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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Rapid Generation of Hierarchically Porous Metal–Organic Frameworks through Laser Photolysis

Abstract Hierarchically porous metal–organic frameworks (HP‐MOFs) facilitate mass transfer due to mesoporosity while preserving the advantage of microporosity. This unique feature endows HP‐MOFs with remarkable application potential in multiple fields. Recently, new methods such as linker labilization for the construction of HP‐MOFs have emerged. To further enrich the synthetic toolkit of MOFs, we report a controlled photolytic removal of linkers to create mesopores within microporous MOFs at tens of milliseconds. Ultraviolet (UV) laser has been applied to eliminate “photolabile” linkers without affecting the overall crystallinity and integrity of the original framework. Presumably, the creation of mesopores can be attributed to the missing‐cluster defects, which can be tuned through varying the time of laser exposure and ratio of photolabile/robust linkers. Upon laser exposure, MOF crystals shrank while metal oxide nanoparticles formed giving rise to the HP‐MOFs. In addition, photolysis can also be utilized for the fabrication of complicated patterns with high precision, paving the way towards MOF lithography, which has enormous potential in sensing and catalysis.

Wang, Kun‐Yu↗
DOE OSTI2020

Rapid Generation of Hierarchically Porous Metal–Organic Frameworks through Laser Photolysis

Hierarchically porous metal–organic frameworks (HP-MOFs) facilitate mass transfer due to mesoporosity while preserving the advantage of microporosity. This unique feature endows HP-MOFs with remarkable application potential in multiple fields. Recently, new methods such as linker labilization for the construction of HP-MOFs have emerged. To further enrich the synthetic toolkit of MOFs, we report a controlled photolytic removal of linkers to create mesopores within microporous MOFs at tens of milliseconds. Ultraviolet (UV) laser has been applied to eliminate “photolabile” linkers without affecting the overall crystallinity and integrity of the original framework. Presumably, the creation of mesopores can be attributed to the missing-cluster defects, which can be tuned through varying the time of laser exposure and ratio of photolabile/robust linkers. Upon laser exposure, MOF crystals shrank while metal oxide nanoparticles formed giving rise to the HP-MOFs. In addition, photolysis can also be utilized for the fabrication of complicated patterns with high precision, paving the way towards MOF lithography, which has enormous potential in sensing and catalysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of normalization strategies for mass spectrometry-based multi-omics datasets

Introduction Data normalization is crucial for multi-omics integration, reducing systematic errors and maximizing the likelihood of discovering true biological variation. Most studies assess normalization for a single omics type or use datasets from separate experiments. Few address time-course data, where normalization might bias temporal differentiation. In this study, we compared common normalization methods and a machine learning approach, Systematical Error Removal using Random Forest (SERRF), using multi-omics datasets generated from the same experiment—even from the same cell lysate. Objectives To develop a straightforward process to assess normalization effects and identify the most robust methods across multi-omics datasets. Methods We analyzed metabolomics, lipidomics, and proteomics datasets from primary human cardiomyocytes and motor neurons exposed to acetylcholine-active compounds over time. Normalization effectiveness was evaluated based on improvement in QC features consistency and observing the change in treatment and time-related variance. Results Probabilistic Quotient Normalization (PQN) and Locally Estimated Scatterplot Smoothing (LOESS) QC were identified as optimal for metabolomics and lipidomics, while PQN, Median, and LOESS normalization excelled for proteomics. These methods consistently enhanced QC feature consistency in metabolomics and lipidomics, and preserved time-related variance or treatment-related variance in proteomics, demonstrating their effectiveness and robustness. SERRF normalization, applied only to metabolomics in this study, outperformed other methods in some datasets but inadvertently masked treatment-related variance in others. Conclusion Our evaluation identified PQN and LoessQC as the top methods for metabolomics and lipidomics, and PQN, Median, and Loess normalization for proteomics, in multi-omics integration in a temporal study.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Interaction-driven spontaneous ferromagnetic insulating states with odd Chern numbers

Motivated by recent experimental work on moiré systems in a strong magnetic field, we compute the compressibility as well as the spin correlations and Hofstadter spectrum of spinful electrons on a honeycomb lattice with Hubbard interactions using the determinantal quantum Monte Carlo method. While the interactions in general preserve quantum and anomalous Hall states, emergent features arise corresponding to an antiferromagnetic insulator at half-filling and other incompressible states following the Chern sequence ± (2N + 1). These odd integer Chern states exhibit strong ferromagnetic correlations and arise spontaneously without any external mechanism for breaking the spin-rotation symmetry. Analogs of these magnetic states should be observable in general interacting quantum Hall systems. In addition, the interacting Hofstadter spectrum is qualitatively similar to the experimental data at intermediate values of the on-site interaction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Harnessing ionic complexity: A modeling approach for hierarchical ionic circuit design

Since the 1950s, soft ionic devices have evolved from individual components to an expanding library of sensors, actuators, signal transmitters, and processors. However, integrating these components into complex, multifunctional systems remains challenging due to the nonintuitive and nonlinear interactions between ionic elements. In this work, we address these fundamental challenges by developing a lumped element model that enables interrogation of the physics that governs ionic circuits, as well as rapid design and optimization. Our model captures features specific to ionic charge carriers, while preserving the hierarchical design flexibility and computational efficiency of traditional circuit modeling. We demonstrate that our model can not only fit individual device behavior but also accurately predict the behavior of larger circuits formed by combining those devices. Additionally, we show how our tool utilizes the intrinsic nonlinearities of ionic systems to enable extended functionality, revealing how factors such as ion enrichment, ion leakage, and polymer charge density influence performance. Lastly, we present a fully ionic power supply, sensor, control system, and actuator for a soft robot that adapts its motion in response to environmental salt, illustrating the tool’s potential to accelerate advancements in chemical sensing, biointerfacing, biomimetic systems, and adaptive materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multiport Converter based Auxiliary Power Supply for Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Power Train

This paper presents a multiport converter (MPC) based power supply to charge the 12 V and 24 V auxiliary batteries in heavy duty (HD) fuel cell (FC) electric vehicle (EV) power train. Compared to conventional auxiliary power supply architectures, the proposed architecture shares the power electronic components of the main power train yet preserves the isolation and all other desirable features of auxiliary power supplies. The proposed auxiliary power supply architecture reduces the requirements of the devices, gate drivers and thermal requirements thereby having potential benefits towards improving the power density, cost and weight of the overall power train. The topology, design parameters and control methodology are discussed, and results are presented to validate the proposed architecture.

Mukherjee, Subho↗
DOE OSTI2026

High-Order Mesh r-Adaptivity with Tangential Relaxation and Guaranteed Mesh Validity

High-order meshes are crucial for achieving optimal convergence rates in curvilinear domains, preserving symmetry, and aligning with key flow features in moving mesh simulations [1], but their quality is challenging to control. In prior work, we have developed techniques based on Target-Matrix Optimization Paradigm (TMOP) to adapt a given high-order mesh to the geometry and solution of the partial differential equation (PDE) [2, 3]. Here, we extend this framework to address two key gaps in the literature for highorder mesh 𝑟-adaptivity. First, we introduce tangential relaxation on curved surfaces using solely the discrete mesh representation, eliminating the need for access to underlying geometry (e.g., CAD model). Second, we ensure a continuously positive Jacobian determinant throughout the domain. This determinant positivity is essential for using the high-order mesh resulting from 𝑟-adaptivity with arbitrary quadrature schemes in simulations. The proposed approach is demonstrated to be robust using a variety of numerical experiments.

Mathematics and Computing↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evidence for spreading in the lower Kam Group of the Yellowknife greenstone belt: Implications for Archaean basin evolution in the Slave Province

The Yellowknife greenstone belt is the western margin of an Archean turbidite-filled basin bordered on the east by the Cameron River and Beaulieu River volcanic belts (Henderson, 1981; Lambert, 1982). This model implies that rifting was entirely ensialic and did not proceed beyond the graben stage. Volcanism is assumed to have been restricted to the boundary faults, and the basin was floored by a downfaulted granitic basement. On the other hand, the enormous thickness of submarine volcanic rocks and the presence of a spreading complex at the base of the Kam Group suggest that volcanic rocks were much more widespread than indicated by their present distribution. Rather than resembling volcanic sequences in intracratonic graben structures, the Kam Group and its tectonic setting within the Yellowknife greenstone belt have greater affinities to the Rocas Verdes of southern Chile, Mesozoic ophiolites, that were formed in an arc-related marginal basin setting. The similarities of these ophiolites with some Archean volcanic sequences was previously recognized, and served as basis for their marginal-basin model of greenstone belts. The discovery of a multiple and sheeted dike complex in the Kam Group confirms that features typical of Phanerozoic ophiolites are indeed preserved in some greenstone belts and provides further field evidence in support of such a model.

Helmstaedt, H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Elevation and igneous crater modification on Venus: Implications for magmatic volatile content

Although most impact craters on Venus preserve nearly pristine crater rim and ejecta features, a small number of craters have been identified showing clear evidence of either igneous intrusion emplacement (floor-fracturing) beneath the crater floor or of volcanically embayed exterior ejecta deposits. Since the volcanically embayed craters consistently occur at higher elevations than the identified floor-fractured craters, this report proposes that igneous crater modification on Venus is elevation dependent. This report describes how regional variations in magmatic neutral buoyancy could produce such elevation dependent crater modification and considers the implications for typical magmatic volatile contents on Venus.

Wichman, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Turbine Design and Analysis for the J-2X Engine Turbopumps

Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center are developing the advanced upper stage J-2X engine based on the legacy design of the J-2/J-2S family of engines which powered the Apollo missions. The cryogenic propellant turbopumps have been denoted as Mark72-F and Mark72-0 for the fuel and oxidizer side, respectively. Special attention is focused on preserving the essential flight-proven design features while adapting the design to the new turbopump configuration. Advanced 3-D CFD analysis has been employed to verify turbine aero performance at current flow regime boundary conditions and to mitigate risks associated with stresses. A limited amount of redesign and overall configuration modifications allow for a robust design with performance level matching or exceeding requirement.

Marcu, Bogdan↗
NASA NTRS2016

Generation of Fullspan Leading-Edge 3D Ice Shapes for Swept-Wing Aerodynamic Testing

The deleterious effect of ice accretion on aircraft is often assessed through dry-air flight and wind tunnel testing with artificial ice shapes. This paper describes a method to create fullspan swept-wing artificial ice shapes from partial span ice segments acquired in the NASA Glenn Icing Reserch Tunnel for aerodynamic wind-tunnel testing. Full-scale ice accretion segments were laser scanned from the Inboard, Midspan, and Outboard wing station models of the 65% scale Common Research Model (CRM65) aircraft configuration. These were interpolated and extrapolated using a weighted averaging method to generate fullspan ice shapes from the root to the tip of the CRM65 wing. The results showed that this interpolation method was able to preserve many of the highly three dimensional features typically found on swept-wing ice accretions. The interpolated fullspan ice shapes were then scaled to fit the leading edge of a 8.9% scale version of the CRM65 wing for aerodynamic wind-tunnel testing. Reduced fidelity versions of the fullspan ice shapes were also created where most of the local three-dimensional features were removed. The fullspan artificial ice shapes and the reduced fidelity versions were manufactured using stereolithography.

Icing↗
NASA NTRS2018

Thresholds of Detection and Identification of Halite Nodule Habitats in the Atacama Desert Using Remote Imaging

The guiding theme of Mars exploration is shifting from global and regional habitability assessment to biosignature detection. To locate features likely to contain biosignatures, it is useful to focus on the reliable identification of specific habitats with high biosignature preservation potential. Proposed chloride deposits on Mars may represent evaporitic environments conducive to the preservation of biosignatures. Analogous chloride- bearing, salt-encrusted playas (salars) are a habitat for life in the driest parts of the Atacama Desert, and are also environments with a taphonomic window. The specific geologic features that harbor and preserve microorganisms in Atacama salars are sub- meter to meter scale salt protuberances, or halite nodules. This study focuses on the ability to recognize and map halite nodules using images acquired from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at spatial resolutions ranging from mm/pixel to that of the highest resolution orbital images available for Mars.

Phillips, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Volcanic styles at Alba Patera, Mars: Implications of lava flow morphology to the volcanic history

Alba Patera presents styles of volcanism that are unique to Mars. Its very low profile, large areal extent, unusually long and voluminous lava flows, and circumferential graben make it among Mars' most interesting volcanic features. Clues to Alba's volcanic history are preserved in its morphology and stratigraphy. Understanding the relationship of lava flow morphology to emplacement processes should enable estimates of viscosity, effusion rate, and gross composition to be made. Lava flows, with dimensions considered enormous by terrestrial standards, account for a major portion of the exposed surface of Alba Patera. These flows exhibit a range of morphologies. While most previous works have focused on the planimetric characteristics, attention was drawn to the important morphological attributes, paying particular attention to what the features suggest about the emplacement process.

Schneeberger, D. M.↗
DOE OSTI2026

A bioinspired approach for adaptive solid-solid phase change material coatings with optimized surface features for passive thermal regulation

The necessity to reduce global energy consumption calls for innovative strategies in building thermal management. Passive thermal regulation, particularly through bio-inspired designs, offers a promising avenue by mimicking nature's efficient control of optical properties. This research introduces a novel, climate-responsive coating that integrates optimized bio-inspired surface features with a solid-solid phase change material (SS-PCM) to dynamically manage solar absorptivity without adding additional thickness, enabling both heating and cooling as needed. Drawing on the photonic architectures of the Saharan silver ant and Morpho Didius butterfly, we employed a modeling and multi-objective optimization framework to tailor these surface features. Simulations reveal that surface texture, rather than the intrinsic phase transition of the SS PCM, dominates optical control. Relative to a flat SS PCM coating, optimized isotropic random roughness and broader range features yielded the highest passive heating power increase of about 144 % and 319 % respectively suitable for cold climates. Saharan ant-inspired features enhanced passive cooling for hot climates, achieving a 21.8 % improvement. For moderate climates, Butterfly-wing-inspired surface features provided a balanced enhancement of 19 % for heating and 7 % for cooling. Across all cases, the optimized surface features reduced combined heating and cooling energy demand more effectively than the baseline coating, while preserving material thickness. These findings demonstrate that climate-adaptive, optimized bio-inspired surface features can unlock the full potential of SS PCM coatings, providing a versatile pathway to significant energy savings in buildings and other applications. The methodology establishes a framework for designing next-generation adaptive envelopes that leverage natural photonic principles for high-impact, low-cost thermal regulation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1994

Nitrogen and xenon isotopic disequilibrium in Bachmut (L6) chondrule J2689 and matrix

Chondrule J2689, a large (8-mm) RP chondrule from Bachmut (L6) was previously found to be in disequilibrium with its host in a variety of features: (1) It has a fine-grained hornfelsic texture; (2) it contains low amounts of metal with a low-Ni taenite composition not found in the matrix; (3) the Ni/Co ratio of that metal is close to the solar ratio, which is equal to the bulk Ni/Co ratio (23) of the chondrule; (4) the bulk alkali content of the chondrule is high and the Na/K ratio is fractionated with respect to the average L chondrite ratio of 8; (5) Cr is depleted in spite of the high pyroxene content; (6) the siderophile elements are strongly depleted but are fractionated with their abundances increasing with volatility; and (7) the O isotopes of the chondrule and the host are out of equilibrium. However, the (Fe,Mg) silicates, feldspar, and chromite have chemical compositions indistinguishable from that of the host chondrite. We have studied a chip of the chondrite and of adjacent matrix by stepwise heating and by combustion in O for N and Xe isotopic abundances. (1) The chondrule preserved distinct bulk, metal, and O isotopic compositional features. It is therefore unlikely that the 'equilibration' of the major silicates Fe/Mg ratios could have taken place after accretion; (2) the chondrule was well equilibrated before break-up and exposure to cosmic rays; (3) two N signatures in the matrix also indicate that the matrix is not equilibrated; and (4) all data collected so far point toward the presence of unequilibrated Bachmut components. Very few reactions took place after accretion.

Kim, Y.↗
DOE OSTI2023

High precision tests of QCD without scale or scheme ambiguities: The 40th anniversary of the Brodsky–Lepage–Mackenzie method

A key issue in making precise predictions in QCD is the uncertainty in setting the renormalization scale μ r and thus determining the correct values of the QCD running coupling α s (μ r ) at each order in the perturbative expansion of a QCD observable. It has often been conventional to simply set the renormalization scale to the typical scale of the process Q and vary it in the range μ r $\in$ [Q/2, 2Q] in order to estimate the theoretical error. This is the practice of Conventional Scale Setting (CSS). The resulting CSS prediction will however depend on the theorist’s choice of renormalization scheme and the resulting pQCD series will diverge factorially. It will also disagree with renormalization scale setting used in QED and electroweak theory thus precluding grand unification. A solution to the renormalization scale-setting problem is offered by the Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC), which provides a systematic way to eliminate the renormalization scale-and-scheme dependence in perturbative calculations. The PMC method has rigorous theoretical foundations, it satisfies Renormalization Group Invariance (RGI) and preserves all self-consistency conditions derived from the renormalization group. The PMC cancels the renormalon growth, reduces to the Gell-Mann–Low scheme in the N c → 0 Abelian limit and leads to scale- and scheme-invariant results. The PMC has now been successfully applied to many high-energy processes. In this article we summarize recent developments and results in solving the renormalization scale and scheme ambiguities in perturbative QCD. In particular, we present a recently developed method the PMC ∞ and its applications, comparing the results with CSS. The method preserves the property of renormalizable SU(N)/U(1) gauge theories defined as Intrinsic Conformality (iCF). This property underlies the scale invariance of physical observables and leads to a remarkably efficient method to solve the conventional renormalization scale ambiguity at every order in pQCD. This new method reflects the underlying conformal properties displayed by pQCD at NNLO, eliminates the scheme dependence of pQCD predictions and is consistent with the general properties of the PMC. A new method to identify conformal and β-terms, which can be applied either to numerical or to theoretical calculations is also shown. We present results for the thrust and C-parameter distributions in e + e - annihilation showing errors and comparison with the CSS. We also show results for a recent innovative comparison between the CSS and the PMC ∞ applied to the thrust distribution investigating both the QCD conformal window and the QED N c → 0 limit. In order to determine the thrust distribution along the entire renormalization group flow from the highest energies to zero energy, we consider the number of flavors near the upper boundary of the conformal window. In this flavor-number regime the theory develops a perturbative infrared interacting fixed point. These results show that PMC ∞ leads to higher precision and introduces new interesting features in the PMC. In fact, this method preserves with continuity the position of the peak, showing perfect agreement with the experimental data already at NNLO. We also show a detailed comparison of the PMC ∞ with the other PMC approaches: the multi-scale-setting approach (PMCm) and the single-scale-setting approach (PMCs) by comparing their predictions for three important fully integrated quantities R e+e- , R$_Τ$ and Γ (H→$b\bar{b}$) up to the four-loop accuracy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Preserving Tracer Correlations in Moment-Based Atmospheric Transport Models

A linear non-diffusive algorithm for advective transport is developed that greatly improves the detail at which aerosols and clouds can be represented in atmospheric models. Linear advection schemes preserve tracer correlations but the most basic linear scheme is rarely used by atmospheric modelers on account of its excessive numerical diffusion. Higher-order schemes are in widespread use, but these present new problems as nonlinear adjustments are required to avoid occurrences of negative concentrations, spurious oscillations, and other non-physical effects. Generally successful at reducing numerical diffusion during the advection of individual tracers, for example, particle number or mass, the higher-order schemes fail to preserve even the simplest of correlations between interrelated tracers. As a result, important attributes of aerosol and cloud populations including radial moments of particle size distributions, molecular precursors related through chemical equilibria, aerosol mixing state, and distribution of cloud phase are poorly represented. We introduce a new transport scheme, minVAR, that is both non-diffusive and preservative of tracer correlations, thereby combining the best features of the basic and higher-order schemes while enabling new features such as the tracking of sub-grid information at arbitrarily fine scales with high computational efficiency.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1978

Heliocentric interplanetary low thrust trajectory optimization program, supplement 1, part 2

The improvements made to the HILTOP electric propulsion trajectory computer program are described. A more realistic propulsion system model was implemented in which various thrust subsystem efficiencies and specific impulse are modeled as variable functions of power available to the propulsion system. The number of operating thrusters are staged, and the beam voltage is selected from a set of five (or less) constant voltages, based upon the application of variational calculus. The constant beam voltages may be optimized individually or collectively. The propulsion system logic is activated by a single program input key in such a manner as to preserve the HILTOP logic. An analysis describing these features, a complete description of program input quantities, and sample cases of computer output illustrating the program capabilities are presented.

Mann, F. I.↗