2Ho3 square pyramids that share corners with four SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, corners with two equivalent SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids, edges with four SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, and edges with three SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids. In the seventh S2- site, S2- is bonded to two equivalent Ho3+ and three La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, corners with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, corners with four equivalent SHo4 trigonal pyramids, edges with two SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, edges with six SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, and edges with three SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids. In the eighth S2- site, S2- is bonded to three Ho3+ and one La+2.75+ atom to form distorted SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids that share corners with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, corners with four SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, corners with five SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids, edges with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, and edges with three SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids. In the ninth S2- site, S2- is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to four Ho3+ atoms. In the tenth S2- site, S2- is bonded to four Ho3+ atoms to form distorted SHo4 trigonal pyramids that share corners with five SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, corners with five SLaHo3 trigonal pyramids, edges with three SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, and edges with two equivalent SHo4 trigonal pyramids. In the eleventh S2- site, S2- is bonded to two equivalent Ho3+ and three La+2.75+ atoms to form distorted SLa3Ho2 trigonal bipyramids that share corners with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, corners with four SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids, a cornercorner with one SLaHo3 trigonal pyramid, edges with two equivalent SLa2Ho3 square pyramids, and edges with six SLa2Ho3 trigonal bipyramids.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Defect Engineering of WO 3 by Rapid Flame Reduction for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Conversion of Methane into Liquid Oxygenates

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion is a promising way to use methane (CH 4 ) as a chemical building block without harsh conditions. However, the PEC conversion of CH 4 to value-added chemicals remains challenging due to the thermodynamically favorable overoxidation of CH 4 . Here, we report WO 3 nanotube (NT) photoelectrocatalysts for PEC CH 4 conversion with high liquid product selectivity through defect engineering. By tuning the flame reduction treatment, we carefully controlled the oxygen vacancies of WO 3 NTs. The optimally reduced WO 3 NTs suppressed overoxidation of CH4 showing a high total C1 liquid selectivity of 69.4% and a production rate of 0.174 μmol cm –2 h –1 . Scanning electrochemical microscopy revealed that oxygen vacancies can restrain the production of hydroxyl radicals, which, in excess, could further oxidize C1 intermediates to CO 2 . Additionally, band diagram analysis and computational studies elucidated that oxygen vacancies thermodynamically suppress overoxidation. In conclusion, this work introduces a strategy for understanding and controlling the selectivity of photoelectrocatalysts for direct conversion of CH 4 to liquids.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of Particle and Heat Losses from a High-Temperature Particle Receiver

High-temperature particle receivers are being pursued to enable next-generation concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) systems that can achieve higher temperatures (> 700 °C) to enable more efficient power cycles, lower overall system costs, and emerging CSP-based process-heat applications. The objective of this work was to develop characterization methods to quantify the particle and heat losses from the open aperture of the particle receiver. Novel camera- based imaging methods were developed and applied to both laboratory-scale and larger 1 MW t on-sun tests at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Validation of the imaging methods was performed using gravimetric and calorimetric methods. In addition, conventional particle-sampling methods using volumetric particle-air samplers were applied to the on-sun tests to compare particle emission rates with regulatory standards for worker safety and pollution. Novel particle sampling methods using 3-D printed tipping buckets and tethered balloons were also developed and applied to the on-sun particle-receiver tests. Finally, models were developed to simulate the impact of particle size and wind on particle emissions and concentrations as a function of location. Results showed that particle emissions and concentrations were well below regulatory standards for worker safety and pollution. In addition, estimated particle temperatures and advective heat losses from the camera-based imaging methods correlated well with measured values during the on-sun tests.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Elucidating interfacial active sites in ruthenium–boron nitride nanotube catalysts for efficient low-temperature ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion

Tailoring the interaction between metal nanoparticles and catalyst support presents a prominent strategy to enhance both the activity and durability in hydrogen (H 2 ) production catalysts. In this work, ruthenium nanoparticles (NPs) supported on boron nitride nanotubes (Ru/BNNT) are introduced as efficient and thermally robust catalysts for low-temperature ammonia (NH 3 ) decomposition. The unique curvature and ionic nature of BNNTs enable uniform Ru dispersion and metal-support interactions (MSIs), resulting in exceptional H 2 generation efficiency and long-term operational stability. In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals remarkable thermal resistance of Ru/BNNT with minimal nanoparticle sintering, while density functional theory (DFT) calculations uncover a dual-site mechanism in which interfacial Ru atoms promote NH 3 dissociation and adjacent Ru sites facilitate 2H* recombination and H 2 desorption. This cooperative interaction between metal NPs and the BNNT support underpins the outstanding catalytic performance and durability observed. In conclusion, the findings highlight the strategic potential of BNNTs as versatile supports for high-performance and stable catalysts in sustainable H 2 energy conversion and related catalytic processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗