Engineering PapersSearch

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “conjunction”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4

Sensitivity-based voltage constraints for optimal power flow in low-voltage distribution feeders

The optimal power flow (OPF) problem for distribution systems can include network details down to the low-voltage (LV) points of interconnection of individual customers. This paper addresses the implementation of voltage magnitude constraints, and sets forth a practicable approach for capturing the effects on voltage from the switching behavior of loads (e.g., heat pumps, air conditioners, water heaters, or pool pumps) and from the variability of renewable generation (e.g., rooftop solar). The proposed method adjusts the OPF voltage constraints based on forecasts of load and generation upper and lower bounds, in conjunction with sensitivity factors derived from the power flow equations. An illustrative OPF formulation is also provided, which incorporates transformer models that include core loss. We demonstrate that accurate modeling of these LV network components is critical to avoid voltage violations at customer points of interconnection. Furthermore, the ideas are validated through numerical case studies on a realistic distribution feeder.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION

Enhancing cold spray coatings: Microstructural dynamics and performance attributes of Inconel 625 with chromium carbide incorporation for hydropower applications

The incorporation of chromium carbide (CrC) particles into the cold spray (CS) process is known to mitigate nozzle clogging, although at the expense of deposition efficiency. This study explores the intricate microstructural changes induced by varying amounts of CrC powder (12.5 % and 6 %) in conjunction with Inconel-625 (Inc-625) powder. The deposition was carried out onto A27 cast steel under different CS parameters. Microstructural characterization, including detailed electron microscopy studies, reveals a complex yet structurally stable coating. Noteworthy features include grain fragmentation and a cellular structure enriched with Nb and Mo, with minimal plastic deformation of CrC in the matrix. The cold-sprayed coatings exhibit a significant (~4 times) increase in microhardness compared to the A27 substrate. Mechanical and cavitation erosion properties were systematically investigated. Coatings subjected to higher particle energy conditions with a gas pressure of 600 psi and gas temperature of 650 °C, demonstrated superior resistance to cavitation erosion. This resistance is attributed to a combination of factors, including microstructural characteristics and porosity. Altogether, the study provides valuable insights into the structural dynamics and performance of CS coatings enriched with CrC particles.

A27 cast steel

Detecting shearless phase-space transport barriers in global gyrokinetic turbulence simulations with test particle map models

In magnetically confined fusion plasmas, the role played by zonal 𝐸 x 𝐵 flow shear layers in the suppression of turbulent transport is relatively well understood. However, less is understood about the role played by the weak shear regions that arise in the non-monotonic radial electric field profiles often associated with these shear layers. In electrostatic simulations from the global total-𝑓 gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code XGC, we demonstrate how shearless regions with non-zero flow curvature form zonal ‘jets’ that, in conjunction with neighbouring regions of shear, can act as robust barriers to particle transport and turbulence spreading. By isolating quasi-coherent fluctuations radially localised to the zonal jets, we construct a map model for the Lagrangian dynamics of gyrokinetic test particles in the presence of drift waves. We identify the presence of shearless invariant tori in this model and verify that these tori act as partial phase-space transport barriers in the simulations. We also demonstrate how avalanches impinging on these shearless tori cause eddy detachment events that form ‘cold/warm core ring’ structures analogous to those found in oceanic jets, facilitating transport across the barriers without destroying them completely. We discuss how shearless tori may generically arise from tertiary instabilities or other types of discrete eigenmodes, suggesting their potential relevance to broader classes of turbulent fluctuations.

fusion plasma

Synthesis, Processing, and Use of Isotopically Enriched Epitaxial Oxide Thin Films

Isotopic engineering has emerged as a key approach to study the nucleation, diffusion, phase transitions, and reactions of materials at an atomic level. It aims to uncover mass transport pathways, kinetics, and operational and failure mechanisms of functional materials and devices. Understanding these phenomena leads to deeper insights into important physical processes, such as the transport of ions in energy conversion and storage devices and the role of active sites and supports during heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Likewise, isotopic engineering is being pursued as a means of modifying functionality to enable future technological applications. In this Account, we summarize our recent work employing isotope labeling (e.g., 18 O 2 and 57 Fe) during thin film synthesis and postgrowth processing to reveal growth mechanisms, defect chemistry, and elemental diffusion under working and extreme conditions. Isotope-resolved analysis techniques with nanometer-scale spatial resolution, such as time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and atom probe tomography, facilitate the accurate quantification of isotopic placement and concentration in our well-defined heterostructures with precisely positioned, isotope-enriched layers. By measuring the nanometer-scale redistribution between natural abundance and isotopically enriched oxygen layers during the deposition of Fe 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 by molecular beam epitaxy, we identified intermixing processes driven by surface adatoms occurring both at the film growth surface and within the first few layers below the surface. Further insights into synthesis mechanisms were gained by studying the tungsten oxide thin films grown by evaporating WO 3 powder in the presence of background 18 O 2 , revealing minimal incorporation of background oxygen during the film formation process. Thermal and radiation-enhanced diffusion in epitaxial Fe and Cr oxides were precisely tracked using 18 O and 57 Fe tracer layers incorporated into model epitaxial oxide thin films. This approach has allowed us to access thermal diffusion behavior at lower temperatures than previously measured, revealing a potential changeover in diffusion mechanism. Understanding radiation-enhanced diffusion in model oxides that represent the surface layers on the structural components of nuclear reactors informs our understanding of their corrosion behavior under irradiation. Isotopic labeling can also provide unique insights into the surface exchange reactions and defect chemistry of electrocatalysts. For instance, tracking the change in 18 O concentration at the surface of an epitaxial LaNiO 3 thin film after the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction revealed the participation of lattice oxygen, confirming a hypothesis that had been proposed previously. Lastly, we highlight a new direction wherein we perform in situ processing studies utilizing isotopic tracers in conjunction with model epitaxial thin films within the atom probe tomography instrument. Additionally, this Account illustrates the great potential of isotopic engineering to enable fundamental mechanistic insights into physical processes and engineer functional properties in epitaxial films, heterostructures, and superlattices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Catalytic Upcycling of Polyolefins

The large production volumes of commodity polyolefins (specifically, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and poly(vinyl chloride)), in conjunction with their low unit values and multitude of short-term uses, have resulted in a significant and pressing waste management challenge. Only a small fraction of these polyolefins is currently mechanically recycled, with the rest being incinerated, accumulating in landfills, or leaking into the natural environment. Since polyolefins are energy-rich materials, there is considerable interest in recouping some of their chemical value while simultaneously motivating more responsible end-of-life management. An emerging strategy is catalytic depolymerization, in which a portion of the C–C bonds in the polyolefin backbone is broken with the assistance of a catalyst and, in some cases, additional small molecule reagents. When the products are small molecules or materials with higher value in their own right, or as chemical feedstocks, the process is called upcycling. This review summarizes recent progress for four major catalytic upcycling strategies: hydrogenolysis, (hydro)cracking, tandem processes involving metathesis, and selective oxidation. Key considerations include macromolecular reaction mechanisms relative to small molecule mechanisms, catalyst design for macromolecular transformations, and the effect of process conditions on product selectivity. Metrics for describing polyolefin upcycling are critically evaluated, and an outlook for future advances is described.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Constraining the Low-Temperature Oxidation Mechanism of n -Hexanol through the Detection and Identification of C 6 Elusive Intermediates

Alcohol-based fuels are currently considered to be viable energy carriers for the transportation sector. Consequently, a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of the low-temperature oxidation of alcohols is essential for application in advanced low-temperature compression engines. Here, in this work, a multidimensional approach involving experimental investigations, kinetic modeling, and theoretical calculations was used to provide new insights into the low-temperature oxidation mechanism of a C 6 alcohol, n -hexanol (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 5 OH), through the detection and identification of elusive C 6 intermediates. The oxidation of n-hexanol was investigated in a jet-stirred reactor under stoichiometric conditions (ϕ = 1.0), an initial fuel concentration of 2%, a residence time of 2 s, a temperature range between 500 and 660 K, and a pressure of 700 Torr. The reactants, intermediates, and final products were detected and identified by means of molecular-beam mass spectrometry coupled with single-photon ionization employing tunable synchrotron-generated vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Chemical kinetic simulations were performed using a previously published kinetic model (Togbé et al., Energy Fuels 2010, 11, 5859−5875) to predict the reactivity of n-hexanol and elucidate the predominant formation pathways of the observed low-temperature species. Experimental photoionization efficiency curves in conjunction with ab initio calculations, enabled the identification of important low-temperature species, such as C 6 unsaturated alcohols, C 6 olefinic hydroperoxides, C 6 cyclic ethers, C 6 diones, and C 6 ketohydroperoxides. The results of this study provide valuable insight into the mechanism of the low-temperature oxidation chemistry of n -hexanol, contributing to the development of kinetic models for the low-temperature oxidation of n-hexanol and other long-chain linear alcohols.

alcohols

Site Suitability and Air Pollution Impacts of Composting Infrastructure for California’s Organic Waste Diversion Law

The emerging field of polaritonic chemistry explores the behavior of molecules under strong coupling with cavity modes. Despite recent developments in ab initio polaritonic methods for simulating polaritonic chemistry under electronic strong coupling, their capabilities are limited, especially in cases where the molecule also features strong electronic correlation. To bridge this gap, we have developed a novel method for cavity QED calculations utilizing the Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) algorithm in conjunction with the Pauli–Fierz Hamiltonian. Our approach is applied to investigate the effect of the cavity on the S0–S1 transition of n-oligoacenes, with n ranging from 2 to 5, encompassing 22 fully correlated π orbitals in the largest pentacene molecule. Our findings indicate that the influence of the cavity intensifies with larger acenes. Additionally, we demonstrate that, unlike the full determinantal representation, DMRG efficiently optimizes and eliminates excess photonic degrees of freedom, resulting in an asymptotically constant computational cost as the photonic basis increases.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Random Phase Approximation Correlation Energy Using Real-Space Density Functional Perturbation Theory

We present a real-space method for computing the random phase approximation (RPA) correlation energy within Kohn–Sham density functional theory, leveraging the low-rank nature of the frequency-dependent density response operator. In particular, we employ a cubic-scaling formalism based on density functional perturbation theory that circumvents the calculation of the response function matrix, instead relying on the ability to compute its product with a vector through the solution of the associated Sternheimer linear systems. We develop a large-scale parallel implementation of this formalism using the subspace iteration method in conjunction with the spectral quadrature method while employing the Kronecker product-based method for the application of the Coulomb operator and the conjugate orthogonal conjugate gradient method for the solution of the linear systems. We demonstrate convergence with respect to key parameters and verify the method’s accuracy by comparing with plane-wave results. We show that the framework achieves good strong scaling to many thousands of processors, reducing the time to solution for a lithium hydride system with 128 electrons to around 150 s on 4608 processors.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Nonadiabatic Force Matching for Alchemical Free-Energy Estimation

We propose a method to compute free-energy differences from nonadiabatic alchemical transformations by using flow-based generative models. The method, nonadiabatic force matching, hinges on estimating the dissipation along an alchemical switching process in terms of a nonadiabatic force field that can be learned through stochastic flow matching. The learned field can be used in conjunction with short-time trajectory data to evaluate upper and lower bounds on the alchemical free energy that variationally converge to the exact value if the field is optimal. Applying the method to evaluate the alchemical free energy of atomistic models shows that it can substantially reduce the simulation cost of a free-energy estimate at a negligible loss of accuracy when compared with thermodynamic integration.

Computational chemistry

Reducing the Cost of CCSD Basis Set Extrapolation in Ab Initio Computational Thermochemistry

Here, a series of approximations to CCSD contributions in computational model chemistries is presented in the context of kcal mol –1 , kJ mol –1 , and 20 cm –1 theoretical predictions of total atomization energies, benchmarked within the HEAT+CH 4 test suite. A specific set of circumstances where MP2, without empirical scaling, may be used as an effective intermediate in the first two of these accuracy ranges was determined. However, SDQ-MP4, a method long used in pursuit of kcal mol –1 accuracy but relatively unstudied in the subchemical accuracy community, offers significant improvement over the quality of MP2 as a basis-set intermediate at significantly reduced cost compared to CCSD. Given this, we argue for SDQ-MP4 as the de facto CCSD basis-set intermediate in sub-chemical accuracy calculations when CCSD in a desired basis set becomes unaffordable. We additionally report on a “CBS-like” scheme, where MP2 and SDQ-MP4 are used in conjunction to create a “cheap” three-part approximation of large CCSD basis set limits. The data for the CCSD approximation schemes are organized in such a way that model chemistry developers can locate an analog of their current approach for the CCSD basis set limit and explore alternative intermediates that either decrease computational cost or increase computational accuracy. We also show, for a handful of molecules, that SDQ-MP4 shows promise as an effective basis-set intermediate for harmonic and fundamental frequency computations, allowing for zero-point corrections of nearly CCSD(T)/ANO1 quality using simple composite methods that only require CCSD(T)/ANO0.

Thorpe, James H. [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL

Prediction of Redox Potentials for Ac, Th, and Pa in Aqueous Solution

Density functional theory in conjunction with small core pseudopotentials and the associated basis sets was used to calculate potentials for multiple redox couples, covering a range of oxidation states for Ac (0 to III), Th (0 to IV), and Pa (0 to V) in aqueous solution. Solvation effects were incorporated using a supermolecule-continuum approach, with 30 water molecules representing two solvation shells, and the COSMO and SMD implicit solvation models. The calculated geometries for Ac(III), Th(IV), and Pa(V) were in reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. Using the COSMO model with the B3LYP functional, the calculated redox potentials were within ± 0.2 V from experiment for most redox couples. Several pathways were explored for the Pa(V/IV) redox couple for different forms of Pa(V) and Pa(IV). Most Pa(V/IV) redox couples have very similar potentials, ranging from 0 to -0.4 V up to a pH of 1.4. At pH = 1.4, the potentials shift to values that are more negative than -0.7 V, reflecting the growing unfavorable nature of the redox process at higher pH levels. The calculated values for An(III/II) potentials were consistent with prior estimates and the available experimental data. The predicted redox potentials for An(II/I) were highly negative, as expected. For An(I/0) potentials, Th and Pa exhibited positive values, contrasting with the negative values calculated for Ac. Furthermore, the An +m /An(0) potentials agreed better with the experimental data when using the COSMO solvation model as compared to the SMD model.

Chemical calculations

Directed Gas-Phase Formation of the 1-Cyanovinyl Radical (H 2 CCCN, X 2 A′) in the Interstellar Medium

The formation pathways to nitrogen-containing molecules and radicals are crucial to the understanding of the carbon–nitrogen chemistry in interstellar and atmospheric environments. While over 65 nitrogen-containing neutral species have been observed in deep space to date, their formation mechanisms─in particular, those of radical species─remain largely speculative. The crossed molecular beam technique in conjunction with electronic structure and statistical calculations was utilized to offer a detailed overview of the fundamental pathways in the gas-phase bimolecular reaction of ground-state atomic carbon (C, 3 P) with acetonitrile-d 3 (CD 3 CN, X 1 A 1 ) under single-collision conditions leading to the formation of the 1-cyanovinyl radical (D 2 CCCN, X 2 A′) coupled with deuterium atom loss. Here, the indirect reaction was initiated by barrierless carbon-atom addition, with the most probable route involving carbon addition across the carbon–nitrogen nitrile triple bond of acetonitrile, forming a three-membered ring intermediate followed by ring-opening and unimolecular decomposition via atomic deuterium loss from the C3 carbon atom. The reaction was overall exoergic, and intermediates and transition states lie lower in energy than the separated reactants, unlocking the reaction of carbon with acetonitrile in low-temperature environments such as cold molecular clouds, e.g., Taurus Molecular Cloud (TMC-1), and planetary atmospheres, e.g., Saturn’s moon Titan. In these environments, the 1-cyanovinyl radical may act as a building block for cyano-substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and N-heterocycles, thus furthering our understanding of the complex carbon–nitrogen chemistry in deep space.

Chemical reactions

Exploring Excited State Proton Transfer Dynamics upon Ultraviolet Excitation

Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) has been investigated in two prototypical systems─salicylaldehyde azine (SAA) and 1,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone (DHAQ)─using transient absorption spectroscopy upon ultraviolet excitation into the less studied higher excited (S n ) manifold. Excitation with sub-30 fs pulses and broadband visible probing has allowed for direct measurement of the ESIPT rate. In conjunction with steady-state measurements and TD-DFT calculations, a complete delineation of the ultrafast photophysics has been carried out. In SAA, ESIPT remains ultrafast (∼30 fs), consistent with previous S 1 excitation studies. Coherent vibrational beats maps reveal significant wavelength dependence, however. Theoretical analysis suggests that the observed modes and their intensities in coherent vibrational spectra are modulated by the nature of the electronically excited state. In DHAQ, the first direct observation of ESIPT presents a time-constant of ∼85 fs, and a slower component of 9 ps, akin to previous reports on double-proton transfer systems. Collectively, the results suggest that while the ultrafast ESIPT rate remains largely invariant vis-à-vis the excitation energy, the product yield, as well as accompanying coherent oscillations, may be substantively altered, owing to the existence of alternative decay pathways.

excited states

Structural Evolution of Photoexcited Methylcobalamin toward a CarH-like Metastable State: Evidence from Time-Resolved X-ray Absorption and X-ray Emission

CarH is a protein photoreceptor that uses a form of B 12 , adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl), to sense light via formation of a metastable excited state. Aside from AdoCbl bound to CarH, methylcobalamin (MeCbl) is the only other example – to date – of photoexcited cobalamins forming metastable excited states with lifetimes of nanoseconds or longer. The UV-visible spectra of the excited states of MeCbl and AdoCbl bound to CarH are similar. We have used transient Co K-edge X-ray absorption and X-ray emission spectroscopies in conjunction with transient absorption spectroscopy in the UV–visible region to characterize the excited states of MeCbl. These data show that the metastable excited state of MeCbl has a slightly expanded corrin ring and increased electron density on the cobalt, but only small changes in the axial bond lengths. Finally, this is similar to changes seen previously for CarH, suggesting that MeCbl may be a good model for AdoCbl in CarH.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Spectroscopic Insight on Neodymium Solvation in Lithium Borohydride-Supported Electrolyte

Borohydride-based electrolytes have recently emerged as promising media for the electrodeposition of electropositive metals, including rare earth (RE) elements. While the presence of supporting alkali metal cations and RE counteranions provides essential electrochemical conductivity for achieving fast metal electrodeposition, interactions between the host ligand and solvated neodymium (Nd) complexes remain unclear. This study provides insights into the coordination structure of a concentrated and directly solvated Nd salt in a lithium borohydride-supported electrolyte. Our spectroscopic results indicate that the RE coordination environment is significantly influenced by the solvation mechanism, which can vary between metathesis and complexation pathways, primarily dictated by stoichiometric factors. Under dilute conditions, nearly complete metathesis of anions leads to a high coordination number for the host ligand (borohydride), consistent with the previously reported solvated Nd speciation in chlorine-free electrolytes. In contrast, concentrated dissolution of the Nd salt in the supported electrolyte is dominated by a complexation pathway featuring a Li-ion-paired complex with a low coordination number of the host ligand. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the observed blue shift in the borohydride vibration was the result of an increase in electron density drawn into the terminal B–H interbond region from the hydride as the coordination changed from Li to Nd. In conjunction with DFT results, vibrational analyses allowed correlation of the experimental shifts associated with changes in Nd ligation and coordination spheres, further consolidating the prevalence of highly chloride-coordinated species under concentrated conditions. In conclusion, the outcomes of this work illuminate the distinctive and heterogeneous coordination structures that the electroactive RE species can adopt at high concentrations in lithium borohydride-supported electrolytes, as a key step to comprehend the reported metal electrodeposition performance in these media.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH

Picosecond Ultrasonics in Magnetic Topological Insulator MnBi 2 Te 4

MnBi 2 Te 4 is a magnetic topological insulator with layered A-type antiferromagnetic order. It exhibits a rich layer- and magnetic-state dependent topological phase diagram; however, much about the coupling between spin, charge, and lattice remains to be explored. Here, in this work, we report that MnBi 2 Te 4 is an excellent acoustic phonon cavity by realizing phonon frequency combs using picosecond ultrasonics. With the generated acoustic phonon wavepackets, we demonstrate that the timing and phase of acoustic echoes can be used to detect the presence of stacking faults between van der Waals layers buried deep within the crystal. Furthermore, by implementing this nondestructive ultrafast optical measurement in conjunction with time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect experiments, we uncover that out-of-plane vibrations in MnBi 2 Te 4 do not couple to the magnetic order, i.e. there is no appreciable magnetostriction. Our work points out how a well-developed technique can probe the structural defects and phonon pulse engineering in layered topological insulators.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Cu–Ni Oxidation Mechanism Unveiled: A Machine Learning-Accelerated First-Principles and in Situ TEM Study

Here, the development of accurate methods for determining how alloy surfaces spontaneously restructure under reactive and corrosive environments is a key, long-standing, grand challenge in materials science. Using machine learning-accelerated density functional theory and rare-event methods, in conjunction with in situ environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM), we examine the interplay between surface reconstructions and preferential segregation tendencies of CuNi(100) surfaces under oxidation conditions. Our modeling approach predicts that oxygen-induced Ni segregation in CuNi alloys favors Cu(100)-O c(2 × 2) reconstruction and destabilizes the Cu(100)-O (2√2 × √2)R45° missing row reconstruction (MRR). In situ ETEM experiments validate these predictions and show Ni segregation followed by NiO nucleation and growth in regions without MRR, with secondary nucleation and growth of Cu 2 O in MRR regions. Our approach based on combining disparate computational components and in situ ETEM provides a holistic description of the oxidation mechanism in CuNi, which applies to other alloy systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Synergistic Solvent-Surface Interactions Enable Alkyne Semihydrogenation at Palladium

Enabling higher yield and better selectivity for fine-chemical synthesis through heterogeneous catalysis is intricately linked to the interplay of active sites, reaction conditions, and mass transfer influence provided by the catalyst. Alkyne semihydrogenation is ubiquitous in the production of bulk chemicals in the pharmaceutical, polymer, or fine-chemical industries, but product selectivity remains a major challenge. Here, in this study, we demonstrate that the design of catalysts encompassing nickel (Ni) foams as contiguous monolith supports, decorated with ultralow loading of Pd/PdO x nanoparticles on a carbonized polydopamine interface and tuned with a thin layer of Al 2 O 3 , in conjunction with an optimized reaction environment leads to highly selective alkyne semihydrogenation. The reactions demonstrate good functional group tolerance and applicability to flow reactor systems. Combined computational and experimental studies are presented to describe the synergistic effect between the solvent-surface interaction and the degree of Pd surface reduction that are necessary to promote this selectivity. The system highlights the opportunity for catalyst-solvent codesign as a benign alternative to more complex reactants featuring extrinsic poisons or less-favored dopants.

atomic layer deposition