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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 937 records · Page 52
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2012

Miniaturized Multi-Band Antenna via Element Collocation

Although much research has been performed on a driven element parasitically loaded by another element shorted to ground for dual frequency operation, the novel concept of two or more coplanar-driven elements in close proximity designed for multiple frequency operation has not been represented in the literature. Since each higher frequency antenna is built into the lower frequency elements, the largest element controls the structure’s total size. Furthermore, by using the self-resonant frequency inherent in reactive elements due to device packaging, the aperture of each antenna, due to a low insertion loss path at the frequency of the larger element, will include that of all smaller radiators. This configuration provides a large standing wave ratio at the shorter wavelengths via several series capacitive-inductive connections. Therefore, each antenna element provides the required surface area for the frequency of operation while being isolated from the larger radiators. For this study, a dual 2.45/5.8 GHz microstrip patch encompasses a small surface area of 9 square inches and provides circularly polarized electromagnetic radiation in excess of 6 dBi. This concept can be extrapolated to include additional radiators or may be scaled to other frequencies of interest.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

High Efficient THz Emission From Unbiased and Biased Semiconductor Nanowires Fabricated Using Electron Beam Lithography

Besides having perfect control on structural features, such as vertical alignment and uniform distribution by fabricating the wires via e-beam lithography and etching process, we also investigated the THz emission from these fabricated nanowires when they are applied DC bias voltage. To be able to apply a voltage bias, an interdigitated gold (Au) electrode was patterned on the high-quality InGaAs epilayer grown on InP substrate bymolecular beam epitaxy. Afterwards, perfect vertically aligned and uniformly distributed nanowires were fabricated in between the electrodes of this interdigitated pattern so that we could apply voltage bias to improve the THz emission. As a result, we achieved enhancement in the emitted THz radiation by ~four times, about 12 dB increase in power ratio at 0.25 THz with a DC biased electric field compared with unbiased NWs.

Biased emission↗
DOE OSTI2024

Gray-Box Modeling for Distribution Systems With Inverter-Based Resources: Integrating Physics-Based and Data-Driven Approaches

Here, in this paper, we develop a novel gray-box modeling approach for distribution systems with inverter-based resources (IBRs). The proposed gray-box modeling method aims to improve estimation accuracy by taking advantages of both physics-based (white-box) and data-driven (black-box) modeling approaches. To this end, we utilize partial physical knowledge of the system, including the inverters’ structures and control diagrams, as well as the equivalent network model simplified through Kron reduction. The white-box model containing unknown parameters is then constructed with mathematical equations and an optimization-based method is subsequently employed to identify these unknown parameters within the white-box model. Next, the graybox modeling framework is then constructed by embedding the output variables of the white-box model into the input vector of a black-box model (represented using a neural network). Finally, the black-box section is trained using the collected input-output datasets and the gray-box model is then obtained. Furthermore, case studies demonstrate that our gray-box modeling approach effectively improves estimation accuracy compared to purely physics-based or data-driven methods.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Flexible Forwarding Scheme to Improve Latency-Bound Irregular P2P Communication in MPI

We propose an algorithm to efficiently perform latency-bound communication scenarios that consist of many small messages. In these parallel scenarios, processes typically pass around a lot of small-sized messages of a few KBs of size. Performing communication operations with P2P MPI routines or collective MPI routines (including neighborhood collectives) in such scenarios may not always yield the optimal results and may not resolve the latency bottleneck. To this end, we develop a regular structure called virtual process topology (VPT) on which the messages can be communicated in a structured and controlled manner. Using parameters of this topology, one can tune the rate of aggression in tackling the latency costs. We demonstrate that our communication algorithm is preferable to MPI P2P and collective routines for latency-bound communication and it can easily be adapted only by replacing calls to MPI routines in a parallel application. We show how to adapt existing topology-aware mapping heuristics to address the volume overhead due to communicating messages on the VPT. Moreover, we propose a novel swap-based mapping heuristic to address this overhead by optimizing the maximum volume handled by a process. Experiments on synthetic communication graphs as well as real-world applications such as parallel Canonical Polyadic sparse tensor decomposition and parallel sparse matrix-dense matrix multiplication show that our approach is a powerful way of overcoming the bottlenecks posed by sparse and latency-bound irregular communication.

communication algorithm↗
DOE OSTI2025

Reimagining Disassembly Interfaces With Visualization: Combining Instruction Tracing and Control Flow With DisViz

In applications where efficiency is critical, developers may examine their compiled binaries, seeking to understand how the compiler transformed their source code and what performance implications that transformation may have. This analysis is challenging due to the vast number of disassembled binary instructions and the many-to-many mappings between them and the source code. These problems are exacerbated as source code size increases, giving the compiler more freedom to map and disperse binary instructions across the disassembly space. Interfaces for disassembly typically display instructions as an unstructured listing or sacrifice the order of execution. Here, we design a new visual interface for disassembly code that combines execution order with control flow structure, enabling analysts to both trace through code and identify familiar aspects of the computation. Central to our approach is a novel layout of instructions grouped into basic blocks that displays a looping structure in an intuitive way. We add to this disassembly representation a unique block-based mini-map that leverages our layout and shows context across thousands of disassembly instructions. Finally, we embed our disassembly visualization in a web-based tool, DisViz, which adds dynamic linking with source code across the entire application. DizViz was developed in collaboration with program analysis experts following design study methodology and was validated through evaluation sessions with ten participants from four institutions. Participants successfully completed the evaluation tasks, hypothesized about compiler optimizations, and noted the utility of our new disassembly view. Our evaluation suggests that our new integrated view helps application developers in understanding and navigating disassembly code.

Computer science↗
DOE OSTI2020

PHOTO‐SENSITIVE LEAF ROLLING 1 encodes a polygalacturonase that modifies cell wall structure and drought tolerance in rice

Summary The biosynthesis and modification of cell wall composition and structure are controlled by hundreds of enzymes and have a direct consequence on plant growth and development. However, the majority of these enzymes has not been functionally characterised. Rice mutants with leaf‐rolling phenotypes were screened in a field. Phenotypic analysis under controlled conditions was performed for the selected mutant and the relevant gene was identified by map‐based cloning. Cell wall composition was analysed by glycome profiling assay. We identified a photo‐sensitive leaf rolling 1 ( psl1 ) mutant with ‘napping’ (midday depression of photosynthesis) phenotype and reduced growth. The PSL1 gene encodes a cell wall‐localised polygalacturonase (PG), a pectin‐degrading enzyme. psl1 with a 260‐bp deletion in its gene displayed leaf rolling in response to high light intensity and/or low humidity. Biochemical assays revealed PG activity of recombinant PSL1 protein. Significant modifications to cell wall composition in the psl1 mutant compared with the wild‐type plants were identified. Such modifications enhanced drought tolerance of the mutant plants by reducing water loss under osmotic stress and drought conditions. Taken together, PSL1 functions as a PG that modifies cell wall biosynthesis, plant development and drought tolerance in rice.

Zhang, Guangheng↗
DOE OSTI2013

Assessing the Importance of Nonlinearities in the Development of a Substructure Model for the Wind Turbine CAE Tool FAST: Preprint

Design and analysis of wind turbines are performed using aero-servo-elastic tools that account for the nonlinear coupling between aerodynamics, controls, and structural response. The NREL-developed computer-aided engineering (CAE) tool FAST also resolves the hydrodynamics of fixed-bottom structures and floating platforms for offshore wind applications. This paper outlines the implementation of a structural-dynamics module (SubDyn) for offshore wind turbines with space-frame substructures into the current FAST framework, and focuses on the initial assessment of the importance of structural nonlinearities. Nonlinear effects include: large displacements, axial shortening due to bending, cross-sectional transverse shear effects, etc.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

New oxygen radical source using selective sputtering of oxygen atoms for high rate deposition of TiO{sub 2} films

We have developed a new oxygen radical source based on the reactive sputtering phenomena of a titanium target for high rate deposition of TiO{sub 2} films. In this oxygen radical source, oxygen radicals are mainly produced by two mechanisms: selective sputter-emission of oxygen atoms from the target surface covered with a titanium oxide layer, and production of high-density oxygen plasma in the space near the magnetron-sputtering cathode. Compared with molecular oxygen ions, the amount of atomic oxygen radicals increased significantly with an increase in discharge current so that atomic oxygen radicals were mainly produced by this radical source. It should be noted that oxygen atoms were selectively sputtered from the target surface, and titanium atoms sputter-emitted from the target cathode were negligibly small. The amount of oxygen radicals supplied from this radical source increased linearly with increasing discharge current, and oxygen radicals of 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 15} atoms/s/cm{sup 2} were supplied to the substrate surface at a discharge current of 1.2 A. We conclude that our newly developed oxygen radical source can be a good tool to achieve high rate deposition and to control the structure of TiO{sub 2} films for many industrial design applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

SU-F-BRF-01: A GPU Framework for Developing Interactive High-Resolution Patient-Specific Biomechanical Models

Purpose: To develop a GPU-based framework that can generate highresolution and patient-specific biomechanical models from a given simulation CT and contoured structures, optimized to run at interactive speeds, for addressing adaptive radiotherapy objectives. Method: A Massspring-damping (MSD) model was generated from a given simulation CT. The model's mass elements were generated for every voxel of anatomy, and positioned in a deformation space in the GPU memory. MSD connections were established between neighboring mass elements in a dense distribution. Contoured internal structures allowed control over elastic material properties of different tissues. Once the model was initialized in GPU memory, skeletal anatomy was actuated using rigid-body transformations, while soft tissues were governed by elastic corrective forces and constraints, which included tensile forces, shear forces, and spring damping forces. The model was validated by applying a known load to a soft tissue block and comparing the observed deformation to ground truth calculations from established elastic mechanics. Results: Our analyses showed that both local and global load experiments yielded results with a correlation coefficient R{sup 2} > 0.98 compared to ground truth. Models were generated for several anatomical regions. Head and neck models accurately simulated posture changes by rotating the skeletal anatomy in three dimensions. Pelvic models were developed for realistic deformations for changes in bladder volume. Thoracic models demonstrated breast deformation due to gravity when changing treatment position from supine to prone. The GPU framework performed at greater than 30 iterations per second for over 1 million mass elements with up to 26 MSD connections each. Conclusions: Realistic simulations of site-specific, complex posture and physiological changes were simulated at interactive speeds using patient data. Incorporating such a model with live patient tracking would facilitate real time assessment of variations of the actual anatomy and delivered dose for adaptive intervention and re-planning.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Liquid crystalline cellulose-based nematogels

Physical properties of composite materials can be pre-engineered by controlling their structure and composition at the mesoscale. However, approaches to achieving this are limited and rarely scalable. We introduce a new breed of self-assembled nematogels formed by an orientationally ordered network of thin cellulose nanofibers infiltrated with a thermotropic nematic fluid. The interplay between orientational ordering within the nematic network and that of the small-molecule liquid crystal around it yields a composite with highly tunable optical properties. By means of combining experimental characterization and modeling, we demonstrate submillisecond electric switching of transparency and facile responses of the composite to temperature changes. Finally, we discuss a host of potential technological uses of these self-assembled nematogel composites, ranging from smart and privacy windows to novel flexible displays.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Strain release through hydrogen bond–mediated layer twisting

Strain engineering, enabling the precise control over structure and functional properties, is a key strategy for the design of advanced materials. However, the mechanisms governing strain evolution and release at the nanoscale remain largely unexplored. In this study, we leverage in situ heating transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron x-ray spectroscopy to investigate the strain relaxation pathways of boehmite (γ-AlOOH) at 575 kelvin by revealing real-time structural dynamics. Through tracking the moiré pattern evolution, we identify distinct strain release mechanisms, including layer twisting, defect formation, and domain restructuring. Our neural network potential calculations reveal that energy fluctuations at small twist angles are dominated by an interference-like interaction modulation of hydrogen bonds between boehmite interlayers, with metastable twisted structures corresponding to local minima of the potential energy landscape. This work establishes a previously unidentified paradigm of two-dimensional layer twisting mediated by hydrogen bonding, offering insights into strain-driven transformation mechanisms, and thus may have broad implications for strain in material and earth sciences.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Hydroxylation of the surface of PbS nanocrystals passivated with oleic acid

Controlling the structure of colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) is key to the generation of their complex functionality. This requires an understanding of the NC surface at the atomic level. The structure of colloidal PbS NCs passivated with oleic acid has been studied theoretically and experimentally. We show the existence of surface OH(-) groups, which play a key role in stabilizing the PbS(111) facets, consistent with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as well as other spectroscopic and chemical experiments. The role of water in the synthesis process is also revealed. Our model, along with existing observations of NC surface termination and passivation by ligands, helps to explain and predict the properties of NCs and their assemblies.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2015

Using all energy in a battery

Controlled electrode structure improves energy utilization [Also see Report by Kirshenbaum et al. ]

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Efficient, stable silicon tandem cells enabled by anion-engineered wide-bandgap perovskites

Maximizing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells that can exceed the Shockley-Queisser single-cell limit requires a high-performing, stable perovskite top cell with a wide bandgap. We developed a stable perovskite solar cell with a bandgap of ~1.7 electron volts that retained more than 80% of its initial PCE of 20.7% after 1000 hours of continuous illumination. Anion engineering of phenethylammonium-based two-dimensional (2D) additives was critical for controlling the structural and electrical properties of the 2D passivation layers based on a lead iodide framework. The high PCE of 26.7% of a monolithic two-terminal wide-bandgap perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell was made possible by the ideal combination of spectral responses of the top and bottom cells.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

The role of CenKR in the coordination of Rhodobacter sphaeroides cell elongation and division

ABSTRACT Cell elongation and division are essential aspects of the bacterial life cycle that must be coordinated for viability and replication. The impact of misregulation of these processes is not well understood as these systems are often not amenable to traditional genetic manipulation. Recently, we reported on the CenKR two-component system (TCS) in the Gram-negative bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides that is genetically tractable, widely conserved in α-proteobacteria, and directly regulates the expression of components crucial for cell elongation and division, including genes encoding subunit of the Tol-Pal complex. In this work, we show that overexpression of cenK results in cell filamentation and chaining. Using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), we generated high-resolution two-dimensional (2D) images and three-dimensional (3D) volumes of the cell envelope and division septum of wild-type cells and a cenK overexpression strain finding that these morphological changes stem from defects in outer membrane (OM) and peptidoglycan (PG) constriction. By monitoring the localization of Pal, PG biosynthesis, and the bacterial cytoskeletal proteins MreB and FtsZ, we developed a model for how increased CenKR activity leads to changes in cell elongation and division. This model predicts that increased CenKR activity decreases the mobility of Pal, delaying OM constriction, and ultimately disrupting the midcell positioning of MreB and FtsZ and interfering with the spatial regulation of PG synthesis and remodeling. IMPORTANCE By coordinating cell elongation and division, bacteria maintain their shape, support critical envelope functions, and orchestrate division. Regulatory and assembly systems have been implicated in these processes in some well-studied Gram-negative bacteria. However, we lack information on these processes and their conservation across the bacterial phylogeny. In R. sphaeroides and other α-proteobacteria, CenKR is an essential two-component system (TCS) that regulates the expression of genes known or predicted to function in cell envelope biosynthesis, elongation, and/or division. Here, we leverage unique features of CenKR to understand how increasing its activity impacts cell elongation/division and use antibiotics to identify how modulating the activity of this TCS leads to changes in cell morphology. Our results provide new insight into how CenKR activity controls the structure and function of the bacterial envelope, the localization of cell elongation and division machinery, and cellular processes in organisms with importance in health, host-microbe interactions, and biotechnology.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Transport, Magnetic, and Memristive Properties of a Nanogranular (CoFeB){sub x}(LiNbO{sub y}){sub 100–x} Composite Material

The properties of (CoFeB){sub x}(LiNbO{sub y}){sub 100–x} nanocomposite films with a ferromagnetic alloy content x = 6–48 at % are comprehensively studied. The films are shown to consist of ensembles of CoFe granules 2–4 nm in size, which are strongly elongated (up to 10–15 nm) in the nanocomposite growth direction and are located in an LiNbO{sub y} matrix with a high content of Fe{sup 2+} and Co{sup 2+} magnetic ions (up to 3 × 1022 cm{sup –3}). At T ≤ 25 K, a paramagnetic component of the magnetization of nanocomposites is detected along with a ferromagnetic component, and the contribution of the former component is threefold that of the latter. A hysteresis of the magnetization is observed below the percolation threshold up to x ≈ 33 at %, which indicates the appearance of a superferromagnetic order in the nanocomposites. The temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites in the range T ≈ 10–200 K on the metallic side of the metal–insulator transition (44 at % < x < 48 at %) is described by a logarithmic law σ(T) ∝ lnT. This law changes into the law of “1/2” at x ≤ 40 at %. The tunneling anomalous Hall effect is strongly suppressed and the longitudinal conductivity turns out to be lower than in a (CoFeB){sub x}(AlO{sub y}){sub 100–x} composite material by an order of magnitude. The capacitor structures based on (CoFeB){sub x}(LiNbO{sub y}){sub 100–x} films exhibit resistive switching effects. They are related to (i) the formation of isolated chains of elongated granules and an anomalously strong decrease in the resistance in fields E > 10{sup 4} V/cm because of the suppression of Coulomb blockage effects and the generation of oxygen vacancies V{sub O} and (ii) the injection (or extraction) of V{sub O} vacancies (depending on the sign of voltage) into a strongly oxidized layer in the nanocomposites, which is located near an electrode of the structure and controls its resistance. The number of stable resistive switchings exceeds 10{sup 5} at a resistance ratio R{sub off}/R{sub on} ~ 50.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

The distribution of an electric field in p-n junctions of silicon edgeless detectors

Development of silicon edgeless detectors started in 2004 and was motivated by preparations for the total elastic and diffractive cross-section measurement (TOTEM) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. In the context of this experiment, it would be necessary to detect protons scattered at ultimately small angles with respect to the LHC proton beam, which brings about a limitation imposed on the maximum distance between the beam and the sensitive region of the detector. In order to solve this problem, a new type of silicon detector (edgeless detectors) was developed; these detectors have the structure, which controls the distribution of the current near the edge of the p-n junction. In this paper we report the results of studying the distribution of the potential and an electric field in the region of the cut edge in the silicon edgeless detectors; the models, which account for the obtained results, as well as their consistency with current-voltage characteristics of silicon edgeless detectors developed for the TOTEM experiment, are discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Zinc-oxide-based nanostructured materials for heterostructure solar cells

Results obtained in the deposition of nanostructured zinc-oxide layers by hydrothermal synthesis as the basic method are presented. The possibility of controlling the structure and morphology of the layers is demonstrated. The important role of the procedure employed to form the nucleating layer is noted. The faceted hexagonal nanoprisms obtained are promising for the fabrication of solar cells based on oxide heterostructures, and aluminum-doped zinc-oxide layers with petal morphology, for the deposition of an antireflection layer. The results are compatible and promising for application in flexible electronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗