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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Electrocatalytic alkene epoxidation at disrupted metal ensembles in blended electrolytes

The project aims to achieve a molecular understanding of oxygen-atom transfer from water to alkenes at electrocatalytic interfaces. Molecular oxygen is the most common oxygen-atom source for epoxidations, and our group is developing sustainable routes through which epoxidation of olefins is achieved using water as the oxygen source. This route can improve the safety of the reaction while also co-producing hydrogen, demonstrating the relevance of this reaction to the energy transition. If successful in our efforts, we may enable oxygen-atom transfer reactions at the anode of water electrolyzers in the place of conventional oxygen evolution, allowing for the synthesis of sustainable value-added co-products. In this vein, we explore several approaches to acquiring high selectivity toward epoxidation over competing reactions, such as oxygen evolution. One of our aims is to allow for rational control of epoxide selectivity by disrupting contiguous metal ensembles at the surface of catalytic metal oxide nanoparticles. Specifically, we aim to synthesize single-atom, few-atom, and many-atom clusters supported on metal oxides and study the mechanism of oxygen evolution and alkene epoxidation on these materials. Thus, this approach will determine the impact of disrupting metal ensembles on the selectivity for alkene epoxidation versus oxygen evolution in blended electrolytes. Another aim is to develop a molecular-level understanding of how a blended electrolyte (i.e., a mixture of aqueous and organic solvents) influences rates of alkene epoxidation versus oxygen evolution. In other words, we are interested in understanding the catalytic influence of the solvent, as our preliminary work shows that the selectivity and reactivity of epoxidation depend strongly on the solvent composition. This investigation includes blended electrolytes and electrolytes containing redox mediator species that improve selectivity toward the desired epoxidation reaction. Overall, our proposed work will help to provide a detailed molecular-level picture of how solvents interact with substrates at the electrode-electrolyte interface, including their involvement in proton transfer reactions and screening of electric fields.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Second Target Station Project: STS Cross-Directorate Workshop on Hydrogen Fuel

Hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen produced through electrolysis using renewable energy, is poised to play a critical role in decarbonizing the global economy. Its ability to address the intermittency of renewable energy sources and decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors positions it as a vital component of a sustainable energy future. Interest in hydrogen as a clean energy carrier is in a decade of unprecedented growth, with dozens of countries having released national hydrogen strategies contributing to a global hydrogen economy. In 2021, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Hydrogen Shot, the first of the Energy Earthshot Initiatives, which aims to lower the cost of clean hydrogen to $\$$1/kg by 2031. This initiative was followed by a considerable increase in funding for hydrogen technologies through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), with $\$$18 billion recently announced for regional demonstration projects (Hydrogen Hubs) and another $\$$11.5 billion aimed at research and development of electrolyzers, fuel cells, manufacturing, and recycling. The 2023 U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap identifies the cost of clean hydrogen as a critical challenge for achieving economic scale. This includes the cost of hydrogen production by electrolysis, delivery and dispensing, onboard storage, and end-use technologies like fuel cells. Fundamental research and development into catalysts, component architectures, and material durability are critical to lower the costs of these vital technologies aimed at achieving a net-zero carbon emission economy by 2050.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Energy Transitions: Local Water Concerns and Climate Impacts

This report summarizes important nuances in local water concerns and potential climate impacts that could influence the roll-out of technologies associated with energy transitions. Current investments in clean energy technologies are very high, which is driving a lot of investments in related manufacturing (i.e., hydrogen, solar, wind, and batteries) and mining (e.g., lithium, copper, and graphite) around the world. To understand how water and climate dynamics could be influencing these activities, we conducted a phased literature review for three countries: China, Germany, and France. China was selected due to its global dominance in manufacturing of solar panels, batteries, and electrolyzers as well as production of rare earth elements while Germany and France were selected due to their emerging leadership in energy transitions-related manufacturing within the European Union. For each of these three nations, we identified areas where manufacturing is occurring within the country and then evaluated relevant water resources and climate impacts. Multiple sources were consulted for this review, including BloombergNEF, international reports, industry sources, peer-reviewed literature, climate data, and media coverage.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reference Station Design for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Five alternative design configurations for a heavy-duty hydrogen refueling truck stop are detailed in this work. Each of the station concepts provides fast, 5-minute, 50 kg fills of up to 4 vehicles simultaneously, with a station capacity of 4200 kg/day. Two on-site production stations using PEM electrolysis are considered: one with off-peak production of the daily capacity; and one with on-demand production of hydrogen during vehicle refueling. Three delivered liquid hydrogen station concepts are considered: one with the same, high-pressure cascade storage system for dispensing as the electrolysis supplied stations, with low-pressure vaporization of the liquid hydrogen and pressurization via a compressor; and two with on-demand pressurization: one by low-pressure vaporization and compressors; and one with a cryogenic pump and high-pressure vaporization. Design, economic, and operational considerations for each of the components needed in these station concepts is provided. Of all the station concepts, the delivered liquid station with a low-pressure vaporizer and a cascade dispensing system has the lowest capital costs and equipment footprint, but the second highest operating costs primarily due to high costs for liquid hydrogen delivery. The lowest operating cost station is that with on-site production via PEM electrolysis at off-peak hours with a cascade delivery system. The low-pressure buffer storage system and electrolyzers have a large footprint and considerable capital costs, but could result in a low total cost of ownership, depending on the design timeline. The liquid hydrogen station with a cryo-pump has moderate capital costs, the lowest operating costs of the three delivered hydrogen stations, and the same small equipment footprint as the delivered liquid, cascade dispensing system. As cryogenic pumping technology improves and the capital costs for these pumps decreases, this station concept will become even more favorable. Three-dimensional renderings of the five station concepts provide station designers with a starting point for the development of heavy-duty refueling stations.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Conceptual Design of Integrated Energy Systems with Market Interaction Surrogate Models

Most integrated energy system (IES) optimization frameworks employ the price-taker approximation, which ignores important interactions with market and can result in overestimated economic values. In this work, we pro-pose a machine learning surrogate-assisted optimization framework to quantify the IES/market interactions and thus go beyond price taker. We use time series clustering to generate representative IES operation profiles for the IES optimization problem and use machine learning surrogate models to predict the IES/market interaction. We quantify the accuracy of the time series clustering and surrogate models in a case study to optimally retrofit a nuclear power plant with polymer electrolyte membrane electrolyzer to co-produce electricity and hydrogen.

Chen, Xinhe↗
DOE OSTI2024

Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Production and Compressed Air Energy Storage from Variable Renewable Energy

Examines the performance and cost of pairing variable renewable energy (VRE) sources with compressed air energy storage and hydrogen production through PEM electrolysis. Sensitivities were performed on H2 cost, PEM electrolyzer capital cost, and hydrogen cavern capital cost. The analysis shows that the cost of VRE has the most impact on the overall cost results.

Teel, Troy↗
DOE OSTI2024

Safety Review of the Hydrogen Components of a Reference Design of the Wind-H2-Green Steel/Ammonia Project

The Department of Energy Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office’s Wind-H2-Green Steel/Ammonia project is an initiative to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of GW-scale integrated energy systems. The team designed reference facilities that utilize wind- and solar-produced hydrogen for industrial steel and ammonia production. This novel concept warranted review of safety codes and standards as they apply to the designs and the identification of codes and standards as they apply to the designs and the identification of codes and standards gaps. This report reviews hydrogen production and storage codes and standards using reference design specifications from a Minnesota steel plant. Requirements, recommendations, and exclusions for the system were identified. Observed gaps included non-specific salt cavern storage requirements, electrolyzer capacity beyond regulated ranges, and lack of requirements for iron reduction via hydrogen. This report will aide future project design efforts and may provide a basis for safety reviews in new designs for industrial facilities with hydrogen production integration.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

How much is surface dopant enough to maximize CO2-to-liquid chemicals conversion at industrially relevant current density?

This invited talk will be presented at the symposium "Waste Feedstock to Fuels and Petrochemicals”, Fuels and Petrochemical Division at the 2024 AIChE Annual Meeting. In this study, we will discuss how minute amount of surface heteroatoms would maximize CO2 reduction to formate/formic acid at industrially relevant current densities and high selectivity which was validated by both experimental and computational studies. The outstanding performance of the best-in-class catalysts in both H-cell and full-cell electrolyzer cell is also demonstrated. Our findings would provide additional design concepts of high performance CO2R electrocatalysts.

Nguyen Phan, Thuy Duong↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hydrogen Production Cost with Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolysis

Rigorous stakeholder-vetted techno-economic analysis was performed to assess the cost of hydrogen (H 2 ) produced using state-of-the-art Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolysis. Projected high-volume, untaxed and unsubsidized levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH)1 range from 2020 $\$$1.78 to $\$$3.68/kg H 2 depending on technology year, process design, and electrolyzer project scale, assuming an electricity price of $\$$0.03/kWh and a capacity factor of 97%. The total installed capital cost for an AEM electrolysis plant was estimated from bottom-up stack and process plant cost models. The stack cost model accounts for manufacturing equipment, equipment maintenance, material, tooling, cycle time, yield, labor, utilities and general overhead. The process plant cost model accounts for purchased equipment, installation costs, site preparation, and general overhead costs. For this study, the AEM electrolysis plant is assumed to be a stick-built, greenfield project developed by an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm with electrolysis stacks purchased directly from an electrolysis stack manufacturer. The price of the electrolysis stacks is based on a bottom-up cost assessment with business markup for the electrolysis company fabricator. Methods from the Hydrogen Analysis (H2A) production model, a peer-reviewed national laboratory-developed discounted cash flow (DCF) model, were used to calculate the production LCOH in 2020 $\$$/kg H 2 . The baseline electricity price case ($\$$0.03/kWh) corresponds to average wholesale electricity prices currently possible in U.S. markets with plentiful wind. Similar low-cost electricity pricing is possible from solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) although these prices are typically limited by renewable energy capacity factors.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Overview of NETL’s Low Temperature CO2 Electrolysis Research

This keynote lecture will briefly overview diverse research areas of National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to advance energy and environmental sustainability along with carbon management. Our electrochemistry efforts on carbon conversion directly support the US goal of achieving carbon-free power sector by 2035 and net zero emissions by 2050. Since CO2 electroreduction is highly structure-sensitive, NETL ongoing research has been focused on the rational design and engineering of electrocatalysts to facilitate the CO2 conversion to desirable products with good selectivity, activity, and durability. Different classes and types of electrocatalytic materials will be covered in this talk, from well-defined atomic-scale model catalysts to heterogenous, scalable powder systems at nano- and micro-scale for “real world” performance evaluation. Several spectroscopic, microscopic, and electrochemical characterization techniques along with computational findings will be additionally discussed to gain more insights into the structure-activity relation. The last part of this seminar will provide more detail on how NETL has transitioned from the most common aqueous H-type reactor for lab-scale validation to more realistic full electrolyzer cell in bench-scale prototype. The knowledge, electrocatalytic materials, and device validation achieved from NETL in-house research will be translated to industrial sector for large scale deployment and the anticipated outcome will help advance the development of low temperature CO2 electrolysis technologies.

Nguyen Phan, Thuy Duong↗
DOE OSTI2024

Business Opportunities in Clean Energy Supply Chains: Guidebook for Small and Medium-Sized Automotive Suppliers

This is the final report for the referenced TCF award which ran from Oct. 2019 through Jan. 2024 in conjunction with the industry partner Swift Solar. The long duration of the program was due to several factors including the pandemic and a technical work stoppage due to changes in the scope. Additionally, Swift’s business focus shifted during the course of the program. As a result of these factors, this program underwent two distinct modifications that dramatically changed the work scope. The following report is organized into three separate sections, each of which addresses a distinct work scope. Those scope changes, what necessitated them, and any new tasks/milestones are given, briefly, at the top of each section. The work performed was research on the hybrid halide perovskites (HHP), both the absorber material itself as well as other material layers that are required in a full device stack. At the start of the period of performance, there were two distinct challenges that we sought to address: (1) a wide band gap absorber (>1.6 eV), and (2) a recombination layer for tandem devices that provided good sequestration of the individual cell absorber materials in their respective device layers. NREL had previously published, and patented, advancements in both of these areas and they were the focus of much of the work throughout the program. The auto manufacturing space is evolving quickly. Sales of various electrified vehicles (xEVs) continue to grow steadily, which has medium to long-term ramifications for the thousands of U.S. manufacturers and hundreds of thousands of workers that contribute to the domestic automotive supply chain. In tandem with this growth in xEV sales, domestic clean energy manufacturing is surging (both for the xEV supply chain and other technologies), with public incentives spurring billions in private sector investment. Moreover, the next 2–3 years will see new and expanded industrial facilities come online to make products like hydrogen electrolyzers, solar panels, batteries, advanced electronics—and will create new supply chain needs and business opportunities as they do. DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) and Argonne National Laboratory developed this report to help automotive manufacturers—alongside various business support partners— understand these trends and their response options, and to make the most of current federal assistance programs for manufacturers. These market changes may create opportunities for small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to expand production, grow profit margins, and diversify their businesses. For instance, SMMs could take advantage of engineering and process design similarities with new end-use industries that might enable greater business growth and stability as markets continue to change.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nickel-incorporated Oxide Composites for Fiber-Optic Based Gas Sensing

Numerous high-value applications within the energy sector involve environmental conditions that are incompatible with traditional sensor technology due to degradation of electrical interconnects, packaging, or the sensors themselves. These can include chemically harsh conditions, high temperature operation, or the presence of electromagnetic interference due to high voltage. The fiber optic platform, constructed of robust, electrically insulating glass or single crystal oxides, offers a versatile and often low cost per node solution to this problem, especially with the integration of distributed sensing techniques such as optical time-domain and frequency-domain reflectometry (OTDR, OFDR). A major challenge of gas and chemical sensing on the optical fiber platform is the fabrication of robust and stable sensing materials that interact quickly and reversibly to the presence of the target analytes. In this work, we discuss the utilization of nickel-incorporated oxides on evanescent-field optical fiber sensors for gas sensing under harsh conditions relevant to multiple energy infrastructure applications. This paper will discuss a Ni/GDC (Ni / Gd-doped ceria) based sensing layer targeting conditions relevant for high-temperature (up to at least 800 oC) hydrogen sensing applications (e.g., for operation within a solid oxide fuel cell or electrolyzer). The impact of hydrogen at elevated temperatures on the optical properties of Ni/GDC will be shown and the material mechanisms for the optical response will be discussed.

gas sensors↗
DOE OSTI2024

Safety Review of the Hydrogen Components of a Reference Design of the Wind-H2-Green Steel/Ammonia Project

The Department of Energy Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office's Wind-H2-Green Steel/Ammonia project is an initiative to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of GW-scale integrated energy systems. The team designed reference facilities that utilize wind- and solar-produced hydrogen for industrial steel and ammonia production. This novel concept warranted review of safety codes and standards as they apply to the designs and the identification of codes and standards gaps. This report reviews hydrogen production and storage codes and standards using reference design specifications from a Minnesota steel plant. Requirements, recommendations, and exclusions for the system were identified. Observed gaps included non-specific salt cavern storage requirements, electrolyzer capacity beyond regulated ranges, and lack of requirements for iron reduction via hydrogen. This report will aide future project design efforts and may provide a basis for safety reviews in new designs for industrial facilities with hydrogen production integration.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Develop a Simulation Framework for Understanding Physico-Chemical Processes and Optimization of CHZ' Plastic Thermolyze Technology (CRADA Final Report)

Thermolyzer(TM) technology is a third-generation, multi-reactor, oxygen-free, low pressure, slow pyrolysis process. It has proven to be remarkably versatile in successfully processing all types of hydrocarbon waste. These include all seven types of plastics, tires, auto shredder residue, carpet, electronic waste, and composites. Working with the IACMI, Thermolyzer(TM) technology has recovered the glass and carbon fibers from wind turbine blades for reuse into new applications. Its primary output is a synthesis gas that is rich in H 2 , CH 4 , and small amounts of C 2-4 aliphatic hydrocarbons. Other components are CO and CO 2 . Three unique features set Thermolyzer(TM) apart from other pyrolysis systems: the syngas is clean enough to run in Siemens or Solar gas turbines or IC engines without fouling, clean, salable, byproducts are produced, and CO 2 emissions are lower than natural gas power plants. Research results have been obtained from an operating 7 ton/day facility. A 44 ton/day plant has successfully operated as noted above. The process works because it makes use of the recoverable embodied energy in the feedstock. Surprisingly, a pound of some plastics has the same recoverable energy content as a pound of gasoline. Thus, it is imperative to develop a process that economically converts scrap plastics (including ocean plastics) into energy and thereby conserve the non-renewable fossil fuels for future generations. The Thermolyzer(TM) technology can also be used to create liquid fuels like gasoline and diesel from hydrocarbon wastes. Because of the high hydrogen content of the synthesis gas, hydrogen can be recovered more inexpensively than the current solar or wind energy being used to electrolyze water. That hydrogen can be used for fuel cell powered vehicles or converted into ammonia for agriculture or as a hydrogen storage medium. Extension of this technology to other wastes such as tires, auto shredder residue or wood wastes would expand the circular economy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Detection of Critical Surface Features in PTLs and GDLs for Improved Device Performance and Manufacturing Reliability

High points, or features that protrude above the surface of the material, on porous transport layers (PTLs) and gas diffusion layers (GDLs) can be critical features that may affect the manufacturing process and the performance of the device containing the feature. High points on PTLs and GDLs may stress the membrane of a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) during lamination and cell operation of a PEM electrolyzer or fuel cell. Additionally, high points on GDLs may impact the reliability of the manufacturing process. Thus, understanding these critical features and developing procedures to detect them are a key part of developing quality control techniques for PTLs and GDLs. This work evaluates the effectiveness of the Keyence VR6200 benchtop-scale structured light optical profilometer for detection of surface protrusions on PTLs and GDLs. Standard testing procedures for detecting and measuring high points were created for use on both material types. These procedures were evaluated using Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (Gage R&R), where the repeatability, reproducibility, and effectiveness of the system to detect and measure high points were quantified. We have shown with high statistical power that the system is very effective in detection and measurement of high points, with Gage R&R contributions measured to be 2.2% and 3.6% for PTLs and GDLs, respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Automation of Laser Plasma Focused Ion Beam Microscopy for Next-Gen Energy Materials

Automation can revolutionize the use of ultrafast laser ablation and plasma-focused ion beam (PFIB) techniques for high-throughput, reproducible cross-sectioning and various sample preparation in materials characterization. As these methods become essential for analyzing complex energy materials and next-generation devices, efficient, standardized workflows are needed to minimize variability and enhance precision. This work highlights our advancements in developing automated processes for sample preparation that integrates machine learning, workflow optimization, and large-scale data acquisition to improve efficiency and scalability in applications such as electrolyzers, photovoltaic cells, and microelectronics. To streamline cross-sectioning and lamella fabrication, we have implemented fully automated workflows that standardize laser ablation and PFIB milling sequences. These workflows incorporate pre-programmed protocols for material removal, alignment, and thinning, reducing user intervention and ensuring consistency across different sample types. Machine learning algorithms further enhance automation by predicting optimal milling strategies and adapting parameters based on material properties and sectioning requirements. This approach significantly improves throughput while maintaining the structural integrity of prepared samples for high-resolution imaging and analysis, including transmission electron microscopy. Beyond sample preparation, our automation platform enables the acquisition of large, high-resolution datasets through serial sectioning, image alignment, and 3D reconstruction. These automated routines facilitate multi-scale characterization, capturing structural and compositional details from the nanoscale to the device level. By reducing variability and increasing efficiency, our automated approach enhances defect analysis, failure diagnostics, and process optimization, accelerating advancements in materials research and device engineering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Establishment of a Vertically Integrated Domestic Manufacturing Process for Production of Substrates Needed for Manufacture of Gas Diffusion Layers

In this project, AvCarb, LLC evaluated the baseline performance metrics of commercial carbon veils and their corresponding Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs) with the goal of establishing an optimized, vertically integrated production system for wet-laid nonwoven substrates used in gas diffusion media for electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices. Mechanical testing and microstructural characterization were conducted and used to develop a multiscale computational model capable of simulating and predicting the performance of GDLs in fuel cells. Although the project successfully generated foundational transport and modeling data, it was terminated prior to identifying the critical GDL design parameters necessary for full optimization. The program aimed to improve carbon veil fabrication through enhanced fiber dispersion, fiber-fiber adhesion control, and improved web formation, enabling the production of high-quality, uniform substrates. Simulations were intended to guide mixing and solution delivery system design and process conditions, followed by production-scale trials to evaluate fiber dispersion, web uniformity, and mechanical robustness. At full deployment, the proposed production line would have been capable of producing approximately 650,000 m² of carbon veil annually. This capability remains strategically important, as the United States currently lacks a domestic source of wet-laid nonwoven carbon substrates that satisfy the stringent quality requirements for fuel-cell GDLs and electrolyzers representing an ongoing supply-chain vulnerability. Beyond supply-chain benefits, the project established a robust benchmarking dataset for existing commercial carbon veils while advancing next-generation material concepts targeting improved performance and manufacturing consistency.

Olson, Cynthia Lemay↗
DOE OSTI2026

Hydrogen Infrastructure Modeling and Optimization

HyET, established in 2008, is a small business developing electro-chemical hydrogen compressors. HyET’s goals are for a low-cost, efficient, high-pressure compressor ready for market and installation into hydrogen infrastructure stations servicing mobile fuel cell applications. NLR has been working on hydrogen infrastructure research for over a decade and includes electrolyzer production via electrolysis, storage, compression, dispensing, safety, and performance validation. Accelerating technologies into the marketplace is one goal of NLR’s hydrogen research. Therefore, HyET and NLR have teamed up to provide one year of support for HyET’s modeling and small-scale experiments optimization efforts for HyET’s next-generation electro-chemical compressor.

08 HYDROGEN↗