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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Tetrahedral Tilting and Lithium‐Ion Transport in Halide Argyrodites Prepared by Rapid, Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis

Abstract This study demonstrates a rapid, dry, microwave‐assisted (MW) synthesis method that enables preparation of halide argyrodites ( , , ) in less than 20 min. The structures and ion transport properties of the resulting materials are compared with those synthesized by conventional solid‐state synthesis methods. The microwave‐assisted method leads to increased site disorder and elevated Arrhenius prefactors (), which lead to an order of magnitude improvement in the 30 ionic conductivity of MW‐. X‐ray pair distribution function analysis (XPDF) reveals significant rotational disorder of the units, which is impacted by the synthesis method, choice of halide, and presence of / site disorder. These rotational displacements are strongly correlated with ion transport, specifically and entropy of migration (). Overall, this study demonstrates a rapid synthesis route for preparing high‐quality halide argyrodite solid‐state electrolytes in less than 20 min, and further unravels atomistic insights into the interplay of structural disorder, rotational dynamics, and ion transport mechanisms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Liquid-like solid-state diffusion of lithium ions in super-halide-rich argyrodite

The development of solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity is essential for advancing safer, high-energy-density solid-state batteries, where lithium site distribution in the sublattice strongly affects ion transport. Here, we report a super-halide-rich argyrodite, Li 5.3 PS 4.3 Cl 1.7 , with remarkable room-temperature ionic conductivity (11.4 ± 0.7 mS cm -1 ) due to population of two additional interstitial lithium sites induced by vacancy redistribution. Prominent lithium density between lithium sites and elevated atomic displacement parameters indicate liquid-like diffusive behavior resembling sublattice melting. Combining electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, pulsed-field gradient NMR, and T 1 relaxation methods, we demonstrate that the augmented conductivity partly arises from a low energy barrier (0.08 eV) at the local scale, attributed to a three-site lithium distribution that drives correlated lithium dynamics. This work advances our understanding of the structure-dynamics interplay in super-halide-rich argyrodites, and highlighting their potential as solid-state battery electrolytes in cells with a coated single-crystal NMC82 cathode that achieve 170 mAh/g capacity at a 0.2 C rate .

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Insights into Spontaneous Solid Electrolyte Interphase Formation at Magnesium Metal Anode Surface from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Spontaneous chemical reactivity at multivalent (Mg, Ca, Zn, Al) electrode surfaces is critical to solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, and hence, directly affects the longevity of batteries. Here, we report an investigation of the reactivity of 0.5 M Mg(TFSI)2 in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) solvent at a Mg(0001) surface using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and detailed Bader charge analysis. Based on the simulations, the initial degradation reactions of the electrolyte strongly depend on the structure of the Mg(TFSI)2 species near the anode surface. At the surface, the dissociation of Mg(TFSI)2 species occurs via cleavage of the N-S bond for the solvent separated ion pair (SSIP) and via cleavage of the C-S bond for the contact ion pair (CIP) configuration. In the case of the CIP, both TFSI anions undergo spontaneous bond dissociation reactions to form atomic O, C, S, F, and N species adsorbed on the surface of the Mg anode. These products indicate that the initial SEI layer formed on the surface of the pristine Mg anode consists of a complex mixture of multiple components such as oxides, carbides, sulfides, fluorides, and nitrides. We believe that the atomic level insights gained from these simulations will lay the groundwork for the rational design of tailored and functional interphases that are critical for the success of multivalent battery technology.

Agarwal, Garvit↗
DOE OSTI2025

On the dynamics of the fluoroethylene carbonate generated solid electrolyte interphase on silicon anodes during calendar life aging

Here, the widespread use of silicon (Si)-rich anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is impeded by an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) incurring insufficient cell life. Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive in the electrolyte significantly improves cycle life. However, the gains on calendar life remain unclear; the SEI structure still undergoes detrimental alterations at rest. Thus, elucidating the SEI dynamics during calendar aging is critical to mitigating time-dependent capacity degradation. ATR-FTIR, XPS, and ToF-SIMS are used herein to investigate the SEI structure before and after calendar aging. Si cycled without FEC exhibits no notable SEI chemistry changes Pre- and Post-aging, leaving poor passivation as the main failure pathway. Conversely, the FEC-SEI starts as short oligomeric species from FEC/EC electroreduction prior to aging; after calendar aging, polymerized carbonates become consistently more prominent. Unexpectedly, the deposition of self-polymerized FEC species results from time exposure to the delithiated Si specifically as opposed to the lithiated surface. This unexpected finding is supported by another recent Si calendar-aging research, which albeit not investigating FEC, finds global failure of the SEI upon delithiation resulting in ∼247 fold more reactive surface compared to the lithiated.

Batteries↗
DOE OSTI2023

Revealing the Correlation between the Solvation Structures and the Transport Properties of Water-in-Salt Electrolytes

Water-in-salt (WIS) electrolytes containing 21 m lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) have been considered as a safe and environment-friendly alternative to common organic electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries. However, the relation between the solvation structures and transport properties of these materials remains elusive. Here, for this paper, we performed small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) measurements of LiTFSI aqueous solutions at a wide range of concentrations. Combined with molecular dynamics simulations, the detailed solvation structures from long to short length scale were resolved. We found that the TFSI– solvation structures consist of TFSI– solvated structures and TFSI– networks; the former corresponds to solvent separated ion pairs, while the latter corresponds to contact ion pairs and cation–anion aggregates. In addition, we found that the relaxation time in the q range associated with the anion network structure exhibits the same concentration dependence as the viscosity. By combining the results from the experiments and simulations, this study revealed a correlation between the solvation structures of LiTFSI and the transport properties of the solutions, which is critical to understand the relation between the transport properties and the dynamics of the ions for imide-based lithium-ion salt aqueous electrolytes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Exploring the Ion Solvation Environments in Solid-State Polymer Electrolytes through Free-Energy Sampling

The success of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in solid-state polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries is well established. Recently, in order to understand this success and to explore possible alternatives, we studied polyacetal electrolytes to deepen the understanding of the effect of the local chemical structure on ion transport. Advanced molecular dynamics techniques using newly developed, tailored interaction potentials have helped elucidate the various coordination environments of ions in these systems. In particular, the competition between cation-Anion pairing and coordination by the polymer has been explored using free-energy sampling (metadynamics). At equivalent reduced temperatures, with respect to the polymer-specific glass-Transition temperature, two-dimensional free-energy plots reveal the existence of multiple coordination environments for the lithium (Li) ions in these systems and their relative stabilities. Furthermore, we observe that the Li-ion movement in PEO follows a serial, stepwise pathway when moving from one coordination state to another, whereas this happens in a more continuous and concerted fashion in a polyacetal such as poly(1,3-dioxalane) [P(EO-MO)]. The implication is that interconversion between coordination states of the Li ions may be easier in P(EO-MO). However, the overarching observation from our free-energy analysis is that Li-ion coordination is dominated by the polymer (in either case) and contact-ion pairs are rare. We rationalize the observed higher increase in glass-Transition temperature (Tg) with salt loading in polyacetals as due to intermolecular Li-ion coordination involving multiple polymer chains, rather than just one chain for PEO-based electrolytes. This interchain coupling in the polyacetals, resulting in the higher Tg, works against any gains due to variations in Li-ion coordination that might enhance transport processes over PEO. Further research is required to overcome the interdependence between local coordination and macroscopic properties to compete with PEO electrolytes at the same absolute working temperature.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Computationally Guided Development of Components for High Energy Density Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

All electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOL) for urban air mobility (UAM) concepts face numerous challenging technical barriers before their introduction into the consumer marketplace. The most challenging of these technical barriers to overcome is developing an energy storage system capable of meeting the rigorous aerospace safety and performance criteria1. The performance metrics for eVTOL craft, such as specific energy, specific power, and safety, exceed those of electric automobiles by a factor of two to four. Current state-of-the-art (SOA) lithium-ion batteries are incapable of meeting the key performance criteria of energy and safety for eVTOL. Therefore, next generation advanced chemistries and designs must be developed to meet required performance metrics for electric aviation2. Beyond lithium-ion chemistries, such as lithium-sulfur, show promise in their high energy, while limitations exist in their power and cyclability due to low electrical conductivity and high intermediate solubility in organic liquid electrolytes. Several strategies to overcome the low electrical conductivity involve the use of selenium as a dopant in the active sulfur material, along with the incorporation of 2-dimensional electron-conducting holey-graphene to improve the composite cathodes electronic conductivity. Furthermore, combining this chemistry with a solid-electrolyte avoids the components’ dissolution issues3. However, the development of composite solid-state cathodes is non-trivial as several components must be intimately mixed so that the active component has sufficient access to both electrons and lithium ions to undergo full electrochemical conversion. Mathematical modeling of battery components can assist experimental design through a robust and rigorous combination of computational modeling techniques covering multiple length scales. The objective is to leverage modern computational materials methods combined with battery multiphysics tools to develop radically advanced compatible cathode and electrolyte materials, build and test solid state lithium-sulfur cells and packs. A NASA-based cross-organizational team of high-powered experts combined integrated computational predictive modeling, fundamental chemistry analysis, advanced material science, and battery cell development to tackle this very challenging, multidisciplinary problem. This presentation will show a multiscale computational modeling approach that has produced a novel particle dynamics method called Solid Electrolyte Sphere Approximation Model (SESAM). SESAM modeling targets the 1-10 µm scale structures and provides electromechanical and grain interactions for predictive design guidelines for the manufacturing of solid-state components. Parameters such as particle size and volume fraction of the constituent materials were modeled and experimentally fabricated to optimize electrochemical performance through improved microstructure design. Experimental feedback was provided through ionic and electronic conductivity assessment and structural analysis of developed materials and cell components.

battery↗
DOE OSTI2026

Chemical and Structural Insights into Solid Electrolyte Interphase Evolution for Sodium Metal Electrodes

The solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) critically governs the reversibility of sodium metal batteries, through dynamically mediating ion transport and interfacial reactions. However, its kinetic evolution under operating conditions, and how it influences interfacial stability, remains poorly understood. Here, in this study, we reveal that the SEI undergoes coupled chemical and mechanical changes during sodium plating and stripping, leading to spatial and temporal heterogeneity that drives interfacial degradation. Synchrotron operando grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy capture the sequential formation and dissolution of inorganic SEI phases (NaF, NaH, NaOH, Na 2 PO 3 F), accompanied by depth-dependent alterations in organic SEI components. Mesoscale modeling connects this evolving SEI heterogeneity to localized current density fluctuations and stress accumulation at the Na interface, identifying pathways to electrically isolated sodium formation. These findings show that SEI instability fundamentally limits reversibility in sodium metal batteries, and that controlling SEI chemistry–mechanics coupling is essential to achieving its durability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Elucidating the Link Between Alkali Metal Ions and Reaction-Transport Mechanisms in Cathode Electrodes for Alkali-ion Batteries

Our long-term goal is to improve the reliability of electrode materials and their ability to transport and store various metal ions for electrochemical energy storage applications. The main objective of this work was to investigate the intrinsic relationship between the role of alkali metal ions and electrochemically driven mechanical stability and kinetic properties of battery materials. The overall question was “What is the role of alkali metal ions on the electrochemical and mechanical behavior of cathode electrodes? Our guiding hypothesis was that intercalation of larger alkali metal ions (Na and K) inevitably alters the coupled transport-reaction processes during battery operation in organic electrolytes, leading to more intensive chemo-mechanical instabilities in cathode electrodes, resulting in rapid capacity fade. To validate the hypothesis, we experimentally characterized the reaction-transport processes and governing forces driving the instability of electrode materials in different alkali metal-ion environments. The project had three main tasks. The first one was to investigate intercalation-induced strains and associated stress generation, and their impact on structural deformations in composite cathode electrodes. The second task focused on identifying potential-dependent dynamic changes in the electrode-electrolyte interface in alkali metal ion batteries. The last task was focused on determining how larger alkali metal ions with slower diffusivity affect the transport-mechanics coupling at faster scan rates, compared to smaller ions with faster diffusivity in electrodes. We shortly provided the outcome of each task in the accomplishment section. This project produced 10 peer-reviewed publications (9 research papers and one review manuscript) and supported two Ph.D. students, who graduated from Oklahoma State University.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Realistic Ion Dynamics through Charge Renormalization in Nonaqueous Electrolytes

While many practically important electrolytes contain lithium ions, interactions of these ions are particularly difficult to probe experimentally because of their small X-ray and neutron scattering cross sections and large neutron absorption cross sections. Molecular dynamics (MD) is a powerful tool for understanding the properties of nonaqueous electrolyte solutions from the atomic level, but the accuracy of this computational method crucially depends on the physics built into the classical force field. In this study, we demonstrate that several force fields for lithium bistriflimide (LiTFSI) in acetonitrile yield a solution structure that is consistent with the neutron scattering experiments, yet these models produce dramatically different ion dynamics in solution. Such glaring discrepancies indicate that inadequate representation of long-range interactions leads to excessive ionic association and ion-pair clustering. We show that reasonable agreement with the experimental observations can be achieved by renormalization of the ion charges using a “titration” method suggested herewith. This simple modification produces realistic concentration dependencies for ionic diffusion and conductivity in <2 M solutions, without loss in quality for simulation of the structure.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Structure–Capacitance Relationships of Graphene/Ionic Liquid Electrolyte Double Layers

The differential capacitance profile of electrochemical interfaces reflects the physical properties of the double layer. For carbon electrodes and ionic liquid based electrolytes, these capacitance profiles are not fully understood. In this work, we utilize constant voltage molecular dynamics simulations to compute differential capacitance profiles of ionic liquids [BMIm + ][BF 4 - ] and [BMIm + ][TFSI - ] mixed with acetonitrile and 1,2-dichloroethane, at model graphene electrodes. We find that both pure and 10% mole fraction ionic liquid electrolytes exhibit camel shaped capacitance profiles with two peaks on either side of a minimum centered at the potential of zero charge. This profile shape results from electric field induced rearrangement of ion structure within the inner layer closest to the electrode interface. At low potential, the ionic liquid inner layer is concentrated with non-polar tri-fluoromethyl and butyl functional groups of the anions and cations, corresponding to the minimum of the capacitance profiles. With increasing voltage, electrostatic interactions of polar/charged functional groups with the electrode surface compete with these non-polar interactions, leading to ion rearrangement that increases the inner layer charge density and results in higher capacitance. After the ion restructuring is complete, the response saturates and capacitance diminishes. The presence of organic solvent significantly changes the composition of the inner layer. For example, strong non-polar interactions between dichloroethane molecules and the graphene surface substantially block ion/electrode contact at moderate potentials. Overall, our simulations highlight the dynamic nature of the inner region of organic electrolyte double layers, and the sensitive dependence on electrolyte composition and applied voltage.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ab Initio Dynamics of Graphene and Graphyne Electrodes in Vacuum and in the Presence of Electrolytes

Graphene and graphyne electrodes are both relevant for electrochemical energy storage applications due to their unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties. Graphyne has been considered even more attractive than graphene due to its larger specific surface area, greater electronic mobility, and intrinsic band gap. The analyses presented in this work reveal relevant features of graphyne in an interaction with an electrolyte that can be useful for practical applications. Although there is already a considerable volume of work on graphyne, the analysis of its properties taking into account the dynamics of its network and the interaction with the condensed medium has not yet been presented. Here, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the energetic, structural, spectroscopic, and electronic properties of graphene and graphyne electrodes in vacuum and in the presence of an electrolyte (EMIM-BF 4 ). A detailed analysis of the electrode–electrolyte interaction is reported for both systems. Structural features are presented in terms of both radial and spatial distribution functions and angular orientation distributions. Power spectral analyses and molecular orbital maps provided important insights into the intermolecular interactions in graphene and graphyne systems, describing the main differences as well as revealing similarities between them.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA Tech Briefs, February 2010

Topics covered include: Insulation-Testing Cryostat With Lifting Mechanism; Optical Testing of Retroreflectors for Cryogenic Applications; Measuring Cyclic Error in Laser Heterodyne Interferometers; Self-Referencing Hartmann Test for Large-Aperture Telescopes; Measuring a Fiber-Optic Delay Line Using a Mode-Locked Laser; Reconfigurable Hardware for Compressing Hyperspectral Image Data; Spatio-Temporal Equalizer for a Receiving-Antenna Feed Array; High-Speed Ring Bus; Nanoionics-Based Switches for Radio-Frequency Applications; Lunar Dust-Tolerant Electrical Connector; Compact, Reliable EEPROM Controller; Quad-Chip Double-Balanced Frequency Tripler; Ka-Band Waveguide Two-Way Hybrid Combiner for MMIC Amplifiers; Radiation-Hardened Solid-State Drive; Use of Nanofibers to Strengthen Hydrogels of Silica, Other Oxides, and Aerogels; Two Concepts for Deployable Trusses; Concentric Nested Toroidal Inflatable Structures; Investigating Dynamics of Eccentricity in Turbomachines; Improved Low-Temperature Performance of Li-Ion Cells Using New Electrolytes; Integrity Monitoring of Mercury Discharge Lamps; White-Light Phase-Conjugate Mirrors as Distortion Correctors; Biasable, Balanced, Fundamental Submillimeter Monolithic Membrane Mixer; ICER-3D Hyperspectral Image Compression Software; and Context Modeler for Wavelet Compression of Spectral Hyperspectral Images.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2026

Conformational Isomerization of Imide Anions Governs Solvation and Transport in Water-in-Salt Electrolytes

The behavior of highly concentrated electrolytes departs radically from the dilute-solution theory, yet the molecular origin of this transformation remains unresolved. Here, we identify the conformational isomerization of molecular ions as a decisive, previously unrecognized control parameter governing structure and transport in crowded aqueous electrolytes. Across a series of fluorosulfonimide anions, we show that increasing concentration drives a collective shift from extended transoid to compact cisoid conformers, revealed by small-angle X-ray scattering, vibrational spectroscopy, pulsed-field gradient NMR, and molecular dynamics simulations. This conformational transition triggers a collapse of the hydrogen-bonded water network and the emergence of densely packed ionic domains with confined water, producing a qualitative change in Li+ transport from solvent-mediated diffusion to network-confined hopping. Anion size and asymmetry systematically tune the onset of this transition, demonstrating that molecular geometry dictates mesoscale organization and dynamics in the ion-rich regime. Our results establish ion conformation, not merely composition or coordination, as a fundamental thermodynamic variable in concentrated solutions, providing a chemical framework that unifies solvation structure and transport in water-in-salt electrolytes and suggesting new principles for designing dense ionic media.

Nguyen, Huong TD↗
DOE OSTI2021

An Environmentally Benign Electrolyte for High Energy Lithium Metal Batteries

In this work, a hybrid electrolyte comprising a high content of H 2 O for a lithium metal cell is reported. At high LiFSI salt concentration, the N-methyl-N-propyl-piperidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl) imide (PMpipFSI) electrolyte can tolerate up to 1 M H2O addition without sacrificing its redox stability on both lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) cathode and lithium metal anode. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the underpinned mechanism that, at high salt concentrations, H 2 O molecules are embedded in the Li + , PMpip + , and FSI - bulk as a structural material with a strong solvation with Li + and are orderly distributed at the surface of both electrodes. This electrolyte eliminates the critical moisture controls required for the state-of-the-art (SOA) carbonate/LiPF 6 electrolyte, electrode, separator and cell assembly, thus significantly reducing the cost of the mass production of the batteries.

molecular dynamics simulation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Excess Density as a Descriptor for Electrolyte Solvent Design

Electrolytes mediate interactions between the cathode and anode and determine performance characteristics of batteries. Mixtures of multiple solvents are often used in electrolytes to achieve desired properties, such as viscosity, dielectric constant, boiling point, and melting point. Conventionally, multi-component electrolyte properties are approximated with linear mixing, but in practice, significant deviations are observed. Excess quantities can provide insights into the molecular behavior of the mixture and could form the basis for designing high-performance electrolytes. Here we investigate the excess density of commonly used Li-ion battery solvents such as cyclic carbonates, linear carbonates, ethers, and nitriles with molecular dynamics simulations. We additionally investigate electrolytes consisting of these solvents and a salt. The results smoothly vary with mole percent and are fit to permutation-invariant Redlich-Kister polynomials. Mixtures of similar solvents, such as cyclic-cyclic carbonate mixtures, tend to have excess properties that are lower in magnitude compared to mixtures of dissimilar substances, such as carbonate-nitrile mixtures. We perform experimental testing using our automated test stand, Clio, to provide validation to the observed simulation trends. We quantify the structure similarity using SOAP fingerprints to create a descriptor for excess density, enabling the design of electrolyte properties. To a first approximation, this will allow us to estimate the deviation of a mixture from ideal behavior based solely upon the structural dissimilarity of the components.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spatially resolved structural order in low-temperature liquid electrolyte

Determining the degree and the spatial extent of structural order in liquids is a grand challenge. Here, we are able to resolve the structural order in a model organic electrolyte of 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiP 6 ) dissolved in 1:1 (v/v) ethylene carbonate:diethylcarbonate by developing an integrated method of liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-TEM operated at -30°C, four-dimensional scanning TEM, and data analysis based on deep learning. This study reveals the presence of short-range order (SRO) in the high–salt concentration domains of the liquid electrolyte from liquid phase separation at the low temperature. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest the SRO originates from the Li + - (PF 6 - ) n (n > 2) local structural order induced by high LiP 6 salt concentration.

42 ENGINEERING↗