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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Investigation of Polyurethane and Fire-Retardant Foams as a Radiological Contamination Fixatives - 20202

Fixation of radiological contamination in decommissioning and deactivation can reduce worker risk, and mitigate potentially hazardous conditions; however, nearly every marketed contamination fixative has been found to be flammable, a significant concern in radiological facilities. Coupled with this, industry fixatives are normally used as a thin coating which can present problems when attempting to stabilize irregular void spaces or areas that are difficult to access and ensure full coverage. To this end, Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), in conjunction with Florida International University (FIU), have begun investigating the applicability of polyurethane based foaming materials, which will expand to fill a given asymmetric volume and provide fire retardancy to ensure no release of contamination in the event of a facility fire. Commercial foams undergo exothermic reactions resulting in gaseous release that subsequently causes the curing foam material to expand. Heat generation during curing can potentially compromise rubber parts of an enclosure, a significant concern in nuclear facilities. To mitigate large body heat generation, SRNL has also examined multiple layering of the material to ensure compatibility of the curing material with a previously cured body of the same material. Environmental studies were also completed in order to determine the influence on polyurethane based foams curing process. These studies showed that nearly half of the materials tested delaminated from a cured body of the same material, a property not discussed in commercially available documentation on the products. Of note was the compatibility of the foaming material with the substrate, depending on the type material that the foam was cured in/on, significant delamination could occur. Mechanical testing via tensile pull tester, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was also performed. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct Air Capture Case Studies: Sorbent System (Rev. 1)

In 2022, the National Energy Technology Laboratory published a techno-economic assessment (TEA) examining the performance and cost of a generic solid sorbent-based direct air capture (DAC) system, “Direct Air Capture Case Studies: Sorbent System”. Revision 1 of this report builds on the previous effort by updating assumptions to reflect the evolving industry and recent developments in the DAC research and development (R&D) portfolio. Revision 1 of the report also expands the case list to examine a variety of sorbent DAC system configurations. The objective of this series is to present transparent and independent TEAs that can serve as a guideline for sorbent DAC TEA development and highlight potential avenues for cost reductions that can inform R&D. The sorbent considered is not reflective of any one material type; rather, it represents an approximate average of reported material performance in the literature. The base cases presented in this series do not represent optimized systems due to the nascence of the technology and lack of publicly available information. The base cases serve as a reference for informative sensitivity analyses.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

N-Doped Graphene (N-G)/MOF(ZIF-8)-Based/Derived Materials for Electrochemical Energy Applications: Synthesis, Characteristics, and Functionality

In recent years, graphene-type materials originating from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) or integrated with MOFs have exhibited notable performances across various applications. However, a comprehensive understanding of these complex materials and their functionalities remains obscure. While some studies have reviewed graphene/MOF composites from different perspectives, due to their structural–functional intricacies, it is crucial to conduct more in-depth reviews focusing on specific sets of graphene/MOF composites designed for particular applications. In this review, we thoroughly investigate the syntheses, characteristics, and performances of N-G/MOF(ZIF-8)-based/derived materials employed in electrochemical energy conversion and storage systems. Special attention is given to realizing their fundamental functionalities. The discussions are divided into three segments based on the application of N-G/ZIF-8-based/derived materials as electrode materials for batteries, electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, and electrocatalysts. As electrodes for batteries, N-G/MOF(ZIF-8) materials can mitigate issues like an electrode volume expansion for Li-ion batteries and the ‘shuttle effect’ for Li-S batteries. As electrodes for electrochemical capacitors, these materials can considerably improve the ion transfer rate and electronic conductivity, thereby enhancing the specific capacitance while maintaining the structural stability. Also, it was observed that these materials could occasionally outperform standard platinum-based catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The reported electrochemical performances and structural parameters of these materials were carefully tabulated in uniform units and scales. Through a critical analysis of the present synthesis trends, characteristics, and functionalities of these materials, specific aspects were identified that required further exploration to fully utilize their inherent capabilities.

Electrochemistry↗
DOE OSTI2026

Irradiation Testing of Additively Manufactured Materials for LWR Applications: Alloy 718 and 316L Stainless Steel

The objective of this NSUF Project is to assess the changes in irradiated additively manufactured (AM) material properties as compared to non-irradiated material. Type 316L stainless steel and Alloy 718 samples were produced using Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) fabrication. Materials produced from this fabrication method have several potential applications within the nuclear industry as reactor internal repair parts, fuel debris resistant filters, or fuel spacers within existing light water reactors (LWRs). AM materials have been shown to achieve equivalent mechanical behavior in simulated reactor environments as compared to wrought materials, but have significantly more flexibility when it comes to unique design features. The increased component design flexibility makes these AM materials an attractive choice for both current LWR applications as well as for small modular reactor (SMR) designs. Prior to use of these materials in reactor fleet operation, the industry as a whole must evaluate the effects of irradiation on their material properties. Standard 0.4 inch thick Compact Tension specimens and SSJ3 type tensile bars were neutron irradiated at the Advanced Test Reactor to ~1 dpa for the purpose of performing a variety of mechanical tests in a range of simulated environments applicable to LWRs. For the ductile austenitic Type 316L stainless steel, the irradiated data will be used to confirm that the AM process produces materials with properties that are equivalent to wrought materials under testing conditions applicable to LWR operation. Transmission electron microscopy analysis was also performed in order to understand microstructural and microchemical changes induced in each material in response to neutron irradiation. If possible, data collected from these AM 316L samples will be used to remove fluence limits from specifications of ASME code cases for this alloy, which will give vendors much more flexibility in building future components.

36 - MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Viability of Miniature Discs in LFA-427

Miniature disc samples pose challenging measuring conditions for laser flash analysis. With reductions in signal from lower radiosity and lower half-rise times from low thicknesses, optimal selections of coatings and laser parameters are critical in a successful measurement. This report explains the methodology in successfully measuring two different material types—metals and ceramics—in proper coating selection, laser parameters, and post analysis for each material, as well as applying it to un-irradiated uranium samples of each type (U-metal, UO 2 ). This was done through a combination of analysis techniques combining automatic commercial methods (Neztech) and manual methods for correcting laser pulse impact aberrations.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mechanisms of stored energy release in silicon carbide materials neutron-irradiated at elevated temperatures

Understanding the stored energy release behavior of SiC is crucial for the design of SiC-based fuel cladding for light water reactors because stored energy release affects response during accident conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate the stored energy of monolithic SiC and SiC fiber–reinforced SiC matrix composite variants following neutron irradiation under light water reactor–relevant dose and temperature conditions. The tests were performed at heating rates of 0.5, 3, and 20 K/min up to 1,273 K. The onset temperature of the energy release roughly corresponded to the irradiation temperature, and energy release was delayed as the heating rate increased. The monolithic and composite specimens exhibited similar stored energy release behavior up to ~1,000 K, and above that temperature, the energy release depended more on material type. The energy release measured in this study is below the material-specific heat capacity at temperatures below ~1,000 K but exceeds it under certain material and annealing conditions at temperatures above ~1,000 K. The amount of irradiation-induced volumetric swelling of the specimens was an indication of the total stored energy. Based on this observation, the energy release behavior was described by a swelling recovery model.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Direct Air Capture Case Studies: Sorbent System

This report serves as an independent assessment of the performance and cost of a generic sorbent-based direct air capture (DAC) system. The sorbent considered is not reflective of any one material type or functionalization approach; rather, it represents an approximate average of reported material performance in the literature. The system configuration represents what was judged to be the most reasonable configuration if these systems were to be deployed in the near term.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spectral Efficiency and Tandem Performance Calculators [SWR-24-92]

The Spectral Efficiency and Tandem Performance Calculators allow users to test material types for use in tandem photovoltaic devices to better understand if a given material could work well. The Spectral Efficiency (SE) calculator takes a set of current vs voltage (I-V) and quantum efficiency (QE) data along with a spectrum input and plots the spectral efficiency of the cells represented by the datasets for the spectrum provided. The Tandem Performance calculator uses the calculated spectral efficiency of top and bottom cells and the transmission data of the top cell to calculate performance metrics for a tandem device in either a two or four terminal architecture. The SE and Tandem Performance calculators are based on the following publication: Yu, Z., Leilaeioun, M. & Holman, Z. Selecting tandem partners for silicon solar cells. Nat Energy 1, 16137 (2016).

Warren, Emily↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Review of Nanocarbon-Based Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Renewable and non-renewable energy harvesting and its storage are important components of our everyday economic processes. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), with their rechargeable features, high open-circuit voltage, and potential large energy capacities, are one of the ideal alternatives for addressing that endeavor. Despite their widespread use, improving LIBs’ performance, such as increasing energy density demand, stability, and safety, remains a significant problem. The anode is an important component in LIBs and determines battery performance. To achieve high-performance batteries, anode subsystems must have a high capacity for ion intercalation/adsorption, high efficiency during charging and discharging operations, minimal reactivity to the electrolyte, excellent cyclability, and non-toxic operation. Group IV elements (Si, Ge, and Sn), transition-metal oxides, nitrides, sulfides, and transition-metal carbonates have all been tested as LIB anode materials. However, these materials have low rate capability due to weak conductivity, dismal cyclability, and fast capacity fading owing to large volume expansion and severe electrode collapse during the cycle operations. Contrarily, carbon nanostructures (1D, 2D, and 3D) have the potential to be employed as anode materials for LIBs due to their large buffer space and Li-ion conductivity. However, their capacity is limited. Blending these two material types to create a conductive and flexible carbon supporting nanocomposite framework as an anode material for LIBs is regarded as one of the most beneficial techniques for improving stability, conductivity, and capacity. This review begins with a quick overview of LIB operations and performance measurement indexes. It then examines the recently reported synthesis methods of carbon-based nanostructured materials and the effects of their properties on high-performance anode materials for LIBs. These include composites made of 1D, 2D, and 3D nanocarbon structures and much higher Li storage-capacity nanostructured compounds (metals, transitional metal oxides, transition-metal sulfides, and other inorganic materials). The strategies employed to improve anode performance by leveraging the intrinsic features of individual constituents and their structural designs are examined. The review concludes with a summary and an outlook for future advancements in this research field.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mode I tensile fracture behavior of adhesively-bonded metal–metal, metal–CFRP, and CFRP–CFRP bi-material combinations analyzed by size effect method

Understanding the adhesive and interfacial fracture is important for developing and achieving better adhesive jointing in bi-materials, the location which becomes less vulnerable in engineered structure components. Still, to characterize the fracturing behavior of various adhesively-bonded materials, it was shown in this work that the Mode I fracture energies estimated from conventional methods (e.g., work-of-fracture, (modified) compliance calibration method, (modified) beam theory, etc.) can be strongly affected by adherent thickness, adhesive bond length, and material type. Consequently, this hindered the proper understanding of fracturing in adhesive jointing of bi-materials since the estimated fracture energies can exhibit unreasonable difference among various material combinations, thus leading to the confusion in the literature due to the unfair comparison on these non-objective results estimated by leveraging conventional methods on the specimens with different geometries. This work compared size effect method with conventional methods on the calculation of the Mode I fracture energies of metal-metal, metal-CFRP, and CFRP-CFRP material combinations via Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests. The results showed that the estimated fracture energies of various material combinations are not dependent on the specimen geometries. This aspect allowed the fair comparison particularly on the interfacial fracturing between metal/adhesive and CFRP/adhesive, and the difference was further explained and correlated with the damage morphology on the material surface after failure identified through three-dimensional profilometer.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Recent Progress in Transparent Conductive Materials for Photovoltaics

Transparent conducting materials (TCMs) are essential components for a variety of optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaics, displays and touch screens. In recent years, extensive efforts have been made to develop TCMs with both high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance. Based on material types, they can be mainly categorized into the following classes: metal oxides, metal nanowire networks, carbon-material-based TCMs (graphene and carbon nanotube networks) and conjugated conductive polymers (PEDOT:PSS). This review will discuss the fundamental electrical and optical properties, typical fabrication methods and the applications in solar cells for each class of TCMs and highlight the current challenges and potential future research directions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Solar Photovoltaics Resilient Fasteners Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) Tool

Solar photovoltaics (PV) module fasteners are one of the most common structural failure points on PV systems, particularly in high winds and coastal areas with ocean spray. Some fastener types have been shown to survive these conditions at higher rates than others. The fastener type, material, quantity, and placement all impact performance. Fasteners that fail less often typically have a higher upfront cost, but this investment can pay off in savings from less frequent torque audits (which reduces O&M costs), reduced system damage, and decreased system downtime. We developed an Excel-based tool to evaluate different module fasteners for a PV system - either a new or retrofit project - and compare differences in upfront and outyear costs to determine the expected life cycle costs and simple payback periods of different fastener options. The tool is site-specific, with inputs including system attributes (such as system size, location, price of power) and fastener attributes (such as design, washer type, nut type, use of locking hardware, materials, installation time, and torque audit requirements). A baseline fastener scenario can be compared to up to four proposed fastener scenarios. In addition to presenting expected life cycle cost implications of the different fastener options, the tool produces results showing the reductions in outyear costs needed to offset any initial cost premiums for more reliable fasteners across four categories: preventative O&M, avoided damage, reduced downtime, and reduced insurance premiums. These numbers can serve as decision aids for users when considering fastener options on new or existing projects. This poster will present the tool, methodology, and scenarios using example sites to highlight the tool capabilities and how it can inform different fastener decisions on different projects. Future work includes incorporating lifetime expected damage costs by embedding damage function curves that the authors are developing from field data.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Management of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Accident Corium and Severely Damaged Fuel Debris (Rev. 2)

The Three Mile Island, Unit Two (TMI-2) pressurized water reactor core underwent a significant meltdown in 1979 due to an untimely combination of maintenance problems that led to a loss of feedwater, followed by a series of operational misunderstandings and errors. Primary coolant discharging through a malfunctioning valve represented what was analyzed as a “small-break” loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and ultimately became a full core meltdown. The melted core recovery process required the development of a wide array of tools. After approximately three years of water management and other cleanup actions, the first views of the core revealed a much higher degree of damage than previously expected. Approximately 62 metric tons of the core had melted, leaving only 42 of the 177 fuel assemblies standing with fuel rods intact. The core to be recovered was composed of loose, gravel-like and granular particulate material and a central solidified mass of formerly molten fuel. Molten fuel had also penetrated some of the pressure vessel internals and resolidified below the main core support structure. Robotic tools that had been designed for the task were of limited effectiveness due to the range of material types and phases.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Management of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Accident Corium and Severely Damaged Fuel Debris (Rev. 2)

The Three Mile Island, Unit Two (TMI-2) pressurized water reactor core underwent a significant meltdown in 1979 due to an untimely combination of maintenance problems that led to a loss of feedwater, followed by a series of operational misunderstandings and errors. Primary coolant discharging through a malfunctioning valve represented what was analyzed as a “small-break” loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and ultimately became a full core meltdown. The melted core recovery process required the development of a wide array of tools. After approximately three years of water management and other cleanup actions, the first views of the core revealed a much higher degree of damage than previously expected. Approximately 62 metric tons of the core had melted, leaving only 42 of the 177 fuel assemblies standing with fuel rods intact. The core to be recovered was composed of loose, gravel-like and granular particulate material and a central solidified mass of formerly molten fuel. Molten fuel had also penetrated some of the pressure vessel internals and resolidified below the main core support structure. Robotic tools that had been designed for the task were of limited effectiveness due to the range of material types and phases.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Improved Axisymmetric and High Temperature Material Structural Modeling in MOOSE and NEML

This report describes improvements made to the solid mechanics formulation in the MOOSE open source finite element simulation environment and the open source Nuclear Engineering Material model Library (NEML) for mechanical constitutive models. The focus of these improvements is to improve the usability and performance of simulations involving one or both pieces of software. Specifically, this work completes a new system for solid mechanics simulations in the MOOSE ecosystem providing exact linearizations and optimal (quadratic) convergence, for a variety of coordinate systems and material types, including large deformation simulations. This work then provides users a framework to build highly efficient mechanical simulations of structures or materials or to couple in additional MOOSE physics modules to build complex, scalable multiphysics simulations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Structure Analysis of Natural Wangdaodeite—LiNbO3-Type FeTiO3

This paper reports the first structure refinement of natural wangdaodeite, LiNbO3-type FeTiO3 from the Ries impact structure. Wangdaodeite occurs together with recrystallized ilmenite clasts in shock melt veins which have experienced peak shock pressures of between 17 and 22 GPa. Comparison of natural and synthetic wangdaodeite points toward a correlation between the distortion of ferrate- and titanate-polyhedra and the c/a ratio of the unit cell. The Raman spectrum of wangdaodeite is calculated based on the refined structure. Comparison to the reported spectrum of the type-material shows that the Raman peak at 738–740 cm−1 is indicative for this phase, whereas other features in type-wangdaodeite are tentatively assigned to disordered ilmenite.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

LLNL International Working Group on Gamma Spectrometry - Preparation of IDB Dataset

The spectral information and associated metadata, including source information, detector setup, and shielding configuration is described in human readable, comma-separated text files (csv). Five csv files are associated with each material type and include the following information (where [Isotope] is U, Pu, and MOX): [Isotope]_measurement_metadata - Metadata of the measurement configuration, including material composition at time of acquisition (decay corrected from certificate date). Data that is unique to a measurement configuration e.g. detector geometry, source-detector distance, analyzer and other electronics used, attenuating materials are provided in this file. [Isotope]_spectrum_metadata - The information that is unique to the spectrum. This includes detector specifications (e.g. date of acquisition, number of channels, gain (keV/channel), energy range, real and live time, full width half-maximum (FWHM) of the 186 or 208 peak for uranium or plutonium measurements, respectively. [Isotope]_source_metadata - The source material used for the measurement, this includes the ratio and uncertainties of isotopes present and processing information of the material. In addition, the certificate information for the source material is listed. [Isotope]_spectrum_counts_metadata - The counts per channel for each spectrum. This data is linked via the UID.spectrum index to the measurement_metadata file. [Isotope]_spectrum_checksum_metadata The MD5 checksum for the original spectrum file. This data is linked via the UID.spectrum index to the measurement_metadata file. This information is provided to prevent duplication of entries in the database.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

LLNL International Working Group on Gamma Spectrometry - Preparation of IDB Dataset [Slides]

The spectral information and associated metadata, including source information, detector setup, and shielding configuration is described in human readable, comma-separated text files (csv). Six csv files are associated with each material type and include the following information (where [Isotope] is U, Pu, and MOX): [Isotope]_measurement_metadata Metadata of the measurement configuration, including material composition at time of acquisition (decay corrected from certificate date). Data that is unique to a measurement configuration e.g. detector geometry, source-detector distance, analyzer and other electronics used, attenuating materials are provided in this file. [Isotope]_spectrum_metadata The information that is unique to the spectrum. This includes detector specifications (e.g. date of acquisition, number of channels, gain (keV/channel), energy range, real and live time, full width half-maximum (FWHM) of the 186 or 208 peak for uranium or plutonium measurements, respectively. [Isotope]_source_metadata The source material used for the measurement, this includes the ratio and uncertainties of isotopes present and processing information of the material. In addition, the certificate information for the source material is listed. [Isotope]_spectrum_counts_metadata The counts per channel for each spectrum. This data is linked via the UID.spectrum index to the measurement_metadata file. [Isotope]_spectrum_checksum_metadata The MD5 checksum for the original spectrum file. This data is linked via the UID.spectrum index to the measurement_metadata file. This information is provided to prevent duplication of entries in the database. [Isotope]_provenance Details on the csv data provider, including laboratory and contract information.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗