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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 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

PBI nanofiber mat-reinforced anion exchange membranes with covalently linked interfaces for use in water electrolysers

Anion exchange membranes (AEM) are key components in anion exchange membrane water electrolysers. Recently developed materials are less susceptible to the alkaline degradation of the polymer backbone and quaternary ammonium groups. A remaining challenge is the mechanical stability in contact with hot water and dimensional stability when the temperature of the feed solution changes. One solution is to reinforce membranes with a porous support. Since support materials like PEEK or PTFE have a different swelling behavior than the matrix and no strong interactions with the matrix, voids can form, and gas crossover increases. In this work, we approach this issue by pore filling polybenzimidazole nanofiber mats with the bromomethylated precursor of mTPN, an ultra-stable AEM material. During drying, a covalent interaction between support (PBI amine groups) and matrix (-CH 2 Br) is established. After quaternization, the optimized PBI/mTPN-50.120 composite membrane still shows a high conductivity of 62 mS cm –1 , but 37% reduced length swelling in comparison to the non-reinforced membrane. Tensile strength and Young's modulus increase 17% and 56% to 49 MPa and 680 MPa, respectively. In an electrolyser, a stable voltage of 1.98V at 0.25 A cm –2 was achieved, and no change in membrane resistance was observed over the test time of 200 h (50°C, 1 M KOH, catalysts based on Ni/Fe and Mo).

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

Linking water quality, fouling layer composition, and performance of reverse osmosis membranes

Fouling of polyamide membranes during reverse osmosis (RO) is a major challenge for adopting membrane technologies to treat highly contaminated waters, especially those containing organic foulants (e.g., natural organic matter (NOM), polysaccharides) and dominant cations (e.g., sodium, magnesium, calcium). Here, this work combines bench-scale membrane fouling experiments with detailed characterization of feedwater chemistry and fouling layer composition/morphology to reveal fundamental mechanisms of (in)organic fouling during RO. Divalent cations are shown to promote fouling by hydrophobic NOM containing aromatic and carboxyl groups, while NOM fouling in the presence of a monovalent cation, sodium, occurs by smaller fulvic acids containing larger fractions of carboxyl groups and other oxygen-rich moieties. Calcium-carboxyl bridging occurs in solution and near the membrane surface to induce NOM aggregation on nanometer length scales. In complex waters containing foulant mixtures, co-fouling by calcium-carboxyl bridging and CaCO 3 precipitation influence membrane performance at longer timeframes. However, the flux decline observed for the co-fouling mechanism was less significant than the sum of its parts, suggesting both synergistic and antagonistic fouling mechanisms should be considered in membrane design/operation. These results encourage the design of pretreatment processes to reduce concentrations of multivalent ions and hydrophobic NOM in RO feedwaters, and of membrane materials to limit attachment/deposition of aggregates to/on polyamide surfaces.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Design of non-fluorinated proton exchange membranes from Poly(Terphenyl fluorenyl isatin) with fluorene-linked sulfonate groups and microblock structures

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are essential components in energy storage and conversion devices, such as fuel cells and electrolyzers. Here, in this study, we developed a series of non-fluorinated PEMs from poly(terphenyl fluorenyl isatin) with fluorene-pendent disulfonate groups. These polymers feature a microblock structure composed of hydrophobic blocks, hydrophilic blocks, and alternating blocks, arising from the differences in reactivity, concentration, and solubility between the hydrophobic p-terphenyl and hydrophilic disulfonated fluorene monomers. As a result, the sulfonic acid groups are unevenly distributed along the polymer chains, forming densely charged regions (IEC = 3.52 meq/g) with large ion clusters and lightly charged regions (IEC = 2.16 meq/g) with small ion clusters. This microstructure, combined with the degree of sulfonation, significantly influences the overall properties of the membranes, including robust mechanical strength (47.1–63.2 MPa), high thermal stability (up to 270 °C), low swelling ratio (18–25% at 80 °C), and high proton conductivity (136–169 mS/cm in deionized water at 80 °C). The PFLSH60 membrane demonstrated comparable fuel cell performance to Nafion 212. Its hydrogen crossover current density was more than two times lower (0.86 mA/cm 2 for PFLSH60 compared to 1.83 mA/cm 2 for Nafion 212) under testing conditions of 80 °C and 100% RH. This significantly reduced crossover improves fuel utilization in fuel cell stacks. This work offers valuable insights into the design of robust, high-performance PEMs by systematically analyzing the relationships between membrane structure, properties, and performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Linking constituent phase properties to ductility and edge stretchability of two DP 980 steels

Two DP 980 steels were characterized with multiple methods to determine its microstructure characteristics, tensile properties and edge stretchability. The first (DP980-B) is a commercial grade DP980 steel produced by AK Steel, while the second (DP980-T) is a modification of the first one by a tempering process. Both contain two individual phases: ferrite and martensite with body centered cubic (BCC) and tetragonal (BCT) crystal structure respectively. ASTM standard tensile tests were performed for both materials, revealing that DP980-B has higher work hardening and larger total elongation than DP980-T. Standard hole piercing and subsequent hole expansion and extrusion tests were also performed. The critical hole expansion ratio (HER) of hole pierced sheet at different nominal clearances, on the other hand, show an opposite trend: the HER of DP980-T almost doubles that of DP980-B. This indicates the tensile ductility and edge stretchability are determined by different mechanisms due to different deformation modes. The ductility of sheet metal during uniaxial tension is determined by deformation instability, i.e. necking, due to less constraint at the region of deformation and fracture will occur quickly after necking. The contribution of post-necking deformation to the total elongation is insignificant for the high strength grades such as DP980 steels. The ductility during hole-expansion, however, is mainly determined by material fracture behavior that is dependent on phase property disparity and material intrinsic fracture parameters. With the individual phase properties for both DP steels determined by in situ tensile tests under high energy X-ray diffraction, the results show that DP980-T steel has lower property disparities between the two phases than DP980-B steel, due to the tempering process. This explains why the DP980-T steel has higher HER than DP980-B steel: lower phase disparity will lead to less local deformation during loading. The higher work hardening rate for DP980-B steel contributes to its higher uniform elongation compared with DP980-T steel based on the maximum load condition of deformation instability. An integrated finite element simulation framework for studying hole expansion is also presented here, based on the calculated individual phase properties from the combined high energy x-ray diffraction (HEXRD) and elastic plastic self-consistent modeling. The simulation results correlate well with the experimental results on the HER difference between the two materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Linking microstructure to creep behavior in vertically and horizontally built LPBF Haynes 282 compared with wrought material via θ -projection

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) has emerged as a promising route for fabricating intricate geometries in high-performance alloys. Haynes 282 (H282) is a strong candidate for applications such as heat exchangers or engines due to its excellent creep strength and thermal stability; however, the long-term creep behavior of LPBF-processed H282 remains poorly understood. In this study, the θ -projection method is used to analyze and extrapolate the creep behavior of vertically built LPBF, horizontally built LPBF, compared to wrought H282 tested at 816 °C. Vertically built LPBF H282 exhibits the lowest minimum creep rate (MCR), while the horizontally built condition shows a higher MCR comparable to that of wrought H282. Despite these differences, both LPBF conditions exhibit significantly shorter rupture life and reduced rupture strain than the wrought material, with the most severe degradation observed in the horizontal builds, consistent with an earlier onset of tertiary creep and accelerated strain-rate evolution. Microstructural characterization reveals that both LPBF and wrought H282 exhibit abundant twin-related boundary character; however, their grain boundary topologies differ markedly. The wrought alloy contains a higher fraction of low-angle grain boundaries and continuous twin lamellae, whereas the LPBF microstructure is characterized by a suppressed low-angle boundary population and fragmented twin-related boundaries embedded within irregular high-angle grain boundary networks. Fractographic analysis further reveals predominantly intergranular cracking in LPBF H282, accompanied by grain-boundary-decorated carbides, Al 2 O 3 inclusions, and high-aspect-ratio pores. These results demonstrate that grain boundary topology, rather than minimum creep rate alone, plays a critical role in governing creep damage accumulation and rupture behavior in LPBF and wrought H282.

Creep↗
DOE OSTI2023

Linking transportation agent-based model ($\mathrm{ABM}$) outputs with micro-urban social types ($\mathrm{MUSTs}$) via typology transfer for improved community relevance

The human relationship with transportation is shaped by social, economic, demographic, and urban form variables, or socio-spatial factors. The spatial dynamics of these are key to generating and interpreting outputs of transportation models that are most relevant for a community and the diverse mobility needs of its members. Here we present a typology transfer framework, grounded in socio-spatial dynamics shaping people's mobility, to take transportation-themed regional mobility model outcomes, in this case from two agent-based models (ABMs), and extrapolate them to other cities, with less time and resource intensity than new ABM development. The typology transfer process first identifies micro-urban social types (MUSTs) using socio-spatial factors, then defines city types based on spatial patterns of MUSTs to assess across which cities transfer results are likely to best hold. Lastly, a typology transfer multiplier matrix extrapolates a given variable, in our case the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric, to another city. The full process demonstration uses ABM results from Chicago (POLARIS model) and San Francisco (BEAM model), applying them to New York City. We discuss how MEP or other outputs can be appropriately estimated and used for integrated, human-centered mobility analysis. Key findings include that this MUST framework of user-defined dependent and independent variables allows tailoring ABM results and interpretations to specific community needs and data availability. Findings clarify that positive outcomes can be targeted towards user groups, based on sociospatial characteristics, using a typology approach, such as inclusive access to mobility choices, transportation affordability, and greater efficiency in resource use.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

RAN and YBX1 are required for cell proliferation and IL-4 expression and linked to poor prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Highlights: • RAN and YBX1 are co-expressed and required for cell proliferation in OSCC cells. • RAN and YBX1 are positively associated with the immune infiltrates of CD4{sup +} Th2 cells. • RAN and YBX1 can promote IL-4 expression. • RAN is a direct target of YBX1. • RAN and YBX1 can serve as potential co-biomarkers for poor prognosis in OSCC. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world, with a high mortality rate. RAN is a member of the Ras GTPase family and is overexpressed in a range of cancers, however, the relationship between RAN and OSCC is rarely reported. In this study, we found that RAN is overexpressed in OSCC tissues. RAN inhibition retarded OSCC cell proliferation and led to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Knockdown of RAN inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Strikingly, we found that RAN and oncogene Y-box binding protein-1 (YBX1) are positively associated with the immune infiltrates of CD4{sup +} Th2 cells in multiple types of cancer, and can promote IL-4 expression. IL-4 treatment can partially rescue RAN knockdown-induced cell apoptosis in OSCC cells. Moreover, overexpression of RAN could rescue cell growth inhibition caused by knockdown of YBX1. Furthermore, patients with low expression of both RAN and YBX1 had better overall survival than others. Collectively, these findings indicate that RAN is a target of YBX1. RAN and YBX1 are required for cell proliferation and IL-4 expression. RAN and YBX1 are co-expressed and can serve as potential co-biomarkers for poor prognosis in OSCC.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Soil Carbon Stocks Not Linked to Aboveground Litter Input and Chemistry of Old-Growth Forest and Adjacent Prairie

The long-standing assumption that aboveground plant litter inputs have a substantial influence on soil organic carbon storage (SOC) and dynamics has been challenged by a new paradigm for SOC formation and persistence. We tested the importance of plant litter chemistry on SOC storage, distribution, composition, and age by comparing two highly contrasting ecosystems: an old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest, with highly aromatic litter, and an adjacent coastal prairie, with more easily decomposed litter. We hypothesized that if plant litter chemistry was the primary driver, redwood would store more and older SOC that was less microbially processed than prairie. Total soil carbon stocks to 110 cm depth were higher in prairie (35 kg C m —2 ) than redwood (28 kg C m —2 ). Radiocarbon values indicated shorter SOC residence times in redwood than prairie throughout the profile. Higher amounts of pyrogenic carbon and a higher degree of microbial processing of SOC appear to be instrumental for soil carbon storage and persistence in prairie, while differences in fine-root carbon inputs likely contribute to younger SOC in redwood. We conclude that at these sites fire residues, root inputs, and soil properties influence soil carbon dynamics to a greater degree than the properties of aboveground litter.

13C-NMR spectroscopy↗