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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 649 records · Page 36
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Optimizing quantification of MK6240 tau PET in unimpaired older adults

Accurate measurement of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in older adults without significant clinical impairment is critical to assessing intervention strategies aimed at slowing AD-related cognitive decline. The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (POINTER) is a 2-year randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of multicomponent risk reduction strategies in older adults (60-79 years) who are cognitively unimpaired but at increased risk for cognitive decline/dementia due to factors such as cardiovascular disease and family history. The POINTER Imaging ancillary study is collecting tau-PET ([ 18 F]MK6240), beta-amyloid (Aβ)-PET ([ 18 F]florbetaben [FBB]) and MRI data to evaluate neuroimaging biomarkers of AD and cerebrovascular pathophysiology in this at-risk sample. Here 481 participants (70.0±5.0; 66% F) with baseline MK6240, FBB and structural MRI scans were included. PET scans were coregistered to the structural MRI which was used to create FreeSurfer-defined reference regions and target regions of interest (ROIs). We also created off-target signal (OTS) ROIs to examine the magnitude and distribution of MK6240 OTS across the brain as well as relationships between OTS and age, sex, and race. OTS was unimodally distributed, highly correlated across OTS ROIs and related to younger age and sex but not race. Aiming to identify an optimal processing approach for MK6240 that would reduce the influence of OTS, we compared our previously validated MRI-guided standard PET processing and 6 alternative approaches. The alternate approaches included combinations of reference region erosion and meningeal OTS masking before spatial smoothing as well as partial volume correction. To compare processing approaches we examined relationships between target ROIs (entorhinal cortex (ERC), hippocampus or a temporal meta-ROI (MetaROI)) SUVR and age, sex, race, Aβ and a general cognitive status measure, the Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm). Overall, the processing approaches performed similarly, and none showed a meaningful improvement over standard processing. Across processing approaches we observed previously reported relationships with MK6240 target ROIs including positive associations with age, an Aβ+> Aβ- effect and negative associations with cognition. In sum, we demonstrated that different methods for minimizing effects of OTS, which is highly correlated across the brain within subject, produced no substantive change in our performance metrics. This is likely because OTS contaminates both reference and target regions and this contamination largely cancels out in SUVR data. Caution should be used when efforts to reduce OTS focus on target or reference regions in isolation as this may exacerbate OTS contamination in SUVR data.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimization of neutron chopper and optics for CENTAUR, the SANS/WANS diffractometer at the spallation neutron source second target station

Herein this report presents the physics design and optimization of the neutron chopper and optics systems for the CENTAUR instrument, a multifunctional small-angle and wide-angle neutron scattering diffractometer for the Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station. This instrument will offer a wide range of capabilities, including small-angle neutron scattering with wide Q coverage (e.g., 0.001–20 Å –1 ), providing a tool to investigate structures from atomic to mesoscopic scales simultaneously. To efficiently transport desired neutrons from the compact high-brightness cold source, several innovative designs are utilized: a time-zero chopper with a straight guide system for short-wavelength neutrons, octagonal guides for higher flux, and a correlation chopper to reduce inelastic scattering. The optimization process considers factors such as useable time-integrated flux, instrument resolution, brilliance transfer, divergence, and acceptance diagram uniformity. The overall design prioritizes flexibility to accommodate diverse user requirements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Development of a Generalized Riser Flow Regime Map Based Upon Higher Moment and Chaotic Statistics Using Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT)

Dynamic analyses have been applied to the temporal signals from an Electro Capacitance Volume Tomography instrument located near mid-height on the riser of an industrial-scale cold-flow circulating fluidized bed to characterize gas-solids flow behavior in the riser. Twelve capacitance electrodes surround the cylindrical riser over a height of 1.3 m. The instrument used a neural network deconvolution algorithm to determine the spatially resolved solids fraction recorded at 52 Hz. Experiments were carried out over a range of gas and solids flows in the transport regime using a Geldart Group B bed material, high density polyethylene with mean particle size of 880 μm. The radial solids distribution was found to vary from one-time step to the next between profiles typical of laminar and turbulent flow. The duration of time spent in each of these flow profiles depended upon the operating regime – dilute, core-annular, or fast fluidized bed. The chaotic structure of the temporal data was characterized using the three conventional approaches: the first 4 moments from the distribution of signal in time, system memory parameters from the autocorrelation function and the Hurst exponent, and analysis of the correlationentropy and correlation dimension of the attractor. These signal analysis techniques were used to clearly distinguish differences between different transport operating regimes. Specifically, it was experimentally observed that a riser transitions from core annular flow profile to dilute and dense regimes via increasing the frequency of short term transients to either dilute or dense flow profiles, respectively. A regime map was generated based upon these dynamics using solids flux and gas velocity axes. Fast fluidized, core annular, and dilute each exhibited different degree of dynamic characteristics typical of fluid dominated or particle compromising behavior. It should be noted that the magnitude for the different statistics was in the same range regardless of the regime, it was the radial profile for the statistic that changed and subsequently identified that there was a change in the regime. Finally, a reduced regime map was developed consisting of plotting the gas velocity normalized by the upper transport velocity versus the solids flux normalized by the saturation carrying capacity. The use of this reduced plot allowed the data from widely different conditions to be plotted and compared on the same<p>graph. Note that in many instances, some of the statistics identified the operating point as being in one regime while others indicated that it was in another indicating a transition region between dilute or core annular regimes and between the core annular and fast fluidization regimes. This now provides a tool that can be used to optimize process performance, identify changes in operating states, or replicate process dynamics during process scaling or changing operating parameters. </p>

Breault, Ronald↗
DOE OSTI2026

Engineering acid-base active sites on an N-doped biochar catalyst for microwave-assisted biodiesel production from waste cooking oil

Acid-base bifunctional catalysts play a crucial role in converting high-free fatty acid (FFA) feedstocks into biodiesel by enabling the simultaneous esterification and transesterification of triglycerides in a single step, thereby minimizing saponification and streamlining the process. In this study, we report the design and development of a novel N-doped acid-base bifunctional biochar catalyst synthesized from renewable biomass precursors- glucose and chitosan. The catalyst’s acidic sites were introduced via surface functionalization with o-sulfobenzoic acid cyclic anhydride, grafting -SO₃H groups onto the carbon framework, while basic sites were generated from amine functionalities (-NH) derived from chitosan, yielding a robust and truly bifunctional surface. The catalyst was characterized and used for the microwave-assisted transesterification of waste cooking oil, and process optimization using response surface methodology (RSM-CCD) yielding a maximum biodiesel yield of 98.8 ± 0.4% under optimal conditions (methanol-to-oil molar ratio 20:1, catalyst loading 5.7 wt%, temperature 99 °C, and reaction time 46.6 min). The catalyst demonstrated good stability, maintaining a yield of 92.2 ± 0.4% after eight reuse cycles. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted for 1 kg of biodiesel production revealed a global warming potential of 0.85 kg CO 2 eq and human toxicity potential of 1.59 kg 1,4-DB eq, with the largest environmental contributions arising from catalyst preparation and reuse. In conclusion, this work highlights a green and circular approach to biodiesel production, combining renewable catalyst design, waste feedstock utilization, and quantitative sustainability assessment to guide future developments in sustainable catalysis and biofuel engineering.

Bifunctional catalyst↗
DOE OSTI2023

Life cycle cost, energy, and carbon emissions of molds for precast concrete: Exploring the impacts of material choices and additive manufacturing

Molds for precast concrete are commonly used to create simple- to complex-shaped concrete products away from construction sites. These molds are often handmade from wood; however, additively manufacturing (AM, or 3D printing) fiber-reinforced polymer composites is an advantageous alternative, producing significantly more durable, highly complex molds faster, but likely at a higher cost. Here, this study explores the impact of material and production variables on the cost, energy, and carbon emissions of employing composite AM molds over the full lifecycle. The case study employed techno-economic and life cycle assessments to show that using wood flour–poly(lactic acid) or recycled carbon fiber–acrylonitrile butadiene styrene for AM molds can be less expensive than conventional wood molds, especially when considering use phase costs. While wood molds have the least environmental impacts due to wood's higher biogenic carbon sequestration and minimal processing, optimizing AM designs could reduce energy demand, carbon emissions, and cost.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

A comprehensive material study of CdSeTe films deposited with differing selenium compositions

The addition of selenium into CdTe to create the ternary alloy CdSeTe has been one of the most impactful advancements to CdTe-based photovoltaics in the last decade. CdSeTe/CdTe bilayer device structures have enabled a gain in short-circuit current due to the narrower bandgap of the alloy, with minimal to no loss in voltage. Intensity of photoluminescence and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements suggest this is due to an increase in carrier lifetime and concomitant greater fraction of radiative vs non-radiative recombination events which allows for a reduction in the voltage deficit. Here, in this work, we study the properties of as-deposited and CdCl 2 -treated CdSeTe films deposited by close-space sublimation under varying conditions from CdSeTe source charges with both 20 and 40 mol% CdSe. We find that the selenium content in the deposited films are substantially reduced from that of the source material. Additionally, deposition temperature, particularly that of the substrate, considerably affects the grain size, crystallinity, and photoluminescence of the material, illustrating the importance of source material selection and process optimization. Finally, we present evidence that the source material, and therefore the properties of the deposited films, change over time as the source material is used.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Unsupervised discovery of nonlinear plasma physics using differentiable kinetic simulations

Plasma supports collective modes and particle–wave interactions that lead to complex behaviour in, for example, inertial fusion energy applications. While plasma can sometimes be modelled as a charged fluid, a kinetic description is often crucial for studying nonlinear effects in the higher-dimensional momentum–position phase space that describes the full complexity of the plasma dynamics. We create a differentiable solver for the three-dimensional partial-differential equation describing the plasma kinetics and introduce a domain-specific objective function. Using this framework, we perform gradient-based optimization of neural networks that provide forcing function parameters to the differentiable solver given a set of initial conditions. We apply this to an inertial-fusion-relevant configuration and find that the optimization process exploits a novel physical effect.

plasma nonlinear phenomena↗
DOE OSTI2023

Effect of the Precursor Chemistry on the Crystallization of Triple Cation Mixed Halide Perovskites

Triple cation, mixed halide perovskite compositions have been reported to be more thermally stable, exhibit fewer phase impurities, and show higher power conversion efficiency and better reproducibility than single cation perovskites. In this work, we explain the formation of Cs0.05FA0.81MA0.14Pb(I0.85Br0.15)3 via a multimodal in situ study combining structural information from synchrotron grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and optical properties from photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy with density functional theory calculations (DFT). The focus here is on the effects of the solvent and antisolvent during crystallization. The predominantly used solvents N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and the antisolvent chlorobenzene (CB) as well as the solvent-antisolvent-precursor interactions are investigated. Given the high elemental complexity and mutual interdependencies between solvent, antisolvent, and perovskite precursors, we found significant differences in the crystallization pathways. DMF-pure precursors show the formation of the DMF-containing intermediate phase and the nucleation of compositionally distinct perovskite phases, while when DMSO is added, only crystalline α- and δ-phases were found. In addition, the presence of DMSO helps the formation of α-perovskite. Coordination energy and bond order (BO) calculations support our experimental findings. Dripping of CB induces nucleation at room temperature, slows the α-phase formation rate, and appears to reduce the nucleation radius. These findings provide novel insights into solvent, antisolvent, and perovskite precursor interactions and their formation pathways. The complexity of interactions between solvents and reagents highlights the importance of understanding these effects to further improve the reproducibility and optimize processing conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Spatiotemporal and Statistical Mapping of Transition Metal Equilibria in Alkaline Media

Transition metal dissolution and redeposition (D/R) kinetics in alkaline media play a critical role in various chemical and electrochemical processes. Competitive reaction kinetics between different transition metals can modulate individual metal behavior in these processes. To date, these phenomena have remained largely unmeasured, and even when captured, they are difficult to statistically characterize due to their dynamic nature, simultaneous occurrence, and spatially heterogeneous nature. Here, in this study, we develop a statistical analysis framework based on in situ and operando X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) to investigate the relative D/R kinetics of multiple transition metals in alkaline media. By employing statistical analysis, we quantify the spatial distribution of D/R species and assess the rate at which the system reaches equilibrium under varying reaction conditions. We show that pH does not simply change the rate of dissolution and redeposition, but reorganizes the cross-element kinetic correlations among Ni, Fe, and Mn and accelerates the spatial equilibration of D/R events, as quantified through correlation analysis, reaction-rate estimation, probability function distributions, and texture-based monitoring statistics. Additionally, we demonstrate how modifying the solvent environment can influence D/R kinetics, providing a pathway for tuning materials synthesis and process optimization. Our study offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between different transition metals and provides a reliable statistical framework for spatial analysis of diverse imaging data sets, enabling deeper extraction of latent information across multiple modalities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microwave-Assisted Plastic Upcycling: Dynamic Data Reconciliation, Parameter Estimation, and Kinetic Modeling

Microwave (MW)-assisted catalytic pyrolysis offers a promising pathway for efficient plastic upcycling. This work develops an integrated modeling framework combining dynamic data reconciliation, a temperature-dependent rate model, and a yield model to represent the time-varying production rate of components in MW-assisted LDPE pyrolysis conducted in a batch reactor. An Arrhenius-type rate model with a temperature-dependent reaction order is developed. A biexponential correlation is proposed for the yield of gaseous products that enables to capture the evolving product formation behavior during conversion. In the yield correlation, one term is used to represent the initial increase in yield, reflecting the rapid formation of intermediate or primary products at the early stages of the reaction when a larger fraction of the reactant remains available. As conversion progresses, the influence of this term gradually diminishes. The other term accounts for the subsequent decrease in the predicted yield, representing secondary reactions such as further cracking or coke formation that reduce the concentration of certain products at higher conversion. The model is found to accurately represent reconciled experimental flow rate profiles from an in-house MW-assisted catalytic batch reactor for major products, including ethylene, ethane, 1-butene, and benzene, across 250−350 °C. Ethylene remains the dominant product but decreases from about 41.95% at 250 °C to 30.14% at 350 °C, while heavier products increase significantly, with 1-butene rising to nearly 8.37% and benzene reaching 2.17% at intermediate temperatures. The model shows that the ethylene production rate can be maximized at around 270 °C. The models developed in this work can be utilized for process optimization, reactor design and scale-up of microwave-assisted plastic conversion technologies, and economic analysis.

Damahe, Harish [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, W↗
DOE OSTI2023

Laser Scribing for Electrode Patterning of Perovskite Spectrometer-Grade CsPbBr 3 Gamma-ray Detectors

Making semiconductor radiation detectors that work at room temperature relies heavily on the deposition and pixelation of electrodes. Electrode patterning of perovskite solar cells widely implements laser scribing techniques, which is a convenient, scalable, and inexpensive technique. However, this method has not found its application in radiation detector patterning yet, and the question whether laser scribing can achieve high-quality patterns with minimum damage to a detector crystal and low interpixel cross-talk remains largely unanswered. To prove that laser scribing is a practical method for electrode patterning on perovskite CsPbBr 3 detectors, we use the material to create a variety of patterns. A very low lateral leakage current (60 nA at 10 V) and high mobility-lifetime product (9.7(3) x 10 -4 cm 2 /V) were observed between the pixel and the guard ring in tests of single-pixel devices with a separation of 200 or 100 μm between the central electrode and the guard ring. The 122 and 136 keV photopeaks in 57 Co gamma-ray spectra were very well resolved with an energy resolution of up to 6.1% at 122 keV. Finally, a further reduction in gap size to 50 mu m is conceivable, but more process optimization is needed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Toward Sustainable Lithium Recovery: A Universal Hydrothermal Approach for Lithium Extraction

The rapid growth of lithium-ion battery (LIB) deployment presents critical challenges in sustainable end-of-life management and raw material recovery. Conventional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods suffer from high energy demand, lithium loss, and complex wastewater treatment. This study established a universal, highly efficient, and sustainable hydrothermal route for lithium extraction and material recovery from various spent lithium-ion battery cathodes using 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA). The optimized process achieved over 99% lithium leaching efficiency for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and LiNi x Mn y Co 1–x–y O 2 (NMC), with transition metal coleaching below 1%. It was also broadly applicable to lithium manganese oxide, lithium cobalt oxide, and black mass, achieving 98.5%, 98.95%, and 94.06% leaching efficiencies, respectively. The extracted lithium was directly converted into battery-grade lithium sources, while transition metals were recovered as oxides. Unreacted BTCA was efficiently regenerated and reused without degradation. Electrochemical evaluation confirmed that cathode materials synthesized with recovered lithium exhibit comparable performance to commercial products. Compared to conventional hydrometallurgy, the BTCA-based process increased revenue by over 40% and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by up to 39%. This closed-loop, chemistry-agnostic strategy offered a scalable and economically viable solution for industrial LIB recycling, enabling resource circularity and reducing dependency on primary critical materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

2D in-Plane Ordered MXene Nanosheets Derived from (Mo 2/3 Er 1/3 ) 2 AlC Rare-Earth i-MAX for Energy Storage Applications

MXenes have become one of the most versatile families of two-dimensional (2D) materials due to their high conductivity, hydrophilicity, and remarkable electrochemical performance. This has stimulated intense efforts to design and synthesize MXenes, including structurally unique in-plane ordered 2D MXenes called i-MXenes. Here, we have synthesized the quaternary rare earth (RE)-based i-MAX phase (Mo 2/3 Er 1/3 ) 2 AlC using an arc melting method, and the corresponding 2D i-MXene was then obtained through a LiF/HCl soft etching process. Literature studies have shown that Al and the RE element are etched out during the etching process, leading to the formation of pure vacancy-ordered Mo1.33C 2D i-MXene. However, our investigation reveals that upon exposure to a fluorine solution, the i-MAX phase forms RE fluoride impurities, which are challenging to remove through HCl−DI water washing and persist in the final product, resulting in impure Mo 1.33 C@Er i-MXene. These results were confirmed by various characterizations such as X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Although the Mo 1.33 C@Er electrode showed a 24-fold increase in specific capacitance compared to its parent i-MAX phase, it still exhibited a high charge-transfer resistance arising from the insulating nature of RE fluoride byproducts, which adversely influence the overall capacitance behavior of the synthesized 2D Mo 1.33 C@Er i-MXenes. This study contributes to identifying pathways for the preparation of pure 2D i-MXenes from RE-based i-MAX phases and developing improved synthesis methods. With additional process optimization, the 2D i-MXene holds a strong potential for electrochemical energy storage applications. Additionally, the electronic structures of Mo 1.33 C were theoretically studied using first-principles density functional theory calculations, which revealed that pristine Mo 1.33 C is metallic, and this metallic nature is preserved even with −O, −F, and mixed functionalization.

chemical structure↗
DOE OSTI2025

Review of High-Throughput Surface Treatments for Microlens Arrays

Microlenses are increasingly being integrated into modern manufactured devices. From printed security devices and screens to solar panels and microscopes, these optical materials offer high control over light focusing. Thus, understanding how to treat the surfaces of these fragile, transparent devices on an integrated manufacturing line is essential. Here, in this study, we review the surface treatments for the following application categories: cleaning, increasing surface energy, decreasing surface energy, and tunable surface modifications. This overview describes methods available for the large-scale manufacturing of microlens arrays and the potential impact of those treatments on common optical surfaces. Objectives and qualitative compatibility parameters are compared, and outlooks are provided for further study to aid in streamlining the method selection and process optimization for microlenses and similar optical components.

lens manufacturing↗
DOE OSTI2021

Microstructural Evaluation of Phase Instability in Large Bandgap Metal Halide Perovskites

The optoelectronic performance of organic–inorganic halide perovskite (OIHP)-based devices has been improved in recent years. Particularly, solar cells fabricated using mixed-cations and mixed-halides have outperformed their single-cation and single-halide counterparts. Yet, a systematic evaluation of the microstructural behavior of mixed perovskites is missing despite their known composition-dependent photoinstability. Here, we explore microstructural inhomogeneity in (FAPbI 3 ) x (MAPbBr 3 ) 1– x using advanced scanning probe microscopy techniques. In this work, contact potential difference (CPD) maps measured by Kelvin probe force microscopy show an increased fraction of grains exhibiting a low CPD with flat topography as MAPbBr 3 concentration is increased. The higher portion of low CPD contributes to asymmetric CPD distribution curves. Chemical analysis reveals these grains being rich in MA, Pb, and I. The composition-dependent phase segregation upon illumination, reflected on the emergence of a low-energy peak emission in the original photoluminescence spectra, arises from the formation of such grains with flat topology. Bias-dependent piezo-response force microscopy measurements, in these grains, further confirm vigorous ion migration and cause a hysteretic piezo-response. Our results, therefore, provide insights into the microstructural evaluation of phase segregation and ion migration in OIHPs pointing toward process optimization as a mean to further enhance their optoelectronic performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cost of Deconstruction Depots for Diversified, Waste-Based Lignocellulosic Sugars Using Distillable Solvents

Transitioning to a bioeconomy that makes use of low-emission and waste feedstocks requires greater flexibility to accommodate seasonal variations and mitigate long-term storage challenges, such as material loss and fire risk. To achieve this goal, biomass deconstruction technologies must efficiently handle diverse feedstocks. Here, we assess the cost of using butylaminea distillable solventto deconstruct 22 different biomass feedstocks: 7 herbaceous, 9 woody, 4 food processing residues, and 2 blends. Lignocellulosic sugar production costs, based on current empirical data, range from $1.3 to 6.1/kg, suggesting that substantial improvements are required to compete with conventional sugars. The high solvent loading (850 g/kg of whole slurry) is a process bottleneck. Lowering the solvent loading to 59 g/kg of whole slurry, demonstrated in an L-scale reactor using poplar biomass, reduces the minimum sugar selling price by 33%. Solvent loading and recovery, solid loading, sugar yield, enzyme use, and delivered biomass cost all play key roles in reaching sugar production costs of $0.45-0.79/kg. Strategic feedstock blending to maximize carbohydrate content, process optimization to improve conversion efficiency, and the selection of low-cost feedstocks are important to advancing feedstock-flexible biorefineries.

TEA↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technoeconomic and Life Cycle Analysis of an Integrated Fermentation and Microbial Electrochemical Process for Volatile Fatty Acid Production from Food Waste

Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) were conducted for an integrated system designed for the production of volatile fatty acid (VFA) from food waste. The TEA estimated a production cost of $\$$3.12/kg VFA, and the LCA predicted negative greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of -0.4 kg CO 2 e/kg VFA, driven primarily by diverting organic waste from landfills and avoiding methane emissions while producing valuable chemical products. Hotspot analysis showed arrested methanogenesis (AM) fermentation as the largest contributor to costs (37%) and environmental burden (47%), driven by high sodium hydroxide (NaOH) consumption. Distillation and microbial electrosynthesis (MES) units were the next-largest environmental contributors (28% and 18%). Major cost drivers also included residuals management (biosolids and wastewater) and the equipment and operating costs for AM, MES, and sonication pretreatment units. Although the new integrated system is environmentally benign, its costs and environmental impacts can be further reduced by integrating alternative energy sources, minimizing chemical and energy inputs through process optimization, and improving efficiency. In conclusion, this work highlighted the viability of waste-derived VFA production and provided a clear, data-driven strategy to accelerate the commercialization of waste valorization technology.

Carboxylic Acid Production↗