SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Innovative Materials”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

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

At least 1,171 records · Page 65

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2026

Calcium Gradient-Doped LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 Cathode for Long Cycle Life Lithium-Ion Batteries

High-voltage spinel LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) has attracted considerable attention as a cathode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high operating voltage and intrinsically fast lithium-ion diffusion kinetics. However, the practical implementation of LNMO remains limited by its rapid capacity decay, primarily associated with bulk structural instability and parasitic interfacial reactions. To address these issues, we innovatively introduced calcium (Ca) as a dopant to enhance both the oxygen framework and surface stabilities of the LNMO crystal through gradient doping. Observations from the electronic microscopies, X-ray diffraction, and the elemental analysis confirmed that Ca is preferentially enriched at the particle surface, and a disordered crystal phase is preserved in the bulk in the gradient-doped LNMO cathodes. As cathodes in LIBs, the Ca gradient-doped (Ca gr) LNMO materials delivered formation capacities of ∼126−130 mAh/g and exhibited Coulombic efficiencies of 88−95%, which are consistently higher than those of the uniform-doped samples at the same doping level and undoped sample. Especially, the Ca gr 0.05 LNMO cathode demonstrated significantly improved rate capability with ∼113 mAh/g preserved at 10 C, while ∼92 mAh/g and ∼110 mAh/g for undoped and Ca uniform 0.05 LNMO, respectively, and excellent cycling stability, retaining ∼124.1 mAh/g (∼96.3% capacity retention) after 500 cycles. The analysis of cyclic voltammetry, differential capacity, and electrochemical impedance revealed that the excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the structural and morphological advantages of gradient-doped LNMO cathodes with a disordered bulk structure for fast Li + diffusion and a Ca-enriched surface for minimizing the Mn dissolution.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Effects of internal swelling on residual elasticity of a quasi-brittle material through a composite sphere model

This work describes the development of a micromechanical-based constitutive model accounting for the effect of internal expansion on the residual elasticity of a Hashin composite material. This material is made of spherical inclusions that are subjected to gradual swelling within a quasi-brittle matrix. The main focus of this work is to describe and analyze the material mechanical response, with an additional focus on the internal swelling’s effect on the stress–strain response and residual elasticity. Microstructural features and parameters of major importance for the mechanical responses were identified. The innovative characteristics of the proposed approach are summarized as follows: (1) a full determination of the physics of a complete-damage problem throughout the whole process of inclusion swelling with upscaling techniques, which transfers the microcrack-related properties from the lower scale to upper scale; and (2) an evolution of the mechanical fields and the corresponding residual elasticity for various inclusion swelling levels. Concerning the matrix–inclusion composite, it was hypothesized that only the matrix was susceptible to cracking, with varied degrees of damage, whereas the inclusions behave elastically and the elastic modulus of the expanding inclusions remains constant. It is to emphasize that the gradual swelling of inclusions is modeled by an increasing strain in the current micromechanical-based constitutive model, and the microcracks are represented by a set of randomly oriented penny-shaped microcracks with identical radii (namely, closed cracks). The main contribution of the current research is to establish the exact mathematical solutions for the mechanical fields (stress, strain) caused by the swelling of the inclusions (mechanical loading) and derive the effective residual elasticity of a composite (structural response) subject to internal expansion and quasi-brittle damage. Based on the assumption of closed cracks that could be extended to open cracks in the upcoming work, the results proposed by the present paper help to understand the non-linear mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials subject to microcracking and provide a theoretical framework to be used as academical benchmark for numerical simulations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Rapid Prototyping for Nanoparticle-Based Photonic Crystal Fiber Sensors

The advent of nanotechnology has motivated a revolution in the development of miniaturized sensors. Such sensors can be used for radiation detection, temperature sensing, radio-frequency sensing, strain sensing, and more. At the nanoscale, integrating the materials of interest into sensing platforms can be a common issue. One promising platform is photonic crystal fibers, which can draw in optically sensitive nanoparticles or have its optical properties changed by specialized nanomaterials. However, testing these sensors at scale is limited by the the need for specialized equipment to integrate these photonic crystal fibers into optical fiber systems. Having a method to enable rapid prototyping of new nanoparticle-based sensors in photonic crystal fibers would open up the field to a wider range of laboratories that could not have initially studied these materials in such a way before. This manuscript discusses the improved processes for cleaving, drawing, and rapidly integrating nanoparticle-based photonic crystal fibers into optical system setups. The method proposed in this manuscript achieved the following innovations: cleaving at a quality needed for nanoparticle integration could be done more reliably (≈100% acceptable cleaving yield versus ≈50% conventionally), nanoparticles could be drawn at scale through photonic crystal fibers in a safe manner (a method to draw multiple photonic crystal fibers at scale versus one fiber at a time), and the new photonic crystal fiber mount was able to be finely adjusted when increasing the optical coupling before inserting it into an optical system (before, expensive fusion splicing was the only other method).

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

NASA NTRS2010

Acoustic Liner for Turbomachinery Applications

The purpose of this innovation is to reduce aircraft noise in the communities surrounding airports by significantly attenuating the noise generated by the turbomachinery, and enhancing safety by providing a containment barrier for a blade failure. Acoustic liners are used in today's turbofan engines to reduce noise. The amount of noise reduction from an acoustic liner is a function of the treatment area, the liner design, and the material properties, and limited by the constraints of the nacelle or casement design. It is desirable to increase the effective area of the acoustic treatment to increase noise suppression. Modern turbofan engines use wide-chord rotor blades, which means there is considerable treatment area available over the rotor tip. Turbofan engines require containment over the rotors for protection from blade failure. Traditional methods use a material wrap such as Kevlar integrated with rub strips and sometimes metal layers (sandwiches). It is possible to substitute the soft rub-strip material with an open-cell metallic foam that provides noise-reduction benefits and a sacrificial material in the first layer of the containment system. An open-cell foam was evaluated that behaves like a bulk acoustic liner, serves as a tip rub strip, and can be integrated with a rotor containment system. Foams can be integrated with the fan-containment system to provide sufficient safety margins and increased noise attenuation. The major innovation is the integration of the foam with the containment.

Huff, Dennis L.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Exascale granular microstructure reconstruction in 3D volumes of arbitrary geometries with generative learning

Reconstructing 3D granular microstructures within volumes of arbitrary geometries from limited 2D image data is crucial for predicting the material properties, as well as performances of structural components accounting for material microstructural effects. We present a novel generative learning framework that enables exascale reconstruction of granular microstructures within complex 3D geometric volumes. Building upon existing transfer learning techniques using pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNN), we introduce several key innovations to overcome the difficulties inherent in arbitrary geometries. Our framework incorporates periodic boundary conditions using circular padding techniques, ensuring continuity and representativeness of the reconstructed microstructures. We also introduce a novel seamless transition reconstruction (STR) method that creates statistically equivalent transition zones to integrate multiple pre-existing 3D microstructure volumes. Based on STR, we propose a cost-effective strategy for reconstructing microstructures within complex geometric volumes, minimizing computational waste. Validation through numerical experiments using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations demonstrates accurate reproduction of grain statistics, including grain size distributions and morphology. A case study involving the reconstruction of a 4-blade propeller microstructure illustrates the method’s capability to efficiently handle complex geometries. In conclusion, the proposed framework significantly reduces computational demands while maintaining high reconstruction quality, paving the way for scalable microstructure reconstruction in materials design and analysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Digital Miniature Cathode Ray Magnetometer

In this study, we introduce the concept and construction of an innovative Digital Miniature Cathode Ray Magnetometer designed for the precise detection of magnetic fields. This device addresses several limitations inherent to magnetic probes such as D.C. offset, nonlinearity, temperature drift, sensor aging, and the need for frequent recalibration, while capable of operating in a wide range of magnetic fields. The core principle of this device involves the utilization of a charged particle beam as the sensitivity medium. The system leverages the interaction of an electron beam with a scintillator material, which then emits visible light that is captured by an imager. The emitted scintillation light is captured by a CMOS sensor. This sensor not only records the scintillation light but also accurately determines the position of the electron beam, providing invaluable spatial information crucial for magnetic field mapping. The key innovation lies in the combination of electron beam projection, CMOS imager scintillation-based detection, and digital image signal processing. By employing this synergy, the magnetometer achieves remarkable accuracy, sensitivity and dynamic range. The precise position registration enabled by the CMOS sensor further enhances the device’s utility in capturing complex magnetic field patterns, allowing for 2D field mapping. In this work, the optimization of the probe’s performance is tailored for applications related to the characterization of insertion devices in light sources, including undulators.

Turqueti, Marcos↗

DOE OSTI2020

3Y-TZP Toughened and Oxidation-resistant U 3 Si 2 Composites for Accident Tolerant Fuels

In this work, we report an innovative approach synergizing multiple effects of microstructure control, oxide protection and phase transformation-induced mechanically toughening to develop advanced U 3 Si 2 fuels with state-of-the-art materials properties. 3Y-TZP (3 mol% yttria doped stabilized tetragonal zirconia) additives are incorporated and uniformly distributed into the SPS-densified U 3 Si 2 fuel matrix, enhancing materials fracture toughness up to 4.04 MPa m 1/2 . The 3Y-TZP incorporated U 3 Si 2 composite pellets show significantly improved onset temperature of oxidation above 560 °C, which can be further improved to 617 °C with 3 vol% addition by post-sintering thermal annealing. We report the development of mechanically tough and oxidation-resistant U 3 Si 2 with minimal additive represents a major step forward towards realizing the potential of high density U 3 Si 2 as the leading fuel concept to increase accidence tolerance of nuclear energy systems.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

In the Mix : A Workshop Merging Computational Chemistry and Electrochemistry Alongside Data Science

As chemistry expands to more complex and interdisciplinary areas, a new generation of diverse researchers must engage with science and learn effective cross-disciplinary collaboration and communication. To these ends, we designed and implemented In the Mix, a graduate student-led, two-day workshop for undergraduate students promoting collaborative science in the context of energy storage innovations. Here, the interactive workshop was designed for future and emerging researchers to gain hands-on experience with data science, computational chemistry, and electrochemistry techniques that are critical for developing materials for battery technologies. Participants also visited commercial renewable energy facilities to help them connect discovery-based research with industry and broader societal considerations. The workshop content and structure ensured that participants experienced the interrelatedness of the fields and understood the importance of collaborative research to yield scientific advances with real-world applications. An external team evaluated the workshop and participants’ perceptions of their experiences. While our research context was energy storage, the workshop goals and outcomes are applicable to other contexts. Interdisciplinary, experiential workshops are a key avenue to broadening participation in science and research, and the ideas presented here can be readily modified for other scientific contexts and/or incorporated as broader impact activities.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Second harmonic Bessel-Gauss beam shaping with elliptic axicon aberrations

The second harmonic (SH) of an axicon generated Bessel-Gauss beam is created through the nonlinear interaction of photons with a crystal, resulting in the energy doubling of the output photons. In this work, we show experimentally that in addition to frequency doubling, the SH of Bessel-Gauss beams under asymmetric aberrations from an elliptic axicon exhibit intriguing beam formation. Particularly, the central region of the SH beam profile is composed of two central spots of various geometries surrounded by nested ellipses; one of which is the configuration of two central gamma dots with similar radius knotted by nested ellipses for a zeroth-order Bessel-Gauss pump. These SH beams consistently maintain their spatial profile throughout propagation, reminiscing the behavior of screw dislocations in wave patterns. Our numerical simulations produce beam dynamics consistent with that of experiments and further implicate the remarkable interweaving of bright spots with dark vortices. This is especially noticeable when the beams dynamically oscillate along the optical axis, resulting in the genesis of spatially polarized beams with a knotted framework. The insights gained from our study establish a novel paradigm for exploring interactions of Bessel-like beams with vortex dynamics. This, in turn, has the potential to spark innovations in optical applications, fostering new methodologies to harness and manipulate complex light structures. Our experimental findings could spur new methods of generating logical states of light and new opportunities for material processing control. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Wang, Tianhong (ORCID:0000000169104201)↗

DOE OSTI2021

Electric Drive Technology Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities for Future Electric Vehicles

The transition to electric road transport technologies requires electric traction drive systems to offer improved performances and capabilities, such as fuel efficiency (in terms of MPGe, i.e., miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent), extended range, and fast-charging options. The enhanced electrification and transformed mobility are translating to a demand for higher power and more efficient electric traction drive systems that lead to better fuel economy for a given battery charge. To accelerate the mass-market adoption of electrified transportation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with the automotive industry, has announced the technical targets for light-duty electric vehicles (EVs) for 2025. This article discusses the electric drive technology trends for passenger electric and hybrid EVs with commercially available solutions in terms of materials, electric machine and inverter designs, maximum speed, component cooling, power density, and performance. Additionally, the emerging materials and technologies for power electronics and electric motors are presented, identifying the challenges and opportunities for even more aggressive designs to meet the need for next-generation EVs. Some innovative drive and motor designs with the potential to meet the DOE 2025 targets are also discussed.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Non-Conductor-Contact Surface Wave Reflectometry for Cable Insulation Damage Detection

Here, this paper presents a non-conductor-contact surface wave-based reflectometry technique to detect and locate missing or damaged insulation and/or jacket of electrical cables. The described sensor may be uniquely and practically implemented on live cables as a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method since it may be applied to the outer insulation/jacket of a cable and requires no direct contact to the conductor. The innovation lies in a high-frequency surface wave launcher that can introduce broadband signals in the GHz frequencies that insure maximum electromagnetic (EM) energy localization within the insulation and/or jacket material. By further processing the reflection data in the frequency domain, the location and severity of insulation damage is detected. Simulated results of thin, thick, short, and long cables show the results expected from small, medium, and large damage regions. For example, the detection of 40 mm-long damage region at 40 m distance on a 50 m long cable (2.44 cm diameter) is demonstrated. Experimental results are presented that validate simulation findings.

Non Destructive Evaluation↗

DOE OSTI2021

Materials and Fuels Complex: Five-Year Investment Strategy (FY2021-2025)

The Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) vision is to “Advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs.” The Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) serves as the foundation of a nuclear RD&D enabling test bed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and is an integral part of a National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) strategy. MFC facilities focus on developing and maintaining RD&D capabilities that can increase research throughput, reduce barriers to deployment, and facilitate commercialization of new ideas and technologies for clean and secure sources of energy.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Case Study of Recycling of Low Cobalt Batteries, OnTo Technology and King County Transit

Lithium-ion recycling is challenged by cost and safety related to low value elements and battery reactivity. OnTo is the first to demonstrate and develop technologies that address these challenges. Battery deactivation eliminates hazards and enables a roadmap for safe, low-cost end-of-life battery services essential to the industry. Deactivation coupled with Cathode-healing provides safety and efficiency in material recycling that can be applied all along the manufacturing value chain and for numerous chemistries in the market. Dr. Sloop will present recent developments in application and scale of these innovative technologies.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

NASA NTRS1990

Implication of orbital debris for Space Station design

A large increase in the debris environment combined with the existing space station program requirements results in larger design debris particle sizes being used for designing the Space Station meteoroid and debris protection system. Equipment affecting survivability of the Space Station and its crew is identified and the amount of protection needed is assessed. A combination of passive shielding and active techniques is considered along with the requirements for developing easily augmentable shielding and the use of new shielding materials to reduce launch weight and volume. In addition to passive protection development, collision avoidance procedures moving the station out of the path of very large debris particles must be developed. Innovative solutions, including on-orbit debris detection and tracking devices, active debris interceptors, and 'storm cellars' are addressed.

Nieder, Raymond L.↗

NASA NTRS1993

On-line process analysis innovation: DiComp (tm) shunting dielectric sensor technology

The DiComp Shunting Dielectric Sensor (SDS) is a new patent-pending technology developed under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) for NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The incorporation of a shunt electrode into a conventional fringing field dielectric sensor makes the SDS uniquely sensitive to changes in material dielectric properties in the KHz to MHz range which were previously detectable only at GHz measurement frequencies. The initial NASA application of the SDS for Nutrient Delivery Control has demonstrated SDS capabilities for thickness and concentration measurement of Hoagland nutrient solutions. The commercial introduction of DiComp SDS technology for concentration and percent solids measurements in dispersions, emulsions and solutions represents a new technology for process measurements for liquids in a variety of industries.

Davis, Craig R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

A preliminary component analysis of a Mach-7 hypersonic vehicle

As research continues in the development of an aircraft capable of travelling at hypersonic flight velocities, both the propulsion and thermal management systems stand out as areas requiring innovative technological breakthroughs. For propulsion, the difficulty involves efficiently compressing and combusting hydrogen in a supersonic stream, i.e., developing a viable scramjet with thermal management, the challenge lies in development of materials and active cooling systems capable of handling the enormous heat fluxes associated with hypersonic flight. This paper focuses on these problems and presents component designs for both an active cooling system and an all-external-compression scramjet. These systems are mated to a Mach-6 passenger cruise aircraft whose aerodynamic configuration was derived from an optimization of NASA windtunnel test results. The following outlines the development of the configuration and then focuses in on the design of the two component systems.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1998

Tough Like Metal

Under an SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) with Lewis Research Center, Advanced Ceramics Corporation developed a family of high temperature and doped boron nitride coating that offer improvement in interface durability of SiC/SiC composites. The new materials are 1,000 times more durable and greatly extend composite lifetimes. The development of this was commercialized with assistance from Lewis and Advanced Ceramic's own money and is supplying several composites manufacturers with new interface coating from an expanded in-line tow coating facility.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS2009

Ceramic Fiber Structures for Cryogenic Load-Bearing Applications

This invention is intended for use as a load-bearing device under cryogenic temperatures and/or abrasive conditions (i.e., during missions to the Moon). The innovation consists of small-diameter, ceramic fibers that are woven or braided into devices like ropes, belts, tracks, or cables. The fibers can be formed from a variety of ceramic materials like silicon carbide, carbon, aluminosilicate, or aluminum oxide. The fiber architecture of the weave or braid is determined by both the fiber properties and the mechanical requirements of the application. A variety of weave or braid architectures is possible for this application. Thickness of load-bearing devices can be achieved by using either a 3D woven structure, or a layered, 2D structure. For the prototype device, a belt approximately 0.10 in. (0.25 cm) thick, and 3.0 in. (7.6 cm) wide was formed by layering and stitching a 2D aluminosilicate fiber weave.

Jaskowiak, Martha H.↗