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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 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Toward Lithium Recovery Using Modular (and Membraneless) Phase Separation and Extraction (MPSE) Technology with Ionic Liquid (IL) Solvents: Effect of Coatings

In this work, a single-channel slope-plate Modular and Membrane-less Phase Separation and Extraction (MPSE) device was fabricated using 3D printing. The slope-plate was designed with an insertable glass slide to enable surface modification with coatings. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and perfluoropolyether (Zdol) coatings were applied to tailor surface wettability and enhance phase separation. Using a model biphasic system of water and hexadecane, both coatings significantly improved the separation efficiency compared to the uncoated device by promoting selective wetting. Building on these results, lithium extraction from a simulated saline solution was investigated using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf₂]) as the ionic liquid (IL) extractant. The IL effectively extracted Li⁺ from the aqueous phase in bulk extraction, demonstrating its potential for lithium recovery. However, the low interfacial tension between the IL and aqueous phases posed challenges for phase separation. The application of SAM and Zdol coatings effectively mitigated this issue. Overall, integrating tailored surface chemistry with the slope-plate MPSE design shows great promise as an efficient and scalable platform for studying liquid–liquid separation and optimizing ionic liquid–based extraction processes for lithium recovery from saline sources.

3D printing↗
DOE OSTI2026

Separation and Recovery of High-Purity Dysprosium from Electric Vehicle Scrap Permanent Magnets Using Cyanex 572, a Cationic Extractant in a Membrane Solvent Extraction Process

Rare earth elements (REEs), especially heavy rare earth elements such as dysprosium (Dy), have gained immense attention globally due to their widespread use in many state-of-the-art technologies. Consequently, demand for REEs is increasing rapidly in comparison to their supply. Recycling of REEs from end-of-life (EoL) electronic waste (e-waste) can help to mitigate the increasing gap between the demand and supply of REEs. This study reports the separation and recovery of high-purity Dy from various feedstocks such as scrap permanent magnets (SPMs), electric vehicle (EV) magnets, and mixed rare earth oxides (REOs) using an economically viable and scalable membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process. First, the optimized conditions (organic phase composition and feed solution acid concentration) for the separation of Dy from light REEs such as neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) were evaluated using liquid–liquid extraction. Thereafter, a multistage MSX process was developed to separate high purity (>99.5 wt %) Dy from Nd and Pr using Cyanex 572, a cationic extractant. Using feedstocks with varying initial compositions, the MSX process obtained 100% pure Dy with 63–96% Dy recovery in three to six stages with a maximum extraction rate of 2.9 g m–2 h –1 . Purity of the recovered Dy was confirmed via additional characterization such as scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. This novel MSX process holds immense potential for industry deployment for the separation of heavy and light rare REEs from a wide range of e-waste.

electrical vehicle magnets↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy recovery proton linear accelerator

High-power proton linear accelerators have important applications in both scientific research and industry. However, the operation of such accelerators with megawatt-level beam power is expensive and limits the broad availability of these facilities. In this Letter, we propose a novel energy recovery proton linear accelerator in which the final GeV-level proton beam is reinjected into the linear accelerator from the accelerator exit and is decelerated in the same accelerator down to about 2 MeV, close to the initial beam energy. This substantially reduces the power consumption of the proton linear accelerator and also avoids the need for a high-power beam dump. We demonstrate this concept through self-consistent simulations and show that the beam-beam effect between the forward-accelerating beam and the backward-decelerating beam would not be a limiting factor for the proposed concept. A potential application of this concept to an electron-ion collider based on energy recovery electron and ion accelerators is discussed.

Energy recovery linacs↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nonlinear optimal recovery in Hilbert spaces

Here, this paper investigates solution strategies for nonlinear problems in Hilbert spaces, such as nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) in Sobolev spaces, when only finite measurements are available. We formulate this as a nonlinear optimal recovery problem, establishing its well-posedness and proving its convergence to the true solution as the number of measurements increases. However, the resulting formulation might not have a finite-dimensional solution in general. We thus present a sufficient condition for the finite dimensionality of the solution, applicable to problems with well-defined point evaluation measurements. To address the broader setting, we introduce a relaxed nonlinear optimal recovery and provide a detailed convergence analysis. An illustrative example is given to demonstrate that our formulations and theoretical findings offer a comprehensive framework for solving nonlinear problems in infinite-dimensional spaces with limited data.

convergence↗
DOE OSTI2024

Engineered Water for Improved Oil Recovery from Fractured Reservoirs (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The goal of this proposal is to field test the novel technology of engineered water (modifying ionic composition and/or adding surfactants or nanoparticles) injection to improve oil recovery from the carbonate matrix in fractured reservoirs. Carbonate reservoirs tend to be oil-wet/mixed-wet due to positively charged carbonate mineral surfaces and negatively charged acidic/asphaltic components in the oil. Many carbonate reservoirs are also highly fractured. Water injection does not work efficiently in fractured oil-wet reservoirs because water does not imbibe into the matrix. The water composition can be engineered with ionic modification, surfactants and nanoparticles which can change the wettability of carbonate rocks towards more water-wet conditions which can imbibe water into the matrix and push the oil into the fractures. The engineered water can also lower interfacial tension and minimize capillary forces so that gravity can push the oil up and out of the matrix. Wettability alteration also increases water relative permeability which can also improve oil recovery in non-fractured carbonate reservoirs. This technology, if successful, can be a game changer for West Texas carbonates.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2026

Chemically Enabled CO 2 -Enhanced Oil Recovery in Multi-Porosity, Hydrothermally Altered Carbonates in the Southern Michigan Basin (Final Technical Report)

This is the Final Technical Report for the project "Chemically Enabled CO 2 -Enhanced Oil Recovery in Multi-Porosity, Hydrothermally Altered Carbonates in the Southern Michigan Basin." Over the course of six years of collaboration between Battelle and project partners, all stated objectives of the program have been completed, including full geological characterization of the TBR trend (See companion report for Task2), laboratory and modeling experiments to determine the optimum composition and design of CO 2 -EOR operations in the TBR trend, execution of a field test of chemically-enhanced CO 2 in a TBR well, and integration of the data and learnings gathered during these efforts into a full-trend development plan. Detailed reporting on these activities, their outcomes, and implications for trend-wide development is provided in the report. This report and encompassed data will provide TBR field operators with detailed information on what worked, what did not work, and how to proceed with production optimization of their TBR assets using chemically-enhanced CO 2 -EOR. CO 2 -EOR is a relatively well understood and broadly implemented strategy for increasing incremental production across the oil and gas industry, but its application has been primarily focused on reservoirs with limited heterogeneity. The intention of this project was show first that the same physical mechanisms that improve recovery factors in homogeneous reservoirs (namely wettability alteration, viscosity alteration, oil swelling, and mobility control) are at play in heterogeneous reservoirs. This was proven by the project’s laboratory studies and dynamic simulations, with the potential exception of mobility control, which needs further study. The second intention was to demonstrate via direct field testing that CO 2 -EOR can work in a strongly heterogeneous reservoir. While the field test strategy implemented during this project did not succeed in producing oil, data gathered during the test sheds light on what may work for field operators who try chemically-enhanced CO 2 -EOR within their own reservoirs, significantly reducing the level of uncertainty carried by first-of-a-kind commercial efforts that could (and should) follow this test. Simultaneously, the project has identified several large-volume ethanol plants and other sources of CO 2 emissions in the region and provided a handrail that CO 2 emitters and field operators can leverage to capture, transport, and inject that CO 2 into their fields. This project has also shown that, in many cases, the economics of CO 2 -EOR in the TBR are attractive. And finally, by completing a project of this scope in the southern Michigan Basin, the project has contributed to the knowledge base and operational experience of field operators, state regulatory agencies, local service companies, and state universities, with CO 2 -EOR projects which should allow follow-on projects to proceed safely and efficiently.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2026

Single‐Step Recovery of Water from Stable Crude Oil‐Water Emulsion Using Surface Engineered Hybrid Inorganic‐Polymer Membranes

ABSTRACT Separating crude oil from water remains one of the most stubborn challenges in environmental remediation, especially for surfactant‐stabilized emulsions that resist conventional demulsification methods. Here, we report a scalable strategy for achieving near‐zero‐discharge separation of crude oil emulsions using a single superhydrophilic membrane. By applying low‐temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) of various metal oxides onto activated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes, we create atomically precise surface‐engineered (SE) membranes that maintain an exceptionally strong hydration layer at the membrane‐feed interface, even at high oil loadings. Among the various metal oxides, TiO 2 ‐modified SE membranes exhibit superior interfacial water stability, enabling sustained dewatering of complex crude oil‐water emulsions with >98% separation efficiency and >97% water recovery, compared to only 24.6% water recovery for the pristine membrane. This separation performance surpasses conventional hydrophilic membranes and is comparable to complex Janus channel membrane systems, demonstrating near‐complete emulsion separation using a single membrane. This low‐temperature membrane surface engineering process with atomic‐level precision and potential for scalability via roll‐to‐roll fabrication is promising for industrial‐scale, energy‐efficient water treatment and oil spill remediation applications.

Sengupta, Bratin [Applied Materials Division Argon↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design, characterization and shape recovery behavior of 3D/4D printed shape memory polymers (SMPs)

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) represent a paradigm shift in material science, uniquely capable of undergoing reversible shape transformations triggered by external stimuli, positioning them as pivotal in developing next-generation biomedical devices, aerospace components, and adaptive structures. Extensive research has been done on SMPs with a major focus on high-temperature programming methods, which can limit energy efficiency and applicability with temperature-sensitive materials. Additionally, while various SMP blends have demonstrated great potential, limited work has been done on the suitability for 3D printing these materials, particularly under high-strain and ambient temperature programming conditions. In this study, a three-component optimized SMP composition was evaluated by 3D printing via the Material Extrusion (MEX) technique and investigating its ambient temperature-programming behavior at high strains. The SMP formulation studied was a tailored blend of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polycaprolactone (PCL), and an octadecane diol-based copolymer (OBC) that exhibits robust shape memory behavior, high strain tolerance, and efficient force generation. Rigorous thermal, mechanical, and shape recovery analyses, along with optimized printing parameters and consistent shape recovery rates of up to 90%, were achieved under dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), even under ambient programming conditions. This work demonstrates the SMP composition’s potential for adaptive, self-deployable systems with 4D printing characteristics ideal for bio-inspired structures and artificial muscle fibers.

Sudan, Kavish [University of Louisville, KY]↗
DOE OSTI2025

A chemical-recovery-free ammonium sulfite-based alkali pretreatment of corn stover for low-cost sugar production via fertilizer use of waste liquor

The production of cellulosic sugars is a pivotal strategy for advancing biomass bioconversion. This study evaluated the pretreatment of corn stover using ammonium sulfite and potassium hydroxide to develop comprehensive data on sugar, lignin, chemicals, and overall mass recovery profiles in a batch reactor at 80 °C. The results indicated significant improvements in delignification, deacetylation, enzymatic digestibility, and overall sugar yield. Specifically, pretreating corn stover with a solution of 40 wt% potassium hydroxide and 15 wt% ammonium sulfite at 80 °C for 2 h achieved 78.9 % lignin removal and 82.1 % acetyl removal, resulting in a total sugar yield exceeding 87.5 % with an enzyme loading of 12.5 mg protein/g-glucan plus xylan. The pretreated spent liquor, containing ammonium, potassium, sulfur, biomass-derived organics, and inorganics, demonstrated substantial potential as a fertilizer. The techno-economic analysis projected a minimum sugar selling price of $0.285 per pound, supporting the ongoing development and implementation of chemical-recovery-free pretreatment technology.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Membrane-based solvent extraction for the recovery of rare earths from phosphate mining process streams

This study reports on the capture of rare earth elements (REEs) from phosphate industry process streams, including phosphoric acid (PA) sludge and phosphogypsum (PG), using a membrane solvent extraction (MSX) process. While MSX has been proven effective for a relatively concentrated feed, its effectiveness for dilute REEs solutions remains unexplored. Investigated PA-sludge and PG particles contain total REEs concentrations of ∼1100 and ∼320 ppm, respectively. Acid leaching, implemented to dissolve the REEs, significantly dilutes the REEs concentration to ∼210 ppm for PA-sludge leachate and ∼60 ppm for PG leachate. These low concentrations, compounded by the higher levels of non-REE ions and radioactive species, uranium (U) and thorium (Th), poses challenges to the MSX process. Here, we demonstrated that N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl-diglycolamide (TODGA) selectively binds REEs from a >3 M nitric-acid leachate while effectively rejecting U and Th. Concentrations of light REEs in strip solution were doubled compared to the feed, while heavy REEs were preferentially extracted. Furthermore, >99% purity gypsum, free of U and Th, was precipitated during the acid leaching process, aiding separation by removing significant amounts of non-REEs species (e.g., calcium) prior to the MSX process. Molecular simulations support the experimental data, suggesting preferential separation of heavy over light REEs. Based on these results, a cost-effective integrated process including pretreatment, acid leaching, MSX, and wastewater treatment is proposed for the co-recovery of REEs, phosphoric acid, gypsum, and U. This study shows MSX as a technically and economically feasible process for the recovery of REEs from low-concentration process streams, offering advantages over conventional solvent extraction.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Enhanced rare earth element recovery with cross-linked glutaraldehyde-lanthanide binding peptides in foam-based separations

Lanthanide Binding Tag (LBT) peptides that coordinate selectively with lanthanide ions can be used to replace the energy intensive processes used for the separation of rare earth elements (REEs). These surface-active biomolecules, once selectively complexed with the trivalent REE cations, can adsorb to air/aqueous interfaces of bubbles for foam-based REEs recovery. Glutaraldehyde, an organic compound that is a homobifunctional crosslinker for proteins and peptides, can be used to enhance the adsorption and interfacial stabilization of lanthanide-bound peptides films. The stability of the interfacial cross-linked films was tested by measuring their dilational and shear surface rheological properties. Surface activity of the adsorbed species was analyzed using pendant drop tensiometry, while surface density and molecular arrangement were determined using x-ray reflectivity and x-ray fluorescence near total reflection. Glutaraldehyde cross-linked REE-peptide complexes enhance the adsorption of lanthanides to air-water interfaces, resulting in thicker interfacial structures. Subsequently, these thicker layers enhance the dilational and shear interfacial rheological properties. The interfacial film stabilization and REEs extraction promoted by the cross-linker presented in this work provides an approach to integrate glutaraldehyde as a substitute of common foam stabilizers such as polymers, surfactants, and particles to optimize the recovery of REEs when using biomolecules as extractants.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

A solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation scheme for the recycling of up to ten polymers from post-industrial mixed plastic waste

Solvent-Targeted Recovery and Precipitation (STRAP TM ) separates polymers within a plastic waste stream by selective dissolution. In this work, the STRAP framework, which combines computational modeling and experiments, was applied to develop a series of steps to separate up to 10 polymers from post-industrial mixed plastic waste (MPW) and the main components recovered were LDPE, HDPE, and PET. The STRAP steps were initially demonstrated with a physical polymer mixture containing LDPE, HDPE, PS, PVC, EVOH, PET, PP, PA6, PA66, and PA66/6, in which recoveries of 89% or higher were achieved for each polymer. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates a solvent selection approach that can be applied to separate unknown plastics materials into purer components.

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

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

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

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

Redox-Active Crown Ether Copolymer for Selective Lithium Recovery from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries

The increasing demand for lithium, alongside concerns over resource scarcity and supply chain risks, has driven the need for alternative lithium sources, particularly from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Here, in this work, we introduce a redox-active crown ether copolymer designed for highly selective and electrochemically reversible lithium recovery from organic LIB leachates. A lithium-selective moiety, (12-crown-4)methyl methacrylate (12C4MA), is combined with a redox-active moiety, ferrocenylpropyl methacrylamide (FPMAm), into a redox copolymer electrosorbent to replace acid-based regeneration with electrostatic repulsion. The redox response enhances lithium ingress into the polymer, doubling lithium uptake (0.58 mol Li /mol CrE ) and enabling electrochemical regeneration upon the FPMAm oxidation. Our system exhibits exclusive lithium uptake, even in complex leachates containing competing metals (e.g., iron, nickel, and cobalt) and organic degradants. Techno-economic analysis highlights high energy efficiency and competitive lithium pricing to the market value (∼$12.7 per kg Li ). Overall, our work demonstrates a scalable, electrified adsorbent platform for sustainable and chemical-free critical metal recovery.

adsorption↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ductile Glassy Polymer Networks Capable of Large Plastic Deformation and Heat-Induced Elastic Recovery

Many thermoplastic polymers are ductile by combining strength and large deformations. These deformations are irreversible - known as plastic deformation. Elastomers can deform reversibly but have low strength. To this end, we developed glassy and ductile polyamide networks capable of large plastic deformation (>200% strain) and high strength (~50 MPa tensile strength and ~1500 MPa Young’s modulus), similar to those of polyolefins and Nylon-66. We discovered that hydrogen bonding between meta-phthalamide groups was essential to the ductility. Since these polyamide networks are covalently bonded, we demonstrated their unique durability by repeatable elastic recovery at elevated temperatures, exhibiting indifferent tensile properties in each cycle. Furthermore, when we fixed the strain during the elastic recovery, these polyamide networks actuated stresses of 9–18 MPa, among the highest reported in shape-memory polymer actuators. Here, we envision these ductile, glassy polymer networks as promising alternatives to ductile thermoplastics, given the combined benefit of ductility and durability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Electrode Separation and Froth Flotation for the Recovery of Li-ion Battery Cathode Materials

Increasing use of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) will significantly increase the quantity of LIB waste generated from end-of-life batteries. Spent LiCoO 2 (LCO) battery cathodes contain significant quantities of valuable metals, making them good candidates for recycling. Typical recycling processes rely on high temperatures (pyrometallurgy) and chemical leachants (hydrometallurgy) to completely decompose the cathode and enable material recovery. Direct recycling processes and recovery of active material from electrode scrap do not benefit from such destructive recycling, and an efficient means of separating the cathode active material from the inactive components (e.g., polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder, conductive carbon) is needed. Here, we explore PVDF removal from LCO cathodes by two separate methods, evaluating their suitability for coupling to subsequent separation by froth flotation (FF). We show that washing electrodes in the solvent PolarClean (PC) dissolves PVDF away from LCO cathodes, enabling separation of the remaining LCO and conductive carbon by FF. The process is suitable for use with both pristine and cycled LCO electrodes, and the pristine recovered material can be used to prepare electrodes capable of cycling at 140 mAh/g. In conclusion, this demonstrates the suitability of coupled PC washing and FF separation for recycling both end-of-life batteries and scrap electrode material.

Batteries↗
DOE OSTI2025

Diet outperforms microbial transplant to drive microbiome recovery in mice

A high-fat, low-fibre Western-style diet (WD) induces microbiome dysbiosis characterized by reduced taxonomic diversity and metabolic breadth, which in turn increases risk for a wide array of metabolic, immune and systemic pathologies. Recent work has established that WD can impair microbiome resilience to acute perturbations such as antibiotic treatment, although little is known about the mechanism of impairment and the specific consequences for the host of prolonged post-antibiotic dysbiosis. Here, in this study, we characterize the trajectory by which the gut microbiome recovers its taxonomic and functional profile after antibiotic treatment in mice on regular chow (RC) or WD, and find that only mice on RC undergo a rapid successional process of recovery. Metabolic modelling indicates that a RC diet promotes the development of syntrophic cross-feeding interactions, whereas in mice on WD, a dominant taxon monopolizes readily available resources without releasing syntrophic byproducts. Intervention experiments reveal that an appropriate dietary resource environment is both necessary and sufficient for rapid and robust microbiome recovery, whereas microbial transplant is neither. Furthermore, prolonged post-antibiotic dysbiosis in mice on WD renders them susceptible to infection by the intestinal pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Our data challenge widespread enthusiasm for faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) as a strategy to address dysbiosis, and demonstrate that specific dietary interventions are, at a minimum, an essential prerequisite for effective FMT, and may afford a safer, more natural and less invasive alternative.

Kennedy, M. S. [University of Chicago, IL (United ↗