Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “High throughput”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

High-Throughput Characterization Tools/Algorithms To Outline Porosity Variability in AM Samples as a Function of Processing Conditions

This report documents the development and deployment of advanced algorithms and tools that enable high-throughput characterization for metal additive manufacturing (AM), with a particular focus on process parameter optimization and material/part qualification for nuclear applications. While the method ologies presented support diverse characterization techniques, the majority of the work is centered on AI-driven algorithms for X-ray computed tomography (XCT) to accelerate defect detection and materials analysis at scale.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A high-throughput experimentation platform for data-driven discovery in electrochemistry

Automating electrochemical analyses combined with artificial intelligence is poised to accelerate discoveries in renewable energy sciences and technologies. This study presents an automated high-throughput electrochemical characterization (AHTech) platform as a cost-effective and versatile tool for rapidly assessing liquid analytes. The Python-controlled platform combines a liquid handling robot, potentiostat, and customizable microelectrode bundles for diverse, reproducible electrochemical measurements in microtiter plates, minimizing chemical consumption and manual effort. To showcase the capability of AHTech, we screened a library of 180 small molecules as electrolyte additives for aqueous zinc metal batteries, generating data for training machine learning models to predict Coulombic efficiencies. Key molecular features governing additive performance were elucidated using Shapley Additive exPlanations and Spearman’s correlation, pinpointing high-performance candidates like cis-4-hydroxy-d-proline, which achieved an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.52% over 200 cycles. The workflow established herein is highly adaptable, offering a powerful framework for accelerating the exploration and optimization of extensive chemical spaces across diverse energy storage and conversion fields.

Lin, Dian-Zhao [Johns Hopkins University, Baltimor↗

Automated segmentation of soft X-ray tomography: Native cellular structure with submicron resolution at high-throughput for whole-cell quantitative imaging in yeast

Soft X-ray tomography (SXT) is an invaluable tool for quantitatively analyzing cellular structures at suboptical isotropic resolution. However, it has traditionally depended on manual segmentation, limiting its scalability for large datasets. Here, we leverage a deep learning-based autosegmentation pipeline to segment and label cellular structures in hundreds of cells across three Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. This task-based pipeline uses manual iterative refinement to improve segmentation accuracy for key structures, including the cell body, nucleus, vacuole, and lipid droplets, enabling high-throughput and precise phenotypic analysis. Using this approach, we quantitatively compared the three-dimensional (3D) whole-cell morphometric characteristics of wild-type, VPH1-GFP, and vac14 strains, uncovering detailed strain-specific cell and organelle size and shape variations. We show the utility of SXT data for precise 3D curvature analysis of entire organelles and cells and detection of fine morphological features using surface meshes. Our approach facilitates comparative analyses with high spatial precision and statistical throughput, uncovering subtle morphological features at the single-cell and population level. This workflow significantly enhances our ability to characterize cell anatomy and supports scalable studies on the mesoscale, with applications in investigating cellular architecture, organelle biology, and genetic research across diverse biological contexts.

Chen, Jianhua [Lawrence Berkeley National Laborato↗

Aging heat treatment design for Haynes 282 made by wire-feed additive manufacturing using high-throughput experiments and interpretable machine learning

Wire-feed additive manufacturing (WFAM) produces superalloys with complex thermal cycles and unique microstructures, often requiring optimized heat treatments. To address this challenge, we present a hybrid approach that combines high-throughput experiments, precipitation simulation, and machine learning to design effective aging conditions for the WFAM Haynes 282 superalloy. Our results demonstrate that the γ’ radius is the critical microstructural feature for strengthening Haynes 282 during post-heat treatment compared with the matrix composition and γ’ volume fraction. New aging conditions at 770°C for 50 hours and 730°C for 200 hours were discovered based on the machine learning model and were applied to enhance yield strength, bringing it on par with the wrought counterpart. This approach has significant implications for future AM alloy production, enabling more efficient and effective heat treatment design to achieve desired properties.

CALPHAD↗

Developing High-Throughput Organ-On-A-Chip Models to Investigate the Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Central Nervous System

One of the main health risks in human space exploration is central nervous system (CNS) damage by ionizing radiation. Irradiation with simulated GCRs or their components, or high doses of low-LET radiation such as gamma rays, in animal models has been shown to cause neuronal damage together with glial cell activation and neuroinflammation and has been associated with prolonged cognitive and behavioral dysfunction. The extent of CNS damage in response to any insult, including ionizing radiation, is partially regulated by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which enables immune cells to enter the CNS. The main cellular regulators of BBB permeability are astrocytes, which also modulate neuronal death, immune responses and oxidative stress, and thus could serve as a robust CNS-specific target for countermeasure development. However, studies on BBB permeability and astrocyte functions in regulating CNS responses to ionizing radiation have been limited, especially in human tissue/organ analogs. Therefore, we have established a high throughput 3D organ-on-a-chip system to study human CNS functions in response to ionizing radiation, with the eventual goal of adapting it to spaceflight missions. We utilized commercially available OrganoPlate system (Mimetas, Inc.) seeded with primary or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human cells for developing 3D neuronal-astrocytic and BBB models. We investigated both immediate and delayed CNS dose responses to 0.5-1 Gy X-rays by measuring BBB permeability and morphology, and astrocyte activation. We have also quantified secreted markers of oxidative stress and cell viability. In the future, we are planning to monitor dendritic, axonal and synaptic changes in neurons, evaluate the combined exposures to simulated microgravity and ionizing radiation, and compare the responses to low and high-LET ionizing radiation. We anticipate these studies could indicate novel cellular and mechanistic targets for countermeasure developments to improve CNS functions in astronauts.

Malkani, Sherina↗

An Extensible Schema-less Database Framework for Managing High-throughput Semi-Structured Documents

Object-Relational database management system is an integrated hybrid cooperative approach to combine the best practices of both the relational model utilizing SQL queries and the object oriented, semantic paradigm for supporting complex data creation. In this paper, a highly scalable, information on demand database framework, called NETMARK is introduced. NETMARK takes advantages of the Oracle 8i object-relational database using physical addresses data types for very efficient keyword searches of records for both context and content. NETMARK was originally developed in early 2000 as a research and development prototype to solve the vast amounts of unstructured and semi-structured documents existing within NASA enterprises. Today, NETMARK is a flexible, high throughput open database framework for managing, storing, and searching unstructured or semi structured arbitrary hierarchal models, XML and HTML.

Maluf, David A.↗

Flight worthy infrared bolometers with high throughput and low NEP

This paper describes the features of flight-worthy IR bolometers that were developed to meet the requirements of the Far Infrared Absolute Spectrometer (FIRAS) and the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) on the Cosmic Background Explorer of a short time constant, high throughput, and low noise equivalent power (NEP). The new bolometers use small chips of doped and compensated silicon as sensing elements, and diamond wafers coated with thin layers of Cr and Au as the absorbing substrate. The throughput values for the FIRAS bolometers and for DIRBE are 1.28 sr-sq cm, and 0.21 sr-sq cm, respectively. At 1.6, the time constants range from 3 to 40 ms, and their NEP range from 4 x 10 to the -15th to 1 x 10 to the -14th W/sq rt of Hz.

Serlemitsos, Aristides T.↗

An Extensible "SCHEMA-LESS" Database Framework for Managing High-Throughput Semi-Structured Documents

Object-Relational database management system is an integrated hybrid cooperative approach to combine the best practices of both the relational model utilizing SQL queries and the object-oriented, semantic paradigm for supporting complex data creation. In this paper, a highly scalable, information on demand database framework, called NETMARK, is introduced. NETMARK takes advantages of the Oracle 8i object-relational database using physical addresses data types for very efficient keyword search of records spanning across both context and content. NETMARK was originally developed in early 2000 as a research and development prototype to solve the vast amounts of unstructured and semistructured documents existing within NASA enterprises. Today, NETMARK is a flexible, high-throughput open database framework for managing, storing, and searching unstructured or semi-structured arbitrary hierarchal models, such as XML and HTML.

Maluf, David A.↗

High-Throughput Microfluidic Electroporation (HTME): A Scalable, 384-Well Platform for Multiplexed Cell Engineering

Electroporation-mediated gene delivery is a cornerstone of synthetic biology, offering several advantages over other methods: higher efficiencies, broader applicability, and simpler sample preparation. Yet, electroporation protocols are often challenging to integrate into highly multiplexed workflows, owing to limitations in their scalability and tunability. These challenges ultimately increase the time and cost per transformation. As a result, rapidly screening genetic libraries, exploring combinatorial designs, or optimizing electroporation parameters requires extensive iterations, consuming large quantities of expensive custom-made DNA and cell lines or primary cells. To address these limitations, we have developed a High-Throughput Microfluidic Electroporation (HTME) platform that includes a 384-well electroporation plate (E-Plate) and control electronics capable of rapidly electroporating all wells in under a minute with individual control of each well. Fabricated using scalable and cost-effective printed-circuit-board (PCB) technology, the E-Plate significantly reduces consumable costs and reagent consumption by operating on nano to microliter volumes. Furthermore, individually addressable wells facilitate rapid exploration of large sets of experimental conditions to optimize electroporation for different cell types and plasmid concentrations/types. Use of the standard 384-well footprint makes the platform easily integrable into automated workflows, thereby enabling end-to-end automation. We demonstrate transformation of E. coli with pUC19 to validate the HTME's core functionality, achieving at least a single colony forming unit in more than 99% of wells and confirming the platform's ability to rapidly perform hundreds of electroporations with customizable conditions. This work highlights the HTME's potential to significantly accelerate synthetic biology Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycles by mitigating the transformation/transfection bottleneck.

Gaillard, William R↗

Enabling high-throughput enzyme discovery and engineering with a low-cost, robot-assisted pipeline

Abstract As genomic databases expand and artificial intelligence tools advance, there is a growing demand for efficient characterization of large numbers of proteins. To this end, here we describe a generalizable pipeline for high-throughput protein purification using small-scale expression in E. coli and an affordable liquid-handling robot. This low-cost platform enables the purification of 96 proteins in parallel with minimal waste and is scalable for processing hundreds of proteins weekly per user. We demonstrate the performance of this method with the expression and purification of the leading poly(ethylene terephthalate) hydrolases reported in the literature. Replicate experiments demonstrated reproducibility and enzyme purity and yields (up to 400 µg) sufficient for comprehensive analyses of both thermostability and activity, generating a standardized benchmark dataset for comparing these plastic-degrading enzymes. The cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation of this platform render it broadly applicable to diverse protein characterization challenges in the biological sciences.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A high-throughput approach for statistical process optimization in Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Process variability is inherent in metal additive manufacturing (AM). However, it is often overlooked in process optimization frameworks, constraining the understanding of process uncertainties and their influence on parameter selection. To address this, we present an integrated framework that combines high-throughput single-track experiments, GAN-based melt pool geometry extraction, robust statistical and machine learning modeling, and uncertainty-quantified process mapping. Process variability is characterized through single-track melt pool behaviors, and its influence on defect formation is systematically quantified to enable statistically guided process parameter optimization. This approach is demonstrated on Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) of stainless steel 316L, effectively capturing the interplay between process parameters, melt pool variability, and defect probability. By integrating uncertainty quantification into process optimization, this study provides a structured methodology for addressing variability challenges in AM quality control, ultimately contributing to enhanced manufacturing reliability.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion↗

High-throughput studies of novel magnetic materials in borides

Borides are a versatile material family with various properties for valuable applications. Conventional magnetism, such as ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism in borides, have been extensively studied. However, research on unconventional magnetism in borides where quantum effects are dominant is scarce. Here, we implement a high-throughput workflow combining first-principles calculations, materials prediction, and magnetic properties calculations to discover novel magnetism and magnetic materials in borides. Successfully applying the workflow, we report three families of novel magnetic borides, including two families of borides exhibiting quantum magnetism. One is a family of dimerized quantum magnets among YCrB 4 -type borides, which provides a rare platform for studying the spin-gap quantum critical point. The other is a family of altermagnets among FeMo2B 2 -type borides, extending the magnetic orderings exhibited by borides beyond conventional ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. We also predict a family of magnetic laminate transition metal borides, known as the MAB phases, in the AlFe 2 B 2 -type family, which provide pure-phase or alloying candidates for studying magnetocaloric materials and the associated magnetic transitions. The workflow is expected to be used in further studies of novel magnetism and magnetic materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Understanding rate-dependent textured growth in zinc electrodeposition via high-throughput in situ x-ray diffraction

Zn-ion batteries with aqueous electrolytes are promising for large-scale energy storage as they are low-cost, environment-friendly and safe. The commercialization of Zn-ion batteries is hindered by several challenges such as the formation of detrimental Zn dendrites. High current density is previously thought to stimulate the dendritic growth of metals such as Li in electrodeposition. However, our study finds that for metallic Zn negative electrode in Zn-ion batteries, high-current deposition results in a dense and flat Zn layer with a (002) texture, which extends the cycling life. Low-current deposition, on the other hand, leads to a porous and dendritic morphology and a short cycling life. Using a synchrotron-based high-throughput in situ X-ray diffraction method we recently developed, Zn deposition under different conditions is systematically investigated, and a texture formation mechanism is proposed. Based on these findings, we suggest guidelines for designing cycling protocols that enable long-lasting Zn-ion batteries.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High-Throughput Uniformity and Defect Monitoring in Low-Temperature Electrolysis Porous Transport Layers Using X-Ray Radiography

Effective quality control (QC) for manufacturing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) components is critical to enabling widespread adoption of the technology for hydrogen generation. This study investigates X-ray radiography as a novel, high-throughput, potentially in-line QC technique for detecting defects and assessing material property distributions in titanium-based porous transport layers (PTLs) which constitute a crucial component of low temperature PEMWE stacks. We obtain radiographs of a set of fifteen PTLs and model their absorbance of the broadband radiation as a second-order polynomial to account for the non-monoenergetic radiation source used in this study. The resulting model serves as a basis for predicting the areal density and porosity distributions of the PTLs. We find radiography successful in detecting multiple instances of defects, including holes/depressions, cracks, and excess material on the surface or in the pores of the material, demonstrating its potential as a robust in-line QC tool for PTL manufacturing.

08 HYDROGEN↗

A high-throughput and data-driven computational framework for novel quantum materials

Two-dimensional layered materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), possess an intrinsic van der Waals gap at the layer interface, allowing for remarkable tunability of the optoelectronic features via external intercalation of foreign guests such as atoms, ions, or molecules. Herein, we introduce a high-throughput, data-driven computational framework for the design of novel quantum materials derived from intercalating planar conjugated organic molecules into bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides and dioxides. By combining first-principles methods, material informatics, and machine learning, we characterize the energetic and mechanical stability of this new class of materials and identify the fifty (50) most stable hybrid materials from a vast configurational space comprising ∼105 materials, employing intercalation energy as the screening criterion.

Kastuar, Srihari M. (ORCID:0000000279001561)↗

Develop High-Throughput Workflows for Whole-Genome Sequencing and Insertion Site Screening

The engineering of microbes for biomanufacturing (e.g. of fuels, chemicals, materials) applications has advanced to a stage where researchers screen genetic libraries with millions of variations each for those with enhanced productivity. This screening, however, can be slow and expensive, as screening individual variants in a high-throughput yet cost-effective manner is challenging. In this project, we aimed to reduce by 3-fold costs associated with the sequencing aspects of the screening process (to determine which genetic variant is responsible for an observed change in productivity), while being able to process over 1,000 samples per batch.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

High-throughput dataset of impurity adsorption on common catalysts in biomass upgrading applications

Abstract An extensive dataset consisting of adsorption energies of pernicious impurities present in biomass upgrading processes on common catalysts and support materials has been generated. This work aims to inform catalyst and process development for the conversion of biomass-derived feedstocks to fuels and chemicals. A high-throughput workflow was developed to execute density functional theory calculations for a diverse set of atomic (Al, B, Ca, Cl, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Na, P, S, Si, Zn) and molecular (COS, H 2 S, HCl, HCN, K 2 O, KCl, NH 3 ) species on 35 unique surfaces for transition-metal (Ag, Au, Co, Cu, Fe, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Ru) and metal-oxide (Al 2 O 3 , MgO, anatase-TiO 2 , rutile-TiO 2 , ZnO, ZrO 2 ) catalysts and supports. Approximately 3,000 unique adsorption geometries and corresponding adsorption energies were obtained.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗