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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Fabrication of surrogate oxide spent fuel with various cracking patterns and design of an axial gas transport apparatus

In this article, understanding gas transport behavior in nuclear fuel rods is important for the design, performance, and safety of nuclear fuels. Surrogate materials help enable efficient research by reducing both the costs and the amount of time required. A parametric study using Darcy’s law is completed that demonstrates the feasibility of observing pressure decay over short 13-to-15-cm specimens to enable full characterization of the fabricated specimens using x-ray computed tomography. This paper demonstrates that thermally shocked and mechanically compressed alumina pellets produce surrogate samples whose various cracking patterns are representative of the severity of cracking observed as a function of burnup in irradiated nuclear fuels. Furthermore, image analyses of the cracking patterns—in conjunction with gas transport testing using surrogate samples—affords a valuable accelerated basis for developing gas transport simulations.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

DNA-PAINT Imaging with Hydrogel Imprinting and Clearing

Hydrogel-embedding is a versatile technique in fluorescence microscopy, offering stabilization, optical clearing, and the physical expansion of biological specimens. DNA-PAINT is a super-resolution microscopy approach based on the diffusion and transient binding of fluorescently labeled oligos, but its feasibility in hydrogels has not yet been explored. In this study, we demonstrate that polyacrylamide hydrogels support sufficient diffusion for effective DNA-PAINT imaging. Using acrydite-anchored oligonucleotides imprinted from patterned DNA origami nanostructures and microtubule filaments in fixed cells, we find that hydrogel embedding preserves docking strand positioning at the nanoscale. Sample clearing via protease treatment had minor structural effects on the microtubule structure and enhanced diffusion and accessibility to hydrogel-imprinted docking strands. Our work demonstrates promising potential for diffusion and binding-based fluorescence imaging applications in hydrogel-embedded samples.

DNA origami↗
DOE OSTI2020

A reflection on lithium-ion battery cathode chemistry

Abstract Lithium-ion batteries have aided the portable electronics revolution for nearly three decades. They are now enabling vehicle electrification and beginning to enter the utility industry. The emergence and dominance of lithium-ion batteries are due to their higher energy density compared to other rechargeable battery systems, enabled by the design and development of high-energy density electrode materials. Basic science research, involving solid-state chemistry and physics, has been at the center of this endeavor, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. With the award of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to the development of lithium-ion batteries, it is enlightening to look back at the evolution of the cathode chemistry that made the modern lithium-ion technology feasible. This review article provides a reflection on how fundamental studies have facilitated the discovery, optimization, and rational design of three major categories of oxide cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, and a personal perspective on the future of this important area.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2022

A very high energy hadron collider on the Moon

Abstract The long-term prospect of building a hadron collider around the circumference of a great circle of the Moon is sketched. A circular collider on the Moon (CCM) of ∼11 000 km in circumference could reach a proton–proton center-of-mass collision energy of 14 PeV—a thousand times higher than the Large Hadron Collider at CERN—optimistically assuming a dipole magnetic field of 20 T. Several aspects of such a project are presented, including siting, construction, availability of necessary materials on the Moon, and powering, as well as a discussion of future studies and further information needed to determine the more concrete feasibility of each. Machine parameters and vacuum requirements are explored, and an injection scheme is delineated. Other unknowns are set down. Due to the strong interest from multiple organizations in establishing a permanent Moon presence, a CCM could be the (next-to-) next-to-next-generation discovery machine for high-energy particle physics and a natural successor to next-generation machines, such as the proposed future circular collider at CERN or a super proton–proton collider in China, and other future machines, such as a collider in the Sea, in the Gulf of Mexico. A CCM would serve as an important stepping stone toward a Planck-scale collider sited in our Solar System.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Gene Expression Thresholds Derived From Short-term Exposures Identify Rat Liver Tumorigens

Abstract Traditional methods for cancer risk assessment are resource-intensive, retrospective, and not feasible for the vast majority of environmental chemicals. In this study, we investigated whether quantitative genomic data from short-term studies may be used to set protective thresholds for potential tumorigenic effects. We hypothesized that gene expression biomarkers measuring activation of the key early events in established pathways for rodent liver cancer exhibit cross-chemical thresholds for tumorigenesis predictive for liver cancer risk. We defined biomarker thresholds for 6 major liver cancer pathways using training sets of chemicals with short-term genomic data (3–29 days of exposure) from the TG-GATES (n = 77 chemicals) and DrugMatrix (n = 86 chemicals) databases and then tested these thresholds within and between datasets. The 6 pathway biomarkers represented genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, and activation of xenobiotic, steroid, and lipid receptors (aryl hydrocarbon receptor, constitutive activated receptor, estrogen receptor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α). Thresholds were calculated as the maximum values derived from exposures without detectable liver tumor outcomes. We identified clear response values that were consistent across training and test sets. Thresholds derived from the TG-GATES training set were highly predictive (97%) in a test set of independent chemicals, whereas thresholds derived from the DrugMatrix study were 96%–97% predictive for the TG-GATES study. Threshold values derived from an abridged gene list (2/biomarker) also exhibited high predictive accuracy (91%–94%). These findings support the idea that early genomic changes can be used to establish threshold estimates or “molecular tipping points” that are predictive of later-life health outcomes.

Hill, III,, Thomas↗
DOE OSTI2022

Low-Pressure Electrochemical Synthesis of Complex High-Pressure Superconducting Superhydrides

There is great current interest in multicomponent superhydrides due to their unique quantum properties under pressure. A remarkable example is the ternary superhydride Li 2 MgH 16 computationally identified to have an unprecedented high superconducting critical temperature T c of ~470 K at 250 GPa. However, the very high synthesis pressures required remains a significant hurdle for detailed study and potential applications. In this Letter, we evaluate the feasibility of synthesizing ternary Li-Mg superhydrides by the recently proposed pressure-potential (P 2 ) method that uniquely combines electrochemistry and applied pressure to control synthesis and stability. Furthermore, the results indicate that it is possible to synthesize Li-Mg superhydrides at modest pressures by applying suitable electrode potentials. Using pressure alone, no Li-Mg ternary hydrides are predicted to be thermodynamically stable, but in the presence of electrode potentials, both Li 2 MgH 16 and Li 4 MgH 24 can be stabilized at modest pressures. Three polymorphs are predicted as ground states of Li 2 MgH 16 below 300 GPa, with transitions at 33 and 160 GPa. The highest pressure phase is superconducting, while the two at lower pressures are not. Our findings point out the potentially important role of the P 2 method in controlling phase stability of complex multicomponent superhydrides.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Multimodal hard X-ray nanoprobe techniques for operando investigations of photovoltaic devices

Compared with conventional laboratory-scale X-ray techniques, synchrotron based X-rays with higher brilliance and higher coherence allow for the investigation of various material properties with high spatial resolution. The microscopic behaviours of materials can be examined using the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline (I14) at Diamond Light Source, which provides a 50 nm focused beam and has been successfully employed to identify nanoscale optoelectronic features in energy-harvesting materials such as halide perovskites that exhibit local heterogeneity. We have developed X-ray beam-induced current (XBIC) measurement capability at I14 to address the growing demand for operando analysis in energy-harvesting research. Here, we demonstrate that X-ray fluorescence (XRF)/XBIC multimodal measurements are feasible at I14 and apply these newly implemented techniques to study perovskite solar cells with various additive concentrations to understand the effect of the additive on nanoscale optoelectronic performance. This expanded operando characterization capability offers the possibility of monitoring nanometre-scale compositional variations and corresponding optoelectronic features of actual solar cell configurations.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Optimal Power Sharing Speed Compensation in On-road Wireless EV Charging Systems

Dynamic wireless charging of electric vehicles (EV) is an emerging technology with the potential to address range anxiety and reduce the size of batteries or provide charge-sustaining operation. Charging demand for dynamic wireless charging systems (DWCS) varies greatly in response to location-specific traffic behaviors including the number and speed of vehicles. This paper highlights the potential reduction of load variation with speed compensation and simulates opportunities to maximize the number of cars charged concurrently through “power sharing” or altering power output to slower cars while maintaining a maximum delivered energy. An improved sub-minute model for synthetic traffic is proposed to effectively model DWCS load on high speed roadways and a power electronics model is created based on an existing prototype developed by ORNL to investigate the potential for power sharing. Reductions in the average speed of traffic can greatly increase instantaneous DWCS load by as much as 26%, complicating capacity sizing. Parametric studies with a LCC-S power electronics model shows feasible power reduction of more than 20%, while maintaining a maximum achievable efficiency greater than 90%. Speed compensation on a roadway with large speed variation can reduce average power expected by 21% and increase the maximum number of cars charged simultaneously by 30%. The application of power sharing may significantly reduce load variability due to speed, allow for increased car hosting capability, and guarantee a maximum energy delivered.

Lewis, Donovin D.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Next-Cycle Optimal Fuel Control for Cycle-to-Cycle Variability Reduction in EGR-Diluted Combustion

In this simulation study, cycle-to-cycle fuel control was used to reduce CCV by injecting additional fuel in operating conditions with sporadic misfires and partial burns. An optimal control policy was proposed that utilizes 1) a physics-based model that tracks in-cylinder gas composition and 2) a one-step-ahead prediction of the combustion efficiency based on a kernel density estimator. The optimal solution, however, presents a tradeoff between the reduction in combustion CCV and the increase in fuel injection quantity required to stabilize the charge. Such a tradeoff can be ad- just by a single parameter embedded in the cost function.

Maldonado, BryanP. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data for Optimizing Bioenergy Sorghum Productivity and Nutrient Removal in Illinois: Impact of Nitrogen Fertilization Under Diverse Marginal Conditions

Bioenergy sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a promising crop for contributing to the United States bioenergy supply. However, the varying limitations of the marginal lands targeted for its cultivation present a management challenge. This two-year study aimed to investigate how the limitations associated with marginal cropland impact the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the yield of bioenergy sorghum and the uptake of 11 macro- (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S) and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B). The study contrasted prime cropland in central Illinois (Urbana) with three marginal cropland sites in southern (Ewing) and central Illinois (Fairbury and Pesotum). These marginal cropland sites are characterized by varying limitations, including low soil fertility (P and K limitations), leaching and erosion, and flooding, respectively. Four nitrogen rates (0, 56, 112, and 168 kg N ha−1) were tested under eight environments. The average yields and ranges of sorghum biomass were 20.2 (17.0–23.2) Mg ha−1 in Urbana, 18.1 (13.1–19.8) Mg ha−1 in Ewing, 13.8 (9.0–17.3) Mg ha−1 in Fairbury, and 23.3 (14.6–33.0) Mg ha−1 in Pesotum. Optimal N rates were 56 N in Pesotum and 112 N in Urbana, Ewing, and Fairbury. Tissue macronutrient contents in Urbana were generally higher than in the marginal croplands, while micronutrient contents did not show discernible trends. Increasing N rate generally correlated with the macronutrient removal except in Ewing. Comparable sorghum biomass yields were observed between prime and marginal croplands (averaging 18.3 Mg ha−1), but optimal N rates varied between 56 N and 112 N. This suggests that yield gaps can be narrowed by applying the optimal N rates for the respective locations. However, increased removals of macronutrients, especially P and K, with increasing yields indicate the need to revise fertilizer recommendations, particularly for soils deficient in these nutrients. Our study suggests that while sorghum production on marginal cropland is feasible, N management needs to be adapted to the unique limitations associated with various types of marginal cropland.

Biomass Analytics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transverse orbital angular momentum and polarization entangled spatiotemporal structured light

Intra-system entanglement occurs between non-separable modes within the same system. For optical systems, the various degrees of freedom of light represent different modes, and the potential use of light to create higher dimensional classical entangle states offers a promising potential to drive new technological developments. In this work, we present experimental results demonstrating the orthogonality between transverse orbital angular momentum (t-OAM) of different spatiotemporal topological charges, a previously unverified property of t-OAM. Based on those results, we developed methods to create and characterize a novel family of t-OAM and polarization entangled spatiotemporal structured light. We further provide theoretical analysis to support our study of the entanglement between those modes. By demonstrating the feasibility of leveraging t-OAM as a new family of modes for classical entanglement, our work represents a new advancement towards higher dimensional classical entanglement strategies.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Computationally Tractable High-Fidelity Representation of Global Hydrology in ESMs via Machine Learning Approaches to Scale-Bridging

Focal Areas: This paper responds primarily to Focal Area 2, focusing on AI techniques to improve model fidelity. Science Challenge: “Hyperresolution” [1, 2] land surface models (LSMs) running at far higher resolution than typically employed in global Earth system models (ESMs) can help answer critical questions about the water cycle and associated ecosystem and biogeochemical feedbacks. Even with all foreseeable advances in computing power and efficient solver algorithms, however, employing hyperresolution LSMs inside ESMs for studies of long-term global climate is not computationally feasible. Instead, we argue for incorporating the fidelity of hyperresolution LSMs only where and when it is needed by using machine learning approaches to scale-bridging.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Leasing Areas for Humboldt and Morro Bay Wind Energy Areas, California

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is providing scientific and technical services to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) under an interagency agreement. The purpose of this report is to provide technical assistance in delineating potential lease areas from the California wind energy areas (WEAs) that can be competitively auctioned to wind energy developers. Each wind energy area is presumed to be technically and economically feasible for wind energy development based on the economic cost study performed by NREL in 2020. The subsequent analysis summarized in this report is intended to help BOEM maximize efficient offshore wind energy resource use and ensure fair return to the Government for use of the lease areas, by making recommendations for viable ways to divide the WEAs into auctionable commercial lease areas of approximately equal value. We considered several factors that affect the value of lease areas for wind energy development, including mean wind speeds, water depth, seafloor gradient, seismicity, hard substrate, and access to infrastructure. The largest impact to generating capacity came from the choice of mooring technology and the resulting setback from the lease area boundaries. Based on our setback assumptions, the generating capacity for a wind plant using catenary moorings could be nearly 30% less than with vertical moorings in Humboldt, or approximately 20% less in Morro Bay. The likely range of generating capacity is 1.5 to 3 GW in Humboldt and 3 to 5 GW in Morro Bay.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Biofuel Viability for the Ocean-Going Marine Sector

Marine transport contributes significantly to global carbon dioxide emissions but is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize because full electrification is infeasible. Renewable, low–carbon biofuels offer a potential path to decarbonization of the marine sectors but the understanding of the effects of new biofuels on engine performance and emissions is limited. In this document we report on the results of a series of studies on the techno-economic, life cycle and technical feasibility of biofuels as replacements for heavy fuel oils currently used to fuel large ocean-going vessels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hybrid Solid Oxide Fuel Cell/Gas Turbine Model Development for Electric Aviation

A thermodynamic model was developed and validated to analyze a high-performance solid oxide fuel cell and gas turbine (SOFC-GT) hybrid power system for electric aviation. This study used a process simulation software package (ProMax) to study the role of SOFC design and operation on the feasibility and performance of the hybrid system. Standard modules, including compressor, turbine, heat exchanger, reforming reactor, and combustor were used from the ProMax tool suite while a custom module was created to simulate the SOFC stack. The model used an SOFC test data set as an input. Additional SOFC stack performance effects, such as pressure, temperature, and utilization of air and fuel, were added from open source data. System performance predictors were SOFC specific power, fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency, and hybrid system efficiency. Using these input data and predictors, a static thermodynamic performance model was created that can be modified for different system configurations and operating conditions. Prior to creating the final aircraft performance model, initial demonstration models were developed to validate output results. We used the NASA SOFC model as a benchmark, which was created with their Numerical Propulsion System Simulator (NPSS) software framework. Our output results matched within 1% of both the NASA model and open source SOFC performance data. With confidence gained in the accuracy of this model, a 1-MW SOFC-GT hybrid power system was constructed for an aircraft propulsion concept. Overall hybrid system efficiencies of > 75% FTE were observed during standard 36,000 feet cruise flight conditions.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Techno-Economic Evaluation of Electrified Vehicle Options in Drayage Fleets

The electrification of drayage fleets offers potential economic and operational benefits, but the financial viability of electrified vehicles remains sensitive to battery cost, energy price, and fleet usage patterns. While total cost of ownership (TCO) is a useful benchmark, fleet operators and investors are equally concerned with investment performance metrics such as payback period (PB) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR), which better reflect financial risks and investment return timelines. This study develops a unified techno-economic framework that jointly evaluates TCO, PB, and IRR to determine when electrified trucks become cost-effective alternatives to diesel trucks. Building on a previously developed cost modeling tool and using real-world telematics data from a Class 8 drayage fleet at the Port of Savannah, the analysis incorporates projected battery cost trajectories, electricity and diesel price trends, vehicle efficiency improvements, and multiple battery capacities. Parameter ranges reflect widely cited projections and observed drayage-duty-cycle variability. A surrogate-modeling method approximates economic performance across thousands of battery cost–electricity price combinations, enabling high-resolution identification of conditions that achieve TCO parity, acceptable PB thresholds, and target IRR levels. Additionally, the study estimates the evolving share of the fleet that can feasibly electrify over time under multiple economic metrics. This integrated framework offers a novel, data-driven approach to inform risk-aware decision-making for fleet electrification and supports investment planning under evolving cost and operational conditions.

Sun, Ruixiao [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000341768676)↗
DOE OSTI2026

HydraGNN_OPF_GFM_2026 - Ensemble of predictive graph foundation models for power grid applications

This dataset supports research on graph foundation models for optimal power flow (OPF) on electric grids using HydraGNN. It contains heterogeneous graph representations of PGLib-OPF cases spanning systems from 14 to 13,659 buses, together with packed HDF5 datasets for pretraining, feasibility classification, and N-1 contingency analysis. The release includes OPF solution data, downstream fine-tuning datasets, pretrained HeteroSAGE and HeteroHEAT model checkpoints, hyperparameter-optimization summaries across multiple heterogeneous GNN architectures, and aggregated fine-tuning results for sample-efficiency studies. The dataset is designed to enable scalable training, evaluation, and transfer-learning studies for OPF surrogate modeling, including node-level AC-OPF solution prediction, graph-level prediction, feasibility classification, operating-condition generalization, and contingency-response tasks.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Need for portable accelerators in cultural heritage

Ion Beam Accelerators (IBA) centres have provided researchers with powerful techniques to analyse objects of cultural significance in a non-destructive and non-invasive manner. However, in some cases it is not feasible to remove an object from the field or museum and transport it to the laboratory. In this contributed talk, we present as a manner of a short review, examples of the benefits provided from these techniques in the study of material culture and discuss the initial steps to consider when investigating the feasibility of a compact accelerator that can be taken to sites of cultural significance for PIXE analysis. In particular, we consider the application of a compact, robust 2 MeV proton accelerator that can be taken into the field to perform PIXE measurements on rock art. We detail the main challenges and considerations for such a device.

Charles, T. K.↗