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At least 1,171 records · Page 65

Effect of Solvents on Lignin–Surface Interactions via Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Lignin, an essential building block of lignocellulosic biomass, is a potential abundant source of aromatic monomers for the polymer and chemical industry. Reductive catalytic fractionation (RCF) is one promising process that can produce high yields of phenolic monomers and oligomers from lignin under different catalytic conditions. An important choice in optimizing RCF is the selection of solvent; however, detailed insights into solvent effects on lignin behaviors and interactions remain limited. Here, in this work, we perform all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the solvation of lignin, solvent-mediated conformational changes, and the interaction of solvated lignin oligomers with model surfaces. We focus on the behavior of an oligomeric lignin model compound in methanol, ethanol, a binary mixture of ethanol and water, and water at both the RCF reaction temperature (473 K) and room temperature. Analysis of structural features of lignin suggests that these three organic solvent systems favorably solvate lignin, resulting in a more extended conformation suitable for catalytic conversion to valuable chemicals. We further introduce model palladium (Pd) and carbon (C) surfaces to understand how solvent choice impacts adsorption onto a representative catalytic surface and support, and to quantify the competition among the reactant and solvent molecules for the surface. Unbiased simulations suggest strong adsorption of lignin on both Pd and C surfaces at 473 K, with notable solvent-mediated differences in adsorption energies. Additionally, our findings indicate that lignin adsorption is promoted by the entropy change resulting from the displacement of solvent molecules from the surface. This study provides a molecular perspective of adsorption of lignin onto varying surfaces, which is a step towards understanding and optimizing the catalytic conversion of lignin into valuable chemicals.

adsorption↗

Elucidating the Role of Hydrogen at c‐In 2 O 3 /a‐In 2 O 3− x Interface

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations and hybrid functional electronic structure calculations are employed to determine the formation, the structural and electronic properties, and the dynamics of covalent (In—OH) and ionic (In—H—In) hydrogen defects at crystalline-In 2 O 3 /amorphous-In 2 O 3−x interface. This comprehensive computational study considers (i) various interstitial and substitutional hydrogen site locations within the crystalline, amorphous, and interfacial regions; (ii) several oxygen-to-hydrogen ratios; and (iii) possible defect charged states. The results reveal hydrogen's inability to fully passivate the undercoordinated under-shared in atoms in amorphous highly substoichiometric oxide, giving rise to the formation of deep electron traps even in net-charge neutral structures. These trap defects are found to be sensitive to photoexcitation, in contrast to In—OH with H's electronic states located below the valence band and to In—H—In, where H is found to maintain its charge state upon illumination. Nevertheless, H plays a critical role in photoinduced conductivity and its relaxation by promoting In—O coordination transformations at the interfacial region, including deterioration of the crystalline layer. Finally, the results help identify mobile H species and metastable H defect complexes (such as In—H—H—In, In—OH–H—In, and In—OH–O—In) that are responsible for long relaxation times of the conductivity decay.

H defects↗

Exploring the relation between transonic dislocation glide and stacking fault width in FCC metals

Theory predicts limiting gliding velocities that dislocations cannot overcome. Computational and recent experiments have shown that these limiting velocities are soft barriers and dislocations can reach transonic speeds in high rate plastic deformation scenarios. In this paper we systematically examine the mobility of edge and screw dislocations in several face centered cubic (FCC) metals (Al, Au, Pt, and Ni) in the extreme large-applied-stress regime using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that edge dislocations are more likely to move at transonic velocities due to their high mobility and lower limiting velocity than screw dislocations. Importantly, among the considered FCC metals, the dislocation core structure determines the dislocation’s ability to reach transonic velocities. This is likely due to the variation in stacking fault width due to relativistic effects near the limiting velocities.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Exploring the human-nature dynamics of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai, Earth's newest landmass

This paper examines the human-nature dynamics of volcanic eruptions through a multidisciplinary exploration of the recently-formed Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha‘apai (HTHH) landmass in the Kingdom of Tonga. HTHH was formed in early 2015 in the Ha‘apai island group in southwestern Tonga. This landmass has persisted longer than expected, providing a rare opportunity to examine pathways of erosion and biological colonization, and offering a glimpse into the cultural dynamics of a continuously changing Polynesian seascape. In 2018 and 2019, a collaborative partnership between the Kingdomof Tonga, Sea Education Association (SEA), and the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ran expeditions to HTHH to calibrate satellite observations via field, ship, and drone-based measurements. In accessing HTHH via SEA's sailing school vessel (SSV) the Robert C. Seamans, a team of scientists and students combined fieldwork in anthropology, oceanography, and physical volcanology to study micro- and macro-scale dynamics of this classical surtseyan eruption site. In this pathfinding paper, we discuss the value of involving students in the process of real-time scientific discovery with on-the-fly adaptive hypothesis testing; this collaborative project provided mutual benefit to initiatives in science and education by offering robust data collection, while expanding environmental and cultural literacy. Additionally, we integrate collaborative research on HTHH with ethnographic research to understand how this ever changing “sea of islands” or intimately interconnected island spaces impact social-cultural relations within Oceania. We emphasize the importance of such multidisciplinary research in understanding the complexity of human-nature relations in a rapidly changing world.

Emily B. Hite↗

Ultrafast optical modulation of vibrational strong coupling in ReCl(CO) 3 (2,2-bipyridine)

Polaritons – hybrid light-matter states formed from the strong coupling of a bright molecular transition with a confined photonic mode – may offer new opportunities for optical control of molecular behavior. Vibrational strong coupling (VSC) has been reported to impact ground-state chemical reactivity, but its influence on electronic excited-state dynamics remains unexplored. Here, we take a first step towards excited-state VSC by demonstrating optical modulation of the ReCl(CO) 3 (bpy), (bpy = 2,2-bipyridine) complex under VSC using femtosecond ultraviolet (UV)-pump/infrared (IR)-probe spectroscopy. We establish ground-state VSC of ReCl(CO) 3 (bpy) in a microfluidic Fabry-Pérot cavity equipped with indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated mirrors. ITO is effectively dichroic as it is reflective in the IR and transmissive in the UV-visible and therefore minimizes optical interference. Excitation with UV pump light drives ReCl(CO) 3 (bpy) into a manifold of electronic excited states that subsequently undergo non-radiative relaxation dynamics. We probe the transient response of the strongly-coupled system in the mid-IR, observing both Rabi contraction and cavity-filtered excited-state absorption signatures. We reconstruct the intrinsic response of intracavity molecules from the transient cavity transmission spectra to enable quantitative comparison with extracavity control experiments. We report no changes in the excited-state dynamics of ReCl(CO) 3 (bpy) under ground-state VSC. However, we do observe significant amplification of transient vibrational signals due to classical cavity-enhanced optical effects. This effort lays the groundwork to pursue direct excited-state VSC aimed at modulating photochemical reactivity.

cavity-enhanced spectroscopy↗

Polariton spectra under the collective coupling regime. II. 2D non-linear spectra

In our previous work [Mondal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 162, 014114 (2025)], we developed several efficient computational approaches to simulate exciton–polariton dynamics described by the Holstein–Tavis–Cummings (HTC) Hamiltonian under the collective coupling regime. Here, we incorporated these strategies into the previously developed Lindblad-partially linearized density matrix (⁠$\mathscr{L}$-PLDM) approach for simulating 2D electronic spectroscopy (2DES) of exciton–polariton under the collective coupling regime. In particular, we apply the efficient quantum dynamics propagation scheme developed in Paper I to both the forward and the backward propagations in the PLDM and develop an efficient importance sampling scheme and graphics processing unit vectorization scheme that allow us to reduce the computational costs from $\mathscr{O}$($\mathscr{K}$ 2 )$\mathscr{O}$(T 3 ) to $\mathscr{O}$($\mathscr{K}$)$\mathscr{O}$(T 0 ) for the 2DES simulation, where $\mathscr{K}$ is the number of states and T is the number of time steps of propagation. As a result, we further simulated the 2DES for an HTC Hamiltonian under the collective coupling regime and analyzed the signal from both rephasing and non-rephasing contributions of the ground state bleaching, excited state emission, and stimulated emission pathways.

2D non-linear spectra↗

Beam optics ramping in underconstrained lattice design: Application to Electron-Ion Collider hadron storage ring cooling section

This paper presents the lattice design and optics ramping strategy for the cooling section of the hadron storage ring at the electron-ion collider. The main challenge is that available tuning knobs exceed beam-optics constraints. Independently optimized injection and top-energy optics often yield disconnected solutions, making interpolation impossible. To address this, we propose two new methods. The first is an intermediate-penalty scheme that ensures ramping path continuity by penalizing constraint violations at intermediate states. The second is a continuation-based approach that adapts high-energy optics to low energy, guided by an adaptive weighting scheme to balance injection and ramping constraints. The solutions meet all beam dynamics and hardware limits. The two methods offer a general strategy for ramping in systems where the solution space is under-constrained and the starting and target configurations are far apart.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Near-infrared noise in intense electron bunches

This article investigates electron bunch density fluctuations in the 1 −10 μ⁢m wavelength range, focusing on their impact on coherent electron cooling (CEC) in hadron storage rings. In this study, we compare the shot-noise model with experimental observations using bandwidth-filtered near-infrared optical transition radiation (OTR) photodiode signals, where the transverse bunch size is much larger than the OTR wavelength of interest. The relativistic electron bunch (𝛾 ≈ 50) parameters are close to those proposed for the coherent electron cooler in the electron-ion collider (EIC) project. Preliminary feasibility experiments were conducted, and the noise factors are presented, supported by particle tracking. No major density fluctuations or effective cooling rate decrease were revealed for EIC CEC design parameters. Additionally, longitudinal-space-charge-induced microbunching for the chicane-compressed bunch was observed with coherent OTR enhancements up to 100 times, providing further calibration of the measurement method.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Computation of Direct Sensitivities of Spatial Multibody Systems With Joint Friction

Abstract Friction exists in most mechanical systems and may have a major influence on the dynamic performance of the system. The incorporation of friction in dynamic systems has been a subject of active research for several years owing to its high nonlinearity and its dependence on several parameters. Consequently, optimization of dynamic systems with friction becomes a challenging task. Gradient-based optimization of dynamical systems is a prominent technique for optimal design and requires the computation of model sensitivities with respect to the design parameters. The novel contribution of this paper is the derivation of the analytical methodology for the computation of direct sensitivities for smooth multibody systems with joint friction using the Lagrangian index-1 formulation. System dynamics have been computed using two different friction models; the Brown and McPhee, and the Gonthier et al. model. The methodology proposed to obtain model sensitivities has also been validated using the complex finite difference method. A case study has been conducted on a spatial multibody system to observe the effect of friction on the dynamics and model sensitivities, compare sensitivities with respect to different parameters and demonstrate the numerical and validation aspects. Since design parameters can have very different magnitudes and units, the sensitivities have been scaled with the parameters for comparison. Finally, a discussion has been presented on the interpretation of the case study results. Due to the incorporation of joint friction, ‘jumps’ or discontinuities are observed in the model sensitivities akin to those observed for hybrid dynamical systems.

Engineering↗

Ten year change in forest succession and composition measured by remote sensing

Vegetation dynamics and changes in ecological patterns were measured by remote sensing over a 10 year period (1973 to 1983) for 148,406 landscape elements, covering more than 500 sq km in a protected forested wilderness. Quantitative measurements were made possible by methods to detect ecologically meaningful landscape units; these allowed measurement of ecological transition frequencies and calculation of expected recurrence times. Measured ecological transition frequencies reveal boreal forest wilderness as spatially heterogeneous and highly dynamic, with one-sixth of the area in clearings and early successional stages, consistent with recent postulates about the spatial and temporal patterns of natural ecosystems. Differences between managed forest areas and a protected wilderness allow assessment of different management regimes.

Hall, Forrest G.↗

A Discrete Dendrite Dynamics Model for Epitaxial Columnar Grain Growth in Metal Additive Manufacturing with Application to Inconel

Epitaxial columnar grain growth is a prevalent microstructural feature in the additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components such as Inconel, with cubic unit cell crystal lattice structure (face centered cubic (FCC) or body centered cubic (BCC)). These columnar grains evolve from the partly molten grains in the substrate or the solidified metal. This work proposes an efficient model to simulate the competitive growth of epitaxial columnar dendritic grains. The proposed model tracks the dynamic changes in the dendrites emanating from discrete points along the solid/liquid interface of a quasi-steady melt pool (MP). These dynamic changes include convergence and divergence of growing dendrites. The model is extended to predict the microstructure of large 3D parts and experimentally validated by comparing the simulation results for laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) processes. The microstructure and pole figures are predicted for Inconel 718 samples produced by L-PBF and Inconel 740H samples produced by WAAM processes. Finally, the model predictions compare well with the observed microstructure and pole figures results for both the L-PBF and WAAM processes.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

Evapotranspiration Partitioning of Eucalyptus benthamii and Pinus taeda During Early Stand Development

Increasing demand for bioenergy from intensively managed woody crops raises concerns of increased evapotranspiration and potential decreases in water yield. Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) is currently the most cultivated species in the southeastern USA, the country’s wood basket. However, Eucalyptus species could achieve greater productivity but with unknown ramifications for water budgets. To address the knowledge gap, we determined annual water budgets of loblolly pine and Eucalyptus benthamii (eucalypt) from growing years 3 through 5 in a replicated (n = 3) two-factor design comparing species and groundwater depth. Paired plots were established across a depth-to-groundwater gradient from shallow (~ 2 m) to deep (~ 8 m). Hydrologic budgets were constructed by measuring precipitation, interception, soil evaporation, and transpiration. Eucalypt evapotranspiration and above-ground biomass production for growing years 3 through 5 were on average 25 and 14% greater than pine, respectively; however, evapotranspiration did not differ across groundwater depths. At the end of growing year 5, eucalypt had higher transpiration and evapotranspiration per unit area than pine. Soil evaporation was substantial in young plantations (nearly 500 mm) in growing year 3 but declined as the canopy closed. Partitioning of evapotranspiration components in developing bioenergy plantations was dynamic due to canopy development driven decreases in soil evaporation and increases in transpiration and interception; total evapotranspiration was less variable from year to year. Water use efficiency (WUE, kg biomass/m 3 H 2 O) per unit evapotranspiration was similar between species, but WUE per unit transpiration was higher in pine. As a result, considering total evapotranspiration in young plantations can affect WUE interpretations.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Process prediction and detection of faults using probabilistic bidirectional recurrent neural networks on real plant data

Attaining Industry 4.0 for manufacturing operations requires advanced monitoring systems and real-time data analytics of plant data, among other topics. We propose a Probabilistic Bidirectional Recurrent Network (PBRN) for industrial process monitoring for the early detection of faults. The model is based on a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) neural network that allows the model to retain long-term dependencies between sensor data along a time horizon, hence learning the dynamic behavior of the process. To reduce the false-positive detection rate of the model, we compel the model to learn from a highly noisy sensor reading while outputting noise-free sensor outputs. The performance of the proposed model is compared to other data-driven statistical process monitoring schemes using real plant data from an industrial Air Separations Unit (ASU) containing noisy sensor readings. We show that the model can learn from noisy data without reducing its performance. Using two different fault cases, we demonstrate the model’s ability to carry out early fault detection with average false-positive rates of 2.9% and 4.9% for both fault cases. The missed detection rates are 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Subject-specific modeling framework for particle deposition using computational fluid dynamics

Quantifying particle deposition and dose in the respiratory tract requires a physiologically realistic representation and reproducible computational workflows. However, existing modeling frameworks, such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) compartmental models and the Multiple Path Particle Dosimetry (MPPD) tool, lack detailed deposition profiles and subject-specific capabilities. The combination of advances in computer vision algorithms applied to the respiratory tract and Computational Fluid and Particle Dynamics (CFPD) allows high-fidelity simulations of particle behavior in anatomically accurate geometries derived from individual CT scans. The segmentation, preprocessing, and file preparation task for a CFPD simulation was often time-consuming, and no prior studies to-date have yet presented a fully automated framework. This work presents a fully automated workflow to obtain individualized particle deposition profiles in the human respiratory tract. The pipeline starts with segmenting upper and lower airway geometries using morphological and deep learning-based methods, generating three-dimensional (3D) models from CT imaging data. Next, a series of algorithms are presented to quality check and prepare the 3D geometry for a CFD or CFPD simulation. The preprocessing step includes correcting geometric artifacts, enforcing a physically consistent mesh, and automatically identifying and capping multiple outlets, which is required for CFD/CFPD simulations. These processed models are then input into open-source (OpenFOAM) or commercial (StarCCM+) CFD solvers, where flow and transient particle transport equations — including turbulence and particle–wall interactions are solved under realistic breathing conditions. Finally, the resulting particle deposition profiles can be integrated with Monte Carlo radiation transport codes and state-of-the-art computational phantoms to assess organ-specific absorbed doses in scenarios of radioactive aerosol inhalation. The presented work streamlines respiratory tract segmentation, preprocessing for CFD/CFPD simulations, and integration with dose assessment workflows, reducing manual intervention and improving access to high-fidelity, subject-specific modeling. The high precision in predicted particle deposition and dose distributions can improve personalized treatment strategies in respiratory medicine and refine dose estimates for radiation protection.

AI↗

On optimal control of hybrid dynamical systems using complementarity constraints

Optimal control for switch-based dynamical systems is a challenging problem in the process control literature. In this study, we model these systems as hybrid dynamical systems with finite number of unknown switching points and reformulate them using non-smooth and non-convex complementarity constraints as a mathematical program with complementarity constraints (MPCC). We utilize a moving finite element based strategy to discretize the differential equation system to accurately locate the unknown switching points at the finite element boundary and achieve high-order accuracy at intermediate non-collocation points. We propose a globalization approach to solve the discretized MPCC problem using a mixed NLP/MILP-based strategy to converge to a non-spurious first-order optimal solution. The method is tested on three dynamic optimization examples, including a gas–liquid tank model and an optimal control problem with a sliding mode solution.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Atomistic Origin of Microsecond Carrier Lifetimes at Perovskite Grain Boundaries: Machine Learning-Assisted Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics

The polycrystalline nature of perovskites, stemming from their facile solution-based fabrication, leads to a high density of grain boundaries (GBs) and point defects. However, the impact of GBs on perovskite performance remains uncertain, with contradictory statements found in the literature. We developed a machine learning force field, sampled GB structures on a nanosecond time scale, and performed nonadiabatic (NA) molecular dynamics simulations of charge carrier trapping and recombination in stoichiometric and doped GBs. The simulations reveal long, microsecond carrier lifetimes, approaching experimental data, stemming from charge separation at the GBs and small NA coupling, 0.01–0.1 meV. Stoichiometric GBs exhibit transient trap states, which, however, are not particularly detrimental to the carrier lifetime. Halide dopants form interstitial defects in the bulk, but have a stabilizing influence on the GB structure by passivating undersaturated Pb atoms and reducing the transient trap state formation. On the contrary, excess Pb destabilizes GBs, allowing formation of persistent midgap states that trap charges. Still, the charge carrier lifetime reduces relatively little, because the midgap states decouple from the bands, and charges are more likely to escape back into bands upon a GB structural fluctuation. The atomistic study into the structural dynamics of perovskite GBs and its influence on charge carrier trapping and recombination provides valuable insights into the complex properties of perovskites and the intricate role of GBs in the material performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Tough and circular glass fiber composites via a tailored dynamic boronic ester interface

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are valued for their strength and cost-effectiveness. However, traditional GFRPs often face challenges for end-of-life recycling due to their non-depolymerizable thermoset matrices, and long-term performance due to inadequate interfacial adhesion, which can lead to fiber–matrix delamination. Here, in this work, we have designed dynamic fiber–matrix interfaces to allow tough and closed-loop recyclable GFRPs by utilizing a vitrimer, derived from upcycled polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-polystyrene (SEBS) with boronic ester (S-Bpin) and amine-based diol crosslinker. The boronic ester groups in S-Bpin form dynamic covalent bonds with the naturally present hydroxyl groups on the unsized GF surface, which eliminates the need for fiber sizing and enables facile closed-loop recyclability of both the fibers and the vitrimer matrix. The resulting strong fiber–matrix interface, depicted by the Raman mapping, leads to a 552% increase in-plane shear toughness (6.2 ± 0.3 MJ m -3 ) and 27% ultimate tensile strength (361 ± 89.2 MPa) compared to those of the conventional epoxy-based matrix (0.95 ± 0.05 MJ m -3 and 264 ± 59.7 MPa, respectively). The network rearrangement through dynamic boronic ester exchange enables fast thermoformability and repairability of micro-cracks at elevated temperatures. Additionally, both the matrix and composite demonstrate strong adhesion to various surfaces including steel and glasses exhibiting ≥6 MPa lap shear strength, which expands their suitability for diverse industrial applications. The readily created dynamic interface between boronic ester functionalized vitrimer and neat GFs presents a promising strategy for developing closed-loop recyclable, multifunctional structural materials, offering a sustainable alternative to non-recyclable thermoset GFRPs and contributes to a circular economy in composite materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Chemical Reactor Network Modeling of Ammonia Rich-Quench-Lean Combustion Using a Partially Stirred Reactor Approach

Ammonia is a promising alternative to hydrogen with high energy density and favorable storage and transport characteristics. However, low flammability and a propensity for high nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emissions make direct utilization challenging. Recently, two-stage rich-quench-lean (RQL) combustion strategies have shown promise in achieving low NO x emissions with ammonia. In this approach, the rich stage serves to oxidize a portion of the fuel while thermally decomposing as much of the remaining ammonia as possible, generating hydrogen. In the second (lean) stage, air is rapidly introduced, burning out the hydrogen and residual ammonia. Two-stage RQL combustion of ammonia has been investigated in the open literature both experimentally and numerically. In general, idealized chemical reactor network (CRN) models predict NO x concentrations below those of 2D/3D computational fluid dynamics models and experiments. The primary drivers of these discrepancies may be largely attributed to finite rate mixing nonadiabatic operation. The typical CRN model is comprised of a perfectly-stirred-reactor (PSR), followed by a plug-flow-reactor (PFR), meant to represent the flame, and postflame zones, respectively. In the two-stage RQL approach two PSR-PFR networks are arranged sequentially, corresponding to the rich and lean stages, with secondary air injection in between. In the authors' past work, this arrangement has demonstrated the significant sensitivity of exit NO x to the rich stage equivalence ratio, while the amount of secondary air injection was shown to be less critical. In this paper, the CRN model is extended to (1) include the impacts of heat loss and (2) utilize a partially-stirred-reactor (PaSR) approach to study the impacts of mixing on emissions performance. Varying amounts of heat loss are applied to the rich relaxation zone to understand emissions performance and changes to optimization of equivalence ratio and residence time. Premixed and nonpremixed configurations are considered in the rich stage PaSR, with varying degrees of mixing intensity to study the interaction between mixing, transport, and kinetic timescales. Critically, the impact of mixing between hot products and secondary air injection is studied to understand practical injector needs. Results show unburnt ammonia leaving the rich stage as a primary contributor to NO x emissions – driven both by increased heat loss and reduced mixing rates. Furthermore, heat losses have been shown to create conditions that are conducive to increased N 2 O formation in the lean stage. In conclusion, the results of this study will be considered in the context of developing optimized two-stage RQL combustors for ammonia.

Combustion↗